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Filtering by Tag: oats

just can't help myself

Andrea

I have a bit of an issue with baked goods.  One might actually be more inclined to call my 'issue" a minor addiction, as my mind seems to focus on one track when I find myself in a room that also harbors some form of baked treat.  Like a moth to a flame I am drawn to whatever chocolate-y, vanilla-y, fruity, fluffy, cakey, crumbly goodness my eyes or nose pick out.  It takes an immense amount of willpower to resist the temptation of dessert no matter the time of day, and there are certain months of the year when what little willpower I have takes off on vacation and leaves me defenseless to the siren song of sweets.

Those months would be November and December, when it is nearly impossible to take ten steps without encountering a variety of cookie, cake or brownie that somebody is offering up. I brought the temptation upon myself even earlier last year, filling the month of October with various types of pie in preparation for the upcoming holidays.  I grew accustomed to dessert every night until finally, in the first week of the new year my practical self, the side of me that recognized that my pants were getting a little *ahem* snug in certain areas, intervened and told my over-indulgent self to lay off the 'goods.

Not one to jump on board with any overly restrictive, treats-prohibiting, quit-cold-turkey diets, I recognized the fact that I simply needed to find some healthier options to satiate my cravings for sweets rather than eliminating them from my life completely.  I browsed the archives of Bella Eats' leaner, more fitness-focused days and came across this recipe for banana date bread*, an old favorite and one that I'd nearly forgotten about.  In no time my kitchen smelled of baking banana and cinnamon as I pulled a loaf from the oven.  Spread with a bit of almond butter and paired with fresh fruit it served as breakfast for Brian and I several mornings in a row.

Inspired by my first healthy baking activity in months, I decided that afternoon to start experimenting with a new type of cookie. Or, rather, a granola bar masquerading as a cookie.  That was my hope, anyway, to create a cookie so chock-full of good-for-me ingredients like oat bran, rolled oats, dried fruit and whole grain flour, without the less desirable ingredients such as butter and refined sugar, that I'd be able to eat several of them for breakfast.  Or for a snack before my new workout routine.  Or right before I go to bed while I'm waiting for the dogs to come in from outside.  You get the idea.

What resulted is a soft, chewy cookie that IS full of delicious and hearty ingredients, minus butter, refined sugar and even eggs. The whole grains provide a flavorful backdrop for the dried cherries and dark chocolate that punctuate each bite.  I made them three times within two weeks, tweaking the recipe until I was satisfied with the final result.  The photographs in this post are actually of the second batch - the final batch saw the addition of a bit more baking soda and the resulting cookies weren't as flat as those pictured below, so don't be surprised if yours look a little different.

In the end, I don't know that there is actually any caloric difference between these cookies and your standard variety.  But I can assure you that they are delicious, and any calorie savings I might have seen were made up for when I reached for another cookie. And another.  I just can't help myself. I've decided to start running again instead.

Chocolate Cherry Granola Cookies

(dairy free, egg free, naturally sweetened) adapted from Sweet & Natural Baking makes 20 cookies Ingredients
  • 1-3/4 cups spelt flour (if you can't find spelt flour, use white whole wheat flour instead and only 1 tsp of baking soda)
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup oat bran
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup liquid fruit juice concentrate (I use FruitSweet, which I find at Whole Foods)**
  • 6 tbsp canola oil
  • 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries
Method
  1. Position oven racks in center and top third of oven.  Preheat to 350*.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl.  Add the oat bran and rolled oats and whisk to combine.  Make a well in the center.
  3. Whisk the fruit juice concentrate, canola oil and vanilla together in another bowl.  Pour into the well and mix together with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the chocolate chips and the dried cherries.  Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour.
  4. Using about 3 tbsp dough per cookie, transfer the dough to the baking sheets and space 2-inches apart.  Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned and they feel firm in the center, 12-15 minutes.  Halfway through baking, switch the position of the baking sheets.  Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
* A note about that bread - I substituted  a 1/2-cup of fat-free vanilla greek yogurt for the applesauce and it was absolutely divine.  Try it! ** The third time I made these cookies I only had a 1/2-cup of FruitSweet left, so I substituted a 1/4-cup of pure maple syrup for the remaining sweetener.  It was delicious, and I loved the extra flavor added to the cookies.  If you can't find liquid fruit juice concentrate, I'd try substituting maple syrup for the full amount of sweetener.  Maybe leave out the vanilla though.  And then tell me how they turn out!
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categories cookies
tags cherries, chocolate, fruitsweet, oats, spelt

one year closer to...?

Andrea

I sit at our dining table in the morning, a heaping spoonful of almond butter resting on top of my oatmeal, a dollop of jam alongside it. The windows are open to let the cool morning breeze whisper past my skin, and through them I hear kids squealing as they make their way to the school bus stop on the corner by our house. I find myself lost in thought, reminiscing about the past and contemplating the future, each almond butter + jam-laced bite taking me further into my own head. PBJ-merge I’ve been eating a lot of PB+J lately. Actually, to be more accurate, AB+HJ - almond butter and homemade jam. I just can’t seem to get enough of it. I’m slathering almond butter and jam on my Kashi waffles and toast, mounding it on top of oatmeal or sandwiching it between two slices of whole wheat bread for a quick and satisfying lunch. I partly blame the incredible amount of jam we have in our refrigerator right now - a few ounces of each flavor we made that wasn’t quite enough to process in a canning jar, plus a delightful fig jam made by some dear friends after a reconnaissance fig-gathering mission to some public trees down the street. But even more than the excess, I blame the fast-approaching end of Summer. PBJ-2 As we transition into Autumn, I find myself in a very nostalgic frame of mind. This time of year seemed to have so much more significance in my youth, always marking the start of a new chapter in my young life. Going back to school, with its new clothes and fancy backpack filled with blank notebooks and freshly-sharpened pencils signified another year of progress. I’d eagerly seek out friends I hadn’t seen in 3 months to discuss our summer vacations, who’s dating who, class schedules and the fact that we were one year closer to graduation, college and “real” life. PBJ-merge 2 In college, the return to another semester was bittersweet. I was studying architecture, and while I was eager to tackle the challenges that a new design studio - with its new city, site and building program - offered, I was also wary of letting go of a care-free summer job in exchange for the stress of all-night charrettes and design reviews in front of a panel of my peers and professors. But still, there was the seeking out of missed friends to discuss summer internships, who’s engaged to who, how we had finagled our schedules to allow for one or two(!!!) days without class and the fact that we were one year closer to graduation and finding our “dream” jobs. PBJ-5 And now, here I am. Post undergraduate and graduate degrees, working in my field for a firm I respect designing projects I enjoy, one year closer to...what? For the first time in my life, I am settled into a place with no “end” in sight. I am happily married, living in a city I adore, with a job I enjoy waking up for. There’s no impending school, or graduation, or job search in my future. Its a comfortable feeling, but is at the same time a little bit unnerving. And when I’m feeling a little bit unnerved I seek additional comfort in food. Of late, that food has been the AB+HJ combination. PBJ-11 It was only a matter of time before my latest obsession made it into a baked good. And then, this recipe showed up in my reader to push me right over the edge. I made the cookies, which have a classic butter cookie texture laced with the flavor of high-quality natural peanut butter, and was initially disappointed with the pre-jam outcome. I was looking for a softer specimen, and was worried that when sandwiched on either side of a dollop of jam this cookie would, well, crumble. So I quickly searched for a new option, found a recipe that boasted a softer outcome and incorporated oats(!!!) and decided to try a thumbprint version. I loved the chewiness that the oats added to the cookie, and the fact that the jam-to-cookie ratio was more equal than the sandwich version. But, after all that worry, the sandwich cookie turned out to be really fantastic as well, with or without the addition of a little blackberry peach jam. PBJ-9 Each of these cookies is really wonderful on their own. I recommend filling and sandwiching only the amount of cookies you and yours can eat in a day, as they will get soft when stored in an airtight container with jam. On their own, in a ziplock bag, the cookies maintain their texture for a full 5 days. I think that each of these recipes would be wonderful with almond butter in place of the peanut butter.  When I made the suggestion to Brian, who is very traditional in his dessert choices and hates to see a good thing tampered with, he vetoed it.  That was ok, the tried and true PB+J combo was a success both in taste and nostalgia-induced comfort. PB+J Sandwich Cookies recipe from the new york times makes about 18 sandwich cookies Ingredients:
  • 1/2 pound [2 sticks] unsalted butter, softened, plus more to grease cookie sheets
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter [I used creamy]
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, more for work surface
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp milk, or as needed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup high-quality fruit jam [I used this one]
Method:
  1. Cream butter, sugar and peanut butter together with an electric mixer.  Add egg, and beat until well blended.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet, adding milk as necessary to make dough just soft enough to handle.  Stir in vanilla.
  3. Shape dough into a log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.  [I suggest making two logs...the amount of dough makes one very long log that is difficult to transfer to the fridge].  Wrap dough log[s] in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.  Can be frozen if wrapped well.
  4. Heat oven to 400*.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove dough from refrigerator and cut slices between 1/8" and 1/4" thick from log.  Try to make the slices as even in thickness as possible.  Place on baking sheets and sprinkle with sugar.
  5. Bake until edges are lightly browned and centers are set, about 10 minutes.  Cool for about 2 minutes on sheets before using a spatula to transfer cookies to a rack to finish cooling.
  6. Sandwich flat sides of two cookies together with a heaping teaspoonful of jam.
PBJ-7 PB+J Thumbprint Cookies recipe for cookie from foodnetwork.com makes about 3 dozen thumbprint cookies Ingredients:
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2-cup creamy, natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup quick oats (I used rolled, and they were fine)
  • 1/2 cup high-quality fruit jam (I used this one)
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350* and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream the butter and peanut butter together in an electric mixer on high speed.  Add the sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is fluffy.  Add the egg and beat until combined.
  3. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and oats together in a separate bowl and add to the wet mixture.  Mix until well combined.
  4. Roll dough into 1-inch diameter balls and place on baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.  Using your pinkie finger, make a deep indentation in the top of each dough ball, being careful not to press all the way down to the baking sheet.
  5. Bake in the top half of the oven until cookies are golden, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and re-shape indentations while cookies are still pliable, if needed.  Let cool completely.
  6. Once the cookies are cool, place on countertop and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Spoon a teaspoonful of jam into each cookie.
PBJ-6
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categories baking, cookies
tags cookies, jam, oats, peanut butter

a distant memory

Andrea

Last week, the lovely Whitney of Whitney in Chicago made granola.  I commented on her blog that it looked delicious, to which she responded "let me send you some!".  Yes please!  It arrived at the end of last week and was enjoyed as cereal with soy milk, on top of greek yogurt and, most commonly, by the handful while staring into my pantry trying to decide what to make for dinner.  That was my favorite way to consume it.  It is chock-full of pistachios and cranberries, along with almonds and coconut flakes.  Delicious.  Thank you Whitney! granola-6 Granola is one of those grocery store items that I hate to buy.  It is somewhat expensive and every time I pick up a box or scoop some into a bulk bag I think to myself  "I should just make my own!"  My good friend Beth sent Brian (my hubb) and I a batch for Christmas which was consumed quickly and similarly to Whitney's.  Since then I've had granola on my to-make list, and the arrival of Whitney's package secured its spot at the very top of that list. granola-1 As I've written before, its spring cleaning time.  I've been working through the containers of dried fruits and nuts in my pantry, cleaning out items that have been stored for far too many months to make room for new purchases.  Granola seemed like the perfect way to use up the small quantities of miscellaneous dried goods that I had left.  I dug around and found currants, cranberries, apples and pineapple along with walnuts, pumpkin seeds and a small amount of finely shredded unsweetened coconut.  granola-2 As I gathered my ingredients I eagerly pulled up Whitney's recipe to make sure I had what I needed for the granola base.  One item on the list stirred a recent memory of a white, flour-like substance that I had been storing in a small gladware container.  It had been in the pantry for months and I had been trying to remember what it was.  I knew that I had opened a box of something, used a good portion of it and stored the remainder in this container for future use.  The only problem?  I hadn't labeled the container, and I had no idea what the substance was.  Just last week, during my initial cleaning out of the pantry I had stumbled upon it and, exasperated that I coudn't remember what it was, I threw it out.  Now I remembered.  Powdered milk.  And, of course, Whitney's recipe called for it.  And I, the non-labeler, had none. granola-3 I quickly decided that powdered milk must not be an absolutely necessary ingredient in granola.  My reasoning?  Everybody loves granola, including Vegans. And a granola that contained powdered milk would not be vegan so powdered milk must not be necessary.  This means that honey must not be absolutely necessary either but I chose to keep it in, because I do love honey.   For my kitchen sink granola (or should I say pantry shelf granola?) I decided to hop over to The Kitchen Sink, remembering that I had seen Kristin feature granola a few times on her blog.  And her recipe didn't require powdered milk.  Ding ding!   I modified the mix to include the items I had on hand, but the base recipe is the same.  And it is delicious.  Store-bought granola?  A distant memory. granola-4

Mixed Fruit Granola

recipe modified from the kitchen sink Ingredients:
  • 3-1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups mixed dried fruit (I used cranberries, currants, apples and pineapple)
Method:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375*.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit.  Stir well to incorporate.
  2. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how golden you like it (I baked mine for 20 minutes).  Stir every 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the granola from the oven and cool completely, in its pan on a wire rack.  Once the granola is cool mix in the dried fruit.
granola-5

In the Blog World:

Wiggs of The Beholder is hosting a fabulously fun contest!  Please check it out, and hang out for awhile to read her blog.  She is hilarious, and is going to give me swimmer abs by summertime.  I shall be forever grateful.  :) Jenn of Eating Bender just had her 1 year Blogiversary, and to celebrate is hosting a fun giveaway!  Congratulations Jenn! HangryPants is giving away a Lexan Healthy Juicer!  Fun!!! Have you been reading Kath's posts about her trip to Africa?  Amazing!

Happy Wednesday!

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categories baking, breakfast
tags apple, cranberry, currant, dried fruit, gifts, granola, oats, pineapple, walnuts

NOLA love...

Andrea

Yesterday was Mardi Gras!  I've mentioned my love for New Orleans several times before, my hubb and I even got married there!  I've been reminiscing about all of our wonderful visits to our favorite city, and am craving a trip back.  Man...that would be a heck of a food blog post!!!  But until then, a little trip down memory lane bourbon street... our favorite breakfast spot, Mother's. nola-1 our favorite musicians (who played at our wedding!!!). nola-2 our favorite late night coffee and beignets, cafe du monde. nola-3 at our favorite jazz bar, fritzel's. nola-4 on our favorite day, at broussard's. wedding-21 I had big plans for this week, different NOLA-inspired recipes every day.  Some gumbo, red beans, muffalettas and bananas foster.  I have fallen WAY short of that goal, but do have a bit of the Big Easy to share with you from dinner tonight...  But first, breakfast. My oats this morning were tasty, but a little dry.  And not too filling, surprisingly.  I was starving just 3 hours later. Breakfast:  ultra-textured oats [398 cal] 090225-b1
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1/2 mashed banana
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 2 tbsp wheatberries
  • 2 dried figs, chopped
  • 1 tbsp TJ's natural crunchy PB
090225-b2 Lunch:  a lovely salad and 3 Back To Nature multigrain flax crackers [400 cal] 090225-l1
  • spinach
  • broccoli
  • red bell pepper
  • cucumber
  • wheatberries
  • chickpeas
  • poppyseed dressing
Snacks:  an orange and a slice of banana date bread.  Also, 2 Jolly Rancher cherry lollipops and 2 squares of dark chocolate...I was CRAVING sugar today! Bad healthy food blogger. 090225-s1 I had my board meeting after work, so knew that dinner would be late.  I packed this bar in case of emergency, and needed it at 7:30.  It was pretty good...reminded me a lot of the Clif Nectar Cacao bars. 090225-s2 When I pulled in my driveway at 8:30 and climbed out of the car, I could smell dinner cooking.  Seriously.  From the driveway.  And it wasn't being cooked outside on the grill, it was inside my kitchen.  I don't know if that speaks more of the amazing aroma of gumbo or the crappy quality of my windows but either way, I couldn't wait to get inside and dig in!!! Dinner:  GUMBO!!!!!  On rice, with a glass of cabernet. 090225-d2 I've debated whether or not to share this recipe.  It was really delicious, but my hubb and I have had better.  My stepfather makes an amazing gumbo that he has adapted over many years of experimenting with many different recipes.  This one was from Paul Prudhomme, the father of the blackening method and owner/chef of one of our favorite NOLA restaurants, K-Pauls. 090225-d4 I've decided not to share, because its not right yet.  The roux was a deep chocolate brown, just like Chef Paul specifies, but we've learned that we like gumbos with more of a milk chocolate hue.  And it was thick...much thicker than the last Chef Paul gumbo we tried.  We're soupy gumbo folks, and will be working to perfect a recipe that reflects that texture.  So now we have an excuse to make gumbo more often, because I'm determined that by the time I write about our anniversary on April 28th, I will have a gumbo recipe to share with you all. And now I'm off to read more of Molly's book.  Its really wonderful so far, just like her blog.  I'll give a full review when I'm finished! G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags bread, gumbo, new orleans, oats, salad

a very satisfying day

Andrea

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my email on my iPhone.  Its sick, I know.  Technology these days is just making it so easy to be constantly connected.  This morning I had a comment from Sarah regarding my ravenous day yesterday - she noticed that my meals were lacking in protein and thought that may have been the cause of my insatiable hunger all day.  Of course!  I'm normally very conscious of trying to eat balanced meals but yesterday I definitely fell short.   While in the shower I thought about what I had in the fridge and pantry and ways to ensure that my protein intake was higher today.  And let me tell you, I have been full and satisfied all day long.   Breakfast:  ultra-textured banana flax oats [423 cal, 15.9g fat, 60.6g carbs, 9.8g fiber, 13.9g protein] 090219-b1 This divine bowl contained:
  • 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oats, pinch of salt
  • 1 small mashed banana
  • 1 tsp flax seeds
  • 1 tbsp wheatberries
  • 1 dried fig, chopped
  • 1-1/2 tbsp TJ's natural, crunchy PB
The textures in this bowl of oats were perfect.  The banana was just ripe enough to make the oats ultra-creamy.  The wheatberries upped the chewiness factor and the crunchy PB added just that...crunchiness.  But the figs were the star.  You all know how much I love popping little fig seeds between my teeth.  My breakfast actually invoked the food dance out of me, a move usually reserved for exquisite desserts.  I was a happy, happy girl this morning. 090219-b2 Lunch: tuna salad on a multi grain flat out wrap with 1/2 cup Fage 0% and 1/2 cup strawberries [320 cal, 8.6g fat, 36g carbs, 11.8g fiber, 32.3g protein] 090219-l2 090219-l1 090219-s1 Pre-run Snack:  Clif Chocolate Chip ZBar [130 cal, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g protein] Exercise:  wonderful 4-mile, very hilly run with Kelly.  I felt so much stronger today, and was careful not to eat any apples beforehand!  We were tired at the end because a good amount of hills happened in the last mile, but I truly felt like we could have kept going.  It gave me great hope for running the Martha Jefferson 8K next month! [-420 cal] I've been running around the house like a mad-woman tonight doing laundry and packing for my trip tomorrow.  Dinner was quick and easy, just popped some 'taters in the oven for my hubb and I.  I love dinners that allow me to do other things while they cook. Dinner:  my favorite sweet potato combo with edamame and corn, along with some leftover brussels sprouts [392 cal, 12.1g fat, 62.6 carbs, 12.6g fiber, 14g protein] 090219-d21 090219-d1 Alrighty, I've got lots to do.  Tomorrow I will be in Florida to help my best friend shop for her wedding dress!!!  I'm so excited!!!!  I also get to see my family (woohoo!!!), so its going to be a very busy few days.  I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and weekend!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags edamame, fage, figs, flat out, oats, running, sweet potato, tuna salad, wheatberries

just can't get enough...

Andrea

...food, that is!  I've been so hungry all day!  I don't know what the deal is.  It was a fairly normal day of eats but I just couldn't be satisfied.  Unfortunately my insatiable hunger caused me to skip my yoga class so that I could get straight home to make the quickest dinner I could think of, which I then ate too much of, causing me to feel ridiculously full and blob-like.  But, lets start at the beginning. I have only one ezekiel muffin left in the freezer and I decided to save it for my trip to the airport early Friday morning.  So, instead, I transfered my recent chocolate/strawberry breakfast obsession to a bowl of oats.  And it was delicious. Breakfast: strawberry banana chocolate oats and a cup o' joe [493 cal] a little high in calories, but I think it was worth it.  :) 090218-b1 My bowl contained:
  • 1 cup water, 1/2 cup rolled oats, pinch of salt
  • 1 small mashed banana
  • 1 tsp flax
  • 1 tbsp dark chocolate dreams pb
  • 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
090218-b2 I consumed my breakfast at 7:30, a little earlier than normal, and I was starving by 10:30.  Still...3 hours?!?!?  Come on!  Oats usually keep me way more satisfied than that.  Luckily I had 1/2 a Clif bar sitting on my desk just waiting to be devoured by my ravenous self. Mid-Morning Snack:  1/2 a chocolate chip Clif bar [120 cal] This held me over 'till 12:15, my usual lunch time.  I was really looking forward to my lunch because I knew it would be very warm and filling.  It was, but only for about 3 more hours.  What is going on?!? Lunch:  leftover root veggie pie.  And yes, I used a photo from the other night.  Its not too pretty straight out of the fridge... [446 cal] 090218-l1 Afternoon Snack: 1 small orange and 5 strawberries [116 cal] 090218-s1 My fruit obviously didn't hold me over after neither oats nor root veggies stuck with me.  At 5:30, snackless and with a loudly grumbling tummy, I decided to forego yoga in favor of an early dinner.  When we got home my hubb and I discussed possibilities.  Baked potatoes?  Filling, but they would take over an hour.  No.  Veggie Soup?  Same issue.  Mexi-dip?  Ding Ding Ding!  We have a winner. To make myself feel a little bit better about what we were about to eat I decided to cook up some brussels sprouts that were on their last leg in the veggie drawer.  They were done about 10 minutes before the dip so they became the appetizer.  I consumed many of them. 090218-d1 This is my new favorite brussels sprouts cooking method.  I changed the spices up a bit tonight to go with my Mexican theme.  I've posted about it here, and don't think I'll ever be able to cook brussels sprouts another way again.  Except maybe like this.  I'm easily swayed...   090218-d2 Dinner: mexi-dip, fresh veggies and sauteed brussels sprouts [calories?  not sure.  because i'm not sure how much of everything i consumed.  i'm chalking today up as a calorie counting failure, but at least i'm finally full.] 090218-d3 If you've been reading my blog for awhile you've seen variations of this meal pop up before.  It used to be a weekly occurrence for us.  Seriously.  We've limited ourselves to about once a month now...yay us! This dip contained:
  • mashed black beans with taco seasoning
  • sour cream
  • onion
  • orange bell pepper
  • diced tomatoes (canned)
  • cheddar and monterrey jack cheeses
To balance out the ultra-cheesiness of the mexi-dip, I served mine with fresh veggies.  And a few blue corn chips. 090218-d4 Problem is, I couldn't stop with what was on my plate.  While watching the LOST re-run and new episode, the pan of dip was sitting to my side, calling my name.  And I gave in.  Several times. 090218-d5 And now I'm off to roll myself to bed.  I had big plans to do laundry and get ready for my trip to Florida this weekend, but LOST kinda took over the evening. It happens.  :) G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags brussels sprouts, mexi-dip, oats, pb & co, root veggie pie

a seasonal dinner

Andrea

Good evening, lovelies!  Have you all hopped over to Meghann's blog to check out the Blogger Bake Sale?  There are some amazing-looking baked treats up for sale, and all proceeds go to a wonderful cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Bidding ends at midnight for Day 1 so be sure to get over there and place your bids before your favorite items get snatched up!  I've got two items up for sale, chocolate chip cookies and my own banana apple bread. This morning I woke up feeling really yucky.  I was nauseous and light-headed, and would have put-off work for a few hours had I not had so much to do at the office.  I dragged myself up, took a shower, made my breakfast then went straight back to bed.  After about 30 minutes I felt a little bit better and got moving again, and my hubb  brought me a glass of OJ to get something in my stomach.  I wound up packing up my breakfast and taking it to the office with me, eating it once my stomach felt not-so-flippy. Breakfast: 8oz of OJ, a toasted ezekiel muffin with TJ's crunchy peanut butter and sliced apples. [446 cal] 090209-b1 My hubb was such a sweetie and made me this gorgeous salad for lunch, complete with homemade vinaigrette!  He even took pictures...can you believe him?!?  I also was craving some soup, so I ran across the street to Revolutionary Soup for their Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup...YUM.  I must learn how to make this. Lunch:  fresh salad and spicy peanut tofu soup, along with a small whole wheat roll. [salad = 200 cal, soup = ???, whole wheat roll = ???] 090209-l1 My salad had:
  • baby greens
  • spinach
  • cucumber
  • yellow bell pepper
  • dried cranberries
  • slivered almonds
  • 3 tbsp roasted garlic hummus
  • homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Sadly, my stomach got all weird again about halfway through my salad so I couldn't finish it.  :(  I had a couple of iffy hours where I was willing time to go by so that I could go home and lay down.  I decided to eat a granola bar to settle my tum around 5:00, and it actually helped quite a bit.  But not enough for me to feel up for yoga at 6pm...I'm so sad that I missed it. Afternoon Snacks:  A Quaker True Delights bar while at work, a dried fig while cooking dinner. [162 cal] 090209-s1 090209-s2 When we got home I knew I wanted something warm and comforting.  Luckily I had some soup on the menu...  This weekend I managed to fit in 2 long hot baths, complete with bubbles, vino and the latest Bon Appetit magazine.  I also had the February 2008 issue of BA, which I hadn't had a chance to read last year because I was deeply entrenched in my graduate studies.  I held on to all of my neglected foodie magazines so that I could read them this year, during their intended month to take advantage of the seasonal recipes always featured.  I read about yukon gold potatoes, kale, meyer lemons and leeks.  My reading left me craving a hearty winter soup...and a lemon drop martini.  I fulfilled the first craving tonight, the second will probably wait until the weekend.  :) 090209-d5 090209-d1 Tonight's dinner isn't a recipe from BA, unfortunately...it probably would have turned out a bit better if it had been.  It was good, the flavors were spot-on, but the texture of the soup was a bit, well, gluey.  For lack of a better descriptor.  I believe the reason for the extra thick creaminess was my use of yukon golds, which in hindsight I think would be better suited to a chunky soup than a pureed soup.  Lesson learned.  I will definitely try this recipe again, just with a different type of potato. Dinner:  potato leek soup with kale and hearty oat biscuits. [437 cal] 090209-d3 Potato Leek Soup with Kale 226 calories, 7.4g fat, 1g sat fat, 37.5 carbs, 4.9g fiber, 9.2g protein makes 4 servings Ingredients:
  • 2 medium leeks, chopped finely
  • 1/2 large onion, about 1 cup chopped
  • 2 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 3 potatoes (next time, I'll use russet)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups of veggie broth
  • 4 cups chopped kale, loosely packed
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Heat oil on medium.  Add leeks, onion, celery and potatoes, stir to coat with oil.  When veggies start sizzling, lower heat and cover pot.  Let the veggies sweat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally , until veggies are tender.
  2. Add veggie broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat back down to simmer and cover.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are starting to fall apart.
  3. Puree' soup in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Pour back in soup pot and keep warm on low heat.  Season with salt + pepper.
  4. Place chopped kale in large saucepan and cover with water.  Boil for 5 minutes, until kale is bright green and tender. Drain kale and add to soup.
090209-d2 I also made some hearty oat biscuits with the addition of sharp white cheddar cheese and scallions.  Again, flavors were great, but the texture was off.  The dough was wetter than normal...I'm thinking that in my slightly hazy/ill state I mis-measured something.  I'm going to hold off on sharing the recipe this time because I really want to work on perfecting it and I don't want to mis-lead you. 090209-d4 Dessert:  more beautiful grapes. [110 cal] 090209-d6 Alrighty, I'm feeling much better now but am ready for bed.  I really want to get up in the morning for my run so that I can keep my evening free for yoga, although that means I'll only be getting about 5.5 hours of sleep.  :(  There are not enough hours in a day!!!  How many hours of sleep do you get a night?  I feel really lucky if I get 7, but I'm usually closer to 6.  Not good... G'night!
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categories baking, breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags bread, ezekiel, kale, leeks, oats, potato, salad, soup

weekend recap

Andrea

How is it Sunday night already?!?  This weekend went by WAY too fast.  I hope that you all had as lovely weather as we had, I still can't get over how beautiful it was.  I tried to get outside as much as possible, but had to work more hours than I had hoped so spent much of the weekend looking out of my window at the sunny sky.  I did manage to fit in a nice long run, some yoga and a glass of wine on the deck with my hubb...all wonderful things.  :) I've got some catch-up food posting to do because I decided to write about photography last night.   I'll keep my words short...  Oh!  And if you've asked me questions on the photography post I will get them answered tomorrow sometime, so be sure to check back in.  Also, things may be a little sporadic this week with my big deadline on Friday.  Bear with me!  I've got a great menu planned this week, I just hope I have time to cook it! Saturday Breakfast:  banana, apple, crunchy PB oats [360 cal] 090207-b1 This yummy bowl contained:
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1/2 mashed banana
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried apple
  • 1 tbsp TJ's crunchy PB
I knew I would be working for a few hours and had a haircut at 2pm so packed up a lunch to keep me from getting distracted by downtown food options when hunger struck. Saturday Lunch:  leftover split pea soup (last time, promise!) and 3 Back to Nature multigrain flax crackers (I saved the blood orange for later...) [505 calories] 090207-l1 I took clothes with me to the office so that I could run home after my haircut.  It was such a gorgeous afternoon that I decided to push myself and take the long way home, about 4-1/2 miles.  It was tough, I was dragging because I hadn't run more than 3-1/2 miles in the last couple of weeks with my foot injury.  And, my foot was pretty sore when I was finished.  :(  It did feel great to be outside though, stretching my legs and soaking in the sun. Saturday Exercise:  4-1/2 mile run, 10 min/mile pace [-475 cal] Saturday Afternoon Snack:  the other 1/2 of my Clif Iced Gingerbread bar and my blood orange, perfect re-fuel after my run. [193 cal] 090207-s11 I was wiped out when I got home, so the grocery trip my hubb and I had planned got bumped to Sunday.  It also led to a very lazy evening during which cooking didn't really seem like an option, so we ordered in.  If you've been reading my blog for long you know that Thai is our take-out of choice, and last night was no exception.  :)   Saturday Dinner:  take-out pad thai and veggie spring rolls with pineapple spice dipping sauce. [about 525 cal] 090207-d1 090207-d2 090207-d4 We watched  Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her...very good!  Highly recommended if you like the vignette style of movie making.  We really enjoyed it. Okay!  On to Sunday... I slept in a little this morning so packed this up to take to the office with me for a few more hours of work before yoga. Sunday Breakfast: 6oz 0% Fage, 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola, 1/2 a sliced banana, 1-1/2 chopped dates [328 cal] 090208-b1 Sunday Exercise:  YOGA!!!  At my normal studio.  I've realized that the new studio that I bought an unlimited month pass to doesn't have many classes that work with my schedule, so I'll be continuing to join my normal Sunday class that I love love love so much.  Today was no disappointment.  I was a sweaty, leg-shaky pile of goo afterwards. [about -250 cal] Sunday Afternoon Snack #1: a Clif Nectar bar, consumed immediately after yoga.  Thank goodness I had it in my purse. [160 cal] 090208-s1 My eating schedule always gets off on Sundays because I typically sleep later than normal then have yoga from 12:30-1:30, aka lunchtime.  Today I had to go back to the office for another hour then went grocery shopping, so lunch slipped right by me.  Needless to say I was famished while grocery shopping (bad, bad idea) and gave in to these Mi-Del Lemon Snaps.   090207-d3 I of course ripped into them as soon as I got in the car. They are SO GOOD!  Just a hint of lemon with the same crunch as a classic ginger snap.  They are dangerous... When I realized that I could easily finish the whole bag on my way home, I quickly reached behind me for the bag of grapes and noshed on them instead. Sunday Afternoon Snack #2: 5 Mi-Del Lemon Snaps and a handful of red grapes (recreated for your viewing pleasure...). [250 cal] 090208-s2 I had big plans to make dinner tonight, but when I opened the fridge I realized that we still had some leftovers to use up.  So...another repeat.   Sunday Dinner:  leftover Pad Thai and a big ol' salad.  Also, a glass of cab (which was actually started while sitting on the back deck with my hubb and our pupps, enjoying our amazing weather). [salad = 225 cal, thai = about 350 cal] 090208-d2 My salad contained:
  • mixed baby greens
  • spinach
  • yellow bell pepper
  • celery
  • cucumber
  • red grapes
  • slivered almonds
  • Annie's Goddess Dressing...which I'd never tried before!  I had no idea what to expect, but I liked it!
090208-d3 Sunday Dessert: 2 lemon snaps and another bunch of grapes...they just looked so good when I was taking their picture for the snack re-creation. [155 cal] 090208-s3 This post has taken forever for me to write because I'm watching the Grammy's at the same time.  :)  And now, its just about bed time.  But first, a big reminder that tomorrow starts the Blogger Bake Sale!!!  Be sure to check out Meghann's blog so that you can get bids in for your favorite items!!!  I've got a couple things that will be listed...  :) G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags Clif, fage, lemon snaps, oats, running, salad, soup

split pea + sausage soup

Andrea

Another busy day today, but lots of satisfying eats!  I'm going to keep it quick again, and I apologize.  I have so many things that I want to talk with you all about, but just don't feel like I have a coherent post in me tonight.  I know I've promised a few things, a post on photography, reviews of calorie counting websites, and I definitely owe you a training update.  But I've been using so many brain cells at work that I get home and my mind kinda turns to mush... Hopefully I'll have some time to think and write a bit more clearly this weekend.  And until then, thank you.  For continuing to read.  For commenting.  For being supportive.  I'm a very lucky girl to be involved with such an outstanding community.  :) Breakfast: banana, date, flax, almond butter oats...yum!  I woke up thinking about this breakfast, and it totally hit the spot.  I tried the Heart Healthy portion (3/4 cup) I've been seeing pop up in the blog world to see if it would make my bowl stick with me longer, but I was still hungry right at noon.  I think I'll stick with my standard 1/2 cup from now on, to keep my calories a little lower. [487 cal] 090205-b1
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1-1/2 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup mashed bananas
  • 1 tsp real maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1 chopped date
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
Lunch: 1/2 slice veggie lasagna and a bell pepper/cucumber salad [297 cal] 090205-l1 The lasagna was excellent reheated for lunch, just like it should be.  :)  My salad contained:
  • 1 cup red and orange bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1 tsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
Snack: 3/4 cup cottage cheese.  I didn't eat my apple, too busy and not hungry enough.  I also had 3 large green olives while preparing dinner with my hubb. [166 cal] 090205-s1 Dinner: the best split pea soup I've ever had!  And a slice of homemade honey wheat bread that I pulled out of the freezer. [502 cal] 090205-d3 I've never made split pea soup before, but it was so easy and so deliciously warming on this very cold winter night.  The hot italian sausage added the perfect amount of heat, just at the back of the throat.  It was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the peas and carrots.  And the rosemary?  Divine.  Just the right touch of earthiness. This soup has made its way solidly to our list of regulars, I feel certain. 090205-d41 Split Pea + Sausage Soup [inspired by the kitchen sink, adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen] makes 6 servings 375 calories, 15.4g fat, 5g sat. fat, 59.5g carbs, 23g fiber, 34g protein Ingredients:
  • 2.5 cups dried green split peas
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups of water
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 pound hot italian sausage
  • 2 medium leeks, diced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Rinse and drain peas.  Sort and pick out bad peas.
  2. Combine water, broth, peas, celery, rosemary, parsley and bay leaf in large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.  Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until peas start to split apart.
  3. Meanwhile, brown sausage in skillet.  Once browned, add too soup pot.
  4. Saute' leeks and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add to soup pot along with salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer (briskly) for about 20 more minutes, until peas get pretty mushy. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Daily Totals:
  • calories consumed = 1,452
  • calories expelled = none other than the usual...
  • net calories = 1,452
Goodnight!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes, soup
tags oats, salad, soup, split pea

farewell to my table...

Andrea

My hubb and I have been fans of 1950's danish modern furniture for awhile now...it kinda comes with the architecture degree.  We've been searching for a modern, round, wood, vintage dining table for quite some time and finally found one on eBay...just in time for our birthdays next month.  It arrived today and we couldn't wait to put it together after work tonight.  Its beautiful, exactly what we wanted, but I'm feeling a little sad right now.  Our new addition means that we have dismantled our old dining table...the beloved table that has served as the backdrop for my photos since day one of this blog. I'll get over it, soon I'm sure, because our new table really does look so much better in our space.  And the new backdrop is lovely - warm and rich - just different from my old table.  Let me know what you think (breakfast, lunch and snack photos were taken on the old table, dinner photos on the new).  I hope you like it. Breakfast:  banana, wheatberry, date + almond butter oatmeal [320 calories] 090202-b12 This yummy bowl contained:
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp real maple syrup
  • 1 small banana, mashed (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tbsp wheatberries
  • 1/2 medjool date, chopped
  • 1 tsp almond butter
I tried Maranatha Almond Butter for the first time!  It is SO good.  But SO expensive!  My hubb did the grocery shopping this week, and bought me a small jar because the big, normal sized jar was $19!!!!  Holy moly.  I'm actually glad that he got me the small jar though because that means I can keep trying new flavors of nut butters when I run out!  There are so many great options out there that I haven't tried yet. Speaking of, Heather and Mark over at HangryPants have an almond butter give-away!  Check out their blog for details... 090202-b2 Morning Snack:  3 dried apricots and 3 walnut halves (leftover from my road food snack this weekend).  My breakfast only hung with me for about 3 hours, I was really glad that I had these in my bag. [104 calories] Lunch:  salad!  Oh how I missed thee...  And a pink lady apple. [358 calories] 090202-l1
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1/2 cup brussels sprouts
  • 1/4 cup wheatberries
  • 4 tbsp roasted garlic hummus
This combo was REALLY yummy.  I love putting hummus on a salad in place of dressing, and the brussels sprouts were so tasty! 090202-s1 Afternoon Snack:  5 dried apricots and 3 walnut halves.  Again, a light lunch today, so I was glad I had these. [137 calories] Dinner:  two tiny slivers of carmelized onion, blue cheese + bacon pizza ( I didn't eat the crust...just not a fan of the dough!), a spinach salad and a glass of cabernet.  It was a salad kind of day!  The cabernet isn't very good, I really doubt I'll finish it but I've counted its calories just in case.  If I decide to ditch it I've already got a snackie dessert bowl forming in my head...  :) [570 calories] 090202-d1 090202-d2 My salad consisted of:
  • 1-1/2 cups spinach
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4 carrot
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1/4 cup wheatberries
  • 1 tbsp light ranch dressing
090202-d3 I'm really kicking myself for not getting out of bed this morning for a run.  The weather was lovely, its getting light earlier, but I got to bed so late last night that I just couldn't get up.  And now?  Rain.  And later tonight?  Snow.  I'm really starting to dislike Virginia in the winter.  How we could go from a high of 62* yesterday, high of 59* today, and snow by midnight tonight is beyond me!!!  Argh.  Oh well, I am planning on going to yoga tomorrow night at my favorite studio with my favorite instructor...nothing beats 90 minutes of yoga.  Nothing.  And rain and snow can't stop me!  :) I hope you all have a great night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review
tags almond butter, oats, salad

a few thoughts...

Andrea

First of all, I want to welcome my new readers!  I've seen a lot of new names pop up in the comments these last couple of weeks...keep it up!  I love hearing from you.  In fact, if you haven't commented before, please do!  Don't be shy...  I try to respond to all questions and suggestions as soon as possible, but sometimes it takes me a couple of days...I'm sorry!  If you ask me a question, be sure to check back for an answer within a day or two.  :) Secondly, there are some exciting things happening in our little community right now that I want to mention.
  1. Meghann's training for a marathon!  Not only is she training, she's raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Please check out her blog to keep up with her progress and to donate if you can!  Also, she will be hosting a blogger bake sale the week of February 9th (I'll be selling some goods!) so be sure to check in and bid on some tasty treats to support a great cause!
  2. BSI is back!!!  Thanks to Biz over at Biggest Diabetic Loser for reorganizing the fun last week! She's picked Sarah over at Tales of Expansion to host this week's contest...DATES!!!  I'm very excited.  :)
And last, I've been a bad little calorie counter.  Which means that little things probably slip into my mouth during the day that don't get tallied in my head or recorded on the blog.  :(  In fact, I know this happens, and I want to keep better track and hold myself more accountable for what I am consuming. ESPECIALLY since my exercise has been less then stellar what with my sad foot and crummy weather.  I did so well with accountability my first month having the blog, then the holidays arrived and I just never really got fully back on track.  I saw improvements in my body and how I felt that first month but I've definitely plateaued since then, and I'm ready for more loss and more toning!  :) I don't plan to take pictures of every little thing because I work 10 feet away from my boss and I'm not willing to tell him about the blog yet.  I try to take care of all photography in the morning and after work because I like consistency and I like the backdrop my table provides. :)  But I do plan on at least telling you about all eats and keeping a running calorie count on my posts.  I'll try to keep it simple and un-annoying...you might not even notice it.  And, for the record, I haven't been keeping things from the blog purposefully, I just sometimes forget to mention something.  Its never big...a dove chocolate here, handful of Kashi there...but as we all know, the small things add up. :)  I don't plan to calorie count forever, but I do find that it helps me to gain perspective on what I am consuming. Now, on to today's eats! I tried something new with my oats this morning, something I've seen Kath and many others do...I added wheatberries to my oatmeal.  And...I LOVED it!!!   Breakfast: banana, PB, wheatberry + dried apricot oats. [470 cal - higher than I would like.  i'm going to start having only 1/2 a banana in the oats to get it closer to 400 cal] 090128-b1 This DELICIOUS bowl contained:
  • 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 small mashed banana
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp wheatberries
  • 1 tbsp natural PB
  • 3 small turkish apricots
Seriously, this may beat my banana, PB, fig + flax oats...or at least equal it.  The wheatberries added such a wonderful chewy crunch! Lunch:  leftover veggie tofu stir fry on 1/2 cup jasmine rice and 1/2 cup wheatberries. [499 cal] 090128-l1 Afternoon Snack:  1/2 cup plain Fage 0% and one tangelo. [132 cal] 090128-s1 Extras:  3 Dove dark chocolate hearts [126 cal - I should try to skip these tomorrow], 10 Annie's Honey Bunnies [54 cal] 090128-s2 Dinner:  saffron tomato fennel soup [recipe] and "grilled cheese". [262 cal (soup) + 220 cal (grilled cheese)] 090128-d1 This is one of my favorite soups, we make it several times a year.  I added wheatberries this time and substituted thyme for basil because its what I had.  I just realized that I had wheatberries with every meal today...versatile little things, aren't they?!? 090128-d2 My substitute for the classic gilled cheese I normally enjoy with tomato soup was a broiled ham + cheddar sandwich on whole wheat sourdough bread.  1 slice bread, 1oz cheddar, 1/2oz sliced ham. 090128-d4 Exercise:  I went for a run!!!  FINALLY!  It felt great to be back out on the road, stretching out my legs.  I had my new inserts in my shoes and I have to say, they hurt my feet a little!  I'm hoping its just because my feet aren't used to them yet.  I'm going to give it a few more runs and see how they feel.  My toes have been all weird and tingly tonight too.  They felt like they were asleep when I finished my run, and now they are red, a little puffy, and hurt to the touch. Strange!  I've never had that happen before, and I'm hoping it will pass quickly!  So other than my weird feet issues my 3-mile run felt great.  I'm still hoping to train for the race, and am planning on getting a 5-6 mile long run in this weekend.  I'll re-evaluate my training schedule after that. [3 miles, 10-min/mile pace, -318 cal] Total Calorie Count:
  • consumed 1,884 cal
  • expelled 318 cal
  • net 1,564 cal
I try to net between 1200 and 1300 calories/day when I am striving to lose weight, so I was way over tonight.  This is what I love about calorie counting, if you had asked me before I counted, I would have told you that I did pretty well and was close to 1200 net calories.  Wrong!  Counting really helps me to keep perspective, and it makes me want to workout more so that I don't have to be as strict with my eats!  Tomorrow my goals are to lower my breakfast and lunch cals and reduce my "extras".  I also want to get up for some yoga in the morning and make sure to get a run in tomorrow evening.  Do any of you count calories?  What service do you use?  I use myfooddiary.com, but you have to pay for it and I'm hoping to find a free service. I've got some work to do, then I'm planning on a hot bath with my book.  :)  G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags fage, fennel, oats, sandwich, soup, tomato

standard fuel

Andrea

So today was a day full of easy favorites for me.  These meals/snacks show up on my blog pretty consistently because I love them all so much and they are so quick to prepare.  Honestly, if you asked me what my favorite easy + healthy breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner were these are probably the answers you would get.  Kind of a quick post tonight...goes with the theme of my quick eats!  :) Breakfast:  my standard banana, PB, flax and fig oats...yum. (this b-fast is tied with my ezekiel muffin, PB and fruit combo, which is my go-to if I'm running late and need to take b-fast with me). 090127-b11 This oat bowl contained the usual:
  • 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 small mashed banana
  • sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 dried fig
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
Lunch:  baked sweet potato with 1/4 cup edamame and 1/4 cup corn...such a good combo and SO filling. 090127-l2 Snack:  1/2 cup plain Fage 0% and 5 strawberries...the yogurt helps pick me up and keep me going through the rest of the afternoon, and makes me think I'm eating dessert.  :) 090127-s1 Snackie Treats:  I had a serious sweet tooth today!  I ran to the CVS across the street for some Dove dark chocolate hearts and ate 3 throughout the day.  I also had a date while fixing dinner. 090127-s2 Dinner:  tofu veggie stir fry on jasmine rice...a quick, easy vegetarian favorite!  We try to add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, but forgot again tonight as usual.  We never remember until we've finished the meal! 090127-d6 This was a collaborative effort between my hubb and I tonight.  He took care of the veggies, I took care of the rice, wheatberries and tofu.  Our delectable meal contained:
  • 12oz pan-glazed tofu
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 3 celery ribs
  • 1 broccoli floret
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 onion
  • jasmine rice
  • wheatberries
  • soy sauce
  • trader joe's soyaki sauce
  • sesame seeds
First I pan-glazed the tofu with my usual method. 090127-d1 This glaze consisted of (measurements are estimates...):
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
090127-d2 The tofu turns out just crispy on the outside, firmly silky on the inside.  We LOVE it this way, and haven't been able to stray in years. 090127-d4 My hubb sauteed the veggies in a bit of olive oil and soysauce, then added the Trader Joe's soyaki sauce and tofu once the veggies were tender.  This sauce is really great.  We usually buy Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce from Soy Vay, but I picked this up last time I was at TJ's and it is almost as good, for much less $$$! 090127-d3 My bowl contained 1/2 cup jasmine rice, 1/2 cup wheatberries (boiled tonight to keep for the week) and about 1-1/2 cups of veggies + tofu.  Yum! 090127-d51 Dessert:  a Quaker True Delights toasted coconut banana macadamia nut granola bar, split with my hubb.  YUM!!!!!!  These bars are brilliant.  Absolutely brilliant.  When I opened the package I almost passed out from the unbelievably good scent that met my nose.  And the flavor was perfect...not artificial tasting at all.  I could eat one for dessert every night, and they are only 140 calories!   090127-s3 Exercise:  YOGA!!!!  Mmmmmmmm.  We've been having an ice storm for most of the day so the sidewalks were far to treacherous for a run this evening.  I didn't even want to go back out to the yoga studio and drive on the slick roads.  So, instead, I popped my favorite Power Yoga dvd into my computer and stretched out my unused muscles for 55 minutes.  It felt SO good, but made me realize how much my week off from exercise has affected my strength, flexibility and endurance!  Good news though, my foot felt GREAT!  I'm READY for a run, as soon as the weather cooperates!  :) Question, What's your favorite yoga pose?  Least favorite?  I think my favorites are pigeon and twisted triangle, my least favorite is currently twisted prayer lunge (I think that's what its called...). G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review
tags fage, granola bar, oats, quaker, sweet potato, tofu, veggie stir fry

swiss chard, i think i love you

Andrea

I am a BIG fan of leafy greens.  Collards, kale, mustard greens...you name it, I probably like it.  Except for swiss chard.  I've never been convinced of swiss chard.  Now to be fair, I haven't given it many chances.  I made a chard gratin many years ago with the stems and it turned out mushy and bland.  I sauteed the leaves and they were a little bitter.  And then I gave up because I already had a long-term relationship with collard greens and didn't really feel the need to rock the boat.   090126-d4 Last week I decided that maybe it was time to give chard another chance, in the name of trying new things and expanding my veggie-loving horizons.  I bought 2 bunches and planned to try preparing them using this recipe.  And then I got busy, and the chard went bad.  So on Saturday I bought another two bunches and made sure to plan a meal with them at the beginning of the week so that there wouldn't be a repeat of last week's waste.   090126-d3 We had a couple of ingredients in the fridge leftover from this weekend, bacon and heavy cream, two items I don't get to cook with very often in my quest to eat healthfully.  So, in the name of not wanting to waste more ingredients in my fridge, this recipe was born. Swiss Chard + Bacon Linguine with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce makes 4 servings Ingredients:
  • 1 pound swiss chard, preferably rainbow or red-stem
  • 1/4 pound bacon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 8oz butternut squash puree'
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3/4 pound whole wheat linguine
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Wash chard and separate leaves from stems.  Course chop both, separately.
  2. Boil linguine for 10-12 minutes, until al dente.  Drain and set aside.
  3. Fry bacon in large, nonstick skillet.  Set aside on paper towels.
  4. Saute' onion in nonstick skillet for 2 minutes, until translucent.  Add chard stems and saute' for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add 1/2 cup of water to pan along with chard leaves.  Cover with a cookie sheet and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes until stems are tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  5. Whisk squash and cream together over medium high heat.  Bring just to a boil then lower heat to simmer, whisking constantly.  As sauce thickens add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.
  6. Pile noodles on plate.  Drizzle with a bit of sauce.  Add chard mixture and crumble bacon on top.  Drizzle additional sauce across the chard.
090126-d5 This was really delicious.  Swiss chard and I are now good friends, and I think we have quite the future ahead of us... What vegetable have you tried in the past but written off because of an unpleasant first experience? 090126-d6 Ahh routine.  I LOVED spending so much time with friends this weekend and having an excuse to eat several meals out and drink lots of wine, but my body is thanking me for getting back on track.  I was starting to feel a little blah what with all the unhealthy eats, vino and lack of exercise due to a sore foot, so today was definitely a welcome change.  Granted, my dinner included a small amount of bacon and cream, but at least it was whole and homemade.  :) I started the morning off inspired by the custard oats I've seen pop up on both Sarah's and Heather's blogs.  These two ladies are really fabulous, and their blogs are daily reads of mine. Check them out if you haven't yet! Breakfast:  custard oats topped with cinnamon, flax seeds, dried figs and a PB spoon. 090126-b1 To make the custard oats I combined 1/2 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup water, 2 egg whites and 1 tsp vanilla in a small pot on the stovetop.  I set the heat way too high and walked away from the stove, resulting in a very smelly mess of boiled over milk and eggs.  Thank goodness for glass cooktops!  Yuck.  I didn't want to give up, so I quickly jumped back on Heather's blog to read that I was supposed to keep the heat on medium and whisk the ingredients constantly until they thicken a bit.  MUCH better.  At this point I added 1/2 cup of rolled oats and kept the heat on medium, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.  After the oats had thickened quite a bit more, but were still a little runny, I removed the pot from the heat and covered it to allow for additional thickening while cooling. I topped my bowl with:
  • a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp flax seeds
  • 1 dried fig
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
The verdict?  Well, the oats were certainly very creamy, but I think I prefer the texture of my standard oats much better.  The banana doesn't cream-ify the oats quite as much, and lends such a wonderful sweetness to the whole bowl.  With the egg whites I kept thinking I could taste them, and worried about whether or not they were actually cooked.  Eggs freak me out a little. Don't judge.  :)  I'm glad that I tried them though, thanks ladies! Lunch:  the other 1/2 of my Amy's Curried Lentil Soup and a big salad.  Look familiar?  It was SO welcome. 090126-l1 090126-l3 This beauty contained:
  • spinach
  • red bell pepper
  • cucumber
  • hearts of palm
  • garbonzo beans
  • a tangelo
  • poppyseed dressing
YUM!  I finally remembered to take a picture of the dressing bottle for you too.  Its SO tasty, but definitely not low-cal.  Does anybody know of a good low-cal creamy poppyseed dressing?  I'd love to know about it!  I'm addicted to poppyseed dressing on top of fruit on top of salad. The bottle says that its good drizzled on fresh peaches...hmmmm.   090126-l2 Snack:  a peanut butter cookie larabar.  After witnessing several of my fellow bloggers ignore the salmonella scare and refuse to waste their favorite bars, I decided to do the same.  Its my favorite flavor, and I can't find them ANYWHERE (or at least can't remember where I found this one) so I decided to risk it. Probably stupid, huh?  It was tasty though!  :) 090126-s1 Ok, this post has been really long.  I'll quickly tell you that I didn't get a run in tonight because I had to work late, but my foot is feeling much better! There is still slight pain, so its probably best that I gave it another day before pounding the pavement.  I do have plans for some yoga tomorrow morning though, and I can't wait! Oh, and I almost forgot!  Look what was waiting for me when I got home tonight...Quaker True Delights bars from Foodbuzz!!! 090126-d2 I've been dying to try these new bars from Quaker since seeing them on Jenna's and Kath's blogs last fall, so of course I said YES when Foodbuzz asked if I wanted to try them!  Thanks Foodbuzz!!! The hubb and I split the dark raspberry almond flavor for dessert and it was SO good.  I think I'm in love with a new granola bar...move over Kashi!  :) Ok, now its bed time.  G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review, recipes
tags bacon, butternut squash, cream, larabar, oats, pasta, quaker, salad, swiss chard

a difficult task

Andrea

"Our challenges may be new.  The instruments with which we meet them may be new.  But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old.  These things are true.  They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.  What is demanded then is a return to these truths.  What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."

- President Barack Obama, Inaugural Speech, 01.20.2009

What an inspiring day for Americans and for the world.  I am so in awe of our new President and so excited by the hope that was palpable in the air today.  The above quote was my favorite segment of President Obama's beautiful speech.  It really got me thinking about hard work, courage, difficult tasks and giving our all to achieve them.  It made me think of this amazing community that I am part of, and the goals we set for ourselves and tackle each and every day.  Not only have I witnessed fellow bloggers pursue and achieve personal health and fitness goals, I've seen them take those personal goals and turn them into quests to contribute to the greater good.  From HangryPants' December Food Drive to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, to Kath's Thanksgiving Challenge to benefit Heifer International,  to Meghann's recent commitment to raise $3900 for Team in Training.  We can all make a difference in the world in our own small ways, by taking on our own difficult tasks and giving our all to achieve them.   The character of this blogging community is strong and good, and I am so proud to be a part of it.

My own personal fitness goal has been proving itself to be very difficult for me lately.  I haven't learned to love running yet, or at least I haven't learned to love running in the extreme cold we've been experiencing.  But I keep getting out on the road, and I keep logging my miles.  I admit, a good part of the reason I am still training is because I started this blog, told you all that I would run this race, and now I feel committed.  Thank you for keeping me accountable.  If it wasn't for you I probably would have quit last week, when the cold did keep me inside and forced me to take a week off from training.  But I got back out there on Saturday, and I got back out there tonight.  It was cold, I was close to miserable, but I logged 3-1/4 miles because I was thinking about President Obama's speech, about the difficult task that was going to be so satisfying to my spirit when I cross the finish line of the 10-Miler on April 4th.  And I was thinking about you all, and how supportive you've been, and how happy you'll be for me when I report about finishing my race.  And I also thought about the great comments I've received from many of you, telling me that you feel the same way that I do about running, and that reading my story has inspired you to train for a race.  Those comments humble me and make me realize that maybe I'm contributing a little something to the greater good as well.  So I'll keep running, keep training, and will complete this difficult task.  And hopefully, somewhere along the way, I'll learn to love running as well.

Thanks for reading my ramblings!  :)  On to food...

Breakfast:  apple + dried cherry oats.  I decided to switch it up a bit, add a little variety to my breakfast and my blog.  But I have to say, I missed my mashed banana and my nut butter...  I also ate the rest of the apple that didn't fit in my bowl. 090120-b1 This bowl contained:
  • 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 tsp vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 2 heaping tbsp of unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup of dried cherries
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1/4 of an apple, chopped
  • 1 tbsp slivered almonds
Its been awhile since I've posted specific directions for my morning oats and I had a couple of inquiries about it yesterday, so here's a bit more of an explanation. I use old-fashioned rolled oats, and cook them on the stovetop.  They only take about 10 minutes total, so I put them on while I'm making coffee and lunch, then sit down to eat them while downloading pictures to my computer.
  1. Bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil on the stovetop.
  2. Add 1/2 cup of rolled oats and stir.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat but leave oats on burner.  This is when I typically add my mashed banana (highly recommended...it makes the texture perfectly creamy and sweetens without adding any sugar).  I also add a 1/4 tsp of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
  4. Once the banana, cinnamon and vanilla are mixed in I remove the oats from the heat, pour into my bowl and add the toppings.
I've never tried making them ahead of time, but I think that would work better with steel cut oats.  Anybody have any thoughts / suggestions on making oatmeal in a larger batch for the whole week? 090120-b2 The hubb and I joined some friends and co-workers for lunch today to watch inauguration festivities.  There was a huge pan of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and baked beans, and it was all oh. so. good.  I was a bad healthy foodie at lunchtime.  :) Lunch:  two fried chicken drumsticks, some delectable baked beans and mashed potatoes.  And, of course, there were cookies.  I split one with my hubb.  :) 090120-l1 Dinner:  a large [much needed] salad and some Amy's Veggie Lentil soup.  After my frigid run, I just wanted something warm, satisfying and low-effort.  :) 090120-d1 And another 1/2 a cookie... 090120-d2 And now I think I'm off to a hot bath with my book.  I may finally finish it!  Its been wonderful, but my book list is a mile long and I'm ready to move on to the next read.  Good night!
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categories breakfast, dinner
tags oatmeal, oats, running

there will be cookies

Andrea

I didn't have a food blog in the summer of 2008, so I feel like I missed out on the David Leite's  Chocolate Chip Cookie fun that I've read about in the archives of a few of my favorite blogs, like Orangette and The Kitchen Sink.  Now, I love a good chocolate chip cookie.  Who doesn't?  But I've seen plenty of recipes out there claiming to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, so I was skeptical that this one would be any different from all the rest.  I was intrigued, however, by the large amount of chocolate in the recipe...1-1/4 pounds for only 18 cookies!  That, my friends, is a lot of chocolate.  Also, the recipe called for the sprinkling of sea salt on the tops of the cookies just before baking...hmmm.  I am a big fan of sea salt caramels, so this seemed like a touch that would agree with me nicely. 090119-cookie-1 Typically I would take a recipe like this and try to healthify it, using natural sweeteners and substitutes for the refined sugar, oil and white flours.  But it had been awhile since I'd made a full-fat, high-cal decadent cookie, and this seemed just the recipe to indulge on.  And it helped to know that I would be sharing the 18 resulting cookies with 12 friends and co-workers tomorrow during the inauguration ceremony.  I followed David Leite's instructions almost completely, but did have to make two substitutions.  The first was to use ghirardelli chocolate bars chopped into 1/2" pieces instead of chocolate disks.  The second was to replace the cake flour.  I scoured the shelves on the baking aisle at Whole Foods and found no such flour.  I decided to substitute the whole wheat pastry flour I had at home and hope for the best. 090119-cookie-2 A warning:  the dough requires 24 hours of refrigeration before baking.  I made the dough last night and of course sampled it, which made me all the more excited to come home from work tonight to bake the cookies.  Its kind of nice, the phasing of the recipe.  You get all of the mess out of the way the first night and are left with the simple pleasure of balling dough and pulling perfectly golden cookies from the oven the second night. 090119-cookie-3 090119-cookie-4 These cookies are worth the 24-hour wait and the extensive blogger hype.  Totally worth it.  They are perfectly crisp around their golden edges, soft and chewy in their centers.  The sea salt adds an unexpected depth that heightens the flavor of the chocolate while at the same time reducing its richness...a quality that makes it even easier to finish the entire 5" mammoth cookie all at once.  In case you missed the link above, here is the recipe and the article it accompanied. So tomorrow, as we welcome our new president and toast the changes to come with a group of friends, there will be cookies.   I can't think of a better way to celebrate. 090119-cookie-5 Here's a recap of my other eats for the day, although who wants to read about them now that I've introduced cookies to the mix?!?  Especially when its a day full of repeats...  Breakfast:  the standard oat bowl.  I know, I know.  But I love it and its very filling and that's good enough for me. 090119-b11
  • 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, dribble of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 mashed ripe banana
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 dried fig, chopped
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
Lunch:  leftover veggie soup, 3 Back To Nature Multigrain Flax flatbreads, 2 tbsp hummus. 090119-l11 Snacks:  my Oikos is back!!!!!  1 blueberry Oikos and a tangelo.  Sadly, I didn't actually eat the Oikos 'cause I just wasn't hungry enough.  The tangelo was excellent though. 090119-s11 Dinner:  leftover veggie soup with some bulgur added to it and a hearty oat biscuit.  So good, and this is the last of it.  :) 090119-d1 090119-d2 Dessert:  a cookie.  Of course.  :) And I'm off.  Have a great Tuesday, everybody!  Happy Inauguration!!!
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categories baking, breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags chocolate, cookies, oats, soup

birthday blondies

Andrea

Friday is my dear friend Beth's birthday.  Beth and I met the summer before I started graduate school when she was an intern at the architecture firm I had been working for.  We became fast friends because we shared many interests:  design, food, running, yoga.  We swapped recipes and design ideas for two years before she moved to Philadelphia to take a job with a fabulous firm.  I miss her.  She was the person who first introduced me to brussels sprouts and kale, both of which I now can't live without. She also introduced me to figs.  I owe her many thanks for bringing dried figs into my life. These fig almond blondies are for Beth.  Happy birthday dear friend. brownies-1 brownies-2 090114-blondies-1 This recipe comes from VeggieGirl.  I said last night that Jen @ Running With Food can cook...well, VeggieGirl can bake!!!  This is the second blondie recipe I've tried of hers, and it is definitely a winner in my household.  I will be holding both her Fig Almond Blondie and her Pear Pistachio Ginger Blondie recipes near and dear for a long time. Fig Almond Blondies adapted slightly from VeggieGirl's Fig Almond Blondie recipe makes 16 blondies Ingredients:
  • 6oz plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp blackstrap molasses
  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (next time I will try whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 10 dried Turkish figs, chopped
  • soymilk, as needed
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350* and spray 8x8 cooking pan with oil
  2. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, applesauce, sugar, vanilla and molasses together.
  3. In the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, almonds and figs.  As the mixture combines it will thicken, add a splash of soymilk as needed to help mix.  Don't add too much!!!
  4. Spread batter into greased 8x8 pan and smooth the top.
  5. Bake for 32-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely before cutting.
090114-s21 A quick recap of today's eats so far... Breakfast:  Oats!  I'm so in love with my normal combo, I just can't get enough!  This morning I stepped it up an extra notch by adding dried figs.  Yum!  The fig seeds added perfect little bits of crunch. 090114-b1 Lunch:  Leftovers!  I know I promised another wrap, but when I opened the fridge this morning and saw a perfect lunch-sized portion of leftover pot pie and collard greens, I couldn't resist. 090114-l1 Snack:  1/2 cup Fage 0% and 5 lovely strawberries.  I have to say, I'm really loving the Fage.  Its making me miss my Oikos less and less each day... 090114-s1 Tonight the hubb and I are going over to our friend Amy's house for dinner, which is why I'm posting a bit early.  I'm making a quick lasagna recipe that I'm really excited to try and can't wait to share the results with you tomorrow! Be sure to check out Oh She Glows for a fabulous Honest Foods Giveaway! Have a great night!  :)
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categories Uncategorized, baking, breakfast, lunch
tags almonds, blondies, fage, figs, oats

food on the table

Andrea

Oh, I'm glad today is over.  Things are slooooooowwwww in landscape design world right now.  It seems that with a faltering economy there aren't a whole lot of people who want to throw money at creating beautiful outdoor spaces.  I guess they are more worried about keeping food on the table, etc.  And because things are slow in the office, that's what I spend significant amounts of my day thinking about too, food on the table.  Not that I'm worried about my job security, although I probably should be, I just like to think about food.  On my table.  And what fun new recipe I'm going to try that will get said food onto said table. But before I jump to the dinner recipe I thought about all day and then crafted when I got home, lets start with breakfast. Breakfast:  Oats!  And Vanilla Honey Chamomile Tea.  This was a typical bowl of oats that I l.o.v.e. I'm in a bit of a rut with my oats, but I don't mind at all.  :)
  • 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, splash of vanilla and sprinkling of cinnamon
  • 1 small mashed banana
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 spoonful of natural peanut butter (I used up all of my almond butter!  But must thin out other condiments before replacing...)
090113-b1 Lunch:  Veggie Wrap with
  • 2 tbsp roasted garlic hummus
  • 1/2 cup of roasted spaghetti squash
  • red bell pepper
  • baby spinach
090113-l1 This combo was FABULOUS!  I will definitely be repeating tomorrow...sorry in advance!  I also had a navel orange (the one whose zest graced my bread last night) with 1/2 cup of Fage 0%. 090113-l2 Snacks:  C'mon...did you expect any different?  How could I resist this bread?!?  I nibbled on 2 slices throughout the day.  I think this is my favorite bread that I've made so far on the blog. Fav-or-ite. 090113-s2 Last week I saw this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Crust on Running With Food.  I love Jen's blog because not only is her photography gorgeous and her writing entertaining...the girl can cook!  Her recipes are the kind of down-home, simple comfort food that we crave regularly in our household. After freezing for most of the day at my drafty desk in a slightly boring job (these days anyway), comfort food was exactly what I needed. Dinner:  Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Crust [recipe here] with a side of Collard Greens, and a glass of cabernet. 090113-d2 090113-d1 The pot pie recipe is deliciously easy and I followed it nearly to a tee.  One step that Jen forgot to mention is when to cook the chicken.  I chopped it up and tossed it in the saucepan with the veggies to sauté for 5-7 minutes before adding the Cream of Mushroom soup mixture.  I also added fresh parsley to the filling.  After the filling simmered for about 10 minutes, I added one tablespoon of cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water) to help the mixture to thicken up a bit. 090113-d3 I dropped dollops of cornmeal batter across the top of the filling to make "biscuits", and baked the dish for 20 minutes at 425*. 090113-d5 090113-d7 While the pot pie was baking, I quickly prepared the collard greens by removing the stems and rinsing the leaves.  I then sautéed some garlic in olive oil in a big soup pan. Once the garlic was fragrant, I added the damp collards to the pot and covered it.  I let the collards steam for 5-7 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. 090113-d4 090113-d8 Dinner was EXCELLENT!!!  This pot pie recipe is definitely a keeper.  I was hoping to be able to try Jen's stuffed acorn squash recipe with the leftover pot pie, but there isn't much left!!!  My hubb REALLY liked it.  :) I hope you've all had a great day and evening!  I was able to do a little baking tonight for a friend's birthday, which I will share with you tomorrow.  Not my own recipe, but VeggieGirl's Fig Blondies!  They are sure to be a hit, the last VeggieGirl recipe I tried was amazing.  Goodnight!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags bread, chicken pot pie, collard greens, cornmeal, oats, wrap

sleepy girl

Andrea

Hello lovelies!  Tonight's post will be a short one, I'm not feelin' so hot.  Actually, I'm really tired, and a hot bath is loudly calling my name...  :)  The hubb and I haven't been sleeping well lately, we are in desperate need of a new mattress.  That, coupled with my very hilly 3-1/2 mile run this afternoon has left me sleepy and ready for some down time! Breakfast:  A repeat of Monday...oats!  With some vanilla, cinnamon, one small, ripe, mashed banana, ground flax seeds and a spoonful of almond butter. 090107-b1 Lunch:  More lentil salad, this time layered with spinach on the bottom and feta on the top...tasty!  On the side, 1/2 a whole wheat pita and a large pear. 090107-l1 Snacks:  Clems and Stoneyfield Yogurt.  I only ate one clem, after my run.   090107-s1 Dinner:  Take-out Thai!!!!  Yay!  My fave.  I picked the tofu scallion soup with bean sprouts, and ordered some rice noodles on the side to throw on top.  The broth was absolutely amazing!  I really need to start cooking Thai food... 090107-d1 I also had a small pile of the hubb's tofu pad thai and a few veggie spring rolls dipped in their amazing spicy pineapple sauce. 090107-d2 Does anybody have a good resource for Thai recipes?  I'm looking for a book, or website, or chef I should watch out for... Before rushing off to the bath I must write about my run.  I'm so excited to be past the 3-mile mark and getting in 30+ minute running workouts multiple times a week!  While at dinner with our friends last weekend, Kelly and I chatted about starting to run together again occasionally.  She was my first running partner in Charlottesville, we trained for the 2006 Women's 4-Miler together.  We're both designers (she's actually a registered architect) and our offices are right next door to each other downtown.  We decided to pick at least one night a week (Wednesdays!) to leave work a little early and get in a good 3+ mile run together before darkness falls.  Tonight Kelly picked our 3-1/2 mile route and it was HILLY!  So great though, I feel like we got a great workout in, along with fabulous conversation. And now I'm off to the bathtub to sooth my tired body.  Goodnight!  :)
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags lentils, oats, running, thai

kashi coupon winners!

Andrea

Good evening!  I have a couple of winners of the Kashi TLC Cereal Bars contest!  My hubb picked two random numbers for me between 1 and 22 (the number of comments on the post).  The lucky numbers are 6 and 13, making Carolinebee and Becca A. the winners!!!  Congrats ladies!  Email me your addresses and I'll get the coupons in the mail to you ASAP. So how did everybody adjust to the first day back to work?  It was a pretty long day for me, mentally and in reality.  I get to work at 8:30 am and today didn't get out until 7:15pm without leaving the office for lunch or errands.  I hate being stuck inside for almost 11 hours!!!  To be honest, the last hour was spent reading blogs as I was just waiting for my hubb to finish up in his office so that we could ride home together.  But still, it was a long day.   We did manage to go out for a run once we got home and changed, which I'm very happy about.  The weather is supposed to turn nasty here for the next couple of days with lots of rain and ice, so the chances of getting out for a road run tomorrow or Wednesday are pretty slim.  We just did 2-1/2 miles tonight, but I picked up my pace to keep up with my hubb so got a good workout in.  He probably slowed down a little for me too...shhh.  :) My eats today were tasty, but probably a bit boring for you... Breakfast: A bowl of oats!  Mornings that include oats are my favorites...unless they include pancakes.  :) 090105-b1 This delicious bowl contained:
  • 1/2 cup Irish oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 very ripe mashed banana
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
Breakfast was earlier than normal because I had a dentist appointment before work, so I knew that I needed something hardy to hold me over 'till my normal lunch time.  This bowl of oats almost did the trick, keeping me satisfied for 4 hours.  I had a small handful of mixed nuts to hold me over the last hour. Lunch:  Leftover Mexican Meatball Soup and roasted veggies. 090105-l1 I thawed out a loaf of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread that I made last month to take to our friends this weekend in appreciation of them having us over for dinner, but forgot it in our rush out the door.  So, instead, I sliced it up and brought some in for my co-workers. 090105-s1 Snacks:  One slice of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with 1 tbsp almond butter and two clementines. 090105-s2 And I may have had a couple of dark chocolate covered potato chips...but I don't have any pictures to prove it.  :)   I just love coming home to leftovers!  I know you all are probably getting tired of seeing this soup on the blog, but I am definitely not getting tired of eating it.  Its just so delicious!  And it was especially helpful tonight to have dinner ready to go for us with minimal prep since we didn't get home from our run and stretch until about 8:30. Dinner:  Another bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup and a lovely salad. 090105-d2 My salad consisted of:
  • spinach
  • broccoli
  • red bell pepper
  • celery
  • 1-1/2 clementines
  • cranberry ketchup [this stuff is great on everything!!! email me if you want the recipe]
090105-d3 And for dessert:  three Nairns Stem Ginger Wheat-Free Biscuits.  I LOVE these cookies/biscuits.  I'm pretty sad that my Whole Foods stopped stocking them on the shelves, but I dug around in my pantry and found one last little package.  2 cookies have just 80 calories, they are perfectly crunchy and have just enough gingery flavor.  The Roughcut Oatcakes are really tasty too... 090105-d4 Alrighty, shower and bed time for this little lady.  After my long run Saturday, intense yoga yesterday and speedy run tonight, this foodie's body is t.i.r.e.d.  Have a great night and day tomorrow!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review
tags kashi, nairns, oats, pumpkin cranberry bread, salad, soup

on the right foot...

Andrea

I started the first day of 2009 right...with a bowl of oats.  I've missed my oats these past few weeks as I've been cleaning out the fridge, freezer and pantry. Breakfast:  1 cup prepared rolled oats, a splash of hemp milk, a dash of vanilla, a small handful of raisins and 1/2 an apple sprinkled with cinnamon and turbinado sugar.  On the side a piece of whole wheat bread smeared with 1 tbsp almond butter and a drizzle of cranberry "ketchup". 090101-b1 The hubb and I lazed around the house most of today, it was lovely.  I caught up on some blogs, but not nearly as many as I need to!  Maybe tonight I can finish up...  Before going out for some errands today I made a quick lunch to keep me from stopping for something I would regret. Lunch:  A big ol' salad with romaine, spinach, yellow bell pepp, cucumber, dried cranberries, some crumbled feta cheese and light ranch dressing.  090101-l1 On the side, a Stoneyfield Farm yogurt.  I can't wait for my Oikos to return to the shelves!!!  I did pick up some Fage yesterday but want to finish up the last couple Stoneyfields I already had in the fridge before they go bad. 090101-l2 Snack:  One of our errands today included a stop at Target.  I was feeling light-headed and a little nauseous so I picked up a Luna Peanut Butter Cookie bar.  It tasted ok, but did help me feel much better. Has anyone else ever heard that eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day will bring good luck in the upcoming year?  I can't remember when or where I heard this, but yesterday as I was making our grocery list I thought that black-eyed peas sounded like a fantastic idea.  Who can't use a little extra luck in the new year?!? Dinner:  Black-Eyed Peas on brown rice, maple roasted beets, carrots and brussels sprouts and oil-free cornmeal muffins.  Say goodbye to my lovely tree...I think this post will be its last appearance.  :( 090101-d7 I soaked about 1 pound of dried black-eyed peas in water for about 4 hours this afternoon.  After rinsing the peas, I returned them to a large stock pot and covered them with 8 cups of chicken stock (about 1" of stock over the peas). I added
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 ham steaks, chopped
  • salt + pepper
brought to a boil, and let simmer for about 30 minutes. At this point, to my surprise, the peas were done! I wasn't ready for them yet so just kept them on low heat on the stove.  If you don't have the hours to soak ahead of time, you could skip the soaking step and just cook the peas on the stovetop for 2 hours. 090101-d4 090101-d8 For the roasted veggies, I chopped
  • 1 large carrot
  • 3 small beets
  • about a dozen brussels sprouts
and drizzled them with about 1 tbsp of olive oil.  They went into the oven on 400* for 30 minutes.  I pulled them out and drizzled maple syrup across the veggies, tossed them, and stuck them back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. 090101-d5 They weren't quite as maple-glazed as I would have liked for them to be...I'll add more syrup next time. The Oil-Free Cornmeal Muffins are a recipe I adapted from one of my favorite baking books, Sweet & Natural Baking by Mani Niall.  I was looking for a quick corn muffin recipe because corn bread and black-eyed peas belong together.  This one did not disappoint, I loved it! 090101-d1 090101-d2 The muffins don't crumble like traditional cornbread, but they are wonderfully flavored and very moist. I will definitely be making them again! 090101-d3 I enjoyed my muffin with a bit of Earth Balance spread. 090101-d6 Oil-Free Cornmeal Muffins [adapted from Sweet & Natural Baking by Mani Niall] makes 8 muffins Ingredients:
  • 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
Method:
  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350*.  Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, turbinado sugar, baking soda and salt together. Make a well in the center.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk the agave nectar, buttermilk and eggs together.  Pour into well and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.
  4. Spoon the batter evenly into 8 of the muffin cups.  Bake until the tops spring back when pressed lightly, about 18 minutes.  Cool for 2 minutes, run a knife around the inside of the cups to release the muffins and remove them from cups.
Now I'm off to finish straightening up our house, put away Christmas and get ready for work tomorrow. Blech.  I can't believe I have to work tomorrow!  I really can't complain because I've had most of the last two weeks off, but its difficult to get motivated to go in for just one day before the weekend...   I hope you all have a lovely evening!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags black-eyed peas, cornbread, oats, roasted veggies, salad