Belgian Waffles with Banana, Strawberry and Honey. Orange Juice.

YES. SO PERFECT! I might just move home forever. Just kidding. Culinary School awaits (SO EXCITED)!

Followed by cappuccinos! The secret to a perfect cap: WHOLE MILK! My dad has tried many different types of milk to perfect his signature drink. Skim milk yields too much foam, and does not give the espresso enough richness. 2% is better but still doesn’t do the espresso justice. Whole milk is just right. A little dusting of cinnamon and….

Chocolate Easter eggs!

A balanced breakfast, naturally.

Family Time,

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/24/easter-brunch-daddy-style/feed/ 0 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/02/11/chocolate-banana-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-frosting/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/02/11/chocolate-banana-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-frosting/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:51:31 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=6668 A few days ago my co-worker and I had a discussion about peanut butter. The following sentence flew our of my mouth:

“No one can say no to peanut butter, if you take one bite you just HAVE to go back for more!”

Hi, my name is Nora and I am addicted to peanut butter. It’s my weakness. I top my oatmeal with a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter every morning, and before closing the jar I consume another finger swoop for good measure. I feel lost without that extra swipe! I knew my next baking adventure had to include my beloved peanut butter.

And there she is. Complete with heart wrappers for Valentine’s Day!

I decided to make a chocolate-banana base because, well, when your co-workers give you dead bananas, you should bake them cupcakes! Last week, I took 3 of my co-workers dying bananas and made them my favorite banana bread. This week, I found two more dead bananas sitting on my desk. I wanted to make something different this time.

My mom’s friend, Barb, found this stand at a yard sale and gave it to me! Perfect for cupcakes! Let’s get cooking!

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup + 2 TBS flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Set aside.

Whisk together 2 smallish mashed bananas, 1 egg, 1/2 cup warm water, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup canola oil until well combined.

Stir in the dry ingredients and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Fill lined muffin tins and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Let sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove to cool completely on a baking rack.

In the mean time, make Ina Garten’s Peanut Butter Frosting in your stand mixer and fill a piping bag. When cupcakes have cooled completely pipe on the frosting.

I made these cupcakes right after polishing off a martini glass of orange-currant rice pudding. Bad idea. I wound up eating dessert number 2 and plenty of frosting along the way. My sugar levels went sky high but it was worth it. The cup cakes were prefectly moist and chocolaty, and the frosting was a nice compliment.

Chocolate-Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

(Makes 12-14)

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup + 2 TBS flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup unsweetened chocolate
• 2 small bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Ina Garten’s Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 5 TBS unsalted Butter, room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup (heaping) Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• **Over a medium low speed, beat together everything except heavy cream. Scrape down the sides, add cream and turn mixer to high until light, fluffy and delicious looking.

1. Pre heat oven to 350 and like 14 cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. Whisk Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, water, milk, vanilla, and bananas.
4. Stir the dry ingredients and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients. fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way and place in oven for 20 minutes. A tooth pick should come out clean when inserted.
5. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pain for about 5-10 minutes before removing the, Remove to a rack and cool completely.
6. In the mean time, make your frosting.* See above*
7. Pipe frosting, and try not to eat it it all!

Happy Valentines Weekend,

Nora

(*OH MY GOODNESS! STILL DREAMING OF THIS!*)

I could stare at this picture all day…..Anyways, this dish reminded me of how different oats can be. The base was a slow cooked, steel cut oats. Hearty with a tender texture. It reminded me of a finely cooked risotto. I thought to myself, “This is how oatmeal is supposed to taste.” Every morning I take 10 minutes to cook rolled oats on the stove top. If I am in a rush and crank the heat it can be gummy, soupy or raw tasting. If I’m in a real time crunch in the morning, sometimes I make quick cooking oats in the microwave. Quick cooking oats remind me of the paste I used in kindergarten for arts and crafts.

So here we have it from left to right: Quick Cooking Oats (Glue), Rolled Oats (My daily staple), Steel Cut Oats (Be Still My Heart).

Quick Cooking Oats: After oat grains are harvested, they are cracked, rolled out and cut several times. Cutting the oats decreases the cooking time, and this are usually ready in 3 minutes!

Rolled Oats: Also called “old fashioned” oats, this is what oatmeal looks like after the grain is cracked and rolled out. These usually take between 10-15 minutes to cook. The end result has more texture,  and creaminess than instant oats.

Steel Cut Oats: The whole oat kernel is cut by steel, rather than rolled, resulting in broken pieces of the whole grain. These are hard little pieces and typically need about 30-45 minutes to simmer.

Now, while I may take 10-15 minutes to make breakfast in the morning during the week, 30-45 minutes is out of the question. I’m always rushing around to feed Truffle, get myself together, and find a clean pair of pants.

This morning finally had time to cook steel cut oats. I mad a single serving of steel cut oats in 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of vanilla soy milk, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. In the mean time, I cleaned my apartment, did the dishes and a load of laundry. It still looked like this after 20 minutes! I was tempted to crank the heat but I knew better. The texture and flavor of low and slow cooked oats is worth it. I continued to clean.

After about 40 minutes it started to look like real oatmeal. Hooray!

When it was nearly done I added banana, raisins and chia seeds.

And topped it all off with my favorites: crunchy peanut butter, raspberry jam and orange blossom honey. This is the definition of stick to your ribs. Each bite was creamy, chewy, sweet and satisfying. I think I might make a big pot on Sunday so I have leftovers for breakfast during the week. All I will have to do is add milk, rewarm and voila…a hearty bowl of steel cut oats ready in 2 minutes, not 45.

Oatmeal Lover,

Nora

I always have such a peaceful night of sleep from Saturday to Sunday. I know that I don’t have anything pressing to do when I wake up. In fact I rarely even set an alarm. I just let it flow. Naturally, I still woke up around 7:30am today and played with Truffle for a few moments before making my way into the kitchen. It was cold and snowy out. I was looking forward to taking my sweet time to make some whipped banana-chia oats on the stove top. They always taste better on Sunday when I take my time to make and eat them.

After breakfast I did some work around my apartment and decided it was time to end my juicer’s dry spell.Yesterday I got into an intense cleaning spree and realized that I had not taken my Breville out of it’s box since graduating college in May! I also had a ton of parsley on hand and thought this was a good ways to use it up. 1 apple, 2 stalks of celery, 1 lemon, bunch of parsley, handful of cilantro and a few stalks of kale.

That’s a lot of produce!Would you believe that all of that only makes about 16 oz? I packaged it up in my favorite to-go cup for after yoga. I always CRAVE juice or a smoothie after class. There is something about yoga that makes you want a refreshing and healthy treat. This was super tangy and I liked it .Arugula, Roasted Fennel, Roasted Beet, Tangerine Salad with Basil Oil and Chocolate Balsamic. Walnut-Wheat Toast with Goat Cheese, Dried Black Mission Fig and Orange Blossom Honey.1/2 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt, Strawberry Jam, Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon.

I was STARVING when I got home. I threw together a very easy and satisfying lunch. I think my bread tasted even better today! I cut a thick slice off of the loaf, toasted it to perfection and while it was still warm spread on  chevre, sliced dried figs and a drizzle of orange blossom honey.DECISION: This is my favorite way to eat walnut bread. Heaven help me!

I have an extra special dinner planned for tonight! I’m already excited about this post stay tuned!

Sunday Special,

Nora

1/3 cup rolled oats (last of my container ) cooked in 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 2/3 cup water, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. 1 TBS Chia seeds and 1/2 banana whipped in at the end. Topped with crunchy peanut butter, strawberry jam, blackberries, local orange blossom honey and Mini Magoo’s Funstuff.

I woke up this morning for a bowl of warmth and comfort. I don’t always blog about my oatmeal, that would be boring, however; this breakfast was filled with goodies. I was going to elaborate on how fresh Running Food’s chia seeds were (the awesome packaging is key!). I was going to tell you how “fun” the big flakes of coconut from Mini Magoos’s Funstuff were once they melted into my oats.  And lastly, for the millionth time I was going to profess my love for my crunchy organic peanut butter, local orange blossom honey and beautiful blackberries. But then I remembered I had something more important to share with you this morning, a recipe from Sheldrake Point Vineyard and Simply Red Bistro for Chai Spiced Honey Cake.Chai Spiced Honey Cake with Vanilla Been Custard Sauce

During the Holiday Shopping Spree on the Cayuga Wine Trail, my mom and I received recipe cards and wine pairing suggestions at each winery we visited. When I tasted the Chai Spiced Honey Cake at Sheldrake Point, I knew I had to make it for New Years Eve. Chef Samantha Izzo and her staff have amazing food at Simply Red. Last time I was there I had a local cheese board with Hudson Valley Camembert and Chilled Pea Soup with Orzo Lobster Salad. My parents had equally delicious meals and we still dream about their menu.

ANYWAYS–last night when I was sipping tea, eating truffles and playing with my kitten (ironically named Truffle) I had the Foodnetwork on my TV. The show Chopped was on and CHEF SAMANTHA WAS ON IT! I dropped everything I was doing. The poor girl had goat brains and fish heads in her baskets! She did an amazing job and I can’t wait to go back to Simply Red this summer and enjoy more of her food .

Chai Spiced Honey Cake from Chef Samantha Izzo

(serves 8 )

• 8oz brown sugar
• 2oz white sugar
• 7oz all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2oz egg yolk
• 8oz liquid brewed chai
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 oz buckwheat or dark honey
• 5 oz unsalted melted butter
• 8 oz liquid buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Sift together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. (**Note: Allow the butter to cool slightly before adding so you don’t risk the chance of cooking your eggs!)
4. Add the liquid to the dry and mix well. (Note: I lightly used a large whisk to avoid clumping.)
5. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes
6. CHEF IZZO RECOMMENDS: serve with caramelized pears and whipped cream

Any recipe that I can use Bigelow Spiced Chai is fine by me!

GREAT JOB CHEF SAMANTHA IZZO!!

Local Pride,

Nora

What are your favorite ways to cook with tea?

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/05/chef-izzos-chai-spiced-honey-cake/feed/ 1 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/03/sunrise-karma/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/03/sunrise-karma/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 01:23:48 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=6007 I have some very exciting…ASTONISHING news that I still cannot believe.  Someone needs to pinch me. But first, some new eats.Sunrise Blend with Kefir, Vanilla Soy Milk, 1/2 of a Banana, Blackberries, Toasted Pecans, Orange Blossom Honey, Cinnamon

For breakfast this morning I tried something a little different: Sunrise Blend. It is a mixture of Wheat Bulgur, Buckwheat Groats, Colusari, Heirloom Red Rice, Whole Grain Quinoa Flakes and Brown Flax Seed. I prepared this “Sunshine Blend” Muesli-style. I soaked a batch overnight in Kefir and in the morning, I found that the grains had completely absorbed all of the yogurt. I like that I can make a whole batch of this and it will last in my refrigerator, ready to go for about 3 days. Makes breakfast easy!Morning view.

I fluffed the mixture and added soy milk, cinnamon, banana, blackberries, toasted pecans and orange blossom honey. I was afraid this wouldn’t be filling. It looked like a small portion compared to my gigantic bowls of whipped banana oatmeal, however;  these grains are hearty and packed with protein! I could mostly pick out the flavor of bulgur and think next time I buy this mix I will cook it like bulgur with a cinnamon stick to infuse more flavor. Prior to this breakfast…errr…last night, I had a special piece of 65% Dark Chocolate from a shop called the Rabot Estate in the Borough Market (London!!!). This was another treat from the package my friend Alexia sent me . A delicious, and a perfect way to end my night. Dark chocolate is my favorite. I can’t wait to try more!

That’s about it for my new eats. Although, I have been eating a grapefruit with lunch or for a snack nearly every day. I can’t seem to get enough of it and wish I had a picture. Grapefruit is the new apple.  ANYWAYS—BIG BIG BIG HUGE HUGE HUGE NEWS!

I won a whole year of Vinyasa yoga classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my goals for the  New Year was to get back into yoga. As I mentioned yesterday, I do not belong to a gym or yoga studio, and came to the conclusion that I really can not afford to at this point. I started to do some online classes and was thinking about purchasing a video to stick to my commitment. WELL, today I looked down at my phone during work and saw I had a voicemail. People only leave voicemails when it is important so I decided to listen. It was someone from a local yoga studio saying that I had won their Holiday Giveaway! For 12 days during the holiday season you could enter your name in a drawing and each day they picked a name for a prize. Daily prizes were things like a discount on yoga pants, the juice bar etc, however; the grand prize, an entire year of unlimited yoga, was to be drawn at the end of the year. I entered twice and never expected to win. I honestly am still in shock, but I fully intend to take advantage of this blessing. My first Vinyasa class is tomorrow . I can’t wait to blog more about YOGA, food and wine  this year .

As one of my co-workers said, “HOLY KARMA BATMAN!” (favorite statement EVER!) Things like this don’t just happen to me everyday. AHH PINCH ME!! Must go get more of that chocolate .

Smiling Like Silly,

Nora

After breakfast I decided to make good on my New Year’s goals and did a 60 minute Vinyasa Yoga Class on yogadownload.com. It was hard to motivate myself to do the whole class. I prefer practicing yoga with a group and instructor,  plus I didn’t realize how out of shape I was. I could barely touch my hands to the floor when I bent over, and my hamstrings were incredibly tight. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!? I’m not giving up that easily though. I will be Gumbie (remember that flexible cartoon character?) by 2012.I had to run a few errands in the afternoon and go grocery shopping. One can only live on oatmeal and ancient freezer meals for so long. Hunger struck while I was shopping and I could not wait until I got home to eat. I snacked on a gigantic crispin apple and splurged on salmon and avocado sushi. For some reason I have been CRAVING smoked salmon. It is almost $8 for 4 oz in the seafood department so I am hesitant to buy a package. I might need to go out for a bagel and lox very soon. When I got home I needed a snack and was excited to dig into Mini Magoo’s Funstuff that Alexia sent me from the UK!At the grocery store I bought a big package of grapefruits and plain keifer milk. My cravings clearly got the best of me while I was shopping. These are not things I normally buy. I was looking for something a little different from my usual yogurt and milk. Keifer is perfect and a welcome change. I chopped up a grapefruit, poured about a cup of the probiotic yogurt drink over it and topped it with funstuff. It was a refreshing afternoon snack .I loved this “funstuff”. I seriously want to put it on everything and everything, and I think I will. It would be a great thing to throw on a salad, into plain rice, into oatmeal, on a smoothie…I could go on.  It is an all natural mix of coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, linseeds, cinnamon and raw agave. This mix made the yogurt very satisfying. I loved that the coconut flakes became soft and the hallow hemp seeds hold a surprising bite. Thank you Alexia, this was a great treat .

I still have lots of unpacking and organizing to do before Monday. I think it is going to be a busy week so I want to make sure to get it done. I’m hoping to cook up something warm and cozy tonight .

Crunchy,

Nora

What are your favorite ‘add-ins’ to add flavor and texture to plain foods?

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/02/new-year-new-foods/feed/ 3 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/01/all-good-things/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/01/all-good-things/#comments Sat, 01 Jan 2011 21:47:02 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=5965 The holidays are always slightly bittersweet for me. I completely indulge in the comfort of my family, home and luxurious foods.  I had a hard time leaving my parents today but knew it was time to get back into my everyday routine.  Sadly all good things must come to an end. As much as I would like to, I can’t eat lobster, steak and baked brie; make homemade olive focaccia and pesto pasta; drink lots of fantastic wines and beers; and hang out with my parents forever. Plus, eventually I would have to update my wardrobe.  I don’t think the excuse, “sweatpants are all that fits me right now!” would be acceptable in the work place.Whipped Banana Stove-top Oatmeal with Crunchy Peanut Butter, Raspberry Jam and Local Wildflower Honey

New Years celebrations left me feeling a bit groggy this morning. A late night with the ones I love paired with lots of rich food and wine were the cause so it was worth it . I wanted to start this year off right and couldn’t think of a better breakfast than my beloved banana oatmeal with peanut butter and jam. It’s just one of those meals that always satisfies and lifts my mood.Chicken Soup with Campanelle Pasta and Ciabatta Bread

Before I left my beautiful mother whipped me up a gigantic bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup with a slice of ciabatta baguette leftover from last night.I’m not sure that I’ve ever had campanelle pasta but it is my new favorite for soups. My mom accidentally bought a box of campanelle at the grocery store, thinking they were another variety. She tried it out and found that it was a perfect pasta for soup! I am so glad she discovered this. They are pillowy and fun to eat.I grabbed  a big apple for something sweet, packed up the Truffle Kitten and hit the road.

A few hours later I was back at my apartment. It was quiet…too quiet. Lonely. I started feeling home sick already. To my delight I had a package waiting for me from my friend and reader Alexia all the way from the UK!! I felt so lucky to receive such a wonderful, thoughtful package. It meant more to me than she will ever know, and was a delightful way to begin the year. THANK YOU ALEXIA!!!! I started feeling rather hungry and aside from a freezer full of soups was lacking in the snack department. I decided to have one of the healthy treats in her package that caught my eye: Nakd Apple Pie Bar.My favorite snacks are fruit and nut bars.   This bar was dense and very tasty. It is made with dates, oats, raisins, apples, peanuts, apple juice, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.The package also brought a smile to my face. I kept finding little remarks all over it that made me laugh, such as:

“Gleefully made in Wales”

“Hello and thank you to all the Belgians, French, Dutch, Swedes (and Norwegians!) checking out this pack. We hope we spelt everything right!”

“Rumour has it, little green pixies stay up all night lovingly smooshing raw fruit, nuts and oats into these uber-healthy, yum-bombs to promote health, humour and helpfulness. Hope you love ‘em as much as we do.”

“Best Before: (your friend eats it!) See side of pack.”

**Picture of a little bee on top of package with a word bubble that reads, “Man I love being a bee. Does my bum look big in these stripes?”

I started laughing so much with my mouth full of apple pie bar. Truffle gave me funny looks.

I’m not really one for New Year’s Resolutions, however; there are a few things I want to do this year that I haven’t made time for in the past:

1. Yoga–Once upon a time (maybe about a year ago) I was very into Vinyasa yoga. It made me feel amazing. I stopped because I “didn’t have time”. Over the past few months, I haven’t done any form of exercise. I do not belong to a gym and the weather has been far too cold and dark to run outside. I miss movement, and yoga is my favorite. Not only does it make my body feel good, but it also gives me a piece of mind. I want to start doing pod-cast or online yoga classes so if anyone has suggestions, LET ME KNOW!
2. Travel–I can’t remember the last time I traveled. I want to plan more and save money so that I am able to. Along with “not having time” I tend to use money as an excuse. Life is too short not to see the world and explore. I want to take at least one big trip in 2011.

Off to do yoga! Happy 2011!

Nora

What is on your New Year To-Do List?

Ah, breakfast. The most important meal of the day. I have a complete sit down breakfast every single day. Call me crazy, but I really do feel lost and confused without a solid breakfast. While I usually eat some messy bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, peanut butter, jam and banana with a cup of coffee, there have been a few more outstanding meals this past year.Dad’s Waffles with Strawberries, Banana, Cinnamon and Honey.

My dad’s “claim to fame” breakfast is omelets of many varieties, however; these Belgian Waffles were AWESOME!Pecan-Raisin Sourdough French Toast

Also awesome was the French toast he made me out of Pecan-Raisin Sourdough bread from our Farmer’s Market, served with local blueberries, cherries, honey and Greek yogurt.Pumpkin Custard French Toast

I tried to recreate this with my Pumpkin Custard French Toast with Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce and Toasted Pecans. Close, but still not quite as good.Pancakes with Real Maple Syrup.

Dad also makes some killer fluffy pancakes that are always topped with real maple syrup.Blueberry-Walnut Pancakes with Lemon Zest Greek Yogurt and Local Honey.

Again, my Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes didn’t quite live up to his but this was the best I could do.

Alas, we can not forget his extra foamy cappuccinos. Vanilla Almond Biscotti Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Which I would rather like with one of the Vanilla Almond Biscotti I made during my 12 Holiday Cookie Recipes.

I made a lot of baked goods this past year and I really wouldn’t mind eating Monkey Bread for breakfast everyday.Or maybe these Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Pecan Topping.Banana Bread with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips.

On second thought, I’d like to have one of everything with a slice of my favorite Banana Bread with Walnuts and Mini Chocolate Chips.Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere

Although I first made this Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere for dinner, I think it would be my favorite savory breakfast.Basil, Goat Cheese and Basil Omelet with Whole Wheat Toast, Strawberries, Cinnamon and Honey.

That is of course, unless I am home with my parents. Nothing and I really mean NOTHING will every trump a daddy omelet.

I’ve had a lot of good mornings in 2010! See you at lunch!

Nora

I woke up to an extra large jar of oats, delicious to the last bite. I added 1 large banana to the mix and almost couldn’t fit all of the contents into the jar! I was really excited for this feast, however; I was even more excited to open a new jar. This is my favorite natural crunchy peanut butter!

And then I got down to business. Homemade vanilla marshmallows were sliced.Homemade peppermint bark was broken.And of course homemade graham crackers were baked.

More to come.

Fa La La,

Nora