Despite the fact that my recent vacation was spent actively skiing down mountains, I still felt sluggish getting back into my work/work-out routine this week. You'd think my physical endurance levels would be soaring, right? Sadly, this is not the case.
I've decided that all vacations - even a "sporty" vacation - are hard to bounce back from. The stresses of daily life (tax returns, bills, meetings, e-mails) bombard you the instant you step off (in my case) the mountain. I'm already on day five back in Indiana, but I can hardly muster the energy to eat (gasp) or type. However, this lack of energy has not deterred my exercise habit, nor my food addiction.
Speaking of exercise, I had a running epiphany today! My "max distance" has never risen above six miles. I've tried for months, but the number six has become a looming enemy (which I will confront soon in my half-marathon quest). My friend and running buddy, Beth, told me how difficult the long runs can get if you go too fast. When she's around I have no problem; she keeps a wonderfully comfortable pace. When I'm by myself (as in today), I tend to speed up to about eight minute miles. I don't do this consciously...in fact, I continuously tell myself to SLOW DOWN. But it isn't happening. I only ran three miles today, but I realized Beth was right: there is no way in heck I will be able to run 7+ miles at an eight minute mile pace. I'm going to force myself to slow down. And I'll let you know how that turns out.
And what's a blog post here without a recipe? The following can hardly even be considered a recipe. It involves four ingredients, a microwave, and a pan. I don't even use measurements when I make it. But it's SO good. To be honest, I ate the entire pan while watching Sex & the City. This recipe is best eaten while watching bad TV.
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
I adapted this recipe from PETA's Vegan College Cookbook. I don't think Cheerios are actually vegan; if you are vegan, use an alternative cereal. But - believe me - these bars are amazing with the Cinnamon Burst Cheerios. As I mentioned above, I don't actually measure these ingredients...just guesstimate.
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups Cinnamon Burst Cheerios
Line an 8x8x8 inch pan with foil and mist with nonstick spray. In a microwave safe bowl, nuke the peanut butter and agave nectar together until you can stir the mixture smooth (about 30 seconds).
Dump the chocolate chips and Cheerios in a large bowl. Pour the agave/peanut butter mixture on top and stir to combine.
Scoop the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until hard. should serve 4-6...or 1
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
A Week of Skiing, Mancation, & Colorado Bulldogs
Do you ever feel like life is just an extended period of waiting between truly awesome bursts of fun and happiness? Well, I do...and I usually come to this realization after what I consider to be the very best in fun and happiness: vacation!
This past week, I've been skiing in Colorado with my dad and some of his friends. Initially, the trip was planned as a family vacation; things got complicated and it ended up being a "mancation." Man + vacation = mancation. In other words, it's a guy's only trip.
A few people were concerned about my trip. "You're leaving in the middle of the semester?" ... "What about your classes?" ... etc. etc. etc.
I've reached a point in my life where family and fun take precedence. Don't get me wrong: I am passionate about my work and my day-to-day life. But in twenty years, am I really going to regret taking that week off work? Or, in my summation, will I have a whole load of memories to cherish? (I don't think I need to give away the answer to these questions).
Anyhoo, we men skiied, laughed, ate, drank, watched Spike TV, and drove through a blizzard. All good things. And after a day of hilariously painful spills on the mountain, nothing tasted better than a Colorado Bulldog. A Colorado what??
The Colorado Bulldog is Colorado's own take on a White Russian. Traditionally, a White Russian is made with vodka, Kahlua, and half & half. The Colorado Bulldog changes it up by adding a splash of Pepsi to the top of the cocktail. While this may sound strange, it tastes wonderful; a bit like a melted Pepsi float with some booze. I highly recommend you try it - although I can't guarantee it will satisfy in the same way without a day on the slopes to precede it. Here's a general recipe:
- Take a small tumbler glass filled with ice and add 1 shot Kahlua and 1 shot vodka.
- Fill the tumbler almost full with half & half and stir.
- Add a splash on Pepsi on top and enjoy!
Easy, right? Serves one. (We each drank 2x a day...don't judge...it wasvacation mancation).
This past week, I've been skiing in Colorado with my dad and some of his friends. Initially, the trip was planned as a family vacation; things got complicated and it ended up being a "mancation." Man + vacation = mancation. In other words, it's a guy's only trip.
A few people were concerned about my trip. "You're leaving in the middle of the semester?" ... "What about your classes?" ... etc. etc. etc.
I've reached a point in my life where family and fun take precedence. Don't get me wrong: I am passionate about my work and my day-to-day life. But in twenty years, am I really going to regret taking that week off work? Or, in my summation, will I have a whole load of memories to cherish? (I don't think I need to give away the answer to these questions).
Anyhoo, we men skiied, laughed, ate, drank, watched Spike TV, and drove through a blizzard. All good things. And after a day of hilariously painful spills on the mountain, nothing tasted better than a Colorado Bulldog. A Colorado what??
The Colorado Bulldog is Colorado's own take on a White Russian. Traditionally, a White Russian is made with vodka, Kahlua, and half & half. The Colorado Bulldog changes it up by adding a splash of Pepsi to the top of the cocktail. While this may sound strange, it tastes wonderful; a bit like a melted Pepsi float with some booze. I highly recommend you try it - although I can't guarantee it will satisfy in the same way without a day on the slopes to precede it. Here's a general recipe:
- Take a small tumbler glass filled with ice and add 1 shot Kahlua and 1 shot vodka.
- Fill the tumbler almost full with half & half and stir.
- Add a splash on Pepsi on top and enjoy!
Easy, right? Serves one. (We each drank 2x a day...don't judge...it was
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A Short Passage on Life (No recipes tonight - - get over it)
"In any area of our lives, things can go from great, to not so hot, to downright unspeakable, and do it so gradually that we keep downshifting our expectations to correspond with our current situation. We settle for less and less and tell ourselves "It's not so bad" until finally one day we wake up and we are, in fact, hairless and scabby, just hoping to get petted with a stick for a little while (you'll have to read the rest of the book to get that analogy). You can forget what it used to feel like to feel good about life; feeling rotten - or just a low-grade funk - seems normal and therefore acceptable. I just don't believe that God intended for any of his creations to be petted with sticks. If some area of your life sucks - do something else. Life is too short - and too long - to spend it being miserable. Life may indeed be short, but it is, for a fact, wide. It is high time we started settling for more."
I have no clue why this passage riveted me; I love my job, I love my friends, I love my partner, I love my family. But I was very touched and inspired by this little tidbit - - and wanted to pass it along. I highly recommend all of Jill's Sweet Potato Queen books. They are hilarious and sometimes inspiring (see above!).
I think that's all for tonight.
Except, I have one more thing to share:
If you live in Bloomington, stop into Soma coffeehouse for a "Swamp Thing." It's an americano (espresso + water...I get mine decaf), soy creamer, and green-tinted mint syrup. It's a strange hue of swamp color and tastes AMAZING. Seriously.
Have a great night. Stay warm (my weatherbug app. says it's 9 degrees outside. Yep. 9)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
A Healthier Lasagna & The Social Network
David and I just finished watching The Social Network. You know, the film about the creator of Facebook that's generating all kinds of film award buzz. It was - not surprisingly - a great movie! It proved interesting on a personal level for me because Facebook was launched in 2003 by a freshman college student; it was the same year I started college as well. Eight years down the road, I'm dreaming of $30,000 a year and the brain behind Facebook is a billionaire. Without saying I'm bitter, I will say that I sometimes question my past choices. Not that any choice would equate to my making billions of dollars - - but it still provides food for thought. While I was seeking a degree in Ballet Performance and English, someone my age was creating in revolutionary things on the internet. Hmmm. I'm quite happy all around, so don't get me wrong. It's just slightly funny.
Anyway, we dined on a grrrrrreat lasagna recipe this evening from Candice Kumai's new cookbook Pretty Delicious. Candice was a contestant on the first season of Top Chef, as well as a chef on the cute Cook Yourself Thin program on Lifetime Television. Her cookbook is very stylish and bright (already earning brownie points from me) and has some really cool recipes. I'm always weary of a lasagna that's too healthy; without the fattening cheese and meat, lasagna can be extremely lackluster. I've made a number of horrid versions utilizing tofu and vegetable slices in lieu of noodles. Yuck. Candice's version does involve tofu and vegetables, but it is also incredibly flavorful. The best praise I can give the recipe is this: David (whose palate prefers fast food and junk) went back for seconds. This is the FIRST time David took second servings of any recipe with tofu. It's amazing! Anyway, here's my variation on the recipe. And - by the way - her book is well work purchasing!
Squash and Mushroom Lasagna
Tofu Marinara:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 7 oz firm refrigerated tofu, drained
- 28 oz pureed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Lasagna:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- onion powder
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
- 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
- dried basil
- Parmesan Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the marinara: head the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about five minutes, until soft. Add the garlic cloves and continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Crumble the tofu into the pan and add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and sugar. Let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar. Taste the sauce for flavor and adjust salt vs. sugar until you get it just right.
Meanwhile, to make the lasagna: heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are well seared and have released their liquid. Add onion powder and salt to taste. Take the mushrooms off the heat.
Spread 1/4 tofu marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Lay three lasagna noodles on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the squash and zucchini over the noodles and sprinkle with salt and dried basil. Add 1/2 the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Spread another 1/4 tofu marinara over the mushrooms and lay three more noodles over the marinara. Add the rest of the squash, zucchini, and mushrooms next and sprinkle with salt, dried basil, and 2 more tablespoons cheese. Spread another 1/4 tofu marinara over the vegetables and top with the remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Finally, add the remaining tofu marinara. Cover the casserole with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil, add 1/2 cup more cheese over top of the lasagna, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes and then enjoy! serves 6-8
Anyway, we dined on a grrrrrreat lasagna recipe this evening from Candice Kumai's new cookbook Pretty Delicious. Candice was a contestant on the first season of Top Chef, as well as a chef on the cute Cook Yourself Thin program on Lifetime Television. Her cookbook is very stylish and bright (already earning brownie points from me) and has some really cool recipes. I'm always weary of a lasagna that's too healthy; without the fattening cheese and meat, lasagna can be extremely lackluster. I've made a number of horrid versions utilizing tofu and vegetable slices in lieu of noodles. Yuck. Candice's version does involve tofu and vegetables, but it is also incredibly flavorful. The best praise I can give the recipe is this: David (whose palate prefers fast food and junk) went back for seconds. This is the FIRST time David took second servings of any recipe with tofu. It's amazing! Anyway, here's my variation on the recipe. And - by the way - her book is well work purchasing!
Squash and Mushroom Lasagna
Tofu Marinara:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 7 oz firm refrigerated tofu, drained
- 28 oz pureed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Lasagna:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- onion powder
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
- 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
- dried basil
- Parmesan Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the marinara: head the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about five minutes, until soft. Add the garlic cloves and continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Crumble the tofu into the pan and add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and sugar. Let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar. Taste the sauce for flavor and adjust salt vs. sugar until you get it just right.
Meanwhile, to make the lasagna: heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are well seared and have released their liquid. Add onion powder and salt to taste. Take the mushrooms off the heat.
Spread 1/4 tofu marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Lay three lasagna noodles on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the squash and zucchini over the noodles and sprinkle with salt and dried basil. Add 1/2 the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Spread another 1/4 tofu marinara over the mushrooms and lay three more noodles over the marinara. Add the rest of the squash, zucchini, and mushrooms next and sprinkle with salt, dried basil, and 2 more tablespoons cheese. Spread another 1/4 tofu marinara over the vegetables and top with the remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Finally, add the remaining tofu marinara. Cover the casserole with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil, add 1/2 cup more cheese over top of the lasagna, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes and then enjoy! serves 6-8
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Zumba, Chicken Soup, & A Milkshake
Having survived "snowpacolypse 2011," I was so happy to escape the confines of my house today. I taught my two yoga classes, went shopping, and ran three miles with Beth and her friend Chris for our marathon training.
I also - drumroll please - signed up for a Zumba Basic 1 certification! It's happening in town and it's incredibly affordable. The idea of teaching Zumba (or some kind of dance cardio) seems like a wonderful mix of my classical dance experience and my yoga trainings. If you haven't taken Zumba - or any other cardio dance class - you simply must do it. You'll be having so much fun, you won't even realize how hard you're exercising! So stay tuned...I may be teaching Zumba sometime soon ;)
I have two new recipes for you today: one is a delicious chicken soup to warm your soul on a cold night; the other is completely satisfying, sweet milkshake that I made up on the fly. Try them out!
Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
This recipe comes from Ellie Krieger's award-winning book The Food You Crave. It involves tempering eggs (which I am really bad at)...if you have a similar problem, just fish out any strands of scrambled egg and proceed...I did and the recipe still turned out well.
- 8 oz boneless chicken breast, chopped into pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 teaspoons dried Herb de Provence seasoning
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 large eggs
- juice of 1 lemon
Heat some olive oil spray in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Respray the pot with more olive oil spray and add the onion, celery, carrot, and Herb de Provence. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 10 minutes). Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, stir, and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked al dente. Reduce the heat to low and make sure the soup is not boiling (super important).
Meanwhile, heat the remaining broth in a small saucepan until hot (again, do not let it boil). Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl and add the lemon juice. Gradually add the hot broth to the egg mixture while stirring to temper the eggs (the goal is to heat them slowly so they don't scramble). Then, slowly add the tempered egg mixture to the rest of the soup. Stir continuously until the soup thickens (no boiling!). Add the cooked chicken back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and serve. serves 4
Chocolaty, Fruity Milkshake
This is quick to make and - if using low-fat ice cream and almond milk - quite a healthy treat.
- 1/2 cup ice cream (I use Edy's Fat Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt)
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
- 2 tablespoons fat free hot cocoa mix (or one single-serving pouch)
- 1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
Blend everything together over high speed in a blender. If too thick, add additional milk until you get the consistency that you like. serves 1
I also - drumroll please - signed up for a Zumba Basic 1 certification! It's happening in town and it's incredibly affordable. The idea of teaching Zumba (or some kind of dance cardio) seems like a wonderful mix of my classical dance experience and my yoga trainings. If you haven't taken Zumba - or any other cardio dance class - you simply must do it. You'll be having so much fun, you won't even realize how hard you're exercising! So stay tuned...I may be teaching Zumba sometime soon ;)
I have two new recipes for you today: one is a delicious chicken soup to warm your soul on a cold night; the other is completely satisfying, sweet milkshake that I made up on the fly. Try them out!
Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
This recipe comes from Ellie Krieger's award-winning book The Food You Crave. It involves tempering eggs (which I am really bad at)...if you have a similar problem, just fish out any strands of scrambled egg and proceed...I did and the recipe still turned out well.
- 8 oz boneless chicken breast, chopped into pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 teaspoons dried Herb de Provence seasoning
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 large eggs
- juice of 1 lemon
Heat some olive oil spray in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Respray the pot with more olive oil spray and add the onion, celery, carrot, and Herb de Provence. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 10 minutes). Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, stir, and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked al dente. Reduce the heat to low and make sure the soup is not boiling (super important).
Meanwhile, heat the remaining broth in a small saucepan until hot (again, do not let it boil). Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl and add the lemon juice. Gradually add the hot broth to the egg mixture while stirring to temper the eggs (the goal is to heat them slowly so they don't scramble). Then, slowly add the tempered egg mixture to the rest of the soup. Stir continuously until the soup thickens (no boiling!). Add the cooked chicken back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and serve. serves 4
Chocolaty, Fruity Milkshake
This is quick to make and - if using low-fat ice cream and almond milk - quite a healthy treat.
- 1/2 cup ice cream (I use Edy's Fat Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt)
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
- 2 tablespoons fat free hot cocoa mix (or one single-serving pouch)
- 1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
Blend everything together over high speed in a blender. If too thick, add additional milk until you get the consistency that you like. serves 1
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Winter, Yoga, Brownies
Although David disagrees, I say this is the worst winter ever in Indiana. I apparently make this proclamation every year - - but every year I believe it! The snow and gloominess is enchanting for about a week...then (like right now), I'm over it!
With the weekend behind us and work cancelled today (at the university and pharmaceutical company...first. time. ever.), David and I are looking at oodles more free time together. I'm popping in a yoga video to calm myself down. Let's be honest: I love hanging out with David, but too many hours of hanging out - especially when we can't leave the house due to an extreme ice situation - can make me stir crazy...or (in David's words) just plain crazy. So yoga is going to be my precaution against WWIII at the Zuschlag/Dunn residence. I think I'll pop in my standby yoga video instructor, Suzanne Deason. I love her!
I have a wonderful recipe for you today as well.
I had some friends over this past weekend and cooked some yummy lasagna. The standout recipe, however, happens to be my friend Emma's amazing brownies. I demanded the recipe immediately after my first bite. They are scrumptious. You can imagine my utter exhilaration when she brought MORE brownies to my house the next day (I guess she realized how much I liked them?). Anyway, give this recipe a try. I'm tucking it away in my "all-time favorites" folder.
Emma's Fudgy Brownies
1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Meanwhile, grease an 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a small bowl stir together the flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until just combined. If desired, stir in nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes for 8-inch pan or 25 minutes for 9-inch pan (I actually baked for 25 minutes in an 8-inch pan, so you might want to consider reducing the baking time, but it could just be my oven). Cool on a wire rack.
With the weekend behind us and work cancelled today (at the university and pharmaceutical company...first. time. ever.), David and I are looking at oodles more free time together. I'm popping in a yoga video to calm myself down. Let's be honest: I love hanging out with David, but too many hours of hanging out - especially when we can't leave the house due to an extreme ice situation - can make me stir crazy...or (in David's words) just plain crazy. So yoga is going to be my precaution against WWIII at the Zuschlag/Dunn residence. I think I'll pop in my standby yoga video instructor, Suzanne Deason. I love her!
I have a wonderful recipe for you today as well.
I had some friends over this past weekend and cooked some yummy lasagna. The standout recipe, however, happens to be my friend Emma's amazing brownies. I demanded the recipe immediately after my first bite. They are scrumptious. You can imagine my utter exhilaration when she brought MORE brownies to my house the next day (I guess she realized how much I liked them?). Anyway, give this recipe a try. I'm tucking it away in my "all-time favorites" folder.
Emma's Fudgy Brownies
1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Meanwhile, grease an 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a small bowl stir together the flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until just combined. If desired, stir in nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes for 8-inch pan or 25 minutes for 9-inch pan (I actually baked for 25 minutes in an 8-inch pan, so you might want to consider reducing the baking time, but it could just be my oven). Cool on a wire rack.
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