Summer Pavlova for a Friend’s Homecoming

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Sweet Spatulas __ Pavlova

There’s not much better than your significant other scooping you up in their arms, placing you on the couch, and telling you to stay there and watch a movie “or else,” while they head into the kitchen to clean up the mess you made while baking muffins and granola bars earlier as well as to prepare a delicious dinner for the both of you. All because today is the last day of your period of unemployment, the eve of your first day ever of a “big kid” job.

Yes, that is the situation I find myself in right now. Trying to pay attention to The Hobbit, but wanting to post this, since it’s been, yet again, a full month in between posts. I’ve definitely been cooking. In the past month or so, I have begun to cook not just for me, but for 2-3 marines also (they pay for my groceries, haha). Definitely been learning a lot… I understand why spaghetti is such a popular meal and why people complain that boys eat so much! I used to calculate 1/4 lb of meat for each person, I now calculate 1/2 lb… It’s so fun having a full house though. Earlier this week, I hosted a BBQ for eight people or so and enjoyed how everyone pitched in, brought a dish, and just had fun hanging out by the pool and the grill.

As I am about to start work and have an arrangement to cook 2 nights a week while two other people cook 2 nights a week each, I am becoming very familiar with crock pot recipes. I am trying to find unique crock pot recipes, so if you have any good ones, feel free to send them my way. So far, I am doing baked ziti, lasagna, pot roast, BBQ chicken, pork chops, enchiladas, chicken cacciatore.

Anyway, some of my friends went away for a couple weeks for work, so upon their return I had the dessert below ready for them.

Layered Pavlova with Fresh Berries
Adapted from Epicurious

For meringue:

  • Confectioners sugar for dusting
  • 1 cup superfine granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup egg whites (from 5 to 6 large eggs) at room temperature 30 minutes

For berries:

  • 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, trimmed and quartered
  • 1 pound bueberries
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For cream:

  • 1 cup chilled heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup chilled sour cream

Make meringue:

Preheat oven to 275°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then dust sides of pans with confectioners sugar, knocking out excess. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.

Pulse superfine sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a food processor until well combined.

Stir together vanilla and vinegar in a small bowl.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar mixture, then beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Spoon meringue into pans (about 2 1/2 cups per pan) and smooth tops.

Bake until meringues have a crisp crust and feel dry to the touch, about 1 hour (insides will still be marshmallow-like).

Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringues in oven 1 hour. (Meringues may sink slightly and crack while cooling.)

Run knife along sides of cake pans and carefully turn meringues out of pans. Carefully peel off parchment (meringues will be fragile and the crust may crack further). Carefully turn right side up.

Macerate fruit while meringues cool: 
Toss berries with sugar and let stand at room temperature until ready to use (up to 1 hour).

Assemble dessert:
Beat heavy cream with sour cream using an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks. Put 1 meringue on a serving plate and spread one third of whipped cream over it. Spoon one third of fruit (with juice) over top. Repeat with remaining meringues, cream, and fruit.

Reset (aka, making homemade cinnamon raisin bread)

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Reset.

Fresh, homemade bread

Fresh, homemade bread

-Ack, it’s been over a month since I have posted! I am terribly embarrassed that I have let so much time elapse. It’s not that I haven’t been baking or cooking, but finding time to write about them has been a little crazy. I’ve actually made plenty of pies and cakes, even cheesecakes, over the past month, as well as some new recipes like maple-soy salmon and jambalaya, but I will post about those some other time.

A month ago, I wrote a draft of this post. It focused on my desire for a Reset Button for my mind. A clean slate, free of the knots of worry that form and are so hard to get rid of. Sometimes those knots aren’t even from negative elements like worry and overstress, but from good-intentioned plans, goals, and dreams. Am I the only one who gets caught up in wanting good things and planning how to get them, but then become upset as that same goal becomes a prison or a self-imposed standard that potentially prevents me from seizing other opportunities?

It’s funny that a month ago I wanted a reset. If you look at my life from the outside, I definitely got one. I am ending my internship this week. I move out on my own (no roommates) to a new city (still DC area) and start my first professional job next week. I even cancelled my gym membership for the sake of my budget. If that’s not a reset, I don’t know what is.

Spring is a great time to start something new. I am nervous, but looking forward. Personally, cancelling my gym membership, and being willing to give up going to yoga classes except on special occasions, is something I never dreamed I would consider  And I am not quite sure I will be able to do it for long, I think I really miss it. But if I am going to do a full reset of my mindset, my budget, my priorities, and anything else that proves to be a central tenet of my life, I might as well do it completely and see what really matters.

I feel like a good way to think of a reset is not as a start/stop process, but as one cycle that is coming to its close and a new cycle that is opening. It reminds me a lot of making bread: reviving the dormant yeast with water, adding it to flour and kneading it, letting it grow, punching it down and kneading it again, letting it rest, letting it grow and rise a second time, then finally baking it, after which it is consumed and provides nourishment so I can live. Have I mentioned I really like making homemade bread?

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread
Slightly Adapted From King Arthur
Makes one loaf

  • raisins
    • 2/3 cup raisins (soak in rum or bourbon overnight as starter rests)

  • starter

    • 4 ounces cool water
    • 2 ounces whole wheat flour
    • 2 ounces all purpose flour
    • 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
  • dough
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
    • 4 ounces lukewarm milk
    • 4 ounces orange juice
    • 2 1/2 ounces melted butter
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 1/4 ounces sugar
    • 1 ounce nonfat dry milk
    • 1 5/8 ounces potato flour
    • 6 ounces whole wheat flour
    • 5 ounces all purpose flour
    • *Use 2 tablespoons less orange juice in summer (or in a humid environment), 2 tablespoons more in winter (or in a dry climate)
  • filling
    • 1 large egg, beaten; to brush on dough
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • 2/3 cup raisins soaked in rum or bourbon overnight, drained

Directions

1) To make the starter: In a mixing bowl, combine the water, flour, and yeast, stirring until the flour is evenly moistened. Cover the bowl, and let the starter rest overnight at cool room temperature, for up to 16 hours or so; it’ll become a bit puffy, and flatten out.

2) Add the remaining dough ingredients to the starter in the bowl, and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until you’ve made a cohesive dough. If you’re using a stand mixer, knead at low speed for about 7 minutes. Note that 100% whole wheat dough will never become smooth and supple like dough made with all-purpose flour; it’ll feel more like clay under your hands, and may appear a bit rough.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise until it’s expanded and looks somewhat puffy, about 90 minutes. Note that dough kneaded in a bread machine will rise faster and higher than bread kneaded in a mixer, which in turn will rise faster and higher than one kneaded by hand. So if you’re kneading by hand, you may want to let the dough rise longer than 90 minutes.

4) To make the filling: Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.

5) Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly oiled work surface. Shape the dough into a long, thin rectangle, about 16″ x 9″.

6) Brush the dough with some of the beaten egg. Sprinkle the filling onto the dough.

7) Beginning with a short edge, gently roll the dough into a log. Pinch the side seam and ends closed. Pat the log gently to shape it into a smooth 9″ cylinder, and place it in a lightly greased 9″ x 5″ or 8″x4″ loaf pan.

8) Tent the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap, and allow the loaf to rise until it’s crowned over the rim of the pan by about 3/4″, about 90 minutes. Don’t let it rise too high; it’ll continue to rise as it bakes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

9) Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Lightly tent it with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

10) Run a stick of butter over the top of the hot loaf, if desired, for a softer crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Banana Cream Pie with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Peanut Crust

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I don’t know about you, but most of my life seems to be spent going from one point to another: a goal, an achievement, a restaurant, a workplace, a life phase. I like to plan for my next destination, but I often forget to pay attention to what’s going on between the two points, the transition.

Transitions. That’s what the focus of my weekly yoga class was. Typically, yoga class is spent holding poses, moving from position to position, in the most efficient and danger-minimizing way possible. This week, however, we spent very little time in the actual pose, and focused on the transition. We spent more time getting to the pose, focusing on how we were moving towards a position, rather than actually in the position. The transition is often where everything happens. Yes, breathing and remaining present in an actual pose should be a focus, but being present (emotionally, mentally, physically) in the transition should be just as much of a priority, if not more so, since most of our lives our lived in transition.

Getting caught up in planning what my endpoint is going to look like is so easy for me; I slip into organizing mode and miss the wonder and awe right in front of me. To be honest, focusing and going slowly through the transitions to give them the full attention and respect they deserve actually hurt. It required much more concentration and strength and muscle control than usual. However, it gave me the time to be able to listen to my body and hear it when its wisdom was telling me to change directions. Normally, I’d be so focused on the next pose, that I wouldn’t have heard that whisper saying, “you know, maybe you shouldn’t go into that deep lunge today, perhaps you should stay Warrior Two, or move to a side stretch instead.”

Remaining present and choosing to live in the transition, rather than live for the endpoint, allowed me to stay present enough to be aware of my needs, my potential, my limitations, and my desires in a way that would not have happened otherwise. I was able to receive the wisdom to change course even in the middle of a transition -to change my goal because the purpose was not the goal, but to live and engage with myself and the environment.

So my take away is: I don’t want to be so focused on my end pose, or next life goal, that I miss an opportunity to respect myself and experience something unexpected and good, even if it was not what I originally planned.

Yoga is not the only thing that has taught me this lately. The necessity for spontaneity (and the outright inability to plan) when being in a relationship with someone in the military has really hit me hard smacked me in the face this week. I had been so focused on my goals and plans and ideas that I had missed the reality of the situation. I was feeling insecure because of [what appeared to me to be] another’s lack of interest in planning with me, when really, it was a lifestyle/survival choice of that other because they know that anything and everything can change in the blink of an eye. Living in the transition, rather than the goal, helped me see that. It changed my perspective. My insecurity no longer had a place to grab hold of in that situation and I was able to appreciate that the other person was actually trying to show me grace and compassion, not avoid being with me.

When I got home from yoga, I decided I want to celebrate. I was feeling overwhelmed -I had to go into child’s pose and simply cry with my face down in my mat several times during that class- and decided that making this pie was the best way to live in the moment. I had wanted to make it for a a few months, but other “goals” kept getting in the way. Baby steps, right? I might as well live in the moment, take a rest, and make a pie, instead of going to bed early so I could make it to that gym class tomorrow. Planning is good, but being present is the lesson that I need to be living out right now.

Banana cream pie with salted bourbon caramel sauce, peanuts, and whipped cream

Banana cream pie (salted bourbon caramel sauce, peanuts, and whipped cream not pictured)

Just a note: THE SAUCE IS AMAZING. If you don’t make the pie, just make the sauce and put it on EVERYTHING. I highly recommend using it to top high-quality vanilla ice cream.

Banana Cream Pie wit Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Peanut Crust
From Bon Appetit
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

Crust

  • 1 1/4 cups cups unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Filling

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 ripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

Peanut Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse peanuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer 1/4 cup ground nuts to a small bowl; cover and set aside for garnish. Pulse remaining peanuts until peanut butter forms, about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat both sugars, peanut butter, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2–3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until well blended, about 3 minutes (mixture will be clumpy). Gradually add dry ingredients; beat just to combine (mixture will be crumbly; do not overmix or crust will be tough). Gather dough with your hands, place in pie dish, and press evenly onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until edges are deep golden brown, 15–17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover tightly.

Cream Filling

  • Bring milk and cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks; whisk until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a blender with butter and vanilla. Purée until smooth, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Chill until set, AT LEAST 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead.

Assembly

  • Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat 1/2 cup cream and powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Cover and chill.
  • Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, bring to a boil without stirring, and cook, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar just barely turns a light tan color, about 4 minutes (mine continued to cook after, so I took it off at a light tan color, though you might be cooler than me and be able to actually get yours to a dark amber color without burning… I can’t). Remove caramel from heat; whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream, butter, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Let cool for 5 minutes; whisk in remaining 1/2 Tbsp. bourbon and vanilla. Let bourbon caramel cool slightly. DO AHEAD:Whipped cream and bourbon caramel can be made 2 hours ahead. Re-whisk whipped cream before serving. Let bourbon caramel stand at room temperature.
  • Spread 1/4 cup vanilla pastry cream evenly over bottom of peanut crust. Slice bananas into 1/4″-thick rounds. Layer half of the bananas over pastry cream. Top with 1 1/2 cups pastry cream. Arrange remaining bananas over; top bananas with remaining pastry cream. Garnish with whipped cream and reserved ground peanuts. Serve with bourbon caramel.

Lighter-Than-Air Chocolate Roll (Flourless)

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I’ve wanted to make a cake roll with cream filling since about my freshman year in college, ever since my boyfriend-at-the-time raved about the one his mom made, but I have always been too scared. But something kept holding me back -I was afraid to put all of the time and effort into something that seemed so labor intensive and bound to break anyway. How on earth, if I managed to whip the egg whites correctly and not burn the thin layer of cake, would I get it out of the pan, spread with filling, actually roll it in a way that it didn’t break and stayed rolled, and then actually transport it (even if it just across the room to the table) to the desired place and/or persons for consumption?

Yummy... as told by iPhone, so not particularly beautiful, but delicious all the same.

Yummy… as told by iPhone, so not particularly beautiful, but delicious all the same.

Well, as you can see, I decided to just get over my fear of failure and try the cake anyway. It doesn’t have that many ingredients and most of my friends were busy, so I figured I didn’t have much to lose… Maybe that’s not facing my fear, maybe that’s just no longer having anything to lose… I think that will have to be a self-reflection for another blog post though.

In the same way, I need to just get over my fear of failure and realize that, even if I am unemployed 5 weeks from now and have to live on one of my parents’ couches, I won’t be ruined forever… though it may actually kill me slowly from the inside…. 0=)

Anyway, the cake was great. I would definitely consider it worth making again. I brought it over to my friend’s house a couple days later so I had someone with whom to share it -eating a cake alone just seemed like a bad idea. He liked the chocolate flavor and the texture, but he apparently doesn’t like the combination of chocolate orange *GASP,* so I said I would make it again sometime without the orange. I, however,love chocolate and orange. It reminds me of getting those Terry’s Chocolate Oranges for Christmas every year at the bottom of my stocking. I loved having to slam it against the ground to make all of the individual slices separate, though sometimes I think I was a teensy afraid I would break it and then have nothing but smashed chocolate instead of the pretty chocolate “slices” (I seriously doubt I will ever be strong enough to actually do that though) . After slamming the chocolate orange and unwrapping it from it’s foil, I would proceed to eat a few slices at a time every few days, hours minutes. Yum…

Anyway, this chocolate cake reminds me of those oranges. And of those delicious candied orange peels dipped in dark chocolate there were probably the most popular thing I have ever made in my entire life.

Sharing my cake with a friend who apparently couldn't even stay awake to try it! But he did have some for breakfast the next day, I was told.

Sharing my cake with a friend who apparently couldn’t even stay awake to try it! But he did have some for breakfast the next day, I was told.

Lighter-Than-Air Chocolate Roll
From Epicurious
Serves 10

Cake layer:

  • 6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

For filling:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
  • Garnish: unsweetened cocoa powder and confectioners sugar

Make cake layer:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan and line bottom lengthwise with a large piece of wax or parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches.

Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Cool to lukewarm.

Beat yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer. Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack. Cover top with 2 layers of damp paper towels and let stand 5 minutes, then remove towels and cool completely. Loosen edges with a sharp knife.

Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layer and overlap 2 layers of wax paper lengthwise over cake. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining. (Don’t worry if cake layer breaks; it will hold together when rolled.)

Make filling:
Beat cream with confectioners sugar and Grand Marnier with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold in zest.

Fill and roll cake:
Spread filling evenly over cake. Put a long platter next to a long side of cake. Using wax paper as an aid, roll up cake jelly roll–style, beginning with a long side. Carefully transfer, seam side down, to platter, using wax paper to help slide cake. (Cake will crack but will still hold together.)

Dust cake generously with cocoa powder and confectioners sugar.

Red Cabbage Salad

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So I’m about sixty percent of the way through my internship and if I have learned anything, it is that life definitely does not have a pause button. Although there are definitely perks of a job with a 9am-6pm regular work week, I am most definitely  learning that life/work balance does not come any more naturally now than it did in school. Finding balance between the two is different now though. I am finding it much harder to choose responsibility/work over life/relationships than it was to choose school over life.

The arguments for choosing work are so much less convincing than the ones that I had for choosing school. School was investment in my future, work is just depressing because it’s looking more and more like I’ll be unemployed on June 1 when my internship ends. It’s hard to choose to commit to something when it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere.

Now, some of you will read this and judge me, I can probably some who will, but I am going to put this out there anyway.

I realize I am telling you nothing new. This all stuff you probably already know and I am just a little behind the learning curve. That’s ok, if my recent therapy sessions are any clue, I am apparently behind the curve on a lot of other basic, life-lessons too. Like creating my own standards for success -I’m pretty sure I’ve just been following the world’s general prescription of “do this to be successful, now do this, now go get a degree, now make good grades, now volunteer, now eat well and exercise, now get your professor/boss/parent/friend/pastor/instructor’s approval.” I am not sure how I avoided ever making my own definition of what deserves approval and what doesn’t, but it probably has something to do with my sometimes-insane perfectionism.

I feel like my entire life has been spent in an attempt to reach someone else’s definition of perfection:
Singing – I was told I could sing well, so I took lessons for years, following (almost) all of my voice coach’s instructions as if they were gold, whether or not they were related to singing
Exercise/Food – As I began to take nutrition and physical education classes in middle and high school, I began to idolize the rules those classes (and any further reading that seemed like an authority) set out -eating the right foods, exercising the proper amount and at the right times, avoiding certain foods or activities… as demonstrated by the subsequently needed therapy, that worked out real well for me…
Even therapy -To an extent, therapy has been about someone else’s standards -following the doctor’s orders because I want to be the best and I don’t want to lose this battle, not necessarily because I want to be free. My language concerning those orders betrays me -”oh, Dr. so-and-so will be disappointed when they hear about it, or “Dr. Such-and-Such will be really happy to hear about this.”
Grades are an easy one to understand, and I think religion is a fairly direct connection also.

This internship is one of the first things where there has been no set standard that I can look to for how to judge success and there is no superior judging me. Now that I am the only intern in the office, there isn’t even someone to whom I can compare and thus judge my performance.

So now I get to start working on what I suspect most of humanity has been working on for nearly all of their existence: how to set their own standards and decide what is good, bad, neutral, sufficient, what is unacceptable.

I mean, I have been working on that for a while now, slowly but surely. Little things, like figuring out whether I like potato chips or chocolate chip cookies better, and whether I am full after a full meal or if I need to eat two because I am particularly hungry that day. Even choosing to not change the time of my standing doctor’s appointment on Thursday afternoons was a choice that brought me closer to finding my own definitions of success/acceptability (because I like it at that time and I am no longer going to worry about whether anyone in my office sees it as bad that I leave early once week.)

Just because I trust someone and value their opinion does not mean I want their opinion to affect my choices. Nor does it mean I should not consider their opinion. Balance. I am seeking balance. Pretty sure that the word “balance” is competing with “compassion” as my favorite word in the English language now.

What kind of standards have you held tightly, without even knowing if they were your own?

Red Cabbage Salad in a whole wheat tortilla for lunch.

Red Cabbage Salad in a whole wheat tortilla for lunch.

Red Cabbage Salad

Serves 4-6

3 cups shredded red cabbage

1/2 red onion, diced

2 granny smith apples, cored and diced

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup craisins

1 large raw beet, finely chopped or grated

1 lb chicken breasts, cooked/boiled and diced

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Toss together all ingredients, except lemon and olive oil, in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon and olive oil, then pour over and toss with ingredients in large bowl.

Enjoy in a wrap or simply as a salad.

Banana Peanut Butter Cacao Energy Bites

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When you join a gym, you often receive a free training session in the hope that you will be convinced by the trainer that you simply are incapable of getting a good work out on your own. No, you cannot be in good shape from simply going to the myriad of classes and using all of the expensive equipment that the gym advertised in order to get you to join. In fact, must pay additional money to get into the shape that the gym promised would come  with the purchase of a basic membership.

Can you tell I don’t like these sessions? I feel like they are designed specifically to make you, the consumer, feel bad about yourself, no matter what level of fitness you are at. Yes, of course,  you can always be in better shape or be a little healthier, but I don’t think a personal trainer is necessary for that. Find a friend to work out with if you need help getting there, go to a *free* gym class with a difficult instructor if you want to be challenged, or sign up for a race for motivation to train towards a goal.

Anyway, despite my reservations about a “free” personal training session, I went and finally made good on the session that I was given when I joined after moving to the city. One of the first questions the trainer asks is how much you weigh, in addition to age, height, previous or current injuries, etc.  I can answer most of those, but it’s a little difficult to answer that first one, as I have not weighed myself in 3-4 years.  I actually have no idea what I weigh. I offered up my typical jean size in lieu of the coveted number, but the trainer was not pleased. She complained that she needed the number for some calculation, which I suspect, no matter what weight number I told her, would probably tell me that I could stand to lose another 6 pounds. Oh, and she did mention that, if I kept training with her, she could get me down a whole pant size… In my opinion, if I got that thin again, they’d have to start calling my Skeletor (Sisiterhood of the Traveling Pants reference, anyone?)… ew.

Anyway, the trainer even offered to take me to the scale downstairs to find out my weight, which I staunchly refused to do, much in the same way that I politely declined the offers of several farmers at a recent work convention to estimate my weight, based on years of solid experience sizing up cattle for sale. I am sticking to what I know, and I know I am happier when I don’t know the arbitrary number on the scale. For me, I know that number would try to tell me whether or not I am allowed to be happy on that particular day, or if I will have to wait until a smaller number shows up to smile, go out with friends, and enjoy myself. Yes, sometimes the nurses at the doctor’s office look perplexed when I step on the scale backwards, and yes, I have had to request that scales be removed from the bathrooms of hotels and friend’s home while I am visiting, but it is worth it to me. I want to be happy because I feel good and the world is my oyster and no human-contrived number system is going to keep me from doing so.

When I got home, I decided I wanted something in the way of my favorite flavor combination (banana, peanut, and chocolate), so I put these little energy balls together and have been snacking on them as after-dinner/bedtime treats throughout the week. I hope you like them!

Oh, and I also went home and made a chocolate cake roll filled with orange cream, haha. And it was delicious.

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Balls

Banana Peanut Butter Cacao Energy Balls

Banana Peanut Butter Cacao Energy Balls
Adapted from Food Doodles
Makes 16-20 bites

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup lightly toasted peanuts
  • 1 cup soft, dehydrated bananas (NOT banana chips – these are soft, sometimes hard to find)
  • 1/2 cup Medjool dates
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips)
In a food processor add the peanuts and process until no large pieces remain and is the consistency of meal (think grits, not flour) -being careful not to over process. Remove the nuts and place then in a bowl.
Add the dried bananas and Medjool dates to the food processor and blend until completely blended and a “dough” forms.
Stop the food processor and break apart the dough with a knife or spatula. Add the nuts back in along with the vanilla. Process the mixture just until everything is combined evenly. Add in the cacao nibs and just pulse the mixture until they are evenly disbursed in the mixture.
Take about two tablespoons of mixture and compress/roll into a tight ball. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week or in the fridge or freezer for up to 3 months.

Rosemary Sweet Potato Egg Bake

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Woah, seriously, over 3 weeks since I last posted? Where did the time go? I mean, last time I posted it was winter, and now it’s spring! I am so psyched for spring, and particularly the cherry blossom festival in DC that I get to experience for the first time. I even called my mother to ask her to ship me some of my warm-weather clothes, such as the multitude of sandals, open-toed heels, sundresses, shorts, and sleeveless tops that I own from years of living in one of the most humid and tropical states (Florida) for 17 years.

I just wish I could wear sundresses and sandals all year round. There are a few things I miss about Florida, the warm weather being one of them… but I don’t miss having to go to PE every year in August and September -I think that just about killed me every time. I can’t tell you how hard I tried to get out of PE every year. You’d think I was going being sent to some kind of work camp, the way I was so desperate to avoid it -pretty sure I started to pray for asthma at some point just so I would be able to go to art or drama instead.

Yummy Brunch - Sweet potato egg bake and sautéed spinach.

Yummy Brunch – Sweet potato egg bake and sautéed spinach.

I made this egg bake the other day when I friend came over for brunch. We enjoyed it with sautéed spinach and mimosas in my dining room while enjoying some great girl talk. What could be better than good food and goof friends, eh?

This meal is very easy to make and I would say is considerably healthy. It’s also good for vegetarians and gluten-free people (sorry, vegans).

Fresh out of the oven, ready for brunch with good friends.

Rosemary Sweet Potato Egg Bake
Adapted from Naturally Ella
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

3/4 lb sweet potato
1 medium red onion
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup feta or goat cheese
5 eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375˚.

Slice potato and red onion into ¼” thickness. Toss with olive oil, rosemary, and salt. Place in a 9″ pie plate or 7×11 baking dish and roast until potatoes are tender, 30-40 minutes.

Once potatoes are done, loosen from the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and black pepper. Pour over cheese and potatoes. Return to oven and back for 40-50 minutes or until egg is set (the egg should puff up and hardly jiggle.)

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

National Convention = Travel-friendly, Healthy, Affordable Meals

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This week has me traveling for work. Getting on a plane with a suitcase full of business clothes to arrive a few hours later at a convention center felt a little surreal. I am sure that in a few years, once I get a “real” job, that surreal feeling will give way to “this is such a pain,” but I will enjoy the excitement for now.
Being in a new city for a couple months, away from my family and friends and a familiar community, has got me thinking about the importance of relationships lately. Granted, I’ve been at least 800 miles from my family for over 6 years now, but every time I take another step in life (college, grad school, post-grad internship), I recognize my need for family a little bit more. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as well as makes one realize that true loved ones are rare and to be cherished.
I was reading a blog that was shared by one of my former yoga instructors, who I dearly miss, and was struck by the exercise that was mentioned. It seems like a great self-care exercise and a reminder of who is important in our lives, as well as why we should value ourselves so we can take a step away from insecurity and a step towards loving others better.
I want to challenge you to do this exercise. Before reading it, make sure you are ready to actually do it. I think it works best that way, when you haven’t read it and had time to think through the whole thing before writing your response.
For the Exercise: Find a quiet, restful place, whether it’s on your yoga mat, on the couch  or simply your kitchen table -I prefer the open, vulnerability and simultaneous security of my yoga mat. Have a pen and paper ready.
…………….
Think of someone who loves you.
…..Did you pick your person? Don’t read on until you do, ok?
I’m giving you one more chance to not look ahead…
…………………..
Ok, promise me you’ve thought of your person and have a writing utensil and paper near you…
…………………….
Once you choose your person, write a description of yourself in the voice of that person, from their perspective.
How do they see you? Your potential? Your worth? Your value?
I’d love to hear your experience with this.
I thought of my mother. It was powerful to remember that she has such faith in me and believes that I really can obtain my goals and that she will support me whether or not they are realized. Let’s just say I got a little teary eyed and little things didn’t bother me so much the rest of the day.
—————————
So back to that pesky traveling for work thing:
ConventionFood
Food Packing List
(italicized denotes an item that may need refrigeration, so either pack in a cooler or buy when you get there, if you have access to a fridge)
Calcium – shelf stable milk, cheese, yogurt (fyi, I’ve switched completely to buying only plain, organic dairy)

Protein – high quality meat jerky, almond butter, protein powder, tuna, hummus, hard-boiled eggs

Complex Carb – old-fashioned oats (you can pre-measure into baggies), bread-like crackers (the funky kind at your health food store), wheat pita pockets, long-lasting bread, whole wheat tortillas

Fruit – apples, oranges, bananas

Veggie – carrots, green beans (raw, washed green beans are delicious!), raw broccoli

Random: cinnamon, curry, honey, flax seed, nuts, dried fruit

Category All Its Own: DARK CHOCOLATE (for any and every occasion, duh)

Potential Meals
  • Tuna, nuts, chopped green beans,  curry powder, pita, (optional: yogurt or hummus)
    • Mix all ingredients (including yogurt or hummus, except pita pocket); fill pocket with that mixture
  • Tuna, carrots, crackers, nuts, (optional: cheese or shelf-stable milk)
  • Jerky, orange, crackers, shelf-stable milk (or cheese)
  • Oats, banana, nut butter, shelf-stable milk (or hard boiled eggs)
    • Prepare oats with water, stir in mashed banana, and nut butter (cook in microwave or let sit overnight to become more like muesli). Enjoy with milk or eggs as a side.
  • Carrots, pita, cheese, jerky (or hard-boiled eggs)
    • Fill pita with jerky or eggs and cheese. Enjoy with carrots.
  • Banana, nut butter, pita, shelf-stable milk (or yogurt with honey and cinnamon)
    • Fill pita with banana and nut butter, enjoy with milk.
  • Apple, jerky, nuts, crackers
  • Jerky, green beans, crackers, shelf-stable milk (or cheese)
  • Carrots, crackers, jerky (or hummus), nuts with dried fruit (or cheese)
  • Apple, cheese, pita, jerky (or hard-boiled eggs)
    • Fill pita with sliced apple and cheese. Enjoyed with jerky or eggs.

Power Bar Week – 5 Easy, Healthy, Granola and Protein Bars

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Wow, the Shenandoah is beautiful. I was able to hike somewhere (friends chose the spot, so I don’t really know where) along Skyline Drive this past weekend and was in awe of the surreal and heavenly view. Twig-like trees covered in soft snow with the sun shining through the woods… Breathtaking. I am so thankful that I was able to have such a great time outside of the city.

Even if my hands lost feeling for the last 3-4 miles and my friend had to give me his jacket (to wear over the one I owned/was already wearing), it was a fantastic afternoon. I enjoyed learning a little bit more about how not to die in the woods, as well as discovering a cemetery over a century old while literally racing downhill through the snow covered trails.

Scenes from Hiking

A scene from hiking

While I was hiking, I munched on some protein bars that my friend had been thoughtful enough to pack. I got to thinking about how expensive such bars are and how, especially with many of my recent acquaintances being men and women who are serving in the U.S. military, who choosing protein-packed food options is a priority. It’s way too easy to spend gobs of money on bars that often have unpronounceable and unidentifiable ingredients and very high sugar contents.

So, as you can imagine, I set to work this week. I tried 5 new recipes for power/energy/protein/granola bars. From years of making my own breakfast and snack bars, I knew which ones I would prefer from the beginning (the granola bars), but I wanted to try some more protein-heavy, light-gluten bars for friends who prefer more paleo style diets.

I hope you enjoy the products of my adventures this past week!

What happens when my one-track mind enters the kitchen after a weekend of hiking.

From top left, clockwise: Chocolate protein cakey brownie, fruit and nut granola bar, chocolate fudge protein bar, almond apricot granola bar, PBJ protein bar.

The Chocolate Protein Cakey Brownie is a cakey brownie that cuts nicely, though crumbles easily, so try to pack in a tupper ware and avoid throwing in a plastic bag. They are not fudgy, but they aren’t dry either, and definitely taste great mixed into ice cream, yogurt, or even a milkshake/smoothie. These got positive reviews are being dessert-like.

The Fruit and Nut Granola Bar has a nice and chewy consistency, but definitely make sure you grease your pan well. This is the only recipe in a 9×13 (all others on this post of 8×8), so definitely a good one to turn to if wanting a large number of bars. The fact that this is mixed in the food processor makes it very easy to put together. Probably took me all of 5-8 minutes the first time I made it, though I did have all of the ingredients already out on the counter. This stores pretty well, and if you cut them in squares rather than long bars, they hold up pretty well if tossed in a baggy in your purse.

The Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar was the favorite among a lot of my testers for its similarity to fudge and a decadent dessert. Be ware, this bar has a lot more sweetener (honey) than the other bars. because of the soft fudginess, these can squish easily. You could almost spread them… maybe I will spread one on toast with peanut butter and banana for breakfast sometime.

The Almond Apricot Granola Bar is my personal favorite. It has a soft, moist, chewy texture that just feels right for a snack. I cut them into squares and easily grab one with a glass of milk on my way out the door for breakfast. They don’t squish too easily and are probably the best for packing and travel of all the bars on this post. I would bring these to a kids play group or to an elementary soccer practice with some orange slices on the side, as I think they are very kid-friendly.

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars are delicious. They are soft and somewhere between a dense quick bread and fudge (that makes no sense, I know). You can use peanut flour or PB2 (a powdered peanut butter) for the peanut meal, but I used what I had on hand and it worked well. the jam on top can get a bit messy, so they don’t travel terribly well, but you could probably put half the dough int he pan, spread the jam on top, and then top with the remainder of the dough to help them travel better. Let me know if you try that.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Protein Cakey Brownie
Adapted from Edible Mosaic
Makes 1 (8 by 8-inch) pan

4 oz good quality semisweet chocolate (about 60% cacao), chopped*
3 tablespoons canola oil
6 tablespoons low-fat Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup almond meal
¼ cup vanilla protein powder**
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/4 cup granulated sweetener (or other sweetener of your choice; you can add more to taste)
Pinch sea salt
*You can use a chocolate bar or mini chocolate chips.
**You can omit the protein powder if you want; if you do so, reduce the amount of yogurt to 4 tablespoons.
Pre-heat oven to 325F and line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges.
Melt half the chocolate in a microwave or double boiler; cool slightly, then whisk in the oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla.
Stir in the almond meal, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking soda, coffee powder (if using), stevia, and sea salt, being careful not to over-mix. Fold in the remaining half of the chopped chocolate.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs, about 25 to 35 minutes.
Fruit and Nut Granola Bar
Adapted from Kitchen Diva’s Power Bars
Makes a 9×13 pan, about 20 bars
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flax meal
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 small, ripe banana
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Place the oats, sunflower seeds, flaxmeal, flour, apricots, almonds and raisins in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Add the banana, yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, syrup, eggs and vanilla, and pulse 6 or 8 times until the mixture is well combined. The mixture will be sticky.
Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and spread it out evenly using the back of a spatula sprayed, or by running your hands under cold water and using them to press the mixture evenly into the pan.Bake until just done, about 18 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool and firm up, about 5 minutes. Cut into 20 squares and package into individual portions by wrapping in wax paper, plastic wrap or small, re-sealable bags.
Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar (my favorite of all 5 in this post)
Adapted from Rocco Dispirito
Makes an 8×8 pan, about 12 bars
15 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 tsp instant coffee granules3/4 cup egg whites3 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour3/4 cup honey1 tbsp flavorless oil (I used canola)1 tsp vanilla extractPreheat the oven to 350°F. Line or grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. Combine the beans, cocoa powder, coffee granules, egg whites, and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes  scraping down the bowl halfway through.Add the honey, oil and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. Pour the batter into a prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. Turn down the temperature of the oven to 300°F and bake for another 5-8 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little bit of soft batter clinging to it. It should NOT come out clean, if it does: it’s overcooked.Let the bars cool completely at room temperature in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then put them in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When they’re cold, cut them into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Vegan, Gluten-Free, Almond Apricot Granola Bar
(my favorite of all of these) Adapted from Eat Good 4 Life
Makes an 8×8 pan, or about 8 servings
1/ 2 cup almond butter
2 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/6 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/6 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup regular oats (use GF oats if going for GF)
2 tablespoons flaxmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line 8×8 baking pan.In a small pot over medium-low heat, mix almond butter, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Stir gently until well combined and then set aside -it takes about 2-3 minutes.In a food processor, coarse chop the almonds, apricots, and cranberries. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in seeds and oats. Fold in the almond butter mixture. Press the batter into the prepared baking pan.Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let granola cool before cutting into bars. Wrap each one and store in the fridge.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

Adapted from SkinnyMinnieMoves
Makes an 8×8 pan, or 12 servings

1/2 cup peanut meal (grind plain peanuts in a food processor until corn meal consistency)
1 cup protein powder, vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened milk
1/2 cup applesauce
½ cup egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sweetener/sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-3/4 cup jam of your choice

Preheat oven to 350F and grease or line an 8×8 pan. Mix all ingredients excluding the jam in a mixing bowl.  Mix until creamy texture and with no lumps remaining.  Press mixture into prepared pan.

Place half of the jam into mixture by placing it in chunks on top of the mixture, and microwave the other half at intervals of 20 seconds until syrup-like, the make swirls with the syrup-jam in the mixture for a marbled appearance.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. Take out and let it rest for 10-15 min before slicing.

*Note: I am going to try this recipe with chopped peanuts mixed into the dough, skipping the jam, and dipping each bar in melted dark chocolate. I’ll try to update you on the results if I do it.

Mmmmm, Lasagna Soup

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So I survived my run last weekend, even if I did get a little lost and somehow ended up almost trespassing onto Pentagon property (yep, that Pentagon…)

Warming up with lasagna soup.

The good news was, I had all of the ingredients for this yummy soup waiting for me upon my return home. And with how easy this soup is to make, I wasn’t even slightly at risk of starvation. -That’s one of the worst feelings, coming home from a long and tough work out and realizing there is nothing to eat and refuel myself with!

Lasagna soup makes dreary cold days sooo much better

Lasagna soup makes dreary cold days sooo much better

This weekend should be filled with adventure too, as I am being picked up from work on Friday by a friend and heading towards the Shenandoah for some hiking and yummy food and some other activities which have been kept secret from me… feel free to send prayers my way, as my control-freak self doesn’t always take kindly to surprises. Just kidding, I am sure whatever is planned, it will be awesome and I am looking forward to new experiences.

My weekend even includes a class at a local brewery for how to brew beer at home. Who knows, maybe I will make my own beer soon! My very-strict, teetotal-ling undergraduate institution is shaking its fist in the air right now, haha. I’ll try to update you on how the weekend went, but I can’t promise much. The next few weeks might get a little hectic as the office gears up for our annual conference.

This week at work was fun though. I got to do a bit of writing (briefings and such) as well as help out with a fly-in, during which some of our more senior members came to the city and visited legislators to explain the importance of getting a farm bill passed. Lots of excitement around here and I hope it continues ‘cus it’s nice to feel useful, but I definitely need to start getting to a regular yoga class, as I think my emotional stability might be suffering from trying to take the metro on the weekends and still buying too many groceries for my arms to carry back home.

Mmmmm, Lasagna Soup
With tweaks, credit goes to More than Burnt Toast
Serves 6

2 teaspoons (10 mL) olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 cups chicken stock
16-ounce tomato sauce

28oz can diced tomatoes

4 bay leaves
8 ounces pasta of your choice, I prefer farfalline

2/3 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up as you go and cook it until browned and cooked through. Add onions and peppers and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and thyme.   Cook for about a minute.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

In the meantime cook pasta in a saucepan according to package directions.
Right before serving, remove the bay leaves, stir in half of the fresh basil, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta and Parmesan.
To serve, place a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture in each empty soup bowl, add pasta, then ladle the hot soup over the cheese and pasta.  Let it sit for a minute for the cheese to melt, then sprinkle mozzarella and remaining basil on top. Enjoy with friends or freeze in individual Tupperware containers and enjoy throughout the week/month/season.