February 8, 2010

Where do the weekends go?

This weekend turned out to be a really great weekend. Nothing interesting or unusual was planned, but the Professor and I had such a good time just being with each other. Permission to throw up now is granted.

Friday, the Professor and I went out on a little date. We wanted to try Molto, but with a 45 minute wait and a bar that was overrun by people, we opted out and hit up Cafe Lola instead. Our pizzeria wine bar date turned into french food date. Turned out to be A-OK for me.

We got a nice little bottle of Cabernet and I started us off with the Salade de Fromages. Mmm, cheese and salad. That’s my kind of heaven! The warm plate of Brie, Petit Basque, Blue, Goat & Gruyère cheeses, topped with a crisp green salad was Ah-mazing. While I’m writing this I am saying Ah-mazing like Oprah would. Just thought you should know. I haven’t had much cheese lately, and forgot about how much I love goat cheese. I think it is my favorite of all the cheeses.

After we devoured the hot plate of cheesy, salady goodness, our entrees came. I got a small plate of mussles steamed in a white wine vinagrette and the Professor decided to go with the organic chicken and pomme frites. Doesn’t it just sound better if you call them pomme frites and not french fries? I don’t think it makes them any healthier though. Sometimes you just gotta splurge!

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Saturday I went to spin (like every other Saturday) and afterwards we went and got some Starbucks and then headed on our merry little way to get some errands done. We stopped by Maltose Express for some more brewing supplies and then headed to the grocery store to stock up on necessities and Superbowl snackie-poos. The Professor signed us up to make 7-layer dip. The ultimate party favorite.

In with our other grocery gets were ingredients to make the Chickpea Blondie recipe from Have Cake, will Travel. I saw the recipe for this on another blog last week (forgive me–I can’t remember which blog-my sometimers is kicking in) and just couldn’t resist. Chickpeas in blondies??? Hmmm, I just had to see for myself how these bad boys would taste.

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I am happy to report that this recipe turned out pretty awesome. I don’t think you can even taste the chickpeas, but the professor thinks differently. I have had to put them in the freezer since I know he won’t be devouring them. Oh well, more for me! :)

It was actually my second recipe involving PB & J. Do you think I’m becoming obsessed? Last weekend it was pb & jelly muffins from How Sweet It Is and this weekend…chickpea blondies. I love baking. I have been craving my mom’s zucchini bread. Maybe that will be next weekend. Or…maybe my mamacita will fly 3,000 miles to bring me my favorite bread. Hmmm, not likely. A girl can wish, can’t she?

Saturday night was pizza night at the ‘ole Schacalieu household. Homemade dough, artichoke hearts, mozzarella, portobella’s and spinach. It was delish! We watched Whip It while enjoying our culinary masterpiece. Whip It was a bit disappointing. The Professor turned to me after it was over and said, “Whip it. Whip it good???” It had me laughing. I thought the movie should have focused more on the roller derby stuff and not the crappy, mush relationship stuff. Oh well, can’t win um all.

Zumba started off my Sunday and boy did it get it off to the right start. I am now in love with Zumba. If Zumba was a person I would want to marry it on top of a mountain! Did anyone just get the Anchorman reference? Wow, the Professor has a lot of competition lately. Hummus, hot yoga, almond butter,  Zumba…

After lazing around a bit we hit up the obligatory Superbowl party. I had no desire to watch this year and wan’t even going to partake in the 7-layer dip. I was good and brought my own delicious super salad instead.

Now it’s Monday and I’m off to New York to help work an event. I’ll be staying at The Standard (where nothing is standard—they don’t even have a sign, all hotels have a sign!) tonight and then I will be done sometime on Tuesday. Hopefully not too late.

Well, I have packed my oatmeal and am ready to roll! Here’s to the start of a beautiful week.

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February 7, 2010

All I wanna do is a zum zum zum

That’s right! I don’t mean I wanna zoom zoom zoom. I wanna zum zum zum…as in Zumba!!

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I went to my first ever Zumba class this morning and it was the most fun I have had during a class! I have been dying to try Zumba, but all the classes are either at 10am or 5:30pm which just doesn’t work with my work schedule. They finally added a Sunday morning class! This means I no longer have a sleep in day, but I don’t even care.

If you’ve never been to Zumba, get your butt to a class soon. It is high energy and is basically a cross between a hip hop and cultural dance class. There’s a lot of booty shakin’ and jumpin’ going on. I really need to practice my booty and boobie shakin’. Let’s just say, I can’t really “shake it like a Polaroid picture”, but I had fun trying. I don’t have much junk in my trunk, so I wasn’t that surprised at my lack of booty shakin’ abilily. The teacher was (of course) fantastic, but everyone just did what they could do and there was a lot of laughing.

I cannot wait until next Sunday. I have been on a Zumba high since I came home. An hour flew by like it was nothing. Zumba, where have you been all my life?

Have you Zumba’d? What did you think? Have you ever felt this way after a new workout experience?

Next up on my clipboard of fun is hot power yoga for an hour and then it’s time to make some 7-layer dip and get ready to “watch” the Superbowl. I’m in it for the commercials. No, wait. I’m in it for the food. :)

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February 6, 2010

I’m Lovin’ It

Yep, I’m lovin’ it and no, I’m not talking about McDonald’s. Although sometimes when we pass the golden arches I joke around with the Professor and say I want a burger and fries. I think he gets a little bit excited and then that hope dies inside when he realizes that I will never be serious when I say that. The Professor does have a weakness for their fries and when we use to do the long-distance thing, I would find wrappers in his car.

So what am I lovin’ if it’s not the fries from the Mickey D’s? Shape’s circuit workout from their February issue. What???? I’m finally reading all the magazines that have been collecting dust. Not just reading…but trying out the workouts.

Since my running is slowly coming around, I am trying to be creative in my workouts so I don’t get too bored. Good news on the running front! I ran twice this week for 20 minutes. I never thought that would make me happy, but things change.  I ran for 4min and then walked for 2 at a 7% incline. Guess what? No knee pain during and I have only been a little stiff afterwards. Whoo hoo! Little victories, right? Next week I am going to try and run/walk for 25 minutes. It’s really tough because with every strike of my foot on the treadmill, I am fearing that the sharp pain in one of my knees will start. I am scared to do more because I don’t want to make anything worse. I did my PT exercises 3 days this week, not bad…but not great. I should be doing them 5days/week.

After I did my run/walk thang, it was time to pump some iron. I really like doing circuits because I am not a 3-sets kind of gal. I get bored. I have exercise ADD. This was my second time this week doing this workout and I really like it. Here’s how it goes in case you don’t have the newest issue of Shape. This is from their 2010 Bikini Body Countdown (although, I can’t seem to find this workout on their website). Crap! Are we already counting down to bikini time?? It’s time for me to step away from the chocolate! Maybe this is the year my abs will come out of hiding.

Well, I was going to write this whole workout out for ya, but I am a visual person so you’ll just have to wait until I scan the magazine pages into the blog or take pics of myself doing them. Sorry, I’m just not that motivated this morning to get all blog-crazy. You are probably better off buying a copy of Shape if the February issue is still on the stands. I will write out a couple of my fav moves and I’ve found a couple pics for them.

Here’s what I do: I go through the whole circuit once and I’ve added jumping rope for a minute after I’m done and then I do all the moves again. I do 15 reps of each move.

Here’s what you need:

  • handled resistance tube
  • 3-5 lb dumbbell (i’m using 5lb)
  • pair of 8-10lb dumbbells (I’m using 8lb)
  • 6-9 lb body bar (I’m using 12lb)
  • a step
  • 3-6 lb weighted ball (I’m using 6-8lb)

First move: Ticktock squat. You’ll use the handled resistance tube for this one. If you’re a visual person click here for a demo. Basically, what you do is stand of the center of the tube with your feet shoulder width apart. Have your elbows bent 90*. Your hands should be at your waist. Rise up as you shift your weight on to the left food and raise your right foot off the ground. Maintain the distance between your legs, put your foot back down and squat. Do the same thing on the other side.

Second move aka my favorite move: Single-arm Sunshine. Here is what Shape says to do, “Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a 3-5lb dumbbell in right hand at shoulder, palm facing away from you, left hand on hip. Extend right arm across your body to the left then raise it overhead, palm facing away from you. Move arm to the right, and slowly lower it in an arc until it reaches right hip. Return to starting position and repeat. Switch sides to complete set.” I love this move, it is great and I totally feel it with a 5lb dumbbell. Maybe I’ll put a pic up of me doing this if it seems confusing.

Third move: Dumbbell clean. This move takes me back to Kettlebell class. If you look it up online, it’s not quite the same as the clean’s they show. This one is more controlled and since you aren’t using that heavy of a weight you don’t use the momentum that you would with kettlebell’s. So here’s what you do…get your 8-10lb weight and position your feet wide, toes turned out.  Like a plie squat. Take the dumbbell in your right hand and it should be at your shoulder with your palm facing in. Squat low. Come up to stand, knees straight, and push the weight straight overhead, rotating your palm away from you. Look up at the weight when your arm is extended. Return to squat position and repeat.

So, I don’t know if that was helpful at all. Hopefully you get the jist of it. I will get all of the circuit posted soon on my Movin’ and Groovin’ page. Next week I am going to try another workout from one of the many magazines that are still sitting on the coffee table. Do you have any workouts that you are loving right now? What do you do to get out of an exercise rut?

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February 5, 2010

Hot for Hummus

I think I have an addiction. A problem?  An obsession?

Don’t worry, I don’t need an intervention. Wait. Maybe I do.

I have the hots for hummus. I love, love, love hummus. I can’t go a day without it. You think I’m joking, but I’m not. The Professor and I go through tubs of hummus like it’s going out of style.

Lately, I have been enjoying hummus on my salads with hot sauce. That may just be the best combo known to my taste buds. Something about the tahini dressing when it mixes with the hot sauce and hummus and all the veggies is just divine.

My fav brand of hummus is Sabra. I think I need to buy some stock.

I usually just go with their hummus with pine nuts, roasted garlic or tahini. Even though I usually buy the pre-made stuff, I am no stranger to making my own hummus. We just go through it so quickly. My cuisinart hand mixer cannot keep up.

I’m not quite sure when this love affair began. I’m pretty sure it started innocently a couple years ago and has blossomed into a full fledged obsession. Kind of like when I was in 8th grade (?) and first watched Legends of the Fall. Yeah…I had way too many Brad Pitt posters for that to be called “healthy”.

Actually, I really think I should rename my blog. No one take this name!!!

If this was a Dr. Suess book, it would go something like the opposite of Green Eggs and Ham. Everywhere that kid said he wouldn’t eat green eggs & ham, is where I could be found eating hummus…on a train, in a plane, on a box…

Hummus is quite a mighty food as well. Did you know it is one of the world’s oldest foods? It is full of fiber and heart healthy fats. Are chickpeas a superfood? They are in my book!

Alright, you get the point. Who wants to read a whole post, just about this obsession. What foods are you obsessed with? Chocolate is second on my list!

Some food for thought. Or. Thought for Food.

My friend had this quote posted as her gmail status. I really thought that it rings true and sometimes it can be hard to remember…what we put out there is what we get back.

The world is like a mirror; frown at it, and it frowns at you. Smile, and it smiles, too. –Herbert Samuel

Hope everyone is smiling. Remember, it’s Friday!!! That is cause enough to smile.

Photo Sources: Sabra

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February 4, 2010

What the Kale??

The Professor was out last night wining and dining a potential Yalie. That basically means free dinner at an upscale New Haven joint. Not too shabby for a Wednesday night. Unfortunately, I was not able to participate in said wining and dining. Woe is me! No, not really. I drank a glass of vino while my kale chips roasted in the oven. Pretty fine night for me, if I say so myself.

I have never, ever in my whole life have never made kale. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it. I thought it looked like a vegetable I had encountered before when we purchased it from the store, but I couldn’t place it. Then, it hit me. I know kale! It’s the pretty green stuff that caterers normally put shrimp on. I immediately thought, uh oh, should I be eating a garnish? Oh, what the kale, I still gave it a go.

I was really hoping these kale chips came out tasty because while prepping them, I had a kitchen catastrophe. I broke out salad spinner! The Professor is not going to be happy with me. This is one of our fav gifts that we got from our wedding. It is so practical! We use it all the time. I am Queen of the Salads, so you know I am spinning a heaping amount of lettuce clean.

Here’s how it happened. I was spinning my kale clean when I left the kitchen to get my camera like a good little blogger. Problem was, the spinner hadn’t stop spinning. It spun itself onto the floor. It committed spinner suicide. Just look.

The OXO salad spinner lost a vital part. That little guy use to be a part of the bottom of the bowl. Damn it! Now, I have to go buy a new one. I double the OXO people are reading my little blog. The spinner has had it’s last spin. It is all spun out.

Like I said before, these kale chips better blow my mind. I was hell bent on not burning them.

I prepared the kale by adding some deluxe olive oil that I got from my sister-in-law for Christmas. I decided the olive oil with a bit of spice sounded nice and tossed the kale in that.

Then I salt and peppered it and added some nutritional yeast as well. Here is the kale getting ready to go into the inferno oven. Do you think if kale could talk they would say, “Yeah, I am so excited for our vacation. I can’t wait to get out of this cold and into the warmth!” Sorry, that was totally random. I have odd thoughts sometimes. Back to the kale…

Oooh, I was so excited to try it. I was truly hoping I wouldn’t burn it. It started making popping sounds in the oven. Is that normal?

Nutritiondata.com had this to say about kale:

This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

On a total side note: I came to a conclusion on Wednesday. I hate the dentist. When I was a child, I loved going to the dentist. I don’t know why…I just always thought it felt so good to have your teeth cleaned. Now I feel like they think I am incapable of brushing and flossing correctly. Jeez. I’ve been flossing & brushing (well, definitely brushing) for 28 years and I’ve never had a bad dental review. How am I 28 and now (all of a sudden) my gums are starting to recede and I need to brush softer and floss like my life depended on it. I think they just want to make you bleed. No one flosses the way they floss for you when you are in that dental chair. It’s like they have a vengeance against your gums. I have also come to the conclusion that I am 28 (on the verge of being 29) and am trapped inside an 80 year-old body. I have bad knees, I fall a lot, I am losing my mind, and now…on top of all of that…I have bad gums. C’MON!!!

Ooh, my kale chips finished baking. Yum! I think they might have been a teensy bit overcooked, but they were still good. That olive oil is nice.  Thanks Caroline! (hope you’re reading :) ) Gave it just the right hint of spice.

Anyone got any other good ways to cook kale? Is there something you use to like as a child, but now despise? Is it sad that I get excited over having a glass of wine and cooking kale on a Wednesday night?

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February 3, 2010

Oooey Gooey Cake

Last night was the LOST season premier! Did you watch it? What did you think? The Professor and I thought it was a bit slow for a premier, but we see where they are taking the season. Or we think we can see. You never know with LOST, now do you?

As a “thank you” to my co-worker and her husband for letting us have a LOST premier party with them–I brought a cake. Warning: this cake is not healthy. It is more accurately described as a heart attack waiting to happen. What you are about it see is oooey and gooey and delicious and calorie laden. It is not healthy and it is not vegan. It’s something that if you have kids and you give it to them, I’m pretty sure they will be running around the house for hours. I have no real way of knowing this–it’s just a guess.

This cake is  not something I normally make for the Professor and myself, but I knew our hosts would love it, so now I’m going to write about it. You know why? Cause it’s really, really good!

My Mamacita gave me this recipe. I don’t know where she got it from, so I’m sorry if I am stealing your recipe.

Here’s what you do. Go to the store and buy yourself a box mix (gasp) of cake. The recipe calls for German Chocolate cake mix, but apparently that doesn’t exist in Connecticut, so I went with a double chocolate cake. If you know where it does exist I would love to know. I have scoured the aisles of Stop n’ Shop until I was ready to scream or hurt a small child.

Cook the cake according to the box. I cook it in a 9 x 13 pan. Once the cake is cooked and cooled, it’s time for the fun to begin. Take the opposite end of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, I find the fat end of the chopstick works perfectly. Then you are going to stab your cake with the chopstick. Well, gently stab. You don’t need a cake massacre on your hands. The cake looks like a normal cake should look like before, but after–here’s what it looks like…

Yep, you see it correctly folks. There are holes in that there cake! Next up you are going to add these two ingredients.

Your eyes do not deceive. That is 17oz of caramel sauce and 14 oz  of condensed milk. You can also do butterscotch topping as well. You are going to pour the condensed milk over the top of the cake and let it absorb. Then you do the same with the caramel sauce. Is it caramel or carmel? Is it both? Is one more proper? Is one English?

Once you pour all the sticky goodness over your hole filled cake you need cover it with foil and let it refrigerate for 2 hours. After that…get ready…you top it with cool whip and toffee chips.

Isn’t it beeeaaaauuuuutiful? It kind of is, isn’t it? Now, I actually didn’t eat any of this cake, but I have enjoyed it in the past. Go ahead, indulge, make it for Superbowl. Your less healthy friends will be happy that you did!

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February 2, 2010

3.5 Thumbs Up

Over the weekend, when I wasn’t busy being a domestic goddess, I was on the couch watching some movies I have been interested in seeing. The Professor owed me, so I got to pick out two movies and he was forced to watch them with me…complaint free. This is hard for the Professor because he is a know it all movie buff  and can usually be heard humfing or making snide comments during my movie pics. This usually ruins the movie experience for me and I don’t drag him to see chick flicks anymore. Although, he did really like Love Actually and I know if we had cable he would be watching Lifetime all the time. At least he has his own movie blog now where he can let his option be heard. Maybe that will make our sofa a quiet, peaceful viewing place from now on.

Watch out Rotten Tomatoes, here come my movie reviews. First up…Julie & Julia.

This being the blogosphere and all, I am sure many of you are familiar with this movie. Probably everyone is secretly hoping to be the next Julie. Wouldn’t that be cool? I’m not going to hold my breath, but it would be cool.

On to the movie. I thought Meryl Streep was suburb in this movie. She totally had Julia Child down. I loved, loved, loved all of the scenes with her and her husband. It was also very interesting to see how she actually became the “Julia Child” that we all know. Did you know that although Julia Child wasn’t impressed with Julie, she actually loved the Dan Aykroyd impression of her from SNL? That was a little trivia point from the Professor.

I liked Amy Adams, but was not a fan of her husband. He seemed sweet enough and all, but seriously…the way he ate food was disgusting. Did anyone else notice this? Every time he ate, he was making loud smacking noises and something was usually falling from his mouth. The amount of talking he did with his mouth full and chomping away was just gross. What would Miss Manners think?

All in all, I enjoyed the movie. It was light-hearted and entertaining. I would recommend it to friends so it gets 1.5 thumbs up in my book. The gross factor of the eating brought the movie down a 1/2 a thumb for me. Rotten Tomatoes gave it 75%…in case you were wondering.

So, what movie followed Julie & Julia? Let’s just say it was not a movie that gave you the warm and fuzzies. Although, it was about food. Any guesses? I won’t make you wait any longer, you can stop frothing at the bit. We watched Food Inc. I have been wanting to see this documentary for…well it seems like forever.

I am sooo glad I watched this movie. I think most people would find it absolutely shocking. It is crazy to me that people don’t know where their food comes from. I have read quite a few things about the food industry, so this movie wasn’t all that revolutionary for me. I actually thought they it would be more graphic and grotesque when it came to showing the slaughterhouses. It’s really not that graphic, so if you haven’t seen it and that’s what is keeping you from watching–I suggest you rethink. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 96%…doesn’t that mean anything to you???

This movie did really make me think. What else can I do to keep myself healthy? I already don’t buy any meat except for chicken that is hormone free and grass fed and fish. The amount of meat that we buy is miniscule. I did get to thinking about the veggies we consume. Obviously, there are a lot of chemicals and hormones going into the ground where these are grown. Buying organic is key. I know that some fruits and veggies are more important to buy organic like apples and lettuce. Check out this list of the “dirty dozen”.

Buying local is also key. There is a little veggie and fruit stand that is open during the spring, summer, and fall by our house. It’s actually on the way to the grocery store. I told the Professor that instead of buying our fruits and veggies from the store, we should support our local farmers and go to this stand. Duh! What have we been thinking. We always try to check out the farmer’s markets around here, but next to the ones we use to go to in California (SLO had one of the best I’ve ever been to), the ones out here are just depressing. Well, we’ve got to turn our frowns upside down and start buying what we can.

The one thing that does scare me is that companies making organic products will sell out and we won’t be able to trust anything that we buy. Already the label “organic” is becoming easier and easier for products to claim. Is anyone else scared of this?

I really do feel like our voices can be heard. Companies like Walmart are re-stocking their shelves based on what people are buying. I’ve noticed so many more healthy, organic, gluten free products in the grocery store. I use to only be able to get Bragg’s at the health food store, but now that–and other products like Agave Nectar are staples in the grocery store. That is pretty cool!

As you may have guessed, this movie got 2 thumbs up from yours truly. I hope everyone goes out and sees this movie or inspires someone who would never have gone out and rented it, to rent it. I think it’s important for all of us to know where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Anyone have any other views on these movies? What were your thoughts on Food Inc.?

In butternut squash news…my roasting went well. I enjoyed my butternut squash with rice and portobello mushrooms for lunch. I can’t wait to roast some more and try other recipes. I just roasted it with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.

In tv news…who is excited beyond belief for Lost!?!?!?! I cannot wait for tonight! No, we don’t have cable, but we have friends that do!! Tonight, the Professor and I will be watching the premier live. whoo hoo!

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February 1, 2010

Kitchen Days

Yesterday the Professor and I basically spent our entire day in our kitchen. This is a bit crazy considering how small our kitchen is and the lack of counter space. Let’s just say “cramped” pretty accurately describes our situation.

We had a big day of brewing and baking. I wasn’t the only one who got a workout yesterday (hot yoga kicked my ass). Blue Betty got a great workout in as well.

The Professor and Blue Betty spent the morning together while I was sweating my ass off– literally. We were planning pizza for dinner and the Professor’s specialty is the 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 unbleached flour dough that he makes. He use to work in a pizza parlor, so the dough is his baby.

We gave Blue Betty a rest while we brewed beer together. The Professor has gone back to brewing beer after a 2.5 year hiatus. This was our first time brewing a batch together. It was fun, but there is a lot of lag time. I don’t sit still that well, so I’m not sure if it is the pastime for me.

After brewing was complete, I was ready to bake! I saw this recipe for Whole Wheat PB & J muffins over at How Sweet It Is and was dying to make them. I suited up and was ready for action.

I finally got to wear the cute apron that my Mamacita got me for Christmas. I think Bernadette inspired me. Aren’t I just 50’s housewife adorable.

I made just a couple modifications to the recipe. I didn’t use egg whites, I used soy yogurt instead. Also, I used raspberry jam from TJ’s instead of the reduced sugar stuff. Lastly, I didn’t use fat free milk, I used the remaining almond milk we had and then topped it off with rice milk. Here were the muffins after I added the jelly.

I don’t know if I should have used whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular WW, but my mixture seemed a bit thick. I could have  added more milk, but I like to live on the wild side.

Here was my finished product.

12 beautiful muffins. I think it’s cool that you can see the jelly spilling out. They actually are pretty darn tasty. I think that the whole wheat flour is overshadowing the peanut butter. Does anyone know if using WW pastry flour will make a difference? Maybe I just need a different brand of WW flour? I was also thinking…maybe there would be more peanut butter taste if I put the peanut butter in when I added the jelly? Hmm, maybe I will experiment.

It was fun to bake again and I know that the Professor and I will gobble these PB & J jems up. It feels like I haven’t baked anything in ages. I think my next baking adventure will be green tea muffins. I got some green tea powder and I think I can come up with either a scone or muffin recipe and it would be great! Look at me toot my own horn. Let’s be real. I’ll be taking a basic muffin recipe and adding some green tea powder.

Next up….roasting some butternut squash for the first time. How have I never done this before? Wish me luck!! I’m planning on eating it for lunch with some brown rice and avocado dressing. Any tips? Any great butternut squash recipes?

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January 31, 2010

Gone Nutty

Lookie what I picked up when the professor and I went to Whole Paycheck Foods yesterday…

Cashew Butter and Almond Maple Butter. I think I am going nutty for nut butters. I got the cashew butter because I am going to make a potato soup recipe that I saw on Oh She Glows. I got the maple almond butter because it sounded delicious. I just got the two little packets of it. I can’t wait to try it.

Speaking of trying things. I tried another one of the KIND bars I got from the awesome folks at KIND.

This almonds and apricots bar was delish (as expected). I can honestly say that there hasn’t been a bar that I’ve tried that I wouldn’t give 2 thumbs up to. I wish I could give you all some of these to try. KIND folks, are you out there…can we get a contest going or what?

Yesterday I went nutty cleaning the house for around 4 hours. I really was Cinderella. My evil stepmom is the professor though. All he lets me do is clean. Just kidding. It is odd that he is never around when the said cleaning takes place. Hmmmm.

Once all my chores were finished I had time to make a little something. I got the most hilarious birthday card from my friend Melinda for my birthday last year. It seriously fit me to a T. Why do people say that? To a T? Is that how you actually spell it or is it tea, tee, just t? I don’t know. If I’m wrong…deal with it.

Anyhoo, I decided to frame the card so that I could love it forever and so that it would stop collecting dust in a dark corner in my room.

You can’t really read it, so here’s what it says: Bernadette never tired of eating a healthy salad every day. Her Secret? Vodka Vinaigrette.

I just love this card. It cracked me up the first time and it’s soooo true. I never tire of my salads. Now, if I was only named Bernadette. Thanks Melinda for the continued joy this card has brought me. I have it hanging in my kitchen over my spice rack. Maybe I should put some Vodka next to the spice rack?

This nutty salad lovin’ gal has got to get ready for heated vinyasa yoga. If you love reading my blog and just have to read more stop over to Eating Bender to read my guest post. Happy Sunday!!

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January 30, 2010

I’m a guest poster

Go check it out! I’ve invaded another bloggers blog. Pretty cool. Thanks Jenn! Visit Eating Bender and check it out. The post will also be featured on my Eating Good Recipe page.

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