CSA Week 7 / Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

The further we get into the Spring season, the better the assortment of produce I receive from Gruber Farm. When I opened last week’s box, I thought “Woah, best week EVER.” Ehhh wrong! This week is even better. I’ve been really happy with Gruber Farm thus far because you get a good assortment of many different types of produce versus a few different things.

Week 7:

• red potatoes
• yellow corn
• onions
• patty pan squash
• a pumpkin? some sort of squash…
• string beans
• peaches (!!)
• turnips

I always dig into the fruit first. It’s the most appealing to me and easiest to cook…or not cook at all. This time I cooked!

Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

This “recipe” doesn’t require drawn out steps; it’s easy as pie. But not a peach pie.

All you do is turn your broiler on low, slice or halve the peaches however you prefer, and pop them in the oven. Watch them!! Let them brown a little, but be careful – they will burn and you will end up with crunch. Not fun.

When they’re browned to your liking, remove them from the oven, drizzle them with honey, and top them with goat cheese crumbles and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Eat them while they’re warm!

Top them with ice cream. But don’t tell me about it. I’ve given up desserts.

This doesn’t count as dessert right?

What’s your favorite fruit-based dessert?

Why is there a phrase “easy as pie”? PIE IS NOT EASY TO MAKE.

Workout Wednesday

Before you flip out wondering, why I didn’t write a “What I’m Loving Wednesday Post,” let me explain myself. This is a lifestyle blog centered around finding the balance between eating and exercise. There is a lot of food and randomness, but not enough fitness. I workout most days of the week, but I don’t always share what I’m doing. I'd love to incorporate more of my workouts on the blog to motivate both my readers and myself. Let me know what you think!

Here’s the workout I did on Tuesday.

Cardio:

For those of you who haven’t done interval workouts, let me further explain this. You’ll sprint for 20 seconds, then (holding the side rails) jump and place each foot on the sides of the treadmill. Let the treadmill go for the remaining 40 seconds and then jump back on.

Repeat, sweat, wipe, turn your music up, sweat some more.

Adjust the speed so that you’re running as fast as you can during the sprints. This ensures that you significantly increase your heart rate during those 20 seconds. It doesn’t seem like long, but trust me, the incline makes it tough.

Strength:

Speaking of fitness, Champion sent me a shipment of two new sports bras. After receiving a bunch last Fall, I decided they are my very favorite sports bras. Ever. I mean it. They are incredibly comfortable, tag free, seam free, and sweat proof. Do you know how annoying tags can be when you work out? Yikes.

Style 2697

Style 2767

I’m pretty small and don’t need a ton of support, but I can tell that these bras would be great for bustier ladies as well. My first shipment contained 2 size mediums so I gave them to my roommate. She wore Style 2767 to clinicals for 12 hours and was comfortable all day. She also noted that she liked how it was similar to a regular bra, with adjustable straps.

From the shipment last Fall, this was my favorite bra:

Style 2961

It’s currently on sale for $17.99! You will love it. Aside from wearing it at the gym, I also have them one on I’m working from home or just lounging around.

Check them out!

What’s your favorite upper body exercise? What do you loathe? I love push ups. No, really, I do.

Favorite athletic wear?

Bacardi Photo Contest

Hi friends! The only time I’ve ever asked for your vote is for the 2011 and 2012 Charleston City Paper awards. I can never thank you enough – it is because of you that I won both years. Huge hugs.

Amanda and I have entered in a photo contest with Bacardi. We’d LOVE for you to vote for us. If we win, we get a 3-night stay in a house on Isle of Palms and tickets to the Bacardi Cocktail Classic event.  We think it would be a great weekend getaway for us and a few girlfriends. How exciting would that be!?

Here’s how to vote:

1. “Like” Bacardi Cocktail Classic on facebook HERE
2. Go to the photo contest tab HERE
3. Vote for our picture, titled “Bacardi Babies”

To purchase tickets and watch us do our victory dance, click HERE. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 5th, at the South Carolina Aquarium. Local bartenders from 18 of Charleston’s best restaurants and bars will compete to see who can make the best party cocktail.

Thank you!

Memorial Day Weekend Continued…

After too much fun on Friday and Saturday, Boding and I agreed that we wanted to start the week off on the right note. A healthy note. I tweeted the head chef at Crave, Landen Ganstrom, asking him if he could whip up something healthy for us. Although he wasn’t working, he dialed up his sous chef and told him we were coming in.

Like always, we started off brunch at Crave with their delicious cornbread muffins. These things are incredible. I rarely, if ever, butter my bread, but this is where I make an exception. They’re melt-in-your-mouth tender, sweet muffins.

Back on the healthy track, the sous chef served us an entrée that did not disappoint. We each had Coriander dusted salmon with a peach reduction served atop pulled zucchini, squash, and red pepper “fettuccini” in a light tomato sauce.

After brunch, we went shopping. Boding bought some of his favorite wine, Jam Jar…

…and I picked up a pair of (cheap!) wedges from Payless. I can’t remember the last time I went in that store, but I’m glad I did. Twenty bucks (yup!) later, I walked out with these.

All the shopping worked up an appetite, so we went to Tutti Frutti for some sorbet. I had pineapple and orange creamsicle topped with mango, blueberries, and cookie dough. I kid you not, this is the best froyo/sorbet in Charleston. Their soy yogurt is  even better than the regular froyo.

Side note: The girls at work and I decided not to give up sweets until Monday. It just didn’t seem right to start over MDW. :)

We then spent an hour or so at Barnes & Noble, doing “research.”

On Monday, the weather wasn’t so lovely in my area. I woke up, visited Brandy at Starbucks for a skinny caramel latte, and then hit the gym. Continuing on with my typical Monday, I ended up at Chick-fil-A for lunch.  Shocker.

I had a kid’s meal with grilled chicken nuggets and one of those cute applesauce packets.

I’m a sucker for cute packaging, especially when it contains fruit!

Monday afternoon, Amanda and I met some friends at Vickery’s to enjoy the sun, after it decided to come out from the clouds. When the boys told our server they wanted one more beer, Amanda and I couldn’t decide if we wanted another. Our server suggested we “share one more beer.” Initially we thought “how bizarre” but went with it. Two girls one straw.

What was the highlight of your Memorial Day Weekend?

Memorial Day Weekend Cookout with Nestle Drumsticks

To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, a few of us friends got together for a cookout. What better way to celebrate a long weekend than a night full of good food and friends.

Whenever my friends and I have get togethers, I’m almost always in charge of dessert. I like to bring a seasonal cookie or cake, but when I’m short on time, a prepared dessert will do the trick. Rachel’s cookout was a perfect opportunity to share the new Nestlé pretzel dipped drumsticks that were provided to me through Food Buzz.

After devouring chips & dip, hummus, pulled pork, and mac & cheese, it was time for the sweet stuff! Dane was the first to dig into the pretzel dipped drumsticks. They’re pretty big!

Each cone is filled with with creamy vanilla ice cream then dipped in a chocolately pretzel crunch coating. Each cone is the perfect mix of sweet and salty.

We also tried Nestlé Lil’ Drums in two flavors: Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Both were delicious and only 120 calories a pop.

I had no idea that Nestlé drumsticks were available in so many different flavors. I’m interested in trying the Vanilla Caramel Crunch and Cookies & Cream. They also make sprinkled drumsticks! This Summer, I’ll definitely be picking up a couple boxes. To share with my friends, that is…

"Full disclosure: Nestlé has provided me with free product and other items in order to help with my review, but anything I receive from Nestle does not affect my thoughts on its company or their products."

Are you a fan of Nestlé Drumsticks? Which flavors?

When going to a cookout, what do you typically bring?

The Friday Five 5.24.12

1. What I’m Reading: I finished half of our Book Club book the night we chose it. Whoops. At that rate I’ll have finished and forgotten it by the time we meet again, so I decided to start something else. One of my very sweet readers sent me an advance copy of a book from one of my favorite authors, Alyson Richman, who wrote The Lost Wife.

Thank you, Avery! That was so thoughtful of you.

2. What I’m Listening to: Doesn’t everyone love this song?

3. What I’m Eating: NOT CANDY. At work yesterday, Hannah came up with the marvelous idea that she, Rachel, and I should give up sweets for a week. Um, what?

I realize it’s only a week, but I eat at least one small treat a day – usually a Dove promise, Hershey’s miniature, or um, a Chick-fil-A IceDream. The rule is no candy, desserts, ice cream, or anything of that nature.  Can we survive the 7 days? That sounds semi pathetic, but I’m actually petrified. ;)

4. Recipe I’m Bookmarking: Peanut Buttery Hummus. You read that right.

I bet you just drooled on your computer/phone/tablet.

5. Words I’m Living By:

I can’t wait to work on “DANCE MORE” this weekend. Shouldn’t be too hard.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

CSA Week 7 / Recipe Help From My Readers

Despite being a bit sad that I am more than halfway through my Spring CSA with Gruber Farm, I was delighted with this week’s box.

The variety and quality of Week 7 was impressive.

• carrots
• green beans
• zucchini
• pattypan squash
• cucumbers
• onions
• peaches
• pole beans
• red potatoes

At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what the beans in the bottom middle were. I couldn’t decide if they were snow peas or pole beans. After asking friends on twitter, I finally decided they must be pole beans. I hope I’m right. I’m open to being corrected…

As usual, I went straight for the fruit. Biting into the first peach reminded me that Summer is just around the corner. That evening, I cut the potatoes in bite-sized pieces and sauteed them with diced onion. All they  needed was a bit of oil and a dash of salt & pepper. Sometimes it’s the simple recipes that turn out the best.

The other vegetables left me wondering…

Should I eat the carrots as I always do, with my favorite hummus?

What on earth do I make with the patty pan squash? I won’t forgive myself if I chop them up. They’re too beautiful not to keep in their whole form. Perhaps stuffed is the way to go.

Pole beans? Who cooks with those?

Everyone thinks of peach cobbler, why not make something else?

Here are some recipes I bookmarked today:

• Patty pan Squash Stuffed with Corn
• Stuffed Zucchini Boats
• Rosemary Roasted Potatoes – basically what Courtney made this weekend!
• Carrot and Raisin Salad – a healthy version of Chick-fil-A’s!
• Sautéed Peaches

What would you make with this week’s vegetables? I want to know your favorites. Your tried and true recipes. Your family’s secrets.  Your own creations.

As bloggers and foodies, we know how tiring searching for the perfect recipe can be, so why not share with one another? Send me what you’ve got – I’d love to make it at home and highlight it on my blog!

Winner gets a special prize.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. Last Thursday, the Book Club girls met at my house to discuss Fifty Shades of Grey. Aside from discussion questions, I learned more about them than I anticipated. (We sort of played Never Have I Ever.) Pretty funny. Today we decided on our second book:

Another love story? Apparently! I wonder if it will pale in comparison to the raciness that is Fifty Shades…

2. My cousin is the cutest little nugget. When his quesadilla arrived at lunch, it was accompanied by a garnish of lettuce. He took one look at it and promptly asked me, “Teetee, do you want my salad?”

3. Rachel and I like to blame Blackbaud for a slight weight gain in the past year that we’ve worked together. In reality, it’s our own damn fault. We use any excuse to eat chocolate. Today, for instance, Rachel brought in pretzels. Hannah brought in chocolate. I declared that we would melt the chocolate to have something to dip our pretzels in. Hello.

In response to this behavior:

4. This conversation while Sarah and I drove over the bridge.

Me: Sarah, look at that sign.

Sarah: It’s a sign.

Me: Ugh, I know. We need help.

Sarah: No, it’s actually a sign. Literally.

5. My new favorite breakfast: toasted everything bagel thin, fried egg, Trader Joe’s spicy salsa, sliced avocado. Carbs, protein, healthy fats, flavor. Nothing is missing.

Make that! Thank me later!

Brunch at Carter’s Kitchen in I’On, Mt. Pleasant

This past Sunday, the lovely Sarah Jones of All Over It invited me join forces with her and review Carter’s Kitchen. Nestled in the I’On neighborhood, this charming little restaurant is a great spot for dining. My first impressions of the restaurant were how pretty it was inside and how welcoming the staff was. It was a beautiful day so we decided to sit on the porch and enjoy the sunshine.

Before we were seated, we ordered drinks from the bar. While waiting, I glanced over the menu and noticed one of my biggest pet peeves: the unnecessary apostrophe. Urrrgghhhh.

I let my pickiness for grammar go as soon as the bartender handed us the Bloody Marys.

The darker one to the left was made with a local product: the Charleston Bold & Spicy Bloody Mary mix. It’s thick and has a really nice kick to it. It made the second Bloody Mary taste watered down.

Then the ordering of multiple dishes began. We started with two recommendations from our server. Bruleed grapefruit with vanilla sugar:

This was as delicious as it was beautiful! The ratio of tart to sweet was perfect and I’m now inspired to make this at home.

Biscuit Sliders with country ham, bacon, sausage:

I had high hopes for these but the biscuits were very dry and the ham was extremely salty. The concept is cute though!

By this time, we were ready for round two: mimosas. We had a grapefruit and St. Germaine mimosa and a cranberry and Amaretto mimosa.They were both excellent. I now want only cranberry and Amaretto mimosas for brunch. See ya, OJ!

Out of all the entrees, my heart was set on the Seafood omelet with shrimp, crab, scallops, and lobster sauce with a side of grits and toast.

Both the texture and taste of the eggs made me question if they used eggs from a carton. Boo. The seafood stuff inside, however, was incredible. There was so much crab meat and the lobster sauce was divine. I’d eat this every weekend. The grits were fantastic – some of the best I’ve had in Charleston because of their perfect consistency.

We also tried the Orange-Vanilla French toast.

YUM! It had a slight hint of citrus and was perfectly crispy with a soft middle.

As odd as this sounds, one of my favorite parts of brunch was the home fries. They used red, white, purple, and sweet potatoes. So colorful and so tasty.

Carter’s Kitchen has really great brunch items at fair prices with an even charming atmosphere. I insist you sit on the porch! The food was prepared and plated well, aside from the dry biscuits and disappointing quality of eggs. My only gripe about our experience overall was that our server was inattentive and not very friendly. Maybe I should have given her one of my mimosas…

What’s your favorite brunch item? Do you prefer salty or sweet in terms of breakfast items?

Charleston friends: Where is your favorite spot for brunch?