Friday Fun! March 23, 2012

Some weeks I can’t wait until Friday, but this week, it is already Friday.  I wish I had a few more days in this week to get more stuff done.  I feel like I was super-busy, and yet accomplished nothing.  Well, not exactly nothing.  I mean, I haven’t killed the herbs that The Bug and I planted last week.  That, in itself, warrants a merit badge for me.  But the weather has been so nice that The Bug and I have spent a lot of time going for walks and playing in the backyard, which has left less time for me to interact with my fans and foodie friends on Facebook, Twitter, and other blogs.  I’ve missed you all, so make sure you leave me some comment love here or on my Facebook page. I’d love to hear what is new with everyone.

My friend, Kara, owner and awesome photographer at Kiwi Photography, recommended a book for me to learn how to actually use my $800 camera in something other than Auto mode.  But for some reason, that is not enough of a kick in the butt to start to get me over this hurdle.  So I started an online photography course this week.  Hopefully my photos will start to improve, and maybe get a few more accepted by Foodgawker, and at least one by Tastespotting, although general consensus is that this is all random (thank you, Three Little Piglets, and all of the commenters).  I am taking it through Ed2Go.  I used Ed2Go for an online course to learn how to use WordPress in order to start my blog, and it was really good.  I hope I learn just as much from this one.  They have online courses in a ton of different subjects.  Check them out if you want to learn something new.

My Shamrock Green Smoothie was a hit at home and in cyberspace.  I might have had a couple more after the one I had Saturday morning, and the folks at Finding Vegan loved it too.  Between that and the Chocolate Almond Banana Oatmeal that was on Foodgawker, I had a lot of new visitors and some new fans.  So exciting!

No pictures of any pretty salad for lunch this week.  I am writing this as I wait for my dad at the doctor’s office where he is having some tests done.  So I had a chocolate banana smoothie on the ride over, and am now eating an apple.  While wishing I were having the same salad as I had yesterday – romaine, apples, blue cheese, walnuts, and The Fountain Avenue Kitchen’s Maple Dijon Vinaigrette.  I had made some up for a side salad with the BBQ Apple, Bacon, and Cheese quesadillas I made for dinner earlier this week.  By the way, those were pretty good, so I’ll post that recipe soon.

Here are some things I was checking out out this week:

• I had these on Sunday, made by The Half-Baked Housewife herself, and WHOA!!  Life-changing.  Or at lead Waistline-changing 🙂  And she made cake pops.  Funfetti ones.  Can you believe this is the first time I’ve had a cake pop?!
• I am so excited that The Purple Carrot has put together and April Foodie Photo Challenge!!  It has been so much fun!
• I totally want to combine this Peanut Butter Magic Shell from Chocolate-Covered Katie and this White Chocolate Gorp from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen, and maybe use Chex to make it gluten-free.
• Speaking of gluten-free, I really miss regular consumption of bread.  I think I may have to consider trying this one from How Sweet it Is.
• I don’t know if it was the recipes, the amazing photos, or the colorful overabundance of SPRINKLES, but I desperately want one of these Double Doozies from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen or Funfetti Cupcakes for Two from Chocolate & Carrots.
• Of course, if I am going to have dessert, I should stick with something grain-free and refined-sugar free Pumpkin Bars from The Nourishing Gourmet.
• The Bug LOVES hummus and avocado, so I thing Two Peas & Their Pod’s Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwich may have to be on the lunch menu soon.
• I really enjoy the slow, attentive process of making risotto.  When I don’t have a two-year-old hanging on my legs.  I will make it occasionally, but Tastefully Julie’s idea for Microwave Risotto is genius.  I have heard of brown arborio rice, too – has anyone seen it or tried it?

I’ll be spending this upcoming rainy weekend indoors with The Bug, because The Hubby will be away overnight.  We may go to an Easter Bunny breakfast on Saturday, and hopefully make and decorate some Easter cookies for the Royal Icing assignment for First on the First.

Oooh, and guess what – you are going to get double posts today.  A new recipe is coming up later.  We had it for dinner last night, and I’ve gotten some requests for details.  But I’ll tell you, it involves maybe one bowl and no pots or pans or baking dishes!

Remember, if you like what you see here, I’d love for you to subscribe to updates by email, “Like” me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.  And tell your friends…

And here is the weekly question:

What are your plans for the weekend?  Cooking up anything special?

Enjoy!

Friday Fun! March 16, 2012

Happy Friday again everyone!  I’m back for another edition of Friday Fun.  I’ll tell you what’s not so fun is that I am starting to write this at 2:50am.  Why, you ask?  Well, for some reason I m having a bout of insomnia tonight, and just as I was starting to wind down, The Bug decided to have a bit of a crying fit.  Well, he settled down, sort of, but now I can’t wind myself back down.  I’m sure staring at the glow of the computer screen is going to do wonders for helping to get me off to dreamland, but c’est la vie.  Gotta use the time somehow, especially since I’ll probably crash when The Bug goes down for his nap tomorrow, umm, I mean later today.  I’m sure I won’t finish this before I try to go to sleep, but at least I’ll get a start.

Last weekend, The Hubby and I got a date night, which was wonderful.  I’m actually hoping to do a little post about it, because we had yet another fabulous meal at The Frog & The Peach, in New Brunswick, NJ.  Every one in a while, we like to go out to somewhere REALLY good.  A lot of the time we try new places, but when we want a good meal with good service and a good atmosphere, without the wildcard aspect of trying a new place, we go to The Frog.

This weekend I am so excited for a Girls’ Night on Saturday with two good friends, Amy and Bethie, and Amy’s future sister-in-law, Megan.  Of course this has nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day, but we bought a Groupon for a Four-Course Chocolate Supper Club dinner at the Chocolate Lovers Club in Princeton, “celebrating cuisine from chocolate-producing countries,” and supposedly includes virgin choctails, three appetizers, four tasting-size entrees, dessert, a cooking demo, and a chocolate tasting.  We will be experiencing A Taste of Hawaii.  OMG!!!!  I also think I will be picking up a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet to bring along, because it sounds like the perfect pairing to me.

And Sunday I’ll be heading to a birthday party for The Half-Baked Housewife‘s little guy.  She has a huge family and tons of friends, so parties at her house are always such happy chaos.

OK, I think I can go to sleep now.

So I am back, and having a salad for lunch inspired The Fountain Avenue Kitchen’s Apple Pecan Spring Greens with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette.  I only had romaine and cheddar, though I would much prefer spring greens and blue cheese.  Also, I used almonds instead of pecans, and left out the raw onion (yuck!).  Plus I fudged the dressing a little because I was only making a little for myself, and I used balsamic instead of apple cider vinegar, because I LOVE balsamic.  I also realized I forgot the dried cranberries.  Bummer!  But it was so tasty!

This week I also received several blogger awards from some of my new bloggie friends.  I am so honored, but it has been a busy week with attempting, unsuccessfully, to potty train The Bug, getting my Improv Cooking Challenge post completed, and pulling together my package for my Foodie Penpal, Jessica, that I haven’t had a chance to share the love.  So since the Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys are always on Sundays, I am thinking I will be doing a Sunday Awards Show post, so that I can highlight the lovely ladies who nominated me, and tell you all about some other awesome bloggers.

The Bug and I planted herbs this week from Growums.  Let’s see if my Black Thumb of Death rears its ugly head again.  Oh, and my random adorable Bug tidbit of the week is that when you ask him where something is, he points, and says “Right right there.”  Oh, and on the way home from pre-school the other day, he fell asleep in the car.  Usually he asks to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar when we get home, but since he was out cold, I just carried him up to his bed.  As I was laying down, he goes, “Hungry Caterpilaaaaa..zzzzzzzzzz” as he fell back to sleep.  So cute!  And one more thing – apparently at pre-school he is counting EVERYTHING.  He has no interest in letters, but he is all over the numbers.  Clearly the offspring of two engineers.

At Shop Rite I picked up a 5 lb box of Whole Wheat Matzoh.  I’m not Jewish and I have a wheat allergy, so don’t eat too many things like that.  But I thought I might be able to come up with some creative recipes.  And it was free.  And bonus, the only ingredients are whole wheat flour and water, so it’ll make a great whole grain, sugar/salt/preservative-free snack for The Bug.  Any other ideas what I can do with it?

Some things I came across this week:

• In the early stages of tonight’s insomnia, I found this article about food bloggers posting recipes using “real food” versus packaged items and junk food to create visually appealing, drool-inducing recipes that don’t do wonders for the health of the nation.  I am all about balance and moderation.  So while I do try to focus on wholesome, nutritious, “real” food, I do think there is room in life for a little fun, like these Lucky Charms Cupcakes.  That being said, though, so far I think the most popular recipe on my blog is my Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Sausage Tomato Cream Sauce.
• The Lean Green Bean put together a list of 60 Blogs You Should Be Reading.  There are a lot on there that I already read, and some that I have to add to my list.
• Every year for Christmas, I make my dad Snickerdoodles.  He even says I now make them better than my grandma used to.  And The Hubby loves molasses gingersnaps.  These Snickercrinkles are like a combo of the two – I have to try them!
• Ann at Sumptuous Spoonfuls had me hooked with this Double Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread.  I mean, it has Nutella, and it is chock full of healthy things like flax, whole wheat flour, yogurt and applesauce.
• Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Brown Sugar Frosting and Snickers Cake – ’nuff said!
• OK, I am not all about dessert.  I am always looking for some new vegetarian ideas for Meatless Mondays and Lent Fridays.  This week I found BBQ Chickpea Burgers and Black Bean Spaghetti Stir Fry.  I am very interested to try black bean pasta after my first venture into gluten-free pasta with brown rice spaghetti last week.  And I thing this Springtime Jasmine Rice Salad sounds amazing, with two of my favorites – asparagus and mushrooms – but I think I may have to add shrimp or chicken for The Hubby to consider it a meal.
• How cute are these?!?!

I could go on, but I have towels to fold.  Ugh!

Remember, f you like what you see here, I’d love for you to subscribe to updates by email, “Like” me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.  And tell your friends…

And here is the weekly question:

What are your plans for the weekend?  Cooking up anything special?

Enjoy!

Friday Fun! #1

Happy Friday everyone!  I know I don’t work outside the home, but I still look forward to Friday.  I love knowing that The Hubby will be home with me and The Bug for a couple days.  I usually have at least one meal planned that is a little more special than our usual Monday to Friday fare.  And hopefully we have something fun planned.  This weekend it is a Date Night!  My dad, Grandpa Yee-Haw (since that is what The Bug says every time he sees him) is coming to babysit.  So The Hubby and I get to have a meal alone that isn’t interrupted by someone spitting out food and yelling to have his hands wiped.  Unless one of us drinks too much.  Kidding!  I love my kid, but I have practically every single meal with him, and it gets old.

So in honor of Friday, I decided to start a fun series of posts showing what I am loving this week, mainly from my reading of articles and blogs on the internet.

At this moment, I am loving lunch.  Well actually I just finished my last bite.  It was a wonderful salad inspired by this Pineapple Arugula Salad from Sumptuous Spoonfuls.  I had just cut up a bunch of pineapple the day I saw this recipe, and knew it HAD to be lunch one day this week.  I switched it up a bit using what I had in the house – feta instead of goat cheese, pine nuts instead of walnuts, pineapple juice and poppy seeds in the dressing instead of lime juice and mint, and I added a couple strawberries, just because.  Yum!

Speaking of pineapples and things I love, I love that The Bug calls them “Bye-Bye-Apples.”  I have no idea why, but it is so cute!

I am also excited about the chance to win a $50 Visa Gift Card and PEANUT BUTTER(!!!) from Averie Cooks, and to check out her blog.  I just found it, and it looks awesome!

• Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Parfait from Epicurean Mom – I have been perfecting my own version of a cinnamon raisin apple quinoa even before I saw this, and this loks like a fun way to jazz it up.
• Crockpot Barbacoa Beef from Spices Bites – this sounds tasty!
• Some recipes I want to try:I am intrigued by both of these recipes, and not sure which to try first.  I think The Bug will be a fan: Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse from Peanut Butter Fingers or Raw Chocolate Pudding from The Nourishing Gourmet.
• Some sweet treats that look heavenly: Milk Chocolate Bailey’s Truffle Cake from How Sweet it is, and Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes with Nutella Cloud Frosting from Sweetapolita, and Girl Scout Cookie Tagalong Cake Bars from Kevin & Amanda

Clearly, even after last weekend (or maybe because of last weekend), I still have chocolate on the brain!

Well, I hope you check out some of these links, and have a great weekend.  And I’ll leave you with what will probably become my weekly questions:

What are your plans for the weekend?  Cooking up anything special?

Enjoy!

Salad with Beets, Chickpeas, Cucumbers and Blue Cheese, eaten with a side of Mindfulness

(Feb, 22, 2012 – This post is linked to Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s Real Food Wednesday blog carnival)

The other day I happened to read two things that made me think about the way I eat.  The first was a New York Times piece about Mindful Eating, and then, while on my elliptical, I turned to this article in Self magazine about a woman who lost her sense of taste.  I claim to be a foodie, passionate about trying new foods and restaurants and recipes, savoring every delectable morsel, and describing in poetic detail how the delicate, yet complex balance of flavors dance upon my palate.  However, most of my meals are consumed in the presence of a toddler, so I am more mindful of him throwing rice and chicken on the floor, hurling his sippy cup at my head (or my wine glass), or taking off towards the den with fists full of yogurt.  What this leads to is shoveling down my food, barely tasting and enjoying it, not feeling physically full and/or emotionally satiated, and then eating something else that I truly wasn’t hungry for in the first place.  I would be devastated to actually lose my sense of taste, but I think I have taken it for granted lately.  This is definitely NOT mindful.

So this is my new mantra:

I put this post-it in my kitchen so that I can see it when I am making dinner, or eating with The Bug, or bringing dinner into the dining room.  A reminder to slow down and appreciate all of the sensations of food.  And life.  And people.  Because I don’t think I do that often enough.

So just before lunchtime, The Bug was happily watching Sesame Street, and I decided to look through my fridge and throw together a salad for myself.  I wanted something with a variety of tastes and textures.  Plus, I wanted to use up some odds and ends in my fridge, because one of my biggest pet peeves is throwing food away.  So this is the salad I came up with.  And I ate it.  Slowly.  MINDFULLY.  And put down my fork between each bite.  And appreciated the sweet versus salty versus tangy, crunchy versus creamy.  So good!

And then I ate handfuls of chocolate chips straight from the bag that night.  So much mindfulness.  Oh well, one step at a time…

Next time I may add a little chopped mint.  I didn’t have any, but I think it would add a great hit of freshness.  Oooh, and some walnuts, too, for crunch and omega-3’s.

Beet, Chickpea, Cucumber and Blue Cheese Salad (serves 1)

Ingredients

1 small roasted beet (about 1/2 cup), quartered and sliced

1/2 cup chickpeas (I had cooked a bunch in my crockpot, but canned would work fine, too)

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

2 T crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

1-2 T vinaigrette dressing (I had made a balsamic vinaigrette the night before, but any homemade or bottled vinaigrette, or just some balsamic vinegar and olive oil will do)

Directions

Mix everything together in a bowl, then dump over the salad greens of your choice (I used mixed baby greens).

Enjoy!

This recipe was shared with:

Shared with Fit & Fabulous Fridays #21, at Amee’s Savory Dish.

and
5-Ingredient Meals