“Trashionista” 2010

This afternoon I went to Incarnate Word's "Trashionista 2010" to see the dress I made with my cousin out of Victoria's Secret bags. Apparently, every year on "Earth Day"this school puts on a fashion show where the students make clothing out of recyclable materials. There were some really cute outfits. I was surprised when my cousin came out modeling the dress and it was introduced as a "Leslie Galvan original". Totally made me laugh and smile!

My grandma taught me how to sew when I lived with her. She taught me how to do a lot of things actually—like keep a clean house, cook and do yard work. One thing I learned while living with her was that if I was bored, I shouldn't voice it because then she'd give me something to do…LOL! No but really, I'm really grateful for everything she taught me. She passed away in 1995 right before I graduated from high school.

For those of you who don't know, I do LOVE to sew. I made my very first formal dress for my senior homecoming dance. I found this picture and had to scan it and put it up. It's not the most extravagant dress but it got the job done in 1995…LOL!

My sewing skills also came in handy while in college. One semester as a part of the UTB/TSC Opera company a friend and I spent our entire spring break making costumes for our Spring show. THAT was fun and challenging and if I'm not mistaken some of those costumes are still being used.

These days my desire is to sew some more but well, time doesn't really allow for it. Maybe someday soon, who knows.

I was excited when my cousin asked for my help for her fashion show and I really had a good time making this little party dress to honor Earth Day.

What are you doing to help conserve the earth?

Migas for breakfast

Migas! Oh how I love MIGAS! I haven't had eggs for breakfast in awhile but on Sunday night I made fish tacos for dinner which left me with about 7 fresh corn tortillas that needed to be eaten up. After dinner, the Mr said, "I want migas for breakfast" because he saw the leftover tortillas. I had already thought of it and told him and we both laughed. Those aresome of my favorite moments!

For those of you who don't know what migas are let me explain. It is sautéed corn tortillas with scrambled eggs. Everyone makes them different so as for what else to add to them, I'll tell you what I put in them.

6 corn tortillas (sliced up however you want)

1 ½ cups of egg substitute

1 roma tomato (seeded & diced)

1/4 red onion diced

2 Tbsp of Smart Balance butter

EVOO

In a sauté pan, heat enough EVOO to cover the bottom of the pan on medium heat. Toss in the tortillas and cook until every piece of tortillas is covered in a little EVOO. Then add the butter and onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add the tomato and stir, then pour in the egg substitute and cook theggs completely. Careful not to fry them.

Serv'em up!

Sorry about the paper plate, it's just easier these days! :)

~Mrs Galvan~

In the mood…to cook!

Today I woke up and all I wanted to do was COOK! Suffice to say, it's been an awesome day! I guess I just woke up in the mood to cook:)

For lunch I made a pork asado of sorts with summer squash and zucchini served over rice. It was easy, fast and a one pot meal!

Here it is:

-2 summer squash sliced
-2 zucchini squash sliced
-1/3 of an onion
-1/4 cup julienned carrots
-2 Roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
-2 cups chicken broth
-3 pork loin filets (cubed)
-1 Tbsp flour (to thicken)
-1 Tbsp ground cumin
-Salt/pepper to taste
-EVOO

1.In a large pot pour EVOO around like 4 times and allow to heat over medium heat then toss in the cubed pork and allow to get seared on one side.

2.Add ground cumin, salt and pepper and stir.

3.Toss in the onion and cook until translucent. Then add both the summer squash, zucchini and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes.

4.Add chicken broth, sprinkle flour, mix well and cover. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. This will soften up the pork so that when you take your first bite it will be soft almost melt in your mouth.

I served it over Ready to Serve Yellow Rice . It was a hit and the Mr. loved it. Sorry, no pictures because I was kind of hungry and forgot to take some. Next time!

The snack I made today came to mind because I was trying to figure out how to use up the 3 bananas and couple of strawberries I had in the kitchen. Tomorrow is grocery day so I need to use up all the fresh stuff so I can get some new stuff.

I did add some flaxseed meal to this recipe as it's a great source of fiber and I've been trying to add it to most things that I bake. It gives baked goods a nutty flavor and is also great in your pancake mixes!

Here's what I made:

Mini-Banana Bundts with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

-1 cup Whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
-1/2 cup all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
-1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of Splenda Sugar Blend (or 3/4 cup of regular sugar)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 cup (1 stick) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
-3 to 4 mashed bananas
-1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1/4 cup Bob's Redmill Ground Flaxseed Meal

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.Spray 12-cup mini bundt pan lightly with Pam.

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and flax meal.

4.Make a well in center of flour mixture.

5. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, andvanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into bundt cups.

6.Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

7.Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. About 20 minutes.

8.Drizzle tops with frosting .

9.Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries and/or fresh banana slices (I didn't because I used all my fruit for the recipe)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

-1/4 C butter (room temperature)
-4 oz package cream cheese (room temperature)
-4 oz Light & Fit Carb & Sugar Control Vanilla Cream yogurt
-1/2 C strawberries, mashed up in a food processor
-1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend (or 1/2 cup of regular sugar)

1.Cream butter and cream cheese.

2.Mix in the yogurt and strawberries

3.Add 1/4 cup Splenda

This is an easy snack to make so, get to it and let me know how it goes!

~Mrs. Galvan~

Sandwichon & Love

I know I said awhile back that I would post my recipe for SANDWICHON and here it finally is!

The Mr and I LLLLOOOOOVVVVEEEE sandwichon!

For those of you who don’t know what a SANDWICHON is, it’s basically a sandwich cake.The final product looks like an iced cake with fruit and nuts on top but the inside is bread and chicken salad. Most of the time you will see it with pineapple and cherries on top. It really looks like a cake! I don't do pineapple because my taste buds get all swollen so we used mango. Just as awesome!

I’ve found that most people don’t know what it is and it’s really only known in Mexico and areas near Mexico. There are so many different ways to make it too. Some people put pimento spread in it and others use potted meat.

I use chicken salad and it’s my version of chicken salad. Everyone has their own!

FYI: This recipe will make a 1/3 of a cake.

My Chicken Salad

-1/3 white onion
-1/4 cup of shredded carrots
-1 rib of celery
-4 - 5 chicken breasts (boiled)
-1 tsp kosher salt
-Ground pepper
-1/2 to 1 cup of light miracle whip
-1 jar of Del Monte Mango slices in juice

Cream Cheese frosting

-1 8oz package of light cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
-1 8oz container of light sour cream
-1/4 cup of mango juice

1 loaf of whole wheat bread
1/4 cup chopped pecans

First things first: Boil your chicken on medium heat for about hour so that it will easily fall apart when it’s done. Then let it cool and get to work on the rest.

In a food processor add onion, carrots, celery and chop finely. Transfer to a medium size bowl.
By now the chicken has cooled so you can put it in the food processor as well and chop it pretty finely as well. Then add to the bowl with the vegetable mixture and mix together.

Now add the miracle whip and 1/4 cup of mango juice. The chicken mixture should be moist and not dry so if you need to add more miracle whip do so.



Now take your bread and slice the crusts off.

I know, what a waste but you can give them to some ducks or birds or turn them into bread crumbs for later use.

Now will come the cake part: Place 4 bread slices side by side, spoon over and spread around a 1/4 cup of the chicken salad on top, then another layer of bread, and then more chicken salad until the bread and chicken salad are all done. It should have at least 4 layers.





To make the cream cheese frosting: In a small bowl whip cream cheese until creamy and then fold in the sour cream and mango juice. Frosting should NOT be runny.

Frost the SANDWICHON as if frosting a cake with the cream cheese frosting and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Overnight is best.

When you are ready to serve it place mango slices on the top of the cake and sprinkle pecans. Slice up like a cake and enjoy!

This is a picture of a finished one that I found because I didn't get a finished picture of ours due to it being eaten up so quickly! Maybe next time.




I think my favorite part about making this was that the Mr and I made it together. It was his idea to try to make it and so we did. We don't usually work well in the kitchen because I'm so OCD about the way things are done. When we made this the only thing we argued about was the making of the frosting...lol!

Mr Galvan, I love you very much and am grateful for you and the way you take care of and love me. Not only are you my husband but you are my best friend. Thank you for all that you do to take care of our family. YOU are amazing! God truly blessed me!


~Mrs Galvan~

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

As a foodie this is something I am very excited about!


Click here to sign the petition

The Mr and I have been watching Jamie’s show and have gotten so excited about his desire to help America change the way we eat!

As I’ve struggled with my own weight issues, diabetes and high blood pressure, food and knowing what goes into it has become very important to me. I’ve learned how to read the nutritional information and know what’s important and also know what my personal nutrition allows and doesn’t allow. It’s why we cook at home now and spend way less money eating out.

Before the Mr and I got married we figured that we spent about $800 a month on eating out. Yea, talk about expensive. We are down to half of that, and it’s all on groceries now. Even our date nights for awhile were spent making a special meal and THEN heading out to a movie or fun event.So, not only do we save some money, we eat better!

Of course, now that we are taking care of my mom, date night requires us to go out to eat so we can get out of the house.So, we're spending a little now.

With the thoughts and prayers of a family soon, the Mr and I have been talking about how we will raise our children in food. We both love food and love trying new foods. We’re hoping our children will be too. I’ve been reading, Raising Foodie Kids, for awhile now and am excited for when our opportunity to raise children comes along.

Well, no cooking today as our tile in the living room is being replaced and they don’t think it will be done until tomorrow. We live in an apartment and so we are hole up in our rooms today. It’s not a bad thing just keeps me out of the living room kitchen area due to the dusty mess the people are making.

Thanks to La Fuji Mama for her blog. It encouraged me to blog about this. I have been wanting to, I just hadn't had the chance and her giveaway definitely encouraged me! :)

More blogging later!

~Mrs Galvan