For reals you guys, I gotta knock it off with the cheeseburgers.  And while they certainly may be good for the soul, it’s almost March.  Which means bathing suits.  Ugh.  So I’m doing my best to get back into healthy eating.  Again.  The half box of chocolates, doughnut, Cheetos, cupcake, caramel Kisses, Fun-Sized Krackels, chocolate covered strawberries, and oatmeal raisin cookies I had today don’t count.  The last two definitely don’t count.  (Um, hello?  Fruit and grains…)  And, come to think of it, it was only a quarter box of chocolates.  I took a bite of every piece and then threw the rest away cause they really were just kinda gross.

But really, other than our Valentine’s Day party, I’ve been doing fairly well.

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Speaking of Valentines, let’s talk about my crush on Ina Garten.  I’ve been a huge fan since the beginning of her show, and she’s been with me since I first started really cooking.  Her brownies have not only gotten me laid, but made me the hero of both school and workplace potlucks.  Her books also contributed a good percentage of the ten pounds I gained with my last boyfriend.

I’ve always been meaning to try her Indonesian Ginger Chicken out of her original book, but unfortunately, it’s not one of the recipes with an accompanying picture.  Now I’m not saying I need a picture for me to make something, but if I’m flipping through a book looking for something for dinner, I’m most likely choosing something with a picture that jumps out at me.  So basically this chicken has been on the to-do list for years.  And guess what?  I still haven’t made it.

What I did make, however, was Indonesian Swordfish.  I picked up Back to Basics ($19.99 Thank You Coscto!) this past weekend, as well as some frozen swordfish at TJ’s right after.  I had totally different plans for that fish until I turned to page 135 and saw a glossy, full-page photo of beautifully browned swodfish steaks.  I skimmed the opposite page and realized I had all the components on my shelves.   Soy, oil, lemon (Meyer, in this case), ginger, garlic, scallion, and Dijon are whisked in a Ziploc, fish is tossed in, and forgotten.  I threw it together in the morning, and made the baby steak for Parker for dinner.  Diced it up and served it over sticky rice with nuked frozen broccoli and an extra squeeze of lemon.  BIG baby hit.

I was fully intending on making mine once I had put him down, but while he was in the tub my friend called, and I opted to spend 12 bucks on a bowl of vegetable udon instead.  (Wtf?  Seriously?  Not that it wasn’t good, but come on.  I get the same thing down the street from work WITH chicken and tasty tempura floated on top for half the price.)  So Parker and I split it for breakfast the next morning, only this time with sauteed green beans and brown rice.  I tried reducing the leftover marinade for a quick sauce, but I think the mustard in it just make it all curdle-y and gross looking.  And really, all it needed was that extra squirt of lemon at the end.  It really was good stuff.  I rarely make fish, or eat it out for that matter, simply due to cost, and I forgot how much I enjoy it.

The perfect accompaniment to a  day off with a sick, cuddly kid and the Great Mouse Detctive.  (But then, what doesn’t go well with a stripping mouse?)