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Appetites and Adventures

Slurp Your Sweet Potato

By

Despite being up until 3am working, I woke up (late) this morning ready to MOVE.

Breakfast was a coffee, an apple, and a jalapeno-cheddar scone (recipe to come… it still needs a little work).  To fuel my energy, I read some neglected fitness magazines.

What resulted was an amazing workout:

  1. 5 min elliptical warm-up
  2. Wide grip lat pull-downs – 3 sets of 12
  3. Bent over dumbbell row – 3 sets of 15
  4. Seated cable row – 3 sets of 12
  5. 30 second planks as an active rest between sets in #2-4 (total 10)
  6. Dumbbell pullover – 3 sets of 12
  7. Row to raise – 2 sets of 12
  8. Push-ups- 3 sets of 15 – superset with…
  9. Standing dumbbell curl – 3 sets of 12
  10. Alternating dumbbell curl – 5 sets of 12
  11. Hammer curl – 4 sets of 15 (or to exhaustion)
  12. 1 min sprint intervals on the treadmill between each set in #10-11 (total 8  )

Then I took the stairs back up to my condo.  Whew!

 

That killer workout called for a gigantic protein shake.

You’re probably going to think this is weird… BUT just trust me.

Sweet Potato Smoothie

  • 1/4 large sweet potato, cooked (mine was left over from this)
  • 1 hand full of spinach
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Ice + water/milk to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.  Slurp away!

***

Time to head out the door for the derby sleepover – so excited to hang out with the team off-skates!

Does anyone else have adult sleepovers?!

It’s like high school but now you don’t have to sneak in the alcohol.

Sunday Morning Frittata

By

Important announcement:

I am now a red head.

Yesterday I visited my friend/stylist at Lava Hair Studio for a much-needed hair cut/color.  I love Karen – I walk in, say “I need a change,” and she creates a whole lot of awesome.

There’s nothing more satisfying about leaving the salon looking like a whole new person.

Pictures soon… I still need to get a new camera after the washing machine incident.

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In the South we are expecting some winter weather tonight/tomorrow.  I think I’m the only one not making a panic-run the grocery store.

This means I am either:

a.) super smart

or

b.) a (soon to be stranded and starving) moron.

I’m actually pretty excited about it.  Last time it snowed here I walked across the street to the park and watched half of Atlanta try to sled on various household items.  Among my favorites:

  • Giant tupperware box lids
  • Trashcan lids
  • Cafeteria trays
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Other people
  • Those reflective silver things people put in their windshields
  • Bicycles with wood “skis” attached in place of wheels (this one gets the Darwin Award)

Southerners are creative.

Unfortunately, along with snow comes frigid temps.  It was 18 degrees when I woke up this morning.  The heaviest coat I have is a fleece Northface jacket.  And did I mention the crazy wind?

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One of my favorite parts of the weekend is Sunday morning.

You can thank me later for the fact that you’re humming “Sunday morning coming down.”

Sunday is usually my “get stuff done” day.  I try to leave the day wide open for running errands/cleaning/working/etc.  That’s all fine, but what makes the morning my favorite is having the unscheduled time to drink coffee, watch the morning news, and make a good breakfast (a.k.a. brunch).

Not that I don’t think oatmeal is a good breakfast.  It’s just that oatmeal can be a quick-fix.  I will (almost) never take the time to make an egg dish during the week.

This morning I decided to raid the veggie drawer and make a spicy frittata.

I love using red pepper flakes to spice things up.  This morning I used the flakes, then remembered the Sweet Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce my artist-sister gave me and used that too!

A little bit goes a long way. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Blurry cell phone picture. Desperate times...

Hands down, this was a Sunday-morning-worthy brunch.

I also used my coffee trick:

Add a couple shakes of cinnamon and a teeny shake of salt to the coffee before brewing.  Try it out – you’ll be surprised at the flavor it adds!

Spicy Frittata

  • 5 Asparagus stalks
  • 1/4 C Yellow onion
  • 1/4 C Red pepper
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 2 Eggs
  • Splash of water
  • Red pepper flakes
  • S + P
  • Sweet Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Rough chop the veggies and saute over med-high heat in an oven-proof pan with EVOO until just tender (about 6-7 mins).

Meanwhile, beat eggs in small bowl.  Add a couple splashes of water.  Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.

Turn down heat and pour eggs over veggies in saute pan and cook until beginning to set (about 5 mins).  Use your spatula to lift edges and tilt pan, allowing egg to run underneath.  Drizzle habanero sauce over top.

Place skillet in oven and cook until the eggs are set, about 7-8 mins.  You may crumble cheese over the top during final 2 mins.

Slide frittata on to your plate and enjoy!

Note: adding a bit of water to eggs makes the more fluffy.  Water actually works better than milk.

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.

 

Breakfast of Champions

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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.

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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?

Hospital food is gross

By

It has been a while since I’ve posted!  Mom has been in quite a lot of pain, so between care-taking and a crazy work week I have barely had time to think.

In the hospital I was able to have oatmeal from breakfast, but it was a little… well, it tasted like hospital food. 🙂  Their lunchtime salad bar was lacking too, so I made a quick trip out to Whole Foods for provisions on day 2.

Thank god for the hot bar!!!

I also picked up some chicken soup for mom (canned hospital salt broth wasn’t cutting it).

We are finally home now.  I have a whole new appreciation for a real bed, food, showers, and exercise (in that order).

Sitting around all day makes me want to run.  I don’t feel comfortable leaving mom alone at the house, so I settled for P90X.  It felt amazing to moooove!!!

Mom has been craving that Roasted Banana-Rum Raisin Bread.  I’ve eaten it plain, heated it in the microwave with peanut butter, crumbled to top a smoothie, and toasted it with ice cream and chocolate syrup.  Tonight I want to toast it in the oven with powdered sugar.

You know that Texas Pete hot sauce commercial where the old lady says “I put that shit on everything”?  That’s how we are with this bread.  🙂

For breakfast today Mom wanted eggs and bacon.  She had heard on The Dr.’s that Jennie O-Turkey Bacon is good.  So I tried it.

The Dr.’s were wrong.  At least the dog likes it…


I was smart elected to finish off some pumpkin we had in the fridge. I made a little breakfast bowl.

In my bowl:

Breakfast bowls are awesome for someone like me who gets too excited about breakfast and can’t decide what sounds best.  This way I get a little last of everything! 

Sans the fake bacon.

Today I’m going to leave mom’s house for the first time for a quick grocery trip!  I love the grocery store. *swoon*

I’m in the mood to BAKE!

***

If anyone knows of a good non-pig bacon, I’d love to hear about it.

Baking Binge

By

Last night I returned to Mom’s house for a post-cleanse baking binge.

Ok, ok… it didn’t start out about food.  I was staying with her becasue I had to take her to the hospital today for a procedure… which is where I’m writing this from.  (Everything went perfectly – just have to stay for precaution.)

Anyway, I walked in the door last night and was ordered to find a use for 5 bananas that were about to go bad.

I take BAKING orders well. 🙂

What is the best resource for spur-of-the-moment banana-based recipes?

Food blogs. (Duh.)

It was a tough choice, but I settled on the following from two of my fav food bloggers.

Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Oatmeal Cookies from Oh She Glows

I followed Angela’s cookie recipe almost exactly, but here it is with a couple edits:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 C regular oats
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 T chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 T cacao nibs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 C pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 C agave syrup
  • 1 small ripe banana, chopped
  • 3/4 C canned pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour wet into dry ingredients, stirring well.  Place batter onto parchment-lined pan in 2 T sized scoops.  Bake for 15 mins.

Makes 15 cookies.

Verdict: I would totally make these again.  Mine appear to be “fluffier” than hers (maybe because she used rice crisps originally?).  These are like little muffin balls of goodness.

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Roasted Banana-Rum Raisin Breakfast Bread

(from 101 Cookbooks)

  • 3/4 C golden raisins
  • 1/2 C dark rum
  • 2 ripe bananas, unpeeled
  • 2 C cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 T unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 C sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C toasted walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a small saucepan, combine the raisins and rum.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Strain the plumped raisins and set aside.  Find creative use for remaining liquid.

Place the bananas on a cookie sheet (yes, in the peel).  Bake in the oven for 12 mins, or until the skins are black and they have just started to seep.  Remove from the oven , set aside, and let cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes.  Turn the machine to low and add 1 egg.  Mix until completely incorporated and then add the second egg.  Mix again until completely incorporated.

Meanwhile, squeeze the flesh of the bananas out of the skins and into a small mixing bowl.  Add the coconut milk and vanilla and mash together.  Add half of the banana mixture to the electric mixer bowl and blend thoroughly on low speed.  Add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined.  Add the remaining banana mixture, blend thoroughly, and add the remaining flour mixture; mix just enough to thoroughly blend the ingredients.  Fold the walnuts and reserved raisins into the batter and pour it into a lightly greased 9 x 5-in loaf pan.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool, slice, and serve warm.  Alternately, sprinkle with the powdered sugar and glaze briefly under a preheated broiler. (I didn’t try the glaze, but I will be when we get home tomorrow!)

Makes 1 loaf.


Verdict: Wow.  I was about to eat the coconut/banana mixture alone.  The only changes I made were the nut choice (she used pumpkin seeds) and, consequently, the name (she said pumpkin instead of rum raisin… I think rum adds a certain something).

Go make this bread.  Now.

Why are you still reading this???

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In other news, being stuck in a hospital make me super productive at work.  And my butt is numb. 🙂

Hospital food is gross, but I was smart and brought overnight oats for breakfast, the 5th banana, flax crackers, and a cookie to get me through most of the day.

Time for Mamma’s walk!

 

Top Flr + Jackie Warner DVD

By

Yesterday turned out to be a lot warmer than it looked! 

 

I am so glad I got my run in then becasue it is COLD and windy today.

The run:

  • Distance: 6.15 miles
  • Time: 52:03

 

I’m pretty happy with that!    The ING Half-Marathon this spring is seeming like a better idea…

After that run, I deserved a good meal.  🙂

Last night I went to one of my favorite restaurants, Top Flr, with one of my favorite people.

Added bonus: I only paid $35 + tip for a $80 meal thanks to The Green Half.

 

Here’s what we ate with some notes:

Pan Roasted Chicken, Brussel Kim Chi, Soy Reduction – The brussels were great – just right right amount of heat.  The chicken was ok… I would have liked a little more meat and less bone.

Garlicky Chinese Long Beans in a Oyster Mushroom and Miso sauce – Long beans may be my new favorite veggie.  They retained a nice, crispy bites after being cooked lightly and coated in the mushroom sauce.

New Zealand Lamb Chops, Minted Syrup – I love good lamb, and this was perfect.  The outside was encrusted in salt and pepper, giving it a good crunch.  They were not overdone (lamb is best on the rare side of medium-rare).  The minted syrup was a little too sweet for me, but I really liked that they left the mint nearly raw.

Night & Day Quinoa, Tomato, Curried Onion & Raisin Chutney – This black and white quinoa mix was served cold, but I think they could have gotten a better “pop” from the flavor if it had been warmed.  I barely got any curry flavor and the chutney was non-existent.  Should have gotten the kale.

I enjoyed a 2006 Burgundy (forgot to write down the name = fail), and my dining partner-in-crime had my favorite cocktail: Yellow Roses.  Yellow roses is a martini made up of Top Flr’s house-made lavender-infused vodka, honey, and a fresh lemon juice. 

Dessert: we split a chocolate peanut butter bar with strawberry jam.  It was okay… there are better choices there.  The jam made the dessert, but there wasn’t enough of it.  They should have given it its own layer in the bar.  That would have given the dessert the sweetness needed to make it the jam.

The sad thing about Top Flr is the lighting – it is impossible to take a good picture in there.  Sorry. 🙁

We were going to a movie, but after an eventful dinner (our whole corner of the restaurant ended up becoming dining BFFs and sharing tastes) we felt like keeping the energy level up.  So we went country dancing.

Confession: I love to two-step.

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This morning I had time to make one of my favorite breakfasts.  The good way.

Oatmeal on the stove top.

I shared this pot with a friend before testing out Jackie Warner’s new workout DVD.

Our topping selection:

 

  • Blue Diamond Crunchy Almond Butter
  • TJ’s Valencia Peanut Butter
  • MaraNatha Cashew Butter
  • Merrilly Pumpkin Butter
  • Almonds
  • Pecans
  • Pumpkin Seeds

 

 

In my oatmeal (makes 2):

  • 1/2 C Multi-grain Oats
  • 1/2 C McCann’s Irish Oatmeal
  • 2 C Water
  • 1 Banana
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg

I topped mine with almond butter, pumpkin butter, pumpkin seeds, and pecans.  Delish and filling!

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The Jackie Warner Xtreme Timesaver DVD was a good one.  Definitely a go-to full-body quickie workout when I don’t have to hit the gym.

 

It was only 30 minutes (with a warm up and stretch!) and I worked up a little sweat.  Lots of full-body moves so you are getting the most bang for your buck.

It was pretty quad and shoulder intense, but hit all the high points.

It would have been harder if I had heavier weights… since I was in my living room, I was using soup cans.

***

Bet I looked really hard core with my chicken noodle!  🙂

 

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