Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The bittersweet between my teeth
My blog title is from a song called "Young Blood" by a local Kiwi group called "The Naked and Famous," which I really, really, really love but its also kind of fitting for today. I thought I would include my new found love for local New Zealand bands in to my blog post. That being said, I wanted to be adventurous, healthy, and also eat something that would soothe my burning skin (which has gotten a lot better!). I settled on papayas because after reading quite a lot about their anti-inflammatory benefits as well as their benefits to the skin (when you rub it on your face you have an instant glow!), and the fact that they are packed full of digestive enzymes, and on top of this the fact that I LOVE how they taste I decided to make my green smoothie a green papaya smoothie :) I was very happy and excited mixing my spinach, flax, ice, rice dream, and chunks of yummy paw paws (here in kiwi land they are called paw paws). I blended it all up and opened up the top. Well, it smelled good! But, the consistency was kind of weird...sort of like pudding but really more like a glutenous mass and not appetizing at all. It kind of reminded me of the time I dropped a MacDonalds 2 cent cone in to the Toronto Harbor front lake and came back 2 hours later and it was still there, still a ball of white floating in the green murky water. Yuck. BUT, because I am without judgment, I took a small sip and turns out it actually tasted okay, I suppose, but the consistency really threw me off. It was bittersweet. I never really have problems with consistency of foods. I know a lot of people have issues with this and a lot of my friends don't like things like oysters, bananas, sashimi, etc. because they think its weird in their mouth. This was the first ever time I could understand this aversion to food because of its consistency! I won't make this smoothie again. I re-did it all and used a trusty banana and threw in some almond butter for a kick. I was satisfied. From now on I'll eat my paw paw's whole and raw and definitely not blended.
In other news, because I have been feeling better, I have been able to run again! This week I started off slow, my pace isn't as fast as I usually run because I am out of shape and chalked full of meds but I am trying. Today I had a goal of running 6km. I went to the gym, trusty iPod ready, great playlist (I can't workout without music, I just can't!), and away I went. I was running beside a guy who was really intense and running fast and it actually helped motivate me. I guess it kind of worked like how a running buddy would work. The difference is if we were actually running on pavement together this guy would have been outta sight in about t minus 10 seconds; he was running twice as fast as me. Regardless, he ran beside me the entire time and it was great! The entire 6km took me just under 40 minutes, which is pretty pathetic if you ask me. About 2 months ago I was running 10km in 45 minutes, so I wasn't too pleased. However, in trying to remain positive, I focused on the goal, which I had completed. I said I was going to run 6km minimum and I did it! It wasn't easy and at the 4.5 km mark I was getting tired, but then the iPod saved the day and "Empire State of Mind" came on, nothin like some Jay-Z to get you running faster. Thanks for the motivation, jigga! When I reached the 6km mark I kept going until I reached 40 minutes, but I stayed on the treadmill. After the 40 minutes mark I did an interval set for 10 minutes until the 50 minute mark. Interval Training builds fitness fast and you see results quick. It involves bursts of high intensity work and it is the quickest way to burn a lot of calories and work your heart muscle to the max. Interval programs are basically sessions, which include precisely measured intervals; one high intensity duration alternated with one low intensity duration. The appropriate intensity and duration of the intervals is usually determined by your own fitness level. For example, whatever your max heart rate is (220-age) x 85% (or higher up to 100%) would be the "hard" interval. This harder interval is alternated with an easier interval of anywhere from 50% - 65% of your max. The intervals can be anywhere from 30 seconds on 30 seconds off to 2 minutes on 30 seconds off or whatever combination is best for you. The best idea is to talk to a fitness professional (you can ALWAYS email me and ask for advice) about what your interval session should include, how long you should do the intervals for, what machine you should use, what you should watch for during the interval set, as well as why interval training would be good specifically in regard to you and your own fitness goals. I did a short interval set because the run before was hard, but dont get me wrong, I was still dying and my heart was beating out of my chest. I increased the incline on the treadmill to 6.5% and I walked at 6.0kph (km per hour), which was a pretty brisk pace. I alternated this with running at 9.4kph on the incline. I did one minute on and one minute off. I was bright red after 10 minutes of this. That's another beauty of interval training, you don't need to do it for a long period of time to work up a sweat; interval training workouts can be as short as 20 minutes and the benefits are huge! However, the longer you do it for the better. Interval training helps build up your aerobic capacity, so that you can work out for longer periods, at varying high and low intensities.
The last three days at the gym have totally kicked my ass, especially since my friend the treadmill and I have been re acquainted BUT I will say that I haven't felt this good in weeks and its so good to get back to running. Right now Arnica cream, ice, hot showers, and massage is my best friend. I'm also finding that having a green smoothie in the morning before I go workout really boosts my energy levels and I don't get hungry mid workout. In other foodie news, I finally tried Greek Yogurt! I guess I have been really shifting away from veganism lately. I really think that this is because a number of things, which I will blog about next time before this becomes a novel like my last post. Regardless, Greek yogurt is SO GOOD! It's so smooth and not at all sweet like regular yogurt. I love the consistency. I ate it for breakfast with a dollop of Manuka honey (native to NZ and Super potent and good for you). Over the weekend I was doing a lot of research on the different foods I've been eating and I promise to write about them soon, including Greek yogurt.
Tonight I am making a feast for my guy, because I thought of a great recipe in my head that I'd like to try. However, just in case he reads this before he gets home I can't say what it is yet! But I obviously will have tons of pictures and the recipe in my next blog. I am quite excited to start cooking tonight. That being said, I think its time to open up a new Bordeaux I got today from Glen Garry and start the dinner making process :) xJ
In other news, because I have been feeling better, I have been able to run again! This week I started off slow, my pace isn't as fast as I usually run because I am out of shape and chalked full of meds but I am trying. Today I had a goal of running 6km. I went to the gym, trusty iPod ready, great playlist (I can't workout without music, I just can't!), and away I went. I was running beside a guy who was really intense and running fast and it actually helped motivate me. I guess it kind of worked like how a running buddy would work. The difference is if we were actually running on pavement together this guy would have been outta sight in about t minus 10 seconds; he was running twice as fast as me. Regardless, he ran beside me the entire time and it was great! The entire 6km took me just under 40 minutes, which is pretty pathetic if you ask me. About 2 months ago I was running 10km in 45 minutes, so I wasn't too pleased. However, in trying to remain positive, I focused on the goal, which I had completed. I said I was going to run 6km minimum and I did it! It wasn't easy and at the 4.5 km mark I was getting tired, but then the iPod saved the day and "Empire State of Mind" came on, nothin like some Jay-Z to get you running faster. Thanks for the motivation, jigga! When I reached the 6km mark I kept going until I reached 40 minutes, but I stayed on the treadmill. After the 40 minutes mark I did an interval set for 10 minutes until the 50 minute mark. Interval Training builds fitness fast and you see results quick. It involves bursts of high intensity work and it is the quickest way to burn a lot of calories and work your heart muscle to the max. Interval programs are basically sessions, which include precisely measured intervals; one high intensity duration alternated with one low intensity duration. The appropriate intensity and duration of the intervals is usually determined by your own fitness level. For example, whatever your max heart rate is (220-age) x 85% (or higher up to 100%) would be the "hard" interval. This harder interval is alternated with an easier interval of anywhere from 50% - 65% of your max. The intervals can be anywhere from 30 seconds on 30 seconds off to 2 minutes on 30 seconds off or whatever combination is best for you. The best idea is to talk to a fitness professional (you can ALWAYS email me and ask for advice) about what your interval session should include, how long you should do the intervals for, what machine you should use, what you should watch for during the interval set, as well as why interval training would be good specifically in regard to you and your own fitness goals. I did a short interval set because the run before was hard, but dont get me wrong, I was still dying and my heart was beating out of my chest. I increased the incline on the treadmill to 6.5% and I walked at 6.0kph (km per hour), which was a pretty brisk pace. I alternated this with running at 9.4kph on the incline. I did one minute on and one minute off. I was bright red after 10 minutes of this. That's another beauty of interval training, you don't need to do it for a long period of time to work up a sweat; interval training workouts can be as short as 20 minutes and the benefits are huge! However, the longer you do it for the better. Interval training helps build up your aerobic capacity, so that you can work out for longer periods, at varying high and low intensities.
The last three days at the gym have totally kicked my ass, especially since my friend the treadmill and I have been re acquainted BUT I will say that I haven't felt this good in weeks and its so good to get back to running. Right now Arnica cream, ice, hot showers, and massage is my best friend. I'm also finding that having a green smoothie in the morning before I go workout really boosts my energy levels and I don't get hungry mid workout. In other foodie news, I finally tried Greek Yogurt! I guess I have been really shifting away from veganism lately. I really think that this is because a number of things, which I will blog about next time before this becomes a novel like my last post. Regardless, Greek yogurt is SO GOOD! It's so smooth and not at all sweet like regular yogurt. I love the consistency. I ate it for breakfast with a dollop of Manuka honey (native to NZ and Super potent and good for you). Over the weekend I was doing a lot of research on the different foods I've been eating and I promise to write about them soon, including Greek yogurt.
Tonight I am making a feast for my guy, because I thought of a great recipe in my head that I'd like to try. However, just in case he reads this before he gets home I can't say what it is yet! But I obviously will have tons of pictures and the recipe in my next blog. I am quite excited to start cooking tonight. That being said, I think its time to open up a new Bordeaux I got today from Glen Garry and start the dinner making process :) xJ
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Weekend recap!
Wow! It feels so long since I last sat down to actually write something on here. This weekend was super busy and filled with a lot of fun as well as a lot of food! Where to start? Well, I have been doing a lot of research lately on anti-inflammatory foods and their importance in one's diet for balance as well as health. Research suggests that a diet mostly comprised of anti-inflammatory foods will help ward off illness, disease (including cancer), as well as help to reduce pain, injuries, swelling, bloating, and stress. Because of this I have also been reading a lot about Chinese medicine in regard to food consumption and the difference between yin and yang foods. There is so much literature on all of these topics and much to learn. I am going to continue reading and searching and googling and going to the library, but until I am confident enough to post about it, I have found a pretty good list of everyday anti-inflammatory foods that you too can follow. I have started to introduce a lot of these foods in to what we eat and already within the last 3 days I notice a difference ( I have yet to ask A yet if he see's a difference but I will tonight!). Here are some great foods to increase in your daily diet:
Kelp
Wild Alaskan Salmon (this is hard to find lately due to overfishing, mercury, and contamination, but if you are in North America, then Whole Foods usually offers this)
Turmeric (Many homeopaths swear by this to aid rash, allergies, skin conditions, and stress)
Papaya
Blueberries
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Make sure you get a good quality cold pressed brand)
Broccoli, Kale, Spinach
Sweet Potatoes (Kumara for anyone here in Ozzie or NZ)
Ginger (you can take this in powder form or buy ginger root)
Cherries
Grass fed meats (If you are a meat eater (chicken, beef, turkey) then Grass fed as opposed to corn fed or otherwise, is best. It is also much lighter and easier to digest)
Those are just some of the anti-inflammatory foods that are readily available to almost anyone in the modern world.
On Friday night I decided to incorporate some of these foods in to our dinner. Friday night dinner has always been kind of special to me. I feel like its a time that is stress free, you can relax, have some wine, cook some great food, get excited for the weekend, including sleeping in on Saturday, and just chill out. I also find that on Friday nights most people are exhausted from the work week and need the night off to just re-fuel. That being said, I wanted it to be a great, healthy, start to the weekend. I had some Israeli couscous, grass fed chicken (for the boy), Kumaras, and broccoli.
I started by marinating the chicken breasts in:
Olive oil, rosemary, paprika, Himalayan salt, pepper, oregano, and a little balsamic vinegar. This is my guys favorite thing, its simple, and he loves it. So, I give it to him.
I cooked the chicken breasts at 180C for about 20-30 minutes. I made lots so we would have leftovers for lunch the next day or so he could have a great pre/post workout snack during the weekend. They turned out great, moist, and very light.
Next I peeled, and cubed the Kumara and put it in to a pot, with just enough water to barely cover all the pieces. Then, I added Cinnamon and nutmeg to the water to give the Kumaras some sweetness. This ended up being a perfect compliment to the dish.
While I was doing this, I boiled 1 cup of Isreali couscous to 2 cups water with a little salt and some Olivina olive oil margarine (about a teaspoon).
Then I steamed some broccoli that I cut in to florets for about 4 minutes.
When the Kumara and the broccoli were done I stirred them in to the couscous, added some salt and paprika and voila! A healthy, anti-inflammatory light addition to the meal (or can be a meal itself).
When the chicken was done I piled everything on to a plate, lots of protein, and incredibly healthy! Also, a great start to the weekend.
Saturday was quite a day for us. We woke up to beautiful sunshine and decided to go out for brunch. We live in area that is filled with tons of cafes, restaurants, and pubs. We have tried a few so far and normally, we have never gone wrong with breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Saturday, however, was a terrible decision. I will be blogging more about this later on. The title? Why salads aren't always the best and healthiest options on the menu. Let's just say we both ordered salads, and both were disgusting. Hardly edible. I took one look at mine and half a bite (which I promptly spit out). A was a champ and ate the whole thing out of sheer starvation and because he didn't want to "waste food" but I couldn't stomach it. The salads weren't salads at all, they were drenched (and when I say drenched I mean cooked in oil and then topped with oil and then possibly soaked in more oil for a week and then dipped in it again) in oil. There was mayo on my salad, and 0 vegetables aside from the pieces of eggplant, which at that point didn't even resemble eggplant, just more oil. The "Avocado Salad" I had ordered had about 1/8th a piece of avocado on the plate, and it too, was drenched in oil. Needless to say my guy felt pretty sick afterwords. I decided we should go on a long walk to help his stomach and we ended up at Milly's, a high end kitchenware place. I finally got a large glass salad bowl, which is beautiful, as well as some other things like new oven mits, pretty dish towels, jars, etc. We also got to stop in at my favorite local organic grocer, Nosh. We picked up some stuff there and headed home. After dropping everything off, it was still gorgeous out so we decided to go to a local pub for some white wine, which was a great idea, but I was so tired afterwords! Sun and booze = very tired.
When we finally got home we decided instead of going out to dinner with friends, which we had planned, we would stay in and cook. After going out for breakfast and eating a vat of oil, A wanted to stay in and eat something healthy, and I think he still felt a little sick. I still had some leftovers from the night before and I planned on using all of it. At Nosh, we had also picked up some Black Truffle Oil, which I was very excited about. I wanted to incorporate it in to our dinner somehow.
A had bought some amazing Feta cheese earlier in the week and decided to contribute to the dinner by making himself a plate of feta to crumble in the salad ( I don't usually eat dairy so he is nice and puts it on the side!)
He crumbled up the feta, added some oregano, and drizzled the oil all over the cheese, which gave it SUCH a great taste, in the end, I couldn't resist! So much for will power.
As for the main course, I ended up heating up the leftover couscous from Friday night. I also cut up the remaining chicken breasts in to small pieces and added them in to the mix too. TIP: It is important when re-heating chicken not to let it dry out. In order to avoid this, I added the chicken at the very end of the re-heat and only left it on the stove in the pot, covered, for about 2 minutes. It didn't need more than this to heat up, because it was covered, and it came out perfectly. Since I had already eaten some of the amazing feta and all bets were off I decided to have some chicken and call it a non-vegan night.
I also cut up a salad with celery, cucumber, carrots, basil, radishes, oregano, evoo, balsamic, and salt and pepper for the side. It was really pretty!
It was a huge dinner! I even included a cut up avocado drizzled with balsamic because my craving from the morning disaster wasn't satisfied.
I was starving after not having eaten all day and this dinner feast was the perfect remedy!
We had some great red wine, in our new decanter to accompany the food, and I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing evening or day!
Needless to say, we weren't able to finish everything on the table, except for the wine of course ;)
Sunday was another relaxing day, with a successful trip to Dida's for brunch, where I had the best muesli I have ever tasted and some incredible Greek Yogurt. We also went to Chambers, a really beautiful store filled with all kinds of things like candles, dishes, glassware, etc. and we got a diffuser for the house. I chose "Bergamot Tobacco," its sweet, but not too sweet, and so nice! We came home and finally finished the third Godfather movie, which used to be my favorite until now. I am not sure why I used to like the third so much but after seeing all the movies again, I definitely think that the second one is my favorite. I decided to cook an easy dinner that I had been wanting to make for the last couple of weeks. Polenta Pizza! Despite my aversion to nightshade veggies, no pizza is complete without tomatoes and so they were definitely used in this recipe.
Polenta Pizza
You need:
1 cup cornmeal (polenta mix)
3.5 cups water
goat cheese to crumble
feta cheese to crumble
fresh basil
broccoli
oregano
cherry/grape/strawberry tomatoes diced
black truffle oil to drizzle (optional)
salt
paprika
hot peppers (optional)
Boil the water with a dash of salt (you can also add Parmesan cheese to this if you wish). When the water is boiling, add the polenta mix slowly to the pot (WARNING: I got a pretty serious burn while doing this so I'd suggest being VERY careful while pouring as well as after as the hot polenta gets VERY hot and will pop out of the pot as its cooking). Turn down the heat, simmer and stir often until polenta mixture thickens.
Once the mix is thick (about 20 minutes) line a pan with parchment paper or tin foil and spread the mixture on to the pan with a wooden spoon (dip in water while your doing this so it doesn't stick and is easier to work with). Allow this to sit and cool for about 10 minutes before putting on the toppings.
You can really add whatever toppings to the pizza you like. We wanted to be healthy and my guy loves the cheese mix, so we added tomatoes, broccoli, red peppers, the mix of cheeses, oregano, paprika, salt, and drizzled the black truffle oil on top.
It looked extremely delicious.
Once all the toppings are ready and the pizza is set to go, then bake it in the oven at about 200C for 20 minutes or until the cheese turns golden brown and polenta hardens. Note: the polenta will not become as hard as a regular pizza crust made from dough, but it will harden slightly.
We were SO excited to eat this considering how long I have been saying I would make it. Also, it looked amazing. I also added a side salad to our plates and we drank it with some great red wine.
I think next time I will use half the amount of polenta. The crust was so thick and WOW is polenta ever filling! I think I had maybe 1/4 of the polenta in the slice. The toppings were incredible though and in the end we finished all the toppings by scraping them off the polenta and putting them on to smaller pieces of polenta only. Tip: polenta makes you stuffed! I can't even think of eating another bite of polenta after that. Don't get me wrong, it was SO good and done perfectly, but it was so much and so filling. 3/4 of the crust was left in that pan and all the toppings were gone along with the whole bowl of side salad. We finished the evening with some strawberries and chocolate fondue I made by melting Lindt milk chocolate in to a bowl. It was a pretty good night!
Today has been busy and man, is this blog post ever long. I am off to figure out what to make for dinner tonight! xJ
Kelp
Wild Alaskan Salmon (this is hard to find lately due to overfishing, mercury, and contamination, but if you are in North America, then Whole Foods usually offers this)
Turmeric (Many homeopaths swear by this to aid rash, allergies, skin conditions, and stress)
Papaya
Blueberries
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Make sure you get a good quality cold pressed brand)
Broccoli, Kale, Spinach
Sweet Potatoes (Kumara for anyone here in Ozzie or NZ)
Ginger (you can take this in powder form or buy ginger root)
Cherries
Grass fed meats (If you are a meat eater (chicken, beef, turkey) then Grass fed as opposed to corn fed or otherwise, is best. It is also much lighter and easier to digest)
Those are just some of the anti-inflammatory foods that are readily available to almost anyone in the modern world.
On Friday night I decided to incorporate some of these foods in to our dinner. Friday night dinner has always been kind of special to me. I feel like its a time that is stress free, you can relax, have some wine, cook some great food, get excited for the weekend, including sleeping in on Saturday, and just chill out. I also find that on Friday nights most people are exhausted from the work week and need the night off to just re-fuel. That being said, I wanted it to be a great, healthy, start to the weekend. I had some Israeli couscous, grass fed chicken (for the boy), Kumaras, and broccoli.
I started by marinating the chicken breasts in:
Olive oil, rosemary, paprika, Himalayan salt, pepper, oregano, and a little balsamic vinegar. This is my guys favorite thing, its simple, and he loves it. So, I give it to him.
I cooked the chicken breasts at 180C for about 20-30 minutes. I made lots so we would have leftovers for lunch the next day or so he could have a great pre/post workout snack during the weekend. They turned out great, moist, and very light.
Next I peeled, and cubed the Kumara and put it in to a pot, with just enough water to barely cover all the pieces. Then, I added Cinnamon and nutmeg to the water to give the Kumaras some sweetness. This ended up being a perfect compliment to the dish.
While I was doing this, I boiled 1 cup of Isreali couscous to 2 cups water with a little salt and some Olivina olive oil margarine (about a teaspoon).
Then I steamed some broccoli that I cut in to florets for about 4 minutes.
When the Kumara and the broccoli were done I stirred them in to the couscous, added some salt and paprika and voila! A healthy, anti-inflammatory light addition to the meal (or can be a meal itself).
When the chicken was done I piled everything on to a plate, lots of protein, and incredibly healthy! Also, a great start to the weekend.
Saturday was quite a day for us. We woke up to beautiful sunshine and decided to go out for brunch. We live in area that is filled with tons of cafes, restaurants, and pubs. We have tried a few so far and normally, we have never gone wrong with breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Saturday, however, was a terrible decision. I will be blogging more about this later on. The title? Why salads aren't always the best and healthiest options on the menu. Let's just say we both ordered salads, and both were disgusting. Hardly edible. I took one look at mine and half a bite (which I promptly spit out). A was a champ and ate the whole thing out of sheer starvation and because he didn't want to "waste food" but I couldn't stomach it. The salads weren't salads at all, they were drenched (and when I say drenched I mean cooked in oil and then topped with oil and then possibly soaked in more oil for a week and then dipped in it again) in oil. There was mayo on my salad, and 0 vegetables aside from the pieces of eggplant, which at that point didn't even resemble eggplant, just more oil. The "Avocado Salad" I had ordered had about 1/8th a piece of avocado on the plate, and it too, was drenched in oil. Needless to say my guy felt pretty sick afterwords. I decided we should go on a long walk to help his stomach and we ended up at Milly's, a high end kitchenware place. I finally got a large glass salad bowl, which is beautiful, as well as some other things like new oven mits, pretty dish towels, jars, etc. We also got to stop in at my favorite local organic grocer, Nosh. We picked up some stuff there and headed home. After dropping everything off, it was still gorgeous out so we decided to go to a local pub for some white wine, which was a great idea, but I was so tired afterwords! Sun and booze = very tired.
When we finally got home we decided instead of going out to dinner with friends, which we had planned, we would stay in and cook. After going out for breakfast and eating a vat of oil, A wanted to stay in and eat something healthy, and I think he still felt a little sick. I still had some leftovers from the night before and I planned on using all of it. At Nosh, we had also picked up some Black Truffle Oil, which I was very excited about. I wanted to incorporate it in to our dinner somehow.
A had bought some amazing Feta cheese earlier in the week and decided to contribute to the dinner by making himself a plate of feta to crumble in the salad ( I don't usually eat dairy so he is nice and puts it on the side!)
He crumbled up the feta, added some oregano, and drizzled the oil all over the cheese, which gave it SUCH a great taste, in the end, I couldn't resist! So much for will power.
As for the main course, I ended up heating up the leftover couscous from Friday night. I also cut up the remaining chicken breasts in to small pieces and added them in to the mix too. TIP: It is important when re-heating chicken not to let it dry out. In order to avoid this, I added the chicken at the very end of the re-heat and only left it on the stove in the pot, covered, for about 2 minutes. It didn't need more than this to heat up, because it was covered, and it came out perfectly. Since I had already eaten some of the amazing feta and all bets were off I decided to have some chicken and call it a non-vegan night.
I also cut up a salad with celery, cucumber, carrots, basil, radishes, oregano, evoo, balsamic, and salt and pepper for the side. It was really pretty!
It was a huge dinner! I even included a cut up avocado drizzled with balsamic because my craving from the morning disaster wasn't satisfied.
I was starving after not having eaten all day and this dinner feast was the perfect remedy!
We had some great red wine, in our new decanter to accompany the food, and I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing evening or day!
Needless to say, we weren't able to finish everything on the table, except for the wine of course ;)
Sunday was another relaxing day, with a successful trip to Dida's for brunch, where I had the best muesli I have ever tasted and some incredible Greek Yogurt. We also went to Chambers, a really beautiful store filled with all kinds of things like candles, dishes, glassware, etc. and we got a diffuser for the house. I chose "Bergamot Tobacco," its sweet, but not too sweet, and so nice! We came home and finally finished the third Godfather movie, which used to be my favorite until now. I am not sure why I used to like the third so much but after seeing all the movies again, I definitely think that the second one is my favorite. I decided to cook an easy dinner that I had been wanting to make for the last couple of weeks. Polenta Pizza! Despite my aversion to nightshade veggies, no pizza is complete without tomatoes and so they were definitely used in this recipe.
Polenta Pizza
You need:
1 cup cornmeal (polenta mix)
3.5 cups water
goat cheese to crumble
feta cheese to crumble
fresh basil
broccoli
oregano
cherry/grape/strawberry tomatoes diced
black truffle oil to drizzle (optional)
salt
paprika
hot peppers (optional)
Boil the water with a dash of salt (you can also add Parmesan cheese to this if you wish). When the water is boiling, add the polenta mix slowly to the pot (WARNING: I got a pretty serious burn while doing this so I'd suggest being VERY careful while pouring as well as after as the hot polenta gets VERY hot and will pop out of the pot as its cooking). Turn down the heat, simmer and stir often until polenta mixture thickens.
Once the mix is thick (about 20 minutes) line a pan with parchment paper or tin foil and spread the mixture on to the pan with a wooden spoon (dip in water while your doing this so it doesn't stick and is easier to work with). Allow this to sit and cool for about 10 minutes before putting on the toppings.
You can really add whatever toppings to the pizza you like. We wanted to be healthy and my guy loves the cheese mix, so we added tomatoes, broccoli, red peppers, the mix of cheeses, oregano, paprika, salt, and drizzled the black truffle oil on top.
It looked extremely delicious.
Once all the toppings are ready and the pizza is set to go, then bake it in the oven at about 200C for 20 minutes or until the cheese turns golden brown and polenta hardens. Note: the polenta will not become as hard as a regular pizza crust made from dough, but it will harden slightly.
We were SO excited to eat this considering how long I have been saying I would make it. Also, it looked amazing. I also added a side salad to our plates and we drank it with some great red wine.
I think next time I will use half the amount of polenta. The crust was so thick and WOW is polenta ever filling! I think I had maybe 1/4 of the polenta in the slice. The toppings were incredible though and in the end we finished all the toppings by scraping them off the polenta and putting them on to smaller pieces of polenta only. Tip: polenta makes you stuffed! I can't even think of eating another bite of polenta after that. Don't get me wrong, it was SO good and done perfectly, but it was so much and so filling. 3/4 of the crust was left in that pan and all the toppings were gone along with the whole bowl of side salad. We finished the evening with some strawberries and chocolate fondue I made by melting Lindt milk chocolate in to a bowl. It was a pretty good night!
Today has been busy and man, is this blog post ever long. I am off to figure out what to make for dinner tonight! xJ
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Spooky nightshades!
Hello everyone! It is a beautiful day here in Auckland and so I thought I would take my laptop out to the terrace, along with my delicious freshly made green smoothie, and talk to you about nightshade plants. I had a lot of feedback from my last blog about my comments on tomatoes and red peppers as well as why nightshades are bad for you. So, I thought I would clear some things up, provide some information, and talk about why I made those comments in the first place.
First of all, what are nightshades anyways? Well, tomatoes, white potatoes, red and green bell peppers, the "hot" peppers such as chili and paprika, as well as eggplant and petunias belong to the Nightshade Family, which is a botanical genus called the Solanaceae species. This species also includes tobacco, poisonous belladonna, and the toxic plants herbane, mandrake, and jimson weeds.
"Used in shamanism, witchcraft, and even poisonous murder, nightshades have a history of both mystical danger and scientific caution. Some nightshade plants are ingredients in potent narcotic medicine and sleeping pills. It is reported that nightshades contain high levels of alkaloids which cause the bones to excrete calcium, other minerals, and trace elements from the body. Many enlightened doctors and nutritionists recommend that those suffering from arthritis symptoms eliminate nightshades." - New Life Journal
Tomatoes, when initially introduced in to society in Europe, were thought to be a deadly poison. This still semi rings true, the vines, leaves, and roots of the tomato plants are toxic and even fatal to animals if consumed. Some people also get horrible rashes from touching these parts of the tomato plant. Regardless, in Spain and Italy tomatoes became a very popular vegetable and in modern day America, ketchup, tomato sauce, etc. is consumed daily, sometimes more than once.
"Potatoes have a similar story to tomatoes. When white potatoes, also called "Earth's Apples," made their journey from Peru to Europe, they were also thought to be poisonous. Yet, this popular tuber has become a staple throughout Europe and the United States. White potatoes contain solanine, which has been shown to cause a very toxic effect in susceptible people, contributing to arthritis, calcium depletion, and stiff joints, as well as painful wrists, ankles, and knees. In his book Poisonous Plants of the United States and Canada, John Kingsbury documented that when solanine was eaten in large amounts by either humans or livestock, death was the outcome. When calcium is depleted from the body by potatoes, nervousness and sleeplessness may result because calcium is our natural tranquilizer. Solanine from potatoes accumulates in the body and the harmful effects may take years to appear in those who have sensitivity." - New Life Journal
The problem? Tomatoes and potatoes work by expanding and weakening the bones, joints, teeth, gums, and all body organs, especially for those who are sensitive and allergic to them.
Holistic practitioners often recommend avoiding nightshades in the diet, especially to patients suffering from arthritis or other types of pain and inflammation. In a study published in the Journal of the International Academy of Preventive medicine, of the 5000 arthritis sufferers who eliminated Nightshade, seventy percent reported relief from aches, pains, and disfigurement. The nightshades most often warned against are tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes and eggplant. Avoiding tobacco, another nightshade, goes without saying in health-conscious circles.
How and why do nightshades contribute to inflammation and pain? Nightshade plants are known for producing a range of alkaloid chemicals, which may be toxic – from irritating to lethal. These chemicals can also contribute to allergic reactions.
Basically, if you have a problem with inflammation (like myself) or any type of auto immune problem, which causes inflammation (allergies), or joint pain, arthritis, bursitis, etc. then try to eliminate nightshade vegetables from your diet and see if there is in fact a difference.
If you have any more thoughts, comments, or questions on nightshade plants I recommend speaking to a holistic nutritionist, doing some of your own research either at the library or on the net, or even at your local bookstore (chapters, whitcoulls, etc.) or talk to your doctor. Here is a quick article about nightshades and alkaloids: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62
As for me, I'm going to ditch the tomatoes and eat some cool cucumbers and beautiful beets instead! xJ
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Souperific
So, yesterday I was MIA from the blog scene. Reasons being my skin is on fire yet again. I'm trying to figure out if I'm still sick, stressed out, a combination, or if God just doesn't like me very much right now. Not that I should bring God in to this, its probably just my immune system, the poor thing, but seriously! Why, why, why. While I ponder why and wait for my doctors appointment tomorrow morning, there really is nothing to do but lay around and watch tv, read blogs, read twitter, facebook stalk, creep on my neighbors in the creepy very sookie stackhouse house beside us, get creeped out by last weeks Grey's Anatomy episode (seriously, Shonda Rhimes, what were you thinking!?), and have Gilmore Girl marathons. Also, since I am legit feeling under the weather, what with a crazy fever, sore throat, burning skin, and unrelenting fatigue, I also have 0 appetite for anything but soup and toast. Since I hate canned soups, which are usually laden with high amounts of sodium, sugar, the devil gluten, as well as god knows what else they stuff in to the huge vats of liquid in their gigantic power plant like soup making places (I have no idea what I'm talking about I'm just picturing things in my mind), I make my own soup. I've made homemade soup for years. Ever since the emergence of the "Sacred Heart Diet," which, for lack of a better explanation, is another one of those fad 7 day soup diets. Don't get me wrong, it works, but its also not so good for you in terms of nutrition and/or keeping the weight off. Last summer, I had a pretty bad summer flu and I lost about 5 kilos by just eating soup for two weeks, so, the soup diet works, its just not sustainable. Then again, what is? Atkins has problems up the wazoo and if you aren't severely dehydrated after about 6 weeks, you are probably not able to add 2 + 2 due to the severe lack of glucose and brain fog. High carb low fat diets dont give you enough protein and they are great if you sit around all day (much like I am doing right now) but if you intend on having any sort of active lifestyle, have fun fainting midday (or mid gym session). There are so many issues with all of these diets. They work quick but they never last, unless you are a depraved masochist or possibly have an eating disorder, in which case you should definitely speak to your doctor. Eating disorders are no joking matter and should be taken seriously. Regardless, I digress (it must be the lack of protein from my soup only diet). I don't know what diet is the best but as far as I can tell, I've been through them all, except for maybe Fruitarianism. I don't believe the carrots I put in my salad have been murdered, unlike the girl in Notting Hill who Hugh Grant rejects for Julia Roberts (who wouldn't be rejected for Julia Robers anyways?). Bottom line: eat clean. I would love to tell everyone to never eat dairy again on top of that, but I'll save my dairy rant for another blog post. Until then, skip the processed foods, pre-packaged foods, canned foods, sugar, sodium, excess salt, bad oils, bad fats, don't over indulge and eat healthily. If you desire something like a piece of cake, make it! Find a great/healthy recipe (not a box in the grocery store or can of frosting a la Ms. Crocker), substitute honey or agave nectar for sugar (fi it calls for sugar), try to make it non-dairy (you can substitute flax for eggs and soy/rice/almond milk for cow milk, etc.), have a small amount, shut down your craving, be fulfilled. Life isn't about suffering and depriving yourself of things that make you happy and taste good like desserts, but its also not about stuffing your face silly and over eating or over indulging on things that aren't good for you. The most important part about weight loss that everyone should understand is HEALTH. Looking like a model or being the skinniest or most jacked in the room is not the most important part. The reason we health professionals want to help you get rid of that abdominal fat is because it can lead to heart disease, heart attack, stroke, or diabetes, to name a few things. Being healthy and being at a healthy weight should be important to you because you want to feel good, look good, have energy, less stress, better sleep patters, and live a long and great life. So, ditch the crazy diets that not only make you go insane, fuel body image issues, eating disorders, starvation, etc. and just be healthy, make good choices, read educational literature on nutrition, do research, experiment, find out what keeps your body going and keeps it healthy. What can you eat that get rid of your cravings for bad food altogether? Because I guarantee somewhere out there, an amazing piece of salmon and some steamed broccoli are going to totally trump all feelings directed towards that quart of ice cream in the freezer.
As for me, I'm going to give you my super simple recipe for super great soup that's easy peasy and something you can eat if A. you are craving soup or B. you are sick and that canned stuff, which will probably just make you worse.
Super Soup
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in to thirds
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut in to thirds (these are great for flavor and taste delicious!)
4 celery stalks, cut in to quarters
1-2 yellow onions chopped
5-6 garlic cloves (these are super important for fighting illness garlic is a proven anti-bacterial and anti-viral)
Himalayan sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
paprika to taste (I'm Hungarian, I put paprika in everything, but so can you! Its delicious and great for your digestive system)
Any herbs you want to add is also good, my guy loves cumin and coriander, you can also add turmeric which is a great anti inflammatory.
2 bay leaves (remember to remove before eating, these are not edible)
1-2 cubes Vegeta chicken bouillon cubes
gluten free spaghetti noodles
All of the vegetable choices are what I have on hand right now, but you can definitely add more, I would stay away from tomatoes and red peppers though, as they are acidic and hard on the immune system. Tomatoes are part of the night shade family and red peppers are an inflammatory (more on these things later). When I am in Europe I always include Kholrabi, which can be found all over Europe and North America, as well as celery root, and yellow peppers. You could also include, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Cabbage gives a really distinct taste and is very, very good. There's a reason the cabbage soup diet was such a craze! Also, remember not to put TOO MUCH garlic in to the soup as this can cause digestive system overload and possibly have you on the toilet or very bloated and gassy for the next 24 hours. Garlic is great, but in moderate amounts.
Now, if you are my mother, you will probably make the stock from an actual whole chicken, which is great, I love her soup it tastes amazing. But, I live about a zillion miles from her (I miss her a lot as well as her cooking skills) and if I am sick, I am not about to start putting whole chickens in to pots. Not to mention we just moved here and I definitely don't have a pot that's big enough for that. That being said, I use Vegeta stock chicken cubes for chicken-y flavor. These are gluten free, lactose free, fat free, low sodium, no enhancers, and no MSG and they taste darn good! You can get them at the grocery store and if this brand isn't available I am sure another one is. At Whole Foods they have great chicken, beef, and vegetable stock available that I used to use before moving here. Its convenient and healthy.
I chop up all the vegetables and put them in to a pot of water and turn up the stove top to the highest then I add the herbs and spices and cubes and I let it cook, I watch it carefully and I don't let it boil for more than 10 minutes because mushy soup is never good. Also, I don't like how the vegetables taste when they are over-boiled. So, be careful, only let it boil for a max of 10 minutes and then let the soup simmer the rest of the time.
In the meantime, I cook the noodles in a different pot (because I am sure you see the water after the noodles are done cooking and you don't want that in your soup). When I am finished the noodles I transfer them in to the soup pot when the soup is finished cooking OR if I am going to keep the soup a few days I keep the noodles in a separate dish and put them in to the bowl I am eating out of along with the soup. This is very meticulous but I think its healthier and this way the noodles don't go mushy if the soup is kept all day or overnight and don't have be re-cooked (because re-cooked noodles are gross). Voila! My chicken/veggie sick soup slash soup for everyday soup eaters. I am off now to watch Wedding Crashers, because its a favorite and eat some soup! xJ
As for me, I'm going to give you my super simple recipe for super great soup that's easy peasy and something you can eat if A. you are craving soup or B. you are sick and that canned stuff, which will probably just make you worse.
Super Soup
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in to thirds
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut in to thirds (these are great for flavor and taste delicious!)
4 celery stalks, cut in to quarters
1-2 yellow onions chopped
5-6 garlic cloves (these are super important for fighting illness garlic is a proven anti-bacterial and anti-viral)
Himalayan sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
paprika to taste (I'm Hungarian, I put paprika in everything, but so can you! Its delicious and great for your digestive system)
Any herbs you want to add is also good, my guy loves cumin and coriander, you can also add turmeric which is a great anti inflammatory.
2 bay leaves (remember to remove before eating, these are not edible)
1-2 cubes Vegeta chicken bouillon cubes
gluten free spaghetti noodles
All of the vegetable choices are what I have on hand right now, but you can definitely add more, I would stay away from tomatoes and red peppers though, as they are acidic and hard on the immune system. Tomatoes are part of the night shade family and red peppers are an inflammatory (more on these things later). When I am in Europe I always include Kholrabi, which can be found all over Europe and North America, as well as celery root, and yellow peppers. You could also include, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Cabbage gives a really distinct taste and is very, very good. There's a reason the cabbage soup diet was such a craze! Also, remember not to put TOO MUCH garlic in to the soup as this can cause digestive system overload and possibly have you on the toilet or very bloated and gassy for the next 24 hours. Garlic is great, but in moderate amounts.
Now, if you are my mother, you will probably make the stock from an actual whole chicken, which is great, I love her soup it tastes amazing. But, I live about a zillion miles from her (I miss her a lot as well as her cooking skills) and if I am sick, I am not about to start putting whole chickens in to pots. Not to mention we just moved here and I definitely don't have a pot that's big enough for that. That being said, I use Vegeta stock chicken cubes for chicken-y flavor. These are gluten free, lactose free, fat free, low sodium, no enhancers, and no MSG and they taste darn good! You can get them at the grocery store and if this brand isn't available I am sure another one is. At Whole Foods they have great chicken, beef, and vegetable stock available that I used to use before moving here. Its convenient and healthy.
I chop up all the vegetables and put them in to a pot of water and turn up the stove top to the highest then I add the herbs and spices and cubes and I let it cook, I watch it carefully and I don't let it boil for more than 10 minutes because mushy soup is never good. Also, I don't like how the vegetables taste when they are over-boiled. So, be careful, only let it boil for a max of 10 minutes and then let the soup simmer the rest of the time.
In the meantime, I cook the noodles in a different pot (because I am sure you see the water after the noodles are done cooking and you don't want that in your soup). When I am finished the noodles I transfer them in to the soup pot when the soup is finished cooking OR if I am going to keep the soup a few days I keep the noodles in a separate dish and put them in to the bowl I am eating out of along with the soup. This is very meticulous but I think its healthier and this way the noodles don't go mushy if the soup is kept all day or overnight and don't have be re-cooked (because re-cooked noodles are gross). Voila! My chicken/veggie sick soup slash soup for everyday soup eaters. I am off now to watch Wedding Crashers, because its a favorite and eat some soup! xJ
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Adventures in Baking (as opposed to babysitting)
Monday mornings always kind of suck. I hate the fact that I know I have to wake up early to make full use of the first weekday, that the weekend is 5 long days away, and that now I have no excuse not to clean, do laundry, or be productive. The weekend is so great! I can put off everything, even if the pile of laundry is getting so big that the hamper has now fallen over and everything is spilled on to the floor, and the spill is slowly creeping towards the bedroom door, possibly taking on a life of its own. No, but really, Monday's aren't so great. This particular Monday I woke up to lovely 10 degree weather, which is freezing, pouring rain, and winds. This makes Monday October 11th even worse. But whats even worse about the even worse is that its not even redeeming itself by being Thanksgiving Monday over here, and I am missing Canada. I miss turkey! and I miss stuffing! and I miss gravy and cranberry sauce, and most of all I miss pumpkin pie. I have been to about 5 butchers in this city, all of whom say that turkey's aren't really normal in New Zealand and they could "maybe" give me a 5 KG turkey if I wanted but they'd have to get it from a special freezer somewhere. What does that even mean? Regardless, no butterballs for us. Pumpkin pie, something I treasure and covet, and eat for all three meals of the day is also not going to happen. I love to make pumpkin pie from whole pumpkins and last year, in Budapest, my mom and I discovered the perfect gluten free pumpkin pie recipe and it was incredible. We bought a huge whole pumpkin and carved it out, roasted it, blended it, and pie-d it up. It was amazing, we downed it so fast. This year, no dice. The pumpkins at Neworld (NZ's Loblaws equivalent) were so small and so green! They looked like mangos. I guess its time to face reality, it is not fall time here, despite the cold weather today, it is definitely spring. On the plus side, there is an abundance of lamb and sheep. I decided in order to feel better about everything and in honor of a certain someone's special birthday, I was going to make cupcakes. I wanted chocolate with vanilla frosting but the birthday boy wanted vanilla with vanilla frosting, so I found two different recipes one for chocolate and one for vanilla and a recipe for the frosting from the same website as the chocolate cupcakes. I made the vanilla ones first. The batter was kind of clumpy, which I was a little skeptical about.
But I carried on anyways.
They didnt look so bad before I put them in to the oven, but being new to baking, I kind of forgot to make them more "cupcake like" and the tops were like wild fires. Baking tip: mold the top with a butter knife so that its smooth. This makes it more aesthetically pleasing and easier to put the frosting on once they are baked.
Regardless I popped them in the oven and began to make the frosting.
Making frosting is a little weird for me, I've never made homemade frosting before and I didn't know how I felt about putting an entire bag of icing sugar in to something that I was going to be consuming. I have also never worked with shortening before. Initially, before I put the soy milk in to the frosting, I was little scared I had totally royally screwed up the cupcakes.
The most important tool for baking? Electrical beater. Trust me folks, nothing good can ever happen without this gem. After pouring the milk in to the mix, voila! The stuff finally looked not only edible but also very pretty, it was so smooth and creamy!!
Now, by then, the vanilla cupcakes were done from the oven. I decided to take one of the mounds off of one of the tops of the cupcakes to taste. My initial reaction? A funny face. They weren't that sweet (I used honey and maple syrup instead of sugar, but I always use this substitute and I have never had an issue with sweetness before). I checked back to the recipe and compared it with the recipe I had for chocolate cupcakes. The chocolate cupcakes used way less flour and a little more oil. Maybe this was the problem? I had no idea. I decided to put some of the icing on a piece of the vanilla cupcake and try it.
Hmm...it wasn't bad, the icing was INCREDIBLE. The frosting I had made was very rich but it masked the blandness of the cupcakes. I let the cupcakes cool off and then I covered them in icing and sprinkles.
They look pretty good, huh? Thats the problem. Things that look nice and pretty, aren't always as sweet or great on the inside as they seem on the outside(also, a metaphor for life). I had enough cupcakes to fill two plates. I also had a huge amount of icing left. Because I wasn't too keen on the vanilla cupcakes I decided to try the other recipe for chocolate cupcakes and see what happened.
Because we just moved here, I don't have that many bowls, or kitchen tools. I had to use a random glass pan and a pot to mix the chocolate muffins in. Hey, you gotta work with what you got!
The reason for the lemon beside the bowl (as I'm sure many of you are wondering). The cupcake recipe calls for curdled milk. In both recipes the authors say to use either regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I was a genius and forgot to buy this at the store. So, I did some researching. It turns out that lemon juice can be used, and is just as good as vinegar, to curdle the milk. Also, those on an alkaline diet or those who cannot consume vinegar, can definitely use lemons instead.
For this recipe I used this fair trade baking cocoa. It rival's Green and Blacks any day and it has a really great taste. I also use it to make hot chocolate sometimes, by putting a little of it in a mug with some honey and cold milk, stirring it in to a gooey mess and then pouring hot milk overtop. It is de-lish!
So, I mixed everything up in the pot (due to a lack of bowls haha), scooped it in to the muffin tray, and baked it.
The chocolate ones ended up coming out very good! They weren't too sweet and they tasted incredible with the very rich frosting. Now, I would have to get my royal taste tester to see if he agreed with me.
The vote was unanimous in the end, the vanilla ones were not really edible. I still can't put my finger on why they were so completely devoid of sweetness, or any flavor, and so bread-like. It must be the flour? Anyways, the chocolate cupcakes were a success. BUT, we ended up going out for dinner that night to a GREAT steak house, which you can check out here: http://www.jervoissteakhouse.co.nz/ and when we got home we were too full to eat any cupcakes. The next day, the chocolate cupcakes were sub par. They only lasted one day!!! They dried out fast and lost their star power quickly.
We were both still craving cupcakes and so we ended up at a cupcake shop near us, also, at the liquor store. Because really...who doesn't eat cupcakes with some over priced champagne? It was a special treat and a great way to end a fantastic weekend.
Also, I now have a new goal! Find a great gluten free cupcake recipe, that's not too sweet but not bland, where the cupcakes taste good 24 hours later. I feel like it might take a while. Until then, I am going to scour New Zealand for some canned pumpkin so that I can impart my gluten free pumpkin pie deliciousness wisdom on to my readers...if I even have any.
Today...its still Monday, there is still laundry to be done, as well as cleaning. Also, a Bikram class and some gym time. I wish all of my Canadian friends a Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you all have an incredible weekend filled with incredible food and that you do actually take some time to reflect on the things that you are thankful for in your life. Recently I came upon a facebook status that one of my friends had on his wall: "In India, people numbering twice the population of the entire United States live on 2$ a day...How are you spending your money today?" (thanks AS). It is something that makes you think as well as reflect on how lucky we are. Right now, I am thankful for the green smoothie I am about to devour! xJ
But I carried on anyways.
They didnt look so bad before I put them in to the oven, but being new to baking, I kind of forgot to make them more "cupcake like" and the tops were like wild fires. Baking tip: mold the top with a butter knife so that its smooth. This makes it more aesthetically pleasing and easier to put the frosting on once they are baked.
Regardless I popped them in the oven and began to make the frosting.
Making frosting is a little weird for me, I've never made homemade frosting before and I didn't know how I felt about putting an entire bag of icing sugar in to something that I was going to be consuming. I have also never worked with shortening before. Initially, before I put the soy milk in to the frosting, I was little scared I had totally royally screwed up the cupcakes.
The most important tool for baking? Electrical beater. Trust me folks, nothing good can ever happen without this gem. After pouring the milk in to the mix, voila! The stuff finally looked not only edible but also very pretty, it was so smooth and creamy!!
Now, by then, the vanilla cupcakes were done from the oven. I decided to take one of the mounds off of one of the tops of the cupcakes to taste. My initial reaction? A funny face. They weren't that sweet (I used honey and maple syrup instead of sugar, but I always use this substitute and I have never had an issue with sweetness before). I checked back to the recipe and compared it with the recipe I had for chocolate cupcakes. The chocolate cupcakes used way less flour and a little more oil. Maybe this was the problem? I had no idea. I decided to put some of the icing on a piece of the vanilla cupcake and try it.
Hmm...it wasn't bad, the icing was INCREDIBLE. The frosting I had made was very rich but it masked the blandness of the cupcakes. I let the cupcakes cool off and then I covered them in icing and sprinkles.
They look pretty good, huh? Thats the problem. Things that look nice and pretty, aren't always as sweet or great on the inside as they seem on the outside(also, a metaphor for life). I had enough cupcakes to fill two plates. I also had a huge amount of icing left. Because I wasn't too keen on the vanilla cupcakes I decided to try the other recipe for chocolate cupcakes and see what happened.
Because we just moved here, I don't have that many bowls, or kitchen tools. I had to use a random glass pan and a pot to mix the chocolate muffins in. Hey, you gotta work with what you got!
The reason for the lemon beside the bowl (as I'm sure many of you are wondering). The cupcake recipe calls for curdled milk. In both recipes the authors say to use either regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I was a genius and forgot to buy this at the store. So, I did some researching. It turns out that lemon juice can be used, and is just as good as vinegar, to curdle the milk. Also, those on an alkaline diet or those who cannot consume vinegar, can definitely use lemons instead.
For this recipe I used this fair trade baking cocoa. It rival's Green and Blacks any day and it has a really great taste. I also use it to make hot chocolate sometimes, by putting a little of it in a mug with some honey and cold milk, stirring it in to a gooey mess and then pouring hot milk overtop. It is de-lish!
So, I mixed everything up in the pot (due to a lack of bowls haha), scooped it in to the muffin tray, and baked it.
The chocolate ones ended up coming out very good! They weren't too sweet and they tasted incredible with the very rich frosting. Now, I would have to get my royal taste tester to see if he agreed with me.
The vote was unanimous in the end, the vanilla ones were not really edible. I still can't put my finger on why they were so completely devoid of sweetness, or any flavor, and so bread-like. It must be the flour? Anyways, the chocolate cupcakes were a success. BUT, we ended up going out for dinner that night to a GREAT steak house, which you can check out here: http://www.jervoissteakhouse.co.nz/ and when we got home we were too full to eat any cupcakes. The next day, the chocolate cupcakes were sub par. They only lasted one day!!! They dried out fast and lost their star power quickly.
We were both still craving cupcakes and so we ended up at a cupcake shop near us, also, at the liquor store. Because really...who doesn't eat cupcakes with some over priced champagne? It was a special treat and a great way to end a fantastic weekend.
Also, I now have a new goal! Find a great gluten free cupcake recipe, that's not too sweet but not bland, where the cupcakes taste good 24 hours later. I feel like it might take a while. Until then, I am going to scour New Zealand for some canned pumpkin so that I can impart my gluten free pumpkin pie deliciousness wisdom on to my readers...if I even have any.
Today...its still Monday, there is still laundry to be done, as well as cleaning. Also, a Bikram class and some gym time. I wish all of my Canadian friends a Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you all have an incredible weekend filled with incredible food and that you do actually take some time to reflect on the things that you are thankful for in your life. Recently I came upon a facebook status that one of my friends had on his wall: "In India, people numbering twice the population of the entire United States live on 2$ a day...How are you spending your money today?" (thanks AS). It is something that makes you think as well as reflect on how lucky we are. Right now, I am thankful for the green smoothie I am about to devour! xJ
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Green Alien Drink!!!!
So, after this mornings blog post, I went to the gym, grocery shopping, got laundry done, set up all my ingredients to make my vegan morning glory muffins, took a long hot shower, and I realized I still hadn't eaten anything since one measly banana this morning. I had a pretty intense gym session and I actually was quite hungry but I guess because I was so busy I just forgot to eat. The problem? It was already 4pm and I didn't really feel like having a huge meal, so, I decided to finally give a raw green shake a go. I have been reading about these shakes everywhere from the Raw Diva's website, to my David Wolfe books, to other bloggers posts. Every reaction and every urging for people to drink this stuff was all positive; however, I've always been kind of skeptical at the thought of drinking blended up spinach. But today I thought, what the heck. This blog is all about new experiences and being healthy, so I might as well at least not knock it till I've tried it, right? So, I got out the blender and headed to www.greenmonstermovement.com and I decided to do the "virgin recipe."
I used:
2 big handfuls of organic baby spinach (it calls for 2 cups but I was in a hurry)
1 organic banana
1-1.5 cups of milk (I used So Good light soy milk)
1 tsp of ground flax
ice (I used 7 ice cubes)
I also added a splash of vanilla flavored So Good soy milk, just in case the stuff tasted horrible I figured at least the vanilla would help a bit!
I threw it all in the blender and took a step back. It was kind of weird to look at, like a salad in a blender with milk, kind of gross, I wont lie.
But, I soldiered on and took out one of the nice wine glasses, because hell, if I am going be eating blended spinach and ice I might as well do it in style, you know! I blended it all up, very well, because I hate when ice is chunky and not blended correctly and finally, poured it in to the glass and took a sip.
My reaction...
Wait for it...
WOW!!!!! NO IDEA why I haven't tried this sooner. The stuff doesn't really taste like spinach, I have no idea what it tastes like, maybe more on the banana side. Anyways, not only is it super delicious, nutritious, and FILLED with free radical fighting, anti-aging antioxidants, but its also a mint green colour and very pretty.
I also feel really healthy and new age while drinking it, kinda like I'm in on a crazy fountain of youth type secret. On Angela's website Green Monster Movement, there are a bunch of other recipes for these types of blended drinks. However, I think I am going to have to experiment on my own a bit. Nonetheless, I will definitely be having one of these everyday! Not only does it taste great, but my hunger is satisfied and I have a lot of energy! So, maybe these raw foodist slash vegan types actually know what they are talking about, huh?! I am off to make some more delicious muffins and think about how I can get my guy to drink this stuff too! xJ
I used:
2 big handfuls of organic baby spinach (it calls for 2 cups but I was in a hurry)
1 organic banana
1-1.5 cups of milk (I used So Good light soy milk)
1 tsp of ground flax
ice (I used 7 ice cubes)
I also added a splash of vanilla flavored So Good soy milk, just in case the stuff tasted horrible I figured at least the vanilla would help a bit!
I threw it all in the blender and took a step back. It was kind of weird to look at, like a salad in a blender with milk, kind of gross, I wont lie.
But, I soldiered on and took out one of the nice wine glasses, because hell, if I am going be eating blended spinach and ice I might as well do it in style, you know! I blended it all up, very well, because I hate when ice is chunky and not blended correctly and finally, poured it in to the glass and took a sip.
My reaction...
Wait for it...
WOW!!!!! NO IDEA why I haven't tried this sooner. The stuff doesn't really taste like spinach, I have no idea what it tastes like, maybe more on the banana side. Anyways, not only is it super delicious, nutritious, and FILLED with free radical fighting, anti-aging antioxidants, but its also a mint green colour and very pretty.
I also feel really healthy and new age while drinking it, kinda like I'm in on a crazy fountain of youth type secret. On Angela's website Green Monster Movement, there are a bunch of other recipes for these types of blended drinks. However, I think I am going to have to experiment on my own a bit. Nonetheless, I will definitely be having one of these everyday! Not only does it taste great, but my hunger is satisfied and I have a lot of energy! So, maybe these raw foodist slash vegan types actually know what they are talking about, huh?! I am off to make some more delicious muffins and think about how I can get my guy to drink this stuff too! xJ
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