http://www.bayoucityartfestival.com/
Looking for something to do ... the Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park is always fun. It's one booth after another of all forms of art. There is also some food and music. The weather should be sunny and mid to high seventies. $10 for adults and children under 12 are free. I highly recommend parking at Northwest Mall and taking the shuttle bus. Northwest Mall is right where the 610 loop and 290 meet. You park in the parking lot of the mall and grab a free bus. It's pretty obvious when you pull in where to park and catch the buses. The bus drops you off at the entrance to the park. You see the festival which is one big loop so you end up back at the entrance. Get back on the bus and then back to your car, nice! Here is a link to our local ABC affiliate with a very simplified page to click for tickets and parking http://a.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=resources/lifestyle_community&id=5981183. See you there!!
*If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity. SNAP needs volunteers to work their drink stand. SNAP is Spay-Neuter Assistance Program. http://www.snapus.org/site/PageServer
*If you are looking for another volunteer opportunity. Houston Arts Alliance also needs volunteers http://www.cachh.org/get-involved/volunteer/volunteering-with-houston-arts-alliance-at-the-bayou-city-art-festival/
Monday, March 23, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Food: Black Bean Salsa and Black Bean Soup
Last month I went to a sweet wedding of two great friends in Vegas. So last night I stopped off at my brother's house to pass out shirts and such that picked up in Vegas. They proceeded to eat cinnamon rolls and so I made my hasty exit, lol. I love cinnamon rolls- hot, gooey, buttery, YUM- but since my RNY gastric bypass I absolutely can not eat brown sugar or molasses. I mean I get completely sick. We are talking a full dumping episode!! I can eat regular sugar in small doses but brown sugar is a no. So as much as I love cinnamon rolls the thought of a dumping episode made them very unappealing. I didn't have a plan for supper last night which is never good but on the flip side I have really been good keeping my fridge and pantry stocked so it is easy to put something together. Last night's concoction was Black Bean Salsa. You could use it as a salsa but for me I just eat it as a meal.
Black Bean Salsa
1 can (15 oz) drained black beans
1/2 green bell pepper , cut up chunky or diced
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, cut up chunky or diced
1/2 (10 oz) can of drained Rotel tomatoes or 1 tomato, cut up chunky or diced
1/2 avocado, cut up chunky
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut up chunky
1/3 (or less) purple onion, diced
Dash or so of Garlic Salt
Optional: top with sour cream, corn, cheese, salsa, lime, mango
Mix all ingredients in bowl and serve.
Servings: 4 four oz. I eat this at two meals, dinner and then lunch the next day. Then I take whats left and make black bean soup.
Also a way to change up the flavor is to stir in a teaspon of your favorite low fat salad dressing. Like Ken's lite Cesar or lite Raspberry Vinagrette. Check out this link for Ken's lite dressing options http://shopping.kensfoods.com/lidr8oz.html . I go for light or lowfat options bc generally when the fat is removed the maker puts in sugar to replace the fat for flavor. So even though fat free is less fat and calories it will often have more sugar and your body will take extra sugar and make it into fat. Plus us bariatric sugery patients need to watch sugar to prevent dumping! I try to follow the 4 ingredient rule- if sugar is listed in the first four ingredients than I usually pass on that product and look for another product.
Black bean soup
Two ways
Version 1
Take all the ingredients from the Black Bean Salsa recipe and blend them in a blender for a smooth black bean soup. Done and serve. (This also makes a good dip)
Version 2
All the ingredients from the Black Bean Salsa plus
2 cups of water and a chicken bouillon cube or 1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 c cooking sherry
Put the liquid (either water and chicken bouillon or can of chicken broth) in a pot and bring to a boil. Add celery, carrots and onions to boiling water. Cook until tender, 15 min maybe.
Add cooking sherry and all the ingredients from the black bean salsa. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and serve.
Optional: add taco seasoning for more flavor, add more liquid if to much evaporates during cooking.
Black Bean Salsa
1 can (15 oz) drained black beans
1/2 green bell pepper , cut up chunky or diced
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, cut up chunky or diced
1/2 (10 oz) can of drained Rotel tomatoes or 1 tomato, cut up chunky or diced
1/2 avocado, cut up chunky
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut up chunky
1/3 (or less) purple onion, diced
Dash or so of Garlic Salt
Optional: top with sour cream, corn, cheese, salsa, lime, mango
Mix all ingredients in bowl and serve.
Servings: 4 four oz. I eat this at two meals, dinner and then lunch the next day. Then I take whats left and make black bean soup.
Also a way to change up the flavor is to stir in a teaspon of your favorite low fat salad dressing. Like Ken's lite Cesar or lite Raspberry Vinagrette. Check out this link for Ken's lite dressing options http://shopping.kensfoods.com/lidr8oz.html . I go for light or lowfat options bc generally when the fat is removed the maker puts in sugar to replace the fat for flavor. So even though fat free is less fat and calories it will often have more sugar and your body will take extra sugar and make it into fat. Plus us bariatric sugery patients need to watch sugar to prevent dumping! I try to follow the 4 ingredient rule- if sugar is listed in the first four ingredients than I usually pass on that product and look for another product.
Black bean soup
Two ways
Version 1
Take all the ingredients from the Black Bean Salsa recipe and blend them in a blender for a smooth black bean soup. Done and serve. (This also makes a good dip)
Version 2
All the ingredients from the Black Bean Salsa plus
2 cups of water and a chicken bouillon cube or 1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 c cooking sherry
Put the liquid (either water and chicken bouillon or can of chicken broth) in a pot and bring to a boil. Add celery, carrots and onions to boiling water. Cook until tender, 15 min maybe.
Add cooking sherry and all the ingredients from the black bean salsa. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and serve.
Optional: add taco seasoning for more flavor, add more liquid if to much evaporates during cooking.
Food: Faux Rice Pudding
Prior to RNY gastric bypass I loved to eat rice pudding. Now that I don't eat rice anymore I have really had a craving for rice pudding so I searched the web and came across this recipe on http://mommywhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/2007/09/cottage-cheese-faux-rice-pudding.html
for faux rice pudding made with cottage cheese. Purrrfect, it's low in sugar and high in protein woohoo. It also tastes pretty darn good.
Faux Rice Pudding
1c low fat cottage cheese
1tsp instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix
3 tbs 2 % milk
pinch of cinnamon
Optional: sprinkling of raisins, nuts or fruit, dash of Splenda for extra sweetness
In a bowl combine cottage cheese, pudding mix, milk and cinnamon.
Stir until all ingredients until combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 15 min.
Before serving sprinkle on top any of the optional ingredients.
Dig in!!
Serving: I eat 4oz at a time. So instead of measuring 1 cup of cottage cheese I weighed 8oz of cottage cheese then added the rest of the ingredients. Then I split the recipe in half for two servings.
for faux rice pudding made with cottage cheese. Purrrfect, it's low in sugar and high in protein woohoo. It also tastes pretty darn good.
Faux Rice Pudding
1c low fat cottage cheese
1tsp instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix
3 tbs 2 % milk
pinch of cinnamon
Optional: sprinkling of raisins, nuts or fruit, dash of Splenda for extra sweetness
In a bowl combine cottage cheese, pudding mix, milk and cinnamon.
Stir until all ingredients until combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 15 min.
Before serving sprinkle on top any of the optional ingredients.
Dig in!!
Serving: I eat 4oz at a time. So instead of measuring 1 cup of cottage cheese I weighed 8oz of cottage cheese then added the rest of the ingredients. Then I split the recipe in half for two servings.
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