January 16, 2013

Vanilla Walnut “Shortbread”

I’ve spent the past few days at home with a sick child. It’s been a combination of AHHHH & Awwww. In short, it’s been AHwful. As a result, I’m caught up on laundry, my kitchen has been cleaned 2000 times, two high straightenence posts have been executed, two boxes of tissues have been demolished and my pantry supply has dwindled slightly. Since we’ve been housebound and I’ve been in desperate need of a sweet pick-me-up, I found this little recipe for “shortbread” cookies and BANG! I had all of the ingredients at home. Love that.

These little raw cookies turned out better than I imagined. I didn’t really think you could mimic shortbread without butter or baking but somehow the ground walnuts & coconut create a buttery/nutty vibe and the rest is golden. Husband approved and that’s saying A LOT.

These vanilla-walnut cookies are best kept in the freezer. Their texture is nice and chewy and you’ll really love the taste of the oils from the walnuts when they melt in your mouth. I highly recommend eating a few with a warm cup of tea and a good book. Us moms know the true value of quiet time (without the sound of incessant hacking/coughing).

recipes, Uncategorized

January 14, 2013

Turkey + Pepper Panini

In November I bought myself a panini press. At first I thought it was just an impulse buy (it was) and when I came home and plugged it in, I swear to you I spent like a month straight grilling everything. We don’t even use the toaster now because we grill our bread for toast.

One of the things I like most about the panini press is that has the power to elevate sandwich making. You can get really creative with your ingredients/flavor combinations. I imagine if we were to rent a house on vacation, I’d pack my panini press with me. That’s how attached I am. Just ask my husband.

After Thanksgiving, I grilled turkey with horseradish cheddar, leftover cranberry sauce & turkey. I think I cried over the deliciousness. Cinnamon toast? DREAMY. Quesadillas with sexy grilled marks? No problem. Want a crispy piece of warm coffee cake? OMG it worked!

It’s the grill marks that get me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

This here turkey/pepper/pesto panini is one of my favorite combinations right now. I used pepperjack cheese to add spice & homemade pesto for flavor. The peppers & turkey are my protein & vegetable additions. You see that crust? It’s SO CRUNCHY and the insides are so ooey gooey. I just can’t deal. I’m ridiculously obsessed with a panini press… Don’t try and stop me.

my everyday life, Uncategorized

January 12, 2013

My Everyday Life: Week 2

Here’s what this past week looked like:

My grandparent’s plant is blooming. Christmas cactus? I think of them every time I look at it.

Uncategorized

January 11, 2013

I love lists, Friday!

How many times have I watched this? 3,020.
If you’ve seen Homeland, then you must watch the SNL parody of it.
Why Camera Angles Are Critical.
I love hummus. Especially when it’s green.
This Cashew Fried Rice looks SO. DANG. GOOD.
I love this photo series. I kinda wanna be in a bubble. Is that weird?
I really want to make homemade lip balm. This sweet orange one looks great.
My friend Cheryl is not only hilarious, she one of my favorite authors.
Are you aware of the term humblebrag? I’ve seen many people do it these days…
Do you love Dim Sum? Here’s an awesome guide.
I liked reading Lena Dunham’s Ideal Bookshelf. So many good ones!
This blog is so gorgeous/well-designed. I can’t take it!
To purple crayons & Kale Gratin! You’re goals sound fab, Megan!
An important reminder to slow down & LIVE. The idea of an ANTI-BLOG!
Lisa’s post about LESS? YES TO LESS.
If you need a good book, you should check out The Power of Habit. I’m reading it now!

Ha-Bitch-ual What are our habits? Good? Bad? Who is obsessed with Homeland? An all new Joy the Baker Podcast is ON.

My High Straightenence ORGANIZING GOALS for 2013 is up! I hope to knock out most of them this year!

My Bites Around the Net:

Bakecetera adapted my Carnival Cookies.

Angeline Hue made my No-Knead Walnut Raisin Bread with Whole Wheat Flour!

Pale Yellow made my Chocolate Chunk Brownies.

recipes, Uncategorized

January 9, 2013

Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread

Last night I went on Facebook and asked if it was still OK to make gingerbread since you know…Christmas has passed. The general consensus was that there is not specific season for gingerbread; we can eat it all year round. Let me just say that I LOVE YOU. Thank you for humoring my gingerbread craving. I didn’t get to taste any gingerbread this holiday season, so here I am rectifying that. Gingerbread all day, everyday…until I finish this one.

I do believe that cranberries won’t be around for much longer, so let’s take advantage of those and make this seasonal gingerbread cake. Once upon a time I made a cranberry apple upside cake and it was fabulous. But it lacked the depth and spiciness that only molasses can provide.

So here we are with a fantastic sticky cranberry gingerbread that I’ve had my eye on for months. It’s a sturdy cake that’s so rich and gooey. I’m sure by the time you read this I’ll have eaten half, but can you really blame me? I had a craving.

recipes, Uncategorized

January 7, 2013

Curried Cauliflower Soup

My horoscope keeps telling me that this is the time to start creating new/healthy eating & exercising habits and since it’s the new year, I’ll be more motivated to do so. Should I listen to my horoscope or do I think it’s trying to get me to buy a gym membership? I bet Leos aren’t the only ones getting this horoscope. You can never tell with these apps anymore!

It’s been awhile since I made a new soup. Perhaps I could tell the horoscope writing people to include “make some good soup” into our daily horoscope? That would be a good habit, wouldn’t it? If I could write horoscopes, I’d tell Geminis to make up their mind on what soup to make. I’d tell Capricorns to get out of their food comfort zones and try something new! A Leo must go to the newest/hippest restaurant known for its soup and a Pisces should not just be focused on what the place setting looks like around the soup, but should make sure it actually tastes good. Flavor is important!

But you never know, I could be giving the wrong horoscope to the wrong sign. It’s all a matter of interpretation, isn’t it? What I do know is that this soup I made to set my body straight this January is a keeper. It’s the first soup I’ve made with cashew cream and it definitely won’t be the last. It’s vegan, gluten-free, hearty, spicy and packed with flavor. The texture is smooth & creamy and it will most definitely fill you up. My carb brain thought I needed some bread to accompany it, but I was fine without. That should tell you something!