Life Outside The Cube
Posted: November 11, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: biking, bok choy, bread, cycling, french toast, green monster, muffins, persimmon, turnip 2 Comments »Thanks to those who served or are currently serving our country, I have today off from work!
When I get days off during the week I try and make the most of them so I never really sleep in. I was up at 7, which is 1.5 hours more of sleep and it was so nice to eat breakfast with day light and with the Today show!
Yes, I did just wake up and that is my “relaxing morning” giant coffee cup.
Sissy is excited to have me home and joined me at the table while I took some pictures of a delicious breakfast!
French toast coated with almond butter, grilled banana and chia seeds.
Breakfast just tastes better when you can see it!
After breakie and hanging out with Matt I tried to make Jenna’s beginner rolls, but they were like bricks…I tried to make a loaf, but I am calling them dunkers for a pumpkin kale soup I am planning tomorrow. At least they taste good and they chewiness has not stopped me from eating 5 already.
While these were “rising” I ran a few errands to Target and the library to pick up a book for my cooking class this weekend!
I am so excited to read this and to take the class the weekend. I will be sure to give a full report.
After a few bricks I headed out for a lovely bike ride!!!!!
I haven’t been on my bike since September when it started getting to dark to ride after work, and my legs + lungs could totally feel it!
I almost died on a few hills, but I made it! It was so pretty out there.
These ponies wanted to play, but I didn’t want to cross the street to horses I didn’t know!
I did my normal loop.
I think I need some new tape on my handle bars!
Thankfully Ashley and Julie have posted about how to do exactly that.
When I got home I was still pretty full from all of the dough balls I ate before heading out but I need some protein for recovery and some veggies…enter smoooothie.
Green monster with spinach, frozen cherries, 2 scoops vanilla hemp protein, skim.
I also tried to enjoy another persimmon, but yet again I thought it was gross. It sucks the moisture out of my mouth and it is so odd. I really wish I enjoyed it but I cannot get over the reaction in my mouth! Am I missing something???? Barf.
So obviously this was not enough for lunch after my bike ride so I made a batch of Anne’s cranberry pumpkin muffins but I omitted the walnuts.
They didn’t come out as flat as I wanted, but I love the pop of the fresh cranberry in this hearty muffin. I cut the sugar back from 1/2 cup to 1/3 and they still taste delicious!
Look at the cranberry oozing out! I am going to bring some of these into work for the few of us that make it in tomorrow.
After muffin consumption I headed out to yoga. Let me tell you it is really hard to go out of the apartment after it is dark, but I did it! And it felt soooooo good.
When I returned I was starving and cooked up a mix of veg in the oven that cooked while I showered.
No sun for dinner….In a small casarol dish went: bok choy, sliced turnip, mushrooms, goat cheese and tomato sauce – baked for 45min at 350.
Sprinkled with parm cheese and served with a brick from earlier in the day.
Simple ingredients and delicious flavor. I read about that in Alice Waters’ book today!
Well that about wraps up my day out of the cube. I just remembered I forgot to go to the dry cleaner but other than that I got a lot done today!
Sissy and I will be spending the rest of the night watching the Ravens! Things are not looking good…lets hope they can turn things around.
Ginger Apples
Posted: September 16, 2010 Filed under: Nature's Pride, recipe | Tags: apples, bread, Foodbuzz, ginger, Nature's Pride, pecans, recipe 3 Comments »I hail from the great North, and with fall at our door step I can only think of the memories the season brings. One of these memories is apple picking with my family.
When apples multiplied at the farmers market this week, and I had to bring something to an office party I had the perfect reason to make something new!
I love apple crisp and apple bread pudding, but I wanted something new! I quickly browsed some recipes with cooked apples and came up with Ginger Apple Cups with Pecans.
Ginger Apple Cups with Pecans
Prep Time 10min : Cook Time 10min
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6 small to medium crisp variety of apple – ie golden delicious, gala, honey crisp
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 tablespoon Fresh thyme
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2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
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1 teaspoon ground ginger
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1 teaspoon sea salt
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2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
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1/2 cup pecan pieces
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24 pieces of Nature’s Pride Healthy Multi-Grain Bread
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Olive Oil Spray
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Pre Heat Oven to 400, grease 24 muffin cups with olive oil.
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Core and dice apples very finely (you can even through them in the food processor for a few pulses if you wish)
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Using a rolling pin, roll out all of the Nature’s Pride bread to a thin slice and then use a cookie cutter or a large drinking glass to cut out circles larger than the muffin bowl of a muffin tin.
3. Fit the bread rounds down into the greased muffin tins, pinching overlaps together.
4. Bake the bread cups for 10-12 min or until the edges start to brown
5. While the bread is baking, melt the butter in a large sauce pan then add all other ingredients and cook for approximately 5min or until the apples begin to turn tender. Make sure you do not over cook them to mushy.
6. Pull out the bread cups and allow to cool for five minutes before filling them with the apples.
7. Top the apple mix with crushed pecans.
8. Take a big bite and enjoy! Make sure you have a napkin handy for any goodies that fall out.
I served these at an office party, but you could make them for a fall party or even as a side for thanksgiving as a sub for stuffing. I loved making these bread cups and got nothing but thumbs up from my coworkers.
I hope you enjoy them as well!
This recipe is my official entry to become a Nature’s Pride Bread Ambassador at this year’s Foodbuzz Festival! The Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program provided me with a free coupon for the Nature’s Pride bread
Somersaults
Posted: September 1, 2009 Filed under: cake, eggplant, Tuesday | Tags: bread, eggplant, peach, sumersaults, tea, turkey wrap Leave a comment »My cube is empty. Tomorrow I will be living on the 5th floor instead of the 4th and they still have not built my cube nor have they built it correctly…not excited about that so much!
Nothing a pretty special snack at lunch couldn’t fix! Somersaults!
I liked their crunch, but they were kind of lacking in the taste department. I think the chocolate ones or cinnamon flavor would be perfect!
Along with my somersaults I had a wrap with hummus, turkey and spinach and a special juicy white FM peach.
We also had goodbye cake in the office this afternoon. We are moving from h20 to budget. I had a piece of vanilla cake, but cut out all icing…way too sweet and I never actually liked it. I would rather have two pieces of moist cake rather than one with icing.
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After work I headed to the gym to try and get out of my contract…fingers crossed, things look good!
Once that was out of the way I headed out for a 6.5 mile run. I actually ran into a co-worker around mile four so I had a breather. I tried making up the time by picking up the pace, but still came in slower than my last runs, drat!
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Wanting to use up some fresh veggies I created a eggplant stack-bake.
Layers of tomato sauce, eggplant, parsley + sun dried tomatoes, eggplant, kalamata olives, cheese, eggplant, sauce, cheese.
My camera wasn’t working when I went to take a pic of my plate. Along with some eggplant bake I had two pieces of my FM bread.
I am currently sipping on some tea and then I plan on watching Entourage with Nick!!!
Alright ladies and gents I am off!
