The Experimentarian

Update your reader!

2011-01-28T10:17:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder to check out my NEW blog, and update your readers to Today I Love My Life! See you soon! xoxo

New Blog!

2011-01-24T11:40:00.002-07:00

Hey all! I know it's been a while. I've missed you, I've missed blogging. If you've still got this tag in your reader--wow-you're a super fan! Check out my new blog here. I can't wait to hear from you! xoxo

Eeeeeewwwww!

2010-03-19T21:16:00.004-06:00

Just in time for Freaky Food Friday! A batch of disgu--eeewww--sting concoctions from yours truly. Well, not that I actually think they're that gross--but I think my husband would beg to differ! :)

But, as we food bloggers know, the food that looks the strangest can often times taste the best--and be good for you too! Number One:

The Smeeeeewwwwthie!

Spinach, blueberries, stevia, cocoa powder, cinnamon and a few chunks of banana. Looks disgusting, tastes delicious! The chocolate flavor was pretty faint, but just added a nice hint of flavor while masking the gritty taste of the spinach. I love getting 2 full servings of veggies before lunch time!

Second: Neeeeewwwwdles!

Not that I have anything AT ALL against normal noodles, but finding a worthy pasta swap is kind of a fun little experimentation for me. I tired kelp noodles not too long ago, and couldn't resist these yam noodles when I spotted them in our Asian grocery.

These shiritaki noodles are almost identical to the famous Tofu Shiritaki, minus the tofu. I used to love the Tofu Shiritaki, but obviously the soy factor is a problem for me, so I was super excited to see the soy-free original version.

These noodles so require a bit of extra attention. After rinsing and draining extremely well ( warning! DO NOT smell them right as you open the bag--bad news bears fer real), I steamed them in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes and patted them dry with a clean dishtowel. I think cooking them for a little bit removes any of the briny taste and leaves them actually smelling like yams (instead of sewage).

Served with homemade turkey meatballs and spicy marinara. Yum Yum. :)

I did like these better than the kelp noodles. The shiritaki are much more like regular pasta, albeit finer and a little more chewy. But I do think they provide a great lighter base for more sturdy meal components such as protein, sauce, veggies and cheese.

There are basically no nutrition facts for these noodles--There are 2.5 servings per package, but each serving clocks 0 calories, fat, protein--nothing! While I am sure there is a minimal amount of calories and nutrients, the only ingredients are purified water, yam flour and hydrated lime. Now that's kind of freaky!

I know I have been kind of a bad blogger lately, and I really do miss everyone! My sister just announced a wedding date--in 8 weeks--so we are scrambling around trying to get that business under control. Plus work is very energy-consuming at the moment. Yeesh.

But also to be totally honest, sometimes I really enjoy not focusing so much on food in the day to day affairs. When I was locked into my ED, food was all I thought about, and now it's kind of refreshing to remove that fixation from some of my activities. Not that I am going anywhere though! This blog has served as an invaluable tool for me throughout the worst of my disorder and my continuing recovery. I know you all understand :)

Have a glorious weekend. And tell me--what freaky food do you love that looks disgusting, but tastes amazing? Love you lots! xoxo

Best Freaky Friday ever!

2010-03-12T14:14:00.009-07:00

Well hey there, hi there, ho there bloggie friends! Gosh, how I have missed you guys! It's 2:00 and I am finally sitting down for probably the first time today. I just thought to myself, Hey! What's that thing I do when I have spare time? Oh yeah! BLOG!! Which explains my lack of decent posting lately--no free time, lots of life getting in the way, but NO apologies :) After all, what's life without a little excitement, huh?

But what better day of the week to come back than Friday, and especially when we can finally make it a FREAKY FOOD Friday! My long lost buddy Janetha B. and I met up for a little blab n gab over lunch yesterday.

So fun! And guess what? She brought me the most amazing thing from her trip to Jamaica!

Betcha never saw this before! What could be more fun (and more freaky) than banana ketchup? Two of my loves united!!

The minute I saw this, I knew EXACTLY how I wanted to try it out. I thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to some baked yams--how delish. (The yams are paler than sweet potatoes, so it doesn't feel quite right to call them cheetas--perhaps leopards instead??)

Wow! This banana ketchup thing really needs to catch on in the U.S.! The ketchup was sweet, sticky and thick with a strong banana flavor and a bit of tang. I swear, with a little dip of this amazing condiment, my yam tasted just like a caramelly banana chip. Very tropical. I almost felt like I was in Jamaica for a sec...and then I remembered it was 30 degrees out side.

Just for fun, I'll show you guys what else I had with my phenomenal potato "chips"

Broiled broccoli, baby steak and massive amounts of caramelized onions--to go with my caramel banana chips, obviously :)

I will be catching up this weekend for sure, and I'm excited to see what everyone's been up to!

I'm off to some family adventures myself. The parentals are in SLC for sissy's birthday this weekend, so I'm sure there will be lots of yummy food, plus some more of this fantastic cake :)

Since I haven't heard from you guys in a long time, tell me: What's the freakiest food you've ever tried from an exotic locale? Maybe a trip to Mexico or Europe--or maybe just a trip to your grandma's house for dinner--do tell! Miss you and love you! xoxo

Giveaway winner!

2010-03-09T05:44:00.002-07:00

Thanks to all of you who entered in my I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Giveaway! I t was fun to hear about the ways you guys like to use this products and other healthy fat sources. The lucky winner of some classy kitchen stuff from ICBINB and Crate and Barrel is Katey, who won by tweeting about the giveaway. Congrats Katey! Send me your address and info asap! xoxo

The Return of...

2010-03-06T23:50:00.001-07:00

...Sammie Saturday!!!! Of course, it's sammie saturday for me every week, but it seems like it has been quite a while since I've posted anything on the subject. I've got two AMAZING sammies for you though, both of them completely delicious and absolutely crave-fulfilling!

First up, a gorgeous salmon sammie, decked out with spinach, avocodao (what up, fats??), honey mustard and luaghing cow between toasted 9-grain bread.

Secondly, a sammie with something I have been craving for a looooong time--REAL cheese! Oh gosh, what is life without real cheese? This sammie was put together with delightfully sharp aged white cheddar, a slice of turkey bacon, nuked egg whites and a toasted whole wheat english muffin. Ah, so good!

Both of these babies were full of healthy fats, a nod to my ongoing goal--it gets easier all the time. Especially when I have a delicious means to an end like this!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway--just a couple more days (ends on Monday)! And it's so easy, all you have to do is leave a comment letting me know your favorite way to use a healthy fat source, including I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spread, or follow ICBINB on Twitter. Way cute kitchen stuff to be had! :)

P.S. check out this amazing sammie over on Haleigh's blog. It's totally my inspiration for lunch tomorrow! I love the weekends when I have tons of time to cook up glorious meals like that. Yum yum. What's the best thing YOU ate this weekend? Miss you guys! xoxo

Want to WIN??

2010-03-03T20:31:00.005-07:00

Want to win some cool kitchen stuff??

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Enter by clicking here. If you win, you'll receive an elegant serving platter, handy spatula and smooth spreader, as well as some FREE I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spread! Also remember to keep getting those healthy fats in--with zero grams of trans fats and lots of omega 3's per serving, ICBINB is a great way to help meet that goal! I love hearing all your healthy fat ideas, so keep 'em coming! xoxo

I Can't Believe It's...A Giveaway!

2010-03-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

Edited to add: Wow, I was so tired when I posted this last night, I forgot to even put up a title. Duh. Anyway, read on, because I do believe the rest of the post is at least semi-coherent.

Greetings fabby bloggie friends! Hope everyone's weekend was wonderfully relaxing. I know mine was a lot busier than I originally anticipated, but filled with tons of friends and family and lots of fun :) Holy cow, can you believe it's March already?? My time is flying by so quickly, and sadly, my birthday month has come to an end. Boo :( It's also the end of the Fatty February challenge, but that doesn't mean I'm losing my focus on fats.

While I haven't been as gung ho about adding healthy fats to my meals as my partner in crime (she is fearless!! I am not!), I have been pretty consistent about getting at least ONE additional serving of fat into my diet per day. It has gone a long way to reduce the fear I feel about incorporating this nutrient, and I have begun to add little fat sources here and there to help up the ante. For example, a bit of extra nut butter on an apple or yog mess, a tablespoon of flax in my cereal or yogurt, diced avocado or guacamole in my salad.

I have also been keeping up with my fish oil and CLA supplements, and I just bought some coconut oil after reading about its health benefits in the latest issue of Oxygen. I also have seen some delicious inspiration from Averie via Adrien and Lauren, using this fat source, so I am excited to give it a try.

However, looks like I'm not the only one taking a closer look at my fat intake and healthy fats in general. The folks at I Can't Believe it's Not Butter recently hooked my up with some product information regarding the positive benefits of their spread. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is a butter substitute spreads that has committed to using no hydrogenated oils, and has zero grams of trans fat per serving.

ICBINB is made with a blend of heart-healthy vegetable oils, including canola and olive oil; and contains tons of omega 3 and omega six fatty acids which are fantastic for your body.

You all know that I have been a huge freak for I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray

--it's one of my biggest vices, so I am excited to try some of the "real" stuff as I move forward in my focus on fats throughout the month of March.

Luckily ICBINB wants all of you to get on board with increasing your healthy fats, so in order to help spread the word (ha ha, get it? ) about the health benefits of ICBINB, they are sponsoring a....what's that? Oh, a GIVEAWAY!!

The giveaway includes a coupon for ICBINB!, two recipes and a platter, spreader and spatula from Crate and Barrel.

There are FIVE different ways to enter, so listen up!

First, just leave a comment about your favorite way to use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter products, or another healthy oil source
Link back to this post to let others know about the giveaway and to help keep the focus on fats in March (just make sure to let me know you've done so with another comment!).
Or you can tweet or follow @ICBINotButter on Twitter (again, be sure to let me know)
For THREE bonus entries, you can create a recipe using ICBINB and email it to me when you feature it on your blog

To help give you some inspiration, here are some tantalizing looking recipes from ICBINB.

Chicken and Sage Risotto

Berry Delite Bread Pudding

Banana Oatmeal Bread

Caramelized Apple and Onion Salad

Giveaway ends a week from today (Monday) at 8:00 p.m. Good luck!

P.S. Another great way to get those um..."healthy" fats in?

Girl Scout Cookies. Whoo hoo! Last year, I never let myself have any, but this year hubs surprised me with a few boxes. thanks babe ;) xoxo

Barley Bowls

2010-02-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Hey kids! Thanks for welcoming me back on my last post. It's always nice to feel at least a little missed while I'm away :) As I mentioned, things have been pretty much a whirlwind since I've been back, and sometimes a crazy schedule necessitates a bit of laziness--or shall we say "efficiency" in the cooking department.

Between church, laundry and paying attention to my poor neglected husband, I only had a few hours last Sunday to catch up with everything and prepare for the week. I did some prep work for our dinner on Monday and wound up with a TON of leftovers.

I have been dying to try the recipe for Creamy Barley featured in last month's Real Simple, but I knew I wouldn't have time Monday night to put it all together. Not to mention, we didn't have the instant barley called for, so I decided to cook up our regular pearled barley (thank you food storage) in advance and modify the recipe on Monday. The recipe calls for two cups of instant barely, so I used 1 1/2 c. regular. Holy moly barely explosion!! I always forget that Real Simple like to make their servings Real Large (which is fine by me!), so even though I used a sufficient amount of the grain in my version, we still had SO much left.

For my Creamy Barley, I sauteed some onions in a large saucepan until golden, then added 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms and one package of thawed and drained frozen spinach. As the mixture cooked, I stirred in 1 c. cooked barley and a 14 oz can diced Italian style tomatoes (with about 1/4 of the liquid removed). Then, to make it creamy and extra delish, I added two laughing cow wedges and a healthy sprinkle of Parmesan cheese with extra feta for garnish.

For added protein and a European flair, I also "fried" an egg to top off my masterpiece. Yep, another whole egg as part of the Fatty February challenge!

Really, the yolk does add an excellent element of flavor and texture, and was the perfect compliment to this meal. Yum yum. This made 3 servings. My sis and D both liked it too, although Sarah opted out of the egg on hers. She doesn't know what she's missing ;)

And additionally, since I am now overrun with barley, I decided to do some of my standard experimentation and incorporate it into my breakfasts. While not exactly a Freaky Food, it definitely turns the tables on breakfast norms for me!

Above is a delightful mix of Greek yogurt, Crofter's Asian Superfruit spread, berries, Naturally More peanut butter and 1/2 c. barley, plus cinnamon, of course!

Round two was equally scrumptious and included 1 chopped pear steamed with cinnamon, yog, sugar free maple syrup, almond butter and barley. So good and both barley breakfast bowls held me over for hours. Excellent, as I expect nothing less from my first meal of the day :)

Luckily for me, I still have a few more serving of this great grain in my fridge to eat up throughout the next few days. It's kept remarkably well and has been very versatile. According to a little online investigating, barley also contains loads of amino acids and can help fight high cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. So I'd highly encourage all of you to be a little daring in the grains department and give it a try. What's your favorite grain? Any interesting ways to eat it?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of lots of good things, including healthy fats, good grains and lots of R&R--I know I'm opting for all of the above! xoxo

The Haul and the Wall

2010-02-24T06:20:00.003-07:00

Heya strangers! I'm back from glorious Arizona and things have been CRAZY! Crazy and cold! It seems like only Friday I was sitting by the pool and soaking up the sun. Wait, I was. And now here I am back in the SLC and working away. Drat. BUT...I do have some fantastic reminders of my trip to cheer me up: my Trader Joe's haul!

OMGgggggg. I literally could have spent all day in that store poring over new products and searching for stuff that I have seen on all of your bloggies. My friends, however, were not so enthralled, so I had to choose my products and use my time wisely!

This is what I ended up with: Dark Chocolate Crisps (um, PERFECT after lunch treat--they are just the right amount of chocolate to get me through!), vanilla meringues, pita puffs, baked jalapeno cheese puffs, dark chocolate pomegranate seeds, crunchy salted almond butter with flax seeds, peanut butter jam frakas bar (I am not so impressed with these) spicy black bean dip, chili covered pineapple, pb&j chocolate bar (guess what?? It has potato chips in it too! How awesome!), ginger mango chutney and fig bars. yeesh. Oh, plus a way cool tote bag that I just want to use as my purse because it's so cute and large.

...and the one perishable thing I allowed myself to get so I could eat it while I was there

I tell ya, I am a sucker for Greek yogurt! I just HAD to try this one. I did make a delectable breakfast bowl using this and some cereal I brought from home, plus pb snagged form the breakfast bar at the hotel. Unfortunately, no pic as it was eaten by the single kitchen light bulb in our suite. Didn't wanna wake the roomies!

Not only did I score some wonderful treats in AZ, but I also had a completely fabulous package waiting for me upon my return home.

I was SO excited to learn that Chrysta from Living Fit!

Tea, fabulous tea! Chrysta was sweet enough to send me two amazing teas from Teavana that I have been dying to try, along with a very fancy storage set.

Both of these are wonderful, and I particularly love the spicy notes in the Azteca. Thank you so much Chrysta!!

In other news, I walked into the exposed brick wall in my bedroom this morning. Just goes to show that I can't be trusted to do anything complicated like walking before I eat breakfast. ;) Hope your day is going well and a little less discombobulated than mine. I have missed you all so much and still have a ton of catching up to do in the reader, but I will "see" you soon :) xoxo

P.S. I did not check to see how many times I used the word "fabulous" in this post, but I'm pretty sure it was a lot. Please excuse the abundant overuse. Apparently walking into a wall reduces your ability to think of synonyms as well.

Bowl of Sunshine :)

2010-02-17T14:16:00.006-07:00

Hi all! Thanks so much for all your Trader Joe's suggestions and obsessions--I can't WAIT to go! I've got to keep this quick as I'm about to head out for warm and sunny AZ, so I'll just let this bowl of breakfast bliss do all the talking ;)

A version of Susan's custard oats, using rice bran instead of oat bran. In my quest for more healthy fats as a part of fatbulous February, I had yet to conquer a WHOLE egg (as opposed to just the whites) and this was the perfect icebreaker.

I just added about 1/4 c. rice bran to 1/2 c. boiling water and whisked in a beaten egg--watch out cuz it cooks very quickly! I poured the hot mixture over 1/4 c. Fage 0% and 1/4 c. pumpkin. Topped with molasses, cinnamon swirl, banana and peanut butter.

Delicious, but not as custardy as I'd hoped--definitely would benefit from the added crunch of a little granola or Fiber One on top, too.

Well have a great week everyone--hopefully I will bring some warm weather and sunshine home with me--and some Trader Joe's goodies! xoxo

Finally (Freaky) Friday!

2010-02-12T20:22:00.003-07:00

Whoo hoo! It's finally Friday! And, better yet, it finally Freaky Food Friday! I haven't done one these for quite a while, so I think it's long over due for some weird and wonderful bites, don't you agree?

I have been saving these for quite some time--you know it's freaky food when Dustin practically gags at the sight. But that's also how you know it's delicious :)

I love brussels sprouts, and I love pickles, so it's only natural that I would want to try this fantastically freaky combination.

You know what else I love? GARLIC. So I had to get them for sure when I saw these little lovelies bobbing around in the jar!

I halfway expected these to be lightly soggy and mushy, but they were actually quite fresh and even crisp! They had the perfect gently sweet dill infusion with a light tang from the brine. So good! I haven't really thought of any way to use them in a main dish, but they do make the perfect accompaniment to any snack plate or sammie!

Speaking of freaky foods, don't forget to check out Kendal's super sweet guest post last Friday. She's had some awesome food adventures that are totally worth checking out.

Also, do doo da doo (trumpet)! I am headed to Arizona next week for work, which is not so exciting BUT I will have the chance to go to Trader Joe's to stock up on some awesome eats!! Yay! I am so excited! On my list to get already: pita puffs, chocolate chips and salsa!

Tell me what else I should keep an eye out for while I'm there! I would LOVE to hear your favorite TJ's stuff--I know you all will have the perfect recommendations! Don't worry, I'm leaving plenty of room in my suitcase!

Have a wonderful weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day!! xoxo

Ketchup..er, catching up

2010-02-10T20:15:00.001-07:00

Hi friends! No, unfortunately, there is no ketchup to be found in this post, but there IS some yummy cranberry mustard, and a whole lotta catching up to do , so let's dive in, shall we?

It's been almost a week since I've posted, but of course the big highlight was my birthday last Thursday. Thanks so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes. You guys are the best, and I was very flattered by all the comments! Anyone tried the SMOATS yet? Gosh, I know they look weird, but they are so good! I'm having them again tomorrow to perk up my day--I have to work all. dang. day. Over 12 hours. Waaah. What a cry baby.

Anyway, I got tons of super sweet and thoughtful presents for my special day, but I'll just show you the fabby foodie ones.

My sister is the bomb and got me the ultra-stylin' polar bear plate and matching sparkly cup that I've had my eye on. Yeah, I'm 26 now and I still like melamine cartoon plates--also to perk up my day at work. What? Cute little beehive tea infuser (I do live in the Beehive State!) and sinfully indulgent walnut green tea from my bro. It tastes like butter. No joke.

And...check it out! Probably like the very first ever home exercise audio! How freakin cool is that? I don't have a record player, so I'll probably never know what it says, but luckily I have the handy-dandy pictures on the cover to assist me if I ever decide to bust out the moves. Thanks Joel! Hubs also got me a gift card to Whole Foods, which is burning a major hole in my pocket! He's so great.

Oh food, glorious food! So many good things on my birthday including a ginormous frosted cupcake from the gals at work, crispy sweet potato fries,
turkey burger with cranberry mustard (told you) on a sweet potato bun and the most decadent and marshmallow-y bread pudding I have ever tasted, courtesy of Acme Burger. Ho-leeeey cow. Everyone's order was very tasty and the service was impeccable. If you are in the SLC, GO!

Of course I was even more spoiled rotten at home where my mama whipped up her signature from-scratch super chocolate cake with extra frosting and tons of SPRINKLES!!!
My mom was so funny--she hunted high and low for just PINK sprinkles, but couldn't find any so she and my dad sat down and hand sorted out a bunch of pink for me. Jeez. I am spoiled!

Daddy Experimentarian obliged my two birthday requests also, by fixing up his perfect pancakes with a side of thick cut bacon for breakfast.

I swear those pancakes are one of my favorite things on this earth. I would probably make them my last meal. Well, pancakes and smoked salmon--which my dad also put together for me.

Seen here as lunch leftovers the other day atop mixed greens, red peppers, onion, mushrooms and dried cranberries. I mixed that with a little BBQ vinaigrette and I never wanted to stop eating it.

Well, that's all for now, and quite enough, I'm sure! A big huge thanks to Kendal for guesting for me on Friday. I don't know about you, but all her food adventures make me long to travel! Luckily, I've had my dose of exotic locales for now (Sweetwater County homies!) and am all settled in at home, at least until next week!

Do you love going home for a little TLC like me? What's the one thing your parents make for you that no one does better? You saw my list above--I'd love to know yours! xoxo

The Weird. The Unusual. The Unknown.

2010-02-05T14:15:00.001-07:00

Howdy y'all! As I mentioned, I am up in the wild, wild west this weekend to get some birthday love and spoiling from my mama and daddy. While I'm gone, I've asked the lovely Kendal from Eating Abroad to guest for me by taking over this week's Freaky Food Friday. She's got a great blog that I very highly recommend you check out pronto. Read on, and I promise you won't be disappointed! This is a great post, filled with wonderful pictures--Thanks so much Kendal!
See you soon for a recap! xoxo, E

In the last 6 years, I have been blessed enough to travel to Italy, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, Egypt, Luxembourg, Tunisia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and England. I have lived in Kenya, the USA, and Germany. In each of these places, I've seen some pretty weird things, especially when it comes to food.

Weird food makes traveling what it is- a chance to experience another culture.

What would we be without our food culture?

Would we still have a day to sit down with family and talk about our blessings if there was no Thanksgiving?

What would birthdays be without the cake and ice cream or summers without a barbecue?

What's Belgium without the waffle? What's a waffle without Belgium?

People form an identity based on the food they eat.

Vegetarian. Vegan. Pescatarian. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian. The list goes on.

To understand a culture, you've got to understand their food.

Some of my best traveling experiences around the world took place around tables of food and drinks with new friends. I've eaten traditional home-cooked meals and food cooked over a fire in the middle of a dusty street. Food helps make the experience.

Although food makes traveling much more fun, there are a few freaky foods I'm still unwilling to try- even in the name of cultural understanding.

This is my second year living in Germany as a traveling teacher. When asked to write about freaky food, plenty came to mind.

Luckily, I can avoid many freaky German foods by hiding behind the vegetarian identity. Such as...

Blutwurst (translation: blood sausage. Yes, it is really sausage made of blood.)

Presskopf (English speakers call it head cheese, but it's actually bits of gross meat chunks held together by a gelatin.)

Not wanting to think about this stuff or it's origins... let's move on.

It's freaky. It's German. It's Vegetarian. It's Knödel!

This freaky food consists of Stove Top Stuffing like bread bits tightly packed into a little pouch.

Notice the dimples in the plastic for the water to get through?

To cook: soak in water. Boil. Drain. Remove from plastic. Sauce. Eat.

What sort of sauce? You may ask. Most Germans would suggest using some sort of beef sauce, but I use mushrooms.

Lots and lots of delicious cooked mushrooms!

We are all familiar with German sauerkraut. Another strange variation on this traditional food is rotkohl.

Cooked red cabbage.

My favorite variety is rotkohl with apples!

Dinner

Germans are known for their seriousness and bad sense of humor. I disagree. Someone who created a phallic shaped food item and named it Super Dickmann's must have a sense of humor.

The box reads: Super Dickmann's- Super Big with Crisp Chocolate- Plump and Chocolaty

Now for the Super Dickmann's Photo Shoot

The Super Dickmann's are filled with marshmallow fluff atop a wafer.

The weird. The unusual. The unknown.

That's what traveling and eating are all about.

You never know what you might find as your teeth tear through a new food.

It might just become your new favorite!

It's my birthday and I'll eat what I want to...

2010-02-04T05:42:00.004-07:00

Starting with a giant bowl of my newest creation!

SMOATS (Spinach smoothie overnight oats)!! It may look disgusting as my husband so kindly pointed out, but it tastes delicious!

I simply blended together my favorite green goodness ingredients, in this case: blueberry pom yogurt, Greek yogurt, fresh blueberries, 3 handfuls of spinach and just a few drops of almond milk; making sure to add a little less liquid than normal so the overnight oats wouldn't turn out too sloppy. Then I dumped my extra thick smoothie into a bowl and stirred in 1/3 c. oats and cinnamon. In the morning, I added the requisite Fiber One, beautiful banana slices and a big fat blob of sunbutter. Magnifique!

Hey, it's my birthday and I'll use French adjectives if I want to, too! ;) I'm sure there shall be lots of other food adventures in store for today and the upcoming celebratory birthday weekend at home in Wyo with my parents--I can't wait!

Have a wonderful day today everyone! I know I will--birthdays are the best!!! xoxo

Just the FATS Ma'am

2010-02-02T20:00:00.001-07:00

Yep, you read that title right--I said the F word. Fats! As I mentioned in last week's post (very important info here peeps!), my bones and my body have finally begun to show the consequences of battling an eating disorder for the majority of my adult life. This included many factors, but most of all, it has negatively effected my bone density and hormone balance. Without measurable hormones, I am unable to absorb several valuable nutrients, but most importantly, calcium, which is what is negatively impacting my skeleton. While several hormone replacement options have been discussed, D and I are doing a ton of research and not rushing into anything.

That being said, I have decided to try a little experiment on my own! You see, ones' body cannot produce estrogen without fat. Without estrogen, the rest of your hormonal system is thrown way out of whack, hence the lack of ovulation and fertility issues. But also, without estrogen, no calcium is absorbed into the body no matter how much Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or laughing cow plus calcium supplement are consumed. So basically, it all goes back to FAT.

Of course I'm not talking about gaining an extraordinary amount of weight or eating spoonfuls of butter here. But I have made it my goal to increase the good, healthy fats in my diet in order to improve my overall health. I'm taking on this challenge with the help of my dear friend Susan over at The Great Balancing Act.

A few ways I'm planning on incorporating more healthy fats:
Nut butters, avocados, salmon, and my version of Abby's Spicy Mixed Nuts. Remember these? I have been savoring them since Christmas and my supply finally ran out. I decided to duplicate the flavors minus the sugary syrup. I simply roasted some raw nut varieties with chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, stevia and cloves. They're so addicting!!

I will also continue to take an omega-3 supplement, which I have been doing for years. I think these are helpful, but apparently not on their own unless they are in addition to other fats. i mean, get real, they only have 1 g of fat per pill, so taking two a day as my only source of fat probably wasn't doing me a whole lot of good.

In my research, I came across a fascinating report, manifesting as The Fertility Diet. This "diet" details several theories to improve fertility based on a study of about 18,000 women and what they ate while trying to conceive. Not only does the study recommend more fats to improve chances of conception and reduce ovulatory infertily, it has these additonal tidbits to offer:

Adding more carbohydrates at the expense of naturally occurring fats predicted a decrease in fertility. This could very well mean that natural fats, especially unsaturated fats, improve ovulation when they replace easily digested carbohydrates.This could very well mean that natural fats, especially unsaturated fats, improve ovulation when they replace easily digested carbohydrates.
more fat in the diet, and in some cases more saturated fat, improves the menstrual cycle
Unsaturated fats do things to improve fertility—increase insulin sensitivity and cool inflammation
Replacing 25 grams of animal protein with 25 grams of plant protein was related to a 50 percent lower risk of ovulatory infertility.

Another article backs up the findings of this study, reinforcing that "women who ate full-fat dairy foods, including ice cream, more than once per day had a 25 per cent reduced risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to those who ate full-fat dairy foods only once a week." (source)

So, I will also try to tackle full fat dairy products. While I don't think I could ever really bring myself to drink whole milk, and I could NEVER give up my 0% Fage and lowfat cottage cheese, I think I could try some regular ice cream and cheese. Especially this stuff:

Baby blue obsession. It's been such a long time since I've had real cheese. Good grief!

I think the whole article was really interesting, and I'd encourage all of you to read it here.

Overall, it is just really clicking for me that fats help our bodies in so many ways, from helping out brains function, to regulating hormones and improving hair and skin. Help, in the skin department BTW, is also majorly needed. My hair is in good shape, still as pouffy and large and in charge as ever, but my skin belongs in an African wasteland! I know Susan is posting pics of her skin before and after, so I thought I'd do the same--warning--this IS not attractive! Yikes! Anyway, so I am really hoping that our Fatty February will be a great exercise in health improvement. I know it will be a big, and very difficult challenge for me, but I am super excited to see how it all pans out!

Anyone want to join us? I would love to hear your suggestions on incorporating healthy fats, and if you have done so and seen increased health benefits! Happy humpday tomorrow, and happy BEST DAY OF THE YEAR on Thursday--it's my birthday! :) Whoo hoo! xoxo

Rainbows and Puppies

2010-01-30T23:54:00.001-07:00

You guys are the best. I love you for reals. THANK YOU all so much for the love and support shown to me on my last post. I was so scared to post something that personal, but I truly believe that it may help others learn from my experience. Seriously, if you have not read it, please do so! I will probably be linking back to it on my next couple of posts just to help get the word out a little more.

Anyway, since my last post was slightly dismal, I promise this one will be nothing but rainbows and puppies! I've had quite the run of good eats lately, and successful experiments, which is supremely conducive for blogging purposes.

My first score was a tasty little thing, organic, raw, stinky, and you guessed it! KOMBUCHA! Now, I had tried this before a couple of years ago and had not been impressed. But after seeing it on Janetha's and then another Emily's blog, I had a hankering to give it a shot once again. I think I picked a better flavor this time which definitely helped, and now I am addicted! At first sip, it honestly just tasted like fizzy vinegar. But hey, you know I love me some vinegar, so this was right up my alley. The second swig tasted a lot more like cranberry and the following guzzles were just good! D thinks I'm crazy. This is one thing he refuses to try.

Another stinky, smelly thing that Dustin doesn't like (oh goody, more fore ME!): blue cheese. I have been obsessed lately. This idea is semi-stolen from sweet little Lauren's blog because it was absolutely perfect for Sammie Saturday, but here is my version with her inspiration!

Toasted cinnamon raisin bread spread with Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow and blue cheese crumbles, thinly sliced pear, smoked turkey, dijon mustard and spinach.
Om yum ghee. that is me with my mouth full because you know I could NOT stop eating this heavenly combo of deliciosuness.
Speaking of delightful sammies, check out another delightful pear and turkey combo whipped up by Haleigh, and a superstar created by Susan from Tangerine Trees and Marmalade Skies as she guested for K. That one is on my list for sure!

Just a little more fun--last night Dustin and I got to have a date and go to the Jazz game. Whoo hoo! I have been waiting for this moment for like 5 years! No, not for the Jazz to play a good game, although that finally happened, too. For Dippin Dots! Now, you guys have probably had these before, but I had NOT. I saw them once when we were in Cali and I didn't get them. I have wanted them EVER SINCE! We went to the zoo a while back and they had them there, but I just wasn't in the mood and I knew they wouldn't be as epic--does that ever happen to you? Ugh. But anyway I finally got some. Banana Split style and they were pretty yummy. Almost like eating frozen, flavored air because once second they're on your tongue and the next, they are completely gone. Entertaining eats, that's for sure. Sorry for the craptastic picture. I was trying not to piss off everyone around me by taking obnoxious food photos.

See? Kittens and sunshine just like I promised! Anyhoo, I hope your weekend has been full of the same, and once again I really do thank you all so much for being so nice to me and your support in speaking out against the consequences of eating disorders. Gros bisous. xoxo

Scary

2010-01-29T07:33:00.006-07:00

Hummmm, well, I am really not doing a very good job of posting more frequently am I? I wish I could could come back with a fun and hilarious post for Freaky Food Friday, and although will get to one of those sometime soon, I really wanted to talk about some other freaky business. Not like that. get your minds out of the gutter ;)

Normally, I advise you guys to skip through if you want to avoid my more serious ramblings, but this time I am asking you to PLEASE READ! This is serious, this is scary, and this is important.

Although I had entered recovery for my eating disorder last spring, by the summer, I was still struggling to hang on to the desire to heal. I emailed my nutritionist, who has played an amazing role in my recovery, and asked her for some help. I asked her to scare me. At the time, languishing in my eating disorder was so much easier and I was having trouble feeling like health was the better option.

She emailed me back with some information on how eating disorders can affect one's health for the long term, which we all already know. the stats she sent me helped to improve my outlook on restoring my weight and my health. However, nothing hits home like a little personal experience and a heaping dose of reality.

Here is my email to her, which I would like to share with you:

Dear XXX, You may not remember, but last summer ,I sent you an email asking you to scare me. I needed some motivation to move forward with my recovery, but more than that I really needed a reason to improve my health. Well, in case anyone ever asks you for that same fear-driven push forward, here is something you can tell them: After struggling with my eating disorder for 13 years, my body is no longer producing any type of hormones at all. I have less estrogen in my body then my male endocrinologist. My levels of estrogen were so low, that they were unmeasurable.

My pituitary gland is dysfunctional, which means that although my levels of that hormone are normal, they are not able to send the correct messages to most other hormones in my body, including my thyroid and my reproductive systems. Because my thyroid is not producing the hormones it needs to be, my metabolism is slower, I have less energy and I am not absorbing some essential vitamins and nutrients, including, but especially calcium. This is compounded by the fact that without estrogen, I am doubly unable to absorb calcium. This means that although I eat tons of dairy, take a multivitamin and calcium supplement (with vitamin D) and eat fortified foods, it is not doing any good.

In addition to lots of blood tests and several painful procedures to determine whether or not I will ever be able to have children due to the damage inflicted on my body, I also had a bone density scan performed. It read in the negatives. Despite all my calcium intake and the amount of bone-building exercise I do, I am still on the verge of osteoporosis.

Even through my previous struggles, although my hormones and menstrual cycle were restored, I may have done permanent damage that I will not be able to recover from this time. In order to even entertain the possibility of conceiving children, I will have to consider taking Clomed (which may not work), or more expensive and very invasive hormone therapies (that also may not work). The cost of these treatments will be tens of thousands of dollars, and as my doctor explained, will also be even more emotionally expensive. The side effects are numerous and can can even be dangerous, and still may not result in pregnancy.

There is the strong possibility that my hormones will never return to normal. I may never have a family. I may never be pregnant. I have been so against any type of artificial hormones entering my body, but now I have no choice but to accept that sort of treatment. If I am unable to conceive, and my hormones do not return to normal, I will be forced to take birth control pills so that my body is able to absorb calcium through the artificial estrogen in order to slow the progression of osteoporosis. If that's not scary enough, I don't know what is.

You officially have my permission to share this with anyone you think it will help. I'm not losing hope, and I pray and try to have faith that my body will be restored as I keep working hard in recovery. But I also have to accept that the damage I have caused may cost me even more hard work and heartache.

Many of us in the blogging community have battled eating disorders and won, but for all of us, please take this as a warning and cautionary tale for your own health and the health of those you care about. Please share this information with anyone who may have had, or currently has an eating disorder. For my dear friends who are struggling still, get your own tests done, and get on the path to health. Recovery is hard. It is a lot of work and anguish. But it is worth it to have your whole, real, life ahead of you.

Of course, this sort of helps to explain my absence from the blog lately. All those test have been re-damn-diculous and very difficult to process, both physically and mentally. I was a little afraid to post this --first of because it's so personal. But secondly, I really don't want anyone to feel like I'm throwing myself a little pity party over hear. Please rest assured that I am not just hanging around feeling bad, nor do I expect anyone else to feel sorry for me. But I decided even it it helps just one person, it would be worth it to talk about. I have a couple different plans of action and I am continually making steps to move forward.

If you have ever had an eating disorder, or are fighting one now, please ACT, and get the help you need to enter recovery and heal your body. Do not take your body and your future for granted.

Wishing you all the very best health and hope. xoxo
E

A Recipe and A Review

2010-01-23T18:15:00.002-07:00

Hey guys! guess what I found out today? The state vegetable of Utah is the ONION!!

How appropriate. For me, anyway. So glad I live in a place that gives love to one of my favorite things!

Out of curiosity, I looked up Wyoming to see if it had a state vegetable, but sadly, it doesn't I should have known--nothing grows in Wyo except for sagebrush anyway, which probably isn't so tasty. Not that I wouldn't try it! ;) However, I DID learn that another one of my favorite states, North Carolina, own the SWEET POTATO as their veggie of choice. Awesome! just another reason to love the "old north state!" So... a little random trivia there!

In other randomness, I decide to forgo both Freaky Food Friday and Sammie Saturday this week, and mix it up a bit instead with a recipe and a restaurant review, hence the title!

So, ALL WEEK, I have been craving one thing: a brownie and a Diet Coke. Odd, I know, and it sounds like such a "dieters" snack, but that certain combo makes me quite nostalgic for my mama in a round about fashion. Explanation: growing up, we would always have an afternoon snack on the weekends, usually consisting of yep, a piece of chocolate something or other and a delicious diet beverage. Usually this would occur after my mom woke up from her nap, which happened after reading the weekend comics, which happened after a scrumptious pancake brekkie made by my dad, which happened after my weekly father-daughter bonding grocery shopping trip with him. So you see, quite the string of happy flashback memories for ya there!

A lady at work actually brought in brownies which is what kick started my chocoholism, but I DID taste one and they were kind of yucky. They just tasted like margarine. Icky. Of course, I know it is perfectly fine to indulge in a real brownie every now and again, but I knew I could make a healthified sub in the meantime.

I have been totally eyeing everyone's microwave creations lately--see Tina's cookie and April's protein cakes--but I created my own combo by modification a recipe I found on the Eggland's Best site. Introducing the Brownie Batter Puffcake!

Whisk together 2 egg whites, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. powdered stevia ( I used two NuNaturals packets), 2 tbs. pumpkin puree and 1 tbs. almond milk. Once thoroughly combined and egg whites are frothy, stir in 2 tbs. flour and one heaping tbs cocoa powder. Mix well to combine, and pour contents into a microwave safe mug sprayed with Pam. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, and plop out to let cool.

Cake will be very moist and almost souffle-like in texture. It's almost like pudding at the bottom, which is where the name comes from--pudding+cupcake/muffin+mug=Puffcake.

Top with sprinkles (obviously) if you want to be extra fancy, and a dollop of vanilla yogurt and serve alongside Diet Coke for a trip down memory lane.

OR, throw into a bowl of cottage cheese and top with Sunbutter for a super delicious start to your Saturday morning.

Decadent. I may mess around with this and try adding wheat bran instead of flour to up the fiber content and make it a little more filling. You surely could sub in protein powder, but since most brands have soy in them, that is not a good option for me. However, this still has pretty good stats, clocking in at right around 100 calories, 3 g of fiber and 10 g of protein.

Even after that delicious start, my day got better! It is my bro-in-law's birthday on Tuesday, so we drove down to Provo, which is about half an hour away from us to celebrate early. I LOVE birthdays! I don't care who's they are, I just think they're great! But, they are even better when they belong to people I love :) Speaking, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SUSAN TODAY!!!

Anyway, Ollie is a vegetarian, and I knew the perfect place to please everyone's discerning palettes. Guru's used to have a location in SLC before I lived and I would visit all the time with my sis. Now they are just in Provo, but it is sure worth the drive! Guru's has a great philosophy about first nourishing our bodies so we and then nourish our lives, and nourish we did! After pouring over an extensive menu packed with great, healthy options, with everything from noodle and rice bowls to wraps, pasta, even breakfast, I finally chose a blackened salmon salad with raspberry vinegar.

Not even an oily vinaigrette--they actually had gourmet vinegar! It's like they knew I was coming! My salad was a lot of lettuce, but also had feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, snap peas, and the salmon was out of this world!

Ollie had a veggie and tofu cilantro lime wrap that came with tortilla chips and salsa.

And Dustin had a good-sized burrito, stuffed with juicy pork, rice and black beans then smothered in cheese and pico di gallo.

I must say, everyone devoured their food and loved every bite of it! Everything I saw come out of the kitchen looked seriously amazing, and there are tons of yummy menu items I would love to go back and try! the decor is fun and hip, the service was good and I'm definitely giving Guru's my two thumbs up!

Another thing I'm giving a thumbs up--Ollie's super sweet new look courtesy of some of our hilarious birthday presents to him. Rockin it!

Happy Birthday Olls! Love ya!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend and is eating as much yummy food as I am! check out Guru's menu and tell me what YOU would try next. It's all killer! xoxo

Super Duper NON-Meat-Filled

2010-01-19T23:12:00.002-07:00

After that smokey, super-duper meat-filled post this weekend, this one will be a wee bit of a contrast! Here is my second go around of Meatless Monday, documented this time because I am smart(ass).

I have been looking forward to making this for a looooong time, ever since I saw it on Janetha's blog back in December! Of course I modified the recipe a little, like any good experimentarian. I almost used my leftover kelp noodles, but decided to keep the carbs up in this one :)

Sun dried Tomato and White Bean Pasta with Pesto

A while ago, Ronzoni sent me some of their pasta to try, and I have been hooked ever since. I know that some people find the taste of whole wheat pasta a little bitter, but I love the nuttiness and grainier texture.

This dinner came together super quickly. As the pasta was boiling, I sauteed up about 1/4 of an onion. I am cutting back. Um, just kidding. Then I added a few sliced mushrooms and some fresh spinach.

Janetha's original version had chicken in it, but since it was Meatless Monday, I went with some rinsed and drained white beans for protein instead.

Of course, I couldn't go without the sun dried tomatoes--they were totally the reason I was after this recipe in the first place!

I chopped about 5 or 6 of them, and then mixed them with the cooked pasta, sauteed veggies and the other star ingredients:

Delicious basil pesto and laughing cow. Yummy. It's basilicious. That's what it says on the package! Ha ha!

Rocks my socks. Anyhow, since Dustin is out of towners this week, I decided to take advantage of my alone time and do some healthified, also meat-free baking that I knew would be non-husband approved. BUT, definitely Emily-approved! And more importantly, April-invented!
I baked up a mini loaf of April's Low Carb Sweet Bread, with just a couple of modifications, using 3 egg whites in place of egg substitute, and halving all ingredients. I also subbed in 1/4 c. quick oats for some of the ground flax seed.

Sadly, my attempt turned out a little bitter--I should have added more stevia. April's original recipe calls for 2 tsp of pure stevia extract and I just threw in two packets of NuNaturals because it was all I had. However I remedied it in a hurry by creating what else? A cottage cheese concoction!

1/2 c. lowfat cottage cheese, suncrystals, powdered peanut butter and banana slices. Dang, should have made more than half a batch!

Oh jeez, I just realized I didn't really have one original idea in this whole post--just a copy cat! Oh well. That is one thing I love about blogging is gleaning new tips and tricks from all my friends and their fantastic minds! Luckily, I have the whole rest of the week to think up some crazy kitchen experiments with D gone. Truly, I miss him terribly, but it is really fun for me to come up with things to suit my taste alone. We'll see if any of them are decent enough to make it onto the blog :) What are your favorite ways to spend your alone time?

For me, reading, calling old friends to catch up, making up exercises and watching crappy TV top the list. I even got to catch Biggest Loser tonight, which D hates! I have such a girlie crush on Jillian! She is fabulous. And Bob has nice teeth. And I think the drama is hilarious. You can tell they totally play to the camera, big time! Ok, enough now. Hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing evening. Happy Humpday tomorrow! xoxo

Smokin'

2010-01-17T17:40:00.009-07:00

When we were up in Wyoming forever ago for the holidays, one thing my dad and Dustin really wanted to do was some smoking. No, no not like that! My mom just about had a conniption when I told her that the boys were going to go smoke some stuff. Ha! That was pretty funny.

Obviously, considering how much we love barbecue, we love almost any smokey, salty meat production. And trust me, it is quite the production. Although my dad did most of the work, I can proudly say that I helped the most by doing what I do best--going shopping with my mom and staying the hell out of the way.

Love this little Wyoming gem.

Note: being a cowboy is expensive. There is no wardrobe addition I desire more than a z-exay pair of cowboy booots. On sale, they are $139. Ouch. Sorry Boot Barn, I haven't won enough rodeos for you yet.

Anyway, I digress.

My dad brined the turkey first in a bath of salt, garlic and water. The garlic was kind of our own special touch since I love em some garlic, but also because the only non-iodized salt we had happened to be a sea salt and roasted garlic grinder. Apparently non-iodized salt is very important to the smoking process, and I never figured out exactly why.

The turkey brined overnight and almost killed us when we opened the fridge in the morning with eau de garlique. Holy moly. Oh well. It was like perfume to me :)

My dad and D smoked the turkey over two hours using a series of hickory chips.

This is the before shot, right as the turkey went in with the first batch of chips:

And as it went along, smokin away:

This was done in my dad's little workshop up at his job where he does lots of amazing projects, including roasting his own coffee beans, and now, smoking a variety of meats. It smells incredible.

And the finished product! Keep in mind that the smoking procedure in this case was only to impart flavor to the meat and not to fully cook it. After two hours of absorbing scrumptious hickory scent, we still needed to bring it home and cook it in the oven.

Served along side some of Ellie's stuffing from my Blogger Secret Santa package!

This delectable mixture was full of apples, cranberries and CHESTNUTS! Now what could be more quintessentially holiday than that? So delicious and so interesting to try. I was surprised at the texture of the chestnuts--almost like those water chestnuts you get in Chinese mixes. But my favorite was the chunks of cranberry. Thanks again Ellie! you are wonderful :)

Of course, with having turkey for Christmas dinner the day before, AND having smoked turkey the next day, we had tons leftover, which in my opinion, is the best part anyway because it totally calls for only one thing--SAMMIES!!

This delight was sprouted wheat bread stuffed with shredded smoked turkey, cranberry sauce and aged super sharp white cheddar cheese. Oh Em Gee. Perfect for Sammie Saturday--which was yesterday by the way--I am a day behind, but this post is like a month behind :)

Hope you all had a good weekend! I will see ya on Tuesday fer sure with a recap of our second Meatless Monday! xoxo

Freaky Fake Noodles and Pretty Pink Everything Else

2010-01-15T13:27:00.006-07:00

Hi there everyone! Well, when I mentioned I would probably be blogging less frequently, I certainly didn't expect a whole week to go by before I posted anything! Speaking of my last post, thanks so much for all your incredible sweet comments on my wedding and your anniversary wishes! You guys are so nice! Anyhowzzles, there has definitely been a lot going on in the food world and other wise, so lets hop to it shall we?

First up, let me show you a little of the things that have been keeping me occupied...
one the food front, we have experienced the passing of a few greats recently including my beloved PB2 (unpictured), crunchy Sunbutter and super chunky peanut butter.
You can see I don't typically leave enough remnants for OIAJ so that was no consolation, but to be fair I'm not that disappointed. I tired them once, and found it a little too messy and not nearly enough nut butter to go around (as evidenced by my thorough cleaning job above).

We also had our very first meatless Monday, which sadly, went undocumented, but was delicious. I know it would be a lot more appealing with pictures, but I enthusiastically encourage you to try the Rice and Beans recipe from Eat, Drink and be Vegan. I modified it a little bit, adding half an orange bell pepper and 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels. I also used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth since that's what we had on hand. Very delicious, but beware, because it makes "four" VERY generous portions (we got 6). Even though I am not vegan, I checked out that cookbook from the library a while ago and found a lot of great recipes. I would love my own copy because I only got to copy down a few especially enticing ideas.

I have a fantastic Freaky Food Friday for you today, too! I have been looking for this particular product FOREVER since seeing it on the other Emily's blog this summer. I had just about given up hope of ever locating them in Utah, when I spotted them at a local natural foods store:

Kelp Noodles!

Yipeeeeeeee!!! I was so, so pumped to try these, but upon opening the bag,

I made the mistake of taking a big whiff---ick!! Like sea water and brine. Of course! Luckily, I am not one to let a little weird smell deter me from my plans ( this IS freaky food, after all!).

After rinsing them very well and steaming them for a few minutes in the microwave, I topped them with garlic powder, chunky tomato marinara sauce , two extra lean meatballs and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Not bad! Although the texture was not really similar at all to traditional pasta--kind of chewy and oddly crunchy--I thought it tasted just fine and was a perfectly reasonable substitute. If any of you have ever tried the tofu shirataki noodles, they reminded me a lot of those. I used to think those things were so cool before I discovered my soy sensitivity. Now I know why they gave me such a bad tummy ache!

No problems at all with the kelp noodles, though. The stats were really interesting, too. Actually, there almost were NO stats! A four ounce serving only has 6 calories and the only ingredients are kelp, sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water. The only other component of nutrition was 15% DV of calcium.

I don't know that I'll be eating these on a regular basis because they are pretty expensive (plus I am pretty sure D wouldn't touch them with a 10-ft pole), but they were really fun to try!

Some other fun things I have been keeping myself busy with:

Making Fruity Pebbles treats for my little Sunday School class. Ok and let's be honest, for Dustin, too :) Look at how cool that picture is though! I have to admit that I snuck some Fruity Pebbles into my greek yogurt, and holy cow those puppies are SWEET!! Even against the sour tang of the yogurt, they were almost too much. Wow. Do people really eat those for breakfast? Dang. I'm not saying it wasn't delicious though!

I have also been making an attempt to work out my brain as much as I work out my body--

D got me a subscription to our local newspaper for our anniversary. This may not seem very romantic to most, but he knows me so well! Usually, the only source of real news I get is from the Today show, so it's nice to be able to keep informed on public affairs. Plus, I used to love getting the morning paper and reading the comics and doing the crosswords every day when I was growing up. Now, I love the ads and the Sunday coupons, too! Lucky girl, I got a 12 week subscription and I feel enriched already!

I am making a concerted effort to read more as well, but sometimes it really does hurt my brain too much after a long day. reading is seriously my all time favorite hobby next to cooking, but these books aren't' exactly as light and fluffy as the Sookie Stackhouse novels I've been hooked on! Jenny Scheaffer's new book, Goodbye Ed, Hello Me, is incredible and even better than her first offering (Life Without Ed). Unfortunately sometimes it really hits me in terms of my recovery and I have to take a break from reading it in order to process.

I also love this Malcolm Gladwell book, The Tipping Point. Yeas, I know it's old and you've probably already read it, but it is so interesting! Sadly, I don't think I hold any of the qualities he elaborates on just yet, so it kind of makes me feel like a loser. I am only a few chapters in though!
More fun things!

I got this most adorable mug at Target the other day and I am completely in love! I collected polar bears when I was younger, plus it's pink, plus it has a heart on it! And it holds tea! What could be more perfect? Ha ha! I love that my birthday is in February because everything in the stores is pink with hearts, so I feel like it's all decorated just for me! ( I wonder how it is possible to simultaneously be 82 and 12 at the same time--old lady and little pink princess!)

Speaking of hearts, my hottie friend Janetha B is holding a sweet Valentine's Day exchange, so don't forget to sign up and spread the love!

Special K is also caring and sharing again with a tea exchange (you KNOW i was all over that one!), so check that one out too!

I really will be posting more frequently to avoid the textbook-sized entries, so thanks for sticking this one through til the end :)

Questions: Are you closer to 82 or 12 yourself? I think it's hilarious that I would rather spend Saturday night at home with my crossword and mug of tea and at the same time die over anything that is pink and foufy. That's just me :) And you now know I used to collect polar bears--what about you? Any kiddie collections you may or may not still have an affinity for?

Happy Friday! (AND Happy End of this Post--you really are a trooper!) xoxo

Non-Freaky Flashback and I Like it Spicy Part 3

2010-01-08T10:58:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned, Wednesday was my third wedding anniversary (Whoo hoo!!), so I thought it would be fun and entertaining to post some pics from our wedding back in 2007. I suppose it's a little narcissistic to have a post filled with almost nothing but pictures of me, but I guess this is my blog and my wedding, so it's ok, right? :)

This is one of my favorite pictures from that day. Oh, and this is D without a beard! He has had one now for so long that I almost forget what he looks like without it. We look so young here!

Young and in love!

I loved my hair--it was so big and poufy! Any you know what they say about big hair don't you?? Well, I guess they don't say anything, but I sawy it's H-O-T! Actually my hair stylist always jokes "the higher the hair, the closer to heaven!" I must be an angel by now :)

As you can see, I did have a cute little (faux) fur-hooded cape, which was smart for January, but I did not actually wear it for most of our pictures outside (not smart). The photographer wanted to show off my dress. I remember it being 19 freaking degrees that day. Brrrr!! Oh well--I guess loves keeps you warm!

We were married here:

But held our reception in an aquarium!

I worked as the Marketing Coordinator there at the time, and we were trying to promote the facility for event rentals. I convinced my bosses to let me host my reception there for free and then we could use the pictures in our marketing materials. It was so awesome! As anyone who has planned a wedding knows, reception rentals can take up a HUGE portion of your budget, so it gave us a lot of leeway (and a lot of fun) to have it there.

Obviously, we had pictures of the food:

Dustin and I had originally wanted to have a carnival theme to our reception with mini hamburgers, popcorn and cotton candy, but our parents threw a big fit so that was out.

I kept the cotton candy--that was non-negotiable!

Instead, we settled on a "dipping" bar with both sweet and savory options. I think we had a spicy cheese and an alfredo, an artichoke dip and a chili dip, all with pretzels, crackers and veggies.

We also had a dipping desserts station with white and dark chocolate, caramel, tons of fruit, brownies, marshmallows and other sweets.

This was just flavored water--it was all in a pink theme, so if I can remember correctly, it was lemon, strawberry, cherry and grapefruit.

As you can see, all the pics have kind of a nautical theme here--all the food was inside the "sunken ship!"

I was so glad to be able to have our reception somewhere fun. Not just for us, but for our guests. I wanted to be able to give everyone something to do, so they got to walk through all the galleries and look at the fish and play in the touchpool.

I mean, how boring is it to go to a wedding where all you do is walk through a greeting line, grab a plate of hors d'ouerves and then try to mix awkwardly with people you don't know? Ugh. A lot of Utah weddings are like that. Not all of them though! And not mine. It always makes me happy because people will still say that they remember it to this day.

I didn't want a wedding cake, since it is so hard to find one that is pretty AND tastes good. I thought cupcakes would be better. I am a cupcake kind of gal, anyway :)

For as fun as our wedding was, I have to say that each day beyond that has been all the more wonderful and filled with love. Our marriage isn't perfect, and neither are our lives. We have had our share of trials and hard times since then, but we love each other, and I am so grateful that we found each other--and that I tricked D into marrying me!

I wish the photographer had taken some more pics of the food for ya, but I didn't get to eat much that day, so I probably couldn't tell you much more about it!

What I CAN tell you about though, is some more wonderful and spicy food that I have had the pleasure of indulging in recently!

Thanks to my sweet friend Abby, I had some luscious Christmas goodies to experiment with:

Super spicy and very gingery ginger snaps. OMG, these were so good! They actually had little pieces of crystallized ginger IN them. Yum!

But my new favorite thing has got to be these guys:

They are the perfect blend of sweet and spicy with tons of cayenne, cinnamon and a touch of cumin. I have been keeping them within arm's reach at all times and loving them in a new CCC.

Cottage cheese with cinnamon and stevia, Fiber One, Quaker Oat Squares and Cinnamon Life sprinkled with a healthy dose of chopped sweet and spicy nuts. So good! Thanks Abby! You are an amazing chef and inspiration!

I also stumbled upon this discovery, which I highly recommend you try as soon as possible...

Sweet potato with Laughing Cow, cinnamon, Sun Crystals and dried cranberries. Maybe not the most original offering, but definitely a delicious one!

What's YOUR favorite spicy creation? Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have a fantastic weekend! xoxo

A little bizznasss

2010-01-06T16:04:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh! Thank you all so much for your comments on my last post! I have actually been feeling pretty down about the way I look lately, and your super sweet compliments seriously almost brought me to tears! Body image is a bitch, eh? But you guys are the best, the best! Thank you!!!

A little bizznasss...a lot of you really liked my dress, and a few wanted to know where I got it. I don't think it's for sale anymore, but I scored it at a great store called Shade. They make all sorts of very cute and modest items, plus it is very reasonably priced, so I would definitely encourage you to check it out!

Second, as a joke, I asked my boss if I could borrow his Power 90 X dvds since he wasn't using them (I don't even know why he bought them, he is so funny), and he actually brought them for me.!All like 62 dvds and the meal plan and exercise guide and everything. I believe that I am too much of a creature of habit to launch full on into the program, but I do think it looks pretty interesting. Have any of you done the P90X moves before? Tell me about the plan and how it worked for you!

Last, but probably most important, today is my #3 wedding anniversary to the most amazing, supportive, hilarious, handsome and studly husband EVER!!!! Congratulations to us. I have uploaded some wedding pics, and I'll be posting those on Friday for a special round of flashback, so please check it out! Love you baby . You're the bomb, bomb-a-bomb. Dot com(b).

Ok, now finally, I have another super fabulous post to share with you, thanks to the lovely Ellie, holding it down in the UK!!

Just when I had all but given up hope of a Bloggie Secret Santa package coming my way, I found this on my doorstep a few days before Christmas:

Dustin had actually called me at work and told me to hurry home because I had some strange "packet" waiting for me and he didn't want it to explode on him.

I could not have been more stoked that Ellie was my Secret Santa! She did such an awesome job picking out fun stuff for me to try. I was literally squealing with delight with each package I opened.

I was majorly excited to try everything, but I knew my family would get a big kick out of the goodies, so I packed everything up and took it home with me to Wyoming (you will be seeing more of that stuffing!).

We celebrated our Christmas like true Brits with the crackers, cookies and crowns.

Ha Ha!

And then, that night, we tried the Christmas pudding. We couldn't get it to light on fire, but it was fabulous all the same! Thank you so much Ellie! Everyone in my family loved your goodies and thought it was so cool that you sent them to me--I do too!

Inspired by Miss Ellie, my dad decided to make his own version of Christmas pudding the next day. He has actually made this a few times before, but I think the little bite he shared with us really put him in the mood for a bigger taste :)

This pudding is actually made with suet a.k.a. solid animal fat (gross, I know, but it really serves the same purpose as shortening, and is probably the most pure source of oil you can find!). He got everything all mixed together before I could take a picture, but you're all probably ok with that :)

Mmm. A little cake made with a lot of fat. That's just how we do in the cowboy state I guess. Or rather, how my dad does in his cowboy boots :)

Anyway, I'll leave you for today with this last pic:

A little bit of sunshine courtesy of my baby--hope they send some happiness your way too! xoxo

Lots of R's

2010-01-02T08:27:00.001-07:00

First of all--HOLLA!! I have missed you guys so much! Also, I have noticed a few new readers in my last posts, and I just wanted to say welcome! Hope you stick around and that I don't scare you off with this huuuuuugee post that I'm about to proffer.

I have been super busy with the holidays and family, but also thinking a lot about the past year and all it has brought for me. I have also been thinking a lot about the blog...

...and pondering if I should keep it going in the new year. There are several reasons for this thought process. First of all, I started this blog back in May, when I was in quite a different frame of mind. I was embattled in my eating disorder, and this blog served as an excellent tool to aide me in my recovery ( you can read more about that here). I have made significant strides since than and have forsaken some of the things that "kept" me sick, were no longer serving their positive purpose in my life, or were otherwise keeping me tied to the identity of someone suffering with anorexia.

I was worried that blogging was only serving to make me "accountable" for the food I was eating, instead of the fun I was supposed to be having with it. Hope that makes sense. However, I have come to the conclusion that this blog has been far more helpful than hurtful for me as I move forward in recovery. Because I have a forum to vent my frustrations and fears, as well as my accomplishments, I know that I have been able to move farther ahead. Mostly thanks to so many of the awesome readers I have and friends that I have made. It is so incredible to know that I have people who "get" me, and my food!

You have stood by me this year as I have tried many new things, from avocados, to hamburgers, to some very Freaky Foods; and you all have helped me learn so much, too! Thank you and Happy New Year!!

Anyway, I am grateful for my little bitty blog and for the job it does in helping me keep track of the bigger picture. I am working on letting go of a lot of things, and that includes my all or nothing mentality. Here are some thoughts that I think will help me align my blogging priorities with the rest of my LIFE--

Realizations/revelations:

Freaky Food Friday does not have to be EVERY Friday
Sammie Saturday does not have to occur EVERY Saturday
If I do not post for a few days, or a week or even two weeks, no one is going to miss me THAT BAD.
I do not have to read every blog post or be fantastically witty and/or snarky in every single post of my own. Sometimes I don't have anything interesting to post, but sometimes that can be just as interesting--it will be up up me to make that call.

In addition to realizations and revelations, I have also been pondering another "R." Resolutions. Now, I am not typically a person who makes New Years Resolutions. I have never seen the need for it because I usually just decide to do things and then do them. I don't always appreciate the idea of working up to a goal because it often seems it takes more effort to get there than to just get going! However, because so much has occurred in 2009 (both personally and food-related), the start of 2010 seems like a good time to work in some modified lifestyle aspects.

Meatless Mondays: This idea came about for a variety of reasons. First, we spend an atrocious amount of money on food. Most of this is my problem. D would be content eating peanut butter (an Nutella) sandwiches, tuna fish and $.25 burritos. I, on the other hand, prefer 5 dollar jars of nut butters, copious amounts of FRESH fruit and vegetables (2 lb bag of baby carrots, you ain't got nuthin on me!), and any type of new, cool, healthy, heard-about food product.

Also, honestly, I am at a point in my recovery where I find it extraordinarily difficult to both buy and deny myself foods that were once restricted. Often times I find myself standing in the grocery aisle having a five minute debate over which type of bagels or crackers to buy (regular or "lite," whole grain or whole wheat, wheat or white, cheese or herb, this kind or that kind). It's exhausting and much too emotionally investing, so there are instances where I just throw both things in the cart so I come stop being a schizo in public. Not that I do this all the time. I really try not to make it a habit,and on the occasion where we find ourselves with 6 different types of cereal or 4 boxes of crackers in the cupboard, I will usually just scratch those items off my list for a week or so until our supply has calmed down.

On the other hand, as much as I would be content with a plate full of broccoli for dinner, I try to appease Dustin every once in a while with things like hamburgers, chili, shredded pork and the like. Who am I kidding--I like my animal proteins, too. But I found that the amount we use in cooking can sometimes be a little excessive. For example, I think I can make chili with 1/4 lb of ground beef as opposed to a half or a whole pound. The rest of the dish can be rounded out with things like beans or cooked veggies. I think it will be beneficial in terms of our health, money and cooking repertoire to find ways to stretch not only our food budget as a whole, but also our meat budget specifically.

Thus the idea of a Meatless Monday was born. I really love the idea of challenging myself to come up with new recipes that Dustin and I will both appreciate, all the while broadening our culinary palettes. If you have any meat-free meal suggestions, I would love to hear them!

So I guess those are my two big goals for the next few months--relax and ENJOY my blogging a little more without being so rigid in my posting/reading behaviors and save more money, especially on food by instituting Meatless Monday and eating less meat over all. Please don't mis-interpret this. I love meat. I am eating BBQ tonight. But I still recognize the benefit of working against my black and white thinking in this department too.

I think this year, I would also like to attend more live concerts, find ways to see my friends more and nourish those relationships, create more constructive hobbies for myself. I think the other, more deeper desires of my heart will follow :)

Well now that I've babbled on and on, let's actually get to some pictures shall we? Revelations, realizations, resolutions and now, RECAP! We were in dust-kickin' Wyoming for Christmas with my family and I loved every minute of it. Except the drive. There is nothing. Oh wait. There are windmills. We made it in time for church on Christmas Eve which is a big tradition for us. All dressed up. D and I got spoiled rotten on Christmas. Every year my mom says she is "cutting back," and every year we laugh at her because she never does. We got lots of amazing things including some new board games (love!!). Actually the best gift was spending time with my family.
Here is a little foodie flashback:

We had two different types of fruit cake, which of course, I was a little weary of. But since my sis made one, I knew it couldn't be bad. Hers is the second photo. I actually loved her recipe. It was rich and spicy, if a little crumbly. But I think that's because she didn't soak it in brandy ;) The first one was more dense and sticky, delightful over Greek yogurt.

Layered sweet potato and apple casserole, semi-stolen from my sister in law, Liz. Hers was better. Mine was slightly under baked, but better second day. Perfect golden turkey with stuffing (my FAVORITE!!)...peppermint pop rocks in my stocking.

No family dinner is complete without a plate of pickles (and you thought I was the only one). Finally, my mom's special fruit salad. Usually we just have it at Thanksgiving, but she is nice and made it per my special request since I wasn't there the first time around.

Well, if you have made it this far through my EPIC post, you deserve a prize for sure! Again, Happy New Year to everyone--I am wishing you all the best.

I have decided it's time for some more R's now, including rest, relaxation and a REMATCH!! If you peeps have never played Blokus, you need to! It's great! What's your favorite board game?? Mine will always and forever be Scrabble, but there is always room for some new loves! Love you! xoxo

Oh, P.S. Had to leave you with one last picture! This is my mom's favorite ornament of me. I made it in preschool and she puts it on the tree every year. Look at what a little shi*, I mean cutie pie, I was! Lol. Do your parents still have these of you?

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Since I've been such a bad blogger lately, what with life and holiday jazz getting in the way, I thought I'd wish everyone a very Merry Christmas a little early today. I am heading up to my parent's house a little later today and I can't wait! It has been way too long since I've seen my family for Christmas and I'm so excited to go get spoiled and relax!

I have been spending a lot of time writing, addressing and mailing out Christmas cards, and it's only right to give one to all of my fabulous bloggie friends as well! We wanted to show off our new home to all our friends and relatives that are out of state or we don't get to see very often, and really, that's most of you, too! I am so grateful for the gift of your friendship and the kind words and caring support that have been shown to me as I have worked through the blog.

Hope your holidays are the best ever! Love each of you so much! xoxo

Good Intentions

2009-12-21T09:48:00.006-07:00

Ok, I had every intention of posting on Saturday, I really did! I even had a delicious sammie for ya'll and then things just got out of hand. With my work party, some church stuff and then D's family had their flight canceled so they ended up staying an extra day with us. Plus Dustin was finally NOT working on a weekend for the first time in a while, so we really needed some time to just chill the eff out. I guess I'm not really apologizing because I know everyone understands that sometimes real life is more important than its documentation, but I just hate feeling like a slacker!

Anyway, let's get to some eats shall we? As I mentioned, I did have an office shindig to attend Saturday morning. It was a brunch at a big fancy hotel downtown that is famous for their spread. It was also at 10:00 a.m., which kind of put a cramp in my eating style. Usually I wake up at 5:15, have a good sized breakfast, workout and then have a snack around that time. Being a creature of habit (a.k.a. rigidly enmeshed in routine), having an actual meal at snackie time was kind of throwing me into a quandary. So I tried a little switcheroo: lighter breakfast and pretty darn big brunch.

Because I was opting for something a little lighter, I strayed from my old faithful CCC and celebrated Sammie Saturday instead. Remember how I told you I am obsessed with this cinnamon raisin bread? Yep, still crazy for it!

Semi-inspired by a sweet/savory wafflewhich I spied on Tay's blog way back when, I manufactured a most excellent sammie out of toasted cinnamon raisin bread, egg whites, turkey sausage and ketchup (obviously).
So good, but wait! Something's missing!
Oh yeah. More ketchup! Added for dipping. Much better.

Oh, and a couple of you were interested to see what I ended up cooking for D's family during our Christmas celebration. And since I regretfully only had one delicious sammie to show you this week, I will show you my Friday night festivities instead! I had to take individual pics since it didn't look as tantalizing all glopped on my plate together, but you'll get the idea :)

Ginger glazed ham for the main course. This was actually my first attempt at glazing a ham, and this sucker was huge! I didn't catch any pictures when I first took it out of the oven all dark brown and bubbly--I was too worried about hefting it (and my Pyrex baking dish) onto the counter without damaging anything. It was beautiful though, and perfectly sweet, smoky and salty.

I also made my version of Cauliflower Mac n Cheese from Real Simple. I've linked to the recipe. The only modifications I make are using fat-free sour cream and reduced fat cheese blend, plus a little feta and paremsan thrown in for extra flavor. I sub in some Fiber One for part of the breadcrumb mix and usually use less than the recipe calls for (still plenty). I also usually use a couple of bags of frozen defrosted cauliflower instead of fresh. It cuts prep way down and makes this dish much easier to prepare. My bacon grease, meat and potatoes family actually loves this and so does D, so how bad can it be? Be aware though, that it does make a lot. A lot. The recipe says only six servings, but this fed 6 of us, plus leftover for me and D twice and a tupperware for the sis. Not that I mind--I always like things second day!

I added in some sauteed brussels sprouts for me, with a balsamic reduction a la Janetha. I think my reducing technique needs a little work though. Practice, practice! Still tasty.
Yum. Glad everyone was here and gave me an excuse to show off my mad cooking skillzzz, um, or at least do what I enjoy the most. My philosophy: "I love you, let me feed you!" I really feel like one of the greatest reflections of affection is to share a meal with the people that you care about.

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Ready for the Christmas countdown? Only 4 days to go!!! xoxo

I Like it Spicy Part 2

2009-12-18T16:36:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a champ! Two blog posts in this week and at least one more coming up tomorrow. My hats off to you ladies who post daily-- I could never manage to squeeze it all in! And speaking of squeezing, I have a lot to pack into this post, so let's get to it!

You may recall from my previous post, my love for all things spicy, and my affinity for gingerbread. I've melded the two nicely together in this delightful dandy of a breakfast bowl:

Cottage cheese, copious amounts of cinnamon, slightly more judicious amounts of ginger, cloves and nutmeg (to taste), cereal trio,the requisite Fiber One and the mightiest of maple peanut butters, all drizzled with molasses.

Puts me in the holiday mood just thinking about it :)

I've also been in particularly cheery mood since receiving my goodie box loaded with fun things to try. My latest experiment involved the salt-free Chili Lime Seasoning blend by Mrs. Dash.
I love all the spices used in this blend including chili peppers, cumin and cayenne, plus the sour lime. But I also really liked the fact that this didn't contain any added salt. D likes to pour half a slat shaker on his food at meals--more out of habit than anything I think--so it's always nice to know I'm not contributing to any premature hypertension :) I have been obsessed with salmon lately, and this seemed like the perfect thing to pep it up. easiest thing ever (seen here with Tina's roasted broccoli and rosemary acorn squash). I just squirted a little lime juice on my salmon fillets, then sprinkled on the seasoning blend before popping them in the oven. They came out perfectly spicy and delicious, and I don't even think Dustin swiped the salt to douse his plate. But he probably just did it when I wasn't looking ;)

And now for the freaky part! I know you all missed this last week when I flaked out ( or maybe not), so I tried to come up with a real doozy for this installment. Guess what this is?

No, not worms, slugs or seaweed...
Pickled cactus! Awesome! Way back in the summer, I joked about munching on some pokey plants, and I finally found some that are safe to eat!

Well, these prickly pickles may not taste like worms, but they kind of felt that way all sliding around in my mouth.

Suggestion: do not eat these plain. Instead, dice them into a quesadilla or mix them up with some bbq sauce and cooked ground beef on top of a taco salad. That way they add a nice smokey and subtly spicy taste without the disgusting sluggy side effects.

Well, I have to peace out because Dustin's entire family is coming over for dinner tonight to celebrate our Christmas with them (they're headed to NYC *jealous*) and I am in charge of whipping up our holiday meal.

At my parents' house, we always have steak and lobster (neither or which I really care for) on Christmas Eve and then turkey on Christmas day. I actually got into a huge argument with my mom over whether or not we had ever had anything besides turkey on Christmas (for the record, we HAVE, Mom!). I've got some yummy things on the menu for tomorrow, but tell me--what do you usually eat for your Christmas dinner?

P.S. You all were so sweet to compliment my gingerbread cookies in the last post--makes me smile! xoxo

I Like it Spicy Part 1

2009-12-16T19:08:00.001-07:00

I really don't like not blogging for long periods at a time. I always miss you guys! I am SO behind on my reader right now, but I promise I will catch up soon--after I wrap all my presents, mail all my cards, work an extra day this week, celebrate Christmas early with my in-laws on Friday and hit up my work holiday brunch Saturday a.m. Yikes. But I know you all know how it is this time of year...

Anyway, it seems the consensus from my last post is that Chex mix totally rocks and that most of you call that choco/peanut butter/chex combo "puppy chow" instead of "muddy buddies." Word up.

Well, inspired by all the holiday goodies of the last couple weekends in a row, I endeavored to take on some more baking as I was busy being a work widow on Saturday.

Luckily, on Friday, I received an awesome package from Rachel who represents some fun products like Mrs. Dash Seasonings, Ronzoni pasta and my all time favorite sweetener, Sun Crystals!

She was kind enough to send me all this cools stuff to review and I couldn't wait to try out a new product--Sun Crystals baking blend!

One of the reasons I love Sun Crystals so much is that it is all natural, with only two ingredients on the label list, as opposed to most sweeteners with chemical-laden lists a mile long. The Sun Crystals baking blend is no exception and still contains only cane sugar and stevia. The only difference is that the ratio of sugar to stevia is slightly higher to maintain the delicate balance required in baking.

Nutritionally, the Sun Crystals baking blend carries the same calorie count as sugar, but is twice as sweet, so only half as much is required. Unlike using liquid stevia or agave, this is in crystallized form, so it doesn't require any extra calculation or run the risk of a change in baking chemistry or texture.

I was so excited to try this new product with a version of an old favorite--gingerbread cookies! These have always been some of my favorite cookies around the holidays. I absolutely love to cut them out into different shapes and decorate them with all kinds of sprinkles and colored icings!

I have a recipe that I prefer to use from my parents' old battered (and I mean that literally--there are lots of dough and flour covered fingerprints on those pages!) Betty Crocker cookbook. I had to actually call my mom on Saturday and get the recipe from her. I have modified it just a little over the years to reduce the fat and arrange the spices more to my liking. Here it is!

Extra Spicy n' Sweet Sun Crystals Gingerbread Cookies

1/3 c. shortening
1/4 c. Sun Crystals Baking Blend
1/3 c. molasses
1/4 c. water
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/ tsp. cloves

Cream shortening and Sun Crystals together in a large bowl. Stir in molasses and water. Add dry ingredients and all spices and mix until thoroughly combined. Dough will appear crumbly.

But all you have to do is get in there with your hands and smoosh everything together until you get a tidy little ball like so:

Wrap you little dough baby in plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up.

After dough has chilled, roll out on a floured surface and cut into shapes (or non gender specific people) using a four inch cutter.

Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

**Hint** If you want to remove the fat completely from these cookies and add an extra delicious element, try subbing pumpkin puree for the entire amount of shortening. You can still roll and cut out the cookies as directed, but they turn out softer. Yum!

Since I teach Sunday school for a class of 6 -7 year olds each week, I decided to make this batch especially for them (please ignore the ugly on on the bottom--he was an extra and I didn't feel like frosting his face).

And because we're all kids at heart, I made some for all Dustin's and my siblings who came over on Sunday for dinner...

The cookies turned out beautifully with the addition of the Sun Crystals baking blend. They weren't dry or crumbly like baked goods sometimes turn out with other granulated sweeteners (I'm looking at you Splenda!!!). Plus, I felt much better about feeding this healthier, chemical-free cookie to my little class and family.

In addition to my cookie baking and funny face decorating on Saturday, D finally made it out of work in time for us to take a culinary dinner adventure.

To India! There is a place I have been dying to try for a while now called the Bombay House.

I was super pumped when Dustin agreed to go there, but a little perplexed when he kept insisting that we weren't trying it for the first time--we'd actually eaten there before.

Of course I kept insisting right back that he was crazy and I'd never been there before in my life...that is, until I stepped in the door and remembered that I had. Whoops. But I also remembered that I hadn't liked my food, the service had been terribly neglectful and slow and that I'd vowed to never return.

Well, it's a good thing I'd forgotten all that junk because we had a completely pleasant experience and I loved my food. Our order still took a little longer than my hungry little belly would have liked, but I believe it's because they actually cook everything fresh and to order. My belly can definitely wait for that!

Dustin wanted naan, and I usually don't turn down any chewy, doughy goodness myself, so I was thrilled to see a caramelized onion version on the menu. Yes, please!!

For my entree, I ordered the aloo gobi with extra veggies. Apparently that is not a common request because the server looked at me very quizzically and asked "Like potatoes?" Um no. Like carrots and stuff. Sweet. That's what I got.

I also ordered mine medium spicy, which was just about perfect. I contemplated going with the medium plus, but you have to be careful with those kinds of things or else you end up with fire coming out of your ears. So yummy I'm thinking of recreating it at home this week. Given my success with the last Indian dish I cooked, I'm really becoming a big fan--plus at home I can make it my own kind of medium (plus) spicy!

How about you guys--what type of ethnic food is your favorite to prepare or eat out? Are you a mild, medium or hot kind of gal?

You'll notice that this is Part 1, so never fear my friends! There is more nice n spicy goodness coming your way later on. Love and kisses for now! xoxo

(Chex) Mixing it up aka Bulgarian Blonde

2009-12-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

So.....Freaky Food fail yesterday blog friends. Sorry bout that. My day didn't really go as planned AT ALL, but i turned out just fine in the end, so i can't really complain. I went in to get my hair done (I missed the blonde!!), and it ended up taking FOUR hours! Holy moly. I mean, that's one of the reasons I love my hair dude--because he's so thorough and meticulous--but seriously, by the end of my visit I was major ansty pansty. I didn't even let him style my hair. After he blow dried, I threw it into a sweet side pony and peaced out. Mama's got shi* to do, man!

I tired to hit up Whole Foods for a salad bar lunchie to better my day, but it was totally lacking. Ugh! Someone needs to raise the bar (ha ha) for reals, cuz when I got there, there were like two pieces of dried up chicken, shriveled beets and some wilty-ass greens. Sick. I had to jet to another appointment, so by the time i got home, it was 4:00 and I hadn't even had lunch yet. For Pete's sake. Plus I had to clean the house and get all ready for Knitting Club. Sometimes being an old lady can be very stressful.

Luckily my sister arrived a little later and we got to work making two different batches of Chex mix. I think this is the quintessential holiday/party food, yet I have never made it before. Rando.

Anyway, one batch I made with a specific blogger in mind--I am her blogger Secret Santa, so no names named, but chick digs the hot sauce--so I churned out a batch of suppa hot n spicy mix for her. Hope she likes it!

And my sis was mondo craving some of this delight...

We call it puppy chow, but the back of the box calls it Muddy Buddies. What do you guys call it? I think I just call it good :)

Of course, the day wouldn't be complete without the requisite display of delicious sandwich creations, and since I left you hanging for FFF, I couldn't possibly flake out on Sammie Saturday, too!

I located the most wonderful cinnamon raisin bread at the Sunflower Market a couple weeks ago and have been in love with it ever since. It has minimal ingredients and is blissfully free of nasty preservatives and stuff I can't pronounce. This bread has been delightful for breakfast with peanut butter or dunked into some cottage cheese, but it boast fantastic savory possibilities as well. Seen here grilled to crispy brown perfection with laughing cow and gooey mozzarella oozing from between the slices, garnished with just a hint of cranberry jalapeno preserves.
Phenomenal.

Next up, a Roast Beef Reuben:

Toasted whole grain bread spread with laughing cow and a sprinkle of feta, thin shavings of roast beef, honey mustard and a generous amount of sauerkraut.

The other day, I was just minding my own business is Target when this young women with severe eyebrows and a very European fashion sense came up to me a demanded to know if I was from Bulgaria. Ummmmm, if by Bulgaria you mean Wyoming, then yes. Otherwise, no. I responded politely in the negative and she replied that I looked like I was Slovakian and that I should take it as a compliment. Why, yes I will. My great-grandmother would be proud. And I think she'd like this sandwich, too. I'm just getting back to my roots--well, my food roots that is. My other roots are now a lovely shade of four hour platinum. Blondie bean. That's me.

What's your heritage? I was kind of flattered that homegirl thought I looked Slovakian, because I am. I'm also Irish, French Canadian and a wee bit Algonquin Indian.

Hope you're having a great weekend! xoxo

I need Depends

2009-12-09T10:00:00.001-07:00

Ahhh...holiday baking! Well, I scratched some of the things off my To DO list this weekend, but the one thing that I knew I would get done for sure was getting into the kitchen! As if any of you are surprised :) I know I've said it before, but I will say it again--if I could do any job, I would be a baker. I just love it THAT much!

Anyway my sister and two of my sister in laws came over to help me with my holiday cookie creations on Sunday afternoon. I am so mad at myself for not taking pictures of us in action! It was so much fun, and I wish I could have documented us going to town in our "Santa's workshop," but I guess we were just too busy getting down with our bad sugar cookie selves. At least I remembered to take pictures of the final product!

Ever since I received the December issue, I have been peeing my pants over these sugar cookies from Real Simple Magazine. Easy pee-sy (ha ha), and look how pretty they turned out! Since the whole idea from the mag was 1 batter, 10 ways, I couldn't resist making another batch...
This time with a peppermint twist. Yummers. Are you a thick or thin sugar cookie person? I definitely love the THICK (TWSS)! That's just the way to go for me--plus more surface area for things like sprinkles and chocolate :)

I have also been experiencing an embarrassing display of incontinence over Abby's delightful recipe, so of course I had to hug it out with tray after tray of these babies:
Just a word to the wise--1 bag of Hugs is not enough and a medium sized bag of pretzels is deceivingly large.
You will need to go back to the store multiple times to purchase more candy, and inevitably other items that you need/want/that were on sale and more candy. Sorry babe!

Also, since I had quite the plethora of pretzels, I tried another variation on the theme--Turtle Doves (get it? Turtle Doves for Christmas? Oh never mind). Perhaps you have seen these before, but I have not and I thought they were pretty rad.

Changes--sub Rolos for Hugs
and add pecans. I can't take complete credit for these, though. Remember the church shindig I went to as part of my old-lady in training last week? Some of the ladies there were talking about making these, and since I was already making Abby's little pretzel pieces of goodness and light, I thought these would fit right in.

I actually thought the Rolos melted a little more easily in the oven without getting too runny. And now my mind has been in constant creation mode, thinking of more variations on the theme. Maybe (probably) I will make some more.

And last, but not least, I made what I had actually set out to make all along! My cinnamon apple trail mix, crafted from only the finest apples courtesy of my hugeormous apple tree. When we "suffered" through our apple madness this fall, we ended up dehydrating a BUNCH of apple slices, and it was probably the most efficient use ever. We managed to condense about 10 stuffed grocery sacks of apples into 1 large gallon bag (also stuffed).

I love trail mix, and it's a good thing this is all going to our neighbors (and my mom. Don't panic Mom, I saved some for you!), or I would be in big trouble!
In the mix: cinnamon dried apples, dried cranberries, white and dark chocolate chips, almonds and sunflower seeds.

My sister made fruitcake, too. but alas, no pics. It smelled amazing and came out almost more like a spice cake with dried fruit than a traditional (much maligned) fruitcake. She made it gluten free (for her bf) and used dates, dried apricots, cranberries and mucho nuts. I *think* she is saving some for when we're all home at Christmas, though, so maybe I'll get the chance to put it up later.

Have you ever tried fruitcake? I have once and I don't remember feeling one way or the other about it, really.

Happy humpday to everyone--is your week/month just FLYING by?? Good grief. It will be Christmas and the New Year before we know it! Gotta start thinking of some resolutions...but for now I resolve to stop talking, tell you I love you, and peace out! xoxo

Turkey Tantrums

2009-12-05T07:45:00.001-07:00

Holy moly guacamole! My reader is at zero as of 7:40 this a.m.! Whoo hoo! Now that is what I call a productive start to the day! Hopefully I can launch that into more productivity throughout the weekend--here's what I've got planned:

3rd yoga sesh of the week--I am a rockstar (hey, if this counts as strength training, I am at FOUR for the week--right on!)
Hit up grocery store (also number four in the last day) to hunt down some Minute Maid light lemonade in a liter bottle and Hershey's Hugs. Who knew they were such a disaster to find??
Produce copious amounts of Christmas goodies, using afore mentioned Hugs (check out Abby's sweet recipe here) and other yummy tummy things.
Hit up a baby shower for my co-worker's son's girlfriend. Yeah...I am going and I even bought a present in spite of the fact that I have never met this chick before. I am nice. And I'm hoping there's cake ;) JK. She deserves some support and fun baby things, so I am happy to go.
Wrap some presents and stick 'em under the treeeeee! We never put presents under the tree when I was growing up, but I kind of like it. I mean, obviously putting your kids' presents in plain view is just asking for trouble, but D is pretty good about keeping his hands off. Plus I already know what I'm getting and it doesn't fit under the tree, so I will be safe too. Any guesses?

Yeah, so we'll see what I get tackled.

In the meantime, here are a couple of luscious sammies for your viewing (and hopefully eating) pleasure:

First up is my own creation. I have to do this one first because it kind of pales in comparison to the masterpiece my super sis-in-law created.

Anyhoo, I give you my first turkey creation.

Panini style whole grainy bread with turkey, laughing cow and sliced pears. Yes , that's a side of pickles. Of course. Perfection. Melty.
My mom says she doesn't quite "get" the whole cheese and fruit thing. Trust me, Ma, if you had this sammie, you totally would.

Next up, the true superstar of this post, my sister in law Jessie's super sammie. She made this hunka hunka burnin love for out knitting club a couple weeks ago and seriously, everyone could NOT stop raving about how delicous it was! She made it for our family again while we were up for Thanksgiving andn I convinced her to let me put it up on the blog.

Accoridng to Jessie, this is a Giada de Laurentiis inspired mashup from a couple of recipes. Jess totally owns this version.

Thick loaf of bread cut in half and spread with garlicky pesto, topped with an ultra think layer of eggs and turkey breast on one side and provelone on the other.
But, wait! There's more! The love of my (food) life--onions! Jsut look at how happy that spoon is, surfing in that oniony gloriousness :)
Crowned with a luscious layer of sweet carmelly onions and finally assembled...

Beautiful.
Love ya Jessie! You are quite the little chef, and you can make sammies for me any day of the week!

Oh yeah! One more thing I have to do this weekend--announce my super duper giveaway winner! I was so psyched to see how many people entered in such a short amount of time, and I LOVED everyone's staples. I mean, it's no Chobani giveaway, but ya'll made me feel like I'm not so lame after all :) Love you for that!

So gettin to bizznass......the winner is.....
Elizabeth aka peanutbutterlover!! Whoo hoo girl! Just send me your info and I'll ship your package out as soon as I can get my a** to the post office.

Whew! Well, what are your cookie/treat making plans for the holidays? Anything special you're excited to make for you friends and negihbors (and let's be honest, yourselves!)? Also, do you guys put presents under the tree or save them for later? xoxo

Freaky Family Flashback/FFF #16

2009-12-04T14:32:00.004-07:00

Hi-di ho there! Well, the boring/laziness continues, and today I have managed to combine three Friday themes into one sitting. Awesome. This is probably going to be kind of a long and picture filled post in which I talk a lot and really don't end up saying very much.

Obviously, I am taking a page from Janetha's book with a little flashback action. Not that we're flashing that far--just to last weekend. This is so I can show you the frigid adventure I suffered through. No, no, not the in laws--that part was fine! This part:
was the cold one! Yep, that's really me in the back of a pickup truck on a frozen dirt road, bouncing up into the mountains (aka the freaking arctic) to cut down a Christmas tree. yee haw! After nearly suffering hypothermia for approximately 20 minutes, we found our perfect little tree. I sawed it down all by myself...and by "all by myself," I mean that a cut a few gouges in the trunk and got about two inches in before Dustin had to to take over. After that I just stood there and watched. But I did help carry it down!

Don't mind that my boots are like three sizes too big. I'm pretty sure I got them when I was in the 6th grade. We thought I'd grow into them. Ha! Obviously I don't get out that much in the snow anymore, either. Snowboots will last ya that way :)
Here's Dustin's fam with their little one, too. My mother in law swore she wasn't decorating this year (they are going on a cool trip instead), but I think she really wanted to go up and get a tree anyway. Aren't they precious?

They really are, and I loved spending the weekend with them. Dustin has two brothers and two sisters, plus one brother is married, so I get a bonus sister, too! Of course we had lots of holiday food (no pics of the Thanksgiving feast--I didn't want to ruin the mood), and lots of treats, including some of these bad boys:
Tell me you don't love rice crispy treats! I don't think I have had these probably since I bought those snowboots, so it was kind of fun to eat a big gooey hunk on the way back from our Christmas tree expedition. I needed my strength to fight off the icicles.

We also found these fancy things on another freezing-ass cold outing to the North Pole, aka the grocery store.
Screamin' Dill Pickle. Hells yes. Freaky for sure, but disappointingly not as pickle-y as I would have hoped. I was expecting a sharper salt and vinegar type tang, but these screamin chip were really more like a whisper. Just a hint of pickle--and that's really not enough for yours truly, the Pickle Queen. Loveeee me some pickles, so I think next time I will just opt for those over the pickle chips--better for ya anyway :)

Speaking of stuff I love, don't forget you only have until midnight tonight to enter my giveaway. But if you are boring like me, that will be plenty of time for you since you're probably doing something like sitting with a nice book (or blog) and a cup of tea on Friday night. Yesssss!

Actually, I will be kind of a party animal tonight. We are going to our church Christmas dinner to mix and mingle and jingle. I may even be out past 8:00. P.M.!!! Lordy, lordy. We'll see if I can keep my eyes open ;)

However, hope you keep your eyes open for some cool stuff up on the blog tomorrow, including an amazing sammie courtesy of my sister-in-law and, of course, the winner winner chicken dinner. Hopefully that is what we're having tonight, and not some weirdy casseroles with wilty salad and funeral potatoes. Oh well--beggars can't be choosers. Fortunately for me, if the food is a little less than acceptable, I am sure the company will make up for it, and I can always have some of my favorites when I come home. Have a good night, yo! Any non-boring (or boring) plans for the evening? xoxo

Boring...and a Surprise?

2009-12-01T20:52:00.007-07:00

First off, big thanks to my wonderful guest posters, Ollie and Sarah, for keeping up on things for me this weekend. You are both awesome and supportive and an inspiration to me both in the kitchen and out. You are very experimentarian and i am lucky that we're family. Muah!

In other news, wait--there is no other news. Sorry guys. I am boring. My food is boring, my pics are boring, my thoughts are boring. Boring Boring Boring. Anyway, since I can't think of anything new, I thought I'd introduce you to some old favorites...

Besides the stuff that I talk about all the time and you all know I love, like cottage cheese and green tea, here are some more yummy products I can't live without:

P.S. You;ll just have to excuse my gross old lady hands in every.single. pic. Obviously I am too boring to even crop these or jazz em up a little. Lame.

Goes in everything, on everything. All the time. Yogurt, cottage cheese, applesauce, oatmeal, tea, salad dressing, sliced fruit--the works. Everything is better with cinnamon, and all cinnamon in recipes must be multiplied by at least 2 to get it right. And guess what? This shiz is only a dollar. A dollar! Best investment EVER.

I call this my tiger tea. It just sounds better than Bengal Spice as far as I'm concerned. If I run out of this in my house, it's a sad day for sure. I think it is perfect with dessert, especially ice cream, and the spice warms you up perfectly. meow!

Ah lover! You can check out my full review of Sun Crystals here. But suffice it to say that I think these are the bomb dot com, compared to traditional chemically laced sweeteners. This is made out of just two ingredients: stevia and cane sugar, so I don't think it gets much more natural than that, but you can still use a lot less than regular sugar and get the same sweetness bang for your buck. I put this in almost as much stuff as cinnamon. Stevia and spice, that's me.
Have you had this??? OMG. It is to die for! Sweet and salty is definitely a combo I adore and this definitely fits the bill. It comes in a pretty big bar, with large thin squares that can be easily broken up for portioned consumption. It tastes so, so indulgent. And coming from someone with a mad sweet tooth, you can take me at my word when I say that even I am satisfied with just one piece. It's that good.
Ok, seriously, has anyone NOT tried this yet? So delicious. If I had to choose between this and peanut butter, it would be one tough call. It's slightly sweeter than most pb's, but the salty contrast is much sharper and the crunch is so luscious!

Is there anything that little Quaker man can't do? This is the best cereal of all time. I don't even know how I survived 25 years without it. It makes the perfect finishing touch to any yogurt mess, cottage cheese concoction, cereal trio (or quadruple, whatever), or ice cream, too. Yeah, it's dessert. It's amazing.

Another fantastic multi-purpose product. I am still weary of cheese in general, but I just slather this little 35-calorie wedge onto anything that required a nice cheesy bite, and I've got it made. Especially handy in sandwiches. My favorite combo is turkey slices spread with laughing cow, cranberry jalapeno preserved and Dijon mustard, stuffed with tons of spinach and crammed into a whole wheat pita. Yum.

So there you have it--some of the best foods ever that I eat on a pretty regular rotation, hence the boring-ness.

Anyhoodles, just because I am boring, doesn't mean you have to be! As usual, I am turning to you guys for some inspiration, but even better, in an effort to be NOT-boring, I am hosting a GIVEAWAY!!!! Yay!

Everyone needs a little extra holiday cheer and a little more love (and presents!), so here is something to get December started off right! Winner receives all my fave products featured above, plus some super yummy homemade treats and maybe a couple surprises (so as not to be TOO boring).

So easy to enter (same old boring way)--just leave a comment down below with some of your old favorites and "boring" standbys, and link back for an extra entry if you're feeling generous. Or maybe if you're just feeling boring, too and need something to post about ;) xoxo and love you lots!

P.S. Giveaway ends Friday at midnight, so try not to be extra boring and enter before then :)

Simple is just fine...

2009-11-28T20:38:00.002-07:00

Hello All!
Emily, the fabulous Experimentarian, is out of town for the weekend so she asked me, Sarah, the More Traditional Not Really So Experimentarian to write a guest post for Sammie Saturday!

Now, when I hear the word "sandwich," I think of one specific kind of sandwich - not that I am a sandwich snob - I like PB&J, ham and cheese, turkey with cranberry sauce, and tomato/basil/cheese sandwiches - really, I do. But there is a special place in my heart for the Fluffernuter. Now, I'm sure some of you hail for places where Fluffernutter's aren't exotic beasties, but in Wyoming we sure got some funny looks in the lunchroom. And some . . . interesting guesses about what that white stuff in our sammies was.

For those of you (poor, deprived souls) who have not been introduced to the Fluffernutter it is a deceptively simple sandwich - a cousin to the PB&J, really - consisting of bread, peanut butter, and Marshmallow Fluff (or Marshmallow Creme, if you live out west). That's it. Put them together and you get a little bite of heaven (at this point I will admit that I'm biased - this is one of my favorite meals - your results may vary).

My mother will tell you the bread must be toasted (so that everything gets all melty together), our dad and brother will debate the proper fluff/PB ratio with you all though lunch, and Emily would probably tell you to use whole grain bread (and she would be right - not only is it better for your heart, but it holds up to vigorous peanut butter spreading ever so much better). I will add my two cents by saying that a fluffernutter is best accompanied by chips (potato or tortilla - no spinach, cheese puffs or fancy flavored chips, please) and an apple (carrots, pears and mangoes are all acceptable substitutes). But then, I am a bit of a traditionalist. So go ahead and experiment, just remember that, for this meal at least, simple is just fine.
'K, rambling ode to fluff over, thanks for sticking around, and thank you all for being so supportive of Emily - you're awesome.

What are some of your favorite things to pair with peanut butter?
Stay warm and dry,
Sarah

Family Food/FFF #15

2009-11-27T11:21:00.010-07:00

I am taking the weekend off from blogging, but fortunately, my family members have pitched in to help out. I received a holiday card from my mom that was pretty funny. It said something like, "The holidays are full of turkeys, hams and nuts....and that's just the relatives." Of course, no matter how nutty, there is nothing better than spending time with the people you care about, no mater how nutty.

Today, here is a special guest post form my brother in law, Ollie. He has similar adventurous food tastes to mine, only minus the barbeque and philly cheese steaks because he is a vegetarian :) He is also so smart, witty and generally hilarious. Plus he cooks, too, as you'll see below. And guess what ladies, he's single!

Happy day after Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you had a great holiday and hope you enjoy this post too. Love you! xoxo,

Hi everyone! My name is Ollie and I'm subbing for Em on her blog today. I don't really have anything too freaky for freaky Friday. I think the freakiest part was just the idea of me cooking. Today wasn't that bad, and I put out the fire immediately (but not quick enough to save the blender. Oops.).

I've been experimenting with making my own bread for a few months now; unfortunately, I've made little progress. Today I followed a recipe from the New York Times. The best part of it is the amount of ingredients: 4. Water, flour, yeast, salt. There's also a video of it floating around. Anyway here's a foto of today's loaf; the crust wasn't as good as it normally is but it was still fairly stiff:

The crumb was actually better than I usually get it; I got a few more air bubbles than normal, but it was a little dense. Still it tasted impressive:

I also finally got around to making my bobas. I've been looking for these for a while. I found them in a little Thai store and cooked them up. They are really easy to prepare; they only need to be cooked in water for a few minutes:

Note that smiling spoon--it seems to know something that I don't (maybe that my blender is too close to the stove). I don't know if you guys have tried bobas (usually used in bubble tea or peal milk tea), but they are big purple tapioca pearls. The lady who sold them to me recommended that I try them in a mango smoothie. She convinced me pretty easily; I also tried them in some milky chai rooibos tea. The bobas went well with both. They don't add much flavor but they are fun to slurp up and chew:

Also I've been wanting to try persimmons since reading Li-Young Lee's poem. So when I found them at wal-mart I had to try one. I forgot to take a picture of them whole, so I found a pic online and while I searched for the picture I learned that they were called by ancient greeks "the fruit of the gods":

This probably wasn't the best way to try an unfamiliar food but I just cut it up and popped it in my mouth. It was sort of like eating a ripe mango but it made my mouth feel like it was covered in fuzz. So I would recommend cooking them--unless you enjoy the fuzzy-mouth sensation.

Anyway thanks for reading my about my experimentations and don't worry Emily will be back soon. And thanks Emily for letting me post. Hugs and Kisses.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Oats aka Locked In

2009-11-24T06:54:00.006-07:00

So, a funny thing happened to me on the way to breakfast the other morning...No, this is NOT a joke. But my husband sure thought it was humorous.

I got the chance to sleep in a little bit--and by sleep in, I mean, I woke up at 4:45, 5:15 and then made myself get back in bed until 5:52. It was my day OFF, dammit!!!

D had gotten up earlier and closed the door to our bedroom so he wouldn't wake me up showering (I'm very sensitive--so is he. Sweetie pie). All fine and dandy...until I got out of bed, thoughts of the delicious breakfast I had planned drawing me out of my covers and into the cold...I reached to open the door...stuck. Jiggled the handle. Twisted the knob. Turned again. Pulled as hard as I could. I was STUCK!!! Locked in my room! This is not a good thing.

I checked the lock, twisted and turned and pulled again, banging the door against it's hinges. Cripes! Totally peeved. How am I supposed to spend the day locked in my bedroom when i don't even have a computer in there?? Or a hacksaw to get out. Good grief. Luckily Dustin heard the ruckus from his bathroom and came to my rescue. After shoving his little pocketknife under the door so I could attempt to unscrew the doorknob, he threw his coat on over his pj's and came through the patio doors to finish dismantling the door. My knight in shining armor! Only I'm pretty sure most knights don't typically lock their princesses up to begin with.

I would like to point out that yes, I could have escaped through the patio doors as well, but I wouldn't have been able to get back IN the house at any other entry point since everything was locked. We're safe like that.

After Dustin picked himself up off the floor from laughing, and from me body slamming him on the way to the kitchen (kidding, kidding), he suggested that at least now I would have a good story to post on the blog. So there ya go!

Luckily, I have another good thing to post about today, too. The breakfast I was so excited to make before i realized I was trapped...

First of all, I found these in the store the other day and knew exactly what to use them for!

Look how cool! Think of the possibilities!

But there was only one possibility in the forefront of MY mind...

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Oats:

Soooooooo goooooood! This tasted like dessert. Creamy and gooey and warm. Is there a better way to start your day than with candy in your oats? No. Maybe a healthier way, but whatever to that. There is probably less sugar in my candied up bowl of oatmeal than a standard bowl of most cereals--at least I will tell myself that for the day :)

1/3 c oats, prepared
1 laughing cow cheese wedge
1 baby apple, chopped an steamed in the microwave
cinnamon
sprinkling of baby caramels

I mixed everything together and then microwaved to get the caramels to melt a little better. You guys, please make this! Your day will instantly become about 800 times better. Just like mine did when I got unlocked from my bedroom. But then again, any food might taste delicious after being released from five complete minutes of angry, door-pulling, temper-tantrum throwing solitude. Be safe out there peeps.

I don't know about you, but I am SOOOOO excited for only another half day of work and then a four day weekend! Yay! We are headed up to the MIL's to spend time with D's family which should be really fun. What are you all doing for the holiday? xoxo

Phinally Philly

2009-11-21T23:38:00.003-07:00

Yes, oh yes, I FINALLYYYYYYY got what I've been waiting for! Yee haw and thank goodness for Sammie Saturday so I can show it all off!

But first I had this little guy, in yet another attempt at prolonging my cheese steak jones.
Whole grain bread, laughing cow, feta, sliced sweet and spicy peppers, roast beef. It's meals like this that make me wonder how I ever lived without beef. I mean props to all the veggies and vegans out there--I think it's a truly admirable way of life, health and eating. But cowgirl needs her meat yo! TWSS)

And now, on to more meat. TWSS x 2--I'm on a roll--and look, so is my sandwich! How cheesy...but then again,so was my sandwich :)
Big ol' chewy roll, crammed with tender, lean sliced beef, grilled onions and a teensey slice of provolone applied by my own hand. With a ginormous pickle on the side for kicks. Hey, if you're selling, I'm buying!

This was DE.LISH. The bread was so perfect, and I will probably be talking about it for days. Slightly crispy and perfectly chewy crust, surrounding the most doughy pillow of soft fluffy bread. Holy yum. I loved that the beef wasn't gristly or fatty. My only regret is that I didn't ask for extra onions like my friend did.

I was proud of myself for adding a little cheese. the sandwich comes with either provolone or cheeze whiz on top, so I asked for my provolone on the side and strategically placed just enough not to freak me out on while it was still warm so it would get all melty. Good call. For some reason, cheese on things is still a big fear for me. But I think this was a good rut buster, because seriously, you can't have a cheese steak without the cheese!

I also got to try another new thing I've been dying to try this weekend. Everyone and their mom has been singing the praises of High Intensity Interval Training, and I love the concept. 20 minutes of hard core pushing yourself, versus 40-60 minutes of ho-hum cardio queen routine (that would be me). HIIT has been shown to have many benefits, including building stamina and endurance and lowering body fat.

Even though I am simply convinced that less cardio will make me turn into one big blob, there are a few majorly hot bloggers who prove just the opposite. So despite the fact that I am terrified of deviating from my usual gym mandates, this morning I sucked it up and pounded out this version of HIIT, modified from the Oxygen magazine web site:

0-5 minutes 6.0 mph (warm up)
5-6 minutes 6.5 mph
6-8 minutes 6.0 mph
8-9 minutes 7.0 mph
9-11 minutes 6.0 mph
11-12 minutes 7.5 mph
12-14 minutes 6.0 mph
14-15 minutes 8.0 mph
15-17 minutes 6.0 mph
17-18 minutes 8.0 mph
18-20 minutes 6.0 mph
20-21 minutes 7.5 mph
21-23 minutes 6.0 mph
23-24 minutes 7.0 mph
24-25 minutes 6.0 mph
25-27 minutes decline to walking speed, cool down

I neglected to note that there were incline increases listed in the original workout, so I just left it at 0 the whole time. Next time, I'll try to adjust the incline as I go along. I actually really enjoyed this workout and loved that I got to change it up every minute or so--that is perfect for my mini attention span. After the HIIT, I have to admit that I hopped on the bike for a little bit so I could read my book. I felt pretty chill though, afterward, and not drained or relieved that my workout was over. I think I will be adding this in, for at least the next month or so, just to give it a try.

What do you think? Have you ever tried HIIT? I really am excited for the addition to my routine. If it's not working, I guess I'll know pretty quickly, but I think the most important thing is having fun and switching it up every now and then. Hopefully my body will thank me.

Anyway, I thank YOU for reading and hope you had a great weekend! xoxo

I Scream, You Scream for...FFF #14

2009-11-20T15:36:00.003-07:00

My favorite thing for dessert is ice cream. This is not me favorite dessert in the world--that would entail something like my moms' homemade chocolate cake with two inches of frosting, carrot cake from The Roof with two inches of frosting, or bread pudding--with no frosting--or with. That would be yummy too.

But for every day, I prefer something a little lighter and ice cream fits the bill beautifully, I consider myself quite the connoisseur of different brands and flavors. I think the slow churned, double churned, however churned is the best invention literally, since sliced bread. I mean, half the fat AND smooth creamy taste? That's what I'm talking about!

Recently, however, my friend Jess came up with a totally different type of ice cream and still managed to keep that smooth creamy flavor using a perfect ingredient for Freaky Food Friday....

Avocado Ice Cream!
Yup. Ever since taking the plunge with avocado this summer, I am not quie so afraid of it, and it it a little more often, but never before in a sweet format. Now, i know that a lot of vegan and raw cooking incorporate avocado into certain desserts to replace animal fats and dairy products, but I think it's usually masked by a stronger ingredient such as chocolate. In this dessert, it was the star of the show for sure!

You'll notice above, that I said creamy flavor, but not necessarily texture. You can see in this pic, that the ice cream ends up being slightly crystallized, but it still tastes very smooth!
It is a sweet dessert, but at certain points, I'd find myself feeling like I should bust out the chips and salsa and start dipping. So, the avocado flavor certainly shines through, but is wonderfully complemented by lots of sugar and hints of cream. Needless to say, this isn't something I can eat a lot of at one time...which, given my track record with other types of ice cream, may not be a bad thing!

What's the best dessert you've had recently? This was definitely the most interesting one I've had in a while! Hope you all have a great Friday and a happy weekend. See you tomorrow for Sammie Saturday! xoxo

Apples, Continued...

2009-11-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Well, our apple stash certainly is dwindling. And after this weekend's first snowfall of the season, we probably are down for the count...that and the fact that I have been eating them nonstop :)

Thanks to all your apple ideas, I have had tons of tasty recipes to experiment with, and this was one of my favorite suggestions. It was suggested by a sweet gal named Nina, but I don't think she has a blog of her own to link back to, so a big heaping thanks to her for this supremely seasonal Sweet Potato Apple Hash.

Based on Nina's suggestions, here's what I used:

half a small-ish baked sweet potato
1 small apple, chopped
an embarrassing amount of onion
~1/3 c. black beans
chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and garlic

I sauteed up the onion, then added the apple and let it cook until it became a tantalizing golden brown. Mixed in the chunks of sweet potato and then added the spices. When everything started to darken a little on the edges, I stirred in my black beans and then dumped the mix over a bed of mixed greens. Topped of with a creamy cool dollop of Fage.
It was almost like a mock taco salad, and it was very delicious. I loved the crisp, juicy burst of flavor the apples offered to the dish and I thought it mellowed so well with the smoky spices and soft sweet potatoes.

More apple deliciousness, this time in the form of the world's best way to use up a $#@!load of apples. Applesauce. It's amazing. I filled up two HUGE pots to the brim with so many chopped apples that it made my head spin, and...well, you'll see how many jars I got out of all that slicing and dicing...

Because we had so many, I actually decided to try my hand at honest-to-goodness canning. It's an art-form and I'm bringin it back peeps :) Just call me Grandma Emily.

It's important to heat the jars first, and then scoop the applesauce into them while the sauce is still hot, too. That is a true adventure in not giving yourself tragic burns, so watch out.

According to my little canning guide, it's also important to get all the air bubbles out of the jar by pressing against the mush with a spatula. I had no idea if this was working because it still looked kind of bubbly. But I figured if it didn't work out and caused the jars not to seal properly, I would just have to eat it faster. Oh the horror.

the hardest thing is trying to work quickly so everything stays warm before you put it into it's big boiling bath. That way the glass kind of tempers itself and you don't end up with applesauce shrapnel all over your kitchen.
Boil for 20 minutes and voila!
Count em, baby. Seven jars. Seven. Over two hours of work and three huge grocery sacks full of apples equals seven jars. Not that I'm complaining. That is seven jars of sweet autumn bliss that I get to dig into until next year. Okay, well two, because I gave most of them away. Sigh....I am nice like that ;)

I mentioned up there that my apple hash reminded me of a taco salad. Ever since eating it, I don't know what my deal is , but I have been CRAVING taco salad in the worst possible fashion. Weird. Is there anything you have been craving recently?

Also, have any of you ever canned or done any preserving?

My mother-in-law lives in an area that is very bounteous in terms of it's local produce, and I first became interested in it when I was up there last summer and saw her and her neighbors bottling everything from peaches to asian pears to plums, grape juice, and yes, applesauce. I thought it was the coolest thing that they actually had that much of a surplus and were putting it to good use. I think I made a few comments to that effect, and sure enough, I got the whole kit n caboodle of canning supplies for my birthday last year (nevermind that I didn't have anything to actually can at that point). Thanks MIL!! Very useful :)

Speaking of being useful, don't forget to click here to send Holly some "well wishes" and over here to help Katie's cause.

Have a great day everyone! xoxo

Tea and Sandwiches

2009-11-14T20:35:00.001-07:00

I have to start by saying I loved your response to my last post. Although a lot of you commended me for trying it, very few would be willing to chance it yourself. Come on you guys, you are more adventurous than that! Just kidding--if not for FFF, I may never have risked that amount of potent fermentation myself. ;)

Anyway, after my international adventure yesterday, I decided it would be quite fitting to continue on today with my own redneck version of a continental tea party!

Thanks in part to my faveee healthy Holly, who sent me the most awesomest (yeah, I know that's not a word) package, which I received in the mail yesterday.

Green roasted loose leaf tea, with a little infuser spoon thingy (yay!!!), some sweet coupons for my penny pinching little behind and the most ingenious chocolate bar ever--nutmeg and cacao nibs. I can't wait to try that one!

But of course, I didn't wait to try the tea! I was so excited to use my new tea spoon and I loved the comforting flavor of this slightly smoky, but light and delicate blend.

Thanks so, so much Holly! Muah! Big kiss to you.

And now on to the sammies! What's a proper English tea party without a dainty little sandwich?

Whole grain bread toasted with laughing cow, pumpkin butter and thinly sliced apples. This idea courtesy of a combo of some of the suggestions listed on my apple ideas post. Seriously, if you guys are overrun with fall fruit, check that post for some super inspiration. I even think pears would work wonderfully in most of the suggestions.

...and then this mouthful of glory and goodness.
Ok--I have to admit--this was NOT a dainty little bite, but rather a huge chunk of the most delicious homemade bread I have ever tasted.

Slathered with peanut butter....

and jelly....

YUM!

The neighbor who brought this over actually taught a bread baking class at our church activity today. I'd been raving about that loaf of love all week, so I HAD to check it out. Now, I too, can make scrumptious hunks of dough seeded with nutty pops of whole grain wheat...that might be dangerous.

*Sigh* still no Philly cheese steak this week, but I have not given up hope yet--I WILL get one, and it better be good when I get it! Grr :p

Hope everyone's weekend is going swell! I may attempt this bread baking business tomorrow, so if I do, I'll let you know how that goes. What was the last thing YOU baked? xoxo

I come from a land down under...FFF #13

2009-11-13T11:39:00.002-07:00

My favorite thing to do on Friday mornings? Park it in front of my laptop with a big old mug or three of tea and catch up on my ridic Google reader. I feel so satisfied when I'm done. As if everyone couldn't live without my input on their lives. Jeesh :)

Another favorite thing to do on Fridays? F-f-f-f-freak-ay food, baby!

I have been planning this one for a while, just because it seems like the perfect odd duck food for my American palette:

Vegemite!

For those who don't know quite what this is, or have only heard about it through that classic Men at Work song, Vegemite is a fermented yeast paste, particularly popular in Australia.
Please note--suitable for vegetarians. Any takers?

I did some research on this,and evidently it is used quite frequently by those in the land down under as a sandwich spread, or served with hot buttered toast for breakfast. Well, how can anything with hot butter(spray)ed toast be bad?

So that's how I decided to try it, in the traditional fashion.

I wasn't sure what to expect, because the only yeasty experience I had to draw on was my use of nutritional yeast a while back. I had used a couple different brands of "Alfredo" sauce powder and got mixed results, but liked the overall flavor of nooch--not quite as sharp or cheesy as I'd like though.

Even though I was gunning for the sharpness, I was worried about the Vegemite being overly pungent--I mean, I didn't want to feel as though I'd bitten into a chunk of sourdough starter. Yuck.

Tasted straight out of the jar, I was very weary and almost put off from trying it again all together, even though it looked exactly like hot fudge sauce. Caution: This in no way is similar to hot fudge. Holy SALTY!!!

But, adventurous as I am (sometimes), I spread it on some toast, spritzed away with a little spray butter and gave it another go. Well, a little certainly goes a long way, but in combo with those other two items, it really wasn't half bad. It actually reminded me of super sodium-loaded mushroom gravy. I am feeling quite continental now, if I do say so myself!

What's the most outrageous international food you've ever tried? Have a happy Friday everyone! xoxo

Oh, P.S.--does anyone know if you are supposed to refrigerate this after opening? It doesn't say on the jar. But, really, how much more fermented can it get?

P.S.S. Oops. I originally published this as FF #12, but it's actually #13. AND it's Friday the 13th! Ironic, no?

Copy Cat

2009-11-11T12:58:00.001-07:00

I mentioned a while back that I was stuck in a bit of a food rut, and asked you for some of your greatest food winners to help me out of it. You all had some great thoughts, and I can't wait to try some suggestions!

In the meantime, I turned to some of my favorite bloggies for inspiration. These ladies are some cool cats , and have some unique staples that are worth breaching the routine for. So I decided to incorporate some feline design and do some copy-catting down the line.

Copy Allison

Traditional spicy oats. You may recall my spicy fail here, but by actually following the directions (for the most part), they are a savory success. I usually prefer to get my day started on a sweeter note, but spicy oats are truly a crave-worthy concoction for breakfast, lunch or anytime.

Copy Holly and Tay

Thanks to Holly, who introduced the homemade yogurt idea , and Tay who keeps making it look so darn easy and delicious on her blog.

I was weary to make my own yogurt--see question and answer here--but there is nothing like taking on a kitchen experiment to perk up your Sunday afternoon and then bounce your Monday morning.

My batch didn't turn out as thick as tangy as "real" Greek yogurt, but it definitely lost a lot of liquid and took on a more custardy texture throughout the process. I'm thinking about mixing some of this style with a container of Fage to get a greater return on investment...we'll see. I am interested in trying a couple of other brands of plain yogurt to see if the texture or flavor turns out any different. All in all, it's a great addition to any mess or beautiful breakfast creation.

Copy K and Susan
Reese's Oats. To. Die. For. I don't know why I don't make these more often. Look at that decedent swirl!

A little candy added to make them extra sweet a la Susan

I think I actually smiled ALL morning when I made this for brekkie. Got my day off on the right foot for sure! If you have not tried A) PB and chocolate (or carob) in your oatmeal or B) decorating it with candy goodness, what in H-E-double hockey sticks are you waiting for??

Copy April
Roasted Kabocha Squash and nut butter. Given the wonderfully gooey and marshmallow-y texture of a roasted kabocha, the addition of peanut butter makes it almost reminiscent of a fluffernutter. I said almost. Best snack ever.

Copy Mama Pea
Pumpkin spice chickpeas. I cannot tell you guys how amazing my kitchen smelled while baking these. Luckily, they tasted just as amazing--but it is my suggestion to WAIT until they cool down after removing them from the oven before you eat them. Otherwise you will probably suffer the eruption of a wonderfully spiced chickpea volcano on your tongue. And that is not wonderful.

Copy Janetha B.
Garbanzos and CC. While I didn't have any ranch seasoning, I totally thought of the protein queen when I whipped this up. You know I'd never turn down a new CCC. Fab.

Come to think of it, so much of what I eat has been influenced by the blog world and your wonderful creations! Where would I be without a good Lauren-lovin' BFD every once in a while?Or some of my favorite recipes including Danica's delicious enchiladas, Lainie's super versatile turkey joes and a twist on my favorite English Eater's veggie Biryani?

I am constantly checking out Sophia's Asian persuasion for burpalicious creations and blissing out on peanut butter for some lovely lists. I've seen so many things I want to try (hello kelp noodles and kefir cheese!) on Emily's blog and great baking ideas from my little dancer.

Even beyond food, I always look to Abby to say what's on my mind, or Erin to keep me ethical, and even on my worst days, I can usually find a little bit of love here.

My apologies if I've missed ya, but please don't think think I've dissed ya (you love my rhyming skillzz). Just know that everywhere I look, click or comment, I am finding inspiration in you!
You are amazing!

What's inspired you lately? xoxo

Pass/Fail and Sammie Saturday Round 4

2009-11-07T18:28:00.005-07:00

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I though of a devastatingly clever and hilarious opening line for my post today. As you can tell, this was not it. Obviously I should not think and/or expect to remember things I think of after 9:00 at night. I am old. Fail.

But I am actually posting anyway. Pass.

It would not be Saturday without a recap of my weekly sammies...

This one was definitely delicious--I bought a jar of sauerkraut specifically for this purpose. I know a lot of peeps think sauerkraut is gross, but I like to support my heritage (Slovak) and EAT UP. It's cabbage. It's pickled. What's not to love?

Turkey Rueben on toasted multi grain bread with laughing cow and a sprinkle of feta. Pass.

There is a new restaurant down the street that I have been dying to try--like I talk about it every day, and have been planning to go there for weeks. Their thing is Philly cheese steaks, and I don't know why, but the sound of that sammie siren was calling my name. Or yelling. Whatevs. I WANTED one in the worst way.

D and I had finally settled that we were going no matter what yesterday night. We got ourselves all stoked up and rolled into the restaurant around 6:30. THEY WERE CLOSED!!!! What in the Fraggle Rock???? Who in their right mind, or even their left mind is CLOSED at 6;30 on a Friday night? Good grief. No one who wants my business, that's for sure. Fail.

I was willing to let it go. In fact, I was almost over it. Pass.

However, my hardworking hubby was in the office today (sad face) and he informed me that they were ordering in....cheese steaks. Gah!!! Fail!

Of course, I wasn't invited to the work-a-holic lunch party, so I was forced to improvise, lest my craving force me to hop on the nearest plane and have my own party in PA. ( I know two lovely ladies who might join me, but only if it was veggie and ethical!

Substitute:

LOTS of onions, sauteed up with mushrooooooms

Lavash wrap spread with laughing cow, sliced buffalo chicken breast and a sprinkling of Frank's
Pretty yummy for a buffalo chicken mushroom wrap. Pass.
Piss poor substitute for a Philly cheese steak sandwich. Fail.

Oh well. Never fear. I am devising a way to get my hands on the sammie for next week. Or else!

Anyways, one thing that never fails me is the outstanding show of support and encouragement from all of you! I am always amazed by your so sweet comments, and I can't tell you how much it means to me! Or maybe I can--it means the world! I am so lucky to have you guys as my readers, and I truly regard every one of you as my friends. Pass!

Hope you're all having a great weekend! Have any pass/fails of your own? xoxo

Thankful/FFF#12

2009-11-06T09:50:00.001-07:00

Jeez. No post since Monday. Just call me slacker-face. (Not to be confused with snacker-face, who is much cuter!). But (big sigh of relief) , I have spent my a.m. catching up on all ya'lls blogs and my reader is at zero. Ahhhh.

And even though my computer is all hot and bothered and is probably getting ready to burn a hole in my table, I am now writing my own post, sure to be little long-winded...

It is also sure to be a little more personal and revealing than most of my posts, so if you are more anxious to check out my freak-a-licious food find, please scroll (scroll, scroll)--it'll be worth it when ya get there :)

November is all about the start of the holiday season, and of course, Thanksgiving. It's often an over looked holiday, but I love it in and of itself as opposed to just a kick off to Christmas.

A lot of us are talking about the things we are thankful for, and I wanted to add my own thoughts.

November is an interesting month for me. I have been feeling highly contemplative. It seems as though this month has brought about some sort of medical malfortune in the past , and history seems to be repeating itself . Not anything drastic for the most part, just little instances that make you take a step back and examine the way you are living your life.

While some of these things are a little too close (or not mine) to share on the blog, there is one item I wanted to talk a little about in my most supportive forum....

This time last year is when I began to really list back into the clutches of my eating disorder. I had been battling and resisting for months at that point and could no longer muster the resources for a fight. I was done.

I was pushed to the maximum on all fronts. My job was in a series of upheavals and co-worker drama (why can't we all just get along?). I had gotten in my first ever car accident in my company vehicle--yikes. I was direction-less and therefore unproductive in my work behaviors, which of course led to a huge dissatisfaction in myself.

The holidays were approaching and our families were waging a full on guilt war over where D and I would be spending our time. No matter what my suggestion, offer or attempt, it seemed I just couldn't make any one happy. Least of all myself.

I wanted everything to be perfect....

I don't pass along this info to throw a pity party--simply to suggest my state of mind at the time.

Thanksgiving was spent in tense moments and tears. I was already restricting, counting, measuring. My dad noticed.

Christmas was wrapped in the comfort of ed.

New Year's came and went. Cold.

February, March, April. I got help.

I am thankful for my recovery team. For my nutritionist, my group, therapist one...and shortly, therapist two.

I am thankful that this year will be different.

This year I will bake pies and EAT them. This year, I will share in, and enjoy the family recipes that mean so much to the rest of my family. I will not indulge in self destruction and guilt in stead of togetherness and joy. The holidays will not be just about FOOD, but about the traditions and relationships associated with it--those things that help to normalize eating behaviors and build a life around something besides the calorie count of a piece of fudge.

This year will be scary because I will not be in control of all of my food the way I would like to be.

But I am thankful for the challenge.

Sophia and Allison posed a difficult question the other day, and I wanted to share my response. The question was :

Is full recovery form an eating disorder possible?

here is what I wrote:
Hmmm...complicated question. Hard and fast, I DON'T think full recovery is ever possible. but let me clarify--full recovery from an eating disorder isn't possible like recovery from LIFE isn't possible.

You will never lose that experience, but then, would you really want to? Yes, I wish I didn't have to face these fierce struggles on a daily, hourly, all-the-time basis, but it has made me who I am. It has shaped my life and my spirit and my empathy towards others.

There is a part of me that believes I must have selected this trial in order to LEARN whatever it is that I am supposed to in order to progress.

I suppose I would kind of compare it to the process of repentance. We sin, we grow from our experience. We feel regret, guilt and humility. We turn to our Savior and He offers us complete forgiveness and erasure of our sins in his eyes. But we remember. We rarely forgive ourselves as fully as He is able to. We hold on to that experience to help us learn from our mistakes and become better.

There are many other moments of pain in my life and choices that I wish I could undo or forget, but they have made me who I am today. And I am growing to like that person.

One day I will be free of symptoms from my eating disorder and my thoughts of ed will be very few and far between. My life will be stuffed with things and people and emotions that are greater than food. I will be "recovered." But I will always remember.

Thankful for remembering.

Thankful for a wonderfully supportive husband and mommy, who came down to hold my hand through a particularly difficult and eye-opening doctor's appointment.

Thankful that my body has not given up on me yet.

Thankful for more family joining me and mommy for dinner
Notice how there are two bottles of ketchup on the table--one for ME and one for everyone else :) Thankful for condiments!

...and thankful for a deliciously deranged appetizer that had my name written all over it!

Fried pickles:

Hey, don't knock it til you've tired it! You guys know I usually would rather pluck out my eyelashes than eat something greasy and fried, so it's gotta be good! You also know I love pickles and these were no exception! Hot, battered and so salty. Perfect with ketchup (obv).

Thankful for job that, despite its stresses, allows me to have Fridays off so I can write epic blog posts like this one. :)

Thankful for my blog, my readers, for your support, kind comments and great ideas! You guys had some awesome suggestions to help me out of my food rut, so look out for some new things of YOUR creation here soon.

Thankful for sunshine, grocery shopping and old kickboxing workout videos, all of which are on my agenda for today, as well as meeting with a NEW therapist, as I alluded to above. Wish me luck!

What are you thankful for this Friday? xoxo

Random Monday

2009-11-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well,l this just might be my most random post ever!

I have a lot of things to show you, but they're not really related in any particular way so.....

Now that October is over, I guess it's ok to begin appreciating the holiday season as opposed to the fall season.

Pee my pants tea find of the day:
I love this stuff. Maybe even more than the gingerbread chai. Maybe. Plus the box is pretty.

Oh Target, how I love you. Please jump inside my brain and come up with a more perfect yogurt flavor. Impossible.

Not only this, but I also picked up an eggnog and pumpkin pie flavor as well. It will be interesting to contrast that with the last pumpkin one I tried. Something tells me I will like this one better. I usually have pretty good luck with the Archer Farms products.

The bread pudding flavor didn't taste exactly like bread pudding, but it certainly tasted delicious. I immediately threw it in with some raisins, Kashi Heart to Heart and Quaker Maple Oatmeal Squares.
Almost as good as the real thing!

Inspired by my above pictured divine little lunch from Friday, on Saturday, I ventured out of my cottage cheese comfort zone and made another luscious mess for breakfast.

This one was decidedly unseasonally inspired--think more summer sunshine!

Look closely and you can see the crispy crunch-ness of my homemade pineapple chips! Pineapples were on sale a while ago at the Sunflower Market for 99 cents EACH! 99 cents! So I bought three of them and sliced ht em super thin to make these. Funny how three pineapples made a sandwich bag and a half full of chips :) Totally tropical with raisins, banana, honey almond butter drizzle, typical (cereal) trio and of course, some Fage down below. This was a winner! I know someone who'd agree!

I'm kind of curious about YOUR winners--I am SO stuck in a rut with my breakfasts and lunches lately. Bo-ring! Please share some of your favorites with me--I'd love to hear.

I know you guys are always the best source of inspiration for me, meals and otherwise :) Hope your Monday is off to a great start, and is slightly less random than these ramblings! have a great week! xoxo

Sammie Saturday: Sweet, Spicy and Scary

2009-10-31T13:13:00.000-06:00

You all saw yesterday in my fabulous package from Allison, those famous flattened bananas. I always think they look so interesting on her blog--all rolled up in a peanut butter blanket. Yum! I have been so excited to try them. Of course I chomped on one free form and they were delish----but I was struck with a brilliant idea to use them in a sandwich. Now, I think this sammie could almost have qualified for FFF yesterday. But since today is Sammie Saturday, and also Halloween, where all freaky things are appropriate, I wanted to save it for today.

In my scary sammie:
Fluffy whole wheat bread, chunky peanut butter, sweet and spicy ginger preserves and, the star of the circus: flattened banana.Sadly, this was not as amazing as I'd hoped, but still quite an interesting blend of flavors! The ginger gave the sammie quite a spicy little kick, but the banana was almost invisible against the stronger flavor. Too bad, but it wasn't awful--you can't mess up peanut butter all the way!

Not to be deterred, I tried another little concoction with the same sweet, spicy and savory combination in mind:
Sandwich thin with PB2 and chili mango!
Hee hee. Kind of looks like a hamburger!

This was actually the better of the two, and I would totally try this again using regular pb instead of the fake stuff. I liked this creation because neither flavor really overpowered the other, and they melded quite nicely. I imagine this is what my coveted spicy peanut butter tastes like, but for now I can only guess :)

It has occurred to me that I eat a lot of sandwiches because I always have multiple items to post on Saturday. It's kind of nice to have a lot of material to choose from!

Today, though, I also wanted to share a different type of creation with you. My sister reads my blog and is a big proponent of food adventures and experimentation with me. She tries raw food with me, brings me stuff for FFF and generally encourages me not to be a stick in the mud with Ed. She is the bomb.

She was also quite intrigued by my pumpkin CCC I posted a few weeks ago, thanks in part to Miss April, who originated the breakfast pie idea. Well, Sis gave it a try, and I think it's safe to say she loves it just as much as I do, because she put her own spin on it and made a desert trifle as a variation! She even took it to a couple pot lucks this past week, so watch out world--the CCC is catching on!

I promised her I'd share the recipe--there's even a family secret in there :) Here's her email to me after her experimentations:

Emily,
Just in case you wanted an "official" recipe for those parfaits.
1 24 oz (I think) container of cottage cheese
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to taste ('cause I like cloves)

Blend together (I did the CC first, then added everything else and it turned out much better than when I threw everything in together on Sunday).

I layered that with Grandma Brown's Cream Puff Fudge Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 squares of bakers chocolate plus 1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup of cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Melt butter and chocolate Mix sugar, cocoa, add to mixture. Stir until smooth. Add cream slowly, stir, bring to boil slowly, and then add vanilla. Remove from stove and let cool. (I made a double batch, and had some left over. Its a hardship.)

Layer pumpkin concoction and fudge sauce in pretty glass, garnish with cute graham crackers and serve. I got 8 servings out of this, but they were pretty generous (like, I was the only person to finish mine ) if you can find smaller cups you could probably 12 servings. That's all! Have a good night.
Love you,
S

Isn't she sweet? And you guys all better feel cool and loved, because our Grandma Brown's Cream Puffs are the stuff of legend in my family, and the sauce is definitely the best part! (P.S. I do think you ARE cool and I DO love you).

She sent me a pic to go along with her creation--even though it's just from her camera phone and a little blurry, I can still see the deliciousness!
Anyway, glad she tried it out and dubbed it good enough for company!

You guys cracked me up yesterday with what you'd be if you were what you ate. Yog messes, gooey globs and perfect peanuts...I think we would all be yummy, that's for sure!

Part of this post published earlier today due to a silly error, so sorry about that! I hope you all have a wonderful and fun Halloween! Are you going to have little trick or treaters? If so, what are you giving out?

I'm so excited to see all the little ghosts and goblins (and princesses and superheros) this year in our new house! I decided to give out cans of kid-friendly pop like rootbeer, orange soda and Sprite. I always thought that stuff was so cool when I was little. Hopefully it's still cool and I'm not dreadfully out of touch! I mean, they already get enough candy--they need something equally cavity-causing to wash it down, right? Plus, that way, I don't have any leftover bags of candy staring me down all week. It's a win/win. xoxo