breathe and bake.

I wanna see ya peacock !

...what an unusual (and catchy) song.

Alright ! Operation Keep Up With Blog: commence !

I've been working nightshift at work (until the holidays are over), which means I'm waking up around 1pm now. My body is like , hey now.. stop these shenanigans. I'm never sure what type of food to eat when I wake up.. but you know.. the good thing about breakfast food is.. it's acceptable any time of the day.

leftover cooked apples, egg whites + veggies + ketchup.

lunch (7pm lol) was some chinese veggies. and i suppose popcorn for dinn.

Take a Ride..

Independent living is beautiful. I admit, I still go back to my parents at least twice a week... a habit I'm sure soon will fade.

I've been holding on to a terribly heavy secret for the past 7 months.. I finally broke down two nights ago... to whom? My mother. She is so strong. She didn't cry which made the entire event so much easier for me. She is strong. She is my rock.

Finally getting back into working out. Hoping this will take my mind of the other terrible habits I've picked up on myself. Running/jogging about a mile + stretching/pushups/situps is enough for me for the time being. I cannot become obsessed with this.. I just need it to fit into a healthy lifestyle. To release endorphins. To feel strong.

Breakfast will be some yogurt and an apple... a delicious pretty apple. It's green and pink. My favorite appley colors.

I yam I yam

..a terrible blogger, I yam.

Food is good. And delicious. And I haven't had Lucky Charms in too long. I think that last sip of milk in a bowl of sweet cereal is all I truly desire. Can they just make this in big batches and sell it on the shelf ? I could invent it.... would you buy ? Surely...

No pictures today. I am a lazy mo fo with a forgetful brain. I should also be sleeping now (mind you it's 9pm). I started my new job in inventory recently.. being there at 4:00am is required of me. But i LOVE It. I couldn't make the word big enough. Seriously though... 4 am is perfect for me. But I do have to pull through all day to finish my evening job at the restaurant.. I think next week will be my last week there. Juggling the two with school might be impossible.

Speaking of school... I am so ready for ... no school. Or to be accepted (or rejected) into the surgical tech program. Or for food netword/travel channel to call and tell me they want to pay me to travel and eat.

.....just sayin.

Okay. A cooked apple and then bed. OH yes. I said it.. bed.

Toit..like a tiger.

Rainy days make me lazy. Happy, but lazy. I prefer it to the sun beaming in my eyes..hot on my skin.. so, I can not complain about the massive amount of water that has fallen from the sky the past 4 days.

I play scrabble with my mother at least twice a day when she is not flying for work (flight attendant). That is a ritual I never want to surrender.

Anywho .

Yesterdays lunch consisted of a salad at.. an amazing Mediterranean restaurant. It's.. actually my favorite restuarant in the city. Even though I could not get my favorite dish (skewered roasted veggies atop cous cous with a side of sauteed kale), I still managed to please my palate with the freshishness vegetableness of the salad bar (continuing on with my raw diet sun up to sun down).

Oh, cell phone.. how blurry art thou pictures

(greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, corn, onions, and broccoli). X2.

It was a tiny plate.

Dinner was another (unpictured) salad... at 9:30...because work ... is a beach. Spinach, onion, black olives... with a side of raw cole slaw. I'll post that recipe later, but it's super delicious. Made it for a potluck over the summer and, surprisingly, it was the only bowl of food to disappear. I also snacked on somepretzels around 12... because.. it's what I do best.

Sourdough pretzels, at that !

This morning... coffee ensued.. breakfast ensued.

Oooh, aah.

I smooshed (that IS a word, spellcheck!) half a banana and sprinkled some flax on it. Ate a teeny apple and 2 rather large strawberries.

Delicious. My tums hap (translation: my belly was satisfied...totes.)

I think if anyone ever decided to fry grapes or broccoli, well... I just cried at the thought.

What? Ok. Peas easy lemon squeezies.

Dust Bunny...

It's Ash Wednesday.... huzzah !

Today begins lent. I have been attempting to exclude eating some foods for myself.. but have just been unsuccessful. I now have surrendered these things that are considered to be "unhealthy" to God in my 40 day fast. The bad habit I've created from eating crumbs and edges of things is also gone today. I feel like God is keeping me accountable to better my body, which is a temple that has been created in His image.

For the next 40 days, I will eat a Raw diet until the sun goes down.. and then continue with my regular diet (meat-free, though roasting and dairy will come back in my life...at night). I have Completely given up dry cereals, peanut butter, and popcorn as they are the three things I base my entire diet around during a normal day. This will be hard for me but knowing that I am doing it not for .. myself, but for God.. to show that I am capable of giving up the things I love in order to praise his name..... is the only motivation I need.

Beginning with breakfast........ day one ! Blah !

1 frozen banana, 3 small strawberries (and an additional for garnish), splash of almond milk, some ice....voila. Deliciousness.

That may or may not be my dad's beer glass.

I'm excited. To plan these meals... to incorporate God into my life more.. to get rid of this hacking cough.

Man Voice

This morning, I woke up with my right eye stuck shut. Uncool. I always panic when something freakish like this happens to my body. Never fear, though... I pried it open and now, a warm washcloth rests upon its puffiness. The next two days I'm pulling doubles at work, so.... I need some healthiness cast upon me. I'll start with breakfast.

Edit:

....Wow. I just got around to finishing this post and it's 8:30 pm.

So, breakfast was a smallsauteed apple over top of an oatmeal pancake (1/4 cup oats, 1 egg white, some baking powder, voila!).

Lunch was exactly the same as yesterday.. in which I finished off the mushroom goodness.

And I just got home from work, so dinner was quick.

Last of the salad + sun dried tomato boca patty + balsamic vinegar

Was good... but the vinegar didn't feel so great on my throat. Thus.. a lot of coughing and hacking whilst eating.

I am now back on the couch.. resting myself .......... again.

I was greeted by a fellow employee earlier this evening with "I'm glad I'm not the only one who sounds like a man."

.....hahaha.

Shroom Bourg.

Being sick is no fun. My cheeks are puffy. My head is woozy. My throat is sore. My nose is... nasaley........ though some good does come fromeverything. Such as soup.

WELL.. sort of. I made a mushroom bourgignon last night to go over some roasted spaghetti squash.. man ! twas delicious. So I had it in soup form for lunch...

along side a salad with some olives, seeds, and balsamic vinegar.

up close now.

sprinkled with feta now.

I need to muster up some energy to make it through work tonight... this Decaf coffee isn't helping any.. but it is delicious (Southern Pecan from Rastov's in Richmond).

Peas easy.

Oof.

New template. New blog focus. I'm excited.

Since I lack a serious sense in fashion, I am making it a goal to write at least one post a week that includes some fashion ideas/styles/outfits. I will attempt to put together something new each time from my closet .... dun dun dun.

Food posts will continue.. I am seriously trying to make this blog thing a priority ! I've got some good ideas, as well as a lot of room in my brain to learn. You guys can help me with that.

.....whoever you guys is.

My tums gurgling. I may or may not be hungry....at 11:43 am.

I am extremely sick today ! I need some help with how to post my pictures without them looking so tiny. Do I need to use a photobucket account ? Everytime I use the "add image" link on blogspot, it makes it so tiny ! Any blog help is welcomed.. I'm fairly new to it all.

As I was searching for new templates, I was reminded of my days on Xanga. Did anyone else use Xanga in their adolescent years? I was obsessed with the site. And AIM. AOL. Hahah. How time changes......

intuitive.

It's time I took control. I weighed 89 pounds when I came home from France. I am now at 105. This is great. But I find myself slipping into old habits... I've actually become one of those people who will deprive myself of food during the day, but then at night, when I'm feeling good about myself, I just binge... on whatever. I don't even know what I'm eating. I don't really taste it.

This has left me feeling miserable. I also have quit working out. This has left me feeling terrible. Today, I surrender myself to God. I surrender these food and health obsessions to God. I just want to eat intuitively and not give it a second thought because... the first thought is the right one.

Please, do this.

Coffee..

Mornings are fantastic ! Tiramisu flavored coffee is even more fantastic.

Tiramisu coffee with Pumpkin Pie Spice creamer is....

I have no words.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I am so uncreative. I have some pumpkin leftover from the chocolate chip pumpkin bars I made the other night (which were amazing, recipe to come). I could incorporateit into some yogurt.. or some oatmeal... but.. I don't really like either of the combinations too much. To be honest.. I'm not a Huge fan of oatmeal. Don't get me wrong.. it's food, it's nutty, I like it.. but I don't Love it. Why is this ? I do have to say that overnight oats with raisins are outstanding.. It only took me a year to make them.

Today was an old standby...

plain yogurt, an apple, some crushed wheat flakes, and cinnamon.

Obviously.. I ate some more flakes from the box post yogurt consumption.

Today.. I will train to be a waitress. I will get my nose pierced.

cole slaw

good cole slaw

1/2 head cabbage

2 apples

2 carrots

2 tbsp mayo

lemon juice (of one lemon)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp poppyseeds

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

salt/pepper

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 (minus 2 tbsp) white sugar

1/2 brown sugar

5 tbsp butter

2 tbsp shortening

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

(cream together)

mix together..

1 cup oats

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

mix all together

smash about a cup of peanut m&ms

mix in with dough

bake at 350 for 10 or 12 or whatever minutes

Banana Cream Pie.

Holy moly.

I just... I feel like my taste buds were just given a hand shake.

Listen to my tale.

There they were, four bananas, hanging from a... banana hanger. For days neglected. Easter made their existence unknown and/or forgotten. Spotty, they became. Into a pie, I made them.

Good story. Thanks.

For real, though. I debated on making some banana bread or some banana bars but... I felt a pie was in order because the last bananas I used in baking some bread didn't get eat. Pie stands no chance in my abode.

I found a few different recipes and just did what I thought best. And... nom nom nom. Ta-da.

Banana Cream Pie

yours truly.

Chocolate Cookie Crust...

1.5 (or so) cups of smushed chocolate cookies (I used a cheap off brand of oreo's. D-lish).

3 tbsp melted butter

mix it all together, press into a 9 inch pie plate, bake at 350 for about 12 minutes. take out and cool it.

ok?

Le Pie....

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups of milk

3 egg yolks

2 tbsp butter (or margarine)

1.5 tsp vanilla

3.5 ripe nanners

combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. add in the milk while whiskin...with a whisk. Do this until it thickens and almost begins to bubble. Take off the heat. Add a little bit of that into your three egg yolks that you've whisked previously in a small bowl. Then add that yolky mixture back into the pot. Cook for about 2 minutes on the heat again. Remove from heat. Throw in your vanilla and butter (or margarine) and mix it. Let it sit while you slice up your bananas.

Place a layer of slices bananas on top of your cooled crust. Mix in the remaining bananas with your puddin mixture (I kinda mashed mine all together. It was chunkay...yet... smooth). Pour atop your crust. Let it chill on the counter for like...30 minutes. Then cover it and put it in the fridge.

I topped mine with some leftover cookie crumbness goodness. When I ate a piece, I dolloped some whipped cream on that beach and ate it.

Seriously? Delicious. Why would I ever make a banana bread when I could make... a banana pie?

Also, I need to remind myself to not eat any kind of beans past a certain time. Say... 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I ate them as my taco filling last night about 7:30 and my stomach has been so.. Off since.

Word... to the wise. Don't eat beans past 2 !

Easter. & Why I love my mom.

Today was beautiful. Everything about it was beautiful.

I woke up at 7. Ate some fruit and yogurt. Got coffee and some cantaloup at Panera with my parents and headed to church. Today was the first time I've been to church in a long while (I need to change this). I went to my grandparents and spent the afternoon eating good foods and playing golf (or trying).

A cake was requested to be made by me from my grandmother, so bake a cake, I did.

I used this recipe by the Bakers Daughter.

It was perfect.

Except, I need to share with you a tip (incase you plan to make this cake).

let the dang thing cool in the pan.

I failed to leave it in the pan long enough and my first layer fell into two pieces. I was... mortified. Luckily, mom's are smart and wonderful and all knowing and...... she fixed it.

I just stood there, looking at it in complete aw. I walked away and when I came back, it was some-what together again on a nice place, with the other layer cooling on the rack in one perfect piece.

The pushed together layer was the bottom layer.. because my mom is amazing.

In addition to the Lemon Raspberry Cake, I baked some inside-out-carrot-cake-cookies, at the request of my father.

Everything was delicious. For lunch, I filled up on bean salad, vegetables, fruit, and a small portion of 3 desserts. When I said I filled up on, I mean I ate until I was content. On holidays like today when we have a gathering at my grandparents, I usually tend to over-indulge. Today, I avoided that and I'm feeling really good right about now. I could have done without the jellybeans, but.... it's Easter. Maybe it was a necessity. Maybe... it wasn't.

I woke up to a huge array of candy and some beautiful (deep purple) flowers. When I say huge array, I mean.... I'm almost certain it would take me at least (realistically speaking) 1.5 years to finish this on my own.

Good thing my dad loves candy. I wouldn't be surprised if the stash was clean in two weeks.

My grandparents live right across a field, so we headed home about five. I walked some left over cake to the neighbors and spent some time with Candy, looking around her garden (which is ridiculously beautiful. I want a peach tree).

I was just feeling the need for some green so I plated up some spinach, three spears of asparagus, and some salsa. I'm drinking coffee and watching the Lord Of the Rings. I ... am happy.

I wish days like this happened more often. Though, if they did, I'm not sure they'd be so desirable.

Peachy.

I really like a good peach, as opposed to.... a not good peach. I have a sixth sense about picking a good fruit. I really like ripened fruit because that's when it tastes the most... fruity. And that's what I want my fruit to taste like. Fruit.

I had 2 ripe peaches, 1 unripe peach, and three very ripe plums. So I made a random crumble. I mixed about 2 or so tablespoons of orange juice with the sliced up fruit (skins still on... cause I'm dangerous like that.... lazy like that). A tablespoon of cornstarch. A couple tablespoons of sugar.

I then mixed 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup oats. I then cut in 6 tablespoons of butter and spread it over the fruit (which I placed in a 9 inch pie dish). I baked it for about 40 minutes at 375.

I made this last night. Mom, dad, and myself enjoyed a piece. It's gone now.

I tried my first parsnip tonight. And it was from the ground.

.... what I mean is, it was from my neighbors garden (thank you, Candy).

I like putting cold, leftover roasted vegetables on my salads.

Like this one.

That's pretty. Of course, those are no parsnips, my friends.... those are sweet potatoes. And tomatoes. And..... I keep hearing Christmas music and it's throwing me off.

I need to write some more for English. I need to figure out what I'm making for Easter dessert. I need... a bath.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

Last night I was a Ninja.

What better to accompany a Ninja than a German Chocolate Cheesecake?

Unfortunately, this ninja failed to take a picture of the whole cheesecake.... and all of it's glory. In fact, that is what remains of the entire thing. I'm lucky to have this.... scratch that. It's being eaten by a family member as I type.

In addition to the cheesecake, I baked some carrot cake cookies, slapped some cream cheese frosting on the bottom and sandwiched another against it.

They were the first to go.

Anyhow, the cheesecake was fairly simple. I never put my cheesecakes in a water bath, however, every cheesecake I have ever baked has had a crack in them. So... lesson to this story... always put your cheesecakes in a water bath if you want them sans crack.

I need to post this recipe for all the world to see, for all the world to bake, for all the world.... to eat.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

recipe adapted from Food Editorials

Crust:

1 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies (crushed)

5 tbsp butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter in a bowl. Spray the bottom of a 9 in. spring-form pan with Pam (or something like it) and press cookie mixture into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Cheesecake:

24oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 - 4oz package of German Baking Chocolate (melted)

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and the flour in large bowl, until well blended. Add chocolate and 2 tsp. of the vanilla; mix well.
2. Add 3 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
3. Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight to allow the cake to completely cool and set up.

Pecan-Coconut Topping:

1/3 cup canned evaporated milk

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg
3/4 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cup pecans, chopped (toasted)

Combine milk, sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in small saucepan; cook on medium-low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool. Spread over cheesecake just before serving. Remember to store any leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

It says spread the filling on right before you're going to serve but I put the topping on about 6 hours before serving and just kept it sealed and in the fridge. This way, everything was set in and.. and stuff.

I also melted some chocolate chips and whizzed (word?) it over the top and put it in the fridge to get hard. Twas......perfect.

my banana cake +oatmealraisincookies

enough for one 8 inch round pan.

oven at 360.

2 ripe bananas

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons applesauce

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder & baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

cinnamon, clove, nutmeg

mix and pour in pan for about 20 minutes... i forgot. just watch it until it comes away from the edge.

peanut butter glaze

3 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp milk

1/4 cup powdered sugar

melt peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl until.. melty. about 40 seconds.

mix milk and sugar in. should be a little thick. spread on cake. sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

COOKIES.

oven at 350.

1 stick of butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

vanilla

^cream together.

mix...

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

mix the dry into the cream mixture with a fork, until just mixed.

mix in 1 1/2 cup rolled oats and 3/4 cup or whatever of raisins

roll into little balls, put on stone.

in a seperate bowl, make some mixings (for instance, i used coconut, pieces of pecans, and more raisins)... i then took a little and pushed them on top of the unbaked cookies.

then i baked them for almost 15 minutes.

http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/saag-tofu/140732

http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/ricotta-spinach-cups-a-gorgeous-little-appetizer/

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Coconut-Balls

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Winter-Root-Vegetables

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/12/lemon-glazed-spice-cake-with-whipped-cream/#more-2046

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/carrot_souffle/

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/suzannes_chocolate_cake/

http://www.collegeaffairmagazine.com/2009/06/03/healthy-desserts/

http://www.examiner.com/x-4208-Providence-Food-Examiner~y2009m3d6-Baileys-Irish-Cream-mousse-pie-recipe

http://ohsheglows.com/2009/12/17/easy-vegan-holiday-party-snacks-take-2/

Healthy Brownies adapted from Maple N Cornbread

Serves 16

1/2 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1/2 cup white whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an individual brownie pan or 8 inch square baking pan, with non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix together all of he dry ingredients. Mix the applesauce and egg whites and gently fold into the dry mixture. Stir only until moistened.

Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until desired texture is reached. Less time will result in a more dense, gooey brownie and longer time will produce a cake like brownie. When cool, cut into 12 pieces.

carrot cake

my recipe. and nutrition info.

oven at 350. bake for about 40 minutes in two 9 inch round pans, sprayed and lined with parchment paper.

2 cups flour. (820)

2 tsp baking soda.

1 tsp baking powder.

1 tsp salt.

2 tsp cinnamon.

1 tsp ginger.

1/2 tsp nutmeg.

1.5 cup sugar. (1161)

1/2 cup oil. (990)

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. (75)

3 eggs + 1 egg white. (230)

3 cups shredded carrot.

1 cup walnuts. (784)

1 cup coconut. (280)

8 oz crushed pineapple. (150)

4490

16 oz cream cheese. (1620)

1 stick of butter. (1627)

2 cups confectionery sugar. (780)

3.5 tbsp honey. (200)

(used 2/3 of this)...2960.

16 servings... 465 a piece.

chocolate chip cookie

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds).

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

Toblerone Cookies

1.5 cup flour

tsp baking powder

tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

.5 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp vanilla

1 big toblerone bar, cut up

mix dry.

in seperate bowl, beat butter and sugar.

add in the egg. then the vanilla. then mix dry into wet until just mixed

fold in the toblerone.

bake at 350 for like...14 minutes. (also when putting on the baking stone, flatten a little)

Peppermint candy bark

melt milk chocolate, pour onto wax paper

crush up candy cane or peppermints, whatever

clean bowl, melt white chocolate, pour onto hardened milk chocolate and pour the peppermint pieces atop the white chocolate. gently press mints down a bit.

freeze !

break into pieces

nom nom nom

breathe and bake.

Blog Archive

About Me

Blog Archive

I wanna see ya peacock !

Take a Ride..

I yam I yam

Toit..like a tiger.

Dust Bunny...

Man Voice

Shroom Bourg.

Oof.

intuitive.

Coffee..

cole slaw

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

Banana Cream Pie.

Easter. & Why I love my mom.

Peachy.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

my banana cake +oatmealraisincookies

carrot cake

chocolate chip cookie

BlogRoll