In deep conversations about food, (yes, I find myself having those), I have heard people say, "I never buy granola bars, they are so easy to make!" And I have thought to myself, Nature Valley? Mojo? Luna bars? They seem kind of complicated!
Following her directions, I melted my butter, brown sugar, and honey.
I was slightly nervous about boiling this mixture the right amount of time. I followed her directions and got lucky, I guess!
Instead of chocolate chips, I mixed in some trail mix, taking out most of the big almonds and cashews (eating them on the way to the gym this morning, haha).
After putting the mixture in the dish, I put wax paper over the top so I could press it down with my hands. The directions said to really smash it, so that's what I did!
They set up beautifully! And they are DELICIOUS! It's official! I'll never buy granola bars again!
After a LONG leave of absence from my blogging days, I am back! Baby is able to entertain herself for at least five minutes which means I should be able to write a blog entry at least a few times a week!
We will see how it goes! I hope I didn't lose all my readers!
Mr. PT and I ate a late lunch today so we kept dinner light. We have really been digging sweet potatoes so I decided to mix it up by making twice baked sweet potatoes. I think they turned out really well!
To make this simple meal, all you need is:
-1 large sweet potato
-1 tablespoon of butter
-A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
-1/8 cup of sliced almonds
If you are in a hurry, put a large sweet potato in the microwave (make sure you stab it with a knife first) and the zap it for five minutes on high. Turn the sweet potato over and cook for five more minutes. Slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides of both halves and put them in a small bowl. Mash the sweet potato innards with butter and nutmeg. Put the innards back into the skins. Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds and salt if you desire. Bake in the oven at 350° for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Did your mom ever buy you those fun, individually packaged Lunchables with the cute little squares of lunch meat and the chocolate hoho-like dessert?
Yeah, mine didn't either. Oh well, looking back, that was probably a smart choice.
However, the concept is good! Try making your own Lunchables at home using a few simple, fresh ingredients!
I made these using whole grain crackers, colby jack cheese, roasted turkey slices and fresh basil. I have also thrown on a slab of avocado in the past. This makes a perfect snack or
lunch paired with fresh fruit and yogurt!
Also, see the sleeping beast that finally allowed me to write this post today...:)
If you could have a perfect day of eating, what would you eat?
I would prefer a perfect week of eating, but wouldn't we all!
I was going through my most recent food photos and realized I had shots of breakfast, snack, and dinner that I could eat every day if I had to! Well, I would probably get tired of them eventually, but, you get my point.
Let's start the day off with breakfast.
French toast with fresh fruit. Mix 3 eggs, 2-3 tbs of milk, and your favorite flavors. I go crazy with vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Toast your bread crusty, soak in the egg mixture, and cook in a non-stick skillet until brown.
Go to work, the gym, whatever you need to do to build up an appetite.
Mix 1/4 cup peanut butter with 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt and your favorite granola (I had some blueberry flax granola!). Nosh on a banana and bar of some sort. Today I treated myself to an organic blueberry poptart. This is not a regular in our house, but it was leftover from our cabin weekend, so, what they hay!
If you have not tried mixing peanut butter and yogurt yet, try it!!
Before you know it, it's time for dinner!
Homemade pesto with whole grain spaghetti! In a food processor, blend a handful of walnuts (or pine nuts) with 1 1/2 cups of loosely packed basil leaves. Add a handful of parmesan cheese, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and enough olive oil to make it your desired consistency...less if you like it chunky, more if you like it runny. Experiment with this one and add more of any ingredient to get the pesto you like. You really can't go wrong, unless you forget something!
So what do you think? Could you eat this every day? What have you made recently that you are loving?
Combine with a swim. Do 10 laps to warm up, 6 laps of kicking, 6 laps of pulling, and 8 laps of alternating breaststroke/freestyle.
Saute your chopped onions, mushrooms, and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add stripped, rinsed kale leaves and cook until wilted. Throw your veggies in with 5-6 whisked eggs, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, and some seasonings (I used fresh rosemary, salt and pepper).
Line a pie dish with a pie crust and pour the egg mixture in. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until slightly crispy and the crust begins to brown.
You can also make an oldie but a goodie...kale chips!
Strip the kale leaves from their stalks and rinse them. Swirl them in a salad spinner to get the moisture off. Line them on a sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and bake at 400 for 5-6 minutes. Make sure they don't burn!
There are endless ways to eat those green leafy things!
Combine with fast-paced 20 minute strength workout, followed by a 10 minute stretch session. Ahhh...
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large frying pan over
medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in sage and
cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs and parmesan. Stir in
nut mixture. Divide stuffing among squash halves, sprinkle with more
parmesan, and bake until tender when pierced with a fork and tops are
browning, about 45 minutes. Pair with green beans and corn salad.
Or maybe a sandwich? Toast your bread with havarti cheese, spinach leaves, onions, and mushrooms then slap on a fried egg!
Eggs aren't your thing? Replace with tomato and pepperoni!
When all else fails, throw a bunch of chopped vegetables tossed with olive oil and salt into a 450 oven for 20 minutes. Toss with spinach leaves, chopped cabbage, your favorite herbs, balsamic vinegar, and a snazzy cheese for a hearty salad.
This mix comprised of cubed potatoes, squash, onions, mushrooms, corn, peppers, and carrots. That will clean your fridge out!
Okay, if you are looking at these options and thinking, NO WAY, do what my preggo sister does. Throw some spinach leaves in a tasty fruit smoothy as this fellow blogger does (yes, her pictures are much fancier than mine...I'm dealing with it).
I know you think Mr. PT and I are veggie freaks, but trust me. If you start eating more vegetables, you will start enjoying them more. I promise your body will thank you.
Combine with...exercise. Try not to get overwhelmed with the plethora of information on the best way to exercise. Just get out there and move. Do it consistently. Push yourself. You'll feel a difference.
Mr. PT and I continue to enjoy the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs we are receiving through our farm share this summer. Recently, we have been getting some amazing melons, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn.
I sliced into my watermelon tonight for dinner and was surprised to find it was...
...yellow!
It was slightly sweeter and less acidic...perfectly paired with fresh blueberries.
Our amazing farm share companions also shared a delicious sounding recipe for our white, red, and purple potatoes. It reminded me of my grandma's traditional German potato salad...without the bacon grease. I made a few changes (you will see in parentheses).
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. small red Idaho (and purple and white) potatoes – quartered or cut into 6th’s if large
1 – red bell pepper – seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
fresh corn kernels cut from 2 ears of fresh corn
4 oz. uncooked pancetta (or 3 slices of turkey bacon) cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or diced havarti cheese)
2 scallions, sliced into 1/4 inch slices (optional) (or chopped red onion)
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Dump cut
potatoes on sheet pan and spread out into a single layer. Drizzle with
olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven and set timer for 15 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, combine the vinegars ,
mustard a large pinch of salt, pepper, and olive oil and whisk to combine. Set aside.
After potatoes have been in the oven for 15 minutes, add
the red bell peppers and the pancetta (turkey bacon). Cook for another 10 minutes and
then add the corn.
Cook for an additional 10 – 15 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender and vegetables have caramelized.
Remove pan from oven and drizzle the dressing all over.
Using a spatula or a couple of spoons toss the potatoes, corn, peppers
and pancetta (bacon) so that they are evenly coated with the dressing. Sprinkle
with the crumbled blue (havarti) cheese and the scallions (red onion).
This was a winner winner chicken dinner for us! Very flavorful and much lighter than most store-bought potato salads.
The other day, Mr. PT and I did not get around to eating dinner until 9:00pm. We were hungry, but not exactly craving a belly-buster meal. Our farm share continues to deliver large amounts of cherry tomatoes, so I whipped up a salsa-type dish with leftover shredded chicken.
I chopped the tomatoes and added freshly chopped basil, parsley, red onion, orange and yellow pepper, and chicken and seasoned it with lemon juice and salsa spices (cumin, garlic, oregano, cayenne pepper, etc).
Grab a hold of as many fresh items as you can and start throwing them together for your next meal! If you are feeling overwhelmed with how to start, remember that vegetables are usually better softened, seasoned, and mixed with a grain or starch. Ok...go!
Combine with a long walk. Listen to your body. If you are feeling fatigued after several consecutive days of exercise, give your body a break. You won't gain 5 pounds of fat or lose 10 pounds of muscle in 24 hours. However, a little bit of movement everyday is a good thing, so grab your a friend, partner, or iPod and walk the neighborhood.
I made the most delicious, yummy, tasty, dish the other day.
I got the idea from this fellow blogger, whose pictures make basically any dish look amazing!
I love how this dish has chickpeas! I'll admit, I sometimes get tired of hummus, but I adore these little legumes!
Instead of a poblano, I used whatever pepper was in my fridge (green, yellow). I also cut out the mint and added chopped zucchini. Instead of roasting in the oven, I softened my veggies in the skillet like a stir-fry.
Onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, chickpeas...seasoned with basil, parsley, and cilantro? Not to mention olive oil, red-wine vinegar, and tangy gorgonzola cheese?
Did I mention this was seriously delicious??
Vegetables softening in the skillet with olive oil
The great thing about this dish is that you can eat it with corn chips as a salsa.
You can put it on crusty bread as bruschetta.
Heck, you can eat it plain as a salad!
Please make this and eat it. You won't regret it.
Combine with a personal trainer's workout...do 3 sets of 8 minute of strength exercises. Mr. PT and I circulated 3 arm and abdominal exercises for eat set.For example:
I changed a few things...I used only 1/2 cup of sugar and regular vanilla yogurt instead.
I also think I will throw in some cinnamon next time!
These muffins are delicious with a light spreading of butter, jam, cream cheese, or just plain! We had guests on Saturday morning, so they paired deliciously with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs and veggies, portobello and onion bread toast, turkey bacon, and coffee, of course!
Mmm...doesn't get much better!
Combine with a morning run, walk, or run/walk. Beat the heat and get out there before the sun does!
It is officially the dog days of summer! If your summer rolls like mine, your refrigerator is probably cooling your abundance of zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cucumbers! Now is the time for these veggies to shine!
It is supposed to be a whopping 97 degrees tomorrow here in Roanoke, and Mr. PT does not favor air conditioning. It's a long story, something about not being in touch with the outside air??
Who knows. All I know is it's HOT, and cucumber salad is a wonderful way to cool down.
I found this recipe on Pinterest, and decided to add fresh grape tomatoes. Without even prompting him, Mr. PT's comment after his first bite was...
"Wow, nice and cool!"
You will need:
-1-2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
-4-5 grape tomatoes, sliced
-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1-2 tbs fresh dill
-2 tsp honey
-2 tsp lemon juice
-salt and pepper to taste
Combine vinegar, dill, honey and lemon juice separately. Add to cucumbers and tomatoes in a medium sixed bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
I paired this with whole wheat linguini tossed with onions, peppers, kale, olive oil, fresh basil, and pepper.
Yum!
Too hot to move fast? Combine with a nice long stretch. Try to hit at least 10 muscle groups.
While recently surfing the world of Pinterest, I saw a pin for fresh bread made in the crock pot.
What???
I decided I had to try it. I love making bread, however, with the exception of pizza dough, I hardly take the time to do it. Mostly because we have an amazing local bakery that makes fresh bread much easier to enjoy.
However, I had a Kitchen Aid mixer hook that was dying to be used and crock pots make everything easier, right?
I did a quick search for simple bread recipes and came across one for a French Batard. The instructions appeared to be very similar to most bread recipes I had at home with the exception of not requiring 12 hours of rising! Bingo!
Bread making can be very intimidating, but if you follow the appropriate steps, make some key observations along the way, and give your dough the time it needs to come alive, you will have success.
You will need:
-1 1/2 cups warm water (when I say "warm," I mean that you can put your finger under the water and it is hot to the touch but not too hot that it is uncomfortable or you have to pull your finger away)
-1 tbs. sugar
-1 1/2 tsp. yeast (I use active fast rising)
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-3 3/4 cups flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all purpose)
Mix together the warm water, sugar and yeast. I usually put these ingredients in a drinking glass and whisk them with a fork for 10-20 seconds. Set this aside and give it 10-15 minutes to itself. Now make your observation...is it foamy and bubbly? If it is, you did it right! If it isn't, your water was too hot or your yeast was too old. Try again.
Did I mention bread making is kind of like a science experiment?
Once you make it past this step, measure your flour into a mixing bowl and combine with the salt. If you have a hook attachment for your mixer, yay! You just saved your hands and shoulders from a workout.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the wet yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. This is when your observations are, again, very important. Give the dough some time to figure out what it's going to do, but if it continues to be dry and flaky, add a dash of water. If it's incredibly sticky or not coming together, add a dash of flour (not too much of either!). Do what you need to do to get your dough looking like this:
(thank you google images)
If you do not have a mixing hook, it's not the end of the world! I have made bread plenty of times the old fashion way. Slowly add the wet yeast mixture to the dry ingredients while slowing stirring with a wooden spoon. Once it is combined, turn it out onto your floured countertop. Start kneading!
Once your dough is ready to go, pull out that crock pot and line it with parchment paper. Place the dough inside, turn the crock pot on high, and walk away!
The wonderful part of the crock pot is that it takes care of both the rising and the baking! Mine took about 1.5 hours to finish. I knew it was done when the house was filled with the smell of freshly baked bread and the loaf was slightly brown on the bottom.
Here is when the disaster occurred.
I read that I could place the bread under the broiler for 5 minutes to get a nice, crusty top. So I did. And then I broke the cardinal rule of using broilers...I walked away! I went outside to water my plants, heard the timer go off, ran inside to check my lovely bread, and it was scorched. It was smoking. It was charred.
I exaggerate...it was only burnt on top. The majority of the loaf was safe, but to see that perfectly baked bread blackened like burnt toast was just heartbreaking.
My broiler and I are currently not on speaking terms.
After I calmed down and let the bread cool, I quickly realized that all was not lost and it still tasted delicious once you pulled the burnt part away. Mr. PT and I enjoyed freshly baked bread for the rest of the week!
Try not to be intimidated by bread making! It really is one of the more simpler projects to do in the kitchen. It just takes some practice.
Combine with a workout extension. Take your typical 30 minute workout and make it longer and harder, taking a few more breaks here and there. Pushing for endurance will make you stronger and a better athlete!
Mr. PT and I returned to Roanoke today after a fun and restful 5 days in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. I sure love to spend time in the kitchen, but I must admit, it was nice letting my mother do most of the cooking. She made many fantastic dishes that I unfortunately did not get pictures of, however, I will share a short list of ingredients that she most excellently cooked with!
-blueberries
-strawberries
-sweet potatoes
-whole grain pasta
-red onions
-hummus
-cucumbers
-pita bread
-swiss cheese
-eggs
Every dish she served was full of flavor and incredibly satisfying. I am grateful that she has instilled in me the idea of using simple, natural, food that requires little processing to taste amazing.
Mr. PT was also introduced to Grandpa's roast beef, Uncle J's buttery mashed potatoes, and of course, a Columbus favorite, Tommy's pizza!
I even had the opportunity to reconnect with some dear friends I grew up with. We had a great time laughing, catching up on life, and eating delicious homemade food.
I must apologize because the lighting in these pictures makes the dishes look somewhat bland...a new camera is hopefully in my future (the road-bike came first).
My friend Kelly brought a plate of cucumbers, peppers, and pita chips accompanied with hummus and feta cheese dip. Both were incredibly full of flavor and perfect for munching. She found the cheese dip on this neat blog! Check it out and then come right back!
I made a homemade salsa with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, corn, pureed green pepper, and heavy seasoning...I threw in garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder...you name it. If it was spicy and tangy, I threw it in. I also gave it a zesty bite with lime juice. Kelly and I were on the same wavelength with the pita chips!
Overall, it was a great getaway that Mr. PT and I both needed. Although, it was nice to be back with the bike group tonight!
Combine with...vacation exercise! Don't let your travels be an excuse to abandon your workout routine. Map a quick run around the neighborhood. Borrow a friend's pool pass and swim some laps. If you can, hitch your bikes to the car and spend a day exploring the city on your wheels. You will find yourself having more energy and not feeling so guilty when you indulge in your favorite ice cream bar or pizza joint.
Hold onto your hats...I'm doing a post about meat!!
Do you get tired of eating lunch meat? Do beef sticks make you question meat's origin?
Well, try this approach. Buy yourself a medium sized chicken, spend some time roasting and cleaning, and enjoy a week's worth of "winner winner chicken dinners!"
I started with a whole chicken from these guys.
Leave a comment if you've used this brand before!
I unwrapped my chicken, removed the organs from the inside (no worries, they put them in a little plastic bag to reduce the ICK factor), and placed it in a large broiler pot with 2-3 cups water, carrots, and onions. Then I seasoned the top with a mix of salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and chipotle.
I baked it at 400 for 15 minutes, then turned the oven down to 350 and slowly roasted it for about 1 1/2 hours. The instructions with this chicken said to bake to 180 degrees, so I was dutiful with my meat thermometer.
I removed it from the oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Mr. PT sliced off some nice pieces and I served it warm for dinner with vegetable quinoa, cooked veggies, and cottage cheese. It was so tender, juicy and fresh tasting! Just delicious!
Meal #1
The hardest part of this whole deal is the cleaning of the cooked bird. It takes about 30 minutes, but you are left with an excellent supply of tender chicken pieces!
A night or two later, I made the fillings for a chicken potpie. Find that recipe, here. Instead of putting it in a pie, I served it alongside rice and saved the rest for Mr. PT's lunches and unstructured weekday dinners.
boiling veggies
potpie filling in skillet
Meal #2
Are you tired of chicken yet? Hope not, because next I put it in a corn tortilla with black beans, onions, peppers, cheese, avocado, fresh tomato, and Mexican spices.
Meal #3
One bird, three meals! Not to mention the few times I stood in the kitchen and munched on a few unadorned pieces when hunger struck after work.
So, this may seem like more work than the pre-packaged chicken you get at the store. And I totally agree that this would be difficult to do every week. But every month or so? I think I could do it! I bet you could too.
I also believe projects like this help you become more tuned in with your food. I'm not saying you should go raise a chicken in your back yard, name him George, then cook him for dinner. But making a chicken start-to-finish like this (bones, guts, and all) reminds you to be grateful for the sacrifice the little guy made.
Combine with a game! Softball, soccer, kickball...it's time to join a team! Get out there and move!
1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup mixed nuts, finely chopped
1 cup dried fruit (I used 1/2 dried cherries, and 1/2 raisins)
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In
a large bowl, combine rolled oats, peanut butter, mixed nuts and coconut
flakes. Stir in spices. Add dried fruit and stir until
well and evenly mixed. Make sure the dried fruit do not stick together
in big batches.
In another bowl, combine canola oil, mashed banana, applesauce,
and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir
until well combined.
Form dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 20
minutes or until edges are golden brown.
I had to make these "cookies" for a work event, so I drizzled some dark chocolate on top! I would also consider mixing in chocolate chips to make them sweeter.
But, for a nice hearty granola cookie, keep it simple!
Combine with a Friday style workout...get out there and move but keep it chill. You've had a long week! Mr. PT and I got in about 15 miles on the bikes, but I was coasting and enjoying the scenery. Ah!
You know the feeling. You get home from work and realize you've been ignoring your stomach for the past three hours and you're famished. Or you wake up after a long, restful sleep and the first thing you hear is your stomach growling. You need food and you need it NOW.
When you are in such a state of hunger, you may not think as much about healthy choices. However, this is where your brain has to come forward and say...
Stop! You are not going to starve!
Take an extra 5-10 minutes and make yourself a healthy snack instead of chowing down on pretzels. I'm not saying you have to eat celery and drink V8 (although if you want to, go for it!). Is it pizza you want? Here is a healthier, homemade combination that may make everything better.
corn tortilla with basil-feta cheese, spinach leaves and low-fat pepperoni
Throw this pie in the toaster oven, microwave, or hot pan and you've got those hunger pains covered.
Okay, so you made it through the afternoon and you filled your stomach at dinner...before you know it you've gone to bed and woken up with another demanding tummy. What is it you want to eat...waffles? Home fries? Before you give in to your morning cravings, try to eat some fruit, whole grains, and low fat dairy. Top it off with a big glass of water and you'll have completed your own mini-detox for the day.
low-fat vanilla yogurt with grape nuts, whole grain bread with honey, fresh pineapple and orange
Is it worth the extra 5-10 minutes? In a word, YES.
Combine with that playground workout routine you have missed so much! Run or walk to a jungle gym and make your own circuit with push ups, pull ups, sit ups, tricep lifts, lunges, and squats.
