Day 21: Ouch

So last night I attempted my first Cross Fit class. Most intense work out ever. It hurt to button my shirt this morning, that’s how sore I am. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I don’t really care for working out that way. Everyone was super nice and really motivating, but I absolute hate feeling like I’m bad at something, especially something like sports or working out. After the instructor gave me the walk through of the work out, I was already exhausted. I didn’t even half to do 40 reps of everything, like everyone, I just had to do 20 and I still didn’t complete the entire work out. Granted I made it through all but the last workout, but it was a struggle. I was the only girl with 4 guys (including J who is a champ) and so I was already feeling under qualified. I definitely threw up when the work out was over, and I couldn’t really take a deep breath in until about 30 minutes after the work out. I have this weird old man cough at the moment, that I’ve had since the work out, and I think it’s my lungs saying “thanks for almost killing us last night”. I felt like a complete failure because I could hardly even get off the floor when it was time to go, but at least the guys were really sweet to me. They were saying the usual “aw you were awesome, I mean most people can’t even get through one after a couple months”, etc…all the things you say to people who are definitely not up for what the workout has in store. The only saving grace was the J said it was one of th hardest workouts he’s ever done there, and he has been going for a couple months. Still, I don’t like the feeling of not being immediately good at something. I will go back with him, but probably not tonight as promised, because I seriously can’t move. Cross Fit is not for the faint of heart, and I definitely applaud anyone who goes all the time…

On another note, I can’t believe it’s not even 9am yet. How the heck am I supposed to sit here for another 7 hours! UGH I am so ready for a vacation. I'll post a recipe later...I'm over it today

Day 20: At Least I'm Still Vegetarian

I fell off the wagon this weekend, but not in the worst possible way. I definitely stayed away from meat and fish, but unfortunately, I stayed away from blogging too! However 16 in a row isn’t too shabby, so I guess I’m not THAT disappointed with myself that I didn’t blog all weekend. Friday was so jam packed full of work and play that I just didn’t have time. Saturday I spent all day trying to recover from Friday, and then Sunday it was just too cold to do anything but lay on the couch by the fire. So, today I will make up for it all by posting lots of recipes without lots of talking. For dinner last night I made my Spinach Pesto with Whole Wheat Pasta. Super yummy!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach Pesto

Ingredients

4 C Fresh Spinach

1 Bunch Fresh Basil

2 Tbsp Slivered Almonds

2 Tsp Lemon Juice

¼ C Parmesan Cheese

½-1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

TT Kosher Salt

TT Ground Black Pepper

½ Box Whole Wheat Spaghetti (any pasta will do, obviously)

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a handful of salt, and then add the noodles. Cook 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like it.

While pasta is cooking, add spinach, basil, almonds, and cheese to a food processor and pulse until ingredients are ground up. Then, turn on processor and slowly add the oil olive. Just add enough until the ingredients become ‘saucy’, not too wet, but also not dry.

Drain noodles and place back in pot. Before I add the pesto I pulse it a couple more times with the lemon juice, just to give it some zing. Add to pasta and fold in until all is incorporated, then serve!

Open Faced Garden Sandwich

Ingredients

1 Zucchini, Thinly Sliced

1 Summer Squash (yellow), Thinly Sliced

1 Red Onoin, Thinly Sliced

1/3 C Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced

½ Red Bell Pepper, Julienned

EVOO

TT Kosher Salt

TT Black Pepper

4 Pita Bread Rounds

4 tsp Italian Dressings (Walden Farms)

¾ C Swiss Cheese, Shredded

Directions

Place vegetables on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Roast in a 450 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange vegetables on bread; drizzle with dressing. Top with cheese. Place on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat about 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4 servings.

*Nutrition Facts*

Serving Size Per Recipe: Calories - 269, Fat – 7, Sat Fat – 4g, Cholesterol – 20mg, Sodium – 453mg, Carbs – 38g, Fiber – 1g, Protein – 12g

Gazpacho Sandwich

Ingredients

½ 8oz French Baguette Loaf

¾ C Cherry Tomatoes (Yellow, Cherry or Grape), Quartered

¼ C Cucumber, Coarsely Chopped

2 Slices Red Onion, Separated into Rings

3 oz Mozzarella Cheese, Fresh and Cube

1 Tbsp Fresh Mint, Snipped

1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp EVOO

TT Kosher Salt

TT White Pepper

½ C Basil Leaves, Fresh

Directions

 Slice the half baguette vertically through the center. (You should have two 2-ounce mini baguettes). Cut a thin horizontal slice from the top of each portion. Use a knife to carefully remove bread from center of mini-baguettes, leaving 1/4-inch shells. Set aside. Reserve the center pieces of baguette for another use.

 In a medium bowl combine quartered tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mozzarella, mint, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Line bottoms of baguettes with basil leaves. Fill lined baguettes with tomato mixture. Replace tops. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Makes 2 servings.

*Note*Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare sandwiches and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill for up to 12 hours.

*Nutrition Facts*

Servings Per Recipe (2 Servings): Calories – 237, Fat – 8g, Sat Fat – 3g, Cholesterol – 16mg, Sodium – 691mg, Carbs – 29g, Fiber – 3g, Protein – 12g, Vit A – 17%, Vit C – 42%, Ca – 24%, Fe – 14%

Day 16: Egg-cellent Ideas (ya, I said it)

     Bet you can't tell what todays topic is...! ;) After eating rather poorly last night (fried pickles [shared] and a margarita at pizza at the Tavern…demolished), I am craving veggies! So for lunch today, it’s steamed edamame and a fresh beefsteak tomato. Also, I have eaten FOUR boiled eggs today! I think since Saturday I have probably consumed 2 dozen eggs! I don’t know what the deal is, but I can’t get enough. Oddly (and lame) enough, I am reading Breaking Dawn right now, and Bella is craving eggs a lot too. Maybe I am starting to connect with her on a make-believe level…hah!

     My beloved poppet, whom I dearly miss, said I should talk about eggs today in my blog. She even is a contributor to one of the recipes I am posting, Bisquick Quiche!

     Eggs are probably in my top 10 favorite foods. Fried, Scrambled, Boiled, Poached, you name it, I like it! I usually try to eat just the whites, but since I’m not eating meat I’m not getting much cholesterol (except from the cheese I have every now and then), so the yolks have been added to my diet. There is almost NOTHING better to me than weekend breakfasts! I have pretty much mastered the art of making Frittatas, but my favorite egg breakfast has to be my fried egg sandwich. I don’t make it that much because it’s kind of time consuming and involves lots of ingredients, so usually I stick to my fried egg atop a slightly toasted slice of wheat bread with blackberry jam.  But, when I have the time, energy, and ingredients, Fried Egg Sammy’s are made!

Did you know…?

-Each of the roughly 280 million laying birds in the U.S. produces from 250 to 300 eggs a year. In total, the U.S. produces about 75 billion eggs a year, about 10% of the world supply.

-The white of a large egg measures about 2 tablespoons’ worth of liquid, the yolk is about 1 tablespoon and the whole egg is about 3 tablespoons.

-There are 7 to 17 thousand tiny pores on the shell surface, a greater number at the large end. As the egg ages, these tiny holes permit moisture and carbon dioxide to move out and air to move in to form the air cell. The egg can also absorb refrigerator odors through the pores, so always refrigerate eggs in their cartons.

-To tell if an egg is raw or hard cooked, spin it. Because the liquids have set into a solid, a hard-cooked egg will easily spin. The moving liquids in a raw egg will cause it to wobble.

-About 60% of the eggs produced in the U.S. each year are used by consumers and about 9% are used by the foodservice industry. The rest are turned into egg products which are used mostly by foodservice operators to make restaurant meals and by food manufacturers to make foods such as mayonnaise and cake mixes.

-Howard Helmer, Senior National Representative for the American Egg Board is the Omelet King. Helmer holds three Guinness World Records for omelet making – fastest omelet-maker (427 omelets in 30 minutes); fastest single omelet (42 seconds from whole egg to omelet); and omelet flipping (30 flips in 34 seconds).

     Also, a fun fact that I learned in culinary school, there are really 101 ways to use eggs in dishes. I was told by a teacher, that during the interview process, they have to prepare an egg dish at the request of the interviewer. Also, there are 101 creases in a chefs toke (hat), representing the 101 ways to prepare eggs.

So, in the words of Miley (my new favorite phrase), eggs are PRETTEH KOOL!

Fried Egg Sammy (a la moi)

Ingredients

2 Slices Wheat Bread, Both Toasted, but One Slice with a Circle Torn From Its Middle

2 Butterleaf Lettuce Pieces, or Spinach or Arugula

2 Slices Beefsteak Tomato

6 Slices (or Half) Avocado

Red Onion Slices, Your Preference as to How Many

Blue Cheese, Goat Cheese, or Feta Cheese Crumbles, Again Your Choice

1 Tbsp Whole Grain Spicy Mustard

1 Large Egg

EVOO for pan

TT Kosher Salt

TT Black Pepper

Preparation

Toast the slices of bread. Take one of the slices and rip out the middle, creating a circle while leaving the crust intact. You can go ahead and built the sandwich on the other slice of bread at this time. I stack mine as such:

Bread, Mustard, Crumbled Cheese (I put it here so it doesn’t all roll out), Red Onion Slices, Lettuce Pieces, Tomato Slices, Avocado.

In a sauté pan, heat EVOO on medium heat until it coats the pan evenly. Now add the slice of bread into the pan, and then crack the egg in the middle of the bread. I think my mom calls this “egg in a basket”. Now, cover the pan with a lid and let cook for a couple minutes. I like my egg runny, so I cook for about 2 minutes and then I flip the egg and toast, turn off the heat, and let it sit for another minute.

Once the egg/toast is finished, place it on top of the sandwich that you built earlier. I tend to use a knife and fork for this meal, because it’s pretty messy, but you’re in the comfort of your own home, so eat it how you want!

Obviously you can replace the ingredients with whatever you want, and you can even add to it. Sometimes I use prosciutto, turkey, or bacon when I make it…three items I desperately wish I could eat at the moment.

Bisquick Quiche (a la poppet, aka, LNS)

Ingredients

1-2 C Fillings Of Your Choice (Mushrooms, Broccoli, Etc)

1 C Shredded Cheddar, or any Shredded Cheese You Like

¼ C Onion, Chopped

2 C Milk

1 C Bisquick

TT Kosher Salt

TT Black Pepper

Preparation

 Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease 10" pie plate or 8" square.

Sprinkle fillings, onions and cheese in plate.

Beat remaining ingredients until smooth and pour into plate.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving

*This site has some great egg recipes: http://www.egglandsbest.com/recipes/breakfast-brunch.aspx

*The beauty of life is to experience it yourself*

Day 15: Humpy Hap Day!

     The only thing getting me through this week is know that I only have to work three days next week…Hallelujah! Today has been rough because one team member called in sick, leaving us with three including my boss, and now my boss has been gone for over 2 hours and I don’t know where he is and all I want is to go home EARLY!? I wish that you were able to work until you were finished, whether it be 8 hours or 5 hours, and then you could go home…while still getting paid your regular salary of course! In my dreams I suppose. I always say that we need to win the lottery, but I never play, so, it’s really stupid of me to always say that. However, I do not have any desire to spend my hard earned $1 on something that is likely improbable.

     Tonight is a dinner/movie date with some friends, then tomorrow is mani/pedi day with mi madre and Friday night is Joe T’s with some other friends! Hopefully the rest of the work week will fly by so I can get to my fun evenings! J is being spoiled this week by getting to play golf at both Shady Oaks and Colonial, so while he is having fun, I a sitting here at  my desk stewing in jealousy! I wish that we could work outside. It would really make me day much more enjoyable.

     I saw this headline on yahoo yesterday and the story cracked me up! Some people must have an easy life when little things like this make them angry: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42193162/ns/travel-news/?GT1=43001

     I think I have hit the point of being a vegetarian where I become insatiable. I feel like I cant eat enough right now! Almost every night this week after we have eaten dinner, I’ve  microwaved two new potatoes and mashed them up with salt and Louisiana Hot Sauc. Yes, you read that right. New potatoes are all I have been craving; that and eggs. The eggs make sense to me because they are protein, the new potatoes, however, came out of left field.  I wonder if this is common for people who are cutting meat protein out of the diet. I should definitely do some more research about that. I think that I have already talked myself into ordering a margherita pizza at the Movie Tavern tonight, because they really aren’t that veggie friendly, and there veggie sandwich cannot complete with the delicious one I get at Central Market. Last night, I added mozzarella to my veggie sandwich creation and it was amazing. I can’t believe I had never thought to do that…must be the intense craving to get some protein in my body.

     Due to my intense need for protein at the moment, I am going to post a recipe that is FULL of protein, simple to make, and of course, tasty.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

1 Lb Firm Tofu, Drained
¾ C Italian Salad Dressing (Walden Farms )
12 oz Summer Squash, Yellow, Halved Lengthwise and Cut in 2in Pieces
2 Bell Peppers, Orange and Red, Quartered and Seeded
½ C Quinoa
½ C Quick Cooking Barley
½ C Spinach

Directions
 

Cut tofu lengthwise into 8 slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Place tofu in shallow baking dish; pour 1/4 cup of the dressing over tofu. Place vegetables in a large self-sealing plastic bag set in a deep bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of the remaining dressing over vegetables. Close bag, turning to coat. Chill tofu and vegetables 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing.

Remove tofu from dressing, discarding dressing. Drain vegetables, reserving dressing. Grill vegetables on rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning occasionally. Grill tofu on grill rack directly over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, or until lightly browned. Remove tofu from grill. Cut into triangles. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine squash and peppers. Add reserved dressing. Toss to coat. Set vegetables aside.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart pan bring 2 cups water to boiling. Place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under running water. Add quinoa and barley to pan. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until water is nearly absorbed and grains are tender. Drain.

In a large bowl gently toss grains with shredded sorrel and remaining chilled dressing. Serve quinoa with vegetables and tofu.. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

*Note* Look for quinoa near the grains on your supermarket shelf or health food stores.

*Nutrition Facts*
Servings Per Recipe: Calories – 202, Fat – 5g, Sat Fat – 1g, Cholesterol – 2mg, Sodium – 306mg, Carb - 31g, Fiber – 5g, Protein – 9g, Vit A – 16%, Vit C – 154%, Ca – 4%, Fe – 16%






 

Day 14: Pow Pow

     Well, I sit here in front of you all today, as an official carrier of the Texas Concealed Handgun License :) J and I took our shooting portion today, finally, after completeing the classroom portion in January. I shot 91% and J shot 99%, of course; Always has to be the golden child! It was really fun but I am glad its over. The guy next to us was shooting a cannon of a handgun the whole time we were taking out "test". His friend, who was like, 5'2", could barely even keep upright everytime he fired the missle.

     Work was long, and I'm glad its almost halfway over. I don't have much to report today, so I'll keep it short and sweet. The recipe I'm posting is SO easy. Its what I made for lunch tomorrow. Its couscous and sauteed ssparagus and spinach. All you do is follow the directions for couscous on the box (I use Near East brands for all my couscous and tabbouleh), and then add in whatever veggies you want. We had spinach and asparagus on hand, so thats what I used. Took about 10 minutes to make a lunch that will definitely tide me over until dinner (which we are having with some fabulous friends, I must say). 

     I hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday (t h). I'll be more creative tomorrow....

Day 13: Cheese Please

    Three in the afternoon is always the worst time of day for me during the week. I feel like time virtually stands still at 3. I only have an hour and a half left at work, which leaves me little time to start a new project, but so much to just sit and stare and the clock. I usually send J an email that says “tick tock tick tock” at this point. He probably just laughs at me because he is playing golf or doing something fun while I dread the hour and a half wait to get on the road for another hour of traffic. BLECH! I am in SERIOUS need of a vacay, thank goodness one is coming soon.

     We have two black tie events coming up in the next three weeks…they are actually 5 days apart from each other. I am going to Neimans to dress shop this week and I feel good about it because I have to say, I feel a bit more slender than I was a couple weeks ago. I am loving this vegetarian thing! I really haven’t had any big cravings for meat or fish, but I know Louisiana is going to be the most challenging weekend of this whole thing…No oysters, No crawfish, No Poboys, No Canes!!!?? At least I can have Pink Ladies…

     I am very proud of myself for successfully accomplishing blogging two weekends in a row. I almost forgot last night, and hurriedly typed away while in bed. Today I have some really fun recipes that I think everyone will like! We are having Szechuan for dinner tonight!! YAY! Moo Shi vegetables, Vegetable Egg Roll and Egg Drop Soup are on my list for this evening, and just typing that made my mouth water. Usually I ordered Moo Shi Pork, Hot and Sour Soup, and Regular Eggs rolls, but they all contain pork, so at least I have found three equally scrumptious and way healthier options!

     Today has actually flown by rather quickly, which I can only hope for the rest of week. Tomorrow we are going to finally finish our shooting portion to receive our CHL (concealed handgun licenses), so we will probably go out to eat after that to celebrate. ACTUALLY, we have some gift cards to Del Frisco’s we can use. Not enough money for a meal (which I couldn’t eat anyways), but plenty for a few drinks and maybe an order of Mac and cheese : ) Excellent….

     I have been craving some serious cheese lately (and also new potatoes oddly enough) so today’s recipes will be cheesy and delicious!

Focaccia and Camembert Pizza

Ingredients

4 6in Focaccia Flatbreads
2 Tomatoes, Sliced
TT Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
1 8 oz Round of Camembert Cheese, Chilled
1/3 C Chopped Walnuts
2 Tbsp Fresh Chives, Snipped
 
Preparation

Heat broiler. Place flatbreads on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Top with tomato slices; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut cheese in thin slices. Place cheese slices on tomato slices.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat about 2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Sprinkle with walnuts; broil 1 minute more. Sprinkle with fresh chives. Serves 4.

*Nutrition Facts*
Servings Per Recipe (4 servings): Calories – 449, Fat – 24g, Sat Fat – 11g, Mono Fat – 5g, Poly Fat – 5g, Cholesterol – 41mg, Fiber – 6g, Protein – 21g, Vit C – 19%, Ca – 28%, Fe – 8%.


Baked Brie Strata

Ingredients

2 Zucchini, Cut Crosswise into ¼ in Slices
6 ½ in Thick Slices of Crusty Sourdough Bread
8 oz Brie Cheese, Cut into ½ in Cubes
4 Roma Tomatoes, Cut Lengthwise into ¼ in Slices
1 C Egg Whites
2/3 C Evaporated Skim Milk
1/3 C Onion, Finely Chopped
3 Tbsp Fresh Dill, Snipped
TT Kosher Salt
TT Black Pepper
8 Cherry Tomatoes
Nonstick cooking spray
 
Preparation

Cook zucchini, covered, in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, spray a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange bread slices in the prepared baking dish, cutting as necessary to fit. Sprinkle half of the Brie evenly on top. Arrange zucchini and tomatoes on top of bread. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

In a bowl combine egg product, evaporated skim milk, onion, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over vegetables and cheese. Lightly press vegetables down with back of spoon to be sure everything is saturated with egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for 4 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from strata; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

*Note*Make-ahead tip: Prepare and chill casserole for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.

 

Day 12: Limitless

     Its unreal to me how fast weekends go by. I feel like it takes two weeks to get through one work week, and then about 5 hours to get through a weekend, its really not fair. Whoever invented the 5 five work week must have either had the best job ever, or was just crazy. 

     We saw Limitless this afternoon and both really enjoyed it. Plot summary is a guy who is kind of a procrastinating wannabe writer runs into an old friend who introduces him to a new drug that enables you to use 100% of your brain, as opposed to the 20% we are said to really only use. It was very entertaining and thought provoking, and it didn't hurt that Bradley Cooper was the lead either. He is one of my favs, and its not for his acting skills. 

     Breakfasts are definitely my favorite part of weekends. They are always so hearty and delicious, and we usually eat with friends at least one of the two days. This weekend I was fortunate to have breakfast both days with friends. Today there was even a precious little one year old involved! : ) We ate at Cafe Brazil on Berry, located where the Los Vaqueros used to be. J didn't particulary like his meal, but I really enjoyed my vegetarian chiliquilles. I also liked the the restaurant was very vegetarian friendly, which is a rarity in the ol Fort. I totally cleaned my plate, again, and immediately regreted it, again, but it was totally worth it. We were going to go practice our shooting skills since the shooting poriton of our CHL class is Tuesday night, but the range was closed so instead we say Limitless. 

     For dinner tonight, to help make up for both of us being pigs for brunch, we made Spring Rolls. They are so fun to make and even more fun to eat. You can make them however you want as well, there is really no set recipe. You just need to buy the rice paper (which looks like big contacts) and then whatever veggies and protein you would like. We usually just eat them with veggies, but I have made them with shrimp before. Just julienne (cut into sticks) the veggies you choose and place a bowl or pot of warm water out. You soak the rice paper for about 20 seconds, turning ever so often, into the warm water until it becomes very soft and pliable. Then you place the veggies of your choice at one end of the wrap, and slowly roll them up, tucking in the ends if you haven' t filled them up too much. Tonight we used carrots, cucumber, mung bean sprouts, avocado, cilantro, mint, and green bell pepper. I made a quick and easy Peanut Butter dipping sauce (1/4 C peanut butter with hot water added slowly to make silky/creamy, then a couple splashes of soy sauce and 1 splash of hot sauce). Here are a couple of pics from the last time we made them.

     I will post two recipes for tomorrow because I am not going to post one tonight. Its not like any of you are going to be making anything tonight at this time anyways, because it is 926, which means...My Bedtime! 545am is going to come quick! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and Happy First Day of Spring!!  XX

Day 11: 행복한 토요일

     Today's title is translated to "Happy Saturday" in Korean...you'll understand the Korean thing in a bit. 

     Today I got to do one of my favorite things, and luckily, my favorite thing is something I usually do once a week; Grocery Shop. I know that most are you are rolling your eyes at this because it seems like no one else likes going to the grocery store but me. I wish that there was a way to turn grocery shopping into a living, because seriously, i could go everyday. I have no idea why I like it so much, but I do. I especially LOVE going to the Korean Market in Carrolton, its quite the haul to get out there, but its awesome! Super H Mart is the name, and it is amazing! I am going to post the website, but there isn't much English on it, so just take my word...its worth the drive. http://www.hmart.com/

     Not only do they seem to always have the freshest proteins, produce, and anything else you can think of, the prices are incredibly low! A fillet of salmon, weighing about 1.5 lbs only costs around $7. Go to a chain grocery store and it will cost at least twice as much! Super H Mart not only serves as a grocery store, but there are about 6 different little cafes that serve made from scratch, fresh foods ranging from sushi to Chinese to Korean (I'm not sure they have any American food, except for the sodas). They also have little novelty stores sprinkled about selling anything from Hello Kitty to Suitcases to shoes. I could spend an entire day at this place.

     When you first walk in, you are immediately overwhelmed. There are people everywhere, like little ants with shopping carts. The produce section is what you run into first. Its unbelievable. They sell fruits and vegetables there that I have never even heard of, and the items I have heard of seems to be on steroids. Ever seen a one pound pear? No? Well go to Super H Mart and they sell them for a dollar, as well as their strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. I was used to buying a pound of strawberries for $5.99, but not at this place. Once you weave your way up and down the produce rows, you hit the protein section, which seems to go on forever. 50 different types of fresh fish lay on ice behind glass, while about 10 other kinds of fish are swimming around in fish tanks (including shark sometimes). The have an aisle about 20 yards long full of freshly packed fish, as well as squids, clams, mussels and lobsters. Across the way are the meats, which actually I have never looked through because I am always so enthralled by the fish. Once you make your way through that section you run into the frozen foods followed by 12 aisles of packaged foods. Most everything is in Korean, I'm not even joking. Yes they have little 8 foot long sections of foods from other parts of the world, but that not why you go...you go for the Korean items. Scatter through the market are employees preparing fresh dumplings, Boboa Teas, and even steaming fresh snow crab for sampling. H Mart is definitely a market worth visiting, and I will gladly join if anyone decides to make the trip!

     I had a wonderful lunch today with one of my favorite people on this earth, Miss RJP. We went to Lucille’s and definitely over ate, but it was worth it. I had Eggs Benedict Florentine (served over spinach instead of tradition ham), hash brown, and cheese grits. Lucille’s cheese grits mean business...its more like melty cheese with a bit of grits. They were perfect. RJ had one egg over easy, hashbrowns, sausage, and an english muffin...and cheese grits! : ) Its been a long week for her and she deserved EVERY bite of it! We did both kind of regret it as the waiter removed both our plates almost completely cleaned! Oh well, thats what weekend breakfasts are for, overindulging and catching up with good friends.

     She came over for a bit to see Js house and we watched a couple episodes of Sex and the City (thanks for the marathon E!). She left shortly after and then I went to Tom Thumb, who, by the way, is having some great deals today. Now I sit here writing as J stains the newly stoned front porch (looks amazing) and taking the stickers off the windows around the house (windows that have been up for months...ha). Tonight I am making Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette, a favorite of Js. He told me that he never really cared for salads until he ate this one, which is always nice to hear. We are having a Big Love marathon for the rest of the afternoon, too. He has never seen an episode and I have seen every season, except the current one, which is unfortunately the last one. If anyone is interested in buying series of TV shows, go to Blockbuster immediately. EVERYTHING they have in the ENTIRE store, including candy and countertops believe it or not, is on sale. We bought season 1 and 2 of Big Love for $18/season...and I bought 500 Days of Summer (one of my favs) for only $5.

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Saturday.

Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Salad
1 Bag of Baby Spinach
10-15 Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Small Red Onion, Sliced Thin
1/2 C Crumbled Goat Cheese
1/4 C Slivered Almonds

1/4 C Dried Cranberries
5 Strawberries, Sliced Thin
3 Tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves, torn

TT Pepper

Dressing
3/4 C EVOO
1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Pint Strawberries, mashed or blended with an immersion blender
2 Tbsp White Wine (or Champagne)
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Fresh Mint
TT Salt and Pepper

Preparation
Place salad ingredient into large salad bowl and set aside.

For the dressing, I used my immersion blender, but a regular blender would work just as well. Put strawberries, balsamic vinegar, wine, honey, and mint into whichever blending apparatus you chose and turn on. Slowly incorporate EVOO until blended together and smooth.
Pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve!

 

*Live by intuition and consciousness*

Day 10: Shopping Made Easy

     Today I decided to write about online shopping deals! It’s been a weird and emotional week for me and some things that always cheers me up are food and shopping. Since I can't go sink my teeth into a nice greasy cheeseburger, shopping will have to suffice in filling me with joy : ) We are currently living in a world malls are becoming more and more unnecessary (thank the Lord) because of the internet (Thank Al Gore...t h), so I figured I’d share a few online sites. Before I get started I would like to ask that whoever reads this today, please keep the Havran family in your prayers.

     Thanks to Jenna from Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, I have just become a member of Just Fabulous. It’s most similar to Rue La La, minus the 48 hour window of purchase and it’s just shoes and handbags shoes. You fill out a style profile based on celebrities, colors and your favorite styles of shoes, and they match you with shoes they think you’ll like. There is no monthly membership, sign up is free, shipping is free, and each pair of shoes is only $39.95! AND you get 50% your first order when you sign up. I am SUPER excited about this, because as most of you know, me likey shoes : ) www.justfab.com It takes less than 5 minutes to fill out your profile and you can immediately begin shopping. The shoes switch out every month I believe, but if for nothing else, use this sight to find out with you like and don’t like and then just go to DSW with the $20 coupon we all get in the mail once a month and find shoes there!

     Here are a few more websites that I follow right now. I love them and I have purchases items from all of them!

http://www.livingsocial.com/ – The Breakdown: Each day they send you one deeply discounted deal to use at a local business. You can sign up for a number of different locations at once, but that’s really only good if you travel or have intention of traveling. You just click to buy and they send you the coupon to use and/or store it on your account. You can share the deal with others, and if three people you shared with buy it, yours becomes free! They also share destination deals, under the “escapes” tab, for hotels, all-inclusives and weekend getaways. It’s amazing.

www.ruelala.com – The Breakdown: Designer Brands, Private Sale Pricing. You have to be a member to view, but it’s free. They have designer collections for clothing, jewelry, home apparel, and now they are starting to sell destination deals as well. Each “boutique” is only open for two days, and the best things sell out quick. They will send you an email with the day’s boutiques, as well as future ones.

http://www.groupon.com/ – The Breakdown: Extremely similar to Living Social. You check your email for daily deals on cool local businesses, buy deals that you like with a click of the mouse, and share them with your friends. They have really cools deals on groupons pretty consistently. If you had an iPhone, you can download the app for free and it will alert you when new deals are up.

www.renttherunway.com – The Breakdown: It’s just how it sounds. Its alike a Netflix for clothes. You can take a profile test to determine your style, which is never ending fashion questions and picture (it’s fun, but long), or you can just shop around yourself. You shop by color, size, style, occasion, etc. Then, you pick a delivery date close to when you need to wear the dress, and then ship it to you with a free backup size of the exact outfit for use for 4 or 8 days. Then, you just put the outfit back in a prepaid package and drop it in the mail. They even take care of the dry cleaning. Prices vary accordingly to designer, but it’s a really cool website if you have an event you are going to but you just don’t have the money to buy the designer dress you really want.

     Since you now have easy access to online shopping for clothes, shoes, and vacations, I figure I should post some super healthy recipes so we can all fit into our fabulous dresses and barely-there bikinis (HA! I have always wanted to use that phrase…Don’t worry dad, my bikini will be VERY-there).

Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

Ingredients

3 or 4 fresh small goat cheeses

8 slices country white bread

EVOO

Salad greens for 4 salads

Green Salad Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut each goat cheese round horizontally into 2 or 3 half-inch slices. Place bread on a baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, and place a slice of goat cheese on each piece. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until bread is toasted and cheese is warm.

Meanwhile, place salad greens in a large bowl and toss with enough Green Salad Vinaigrette to moisten. Divide the salad among 4 lunch plates. Place 2 slices of toasted bread on each salad, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve. Makes 4 salads.

Green Salad Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. While whisking, slowly add the 1/2 cup good olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

*Note*Egg Swap: Ina makes her Green Salad Vinaigrette with a fresh raw egg yolk for a wonderfully creamy dressing. If you are concerned about the safety of using a raw egg yolk, use 2 tablespoons refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, in place of the yolk. The yolk can be omitted altogether, but the dressing will be less rich and creamy.

*Nutrition Facts*

Servings Per 6 oz, Calories -141, Fat – 11g, Sat Fat – 2g, Cholesterol – 19mg, Sodium – 249mg, Carbs – 7g, Fiber – 0.5g, Protein – 3g, Vit C – 2%, Ca – 5%, Fe – 4%

Black Bean Cakes with Salsa

Ingredients

1.5 C prepared salsa

1  jalapeño pepper

2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 8.5 oz pkg.  Corn muffin mix

2 1/2 tsp Chili powder

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 tsp Chili powder

Preparation

In colander, drain 1/2 cup of the salsa. Seed and finely chop half of the jalapeño; thinly slice remaining half. In large bowl mash beans with vegetable masher or fork. Stir in muffin mix, drained salsa, 2-1/2 teaspoons chili powder, and chopped jalapeño.

In 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add flour, 1/2-cup mounds bean mixture to skillet. Flatten mounds with spatula to 3-1/2-inch-round cakes. Cook 3 minutes each side until browned. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining oil and bean mixture.

In bowl, combine sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Top cakes with remaining salsa, sliced jalapeño, and seasoned sour cream. Makes 4 (2-cake) servings.

*Nutrition Facts*

Servings Per 2 cake servings , Calories – 129, Fat – 5g, Sat Fat – 1g, Mono Fat – 1.5g, Poly Fat – 0g, Cholesterol – 3mg, Sodium – 338mg, Carb – 20g, Fiber – 3g, Protein – 5g, Vit C -2%, Ca – 3%, Fe – 6%

 *You will feel fullfilled when you do the impossible for someone else*



Day 9: Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

     Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!! I am really not sure if I'm more Irish or Scottish, but I like to smooch and I'm a "Mc", so the title today seemed appropriate : ). I really had no idea St. Patrick himself, but have no fear, Yahoo! posted a story about him. So if you’re interested in the man behind the green, here you go http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/the-scoop-on-st-patrick-2465481/

     I have mixed emotions about my day today. It’s quiet around the office because all the parents are off on their version of Spring Break with their kids. There are not many projects on my plate, which is a good thing because usually I am pretty busy. Tonight is the visitation for Barrett, which still seems surreal to me. A close friends’ mom composed the obituary, and I think she did a beautiful job of portraying all the wonderful accomplishments he made in his short 31 years. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dfw/obituary.aspx?n=barrett-martin-havran&pid=149381350&fhid=4250 Please keep his family in your prayers.

     One thing that really brightened my mood up was noting that the first day of Spring is on Sunday! Spring and Fall have an ongoing rivalry of which is my favorite season. I just love the pastels, blooming flowers, rainstorms, cool weather and clothing that Spring brings. Changing my closets over from Fall/Winter clothes to Spring/Summer clothes is like shopping for free : ) It also gives me an excuse to rid myself of all my clothing cluster (donated of course), therefore giving me a reason to buy more! Although most of us see New Years as the time to start fresh, I really do feel like Spring puts a pep in my step. Another reason that I love Spring is because of Easter. Obviously Easter is centered on Jesus, and He is who we are celebrating, but I have to say the 5 year old in the white puffy dress comes out of me during this time. I am not a sweet eater in general, but you can barely pull my away from Cadbury Mini Eggs when they start filling the aisles of supermarkets. I also really enjoyed dying/hunting for Easter eggs when I was little, and I actually kind of wish it was still appropriate to do so at 25. Two other candies that I am OBSESSED are from Louisiana…you cannot purchase them in Texas and they only sell them during the season. They are Gold Brick Eggs and Heavenly Hash (HH being more of my favorite). http://elmercandy.com/history.htm I had completely forgotten about those when I starting writing that sentence…now I’m REALLY excited.

I am posting TWO recipes today, one in lieu of St. Patty’s Day (not because it’s Irish, because it’s all green!) and the other is one that I am really looking forward to making!

 Sharp & Sweet Green Salad

Ingredients

1 recipe Lime-Pepper Dressing, below

4 C torn Boston or Bibb Lettuce

1 C Fresh Watercress Leaves

3/4 C Fresh Cilantro

1 Cucumber, julienned

2 Baby Bok Choy, separated into leaves or 2 stalks bok choy, julienned

2 Kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced

Preparation

Rinse lettuce, watercress, and cilantro in cold water; pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine rinsed greens, cucumber, bok choy, and fruit. Drizzle with Lime-Pepper Dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Lime-pepper Dressing: In screw-top jar combine 13 cup rice vinegar; half a fresh Anaheim (14 cup) or 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped; 3 tablespoons olive oil; and 1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel. Add 12 teaspoon sugar, 14 teaspoon salt, and 14 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Cover; shake well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herb (cilantro, basil, mint, or parsley) before serving.

*Note* Because chile peppers, such as jalapeños, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them. If bare hands touch the chile peppers, immediately wash them well with soap and water.

*Nutrition Facts*

Calories - 104, Fat – 7g, Sat Fat – 1g, Mono Fat – 5g, Poly Fat – 1g, Sodium – 200mg, Carbs – 8g,  Fiber – 3g, Sugar – 4g, Protein – 3g, Vit C – 146%, Ca – 18%, Fe – 12%

Spinach Tortellini with Beans and Feta

Ingredients

1 9 oz package of Cheese Tortellini

1 15 oz Can Cannellini (white kidney) Beans, rinsed and drained

1 C Crumbled Garlic-and-Herb flavored Feta Cheese

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 Large Tomato, chopped

Ground Black Pepper, TT

4 C Baby Spinach

Preparation

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and; return to pan.

Add drained beans, feta cheese, and olive oil to tortellini in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until beans are hot and cheese begins to melt, gently stirring occasionally. Add tomato; cook 1 minute more. Sprinkle black pepper.

Divide spinach among four dinner plates or shallow salad bowls. Top with tortellini mixture. Serves 4.

*Nutrition Facts*

Servings Per Recipe 4 servings, Calories – 448, Fat – 18g, Sat Fat – 7g, Mono Fat – 5g, Poly Fat – 1g, Cholesterol – 61mg, Sodium – 858mg, Carb – 55g, Fiber – 9g, Sugar – 3g, Protein – 24g, Vit C – 221%, Ca – 28%, Fe – 19%