August 23, 2011

The thing about gardening…

I have a small vegetable garden in our backyard and I’ve been reluctant to post pictures of it because I’ve been somewhat neglecting it this summer! The thing about gardening is that you need to tend to your plants everyday. You gotta prune, inspect, manage bugs, fertilize and WATER your plants or else everything falls apart. Some days I remember that I need to water my plants when I’m deep in spreadsheet-land at work. I rush home to wilted plants who really don’t appreciate night time waterings. Two or three days of neglect and my tomatoes are looking a little droopy with a few extra yellow leaves hanging around. Fortunately there’s still a lot of fruit coming off the vines and things are ripening up nicely. Fall is going to be here before I know it so I’m savoring every last bit of tomato goodness while I can! Here’s what I’ve got going on…

recipes, Uncategorized

August 21, 2011

Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins

Hey! Guess what? As of last week, I have a preschooler. That’s right! A PRESCHOOLER! Dang! Where does the time go? In preparation for this monumental event, I let Cooper pick out his very own lunchbox and backpack. He went with a nice robot theme and I’m glad for that because the construction themed set was not my favorite color. I know it’s not MY lunchbox, but I’m the one who has to keep tabs on it, clean it out & fill it up every other day. I’m also left with the task of having to figure out what to put in said lunchbox and I need to get him excited about lunch time at school! It’s a tall order.

At the beginning of the week, I made these Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins with the idea of putting one in his lunch box as a treat for all three days of preschool. Little did I know they would disappear in less than two days. Cooper loved them so much that I actually caught him standing on a chair at the kitchen counter reaching into the container of muffins I put aside for the week! And just when I thought my new hiding place was legit, I walked downstairs to see him eating another muffin behind the couch. SNEAKY kid! If these muffins were loaded with sugar, butter or oil, I’d be upset. But the fact that there’s both zucchini and banana mixed in with a little flaxseed makes his sneaky behavior totally OK. I can’t really blame him; they taste great! They’re moist, tender, full of flavor and the flaxseed gives the muffins a nutty flavor without nuts. You would never really know that there’s no oil in this recipe. I have now welcomed these healthy muffins into his lunchbox rotation. Victory!
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Photography, Uncategorized

August 20, 2011

365- Week 32

A food related photo everyday until 2012. Here’s week 32:

230/365 I split a cheeseburger with my dad for lunch.

Photography, Uncategorized

August 18, 2011

31 comes before 32 RESULTS!

This is the part where I tell you that I didn’t finish my list! But it’s my birthday today and I’m hoping you can forgive me? To be honest with you, I’m not really upset that I didn’t finish. I’m actually quite proud of what I’ve accomplished in the past year! You’ll see links to all the things I completed in my 31st year of life below mixed with a few things I haven’t finished…

Share an an actual picture of myself on my website.
Make donuts from scratch.
Go to the French Laundry (again!)
Take a class to improve my knife skills.
Have a nacho party!
Make my own pizza (and not fail!)
Go to a farm.
Make cream puffs for my mom. (She LOVES profiteroles!)
Make cinnamon rolls from scratch.
Clean out/organize my kitchen (FOR REAL!)
Go on a dishcrawl!
Try a dish with capers and like it!
Get my drink on with Joy.
Do a cleanse.
Make my own soft pretzels.
Learn how to do canning!
Make french fries from scratch.
Hang some of my food photos in my kitchen.
Cook something with my husband.
Host a fondue party!
Have a cookbook party where we all cook from one cookbook!
Make some killer hot wings for my husband.
Make creme brulee!
Go on a food adventure in Portland, Oregon.
Make my own cheese from scratch.
Learn a recipe from my grandma.
Make pasta from scratch. (maybe with my grandma?)
Learn how to do latte art!
Grow some lettuce.
Try to sell some photos online. (etsy maybe?)
Meet as many of my online friends as possible!

I’m going to be kind and give myself til the end of the year to complete the items I haven’t finished. I don’t think hosting a fondue party in August would be a wise idea. Damn you, timing! I didn’t get you right! I have ingredients for hot wings in my fridge right now and I’m planning on doing some kitchen purging/organizing soon! We’re planning on having a garage sale so that will have to coincide with that. I’ve also done some research on Etsy and I’m close to opening up a shop; I just need to pick out pictures to print! I bought a new clock for our kitchen a few months ago and put it in the place where I would have put my food photos! I guess that means I must find another place for them in my house…Dishcrawl…need to figure that out. I’m not sure if I even like the idea of going to separate places for each course. Can’t all my food just come to me? Cookbook party? I know who I need to invite! Ahem…Whitney, Kasey, Megan, Cheryl, Denise, Allison & Danielle. What cookbook do we all have? Meet as many of my online friends as possible? I’ve met A LOT and I hope to share all of my friends in a post for you soon.

Right now I’m going to dive into a chocolate cupcake & watch Project Runway. It’s my birthday after all.

around the home

August 17, 2011

BluePrint Cleanse

I’ve been putting off doing a cleanse FOREVER and once I had Cooper I thought there was NO WAY I could be a mom and cleanse because it just didn’t seem possible! How the heck would I manage?? Where would I get the energy to chase around an active toddler? I seriously NEED to eat and drink coffee in order to function. Or so I thought…

What turned me off on cleansing was the annoyance of having to buy ultra specific/pricey/exotic foods and the idea of spending lots of time prepping meals. How do you make 3 different juices, poached fish, steamed vegetables and white miso soup for your work day? Who can do that in the morning? When I saw Joy’s review of her cleansing experience, I decided to give the BluePrintCleanse a try. It’s a 3 day juice-only cleanse where you simply drink 5 different juices throughout the day and then you end the day with a tasty cashew milk. Everything was labeled, convenient and easy to follow. Instructions were emailed, juices were sent and I was in it to win it! I’m proud to say that I made it through and it was MUCH easier than I imagined.

Come take a look!
CONTINUE READING

recipes, Uncategorized

August 16, 2011

Guacamole Hummus

If guacamole and hummus had a baby, they would name it Guacamole Hummus. It would be thick, rich and creamy. It would taste and look just like guacamole but have the density of hummus. Guacamole hummus would eventually settle down with a bowl of chips and make a nice home in your stomach. Don’t you just love a happy ending? I do. Especially when there’s an avocado involved.

Make this. Inhale it. Smother it all over your body. It’s seriously good. Guacamole hummus is my new best friend.
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recipes, Uncategorized

August 14, 2011

Honey Lavender Crème Brûlée

I’ve never been super-girly. I tend to avoid pink at all costs. I’d prefer not to smell like flowers and I JUST recently got into nail polish. But when it comes to eating things that are typically feminine, I definitely own my femininity. I will totally drink a bright pink cocktail out of a martini glass. I’ll eat a cupcake covered in frosted flowers like a champ! This honey lavender crème brûlée might be the most girly thing I’ve made, and I had absolutely no problem eating it. It’s subtly floral and perfectly sweet. It has a thick custard bottom that’s both light & creamy and a hard caramel shell that’s fun to crack into. It’s the crème brûlée that made me like crème brûlée!

That’s right, I’m not a huge fan of crème brûlée. So why would I put it on my list of things to do before my birthday? Somehow I felt that if I made it from scratch I could grow to appreciate the dessert. It totally worked! I love it and I think you will too. If you happen to make this for your husband or boyfriend, don’t mention anything about it being feminine. Trust me.

# 23. Make crème brûlée = DONE!