Baked Pita Chips

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, a snack for the big game...

A few years ago, I haphazardly threw a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips in our cart at Sam's. Little did I know it would change the way DH eats hummus forever.

My hummus recipe (to come) was passed down by my grandmother and regularly appears in our fridge. We used to shovel it up on pita triangles or veggies or spread it on sandwiches. But since that fateful purchase of pita chips, DH leaves hummus in the fridge to mold unless we have pita chips.

Thus, the homemade baked pita chip. This was a great way to use some pita that was a little past its prime as it's going to be toasted anyway. It doesn't matter if it's a little stiff. I used 2 pieces per recipe (that would be 4 pockets per recipe if yours is pre-halved), but you can adjust this recipe easily for whatever pita you have left over.

Sea Salt Pita Chips - perfect for dipping

Ingredients

2 rounds of pita bread

3 T Olive Oil

Sea Salt to taste

Directions

Cut pita into wedges or squares. A pizza cutter or ulu knife work best.

Arrange pieces on baking sheet. Generously apply olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt

I'm using an acrylic brush because in a moment of muddled thought, I purchased this. Not a good buy :(

 Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. They are finished when crispy.

With an easy adaptation, you can turn pita into a delicious sweet snack. Simply substitute melted butter instead of olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Be extra generous with the cinnamon :)

This brought me back to creating cinnamon toast when I was a child.  The cinnamon/sugar mix weighed more than the piece of bread when I was finished.

Incidentally, you can make croutons the same way. Just cut up leftover sandwich bread (pumpernickel is the best!). When you get to the sea salt step, sprinkle with salt, paprika, garlic powder and parsley, plus or minus grated parmesan. I love homemade croutons because it's one less thing to keep stocked, and I can make huge, fresh croutons. Yum!

Good Night

I'm up late, way too late for a momma with a little one. The best part, it's 11:40. A few years ago, I considered this prime workout time. I got off work as an R.A. at 11, walked the halls to finish the night, then headed to the gym. Ah, to be young again. No, not really. It wasn't my best phase, just my most energetic.

For anyone else, who's up late, I thought I'd pass along late night home remedy I received during pregnancy:

Honey and warm milk

Not only does it bring on sleep, but it helps soothe heartburn. Amazing stuff when you've consumed a pound of Tums in a day - thank you Baby A.

The heartburn subsided when the baby arrived, but I still like this combo for making me sleepy. Tonight, however, I'm pulling out the big guns. Nyquil, get ready.

Good night moon. Good night chair. Good night crafters everywhere.

Good night bunny. Good night mouse. Good night messes in my house.

Good night cup. Good night spoon. Good night blog. See you soon.

Roasted Winter Veggies

Sometimes I forget that February has seasonal produce. I tend to think of late winter and early spring as the land of frozen veggies. This dish smacks my stereotype around, featuring the jewels of the winter produce section: the long keepers.

Some veggies are hardy, even after picking. They were very popular before refrigerators but not as much any more (probably because they were cooked into mush so often). Time for a revival.

Options abound:
All of the potatoes including my favorite, the sweet potato (a veggie, not a starch - Yay!)
Winter squashes: acorn, butternut, pumpkin, just to name a few
Roots: carrots, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, beets

For this recipe, I included several varieties of veggies and kept the spices simple to enjoy the different vegetables. The lentils add protein to the one-dish vegetarian meal.

Ingredients
1 c lentils
1 small onion, chopped
Medley of winter veggies, such as:
  1 large sweet potato
  3 red potatoes
  1 rutabaga
  3 carrots
  2 parsnips
3 T olive oil
1 T dried parsley
1 t salt

Directions
Cook lentils in 4-6 c of water for 20 minutes. While the lentils cook, peel and cube the veggies in bite size pieces. Combine all ingredients together in a roasting pan and bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 minutes. It's that simple.

Two of my newest favorite recipes that capitalize on another staple of winter veggies: brassicas.
Brussel Sprouts and Bacon by Alton Brown
Broccoli Rabe and Sausage by Cake Boss

130 by 5/30

Darn you, Chickfila Waffle Fry! Thanks to your salty goodness, I must take drastic measures to control myself while driving around town.

Calming down... 

Here's the deal. I want to see one hundred and thirty pounds pop up when I step on the scale. It's been a couple years, thanks to babies, and I miss my closet of pre-pregnancy pants. 18 lbs to go. (It's awkward to post your weight and weight loss goals. I'm embarrassed to tell anyone who weighs more or less. I need to get over it. It's just a number.)

My plan: 1/2 a plate fruits or veggies, 1/4 plate lean protein, 1/4 plate whole grains, 1 dessert a day. Yoga/walking my rear (and thighs) into the desired shape.

Oh yeah, and no more waffle fries. That I even need to include this step is weird. I never liked fries or potato chips even as a kid. Waffle fries are a leftover prego craving made into a bad habit. Must get back to being disgusted by fast food.

I want the weight gone by 5/30. Six months postpartum. I think that's reasonable. I've already reached one modest, post pregnancy goal: I wanted the big weight on the doctor's scale to stay at "100," not "150." Yippee!

To stay on track, and away from drive-thru cravings, I'm installing a logo on the fridge and in both cars:

My reward for losing weight: a pocket dress. When the scale reads 130, I'm leaving the girls home with Tim, going to the fabric store, taking over the table and making a pocket dress. I'm pretty excited about the whole venture. Let's lose some weight!

P.S. When I mentioned this to DH, he decided to join me and lose 20 lbs as well. So much easier to exercise self-control with a partner. Thanks Sweetie!