#MEwx Mild temps, rain or snow coming and a healthy, low-cal recipe!

Good morning Augusta

A direct, real-time feed from my personal weather station is available for you

here.

Today it’s going to be Cloudy with  a chance for rain or snow this morning, then snow or rain likely this afternoon. Areas of fog this afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs

in the mid 30s. Light and variable winds.

Tonight we’ll have snow with areas of fog. Total snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Lows around 30°F. Light and variable winds, becoming north around 10 mph after midnight.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 37.2°F, the humidity is 84%, the Dew Point is 32.9°F and our wind chill is 37.2°F.

The wind direction is West Northwest between 0.0 MPH and 0.2 MPH.  

The Relative pressure is 29.68, the Absolute pressure is 29.48, the HPA is 1008  and steady with a weather graphic indicating clouds.

Visibility is 10.0 Miles / 16.1 Kilometers with overcast skies to 3,900 ft.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is 7:14 A.M. EST, Sunset is 4:13 P.M. EST, Moonrise is 12:17 P.M. EST, Moonset is 12:43 A.M. EST and the moon phase is waxing gibbous.

The RAW METAR reading from Augusta’s airport is:

METAR KAUG 041253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC039 02/00 A2974 RMK AO2 SLP076 T00170000

We didn’t have any more measurable ice/snow melt here over the past 24 hours

If you haven’t mustered the courage to get on the bathroom scale since the holidays ended yet, don’t do it. I did and am still recovering from the shock.

I gained 4 lbs over the holidays. So, enough whining about it.

Down to brass tacks – healthy eating, low fat/cal and and exercise! Both of them are on my New Years Resolutions list, remember?

So, lets start with low fat really good food.

Stir-Fried Rainbow Peppers, Eggplant and Tofu

From: MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

INGREDIENTS

•           1 pound Asian eggplant

•           1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

•           2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

•           1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

•           2 tablespoons peanut oil, rice bran oil or canola oil

•           ½ pound firm tofu, cut in 1/2-inch squares and drained on paper towels

•           1 tablespoon minced ginger

•           2 fat garlic cloves, minced

•           ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

•           3 bell peppers of varying colors

•           1 Anaheim pepper

•           Salt to taste

PREPARATION

1.         Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score down to but not through the skin. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil, lightly oil the foil and place the eggplant on it, cut side down. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven, allow to cool until you can handle it, and cut in half along the score down the middle of each half, then into 1/2-inch slices

2.         Combine the rice wine or sherry, the hoisin sauce and the soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside

3.         Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the tofu. Let it sit in the pan for about 30 seconds, until it begins to sear, then stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until lightly colored. Transfer to a plate

4.         Swirl in the remaining oil, then add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the peppers and eggplant, sprinkle with salt to taste and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Return the tofu to the wok, add the hoisin sauce mixture and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and infused with the sauce and the peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and serve with rice, grains or noodles