Mr. Bijoy Writes

Gumbo isn't hard to make. However, it's hard to make well. So, I took an old gumbo recipe I learned in Mississippi and modified it for you guys to get the best product with the least amount of time involved to "perfect" it.Your first batch will be good. Your second batch will be better. Every consequent batch will only get better until you've played with it to make it yours and, in hand, make it perfect. What ya need: 1 pound of pork loin, cubed 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 1 cup of beef broth (homemade is best, but bouillon will do in a pinch) 1- 15oz can of stewed tomatoes 10oz of okra (frozen is fine) 10oz of succotash (frozen is fine) 1 teaspoon of hot sauce 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of salt  1 bay leaf Cooking spray Ok, so: Spray a medium-sized dutch oven or a large pot with cooking spray. Heat it over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the beef and cook for 4 minutes, stirring oc...

Here's the thing, brussel sprouts don't suck. However, if they are overcooked or mushy, they do suck. So, try this recipe to make healthy, happy brussel sprouts! And no, your mother did not tell me to post this. What ya need: 1 1/2 cups of fresh brussel sprouts 3 roughly chopped shallots 1/4 tablespoon of olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper Ok, so: Bring about 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot. Insert a steamer basket filled with the brussel sprouts. Cover and let steam for 7 minutes. Remove them from the pot and set aside in bowl. Now, in a heavy pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the sprouts, shallots, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook until brown, being careful not to stir too often, as this might break the brussel sprouts apart. Serve immediately and enjoy!

I have a few friends that love fried pickle chips, but really don't like the "fried" part.  So I fixed it for them. And now you can enjoy the spoils of our fitness-minded pickle chips! Enjoy! What ya need: 12 slices of sweet pickle 3 ounces of Dijon mustard 1/2 cup of cooked Quinoa 1/2 cup of non-fat yogurt 3 tablespoons of Sriracha Ok, so: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Now, in a smal bowl, mix together the yogurt and the Sriracha and put it in the fridge to chill. In another bowl, coat the pickle chips in the mustard and toss the coated chips in the quinoa. Pat the quinoa down on the chips to make sure that it sticks. Set the chips on a drying rack, that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, on top of a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot with the chilled yogurt sauce made earlier and enjoy!

An omelet has eggs folded over stuff. A frittata has stuff folded into the eggs. A quiche is basically a frittata with a pie crust. So, I mean, you should make a quiche.     What ya need:  1/2 cup of finely chopped yellow onion 1 egg 2 egg whites 1/2 cup  of fat-free sour cream 6 ounces of diced lean ham 6 ounces of shredded low-fat Swiss cheese 1 ready-made 9-inch pie crust Ok, so: Set your oven rack to 1/3 off the bottom. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the onions for 1 minute on high. Discard any fluids that may have come out of the onions and set the onions aside. Grease a pie pan with cooking spray and fit the pie crust to it. In a large bowl, beat the egg, egg whites, and sour cream together. Now stir in the onions ham and cheese. Pour the egg mixture in to the pie crust and place it in the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the eggs are firm and the top of the quiche has lightly browned. Serve while hot!

Tailgates are often places with nothing really all that healthy for people trying to eat right. So, I dug into my files and found this for those of you who are looking for a tasty change in pace at your next tailgate! Enjoy! What ya need: 2/3 lb of chicken 1 egg 1/2 of a medium red bell pepper 1/2 of a medium yellow onion 1 teaspoon of coconut oil 1/4 teaspoon of dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon of dried coriander 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of kosher sea salt Ok, so: In a food processor, finely cut the chicken and set aside. Finely shop the onion and bell pepper. Mix the chicken with all of the other ingredients in a bowl until well-incorporated. Form this mixture into 2 patties. You can refrigerate these for about 2 days. When you're ready to cook, grill over medium coals or pan fry over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side. Serve hot!

There's chocolate and peanut butter in this recipe for brownies. So, I mean, that's pretty great. However, with the addition of whey protein, this brownie helps drive those heavy workouts! Give these a shot to help you reach your fitness goals in a really tasty way! What ya need: 8 teaspoons of creamy peanut butter 3/8 cup of egg whites 2 tablespoons of skim milk 1/2 lb of cooked, mashed sweet potato, with skin 1 tablespoon of unsweet cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of baking powder 2 scoops of premium 100% whey protein powder, chocolate flavor Ok, so- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine all of the ingredients until well incorporated.This is best achieved in a food processor or stand mixer.Pour this mixture out in to a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted in the brownies, comes out fairly clean. Let cool, cut into squares, and enjoy!

I really enjoy onion rings, but I really don't like how unhealthy they are. So I scoured the internet to find a good recipe for a baked onion ring. I found a few, but none were really that great.  So, I decided to combine the best parts of each recipe and give it a whirl. It turned out pretty good! Try it and let me know what you think! What ya need: 2 medium sweet vidalia onions, cut into 1/2 inch slices and separated into rings 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon of fine red chili powder (cayenne will suffice) 1/2 cup of non-fat plain yogurt 1 egg 1/2 cup  of all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups of crushed kettle-cooked potato chips 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 450ºF.  Now, take two medium to large bowls and, in the first one, combine 1/4 cup of flour, salt, pepper and red chili powder. In the second, combine the yogurt, egg and 1/4 cup of flour and whisk until a smooth batter is f...

Riverboat Salmon is a fast preparation dish with some great benefits. This dish is light, yet filling and healthy. It’s a great main item in a light lunch or dinner. The rich flavor will please many and the light burden doesn’t weigh one down after the meal. What ya need: 4 salmon steaks (6-8oz. works best) 1 lemon, quartered 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder Ok, so: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the skillet. When the butter is completely liquefied, add the soy sauce and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium. Place the salmon in the skillet and cook 4 minutes on each side, or until well cooked. The fish will be thoroughly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork. Do not test doneness often or you will ruin the integrity of the filet. As the salmon is cooking, prepare the lemon. Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half of the lemon into four thin slices. Cut the other half of the lemon into four wedges. Wh...

*Guest Post!!!*  Hey guys! I’m Alysia a healthy living blogger over at Slim Sanity . At my site, you’ll find healthy recipes and snack ideas, along with some of the workouts that I complete day to day. Thanks to Bijoy, I get to share a great new dinner recipe with you all today! The dinners I make ordinarily revolve around a protein dish, paired with some kind of vegetable. Unless I’m planning on a long run the next day, veggies are the only carbs I serve. Not to say that grain carbohydrates are bad. In fact, they show up in my breakfast and lunches quite frequently. This is just a diet that I typically follow, because it works for me! Today’s recipe is for turkey cutlets, along with a side of seasoned steamed broccoli. It’s by far the best turkey cutlet recipe I’ve ever tasted. Ingredients: 4 turkey cutlets, tenderized 2 tablespoons horseradish     2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 cup black beans   ½ teaspoon garlic s...