Feast!

There's a gourmet food shop in Charlottesville called Feast!. I'm not sure exactly how to describe them, but they sell some great local cheeses, vegetables, wines and meats.. if you've got the money.



They also put out some tasty samples. I snapped a photo of a description of one sample; it was too delicious not to try to make. It was served with some kind of gingerbread or graham cracker, and it would make a fantastic appetizer. I'm not sure how to create the "sweet praline mustard glaze" (they sold it in a jar), but I have to figure it out.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Tried a recipe I found for "Carrot Cake Oatmeal."



It looks pretty... but for me, too much carrot and not enough oats!

This recipe isn't fooling me..

Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

I have several magazine subscriptions... usually these magazines sit in a stack until I decide it's a good time to look through them. I tear out interesting articles and recipes and stash them in a folder, where I don't see it again for months (or more).

On Thursday night I decided to flip through my most recent Food Network magazine. A tiny recipe for Oatmeal Cookies caught my eye - it looked so simple (one bowl!) and healthy (only whole wheat flour, NO BUTTER, egg whites, lots of oats!), yet the picture made them look plump and delicious.

In an uncharacteristic turn of events, I decided to make the cookie right then and there. I didn't have wheat germ, so I substituted with ground flax. I also left out the raisins.



This cookie is awesome. I get a little fearful of whole wheat baked goods sometimes, thinking back on my grandmother's infamous bran muffins (they bounced like rubber balls). These cookies were a little bit salty, so I might cut down on the salt next time (not that I don't love salt..).

Please try these for yourself and be shocked at how delicious they are. They pretty much made my week!

You can grab the recipe here on foodnetwork.com

A DinnerCakes Reunion

Yep, a DinnerCakes reunion featuring Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, Courtesy of 101 Cookbooks.



The inside was a little less "done" than we wanted it to be, but that didn't stop us. The top was cooked perfectly and golden brown - a lower heat might have been better.

Green Monster

Yesterday, lunch was green.

This is called a 'Green Monster' and it is again from ohsheglows.com.

A good friend recommended this drink. I was, of course, skeptical at first, being that it's a bright green drink filled with spinach. But, it was pretty tasty!



I'm still partial to my morning frozen cherry vanilla almond smoothies, but this is a nice, light change of pace.

Blue Moon Diner

Raphael's angels and an artistic breakfast at Blue Moon Diner in Charlottesville.

What's Cooking?

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I've started the Cinch diet. Well, I'm still on it, and it's completely changed the way I think about eating and how I enjoy food. Really, it's been great.

Tonight I made a Cinch dinner with spaghetti squash, my first time cooking with it. It's strange, because it looks like spaghetti (hence the name), but tastes nothing like it. This combination of spaghetti squash, whole wheat pasta (penne and rigatoni), garlic, pesto, spinach and shrimp worked really well. It took a little bit to prepare - the squash needed to be hacked in half, placed cut side down in a glass pan with a little bit of water and microwaved for 6 minutes. I could only fit one half in the microwave at a time, and then my timing got a little wonky with the other ingredients. But, I'd call this dinner a success!



Then after dinner I allowed myself a rare indulgence off the Cinch plan (I've really been surprisingly good about not venturing off the plan.. I've even surprised myself!). I baked some Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Oatmeal Cookies from ohsheglows.com. I'm not usually a vegan baker, but these looked healthy, and full of roughage.. and, of course, my favorite things (pumpkin + bananas + oats!).



I'm interested to see how they do overnight, but fresh out of the oven they were great. It doesn't taste like a non-vegan cookie, so if you can get over the lack of crispy texture, and you like moist, wheaty cookies, give them a try!

Green Leafies and Kidney Stones

Today was my first non-Cinch meal in just over two weeks. I made whole wheat and oat pancakes for breakfast. The pancakes were delicious, but it didn't take long to get hungry again. It helps me realize how satisfying the way I'm eating now has been. Though sometimes I feel like I'm constantly cutting vegetables, including produce (the biggest puzzle piece), lean protein, whole grain, plant-based fat and spices in every meal is really working well for me!

What's not working quite as well - studying for the big exit exam I take on Wednesday. The exam is called the HESI, and it's designed to be just like the NCLEX nursing board exam we take after graduation. We have to get a certain score on the HESI to pass and continue in the program, and our score also gives us a percentage that tells how likely we are to pass the NCLEX. Scary times...

I've heard the best way to study is to drill practice questions, which is what I've been doing. Sometimes they're fine, sometimes they're things I've never heard of before, sometimes I just don't remember the content, and then other times the answer is something that just seems surprising.. for example, I didn't realize that green, leafy vegetables; strawberries; chocolate; wheat bran; nuts and tea were potential kidney stone culprits? That's sort of problematic for my current diet! I'd better keep drinking lots of water...



And so the studying continues.

Cinch Diet Day 3

I'm not sure what to say about this diet except that for a person who doesn't like tart flavors (ME), I find it difficult. Raspberries are probably my least favorite fruit due to their lip-puckering qualities... throw in some plain yogurt and you've got me grimacing my way through meals. I don't find that I'm hungry or feeling deprived, but that's mostly because I don't have an interest in what's on the menu for my next meal (more raspberries, yogurt, spinach, almonds and egg.. repeat).

The author of the diet mentions feeling more energized.. I can't say I've felt that. In fact, in the evening I feel more sleepy than usual. I've been skipping the evening smoothie (ie, raspberries and plain yogurt!) because I'm not hungry or in the mood for it.

I'm not sure what all this means, but it does mean weight loss. I'm down 5 lbs as my body is flushing out excess water and sodium stores. I'm hoping for a dramatic improvement in attitude by day 5!

Cinch Diet 5 Day Fast forward, Morning Scramble

This morning I'm starting the Cinch Diet 5 Day Fast Forward. The 5 day fast forward is supposed to help stop cravings and reset your metabolism. It's a little restrictive, but it aims to give results fast (5 days) that will then motivate you to continue eating healthfully (the rest of the Cinch plan).

After the first 5 days, it emphasizes Mediterranean-style eating using produce, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. There's no calorie counting, just portion control and balance. There's a big emphasis on whole, unprocessed foods.



I liked the idea of it because the way we eat now is so far removed from what our bodies actually need for energy. I even like the idea of a restrictive first 5 days, because it minimizes confusion and seems to be a sort of processed food detox. Of course I also appreciate that results will come quickly at first, which I think will keep my eyes on the prize. Lastly, the lady who wrote the diet has a BS in nutrition and dietetics, is a registered dietician and has an MPH. I'm not saying she's all-knowing, but at least she should know what she's talking about.

I've never tried a diet before, but I have done Weight Watchers (which worked until I got too fed up tracking "points" all the time). Maybe sensible diets like these are actually good for our culture because we need something a little restrictive at first to snap us out of our eating for fun, boredom, and other emotional eating patterns.

That said, we'll see how I feel later in the week when I just want some carbs and Diet Pepsi...

Ratatouille

Smitten Kitchen took it upon herself to recreate Ratatouille's (from the movie!) Ratatouille.



I made it last night for dinner (minus the red bell peppers and goat cheese) and it is going to enter my regular rotation - easy, healthy, delicious.

Bake-a-Thon 2010

There were a few things about Bake-a-Thon this year that were very different from the past. For example, we seemed to be much more productive than usual. However after looking through some of these photos, you may or may not agree...

Jane tried to pull up her recipe on her iPhone, despite insistence that this seemed like a less than optimal idea.


We started off energized.


There was a bit of a shuffle when we realized we didn't have candied cherries, we had maraschino cherries.. which you can see Jane then deciding whether or not to just eat them with chopsticks.


She sat down with our veggie tray instead. I seem appalled.


Jane's husband Tye came back from the grocery store with a candied cherry substitute (dried cranberries) and some caffeine sustenance.


Edwin's Sour Cherry and Walnut Chocolate Hermits were among the first batches to come out. We were on a roll.


I rolled peanut butter balls in granulated sugar for Peanut Butter Blossoms.


And Jane helped.


Jane and Edwin have started a band? So this year we had a musical interlude.


The drum set has replaced the kitchen table.


I used this as an opportunity to enjoy the Peanut Butter Blossoms fresh out of the oven, when the Hershey kisses are still deliciously melty.




I had to stop eventually so that Lindsey wouldn't see my true colors. This is her first batch of Iced Anise Cookies.




Tye saved us again with some lunch - a loaded veggie pizza.


And after lunch Jane could finally get her first batch of Ice Box Cookies in the oven. She hadn't realized beforehand that Ice Box Cookies actually need to chill in the ice box for several hours before baking.


I believe this was Lindsey's butter. I'm not sure why I was creeping around.


I really like this picture because I think Jane looks like a cartoon character.


Edwin had a mishap and wasted delicious chocolate. Rawr.


The Ice Box Cookies were well worth the wait.



Lindsey churned out a batch of Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies.


Satisfied with her batch of Ice Box Cookies, Jane rewards herself with another break - this time with Wii.


After they cooled, Lindsey drizzled a frosting and some tiny sprinkles on her anise cookies.



Edwin pulled himself away from the Wii to work a second batch of Chocolate Hermits.



Now we're running out of space.








Christmas is the best cookie day of the year, and Bake-a-Thon 2010 was a tasty success. Merry Christmas!

Sneak #4

Now this is it until next week!



Iced Anise Cookies

Sneak #3

How about some hermits?



Sour Cherry and Walnut Chocolate Hermits

Bake-a-Thon Sneak #2

It's hard when all you want to do is anything but study.

So instead I thought I'd sneak another bake-a-thon photo! Unfortunately one person is missing from this shot.

Bake-a-thon 2010 Preview

went really well! Here's a sneak preview of things to come next week.

Thanksgiving Desserts

Pop quiz - how many people were these 3 pies, 1 cheesecake, 1 cranberry/pear crisp, 4 dozen cookies, 1 dozen macaroons, 1 dozen cookie/brownie bites and other miscellaneous goodies meant to serve?

These brownies don't play.

Intimidating - that's how I feel about these brownies!

I like to make something to bring in for the staff during my last day of clinical on each unit. My last shift is technically tonight, but I brought these layered brownies in last night.



Pumpkin cheesecake sandwiched between two layers of chocolate brownie.

They're rich. They're tall! Mine are not nearly as pretty as Cookie Madness' batch. I don't have a 9 inch square pan, so I used an 8 inch pan.. even that one inch made a huge difference in height and baketime.



That said, they're very delicious! But whoa... whoa.