Bunny-fied Delicious Eats

Posted on April 4, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys and Happy What I Ate Wednesday!

I am absolutely loving the new “themes” Jenn has been creating for us party rockers each month. It not only gives us a chance to share our latest ideas for meals and snacks, but also motivates us to eat more veggies!

And with Easter being right around the corner, I hopped right on this month’s challenge!

Starting with my newest overnight oats creation:

Can I interest anyone in some carrot cake for breakfast?

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

by Heather Powers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt*
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Toppings: shredded coconut, raisins, and/or granola

Instructions

1. Place shredded carrots in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap (leaving a little vent on the side) and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until tender.
2. Rinse carrots in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine carrots with all other ingredients (except toppings), cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
4. In the morning, stir in a bit of liquid if needed to thin and add desired toppings.

For some reason, I’ve been craving carrot cake like mad crazy lately.

So when I saw this little guy on sale at Publix the other day, this combo almost immediately popped into my head. Unfortunately the date and fig flavors weren’t as pronounced as I thought they would be so I think a vanilla or honey-flavored Greek yogurt would work just as well.

Just don’t forget the coconut and raisin topping…it totally makes it!

Let me just say I was glad I prepped breakfast the night before! You see…apparently, when you hit snooze “x” amount of times (not sure how many that is…I lost count), my alarm clock

SHUTS OFF!!!

So yeah, this is more of what my breakfast looked like…eaten haphazardly in the car…with a BIG mug of black coffee to finish waking me up!

Luckily, I ~~had enough time~~ made time (priorities people, it’s WIAW!) to snap a pic of my “throw-together lunch” before I practically hopped out the door!

A couple of tablespoons of hummus and the Chobani were mixed together…half eaten with the tuna on some whole wheat French bread and the other half with my bowl-o-veggies!

Obviously, I didn’t get my fill of carrots over breakfast 😉

And I know what you’re probably thinking about that tub of pre-made hummus. But hear me out…it’s a brand new flavor and I just HAD to taste it before I attempting to make my own…you know, so I can ensure quality assurance for my version!

On my way home from work, I snacked on a PERFECTLY ripe banana.

Love it when they’re all freckly!

After a quick shower (a must when you work in a hospital) and a bit of chill time with BB, we decided to go out for dinner. When he asked me what I wanted, all I could say was VEGETABLES! The first thing that came to mind was Ruby Tuesday. I’m not usually a fan of chain restaurants, but you can’t deny they have a pretty slamming salad bar! Looking for restaurants at the restaurants downtown mall Charlottesville? Visit Rapture Restaurant & Nightclub.

Plate numero uno

Plate numero dos!

I seriously wouldn’t be surprised if I woke up with a cotton tail tomorrow…

How many servings of veggies did YOU get in today?

How do you like your bananas?

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Snacks, What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged banana, coffee, oats, overnight oats, recipe, salad, veggies | 22 Comments

This Really Burns My Toast

Posted on April 2, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

What do you think?

I keep things pretty upbeat…pretty positive here on the blog, right?

Well then, how about a little timeout…a chance for me to rant a little bit?
I think I’m entitled to a good rant every once in a while…

Especially when it’s 6 days until Lent is over and I find out it’s

National PB&J Day!

FML!

Oh and just for the record, my Googling “PB&J sandwich” is the pretty much the equivalent to Superman looking up pictures of Kryptonite!

And speaking of delicious food, tell me something…

How do you feel about chain restaurants being required to post the calorie count for their meals?

Because on Saturday, BB and I went shopping at the newly reopened Opry Mills Mall and by the time we got there, we were both famished. While not all sit-down type restaurants were open, Dave & Busters was. I figured, “Well I’ve been there before and the food’s pretty good…sure!”

I opened the menu and this was the first thing that caught my eye…

Mmm, chicken quesadillas!

Grilled chicken, poblano and jalapeño peppers with cilantro, and a blend of melted Mexican & cheddar cheeses grilled in a cheddar jalapeño flour tortilla. Served with sour cream and salsa.

Sound good?

783 CALORIES

How about now?

Ok, ok, it’s got a ton of cheese and grease…I understand.

So then I was like, “Ohhhh, a veggie burger…that sounds yummy!”

922 CALORIES

Fine, just fine! I’ll get a frickin’ salad!

Wait…I don’t want a frickin’ salad…I want MEAT!
(sorry veggie guys, it happens sometimes)

I guess I could have just ordered whatever I wanted, ate until I was satisfied and then took the rest home, but unfortunately, when dining out (especially with others where I’m easily distracted) I have absolutely NO CONCEPT of my stomach and always end up eating it all…I blame my parents and the “clean your plate” mentality (sorry mom).

So what did I end up ordering?

Three skewers of Louisiana spice-rubbed shrimp char-grilled and basted with mango citrus glaze served with spicy rice and steamed fresh vegetables.

All in all, I thought the meal was pretty tasty (and filling…I even gave one whole skewer to BB)…and at under 600 calories, I didn’t feel like the Goodyear blimp after eating it.

But I still wanted those damn quesadillas.

Wanna know how the story ends?

5 hours later…dinner…at a little place called Chaney Fork, Where there weren’t any calorie postings.

Crispy quesadilla filled with tender strips of buffalo steak, sauteed peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese served with chipotle sour cream

Let’s just say, sometimes…ignorance is bliss! 😉

Ok, I feel a bit better now that I got that out of my system…plus, I just had this as my bedtime snack:

Anyone care for a NUT and jelly sandwich?

Muahahaha!

Did you celebrate National PB&J Day?

What dish have you [ignorantly] enjoyed lately?
Fess up, I know you’ve got something! 😉

Posted in Food Holidays, Restaurant Review | Tagged Lent, peanut butter, rant | 22 Comments

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pancakes

Posted on April 1, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Good morning my loves!

I know a few of my fellow bloggers will be up to no good today in ~~fool~~ full April Fool’s style, but not me…

No, I have more important matters today and it involves some pancake batter, chocolate, and a little ~~magic~~ secret ingredient.

Any guesses as to what could be hiding in that stack of deliciousness?

How about a few clues?

It tastes like butter.

It’s creamy smooth.

And it’s GREEN!

I swear this is no April Fool’s joke!

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pancakes

by Heather Powers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 medium-sized avocado, mashed (about 1/3 cup)
1 egg, whisked
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2-1 tablespoon agave syrup (or other sweetener)*

Instructions

1. Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat and coat with cooking spray (I used coconut oil)
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In a separate bowl combine mashed avocado, egg, milk, vanilla, and agave.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until all the flour is incorporated.
5. Spoon batter onto skillet or griddle surface (makes 6 medium-sized cakes) and cook for approximately 5-6 minutes or until the edges start to crisp.
6. Flip cakes and cook another 4-5 minutes until done.
7. Serve banana slices and cocoa spiked syrup.

*In the original recipe, I used 1 tablespoon of agave syrup. BB thought the sweetness was perfect (normal taste buds) while I thought the cakes were a bit too sweet (yeah, like I have a normal bone in my body!). Use the amount that suits your sweet tooth!