Things I know....

I will have pies at my wedding.


Glazing makes anything prettier.


I love marshmellows. Especially authentically roasted in your house fireplace.


I'm terrible at chopping/cutting/peeling, anything involving knives.


I prefer cookie cutters. Or in fact, you don't need one to make lattice pies - just a square shape in your dad's desk will do just fine.


Cranberry is an awesome christmas color!


Burned pumpkin pies will sink.


You can always fit more pie filling in the pie dish.


Egg whites can be whipped into perfection.


Hand written recipes always turn out the best.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not Completely but Almost [Free]Tatta

I heard on the Today Show today that Thursday is one of the "unhappiest" days out of the week, based on a recent poll. I'm going to have to agree with the newscasters and say that I just do not agree! Like one of the ladies said, "I'm in a great mood today! ... Because tomorrow is Friday". Nothing wrong with that ;)

Because my weeks are getting more and more scattered with travel for work and play, I'm trying to be pretty frugal about buying groceries. There is nothing I hate more than having a ton of great looking produce and letting it go to waste because I end up traveling for the week. On the other note, sometimes when my fridge is full of fresh fruits and veggies, I end up eating waaaay too much because I'm afraid that it'll go bad. So, in an effort to try and just use anything perishable in my fridge, along with buying as minimal as possible I baked a delicious yet simple Frittata on Tuesday night!


In my fridge already was 4 organic eggs, some Jarlsberg cheese slices and 4 slices of Turkey bacon - (clearly I had a hankering for a bacon/egg/and cheese sandwich sunday morning). So I popped on down to the Chelsea Trader Joes which just opened and is the best thing on earth, literally :) Smiles appear on my face when I talk about it :) :)
...and I bought some mushrooms, grape tomatoes, and spinach for ~$5. Unbeatable.

Then I pranced on home, feeling pretty happy with myself and continued to bake the following:

Simple Frittata

Ingredients
- 3 eggs and 1 egg white
- 2 cups of mushrooms*
- 8 grape tomatoes*
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 slices of turkey bacon
- 2 slices of jarlsberg cheese
- coconut oil
- salt & pepper
- Thyme (1/2 Tsp)
*Use as many of these ingredients as you want and feel free to switch them up. That's the beauty of something like this, tons of different veggie combos can taste fabulous.
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Use butter or cooking spray to coat the bottom of a square baking pan (I assume any would work fine)
3. Put bacon on pan and cook until they look browned and crispy; place on paper towel to cool
4. Cut up mushrooms if they are not already sliced, and tomatoes in half
5. Saute cut veggies in 2 Tbs of oil until mushrooms are browned
6. Put veggies into baking pan to cover the bottom
7. Place spinach on top of veggies to add an additional layer
8. Scramble up eggs and egg white in a bowl and add a little water (or milk if you prefer)
9. Add in salt and pepper to your liking, and some thyme (Rosemary could work here to)
10. Add bacon to egg mixture
11. Pour egg mixture into baking dish
12. Pop into oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until egg looks well cooked
13. Take baking dish out and place cheese on top. Throw the pan back into the oven for an addtional 5 or so minutes, or on broil, to get a nice melted and crispy top.

Take out and enjoy!!

I was able to create 4 portions of this meal and use for lunch every day. Couldn't ask for anything better than a $1.25 lunch huh??

Happy thursday all - and feel free to enjoy it since tomorrow is Friday :)

Ooh Casseroohles

Yes I know that's not the actual spelling of casserole but give a girl a break - gotta be witty somewhere ;)
I have been on the hunt for some simple and healthy recipes that will allow me the least amount of time in the morning to prepare for lunch. Doing Jillian's shred in the morning along with a run sometimes has really made me late for work; thus was born the Santa Fe Casserole, adapted from Caitlin's recipe.
It was healthy, tasty, and so so easy to pop into a tupperware for lunch. Three cheers for Santa Fe!
Santa Fe Casserole


- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped dried chilies
- 1/2 tablespoon pepper
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup organic skim milk
- 1 and 1/2 cup three gain rice, cooked (purchased from Trader Joes)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 head of broccoli, steamed

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a skillet, sautee the onion, garlic, and coconut oil until tender. Add the salt and chilies.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pepper, milk, beans, COOKED brown rice, eggs, cheddar cheese, and broccoli.
4. Pour mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle with extra pepper.
5. Bake casserole for 25 minutes or until center is firm. (Mine took a little longer ~ 35, and then I turned the broiler on to get a good crisp on top)
6. Let cool 5 minutes and top in a tupperware for lunch!

Full Circle

Looking back on my first post from this blog, and thinking about why I started it in the first place, really makes me feel accomplished regarding what I've created here. I was in a "rut" of sorts and just needed to spice things up, so to say; or at least try to put my thoughts and actions into words and photos so that I could better see what was missing and what things were apparent in my life. Even though this site is still new, and I have [recently] not followed through on continual updating, especially in regards to what I eat and how I exercise, I still think that the posts that I have written have helped to reshape my outlook on the past few months and the future ahead that I have in New York. While there are a number of things that have changed, for the better, in my life since this blog started, I think that it really has come full circle when last Thursday I attended a blogger potluck at the lovely Leslie's apartment.
Getting together to meet, eat, and chat with five other ladies such as myself who have been able to find an interest and a common ground around food, exercise, and the blog-o-sphere was definitely the highlight of my "blogging career".

When is the last time you've contributed to a potluck and were you nervous about making something that everyone would like!?

While I do not proclaim to be a chef by any means, it was fun to experiment and add to the gorgeous potluck spread that not only looked unbelievable but tasted so good.

Katie's Peanut Hummus which added a nice and unique flavor that I had not yet had in regards to hummus, especially with some Mary's Crack[ers].
In the background there is a creation from Leslie's of white bean pesto with asparagus and roasted peppers which went great with the crackers as well.


Leslie also made this coconut sweet potato dip which I could have/did eat au naturale. Anything with sweet potato is unbelievable in my book and this was no exception.


Danielle's quinoa and broccoli bites - so simple yet so good.


Sophia's Lentil and Roasted Tomato bruschetta that tasted so delicious I think due in part to the fabulous spices and marinades that she explained went into it...mm mm


I prepared some spinach balls that consist of an easy mixture of frozen spinach, 1 chopped sweet onion, some butter, thyme, smashed bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. This recipe was easy to put together and was especially convenient for me because I had 20 minutes from the time I got out of work to get to the dinner - and therefore knew that I would have to make something before hand. After baking these guys for 20 minutes or so you can pop them in the freezer and then reheat them whenever you need!

And last but not least...

Megan's homemade peanut butter and chocolate cups. There is something so satisfying about homemade desserts that always makes me enjoy them just a little more than that store bought ones.

All in all a delicious night of wonderful people and wonderful food. I can truly say that these ladies were a joy to meet and I can't wait to do it again soon!! Not to mention I get to start catching up on all of their blogs now, which is always a treat...

Domestication

Do you ever wonder when the time will come when you are ready to settle down, move to the 'burbs, start cooking dinner for a family every night and seeing your girlfriends once a month when you all get together and sit around reminiscing about our crazy / wild twenties?? While I understand that things can always change on a dime and something I say right now may not be true in the future....right now I'm saying that this time is a looong way off for me.
While I may be too immature (is that the right word?) to start thinking about this now, I can appreciate some of the high points associated with this kind of life - a domesticated life...and I have a genuine admiration for girls my age who are makin' it work!

This saturday I had the pleasure of meeting a girl who is my age who I have a lot in common with, except for the fact that she lives way outside the city with her boyfriend. A bunch of us went back to their place to have dinner and have a few drinks and some conclusions that I drew by the end of the night were 1. This couple rocked 2. Their place rocked 3. They can still party like the best of us and 4. This girl could cook!! Having a fully stocked kitchen and cooking for two definitely has it's perks.
We (/ she) made penne a la vodka and a salad that was so delicious!!



Oh yes and the obligatory glass[es] of wine... :)
It was so great to be in a real apartment and have a home cooked meal on a Saturday night that I could really see the positive in living this kind of life... :)

So much so, I even did a little "faux" baking tonight! One of my family recipes is a yogurt pie, which I will make eventually on this blog. However, this weekend I picked up a little Greek Yogurt and some Agave Nectar and decided to try a slight variation on the classic.
Introducing: Berry Tart Yogurt Pie



It was delicious if I do say so myself! And healthy!

Sweet Escapes

I feel like most of the time the weekends just fly by and it's hard to recount what actually even happened. Luckily, that was entirely not the case this weekend. Friday night was lazy, which as any one who has read my past entries knows are my favorite :) This weekend though I was staying in because I had to be up at 6:30 AM on saturday for a super special event....

Snow Tubing and Beer Tasting!! 

Another Groupon.com fabulous find ... this site is amazing in case you haven't checked it out. This particular event was put on by Urban Escapes. They have trips in Boston, NY, DC and Philly and basically offer a chance for city-livers, such as myself, to get out of the concrete jungle for a day and do somethings that they love and miss about the country! Rock climbing, hiking, white-water rafting, snow mobiling; the list goes on and on. My roommate and I definitely enjoy getting out of the city and doing something a little different so we paid the discounted fee and got all of this:

My toes fell off somewhere between the 5th and 6th run, so after lunch I sat with my wet foot on the furnace until I could feel something resembling my pinkie toe. ouuuchhhh. 

In the afternoon we hopped back on the bus and drop to Captain Lawrence Brewery for a little beer tasting with the group! I am a big fan of microbrews and we got a short explanation of how they make the beer there. 

Interesting Fact: a major differentiating factor in beer is water. Soft water is what makes for good beer brewing which is how the major beer cities get started (Munich, NY, etc). I had no idea!

There were five types of beer that we tasted: Liquid Gold, Pale Ale, Imperial IPA, Brown Ale, Espresso Stout. My favorite type of beer in general is Guiness, so it was no surprise that the Brown Ale was so good!!!  My roomie and I ended up walking out with a growler (yeaa picture a 40 of good beer) of Brown Ale, and a little buzz ;)

Getting out of the city even for just one day was a really great way to relax, have a great time, and let loose! 

Tonight I'm doing a little laundry, which had to get done and trying out a new recipe to fulfill my sweet potato craving that has been taking ovaaa lately.

[Faux] Sweet Potato Pie 

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes 

2/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup organic skim milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 

6 to 8 tablespoons melted butter (just used about 1 pat) 

1/2 cup granulated sugar (used Stevia packets and just sprinkles) 

1/2 package of phyllo dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, toasted pecans, milk, vanilla, and salt.  Mix well, until fully combined.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Place one sheet of the phyllo dough down and brush on a thin layer of butter, sprinkle sugar on top. Add another sheet of phyllo dough on top and repeat. I did this with three layers all together, but you can do up to four. Then cut the sheets in half.    

4. Place a heaping spoonful of the sweet potato mixture at the bottom of the dough and roll the phyllo up diagonally to make a triangle (remember folding a flag a girlscout camp? exactly like that).  Fold the triangle of phyllo over straight, then diagonally, continuing the pattern until you reach the end of the sheet and the filling is completely enclosed.  I cut the "flags" in half so the dough eventually was exposed but this was just to make the pastries/pies smaller. 

5. Place them on a tray and throw 'em in the oven for about 20 minutes or until they are browned. Finito!

Final Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of sweet potato but this wasn't my favorite dessert evaaa. I kind of just liked spooning out the insides. ;)

Happy sweet sunday folks

Memorable Weekend Eats

I swear I didn't eat this whole thing...but I wish :)

My mom and brother came into the city on a whim (definitely a perk to having my family close by!) and we all went out to lunch! If you are ever in New York and are having a hard time deciding what/where to eat, Chelsea Market is a no-fail solution. There is sooo much going on in there! After perusing the mutliple options available, we ended up at Friedman's deli. I was seriously in the mood for a sandwich, so I got the Vegetable with Turkey on sourdough bread. 

It was HUGE and delicious and messy. Just perfect :) Oh and a side of sweet potato fries. If they're on the menu, they are being ordered, let's be serious.

 I also was able to make myself a little quick and easy dinner on friday by following this recipe from Nourish Network with a few tweaks to suit my needs:

White Bean and Kale Ragout with Sweet Potato and Sausage

1 T olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Chicken sausage (roasted red pepper but choose whatever flavor you like)

2 sweet potatoes (cut into cubes)

3 minced garlic cloves

4 cups of de-stemmed and chopped kale

1/2 cup of vegetable stock

1 can of cannellini beans, drained

1/2 can diced tomatoes, undrained

sea salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato until bronzed. Sprinkle with S&P and then add the sausage and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes, add kale and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender. Finito! 

Pancake Breakfast!!

Spelt Pancake Recipe

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

sea salt - just a pinch!

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbs flax seed

1/2 cup organic skim milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and slap it on the griddle! It made about 5 silver dollar pancakes. 

I didn't have any syrup so instead I just used some strawberry jelly and some almond butter. On the side I had a banana w/ almond butter and raisins (seriously an unbeatable combo). Such a delightful sunday breakfast!

As Promised...Sweet Tooth Recipes

Chocolate Covered Popcorn w. Sea Salt

3 tbs veggie oil

1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn kernals

2 - 3 tbs of butter (or to taste)

12 oz dark chocolate

1 tbs kosher salt

Heat the veggie oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Once hot throw in the popcorn kernels and cover with lid. Once the kernels start popping make sure the hold the lid down and continuously lift the pot up and shake.

You want to be sure that all the kernals are touching the bottom of the pot so that none of them burn. Same as you would in a microwave, once the kernals stop popping (i.e. about 15 seconds of no-poppage) take off the heat. In a separate pan, or in a double broiler, melt the chocolate and butter together. Pour over the popcorn until evenly covered. Place the popcorn on a tray and sprinkle with sea salt. Let it cool (or throw in fridge). Finito!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Sugar Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces dark chocolate chips
6 crumbled candy canes
1/4 cup white chocolate

1. Line a cookie tray with wax paper and preheat oven to 325°F (convection).

2. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. 

3. Beat butter in medium bow until smooth and then gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Next, beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. 

4. Gradually add the flour and salt mixture, just until blended.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls into the cookie tray and space them as evenly as possible. Use water to wet the tips of your fingers and press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.

6. Bake the sugar cookie base until light golden brown - this took about 18 minutes, but will vary based on your oven.

7. Once finished, take the tray out and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Once you see that the chocolate is starting to melt, spread it into an even layer using a spatula. Then, sprinkle the chopped candy canes over the top.

8. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, or over boiling water until smooth. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

9. Once the cookie is cooled, you can easily take it off the wax paper and break it up into as big or small pieces as you want! 

I Have a [Green] Monster Under my Bed

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was officially a member of the Green Monster Movement!! For those of you unfamiliar with Green Monsters, I first heard of them from Oh She Glows! It's essentially a Spinach Smoothie which your choice of add-ins. The benefits include decreased appetite for sweats, increase in energy, and a natural glow-yness for your skin! 

My Green Monster:

2 cups of Spinach

1 cup of Organic Milk

1 banana

1 scoop of Soy Chocolate Protein Powder

Okay I'm not lying, it was really good. So good that I took it down in like 2 minutes. Straws are no longer allowed because I just chug. It's absurd. 

I'm excited to continue making these in the morning -- I even have a Costco sized container of spinach to make sure I do :)

Make a Green Monster and then post your own recipe! 

"Food" for All

I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to make this primarily a food blog... I'm thinking no because there are alot of other things that I want to bring to light/focus on such as just general healthy living and enjoying/surviving in New York. With that said, I do seriously enjoy seeing what other food bloggers are eating and learning about their healthy habits. So I promise to try, as a newbie to the blog seen, to document my meals / snacks / slip-ups as they occur! 

I did my final bootcamp class this morning (which was seriously a killer)! I am proud to say that before 7:30 am I had done 250 pushups, 200 crunches, and more butt exercises than I ever thought physically possible. It was a rocking good time! Anyways, due to being at the gym and then going straight to work, I needed a portable breakfast.  See exhibit 1:

Some instant oatmeal with 1/2 banana, a handful of blackberries and 1/2 scoop of Soy Chocolate protein powder. 

When my mom came in on Sunday she brought me ... drum roll please... 

a CROCK POT! This thing rocks. No seriously.  Here is the recipe for the stew I made on Sunday night.

Veggie & Steak Stew

Ingredients:

~ 30 Carrots

1 chopped onion

1 can of tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

spices to tastes

3/4 lb of Stew meat (I chose steak)

1 cup of water or broth

Directions:

Throw everything into the crock pot! Let it cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-9.

This was the final product and it was a perfect lunch all week. You can put whatever ingredients in that you want and I'm sure anything would taste good :) Tip of the day: INVEST in a crock pot if you lead a hectic life. It can save you hours on food prep time. 

Mid Afternoon Snack consisted of a LARABAR.

If you haven't tried a Larabar before I seriously recommend it. I've heard of alot of people who try not to eat things that have ingredients that they cannot pronounce (which unfortunately is the case with most food that we all typically eat!). The ingredients in a Larabar, depending on the flavor, are Almonds, Dates and then usually just whatever flavor it is. Trust me, you can pronounce everything in it ;)  and they're tasty to boot.

Last but not least, I just munched on a dinner of greeeeeens ...

I steamed some broccoli and spinach, sauteed some tofu, and threw in some garbanzo beans. Pretty random but I have all this produce and I'm afraid it's going to go bad! It was good and did the trick none the less. It was a little lighter than some dinners that I have but I didn't get home from work until 8 and for some reason I really don't like eating post-8 pm. I think it's some sort of phobia that I have developed from hearing all these celebrity trainers saying they lock up the kitchen at 8 ?? 

Do you think there is any validity to this? What are your food faux-pas? 

Looking forward to a great night of Top Chef Finale!! Gooooo Kevin :)