Tagged on Thursday / Factual Friday

Thanks to Amanda, I was recently tagged in a blog game. So fun.

1. I get more excited about new food products than I do about new clothes, shoes, movies, books, etc. My friend Jess picked up the new Peanut Honey Pretzel Luna Bar just a few hours before I did and I was going nuts! I picked it up from Whole Foods right after kickboxing class. My thoughts on it are coming soon.

2. Running and strength training will always be my go-to forms of exercise, but I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with my kickboxing class.  My teacher does a great job at mixing up the music and routines. If you’re an East Shore member, be sure to check it out or come with me!

3. I absolutely cannot stand when people stand too close to me. Unless you are a close friend of mine, please back up at least 2 feet. My bubble does not want to be popped. The worst is when someone stands too close to me in line. EEEEEEEEK.

4. My favorite things to learn about are: Egyptian history, the science of baking/cooking, personality disorders, nutrition, the Holocaust, the Spanish language (my major in college), and grammar. Random, I know.

I like this lady.

5. I don’t think I will ever understand fashion, decorating, gardening, how to play an instrument, or how to match colors. I might not be a woman.

6. I have no shame in admitting that I love to read my horoscope. I am a true Cancer: loving, protective, devoted, loyal,  stubborn, sensitive, overly competitive, and moody.

7. I am the oldest and have 3 younger brothers. Maybe this explains #5.

8. My favorite candies are: peanut m&ms, pretzel m&ms, heath bar, kit kats, and sixlets. I also love gummy worms (but not bears) and Swedish fish.

9. I can’t read maps. Okay, so I am a woman.

10. I am easily distracted, scatter-brained, and clumsy. All three of these traits lead me to live a very amusing life. Adderall makes me boring.

11. I have been bitten by three different dogs: a Scottish terrier bit my face at 3 (still have a scar), a Chihuahua bit my leg, and a Boxer bit my thumb. Although they were all small, I don’t like big dogs now.

Instead of tagging others (I hate doing that), please watch my current favorite video. Enjoy!

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

IZZE Sparkling Juices And A Few Oopsies

Last week, I received a 4-pack of IZZE sparkling juices.

Included in the box were four flavors: Clementine, Blackberry, Grapefruit, and Pomegranate.

IZZE sparkling juices are contain real fruit juices and have no caffeine, refined sugars, or artificial flavors. Out of the flavors IZZE provided me, I liked the Grapefruit best as it tasted the most like its natural fruit. The Clementine flavor was my second favorite because it wasn’t too sweet and was lightly flavored. I found both the Blackberry and Pomegranate flavors to be much too sweet; however, I think they’d be great with a splash of vodka! ;)

In addition to the samples, I received a coupon for a free 4-pack of IZZE or IZZE esque, which is their low-calorie option. The regular IZZE bottles contain 150 calories per bottle, and IZZE esque only has 50. Their IZZE esque flavors are

• watermelon
• black raspberry
• limon
• watermelon

Which flavor should I buy? Decisions, decisions!

In other news, I am still the clumsiest, most accident-prone individual I know. In the past 3 days, I have managed to:

• burn my arm on the oven while making pizza on Sunday
• stick my hand in a pot of boiling water to pull out the corn on the cob….what!?
• get a paper cut at work today
• cut my hand with my brand new weapon knife this evening
• fly off the treadmill at the gym!

Let’s talk about that last one. Tuesday night, Mariah and I did an awesome strength training workout and were finishing up with some cardio. I had just turned my speed up to 8.0 and for some reason, my phone (pandora!) went flying. Instead of turning off the treadmill, I jumped to the side and retrieved my phone. Already flustered, I forgot that my treadmill was on 8.0 when I decided to jump back on towards the back. NOOOOOO!! Instead of running like this guy…

I just skidded right off onto my shins. I instantly bruised and cut my leg. OOPS. I was just thinking the other day that I was surprised that this hadn’t happened before. Why am I such a mess!?!? A lot of people tell me I need to “slow down” but ugh, I have things to do! Ha ha.

Are you extremely clumsy or accident-prone? It’s pretty standard for me to walk into things, burn myself, and drop things on a daily basis. I just have to laugh it off and remember this quote:

XOXO!

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!! 

I May Be Crazy But I Can Make Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese!

All of my negative traits must be forgiven, for I can make some killer risotto.

And cookies.

But really, I am a CLUMSY MESS. It’s not a joke. My attention span is unreal. I’m either unable to focus on anything, or I’m hyper focused on one thing. Luckily, I tend to be hyper focused at work, as long as I have my music on.

A typical Whole Foods shopping adventure for me includes a)knocking something over, b)dropping something, c)ramming something or someone with my cart, d)losing my cart, or e)all of the above. Today, while purchasing Arborio rice for my dinner, I had a moment. You know those bins at Whole Foods? I had pulled down the handle to release Arborio rice into my bag and then heard my phone go off and for some reason, I just walked away. While the handle was still down.

I made it rain Arborio rice all over that place.

This girl looked at me like I was all sorts of stupid, but I looked at her and laughed, because really, how serious could this be? It’s freaking rice. It costs like 2 cents and you have to laugh at life, right?

I walked out of Whole Foods and chuckled to myself the entire ride home. Then the cooking began! I was in the mood for something comforting, so the beet risotto that Lucy’s mom had made us came to mind. It was time to recreate her masterpiece!

I used a combination of her recipe and one that Jenna recently posted on Tasty Kitchen.

Beet Risotto

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 medium beets, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt & pepper to taste
• crumbled goat cheese, for topping

Preparation:

1. Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a medium pot.

2. Add the beets and onion, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the rice, chicken broth, and balsamic vinegar. Increase the heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes).

4. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme. Sprinkle with the goat cheese. Serve immediately.

While chopping the beets, I nicked my palm with the knife. Then I realized I had no idea if I had broken the skin because my entire hand was red anyway! Aren’t beets fun?!

Despite spilling rice and cutting my palm, this meal was ridiculously good. It was creamy and comforting with a nice hint of thyme. The goat cheese balanced out the tangy balsamic and also added to the creaminess. I’m kind of glad I didn’t invite any friends over because I want this alllllllllll to myself!

Along with the beets, I had some Swiss chard that I sautéed in olive oil with garlic and crushed red pepper. Quite a colorful meal.

Now apparently I am not the only crazy in Charleston. Check out this dude I spotted walking down King Street last weekend. HOT PANTS! They are bright yellow and his hair is blue. I found it to be such perfect timing that he was walking by a fire hydrant when I spotted him. They match!

XO!

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.

Pastitsio / Photo Day #10

Photo Day #10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with. This was a no-brainer: Ashley. We’ve haven’t even celebrated our 1st friendshipaversary yet, but we have done some wacky things. That yacht we met on changed our lives forever. If you’ve been reading my blog over the past few months, you already know how weird we are together. If not, you can catch up here, here, here, here, or here.

Earth Day 2010

Moving right along…

This morning I noticed that I had too much spinach in my refrigerator. Knowing how I will typically read 206982 cookbooks looking for the perfect recipe, I decided to waste no time and ask my twitter friends. Nicole was the first to respond:Anything called “pastitsio” needs to be in my kitchen just so I can say it aloud. Repeatedly. \päs-ˈtēt-sē-(ˌ)ō\ …Pas teet see oh. Say it with me now. Pastitsio.

Today I took impulsivity to a whole new level. When I got this tweet, I had just started to get ready. Picture it: wet, curly hair, no make-up, t-shirt, skinny jeans (obvi), flip flops. Publix is across the street, so I just took off.

While stopped at the red light I realized I still had my Crest whitening strips in. HOT.

I figured I know the grocery store like the back of my hand, I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. WRONG. Not only did I have to ask for a 1/2 pound of ground turkey, I had to ask where the condensed milk was. Try saying “turkey” and “condensed milk” wearing whitening strips. HOT x 2.

Pastitsio, adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (99% fat free)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 9 oz. fresh baby spinach, cooked and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• freshly  ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups cooked ziti
• 1 (12-oz.) can evaporated fat-free milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 2-qt. casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet sprayed with nonstick spray. Sauté the turkey and onions, breaking apart the turkey with a wooden spoon, until it is cooked through and the onions are soft, 5-8 minutes. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper; heat through. Stir in ziti, then transfer to baking dish.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to just below a boil. Whisk in eggs and egg whites until frothy. Pour over pasta mixture; sprinkle with blue cheese and more ground pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Does this look low fat? It is!

The pastitsio didn’t plate well but who’s judging? I really hope you guys aren’t because the previous description of my appearance would have made you leave anyway.

I Am Not Your Most Stable Friend. I Am Your Clumsiest Friend.

Before going out for Trista’s birthday on Friday night, I jokingly sent this picture message to TJ and Tyler.

“Accident waiting to happen?”

Tyler’s response: “Yes, but totally worth it.

TJ’s response: “Christastrophe.”

What I didn’t realize is that this picture message was an omen for the evening. Silas and I went to Trista’s party, then to Midtown, then to Trio to dance. Obviously I haven’t finished reading Classy.
Fast forward several hours later…I woke up in the middle of the night freaking out. I thought my foot was broken. I could not walk on it, or put any pressure on it for that matter. It was awful. I took an Aleve and tried to go back to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, it felt even worse, so I texted my old roommate/nursing student Diana. She graciously offered to take me to the urgent care clinic to get an x-ray.
Right around the corner from us is Nason Medical Center. This place is awesome. The entire staff was very friendly and made sure we were comfortable and happy throughout our entire visit. After doing paperwork, Diana and I noticed a refreshment area with complimentary beverages and snacks. Cha ching!
Once we were called back, they took my vitals. My blood pressure was 140/70. Um, yeah, I was in pain. Just a few minutes later, Dr. Schwartzberg arrived. A Jewish doctor – everything was going to be fine. I told him I had been dancing like a tramp but spared him the details of keg beer and tequila. Then they took an x-ray to make sure no bones were broken.


No broken bones! Apparently it was just a really bad strain and I needed a fiberglass foot brace, pain meds, and crutches. Hottest I’ve ever been.

After the visit, Diana brought me to Publix to fill my prescription and get food/goodies because I wouldn’t be driving anytime soon. Wine was definitely purchased. We had a blast roaming around Publix in this hot motorized vehicle. It even made an obnoxious beeping noise while in reverse.
That evening, Diana came back over for a fire, wine, m&ms, and a movie. We watched my doppelganger in Letters to Juliet – cute, but super cheesy. I am so thankful for having such a sweet friend take care of me all day. Thank you, Diana – love love love you!

I have iced my foot several times, kept it elevated, and am hobbling around in crutches. I feel like such a goof, but am so happy that I didn’t break any bones. I think I am more upset about not going to the gym! Today I am going to decorate my crutches with ribbons, stickers, and maybe even bedazzle it. Gotta make the best of life’s accidents!


What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? What did you do during recovery?

What IS All This Crap?

First, I loved your responses to yesterday’s dialect vlog. You guys from the North think I definitely have an accent, but yall  from the South don’t think I have one. Figures! I’m going to agree with Gabriela, who said I have “a baby Southern accent.” I’m also glad I posted that because now Nuha wants to hug me and I want to hug her back!!

---

The other day Beth blogged about the contents of her purse. It sounded like fun, as my purse is usually full of the most random junk that I need to have with me at all times. So let’s analyze…

• The purse: JPK bucket bag in Navy.
• Wallet.
• Lilly Pulitzer planner. I think I’d flip my ---- if I didn’t have this.
• Jazz apple. My favorite!
• Marc Jacobs sunglasses. Very useful in the winter, right?
• Hershey’s kisses with Macadamia nuts. YUM.
• Keys.
• Purple heart-shaped stamp ring from Lucy. Just in case I feel like marking someone’s forehead or something.
• Whole Foods receipt for pita chips, carrots, broccoli, snap peas, garlic, and 3 avocados. The essentials.
• Blackberry!!!
• Ricola Honey Lemon cough drops.
• Auburn mints.
• Ipod. Cannot run without.
• Vanilla Mint lip gloss, Apple Cider lip gloss, Menchie’s berry chapstick.
• Spiced Pumpkin Pie Clif bar.
• Rubber band.

Analysis: I like to eat. I like colorful things. I like shiny lips.

What is the most random thing in your purse? Considering I just switched purses, this is actually pretty neat for me. I should repost this in a week and see what kind of trash I pull out.

How about another video!?!?

My FAVORITE form of exercise. Nothing burns more calories than THIS.

That’s a really unattractive still.

I love embarrassing Tyler almost as much as I love eating.

BYE!