Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Non-Evil Burritos?

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There should be a law that requires some ramp-up time before work gets insane again post-holiday. 

After a slow couple of weeks, the need to focus and crank out work is a shocking blow.

But I can’t complain… no one will listen. 😉

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The return to work means the return of fast, travel-friendly lunches.

I am a big fan of anything I can prepare the night before.  Some of my go-tos:

  • Leftover chickpea patties + salad
  • Grilled chicken + salad
  • Hummus + veggies with a slice of bread (bagged separately – soggy bread = foul)
  • Wraps with pesto/sweet potato butter/hummus/eggplant dip/anything else in my fridge (pre-bagged ingredients to be constructed quickly at work)
  • BIG smoothies (I have a new obsession with avocado+banana+ vanilla protein powder)

Sometimes my laziness is off the charts even these quickies aren’t quick enough.  That is when I go to my frozen meal collection.

One of the biggest problemos challenges with frozen food is finding tasty meals with decent nutrition content – they need to heat up without turning to rubber while not including ingredients I can’t pronounce.

As with any meal, if I can incorporate Mexican food I am a joyful girl.

Necessito el burrito en mi stomacho.

The mini Evol Burrito Veggie Fajita is anything but evil.  At 160 calories, 2g fat, and 5g protein, it makes a great afternoon snack.   A ingredient list in plain english makes it downright angelico.

Warning:do NOT over-do it in the mircowave.  The tortilla will get chewy.  I’d cook it half way and then cut it in half to finish heating (less nuking time = less rubber).

According to the website there are tons of flavor and size options.  My supermarcado didn’t carry the premium burritos, but when this one appears I’ll be first in line to buy it!

***

Thank you to everyone for your sweet comments and emails in response to my 2011 Goals.  I am so lucky to have such amazing family and friends. 🙂

In keeping with my fitness goals, I kicked it at kickboxing last night with the newly resolute.  Tonight we have derby practice.  Tomorrow… maybe some HIIT???

Do you look forward to March when people get bored of working out and the gym is less crowded?  It may be evol, but I look forward to the crowd levels returning to normal.

2011 Goals

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In the summer of 2008, my dad passed away after a 4.5 year battle with cancer.  He was the most amazing man, and I continue to miss him every day.  I feel his influence in everything I do – particularly over these past few months as I have made a commitment to live in a more healthy manner.

Dad was a lover of food.  His mom (my grandmother) made a carrot cake you’d step over your own mother to get to.  It was tradition to eat “Hot Choc” (chocolate gravy) and biscuits the morning after Thanksgiving… the more you could stuff in your belly, the better.  Miraculously, no one in my family was/is obese… but Dad realized he could stand to loose a few.

As with anything else in his life, Dad set his mind to becoming more healthy and achieved his goal.  He cut out the “bad” carbs and sugars (no more eating Cool-Whip directly from the container) and began exercising regularly.

One of Dad’s favorite sayings:

You can do anything you want to if you want to badly enough.

Dad, still smiling!

Dad lost a lot of weight and kept it off for years.  When I don’t want to get off my butt and exercise, I am inspired by the fact that even when he was sick and in Houston for treatments, he could be found on the treadmill, walking to keep his strength up.

Dad’s girls with the Rambiln’ Wreck

Dad was also a Georgia Tech grad, and I’m glad he at least knew that I was in the MBA program there.  Sadly, when I graduated he wasn’t here to see it.

With my uncle, also a Techie

Graduation day was a little easier with Dad’s college roommate and best friend, Randy, there cheering me on.  Randy presented me with a card at dinner, full of congratulations and advice.

The family, Me, and Randy at graduation

One thing he encouraged me to do was to write down goals.  He said I’d be surprised how many of them I would accomplish by doing this, even if I never looked at the list again.  Of course, I put the card aside and got caught up in the working world once again.  When I bought my condo I ran across his card and decided to take his advice (better late than never, right?).

Wonder of all wonders, he was correct.  I documented 6 month, 1 year, 5 year and 10 year goals.  6 months later, I’d accomplished all but one of my shortest term goals.

Amazing how that works. 🙂

So, with my dad’s strength and determination at my back and Randy’s advice on my mind, I am documenting my 2011 Goals here.

1. Run (another) 1/2 Marathon

After the Gobble Jog in my Half shirt

I did it in 2009 and swore I never would again.  It took me a while, but I am ready for #2.  The one I have my eye one is the Publix Georgia Half Marathon (formerly known as the ING).

2. Work on my fitness

This goal is two fold…

2a. Continue to be more responsible with how I fuel my body

I developed some pretty unhealthy habits over the past couple of years.  Since cutting out/reducing my intake of processed foods, desserts, alcohol, and red meat, I have felt SO much better.  My goal is to continue on this path, and continue to improve in the area of moderation.

2b. Build more muscle

I’m a beast

Overall I’d like to be more toned.  And I want a 6-pack.  I know it isn’t feasible to keep it forever, but I want it even if it is for 5 minutes.

3. Develop more original recipes

Plotting dinner

This is both a blogging and personal development goal.  I love to cook/bake/create.  In 2011, I’d like to learn more about flavor combinations and the “science” behind baking.

4. Surround myself with good people

I’m busy.  Really busy. Time is precious – too precious to spend it on people who drag you down.  In the past I have made the mistake of spending time with people who negative and hinder personal growth.  This year I want to spend my time with friends who are positive, healthy, and fun.

The best of friends

5. Advance at work

I’ve been in my new job for almost 6 months.  Don’t get me wrong – there is still lots to learn.  But I’m ready to step it up more.  I’d love to begin developing a solid niche and build my reputation in my company.

Cheers to my dad, to achieving goals, and to a fantastic 2011!

***

What are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2011?

Sweet Berry Breakfast Rolls

By

Happy New Year’s Eve!!!

I’ve been waiting to post this… I misplaced my new camera and didn’t get pic of the finished product.

Good news: Found camera.

Bad news:  It was washed.  In a ski jacket.  By my mom.

Playing in the snow with my sisters

At least we got to play in the whole 1/4 inch of snow…

Soooo… I’m posting this sans final product pics.  But they were pretty!  These would make a great hangover New Years Day breakfast.

Christmas morning was very different this year – I was the first one awake!

I bounced out of bed, ready to open presents at 830a.  Then I waited until 11a for the family to wake up.  Talk about anti-climatic.

Things I did to entertain myself for 2.5 hours:

  • Made/drank coffee
  • Ate 1/2 an apple
  • Whittle My Middle workout
  • Prepared the breakfast roll glaze
  • Chopped veggies for a frittata
  • Ate some granola
  • Unloaded and re-loaded the dishwasher

Productive, right?!

In our family, the big-deal Christmas meals are Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day brunch.

Continuing with my theme to trying new things, I decided to make Sweet Berry Breakfast Rolls.  These are adapted from the January 2011 Food & Wine.

We enjoyed them with a veggie frittata and a fantastic rose sparkling wine (which I had a picture of on my new/newly cleaned camera).

Of course, we opened presents first. 🙂

My favorite gift this year was a MacBook Air from Mom Santa.  If anyone can teach me how to use it, that would also be cool.

Now for the incomplete rolls.

Ready to roll out after rising.

Rolled out, berry-topped, and sugar-cinnamon sprinkled.

Ready for rise #2!  I let them rise for 2 hours and then placed them in the fridge overnight to beaked fresh on Christmas morning.

Sweet Berry Breakfast Rolls

Dough

  • 1 C Milk
  • 2/3 C Sugar
  • 1 1/2 T Active dry yeast
  • 1 Stick Unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 tsp Fine sea salt
  • 4 1/4 C All-purpose flour (+ more for dusting)

Filling

  • 10-ounce package IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) mixed berries (not thawed)
  • 1/4 C + 2 T Sugar
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch

Glaze

  • 3/4 C Confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 T Unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 T Heavy cream
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

For the Dough:

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over moderately low heat until it’s 95°.  Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast.  Let stand until the yeast is foamy, ~5 mins.  Add the softened butter, eggs, grated lemon zest and sea salt.  Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, ~3 mins. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, ~10 mins.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times.  Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, ~2 hours.

Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 in baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the short sides.  Butter the paper and sides of the pan.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10 x 24 in rectangle.

For the Filling:

In a medium bowl, toss the frozen berries with the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.  Spread the berry filling evenly over the dough.  Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24-inch-long log.  

Working quickly, cut the log into quarters.  Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up.  Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls.  

Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, ~2 hours.

To Bake:

Preheat the oven to 425°.  Bake the rolls for ~20 mins, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling.  Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 mins.

For the Glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon with the butter and heavy cream until the glaze is thick and spreadable.

Invert the rolls onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper.  Invert the rolls onto a platter.  Dollop glaze over each roll and spread with an offset spatula.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: The recipe can be prepared through the “Filling” step the day before (I did and it turned out perfectly).  Once risen, simply cover the rolls and refrigerate overnight.  Return to room temperature before baking.

You can also use any sort of berries for the filling.  The original called for raspberries.

Let Them Eat Cake

By

I always look forward to Christmas.

 

…and I am always ready for it to be OVER.  

Things are beginning to calm down again, and I couldn’t be more ready for it!  🙂

Tonight I am going to my first derby practice in a month!  I really want to get some weights in this afternoon, but I’m also pretty sore from P90X on Monday.

Things I am ready to get back to:

  • My condo
  • Quiet
  • Food that doesn’t involve sugar (*gasp*)
  • Running more regularly
  • Derby
  • Cereal (can you tell I haven’t had breakfast yet?!)

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Speaking of breakfast…

Angela continues to amaze over at Oh She Glows.  Carrot Cake Oatmeal.

It is literally like eating carrot cake batter for breakfast.  I made a couple of modifications… make your own adjustments and eat cake for breakfast!

I’m pretty sure it doesn’t get better than this.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

  • 1.25 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk-substance)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 T cream of coconut
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large carrot, finely grated (like you would for a carrot cake)
  • 1/4 C oats
  • 1/4 C muesli
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Growing Naturals)

 

In a medium pot over medium heat, add milk, lemon juice, coconut milk cream, and apple cider vinegar, stirring to combine.  Whisk in spices and salt.

Stir in grated carrots and oats.  Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until mixture has thickened (~8 minutes), stirring as needed.  Mix in protein powder, cooking 1-2 mins more to warm.  Remove from heat and pour into a bowl.

Have fun with the toppings!  I used dried cranberries, pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

 

Christmas Eve

By

We had a fun Christmas Eve here.  The reports of Christmas Day snow added to the usual excitement.

Baby Sis and I squeezed in a 3.4 mile run.  Good thing – it has been too snowy and icy to go ever since!

Never a fan of traditions, I tried a bunch of new dishes:

  • Butternut squash gnocchi
  • Herb-roasted root veggies
  • Popovers
  • Chocolate gingerbread cake
  • Peanut butter fudge

I’m only posting the recipe for the fudge… the rest are still in progress.

The gnocchi was good – I’m happy with it for my first attempt, but I think I handled the dough too much.  It was fun to make though!

We also enjoyed a great Cab by Four Sons.

Family friends came by for dessert, drinks, and a little gifting.

We enjoyed some Liquid Gingerbread.

Check out our dessert spread!

Kathy brought over her famous pretzel sticks.  My sister liked them…

Even Honey the Dog pigged out – she ate an entire bag of bones before we caught her!

This is my new favorite protein-packed dessert:

(Check out the candy-cake in the background!  Ann brought over this sinfulness.  It involved chocolate, Rolos, M&Ms, and other items I’ll never admit to eating.)

Back to the fudge.  Read carefully – this is a very complex recipe with super-complex adaptions from Vintgae Sugarcube.

Peanut Butter Fudge

  • 1 Jar whipped butter cream icing
  • 1 Jar peanut butter
  • 1 Pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line a 8×8 dish with parchment paper.  Microwave jar of icing for 50 seconds.  Pour into a medium bowl and mix with the jar of peanut butter.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour mixture into dish and refrigerate overnight or, if you are impatient like me, freeze for ~2 hours.  Cut into small squares and serve!

Store in fridge.

***

Christmas pics to come as soon as I figure out how to load pics onto my new Mac…

Was Santa good to everyone?  What was your favorite gift?

Baking with Booze

By

Good thing I got my butt to the gym today.

’cause I do love cupcakes.

Baby Sis let me tag along to her gym today where I tried out Body Pump for the first time.  It was really good!  I thought I was sooooo tough and started with more weight than I should have, but I quickly rectified that situation.

Part of me is scared I will be a whole new level of sore tomorrow, but the other part of me really likes feeling a workout. 🙂

Truth be told, I still like kickboxing better.  Something about hitting a bag is so satisfying.

So… what is it that had me chasing Baby Sis out of my batter?

Gingerbread cupcakes filled with raisin-infused rum ganche and topped with cinnamon icing.

Heaven.

You know you’ve reached a new high when your mom says:

“This is the best thing you’ve ever made.”

I’ve literally been thinking about this recipe since I made Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes last year.

Once your muffins are baked, let them cool completely before carving out the center.  If you have one of these, your life will be easier.

(Thanks for the early present, Madi!).

Centers can also be removed with apple corers, grapefruit spoons, fingers, and knives.

Next, get your fancy icing bag standard placstic baggie.  Fill it with the ganache, then cut the very tip of the corner off to fill the cakes.

Fill the cutouts carefully just to the top of the cupcake.

Let that cool/solidify in the fridge for 30 mins (or 10 in the freezer if you’re impatient like I am).

Meanwhile, make your cinnamon icing.

Then – using the afore mentioned classy baggie method – ice the cupcakes.

Note to self: Get a hair cut!

Icing cakes isn’t one of my many skills…

But I don’t think Santa will mind. 🙂

Gingerbread Rum-Ganache Cupcakes with Cinnamon Icing

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Keywords: bake dessert ginger rum Christmas cake winter

Ingredients (12 cupcakes)

    For the Cupcake

    • 1/2 C canola oil
    • 3/4 C brown sugar (packed)
    • 1/3 C molasses
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/4 C buttermilk
    • 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 T ginger
    • 2 T cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 C crystallized ginger (chopped)

    For the Ganache

    • 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
    • 2/3 C heavy cream
    • 1 T butter, room temp
    • 4 tsp dark rum (I used the raisin-infused rum left over from this recipe

    For the Icing

    • 1 stick salted butter, room temp
    • 2 C confectioners’ sugar
    • 1/4 C almond milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp cinnamon

    Instructions

    For the Cupcake

    Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners.

    Using the paddle attachment on your electric mixer, beat the oil with the brown sugar and molasses until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the buttermilk.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet, beating just until combined. Fold in the crystallized ginger.

    Pour batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake about 15 mins. Let the cupcakes cool completely.

    For the Ganache

    Roughly chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer.

    Pour hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit until chocolate appears melty (about 30 secs), then stir until smooth. If chocolate isn’t totally melted, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.

    Add the butter and rum and stir until combined.

    Let that cool to room temp while you make the icing.

    For the Icing

    Using a mixer, beat butter until smooth.

    Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until blended and creamy; adding more confectioners’ sugar 1 T at a time as needed.

    To Assemble

    Carefully remove center of cupcakes. A cupcake corer, apple corer, or sharp knife will work. I find it easier to do this while the cakes are still in the tin. (What you do with the scraps is your business.)

    Fill center of cupcakes to brim with ganache and allow to cool/solidify a bit in the fridge (~30 mins) or freezer (~10 mins).

    Ice cupcakes.

    Stuff your face.

    Powered by Recipage

    ***

    These are pretty fabulous… and I tend to agree with Mom.  They may just be the best thing I’ve ever made.

    What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?

    Merry Christmas Eve!!!

    Breakfast of Champions

    By

    Most of us can agree than overnight oats are good.  Even better is oats in a jar.  BUT…

    The truly epic iteration involves this:

    Everything is better with chocolate. 🙂

    Since eating Nutella by the spoonful isn’t a balanced meal, I added the following:

    • 1/3 C Multi-grain oatmeal
    • 1/4 C 0% Greek Yogurt (plain)
    • 1/3 C Almond milk
    • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
    • Whatever was left in the Nutella jar… (1-2T?)

    Surprisingly, I did let it stay overnight in the fridge (it was dangerously close to becoming a midnight snack).

    This was my reward in the morning:

    Had I not been so excited, I may have added some fruit – banana or strawberry would have been good in it.

    __________________________________________________________________

    Tonight I go to the trainer for the first time in 2-3 weeks.  I am beyond excited.  He promised me a satanic workout.

    Is it weird that I consider that a good thing?

    Green Beans and Chocolate

    By

    Now that we are home the cooking can resume!

    Mom has been running around the house like a humming bird on crack.  I’m not sure if it is the pain medicine or the fact that she is finally able to walk again.  Well, its still more of a shuffle, but close!

    Since Christmas is this week and mom is still recovering, I’m going to hang out at her house until next weekend.  Not to mention the fact that my sisters are in town and her kitchen is better than mine.

    I finally got to exercise again and it felt GREAT alright.  Apparently when you don’t exercise for 10 days, getting amped up again is difficult.

    My uncle and Baby Sis were her when we arrived on Saturday, so I let them watch Mamma and ran a quick 3 miles.  It really was quick – 26 mins – but it felt like an hour.

    Today was a little easier.  P90X Shoulders and Arms, followed by Ab Ripper X.  I love a good core workout.

    Other than that, I have been in the kitchen.  Some healthy creations, some borderline, and some down right sinful.

    Variety is the spice of life.

    The Healthy

    I made a French Green Bean Salad using a Lemon- Tahini Dressing inspired by this one by Angela at Oh She Glows.

    In summary – YUM.  I loved the crispiness of this salad and the tahini dressing was like hummus with a zing.  Best of all, it was super healthy and easy to make.

    French Green Bean Salad

    • ~1 lb French green beans
    • 6 dried Mission figs, quartered
    • 1 cucumber, sliced
    • 1 large carrot, sliced
    • handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
    • S&P (to taste)

    Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Remove ends from beans and steam until bright green and still crisp.  Remove from water and place immediately in an ice bath (this will chill them and stop the cooking).  Remove from bath and dry.  Place in bowl and toss lightly with garlic salt, carrots, cucumbers, figs and parsley.

    Top with crackers or pita and Lemon-Tahini Dressing.

    Serves 3-4

    Lemon-Tahini Dressing

    • 4 T tahini
    • Juice from 1 lemon
    • 3/4 tsp honey
    • 3-4 T water
    • 1 tsp EVOO
    • S&P (to taste)

    In a small bowl, combine tahini, honey, lemon juice, EVOO, and S&P.  Thin out with some water (add one tablespoon at a time) and stir until well combined.

    The Borderline

    It is a bit of a repeat.  But this time I’ve learned a couple of tricks.

    Roasted Banana Rum-Raisin Breakfast Bread

    Lessons:

    • Check it at 40 mins.  Mom’s oven cooks fast.
    • Don’t skimp on the rum raisin soaking time.  They get super soft and flavorful when you actually let them soak the whole hour.
    • Use the paddle attachment in the mixing bowl.  I forgot until half way through the first time.  This loaf was much fluffier.
    • Don’t sub evaporated milk for coconut milk.  It was an emergency… but the coconut gives it more depth of flavor.

    ***

    And, back by popular demand, PB Sunflower Granola!

    Thanks to Ann, I did get it to stick together better.  Press it down hard immediately after taking it out of the oven.  Then don’t touch it again until it is totally cool.

    Ready for the sinful?

    The Sinful

    Fudge.  More specifically, peanut butter fudge.  With walnuts.

    I was making something else, had the marshmallow fluff out, and thought “why not?”

    The Jett-Puffed recipe has always been my go-to, but I think this one is pretty good.  It is less greasy and sugary (1/2 C less in fact)… You can actually eat an whole square without that sugar over-dose feeling.  Whether that is good or bad, I’ll let you decide.

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

    by Laura Hall

    Cook Time: 25 mins

    Keywords: boil dessert Marshmallow Fluff peanut butter chocolate chips Christmas

    Ingredients (20 servings)

    • 2 1/2 C sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 stick butter (salted)
    • 2/3 C evaporated milk
    • 5 1/2 oz (~3/4 jar) Marshmallow Fluff
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 12-oz. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 2 T peanut butter
    • 1/2 C walnuts

    Instructions

    Line an 8-in square baking pan with aluminum foil; set aside.

    In large saucepan combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended.

    Increase heat to medium and bring to a full-rolling boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes (until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is perfectly smooth).

    Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Add nuts. Barely fold in peanut butter. Pour into lined pan and cool completely before cutting.

    Powered by Recipage

    ***
    Do you have that one thing you make every year?  One your friends request

    Happy Holiday baking to all!

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