The Determined Chef Chronicles

Hey guys, Here's the recipe for the spaghetti sauce and the breaded chicken: Sauce 3T  olive oil 1/2 Red Onion, diced 4 cloves Garlic, chopped 1 small can Tomato Paste 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar 2 large cans Crushed Tomatoes 1 large can Diced Tomatoes 1 small can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles 3-4 cups V8 juice 2 Bay leaves 1 1/2 t Chili Powder 1t Basil leaves 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan (you can also use shredded parm) 1/2 cup sugar Salt and Pepper to taste instructions: Saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 4 min, over medium heat. Add tomato paste, stir in completely. Add balsamic vinegar, stir in completely. Once liquid is absorbed, add in diced and crushed tomatoes and V8 juice; stir together til completed mixed. Add bay leaves, seasoning, Parmesan cheese and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let simmer for one hour. Parmesan Breaded Chicken  3 Large Chicken Breasts, cut in half horizontally 1 1/2 cups flour 2 eggs (and 1/4 cup w...

Hey everyone, I haven't posted much about my weight because honestly I wasn't seeing much activity, but I decided to weigh myself today and to my surprise I had lost 25 lbs. I weighed myself a few times, at two different occasions in disbelief, but it looks like it's the real deal. I have noticed that my clothes fit a little better around my hips and thighs, which is where I carry most of my weight. Anyway, I attribute the weight loss  to my diet over the last month. Money is tight, so I'm eating less. I've  also decided that once I get my own place again, which should be happening over the next month, I will start the green smoothie cleanse that my sister is doing. She has lost a substantial amount of weight and it has encouraged and inspired me. I'll let you know my progress, but for now I'm excited about the weight that has come off so far. I just did a cooking class for a friend's daughter's birthday, so I'll be posting the recipe next......

Okay, I know it's been several months since I've posted anything, and I'm sorry about that. I admit I've been experiencing some depression and frustration about not losing much weight. So far I've lost 14 lbs. I lost my motivation to exercise, which isn't good, but I hope to get it back soon. Anyway, I did create a new recipe and I wanted to share it with you. I've been wanting to make Tuna Steaks on the grill for a while and my friend and I finally got a chance to get together and make it. Here's the basic recipe: Pineapple Mango Salsa 1 1/2 cups Pineapple (small diced) 1 Mango (ripe but somewhat firm - small diced) 1 Jalapeno (remove seeds and small diced) 1/2 Red Pepper  (small diced) Juice of 1 Lime 1/3 Red Onion (small diced) Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. Tuna Steaks 4 Tuna Steaks (rinse) 2 Navel Oranges (juice of both, zest of one) 4 cloves Garlic (minced) 1T Parsley (finely chopped) 2T Chives (finely chopped) 1/...

So, I've just finished a book I've been reading entitled Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani, and I have to tell you that I was sad to have reached the last page. I was sad that my journey with this book was ending. I felt so empowered every time I sat down to read the next chapter. She had such great ideas, my two favorite were to find gratitude after you've fallen, because it's hard to be depressed when you are looking at the things that make you grateful. The second is that no matter what, we should not look at our sisters out there as opponents, but instead to be each others' cheerleaders. I like this because it gets us out of the caddishness mindset and into one of seeing each other as part of a sisterhood, where we share our successes as well as that of our sisters'. I love the idea of supporting each other and doing our best to all succeed. I'm thinking about this a lot and how it relates to progress, not perfection, a term I have learned from Alco...

Herb Roasted Chicken and Corn and Squash Saute  Herbs and spices used (Paprika, Ground Mustard, Oregano, Basil and Parsley Flakes) Soften 1/2 stick of butter, mix in spices and herbs and spread over the chicken. (Rinse chicken in cold water, pat dry with paper towel.) Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. It depends on the size of the chicken. The rule of thumb is about 20 minutes per pound.  Sorry about the photo. I was so eager to eat it that I forgot to take the photo before cutting into it lol!  Corn and Squash Saute: 5 ears Corn 1 Zucchini, diced 1 Yellow Squash, diced 1 Red Pepper, diced 1 Red or White Onion, diced 3T Olive Oil I cooked the corn first in boiling water for about 10 minutes and then let it cool in the fridge for about 10 minutes. I stood the corn upright and cut the corn off the cob and set it aside. Heat a large frying pan (medium heat), add olive oil. Cook onion and red pepper first for about 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini and ...

Roasted Salmon and Fried Sweet Potatoes with Apples Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Create the following mixture in a small bowl: 3T Coconut Oil Juice of 1 Lemon 1/2t Paprika 1/2t Chili Powder 1/2t Basil 1 packet Soy Sauce 3T Brown Sugar 2T Garlic, diced Rinse the salmon in cold water. Pour the mixture over the salmon and bake in a pan lined with foil. Bake for 22 min. Depending on the size of the salmon you may need to adjust the time. The goal is to pull the salmon out when it's just finished cooking. If you start to see white on the salmon, then you know it's starting to overcook. Pull immediately. Fried Sweet Potatoes with Apples: 4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, diced 2 Apples, large diced 1/2t Nutmeg 3/4t Cinnnamon 3T Coconut Oil Peel and dice sweet potatoes and apples. Melt coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add apples and cook for 7 minutes covered. Stir occasionally. I know I call these "fried" swee...

Hi guys, I know I haven't posted in a while, and while I could blame it on being in San Diego and not having time to blog while I'm enjoying myself; I have to come clean. I've been in a depression for a little while now. I was excited for my vacation to see my sister graduate from college, but that wasn't enough to pull me out of my funk like I thought it would. I had to admit to myself that I'm frustrated and disappointed that I'm not losing as much weight as I thought I would by now. And things are tight for me financially right now, and that's an understatement. But, I'm so close... I'm close to accomplishing some important goals in my life. My book Confessions for the Narrow Road: It's Within You, is about to be published in a few months and I'm so excited about it. I feel like I'm wrapping up one season in my life and about to open a new chapter as a published author, where I am promoting my book and enjoying being out there, mak...