Live Life, Eat Right

My First Dinner Guest

Nora — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:39:52 +0000

I am proud to say that my parents were my very first dinner guests. They came up today to help finish my apartment. I feel so lucky and am beyond grateful. I made them dinner as they worked hard to hang blinds and photos.Fettuccine and Scallops with Zucchini, Summer Squash, Cherry Tomatoes in a White Wine Sauce topped with Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper. On the side we had a glass of Pouilly Fuisse (100% French Chardonnay–my favorite!).
For an appetizer we had Olive Fougasse Bread with Olive Oil and Herbs for dipping.And for dessert…you bet we are having some of these guys:Walnut Blondies with Dark Chocolate Roots.

I woke up this morning and the weather was mild. I thought it was supposed to be cold and was fully prepared to make hot oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast. No such luck. My apartment was warm and I wanted overnight oats. I didn’t prepare them the night before so I let them chill in the freezer while I cleaned the house for 15 minutes.1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/2 TBS chia seeds, cinnamon, 1 banana, blackberries, sunflower seed butter, almond butter and honey.

And then out of nowhere, the Fall weather struck. It was windy and cold. I continued cleaning with a cup of hot coffee in hand, wearing long pants and a sweater! Is it weird that I am REALLY REALLY REALLY (REALLY) excited for cool temperatures. This means baking, crock pot dinners, roasted things…..yummy goodness! And I finally have a semi-functioning kitchen to do it all in!

For lunch I made a quick sandwich with whole wheat toast, 1/4 of an avocado, arugula, tomato and cucumber with way more honeydew than featured in this photo. It wouldn’t all fit on the plate haha. It was a late lunch and my parents and I were about to head out to Home Depot for essential supplies.

I’m hoping the rain holds off so I can get my long run in tomorrow. My dad and I are running a half-marathon next Sunday!!

Cooking is for Lovers,

Nora

What is your favorite pasta dish?

Walnut Blondies with Dark Chocolate Roots

Nora — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:38:30 +0000

Baking was my first love. From the moment I saw the Easy Bake Oven, there was no turning back. I wanted to bake decadent treats for those I loved, even if they came in powdered form with “just add water” scribbled across the package. With Betty Crocker and my mom by my side, I baked for all occasions and family get togethers. I remember the day I discovered brownies from scratch. We were at my mom’s friend’s house for a pool party. She made homemade brownies using the recipe on the back of a Bakers Chocolate box. I begged my mom to go grocery shopping so I could try it for myself.Homemade Walnut Blondies with White and Dark Chocolate ChipsI’ve never made blondies before so this was a compilation of several recipes I studied. First things first, preheat your oven to 350 and spray a 8×8 glass baking dish with no stick spray with flour (I use Pam).Gather your ingredients. You will need 1 stick of butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon, 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts. Let’s get cooking.In a large bowl whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. I do this by hand. The goal is to integrate and get rid of clumps.Over a medium heat melt 1 stick of butter. Your house will smell beautiful.Allow the butter to cool for 2 minutes and add it to bowl with brown sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. I use a hand mixer for this because I do not have the arm strength to do this by hand.Whisk in eggs and vanilla until fluffy and delicious looking.Stir in dry ingredients.Fold in white and dark chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of the nuts. Pour into baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and bake about 25 min. Test by inserting a knife in the center. When it comes out clean it is done.Let rest about 20 minutes before cutting.Serve with vanilla ice cream and blackberries if you are inclined. I am inclined.

Walnut Brownies with Dark Chocolate Roots (makes 16 2×2 inch squares)

Pre-heat oven to 350 and spray an 8×8 inch glass baking dish

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 stick of butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, divided

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (four, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg) and set aside.
Melt butter over a medium heat in a sauce pan. Let cool for 2 minutes
Add butter to brown sugar. Whisk with a hand mixer until smooth.
Whisk in eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Stir in dry ingredients.
Stir in white and dark chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of walnuts.
Pour into baking dish and top with 1/4 cup walnuts.
Bake for about 25 minutes and allow to cool for 20.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

So rich and fantastic. I thought I would want 2 of these but one was enough. That is the beauty of using real ingredients. The end result is decadent and satisfying.

Baking Dreams,

Nora

Wine and Blondies A La Mode

Nora — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:40:31 +0000

There are no words to describe my complete and total happiness right now. The following photos are how I define the perfect way to end the week.Homemade Walnut-Blondies with Dark and White Chocolate Chips topped with Vanilla Ice Cream.2007 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon (okay I splurged…amazing finish on this wine!)Leftovers Made-over: Chicken Bake with Homemade San Marzano Sauce, Spinach and Parmesan Cheese. Roasted Acorn Squash.I needed to finish off my roasted chicken before the weekend. This was a nice way to use it up! I justified my wine splurge based on the fact that I was having leftovers for dinner. Truffle approved.Speechless. Recipe to come.

Happy Weekend,

Nora

Excessive Grocery Shopping

Nora — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:45:31 +0000

It’s FRIDAY!! WOOH Let’s celebrate with good food!

Starting with breakfast in a fun bowl. I decided to give my over-sized tea cups a break this morning and put my overnight oats in a fancy dish.

Banana-Chia Overnight Oats (1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/3 cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 2 tsp Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, 1 banana) Topped with Blackberries, Crunchy Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter and Honey

Hi my name is Nora and I have a grocery shopping problem.

I am cooking for one, and in the last week have managed to buy several perishable items such as a 4-pound chicken, a family sized container of spinach, a loaf of bread, a package of tortillas and an entire large honeydew melon all for me. I also really don’t like having the same thing twice, so this creates leftover problems.

I opened the refrigerator this morning and realized that I have a lot of food that MUST be consumed within the next few days. Lunch and dinner will be boring today but I have special plans for dessert . I have been dreaming about making a certain butter-laden, double-chocolate and nut-filled dessert for a week. It will happen tonight!Goat Cheese, Spinach, Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Sandwich on Whole Wheat Toast. HONEYDEW CHUNKS . Hello stacked veggies . I like.

I have been craving honeydew like it’s nobody’s business and needed to do something about it. The little containers at my grocery store are the same price as the entire melon. Being the frugal foodie that I am, I bought the whole melon. Now my goal is to eat it before it goes bad. I ate a few extra pieces while packing. I’m pretty sure I will be sick of honeydew after the weekend.

Cook-o-holic,

Nora

What have you been craving recently?

Fall Favorites

Nora — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:49:28 +0000

Goat Cheese Tortellini tossed in Walnut Oil with Torn Arugula, Roasted Acorn Squash, Walnuts, Dried Cranberries and Green Beans.

I’ve been trying to channel the Fall weather to come through my foods. Summer has yet to obey. Some of my favorite Fall foods include (but are not limited to) pasta, squash, dried herbs, nuts and dried fruit. Although the weather is still in the 90′s dinner tonight hit the spot. I paired my meal with a glass of Kendall Jackson Pinot Noir, which was okay but a bit heavy for the fluffy pasta. I wish I had a lighter bodied red or a medium bodied sauvignon blanc. MUST. GO. WINE SHOPPING. Having the right wine to pair with food is important to me. Even when I don’t have a lot of money to spend, I will splurge on good food and wine.For dessert tonight I had a gluten-free snickerdoodle, honeydew melon chunks and a glass of chocolate soy milk.My co-worker had a bag of goodies from a conference and gave me gluten-free snickerdoodles, a jasmine rice blend, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and Lemongrass Spicy Chili Sauce. Needless to say I was BEYOND excited! It was such a nice treat .

The cookies were…gluten-free tasting. I’ve had some pretty good gluten-free baked goods before but these just didn’t do it for me. I also have a thing for super crispy snicker doodles and these were bland and soft. I’m feeling the urge to bake something tomorrow. Stay tuned.

I have been randomly craving honeydew and chocolate soy milk so I made a pit stop after work. Sad fact: It was my 5th trip to the grocery store in the past week. I just always need something and it’s conveniently on my way home from work. I decided to cut my melon up for convince and snagged a few pieces along the way. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Craving satisfied.

I am so excited that it is finally the weekend because that means I have time to plan and cook. Plus, my parents are coming up to help me finish my apartment and I always enjoy their company. Video tour to come .

Brainstorming,

Nora

What is your favorite baked good? WHAT SHOULD I BAKE?

Have It Your Way

Nora — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:03:02 +0000

No, I’m not talking about Burger King. I’m talking about my favorite part about cooking and food: you can always make things exactly the way you like them. There is no real rhyme or reason to cooking, just preference.

For breakfast this morning I was feeling a little cool, crunchy, chocolaty and sweet. I made a mix of oat-goodness to satisfy .

Chia-Banana Overnight Oats (1/3 cup Rolled Oats, 1/3 cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, Cinnamon, 1/2 TBS Chia Seeds, 1/2 Banana) with Dark Chocolate Dreams, Crunchy Almond Butter, Berries and Honey.

For lunch, I ate what I planned on having yesterday. I didn’t end up eating this because we had a few celebrations in the office and lunch was FREE! I never turn down free food, or a party. Instead, I had whole wheat turkey and cheese wrap with a nice big slice of yellow birthday cake with the best vanilla frosting EVER. Sugary goodness I tell you!Guacamole Salad: Homemade Guacamole, Black Beans, Goat Cheese, English Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach.

Along side, I packed a tart Zestar Apple and a Kashi Pumpkin Pie Granola Bar. Random, I know but I like having something sweet and some carbohydrate at lunch. I love this guacamole I made. My avocado to jalapeno ratio was 1-to-1. I like guacamole spicy with lots of lime, cilantro and tomato for sweetness. No red onion.

Endless Possibilities,

Nora

What “twists” do you put on your favorite dishes to have it your way?

Figlicious

Nora — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:04:42 +0000

Chicken Spinach-Feta Sausage, Black Mission Figs, Green Beans, English Cucumber, Grilled Sweet Onion, Arugula, Goat Cheese and dressed with Balsamic/Olive Oil/Honey.

How is it already September? And more importantly, where did Summer go? Although the Fall is quickly approaching, the hot Summer temperatures have been relentless the past few days. It was another 90 degree, humid day and all I wanted was a quick and easy dinner. I also really, REALLY wanted figs.I don’t ask questions, I just honor my cravings. I loved the concentrated sweetness of the Black Mission Figs along side the salty Chicken-Spinach-Feta Sausage and the cool and crunchy cucumber and green beans. Peppery arugula provided a hearty bite that mellowed the intense flavors. I loved this dish. It was light, elegant and satisfying. Next time I plan to add walnuts for a buttery feel and crunch. I also really wish I had a nice light pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or a rose wine for this. Darn.

I love food.

Truffle Time,

Nora

What is the most unique salad you’ve ever had?

Easy Cheesy

Nora — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:00:07 +0000

After The falling incident on Monday, I didn’t want to leave Truffle alone for long. Dinner last night had to be easy cheesy. I roasted a small zucchini and eggplant. Topped it with Homemade San Marzano Sauce, Mozzarella and Grated Parmesan. And to finish it off, placed it all on a bed of spinach. Simple yet satisfying. The key to this meal: fresh cheese.I used fresh balls of mozzarella and Parmesan off the wheel. Once you’ve Parmesan Reggiano that has been broken off the wheel, you will never go back. Nutty. Sweet. Delicious.For dessert I had a Homemade Dark Chocolate and Walnut Truffle, Strawberries and a Glass of Vanilla Soy Milk.And then I monitored Truffle to make sure she stayed out of trouble. I gave her some leeway with my running shoes.

Cat Proofing,

Nora

Earth-Shattering

Nora — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:39:10 +0000

I did not sleep last night. This is a picture of my innocent sleepy eyed Truffle. She played all evening and was finally drawing tired. I was sitting on the couch below this ledge watching television and catching up on blogs. My sweet, little, trusty companion wanted to be near me. She likes to sleep perched on high surfaces–a Nepoleon complex I suppose. Her little paws squirmed around trying to find an adequate position to rest her tired body. Shortly after this picture was taken, I heard a noise. Truffle fell almost 10 feet.

She ran up the stairs startled. I picked her up and cradled her as her heart raced. Then she began to sneeze. I looked down and saw red. Something was wrong. I called my dad crying and hysterical. I drove her to the nearest veterinary hospital in 15-minutes flat, screaming at each red light, telling it to change.

Everything was okay and the vet was charmed by her friendly disposition and affection. I was able to bring her home, but worried about her all night long. I placed tin foil over the perch to detract her from jumping up, advice I was given from the vet. When I woke up from my sleepy daze (if you can call it that) my stomach was unsettled and my world was a fog. I needed a comfort breakfast.Whipped Banana Oatmeal with Chia Seeds and Soy Milk. Crunchy Natural Peanut Butter, Blackberries and Honey.

I was so shaken that I did not have time to prepare lunch. I threw together a fast meal with components from my dinner last night.Mixed Lettuce, Black Beans, Avocado, Cherry Tomatoes, English Cucumber, Olive Oil/Balsamic. 1/2 of an Orange.

I had a Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Luna Bar around 4:30pm so dinner is a little later than usual. I still feel a bit nervous about Truffle and am doing my best to keep her out of trouble, and shower her with love. I have been playing with her ever since I got home from work. She seems fine and continues to climb on things she shouldn’t. I have been given lots of advice, and only hope that she will be able to adjust and learn. I love her so much.

Worried,

Nora

Winner Chicken Tostada Dinner

Nora — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:49:01 +0000

Cumin Dusted Flour Tortilla with Whole Wheat (brushed with Canola Oil and Cumin and baked), Mixed Greens, Shredded Orange Chicken, Black Beans, Homemade Guacamole, 2% Greek Yogurt, Chopped Cilantro and Cherry Tomatoes.

Hello summer! When I left work today it was HOT outside, the temperature was pushing 90. I did not feel like cooking….much . I wanted something refreshing and still had some roasted chicken leftover. I was also oddly craving jalapeno.

Solution: Chicken Tostada.I’m not above fried tortillas. If someone else makes one for me I’ll gladly eat it. I am however intimidated to fry on my own. I brushed the tortilla with canola oil and dusted cumin over the top. I baked it at 350 until it was crispy and wonderful. I loved it.Truffle approved too.I shredded the chicken breast and dressed it in fresh orange juice to add some flavor. I also made a homemade guacamole with avocado, lime, jalapeno, cayenne, cilantro and cherry tomatoes.
In true Summer fashion, dessert tonight was ice cream. I had plans to bake, however; it was far to hot. It’s looking like a cool weekend so I’m hoping to work some kitchen magic then.

Yum,

Nora

What is your favorite Mexican dish?