Fitwife: Picks and Pans OR Where's The Beef!?

This week I had a hankerin' for a "burger". But not the kind that makes the pan look like this:

(Please don't call Child Protective Services! I made a real hamburger for my son because I thought "our version" would be too fancy for him) Ewww!

So, while I clogged my only child's arteries (I promise, I am never doing that again!), we had these healthy Spicy Black Bean Burgers:

(Oopsie, chipped plate! Too hungry to care...)

And the pan looked like this after:

These are the Morning Star Spicy Black Bean burgers (frozen aisle). I'm going to make the home made version this week and I'll let you know how they turn out. But these are pretty gosh darned GOOD!! Seriously, I don't know that I need to eat beef again. For a long while.

As promised last week - I decided to start working through some recipes from the Eat, Live, Run! blog I found (and adore).

First up, the Channa Masala. I learned how to turn these simple ingredients (please ignore the bananas and apples in the background):

Into a fabulous "authentic" Indian dish.

First, caramelize the onion with a TON of garlic and a Jalapeno pepper"

I learned the meaning of "Pince" (pronounced "Pince-SAY"). It's when you smush down the stuff in the pan that is mixed with the tomato paste and let it set awhile to burn off the excess sugars from the paste. I was informed that if you DON'T, you may as well toss out the dish, it's ruined. Your life is over. Here is a picture of me "Pince-SAY-ing":

This is the finished product:

It was really good, super easy, and pretty authentic tasting. I live in FREMONT. I know Indian food!

Of the recipes I made this week from the Eat, Live, Run! website, this next one was my favorite. Remember last week when I said I found the holy grail of cream sauce? I lied. This week I found the holy grail of cream sauce. And yes, it has cream in it. It changed my life. Cream and tomatoes, that's IT. Magic:

Linguine and Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce - so simple, so basic, so delicious!! (that's "chiffonaded" Basil on top...I know, fancy!)

I only have one "pan" this week. Unfortunately, it was when my friend Laura was over and I attempted to WOW! with a new Goat Cheese Portobello Sammie recipe. Um. Sorry. No. It was a bit too mushroomy for me. I have two other recipes that I love that I think are better. But I am not deterred, I will continue to try the other recipes I find here on Jenna's blog: http://www.eatliverun.com/about/

(Look, La! It didn't even make it to the white plate for the optimal yum-factor photo!)

Finally - I don't really do breakfast, unless it's bacon, with a side of bacon, and maybe toast with bacon on top (I actually do yogurt and granola most days, but weekends are all about the bacon!). Rob is truly the master breakfast chef in our house. Too bad he eats it alone. Good thing I'm there with my camera and support. Gooooo Rob!!