Real Meal Steal

Unaccountable

2011-01-31T16:58:00.000-06:00

There are days when doing homework sounds downright boring. And when I say, "there are days," I really mean, "Most, if not all days." So even though I did my accounting homework GRUDGINGLY, I really wanted to be playing with my puppies.

I mean, for real. Who could deny a face like that?

Or that? That is a cuddle-monster, if ever I've seen one.

Yes, Maple and Daisy were quite the distractions while I was wrestling with debits and credits. And with the cold front coming in later, I'd like nothing more than to snuggle up on the couch with a nice mug of hot cocoa with those puppies. But alas, my presence is requested at a dinner with one of Hubster's co-workers and the Hubster himself!

But I will be back. And I will don sweatpants. And I will have my cuddle time!

Seriously Cool.

2011-01-30T19:22:00.000-06:00

I might be a little late on this bandwagon, but I really LOVE frozen yogurt. Austin has recently seen quite a few serve-yourself yogurt shops crop up. We have two near us, but the nearest to us is Tutti Frutti. Good thing that it's tasty!

My husband and I love to try every shop's original flavor. It's a good judge of their style. Tutti Frutti's Original isn't too sweet nor too tart. And we love the other berry flavors. My favorite is raspberry.

We normally put a few berries and some sliced almonds for crunch. And Kendall and I usually split a cup with about 3 different flavors.

Yum!

Just a Lunchbox...

2011-01-13T20:46:00.000-06:00

As you may recall, I have been a fan of bento boxes for a while now. When I had the time, I would try to pack our lunches bento-style in tupperware containers. While on a short excursion this weekend, we stopped by Fit, a Japanese homegoods store in Houston. It's modeled after the hyaku yen (one hundred yen) store, similar to a dollar store. And there, we found very good, yet very reasonably priced bento boxes. For Kendall, a two-tiered black box, with a snap lock and a pair of chopsticks. For me, a smaller, cute mint green two-tiered box with a compartment for chopsticks. I got a pair of chopsticks and a band to secure it all.

So I've been having some fun the past few mornings as I construct some bentos for Kendall to take to work. He likes the tidiness and sleekness of the box. Before, I was using lots of plastic baggies to pack up his sandwiches and carrots. Now it's all in one reusable box. And it also expands what foods he can take to work. Cold stuff, easily, but also food to warm up.

So here is what Kendall took to work today. In the lower tier, steamed rice and chicken teriyaki with onions. All covered with spring onions. In the top tier, roasted asparagus and bell peppers. There is also apple slices. In the folded baggy, there is furikake and some soy sauce in the little fish bottle for the rice. You'll also notice cherry tomatoes to stabilize the food. The bottom tier could be warmed easily and the top tier is eaten cooled.

Kendall's verdict: Loves it! He finds it easier to eat certain things with chopsticks (no sticky fingers on the keyboard), and really enjoyed a warmed lunch. He also likes the tidiness the box affords and the future of more variety in lunch. It is also nice to look at something appealing, rather than a cold sandwich in a bag.

Open Sesame!

2010-10-21T18:15:00.000-05:00

I've been on a bit of kick recently... I've been transforming our favorite restaurant meals into something better, healthier and cheaper at home. One of our weaknesses is Chinese food. We had take-out on our anniversary while we were sick! I can safely say that my egg drop soup and sweet and sour chicken are better than most of what you find in restaurants or cute folded boxes!

When I ordered the sesame chicken on our anniversary, I splurged on the majorly-battered, deep-fried bits of the fattiest cuts of chicken, smothered in a dark, sweet, and salty sauce. Yum!

I pondered a life where I could only savor this a few times a year... and it looked bleak. Surely, I thought, there must be a way to eat this on weeknights, not just special occasions!

So I did a little research and hit the jackpot. First step: use lean cuts of chicken and don't batter and deep fry it! Simply cube some (2-3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts and brown in a bit of cooking spray or oil. Once cooked through, remove and set aside. The sauce is what Kendall and I really love, so that's what I focused on.

Sesame Chicken Sauce

Ingredients:

1 C chicken broth

1/2 C white sugar

2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

2 Tbsp dark soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dried red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except for pepper flakes and sesame seeds in a bowl and stir to mix well. While it's still mixed (before the cornstarch and sugar settles and you have to stir it again!) pour it in a pot or pan and bring to boil. Let simmer, bubble and thicken for a few minutes. Turn down to very low heat and keep warm before adding the chicken.

Add the chicken and then stir in the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Serve with steamed rice and steamed broccoli (or other veggie!). Serves 4.

The verdict? To quote my husband, "This is better than the restaurant!" The sauce is thick and glossy and coats EVERYTHING. It's loaded with flavor and feels a lot more like a splurge than a health food. Granted, the sugar content is high, but the fat content is low. Combined with simple sides, it makes a great dinner.

I had a little rice, about 1/2 C serving of the chicken dish, and about 1.5 C of broccoli. For dessert, we had some delicious little mandarins! I love those things... they are like candy.

Wine note: I poured some red wine (Pinot Noir), but the sauce is sweet and overpowers the wine. I took a sip and almost spit it out because all I could taste were bitter tannins and alcohol! I set it aside and am now sipping it with a cleansed palate. A chilled beer or dry white wine might pair better with this.

Other suggestions: This is quick and easy and would be impressive for guests! Start with a simple egg drop soup and finish with a fun, bright fruit salad and store-bought fortune cookies. You can cut back on how much protein (chicken) you serve because of the egg drop soup, which will help fill your guests up. Everyone will leave full and happy, and with some prep beforehand, it's easy to put together. And that's a fortune that will definitely come true.

Lentils for Lunch

2010-10-19T14:01:00.001-05:00

With temperatures cooling off, it's a great time to start making some yummy soups. If you are trying to cut out meat from your diet, this Curried Lentil Soup is a great way to pack in a lot of filling flavor with a lot of fat or sodium.

Ingredients:
1 C carrots, diced
1 C onion, diced
I C celery, diced
4 tsp canola oil
4 tsp curry powder
1 C dried lentils
4 C low-sodium broth of choice

Instructions:
Heat oil in a pot and saute carrots, onions and celery for a few minutes. Add curry powder and stir. Then stir in lentils and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

It's so simple, and so good. The curry adds a depth and richness to the broth, which makes it hearty. You won't miss the meat!

Sorry for the sideways photo! But have your soup with a salad dressed in a vinaigrette and a whole-grain roll or English muffin. It makes the perfect lunch! It leaves you full and satisfied without feeling tired and weighed down.

Drive A Lot? So do I, these days...

2010-10-18T15:26:00.000-05:00

Since going back to school, I find myself in my car a lot. I drive 30 minutes each way to get to campus. That's a lot of time. And while much of that is spent on the highway, there are some stops along the way. So when I read this article on Self.com about some exercise you can do in the car, I was stoked. I don't advise doing a lot of these while actively driving, but the abdominal exercise would be okay while driving. But if you are in line for the drive-through bank, etc., these are great! It's always fun to squeeze in a little healthy habit.

Safe travels, y'all!

Husband's Easy, Yummy Fish Quesadillas

2010-10-17T20:28:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend! We spent lots of time with the family eating, shopping, laughing and celebrating my nephew's birthday. After lots of eating out, Kendall and I felt like throwing together something quick, yummy and light tonight. Inspired by our Mexican food last night, we thought we might try our hand at some salmon enchiladas. But time got away from us, the salmon didn't thaw quickly enough, and so Kendall took the helm at the stove.

Have I ever mentioned that my husband is a REALLY good cook when he gets behind the stove? But a few burners in front of him, and the man's on fire. Not literally.

After rifling through the fridge, he found some canned tuna, cheese, and lots of onions. And lo, a delightful new dinner was born.

I know. Tuna. I was doubtful, but figured that it couldn't be that bad. And I was pleasantly surprised!

I had two with a little leftover jalapeno ranch sauce on top. But look at what was inside these things:

Tuna, lots and lots of diced onions and cheese. Kendall used between 1/2 and 3/4 of an onion, and used a mix of red and a bit of a white onion we had left over. He sweated them SLIGHTLY in a pat of butter, then mixed with tuna and heated through. He also used some garlic salt to add a little flavor. A sprinkle of cheese and layer of tuna mixture between corn tortillas.

The tuna added a nice fish flavor but what you really taste are the onions. It's a new, fun, and easy way to get a little more fish in your diet.

I had a salad on the side with some lovely greens from Organic Girl that I scored on sale for a dollar. Best deal ever!

On the subject of fish, I highly recommend checking out the Seafood Watch Program. They have a pocket guide or free iPhone app that will tell you the best and most sustainable fish to buy, order and eat. I personally love the iPhone app because it uses the GPS function to figure out where in the nation you are and then give you recommendations based on your area. So get yours now!

I've got a crazy week ahead, so that's all for me for now. Good night!

Rarg! I am a terrible blogger!

2010-10-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

Epic fail! Things have been a bit busy with class and I just haven't gotten around to blogging. I have been cooking and eating and I've started running again. I think I posted previously about some of the apps I have on my iPhone to track my run distance and speed. Still loving them!

It's apple season, and I couldn't be happier about it! Neither could Kendall. I think he's had 3 apples in the past 12 hours. I've put our fall produce in a clear bowl on the buffet. It makes for fun, colorful, seasonal decor.. that we can eat! I don't have to worry about lugging it upstairs and boxing it up when the holiday decorations come out. I've also put out some candles, but we haven't lit them yet. We found that many of the scented candles are so smelly, you can pop off the lid and it scents the air around us without having to strike a match! We found some great soy candles on clearance recently and stocked up.

The pups are doing well, and since the weather has cooled, we've all enjoyed lovely walks in the morning, afternoon, weekends, nights! After sweltering heat this summer, the whole family finds any excuse to get outside and play.

School work has been going well, and it's hard to believe I am almost half-way through the semester. It has flown by! I have to remind myself of that when I have a difficult exam coming up. It's almost time to schedule classes for next semester. I am going to try to schedule my classes so that I have at least one day that I don't have to drive into campus. Kendall and I have learned that I also need to make sure I can be home on Mondays and Wednesdays. He works at home Tuesday and Friday, so the dogs are taken care of, but the other days... it's hard for him to get off work, etc. This semester, Wednesday has posed the biggest problem, so I'll have to be mindful of that while scheduling courses for Spring.

Anyway, as always, I hope to post more often and hopefully will get some recipes up here soon!

Day 4: List 20 Favorite Things

2010-09-13T21:02:00.000-05:00

In no particular order:

Kendall, my husband and best friend
My dogs, Maple and Daisy
Coffee, caf or decaf-- it's all good!
Sushi, especially rolls featuring spicy mayo
Apples in the fall ONLY, otherwise they get mealy and gross.
Chocolate
Clean sheets
Driving through the Hill Country on a nice day
Salmon
Herbal tea, especially chamomile
Red wine and dark beer
Country music
Running with my dogs
Yoga pants!
Modern design
Green- the color, the sustainable kind, all of it!
Slow Food
Walks around Town Lake
London and Brighton- we went there for our honeymoon and I totally fell in love with those cities!
My iPhone- sad to say it, but it's true!

Day 3: Your Favorite Quote and Why it's Your Favorite

2010-09-12T10:08:00.000-05:00

"Ninety percent of life is just showing up." -- Woody Allen

This is my favorite quote because in my experience, it's absolutely true. Whether it's showing up to work or class, to a birthday party or dinner party, to a game or a race or to a wedding, birth or funeral, BEING there is what matters.

Sure, there are times when it would be easier to sit on the couch in my PJs and watch "No Reservations" over and over again. But getting up, getting out and showing up means a lot to people. It's surprisingly simple. But think about all the important moments in your life and think about who was there... and who wasn't. You probably remember a lot about those people on those days, huh?

And even if you can't physically be there, you can still "show up" in other ways, whether a phone call or card in the mail. When my Brain Sister had her first treatment, I couldn't be there, which was hard. I wanted to sit by her and tell her stupid stories and make her laugh so much milk shot out her nose, and I wanted to walk her home and then make her a delicious homemade meal or a snack or tea or whatever she wanted. So I sent flowers, a small token. But it felt good to "show up" in any sort of way for her.

Yep, showing up is important.

So whenever life hands me something that I'm not quite ready to deal with, or don't want to deal with, I put on my big girl panties and remind myself of this quote.

Day 2: Say Something You Dislike About Yourself

2010-09-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

I think the thing that I truly dislike about myself is how assertive I am not. I do not like to feel like I'm bothering people, or that I'm going out and getting what I need. While it might seem polite, it often leads to a lot of frustration on my part and I still don't have the answers or things I need... simply because I didn't ask for them.

It's something I struggle with and continue to work on. Starting grad school was a hard exercise in this, and I'm sure I'll encounter more bumps along the road. But I hope one day to be able to be assertive without being a bother. I'm sure it's possible!

Day 1: Something You Like About Yourself

2010-09-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

This topic is a tough one, mainly because most of us would find it hard to talk about the good we see in ourselves. I often feel too proud or boastful about it. How easy it is to think of all the things we would change and "fix" in ourselves if we could! But if you ask for one thing people like about themselves, they clam up and get all twitchy.

But it's a good, healthy thing to do. And if you can see the good in others, you should be able to see the good in yourself.

And when I think about it, there are several things that aren't too shabby about me. I'm not a total idiot, nor a loser. I used to be a bit of pushover, but I got over that and generally stand my ground. I'm not a supermodel, but I'm not Ugly Betty either. And I'm generally a nice lady. But the thing I really like about myself is... that I'm a damn good cook!

It's funny that this post topic just so happens to tie in with food... but for me, the fact that I can rustle up a mess of something spectacular and yummy in 30 minutes is a badge of honor that I wear with pride. And I really try to branch out in my cooking and conquer cuisines that seemed scary or complicated. I felt that way about Thai food, and then I just up and decided to learn it. The internet is a WONDERFUL resource for this and soon I found a gazillion websites and videos from ordinary folks that were instructing on how to prepare Thai food, and it looked EASY! I am lucky that my grocery store stocks most ingredients for other cuisines and if they don't, there are a handful of specialty grocers in the area that I can check out.

I like the fact that 95% of the time, I can open my pantry, freezer and fridge and make a great meal out of seemingly thin air. Yep, I'm that good.

Mainly, I love the act of cooking and preparing a meal for others to enjoy. I love nourishing people that I care about. I love putting a dish on the table and then digging in as we laugh or tell stories or just eat and talk about food. Food can change your life, I believe that. But I think it should still be accessible and casual, not stuffy, elitist and uptight.

I have learned some lessons about hosting people for dinner, and they all are cliches, but they are also true. Keep it simple. It's the golden rule of hosting. I have done the fancy French meals that take forever, but taste amazing. And I have done homemade guacamole for dinner. Rule of thumb: it helps to select somethings that you can prep earlier and can sit in the fridge or on the counter until it's time to serve. Then focus on a few things that can cook unattended, so you can actually talk to the people who just walked in your front door.

Last December, I heard a radio story with Nigella Lawson about how she likes to have people over several times during the holidays and serve simple things, instead of pulling out all the stops for a great big dinner party. Genius, I thought. So for Christmas this year, I put on a crockpot of chili, popped some tamales in the oven, and brewed some coffee. I made some cornbread and cookies the day before, set them out. And after opening our gifts by the tree with some delicious coffee that morning, Kendall and I set about browning the meat and dumped it in the slow-cooker. We got dressed, had some more coffee and then shredded some cheese, opened a can of jalapenos and put sour cream in a bowl. By the time the doorbell rang, everything was ready to go. I actually got to sit and eat with people on Christmas Day, instead of running around the kitchen like a banshee wearing jingle bells. And I wasn't worried about the turkey not coming out right or the pie crust being soggy or whatever. I felt relaxed and happy. I told jokes. I was not a banshee.

That sunny December day taught me a lot about cooking for people, whether just my husband and myself, or for a house full of guests. No one really cares about how impressive the dish is... It needs to taste good and look appetizing. People will care if you snap their head off because they aren't putting ice in the glasses the "right" way. I have done complicated dishes for people. It is not fun, and the kitchen we eat in looks like a hot mess. I am usually sweaty and tired by the time I sit down to eat. It is not a pretty picture nor a good meal. Sure it tastes good, but what the hell good is that in that sort of situation?

If you can manage to pull off a delicious, simple meal and be jovial and not clammy, then you have hosted a successful dinner. If you can crack a joke, smile and bottle of wine, and serve something other than store-bought vanilla ice cream for dessert, add fifteen points. But there is NOTHING wrong with store-bought vanilla ice cream for dessert.

I like that I can usually add fifteen points to my dinners, even if it's just little ol' me at the table. Remember that time I made out-of-this-world eggplant parmigiana and sat alone "mmm"-ing while my dog thought I was nuts? I do. Remember that time I made pecan crusted chicken, rice pilaf, and lemon rosemary green beans for dinner? It was last Saturday for my family while at my parents' house. We laughed and talked about my brother's children.

Another few truths I have encountered in the kitchen, and then I'll shut up.

1. I do not have children, so for a long time, I worried about what to make for them, especially if they are picky eaters. Should I try to expose them to new delights? Nah. Many kids like pizza, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, and ranch dressing. Why fight it? If everyone likes pizza, including adults, then make some pizzas! Pizza is amazing! It's versatile! Dress it up, dress it down, just like your favorite jeans. No pizza? Then try something like breaded baked chicken strips, served with some sauces, yummy-garlic-creamy-little cheesy mashed potatoes with gravy, a lovely vegetable and a simple salad. You may even find that your little guests will try something new, like purple asparagus. My friend's kids did and it was proud moment for everyone involved.

2. Do not put hot liquids in a blender. Ever.

3. If the chicken goes up in flames, put out the fire and go out for Chinese.

And there you have it. What I know about cooking. And why I love that I'm a good cook. And that there's definitely one thing that I like about me.

An Effort to Blog Again

2010-09-09T15:55:00.000-05:00

In an effort to get back into the habit of blogging again, I am being a total copycat and following the lead of my former professor, Dr. Pam Johnston. She taught me how to write poetry and write it well. She's a wonderful writer, and she blogs! So when I saw this idea on her blog, Lost Little River, I had to copy her.

Here's the deal... To blog about different topics for 30 days straight. Here's the list:

Day 01 → Something you like about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you dislike about yourself.
Day 03 → Your favorite quote and why it's your favorite.
Day 04 → A list of 20 favorite things.
Day 05 → What’s the best thing in your life right now?
Day 06 → Someone from the past you'd like to get in touch with.
Day 07 → Someone from the past who disappointed you.
Day 08 → The reasons why you love your significant other or best friend.
Day 09 → A piece of art or sculpture that you really like.
Day 10 → A photo that makes you happy.
Day 11 → A photo that makes you sad.
Day 12 → An old photo of you (taken at least 10 years ago) and a story to go with it.
Day 13 → Your favorite song, band or artist.
Day 14 → Your favorite TV show, past or present.
Day 15 → Something you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Something you definitely can live without.
Day 17 → Something you're a little neurotic/irrational/OCD about.
Day 18 → Your views on a current controversial topic.
Day 19 → Your faith, or your political views in general.
Day 20 → A book that really meant something to you.
Day 21 → A story about your best friend, past or present.
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done.
Day 24 → Make a playlist for someone, and explain why you chose all the songs.
Day 25 → A song that makes you think of someone besides your significant other.
Day 26 → Describe your dream house. Post pictures, if you want.
Day 27 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 28 → Something you have to forgive someone else for.
Day 29 → Something you still hope to accomplish in your lifetime.
Day 30 → Write a letter to yourself at 20. Offer some advice based on what you've learned in life.

As you can see, these aren't food related. But I'm hoping that as I blog, I'll also be reminded to post more about food in between these little daily reflections. And maybe you'll learn a little bit more about me.

So I hope you don't mind and you don't get bored and you don't disown me. The end.

Both Sides of the Seasons

2010-09-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

Here in Central Texas, we are cooling down to sub-95* temps and today, we're getting lots of rain! There's a cool breeze in the air most days and not as much of that sauna-like humidity. Soon, it will be fall! But until then, we can still enjoy summer's produce.

Today after getting soaked, I was cold and wet and wanted soup. So I took what I had on hand and made something hearty and warm... black beans, corn, zucchini, onion... it was delicious!

[Photo Source]

It was warm, hearty and filling. And it was EASY! You can do this with whatever you have on hand... which is why I love soup so much. Whatever vegetables and protein you have, just add some broth, season and heat. You can also pack in your veggies and if you stick with broth-based soups, you are in for a low-fat, low-cal meal.

Early Fall-Late Summer Soup

1 tsp oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 C diced zucchini

1 C frozen yellow corn

3/4 C black beans

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 C chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pot and add onion. Stir until softened. Add zucchini and let heat. Add corn, beans, oregano and broth. Bring to simmer for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Simmer for one more minute, then serve.

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

2010-08-24T19:28:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the first day back at school. And since summer is nearing its end, I felt the need to grill again. While I'm ready for the cool temps and the sweaters and boots, I am not ready to give up my summer produce. My husband requested a peachy barbecue sauce. It seemed like the perfect fit!

So I went on the internet and searched and searched and came across this little beauty on Epicurious. It looked like the perfect blend of sweet peachiness and tanginess.

So I got my peaches and I scored them for blanching, I diced onions and jalapeno.

And I got the other ingredients out. Now, I was out of brown sugar, so I made some by mixing white sugar with molasses. You can do it! Try it today! It's fuuuuuun.

Once the water was boiling, I dropped the peaches in for a few minutes. Then I readied an ice bath. Because it was HOT outside and I had the vapors!

Gotcha! It's because that's how you blanch peaches! Once boiled for a few, drop them babies in your ice bath.

What you are looking for is for the skin to peel back from the score marks like this:

Once the peaches have cooled, peel them and seed them and chop them coursely. It will look like this:

Saute your onions and jalapeno in some oil. Add salt.

Yay! This smells amazing. But don't stop now... add the peaches.

Stir it around and let it simmer for about three minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Stir this up and let it simmer for 30 minutes, covered.

Remember to stir it every now and then. If you're like me, eat some saltines while you stare out the window. Then chug Diet Coke because saltines are real dang dry! Stir the pot. Repeat. It's the simple things in life that cause me the most consternation.

When it's done simmering, it will looks yummy.

Now, I tasted and added 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp honey for sweetness and 1 tsp adobo sauce for spiciness and smokiness and a dash of black pepper for more spice! I like the sweet, smoky, tangy, spicy thing.

Let this cool. Do not put hot things in blenders or food processors. If you do... then no, I will NOT come clean up your kitchen! And don't you dare hire someone to do it, because you made that mess all on your own and now you'll clean it all on your own!

Ahem. Life lessons.

Once cooled, put it in a blender or food processor.

Blend or pulse until smooth.

It will sort of look like canned pumpkin... but it won't taste like it!

Now it is ready to use. I personally pounded some boneless skinless chicken breasts and put a few tablespoons over them while I heated the grill. Then I served more on the side.

Oh baby. Yes yes yes. You are yummy.

Now, the sauce is good, but my husband did not love the consistency. I didn't mind it, but I saw his point.

Here it is, in all it's glory:

Peach Barbeque Sauce

adapted from Epicurious, Gourmet

1 pound fresh peaches

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeño without seeds

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup bourbon (or whiskey, if that's what you have)

3 1/2 tablespoons mild honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp adobo sauce

dash of pepper to taste

Cut an X in bottom of each peach, then blanch in a medium saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water and cool. Peel peaches and coarsely chop.

Cook onion, jalapeño, and a pinch of kosher salt in oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutesutes. Add peaches and remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peaches are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Purée in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Cooks' note: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered.

Have I Mentioned How Much I Love my iPhone?

2010-08-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

Since I'll be in school full-time, I'll have more time for fitness. Kendall and I have noticed that the Maple-rator could use a little more exercise to use up some of her extra energy, so running is a natural fit. Plus, I love running and I've really missed it.

And oh, how I love my iPhone. It rings when people call, I can check my e-mail and Twitter and Facebook, and I can check the weather and take pictures of my doggies. And then I can download lots and lots of apps. So when I decided to get back into running, I figured there must be an app that uses the GPS function on my iPhone to map my run and calculate the distance. And it needed to be free.

Found one! RunKeeper has a free app that allows you to enter your activity (running, walking, biking, etc) and then hit start. It keeps your time and distance. At the end of your workout, it gives you your distance and time with your miles per hour, and average number of minutes it would take you travel a mile and a handy-dandy little chart of when you were at your energy peak and low.

And with one quick flick, you can also get a map with where you ran! It's all free and you can get it at RunKeeper or iTunes App store.

A few tips:
Turn on your music before entering the app. Your tunes will still play and then you can start mapping and timing your run. But if you start your RunKeeper and then try to access your playlists, it will pause your workout. Not the end of the world, but if you expect it to keep running and tracking you, you will be at a loss when you finish.

It will also save any of your work-outs so you can have a history. You can add little notes about pre-work-out eats, weather that day, how much of it was uphill, etc.

So if you are working out off the treadmill or machine, I highly recommend this app. Hope it works for you!

Tightening the Belt... without Sacrifice

2010-08-17T12:04:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's my last week at work! I'll be starting school full-time next week, and that means we'll be a one income household. Sure, I have some things on the horizon, but for the time being, we've got to economize, baby! It's all about tightening our belt or wallet without giving up good taste and good nutrition.

In preparation for these big changes, we've taken a few steps to pare down. For one, we've set a budget for our grocery bill and to help us stick to it, we've switched to paying cash. It's hard to hand over dollar bills rather than swiping a card. And while I shop, I keep a running tab on a calculator. That really keeps things in check. By the end of the trip, I know if I have the money to splurge a little or not.

As always, make a menu before you go and make your grocery list from there. Look at the week's ad at your local grocer or two and use the sale items to build your menu. Chicken on sale? Can you get 5 lbs of potatoes for a song? Consult your cookbooks and recipe sources online to help come up with tasty meals using sale items. And don't be ashamed to clip coupons, but be careful! Only cut out ones for items you USE on a regular basis. Take them to the store, but compare prices. Sometimes coupons don't guarantee the best deal. Calculators are your best friend in the grocery store!

I know this can sound really restrictive and boring, but don't resort to plain stand-by recipes. You will get tired and burnt out and then you will blow it. Like dieting, don't do anything crazy and cut out carbs or fat or sugar, because you will end up surrounded by burgers, fries, fried rice, and ice cream. Look for new ideas and recipes to try. Branch out to new cuisines. Keep it interesting!

It's true, cheap food is not always healthy food, but shop for whole, raw ingredients! You can get great deals on fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta in bulk (it goes on sale too!), dried beans, eggs, milk, and other proteins.

What tricks do you use to keep your grocery bill low?

Tantalizing Tandoori Chicken

2010-08-15T19:31:00.000-05:00

...or "The Best Chicken You've Ever Made," as my husband proclaimed as he bit into his dinner.

I've never tried an Indian dish, but after watching "The Mistress of Spices" and "Dhoom 2," I was inspired. So I pulled up a few Tandoori Chicken recipes and then stuck with Eating Well's Tandoori Chicken, with a few twists of my own.

First, you need to make the marinade. Start by measuring out your spices. I decided to grind up my cumin. By "grind," I mean "crush slightly."

If you have the means and the drive, invest in a mortar in pestle. This simple little beauty cost about $5. Taking the spice seeds or pods and smushing them yourself unlocks a fresh, bright flavor. So worth the elbow grease.

Go ahead and throw them in a bowl. Look at how beautiful these spices are!

Keep on adding. You'll be so thankful.

Now, I added some tumeric and curry powder to my recipe. What's so great about this marinade is that you can throw lots of different spices in there. Experiment!

Okay, now, next... add your plain yogurt and stir it well. It will look like this:

Add this to the chicken. I put my chicken in a large zip-top bag and poured the marinade in. Then I distributed it around. Put it in the fridge for about 5 hours. Stir or redistribute the marinade around the chicken a few times. This, the time and the stirring, is KEY to your success.

In the meantime, grab a cuke and slice it up.

Then dice it!

Cooking is fun. Now, here's a little trick. Put some cilantro in a cup. If you are one of those people who hates cilantro, you can use mint or even parsley. This is going to become a raita, which is a cool compliment to your spicy chicken, so you can use whatever you like that sounds cooling.

Take your kitchen shears and chop it up in the cup. You'll be left with this...

Chopped herbs! You can use this with basil or parsley and get a really nice fine chop that is hard to get on a chopping board sometimes. And it's more fun this way. And it's a great job for kiddos that doesn't involve a sharp knife. Everybody wins!

Add the cilantro/mint/parsley to the cucumber, and then put in 1-2 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper. Then add a few dollops of plain yogurt.

Viola! Adjust to your taste. Let this sit in the fridge for at least an hour. It gets so yummy. Again, experiment. I put in a few cumin seeds. Do what moves you.

Now, pull your chicken out of the fridge and put it in an ovenproof dish.

Preheat your oven to 500* F. It's hot. But that's part of the magic! The hot oven is meant to mimic a clay oven or pot. So, get on with your life and pop it in for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, made some rice or warm up some naan or roast some veggies or make a salad. Whatever you want. I went for some rice. And I poured some wine! It's a recipe for deliciousness.

So you get some seriously delicious chicken. It's so moist! I made it with chicken breasts. I think the combination of marinading in yogurt for hours and then putting it in the oven at a high heat for a shorter period of time is what makes this so juicy and tasty.

Whatever the deal, this dish is pure magic. If I were to do it again, I'd make basmati or jasmine rice, or better yet, coconut rice. And I'd include naan. And maybe some lime in my water? And some lovely, cold fresh fruit on the side. But as is, this is an easy and inexpensive meal that tastes amazing.

Until next time... eat well, my friends!

Ch-ch-ch-CHANGES

2010-08-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

So much has happened since I last posted. I have lots of BIG NEWS!

For starters, in July, I became an aunt again. My brother and sister-in-law had a beautiful baby girl. She's the picture of perfection and everyone in the family is quite in love with her. There has been much "ooh"-ing and "aah"-ing and snuggling going on with the little bundle of joy. She has a thick head of hair, long fingers, and little sausages for legs and arms.

Later in July, Kendall and I added a new addition to our family as well. We adopted another dog! We found Daisy at our local shelter and after introducing her to Maple, we adopted her. She's a Cairn Terrier mix, and is so sweet and loving. Daisy and Maple are now real sisters, exploring together.

In other big news, I will be starting my Masters in about two weeks, and am so excited! Unfortunately, I will have to stop working at my current job; I needed a more flexible schedule and they weren't able to fit it in. So I will be a full-time student. I hope this means I can blog more, but will also be writing for Austin's Examiner.com on pet rescue in the Austin area. Exciting, no? There are a few other plans in the works, but more on that later.

In the midst of all this, I've been cooking and eating. And I will continue to do so! I'll be posting back here soon with some great recipes and ideas.

Until then...Keep eating!

Chicken and Veggie Alfredo

2010-07-19T18:47:00.000-05:00

When I think about the joys of life, I think of a sweet sleeping puppy, wildflowers blooming in the springtime and butter and cream. And freshly laundered crisp cotton pajamas. Sometimes these all come together. Well, they didn't EXACTLY all come together at the same time for me, because it's summer. BUT ANYWAY. I made a pasta alfredo with some chicken and all sorts of yummy veggies. Behold.

I had never made an alfredo sauce from scratch, but I was so happy to find out that it was a cinch!

First, set some water to boil and get your spaghetti or fettuccine or whatever ready to cook.

Then, get some chicken and slice thinly. Sautee until cooked and then set aside.

Repeat with some lovely veggies of choice. I went with a nice assortment of summer veggies here.

I literally chopped up what was in my fridge. Follow my lead!

Here's the magic stuff. Butter, a stick of it or 1/2 C, plus 1 more Tbsp. And 3/4 C of heavy cream. And 1/2 C of grated parmesan plus more for the sprinkling. Also, have some salt and pepper on hand too. Never hurts, right? This magic stuff is very, very naughty. But you know what? Live a little. Don't eat like this every day. But if you had a bad week or got some fabulous news, or it's a cause for celebration, invite your nearest and dearest around you and whip this sauce up.

Now, what I did here is put the butter in the same Dutch oven that you browned the chicken and veggies in. It was a good idea. Scrape up the brown bits. Stir. Believe.

Then drain your pasta and dump into the butter and add the chicken and vegetables.

You can stop here and add some of the pasta cooking water and some salt and pepper and be pretty happy. But let's not stop here, okay? Let's venture a little further down the rabbit hole.

Add cream and cheese and some of the pasta cooking liquid and some salt and pepper. Then add that extra tablespoon of butter. And stir it all together. Adjust according to your own taste. I use tongs to toss all the noodles and veggies and chicken so it gets evenly coated with cream and butter and cheese. I know! So good.

Throw it in a bowl. Sprinkle some more parmesan on top. It's what your Mom would want you to do. And stand up straight, for crying out loud!

I added some fresh cracked pepper on top. I roll like that.

But let's get down to brass tacks here, folks. This recipe is easy, but also rich and delicious. It's very simple, but don't let that fool you. It is really, very delicious.

I adapted it from this classic recipe from Gourmet magazine and now available on Epicurious. And by adapted, I mean I added chicken and veggies.

Enjoy, people!

Just Peachy BBQ Chicken

2010-07-07T18:25:00.000-05:00

Oh, baby. My husband might be a grilling machine. We recently bought a grill and Kendall is really, really good at grilling things. Case in point, I came home yesterday to something delicious on the grill. Actually, two delicious things, if you want to get technical about it: chicken and onions.

Don't be fooled by such a simple description. The chicken was moist and flavorful and yummy and the onion was juicy and tasted like grilled French Onion soup. I know! I couldn't believe it either!

Kendall first took boneless, skinless chicken breasts and marinaded in this delicious peach grilling sauce he found in Gettysburg on a recent trip. Sometimes he brings me gifts, and he knows the best gift to give me is something I can eat. Preserves, chocolate, sauces... I'm a sucker for unique condiments and dessert.

Then he slapped them on the grill for about 20 minutes. Here's what we got:

Yes. It really is as delicious as it looks. And after putting some on our plates, we then put a little more of this magical stuff over the top.

I don't know who invented this, but they really should be considered for sainthood. I would call them a genius. Here's the thing about this sauce. It is peachy and spicy. Sweet and savory. But it's not TOO sweet. I can taste the peach, and I can taste the chili pepper, and it is delicious. AND I don't feel like this was concocted in a lab somewhere and contains lots and lots of high fructose corn syrup. So we were very, very happy campers.

THEN we pulled this little beauty of the grill.

Inspired by one Paula Deen, this was the second grilled onion blossom in our house and we are now addicted to them. Pray for our souls. THIS gem was all Kendall. He split the red onion into eight wedges, but did not totally cut apart. Leave the root intact. Then put it in foil, add some butter popcorn salt and a pad of butter. Then gather up the foil around the onion and grill for 45 minutes. Then open and eat.

I did this rather ungracefully. I ended up eating most of my half standing, hunched over the table, slurping, too distracted with deliciousness to even sit down. COULD NOT SIT DOWN, people. That is how good this was.

See that broth in the lower left corner? Yes. That will rock your world. Your shoes and socks will fly off your feet with delight.

So there you have it. The fourth of July is over, but grilling can continue. So this weekend, fire that baby up and eat something simple, yet delicious.

It's Going to Happen Eventually. I Promise.

2010-07-06T11:10:00.000-05:00

I know you have missed me just terribly. And I have missed you too. It's mutual, baby. Trust me.

I have been cooking, you know. And scouring cookbooks, of course. And hunting online for lots and lots of tasty things to try and share.

One of the things I cooked this weekend and did NOT take pictures of it because I was so busy eating it is this heavenly little recipe for macaroni and cheese from Ms. Paula Deen. You make it in a crockpot. It's creamy and delicious. The only thing I would recommend is checking in after one hour, stirring it, and trying again in 30 min. Then taste it. If it feels and tastes done, then take it off the heat! I cooked mine for the recommended 3 hours, and it got a little curdle-y. Is that a word? Was I really an English major? What are we doing here on earth?

Anyway, just check in on it every once in a while and trust your gut. That's what I'm sayin' here.

This weekend, when I wasn't busy celebrating our nation's independence and stuffing my face with chicken, macaroni, barbeque, potato salad, cake or rice krispie treats, I was reading cookbooks or talking to my grandmother about family recipes. I got a lot of them out of her. They are awesome and timeless and remind me of holidays at her house. And I also managed to smuggle out my other grandmother's favorite cookbook and get it safely into my new cookbook cabinet. It's chock full of retro recipes and menu suggestions. Some of them are funny. Some of them aren't funny, but simply dated, and others are obviously classic and timeless. I'll share here soon, I promise.

Also, did you read that part about a new cookbook cabinet? Yes! You read right! My cookbook collection outgrew its home above our microwave, and has now relocated to a lovely new desk in our kitchen. I am very, very happy about this.

Speaking of things to be happy about, how about these apples?

Just kidding, those aren't apples! That, my dears, is a fresh sampling of what my co-worker brought to work today and shared with me. Bell pepper, green tomatoes, and three spicy, hot chilis that I will certainly put to use in something Thai and delicious. Ta ta for now, lovelies!

New Favorite: Baked Eggplant Parmigiana

2010-06-28T18:55:00.001-05:00

There are times in life when you find yourself alone, wanting something delicious and comforting. And you have an eggplant in the fridge and it's time to use it. But you've been watching your waistline because you might have had two HUGE sugar cookies the same day. And you have an hour and have convinced yourself that baking summer in the middle of summer is a great idea. Know those days? No? Oh.

Well, I know those days and on one such day last week, I decided to seek out a baked eggplant parmigiana recipe to try. After some searching, I found this little beauty on Food Blogga. It said "easy" and "baked," so I knew I was in business.

Here's how this all went down.

First, get your eggplant in slice it into rounds.

And crack two eggs in a bowl. If you are missing your husband, go ahead and use his Taz bowl. Beat them together with a fork.

And then assemble these ingredients together, the breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, salt, and parmesan. I use panko breadcrumbs because they are crispy and crunchy, and since this isn't fried, I thought it could use some crispiness.

And mix it all together until you have this.

Then dip each eggplant slice into the beaten eggs and then through the breadcrumb mix. Then line them up on a baking sheet.

Then bake these for 15-20 min at 400 degrees. You can use this time to make some marinara sauce or you can pour a glass of wine and pull a jar of your favorite marinara sauce out of the pantry and grate a little cheese. Your call. Except about grating cheese. Please take the time and effort to grate a block of real cheese. The pre-shredded stuff is coated in some sort of powdery stuff that freaks me out. The end.

Once the eggplant is out of the oven, put it in your casserole.

WAIT! Psych!!! Put the marinara sauce down first, silly.

There! That's better. Now, repeat with slices until bottom of your dish is covered with eggplant slices.

See how that little slice is sort of propped up on some others? You can do that. Life is short, so live it up a little, will ya?

And then sprinkle some cheese on it! That mozzarella and parmesan. Looks great, right? Here's a tip I learned: Don't go crazy here with the cheese. It will probably squeeze out the sides when cutting down on it later.

Now plop a little more sauce on top...

Doesn't have to be perfectly even or fancy or anything. This is NOT a science, folks. This is an approximation. So do what you can and then let yourself off the hook.

Now repeat layers and bake for 35 min at 400 degrees. Pull it out of the oven and you will have something like this:

Now here's the excercise in self-restraint. Wait for 5 minutes. This dish is hot. And it's also delicious. And you will not be able to stop yourself from scarfing it down and burning your tongue off if you do not wait for it to cool a bit.

Then serve it up with a grain of some sort. Garlic bread would be nice, as would pasta. Even rice. Here, I had a toasted and buttered whole-grain English muffin. It was good. The eggplant is delicious. Like, I was alone and "mmm"ing in the kitchen. My dog thought I had officially gone bananas. But then again, consider the source.

My husband ate this the next day and now it's his favorite meal. He has been asking for it ever since Friday. So turn up the A/C a little and make this pronto!

Back in Action with Something Spicy

2010-06-24T20:36:00.000-05:00

Oh Summer. How you steal time away... tempting with fun little projects and getaways. And then there's summer heat. It's hot out and I am constantly sticky. Which brings me to today's dish... Spicy Chipotle Peanut Noodles.

Now. These are lovely. This is an easy recipe and is just the ticket if you want noodles, want spice, and want something velvety and peanut buttery. All you need to know how to do is boil water, chop, open a can and stir. Let's get cookin'!

You will need some cilantro, soy sauce, pasta or Chinese noodles, bell pepper, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, peanut butter, apple juice and carrots or peas & carrots.

First, set your water to boil. Dump in your noodles when it's the right time. You'll know. Follow package instructions. Always a good idea.

Then open up your can of chipotle peppers. I have a strong belief that you should have some on hand at all time. They're delicious! There is not substitute for their hot, smoky and sweet flavor. Anywhoodle, fish two of those babies out! Then chop 'em and dice 'em until they're real fine.

Combine some peanut butter, soy sauce and apple juice and the chipotles in a bowl. Add a little adobo sauce. You'll feel much, much better about yourself if you do this. Trust me.

Then stir that mess up, y'all! Combine well. It won't look pretty. But this is a dressing, not a painting, so relax a little, will ya?

Then slice up some bell pepper. You can use whichever kind you like. The original recipe calls for red, but I had green on hand. I'm a rebel, you see?

At this point in the noodle cooking process, I threw in some frozen peas and carrots. There was only about a minute left on the pasta, so it feel like the right time. If you are using fresh carrots, you may want to throw them in a little earlier. Then, once all of that is cooked, drain it and throw it in a bowl.

Then be kind and toss the hot pasta with the bell pepper. I like my peppers a bit crunchy, so I use the heat of the noodles to cook them just slightly, but you can saute them before if you really have a thing for softer peppers. It's your life.

Then toss with the dressing that looked ugly. It will look so much better when dispersed over the noodles and veggies. Stir it up really well, y'all. If the pasta absorbs too much dressing, add a splash more apple juice.

Scoop the noodles into a cute bowl and sprinkle with cilantro. In real life, it will be in focus for but a moment, and then things get blurry because the adobo and peanuts and cilantro smell intoxicating together. Allow yourself this buzz. 'Tis the stuff of life, my friend.

Enjoy!

Here's my recipe, adapted from the goddess herself, Betty Crocker.

Spicy Chipotle-Peanut Noodle Bowls
serves 4

1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 C apple juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and chopped
1 tsp adobo sauce from can
1/4 C chopped cilantro
water
1/2 C frozen peas and carrots or 2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium bell pepper, julienned
10 oz dried whole-wheat spaghetti, or 8-10 oz of Chinese noodles

1. In small bowl, combine peanut butter, apple juice, chiles and adobo sauce and soy sauce.
2. Boil water, add pasta or noodles. Cook peas and carrots/carrots in water at the end of cooking process. Can boil or saute bell pepper if desired.
3. Toss noodles, vegetables and dressing in a bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Back but Different

2010-05-27T20:52:00.000-05:00

Long time, no bloggy. I apologize for my absence, but life got away from me, and, upon finding myself on the other side of a harsh semester, I took a break from a few things. A break from blogging, yes, but also a break from carting around heavy books and worrying and getting heartburn over a question about a chemical reaction. In place of those things, have filled my evenings with cooking for myself and my husband and walking and playing with my dog, and WATCHING THE NEWS which I hadn't done in four months, and painting my nails and wearing sandals.

We rearranged our living room, and now it's cozy and inviting and comfortable-- in time for locking ourself indoors with the A/C during the hot summer months. We've had friends over for dinner, met friends to bowl and went to visit my brain sister, cousin and his husband in Chicago. In short, we've been relishing all those things we put on hold while I poured over periodic tables.

In Chicago, we definitely ate some seriously good food, both in and out. And we visited new places, full of history, and flowers and nature and we learned things like how vodka is made and that there is an amazing grocery chain out there that we do not have here in Central Texas. That last one saddens me. Their store-brand corn salsa is...well, worth weeping over when you cannot find it. We laughed a lot. And I have to admit, I always get a little teary eyed when I part from my brain sister, because I do not like the fact that I cannot simply drive to her place any time I want.

But now we're getting back into the groove of things. And I have pictures of food I've eaten and made recently. But I also have a new vision for my blog. While I wasn't writing, I was plotting, my friends. I was thinking of this space and what I want it to be. I am going to shift focus a bit to better reflect the food itself, rather than a laundry list of what I ate and how my day at the office was.

So you can expect entries on new recipes, with lots of pictures and suggestions. They will still be healthy and delicious and affordable. But it will hopefully be more focused and accessible and helpful.

I'll be back shortly, but until then, eat well!

Crossing Things Off my List

2010-05-11T14:53:00.000-05:00

Today has been all about crossing off items on my to-do list as I count down the semester. Yesterday I had my last lab and reviewed for the Organic chem final. I also studied for the Anatomy assessment.

Today, I went to the dentist, ran by the grocery store to restock our fruit supply and pick up a prescription, studied more for the assessment, took it, printed off some lecture notes for my biology class, and now I'm back home, ready to study for the Organic final and go to Biology class tonight. Whew!

When times get hectic, I definitely make a to-do list broken down by day. Today, I've crossed off 3 items and am looking at the simple tasks of "study" and "go to class." Not bad! I can handle that. Tomorrow's Organic final is daunting, but I know I will feel so much better when it's over. I hope the review last night helped and I'll be studying, going through online tools and working problems to prepare.

After Organic chem is over, it's all downhill! I'll have to prepare my folder to turn in for Biology and take the last test over tissues, meiosis and organ systems, but that doesn't scare me.

While studying, I have taken some breaks and found some fun diet-related articles. After the past few weeks of not eating very healthy (lots of sweets and snacks), I'm looking forward to getting back on track. Today, I spotted two plans that are reasonable (as in, not a crazy cabbage/grapefruit only diet) and inspiring (as in, I can do this on a regular basis, not just to lose a few pounds quickly).

Ladies' Home Journal spotlighted this 7-day plan from the nutritionist on The Biggest Loser. I like that you get your 3 squares a day plus two snacks, usually one sweet and one savory/salty. I also like that a dessert is built into the dinner meal! Some of the meals aren't quite for me (there's one for pork tenderloins, and I haven't been eating as much poultry lately), but one can always pick the meals they like and use them more often! There's nothing wrong with leftovers! When doing this, just make sure you're still getting all your fruit, veggie, protein and grain servings as I've noticed they change them up a bit (veggies in one breakfast, then fruit as a snack for one day, but the next day, fruit in the breakfast and more veggies in the lunch or dinner).

Eating Well has also comprised not four but FIVE weeks of 500 calorie dinner menus to choose from. Again, if you have dietary restrictions, you can't use every single one of them, so I recommend browsing them and selecting your favorites to try on more than one occassion. Eating Well has broken them down by category (i.e., "vegetarian," "fish," soups," etc.) on the bottom right-hand side of the page. They all end on a sweet note and some even include a glass of wine, which is a dinner menu I can support. You also might want to pop over to their article on 1,500 calorie day options (choose a breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack). Of course, some people need more than 1500 calories, and frankly, some days you're hungrier than others, so you might need an extra snack or two.

Alright, y'all, back to my studies. Enjoy!

New breakfast

2010-05-10T18:43:00.000-05:00

I tried a new cereal this morning, kashi go lean crisp in berry.

While I like the taste, the texture was stale, as if it had been open in a moist pantry for months. It packs in the fiber, but still has 12 g of sugar. In fact, sugar is the second ingredient. No matter how you slice it, be it corn syrup or natural cane sugar... It's still a sugar. (I'm not endorsing HFCS!!

I would not run out for this stuff and I'll continue to be weary of kashi breakfast cereals. The search continues...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Back in the Saddle

2010-05-10T09:39:00.000-05:00

After a week of battling some pesky vertigo, I am back at work, back to studying, back in the saddle. I definitely ate last week, though not all of it as healthy as I'd like. I managed to eat veggies and fruit... as well as pizza and cookies. But I wasn't feeling well and wanted some comfort food. Now I'm in the home stretch with school... it's finals week! I can't wait for Thursday evening to roll around so I can be done!

I am so ready for the break this summer. I need to get my body back! It's been a semester with little vigorous exercise and eating on the go. I've gained a few pounds, and worse, I'm totally out of shape. I'd like to run again. The problem is the heat is coming, which means running in the evening is hot, hard and can be dangerous! Perhaps I can work in a morning run a few mornings a week and then on the weekend, along with some toning exercises in the evenings and maybe even some yoga.

Speaking of toning, this weekend, we spent with family and my parents brought up some old stuff I had left in their house after I flew the nest... including an ab slider! It's one of those contraptions that has handles and a wheel and you glide out and in on the floor, holding your balance and working your abs. Kendall and I each tried it out a little, and we started to feel the burn. I'll let you know how that goes!

In the summer, Kendall and I try to walk in the evenings, but we've noticed that even the 90* weather here is hard on Maple. Her breed has a shorter snout and therefore cannot take the heat due to respiratory issues, so we have to be careful. I'm sure we'll figure something out.

Summer heat also means a no-cook kitchen. When it gets really hot, turning on the stove in the evening is a big no-no. Not only does it heat up the room, which feels miserable, it also fights against our A/C, which works very, very hard in the summer. Not so eco-friendly. To top it off, how much warm food do you want to eat when it's 100*+ outside? Summer means lots of quick salads, slaws, chilled soups and sandwiches. Couscous becomes a bit of a godsend because I can warm up the water in the microwave and then pour it over the grain, letting it sit for five minutes before serving, usually with room-temp or chilled beans and veggies. So I'm on the hunt for some great no-cook, meatless foods to have this summer.

Lots of studying and work to do. I have photos from a fabulous BBQ this weekend... will post later!

Classic Breakfast Tacos

2010-05-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

Here in Texas, there are three things we don't joke about: BBQ, beer and breakfast tacos. And maybe guns, but let's not go there, yes?

Breakfast tacos are the perfect solution for those who love eggs and savory breakfasts with a kick. They are simple and there are as many variations as your imagine and time allows. My absolute favorite is potato and egg with salsa, but you will also see eggs mixed with bacon or chorizo, as well as bean and cheese. All are great, but today, I made another classic version: egg and cheese.

Egg and cheese tacos are warm, salty and have a great combonation of the softness of egg and cheese and the crispness of the tortilla.

To make, you will need: flour tortillas, eggs, milk (optional), cheese of your choice, salt and pepper, butter, the salsa you desire.

First, whisk your eggs with a dash of salt and pepper. You can also add a splash of milk here to add some fluffiness to your eggs. Really whisk.

Then heat a bit of butter in a pan, and add your egg mix.

Let this firm up at the bottom until white (as picture above in a dim-lit manner).

Then take a spatula, and scramble.

Once done, take the eggs out and add a little more butter to the same pan. Just a little teency, weensy little bit.

That's more like it! Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.

Now slap a tortilla on there!

Now, listen. This next thing I'm about to reveal to you is a life skill. This is so much bigger than breakfast tacos, if you can imagine. When browning tortillas, please please please let it bubble like shown above in the lower center. You want it to puff. Do not squish. Let it do this for a few seconds, and then... flip!

Presto! A beautiful, golden flaky tortilla! You can then use these for whatever your little heart desires... breakfast tacos, other types of tacos, slathered with beans and cheese and salad and guac and sour cream and salsa for a little tostada, slathered with just guac and rolled up and eaten with your eyes closed and you enjoy the smoothness and crunch and flakiness and nuttiness... But I digress. This tortilla is for the tacos. So repeat this for your number of tacos. I made two. Put your tortillas in the skillet side-by-side, like little twin sisters.

Awww.... true love. Now, spoon the eggs on top.

And add your favorite cheese. Here, I used some sliced colby jack. But please, feel free to use monterry jack with the little peppers in it, or mozzarella, or queso fresco...

Let this sit in the pan and get a bit melty. Then fold in half.

Those are some lovely, fat tacos. They're ready to plate! Once plated, and if this fat, you might want to press them a bit with the back of the spatula.

Go ahead and spoon a little salsa on top.

Enjoy this hearty treat with some fresh fruit, juice and coffee or tea.

Sit and ponder why you don't make these every morning. Ponder why my glass is frosty in this picture. Okay okay, I'll tell you! The juice was just out the pantry, so I poured it early and stuck the whole glass in the freezer to cool while I cooked. It was plenty cold and refreshing when I sat down to dig in. Cute trick, no? Not really a trick, but humor me.

If I would do this all over again, I would...
-add potatoes, because those are my favorite.
-use some fresh cilantro from the fridge, for the love of pete.
-make a fruit salad with mango, watermelon and maybe some berries, since I have most of that in my fridge.

But somedays are lazier than others, so it was no potatoes, no cilantro and no fruit salad.

Yummy Ravioli with Veggies

2010-05-03T15:39:00.000-05:00

We're looking at tiling our kitchen floor, which means moving the fridge, which means cleaning out the freezer! I had some frozen cheese ravioli that I needed to use up, so I whipped up a quick and easy meal.

For the pasta: Frozen ravioli, zucchini, garlic, tomato sauce, oilive oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
For the salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Saute the zucchini and garlic in some olive oil.

Put the ravioli in some boiling water.

Put the tomato sauce in the pan with the zucchini and garlic. Season with oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and put it in the pan with the sauce and zucchini.

Toss the lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.

Serve and enjoy!

This meal takes about 25-30 min and is delicious! Pasta is so comforting and warm, and the salad is so fresh. It's a classic pairing.

Heya!

2010-04-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

The rest of Monday was busy busy busy! I didn't really have a time alotted for lunch. So I ate at my desk while working. I hate that. I never feel relaxed.

I had some sandwiches (not all of those pictured... two went to school with me for dinner) with some crackers and dip. And lots of carrots! Plus three slices of watermelon. Mmm... I love chilled watermelon. It's so refreshing and I hope to keep eating it through the summer months. It's starting to get hot here! We almost reached 90 degrees yesterday.

For dinner, see above... two sandwiches with carrots and half an avocado. It was quick and filling before class. I got home with enough time to have my awesome husband make me some quesadillas with slightly carmelized red onions and queso fresco. They are SO good. SUPER onion-y. Super. Like, eyes were watering while eating and we smelled like onions this morning. But we love them and I don't think we care enough about the unpleasantries to give up the pure joy of eating them. Full Quesadilla Disclosure: he uses butter for the onions and then cooks the quesadilla in the same pan.

This morning, some yogurt and toast with some of that amazing blueberry jam and some watermelon.

I need to start taking more photos. I realize this. Life has been crazy. But class is almost over and I'm hoping to have a food and fun-filled summer.

Summer is a great time to live in Central Texas, from a food standpoint. The heat is excruciating. But we get some wonderful produce. We are starting to see it and we have a long season for fresh, yummy food. Tomatoes, bell peppers, cukes, squash squash and squash, corn, peaches, strawberries, watermelon. I can't wait! What sort of delicious little things grow out of the ground in your area?

Speaking of, here's a new film I just heard about but it's been out for a whole entire year: Fresh. Check out the trailer! I am trying to find it so I can see the whole thing.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2010-04-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

Morning!

This weekend was quick, but productive and fun! Saturday morning, I made crepes and Kendall cleaned the floors and bathroom. I vacuumed, and then we got ready for my work picnic. I brought some carrot sticks and sauteed zucchini rounds.

For lunch, we had little tea sandwiches (I had one triangle) with some veggies, carrots, zucchini, tea, two deviled egg halves, a scone with lemon curd and a petit four. Maple had fun visiting other dogs.

After the picnic, we went to my aunt's house and visited my parents and grandparents. Then my aunt came in from Seattle. So good to see everyone!

Then we cut Maple's hair! We debated between going to a groomer or doing it ourselves. I looked online and got some tips and then, we just went for it!

Much better! There was so much fur on the porch! Her hair on her torso is about half as long as it was and we removed more from her legs to keep those cool while she trots around as it heats up. Plus we trimmed her beard and around her ears and eyes. I'm biased but I think she looks pretty cute. There are DEFINITELY some uneven patches, but we learned how to do it, and figure we're going to go even shorter in about 2 months when it's grown out and it's REALLY hot outside.

For dinner, we had a cheese pizza that Kendall doctored with onions and tomatoes!

I added some leftover veggies, olives and pickles to my plate. We went to a party where I had some red wine. When we got home, I had water and another little slice of pizza.

For Sunday, breakfast was crepes again! Love those. I went to the store and then folded some laundry. For lunch, I made a HUGE salad with boiled eggs as well as mango and watermelon for dessert. It was great to get our veggies in! Plus it fueled us for an afternoon outside.

We went to the nursery and home improvement store and got some sweet basil, Thai basil, ground cover, topsoil and mulch, and caulking and roof patch. I revamped our herb garden, worked some good soil in and put the mulch on top. I used cedar mulch to try to keep some of the pests away naturally. Then I held the ladder as Kendall caulked the side of the house.

For dinner, I whipped up a big pot of chicken, beans and rice.

I used brown rice, then had some chicken breasts cubed up, a can of black beans, some leftover zucchini, two onions, garlic, a 28 oz. can of tomatoes, some jalapeno, cumin, salt and pepper. I sprinkled some queso fresco and cilantro on top. It was delicious! Very filling, very low in fat, very high in fiber. Plus it was tasty. We have more leftover for the week.

This morning, for breakfast, some yogurt with whole wheat toast that is smeared with some margarine and blueberry preserves and a banana.

I love those preserves! So yummy and fruity and fresh.

TGIF!

2010-04-23T13:37:00.000-05:00

So yesterday for lunch, I packed a classic tuna salad sandwich on lettuce and whole-wheat. I had it with an apple.

It was simple, yet satisfying.

After a horrible drive in the rain, I went to class to learn about plasma membranes. It was pretty interesting, but the entire time, I was dreaming of dinner. I wanted comfort food. Which roughly translates to "pasta" for me.

Pantry pasta, to be more exact. I just threw some things together to make this succulent little dish. But I'll estimate a recipe for you.

Pantry Pasta
yields about 4 servings

3/4 of a 12 oz. box of whole-wheat pasta like rotini or penne
28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 zucchini, shredded
4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil (If you have fresh, even better. Use as much as you want!)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (Again, fresh is better.)
1/4 C cooking sherry (or white wine)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan

1. Boil pasta in well-salted until it reaches your tenderness/firmness taste. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a big pot or dutch oven, heat oil. Saute onions and then garlic for 1 min or so.
3. Add tomatoes from can and all those juices!
4. Add some of the cooking sherry/wine. Add oregano. Let simmer.
5. Add zucchini. Start tasting.
6. Add basil, salt and pepper. Adjust tastes. Add more of anything you want! Then add a little more black pepper, for me, will ya?
7. Fold the pasta into the tomato sauce. Taste. Adjust. Drizzle some olive oil on it. Stir.
8. Dish into a bowl or ont a plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
9. Dig in!

Cook's Notes: I wish I added more zucchini and I wish I had fresh herbs. I also sort of wish I had white wine instead of sherry. But it was still okay. You can really up the veggies and flavor with this one without adding any bad fats. Tinker around! You could also use other veggies, like baby spinach or bell peppers. Those sound delicious.

Happy Weekend all!

Every Day is Earth Day!

2010-04-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

Happy Earth Day, all!
Enjoy this day by enjoying what the earth provides us, whether it's a nice walk outside to appreciate nature, learning more about some incredible animal, or make a meal from nature's bounty!

Yesterday started off great but got all weird.

The windows were open yesterday morning, which meant a cool breeze in the house. I decided on something warm... like oatmeal with vanilla, brown sugar and yogurt. Topped with some walnuts, dried cranberries and some preserves.

For lunch, I enjoyed a fun salad of roasted veggies, navy beans and couscous in a little vinaigrette.

I had an apple on the side. It was so good! It had roasted broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini.

Then work got busy and weird, and I had some problems registering for my grad classes, and I went to my organic chem class and got all confused. So I came home tired, and decided on a very simple and lazy supper.

Yep. That is crackers, cheese, some deli turkey, a chopped tomato, and some radishes and cucumber in a vinaigrette. I added fresh cracked pepper on verything. That's also a little glass of red wine. It was weirdly satisfying. It was lazy and easy and took no effort to prepare, and I lounged around eating it.

In the spirit of Earth Day, check out this video from CookingLight about a sustainable kitchen. What do you do for a more sustainable kitchen? After discovering Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, Kendall and I have really tried to cut back on our meat consumption, and are now trying to eat organic produce that lands on the Dirty Dozen list and eat more local produce. Luckily, we love legumes, and Austin boasts several good farmers' markets.

So far I had some shredded wheat with milk for breakfast, and will have a tuna fish sandwich and apple for lunch. I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. I think it will be meatless and have something to do with PASTA and SALAD. It's the simple things, yes?

Saved by the Phone!

2010-04-20T12:14:00.000-05:00

Whew! I was let off the hook of jury duty and am now relaxing a bit at my desk!

I had a lovely lunch of yogurt, veggies with salt and pepper and a slice of whole wheat toast, which I dipped in some olive oil, salt & pepper. I also had an apple.

It was filling and really simply delicious.

I also stumbled across this fun article on Self.com about some healthy tapas recipes. If you're having a party or get together any time soon, these sound really divine and easy.

Have a great afternoon!

Busy Busy Busy

2010-04-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

A quick recap and then I gotta run! Today is going to be jam-packed.

Yesterday was a lot of repeats. For lunch, the very last of the white chili with crackers and an apple. For dinner, a turkey and cheese sandwich with another apple. For a second dinner after lab, leftover panang curry. Not nearly enough veggies, but I got a few in at the end of my day.

This morning, more yogurt with cereal and a banana. Today, I have jury duty. I need to call in at 10:30 am to see if I can get let off the hook. I have a lunch packed and did add lots of veggies to it. Will try to snap a photo!

After jury duty, I have a test. Then I will be HOME FREE!

I'll leave you with this little article from EatingWell.com. It's timing couldn't be more perfect; Kendall and I were talking about eating more of this highly nutritious food this weekend. Enjoy!

Week end and Weekend in Review

2010-04-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay! The past few days have either been crazy, or I've taken advantage of the slow pace by relaxing.

On Thursday, I went to a training for work. I had a chewy granola bar as a snack in the AM, and for lunch, they brought us yummy deli sandwiches! I had the vegetarian sandwich, which was loads of yummy veggies and sprouts with some mayo (I think?) and cream cheese on whole-wheat bread. I only had a half, because it was stacked so high with vegetables. I also had a very delicious tortellini pasta salad on the side and a cookie, and some olives, all with iced tea. I grabbed some of the veggies that were the plate garnish as I was almost last in line, and really wanted to fill my quota for the day. It was great!

Thursday afternoon, we were drenched with rain, which meant traffic was a nightmare! By the time I got home, I was tired and just wanted to relax, and Kendall and Maple implored me to relax with them. We had pizza and then I baked cookies! I just had a hankering for them and realized that I had all the ingredients. I decreased the recipe and made half without chocolate chips for Kendall and then added some in for me.

Friday, I had cereal for breakfast, and then brought a PB & J on wheat with veggies for lunch. I had an apple on the side. It was simple, but good. Friday, we were going to go out for sushi, but by the time I got home and we got on the road to the restaurant, we were really pushing the sushi happy hour deadline. When we got to the restaurant, it was packed and there was no parking. So we had to drive back through downtown which took forever. But we finally arrived at Enoteca. I had been disappointed by the pizza, so we decided to try something new. We still got the calamari, but we ordered pasta with tomato sauce that came with eggplant and zucchini and mozzarella. It was so good. We didn't finish it!

Saturday, I had a scrambled egg with cheese on toast and tomato juice. My parents stayed over, and soon, we hit the road to go to my cousin's wedding. We got into town and met up with some family for lunch. I had a bit of chicken fajita, along with salsa and avocado on a tortilla, with rice and beans. Then I had several strawberries. Then, some cake.

The wedding was beautiful, and it was so great to see everyone! The food at the reception was sort of amazing. After the ceremony, they served grilled veggies, feta cheese, crawfish salad and crackers. I had one bit of crawfish on a cracker. Then I had two chunks of feta and loads of asparagus and summer squash. It was so tasty! I also sipped a glass of red wine

For dinner, they served chicken in a cream sauce, wild rice, grilled zucchini and salad.

I was a bit disasspointed about how little zucchini I got (just those two little slices!) so I went back to the appetizer table and grabbed some asparagus and bell peppers. Under those veggies is a bit of my salad peeking out! I had lemonade, water and iced tea. We also had a piece of wedding cake. Then I had another glass of red wine and a beer. We all kept talking, and reminiscing, and then it was time to clean up and go back to the hotel!

For breakfast on Sunday, we had a yogurt, some little pastries, and juice. The hotel didn't have fresh fruit out when we were down, but it was okay. We squeezed in one more visith with the family, and then were on the road again. We stopped for lunch at Subway, where Kendall and I split a roasted chicken breast sandwich on 9 grain honey oat bread with all the veggies.

Once home, we walked the dog, washed clothes, put away the laundry and cleaned the house! I then made some panang curry.

The curry was thin, but the taste was okay.

For breakfast, I had some yogurt with cereal on top and a banana.

Now it's back to the grind!

Berry Berry Exciting

2010-04-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning feeling great and wanting a treat. Last night I whipped up a smoothie. I have reason to celebrate: I was officially accepted into my Masters of Human Nutrition program last night. Yes!

I made two servings for Kendall and I to split. It was about 2 cups of strawberries and blackberries. I added about 3/4 C plain yogurt and added enough juice (cranberry strawberry banana) to get it thin enough.

It was great! My first sip wasn't good because I had recently brushed my teeth.

I had two slices of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter and strawberry preserves. It was a filling and good breakfast.

Lunch today was a real treat. The office bought us lunch at Chipotle!

I knew we were getting lunch, but wasn't sure what they'd order, so I brought some veggies and ranch just in case.

These things are huge. I had a burrito with rice, black beans, veggies, cheese, a bit of lettuce and medium-heat salsa.

While delicious, it was really heavy on the rice. The black beans were yummy and I felt that they had added just enough of them. I couldn't see the cheese, but I could taste it, so I think it was white and in a corner of a tortilla fold. The salsa was awesome. The veggies... not enough and were just green bell peppers and red onions. I love that combo! But maybe add some red bell peppers and squash. I think my ideal burrito would be 1/3 rice, 1/3 beans and 1/3 veggies with some cheese and salsa on top. But it was FREE, yummy and I ate the whole thing because I was hungry. I ate all my veggies too. Now I think I might have some hot decaf green tea to settle my tummy.

Now the week is on the downhill slide, because my test is over, and work is quiet, I got into grad school, and I am going to a wedding this weekend with lots of family, so it will be fun to catch up and hopefully dance with my handsome husband.

Yay Grad School! Go Bobcats!

App Happy

2010-04-13T10:11:00.000-05:00

If you are into apps, I have sampled a-many and found some to be great and really useful and others to be... boring.

Epi- This app is from Epicurious and I love love love it. It has plenty of food and beverage recipes, and lets you search through their database by keyword, main ingredient, meal, dish type, cuisine, dietary consideration or season/occassion. You can then save to your favorites within the app. I have used this numerous times, especially in the grocery store if something unexpected is on sale and I have no recipes in my arsenal. Like, halibut, for instance!

AllRecipes- The DinnerSpinner is similar to the Epi app, but is more fun to use because you flick the phone to make the wheels spin like a slot machine. You can narrow by dish type, ingredients, and ready in/cooking method. You can also search by keyword. Not as extensive as Epi, but if you want a solid go-to recipe that might not be as gourmet, this is a great app.

SparkRecipes- Healthy recipes that are submitted by all sorts of folks. You can search by keyword, or browse by category, course, cuisine, dietary consideration or occassion. What's nice is that there are lots of variaions on recipes for one dish. For instance, tuna salad will bring up lots of health-inspired recipes from all over.

UrbanSpoon- So fun for restaurant lovers! It detects your area, and you select the cuisine type and price. You can also change location, so it works whether you are spontaneously looking for a place where you are, or if you are planning ahead.

Restaurants- Nutritional information on practically every national chain restaurant I can think of. You will never be stuck in a line guessing which dish has the most fat, calories or sodium. After sifting through, I was really surprised about what I found to look like a good choice but wasn't, or seemed like a bad choice but wasn't really that bad.

NutritionTips- Nothing fancy, but is loaded with fun little things you can do to improve overall health.

NutritioniQ- Select a category, like fiber, calcium, protein, or whole grains, and flip through foods, learning about their health benefits as you go. Then you can add the items you like to a mobile grocery list.

Vitamins- Again, nothing fancy, but houses lots of information about what each vitamin or mineral does and where you can find it. I guess this is good if you are curious...

DietFoods- Another unfancy app, but loaded with lots of healthy foods and their benefits. For instance, find out what broccoli can do for you, then tap to read on about carrots.

NCalculator- By entering your stats, you can calculate your BMI, BMR, Body Fat and about how many calories you burned. It also lets you know how your number falls within different ranges of health.

There are a few others that I'm tinkering with. I'll let you know if I find any good ones!

A Lady who Lunches

2010-04-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I packed a delicious little lunch of leftovers.

Leftover white chili, a mix of celery sticks and snow peas and a banana. It was very filling!

After work, I headed to campus and had a peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat sandwich with an apple before my big test. I don't know how I did on the test, but I sure tried hard! After the test, I went to lab, which luckiy, was short. Once home, I combined the last of the black beans with some squash casserole and had a few chips on the side. I also had a dark beer, and then some decaf.

This morning, I kick-started the day with some of my new cereal with milk and a banana.

I'm hoping today isn't too hectic and that my class lets out on time tonight so I can squeeze in a walk.

For lunch today, I have packed:

I have leftover squash casserole, a few leftover wheat crackers, some edamame, shredded wheat cereal for a snack and some big fat strawberries! It should be really filling.

I've been reading up on eating for heart health, since my family has various heart problems. It's not one reoccuring problem throughout our family, but things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc here and there. One of the top recommedations is a Mediterranean-inspired diet. We don't eat any red meat in our diet and have been trying to scale back on chicken (portions and frequency). We've been eating more meatless meals. One thing we've been missing lately is some of those delicious fatty fish like salmon! So we need to incorporate that back into our diet. Other trademarks of a Mediterranean diet are lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, or avocados. Luckily, I love all of those things; I just need to plan our meals around it!

Interestingly enough, Kendall asked about foods that help boost brain function, and as I tooled around online, I found that many recommend the Mediterranean diet for brain health as well. It's said that by ensuring a healthy bloodflow through cardiovascular health, you help boost brain function and stave off brain-degenerative diseases like Alzeheimers.

I'm out, but will return with a new recommendation.

I can has a new cereal

2010-04-12T18:49:00.001-05:00

Yes, it is frighteningly true: Texas is approaching summer temps which means, among other things, that I wake up craving something cool, rather than hot.

This weekend I went hunting through my store shelves for something fiber-filled and cheap with an only slightly insulting ingredients list.

Mom's Best Sweetened Wheatfuls. Yes. Six grams of whole grain fiber. Three ingredients. Two dollars! Did I mention that it's tasty?

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Weekend!

2010-04-11T20:58:00.000-05:00

After a crazy week, we kicked off the weekend with some yummy dinner out at our fave Mexican place.
I ordered a burrito, which was HUGE and a real deal for only $3.50.

Kendall ordered our usual, a chicken tostada...

Saturday, I had cereal for breakfast and we headed out to the farmer's market! We picked up some lettuce and spinach. Then we went toy shopping for Maple. For lunch, we had nachos and deviled eggs, fresh veggies and fruit. Then we took Maple to the Animal Trustees for her heartworm medication. After that, Kendall ran to the store while I studied. Then we made yummy chicken florentine alfredo pasta with asparagus and hollandaise sauce and garlic bread. It was awesome! I have a photo on my other camera.

Sunday, I woke up early, had a bowl of raisin bran, and headed to the store. It's great to get the shopping done early! When I got home, Kendall had cleaned downstairs. It looked great. I studied for a short bit, and then we rearranged furniture. For lunch, we had a slimmed-down version of chicken salad. I used equal parts no-fat yogurt and mayo with celery and poached chicken. I added salt, pepper and celery seed for flavor. Delish! I had some tomato juice on the side.

For dinner, I made white chili and squash casserole. Kendall said about the casserole, "There's no way this is healthy. It has flavor and cheese!"

Oh but it is! Check it out here.

For dessert, we tried a new frozen treat.

Fake "soft serve." Healthy ice cream. And by that I mean, AMAZING! That, my friends, is half a batch of 2 frozen bananas and 1 tsp vanilla extract that were put in the food processor for 4 minutes. Totally fat free. No sugar added. Totally amazing. Kendall and I agreed that it could use another flavor, like blueberry or strawberry. I found this through KathEats.com and she found it through a raw foods blog. I will be trying this again and I HIGHLY recommend this as a great way to get your cold, sweet fix as summer comes around. Of course, the sweetness depends on the ripeness of the fruit. This is also fluffier than soft-serve, so it won't be dense like ice cream. But give this a whirl!

Yep, it's been busy...

2010-04-08T20:45:00.000-05:00

Let's recap, again, shall we? Wednesday, I had some oatmeal with peanut butter and strawberries.

I decided to pack a salad for lunch, because we had been lacking on veggies. I made a Southwestern cobb with half a hard-boiled eggs, cheese, black beans, green bell peppers and tomatoes on top of lettuce. So yummy! Too bad I took both dressing containers, sending Kendall to work without his.

Crackers on the side and strawberries. It was very yummy!

I had an apple on campus as a snack. We were let out 10 minutes early, which was awesome. Once home, I whipped up some black bean and spinach quesadillas!

Today, I had more oatmeal with PB & J and some juice on the side.

For lunch, Italian tuna salad in a whole wheat pita with lettuce and a kiwi and 4 strawberries on the side.

For dinner, nachos with black beans.

And a beer.

Quick Recap and Another Fun Article

2010-04-06T08:21:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all! Lab took FOREVER last night, so when I got home, I was happy to find some mac 'n' cheese in the fridge and fresh blackberries. It made for a yummy late night snack. The macaroni probably wasn't the healthiest snack/late dinner, but it hit the spot.

For breakfast, I switched back to good old oatmeal after my lackluster cereal left me hungry by 10 am yesterday. Oatmeal really fills me up, and I find I don't feel famished mid-morning. I made it with 1/2 C skim milk, 1 tsp brown sugar and vanilla each, and mixed in a little cereal, 1/2 Tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp raspberry jam.

I found this great article yesterday at Self.com on foods that can help reduce the risk of some illnesses, and also help with some short-term problems, like fatigue or PMS. I was happy to see that carbs and even beans can make you feel happier, so I am making a bit pot of black beans today! I'm interested to try some of their suggestions for life's little ailments. It will be hard to tell if the food really helps with things like the blues, stress or fatigue, or if it creates a placebo effect. And while eating certain foods is no guarantee that you won't get heart disease, high blood pressure, or types of cancer, it's an interesting read.

Bunch of Lunch

2010-04-05T17:32:00.001-05:00

For lunch, I took some whole-wheat pasta with veggies and lots of strawberries.

Except I accidentally dumped a ton of salt on my pasta! So I sat at my desk and tried to get some out by picking it out by hand. Yes, there was that much salt! I managed to get most out and stirred it a LOT, and it was edible.

For dinner, I had a turkey and Colby Jack cheese on whole-wheat sandwich with an apple. It's almost time for class!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Back in the Saddle

2010-04-05T09:08:00.000-05:00

It's Monday, and while I'm at work, my hubby is at home. I hope he has a fun day.

After a weekend of indulging, we both decided to get back in the saddle with healthy eating and more excercise. It's been hard for me to do anything physical with class at night and the winter sky getting dark at 5:30 pm or 6 pm, but now that it's spring and the sun doesn't set until 8 pm or so, I hope to squeeze in a few evening walks.

And wouldn't you know it? No sooner had we talked about needing to clean up our diets a bit, I saw this timely article on Cooking Light! It's a great reminder that eating seasonally is nature's way of offering fun and different ways to get in your nutrients. We've been enjoying strawberries and asparagus, and a few peas at our house recently, but I never thought of radishes as a nutrition-powerhouse veggie. I usually use them to add to salads or cut roses for veggie trays! I'm going to try to work a few more in my diet, as well as some yummy cherries and apricots.

Kendall is from Ohio originally, and his family has great stories about rhubarb, but say that you really can't get good rhubarb in Texas... it doesn't ship well! Perhaps I will swap that one out for more artichokes. I do love them, but the one time I cooked them fresh, it was a lot of work for not a lot of food. Maybe I did it wrong?

This morning, I tried a new cereal, Special K Fruit and Yogurt. It was very yummy, but as I read the labels, I was sad to see that it was low in fiber and high in sugar!

Upon further inspection, I also found that it didn't contain any real dried fruit, but rather, "fruit flavored clusters" of grains. Um, gross! Perhaps this will be a good yogurt topping to use sparingly...

It was also full of corn syrups. I think this should be treated more like a dessert than a breakfast staple...

Have a great day, everyone!

Weekend!

2010-04-04T19:33:00.000-05:00

It's been three glorious days off! I kicked off the weekend off right by picking up my husband from the airport! He made a quick work trip and Maple and I were so happy to have him home.

After a stressful few weeks for both of us, we decided that Friday called for playtime! We drove out to Marble Falls and had to go to Bluebonnet Cafe for lunch. They have the best Texas home-cooking food around. I had the teriyaki chicken breast with spinach, mashed potatoes with gravy and fried okra. They also serve amazing yeast rolls and corn bread. It was so good and really hit the spot! It was the perfect way to start a relaxed weekend. If you are ever in the neighborhood, you've got to stop by.

We then went for a little walk by the water while in town and then headed back home. We went to the grocery store and then the comfort food continued! I made up some BBQ chicken pizza.

Saturday, we cleaned this house from top to bottom! We divide and conquer and usually, I take the upstairs floors and bathrooms, but I was bored with that. I chose the downstairs floors, bathroom and kitchen. I also dusted the blinds because the oak pollen has been awful!

After cleaning, Kendall whipped up some lunch... a veggie-loaded pasta salad!

So so good. We had mangoes and blackberries for dessert.

We then went for a walk, and had to run a few more errands. Then it was time to get cookin'! More delicious comfort food! A beer-roasted turkey breast, mac and cheese from scratch, and a three bean salad! For dessert, we had fresh fruit and a few ginger snaps that we got for free, but did not like.

My parents joined us for dinner, and we went for a little walk after dinner.

Sunday, we kicked off Easter morning with some crepes! After I did some homework, we showered and headed to my aunt's house for lunch.

Oh yes. Turkey, green beans with toasted almonds, scalloped potatoes, rolls, salad, fruit salad, and ice cream for dessert! Yum! We had a great time visiting, taking photos, playing with the dogs, and hiding Easter eggs.

Then we headed home for dinner. I fixed some pasta with veggies and had leftovers.

Now we are hanging out, and I am crying and typing while I watch "Extreme Home Makeover."

Four Day Work Week

2010-03-31T08:49:00.000-05:00

Here's a run-down of what I've been doing and eating...

Monday Lunch:

Two rice balls with furikake, teriyaki chicken and tofu, broccoli, cucumber, fruit.

Monday Dinner:

Cheese, turkey meat and crackers before class...

Tuesday breakfast:

Bluberry bagel toasted with butter, yogurt, fruit salad...

Tuesday lunch:

Whole-wheat pita with turkey, cheese, hummus, spinach and tomatoes, with snow peas, an orange, and sour gummi bears.

Tuesday Dinner:

Thai fried rice with chicken...

Today is Wednesday, but it's more like Thursday!

Whirlwind Weekend!

2010-03-29T08:36:00.000-05:00

What a weekend! I don't have all my photos uploaded, but here's a quick recap of what went down.

Friday, I started the day with some oatmeal, and then for lunch, I packed a turkey and cheese sandwich with carrots and lots of fruit.

Those are honey tangerine segments and they are awesome! I love that fruit. It's a nice change from the super citrus we've enjoyed this winter. I was also excited to incorporate some berries and pineapple.

Friday night, we had to dash around to take Kendall's suit to the cleaners and to the store to get some items for the baby shower on Saturday. I picked up a frozen pizza. I know it' not the best option and I had pizza this week already, but we needed something in a pinch, and Friday IS traditionally pizza night!

Saturday morning, I had a scrambled egg, because I knew I'd be munching all morning. For the shower, I put out banana nut muffins, fruit salad, carrot cake, and Orange-Pineapple punch. And coffee, of course.

The shower went great! I think everyone had a good time.

For lunch, my Mom and I tossed together a "chef's salad" of spinach, tomatoes, avocado, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, cheese, turkey deli meat and hard-boiled eggs. We served wheat crackers with it, as well as fruit salad and muffins. It hit the spot, and made up for some missing veggie servings on Friday...

We went to a wedding Saturday night, and had a great time! We carpooled with some friends. After the ceremony, we settled in at the reception with some red wine, fruit, cheese and crackers. For dinner, they served fried chicken with gravy, baby potatoes in a butter sauce, steamed veggies, a wheat roll and salad. I had raspberry vinaigrette, which was thick (I think they added cornstarch?) and REALLY sweet. The other option was ranch, so I think no matter what, you were getting unneccesary calories. I tried to pick off some of the breading on the chicken, and I needed to salt the veggies. I didn't eat all of the roll. Overall the meal was alright, and I appreciated that they tried something different (other than BBQ or baked chicken, etc.). The cake was delicious! There were three types of cake, and Kendall and I got the brides' cake. It was white with raspberry filling and white icing. There was also chocolate and chocolate marble, which our friends had. There was much dancing! We got home, invited our friends in, and chatted over a beer.

Sunday, I had some fruit salad and a muffin with a glass of milk. We ran errands, and then we grabbed lunch at our favorite Mexican taqueria. We had two shredded chicken tostadas, piled high with salad, sour cream, cheese and avocado!

For dinner, I made some chicken teriyaki with broccoli and asparagus, some steamed rice, and baked teriyaki tofu. I bought medium hard tofu, and it wasn't firm enough. It also didn't absorb a lot of flavor from the sauce, even though I marinaded it for an hour. The rest was boxed up for lefovers at lunch!

This morning, I had a blueberry bagel with peanut butter, a light yogurt and some fruit salad with a glass of water.

Have a fab Monday!

Catch Up!

2010-03-25T12:17:00.002-05:00

It's been crazy! Class and lab on Monday, I had to run home to the dog before class on Tuesday, on Wednesday, I had class and had to run errands. Whew! So glad the week is almost over.

Here's a quick recap:
Breakfasts have been oatmeal, but I ran out of yogurt, so I've been using milk instead of water. We ran out of fruit on Wednesday, so I used dried cranberries Wednesday morning, and after going to the store Wednesday night, I used fresh blackberries this morning.

I've been packing bento-style lunches. Wednesday, I sent one with Kendall and work bought pizza, so I didn't eat mine until today. Mine wasn't as crisply separated after spending some major time in the fridge, but tasted great! Kendall loved his Wednesday, and I hope he likes Thursday's lunch as well...

Kendall and I had cold Asian noodle salad with scrambled eggs and lots of veggies. I used more bell peppers and broccoli as fillers. There was also 1/2 C of steamed edamame. I have a piece of cheese folded into triangles and Kendall had an extra sandwich. We both took apples.

I ate my apple with pizza and someone in the office gave me half an avocado.

Today, I brought a side dish of extra veggies (asparagus and bell pepper) along with some pineapple and blackberry and kiwi skewers. I added a few sour gummy bears for something special.

Kendall took turkey, provolone and spinach roll-ups or "sandwich sushi rolls" with asparagus and bell pepper, pineapple, berry and fruit skewers and gummy bears.

Bentos are a Japanese lunch- fun, artfully displayed boxed lunches that usually feature a diverse and nutritious lunch. I have fun when I make them, but have to make them the night before as they are more time-consuming.

No Blues this Tues.

2010-03-23T08:50:00.000-05:00

This morning, I was jostled from my peaceful slumber by Maple. She was up at 5 am. I took her outside, then brought her up again, took off her collar and let her chew on her toy until we got up closer to 6 am. Then I was really working! I quickly got dressed, and made lunches and breakfast.

I used the rest of the cantaloupe today, and made some simply sweet oatmeal. I also had a glass of water because I was so thirsty!

Oatmeal Today:
1/4 C dry quick-cooking oats
1/2 C water
*Microwave for 1 min*

Stirred in:
about 1 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
*Warmed up a bit in the microwave again*

Topped with:
granola
peanut butter

Now, not to get all political and crazy, but if you are interested in nutritious school lunches, you might want to take a gander at this: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/call_congress I highly encourage you to write or call your rep and encourage more support for healthy school lunches!

That's all I'm going to say.

Except that I hope you have a wonderful day!

Wait

Munch a Lunch

2010-03-23T08:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon got kinda crazy! For lunch, I had some leftover while chili with crackers, some carrots, and an apple. The apple was a bit mealy... I tried a new variety this week, Jazzy. So far, not my favorite apple! I have another one today, so perhaps it was that one particular apple and not the entire family

Super filling! After work, I jetted to class, and had a sandwich of turkey, smoked provolone cheese and spinach on whole-wheat with some mayo and more carrots on the side. It was quick, tasty and fueled me for class and lab.

Class went well... we got our tests back and even though my raw score was HORRID, my grade after the curve was so much better. I almost died of shock. I e-mailed Kendall pronto, something I never do from class.

Lab was LONG and tedious. We all had to put some samples through a gas chromotography machine, and so most of lab was spent in line. It took 2.25 hrs of waiting before I was finally done. By the time I got home, I was getting hungry again. I had a glass of red wine and about 1/2 C of leftover panang chicken curry with rice.

Monday Morning Madness

2010-03-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

This morning was especially busy, filled with getting lunches ready, getting dressed, getting stuff together for school again, and eating breakfast. We got to bed a little later than usual after watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC last night. Loved it! The real deal comes on Friday night, so tune in. I have a feeling you won't be disappointed.

This morning, I had some oatmeal topped with deliciousness.

Here's how I made it:

1/4 C dry plain quick-cooking oats
1/2 C water
*Microwave on High for 1 min.*

Stir in:
1/4 C plain non-fat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp brown sugar

Then top with:
1/8 C or so of granola
handful of choclate chips
1 heaping tsp of peanut butter

Then I usually stir it all together. It was great!

What's missing? Fruit! You can stir in some applesauce or thinly sliced banana with the yogurt, vanilla and sugar (decrease sugar, probably) or you can top with other fruit slices or berries, or you can have fruit on the side. I'm a slacker today, I guess. Other yummy options: nuts, dried fruit, syrup, jelly.

Weekend in Review

2010-03-21T20:40:00.000-05:00

What a weekend! What weather! Saturday was rainy and cold. Sunday was nice, sunny but windy.

Saturday:
I had some oatmeal for breakfast. After cleaning the house, and getting ready for our day. We whipped up some lunch. Kendall made French Onion soup and I made some wraps to along side it.

For dinner, we decided to have some white chili, since it might our last chance until next fall!

Made it in my awesome new Dutch oven. It was stupendous.

Sunday:
I woke up and after snoozing a bit more and baked some blackberry muffins. I had two with some yogurt topped with granola and a few more berries.

For lunch, Kendall made two soups, French Onion and Creamy Asparagus!

It was very good. Very filling for a liquid lunch.

After a productive afternoon, I got to work on some panang curry. It was a success!

It was great! Still lacked a depth of flavor I think kaffir limes and palm sugar would have given, but it was still really yummy. Restaurant quality, dare I say?

TGIF

2010-03-19T22:21:00.001-05:00

Today was the usual oatmeal, pb & j sandwich, carrots, fruit. Then life got better. I went to my in-laws for dinner and had some amazing South American food!

We had papa a la huancaina, tacos filled with soybeans instead of meat and charro beans.

So delicious! I also had two plates of fresh veggies to start. We ended with chocomint cake.

Then our dog got in some stank and we promptly left to bathe her.

Good night!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Brace Yourself

2010-03-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I got home to a wonderful birthday surprise... two hibiscus topiaries from my in-laws!

Aren't those blooms beautiful? Great color!

I just love them! So excited to see these out my window. Thanks!

Then I locked myself out of the house. I took Maple for a walk, and Kendall came home and let me in. I got to work on dinner... Thai fried rice with shrimp!

I got the recipe from this neat website, and I had to sub a lot of ingredients! It still tasted great, but lacked a sweetness that I wonder if the oyster sauce would give? Anyway, I didn't have chiles, so I used 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, used shrimp instead of chicken, soy sauce instead of oyster sauce, and I had no cilantro or basil.

I'll definitely make this again, but will try to follow their recipe!

Hope you had a good Thursday and have a great Friday.

A Few Recommendations...

2010-03-18T10:14:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted some recommendations for some of the simple joys that life has tossed my way...

Cleaning Out Closets:
Do this! I spent a few minutes purging my clothes on my birthday and it was time well-spent. I flicked through my hangers, deciding what to keep and what to donate. Often, I think we know what doesn't fit right, what makes us feel frumpy or nasty, what's too short or too long, what's totally out of style, but we keep it anyway! I tell myself that it's still good, that it's not that bad, but ultimately, I need to thow it out. Also, this doesn't take that much time! It might feel daunting, but I was able to go through my stuff in about 15 minutes.

What's left is a closet of clothes that you like, you feel good in and that look good on you! You also have a stream-lined wardrobe. Oh, and a closet bar that isn't buckling under pressure. I highly recommend.

Vaseline Aloe Fresh, or the store-brand:
I discovered this little gem a few weeks back, but have been waiting until temperatures rise around the nation to talk about it. It's lightweight and refreshing. It soaks in immediately. Did I mention that it's lightweight? Also, let me note that it smells amazing when applied after using that apricot exfoliating bath wash. Also, it's lightweight. Here's why that is important: In Texas, in the dead of summer, you last thing you want is some thick, greasy lotion that takes FOREVER to soak in while you dance around before pulling on your clothes. In July, you really just want one moment in your day when your clothes don't stick to you and cling to your skin for dear life. It's gross, it's nasty. So this lotion is heavenly, because it smells light, feels light, soaks in quickly and doesn't leave your skin tacky for clothes. Ahh...

That's all for now, folks!

Oatty

2010-03-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

This morning was all about getting out the door early! I carpooled and my ride showed up a bit earlier than I usually leave, which meant I had to scramble a bit. I got dressed, was pleased to find that my wet hair last night did night bend and go crazy during my slumber and that I could just brush it and go (I threw a hair tie on my wrist just in case). Then I made lunches and got to work on my breakfast.... oats!

PB & J Oats with a side of cantaloupe cubes.

A Note about Oats: I recently switched from flavored instant oatmeal packets to a can of quick-cooking plain oats. I did this in order to control the sugar, additives and other stuff that goes into oatmeal. I make these in the microwave with water, then stir in some plain non-fat yogurt. Then I flavor with about 1 tsp vanilla and about 1-2 tsp brown sugar. Then I add toppings! I've found that this doesn't add a lot of time to my morning routine and I feel better about what I'm eating.

I was making oatmeal with 1/2 C dried oats, but that was a lot of food, so this morning I decreased it to 1/4 C dried oats. I was pretty happy with how much I ate and still felt full! I sprinkled on some granola and some peanut butter and some rasperry preserves. So great! Classic flavors.

It's going to be a PB&J day, because that's what I packed for lunch, along with some fruit and baby carrots. Tonight, I'm planning a new meal, so stay tuned.

Hope you have a great day! Almost the weekend...

Winding down

2010-03-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Today was good. Work was quiet, and I didn't have class tonight, which is awesome!

I was also well-rested; my nightguard did great!

Breakfast:

Oatmeal with yogurt, peanut butter and granola, with cantaloupe and a strawberry.

Snack: apple

Lunch: whole-wheat with turkey, Muenster and spinach, baby carrots, fruit and Fun Dip!

Dinner: salmon roasted with sesame oil, soy sauce with rice with some edamame and roasted asparagus.

Dessert: parfait of yogurt, peanut butter and cereal

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Successful Day Back

2010-03-16T19:38:00.000-05:00

It was a nice day back at work. Things were slow and quiet and I'm getting to try my hand at some technical writing! I forgot to snap a photo of lunch, but I had leftover teriyaki chicken noodles, which were loaded with veggies (about 1 C of a mix of broccoli, sugar snap peas and carrots). I also had an apple and 3 strawberries.

Then I went to my dentist and got my nightguard! I am weirdly excited about it because it means I will have relief in my jaw for the first time in forever. I'm going to try it out in just a bit.

Today, I was surfing my blogs, and I saw this recipe over at Pioneer Woman. I realized I had everything ready for it! The differences between hers and mine are that I used a frozen homemade crust, so it wasn't very thin, and I put a layer of baby spinach leaves below the chicken, onion and cheese for an extra nutrient boost!

The result: AMAZING! I loved the flavor combo, and Kendall even noted that the cilantro was an unexpected but great twist that really worked with the BBQ sauce, cheese and chicken. I highly recommend this puppy! If you aren't a chicken eater, I'm fairly certain you can search online and find a fun way of BBQ some tofu cubes and get a yummy result.

This pizza was stacked high with toppings! The chicken cubes gave it height, which was sort of fun to eat. We also had some guac and a dark beer.

Now we're off to snuggle in bed and watch some Hulu, because there's nothing interesting on TV tonight.

Good night all!

Back to the Grind!

2010-03-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

Howdy!

After a nice night's sleep, I was up and at 'em to get back to the grind. I had to be into work early today becuase I'm leaving early for an appointment at the dentist's office. I am getting my nightguard today! Even though it's a bummer to have to wear one, I'm happy that I'll have some help to stop clenching so hard!

I started the day with a bowl of non-fat plain yogurt (about 3/4 C) with some granola (1/2 C or so) and some fresh fruit.

See that? I just discovered the extra-large photo option on Blogger. I took this with my iPhone, so it's not the best picture ever. I'm going to try to edit some previous posts that were taken with my better camera.

Anyway, back to the grind... more later!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-03-15T19:59:00.001-05:00

I spent the day hanging out, doing little things here and there around the house, and chilling with Maple. I cleaned out my closet, selecting a bag of clothes to give away. Feels so good to give stuff to those who will actually WEAR it and ENJOY it, and get a little extra space in my closet.

Then I took Maple for a run. It was her first run ever. She was so excited! So was I; I haven't been out for a run in MONTHS, especially since school started. But then... Maple stopped for a bathroom break, I tied my shoe and we started again. And then she crossed in front of me, and I stepped on her leg. Ouch! She let out a yelp. Normally, I try to shake it off and keep going, and she usually does too. Then she stopped and tried to run on three legs. Her little leg was all curled up under her. So I said, "Okay, let's walk it home." And she tried that too, poor thing, but still, three legs only. So I carried her home, feeling guilty as sin. When home, she was able to walk on it, and throughout the afternoon, she was back to her usual self. Trust me, biscuits and cuddling were given!

After a shower, and groveling, I got to work on my lunch.

I made a Mediterranean-inspired salad of spinach, tomato and cucumber tossed in a red wine vinaigrette. Then I plopped some plain yogurt on top and sprinkled with lentils. I had a fruit salad on the side with some watered-down limeade. It was scrumptious.

Kendall got off from work early, and he gave me my gift...

Like a dutch oven! I've wanted one for months (years?) now, and he got me one! I can't wait to use it. And look at that color! It's truly beautiful. He also got me a vegetable peeler and I ended up returning it for a zester, which I didn't have. Score!

I should probably mention that I love my husband. Because he is my best friend. And sometimes, I might say things on my birthday because I'm grouchy about things in life, and he takes it. And he still loves me. And then he makes me dinner. Heroic, no?

Speaking of dinner, how about this?

Chicken cacciatore with green bell peppers and asparagus and some alfredo noodles with asparagus. Delish! Thanks hubs!

All in all, a good birthday.

Birthday Breakfast!

2010-03-15T10:04:00.000-05:00

Today, I slept in a bit because I have the day off! We get our birthdays off and we are paid and we don't use vacation time. Amazing!

I made coffee, chilled on the couch with my dog while reading a magazine, and then got to work on some breakfast.

How about some amazing oatmeal?! Along with half a kiwi, some juice and coffee.

Just look at those oats. Plain oats made with water, mixed with yogurt, vanilla and brown sugar. Then added some granola on top, with some chopped stawberries, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Sort of an amazing combo.

Here it is all stirred up! It was lovely! My brother called when I was almost finished, and after our coversation, I wasn't hungry anymore. I ended up picking out the stawberries and throwing out the last heaping tablespoon of them.

Now off to a nice day! The sun is just peaking out, and I plan to walk/jog Maple, clean out my closet and donate some clothes that haven't seen the light of day in a while. Then I'll make something lovely for lunch.

Sick Posts and Weekend In Review

2010-03-15T09:50:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't had any posts lately. I was sick last week. I went to work for half a day and then came right back home. By Friday, I was starting to feel a bit better. On Saturday, I was as good as new! Here are a few posts from my sick week:

Roast Red Peppers and Cheese Omelet with Potatoes and Toast

Indonesian Noodles with Veggies and Stawberries

I also had English Muffins with butter and jam, some soups, some wraps, etc. Easy stuff.

On Saturday morning, I had some raisin bran with milk and berries.

The good news is that Spring has Sprung! The weather has been beautiful!

One Pear Tree in Bloom

Some Nice Buds

Full on Bloom

Pomegranate starting to bud

Hope you all had a great week!

For the weekend, we spent time celebrating my birthday! For lunch on Saturday, we picked up some pizzas and made some salad when my parents and in-laws came over for lunch. My in-laws brought a cake! For dinner, we had leftover pizza and some caprese salad and guac. Yum!

On Sunday, we cleaned out the fridge and had Italian tuna salad, some teriyaki noodles, and berries. It was nice to get that stuff out of there. Sunday night... we might have hit up sushi happy hour at Sushi Niichi. We started out with a set of Red Devil rolls and some Blue Moonlight rolls. They are happy fish explosions in the mouth. They definitely feature tempura shrimp, other fish (crab, or tuna or salmon) and this spicy mayo sauce. They are amazing. We also had some salmon rolls and one more round of the Blue Moonlight. Happy Early Birthday to me!

Sick again, but back at work

2010-03-11T09:55:00.000-06:00

I was sick yesterday, but did take plenty of photos... which are still on my camera. But I did snap a shot from last night. I must have been feeling better-- I had nachos.

'Twas delicious. Guac makes everything better.

I'm back at work again, and feeling better, but still exhausted and dizzy with a slight scratch on my throat. Luckily, my workload is light so I can sit in peace.

Check you later!

Rest for the Weary

2010-03-09T19:38:00.000-06:00

I was home sick today, and after a full day of rest... I still feel exhausted! I spent the day on the couch with Maple, playing around on the internet, reading and sleeping. Now the day is done, and I still feel weak and tired. I hope another good night's sleep will help put me back right.

Kendall came downstairs for lunch and I was just waking up from a nap. He ate and we had a nice chat. Then I got to business with my own lunch. Luckily, we had some things on hand to make a nice, homemade broth-based soup with lentils. I opened a can of tomatoes with hatch chiles, combined half of it with some lentils and chicken stock. The results were good, but very salty and quite spicy! Due to the salt, I ended up adding a bit of water. Then it was just right! I wanted the chiles for heat, because I've heard it helps you feel better (vitamin C and boosts your endorphines).

On the side, some crackers, a salad and a bowl of berries. I also had more juice. I normally don't drink this much juice, but I'm trying to get in vitamin C and antioxidants where possible.

On the salad, I tried out one of those spritzer spray salad dressings, because they were on clearance for $0.99! I bought two flavors and tried out the raspberry vinaigrette today. I must say, I liked the concept and didn't feel like my salad was drowning in dressing, but the flavor was not there. It was flat, had a faint berry taste, and was not very sweet, considering it had high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient. Perhaps if I had berries in the salad, it would have been better? I still have an Asian dressing to try, so I'm hoping that flavor is better.

After lunch, I made some hot pomegranate-cranberry green tea with a squeeze of lime and 2 tsp honey. It was so good and soothing! Then, I fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. I woke up feeling really tired still, and after walking around and getting some water, I still felt icky. I decided I couldn't make it to class tonight, as the thought of driving made me tired just thinking about it.

For dinner, I got out a box of sesame teriyaki noodles and got to work on some chicken and veggies. I sliced the chicken thinly, and sauteed it in a pan with some sesame oil. Then I steamed up some frozen sugar snap peas. Then I cleaned out the pan and sauteed broccoli and carrots in sesame oil.

Now, please do yourself a favor and saute your broccoli in sesame oil. It is SO good. By not boiling it, you keep those nutrients in the vegetable and don't lose them in the water. And the oil adds a great nutty flavor that compliments the broccoli so well. And truly, a dap will do ya. It makes me want to try other fun oils, like walnut or hazelnut or grapeseed.

Anywhoo...I threw it all together and voila!

It was very tasty and tangy. A pretty good teriyaki kit! I also garnished with cilantro and sliced green onions.

There was plenty for two and another serving left over! I kept about a cup of the plain, sauteed veggies on the side before adding to the sauce. I'm going to take those to lunch tomorrow to try that new Asian dressing and to help round out some of those Indonesian-style noodles I made this weekend.

In a few minutes, I think I'm going to take a shower, then make more hot tea. My chest congestion is coming on again (wasn't too bad today, but I noticed it got worse at night yesterday), so I'm hoping some steam and then lemon and honey will soothe it.

Good night! Rest well!

Weekend in Review... as Promised

2010-03-09T09:15:00.000-06:00

Sorry for yet another delay, but I wasn't feeling awesome, so this had to be pushed back a few hours.

This weekend, I cooked up a storm. On Saturday, I had a very successful trip to the grocery store. We bought strawberries on sale. And guess what, they tasted good! I immediately looked up the Poteet Strawberry Festival with anticipation.

We also bought avocadoes. Several of them. We sliced them up for lunch.

Kendall threw together a lovely pasta salad. We started with a boxed mix, but added some whole-wheat pasta and lots of veggies. The end result was delicious and filling.

I studied for most of Saturday afternoon, and then we took Maple for a walk. We had a birthday party that night, so the mood felt festive enough for something spicy and yummy. Like... shrimp pad thai!

Oh yes. This is why life is worth living. Perfectly plump shrimp, lovely little rice noodles, tangy sauce, green bell peppers, onions, green onions, and cilantro. And lime. My heart is racing just remembering how good this was. And guess what else? Boxed mix! I need to learn to make this from scratch, but was having a hard time finding a seasoning packet by itself, so I bought a box of the noodles and sauce.

Then I fashioned some cucumber salad like we have in restaurants. Cucumbers sliced thin, red onion and some rice vinegar. This was not exactly what we have. It was missing a layer or two. But it was still pretty good.

I woke up Sunday with a hankerin'...

For some sort of sweet quick bread! I made this lemon quick bread. It's a basic sweet quick bread recipe. I used some whole-wheat flour. Then it has this LOVELY lemon glaze over it. It's quite delicious.

Kendall saw this in the grocery store and we decided to give it a go. I must say that it is yummy, but is lacking some depth. If you want a nice, basic cheese soup, this is a great find. It's $3 and in your kosher section.

I served it with some wraps I made that were smeared with white bean dip, had a bit of turkey deli meat, some cheese, lettuce, cucumber and roasted red bell peppers. This was hearty but pretty light. The tastes were amazing.

Alright, sick girl is tired. Time for my brain to shut off.

Sick Day

2010-03-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

I fought it as long as I could. Sunday morning, I got a slight tickle in my throat, but plowed on through the day. By the evening, I was drinking lots of water and went to bed on time for a full 8 hours. I wasn't feeling bad yesterday, but I wasn't feeling good. As the day progressed, I started to feel worse and worse.

I mustered up all of my might to take my Organic Chemistry test. I have no idea how I did. I'm definitely sure I made some blunders. We'll just have to see.

I walked out of the testing center and felt totally spent and dizzy. So I skipped lab and came home. Upon my arrival I had a huge glass of orange juice and some noodles. Later, my cough started back. More juice. My body felt exhausted and sore. I went to bed.

I woke up today and took the dog out for a test of how good I was feeling. At first I thought, "I can make it in to work!" Then I sat on the couch. Suddenly the prospect of driving seemed daunting. Even the thought of putting on pants seemed hard. Pants. Even yoga pants. Kendall came down to find me cuddled on the couch with the dog, trying not to think of changing clothes, for fear of exhaustion. We decided to go back to bed. So I'm home today, and Kendall is working from home.

In bed, I thought about how I should eat something. Eggs sounded really good. I was going to make eggs and toast. Then I thought of the berries that I needed to finish. Eggs and toast and fruit with some OJ and vitamins. Once in the kitchen, I thought about cooking and got myself together enough to make something. I used up some potatoes and made potato and egg breakfast tacos with berries. And OJ. And coffee. Behold.

Somehow this is freakishly well-balanced. The tortillas could be better from a nutritional standpoint, but whatever. This lady is sick. This breakfast was delicious! Now I am recovering from it, curled up on the couch and thinking about another nap. I do not think I will be so ambitious with lunch.

My dog is with me. They say pets know when you aren't feeling well. At first, I thought Maple had no idea. But as soon as I sat down to write this, she jumped up on the sofa, licked my hand and is now curled up by my lap, keeping my company. I love my dog. So, so much.

Weekend is Over : (

2010-03-08T10:56:00.000-06:00

This weekend was spent running errands, studying, and cooking! I took lots of fun photos of my food. But I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. I was too busy folding laundry.

So this will have to do for now...

Yes, I made a breakfast bread. And yes, it was so yummy, it doubled as dessert. And of course, I plan on having a slice with my lunch and once I get home from taking my test.

Right... my test. I have an Organic Chemistry test tonight and yes, I'm freaking out, shaking in my boots, having heart palipitations. I hate taking tests, and I hate taking Organic Chem tests.

So I will take it and then write about food.

Here's a teaser though...

Noodles Galore!: Pasta salad, Pad Thai with shrimp, Indonesian noodles...
Resume Legumes: white bean spread on wraps, mashed lentils

That's it for now, lovelies!

Potlucks and Tests

2010-03-04T19:26:00.000-06:00

Thursday, sweet Thursday. So close to the weekend, and yet, not Friday.

This morning, I made some oatmeal, grabbed my coffee, and put my boots on. Work was hoppin'; people were in a good mood because we were having a potluck, our bosses took calls, we found out that they are giving us our birthdays off paid without having to take vacation time, and things have been pretty slow.

The theme was like, chuckwagon, cowpoke, rodeo style. Which mean lots of chili, potato salad, etc. Honestly, I didn't think the theme was the best, because it didn't allow for a lot of diverse interpretation, so the choices were limited.

That is a bowl of vegetarian chili, a smattering of coleslaw without mayo (stocked up on that), some mac 'n' cheese (about 2 Tbsp), a big hunk of cornbread, some chips and dip. The slaw wasn't really tasty, but it was purely vegetables and a vinaigrette, so I chowed down.

Somewhere inside of me, I knew I wouldn't have enough veggies or fruits from the potluck fare, so I grabbed a big of vegetable juice and half a grapefruit at home to round things out.

Tonight, I had a biology test and felt really good about it! All that chemistry is paying off.

I came home and had some cheese pizza and a beer. People, I realize that I believe in sound nutrition, but sometimes, at certain points in your life, you need some comfort food.

Now, Kendall and I are biding our time with American Idol until Pam and Jim have a baby on The Office.

There are Days when Podcasts Save my Life

2010-03-03T20:53:00.000-06:00

Today was one. Slate Cultural Gabfest on the way to work, and This American Life on the way to class and home.

I started the day feeling adventurous. So adventurous I made intensely appley oatmeal. It was cinnamon apple flavor and I used about 1/2 C of apple sauce with it.

I mean, it was intensely apple-flavored. A bit too much. But at least I got some fruit in.

And a big ol' dollop of peanut butter!

Work went well, but I was ready for lunch because I didn't pack a snack.

More fruit and veggies! I've been bad about my veggie intake recently, so I made a salad with cucumber, carrot, some hearts of palm, green bell pepper, a few small cheese cubes, a bit of chicken and an egg. Then I had half of a grapefruit. It hit the spot!

Then I went to class. Before class, I stopped by my professor's office hours to ask some questions. I felt back on track, totally caught up, the world was lookin' up! Then I went to class, and by the end of lecture, I felt more confused than ever before! Ugh!

I came home and wanted comfort food. I've been craving Ramen for two days now! Weird, right? I tried to make it a bit healthier. I added some veggies and a bit of chicken. Luckily, I had carrots and some frozen sugar snap peas available!

It hit the spot! Now I'm just hanging out, watching some TV comedy.

The Butterflies are Passive-Aggressive

2010-03-02T20:31:00.000-06:00

So Tuesdays are one step closer to Friday, and that means that they are inherently good. I woke up early and laid in bed until Maple stirred a few minutes before 6 am, then took her out and took my shower. I tried our new, awesome shower gel, and am now a believer. My friend used some this weekend and loved it, Kendall tried it and loved it, and now I love it too! Wanna know what it is? BRACE YOURSELF!

Suave Naturals Apricot Exfoliating Body Wash

No, I'm serious. This stuff is good. And cheap. I love those two words. It smells pretty amazing, it exfoliates, which is fun, and is one of the few soaps I've used that makes my skin feel good hours later when I'm in the office. Hallelujah! Good and cheap, good and cheap, good and cheap!

After that unexpected spa-like moment that made me feel like I was in a commercial, I made some oatmeal with milk and peanut butter. Still lovin' it!

The morning was good, but I just want to let something out. Can I? You're so nice... I am not a fan of passive-aggressive co-workers. Please, let's not do this. We're adults. So please don't make up new rules out of thin air, for Pete's sake! And when I ask you about it, please don't go all dumb on me, for cryin' out loud! Now, pipe down!

Ahem. Thanks. It helps to have friends.

Obviously, at some point this morning, I was feeling cranky. So I ate a yogurt.

Moving on to more pleasant things... like LUNCH!

Since my little black bean and potato creation was so good last night, I repeated it with some salsa and cheese. And I had a piece of my blueberry coffee cake. It's finished. So are the black beans. Bye, bye!

Class was good, but we have a test on Thursday! I feel pretty good about the material.

I came home and my hubby had made some pasta salad, so I added a little chicken, green bell pepper, cilantro and cheese.

Thanks babe!

Now it's American Idol and chilling before bed.

Let's Talk about $$

2010-03-02T15:51:00.000-06:00

We ate out a lot this weekend, but a lot of my dishes were pretty cheap and easy. Let's take a gander, shall we?

Friday
Panini Sandwiches:
Onion Rolls: $3.10 for 6 rolls
Turkey: $2.50 for 8 oz.
Cheese: $2.50 for 8 oz.
Tomatoes: Probably $.50 worth
Roasted Red Bell Peppers: $1.99 a jar
Red Onion: $.10 ? (got this for cheap a while ago)
Artichokes: $.99 for a jar of Meditteranean salad (on clearance; SCORE!)
That brings each sandwich to about $2.18 a piece, depending on what was on it. Not bad, eh?

Saturday
Tuna Salad
Tuna, 2 cans: $.69 each
Great Northern beans: $.69
Red Onion: $.10 ? (got this for cheap a while ago)

Parsley: about $.30 worth?
Oil, vinegar, salt and pepper
That comes out to an impressive $0.84 a serving (for 3 people). We had some leftover, which I scarfed so not to have to transport it.

Caprese Salad
Fresh Mozzarella: $2.69ish
Tomatoes: probably $1 worth
Basil: $1.99
Homemade vinaigrette
For three, it came out to $1.90 a serving. We had mozzarella and basil left over, but it was too neglible to try to figure out. Besides, if you can make it all, do it, because you will want to eat it all up in one sitting!

Sunday
Roasted Hens, Potatoes and Onions with Asparagus
Hens: $2.50 each
Red Potatoes: $2ish
Asparagus: $.77
Cheap red onions

Really, only two servings, because Kendall didn't eat that much, so the grand total is $2.65 a serving. A yummy and cheap Sunday lunch!

Mondays are the Worst

2010-03-01T21:41:00.000-06:00

I did NOT want to go to work today. But I did. I ate some oatmeal first, with milk and peanut butter. I grabbed my coffee and scooted out the door.

The morning went quickly, and soon, it was time for a snack!

I had a light yogurt, which hit the spot. It took away my hunger pangs.

Before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I love lunch!

I packed a turkey and provolone sandwich with some lettuce, a veggie juice and a pear. It was so yummy! There something weirdly rounded about this lunch that made me happy. Veggie juice does have sodium, so be cafeful!

After work was over, I drove to campus and had another sandwich. Then I sat through glass and hoped my lab instructor would have extra goggles because I forgot mine. He did!

When I was home, I decided to make some dinner.

I heated up some asparagus...

And had some black beans over roasted potatoes with cheese, roasted red bell peppers and salsa. Yum!

Of High Ponies, Supermodels and Brain Sisters

2010-02-28T19:48:00.000-06:00

Hey there! Long time, no bloggy. But, you see, my Brian Sister arrived, and I felt like this:

Exuberant.

The days that followed had lots of food and drink, and talking, and walking, and shopping, and laughing. You know, living.

On Friday, I quickly scarfed some oatmeal after washing the dog and showering, then went to the optometrist and grocery store. By the time we were home, it was time to go to the airport! After picking M up, we had a little lunch.

Panini Sandwiches of turkey, Provolone, roasted red bell peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, lettuce and red onions. I had a fruit salad and some marinated veggies on the side. Yum!

We walked Maple around Lady Bird Lake while we caught up. Then it was time for dinner. We took her to our new favorite sushi place

The waitress was nice enough to bring us some edamame.

And we all shard sushi. First round was salmon rolls, tuna rolls and Red Devil rolls.

This was delicious. Then we ordered Dragon rolls and Moonlight rolls and more salmon rolls. Didn't get photos of it, but we were FULL. Then we came back to the house for some chips and guac and a little wine and beer.

Saturday, I made a blueberry coffee cake. I had it with a yogurt.

For lunch, we went out to Driftwood Winery and I packed a picnic.

After wine sampling, we found a nice table with a great view. I made Italian tuna and white bean salad, caprese salad, fruit salad and veggies with lemon aoili. I also grabbed some crackers. We had a Viognier with it. It was sublime. Much talking, much laughter, much reveling in the moment.

Then we drove on to Fredricksburg and did some window shopping and memory-making.

For dinner, we took her to Enoteca Vespaio, and honestly, I was underwhelmed. Got the usual calamari and margherita pizza.

Back to the house for more wine and snacks.

Sunday was more coffee cake and coffee. For lunch, I made roasted Cornish hens with roasted potatoes and onions and asparagus.

All in all, it was a great visit, but was sad to see her go. I had to buy a Snickers bar to console me.

She is my Brain Sister and I love her. We laugh alot, we talk about important issues and trivial things. We went through an important and formative four months together. I see her every few months, and I tell her basically everything. She understands me. She likes my cooking and my husband and my dog. We are Brain Sisters, and we are both members of the High Pony club and we are supermodel hott!

A Brief Note

2010-02-25T20:14:00.000-06:00

Here's the deal. Brain Sister's coming and today was a helluva day. So I am drinking a glass of red wine. I just spoke with my Brain Sister, am currently watching the Olympics, and am so excited, I feel like tomorrow is Christmas morn.

So here's a brief run-down of what I ate:

Oatmeal with milk and peanut butter
Coffee
Hot chocolate
PB&J on whole-wheat, 1 C baby carrots and an apple
1 oz turkey deli meat, 1 oz Provolone cheese, 4 chips and salsa
Black Bean nachos with pepper-jack cheese and salsa
Red Wine

Hope you have a great weekend! I plan on taking lots of photos of food this weekend. I'm out!

I'm Not Making Any Promises...

2010-02-25T15:17:00.000-06:00

Today has been very, very crazy. Very. But guess what? That matters none. Because in less than 24 hours, my BRAIN SISTER will touch down on Texas soil! Can you tell that I am very excited? Just to give you an idea of why I'm excited about seeing her... she e-mailed me yesterday to ask what we'd be eating as a distraction from a crazy day. Yes. That is why we are friends.

I have class tonight, and then will probably be making her bed up, all nice and fluffly. And I will be ~~cleaning relentless~~, er, I mean, tidying up. A bit of dusting, you know. Small stuff.

And as of tomorrow, my friends, I will be AWOL from the blog for a few days. Because I don't get to see my Brain Sister often, and so when I do see her, I savor every second. We will be laughing and drinking margaritas. We will be eating, and walking my dog in the sunshine. No time to blog. Sorry, people. You'll have to do without me.

Will try to blog tonight, but can't make ny promises!

Whew!

2010-02-24T20:12:00.000-06:00

Today was a little crazy. By which I mean, it was sort of zany and then I got stuck with more things for tomorrow that will make tomorrow even zanier. By which I mean, I got into the office, had to sift through e-mails, had to call lots of people within a small timeframe, be in a meeting, answer questions, etc. My routine got back to normal this afternoon. Tomorrow will be totally different.

Then I had to be on campus, get my transcripts sent to my grad school choice, do some studying and be in class. Class was fun. We talked about Ambien. Amen.

But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about FOOD.

Would a morning be a morning without oatmeal? Probably not. Had some with milk and peanut butter. Then I had a coffee DISASTER.

After getting dressed, I came down to eat (I had 10 minutes) and get out the door to work. I thought the coffee had been taken care of. I thought my husband, barista-extraordinaire, had made some. But he hadn't. Dangit! I was flapping around like a chicken in an ice bath. I was making oatmeal, washing apples for lunches and making coffee. I thought all was at peace when I sat down to eat, but when I got up to pour my coffee and leave, I saw that there was no coffee in the carafe. Because the carafe was not properly in the machine. So I pushed it in... and the coffee came rushing out of the filter basket. Most of it landed in the carafe, but some also got on the counter. And I wiped and cleaned and cursed. Then I poured my coffee, tasted it, cursed that it tasted burnt, and scuddled out the door.

[Insert work craziness here.]

Lunch was a bowl of black beans with some salsa, 1 C of baby carrots, and 2 C of cantaloupe cubes. For a snack before class, I had a cinnamon roll.

[Insert fun class talking about Ambien... and alkenes, but WHATEVER, that-is-boring-stuff.]

DINNER! Nachos. Heavenly food.

Black beans on chips and some salsa. Warm. Crispy. Salty. Dadgum delicious. I am happily home, happily cozy and happily relaxing.

Good night!

Hump Day

2010-02-24T17:33:00.001-06:00

Oh good lord. Today feels as if it will never, ever end. Currently, I am waiting for Organic chemistry to start with baited breath. Be still my beating gag reflex.

Oh yes, there is food to talk about and talk about it I will. But for now, I will leave you with a photo of my dog's backside while she pokes around the snow. The snow is all since melted.

There! May that bring you peace on this zaniest of hump days....

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Snow Day!

2010-02-23T20:10:00.001-06:00

Good thing I had today off from work, because I did NOT want to drive this morning. It snowed! I stayed under the covers for as long as possible, then got up and made a warm breakfast and some hot coffee.

Which was oatmeal, cantaloupe, and coffee.

Did I mention that it was PB&J oatmeal?

I spent most of the morning working on my grad school application. I got most of it and just have to tweak my essay before sending it in tomorrow.

I had a dentist appointment this afternoon, so I wanted to eat some solid food.

I made a sandwich with turkey, provolone and lettuce, some baby carrots and juice.

I had been sucking down coffee all morning as I worked and was really paranoid about nasty coffee breath at the dentist, so I switched to herbal tea... peach ginger to be exact. I heard ginger was good for bad breath, so I gave it a go. And I brushed my teeth. I'm sure both were effective...

My appointment was good, but expensive! I had an extra cavity that they discovered while filling my other one. I was also fitted for my nightguard, which was gross. The molding substance they use is like clay. It's so thick, I felt like I was going to choke on it and it makes this awful suction sound when they take the molding tray out of your mouth. But it's over with and I should get my guard in 2 weeks, so then my jaw won't be so tired from clamping down my teeth in my sleep!

Back at the ranch, I was happy to see that my evening class was cancelled due to weather. "Class cancelled." Is there another sound in the English language as sweet? So I sat down for dinner and I had a nice bowl of black beans with homemade salsa, some cheese and a red pepper tortilla.

Seriously, who could say no?

I'm so grateful to the advances in science that lets us eat solid food immediately after getting fillings.

I'm also grateful for SmartWool socks, my dog being funny during her first snow and my cuddling partner, Kendall. These things make me happy during cold weather.

Monday is over

2010-02-22T20:15:00.001-06:00

Todayvwas a day of repeats. This morning I had some oatmeal with milk and peanut butter. For lunch, chicken and veggies with an apple and cinnamon roll.

Work then class. Then I came home and made something scrumptous...

A cheese quesadilla with this awesome pepper tortilla and a salad on the side. So yummy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I Love Sundays

2010-02-21T18:34:00.000-06:00

I slept in this morning, then woke up and started baking. I decided to try my hand at cinnamon rolls. Why? Because they're delicious, that's why! Also, they are one of Kendall's favorite foods.

My first attempt wasn't too bad.

Here's what was left.

We spent most of the morning relaxing, baking, studying, grocery shopping and doing laundry.

Kendall made some pasta salad for lunch, but I forgot to take a picture. It was whole-wheat penne with alfredo sauce, broccoli, red onions, and tomatoes. It was delicious.

The weather was beautiful; it was clear, sunny and about 75 degrees. We had to walk! We took Maple on a nice long one. Then I folded clothes, cut Kendall's hair and we washed the car.

Here's some exciting news: one of my dreams came true today. I made extra pizza dough. Then I baked it and will freeze it.

So while I was letting the dough rise, I made some snacks, like guacamole and pulled out some leftover popcorn.

Kendall is a master popcorn-maker.

And I made a salad. I drizzled a little Ranch dressing on some lettuce, and then added some apple cider vinegar and a bit of olive oil.

It was fresh and it was green. I love that. Know what else is fresh and green?

Springtime is budding.

That's my pear trea in the backyard. It's budding. I love that too.

She brings joy to my life.

And I love my cute dog. If I had a tail, I would wag it because of her. But I don't. So I just say that she brings joy to my life.

So does this.

Pizza. Homemade. Why haven't I been doing this recently? Am I having an existential crisis? This is what I stand for, this is what gives me life breadth. Fresh, made-from-scratch, perfect-sauce pizza.

I need to go ponder my behavior. After eating some of this. With an IPA.

New Place

2010-02-20T21:58:00.000-06:00

This morning, I slept in! It felt so good to get some rest. I haven't been sleeping well this past week, so I took a Tylenol PM and it worked. I cuddled on the couch with the dog and made coffee. Kendall got up and we cleaned. I didn't get hungry until 11 am, so we just had lunch at about 11:30 am.

Kendall made pasta and white sauce with tomatoes and onions.

It was yummy, but the onions were pretty strong!

Then we took Maple out for a walk. We had a nice one, but noticed she has really been pulling during her walks and ends up wheezing and coughing. We've tried to teach her "heel" since we got her, but she gets so excited, she pulls ahead.

After her walk, we dropped her off and were ready for a snack. We thought we'd go find a new fried ice cream joint. We went to Sushi Niichi by campus, but found that they didn't have fried ice cream.

They did, however, have sushi happy hour starting at 4 pm. Lord have mercy.

We got an 8-piece plate of the tuna roll and an 8-piece plate of the salmon rolls. Both were delicious, but the salmon was our favorite. We decided to turn into an early dinner and split another plate of salmon rolls!

Blissful. We noticed the next door was a cute gift shop and they served bubble tea. That's all we needed to know.

I got an almond milk tea with less sugar. It was really good, but pricey. Then we returned a phone car charger and got Maple a harness and new leash. We had to return the harness for another size, but we got it figured out.

Then we took Maple for a little walk and were very pleased with the result! It acts like a pause button on the walk, so when she pulls ahead, we can hold the leash tight and we won't pull harder against it-- it just stops her in her tracks.

I've affectionately named her new item the "vest." Yes, I wish it was denim and yes, I wish I could embroider it and add some flare buttons. But nylon will have to do for now.

Now we're watching the Olympics, drinking some wine and perhaps having some popcorn and cookies.

So Happy it's the weekend...

2010-02-19T18:56:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday... I ate a lot more of the same. For Thursday's breakfast, oatmeal with milk and peanut butter. For lunch, chicken and roasted veggies with an apple. For dinner, the last of the lasagna and a bit of red wine.

Today, I had more oatmeal and peanut butter, more chicken and veggies with an apple and for dinner, cheese pizza, some salad and a beer. For snacks, I've had granola bars.

The food has been good, but mainly, I've been focused on how happy I am for the weekend. Work has been a little nutty, school has been busy, and I'm getting my grad school application together. I'm so excited to finally be applying!

This weekend will be spent running errands, getting things ready for when my brain sister comes to town, and hopefully seeing some friends from high school tomorrow.

Good night all!

Ugh

2010-02-17T20:07:00.001-06:00

I haven't felt awesome all day so I didn't take photos.

Breakfast: oatmeal without milk
Lunch: turkey and muenster on wheat and an apple
Snacks: granola bars

Dinner:

Spinach and pepper-Jack quesadilla! My stomach finally settled down.

Still tired though. Good might!

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Fat Tuesday

2010-02-16T20:07:00.001-06:00

It's Fat Tuesday, folks, and that can only mean one thing... Yummy food!

Luckily, my food wasn't that fat. I had a granola bar for a snack.

It was yummy in flavor but really, really chewy. My jaw got tired.

For lunch, some of that slow-cooker chicken meal I made on Sunday.

It was good but not salty enough. I also had an apple.

In between work and class, I ha some Goldfish crackers and a diet soda.

Then for dinner, some more lasagna and red wine. Maybe in honor of Fat Tuesday, I'll have some dessert.

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Gone to the Dog

2010-02-16T09:07:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

Maple woke me up at 5:50 am, so I took her out, cuddled on the couch with her for a minute, and then took a nice shower. Kendall is working from home today, so I just threw together my lunch for work.

Then I got to work on breakfast...

Oatmeal, of course! I repeated the half of a grapefruit again, because I loved it. Also, this oatmeal is pre-stir. I always stir all the peanut butter into the oatmeal. Always. But I wanted to give you an idea of how much add.

I also had a big glass of water. I've been SO thirsty first thing in the morning. It makes sense; I haven't had any hydration in over 8 hours. But still. I gulp down water like there's no tomorrow.

Last night, I stayed late to finish out a lab, instead of waiting until next week to finish it. This means I have no lab next week! I'm so excited about it. It's really made my day. When I got home, I found the cutest Valentine's Day gifts from my in-laws. They brought them over today. A big washable tote bag that is all cute with red, pink, orange, dark green and gray stripes. It's HUGE! Also, some granola bars, teddy bear and a bar of dark chocolate. Kendall got some pistachios, granola bars, and Goldfish. Yum! I settled in with a quesadilla and glass of wine. I was hungry after all that lab work! We got to bed a little late, so I'm sort of dragging this morning.

Also, I think it's time for an update on Maple. She's found a spot that she likes to rest her weary bones after days of sleeping, eating, and chasing the neighbor dogs through the fence.

Yep. Our couch. We did not mean for this to happen. We never intended this. When we got the dog, we swore she could dominate our weekend plans, but she would not take over the furniture. Maple had other ideas. Ideas about cozying up with her bones and chew toys, being near us, but not on us. Ideas about finding her own quiet solitude to dream of meeting other doggy friends while still feeling like a human on the big people sofas. We have covered our white sofa with a cheap blanket. She chews on it and through it. I have discussed this with her. She pays me no mind. She does what she pleases.

It's because she knows I'm helpless. When I go to pick her up at night, to carry her upstairs to bed, she's already cozy and warm and sleepy on ~~our~~ her couch. She looks at me dreamingly, and licks at my face, as if to say, "I love you. Let's cuddle up on my couch. Come cuddle me." And then, I'm a goner. Total goner. Give her the couch and the house. That dog's won my heart.

A Modest Dinner

2010-02-15T17:29:00.001-06:00

Dinner was served in the car and without much fanfare.

A PB&J sandwich with an apple. The jelly was blackberry, a possible new favorite!

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Lasagna Lunch

2010-02-15T12:36:00.000-06:00

Today has been nice and slow, due to the holiday. I love it! Lunch was warm and filling.

There it is in the bowl! Lots of tomatoes and spinach. But some of spinach didn't get totally washed, so there's a bit of grit. :(

Along with that lasagna, I had some salad with Italian dressing and a tangelo.

That's my orange water bottle, refilled! I've had a good 4 C already, and since lunch, I've had another 12 oz, so I'm up to 5.5 C now. Yay!

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

2010-02-15T09:39:00.002-06:00

Here's the slow-cooker lasagna recipe I made this weekend. I got it from Real Simple. What I liked about it was that it was easy, easy to control the fat and salt, it taste fresh, is meatless AND is pretty cheap! I subbed fresh spinach for the chard, because I couldn't find any in our grocery store.

I don't have my receipt with me right now, but I remember some prices off the top of my head...
Lasagna noodles: about $1.50
Diced Tomatoes: $2.15
Ricotta: $1.99
Spinach: $1.69
Mozzarella: $1.77

That's a total of $9.10! Not bad. I think it will be about 8 meals, which comes to $1.14 a meal. Steal!