Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Top 13 in 2013

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You guys like dessert.

I guess that’s why we get along?

Happy New Year!!!

As I looked back at the top posts of 2013, I knew there would be a lot of sweeter dishes.  But whoa.  Of the top 13 2013 posts, 6 were sweet recipes.  What I didn’t realize was that the Work It Out posts are popular too!  I’ll do a better job to writing more of those in 2014 – I’ve been pushing it at the gym, but slacking on the writing.

Thank you to everyone for all of the visits, comments, and many, many laughs in 2013.  I’ve loved getting to know so many awesome people this year, and look forward to continuing these relationships for years to come.

Enough much!  Here’s the lucky (top) 13 to start out ’14…

Top 13 in 2013… 

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Black-Eyed Pea & Roasted Garlic Hummus

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Black-eyed peas supposedly bring luck on New Year’s.

Don’t we all want to get lucky?

This year I could use a little extra luck, so I made sure to concoct a black-eyed pea dish to share with friends at our New Year’s Eve pairing dinner.  I used traditional hummus ingredients, but replaced chickpeas with canned black-eyed peas.  What resulted was a fantastic, black-eyed pea hummus.

Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

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Merry Monday

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Christmas ends so quickly!

So does the dessert.

I took a nice, long blog break last week to enjoy the time with my family.  It was great to take some rest… but I was excited to come back and share, and to read everyone else’s recaps!  Is anyone else still full? 😉

Our Christmas Eve was a little different this year – we went out to dinner!  That was fun, but the best part was our tradition of sharing dessert and drinks at home with some family friends.  I make something different every year.  This year was chocolate-hazelnut martinis and an amazing Sweet & Salty Chocolate Guinness Pie topped with marshmallow meringue.

Sweet & Salty Chocolate Guinness Pie

I followed this recipe, with a few adjustments.  I halved everything to make just 1 pie.  Instead of graham crackers I mixed pretzels with ginger snaps in the crust.  I also made a simpler meringue.  Rather than doing it over heat, beat the egg whites into a fluff and slowly added sugar to keep it light. Then, I melted the marshmallows in the microwave before adding them in.  I skipped the Guinness reduction and in favor of bourbon extract.

That meringue was insanely good… I must say this is one of the best desserts to date!

 

Christmas morning was a sure sign we are all grown up – after a late night, we slept until 9am and no one touched a present until almost 10:30!  This is unheard of in my family.

It gave me time to take some pictures of my favorite ornaments.  The one on the bottom right was my great grandmother’s!

Christmas ornaments

French press coffee in hand and fire built, we dug into the bounty.  Even Honey (the dog) waited patiently for her turn to explore her stocking.

Mom out did herself, as always.  We are lucky girls!  I got a ton of clothes, a pizza stone, new towels (my only request – another sure sign of being an adult!), some cool glass bottles, make-up, chocolates… and bacon duct tape.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if it was scratch ‘n sniff tape?!

Presents

Brunch is the big-deal meal in my family.  So is taking pictures of everything we eat.

Mom staged a shot of the sparkling wine and ambrosia:

One of our most-loved traditions is the champagne brunch.  I brought a bottle of sparkling from my Napa trip – a Schramsberg Brut Rosé.

It went well with our smorgasbord.  We had ambrosia, Italian sausage and cabbage saute, local bacon, toast, scrambled eggs, mâché (greens), and mushrooms (so good sautéed in bacon remnants and fresh rosemary).

Christmas champagne brunch

Then we lounged.  We Skyped my other sister in Portland.  I napped.  I never nap… bacon and sparkling are to blame!  😉

But we aren’t total lushes couch potatoes.  A few hours later we took Honey for a 3 mile walk by the river.  It’s pretty close to where my dad is buried, so we made a pit stop to say hi.  Honey jumped right up on the bench there to say hi.  It was really sweet.  And really cold… we hauled it back home for hot tea and to begin dinner.

Honey

Dinner was another tradition – my friend Ben and his partner came over.  Ben makes the best chocolate-coated toffee I have ever had, and every year he comes over for a meal and to deliver a bag of crack toffee.  We snacked on a cheese plate, enjoyed some wine, and prepared dinner.

Mom helped me to roast my first whole chicken.  It turned out really well!  We ate that with a spaghetti squash and bacon creation and a salad.  And more wine.  (Read: we slept in again.)

Christmas Dinner

This marvelous Christmas deserves a link up over at Katie’s MIMM!

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I’m prepping for a NYE pairing dinner I’m co-hosting… and then I must admit I’m excited to get back on the clean eating train.

What is the big holiday meal in your family?

What was the best gift Santa brought you this year?

Strange But Good: Mexican Chocolate Cake

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Dessert is my favorite part of a fiesta.

Christmas counts as a fiesta, no?

I made this for Thanksgiving, but it would be fantastic for a Christmas dinner, too.  Or New Years.  Or just for breakfast.

When you read the ingredients in this cake, you’ll see that it actually wouldn’t be so bad to have at breakfast.  It’s full of healthy fats and protein, and sugar-free!  This brings me to the strange.  The healthy fat in this one is avocado.  It’s good, I swear.

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Between the avocado, eggs, and yogurt, this is one of the lightest, moist cakes you’ll ever have.  It’s the perfect end to a heavier dinner.  You could eat half of it without blinking an eye.  Not that I would know.

The almond, cinnamon, and cayenne are the Mexican part.  If you’re concerned about the cayenne, you could leave it out.  It’s not overwhelming; it simple gives the smallest hint of “hmmmm” at the end of a bite.

Mexican Chocolate Cake with Coconut Icing

The icing on this cake was yet another healthy fat addition.  I whipped coconut cream into a pillow-y spread for the cake.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem stiff enough at first – it will firm up as it settles.

You can have fun with the flavors here.  I added vanilla and cinnamon, but a liqueur like Frangelico or pie spice would be excellent as well.

I know several of you made these Chocolate Avocado Cookies or these (Vegan) Blood Orange Scones… vouch for me! You really can’t taste the avocado.

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Mexican Chocolate Cake

  • 1 small avocado
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 C xylitol (or other sugar substitute)
  • 3/4 C Icelandic yogurt (or Greek)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • Coconut Icing

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare a bundt pan.

In a small blender, mix the avocado and eggs until smoother.  Stir in xylitol, yogurt, and extracts until combined.

Whisk together dry ingredients.  Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet.

Once combined, add in milk and beat well.

Pour into bundt pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10-15 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.

Eat as-is, or ice the cake with whipped coconut cream frosting.  I used this recipe for the coconut cream whip, only I subbed more xylitol for the sugar, and added vanilla and cinnamon.

Note: Like most cakes, the flavors improve after that cake has a day to rest.  Do wait to frost it until the day of.

 

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Sprint 2 the Table

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂


***

My mom took home a couple of slices and called the next day (at breakfast) to tell me it had gotten even better!  I think day 2 is the perfect storm for this one.

Avocado.  Would you bake with it? Have you ever?

What is your favorite dessert for the holiday season?

Taking Care of Your Health, For Real….

By

My office had a tornado.

 

This should help explain fewer posts and the lack of replies:

EC schwag

 

My company’s formal launch is Jan 1.  Add to that all the holiday obligations and preparation… we are the poster children for the expression “running around like a chicken with it’s head cutoff.”

Who else is feeling overextended?  Kat’s post below is one we all probably need to hear right now.  It hit home for me!

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Taking Care of Your Health, For Real….

 by: Kat

I had no idea what to write about, so you’re getting a random health lecture from me regarding your very important Adrenal Glands, a very short concert review, and wishes for very happy holidays!

I’m sure I’m lecturing my doll here on something very important

I’m sure I’m lecturing my doll here on something very important

 

So I know I may appear to be all kinds of balanced and stuff on this blog, but maybe my body doesn’t see it that way.  I found out about 6 weeks ago that I have adrenal fatigue.  Stress is no joke, and my body is paying for it.  I hate to admit this here, but I think it will help many of you who go-go-go… and go…  (Editor’s Note: I wouldn’t know anything a bout that… *ducking head*)

Have some awareness around what stress can do to your body.

balance

 

Your adrenals are an extremely important part of your system.  They regulate your stress hormones, sex hormones, and a number of other bodily functions.  If they are not healthy, your whole body gets out of whack.  (Editor’s Note: In the words of the late, great Whitney, “Crack is whack.”)

Oh, and you should also know that your body doesn’t know the difference between physical and emotional stress.  Little did I know about this when I was attempting to run 100 miles shortly after studying for and taking the bar exam.  NOT SMART.

 

The symptoms are crazy… sleeplessness even when you’re exhausted, moodiness out of nowhere that’s purely physical and not necessarily caused by anything else, random pains in your body, not being able to focus, not being able to generally cope with day-to-day stressors in a reasonable manner.

Now I’m trying to get my health back in order.  That means LOTS of vitamins and minerals, eating as close to the end of a run/workout as possible (Editor’s Note: A good rule of thumb is to eat within 30 mins), and getting essential fats in my diet.

adrenal honey

 

Oh, and most importantly, you have to rest.  Again, something I’m really not good at. (Editor’s Note: Preach on! Rest is so boring…)

However, with the help of an excellent partner-in-crime, we slept until 12:30pm on Saturday (I know, right?!!?), then had food, went back to bed, woke up and walked to a P!NK concert, which was amazing!

It was really hard to get good pics!

It was really hard to get good pics!

 

P!NK is the epitome of an athlete and a performer.  It was a spectacular show, with tons of dancing, acrobatics, and aerial skills.  If you have not seen her live, I highly recommend it.  It was an early Christmas present, and part of my new resting regimen.   (Editor’s Note: So jealous!  She’s my hero.)

 

I hope you all have fantastic holidays!  We will be staying here, resting and relaxing with the animals.  Yes, no shuffling from house-to-house, no stress.  Just warmth, love, maybe some friends, and definitely some good cocktails (if I’m feel better by then).  (Editor’s Note: Come to my house!!!)

happiness

 

Happiness from the inside out… on the way!

***

The winner of the Sizzlefish giveaway has been selected!  Click here to check back at the post for the lucky winner!

Have you ever had a health issue you didn’t see coming?  How did you deal?

What are you doing for the holidays?

 

Food Hangovers and Slutty Cake

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Atlanta is a food mecca.

 

It really has become like a mini San Francisco!

This is the food portion of Sarah’s weekend visit… my favorite part!  There’s nothing more fun than watching a friend enjoy a meal.  Don’t get me wrong – I love to eat it too, but sharing something you love so much with a good friend makes the experience that much better.

So does the fact that Sarah created an image for the extravaganza:

sprint2atlanta

 

Friday began with a dinner with Sarah and Heather at Cardamom Hill, my favorite Indian spot.  The food is inspired by Chef Asha Gomez’s native cuisine from Kerala, but bring in a Southern influence.

We ordered a few starters: Bhajia (sweet potato and onion fritters served with tamarind sauce), Egg Appam (rice & coconut crepe with a poached egg and chili grilled shrimp), and green beans in a spicy garlic-onion masala.

Cardamom Hill

Then we moved on to dinner.  First was an Indian take on the classic Shrimp and Grits: spicy Kerala-curried shrimp over grits with leeks, ginger and roasted peppers.  The second dish was a red snapper fillet seasoned with a masala paste over a roasted in a banana leaf.  It is topped with a coconut milk curry and served with basmati rice and cardamom-scented sweet potatoes.

It’s all as good as it sounds.  One thing I love about Asha is that she doesn’t tame her spices to cater to an “American” palette.  Each dish had the perfect level of heat – enough to feel it, but not so much that it over took the flavor of the dish.

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 Saturday morning we were slightly suffering from food hangovers, so I served Sarah my special morning “cocktail.”  I swear it has magical powers.  This, plus some eggs and fruit, fueled one helluva glute day!

Morning cocktail

 

After glute camp, protein shakes, the epic grocery trip, coffee, and a trip to Kroger (another grocery store), we – once again – did the stereotypical “blogger” thing for a snack: hummus, veggies, and summer rolls.

Sarah Instagrammed while I took a picture of her taking a picture of our foods.  Also note the kabocha on the side. 😉

Sarah in her native environment

 

For dinner, I took her to Decatur.  It is one of my favorite parts of Atlanta, and is home to one of the best restaurants in the city, Cakes & Ale.

I’ve,eaten here before, but I swear it gets better every time.  This was no exception.  In fact, our meal here was one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory in Atlanta.  Thus, it will be known as…

Me and Sarah

 

We elected to sit at the bar, which I typically find to be the best seat in the house.  A good bartender knows everything about the restaurant – from menu to cocktails – and will often let you sample things.

Evan at Cakes & Ale is a good bartender.  He started us off well with a gin drink for Sarah and his take on a Manhattan for me.

Cakes & Ale bar

 

This most excellent bartender surprised us with a small gift – Arancini with citrus and fennel pollen!  This is one of my favorite dished there.  Imagine a cheese stick, but as a rice ball with fun spices.  We also ordered the butternut squash “hummus” with naan, pomegranate, cilantro, and za’atar to start.  I thought my butternut hummus was good… but the impossibly smooth, whipped quality of this pseudo-hummus stole me heart.

Our mains were a roasted cauliflower and shell beans with turnips, carrots, arugula, feta, and poached egg and a Striped Bass with creamed savoy cabbage, roasted fennel salsa, smoked beets, black trumpet mushrooms.  The smoked beets deserve a paragraph of them own.  I’ll save you the pontificating and just say that they were go good that upon first bite Sarah and I both paused in stunned silence.

Cakes & Ale Decatur

Just when we thought things couldn’t get better, the bartender sold us on dessert.  It was a hazelnut Bavarian cake with praline bavarian mousse, vanilla sauce, and topped with a nougatine.

That sounds wonderful, but his personal description is what sealed the deal for me.  He called it “slutty cake.”

slutty cake

It was the best kind of slutty.  Rich, decadent, cream-filled… silky smooth…

I need a cold shower jut remembering it, so this will conclude What I Ate with Sarah.  Check out all the link ups here.  And check out Sarah’s recaps here and here.

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Don’t forget click here to enter the giveaway for the Holiday Sampler box from Sizzlefish.  Win 1 for you and 1 to gift!

Have you ever had a food hangover?  The struggle is real!

What is the best meal you’ve had at a restaurant?

 

Touring Atlanta + Sizzlefish Holiday Giveaway

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Staying in town can feel like a vacation.

 

Not quiiiiite like going to Tahiti… but you know.

This weekend Sarah graced me with her presence.  She drove in Monday night from Birmingham and we spent the next 2.5 days touring rainy Atlanta.  It’s fun to entertain out-of-towners because you get to see your city in a whole new way!

Sarah arrived Friday afternoon with cookies in hand.  She shared the Vegan Carob Peach Fudge Cookies from her #strangebutgood post Friday.  They were the perfect appetizer before we headed to dinner.  We did so much I have to break it up into 2 posts.  Today is the “doing,” and the Atlanta food tour will happen Wednesday.

Sarah cookies

 

Saturday morning we hit my gym for a glute workout.  Check out this IG video for a taste of what we did.  Sarah hung like a champ!  She’s a natural.

After a solid hour of hard work, I told Sarah she was ready to compete… so we practiced a pose (this is why I don’t do bikini):

Sarah, Toisha, me posing

 

Naturally this had to be followed with a trip to Buford Highway to shop the massive international farmer’s market, where we met up with Sarena.  We were there for 2 hours… only a food-friend can understand how grocery shopping is an entertaining sightseeing activity.

I had told Sarah how cheap it is, but she was still shocked at how little her market finds were!  The new-to-me treats this time were a Ponkan orange and some sort of Korean puffed rice crackers.  I also found a giant bag of my favorite Chimes peanut butter ginger chews!

Buford Farmer's Market

 

That market is massive – it’s like the size of Wal-Mart.  You can browse an entire aisle of Mexican hot sauces, or sample baklava at the Easter European bakery or peruse greens you’ve never heard of before. Watching my friend wander around filled with wonder at all the international delights was the best part of my weekend.

Sarah left yesterday.  After trying to convince her to stay, I sent her on her way in true blogger fashion – with a to-go container of protein oatmeal. More to come later in the week… I need to leave room to tell you about an amazing giveaway!

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I have been obsessed with Sizzlefish ever since I had the opportunity to try a box via Fitfluential.  The fish is delicious – it surprised me how fresh it tastes despite being frozen.

Last week I pulled out a piece of the salmon to cook when I was short on groceries.  It thawed while I was at work, so all I had to do when I got home was squeeze some lemon juice, dill, and pepper on top before broiling it for 7 mins.  Easy dinner!

Sizzlefish Salmon

So what’s in it for you?

The awesome people at Sizzlefish agreed to do a special holiday giveaway!  Not only will you win a box of this Holiday Sampler (worth $59!), but they will also send a box as a gift to a person of your choosing!  Feel free to pick me. 😉

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I’m a little sad it rained all weekend – I wanted to take Sarah on a walking tour!  From the looks of it, everyone else had rain or snow too.  Bring on the sunshine!

What is your favorite fish?

Do you consider grocery shopping a form of entertainment/tourism?

 

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