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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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March 23, 2023

The Truth About Green Bell Peppers

Green bell peppers are not a favorite of mine. In fact, when I order veggie skillets, I usually request that they be omitted. I find them to be bitter

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Food, Health
March 16, 2023

Care for an Exercise Snack?

The terminology “exercise snack” is rather intriguing. I wanted one before I knew what it was. Would it be coated with dark chocolate? Is it low i

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Health
March 9, 2023

Decrease Your Stress and Enjoy a Muffin

Let’s start with the muffin. Last week I wrote about the health benefits of eating wild blueberries. Saturday morning, I decided that I had to have

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Food, Health
March 4, 2023

Plant-Based Wild Blueberry Muffins

Plant-Based Wild Blueberry Muffins These muffins are dairy-free, gluten-free and egg-free. The texture is different than mainstay blueberry muffins. I

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Breakfast, Recipes
March 2, 2023

Tiny Berry Packs a Powerful Punch

If you’ve not yet discovered Wyman’s Wild Blueberries, now is your time. These tiny little berries are one of the healthiest (perhaps even #1) and

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Food, Health, Personal Development
February 23, 2023

Debate on the Dirty Dozen

“Should I spend my money on organic fruits and vegetables?” “Is organic produce superior nutritionally?” “Does it really matter?” I hear t

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Food, Health
February 16, 2023

Choosing a Tasty Pineapple

In the past week, a discussion came up about pineapple. How do you choose a tasty one? Well, for those inquiring minds, here you go.  How to choose a

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Blog, Family, Health, Personal Development
February 8, 2023

Happy Birth Month

You’re probably thinking that I just celebrated my birth month. And I did. One year ago. Already. How quickly the years go by.  I recently read No

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Family, Friendship, Health, Personal Development
February 2, 2023

Colorful Cauliflower and Fresher Berries

Interesting what shows up in conversation when a bunch of friends gather. Most recently, this is what happened. “So, have you ever wondered how caul

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Food, Health
January 25, 2023

5 Ways to Stop Playing the Comparison Game

We all do it. As human beings, it’s part of our nature. We compare for points of reference. But we don’t have to play the game anymore. If you fin

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Health, Personal Development

Gourmet Made Simple

April 24, 2016
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Food

How could you not love a meal that is simple and AMAZING? Many people overlook the light and delicious flavor of fish…perfect for the warm and lazy days of summer. There are some great benefits to including wild caught varieties in our diet. The thought of making it in the comfort of your own home can be intimidating for a variety of reasons:

  • It smells bad or ‘too fishy.’                 market-897990_640
  • How should I cook it?
  • When is it done?
  • How do I know if it’s fresh?
  • I don’t know what kind to buy.

We recently had a fish dinner that was outstanding! I picked up about a pound of fresh Alaskan Halibut steaks at Whole Foods when they were on sale. I can’t recall if I have ever bought this type of fish before, but I decided to be adventurous. Since I only needed two pieces of halibut, it wasn’t a huge investment, even if things went really, really bad.

I marinated the fish for about 45 minutes in equal parts (about ¼ cup) olive oil and white wine, juice of one lemon, rosemary, salt and pepper. There are a variety of marinade recipes floating around for halibut. Since it is a mild fish, I chose a marinade that has subtle flavors, so it wouldn’t be overpowering.lemon-972941_640

While the halibut was marinating, some Golden Yukons were baking over the charcoal. Next we added a bunch of fresh asparagus that had I tossed with olive oil, directly onto the grate. (Careful not to lose them in between!) When the spears were tender and a little crispy, some coarse sea salt was sprinkled over them.

The fish was also cooked directly over the coals. (We brushed a bit of olive oil on the grate first so it wouldn’t stick.) Since halibut is a thicker type of fish, it was not necessary to put it in a foil pan. Each side was on the grill about 4 minutes and it was perfect! It is always better to undercook than overcook fish. Overcooked fish is BAD. It should easily flake, but not to the point of dryness.

The dinner was 5-star restaurant caliber for about $10 per person.stars-720213_640

Here is my challenge to those of you who feel a bit nervous about cooking fish: Give it a try. If you aren’t sure what or how much to buy, ask the person working in the fish department. Those people are trained to help you figure this out. They can help you select the freshest (Fish that is fresh is not stinky!) and tell you how to season and cook it too.

If you are at a loss and need a bit more encouragement, send me an email and I will be glad to help you! contact me

Chicken Salad & Creamy Avocado Dressing

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Salads

Chicken Salad

  • Chicken breast meat from a rotisserie chicken (skin removed) cut into small pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 apple, gala or other sweet variety, chopped
  • 2 handfuls of seedless (red) grapes, halved
  • Chopped raw pecans

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing and stir to coat well. Serve on a bed of greens or in a lettuce wrap.Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Other ideas:

  • Use canned chicken or chicken leftovers from another meal
  • Canned tuna may be substituted for chicken
  • Omit the apples and grapes and add onions
  • Add whatever you would like and see what happens-dried cranberries, cherries, almonds, walnuts

Creamy Avocado Dressing

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add to chicken or tuna salad. If dressing is not creamy enough, add a bit more olive oil to make it the right consistency.

This dressing is versatile and could be used on greens or as a vegetable dip.

Southwestern Chopped Salad

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Salads
  • Large head of Romaine 15 oz.
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 large orange bell pepper
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 5 green onions

Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Toss with desired dressing.

Dressing

  • 1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt or Greek yogurt)
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime), more to taste
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Puree all ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

 

Chocolate Coconut Mousse

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Treats

Strawberry Mousse Parfait1 can full-fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen is my favorite)
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
Stevia or honey to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or some other flavor, peppermint perhaps?)
Optional:  shredded coconut, almond butter, cinnamon

Chill the unopened can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Scoop out the solidified cream into a mixing bowl and beat vigorously with a whisk or electric mixer until softened (it shouldn’t liquefy). Add the cocoa powder, stevia or honey, and vanilla. Continue to beat until light and fluffy. You may top the mousse with coconut, almond butter or cinnamon.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge and the concoction becomes a bit thicker and fluffier. This is great a dip for strawberries, bananas, apples.

 

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