Eating well. Living well. Welcome and thanks for visiting my little green house.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Weekend Getaway - Update!
His "best husband ever" status was confirmed on Wednesday when he told me we could go away this weekend :) In my last post, I was lamenting the fact that B said we couldn't go away for Memorial Day. Why the change of heart? Who knows, but I'm not one to complain! (Maybe he read my blog post?!!??) Once we decided on Charleston, SC and decided that Hudson would come with us, I had to try to find a hotel that had room for us AND our little dog. Since it was very late to be booking a hotel, especially for a holiday weekend, I immediately got to work calling up B&Bs, local inns and hotels. After at least 20 rejections, we finally were able to book a two-night stay at The Charleston Place Hotel (ranked among the Top hotels in North America by Conde Nast Traveler!!)
The location is perfect, downtown close to lots of shopping, restaurants and parks. B and I love to walk (and Hudson does too!) so we're looking forward to exploring Charleston by foot.
After we get back, I'll be able to give recommendations for dining, shopping and sightseeing. But here's what we're looking forward to:
a Sweet & Salty Brownie at Baked
a stroll along the battery
shopping at the Old City Market
afternoon tea at the Thoroughbred Club
...stay tuned for photos!
Weekend Getaway - Update!
His "best husband ever" status was confirmed on Wednesday when he told me we could go away this weekend :) In my last post, I was lamenting the fact that B said we couldn't go away for Memorial Day. Why the change of heart? Who knows, but I'm not one to complain! (Maybe he read my blog post?!!??) Once we decided on Charleston, SC and decided that Hudson would come with us, I had to try to find a hotel that had room for us AND our little dog. Since it was very late to be booking a hotel, especially for a holiday weekend, I immediately got to work calling up B&Bs, local inns and hotels. After at least 20 rejections, we finally were able to book a two-night stay at The Charleston Place Hotel (ranked among the Top hotels in North America by Conde Nast Traveler!!)
The location is perfect, downtown close to lots of shopping, restaurants and parks. B and I love to walk (and Hudson does too!) so we're looking forward to exploring Charleston by foot.
After we get back, I'll be able to give recommendations for dining, shopping and sightseeing. But here's what we're looking forward to:
a Sweet & Salty Brownie at Baked
a stroll along the battery
shopping at the Old City Market
afternoon tea at the Thoroughbred Club
...stay tuned for photos!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Hydration = Happiness
I don't know about you, but my body has been telling me that it needs more water, I'm thirsty more frequently and wake up with a headache if I haven't had plenty to drink the day before. I know I don't drink nearly enough every day but I'm on my way to getting the required daily intake with my water bottle: Thermos Intak BPA Free Hydration Bottle. I love it because it has a little dial on the top which keeps track of how many bottles of water you've had to drink each day and serves as a constant reminder to get plenty of fluids. It's BPA free and has a clear plastic cover to keep the pour spout sanitary, plus it was only $9.99 at Target! Yesterday I had three bottles of water...today I'm going to shoot for four.
P.S. Your body won't care if you sneak some crystal light lemonade into your water bottle :)
P.P.S. I should mention that it was my sister Colleen who first introduced me to this fabulous bottle! When we visited her in Hawai'i she let me borrow one of hers and I fell in LOVE with it!
Hydration = Happiness
I don't know about you, but my body has been telling me that it needs more water, I'm thirsty more frequently and wake up with a headache if I haven't had plenty to drink the day before. I know I don't drink nearly enough every day but I'm on my way to getting the required daily intake with my water bottle: Thermos Intak BPA Free Hydration Bottle. I love it because it has a little dial on the top which keeps track of how many bottles of water you've had to drink each day and serves as a constant reminder to get plenty of fluids. It's BPA free and has a clear plastic cover to keep the pour spout sanitary, plus it was only $9.99 at Target! Yesterday I had three bottles of water...today I'm going to shoot for four.
P.S. Your body won't care if you sneak some crystal light lemonade into your water bottle :)
P.P.S. I should mention that it was my sister Colleen who first introduced me to this fabulous bottle! When we visited her in Hawai'i she let me borrow one of hers and I fell in LOVE with it!
Weekend Getaway
...or perhaps chic and sophisticated....
...but no matter what, these are the two things I won't leave behind:
Weekend Getaway
...or perhaps chic and sophisticated....
...but no matter what, these are the two things I won't leave behind:
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I just love this time of the year
is
I love strawberries for dessert. It feels so decadent and romantic when you dip them in something luscious...here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy them after dinner:
1. Dipped in melted dark chocolate
2. Dipped in melted nutella
3. On top of a dollop of fresh homemade lightly sweetened whipped cream, then drizzled with melted chocolate
4. Dipped in sour cream and sprinkled with brown sugar
5. Sliced, on top of sugar-free instant pudding with light cool whip (when I'm watching calories)
How do you like to enjoy your strawberries?
I just love this time of the year
is
I love strawberries for dessert. It feels so decadent and romantic when you dip them in something luscious...here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy them after dinner:
1. Dipped in melted dark chocolate
2. Dipped in melted nutella
3. On top of a dollop of fresh homemade lightly sweetened whipped cream, then drizzled with melted chocolate
4. Dipped in sour cream and sprinkled with brown sugar
5. Sliced, on top of sugar-free instant pudding with light cool whip (when I'm watching calories)
How do you like to enjoy your strawberries?
Chicken...doesn't have to be boring!
Chicken...doesn't have to be boring!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hudson
Hudson
The other white meat...
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each) - I used one pork tenderloin (about 1.7 lbs)
2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)
Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing, covered with a sheet of aluminum foil.
The other white meat...
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each) - I used one pork tenderloin (about 1.7 lbs)
2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)
Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing, covered with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Brooklyn's Second Birthday
Brooklyn's Second Birthday
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
My mom's banana bread
I always use my mom's recipe for banana bread. It's delicious, always turns out moist and whenever B takes it into work its gone in no time. This time, I wanted to experiment with substituting some of the All Purpose flour for Whole Wheat Flour instead. I also had two ripe pineapples, an opened bag of sweetened flaked coconut and some chopped walnuts so I decided to make it a "Nutty Hawaiian" banana bread. And WOW, it turned out awesome! B ate 4 of the banana muffins for dessert, he just couldn't get enough. We ate it all before I could get any pictures and B took the large loaf to work today. I'm going to share my mom's original recipe and below it I'll describe the specific changes I made this time. Whether you make the banana bread as the recipe is written or modify it like I did, you'll love it. Make it in one large loaf pan or several small ones, or in a muffin pan (makes about 24 muffins). It's also really good with chocolate chips in it, I usually use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and just toss it right into the batter before baking. While this time we ate the banana bread for dessert, it is AWESOME for breakfast: just add a dab of cream cheese and a cup of coffee...that's my idea of a perfect morning!
Mom's Banana Bread (The Original)
Makes 1 large loaf, 3-4 mini loaves, or about 24 muffins
3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (optional, but I always add one of those little individual serving cups)
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
1/2 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan(s) or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix bananas, apple sauce (if using), oil, vanilla, beaten eggs and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just to incorporate, don't over-mix. The batter should be thick but not so thick that you can't pour it (my mom says "It shouldn't be thick like glue" hehe). If its too thick, add a splash of milk or a little extra apple sauce or oil. Now is when you add in your optional mix-ins - the nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or whatever else you feel like adding.
Bake at 325 until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. For the muffins, it took me about 15 minutes and it took about 40 minutes for the large loaf pan, but check back often because you do NOT want to overcook it.
Once you remove the bread from the oven, allow it to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool fully.
Here's what I did this time to make it a"Healthy Nutty Hawai'ian" Banana Bread:
- I substituted 2/3 cup Whole Wheat flour for the same volume of AP flour
- I substituted 1/4 cup of splenda for the same volume of sugar and decreased the sugar by a little less than 1/4 of a cup (so to be exact: for my bread I ended up using a little more than 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup splenda, I figured the added fruit would sweeten the bread enough to leave out some of the sugar... and I was right)
- I added about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats that I had food processed into a very coarse flour (this was to add weight since I was using splenda)
- I added about 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple to the wet ingredients
- I added 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter before baking, and I sprinkled some additional coconut onto the tops of the muffins and the loaf of banana bread before baking
- I used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
The bread turned out so flavorful and delicious. I was a little worried that the coconut on top of the bread would get brown or burn but it came out perfectly, just a touch toasted. The bread was just as moist as it usually is and you'd never know that there was whole wheat flour in there! Next time I might even increase the whole wheat flour to 1 cup and I might try to substitute 1/4 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt for 1/4 cup of the oil - I've read that this is an acceptable substitution in a lot of recipes. I would probably add even more walnuts, pineapple and coconut because well, you really can't ever have too much of a good thing :)
My mom's banana bread
I always use my mom's recipe for banana bread. It's delicious, always turns out moist and whenever B takes it into work its gone in no time. This time, I wanted to experiment with substituting some of the All Purpose flour for Whole Wheat Flour instead. I also had two ripe pineapples, an opened bag of sweetened flaked coconut and some chopped walnuts so I decided to make it a "Nutty Hawaiian" banana bread. And WOW, it turned out awesome! B ate 4 of the banana muffins for dessert, he just couldn't get enough. We ate it all before I could get any pictures and B took the large loaf to work today. I'm going to share my mom's original recipe and below it I'll describe the specific changes I made this time. Whether you make the banana bread as the recipe is written or modify it like I did, you'll love it. Make it in one large loaf pan or several small ones, or in a muffin pan (makes about 24 muffins). It's also really good with chocolate chips in it, I usually use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and just toss it right into the batter before baking. While this time we ate the banana bread for dessert, it is AWESOME for breakfast: just add a dab of cream cheese and a cup of coffee...that's my idea of a perfect morning!
Mom's Banana Bread (The Original)
Makes 1 large loaf, 3-4 mini loaves, or about 24 muffins
3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (optional, but I always add one of those little individual serving cups)
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
1/2 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan(s) or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix bananas, apple sauce (if using), oil, vanilla, beaten eggs and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just to incorporate, don't over-mix. The batter should be thick but not so thick that you can't pour it (my mom says "It shouldn't be thick like glue" hehe). If its too thick, add a splash of milk or a little extra apple sauce or oil. Now is when you add in your optional mix-ins - the nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or whatever else you feel like adding.
Bake at 325 until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. For the muffins, it took me about 15 minutes and it took about 40 minutes for the large loaf pan, but check back often because you do NOT want to overcook it.
Once you remove the bread from the oven, allow it to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool fully.
Here's what I did this time to make it a"Healthy Nutty Hawai'ian" Banana Bread:
- I substituted 2/3 cup Whole Wheat flour for the same volume of AP flour
- I substituted 1/4 cup of splenda for the same volume of sugar and decreased the sugar by a little less than 1/4 of a cup (so to be exact: for my bread I ended up using a little more than 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup splenda, I figured the added fruit would sweeten the bread enough to leave out some of the sugar... and I was right)
- I added about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats that I had food processed into a very coarse flour (this was to add weight since I was using splenda)
- I added about 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple to the wet ingredients
- I added 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter before baking, and I sprinkled some additional coconut onto the tops of the muffins and the loaf of banana bread before baking
- I used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
The bread turned out so flavorful and delicious. I was a little worried that the coconut on top of the bread would get brown or burn but it came out perfectly, just a touch toasted. The bread was just as moist as it usually is and you'd never know that there was whole wheat flour in there! Next time I might even increase the whole wheat flour to 1 cup and I might try to substitute 1/4 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt for 1/4 cup of the oil - I've read that this is an acceptable substitution in a lot of recipes. I would probably add even more walnuts, pineapple and coconut because well, you really can't ever have too much of a good thing :)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Italy in Jacksonville
The other night (I think it was Wednesday...or was it Thursday??) I made Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms (aka Chicken Cacciatore). It was a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food website and it. was. delicious. But of course...it was Martha. I made a few changes because I didn't have any fresh mushrooms (and besides, Brian doesn't really like them anyway). I used a small can of mushrooms that I had in the pantry. I also didn't have any stewed tomatoes so I used a can of diced tomatoes, the ones that are seasoned with oregano, basil and garlic. I thought some olives would be good with it (I was right) so I added those too, and topped it all off with some nice fresh Italian parsley before serving it. We'll definitely be making this again!
To go along with the chicken cacciatore, I baked a loaf of no-knead bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I don't own the book but I found an abbreviated version of the recipe for the boule here. I know, I know - French bread with Italian food! Well, it went fabulously well together so I guess we'll just call it European "fusion" cuisine :)I followed the bread recipe exactly but halved it in order to get 2 loaves. Now I wish I had made the full recipe because you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, just cutting off 1-lb sections as you want to bake them! I will be making this bread every week since I CANNOT find good bread here. I have to drive all the way to Wilmington (1 hour +) to get to a Whole Foods or Fresh Market which have the only acceptable bakeries I know of in the area. I haven't found any little boulangeries anywhere closer. Well anyways, it must be meant to be because I was ALWAYS intimidated of baking bread - you know, the kneading, the rising, etc. I wouldn't have even thought to try to make my own bread (B is the boulanger in the family) but this recipe just looked so SIMPLE...and it was! Try it. You will not regret it. And by the way- I am definitely buying the book.
Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Adapted from Everyday Food
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (I used one small can chopped shitake mushrooms, drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
handfull of whole, pitted kalamata olives
chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large (5-quart) saucepan (I used my dutch oven) with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook chicken, turning when it easily releases from the pan, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.
Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan; add in olives; cover, and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken to coat with sauce, and serve topped with chopped parsley.
Italy in Jacksonville
The other night (I think it was Wednesday...or was it Thursday??) I made Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms (aka Chicken Cacciatore). It was a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food website and it. was. delicious. But of course...it was Martha. I made a few changes because I didn't have any fresh mushrooms (and besides, Brian doesn't really like them anyway). I used a small can of mushrooms that I had in the pantry. I also didn't have any stewed tomatoes so I used a can of diced tomatoes, the ones that are seasoned with oregano, basil and garlic. I thought some olives would be good with it (I was right) so I added those too, and topped it all off with some nice fresh Italian parsley before serving it. We'll definitely be making this again!
To go along with the chicken cacciatore, I baked a loaf of no-knead bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I don't own the book but I found an abbreviated version of the recipe for the boule here. I know, I know - French bread with Italian food! Well, it went fabulously well together so I guess we'll just call it European "fusion" cuisine :)I followed the bread recipe exactly but halved it in order to get 2 loaves. Now I wish I had made the full recipe because you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, just cutting off 1-lb sections as you want to bake them! I will be making this bread every week since I CANNOT find good bread here. I have to drive all the way to Wilmington (1 hour +) to get to a Whole Foods or Fresh Market which have the only acceptable bakeries I know of in the area. I haven't found any little boulangeries anywhere closer. Well anyways, it must be meant to be because I was ALWAYS intimidated of baking bread - you know, the kneading, the rising, etc. I wouldn't have even thought to try to make my own bread (B is the boulanger in the family) but this recipe just looked so SIMPLE...and it was! Try it. You will not regret it. And by the way- I am definitely buying the book.
Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Adapted from Everyday Food
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (I used one small can chopped shitake mushrooms, drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
handfull of whole, pitted kalamata olives
chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large (5-quart) saucepan (I used my dutch oven) with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook chicken, turning when it easily releases from the pan, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.
Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan; add in olives; cover, and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken to coat with sauce, and serve topped with chopped parsley.