dairy-free deliciousness: Mexican Mess Dip

after what has seemed like 2 straight weeks of rainy, gloomy days in houston, this is my friday the 13th mood:

so our iMac's hard drive started doing weird things last week and Sonny immediately took it to the Apple store.  i have been using that 27 inch beast of a screen to blog since we got it 2 years ago and i kinda couldn't function without it this past week! seriously. blogging from anywhere else is just not the same. translation: i am terribly behind. but that ain't nothin' new.

Dego has been taking 2 naps per day and the first one usually starts at 11am without fail.  the second one is tricky though!  he'll wake up around 1ish, but then he doesn't get sleepy again til 7. one would hope that he would just sleep through the rest of the night at that point, but no, he takes another 'nap' and wakes up again at 9. so then i'm ready to hit the sack around 10 and he is WIDE. AWAKE. and wants to play. soooo i've been trying to put him down around 5ish to prevent this so we can all go to bed at the same time. not going so well yet lol.  but consistency will take care of that in the coming days. that said, i only got about 4 hours of sleep before i had to get up and teach Barbell Strength thursday morning! but i made it. my lazy selfie proves it.

one of the moms brought a layered mexican dip type dish to small group this week that i could not get off my mind! after i left, i was officially on a mission to create a dairy-free mexican dip kinda deal so i stopped by Wally World (aka walmart) to get some avocados.  gotta have avo. then i came across this new (well, new to me) Weber seasoning blend in the spice isle: Garlic Sriracha!!!!

so i made some homemade Garlic Sriracha Guac, naturally!

• 4 ripe avocados
• juice of half a large lemon
• 1 heaping tbsp Weber Garlic Sriracha seasoning blend
• 1 tsp sea salt (optional) *i actually added this by habit before i added the Weber seasoning. not sure i needed it.*

then, i got a little surprise visit from... my brother!  he is back from working overseas in Afghanistan again for a lil' bit! so i made him a homemade meal and deemed him my guinea pig for the garlic sriracha. i chopped up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and threw them into my hot wok with the seasoning...and that's it!  once the chunks were almost done, i added some red and orange mini peppers and sautéed them for about 2 min.  i paired that with steamed brown rice, the Garlic Sriracha Guac, and some shredded monterey jack cheese. he was one happy home-sick guy.

then this happened. it all came together perfectly.

Mexican Mess Dip (cold or hot)

the stuff:

• 1 cup organic vegetarian refried back beans (mine are HEB organic brand)
• 1 cup Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese spread
• 1 cup Garlic Sriracha Guac (see above)
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes OR your fave salsa
• 2 cups cheese diary-free cheese of choice (mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeño jack), shredded
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped

do this:

1. i made one hot (rectangle pan) and one cold (mixing bowl) dip.
2. layer away! starting from the bottom add your beans and smooth each layer flat using the back of your spoon or a spatula.
3. next, add cream cheese, then guacamole, then salsa/tomatoes, shredded cheese, olives, green onion.
4. if eating cold, you are done!  if hot (which is what we preferred) bake in the oven on 400 degrees until the cheese is melty, bout 10-15 min.
5. 

for the homemade chips, i used La Tortilla Factory low carb, high fiber light flour tortillas.  cut them into 8's, coat them with no-stick cooking spray and place them flat on a large, foiled baking pan.  bake for 5-6 minutes tops!!! they burn easily so keep an eye on them. k?

then i hit the gym for round two! taught a double yesterday, which is why i'm forcing myself to rest today. and eat more chips and dip.

an IGer pointed out that Lisanatti almond cheese is lactose free, but not dairy-free and she's exactly right.  Daiya is another popular dairy-cheese brand you could use for this dip though, which is available at Sprouts Farmer's Market and also Whole Foods Market.

Q: do you prefer hot or cold dips?

*reminderrrrr*

bootcamp is tomorroooooow!  also, prenatal classes will be available beginning in APRIL guys!! if you're interested or know a Preggo Patty who might be, send her my way. email me: le@fitfoodiele.com. even if you are unable to workout, meal plans are available as well.  here's to healthy, fit pregnancies!

le

updated oats & flashbacks

i am all over the place today and don't even know where to friggin' start! ok how about with....breakfast:

i've been saying i'm gonna post my updated morning bowl of oats recipe and i need to do it already. less talking and more action is what i'm putting into 2013.  i mean really.

this particular bowl was made with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, real vanilla, vanilla creme stevia, and topped with bananas, chopped almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon <3

fitfoodiele's BBO (basic bowl of oats) 

the stuff:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

do this:

bring the almond milk to a boil, add the vanilla, then add the oats. stir them around until every oat is wet lol, then turn your burner on low.  after 3 minutes it's pretty much done!  i like mine not too lose, and not too tight.. so if a little liquid left is left that's cool wit me.

**this is THE most basic way to make the oats...like ever.   when i post recipes in the future, this will almost always be the very base of the recipe...before i go crazy and start adding stuff all willy nilly.   sometimes i like to use 1 cup of almond milk + 1 cup of water which makes for one big huuuuuge bowl of oatmeal.  you know oats expand  in volume and soak up alotta the liquid it's cooked in, so it's like you're eating more but really, you're not.  i usually add a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon in there too- i like A LOT.  now, the toppings are endless i tell you, ENDLESS.  i usually do bananas (as if you didn't know lol) but apple chunks and raisins, and blueberries work well as far as fruit goes, and all kinds of nuts pair well too.  my fave are almond, pecans, and pistachios.  a lot of people throw in a big scoop of nut butter (PB2, the real thang, almond butter, etc.) which adds incredible flavor. add what ya like!!!**

here's the break down on the types of oats so you won't be in the bulk aisle lookin' clueless:

old fashioned - not that great for smooth pancakes UNLESS you grind them first.  even when making a bowl of regular oatmeal, they don't soak up much liquid, and take the longest to cook.

quick cooking / rolled oats  (1-3 minute cooking time) - these are pressed old-fashioned oats into thinner flakes which makes for a quicker cooking time, hence the name.  they work best for pancakes IMO. makes a huge difference in the texture of your cake.  buuut again, if you grind them up first, it doesn't really matter now does it!

steel-cut - chopped up oat groats. (oat groats are the real whole oat, hulled and unprocessed). they produce a rougher, chewier bowl of regular oatmeal and take as long as old-fashioned oats to cook...maybe longer.

instant - i don't do instant and you shouldn't either :shock:

after breakfast, i hit the gym and worked on my core, glutes, and ended with a little cardio.  you remember that ab machine that looks like a little tire wheel with two handles on either side? we had one of those growing up lol! the thought of my parents attempting to use that thing back then is HILARIOUS to me now.  matter fact, i don't even remember anybody using it correctly, ever.  i like the cooler looking one above- i saw somebody else with one and grabbed one too.   i did 5 reps of 10 of these and was feelin' it by the 2nd set, MY GOODNESS.

then, grocery shopping! yeah i had a pretty awesome day! got lots of fresh produce and restocked Produce Island (e.g. my kitchen island, even though you prolly figured that out).  i have a lot of work to do in my test kitchen this month:)

aaaand of course i restocked my snack corner too. all good stuff, i promise.

sooo, yesterday i made nachos for lunch. not just any nachos though, 

grilled, JUMBO shrimp nachos!!!!

i marinated the shrimp in liquid aminos, smokehouse maple seasoning, fresh chopped cilantro, and black pepper for a few minutes first,

then went to work with my grill pan.  before i started that, i sliced up  some of my low carb La Tortilla Factory soft wraps, put them on a baking sheet, and cooked them until they were crispy.

then...the magic happened.

semi-homemade chips, shredded kale, chopped roma tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, shredded almond cheese, and SCRIMPS! i only had one small corner of almond cheese left and nachos MUST HAVE CHEESE! i scrounged up what i could, but they were still so good!  next time, way more cheese. way more. i also made some homemade guacamole:  avocado, tomato, cilantro, liquid aminos, pepper, and lemon juice.

KILLED IT!

so i taught my very first class of 2013 this past Wed- i subbed a weight's class for another instructor and got my burn ON baby!  i also realized that this is the beginning of my 5th year as an instructor. MY how time has flown. i have super-duper BIG news for my Houston area readers and gymers- just you wait!!

all these progress and throwback pics on IG have me going back looking through my own photo archives these days!  i came across this one from Sonny's frat brother's wedding in 2011.  

fluffaaaaay!  and look at my posture:( however, my boobs were so heavy from breastfeeding.  i was darn  near hiding behind Sonny!!   i felt and definitely looked self-conscious and unconfident. i said on IG that Chiso was less than a year when we took this, but i later realized that he was 4 months old at the time.

now, it didn't take me an entire year to trim down to this size, but it's something very gratifying about being able to look back to see where you WERE.  one bikini comp down and a current, consistent exercise/nutrition off-season regiment and i'm grabbing a fist full of that dress behind me cause it won't stay up on its own these days!  i can finally say i'm content with my body; i'm staying right here. HEY Chiso, dang!!!!!!!

never, ever limit exercise to physical benefits only; i tell people this over and over again!  exercise reduces stress... it's an escape.. it's a form of therapy.  along with looking fitter, it makes you FEEL better emotionally too.  i even sleep better!  this is why i was ITCHING to get back into the gym after having to sit down and recover from my dental surgery.  all of  those reasons above!

so, other than the physical benefits, WHY do you exercise?  (2013 gym newbies AND veterans!)

le

hot & skinny spinach dip

finally, huh!  let me keep it real... i made this dip last week and i was tryin to be cool and different and i used 2% sharp cheddar. i thought the sharp flavor would be an excellent way to change up the recipe a lil.  it tasted ok (and we ate it ALL), but it just didn't look right.  also, 2% cheese just does not melt like i need it to!  soooo,  i went back to the store and got some white cheese.  pepperjack to be exact.  it made a world of difference in flavor and texture.   anyway,  thank you for being so patient- here it is.

hot & skinny spinach dip

the stuff:

• 1 10 oz bag frozen spinach
• 1 med shallot, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt
• 2 wedges laughing cow garlic & herb cheese
• 2 wedges laughing cow cream cheese
• 1/2 cup pepperjack cheese, shredded (or mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup pepperjack to top
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

yes, that did say tomatoes up there!  when i add tomatoes to my homemade guacamole it makes it super creamy.  same concept- it makes a difference.  turn your oven on 350 deg. now.  microwave your spinach on high for about 5 min then drain/squeeze all the water out.  don't forget to drain your tomatoes too- you don't need the excess liquid.  chop up the shallots and onion and throw them into a med heated pan.  after they become translucent (2-3 min) throw in the spinach and tomatoes; toss.

time for the best part...CHEESE.  use the back of your spoon to smash and break up the wedges and go ahead and incorporate the greek yogurt too.

then, add in your cup of pepperjack and parmigiano reggiano.

once everything is all mixed and melted, transport the dip to your baking pan.  spray it with no-stick cooking spray first, then top it with that remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

 15 minutes later,

bubbly, melty CHEESE and lots of it.

i am not even a chip person but these multigrain tostitos are so addicting.  my aunt had them @ her Easter party and they were perfect for this dip.  use your favorite or try these.

you can keep this snack super skinny and use veggies for dipping instead, no doubt.

le

homemade kale chips and cheese sticks

the kitchen is usually my solo domain, but i never pass up the chance to share what i love with the one i love.  however, these snacks are so easy to make, i let Sonny do all the work this time.

he tore 1 big bunch of kale from its stems.  they shrink after baking, so it's cool to keep them kinda large.

washed and dried.

he then showed the kale some love and gave it an olive oil massage. no dirty talk needed though.

i went ahead and lined the baking pan with wax paper since his hands were oily.

last thing; he sprinkled the kale with sea salt and popped them in a 350 deg oven for 12-15 min. you gotta watch them cause they burn EASILY.

again, they'll shrink, but don't overcrowd the pan.

done.

light, crispy, easy-peasy.

next, baked cheese sticks.  i LOVE cheese; i was extremely anxious to make and eat these.

the stuff:

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• tony c's and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 beaten egg white
• 5 sticks of light mozzarella string cheese

do this:

 we halved 5 light string cheese sticks for a total of 10.  no deep-frying or high fat cheese needed and they still came out tasting like a restaurant appetizer.

flour first, then egg wash, then panko. i sprayed some no-stick cooking spray on them so the flour would stick though.

sonny got restless real quick and dumped them all in at once. men. lol

 if you have left over ingredients, make more and minimize waste.

bake for 10 min in the oven or just until the cheese starts to melt. you gotta watch these too, but i wanted mine to burn a little cause burnt cheese tastes darn good.  each stick is only 40 calories!

the marinara sauce was perfect- made it feel like we were eating pizza!  you have to eat them quick else they will be a melty mess. that wasn't a problem though.

 super crispy on the outside and all gooey and cheesy on the inside.

great job, Sonny!!! who knows, maybe i'll cut the grass this weekend.

le