"Frying" with Air

So last week I shared a photo of my dinner on Facebook,
and a few of you requested the recipe and how I cooked it in my air fryer.


This "recipe" is actually not really a recipe...

...it was one raw chicken breast and some fresh California mix (carrots, broccoli, snow peas).
I was making just enough for me since Jim was working so it was the perfect time to experiment!
I just sprayed the basket with cooking spray, added the cut up chicken and veggies,
then I added some pepper and a drizzle or two of teriyaki.
As you can see I served it up over some rice.

I hope you are jealous that high class charger plate I served it to myself on. 😉

Seriously though, it was pretty darn good...even if I do say so!
~
So this is my little Dash Compact Air Fryer that I received from Aaron and Michelle for Christmas.
 Isn't she cute?



Something this adorable really needs a name, don't you think?

Hmmm...I'll have to ponder that a bit....

...and she's a petite little thing too...all we need here for just the two of us.

And I recently saw where she was rated among the top 10 air fryers on Amazon.

Amazon

And this is the model we got for Adam's family of four, which is nearly twice the size.
They absolutely love it and use it all the time for many, many things.

I noticed that it's now selling for $10 less than the $99 I spent at Christmastime. 😖

~

What a fabulous little invention this is!

Most people think all you can cook in them is frozen french fries or chicken wings.

Au contraire!
I am certainly no expert yet but here is a list of basic things I have already tried:

*frozen french fries (of course)

*frozen sweet tater tots

*frozen chicken wings and other appetizers

*breakfast sausage patties and links, cooked and uncooked

*frozen waffles and pancakes

*hot dogs

*uncooked chicken breast w/fresh veggies

*warmed up many things

There are tons of websites and YouTube videos all about air frying...
...here and here are just a couple of them to check out if you like.
~ 
So the next night I wanted more of this good stuff...

...and this dish is pretty similar but not quite the same.
This time I added onion, yellow squash, broccoli and carrots to the uncooked chicken,

changed up the spices a bit and threw it all in a plastic bag with a drizzle or two of olive oil.

Just let me say that Weber Honey Garlic Rub is amazing!

And into the basket it went...

...for about 10 minutes...

...at 360 degrees.

A word about the settings...

Mine has this as it's default and most of the time I don't change it.

The instruction manual tells all about settings for certain foods but it's just easier to use the default.

Pausing the machine about half way through cooking and shaking and/or turning the food

 is always advised...and adding more time or temperature if needed.

 Too bad you can't subtract the time though...take this broccoli for instance...

...I found out that you need to add it later to the mix...unless, that is, if you want it crispy.😕


So here it is, all cooked up and yummy...

Seriously, delicious and simple!

But maybe you're just in the mood for a simple hotdog...and recently I have been!
They cooked up absolutely perfect...except with no grill marks...oh well...
~
So tonight's supper was really good too...oh my gosh...
fresh asparagus and dainty baby sweet potatoes...I was "vegging" it tonight.
Do you ever have those times when all you want is veggies and no meat?
Well, tonight was one of those nights for me.
(don't worry, I'll get some protein in later 😉)

A little olive oil spray, salt and pepper is all the asparagus needed
and I gave the sweet potatoes a couple little sprays as well after I tossed it all in together.
It took ten minutes at 360 degrees, stopping it half-way and giving it a good shake.

I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon and sugar over the sweet potatoes for a touch of sweetness. 😋

And clean up couldn't be easier.

So, have I made a believer out of you?

The possibilities are endless and I'm already getting excited just anticipating what I'll try next!

~ 
So how about you...do you fry with air??
If so, what are you cooking in up in yours?
I'd love to hear from you!

Have an awesome week, sweet friends!

Stretch Those Toes, Baby!

Nothing will ever be as dear to me as my sweet mother was and the lingering memories of her.

She has been with Jesus since 2010....I can't believe she's been gone that long.

Although I didn't inherit her meek and mild spirit or her quiet demeanor,

I did, however, get a few things from her...

...her chin, her hairline (and I passed that on to Adam and his Olivia) and I hate to say this...

...but something that I wish I hadn't gotten.

Her bunions.

Let me rephrase that...

Bunions that I don't ever want to become like hers.

Even my earliest memories of her include finding my little girl self gazing with a puzzled face 

as to why her feet (specifically her toes) looked like that.

Of course these are not actually her feet but they are remarkably close to what hers looked like, 

including the numerous bunion and corn pads.
I do declare that someone snapped a shot of her feet and sold it to the internet...seriously!

source

Mom, if you happen to be looking down on me now, please forgive me...
I only want to help others by sharing this.

I remember it nearly causing me physical pain just to look at them.

She had the hardest time fitting into shoes, to say the least.

But what I don't understand is she always wore sensible shoes...never high heels or pointed toes.

Maybe just ill-fitting ones but no doubt she was on her feet a lot raising those eight kiddos!

~

I guess I probably noticed the beginning of bunions forming in my late 30s to early 40s.

I have always had a thing for cute shoes and for quite a few years

I was guilty of cramming my feet into those high heeled, needle nose torture chambers.

But only for short amounts of time to church or special occasions...never on the job.

In fact, my favorite "shoes" were the ones I was born wearing.

Then of course, there were my flip-flops....still, my go to favorites.

When I first started noticing the bunions, I became determined to keep them at bay!
~
Just so you know, I have never done a review post on any certain product,
although I may have simply offered my humble opinion about this or that.
I am not getting paid and no one affiliated with the product has asked me for a review.
~
So let me tell you how this post all came about...

Probably more than ten years ago, I came across an ad in the back of a magazine.
It was for Yoga Toes and they immediately got my attention.
Yes, they have been around a good while.


Fast forward to...whenever...I cannot even locate my order on my Amazon account.

I thought for sure that's where I got them but I may have ordered from the Yoga Toes site.

Like I said, I have had them for at least 10 years and used them often...that is until...

I lost them somewhere in a messy drawer I misplaced them and couldn't find them anywhere!

That would be until just a couple of weeks ago and I nearly jumped for joy when I found them!

If you think I was going to order another pair for over thirty bucks...uh...probably not...
...but now that I think about it, maybe, just maybe I would have!

I knew they had to be here somewhere...and, of course, they were.
I do realize I'm telling on myself for not keeping things in order like I should. 😏

So yesterday I got those babies out of their cute little mesh bag with the drawstring top

and plopped them on my feet for a couple of hours while I watched my afternoon cooking shows.

Really though, you don't just "plop" them on...it takes a little bit of work to get 'er done...
...and it probably also depends on your specific toes.
If they are long and skinny, I'd say it's much easier than prying apart short, fat ones like mine. 😖

Immediately after I posted this photo on Facebook while I was busy "Yoga Toe-ing",
it evidently sparked an interest in my friend, Lea from Cici's Corner
and her interest in them encouraged me to write a post about them......so here it is!
~
In all honesty, I had forgotten just how wonderful my feet felt during and after the stretch.
These are not something you can wear to walk around in nor wearing them to bed for the night.
The instructions tell you to start out wearing them for short increments of time...
...maybe 10-15 minutes at first and gradually work up to an hour or longer.
I had mine on for probably at least 2 hours, maybe a bit longer.
It's also important that you get the right size so they aren't uncomfortable but give a good stretch.

Over time, my big toes have become more and more numb, due to bones pressing on the nerves.
I always wear silicone toe spacers with closed-in shoes and socks and also while sleeping.
They do keep the big toes more in line and they have also helped me greatly over the years.

 I purchase these at Walmart and they are soft, comfortable and do a great job.
But the thing about the Yoga Toes is the actual stretch they provide for your feet and toes.
It is highly beneficial to exercise and stretch other joints and muscles in our body, right?
So why not our feet and toes as well since they carry all of our burdens all day long!
You can read about the therapeutic benefits by clicking here.

  And when it's chilly outside and I want to keep my feet warm and toasty while I stretch,
I have these cozy socks as well, which also provides a comfy "posture" for your toesies.
(The socks are manufactured by Hithop, not Yoga Toes.)

Amazon

So...there you have it...everything you always wanted to know about...

...but was afraid to ask.

Have you ever tried them??
Have a wonderful week, my friends!