…Bitch Life…

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 large red tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-by13-inch baking pan with half of the oil. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, in pan. Sprinkle tomatoes with garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; dot with remaining oil. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until very soft. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information:
57 calories
3 total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
8 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
2 g fiber
0 mg sodium

Last Friday i finaly made it, i took a break from the old daily routines of going to work. I went with my roomates Esmaile and Judith to go job hunting (hehehe… isnt it ironic???) by 3:00pm we’re so exhasted and decided to go malling… and then the idea struck me… i wanna go watch movie!!! so the three of us watched it… Madagascar. For those who have’nt seen the movie yet here’s some movie info:

This movie focuses on four residents and "stars" of the Central Park Zoo in New York City who are also best friends: a lion (Stiller), a zebra (Rock), a giraffe (Schwimmer) and a pregnant hippo (Smith). When one of them goes missing, the other three break out of the zoo looking for him, and eventually all four are captured and put in boxes to ship them back to the continent their species are originally from: Africa. An accident at sea, however, strands them on the shore of Madagascar. Having had humans take care of them their entire life, the four know nothing of surviving in the wild, or that one of them, the lion, is genetically predisposed to eat his three best friends. Exploring their surroundings, the four friends soon meet the Malagasy locals (a type of lemur given to having loud "rave-like" dance parties) and their carnivorous enemies, the fousas. As the two sides try to use these four new, strange (and large) friends to their benefit, our heroes are also confronted with the reality of their predestined roles in nature.

Looking for a little flavor kick in your morning routine? This recipe will tantalize your taste buds and start your day off right! Serves 2 Ingredients 2 whole wheat tortillas 2 large eggs 2 large egg whites Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon chopped scallions 1/2 teaspoon canola oil Fresh cilantro, chopped Salsa Instructions Cut 2 toasted whole wheat tortillas into 1/4-inch strips. Whisk 2 large eggs and 2 large egg whites. Add tortillas, salt and pepper. Sauté 1 tablespoon chopped scallions in 1/2 teaspoon canola oil. Add egg mixture; scramble until eggs are set. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and salsa. Nutritional Information 240 calories per serving 80 g fat (1.5 g sat. fat) 210 mg cholesterol 23 g carbohydrate 14 g protein 2 g fiber 300 mg sodium

Don’t be afraid to use a pastry-bag — once you get the hang of it, it’s really easy. These cookies will keep for a week, tightly covered. Wait to sandwich the cookies together until just before serving.

Makes 10 cookies.

Ingredients
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar substitute
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, lumps removed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Light whipped topping (1 tablespoon per sandwich)

Instructions
Tip: Make sure your bowl is completely dry and clean of grease or the whites will not whip up enough.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl or electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at highest spped until whites form soft peaks that hold their shape when you lift the whisk. Add the sugar substitute, 1 tablespoon at a time; whisk until whites turn glossy and form stiff peaks that hold their shape. Do not underbeat. Whisk in cocoa and vanilla until blended.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large star nozzle into a pastry bag. Fill pastry bag with meringue. Pipe 20 meringue kisses onto prepared sheets. Bake 30 minutes, until crisp and dry. Turn oven off, let cookies cool in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from baking sheet. Sandwich pairs of cooled cookies together with whipped topping.
Nutritional Information:
19 calories
1 total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
0 g fiber
11 mg sodium

Looking for a crisp and delicious dish perfect for spring? This fresh salad will awaken your taste buds and inspire your senses.

Serves 2
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 small green onion, chopped
1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
Pinch of white pepper
1/2 pound (10) large shrimp
1/2 tablespoon red pepper (minced) Bibb lettuce

Ingredients

Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the lime juice, green onion, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, hoisin sauce, and white pepper together to make a marinade.

Peel, devein, and clean the shrimp; rinse in cold water and set aside to chill for 30 minutes.

Cook the shrimp in a nonstick skillet on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of the marinade for two to three minutes — it’s done when it turns pink. Pour the skillet contents into the marinade bowl, add the red pepper, toss, and set aside to chill. Place two serving dishes with the shrimp to chill.

To serve: On each of two chilled serving plates, place a bed of Bibb lettuce and spoon the shrimp onto the lettuce. Serve.

Nutritional Information:
151.91 calories
3.32 total fat (0.56 g sat)
172.36 mg cholesterol
6.14 g carbohydrate
24.18 g protein
0.94 g fiber
307.02 mg sodium

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 cans (15 ounces each) low-sodium chili beans (no flavorings added), pinto beans, or other beans
3-5 tablespoons chili powder
12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 1⁄2 cups shredded, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 can (14 1⁄2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 jar (16 ounces) enchilada sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13×3x9-inch baking dish with olive oil.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion in the oil for 3 minutes. Add the turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, for about 6 minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink. Add the beans and chili powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.

Place 6 tortillas, overlapping, in the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the turkey mixture evenly over the tortillas. Cover with the remaining 6 tortillas. Sprinkle with the cheese. Spoon on the tomatoes and enchilada sauce. Bake for 1 hour.

Makes: 6 to 8 servings (407 calories per serving)

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
4 packages of sugar-free red-colored gelatin (each box should be the four-serving type)
Sugar-free chocolate syrup
8 teaspoons sugar substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Mix 2 1/2 cups of boiling water with the four packages of gelatin. Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch pan and chill for three hours.

Select the type of dish you’d like to use for the parfait. In a bowl, stir together two teaspoons of sugar substitute and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract for every 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.

Using cookie cutters that are roughly the same diameter but smaller than the parfait glass, cut out rounds of gelatin. Feel free to experiment with different cookie cutter shapes, like hearts. Alternately layer the gelatin rounds and yogurt in the parfait glass. Finish with a dollop of the yogurt, and top with a drizzle of sugar-free chocolate syrup. Enjoy.

Note — you may have leftover gelatin when finished. Keep it on hand for a Sweet Treats snack!

Even dessert requires a little variety from time to time. If you’re looking for a change, try adding this tasty alternatives to your dessert repertoire.

Chilled Espresso Custard (Serves 4)
Ingredients
1.5 cups 1% milk
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant decaffeinated coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Lemon twists, for garnish

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar substitute, espresso powder or coffee, and vanilla extract until well blended. Pour into four 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins and place in a 10-inch skillet.
• Fill the skillet with water to 1/2 inch from the top of the custard cups. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cups from the skillet, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding, and refrigerate for three hours, or until chilled. Garnish with the cinnamon and lemon twists.

Cornish hens make an elegant entrée yet are quite simple to prepare. Very little oil is used so remember to baste often in the second half of the roasting time to ensure a nicely browned skin.

Serves 2
2 1/4-pound Cornish game hens, giblets removed
Salt and pepper
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus additional for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 garlic cloves, peeled

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry with paper towels. Season cavities with salt and pepper, then stuff with lemon slices and rosemary. Rub the outside skin of hens with oil; season with additional salt and pepper. Set on rack in roasting pan.
2. Roast 30 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Pour broth into pan; sprinkle garlic around hens. Continue roasting another 30 to 40 minutes, basting with pan juices every 5 minutes, until hens are golden and a meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy part of the thigh registers 180°F.
3. Transfer hens to serving plates; remove stuffing and discard. Serve with roasted garlic. Garnish with additional rosemary.

Nutritional Information:
278 calories
18 total fat (3 g sat)
91 mg cholesterol
8 g carbohydrate
22 g protein
1 g fiber
85 mg sodium

I called my old college friend Jane and along the chats she said I have to see this movie…its somehow similar with what happened to me way back in 2002… This is a comedy film but then again (like all comedy movies thati have seen which have the same story with mah sad life) when i saw it, i cried…Whats the story??? …

Stacy Holt (Brittany Murphy), an associate producer for daytime talk show hostess Kippie Kann (Kathy Bates),  is frustrated when her boyfriend Derek (Ron Livingston) refuses to discuss his past relationships. With the encouragement of her co-worker Barb (Holly Hunter), she delves into his Palm to learn about his ex-girlfriends. Using the show as a ruse and Barb as her guide, Stacy interviews and befriends them, only to discover that the past, in a few instances, is rather present. 

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Revolving around the set of a daytime talk show starring Kippie Kann (Bates), this is the story of an associate producer, Stacy (Murphy), whose boyfriend (Livingston) is "commitment-phobic", sneaks into his Palm Pilot and starts interviewing all of his old girlfriends (under the false pretenses that it has to do with the show) to find out why his relationships didn’t work in the past, and to find out if he’s worth her trust over the long haul. Her plan goes awry, however, when she becomes friends with one of them, and she must reveal who she really is… (Hunter plays Stacy’s boss, the show’s senior associate producer; Nicholson plays one of the ex-girlfriends she interviews).

Thanks Jane…. There’s a lot of lessons in this movie!!!!