tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71413352872021102252024-02-19T19:58:20.243-05:00Frisky LemonFinding the Fun in Life's Sour DisastersAllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-13767590867864991142010-09-07T14:37:00.002-04:002010-09-07T14:39:49.421-04:00Now it's REALLY Official...I've MovedI've become one of those people who moves their blog over to Wordpress.<br /><br />Please visit me at <a href="http://friskylemon.com">www.Friskylemon.com</a><br /><br />Please make sure to update your bookmarks (Dad) and Google Readers (The one reader I have that isn't in my family).<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />Allison<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >AllisonNichols.HC@gmail.com</span>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-78765907662009393662010-09-07T10:23:00.001-04:002010-09-07T10:24:41.589-04:00It's OfficialI have business cards. I'm trying to be professional and transfer my blog over to wordpress and thus to my new URL...but I'm failing...so please excuse my lack of posts...I'm trying to be a grown-up...AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-10717600571848857482010-08-30T12:17:00.005-04:002010-08-30T12:47:58.284-04:00Carrot Cake Breakfast TreatMy new favorite breakfast item is in the form of a delicious <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2010/07/28/healthy-carrot-cake-power-scuffins/">Oh She Glows Carrot Cake Scuffin</a>. Of course, I doctored the recipe to make it paleo friendly, and the results were, I dare say, amazing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paleo Carrot Cake Scuffins</span></span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /></div><ul style="text-align: center;"><div class="im"><li> 1 cup almond flour</li><li>1/2 tsp baking power</li><li>1/4 tsp sea salt</li><li>1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice<br /></li><li>2 tbsp coconut oil<br /></li> <li>1/4 cup pure maple syrup<br /></li><li>1 tsp pure vanilla extract</li><li>1 egg<br /></li> </div><div class="im"><li>1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut<br /></li><li>1.5 cups shredded or grated carrots<br /></li></div><li>1/4 cup raisins</li><div class="im"><li>1/4 cup chopped walnuts</li></div></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfij-lZKlZUxzGKTMog9hASDYpFRrBJ4Wz3m9TcKE8AH4Hjzm5jM5uDG9upoSQw9LdD6rKMcMz4ZSAj9IrbPZhkYj5Sphd9zpm2sHY-hjENWdv4vmx5Tjgbaa6Y3z4sYm8JJbN0ZmuXM/s1600/DSCN2578.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfij-lZKlZUxzGKTMog9hASDYpFRrBJ4Wz3m9TcKE8AH4Hjzm5jM5uDG9upoSQw9LdD6rKMcMz4ZSAj9IrbPZhkYj5Sphd9zpm2sHY-hjENWdv4vmx5Tjgbaa6Y3z4sYm8JJbN0ZmuXM/s400/DSCN2578.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511238668694058994" border="0" /></a>I combined the dry ingredients and then neglected to follow the rest of Angela's well laid out instructions...mostly because I was being a little bit lazy. Everything turned out okay in the end.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS7jRFEJcN25Vw5V1gKbTX65LWB-IoyeNuMluBHjfgENjxM6Wx1IpSqQEE0q6kgy1of7Q7YM_HiPwB6zlWlUiqKB6CTS7ecLp46ulWU-tEGmFRkVnl6qtkzalPDS1brFdbSsouTaF07I/s1600/DSCN2579.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS7jRFEJcN25Vw5V1gKbTX65LWB-IoyeNuMluBHjfgENjxM6Wx1IpSqQEE0q6kgy1of7Q7YM_HiPwB6zlWlUiqKB6CTS7ecLp46ulWU-tEGmFRkVnl6qtkzalPDS1brFdbSsouTaF07I/s400/DSCN2579.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511238674558409522" border="0" /></a>I shredded the carrots,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaMyP_Z4k6rIiiXUxtFnLM3Nm3Fedqa___1DSaveux6FvlVvvzbmKrdZaBbeFLjF-X4H_77B5sK7F5mwOPxR0RwUnITObycIKOs4rNH3lTe8PWSaMBSN1YVraFxSS0bV_ZIVYMRblgoM/s1600/DSCN2581.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaMyP_Z4k6rIiiXUxtFnLM3Nm3Fedqa___1DSaveux6FvlVvvzbmKrdZaBbeFLjF-X4H_77B5sK7F5mwOPxR0RwUnITObycIKOs4rNH3lTe8PWSaMBSN1YVraFxSS0bV_ZIVYMRblgoM/s400/DSCN2581.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511238679954179778" border="0" /></a>and combined everything in one bowl. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup oats, but I replaced these with shredded coconut to give the scuffins a less soupy consistency. I also reduced the maple syrup from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup for less sweetness.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBASINOQ2mieDWHNjsB-qwBb_GS2T_CBvZmAq3NCKe3bctiMWGeVoAMK116iTGbOF5Ouoj-pJq3A8zkaOEmK4HN72WxQecsX4Z-4nTuI5Ry1WtkUmb088Hr8QC1aqs7KOTI9d2GVNsck/s1600/DSCN2582.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBASINOQ2mieDWHNjsB-qwBb_GS2T_CBvZmAq3NCKe3bctiMWGeVoAMK116iTGbOF5Ouoj-pJq3A8zkaOEmK4HN72WxQecsX4Z-4nTuI5Ry1WtkUmb088Hr8QC1aqs7KOTI9d2GVNsck/s400/DSCN2582.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511238690092660114" border="0" /></a>I scooped six scuffins on to parchment paper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxROySno9ED5EeDLASsRyaIya3M3AvVXwdkCz-r7xh-yqaOx5PTgyAtNPj6uzo0oZIPLw7lb3U08F_DnXoHdsvgT5Hr9EewnPheziKHmzHL2Hgl8VoDtdDJmX0A7VuKfmK4YU3eFUJFws/s1600/DSCN2583.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxROySno9ED5EeDLASsRyaIya3M3AvVXwdkCz-r7xh-yqaOx5PTgyAtNPj6uzo0oZIPLw7lb3U08F_DnXoHdsvgT5Hr9EewnPheziKHmzHL2Hgl8VoDtdDJmX0A7VuKfmK4YU3eFUJFws/s400/DSCN2583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511238698576918466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1u7EOMxqNvjl87VdMcL9GFD_aZzi6J6zRQIzIeHeKr7BQyY2DXKpv2hJfwW4CCCzxhoVQgm51QxaDGMATEYBXiDwwCb7f4c49GhBoRhYCpv0DYxAxQTelhx7zIKMRXh6QYPKT6KgAnI/s1600/DSCN2584.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1u7EOMxqNvjl87VdMcL9GFD_aZzi6J6zRQIzIeHeKr7BQyY2DXKpv2hJfwW4CCCzxhoVQgm51QxaDGMATEYBXiDwwCb7f4c49GhBoRhYCpv0DYxAxQTelhx7zIKMRXh6QYPKT6KgAnI/s400/DSCN2584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511239497639541314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioCY-yu761GsMAQiNL0n7xQ_8yneIc_ALwtM28x_3CO28yRiU20DT89zLIwRsdfu0-btvNV7oH9SiMJ-N2tb42ErDLFCfeQE06wudS81wrRlhKVO-WUSMcwdHf1hi5EQQqRFSF8lBHmc/s1600/DSCN2585.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioCY-yu761GsMAQiNL0n7xQ_8yneIc_ALwtM28x_3CO28yRiU20DT89zLIwRsdfu0-btvNV7oH9SiMJ-N2tb42ErDLFCfeQE06wudS81wrRlhKVO-WUSMcwdHf1hi5EQQqRFSF8lBHmc/s400/DSCN2585.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511239505892345826" border="0" /></a>I topped them with shredded coconut and baked at 350 for about 25 minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDm7S3DVrL2kYzamyPcTY539RFMk5owcLR6fI8eLB8bpmV5ovu3j19LXmQ2EXj7MXdjrl02IcMRf0KGFZe-cDpQH__XkPRT14pBbCHDMVngVceSCQL775OVfhV7YtZhbYLFR8qypPFGU/s1600/DSCN2586.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDm7S3DVrL2kYzamyPcTY539RFMk5owcLR6fI8eLB8bpmV5ovu3j19LXmQ2EXj7MXdjrl02IcMRf0KGFZe-cDpQH__XkPRT14pBbCHDMVngVceSCQL775OVfhV7YtZhbYLFR8qypPFGU/s400/DSCN2586.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511239515666868210" border="0" /></a>mmMMMmmm...carrots.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WzDa3t1QMs0kzMUeu1Y0EJ2FnrzLpINBUpLHFVGqqYhu8GC91bBYf5aqaZCkSLVc6vko7YtF2t0wj5Sevj_qt_QcPnCuk71wpP8BXqN_H7ox4mpIS5AZ-rShFmHEWbmZvoSnQ2DOpXQ/s1600/DSCN2587.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WzDa3t1QMs0kzMUeu1Y0EJ2FnrzLpINBUpLHFVGqqYhu8GC91bBYf5aqaZCkSLVc6vko7YtF2t0wj5Sevj_qt_QcPnCuk71wpP8BXqN_H7ox4mpIS5AZ-rShFmHEWbmZvoSnQ2DOpXQ/s400/DSCN2587.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511239518869644194" border="0" /></a>We prepared a Saturday morning breakfeast:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoNwPDet0XmQK6UNa_ZMoIt_9XWqQYJoETA_twrtqdHCgB3aHif33MVQBpupnGK8gf_JrVBtSsqtLGfSlPAD9fqDyHijA-7xRVhfeTpfTWAgCbDpwuTa-9-kHaMDwRYOms-JQ2p9LOYo/s1600/DSCN2588.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoNwPDet0XmQK6UNa_ZMoIt_9XWqQYJoETA_twrtqdHCgB3aHif33MVQBpupnGK8gf_JrVBtSsqtLGfSlPAD9fqDyHijA-7xRVhfeTpfTWAgCbDpwuTa-9-kHaMDwRYOms-JQ2p9LOYo/s400/DSCN2588.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511239526685643666" border="0" /></a>Scuffins, scrambled eggs and tiny plums with neon insides<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Iw8WOV5oLlSXnDI-0P0ewXzIV1G7L92FVGbYH8M_cGOvwFElctIC95dkXdisdNhFFOm1Tf8ymdY8i8gK_1HK97_DAL_xvmjmPZqrryAYMZ7p1sWMhiDj2XNBvH0brj8zJu3tVF7pGYU/s1600/DSCN2592.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Iw8WOV5oLlSXnDI-0P0ewXzIV1G7L92FVGbYH8M_cGOvwFElctIC95dkXdisdNhFFOm1Tf8ymdY8i8gK_1HK97_DAL_xvmjmPZqrryAYMZ7p1sWMhiDj2XNBvH0brj8zJu3tVF7pGYU/s400/DSCN2592.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511240349321198130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYmRXNKbKiO32vqLW3Kaq0Aye0iuaSkuBrNzO7N4s2vt4SUKfYXOD3AoBY_WLPle7_3BONG0IxB7S_aIrLR_b9sIIieAu42E8OSimqr4OAfECvl9H0eyWRXOBAFFpArU_sV_K0HQz3LU/s1600/DSCN2589.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYmRXNKbKiO32vqLW3Kaq0Aye0iuaSkuBrNzO7N4s2vt4SUKfYXOD3AoBY_WLPle7_3BONG0IxB7S_aIrLR_b9sIIieAu42E8OSimqr4OAfECvl9H0eyWRXOBAFFpArU_sV_K0HQz3LU/s400/DSCN2589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511240332880352146" border="0" /></a>We ate outside in the sun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKJN_FJfAE1rKw3RhqsEPgz7XyzBvR8rJLYIt0fh2RoU8EenZq6ihk4qLD7Ws1NngGz05fUs4tEpIKrEgXzqkOPEnxvUr5UvjGNPvaDs7KsA9SM-NcrCBf781fsXYu0O93tgh83ANvxs/s1600/DSCN2591.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKJN_FJfAE1rKw3RhqsEPgz7XyzBvR8rJLYIt0fh2RoU8EenZq6ihk4qLD7Ws1NngGz05fUs4tEpIKrEgXzqkOPEnxvUr5UvjGNPvaDs7KsA9SM-NcrCBf781fsXYu0O93tgh83ANvxs/s400/DSCN2591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511240582351014946" border="0" /></a>Chester wanted some. He didn't get any.<br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-16353485612096925372010-08-25T15:18:00.000-04:002010-08-25T13:21:43.328-04:00Homemade Beef JerkySunday was jerky day at my house. We ventured through the rain to Whole Foods to pick up some beautiful meat to jerkify.<br /><br />After staring at the red meat section for a good five minutes, we decided to go with this guy:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ6JWK64yZKacrwpJ5MlLeaPyrzaZ71A1MG3I8Vz5qt3YUGH5FYQiPQ8IWz1a9wIsvpVvKNvka50Q8dR0lBjnKTDT5KCR75E89h4l5Iiif6aG5HNviXFqkWrDlsj1-WkYTrDniIYwWQI/s1600/DSCN2563.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ6JWK64yZKacrwpJ5MlLeaPyrzaZ71A1MG3I8Vz5qt3YUGH5FYQiPQ8IWz1a9wIsvpVvKNvka50Q8dR0lBjnKTDT5KCR75E89h4l5Iiif6aG5HNviXFqkWrDlsj1-WkYTrDniIYwWQI/s400/DSCN2563.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598947350167266" border="0" /></a>Methinks he's a sirloin?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvWhYRddA0Iqfl-8thYIIrSmJO_-CBT_e6ZbuH1FCvoqmLBOZKWxUqrZ3v808i8FGajfjhzokXsfjba0K7ehmZlFj1gSlMA2kwmREA5lIS6enzGk0iunYXvj6kLj8r36RxHVGSTjWo48/s1600/DSCN2565.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvWhYRddA0Iqfl-8thYIIrSmJO_-CBT_e6ZbuH1FCvoqmLBOZKWxUqrZ3v808i8FGajfjhzokXsfjba0K7ehmZlFj1gSlMA2kwmREA5lIS6enzGk0iunYXvj6kLj8r36RxHVGSTjWo48/s400/DSCN2565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598954242349266" border="0" /></a>M got to work slicing. We sliced most against the grain, but some pieces with the grain to see how they would differ in texture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFglXZ51NmxCaDzS2XHPZVtm2x1rhxo1etb6-TZ_zyrf0E8N00IzDRUp_Z-RPDhyphenhyphenmJWAc1IIvVvPP_kGoP0oE2EKXJCFRCdL5XreoBx_FaPm53vfw3JByylHPHS2dd5eXlgcdMWpyeIak/s1600/DSCN2566.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFglXZ51NmxCaDzS2XHPZVtm2x1rhxo1etb6-TZ_zyrf0E8N00IzDRUp_Z-RPDhyphenhyphenmJWAc1IIvVvPP_kGoP0oE2EKXJCFRCdL5XreoBx_FaPm53vfw3JByylHPHS2dd5eXlgcdMWpyeIak/s400/DSCN2566.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598958635758738" border="0" /></a>While M sliced, I collected the strips in a bowl and covered them with our Ginger Teriyaki marinade.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuyQLFTP0_L-0Xvy-sbW_MHKMGbSzhEbmgCddjWavT-ri87ZjNVIWasvoj_egqiZY2HEpcwWsq4DBKBmgDs5mdn9wU-DwuOVPF8vi3DbOfrhapF8R8DTgRa_jm_tdrvNKrrKVTEWcLOA/s1600/DSCN2569.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuyQLFTP0_L-0Xvy-sbW_MHKMGbSzhEbmgCddjWavT-ri87ZjNVIWasvoj_egqiZY2HEpcwWsq4DBKBmgDs5mdn9wU-DwuOVPF8vi3DbOfrhapF8R8DTgRa_jm_tdrvNKrrKVTEWcLOA/s400/DSCN2569.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598969317815106" border="0" /></a>This was a super, fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants test run, so we decided to go with the prepared marinade. Next time, I plan on whipping something up myself!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYN1HUh7HP4Tq88OkHDaPMa20C0cthysqlGqoOW7JSUWvf21ljH2y2cSVblsywVzxVSFh5ET0cKCDmUgAOXevhjVQ-wPWcHeQq0ElZxzgG3SrD2iTbrHgXHVeOeorHIVQDsXI1EssFpY/s1600/DSCN2570.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYN1HUh7HP4Tq88OkHDaPMa20C0cthysqlGqoOW7JSUWvf21ljH2y2cSVblsywVzxVSFh5ET0cKCDmUgAOXevhjVQ-wPWcHeQq0ElZxzgG3SrD2iTbrHgXHVeOeorHIVQDsXI1EssFpY/s400/DSCN2570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598972280125154" border="0" /></a>One of the less gross meat pictures I took...that reddish stuff is marinade...not extra blood.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGrVQ6p1ZC2zFUGo2Q4EKIj002ldimI9mYnNDIugFfD7fhkkp7ZH137CLqdBPnmjTeJVqzH7lBNOEFIKq2-Vhc106ZGFJ5eEJhluQxkMYhnl3tKl00P0gjKr7uOCfcw_0ae1Tl7W4UZY/s1600/DSCN2573.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGrVQ6p1ZC2zFUGo2Q4EKIj002ldimI9mYnNDIugFfD7fhkkp7ZH137CLqdBPnmjTeJVqzH7lBNOEFIKq2-Vhc106ZGFJ5eEJhluQxkMYhnl3tKl00P0gjKr7uOCfcw_0ae1Tl7W4UZY/s400/DSCN2573.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508599388661873442" border="0" /></a>We laid the strips out on the dehydrator and let it do it's thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxUaUL3McRyjtG95OGVoIxmh3Fig7oqUmx46r3zUZ6oSxTxA9vk4W04FnEX7_Lz0SSPv6ZZrqitgTOsTDsDOWIzo6C1JXqMix099EX7btcWzLEDMthwFru9Lj5Ivxhx_em_yaPkCU_RE/s1600/DSCN2576.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxUaUL3McRyjtG95OGVoIxmh3Fig7oqUmx46r3zUZ6oSxTxA9vk4W04FnEX7_Lz0SSPv6ZZrqitgTOsTDsDOWIzo6C1JXqMix099EX7btcWzLEDMthwFru9Lj5Ivxhx_em_yaPkCU_RE/s400/DSCN2576.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508599394822068578" border="0" /></a>We left the jerky for about 4 hours on 160 degrees, and by then it was time to go to bed...so we turned down the heat to 130 and left them dehydrating over night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM_0Ck9elZZduezIPGKHey5MY7Y2zLUIpb1JqPB0n5nI1lb2fBd4jR1sNIr5vqEBfiq9WZjqjQyBRQE0eiHtAFXUTWYSvFqgiXzWJHRn-992wL1tra5RBpJ8-yxd8kCczjVuEvnIhRLw/s1600/DSCN2577.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM_0Ck9elZZduezIPGKHey5MY7Y2zLUIpb1JqPB0n5nI1lb2fBd4jR1sNIr5vqEBfiq9WZjqjQyBRQE0eiHtAFXUTWYSvFqgiXzWJHRn-992wL1tra5RBpJ8-yxd8kCczjVuEvnIhRLw/s400/DSCN2577.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508599404536841794" border="0" /></a>The end result was some delicious jerky, of which I do not have pictures. I'm planning on having a <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/08/mid-august-slump.html">Lil'Nic</a> taste test this evening, and I will report back asap.<br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-72978091012525148372010-08-23T09:33:00.007-04:002010-08-23T10:26:56.111-04:00Adventures in Nutty GranolaA few weeks ago, M and I went up to Southern Vermont for Family Work Day for the Jenckes Foundation. Family Work Day is filled with trail work aka lopping, chainsawing, hacking and stacking. We spent most of the day removing fallen trees from the ski trails in the form of chucking 60lb logs into the woods.<br /><br />We started the morning at M2's house with a delicious granola breakfast care of my Mama. I broke my "no grains" rule to indulge in some coconutty, oaty granola from <a href="http://www.healthylivingmarket.com/">Healthy Living</a>, an amazing health food store up in Northern VT. Mostly, I broke my rule so that I could have some of my mom's homemade fruit compote, which is soon to be replicated, but the granola was phenomenal.<br /><br />Since tasting the forbidden granola, I've wanted to try and make my own. I found a guide on <a href="http://girlgoneprimal.blogspot.com/">Girl Gone Primal </a>and modified it a bit to make my own, nutty granola.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Nutty Granola</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />Almonds<br />Cashews<br />Walnuts<br />Unsweetened shredded coconut<br />3 Tbs maple syrup<br />5 egg whites<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGTCI41iYhbnSWvFJcVTtMFGh42QCc4dFKIm2h5htIoEAit7kIfSf01PKzOrgSKbKPhjTZ8A7VK7Bw9phVWzVwkkiyJhwTCa39qfvd8xFp3-Lhx3NQMShUDkaSixVZP1opRc2kt6zcpg/s1600/DSCN2550.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGTCI41iYhbnSWvFJcVTtMFGh42QCc4dFKIm2h5htIoEAit7kIfSf01PKzOrgSKbKPhjTZ8A7VK7Bw9phVWzVwkkiyJhwTCa39qfvd8xFp3-Lhx3NQMShUDkaSixVZP1opRc2kt6zcpg/s400/DSCN2550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598225578959746" border="0" /></a>I put all of the nuts into a bowl to soak for a few hours.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8r7Kg-N7mtdnD6j_BO0m7yQ3CoDUhMtIPZdYXBZhBuskbxu5p3Dmdg94kfV2xjLPGTTPusmugUysFGJR4Aptp7UeF8xE7ErhSyghsWQS7dBcWndSfC74is0cQ32GT6oIGAVWL5GRTUTc/s1600/DSCN2552.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8r7Kg-N7mtdnD6j_BO0m7yQ3CoDUhMtIPZdYXBZhBuskbxu5p3Dmdg94kfV2xjLPGTTPusmugUysFGJR4Aptp7UeF8xE7ErhSyghsWQS7dBcWndSfC74is0cQ32GT6oIGAVWL5GRTUTc/s400/DSCN2552.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598232751858754" border="0" /></a>Chester was curious. I'm not sure of my exact nut measurements: I used an entire bag of raw almonds from Trader Joe's, half a bag of raw cashews and 1/2 cup walnuts.(This recipe can be modified for any amount of nuts: you just have to change the number of egg whites and maple syrup.)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrognaBvTTKRhZNIaPrB2MXpxIZUrL4mXRp6VXnNBA2vTDK1vyp_C6OXXCV02pem9SfBhO5GKWGgojziVtyWf1kD0_diRo2-qc_Xg0zxer0rh9WwxKMmYHmxs0joA3v2Rr0NYibmMfNc/s1600/DSCN2553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrognaBvTTKRhZNIaPrB2MXpxIZUrL4mXRp6VXnNBA2vTDK1vyp_C6OXXCV02pem9SfBhO5GKWGgojziVtyWf1kD0_diRo2-qc_Xg0zxer0rh9WwxKMmYHmxs0joA3v2Rr0NYibmMfNc/s400/DSCN2553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598242081653570" border="0" /></a>I soaked the nuts for about three hours-- until they had soaked up almost all of the water in the bowl and looked nice and soft.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNWotfnic1-W6Xz-_ZOwMY83o88Ndfk6UabzdQAOoeFVUdy9CW6-4neVxX7ozOGzVTwKnGsa3ote4RmJ5-7E_C-sojqcG_8Bq3SsUkO3eAoAZ9WuLS6Wgz0NSO1mN7omHmNFNFI73lX4/s1600/DSCN2554.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNWotfnic1-W6Xz-_ZOwMY83o88Ndfk6UabzdQAOoeFVUdy9CW6-4neVxX7ozOGzVTwKnGsa3ote4RmJ5-7E_C-sojqcG_8Bq3SsUkO3eAoAZ9WuLS6Wgz0NSO1mN7omHmNFNFI73lX4/s400/DSCN2554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598251713152130" border="0" /></a>I ground the nuts cup by cup in the food processor,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYuV3qtU9NX2FN8R0SG4a4T5as8lV3-CL_fvhoQzZSEFXzTujaeAJEF6_83xZ90iBJAFCPTIFyj9u9vWXxtOZT3QMDb5lQmLPBvaJFkJXh9OGeQZ7jUbYCRQeRDGPBrlZBBXQIwJH5sM/s1600/DSCN2555.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYuV3qtU9NX2FN8R0SG4a4T5as8lV3-CL_fvhoQzZSEFXzTujaeAJEF6_83xZ90iBJAFCPTIFyj9u9vWXxtOZT3QMDb5lQmLPBvaJFkJXh9OGeQZ7jUbYCRQeRDGPBrlZBBXQIwJH5sM/s400/DSCN2555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598254532972418" border="0" /></a>and whisked the maple syrup and egg whites in a separate bowl.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoXZr9IFOw7jcY9zFblMmX4NGx1QaeAzR-Y90XPG-zepMMUHmzfH90LS-R4DsqljxOWWuF5POcTEEsrnVkM45Ycj_X5CKlFLV4SabJL_envh0_y-0cZKQAovSbd1NPVNHKtXL9tEwb6M/s1600/DSCN2556.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoXZr9IFOw7jcY9zFblMmX4NGx1QaeAzR-Y90XPG-zepMMUHmzfH90LS-R4DsqljxOWWuF5POcTEEsrnVkM45Ycj_X5CKlFLV4SabJL_envh0_y-0cZKQAovSbd1NPVNHKtXL9tEwb6M/s400/DSCN2556.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598480982703618" border="0" /></a>I combined the nut and egg white mixtures, making sure that all of the nuts were covered in egg.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiS6hwYqZLFx3JxqX26-KJ6Ov8Tnq6bqOQ6kWkc44KQalLOmp7Cdmd_ubkv-9GPb1OVffHVdAl18CzudvqNBYoaHgU8upR-vpY4P-HLhNjWkmMgOi08dAeJUjR7JT2SlEf31tJazVCbE/s1600/DSCN2557.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiS6hwYqZLFx3JxqX26-KJ6Ov8Tnq6bqOQ6kWkc44KQalLOmp7Cdmd_ubkv-9GPb1OVffHVdAl18CzudvqNBYoaHgU8upR-vpY4P-HLhNjWkmMgOi08dAeJUjR7JT2SlEf31tJazVCbE/s400/DSCN2557.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598482320368530" border="0" /></a>After lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, I spread out a 1/2 inch layer of the mixture. I baked the nutola for about 10 minutes at 350, stirred (or flipped) and then continued to bake for another 10 minutes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDxMHjflgEM20R4IE4Bnj9b3SHKWTux_7bt8XUUJentZkU-Z3hflBECp2b3ajpDbXfLpHRfLLtOpzB2ZtQ4-BDbqHLUTQu1V1gTc4PYzVaQjBgALLIcFkFnuFOD5mA8i63qyLbxGj-io/s1600/DSCN2558.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDxMHjflgEM20R4IE4Bnj9b3SHKWTux_7bt8XUUJentZkU-Z3hflBECp2b3ajpDbXfLpHRfLLtOpzB2ZtQ4-BDbqHLUTQu1V1gTc4PYzVaQjBgALLIcFkFnuFOD5mA8i63qyLbxGj-io/s400/DSCN2558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598493446615570" border="0" /></a>I completed this flipping/stirring step a few more times before the nuts were browned and toasted looking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOFMip4S11Qg3f3HU03VGMKCF5SPjUojrvbHyOY1-LR0sUkrRickhYPoW8dE1vOeePlj1QB_c0CNsBJS8f5ochfN_HGMs0JQQF_hYlJIEf6qOadc2mpy_vZctzaHxCvcrNmq8EtzkViM/s1600/DSCN2559.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOFMip4S11Qg3f3HU03VGMKCF5SPjUojrvbHyOY1-LR0sUkrRickhYPoW8dE1vOeePlj1QB_c0CNsBJS8f5ochfN_HGMs0JQQF_hYlJIEf6qOadc2mpy_vZctzaHxCvcrNmq8EtzkViM/s400/DSCN2559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598496621764226" border="0" /></a>Once the nuts were done baking, I added the coconut flakes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPl1aI4QtoymssnQICp_EwG1Wjeer-MqTcmagEH2AVjQmNi73HKRQPkOh4iftnyY9fL8C-zDBRoX8JjV9aupgr8yqQWzGGjVhvSeqTViwFHT6zEhXXJUMvuXXEUcG3-OYp8gS99ERMgc/s1600/DSCN2560.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPl1aI4QtoymssnQICp_EwG1Wjeer-MqTcmagEH2AVjQmNi73HKRQPkOh4iftnyY9fL8C-zDBRoX8JjV9aupgr8yqQWzGGjVhvSeqTViwFHT6zEhXXJUMvuXXEUcG3-OYp8gS99ERMgc/s400/DSCN2560.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598501131090674" border="0" /></a>I attempted to shake the nuts and coconut together in a plastic bag. However, we are cheap, so our plastic bags are ghetto and don't seal very well (and I'm a gross kid), so there was a granola explosion.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtJyKiHI353VaE_gcj2IS8FhIv6r3dFfb6veePMaQE17QBZXfCoNWEdZsu3Q1se39XSR3whW4pjhDJxKzkXWCMUMrXfXX-f4arSugg4Vb-i8wKx6T61KkuMd0XZ2nau7mdflt4WpLt7k/s1600/DSCN2562.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtJyKiHI353VaE_gcj2IS8FhIv6r3dFfb6veePMaQE17QBZXfCoNWEdZsu3Q1se39XSR3whW4pjhDJxKzkXWCMUMrXfXX-f4arSugg4Vb-i8wKx6T61KkuMd0XZ2nau7mdflt4WpLt7k/s400/DSCN2562.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508598607443090386" border="0" /></a>I managed to salvage most of the goods and we ate them with almond milk, blueberries and some demon peanut butter for our Sunday Breakfeast. Needless to say, I'm all nutted out-- I can't even think about nut butter without longing for some cold, crisp vegetables. The granola is great though, and I'm going to attempt to make some fruit compote in the next week or so-- it needs some fruit to lighten it up-- all of those nuts just go straight to my chins!<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-60438821319597333552010-08-21T15:24:00.000-04:002010-08-21T15:25:15.997-04:00Healthy Living BlogsEven though I haven't been blogging for that long, I've found that the health blog community pretty amazing. Whether an avid meat eater or a strict vegan, everyone is incredibly supportive of each other. That is one of the reasons why I decided to join the Healthy Living Blogs site.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.healthylivingblogs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">Healthy Living Blogs</span></a> is a new resource for the health blogging community. Created by Lindsey of <a href="http://www.soundeats.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">Sound Eats</span></a>, HLB is a site designed to enhance the positive community of the healthy living blog world. Bloggers and readers can explore the site and find more blogs to love, bloggers in their area, and forums to deepen healthy discussion and support. If you're interested in having your site listed on HLB, simply send the following information to <a href="mailto:healthylivingblogs@gmail.com" target="_blank">healthylivingblogs@gmail.com</a> and check the site out for yourself! <div><span style="color: rgb(92, 92, 92); line-height: 22px;font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:13;" ><ul style="margin: 20px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 35px; list-style-type: disc;"><li><blockquote>Email subject line: MEMBERS</blockquote></li><li><blockquote>Your name (please share if you prefer to go by first name, first and last, or however you prefer to be known on the Internet)</blockquote></li><li> <blockquote>Blog Name</blockquote></li><li><blockquote>Blog URL (please start with http://, not www.)</blockquote></li><li><blockquote>Your twitter handle, if applicable</blockquote></li><li><blockquote>Your location (if you prefer not to disclose this information for privacy's sake, that is completely understandable. We'll simply include your blog listing in the A-Z listing, not by location, too)</blockquote> </li><li><blockquote>Any specific labels (i.e. vegan, gluten-free, weight loss, running, etc.</blockquote></li></ul></span>I would encourage anyone with a health related blog to join this site: whether focused on paleo or raw foods, this site is a great resource!</div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-81569203192424441342010-08-19T09:26:00.010-04:002010-08-19T10:14:44.583-04:00Pesto Chicken PizzaThe first meal I ever cooked for M was a pesto pizza in my crappy Allston apartment in an ancient oven in the kitchen with windows that looked into a sketchy alley. I used pesto made my former boss' mother, a little Sicilian lady we liked to call "Mama T" (Mama T was crazy...for reals, but a good kind of crazy: she always used to say "wha's tha matta you? Shutuppa you face!"). We've made pesto pizza since then, but never with homemade pesto.<br /><br />So, last night we decided to whip up some Chicken Pesto Pizza. I used the <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/07/grilled-budget-pizza.html">almond meal pizza dough </a>derived from<a href="http://www.norcalsc.com/"> NorCal Strength & Conditioning</a>, and a walnut pesto recipe derived from <a href="http://everdaypaleo.com/">Everyday Paleo. </a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Walnut Pesto </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients: </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">4 cups fresh basil</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">1 cup walnuts</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">1 cup olive oil</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">1 tsp sea salt</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">6 cloves garlic </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">2 Tbsp lemon juice</span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kkcnfiAkM834cXORKTnhsPFyPUuR5Xd55EurgCWcjPj52tk9ch1upF479K5nMGEv-5mgg1OlJ9fS5geRUiyz6xkt0CYfSlnQjGGeu3Ns4o1ujXsC5dYriTk3VhoUV1T4Q2CJT66r3Dc/s1600/DSCN2534.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kkcnfiAkM834cXORKTnhsPFyPUuR5Xd55EurgCWcjPj52tk9ch1upF479K5nMGEv-5mgg1OlJ9fS5geRUiyz6xkt0CYfSlnQjGGeu3Ns4o1ujXsC5dYriTk3VhoUV1T4Q2CJT66r3Dc/s400/DSCN2534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113417019689954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">I combined the olive oil, garlic, walnuts, sea salt and lemon juice in the food processor and processed until well blended. </span><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYh_hhMSViaRXB9aGaghzVPpg1IO9gQOHp5UTiUum1Og1Oj3i53rpWwHVZzcQEj5KEk-9KmBFzIjb7ZYj7JK670DcL3LZMoQVKRhyub3WtOTlkDEm1qtk-HuXLOxwBiz9Fe4mxboy0So/s1600/DSCN2535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYh_hhMSViaRXB9aGaghzVPpg1IO9gQOHp5UTiUum1Og1Oj3i53rpWwHVZzcQEj5KEk-9KmBFzIjb7ZYj7JK670DcL3LZMoQVKRhyub3WtOTlkDEm1qtk-HuXLOxwBiz9Fe4mxboy0So/s400/DSCN2535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113421928054002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">I then added the basil cup by cup until the mixture was </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">a pesto-y consistency </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpeeg3psGXS_ziaWb-fEX78_16SliA1dr2zSUqi5qiQmV-7xRGIltmLEGRZOSShsy_4GStYsb0ndJ7lnm3NQpBe06hEqWPUQBWXzUbZ8loh4Fe-bPbzqgIMa6ct1IXCamsTM5ocYdfVw/s1600/DSCN2536.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpeeg3psGXS_ziaWb-fEX78_16SliA1dr2zSUqi5qiQmV-7xRGIltmLEGRZOSShsy_4GStYsb0ndJ7lnm3NQpBe06hEqWPUQBWXzUbZ8loh4Fe-bPbzqgIMa6ct1IXCamsTM5ocYdfVw/s400/DSCN2536.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113429281471506" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Chicken Pesto Pizza </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" >Ingredients:<br /><br />Almond meal pizza crust<br />1 chicken breast<br />4 tomatoes<br />1/2 cup cheddar cheese (I used Cabot Seriously Sharp)<br />1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />As much pesto as is desired (I used a bunch, probably 1 1/2 cups)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I prepared the pizza crust and rolled it out onto a greased baking sheet. We allowed it to bake at 350 for 20 minutes. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCstBWcaKADD3oM7DfqtbQyVqP9t53Vi5aSKd9os6KS2eQvh0DK0JeDc1tM8cee5WK_FSqCf11cEMJafBTcwIVEond999QLgcopHzOLYsA7YSIIOolU2MiBOhMdZkRlE4O95W_XBPV3I/s1600/DSCN2537.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCstBWcaKADD3oM7DfqtbQyVqP9t53Vi5aSKd9os6KS2eQvh0DK0JeDc1tM8cee5WK_FSqCf11cEMJafBTcwIVEond999QLgcopHzOLYsA7YSIIOolU2MiBOhMdZkRlE4O95W_XBPV3I/s400/DSCN2537.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113440141349042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">While the crust was baking, M seasoned the chicken with garlic powder and parsley and cooked it in olive oil over medium heat. </span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp2dZfgGzhO2zxMOk9mj4gi7bJXifNTswL9A-OjATOYMuqatC6f8ans20lu8zVJ7nRZEhcIdez9q7kPla_XvXteSG5SJ0a1yeFcNKIEc800TtBXLJWoll5G4r6dW90DnyUu7LqALuSwM/s1600/DSCN2540.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp2dZfgGzhO2zxMOk9mj4gi7bJXifNTswL9A-OjATOYMuqatC6f8ans20lu8zVJ7nRZEhcIdez9q7kPla_XvXteSG5SJ0a1yeFcNKIEc800TtBXLJWoll5G4r6dW90DnyUu7LqALuSwM/s400/DSCN2540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113724025816466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once the crust was finished pre-baking, I covered it in pesto and tomato slices (from my mother's garden in VT!)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqETKv7ffb4xTCtNnLe2VpNNO-tietI-B0dC0N_PZRT0CsuUK39TWKm3RZer4lu-PKSzG10LrsMHbn2RDaWxQ8-oe09SZdv4aHA5tAZyXKPek5ASJUa9RGiYtibs8gl9MI9WTtE4zeJE/s1600/DSCN2541.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqETKv7ffb4xTCtNnLe2VpNNO-tietI-B0dC0N_PZRT0CsuUK39TWKm3RZer4lu-PKSzG10LrsMHbn2RDaWxQ8-oe09SZdv4aHA5tAZyXKPek5ASJUa9RGiYtibs8gl9MI9WTtE4zeJE/s400/DSCN2541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113734830473938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_ErHwF8Kmn0bsmCK8Px9d6FOzTYhjLfDsLy-bGEz4vjgLWkjI6vlB_GLDQT5cLHaga_BqxogcLm6K3L4jImUfQV4tnhpY0X7WZH3oyEbNLjRBHxV3rgotGjhKKq60jfrU9jHbs3uFJs/s1600/DSCN2543.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_ErHwF8Kmn0bsmCK8Px9d6FOzTYhjLfDsLy-bGEz4vjgLWkjI6vlB_GLDQT5cLHaga_BqxogcLm6K3L4jImUfQV4tnhpY0X7WZH3oyEbNLjRBHxV3rgotGjhKKq60jfrU9jHbs3uFJs/s400/DSCN2543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113742758810482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once the chicken was done cooking, we covered (smothered?) the pizza. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UEG2MeSr2HMY3w90lOjpSwBmojA7Kf6838knsmr6z8vkfZLaWWeQlkrZ6ZxeQdB4w3MnSC20L2zUVicVctxE4gwVd8Kf1XNOpFo9RriPhdH7K_xKxLu-DXIKofpbPxVI-ekScrHyu2M/s1600/DSCN2542.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UEG2MeSr2HMY3w90lOjpSwBmojA7Kf6838knsmr6z8vkfZLaWWeQlkrZ6ZxeQdB4w3MnSC20L2zUVicVctxE4gwVd8Kf1XNOpFo9RriPhdH7K_xKxLu-DXIKofpbPxVI-ekScrHyu2M/s400/DSCN2542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113739790697570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">I added the cheeses</span>,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf73Zn_JXMvBkNtRGakbb6_fxFJEvwr9iAo_hthxW_-Oh4PwN_5j-P3diK9lN7aRoJRys9iswS6NiFY-utNWpkHfujXYr75VCAxwg8-EMFGSrqcIdk5S2jWXbGaTXrIxe0zQb6ggdwoQY/s1600/DSCN2544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf73Zn_JXMvBkNtRGakbb6_fxFJEvwr9iAo_hthxW_-Oh4PwN_5j-P3diK9lN7aRoJRys9iswS6NiFY-utNWpkHfujXYr75VCAxwg8-EMFGSrqcIdk5S2jWXbGaTXrIxe0zQb6ggdwoQY/s400/DSCN2544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507114156605700754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">and she was ready to go in the oven. We baked the pizza for about 15 minutes: until the cheese had started to brown. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjjalCaVI-613KjWMJJQ9DAoMaYiR2YFVoTsAgKAoCWRamKkxv9FADeEE3jKmuw2UmmT2VeF6CeQoXgzAty9Ao4xNEXAqFGRESGr9ekZXTcd9l7tE-DbgXFYHqyEysWSJsMiDviba8OU/s1600/DSCN2538.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjjalCaVI-613KjWMJJQ9DAoMaYiR2YFVoTsAgKAoCWRamKkxv9FADeEE3jKmuw2UmmT2VeF6CeQoXgzAty9Ao4xNEXAqFGRESGr9ekZXTcd9l7tE-DbgXFYHqyEysWSJsMiDviba8OU/s400/DSCN2538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113443321911778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">While the pizza was baking, I whipped up a salad using cucumber and cherry tomatoes from my Mama's garden. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavNcbVd7QkP36Kovxj-Tf-5gPGsKlxN1pUtCpg5rn5NkM-VwH-_6_ol1Ao8YivW-5A-jLg2pjxdsA-2xh26BdvT5OmPOIsKze121J8e4rgPPB3kVMpqZgOCIr1-BLE3akr1WB7hq_biA/s1600/DSCN2539.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavNcbVd7QkP36Kovxj-Tf-5gPGsKlxN1pUtCpg5rn5NkM-VwH-_6_ol1Ao8YivW-5A-jLg2pjxdsA-2xh26BdvT5OmPOIsKze121J8e4rgPPB3kVMpqZgOCIr1-BLE3akr1WB7hq_biA/s400/DSCN2539.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507113722234857314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">We snacked on homemade guacamole that M's mother had brought over!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda5ZF93bHq-4paZNbJonJGVCTdkHr8l57F6nxr9vXRQtlXahOGaGTzDXuY-MUlkGaY0Zpbdc1TJyxtl38Vok6VgOXrKJAo9KPZnNY0RL8YcR2V68wH32qtUYIVKoUy_9iRRspW8xQlnY/s1600/DSCN2548.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda5ZF93bHq-4paZNbJonJGVCTdkHr8l57F6nxr9vXRQtlXahOGaGTzDXuY-MUlkGaY0Zpbdc1TJyxtl38Vok6VgOXrKJAo9KPZnNY0RL8YcR2V68wH32qtUYIVKoUy_9iRRspW8xQlnY/s400/DSCN2548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507114173335540002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">After about 15 minutes, the pizza was finished.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQE7dWOWpWnTc8tAMPwYmbJryz_dPmwSd20Nac63eWKkvOJH9cAjQNOesBjgswXWo1kYf4Sx0lASuzbUO1tr4ujrykQS2IX05iGoRN8X_8CP-OC6hs5BbxbH8JRYjjzY3yT4Hrquflbw/s1600/DSCN2545.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQE7dWOWpWnTc8tAMPwYmbJryz_dPmwSd20Nac63eWKkvOJH9cAjQNOesBjgswXWo1kYf4Sx0lASuzbUO1tr4ujrykQS2IX05iGoRN8X_8CP-OC6hs5BbxbH8JRYjjzY3yT4Hrquflbw/s400/DSCN2545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507114161067037714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">The olive oil from the pesto ended up exploding over the sides of the crust. I'd never made pesto pizza with an almond meal crust, so I didn't account for the oil that would seep through--usually a wheat pizza crust will catch and hold the oil. All of the extra oil caused the almond meal crust to be a total fail-- it stuck to the bottom of the pan. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8JudAGJMcHlla6kaKCbEZ0LtWNLNEFvaRcSoFny-3NqHRsi29glAl79I5QM65_Z9ShAFbUimGANntugyysWGMqIhyphenhyphenREUtvjbXmDdwTxw97vIJHkLhkfz3aDsa5O1BwoJ-RV3z5upI-g/s1600/DSCN2547.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8JudAGJMcHlla6kaKCbEZ0LtWNLNEFvaRcSoFny-3NqHRsi29glAl79I5QM65_Z9ShAFbUimGANntugyysWGMqIhyphenhyphenREUtvjbXmDdwTxw97vIJHkLhkfz3aDsa5O1BwoJ-RV3z5upI-g/s400/DSCN2547.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507114166265689682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">Even though it wasn't technically a pizza, it was still delicious! The pesto was so garlicky! Just the way I like it! The chicken was tender and the tomatoes were sweet. I'm sure that Mama T would be impressed...</span><br /></div></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-81439423898752613632010-08-17T10:35:00.003-04:002010-08-17T11:55:08.120-04:00Integrative EpiphanyI had a realization yesterday while listening to my <a href="http://integrativenutrition.com/">Integrative Nutrition</a> lecture. I had a completely blond moment (no, I'm not actually blond...at all), in which I realized how the word "integrative" applies to this program and to a healthy lifestyle in general.<br /><br /><span class="hw">in·te·gra·tive</span> <script>play_w2("I0176900")</script> <span class="pron" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation key')" onmouseout="m_out()" onclick="pron_key()">(<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif" align="absbottom" />n<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/prime.gif" align="absbottom" />t<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif" align="absbottom" />-gr<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/amacr.gif" align="absbottom" /><img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/lprime.gif" align="absbottom" />t<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif" align="absbottom" />v) <span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/integrative">(source)</a></span><br /></span><div class="pseg"><i>adj.</i><div class="ds-list"><b>1. </b> Of or relating to integration.</div><div class="ds-list"><b>2. </b> Tending or serving to integrate.</div><div class="ds-list"><b>3. </b> Relating to a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to medicine that combines conventional treatments with alternative therapies such as homeopathy or naturopathy.<br /><br />My epiphany: integrative nutrition means that one has the freedom to choose whatever dietary theory they want, whenever they want. If I want to follow the daily cycles of Ayurveda, while eating a paleo breakfast, a vegan lunch and fasting through dinner, I can do it! It's the integration that keeps our bodies guessing and the variety of foods that we choose that keep our bodies nourished and satisfied.<br /><br />The Integrative Nutrition program encourages its students to experiment with different dietary theories and ways of eating. I have just now gotten used to trying new diet things. In the past, experimenting with my diet has been a major source of stress. I felt like, in this crazy world, my diet was all that I had control over and experimenting, which I equated to relinquishing control, was not my style. I wasn't comfortable eating new, different foods: what if they didn't work for me?<br /><br />In my learning, there have been a few diets/lifestyles that have stuck with me. I wanted to share what aspects of each that I've incorporated into my own diet.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Primal Blueprint </span></a><br />The Primal diet promotes eating foods our paleolithic ancestors in the manner in which they might have eaten them (large meals followed by periods of fasting).<br /><br />All of the foods that I eat fall under this lifestyle: vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, fish, nuts and eggs. I don't necessarily eat in the same manner as a caveman, but I do try to eat the same food as he might have eaten.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrobiotic_diet"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Macrobiotics</span></a><br />The macrobiotic diet is pretty intense, so I'll let you read Wikipedia's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrobiotic_diet">detailed description</a>...<br /><br />One thing that Macrobiotics promotes is eating seasonal, local foods-- or at least eating food that can be found in the climate where you live. <a href="http://www.andreabeaman.com/health/">Andrea Beaman</a>, author, health counselor and chef, gave a great example of this in one of her IIN talks. If I'm not mistake, she explained how an Inuit living in Alaska would benefit much more from eating a diet high in protein and fat, than a diet of mangos and coconut. His body would thrive on the food available to him in Alaska. If, however, he moved to Jamaica, he would need to change his eating behavior: he would be less healthy (according to macrobiotics) eating a ton of heavy protein and fat, without taking advantage of the tropical fruits available in that climate.<br /><br />I still eat coconut and fruits that are not found in Massachusetts, because they are delicious and nutritious. However, I eat tend to eat less mangoes and papayas and more apples and blueberries, which are found in abundance in the northeast.<br /><br /><a href="http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/Raw_Food.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Raw Diet</span></a><br />The raw, or living food diet, is exactly what it sounds like: one eats only raw foods that have been prepared under 118 degrees F. Raw foodists believe that cooking vegetables depletes them of valuable enzymes that aid our digestion and promote longevity.<br /><br />I don't really like cooked vegetables, so many of the raw food recipes appeal to me. Another aspect of this diet that I've tried to adopt is supplementing my diet with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfood">Superfoods</a>, such as cacao, goji berries and spirulina.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ayurveda </span></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Ayurveda is another one of those ancient ways of living that focuses on finding balance. Ayurveda is very much based on cycles found in nature, including a daily cycle, called </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://ayurveda.iloveindia.com/dincharya/modern-daily-routine.html">Dincharya</a>, and the cycle of the seasons.<br /><br />In the past few weeks, I've been keeping the daily routine of Ayurveda in mind. Those who practice Ayurveda eat three meals a day with no snacks. According to the daily cycles, the best time to eat is between 10am and 2pm: this is when the digestion is the best. Thus, lunch is the largest meal of the day. Breakfast is meant to hold you over until lunch, and dinner is a small supplemental meal that is meant to hold you over until bed.<br /><br />In summary, it's taken me a lot of experimenting and playing around with different ways of eating to find something that I'm completely comfortable with and that works for me. Plus, it's much more fun to have the freedom to eat however you want whenever you want than to follow a strict diet. I've found that the more freedom I give myself, the more likely I am to stick with something for the long haul.<br /><br />With what different dietary theories do you identify? Are you the type who experiments with their diet often?<br /></span></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-21077194671873209502010-08-13T10:47:00.005-04:002010-08-13T11:15:16.235-04:00Looky What I Got!We eat a lot of beef jerky at my house. It's hard to find good beef jerky: most varieties are super expensive and/or contain MSG. Recently, we've been chowing on Trader Joe's Organic Beef Jerky, but even that has added sugar (evaporated cane juice) and other stuff.<br /><br />Mostly because we wanted to be in control of what was in our jerky, but also because our jerky habit was getting expensive, we purchased a relatively inexpensive food dehydrator.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zpRothIe7LvaZQbYTy_tEWVhsCvldjM8PCcJ-jomsqDaZqrbcUSA7RaEHzFcMiRNRqpypqYByY16bIW3QQ-L9QhqXkvP58Ey_tg3XKwCxsMyIs1OSg-FiVrtnS8F5bZO8szFxPEYCYg/s1600/NNesco_Dehydrator.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zpRothIe7LvaZQbYTy_tEWVhsCvldjM8PCcJ-jomsqDaZqrbcUSA7RaEHzFcMiRNRqpypqYByY16bIW3QQ-L9QhqXkvP58Ey_tg3XKwCxsMyIs1OSg-FiVrtnS8F5bZO8szFxPEYCYg/s400/NNesco_Dehydrator.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504907942952734962" border="0" /></a>There will now be unlimited jerky in my future. Well, maybe not unlimited...My consumption of jerky will be directly related to my motivation to marinate flank steak.<br /><br />I'm pretty excited about making my own dehydrated foods. Oh yes, I will be using this new toy for more than just jerky. I will be making tons of raw granola, macaroons, and nut crackers. I even bought a raw cook book (recommended by <a href="http://fitnessista.com/">The Fitnessista's</a> Amazon store), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Raw-Matthew-Kenney/dp/1423602072">Everyday Raw</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZHdW6pYn7vXAEyb8duq65gpkreVHxJ_8omIUqYnxM_AzKGqTsR_VkxXTHB5AitHa2b3OaLzY4wTUJMbT4tKBD693dUbdPYnpZQXgv1QLo7JIR5sSEbKM0OWpF6J1Wa7NvBgNR1k0eDU/s1600/every-day-raw-big.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZHdW6pYn7vXAEyb8duq65gpkreVHxJ_8omIUqYnxM_AzKGqTsR_VkxXTHB5AitHa2b3OaLzY4wTUJMbT4tKBD693dUbdPYnpZQXgv1QLo7JIR5sSEbKM0OWpF6J1Wa7NvBgNR1k0eDU/s400/every-day-raw-big.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504909816886363170" border="0" /></a>Everday Raw, by Matthew Kenney, has a ton of simple (ish), tasty-looking raw food recipes for the dehydrator including raw (also grain-free, and white sugar free) blueberry granola, chocolate ginger macaroons and raw chocolate chip cookies. There's even a recipe for almond milk that I plan on attempting.<br /><br />This dehydrator might be just the thing to get me back in the swing!<br /><br />Does anyone else have one? If so, what do you use it for primarily?AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-32394589158860480112010-08-12T10:04:00.007-04:002010-08-12T10:53:43.972-04:00The Mid-August Slump<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHRJOSLPq2dvhizMUCHx3BaNwb7cB1-vBZ_M_0Is8iceWg8HwQmJKS_P0LloOz5XeFv6BPayXh6woczFnSt5htUYJteX_qU_FrLhyphenhyphen0G2b-GnryyeKa09O_5E6Nb9DS36ioPFXJ-JvuDI/s1600/HPIM1271.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHRJOSLPq2dvhizMUCHx3BaNwb7cB1-vBZ_M_0Is8iceWg8HwQmJKS_P0LloOz5XeFv6BPayXh6woczFnSt5htUYJteX_qU_FrLhyphenhyphen0G2b-GnryyeKa09O_5E6Nb9DS36ioPFXJ-JvuDI/s400/HPIM1271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504532665708754018" border="0" /></a>Remember that time I didn't write for a while because I was on vacation? Well, this is different. I'm in a slump. I haven't felt like cooking anything more complicated than a turkey burger or scrambled egg in about a week. Don't get me wrong, I'm still eating stuff...just not being creative and not sharing things because I don't want you to see how lame I am right now in terms of food.<br /><br />Yes, people: it's almost September. For me, this means that school will be starting soon and my job will be picking up as faculty and students come back to Beantown. I see this as a good and bad thing. Good because I'll have more stuff to do so the days will go quicker, bad because I'll have more stuff to do aka actually have to do my job, which I'm not liking so much at the moment. <a href="http://www.radicalhateloss.com/"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Source)</span></a><br /><br />Anyway. To beat my Mid-August Slump into submission, I've been focusing extra hard on my workouts these days. I've been using heavier weights than I would usually and working more on skills that I usually do (I concurred the<a href="http://www.beastskills.com/pistol.htm"> pistol</a> for reals, yo). When I'm in the adrenaline-ized workout zone, I can pretend that I don't have a job and that all I do all day long is read, eat cookies and hang out with my awesome bf and the coolest puppy around. Working out is a mental escape.<br /><br />I'm especially proud of the workout we did yesterday:<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Workout We Did Yesterday</span></span> <span style="font-size:78%;">(Modified from <a href="http://www.crossfitfootball.com/page/index.php?menu=blog&page=blog&hide&id=14918">Crossfit Football</a>) </span><br /><br />The Warm-up:<br /><br />Trunk twists<br />Arm Swings<br />Leg Swings<br />Other stuff<br />3 minutes jump rope (including 1 min double unders)<br /><br />The Workout: AMRAP in 12 minutes<br /><br />10 Thrusters @ 65lbs<br />200m run<br /><br />The Results:<br />5 rounds, + 2 thrusters<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I've never attempted to do 65lb thrusters in a workout before, let alone 52 of them. I was SO spent when those 12 minutes were up, but it was the best kind of spent there is: the smiley, sweaty kind. I wish the 200m runs had been faster. I have a complex about running since Lil'Nic, worked out with us*, but I'm working on it.<br /><br />I'm making a promise to myself that I'll get back in the blogging groove next week. Don't get me wrong: I'm still eating in my usual way, I've just been way less creative this week...but Monday is a new day.<br /><br />How have your workouts been lately? Any awesome accomplishments to share?<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />* Lil'Nic, aka my sister, joined us for her first Crossfit workout a few weeks ago. Let me first say that she was an NCAA Division I middle distance runner. Our workout was sandwiched between two 200m runs. I went first, being the cool, big sister that I am. Apparently, while I was out on my first 200m, Lil'Nic asked "where is she? Is she okay?" Meanwhile, I was running...as fast as I thought was appropriate...which, for me, was fast. Needless to say, I now have a complex about my running (even though I too used to be a college XC and track athlete). I'm working on it. </span><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-22042503164975350112010-08-04T15:55:00.004-04:002010-08-04T16:07:49.718-04:00More From the Cabbage PatchEver since I made that <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/07/degrassi-coleslaw.html">coleslaw</a> last week, I've been craving cabbage. I've always liked cabbage...I think. I guess I only really ate it on top of salads and in coleslaw...Anyway. A while ago I read Melicious' recipe for <a href="http://theclothesmakethegirl.blogspot.com/2010/06/pa-eating-all-american-grill-out.html">Smokey Cabbage Saute</a> and, after eating cabbage last week, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. So I made it.<br /><br />I fried the bacons, and poured some of the grease into the saute pan along with a little bit of coconut oil.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYK08NnpIUwIcawPHbDisbiK2kNLXNlP3VfRivSOL85Kr4-bQOjUhXHVhdKBumt03CTdMT8mnBnaeIWx2Lq4f6iU6VZvCQ5r2AeJeAaOHwY8-Ayxmt6iV-fi-bOJzjMdl5vyciu8mTHWk/s1600/IMG_8726.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYK08NnpIUwIcawPHbDisbiK2kNLXNlP3VfRivSOL85Kr4-bQOjUhXHVhdKBumt03CTdMT8mnBnaeIWx2Lq4f6iU6VZvCQ5r2AeJeAaOHwY8-Ayxmt6iV-fi-bOJzjMdl5vyciu8mTHWk/s400/IMG_8726.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501647262696370642" border="0" /></a>Sauteing the onion <span style="font-size:78%;">(please excuse the Iphone pictures...)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rWW-TAbbWeyUOMAX2DpfuQiWYfkos1GTvEaVpNvnryEKvEsp6IMfZyPS9UoO3IrTj70l7Z8qgJGvBUjWPExXNp5dBrJElapaxLpVz2YB4EZRa1PxgIASDh_Wwn0hNcTmWo_ToGlRIvM/s1600/IMG_2552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rWW-TAbbWeyUOMAX2DpfuQiWYfkos1GTvEaVpNvnryEKvEsp6IMfZyPS9UoO3IrTj70l7Z8qgJGvBUjWPExXNp5dBrJElapaxLpVz2YB4EZRa1PxgIASDh_Wwn0hNcTmWo_ToGlRIvM/s400/IMG_2552.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501647257598472210" border="0" /></a>Added the cabbage<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3xL-2NZyl7kI6d4ShGT1TOz9y4BaCM5bqmui3_NsRiXZb0bng0tjydhmDHxn0lChVENL_CjoGVGh_D5W65WfQ29lZyTO0YjSD4_GpaBP37btAwj7wntM5XJ-9mkye4hVD8PAxdNlmlo/s1600/IMG_5402.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3xL-2NZyl7kI6d4ShGT1TOz9y4BaCM5bqmui3_NsRiXZb0bng0tjydhmDHxn0lChVENL_CjoGVGh_D5W65WfQ29lZyTO0YjSD4_GpaBP37btAwj7wntM5XJ-9mkye4hVD8PAxdNlmlo/s400/IMG_5402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501647270672691106" border="0" /></a>After sauteing the cabbage a bit, I put the lid on and allowed the mixture to steam.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVzL9WjZG11Yn8a1UZG6DlXa7lWU9_K2QT8m6IEuqAd2coclb9UUmWZQaTrjNBZ1X2gtHPlmmUd2GZlFWawUXlQ1S9xMN-P_GUuwBoIlhBZcAOyhetdDM9aU9EAIGkm9hpG8V6Tj9cxQ/s1600/IMG_9094.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVzL9WjZG11Yn8a1UZG6DlXa7lWU9_K2QT8m6IEuqAd2coclb9UUmWZQaTrjNBZ1X2gtHPlmmUd2GZlFWawUXlQ1S9xMN-P_GUuwBoIlhBZcAOyhetdDM9aU9EAIGkm9hpG8V6Tj9cxQ/s400/IMG_9094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501647276876515970" border="0" /></a>Then I added the bacon!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-n5OmJZct6MaCuD_D7WnYRcviYNVkCVRvByCRpDWISTL8p4UHB8CYHn7cXEMb1devOk4Z_E3xSFZDC6yWp0J1b17mH9V7NuZeGM5yHdmEYsig51hVA4mJZDw3O_jQBx05iRkR1CQlxM/s1600/IMG_1560.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-n5OmJZct6MaCuD_D7WnYRcviYNVkCVRvByCRpDWISTL8p4UHB8CYHn7cXEMb1devOk4Z_E3xSFZDC6yWp0J1b17mH9V7NuZeGM5yHdmEYsig51hVA4mJZDw3O_jQBx05iRkR1CQlxM/s400/IMG_1560.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501647268295963746" border="0" /></a>I also added a little bit of sea salt and garlic powder. I would have used fresh garlic, but I forgot to add it at the onion stage, which would have made sense.<br /><br />Let me just say: I am loving the cabbage these days! We devoured almost the entire pan of this last night for dinner. I even added this to my scrambled eggs this morning...awesome!<br /></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-64150062106696681882010-08-04T09:27:00.008-04:002010-08-04T10:10:54.296-04:00Sea Foraging in GloucesterLast weekend, M and I had the pleasure of joining my mother and her boyfriend (also an M...so let's call him M2) for dinner in Gloucester, MA. M2 spent his boyhood summers there as a wee lobsterman selling lobsters for something like 25 cents per pound. Lucky for us, he still has lobster traps and an amazing fishing boat: our trips to Gloucester are, naturally, filled with lobsters and boat rides. Mama and M2 whipped up an amazing meal for us in one of the most beautiful and relaxing places on Earth.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPVG12SaWaifUoNiMqfSptvrEem5K3LASZ3cKtVyHWuEeGI7GwKx2eaEOEAcKfDradXmXUoHFV25xCh534tdbDcLUPhyphenhyphenrZj9QnU60oN4_UAEwayqOBKtwx-yYdAQjgdmjeKlwiDXqqyU/s1600/DSCN1707.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPVG12SaWaifUoNiMqfSptvrEem5K3LASZ3cKtVyHWuEeGI7GwKx2eaEOEAcKfDradXmXUoHFV25xCh534tdbDcLUPhyphenhyphenrZj9QnU60oN4_UAEwayqOBKtwx-yYdAQjgdmjeKlwiDXqqyU/s400/DSCN1707.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501547958736814418" border="0" /></a>The Aerie (Eagle's Nest)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQD_FbakFNp8fOLKtIJQHPxP5zfpyn1LqY5EGE-wB5rmzY7SqoeMtrvVcXU9-cM3DRSW3SreeQEkM2lGs_L-LTuJkdaRzdEwowdM4150nB3e5W8iWV2FmRkBWn0Y8U7-AnEWn4cxmqcE/s1600/DSCN1708.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQD_FbakFNp8fOLKtIJQHPxP5zfpyn1LqY5EGE-wB5rmzY7SqoeMtrvVcXU9-cM3DRSW3SreeQEkM2lGs_L-LTuJkdaRzdEwowdM4150nB3e5W8iWV2FmRkBWn0Y8U7-AnEWn4cxmqcE/s400/DSCN1708.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501547969740180850" border="0" /></a>M2 built these stairs leading up to the house. One of his many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus">Sisyphus</a> Projects.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSShv7JE1iKJL5V1BaEzniX_T74puralQFBaMOOeEcOkLIZ3jxePVob2q4LeJwimJUVkxAKaNo40XtsOUfvq-PXCsM0IQUqpDJ4QwT6gF7YVtVx5Bz2pANP8KXShM54Z8d7yesnNxhu48/s1600/DSCN1701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSShv7JE1iKJL5V1BaEzniX_T74puralQFBaMOOeEcOkLIZ3jxePVob2q4LeJwimJUVkxAKaNo40XtsOUfvq-PXCsM0IQUqpDJ4QwT6gF7YVtVx5Bz2pANP8KXShM54Z8d7yesnNxhu48/s400/DSCN1701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501547977275961426" border="0" /></a>I've spent many hours scaling these rocks. Back in my college marine bio days, I could always be found searching for crabs in the seaweed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKKc5ds4hB9hdG6OkVbbSgNMtduc23bFlcROLhUJanszn1eCfzpm9JIKOJkId3T5DbyObvv1-90nB0j_bQ7Xl_rVBamAdwC640LFj033VC1twt9sr3-elQ13dprIPaaq79aQHd4ZEElc/s1600/DSCN2512.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKKc5ds4hB9hdG6OkVbbSgNMtduc23bFlcROLhUJanszn1eCfzpm9JIKOJkId3T5DbyObvv1-90nB0j_bQ7Xl_rVBamAdwC640LFj033VC1twt9sr3-elQ13dprIPaaq79aQHd4ZEElc/s400/DSCN2512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546182047427458" border="0" /></a>The view.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQf36w4D7EzRNC9wZkd4p2dMoZ6oGP18tz1r0AT4rn8GrVosBQI0h3J0WRpONK7vdreMImILlRd3aB31lF8D8110-66X8mpJJnF5Uv1sQkwzmcNGfhLU2Sdus5xskrl4UNZ7fRYuZUy4/s1600/DSCN2511.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQf36w4D7EzRNC9wZkd4p2dMoZ6oGP18tz1r0AT4rn8GrVosBQI0h3J0WRpONK7vdreMImILlRd3aB31lF8D8110-66X8mpJJnF5Uv1sQkwzmcNGfhLU2Sdus5xskrl4UNZ7fRYuZUy4/s400/DSCN2511.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546170337179922" border="0" /></a>The dinner table.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYKwoJ-nBTqER0b8KUyxaE9VCLCrcbza-HopDEa-iLCTaFLLNo2ptALxvjt4z8qwPCKTwomrJeDV7fByvjqMSonpdvtE0s26F-WjKYQXwatS32G_p-h4HkoZ-O-LO8aS8uQ-kFJfAyhw/s1600/DSCN2514.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYKwoJ-nBTqER0b8KUyxaE9VCLCrcbza-HopDEa-iLCTaFLLNo2ptALxvjt4z8qwPCKTwomrJeDV7fByvjqMSonpdvtE0s26F-WjKYQXwatS32G_p-h4HkoZ-O-LO8aS8uQ-kFJfAyhw/s400/DSCN2514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546210449335250" border="0" /></a>We started off the night with a boat ride to Crane's Beach and a tour of the harbor. The sun was setting when we got back and started working on dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmALCdEYOpZvQj4bgsW8dFS_0M8BTpCcsosPX4HqPQtcwNl9YTvB6vT7NI9-4P2qSQ2_AYGjwgXaCVFdlNR01PSBb8Q-gQXxQJtblnaBB32VFU9CEMBIou2j3se_0nvh4GFDhVNDwRcd4/s1600/DSCN2513.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmALCdEYOpZvQj4bgsW8dFS_0M8BTpCcsosPX4HqPQtcwNl9YTvB6vT7NI9-4P2qSQ2_AYGjwgXaCVFdlNR01PSBb8Q-gQXxQJtblnaBB32VFU9CEMBIou2j3se_0nvh4GFDhVNDwRcd4/s400/DSCN2513.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546194209693442" border="0" /></a>We nibbled on cheese and summer sausage. Okay, everyone else "nibbled", I feasted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QYAIdwkT4lZxEAPbKstv_nTAJYYLnGDrlPTBXQ3g8Qj9b_JH4EzgrTR88dSHIDMk7B5-1qcA6uTROZUlbhjJprUSLo-Ohlqe_NRHhr5O0HxwGcXxrNi6LNVSo3bJndVSCuGTvXIjdrY/s1600/DSCN2516.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QYAIdwkT4lZxEAPbKstv_nTAJYYLnGDrlPTBXQ3g8Qj9b_JH4EzgrTR88dSHIDMk7B5-1qcA6uTROZUlbhjJprUSLo-Ohlqe_NRHhr5O0HxwGcXxrNi6LNVSo3bJndVSCuGTvXIjdrY/s400/DSCN2516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546648612117394" border="0" /></a>The vegetables.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiFp-r_UV-VLD1N8rKOQTjD5ax2wgbI_iJT61sb5d8vj-2MafXU-VLhdfqn4hEe5mAQypv4yL8ddaydrWqmMIj-AQmF9mQkosJ_seVJfnwllt5V9uIQOlbpAln_AL69uIo8jbkIrXe08/s1600/DSCN2517.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiFp-r_UV-VLD1N8rKOQTjD5ax2wgbI_iJT61sb5d8vj-2MafXU-VLhdfqn4hEe5mAQypv4yL8ddaydrWqmMIj-AQmF9mQkosJ_seVJfnwllt5V9uIQOlbpAln_AL69uIo8jbkIrXe08/s400/DSCN2517.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546656003244770" border="0" /></a>Yellow tomato, regular tomato and avocado.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_whg7QlPZ5Za5eF4F7RrF1SzRMKUWzy2Gzzkvmz56_uyudoTpe7GgrIvkV3m2bHkI2-XVHX74wZzuaPRj3splFtpBbOObWQjVBc5irnbblGLnDqw5chQ_krI3WVY3v-qyEhyphenhyphenGAYsWeg/s1600/DSCN2518.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_whg7QlPZ5Za5eF4F7RrF1SzRMKUWzy2Gzzkvmz56_uyudoTpe7GgrIvkV3m2bHkI2-XVHX74wZzuaPRj3splFtpBbOObWQjVBc5irnbblGLnDqw5chQ_krI3WVY3v-qyEhyphenhyphenGAYsWeg/s400/DSCN2518.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546673037693474" border="0" /></a>Cucumber salad made with cucumbers and fennel from my mother's garden in VT.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKK314TYuEbpABr5pe3XR5RFGZtlkcYfquOWwExOHen-JVV9nMVoQaFXLy25qoNYRMD5H_v8nGFXG4naWRpBX3cbN0GicgQRNq2FZQKJiw_ONpZIRz-TGG7a4iD_L2OqoAVl8UbdaAIc/s1600/DSCN2519.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKK314TYuEbpABr5pe3XR5RFGZtlkcYfquOWwExOHen-JVV9nMVoQaFXLy25qoNYRMD5H_v8nGFXG4naWRpBX3cbN0GicgQRNq2FZQKJiw_ONpZIRz-TGG7a4iD_L2OqoAVl8UbdaAIc/s400/DSCN2519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546674929611346" border="0" /></a>Cucumbers, fennel, and red onion mixed with some <a href="http://www.bragg.com/products/vinaigrette.html">Bragg Healthy Vinaigrette</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s6wzreZDj38-8inbY4Ezcu1b6DmQ0jJHZkSTRsyTfyYFbaeFfdxw6DuCanBvtxdtQkl290xsQwhsbn1b-NYAWZBbhGL6QtnjlXzAMIPvaQjz0N8R0ghFyMp0ZeXXIlZeVZD0vak52pc/s1600/DSCN2520.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s6wzreZDj38-8inbY4Ezcu1b6DmQ0jJHZkSTRsyTfyYFbaeFfdxw6DuCanBvtxdtQkl290xsQwhsbn1b-NYAWZBbhGL6QtnjlXzAMIPvaQjz0N8R0ghFyMp0ZeXXIlZeVZD0vak52pc/s400/DSCN2520.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546684551727762" border="0" /></a>M2 caught two lobsters that we boiled up and ate with melted butter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr3UdiFnBXHlyd0Pr-huOkZhe-gzpUisG9kI4fXMhsdNOXB7di3Sfp1drjMEmppP36EYUX03d3eXVR48_h_stS5VypA9-lXMnKJYk2vQERQuxEbJ8piNJfmjzrlt0AYfDCAxf1H7RBZk/s1600/DSCN2523.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr3UdiFnBXHlyd0Pr-huOkZhe-gzpUisG9kI4fXMhsdNOXB7di3Sfp1drjMEmppP36EYUX03d3eXVR48_h_stS5VypA9-lXMnKJYk2vQERQuxEbJ8piNJfmjzrlt0AYfDCAxf1H7RBZk/s400/DSCN2523.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546906098086530" border="0" /></a>Surf and Turf. To go along with the two lobsters, we grilled us some steak. There was also corn on the cobb, but I don't do "the cobb" part. I hate corn stuck in my teeth. Plus, there's a surprising amount of corn on one cobb. I shaved it all off, and ate a little less than half of what was on my plate.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOd29poncvO4ObENqC-4hJNo-B4q4POJ8GP75KtegGxf0qLCfjyCvpPc7BHPJIT_MJu9zxI-AfGh3u5fHqFtmS_RWRoCfXYTGtzSGRq4k_C_UPUJSG9ncWuSFdpoDKQPXKJdvrrSpCeTM/s1600/DSCN2510.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 368px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOd29poncvO4ObENqC-4hJNo-B4q4POJ8GP75KtegGxf0qLCfjyCvpPc7BHPJIT_MJu9zxI-AfGh3u5fHqFtmS_RWRoCfXYTGtzSGRq4k_C_UPUJSG9ncWuSFdpoDKQPXKJdvrrSpCeTM/s400/DSCN2510.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546155815647522" border="0" /></a>For dessert, I had made a traditional carrot cake in honor of my mother's 32nd birthday (*wink wink*). I followed a recipe from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439175640/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0684859106&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1M1PJJAF5ZMF2YT0553Z">Magnolia Bakery Cookbook</a>. I substituted coconut oil for the vegetable oil that the recipe called for, but that was the only change that I made. Well, the cream cheese frosting recipe called for <span style="font-style: italic;">5 cups </span>of confectioners sugar, which I decided would give me instant metabolic syndrome. So I only used one cup of sugar, and that was definitely sweet enough for me.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I0pnBLezDp8czRHBecFH46162bnjRX1loTo-1DnlXFNnc1zlpus8gu1UasaYEY6DCR1lhoqf2lPm66yJOLF0s5UklShqjh45zjYqBbn5u4CFvpdMP3UKN02xNqLQLLUcV4LmMyRv58s/s1600/DSCN2526.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I0pnBLezDp8czRHBecFH46162bnjRX1loTo-1DnlXFNnc1zlpus8gu1UasaYEY6DCR1lhoqf2lPm66yJOLF0s5UklShqjh45zjYqBbn5u4CFvpdMP3UKN02xNqLQLLUcV4LmMyRv58s/s400/DSCN2526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546919587621650" border="0" /></a>The cake was perfect, if I do say so myself. Not too sweet, and wonderfully coconutty.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oFbnq5xqS4ocyPB0Z9aCMdq0ImSCkE1c06J0UhBRyT4h58cwVXq5B8Vm8mD8_VCbEDowWFi_EkJd2hN8PAjPbAM6JojB40Wodk1g-AinqlXi6iS5o4jUyvCd74jwdxmIewit1ogA-bc/s1600/DSCN2527.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oFbnq5xqS4ocyPB0Z9aCMdq0ImSCkE1c06J0UhBRyT4h58cwVXq5B8Vm8mD8_VCbEDowWFi_EkJd2hN8PAjPbAM6JojB40Wodk1g-AinqlXi6iS5o4jUyvCd74jwdxmIewit1ogA-bc/s400/DSCN2527.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501546922691604786" border="0" /></a>It was a delectable dinner with wonderful company in a beautiful setting. Sharing quality time with my family is very important to me, especially because my two sets of parents live in a different state than my sister and I. It's always a treat when they come to visit: we get spoiled with homemade mama food and people telling us we look pretty and stuff. Sometimes one needs a good dose of parental doting-- even when they're in their late 20's....<br /></div><br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-24357754569543411412010-08-03T10:13:00.006-04:002010-08-03T16:50:58.910-04:00A Letter to KaleDear Massaged Kale Salad,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDhZWq01oVf6djU47MIt8lQm-vlleL69tGeNe0XH6AquaaeKU_ZDZhkX_ffFcF11unZaNOCZCRbFxAHDhc5-SRaZA7hMVsMrjCiddO7D7tuqdFlv6wB35IdQ3qQTWIBQp1Cywpz63t_g/s1600/DSCN2508.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDhZWq01oVf6djU47MIt8lQm-vlleL69tGeNe0XH6AquaaeKU_ZDZhkX_ffFcF11unZaNOCZCRbFxAHDhc5-SRaZA7hMVsMrjCiddO7D7tuqdFlv6wB35IdQ3qQTWIBQp1Cywpz63t_g/s400/DSCN2508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501186943649291602" border="0" /></a>Where have you been all my life? In all my years of eating leafy greens, why have I not bumped into you? I'm embarrassed that it's taken me so long to make your acquaintance. How could I not have known about your delicious nutritiousness? More importantly, how could I not know how easy you are (no offense)? I just drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle some sea salt and garlic power and massage your leaves until they are a brilliant green. It takes no more than two minutes, and it's delightful!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZiDevOhbUWPby0Y_Ipj7smO0yPyKYDTZm0_imxTbB-6f6o5ldXaUGDVKRWNRTu3CkFQ187_zDy5ZQ7qtGNs5LOwbrfio7CnpChRk_nNP2ZXFkyOAqXS7VvKe3XjL3T2J8XJgBCNXxbs/s1600/DSCN2509.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZiDevOhbUWPby0Y_Ipj7smO0yPyKYDTZm0_imxTbB-6f6o5ldXaUGDVKRWNRTu3CkFQ187_zDy5ZQ7qtGNs5LOwbrfio7CnpChRk_nNP2ZXFkyOAqXS7VvKe3XjL3T2J8XJgBCNXxbs/s400/DSCN2509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501186952390806626" border="0" /></a>I've paired you with homemade bacon bits, and with avocado-- you taste great with everything! I will be eating much more of you in the future. Not only are you in season right now, but you are full of calcium, vitamins K, C and A and cancer preventing <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38">organosulfur phytonutrients</a>.<br /><br />I promise to keep trying all different kinds of you, Massaged Kale Salad, with the hopes that you fill me with nutrients and keep me smiling with your awesomeness.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />AllieNicAllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-34741541229501444782010-08-02T12:49:00.012-04:002010-08-02T17:59:22.681-04:00Sometimes I Get Jealous...I love eating the way that I eat. I love eating the foods that I eat. Eating this way has helped me gain energy, changed my body composition and allowed me to comfortably stop counting calories and worrying all the time about gaining weight.<br /><br />How do I eat, you ask? Well, I try very hard to follow a <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/">Primal</a> way of eating. I'm not strictly <a href="http://www.thepaleodiet.com/">Paleo</a>, but I do avoid grains, legumes and dairy* whenever possible. I use unsweetened almond milk in my coffee and I enjoy the occasional spoonful of peanut butter. I will eat special goodies made with wheat flour at family get-togethers, but for the most part I bake with almond meal and sweeten said baked goods with honey or maple syrup. No oats, spelt, amaranth, sorghum, barley, buckwheat or kasha for me.<br /><br />That being said, sometimes I get a bit jealous when I go through my daily food blog rounds. <a href="http://carrotsncake.com/">Carrots 'N' Cake</a>, <a href="http://www.katheats.com/">KERF</a>, <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/">Oh She Glows</a> and <a href="http://edibleperspective.com/">The Edible Perspective</a> (to name a few) are always creating amazing looking oatmeal or pancake breakfasts. Oatmeal and pancakes with nut butters, chia seeds and berries and coconut! Drool-worthy overnight oats. When I look that the pictures of these concoctions, I sometimes feel like I'm missing out. I want to put all of those delicious toppings on top of <span style="font-style: italic;">something<span style="font-style: italic;">,</span></span> but I choose not to eat grains. Thus, a grainy base is out.<br /><br />Last weekend, I gave in to my jealousy and created an almond meal pancake monster, which I topped with blueberries, almond butter and maple syrup. Totally hit the spot!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monster Almond Meal Pancake </span></span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1/4 cup almond meal<br />1 egg<br />1 tsp cinnamon<br />1Tbsp chia seeds<br />~2Tbsp shredded coconut<br />blueberries<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I fried this puppy in coconut oil over medium heat until cooked through and browned on each side. Once finished cooking, I topped it with maple syrup, almond butter and additional blueberries.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLgvq-dDPN85qc_BSE3CSyC__iUVOq3YUtcvcvD55IVx8Vua_lxQHdaMVw9127LZQ5H5MdDWXqLOA2l2MR8iR0_y3tTgYMhYorSqSiNzdqpk1ZP86GHtgPJiJwovbQVoPOM-Lxu5BApM/s1600/DSCN2528.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLgvq-dDPN85qc_BSE3CSyC__iUVOq3YUtcvcvD55IVx8Vua_lxQHdaMVw9127LZQ5H5MdDWXqLOA2l2MR8iR0_y3tTgYMhYorSqSiNzdqpk1ZP86GHtgPJiJwovbQVoPOM-Lxu5BApM/s400/DSCN2528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500935238458340434" border="0" /></a>This was going to be a single serving sized pancake, but it turned out to be gloriously dense and pretty gigantic, so M and I split it. It was everything I'd hoped it would be and more.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h4Frvb0qSyYgujlMJss-gC_mdKHtRTFm586zDDFOyAS-p-KWWRVrl56szu0oLcfX-YQvzTdJQPmeTuDHFPc0Gj0-DpwirsqKUIDf6bOFtC6E_QaARA_sQeUlS0CH-RnMo04Pbb6znm0/s1600/DSCN2529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h4Frvb0qSyYgujlMJss-gC_mdKHtRTFm586zDDFOyAS-p-KWWRVrl56szu0oLcfX-YQvzTdJQPmeTuDHFPc0Gj0-DpwirsqKUIDf6bOFtC6E_QaARA_sQeUlS0CH-RnMo04Pbb6znm0/s400/DSCN2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500935247709645074" border="0" /></a>The primal way of eating works incredibly well for me. Not only do I feel and look healthier, I've also made huge gains in my workouts since switching away from the standard American diet. Eating this way, on top of my exercise routine, has given me the fitness results that I've always wanted...and I'm still improving everyday. A lot of that has to do with the way that I work out, but, they say, your body composition is 20% exercise and 80% diet.<br /></div></div><br />I rarely crave grains, legumes or dairy and I don't really miss them either. Peanut butter is an exception: I do <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/07/peanut-butter-bandwagon.html">crave PB</a> every now and then, but because my diet is pretty clean otherwise, I allow myself to give in to this craving (within reason). I eat so many vegetables and such a wide variety of vegetables that I never really want breads or baked goods.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />* Okay, so lately I've been less than stellar with the avoiding of cheese. I really don't drink cow's milk, eat yogurt or consume any non-cheese dairy products. I try really hard to avoid cheese...but sometimes it sneaks into whatever I'm eating...mostly because other people put it there to sabotage me. Cheese is delicious, and I'm pretty sure it has addictive properties. I <span style="font-style: italic;">try</span> to avoid it...really, I do. </span>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-27443774933337871752010-07-30T17:17:00.006-04:002010-07-30T17:33:29.759-04:00A Moment of Wisdom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3sEz1X0EY2uvUte7ob0V0gh6Ur948eM3nIO-NzzNAPZLbpUoaey07aGbkQQH1DERpx_x-AlqqxvlWj81Lhc4MhgO2MQSziOqFLwHv4m1fcTvfK8RWqSuzSMESUlZQV0xpmkCLkN5FhE/s1600/fr-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3sEz1X0EY2uvUte7ob0V0gh6Ur948eM3nIO-NzzNAPZLbpUoaey07aGbkQQH1DERpx_x-AlqqxvlWj81Lhc4MhgO2MQSziOqFLwHv4m1fcTvfK8RWqSuzSMESUlZQV0xpmkCLkN5FhE/s400/fr-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499813995080823714" border="0" /></a>I'm currently flying through <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/">Michael Pollan</a>'s <span style="font-style: italic;">Food Rules, an Eater's Manuel</span>. The book is a how-to guide that reaches both those who are clueless and those who are tuned in. I would definitely recommend reading this book, and <span style="font-style: italic;">definitely</span> recommend gifting it to someone you love.<br /><br />The book is based around Pollan's simple rule: "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." It's broken down into three sections (What Should I Eat? What <span style="font-style: italic;">kind</span> of food should I eat? How should I eat?)in which Pollan provides simple sayings and rules of thumb that he has acquired throughout his travels.<br /><br />I wanted to share a rule or two (a moment of wisdom, if you will) from the first section of the book--to give you a taste and get you hooked.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">No. 11 Avoid food you see advertised on television<br /><br />No. 13 Eat only foods that will eventually rot <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/09/12-year-old-mcdonalds-hamburger-still-looking-good.html">(aka NOT McDonalds burgers)</a><br /></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Rules-Eaters-Michael-Pollan/dp/014311638X">Buy it! NOW!</a>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-20713158170077862042010-07-29T10:04:00.000-04:002010-07-29T10:06:35.833-04:00Degrassi Coleslaw<div style="text-align: left;">Okay, so the coleslaw has nothing to do with Degrassi, other than that it was enjoyed while watching the newest episodes of my favorite show <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrassi:_The_Next_Generation">"Degrassi: The Next Generation." </a>Nope, I'm not kidding. It really is my favorite show: my sister and I have been watching since it started in 2001. Yes, I am 26 years old. Yes, I do watch TV geared toward high school students (middle school students?). There's just so much unbelieveably awesome drama...and it takes place in Canada, which makes it so much weirder...I mean...so much cooler. Canadian teens have a lot going on in their lives. Sometimes I wish I were Canadian.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lfc0f8iz7123HXQgPI4IPrnEfjnJb7rMnheVDF0OVcOq1ZNQRTiQLwkbtwpYIH2-pOD-J4Vmr7VPwfgDc4HhauH3s19Fi5IfGt0rpSNywHSds0UUjHP3K0QGpFIkDl3avVvleB4AHTU/s1600/degrassi_cast402.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lfc0f8iz7123HXQgPI4IPrnEfjnJb7rMnheVDF0OVcOq1ZNQRTiQLwkbtwpYIH2-pOD-J4Vmr7VPwfgDc4HhauH3s19Fi5IfGt0rpSNywHSds0UUjHP3K0QGpFIkDl3avVvleB4AHTU/s400/degrassi_cast402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499328456201221138" border="0" /></a><a href="http://tvguide.ca/Watercooler/Top10/Articles/090629_successful_canadian_shows_degrassi_GD"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Source)</span></a><br /></div><br />Degrassi is doing this thing called "The Boiling Point" where they show a new episode every week night for six weeks. My DVR is working overtime between Degrassi and Anne of Green Gables on PBS (another Canadian favorite-- It must be because I grew up so close to the border in VT).<br /><br />My Sis came over for a Degrassi marathon and M and I decided to make BBQ ribs and coleslaw. In a time crunch, we used <a href="http://www.plumroseusa.com/product_list.php">Plumrose</a> baby back ribs (the best option we could find at Stop N Shop), instead of making our own. I whipped up some coleslaw using a variety of recipes, but mostly my coleslaw-seasoning instincts.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Degrassi Coleslaw</span></span><br />Ingredients<br /><br />1/2 head of cabbage<br />2 carrots<br />1/3 cup of mayonnaise<br />1 Tbsp spicy mustard<br />2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar<br />1/4 tsp cayenne pepper<br />1/4 tsp coriander<br />1 tsp sea salt<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I chopped up an entire head of cabbage before deciding that half would be enough--cabbages are deceptively large.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnyrV4MTDPJGMtnbm8zrMh8gxRn3TKDyu9zfIpDexRNFGl6FI4uiWq28VTKff0WlFkbalOvEinLroZUOrN8BvhmK2rjs9cyZ9Y67oT3uXINeHSRPuh8VxZNx_13kMn03hjt1TBKqqkO0/s1600/DSCN2499.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnyrV4MTDPJGMtnbm8zrMh8gxRn3TKDyu9zfIpDexRNFGl6FI4uiWq28VTKff0WlFkbalOvEinLroZUOrN8BvhmK2rjs9cyZ9Y67oT3uXINeHSRPuh8VxZNx_13kMn03hjt1TBKqqkO0/s400/DSCN2499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104474501935074" border="0" /></a>I shredded the carrots<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ_cuSjnJL-TK5f5lD4rwyZloDeyytYErfBQPKkG_ubL75MUQ9aOhgmXRM_btfpletmeKgFfKWxDaxXc986afFj-PyAbULUcNAQnu9HnuGZkgv6BLkLTjlHQkyktbOCd2rYMXzCM-PH8/s1600/DSCN2501.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ_cuSjnJL-TK5f5lD4rwyZloDeyytYErfBQPKkG_ubL75MUQ9aOhgmXRM_btfpletmeKgFfKWxDaxXc986afFj-PyAbULUcNAQnu9HnuGZkgv6BLkLTjlHQkyktbOCd2rYMXzCM-PH8/s400/DSCN2501.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104489004519074" border="0" /></a>I combined the carrots, cabbage and salt and let them sit, covered, in a colander for about an hour. Instructions on the<a href="http://paleodiet.cz/2010/03/the-perfect-coleslaw/"> Paleo Diet</a> website said to let it "stand until the cabbage wilts, about one to four hours." I'm not sure why this is (maybe to drain water from washing?), but I don't know if it really made a difference.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3cpLjMYIAGurGkIaH4wmt1D7loKq99L8-ucWP-cmdoPcRjf5RvLYa9YrpnCIuytLFnpR90W_tZpzwxkINVYS9YjTDcPxGyZmgtMXwzTBHXGerwdzxnYyEsAHsNyvXumtWPdNPfDwfis/s1600/DSCN2503.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3cpLjMYIAGurGkIaH4wmt1D7loKq99L8-ucWP-cmdoPcRjf5RvLYa9YrpnCIuytLFnpR90W_tZpzwxkINVYS9YjTDcPxGyZmgtMXwzTBHXGerwdzxnYyEsAHsNyvXumtWPdNPfDwfis/s400/DSCN2503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104507365461602" border="0" /></a>After an hour, I added the mayo, mustard, apple cider vinegar and the rest of the spices and stirred.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3A-DLJrIMZ9Xyqnqj2zQb7M0Dm-x1q_I3QitOJ5gttnQ8myb4ZlmvLqqhkh_rDqcAcN9k90B-K2AT5JA5fWMQGZokA4oAz3Vb0JE1TZbcwSPG6N1-OzrnhPeE9YfU02TimGfguAdvpU/s1600/DSCN2502.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3A-DLJrIMZ9Xyqnqj2zQb7M0Dm-x1q_I3QitOJ5gttnQ8myb4ZlmvLqqhkh_rDqcAcN9k90B-K2AT5JA5fWMQGZokA4oAz3Vb0JE1TZbcwSPG6N1-OzrnhPeE9YfU02TimGfguAdvpU/s400/DSCN2502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104496040067362" border="0" /></a>Man Hands...I mean, my sister wanted to taste test.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeluXh4VK6apWJ9pwN1xqfRHbKV2JaTkULL5wj21uF7SM8WV6PkzVXu4dz29r9VlMFTnXQ_X28FCYjOcJKXPze0nJcJteKFacsALlQ21CxZ0sjNnsfo4wwoT0HT2gObRPxn6MNKQZlvQ/s1600/DSCN2504.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeluXh4VK6apWJ9pwN1xqfRHbKV2JaTkULL5wj21uF7SM8WV6PkzVXu4dz29r9VlMFTnXQ_X28FCYjOcJKXPze0nJcJteKFacsALlQ21CxZ0sjNnsfo4wwoT0HT2gObRPxn6MNKQZlvQ/s400/DSCN2504.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104755740695986" border="0" /></a>While I was adding ingredients, M was grilling the ribs.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T7shk8IYRuFVX7fviMBbGC4wrX37ZFQC6b21VEd3zFxr8QjcCd_4a3jIeEtsu0uO4ARkqcVFt65G9no4qOkf4g7ZkCWbaM6QRr0cfCUIdgaSNrI-cBlHq3nijriWitZhvBH0quuy6yI/s1600/DSCN2505.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T7shk8IYRuFVX7fviMBbGC4wrX37ZFQC6b21VEd3zFxr8QjcCd_4a3jIeEtsu0uO4ARkqcVFt65G9no4qOkf4g7ZkCWbaM6QRr0cfCUIdgaSNrI-cBlHq3nijriWitZhvBH0quuy6yI/s400/DSCN2505.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499104768758955458" border="0" /></a>To round out the dinner, we had some organic baked beans. The next time we decided to have ribs, I really want to try making them on my own: buying a bare rack of ribs and marinating or seasoning them myself. While the Plumrose ribs were better than some of the other brands, they still have some not-so-natural sounding ingredients in them that I would like to try to avoid in the future.<br /><br />After dinner, M headed out with the boys and My sister and I settled in to watch Degrassi. Oh the drama! I <span style="font-style: italic;">looooooove</span> it!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Do <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> watch any TV shows that are not exactly "age appropriate"?<br /></div></div></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-7627137373256062822010-07-28T10:00:00.004-04:002010-07-28T10:25:16.754-04:00Peanut Butter BandwagonI've been reading about <a href="http://pbfingers.com/2010/05/13/flourless-peanut-butter-cookies/">Peanut Butter Finger's flourless peanut butter cookies</a> all over the place as of late. I read about them so much, that I couldn't resist trying the recipe out for myself...I do love the peanut butters after all.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Ever</span></span> <span style="font-size:78%;">(a la Julie at <a href="http://pbfingers.com/">Peanut Butter Fingers</a>) </span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1 cup peanut butter<br />1 cup sugar<br />1 egg<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Mix the three ingredients together, dollop onto a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. How easy is that?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJFJlvVNjfJUkFAEqOT8eIsaWBsGmq-S1xGt5JqxYZLES1VzGcuOzsbOOMD6_FfWBPyuXIdC_L5b-o_SCnStnxSh4Auj9Bph8KnESO1jeSBJxwzumV6-e0zwjKjmrdfbztSYag6t8g9w/s1600/DSCN2493.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJFJlvVNjfJUkFAEqOT8eIsaWBsGmq-S1xGt5JqxYZLES1VzGcuOzsbOOMD6_FfWBPyuXIdC_L5b-o_SCnStnxSh4Auj9Bph8KnESO1jeSBJxwzumV6-e0zwjKjmrdfbztSYag6t8g9w/s400/DSCN2493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498214717019374866" border="0" /></a>The cookies are sweet, greasy and peanut buttery. Highly addictive, so beware: prep and baking take about 12 minutes, so it's super easy to make these whenever you want...there is absolutely nothing to it. For me, the quick prep time makes these a dangerous treat--when I want them, I can basically have them in less than 15 minutes.<br /><br />Because I've become a chocolate and peanut butter freak thanks to <a href="http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/">HEAB</a>, I had to add some chocolate to this recipe. I just melted M's leftover Easter bunny, <span style="font-style: italic;">with</span> his permission of course, using my ghetto double boiler method.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjPD639N6pVDilTIUs85rvUud5NTQNYvB5f_T22da9rlfLlCVpxN_GA6UuJlVkArzZx22LcmPVxVTbn2tU_fvj9c-elWpfirwY-h0NkIPVDHa9yI3PBqFL6IyceerqsAkeU51agq8HWM/s1600/DSCN2492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjPD639N6pVDilTIUs85rvUud5NTQNYvB5f_T22da9rlfLlCVpxN_GA6UuJlVkArzZx22LcmPVxVTbn2tU_fvj9c-elWpfirwY-h0NkIPVDHa9yI3PBqFL6IyceerqsAkeU51agq8HWM/s400/DSCN2492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498214714539793362" border="0" /></a>I put the melty chocolate into a Ziploc freezer bag and cut off the tip to create a cookie decorating tool.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNMmbGMAUF5JwEYytUjbcW0mIxQyHOonPlGOZ3M5a2wPYMSvnWXYPDqe3vw1brNTNfh1lYYaBvMMExan4xA4xRpAN_ucmSij2_LPkN6xCQ3IZ7wY46kQV1O7g-zjk5GCytWKgkMKu0ME/s1600/DSCN2494.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNMmbGMAUF5JwEYytUjbcW0mIxQyHOonPlGOZ3M5a2wPYMSvnWXYPDqe3vw1brNTNfh1lYYaBvMMExan4xA4xRpAN_ucmSij2_LPkN6xCQ3IZ7wY46kQV1O7g-zjk5GCytWKgkMKu0ME/s400/DSCN2494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498214723812971426" border="0" /></a>Using my non-decorating skills, I drew chocolate worms.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzioDoVVPG8M4UFe9fmpSA_fFxgjPLBT6qVm8X3XEHdT2SVVBJHxFGAPWj9HaIjhCpg3FwvKZEFCCSt5X-Ux53kWtNJwhapgULw3qQf6KKlPwfg5kbEWKyZt0o4pB06KNyXlIohCsgWw/s1600/DSCN2498.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzioDoVVPG8M4UFe9fmpSA_fFxgjPLBT6qVm8X3XEHdT2SVVBJHxFGAPWj9HaIjhCpg3FwvKZEFCCSt5X-Ux53kWtNJwhapgULw3qQf6KKlPwfg5kbEWKyZt0o4pB06KNyXlIohCsgWw/s400/DSCN2498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498214737753510322" border="0" /></a>And personalized a cookie for M and for me<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3sbF2wAGRDzplsjTrGV3JZcXA6oEto3Lwz3C7yXYKm8oKuyGq18R7cjNsRLOQAkzTnV3t78eaBeeBxJXLbl4r4ccCXPby57vG3rSD00_Jo-oM-eXuqNE0nI5hPZwpqY72ijviNRNq04/s1600/DSCN2496.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3sbF2wAGRDzplsjTrGV3JZcXA6oEto3Lwz3C7yXYKm8oKuyGq18R7cjNsRLOQAkzTnV3t78eaBeeBxJXLbl4r4ccCXPby57vG3rSD00_Jo-oM-eXuqNE0nI5hPZwpqY72ijviNRNq04/s400/DSCN2496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498214734782138962" border="0" /></a><br />I don't typically eat peanut butter, but for some reason I've been craving it the past two weeks. I usually stick to the almond butter or sunflower seed butter, but the thought of cheap, salty peanut butter has been irresistible for some reason.<br /><br />I'm working through my cravings-- trying to figure out what nutrient or emotion my body is lacking that's making me crave nutty fats. I've attempted to add other sources of fat into my diet from coconut and avocado in order to quell the need for pb, and so far, it seems to be working. It could be worse: I could be craving chocolate cake...at least peanut butter has some nutritional value. Everything in moderation.<br /><br />For more on why peanut butter is not-so-good for you, see Whole9's <a href="http://whole9life.com/2009/12/peanut-manifesto/">Peanut Manifesto</a><br /></div></div></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-73433294731304937732010-07-27T11:27:00.001-04:002010-07-27T11:48:08.238-04:00Hapalainio Cheddar BurgersLast month, while at my <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/06/whirlwind-wedding-weekend-importance-of.html">friend's wedding</a>, I had the pleasure of sharing an inn suite with my friend H and her Hubby. I've known both of them since college (we all lived in the same dorm freshman year), and we used to be neighbors in Beantown before they moved to the Windy City. Anyway, it was wonderful to spend and extended amount of time with them after what seems like years apart: I'd forgotten how much I laugh when I'm with them.<br /><br />What does this have to do with hapalainio burgers, you ask? What <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a hapalainio? Well, it's actually a <span style="font-style: italic;">jalapeno</span>. The night before the wedding in June, M and I stopped at a gas station to pick up some snacks for the weekend. We ended up with some Lay's Kettle Cooked Jalapeno Chips. The second we got back to our room and whipped them out of the bag, H's Hub started calling them "hapalainio chips" apparently because there's an SNL skit in which George Bush (played by Will Ferrell) refers to jalapeno poppers as "hapalainio poppers". Also, H's Hub is hilarious...so it all makes sense...right.<br /><br />Anyway, we laughed and laughed about the chips for the rest of the weekend...or at least until I got back from the wedding reception and ate the remainder of the bag...which was more than half full I believe. That's what Bacardi and good times will do to you.<br /><br />So, when M had a hankering for a spicy burger we decided to whip up some of our very own Hapalainio Cheddar Burgers.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hapalaino (Jalapeno) Cheddar Burgers</span></span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1lb ground beef<br />2 Jalapeno peppers<br />1 cup cheddar cheese (we used Cabot Seriously Sharp)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">M de-seeded the peppers and chopped them up, whilst I grated the cheddar cheese.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Yzl4EPAuo0zjIxy7IhIAIotVtitOsv4Wo9YHXxX51onNofhKMkqTWic_lQxMbaceQnyKmvmF9B9AJwRt5uCZnNwxIKacGhjSsgGZxINoBDHK_nIWyk4n1ftq5LtupaNsz_PsDVwX3A/s1600/DSCN2466.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Yzl4EPAuo0zjIxy7IhIAIotVtitOsv4Wo9YHXxX51onNofhKMkqTWic_lQxMbaceQnyKmvmF9B9AJwRt5uCZnNwxIKacGhjSsgGZxINoBDHK_nIWyk4n1ftq5LtupaNsz_PsDVwX3A/s400/DSCN2466.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498212213264026098" border="0" /></a>Is this picture gross?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDd8ZzmklnvYWEINPzElsRIC9U61XVjJF0aYeB73N9jxHxaB8YagHUW6VTgb5fDuz2w5AGWiZarEEN8lkYHIbp7G4DaArbZo-WgULnq-wa2FCaD3bgOBwOA88Ift_gvr8tY8OkZc_8Ig/s1600/DSCN2467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDd8ZzmklnvYWEINPzElsRIC9U61XVjJF0aYeB73N9jxHxaB8YagHUW6VTgb5fDuz2w5AGWiZarEEN8lkYHIbp7G4DaArbZo-WgULnq-wa2FCaD3bgOBwOA88Ift_gvr8tY8OkZc_8Ig/s400/DSCN2467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498212223188781026" border="0" /></a>We then combined the beef, peppers and cheese and formed four perfect burger patties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK2hmomNED0GGcQILXhnvQTUMe40pnp_dkPtEdIx_XynmdtnZ1c4fJrr0BDQeJbCQgwFLET_iwruwpy_Y_OXHDTq1AL7Hjp9heReypNKBHfYDrGhufcjUzyuiqVx7G2O7M8G67KE9ujk/s1600/DSCN2468.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK2hmomNED0GGcQILXhnvQTUMe40pnp_dkPtEdIx_XynmdtnZ1c4fJrr0BDQeJbCQgwFLET_iwruwpy_Y_OXHDTq1AL7Hjp9heReypNKBHfYDrGhufcjUzyuiqVx7G2O7M8G67KE9ujk/s400/DSCN2468.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498212229911453554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjtr0fcKSaiquFE1dx04gdpz-b_fUcJ1xqX-8hM-yQRhBrA4UIr9hoApVU67EwD-HzoaqPNG0RmuUe4dH0-YmTJId1O1ZVFMnAK4-mOvrvt9H9CoQNuojPyrLfXUaXQp0gJZwsyY44Yo/s1600/DSCN2469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjtr0fcKSaiquFE1dx04gdpz-b_fUcJ1xqX-8hM-yQRhBrA4UIr9hoApVU67EwD-HzoaqPNG0RmuUe4dH0-YmTJId1O1ZVFMnAK4-mOvrvt9H9CoQNuojPyrLfXUaXQp0gJZwsyY44Yo/s400/DSCN2469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498212240658640178" border="0" /></a>M threw them on the grill along with some of his Mama's Buffalo Chicken Burgers, which were basically BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, breadcrumbs and some spicy seasoning.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4o2f3dKU9olsPwVXWiBfCWFBCu37lyFu2fITcbLy-CvY9QSlSCHjqzp4IywRjyGtRzs1_ZxMS2tmaWbiqR7SMUClkDvjfTcqxXUem-w1AlgnN3r06DS-faTm_iaY58WxO9uTby221uI/s1600/DSCN2472.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4o2f3dKU9olsPwVXWiBfCWFBCu37lyFu2fITcbLy-CvY9QSlSCHjqzp4IywRjyGtRzs1_ZxMS2tmaWbiqR7SMUClkDvjfTcqxXUem-w1AlgnN3r06DS-faTm_iaY58WxO9uTby221uI/s400/DSCN2472.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213282648694498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMQBA-gvGdcYsvzEDCNl6xE6O70HbTbnQ4uCA7jum6LURa4Y0coDpGGVvsrHyyhNSqDoJtYErEcl3F4dhgmyfHS_pirphsnhsY9Z4LB8FGhtFml1MOFSmO4huVYPvoyDcrDeD0S5fORk/s1600/DSCN2476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMQBA-gvGdcYsvzEDCNl6xE6O70HbTbnQ4uCA7jum6LURa4Y0coDpGGVvsrHyyhNSqDoJtYErEcl3F4dhgmyfHS_pirphsnhsY9Z4LB8FGhtFml1MOFSmO4huVYPvoyDcrDeD0S5fORk/s400/DSCN2476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213298867906242" border="0" /></a>While M grilled, I snacked on some guacamole and plantain chips. I need to put a serious restriction on the number of plantain chips I'm allowed in one sitting. It's getting out of control.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9gHaHsNVGibEYgA-zyT4UTFM2K1FnfFNQkPu5THMRw8UZsOdnrOnpOLrtTLz9m5G5TG8nW9nRieOh1cMmqRns8WoNNc142wrZBWAjWl_6_sLK6AxBQodUVkii9HGr3ve7ZqVSPXOU5c/s1600/DSCN2470.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9gHaHsNVGibEYgA-zyT4UTFM2K1FnfFNQkPu5THMRw8UZsOdnrOnpOLrtTLz9m5G5TG8nW9nRieOh1cMmqRns8WoNNc142wrZBWAjWl_6_sLK6AxBQodUVkii9HGr3ve7ZqVSPXOU5c/s400/DSCN2470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498212249623461202" border="0" /></a>Along with our burgers we had some sweet potato fries,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7uaM_92o330EZjhi4349ThJeKXzeDkKbQFvezMKk9v9pzPk1XknR51LV_aHKkWbTtCYjn6LnUtSJF2EsZ7GNTvB_4TIZVdhXBsg768ZPkqbiM4VR0gXaE3-5qV8NAyKnsUwaCFbX8fI/s1600/DSCN2471.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7uaM_92o330EZjhi4349ThJeKXzeDkKbQFvezMKk9v9pzPk1XknR51LV_aHKkWbTtCYjn6LnUtSJF2EsZ7GNTvB_4TIZVdhXBsg768ZPkqbiM4VR0gXaE3-5qV8NAyKnsUwaCFbX8fI/s400/DSCN2471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213276920440802" border="0" /></a>and deviled eggs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91748DCD2O7Iwe78sMX8UYb-kVHvt5hvbg6xocyemiU2kWccyvxBUN5eRaYj5eo-Jwa99jC_UY4foiAwxhEhZeLE-BZwxWbshDltIlwIlGJMLl43OdiQ-s3l3MyI7h9wag8HPHzYIViU/s1600/DSCN2477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91748DCD2O7Iwe78sMX8UYb-kVHvt5hvbg6xocyemiU2kWccyvxBUN5eRaYj5eo-Jwa99jC_UY4foiAwxhEhZeLE-BZwxWbshDltIlwIlGJMLl43OdiQ-s3l3MyI7h9wag8HPHzYIViU/s400/DSCN2477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213309252119634" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03kIXVDzkvpobEedIgzj_WRmZaLU82zfcBI_0yAGQB_3J3VE-VZHLdcd9M3exhXk6I_te2AQ6U1_q8KJQA4vnOqXubjD3ZarLeSEw8rs7iVQ_GcpVJ-PiqtGbEW9mFnq7mHGA297IoL4/s1600/DSCN2478.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03kIXVDzkvpobEedIgzj_WRmZaLU82zfcBI_0yAGQB_3J3VE-VZHLdcd9M3exhXk6I_te2AQ6U1_q8KJQA4vnOqXubjD3ZarLeSEw8rs7iVQ_GcpVJ-PiqtGbEW9mFnq7mHGA297IoL4/s400/DSCN2478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213311237489554" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">After dinner, we retired to the back deck to enjoy the humidity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJMVTggRuijw2vDZi-YWL5w4CTwZN0SRJ0dbgHc1woDnJ0srfsiqJCU98Dait_0_o3g3i3xralFKaUy9sTEYSpYRdcXiFOrf7T1L9bdO9G6g5ya4dnqCurm_rLgEvifqCiDCkV8Nk3zw/s1600/DSCN2483.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJMVTggRuijw2vDZi-YWL5w4CTwZN0SRJ0dbgHc1woDnJ0srfsiqJCU98Dait_0_o3g3i3xralFKaUy9sTEYSpYRdcXiFOrf7T1L9bdO9G6g5ya4dnqCurm_rLgEvifqCiDCkV8Nk3zw/s400/DSCN2483.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213869084428354" border="0" /></a>Chester was there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXLfocZLOKtVFWjPea_mArEeS6l3vIZW47_nA4G6e5UpMdhCdUYh2P0JvFDcmWZFXrLBE9D73cv_-DLbVsGdrEQXnECw7A-6REfHQvANZcLznhVBcwywXc7QGhj0U34bRHQ-aqa2vMUc/s1600/DSCN2485.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXLfocZLOKtVFWjPea_mArEeS6l3vIZW47_nA4G6e5UpMdhCdUYh2P0JvFDcmWZFXrLBE9D73cv_-DLbVsGdrEQXnECw7A-6REfHQvANZcLznhVBcwywXc7QGhj0U34bRHQ-aqa2vMUc/s400/DSCN2485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498213881476286434" border="0" /></a>And so was this guy.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The burgers were great. Neither of us have been brave enough to experiment with jalapenos at home, so this was a great first attempt: there was only one accidental touching of the eye incident. The burgers could have been spicier, so next time, I think we'll leave a little more of the pith on the pepper. We were afraid they'd be <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> hot, so we erred on the side of caution. Overall, a great success!<br /></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-739292981749798592010-07-26T15:21:00.007-04:002010-07-26T16:53:09.556-04:00Are You Average?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEhhVXRtGpOifdkn1TOD7Weumja4iiQ2pv3l-DYGEWxGxtlTOdsRAMKhYhIlntHHk7ahIheesP4aMhD0-WqPPyT75hqxxoJPnvztLIv9UQqta_ZHvGeRmYot6RumVJWdWEPoosWIH9h0/s1600/american-average-food-consumption1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEhhVXRtGpOifdkn1TOD7Weumja4iiQ2pv3l-DYGEWxGxtlTOdsRAMKhYhIlntHHk7ahIheesP4aMhD0-WqPPyT75hqxxoJPnvztLIv9UQqta_ZHvGeRmYot6RumVJWdWEPoosWIH9h0/s400/american-average-food-consumption1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498299779557493362" border="0" /></a>I found this <a href="http://www.visualeconomics.com/food-consumption-in-america_2010-07-12/">visual representation</a> of what the average American eats in a year while browsing the <a href="http://www.crossfitboston.com/">Crossfit Boston</a> site...and to tell you the truth, I was actually surprised. I prepared myself for the worst, but what I saw in this chart was even more atrocious than I expected.<br /><br />Of note:<br /><ul><li>The average male is 5'9" and weighs 190lbs, while the average female is 5'4" and weighs 164lbs. </li><li>The average American consumes <span style="font-style: italic;">600.5lbs</span> of <span style="font-style: italic;">non-cheese</span> dairy products per year. </li><li>The average American eats about 142lbs of caloric sweeteners per year (including 42lbs of corn syrup)</li></ul>It's eye opening and scary to see these stats laid out like this...<br /><br />Were you surprised at any of these findings?AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-80968368261914989162010-07-26T12:27:00.007-04:002010-07-26T13:02:48.032-04:00Health Counseling Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_XAZNhfPMUqIXLywU00A4mwb7URqclgb95Q_1vZr98PADNyCiFfYw80-elc3A6H7bBs-cVDA4JI37T6K2SuuTSVBCZNOZmebD3UN807sBN_WWLkYTuqg4ppaAocIbFi86UUjokINVVA/s1600/DSCN0989.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_XAZNhfPMUqIXLywU00A4mwb7URqclgb95Q_1vZr98PADNyCiFfYw80-elc3A6H7bBs-cVDA4JI37T6K2SuuTSVBCZNOZmebD3UN807sBN_WWLkYTuqg4ppaAocIbFi86UUjokINVVA/s400/DSCN0989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498261324841180978" border="0" /></a>In addition to writing this blog, cooking healthy food, and enjoying summery activities, I've also been busy with my <a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">IIN</a> health counseling program. Since classes began in April, I've mostly been listening to the modules, experimenting with whole foods and doing supplementary research on my own (mostly in the form of reading, reading and reading, but also playing around with my diet).<br /><br />On the business front I'm trying to get a better picture of what I want my counseling practice to look like (ideally). Who my "target market" will be, and what other kinds of services I can offer besides counseling (grocery store tours etc.).<br /><br />Toward the end of August, I will receive a certificate from IIN that approves me to start officially seeing clients. Until then I will be practicing initial health history consultations like crazy with any and everyone.<br /><br />The initial Health History consultation is a free, laid-back meeting that can be done in person or by phone. The Health History is a way for you to get a sense of what it would be like to work with me to address any health/nutrition/wellness issues you have.<br /><br />If you are interested in helping me with my health histories, if you would like more information, or if you have a completely unrelated question, please email me at:<br /><br />AllisonNichols.HC@gmail.com.<br /><br />Looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />AllisonAllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-22754485125831380972010-07-26T09:42:00.005-04:002010-07-26T10:25:20.164-04:00Sunday BreakfeastYesterday morning, M decided that he wanted to make me breakfast. Not just any breakfast...a break<span style="font-style: italic;">feast</span> as he called it. Breakfast foods are most easily my favorite kinds of foods: I would eat eggs and bacon for every meal if it were possible slash not weird.<br /><br />We made a special trip to Whole Foods where Chester and I stayed in the car and M went in a did the shopping. He came out 15 minutes later with a mystery bag full of groceries...and I had no idea what he bought! The entire breakfast was a surprise.<br /><br />I sat in the living room, drooling over <a href="http://www.phantomgourmet.com/ShowPage.aspx">The Phantom Gourmet</a>, while M slaved away in the kitchen. Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in front of my dream breakfast.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwnMn-ChtVMF15HTlVySE6Ek0OGle0tuOXVp5mzJGq0xOAzp65p-z8ZNxvM2fAh8_HXiDhrhz55SrZJwGqFZLCfJ6UGkY1ELXEQlr2A2MNs1aOn5T2ituEFgdLrHdfqmy8Pp1aop0Z5o/s1600/DSCN2456.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwnMn-ChtVMF15HTlVySE6Ek0OGle0tuOXVp5mzJGq0xOAzp65p-z8ZNxvM2fAh8_HXiDhrhz55SrZJwGqFZLCfJ6UGkY1ELXEQlr2A2MNs1aOn5T2ituEFgdLrHdfqmy8Pp1aop0Z5o/s400/DSCN2456.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210106815504674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaEdk5AdW-kmWKXAInkDYXNNZ7ekBB8r5bBZ_Vo30y9KQAjBBNmQlYtPZPsGrpAllN1NKzNlqmK34DLv0V5VuRtScnIR3mkz8I1p_1e8q3KXf7peTVd_vDQ7qRQdsK-dYj5DBtiON1lQ/s1600/DSCN2457.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaEdk5AdW-kmWKXAInkDYXNNZ7ekBB8r5bBZ_Vo30y9KQAjBBNmQlYtPZPsGrpAllN1NKzNlqmK34DLv0V5VuRtScnIR3mkz8I1p_1e8q3KXf7peTVd_vDQ7qRQdsK-dYj5DBtiON1lQ/s400/DSCN2457.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210117847261490" border="0" /></a>When we go out for breakfast, I have the hardest time choosing my breakfast meats...so M made both sausages and bacon! The sausages were <a href="http://www.wellshirefarms.com/homepage.php">Wellshire Farms</a> original pork sausages. I think the bacon was from Wellshire Farms too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXrNPxI6BPult_6aDf0KytTvrV1WBbq7UVjqGL0io8rsoq8phEhUZuk8f5PwRnPt9j54EA26VDzQcbYL7vu8gIyr8ImMQKId3r0AFVIVLa2U58DgXYHyP53QixKqeMfhqxeV1-yMf4RI/s1600/DSCN2458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXrNPxI6BPult_6aDf0KytTvrV1WBbq7UVjqGL0io8rsoq8phEhUZuk8f5PwRnPt9j54EA26VDzQcbYL7vu8gIyr8ImMQKId3r0AFVIVLa2U58DgXYHyP53QixKqeMfhqxeV1-yMf4RI/s400/DSCN2458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210126946815394" border="0" /></a>I love putting avocado on my eggs. We've recently become avocado obsessed: they're a great source of healthy, monounsaturated fats.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLhXSUj882_Qi7U2zLKjF_vd_OazC3WhPu08HPjQgxRg9pYKdfiP71f05n-ihhIyox454TFYjbNX3ekSp8I3F4tbcMTV9DeiCpuc2ODBm5yGWYiyjZHY1xLPVwpplC5QOiZiTPocFuFI/s1600/DSCN2459.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLhXSUj882_Qi7U2zLKjF_vd_OazC3WhPu08HPjQgxRg9pYKdfiP71f05n-ihhIyox454TFYjbNX3ekSp8I3F4tbcMTV9DeiCpuc2ODBm5yGWYiyjZHY1xLPVwpplC5QOiZiTPocFuFI/s400/DSCN2459.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210132656879858" border="0" /></a>The main dish: Cheesy Eggs. Fried and scrambled eggs are a breakfast staple at our house...the cheese was our weekend indulgence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrwQvsyGMKC-Z2QH6cVIK1L_mP0yeK_-s-9ZSy4RE0PFiuIIONVoOGif4ZGqbuS03AYg-kOhJClHFpHFk3o66WOo4QBs0QlB_qhEUqprl78IS2Pgwt8pPqs3-pqaNI3ToQVe-zh97HVE/s1600/DSCN2462.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrwQvsyGMKC-Z2QH6cVIK1L_mP0yeK_-s-9ZSy4RE0PFiuIIONVoOGif4ZGqbuS03AYg-kOhJClHFpHFk3o66WOo4QBs0QlB_qhEUqprl78IS2Pgwt8pPqs3-pqaNI3ToQVe-zh97HVE/s400/DSCN2462.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210378000182018" border="0" /></a>M bought a whole pineapple and cut it into chunks. We're big on fruit in the mornings, but we usually eat berries of some sort. The pineapple was a tropical treat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAgGXFAnYkC87SBb_0lP2zU94Wwr0jVum3sYICaiBzR9q3JzKnSIeUe9NLEUtcM9wZ02iMg6ahmqGTYOyLNLN8cZ5UVSH6FIN29AXqb78eUq83RyKnABmTonjIER99p7WW2xQsZNnsVw/s1600/DSCN2463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAgGXFAnYkC87SBb_0lP2zU94Wwr0jVum3sYICaiBzR9q3JzKnSIeUe9NLEUtcM9wZ02iMg6ahmqGTYOyLNLN8cZ5UVSH6FIN29AXqb78eUq83RyKnABmTonjIER99p7WW2xQsZNnsVw/s400/DSCN2463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498210389775693154" border="0" /></a>Breakfast is the best. For reals. I love waking up hungry for delicious breakfast foods. They say that eating breakfast is important because it helps boost your metabolism and it keeps you from overeating throughout the day. I like breakfast because it helps me get some protein in the A.M. and because there are so many different breakfast foods that I enjoy eating. Eating a healthy breakfast definitely keeps me on the healthy eating track for the rest of the day.AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-76255369599857004442010-07-21T11:07:00.010-04:002010-07-21T11:40:53.701-04:00Tuesday is Fish NightSo it's taken more than a while to get back into the groove of cooking at home (and documenting the cooking) than I thought it would. Our weeks have been busy and weekends action packed. We are just now starting to take control and hold ourselves accountable for the cooking and the eating.<br /><br />In an effort to get back on track, M and I have instituted Fish Tuesdays. M loves fish. I love fish. We savor the experience of ordering it at restaurants, so M figured, why not make more fish at home? Now that we have the grill, it's super quick and superier easy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">M's Rosemary Halibut </span></span><br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Halibut (we got the pre-portioned version from Whole Foods)<br />Olive oil<br />Rosemary (fresh or dried)<br />Oregano<br />Fresh lemon juice<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5C1KysLOUICHBY9t1r3UOFvekulGkRODW9dtMJHGgCv73l4USKkoMlgLdsTUGgP_-TLisSuXU-W8Cbm_ctxiXnh_Q9EkUeiAQV8pQGuJYkE64qApdxeLoCI8h1JUW1Eamkg440oXRyo/s1600/DSCN2450.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5C1KysLOUICHBY9t1r3UOFvekulGkRODW9dtMJHGgCv73l4USKkoMlgLdsTUGgP_-TLisSuXU-W8Cbm_ctxiXnh_Q9EkUeiAQV8pQGuJYkE64qApdxeLoCI8h1JUW1Eamkg440oXRyo/s400/DSCN2450.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496379274519466834" border="0" /></a>We coated the fish with the olive oil, oregano and rosemary and topped with lemon juice. M popped them on the grill for about 10 minutes.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy0PjWAE_-B8LZzrjXgOWqFLdWXEjWCJtcv9K94-sf0k7PLrvBy4MFbudYK9Z1WxhawzogZpICpRtkLK2SlCFxqdjWGIijn3RbErqFHoCyteWGg0-iNCNTKoD9cyqAI0MmSQUHFKty74/s1600/DSCN2448.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy0PjWAE_-B8LZzrjXgOWqFLdWXEjWCJtcv9K94-sf0k7PLrvBy4MFbudYK9Z1WxhawzogZpICpRtkLK2SlCFxqdjWGIijn3RbErqFHoCyteWGg0-iNCNTKoD9cyqAI0MmSQUHFKty74/s400/DSCN2448.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496379602735558946" border="0" /></a>The fish lady at Whole Foods talked us into buying some expensivo lemons-- Meyer lemons from California. I was sold from the moment I saw them...the most beautiful lemons I've ever encountered.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87cZnySQHPuhQm44AzY7pRYF_tvPOFFIzxNUhJIFIdq7jaQ3C-lxbukg8cuVhkY57bPYIGkq_v2LuBmSSqMpcfd5lTvWbEC92i3h1pNZ0tU5bcjlIa7aM4mNGnHzvMQNQoamPz6vQJYc/s1600/DSCN2449.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87cZnySQHPuhQm44AzY7pRYF_tvPOFFIzxNUhJIFIdq7jaQ3C-lxbukg8cuVhkY57bPYIGkq_v2LuBmSSqMpcfd5lTvWbEC92i3h1pNZ0tU5bcjlIa7aM4mNGnHzvMQNQoamPz6vQJYc/s400/DSCN2449.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496379611543267282" border="0" /></a>Chester liked them too<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoV3Yip_BgkmFnbbdgWAsWitkV5BIN39RyVJfc96U4qT5bXNr1zyTsZh-ADE8eY72pnr7E62WKnVriwFQIxu3KQqMUXkePTd_4fr7rMh0plWwirgXQsSIKfFmiL-CAFPE0pUIvFNwmYs/s1600/DSCN2451.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoV3Yip_BgkmFnbbdgWAsWitkV5BIN39RyVJfc96U4qT5bXNr1zyTsZh-ADE8eY72pnr7E62WKnVriwFQIxu3KQqMUXkePTd_4fr7rMh0plWwirgXQsSIKfFmiL-CAFPE0pUIvFNwmYs/s400/DSCN2451.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496380519463794098" border="0" /></a>We snacked on some California rolls while the fish was cooking.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN36xAm_eQG_kaNFpbfT3ZByXsUNUJh7nuSRlcbkZ4HxzNyjeWeeVJhOgxZ0l5JFrPxSCMewRTY2LEPgiZsPFlydLu7zg1jWsCoFYS5ohshayer9ESN6ZgN7hpd-Fnvutd4uxyhTiZDQ/s1600/DSCN2452.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN36xAm_eQG_kaNFpbfT3ZByXsUNUJh7nuSRlcbkZ4HxzNyjeWeeVJhOgxZ0l5JFrPxSCMewRTY2LEPgiZsPFlydLu7zg1jWsCoFYS5ohshayer9ESN6ZgN7hpd-Fnvutd4uxyhTiZDQ/s400/DSCN2452.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496380528340725202" border="0" /></a>I whipped up some balsamic tomatoes a la our favorite restaurant, <a href="http://rasosgrille.com/">Raso's Grille</a>. They serve these puppies with their baked haddock dish-- to die for. I diced up a tomato, added some olive oil, garlic and some <a href="http://www.maplegrove.com/">Maple Grove Farms</a> Balsamic Vinaigrette.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8aOmqP-BQxuy-XqzmeyOeZHKNbrQnkp-vNrKSi_J-1iqYu-hsJntLrbEfceEtm3WEGa3jlaJizikIiw02cqiv04bDigdSus8r0FqjBDGaFGg3WrIhOaEgnd86237xZCsHpaXnjTb7nA/s1600/DSCN2454.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8aOmqP-BQxuy-XqzmeyOeZHKNbrQnkp-vNrKSi_J-1iqYu-hsJntLrbEfceEtm3WEGa3jlaJizikIiw02cqiv04bDigdSus8r0FqjBDGaFGg3WrIhOaEgnd86237xZCsHpaXnjTb7nA/s400/DSCN2454.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496380541311574530" border="0" /></a>Completed the meal with a little seaweed salad (my favorite)<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3zta9wmZ7NFoI3e2MbUJ6t3oo2w4raDQ6uVZbZSlWDIBrSykmIMStLhOXyoKpdwuypNzJSfUPRZS_YS8I_L9Bt1oSdeIhN8gMi54hkreyX_i85l1zxJBnoAcY3KKhd49jS6H-Gt89rw/s1600/DSCN2455.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3zta9wmZ7NFoI3e2MbUJ6t3oo2w4raDQ6uVZbZSlWDIBrSykmIMStLhOXyoKpdwuypNzJSfUPRZS_YS8I_L9Bt1oSdeIhN8gMi54hkreyX_i85l1zxJBnoAcY3KKhd49jS6H-Gt89rw/s400/DSCN2455.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496380552416098114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVa_mkbe0h3x4ffgmfeT08GNCEctCTBFkl53_o44FtlBRrcEFUiBaLAc8yy5Pl68r7JirQUvvbfAcCtM9jnasWjfg7cYu_fmYQIwt9dw41_e1ujzbpBSDRQU_UVEY3Xv5QuxDW1qVcBRk/s1600/DSCN2453.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVa_mkbe0h3x4ffgmfeT08GNCEctCTBFkl53_o44FtlBRrcEFUiBaLAc8yy5Pl68r7JirQUvvbfAcCtM9jnasWjfg7cYu_fmYQIwt9dw41_e1ujzbpBSDRQU_UVEY3Xv5QuxDW1qVcBRk/s400/DSCN2453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496380532492886642" border="0" /></a>For dessert we had delicious blueberries that I picked up at the Copley Farmer's Market. I forgot how awesome fresh blueberries are! I'm probably never going to buy berries from the grocery store again...These berries in particular brought me back to the days when my best friend lived next to a blueberry farm. We would pick, legit, five pounds of blueberries <span style="font-style: italic;">each</span>...and eat them over the course of a day or two. Blueberry fiends...good times.<br /><br />Fish Tuesdays have been a huge success so far! I can't wait to try out a different kind of fish next week. Now I have another food day to look forward to...in addition to Fancy Pizza Sunday...more on that one another time.<br /><br /></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-56604498094596942372010-07-13T11:21:00.002-04:002010-07-13T11:32:24.533-04:00Drooling for DaysEver since I started reading <a href="http://friskylemon-allienic.blogspot.com/2010/07/reading-mindless-eating-why-we-eat-more.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mindless Eating</span></a>, I can't stop thinking about peanut butter cups. Well, actually, I came across <a href="http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/">Heather Eats Almond Butter</a>'s post about the <a href="http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/2010/07/09/worlds-most-brilliant-combo-2/">"World's Most Brilliant Combo"</a> and my mouth hasn't stopped watering since. I've been trying to be good lately, aka keeping the sweet, chocolaty goodness to a minimum, but yesterday afternoon I broke down and made my own version of that delectable Reese's favorite.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almond Butter Coconut Cups</span></span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate<br />Almond Butter<br />Coconut Butter (grind unsweetened coconut in the food processor until buttery, about 8 minutes)<br /><br />Paper Muffin Tin Liners<br />(I used enough chocolate to make two massive candies: I made a limited quantity, one for me, one for M, to keep my chocolate habits in check)<br /></div><br />I melted the chocolate over medium heat using a ghetto double boiler method (a metal bowl floating in a small frying pan), and poured the melted chocolate into the muffin liners. The first pour should be enough to cover the bottom of the liner, and to coat the sides.<br /><br />After freezing the muffin liners for about 30 minutes, I mixed together about one Tbsp of almond butter and one Tbsp of coconut butter and put a dollop of this mixture into each chocolate cup, and covered with the rest of the melted chocolate.<br /><br />After an hour, I had the biggest peanut butter cups EVER. I might have gotten carried away with the chocolate...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ecZzo-irKW3s2SxLxLx0p6SAg5Tu-HVNIBpxcKscEe4uoAzG2JkTLP2MMJkl4axhOC5uhdCyshU-q7NZKZiEWPHU6ps2nk7Ux-o4pja5F0H81j_haGK_hQiDIuv2ww7LPI5QWuvfzfc/s1600/DSCN2439.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ecZzo-irKW3s2SxLxLx0p6SAg5Tu-HVNIBpxcKscEe4uoAzG2JkTLP2MMJkl4axhOC5uhdCyshU-q7NZKZiEWPHU6ps2nk7Ux-o4pja5F0H81j_haGK_hQiDIuv2ww7LPI5QWuvfzfc/s400/DSCN2439.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493405685272288434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjmJ621tjCnc17_ieVWCl89LA0iDqfOjeyfMMdjHepIk5WOgmvggqB5WxJB2Pwf_VVRYVHQdNqIdivsmU3PPc08DuO9dUD6Z4OVg9GDcujg_V8hp3A6bnvV-zHgd13OEPfQ-dEivwDTg/s1600/DSCN2440.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjmJ621tjCnc17_ieVWCl89LA0iDqfOjeyfMMdjHepIk5WOgmvggqB5WxJB2Pwf_VVRYVHQdNqIdivsmU3PPc08DuO9dUD6Z4OVg9GDcujg_V8hp3A6bnvV-zHgd13OEPfQ-dEivwDTg/s400/DSCN2440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493405691812445362" border="0" /></a>They were about the size of the muffin liners...huge. The sweetness of the almond butter coconut mix was essential to balance the bitterness of the chocolate (I mean bitterness in the most delicious way possible). The almond butter cups were so rich that M and I could only eat half of a half each! Maybe I'll make a pact with myself to only eat chocolate candy that I make-- that way I know what's in it, and I have to go through the "trouble" of preparing it myself. That should keep my peanut butter chocolate peanut butter craving in check.<br /><br />On another note...Chester and Jack look kind of like dark chocolate and peanut butter...no?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_HB4_GHoSe9fW0I0HbPPkhA9Zk7Q5X_qPj7W7_ER6EuKstS6qB4UlePNTuktbvFbPK38ujDeIMzWVfNLNOL08BOHpiOLDINJYTCrWqtzn64g6DUGVNgy30sgI7Qe8Idp7Bj338vgP3Q/s1600/IMG_0245.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_HB4_GHoSe9fW0I0HbPPkhA9Zk7Q5X_qPj7W7_ER6EuKstS6qB4UlePNTuktbvFbPK38ujDeIMzWVfNLNOL08BOHpiOLDINJYTCrWqtzn64g6DUGVNgy30sgI7Qe8Idp7Bj338vgP3Q/s400/IMG_0245.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493406393957895650" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiuUhRPlOl2_qcgNRkU3DJjDRgr0sqOkvNxnL_MYob4AbTgIxfsx7gp42xI3j8jpCbWLbkatuTUPZMXpYGObOq5C3t8CsFPbm6LId90CyN2gNxsY7TE_iLBPMNyE0MkuNv87OVl5I-cs/s1600/DSCN2438.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiuUhRPlOl2_qcgNRkU3DJjDRgr0sqOkvNxnL_MYob4AbTgIxfsx7gp42xI3j8jpCbWLbkatuTUPZMXpYGObOq5C3t8CsFPbm6LId90CyN2gNxsY7TE_iLBPMNyE0MkuNv87OVl5I-cs/s400/DSCN2438.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493405678477542866" border="0" /></a>Please pardon Chester's alien eyes...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLs9GJgYJpPOQf_kFhzsxfzeXmWltfqWMpfD_nhTSLIhqa3Jq-ta0rzJSEDF3VPQ1KyQk26Pe67M1kL-nP66jrIKbcBoEoyplkWBtUNNwBesS0JA4btRwE8a2Mbs5l0eWe57fdHxTZGA/s1600/DSCN2437.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLs9GJgYJpPOQf_kFhzsxfzeXmWltfqWMpfD_nhTSLIhqa3Jq-ta0rzJSEDF3VPQ1KyQk26Pe67M1kL-nP66jrIKbcBoEoyplkWBtUNNwBesS0JA4btRwE8a2Mbs5l0eWe57fdHxTZGA/s400/DSCN2437.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493405666417268882" border="0" /></a>No chocolate for Chester!<br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-76748200409110856062010-07-12T13:16:00.000-04:002010-07-13T11:22:32.375-04:00Reading: Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdPeBxIf_aa-tyPvj2GMmFi_thFZ0JjZ-bsdVdkkqUW8yl6_PoYeAmBlP9doJOy3ySwPiM-kCWEQjtjLKGscpzGAmDRBscFPTY5Cynu3cFay3T6hDYPZZMr2czQjlqtkJ551CAemHA1U/s1600/pb-mindless-eating-cover1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdPeBxIf_aa-tyPvj2GMmFi_thFZ0JjZ-bsdVdkkqUW8yl6_PoYeAmBlP9doJOy3ySwPiM-kCWEQjtjLKGscpzGAmDRBscFPTY5Cynu3cFay3T6hDYPZZMr2czQjlqtkJ551CAemHA1U/s400/pb-mindless-eating-cover1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493087576262092882" border="0" /></a>To supplement my education, I am currently reading <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Mindless-Eating-More-Than-Think/dp/0553384481/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278958577&sr=8-1">Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think</a> by renown food psychologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wansink">Brian Wansink</a>, PhD. Although I am only half way through the book, the things I have learned thus far have been eye opening. Mainly that people make over 200 decisions about food everyday and that most of these decisions are not influenced by hunger, but by lighting, music, the size of the food container and the company we keep.<br /><br />One of the most interesting things I have read so far is how much people rely on external cues, such as the size of a dinner plate, to tell them when they are full. When same portion of food, such as a scoop of mashed potatoes, is placed on an 8-inch plate and a 12- inch plate, people eating off of the 8-inch plate will be more satisfied than those eating off of the 12-inch plate (p. 66). Even though the amount of food is exactly the same, the portion <span style="font-style: italic;">looks</span> larger on the 8-inch plate, therefore people perceive that they are eating more food. I would guess that those with the 12-inch plate are more likely to ask for seconds than those with the 8-inch plate simply because they feel like they didn't eat as much: the food didn't take up as much room on their plates. The more we rely on external cues to tell us when we are done eating, the more likely we are to have trouble regulating our weight.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, none of us are immune to the tricks our eyes play on us. Dr. Wansink and his team carried out a study in which the subjects were his colleagues from the Nutritional Science Division at Cornell University. The scientists were invited to an innocent ice cream party where some were given 17-ounce bowls, and some were given 34-ounce bowls. Even though the subjects were PhDs with loads of experience and insight, those with the 34-ounce bowls still ate 31% more ice cream than their 17-ounce bowl counterparts (p. 67). Basically, even if you are aware of the tricks your mind can play, it will still get the best of you.<br /><br />It might seem like there's no escape, but I believe that there is hope. Since I began reading this book, I've noticed that I have been paying much more attention to the reasons behind my eating and behind my stopping eating. In my opinion, being aware of all of these external distractions is the first step toward having control over my eating decisions. Now I question whether I'm eating that last piece of chicken because I'm physically hungry for it, or because the music/TV/lighting has distracted me into it. I've found that I'm eating less now that I'm better educated and more aware of how my eyes and surroundings can trick me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in regulating their weight and the psychology of how our brains can subconsciously sabotage our attempts at healthy eating. Even if you don't struggle with your weight, the concepts introduced in this book will make you reevaluate why you eat as much as you eat.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Wansink, Brian. </span><i style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think</i><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">. New York: Bantam, 2007</span><br /></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141335287202110225.post-5703426353216531092010-07-09T10:53:00.006-04:002010-07-09T11:31:35.442-04:00Grilled Budget PizzaWe're finally back in the swing of things after our vacation to MV, and the long holiday weekend. We are also on a strict budget after our holiday spending...In order to save some money and get back on track, we've attempted to buy minimal groceries and use up some of the ingredients we buy, but never use that just kind of hang out in our pantry.<br /><br />For dinner the other night, I decided to whip up some grilled pizza using mostly ingredients we had in the fridge (I did have to buy a tomato and some cheese). Gluten free, grilled white pizza with spinach, tomato and bacon to be exact. I used recipe for almond flour pizza dough that I found on the <a href="http://www.norcalsc.com/">NorCal Strength and Conditioning</a> blog, and modified a white pizza sauce recipe from <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/12/new-yorkstyle-white-pizza-recipe.html">Serious Eats. </a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Grilled Budget Pizza</span><br /><br />Pizza Dough:<br /><br />3 cups almond meal<br />3 eggs<br />1 1/2 tsp olive oil<br />3/4 tsp salt<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I mixed all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and formed a dough ball to roll out onto a cooking sheet covered with cornmeal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQEsGX-uiTpi_S_eHLSC35bvGbnh4-aPuOW-jt1YDlEr35iidehbmKwwPsDtjVDC7Bl2P_DJhnL6cntIGlAAXsq7uMRF8jXHeVbCGGcUR5Al89dRKxG84JcdweSYlMzKMx5t6HOfA72o/s1600/DSCN2420.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQEsGX-uiTpi_S_eHLSC35bvGbnh4-aPuOW-jt1YDlEr35iidehbmKwwPsDtjVDC7Bl2P_DJhnL6cntIGlAAXsq7uMRF8jXHeVbCGGcUR5Al89dRKxG84JcdweSYlMzKMx5t6HOfA72o/s400/DSCN2420.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920285585471330" border="0" /></a>After adding extra, extra cornmeal so that the dough would slide off of the try and onto the grill (hypothetically), I rolled the dough into a squarish shape. M fired up the grill to about 400 degrees, and we attempted to dump the dough onto the grill. It would have been nice to have a pizza peel, so that I could slide the dough gently onto the cooking surface, but the almond flour dough was incredible sticky, and thus it was more of a dumping action than a slide.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1L95r0qJkkO1kV7Z-yyFdMAn75FGLfnd9cqaEUiPYxJ5rJRFBnykNkqMwF0SPfj1tDbcFpADJfdv9o7dW3LryLVmKtmc-tYnq-n0N0laYvvnlRnzPBfNiMWkHwO5F1ZFM6nDKC06-yw/s1600/DSCN2421.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1L95r0qJkkO1kV7Z-yyFdMAn75FGLfnd9cqaEUiPYxJ5rJRFBnykNkqMwF0SPfj1tDbcFpADJfdv9o7dW3LryLVmKtmc-tYnq-n0N0laYvvnlRnzPBfNiMWkHwO5F1ZFM6nDKC06-yw/s400/DSCN2421.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920293170329602" border="0" /></a>The result was what we like to call a "rustic" pizza crust aka totally misshapen. There was some minor breakage, but nothing to stop the grilling process completely. We optimistically cooked the dough for about 3 minutes and then used a two person flip technique: one of us guiding the cookie tray underneath the dough while the other gently lifted the dough with a spatula. Once the dough was flipped, we heaped on the toppings.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">White Sauce:<br /><br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />4 cloves of garlic, pressed<br />1/4 cup heavy cream<br />Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">(I made the sauce and prepared the bacon before grilling the crust so that everything would be ready once the dough had been flipped on the grill.)<br /><br />I heated the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat, added the garlic, salt and pepper, and let the mixture bubble for about two minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL3AQkCc_71JzDMpxCKYbofemFK9QD9UOI3CGtCgZI8DFurWByw_EIFJxGT_hfC5xM4GpIV6zoFLp6-_mclpoj-gw2kLWQV4GJuuBe8aWJG6iYxumwuuXrVb4b-PkLGodWQrsiJl3SY4/s1600/DSCN2413.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL3AQkCc_71JzDMpxCKYbofemFK9QD9UOI3CGtCgZI8DFurWByw_EIFJxGT_hfC5xM4GpIV6zoFLp6-_mclpoj-gw2kLWQV4GJuuBe8aWJG6iYxumwuuXrVb4b-PkLGodWQrsiJl3SY4/s400/DSCN2413.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920006035029666" border="0" /></a>After adding the heavy cream, I let the sauce simmer for about three minutes until it thickened.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CJmJRgxRT-wOstkpBNz-T5CorCOld0ITrEqofNuglcg4uorq1JiD6fQ6OQLTn62KCGAtFiqnHRsJVUqTaoiWLLy75n1SXYAK_A9pCJRZNCTn_Ho_CIzrdQJnTNW8Is0Nmso-UeYfHY8/s1600/DSCN2416.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CJmJRgxRT-wOstkpBNz-T5CorCOld0ITrEqofNuglcg4uorq1JiD6fQ6OQLTn62KCGAtFiqnHRsJVUqTaoiWLLy75n1SXYAK_A9pCJRZNCTn_Ho_CIzrdQJnTNW8Is0Nmso-UeYfHY8/s400/DSCN2416.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920031763219394" border="0" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></a>While the sauce cooled, I fried up some bacon.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcc6GUQpgPd7T_Oa1FsSAjR-G6S6FX0Jep6Ooosbo_IiD5M1XhefyJhAkSZqFndzshyZ-MKBB2hdbFuFU6yxB5o9nusEL5_mza985IH5DgM3Z_Oooe2HOCipwg5WSAqQJbDF1vfYfA8_s/s1600/DSCN2415.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcc6GUQpgPd7T_Oa1FsSAjR-G6S6FX0Jep6Ooosbo_IiD5M1XhefyJhAkSZqFndzshyZ-MKBB2hdbFuFU6yxB5o9nusEL5_mza985IH5DgM3Z_Oooe2HOCipwg5WSAqQJbDF1vfYfA8_s/s400/DSCN2415.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920019930045314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LnslrIB83P908evblV_qRZnM97XLnNauN7OHcocApmVLK3maDBc2eYwxDMPWZcD07lDVwulwJ-exYvKnl_HpMsGZyqUkUYsrW17FE5ls4Ok4do5xMHc_TV7x7uml5HnQh10c67WeDRk/s1600/DSCN2417.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LnslrIB83P908evblV_qRZnM97XLnNauN7OHcocApmVLK3maDBc2eYwxDMPWZcD07lDVwulwJ-exYvKnl_HpMsGZyqUkUYsrW17FE5ls4Ok4do5xMHc_TV7x7uml5HnQh10c67WeDRk/s400/DSCN2417.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920038099611474" border="0" /></a>I really like bacon...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2-Y4BCh8wnbBT50Se53avgMJFMVIuQ-xC5IP0ulOlx_WsvD4TUj3r2IM6NUh6b3IQfZ47pajIXlOTMsZjll1nFm5POuxap6d5z2wgGP88m4m7Uzr6c091LTRtNe4uM9LgNzHVcWhlP8/s1600/DSCN2419.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2-Y4BCh8wnbBT50Se53avgMJFMVIuQ-xC5IP0ulOlx_WsvD4TUj3r2IM6NUh6b3IQfZ47pajIXlOTMsZjll1nFm5POuxap6d5z2wgGP88m4m7Uzr6c091LTRtNe4uM9LgNzHVcWhlP8/s400/DSCN2419.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920276564697698" border="0" /></a>Once the dough was flipped, I spread on the sauce, topped it with spinach, sliced tomatoes, cheese and the bacon bits. We closed the grill, and cooked the pizza until the cheese had thoroughly melted, about 8 minutes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXUcUFTO35JPyDN1gJ86FjP_Nsk1saHBWhd4GwOgAIcRLI7xK5mHRPmlrhLAB5a7mKmfc235hfrKMps9IqgmqPtfJ-_wrQ4z4VV-6SXRCmwwgQT_g3j6IvxZ8QzcvvgiTn180KDNXenM/s1600/DSCN2422.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXUcUFTO35JPyDN1gJ86FjP_Nsk1saHBWhd4GwOgAIcRLI7xK5mHRPmlrhLAB5a7mKmfc235hfrKMps9IqgmqPtfJ-_wrQ4z4VV-6SXRCmwwgQT_g3j6IvxZ8QzcvvgiTn180KDNXenM/s400/DSCN2422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920300775148754" border="0" /></a>We ended up with a heaping pile of garlicky, bacon-y goodness!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0H84eHqjZJzdZYFRPpl3o4eKy4FHjiHg6_1fpQAK__KkxJqL4QYjjZ9dr8Qhi0WiWqL6wURLdL8x075FAcq9Bf_kiljUuuAQWci5RwE251bQTnzErQDRMJ-gsCDt5De7Nuy5GnUTKSY/s1600/DSCN2423.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0H84eHqjZJzdZYFRPpl3o4eKy4FHjiHg6_1fpQAK__KkxJqL4QYjjZ9dr8Qhi0WiWqL6wURLdL8x075FAcq9Bf_kiljUuuAQWci5RwE251bQTnzErQDRMJ-gsCDt5De7Nuy5GnUTKSY/s400/DSCN2423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491920306792492242" border="0" /></a>Everything was cooked just the right amount: the crust didn't burn, and the toppings were all piping hot! The almond flour crust was a little dry (M said it smelled like movie popcorn...), which I attribute to the grilling and the fact that there was no yeast involved. I have a feeling it would be different--more doughy, less crumbly-- if it were baked in the oven. Next time we grill pizza, I'll be curious to try a traditional, whole wheat dough recipe.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>AllieNichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04309499566470252746noreply@blogger.com1