2011- The Mystery Ingredient Challenge

So I haven't kept up with this blog- life likes to get in the way- but I wanted to share what is happening in our home in 2011.
I have decided and committed to living a healthier lifestyle- going to the gym- not making excuses, cooking every meal- supper, lunch, and breakfast- rather than going out- and eating who knows what made with who knows what, and my mystery ingredient challenge- which i will document here.
Each week I want to find 1 new fruit or vegetable in the grocery store and find a healthy and fun way to incorporate it into a meal. I want cooking to be fun- and a de-stresser in my sometimes very full life! I want it to be fun and fresh- and in order to make that happen- I need to do it!
So no more excuses! Here is to 2011- the year that will be different, fun, and healthy!

Week 1: Mystery Ingredient: Endive

Endive looks like a small head of lettuce- but only the really crispy part. It is a bit bitter- and apparently is rich in vitamins and minerals- according to wikipedia. Who knew?
Sometimes people over look endive because they have no idea how to use it- an easy thing would be to chop it up and throw it into  a salad- but that would be boring.
Instead I used it for an appetizer! I washed and dried it really well and separated all of the leaves. For the filling I adapted a recipe I found on Kraft Canada- great website. I cubed 1 small chicken breast and cooked it in a tiny bit of oil in a pan. To that I added salt, pepper, orange zest (1/2 an orange zested- be careful because too much orange zest can easily turn bitter!!!), fresh grated ginger (no fake stuff here!), and garlic. When it all looked brown and yummy I took it off the element and let it cool. In a bowl I combined 1/4 c of half the fat mayonnaise, 1/4 c dried cranberries, 1 tbsp chopped pecans, 1 tbsp green onions, the cooled cubed chicken and just enough fresh squeezed orange juice (from the orange I zested) to thin the mayo and make it go further.

I put a little bit of filling in each of the endive leaves- from one endive I got about 16 usable leaves. And done! A healthy- great tasting appetizer with lots of different textures and flavors! It really is that easy- and I had fun too! Mystery Ingredient 1= done! By making this journey to healthiness fun- it makes it all the more possible! It's easy to sit there and complain that there is nothing to eat- and we're making the same thing all the time- its kind of like working out- we never feel like it, "never have the time to work out", excuse after excuse, but if you just DO IT- then you'll see and get what you want from it.

I am excited about everything and by no means do i think it will be easy- I know some days I'll probably want to do anything but work out or cook every meal after a hard day- but eye on the prize- everyone who I am close with is aware of my goals and support me- most of all I believe I will do it- so read next week to see what happens next!

Cant wait till week 2:)

Random fact for you: Use aromatics- which is what they are called in the cooking world to flavor your food. Rather than frying- bake and grill things using fresh ginger, garlic, lemon, orange, onions, and fresh herbs. Using all of this flavor will awaken your taste buds and make food taste better- rather than boring.
Another great healthy piece of advice- this I heard from a wonderful friend of mine- eat only until you are full- and no more than that! You will be surprised how little food you actually need to be full and happy! Not starving yourself at all- giving your body just what it needs and not more! It actually works! Serving sizes are way too big nowadays and what we think we need is way more than what we do.
A new idea I want to live by not only this year but always: Live to cook, and eat to live.