The Friday Five 11.9.12

1. What I’m Reading: The Runner's Rule Book by by Mark Remy.

2. What I’m Eating: Holy crud, listen to me right now. Go to Whole Foods immediately and pick up a jar of this Earth Balance Coconut & Peanut Spread. Whether you decide on crunchy or creamy is up to you, as I can only attest that the former is quite delectable. It’s a jar of natural peanut butter with the addition of coconut oil. The coconut flavor is definitely there, but isn’t overpowering. I’ve been eating this by the spoonful every day. I’m going to pick up the jar of creamy next so I can use it for baking. Seriously, go buy this! 

3. Recipes I’m Bookmarking: Barley and Kale Salad with Golden Beets and Feta.

4. What I’m Listening to: Stardust by Lena. Sorry, the official video isn’t out yet, but it’s worth a listen.

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN MY FRIEND STARTS TELLING ME HOW FAST YOU CAN MEET SOMEONE, FALL IN LOVE, AND GET MARRIED

WHEN I GET A FREE BABY MAGAZINE IN THE MAIL

. . .  

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

The Friday Five 8.31.12

1. What I’m Reading: Back up to last week when I started reading The Weight of Silence. I read it in 48 hours because it is so good. It’s very emotional and moving, gripping you from the very first chapter. Each chapter switches back and forth through a few different narrators,  and I enjoyed reading the story from each perspective. To give you a brief summary, the book is about two little girls who go missing and their family’s quest to bring them home safely. Reading the chapters through the older brother’s eyes was my favorite. As the oldest of 3 brothers, I got so emotional imagining what it would be like to have one of my siblings missing. For someone who doesn’t cry often, I’ll admit, I teared up several times and cried a couple. I insist you read this!

After being so pleased with Heather Gudenkauf’s writing style, I immediately checked out a second book of hers: These Things Hidden. Oh, and guess what. I read that in 2 days too. It was good – the last few chapters were the best – but the other book was better. 2 books in a week? Nerd alert.

2. What I’m Eating: Well, we talked about my new Sriracha obsession on Monday. I’ve been putting it on everything. I even put it on a pickle at work. It was actually really good.

Clearly on the road to Spicytown, USA, I also picked up a bag of Chipotle Cheddar Pretzel Crisps.  I have no idea how my intestines survived this week.

3. What I’m Listening to:  We are a little over two months away from the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2. Yes, I’m having a countdown until Amanda and I can do this again:

That said, I’ve been listening to some of the Twilight stations on Spotify and discovered “Turning Page” by Sleeping at Last. You’re welcome for the song and the queer video.

4. Recipes I’m Bookmarking:  Blackened Salmon with Crunchy Coconut Couscous.

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN SOMEONE LAUGHS AT HOW MUCH FOOD I CAN EAT 

LOVE…TO SOME GIRLS

TO ME 

One more thing before I bid you adieu for the weekend. A sweetheart reader of mine, Raheen, is running in the Tower of Terror 10 Miler Run with the Autism Speaks team. She needs to raise $750 by September 15th. This money can help with research and hopefully one day a cure. If you’re able to donate, please check out the link to her donation page here. Every bit helps!

I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed weekend! 

CLIF Mojo Bar Giveaway For National Trail Mix Day!

Last week I posted a list of my favorite healthy snacks. Luna bars, in particular, are made by CLIF, the maker of Mojo bars. CLIF Mojo bars are sweet and salty trail mix bars that come in six different flavors:

• Chocolate Almond Coconut
• Honey Roasted Peanut
• Mixed Nuts
• Mountain Mix
• Peanut Butter Pretzel
• White Chocolate Macadamia

Mojo bars are 70% organic and contain 8g of protein with no trans fats or processed sugars. They’re a great on the go snack, and are sweet enough to satisfy your dessert craving!

In celebration of National Trail Mix Day, August 31st, I’m hosting a giveaway! Five of you will each win FIVE Mojo bars!

• Honey roasted Peanut
• Mixed Nut
• Mountain Mix
• Peanut Butter Pretzel
• Chocolate Almond Coconut

To enter, all you have to do is…

Tell me something nice.

Yep, that’s it. Giveaway ends Friday, September 7th, when I’ll randomly pick a winner. Good luck!

Three Ingredient Dessert: Baked Bananas with Honey & Cinnamon

We all know and love whipped banana “ice cream”, but how about a warm banana dessert? My friends, using just 3 ingredients, you can have another delicious dessert without the guilt!

First, let’s take a look at one of my favorite fruits: the banana.

What’s to love about bananas?

• very good source of potassium (helps with muscle cramps!)
• good source of Vitamins B6, C, and manganese
• help maintain normal blood pressure
• low in sodium

So what are the three ingredients necessary to make this easy dessert? Banana, cinnamon, and honey.

1. Peel the banana, slice it in half, and place in an oven-safe dish.

2. Drizzle with honey.

3. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

A lot of cinnamon.

4. Cover and place in oven that has been preheated to 400*. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on desired softness. 

Of course you’re totally welcome to stop here and enjoy your warm, caramelized banana. But should you? I say add more toppings! For me? Peanut butter morsels and coconut! Yum!!

Have you ever had baked bananas?

What would you top your baked banana with?

Baked bananas or banana soft serve?

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Baking Carrot Cake Cookies in Gym Attire

Around 5 a.m. this morning, a nasty storm came through Mt. Pleasant. It was so loud that it woke me up and I thought the world was ending. No joke! It shook me up so much that I couldn’t go back to sleep. I must also mention that I didn’t fall asleep until about 1 a.m. So running on 4 hours of sleep, I decided to start working at home.

By the end of the day, I knew I should go to the gym, but I was exhausted. I know better than to go to the gym when I’m overtired. I end up doing a pathetic workout and feeling like crap rather than energized. Boo.

So I skipped and baked instead. This makes total sense, right? I decided to leave my gym clothes on and get in the kitchen!

The dough was so good, I didn’t really want to bake it. I just kept looking at it.

And then I ate some.

And some more. Even though it looks like I’m kissing the dough…

I present to you…

Carrot Cake Cookies!
adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon.
3. With a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.  Carefully mix in the carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts.
4. Spoon cookie dough onto a baking sheets. Baking for 15-18 minutes or until slightly browned.



These cookies are tender but full of texture from the carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts. They taste very similar to carrot cake, but almost in soft muffin-cookie form. I used much less butter than the original recipe which made my cookies softer. If you’d like a crumbly cookie, use the original recipe. 

While I was baking, Santo sent me a message saying I needed to meet him later to pick up my birthday present. I love experimenting with new cookies and Santo is my go-to cookie taster! He is always honest and I’m glad to provide him with sugar. He’s such a great friend – it’s the least I can do!
Now my present from Santo…oh my goodness, another pickle present!
Not only do these say “Tickle my pickle” but they glow in the dark. Hahahaha.

I must admit, if I met a guy and he wore these, I’d be a tad bit concerned, wouldn’t you? However, rolled over 3 times and worn by me, they are pretty stinkin’ cute!

Ignore the rather large bruises. I am a clumsy mess.
Thanks Santo!! 

Strawberries Are Taking Over My Life. And maybe Guy Fieri too.

…along with beets, pickles, Chick-fil-A, alcohol. I have too many obsessions.

With the first batch of strawberries, I made Lauren an angel food cake for her “4th anniversary of her 25th birthday.” I used Alton Brown’s recipe and it came out so light and moist. Angel Food cake is awesome because you can top it with anything you want and it’s fat-free!

I made the cake on Friday night and as I was walking out the door to dinner, I spilled strawberry juice all over my white shorts. I then turned around, put on a new pair of white shorts and drove downtown. I parked, picked up the bag her cake was in, and strawberries then leaked all over my shirt. I wanted to scream, but I thought, this is life, just go with it. So, in these pictures, you will see a lovely spot on the front of my shirt and my bra hanging out. I = the epitome of class. HELP!

Please note her “25” candles.

After dinner, we went to Midtown for dancing and drinks.

And shots. This is one of my favorite photos of the night because of Jenny. She obviously didn’t care that we were taking a picture – she just wanted her damn shot. Nothing wrong with that.

Tonight, Lucy and I made Chelsey’s Talkin’ Crack Bars. These bars are awesome because they contain only natural sugars and are low in fat! They are also deeeeeeeeelicious. We are currently eating them warm, but we can’t wait until they cool down so we can try them again.

These bars could have easily been the best part of my day, but I got an exciting phone call from my friend Joey today. Joey (Joe Girard) is the afternoon DJ for 95sx and occasionally he gets tickets to Charleston events. He was lucky enough to get tickets to see Guy Fieri at the Performing Arts Center and invited me to go along with him! I practically squealed when he told me. The performance will include interactive cooking stations, secrets tips and dishes from his new book and stories from the road.

If I meet him, can I ask him if I can touch his hair?

I will probably be star struck if I meet him….or at least spill something all over myself. Because, clearly, that is what I do.

Apple-Cinnamon Oat Squares. Impulsive or Spontaneous?

First, I need to clarify something from my obnoxious gym photographs post. I didn’t mean that I work out solely so that I could eat more. I absolutely love working out for fun and because of the health benefits. Being able to eat more is just an added bonus.  And I also do not go straight home and stuff my face with chocolate. I eat a protein-rich, balanced meal to refuel and indulge in my much-deserved goodies later.

Moving on. Wednesday night Lucy and I were up to the usual: internetting with the TV on some random channel. Gah, are we losers? Neither of us wanted to work out, so we started drinking white wine with dinner and perused Whole Foods’ latest issue.Do yall read these? You should. Each issue contains several recipes, weekly meal planners, nutritional information and tips. I was catching up on my google reader when this conversation occurred:

Lucy: Oooh, listen to this recipe: Apple Cinnamon Oat Squares…

Me: Let’s make it. What’s in it?

Lucy, giggling: almond milk, oats…

Me: Ok, let’s make it right now. I’m impulsive. Er, spontaneous. Idk, whatever, let’s do it.

We scanned the ingredient list, and lucky for us, we had everything…but almond milk. We needed 2 cups, and I only had 1/2 cup left in the fridge. We debated quartering the recipe, but instead of taking the chance of baking fugly bars, we drove over to Whole Foods.

Less than 30 minutes later, we were back with almond milk. Oh, and four bottles of wine. You know, for a snowy day.

Apple-Cinnamon Oat Squares

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 (about 1 lb.) apples, cored and grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Dry ingredients:Apple, shredded in my food processor!

2. Transfer mixture to a foil- or parchment paper-lined 9” square baking pan, press down and smooth out the top. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 1 hour.3. Let cool in pan; cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.I ate mine topped with coconut flakes and drizzled with honey.

I don’t think I mentioned it before, but Lucy is vegan. Slowly but surely, I have been training her how to be a baker and she has been introducing me to vegan recipes. Tonight we joined forces and made a really easy and delicious treat. These squares can be eaten warm or even cooled for breakfast or a snack. Store them in an airtight container to be enjoyed throughout the week.

So the question of the night is…am I impulsive or spontaneous? Immediately after calling myself impulsive, I corrected myself saying I was spontaneous. I feel like the word “impulsive” has a negative connotation but I’m not sure why, so I looked up the definitions.

I don’t see much of a difference. What do you think?

Question: About what kind of things are you impulsive/spontaneous? I am with anything related to baking/cooking/eating. Once I have an idea in my head, I have to do it. Life if short…just go with it.

Before I say goodbye, check out these pics from when Auburn stole the National Championship. We were soooooooo happy! (And I’m Asian again!)

I love my bestie and am so glad she got me hooked on college football!