hook, line & sinker

A lot of bloggers I follow participate in What I'm loving Wednesday. But in an effort not to conform (or maybe it's just that I can't commit to a weekly posting on Wednesdays...or maybe I don't have enough love), I thought I'd divulge a few things that have really hooked me this week.

1. My salad revival. Sometimes I go through a salad funk where homemade versions never seem as good as the ones at restaurants. But lately, I can't seem to get enough homemade salads. Maybe it's my longing for spring that's spurring the sudden cravings, especially since I'm topping the salads with fruit such as pears, strawberries or mango.

Besides fruit, I'm hooked on avocado, toasted pecans and feta, and then I douse the salads with grapeseed oil and a pear-infused white balsamic vinegar I found at Whole Foods. I can't even begin to describe how good this stuff is.

2. Touching stories that remind me why I do what I do (you've gotta watch the video). I have to remember it's not always about me and my professional development--it's really about the kids. I'm not on the front lines, but I do believe that what I do plays a small part in supporting the people who are.

3. Coconut flour chocolate chip loaves/muffins. I adapted this recipe a bit by doubling it, subbing palm sugar for stevia and honey and omitting the shredded coconut. My, how tasty this turned out. Gluten has nothing on this recipe!

4. Reading the Hunger Games series on my Kindle. I really have to give James credit for thinking of getting me a Kindle for Christmas. No more hassling with placing books on hold at the public library. It took me about a day to realize that not reading from an actual paperback was awesome. I just started Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games series. After looking on Amazon, I see that the series ranks high in the Children's books and Teen categories. Awesome.

5. Green and Black's organic 85% cocoa dark chocolate. Yum, yum, yum. I've tasted dark chocolate that has been so bitter, even at 60% cocoa, that it's more like cocoa powder. But at 85% cocoa, this chocolate just melts in my mouth and leaves me totally satiated. Plus, a 3.5 oz. bar only has 20 grams of sugar. And the point is, don't eat the whole bar (I constantly remind myself). If I only eat a couple squares, I'm not eating much sugar at all!

6. Daydreams of coastal towns. I've planned three trips to the South Carolina coast this spring, and my first one is coming up in two weeks. I can't wait to stroll along quaint storefronts wearing flip flops, play bocce ball and throw the football on the beach, smell the salty ocean breeze, chow down on fresh seafood and spend time with the fam.

7. Split jerks. I'm definitely not a powerlifter, but I love doing max lifts at the gym. I just PRed on split jerks this week, which means I can now split jerk my body weight. Yay! If only I could bench press my body weight. I have a loooong way to go on that goal. And just to be transparent, I still have a long way to go on my 30 double unders goal. I did a workout on Monday that included 150 double unders, and by the end of it, my left hamstring was a mess of red welps. I've got four more days to perform a miracle. I'll let you know how that turns out.

8. Spring-like weather. I'm really hoping Mother Nature isn't teasing us with this spring-like weather. I'll even take some rain so long as it's not followed by freezing temps. And I love the fact that it's starting to stay lighter longer in the evenings.

9. Crockpot creations. I was hoping to buy a beef pot roast last week to make an easy dinner ahead of time, but when I saw that a roast was $18 at the store, I gave up on beef. But, nearby I spied the other white meat in a roast cut for less than $5. So I changed up my plans and threw the pork roast in the crockpot, along with salsa verde and onions, and let it cook on low for a few hours before throwing in some red and green bell peppers. Easy, cheap, tasty!

10. Sundays. At this point, I can't even remember what all I did last Sunday besides go to church. But I love Sundays because they're usually low-key days where I make a grocery store run and cook during the afternoons. Sounds like torture to some people, I know. But it's very calming for me.

chocolate banana muffins

5:42 a.m.

That's the time we woke up this morning--a Saturday.

I had great intentions of going to The River to run intervals after work yesterday, but it started clouding over (heck, that's just my excuse) and I realized I was exhausted.

We typically treat Fridays like any other weeknight, cooking dinner and going to bed at a decent hour. Only last night, I could barely keep my eyes open as we watched The Sunset Limited. About 30 minutes in, I told James that I had to go to bed.

I managed to read about 15 minutes of The Hunger Games before going down for the count at 8:30 p.m. Maybe I'm reliving my days as a five year old.

I think James came to bed before 10 p.m. It was all a blur.

So this morning, it was no surprise that we woke up at 5:42 a.m. After all, I got more than 9 hours of sleep, which rarely happens.

I've already divulged my love of mornings, and this one was no different except that I had a couple more hours to spare. And besides that, there was another notable difference. James made ME breakfast! I'm partial to paleo pancakes, but he whipped up some sweet potato hashbrowns that were divine.

But on to a new recipe. Two weekends ago, I made these Chocolate Banana Muffins to share at the Garage Games. They were definitely a hit.

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup palm sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In mixing bowl, blend bananas, eggs, milk, syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt.

3. Blend in coconut flour.

4. Shave chocolate squares using knife, and fold into mixture.

5. This recipe makes about 12 regular sized muffins, but I only had 7 muffin cups. Oops. So I distributed the batter into 7 muffin cups and put the remaining batter into a greased loaf pan.

6. The problem with posting a recipe I made two weeks ago is that I can't remember how long I baked the muffins and loaf. Oops again. I'd check them after 15 minutes, and continue checking them every few minutes by inserting a toothpick.

I'll definitely make these again. Super tasty. I'll probably try adding walnuts or pecans next time.

This recipe is part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, and Real Food Wednesday and Gluten-Free Wednesdays.

build me up, butternut

Winter squash has been on sale lately, so last week I bought a butternut squash. I thought about making a tasty soup, but then decided against it. Soup is always better after it sits for a while so the flavors meld, so I guess I just didn't want to wait. I've made a Savory Butternut Squash Casserole in the past, but this time, I wanted to do something a little different.

After I finished cooking this dish, I realized that this new version wasn't that far off from my casserole version. But hey, hopefully that just means it's good since Savory Butternut Squash Casserole is one of my most popular recipes (according to my analytics). Part of me loves this new recipe more because I got to use my ramekins, and we all know how I feel about them.

Pay to Play update: I've practiced my double unders before our CrossFit class the past two days. I'm getting better, even if it is one double under at a time. I go out by myself in the parking lot and work on them for 10 or 15 minutes. I think my timing is getting a little better, though I couldn't tell you why. Regardless, it's a great pre-warm-up warm-up before my class.

Butternut Squash Ramekins

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• few grinds of black pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 bag of spinach
• 1/2  cup parmesan
• Topping: shredded cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and peel the butternut squash.

2. Scoop out the middle seeds and pulp, and cut flesh into 1-inch cubes.

3. Place cubes in container with lid, and add 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, chili powder, salt and pepper. Secure lid and shake until evenly coated.

4. Spread on baking sheet and cook for roughly 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, dice onion and red bell pepper, and mince garlic. Saute in 1 tbsp olive oil until onions become transparent.

6. Keep burner at medium heat, and stir in cream and coconut milk.

7. Fold in spinach one handful at a time.

8. Once squash has cooked some, add it and the saute mixture to a mixing bowl, and fold in parmesan.

9. Distribute between 8 one-cup ramekins, and top with shredded cheese.

10. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure you let these cool for a few minutes before eating them. They're piping hot!

Wonder how to save these as leftovers? Mine fit perfectly into a sandwich bag.

We enjoyed these squash ramekins along with a cajun shrimp salad. Crazy combination, I know! Love my version of croutons? I used Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Chips.

This recipe is part of  Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Fight Back Friday and What's Cooking Wednesday

10 reasons I love my husband

We're not big into a traditional Valentine's Day. It's not that we don't take time to dote on each other, it's just that we don't go by the traditional means of flowers and chocolates. Not that I'm opposed to a box of chocolates, but we both know they'd be gone in 24 hours, so it's best to avoid them from the start.

Since Valentine's Day falls on a weekday this year, we decided to celebrate last night instead of making plans after the gym tonight. So I booked us reservations at Seasons 52 because I remembered the fare is primarily veggies and protein. When I looked up the menu before we left, I saw that every meal is less than 475 calories. Oops, I shouldn't have said this out loud because James replied with, 'Great, now I'll have to eat three meals just to get enough fuel food.'

Last week, James went to CrossFit North Atlanta to have his body fat tested in the Bod Pod using a coupon he'd gotten from the Garage Games. Not surprisingly, he came in at 7.8% body fat and 165 pounds of lean muscle, putting him in the elite athlete category. He took home a sheet outlining his stats, with recommendations as to how many calories he needs daily to sustain his body fat and muscle mass given he works out 4 to 5 times a week. Guess what that number was: 4,071 CALORIES! That's daily, people. I could devote weekly posts to James and his crazy body, but I try to spare you all. The Bod Pod tester told him she's never tested anyone with that low of body fat.

I was a bit hesitant to take advantage of the Bod Pod and know my true stats, so maybe that's why I subconsciously chose Seasons 52 for dinner last night. James enjoyed the Buffalo Chili and Rainbow Trout, while I opted for Chicken Chili Relleno, Spinach Salad with Pear and Pine Nuts, and for dessert, a mini indulgence in the choice of Mocha Macchiato. Thank goodness it came in a shot-sized glass so I couldn't go overboard.

In lieu of a traditional Valentine's Day gift, I'll just share 10 reasons I love my husband:

1. He's a smartie...borderline brilliant. Maybe that's the love goggles talking. But I've always believed I could never marry someone who wasn't smarter than me. I'm not saying I'm not better at some things, because I definitely am :)
2. He cooks me steaks. So simple, yet so impactful. This girl likes meat.
3. Gifts are always a surprise. I've gotten everything from bed sheets to a Kindle. I think I'm even starting to train him a bit. Last week he asked if we were getting each other gifts for Valentine's Day. I told him nah, let's just do dinner. I'm just happy he asked.
4. He's cheap. I don't ever have to worry about him going out and blowing money. At the same time, he believes he can wear his clothes for decades. Thank goodness Polos will never go out of style.
5. He's a dreamer. He wants acres and acres of land one day. Maybe I'll become the next generation of the Pioneer Woman.
6. He loves meat and curves. Thank goodness, because I've worked hard for these muscles.
7. He's an entrepreneur. He loves building a business from the ground up, and he always finds the money-making angle in new ideas.
8. He eats any food. The world is my oyster when it comes to cooking. Even if I don't like a dish I cook, I'm guaranteed he'll like it.
9. He encourages me to be independent. He never puts up a fuss when I want to hang with the girls or take a weekend trip. In fact, it's like he wants me gone :)
10. He holds my hand when we watch TV, just like he did while we were dating. Sometimes it's all about the little things.

kick you in the bundt

Many of my co-workers have refined pallets. They live inside the city, eat at all the new restaurants and love tasting all kinds of food. I'm that girl who is a little more hesitant when it comes to trying new things. It's not that I'm not open, but my fear of anything with mayonnaise or ranch dressing causes me to interrogate the wait staff, especially when it comes to restaurants I haven't visited before.

As I've said before, James and I aren't really eater-outers. We do venture out as a treat for special occasions, but even then, we frequently come to an agreement that we could have cooked the meal better ourselves. (But I do enjoy going out to eat with girlfriends every so often. It gives me a chance to try new things and enjoy someone else catering cooking for me.)

So, it comes as no surprise that I'm not a frequent diner at international restaurants, unless you consider Mexican food international, because I'm a huge fan of Taqueria del Sol and Pure Taqueria.

The great thing about working off North Druid Hills is that I'm in the heart of international food territory, and my co-workers have pushed me out of my comfort zone to try cuisines I would have never tried on my own. Not all of these experiences have been great, but they've definitely helped me to be more open-minded about food.

Roughly a year and a half ago, they talked me into trying India food. I can't even remember the restaurant we dined at, but I do remember that I left hungry, trying all six dishes on my plate but not liking any of them. Since that trip, if we ever brainstorm where to go for lunch, I always say, "Anything but Indian."

But on Thursday, we celebrated the birthdays of two of my co-workers, the biggest foodies in the group. Since we're celebrating their big days, it only makes sense that they get to choose the restaurant. I was secretly gunning for Violette's, a quaint French restaurant that serves amazing Boeuf Bourguignon. Hello meat! But, I was given a week's notice that the celebratory restaurant of choice was Cafe Bombay. I mustered up my courage, slapped on a smile and gave myself a daily pep talk of 'you can do it.'

The morning of their birthday lunch, I considered packing my own lunch as a back up in case I didn't like anything again. But gave my self a verbal slap on the wrist and faced the day with an open mind.

At noon, we headed over to celebrate, and, to be honest, I was a little overwhelmed with the three buffets. The first was full of rice and breads. The second had salad and lots of white sauces that reminded me of the dreaded ranch dressing. But the third buffet table was mainly meat, and I made a bee-line for it as I finally let out a sigh of relief. I had found my calling. I sampled Chicken Tikki Masala, Chicken 65 with sautéed veggies, some goat dish and creamed spinach. Chicken Tikki Masala was the clear winner, and I went back for seconds.

I don't think Indian food will ever be a top choice for me, but now, at least I know I can find something I like to eat at Indian restaurants.

This birthday lunch gave me an excuse to experiment by making a gluten-free cake. I came across a recipe for a Foolproof Gluten-Free Cake, and decided to adapt it a bit to my liking. I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. It was so good that I could easily choose this over normal chocolate cake, even the glutenous Triple Chocolate Cake I featured in my first-ever blog post.

Iced Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup palm sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp gluten-free baking powder

Icing

• 5 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup palm sugar
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In medium mixing bowl, blend butter and palm sugar.

3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

4. Beat in cocoa, then rest of ingredients. 

5. Grease bundt pan, dust with cocoa and fill with batter. Most recipes dust with flour, but I thought this was a great gluten-free alternative. Can't believe I didn't think of it myself. It was also mentioned in the Tropical Traditions recipe.

6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes on 350 degrees. After about 25 minutes, I checked to see if the cake was done every 5 minutes by using a toothpick.

7. Take it out of the pan to cool.

8. Meanwhile create icing by microwaving butter and palm sugar until melted. 

9. Transfer to mixing bowl, and add cream cheese, cocoa, honey and vanilla. Blend.

10. Once cake has cooled, ice and devour.

This recipe is part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Real Food Wednesday and Gluten-Free Wednesday

easy tomato soup

So, it's been more than a week since I declared my double unders goal. Since then, I've worked on them twice, but still have a long way to go. On Tuesday, I managed to jump up instead of pulling my feet up under me, so progress, but no pike. I consistently strung together 5 or 6 in a row, then asked James to video me. When he did, I could only get 2 in a row. What can I say? I'm camera shy :) I'll spare you from the 5-second videos he took. But I'll definitely post a video once I can get more than a couple in a row...on film.

This weekend, I'll practice again...outside, of course, because it's supposed to be beautiful here. Thank goodness, because I'm starting to get spring fever.

Last week, I came home late from the gym one night and scrounged around in our pantry looking for a quick meal. Obviously, I would have preferred to make this soup from scratch, but hey, at least it was a better choice than fast food. This soup wasn't genious, but it was definitely quick, easy, comforting, tasty, warm and made for great leftovers.

Easy Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 32 oz. organic tomato soup
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 can chicken stock
• 1 onion
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• turkey kielbasa
• Toppings: avocado, grape tomatoes, shredded cheese

1. Pour premade soup, Rotel and chicken stock into dutch oven and turn burner to medium high.

2. Dice onion, slice mushrooms and sautee in ghee/olive oil until onions become transparent. Then, add to dutch oven.

3. Slice kielbasa and brown in pan. Then, add to dutch oven.

4. Bring soup to a rolling boil for 20 minutes.

Serve with sliced avocado, sliced tomatoes and shredded cheese.