My First Blogger Meet-Up!

Posted on January 23, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Oh yeah, and some food stuff too! But first, on to the more important of the two!

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting HEAB for my first ever blogger meet-up! I won’t lie, I was a bit nervous going in, especially meeting someone who I look up to as much as I do with Heather. She has been such an inspiration to me since before I even started blogging.

We decided to meet at Burger Up, an upscale burger place that serves gourmet burgers and salads. As soon as I walked through the door and spotted her, my nervousness disappeared. The whole time during lunch, I could not have felt more comfortable. It was just like catching up with an old friend! I also had the opportunity to meet her precious little girl, Summer, and get my baby fix! She is absolutely beautiful and looks just like her Daddy!

We both decided to get the Roasted Beet Salad (seems I have a new infatuation with beets now) and topped them with our burgers of choice…marathon for me and lamb for her.

I’ve heard a lot of great reviews about the Marathon Burger, but wow, absolute deliciousness!! Crunchy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside with the most incredible flavor! It was definitely the best black bean burger I have ever tasted.

Mmm, goat cheese and beets! They go together like PB&J!

I couldn’t believe how fast time went by…an hour felt more like 20 minutes with all our chatting! Heather is by far the most real and down-to-Earth person I’ve met. She is a beautiful person both inside and out and I can’t wait until we have another chance to get together! 🙂

**Edited to add picture**

Before my lunch date, I got the day started the way every Sunday should be…with pancakes! You see a lot of protein pancakes in blog world, this is my version sans the protein powder!

All Natural Protein Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce: (serves 1)

  • 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tablespoons rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup whipped cottage cheese (blended until creamy)
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, shape into 2 medium-sized pancakes and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side.

Blackberry Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/8 teaspoon arrowroot powder (thickener)
  • 4 drops Vanilla Cream liquid Stevia

Allow blackberries to cook in a small pot with the water until they are mushy. Add arrowroot (or other thickener of choice) and stevia and stir. Continue to cook until it reaches your desired thickness.

My pancakes were topped with blackberry sauce and plain Greek yogurt sweetened with a couple of Stevia drops.

And of course, what would a stack of pancakes be without adding a little “snow”?

Just a little reminder that 80% of my breakfasts include unsweetened shredded coconut!

One more thing and then I’m off to bed early tonight! I have to be up at 5am for work in the morning (boo!).

A fantastical post-workout snack!

Crunchtastic Nanners on a Stick

Guess I was still feeling the Kashi Go Lean from yesterday. This couldn’t be simpler and the mix of all the textures is crazy good!

  • 1 medium banana cut in half
  • 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal
  • 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter

1. Coat each nanner half in PB
2. Roll in crushed cereal
3. Thread nanners on wooden skewers
4. Dip in a bowl dark chocolate chips (NOT optional!)

Ya-um!

And with that, I bid you all adieu! Nighty night!

Have you ever had a blogger meet up before? How did it go?

What is your favorite post workout snack?
Anything involving peanut butter and green monsters!

Posted in Pancake Sunday, Snacks | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

I’d Like To Make (a) Toast!

Posted on January 22, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hello my lovely readers!

What was today like for you guys? Was it as jam-packed as mine? I felt as busy as a bee all day long and I didn’t even leave the house!

Let’s see…quick recap? Ok!

Made a glorious breakfast! Almond Crunch French Toast using the last of the homemade whole wheat bread *tear*

Almond Crunch French Toast: (serves 1)

  • 2 slices thick whole wheat bread
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (could use vanilla)
  • 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal, crushed
  • 1/2 ounce almonds, ground (I used Emerald’s Cinnamon Dusted Almonds)

1. Combine egg, milk, cinnamon, and extract in a shallow bowl.
2. Dip bread in mixture, allowing it to soak up as much as possible.
3. Dip slices in crushed cereal/almond mixture.
4. Cook in a skillet over medium heat, 4-5 minutes per side.

Top with sliced bananas and pure maple syrup.

A few hours later, I decided to take advantage of our heat wave? and go for a run!

Can you believe it? It’s like Jamaica compared to what we have been having!

As a challenge this week for Team HEAB, we had to run a mile and send in our times. I’ve waited all week for a break in the 20 degree temps so I could have a chance to get out there. This was my first time running since my ankle sprain back in September. I’ve done a lot of physical therapy and honestly, I think I’ve been physically ready for this for weeks, but I needed the motivation to get my booty out there in the cold! Guess what!

Not bad for being out with an injury for the last 4 months, right?

I was pretty surprised by my time. It felt like I was totally dragging!

After I got back in and thawed out my hands (I seriously need to buy some gloves), I did my HEAB workout for the day, vacuumed the entire house and then scrubbed the tub before hopping in for a shower! Nothing like a good run to get your energy levels up!

Oh yeah, and I was hopping around like the energizer bunny, some rising was going on in the kitchen…some BREAD rising!

I couldn’t help myself! With the success of Loaf #1, I just couldn’t wait to try my hand at another yeast bread recipe! I wanted to do something a little less plain Jane this time.

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread

Luckily, I started this project early in the day because it took 3 rises (4 hours) before it was even ready to bake, but I just tried a slice and… oh my gosh, I want to make a dozen more!!

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread: (makes 2 small loaves)
Adapted from thefreshloaf.com

  • 12 oz. (2 1/4 cup) unbleached  bread flour
  • 4 oz (7/8 cup) whole wheat pastry flour
  • 5/8 cup rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins

1. Rehydrate raisins by soaking them in warm water for about 30 minutes.
2. Soak oats in 1 1/4 cups water for at least 20-30 minutes.
3. Combine wet ingredients: milk, honey, and oil, add to oats and stir.
4. Combine dry ingredients: flours, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until the flour is hydrated.
6. Remove dough from bowl and knead by hand for about 5 minutes (3 minutes for stand       mixer)
7. Add raisins to dough and knead until incorporated.
8. Place dough in a large bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.
9. Remove dough from bowl, flatten and fold into thirds, then turn dough and fold into           thirds again.
10. Return dough to bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.
11. Remove dough from bowl and divide into two loaves and place into greased loaf pans.
12. Brush the tops of dough with water and sprinkle with dry oats.
13. Cover and allow to rise for 90 minutes, or until dough has risen about 1 inch above             top of pan.
14. Place in 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 375 and continue baking for 20 minutes.
15. Turn pans 180 degrees and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.
Internal temperature of bread should register 185 degrees Fahrenheit when an instant      read thermometer is placed in the center of the loaf.

I know the recipe sounds a little daunting so to prove how easy this is, I have a
step by step picture documentary.

1 & 2. Soak raisins and oats in water

3. Combine dry ingredients

4. Combine wet ingredients

5. Mix wet and dry

6. Form dough and knead

7. Add raisins

Stick-aaaay!

8. Rise #1

9. Spread dough out on floured surface

Fold dough in thirds

Fold in thirds again

10. Rise #2

11. Divide dough

12. Brush with water and sprinkle with oats

13. Rise #3

14 & 15. All done…FINALLY!

Absolute Heaven you guys…absolute…HEAVEN! It has a crunchy crisp crust and a soft doughy center. The raisins lend the perfect amount of sweetness without making you feel like you’re eating dessert and the cinnamon fills your mouth with a warming spiciness.

Mouth watering yet? Next time you are lounging around the house (or busting your butt cleaning like me) whip out this recipe and MAKE THIS BREAD!

What is your favorite way to eat toast?
Peanut butter and banana all the way baby! 😉

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , | 37 Comments

How The Crock-pot Saved Potluck

Posted on January 21, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Happy Friday foodies!

What’s the best thing about having a mini-vacation end on a Wednesday? Only having to work 2 days before it’s time to relax again! Didn’t hurt that we ended the workweek with a birthday potluck! The theme was Soups & Sandwiches…seems like we can’t get enough soup at these things. Must be due to this:

View from my back porch this morning. Sadly, my snowshoes were not needed 🙁

My plan was to go the grocery store on my way home from work last night to grab some stuff, but with the roads getting icy and slick, I decided to just go shopping in my freezer instead. Therein lay the ingredients for this!

Southwestern Chicken & Black Bean Soup: (Serves 8-10)

  • 1 pound cooked shredded chicken
  • 2 cans black beans, drained
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 large orange bell pepper, diced (frozen)
  • 1 medium onion, diced (frozen)
  • 2 cups corn (frozen)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and set to low for 4-6 hours.

Garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, plain greek yogurt, and cilantro.

Can’t get any easier than that right? Well how about the chicken I had was frozen, so I popped it in the crock and went to bed, woke up and VOILA! soup-ready chicken!

And for a peek of what it looks like under the toppings:

The perfect soup to thaw you out on a cold winter day!

I absolutely love cooking the crock-pot, especially in the winter. Who doesn’t like to just throw ingredients in a pot and come back hours later to a good home-cooked dinner? Or in my case, work for 4 hours and go to the break room for a home-cooked lunch!

Tell me, what is one of your favorite crock-pot recipes?
Now that I have my new baby crock-pot and can keep servings to a more manageable amount (I tend to get carried away with my bigger one), I plan on slow cooking more in the future!


Posted in Entree | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments