When the cat's away...

I am away interviewing for a position for next year, and I received this picture from Mr. Baseball! Looks like someone is taking advantage of me being gone!! Yes folks, that is MEAT on the plate. And no greens! Looks like Mr. B is breathing a sigh of relief that I am not there to feed him collards.

Enjoy dear.

Fage

I'm not the only one who loves Fage!! Stella gets to lick my yogurt bowl :)

Banana Bread Muffins

These came out delightfully. I recommend serving them hot.

Banana Bread Muffins
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsbp flax
5 ripe bananas
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup fage 0%
2 tsbp egg white
1 tsp cinnamon
.5 tsp nutmeg
3 tsbp mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Mix together sugar, flax, bananas, milk, yogurt, egg white, cinnamon and nutmeg together until blended. Then add the flour and the baking soda. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Grease the muffin tin.
4. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.

NI: 14 muffins. Per muffin: 137 calories, 1.4 g fat, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein

Chickpeas with a little bit of everything

Note the new plate? I am obsessed with my new anthro plates!!! Love it!!

Today was my first workout of 2010 and it was awesome. My friend and I ran 8 miles in 90 minutes. It was too cold to run outside (25 degrees and windy) so we ran on the track. That was 94 times around the track thank you very much! It has been a while since I ran 8 miles and it felt great. Afterwards, I had a facial and massage at Eviama spa, the best spa in Philadelphia courtesy of my kind parents. Starting tomorrow, I will be traveling all of January for interviews for next year, so I wanted to start out with lots of self-care.

We haven't gotten grocery shopping since our massive trip to Wegman's last Saturday - but we still had some leftover food. This can work with whatever you have in your fridge. It was delightful. I served it over some Annie Chun's sprouted rice. It was hearty after my long workout today.

Chickpea Stew
5 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 bell peper
20 cherry tomatoes
handful of broccoli
2 cups baby spinach
2 TSBP tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 veg. bouillion

1. Heat oil in a pan, cook garlic and onion down on medium heat. Add the rest the veggies (not the spianch though).
2. Add the tomato paste, water, bouillion and spices.
3. Add chickpeas.
4. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add spinach and allow to wilt down for the last 2 minutes.

NI: 2 servings; per serving: 456 cal, 11.5 g fat, 27.5 g fiber, 22.1 g protein

Tahini Quinoa Salad

So...yesterday was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I woke up to earl grey tea in my new Anthro cup, had a Greek inspired brunch with mimosas at one of my fave restaurants with Mr. Baseball and one of my best friends, and then went out to a big pasta dinner at one of my favorite BYOB's in the city. For lunch, I had olive oil fried eggs, fried haloumi, and a small Greek salad with several mimosas. And a cupcake! For dinner, I had a big bowl of penne a la vodka with too many drinks to count and lots of love and laughter with all my dear friends. Also had a big old piece of rum cake to top me off.....It was the best birthday ever. I am so blessed for all of the love that came my way yesterday and every day.

So at any rate, moderation has not been the name of the game, and while i am okay with that, I needed to whip up something super healthy for dinner. Lunch was salad and a veggie burger. This tahini quinoa was delightful, with some sauteed shrimp on the side. Quinoa is touted for being a supergrain given its protein, vitamins, and is gluten-free. You could sub in any veggies here that you have on hand.

Tahini Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 bell pepper
1 green zucchini
2 cups baby spinach
garlic clove
2 TSBP tahini
juice and zest of one lemon
5 ml olive oil
2 TSBP hot water

1. Boil the water in a pot. When boiling, add dry quinoa to the pot and lower the heat down to low. Let simmer 20 minutes.
2. Cut up the veggies. Saute the bell pepper and zucchini in garlic and olive oil.
3. Make dressing: mix tahini, lemon, and hot water together. Add salt to taste.
4. Add the quinoa and veggies to the dressing, then add the baby spinach (it will wilt from the heat).

NI: 4 servings, 232 cal, 7.5 g of fat, 4.6 g fiber, 8.2 g protein

Happy New Year and....

Well, today is my birthday. And it has been perfect so far.

We had the best NYE EVER. Usually we go out, spend loads of money, and I feel a bit.....spent on my actually birthday. Last night, Mr. Baseball and I: (1) Played scrabble apple, (2) drank my favorite wine, (3) ate my fav pizza, and (4) ate Brown Betty cupcakes. Then we rang in NYE with some champagne. Perfection. Just might be the most perfect NYE I've had in recent memory. See brown betty sour cream cupcakes left. I will be consuming the purple one today :)

I've already opened all of my splendid presents. Mr. Baseball did GOOD this year. Today, we are off to a day of day drinking, Mummer's parade, and yummy Italian dinner with friends. Today is not a day of moderation. Nor was last night :)

I am excited for 2010. We have a lot of new beginnings coming up, and some long awaited endings. I am very thankful for all of the love and happiness I have in my life. Here is to an amazing new decade.

Black Bean Beauty

It is chilly outide. Wind chill of 8. After coming home today, all I wanted was a warm, filling soup for dinner. This black bean recipe is all my creation and tasted great -- creamy, thick, and comforting. I hate runny soups, and this was not at all. Words from Mr. Baseball's mouth..."This may be the best soup you've ever made." That's a bold statement, but I will take it. He did not enjoy the collards I served with it :)

PS. Like the new bowl?

Black and White Bean Soup
1 TSBP olive oil
2 cloves garlic
65 g onion
115 g red bell pepper
155 g zucchini
30 oz. canned black beans
30 oz. canned white beans
4 cups vegetable broth
3 vegetable bouillion cubes (or to taste - I like it salty)
100 g pearled barley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili pepper
juice of one lemon

1. Saute olive oil with garlic, onion, red pepper and zucchini. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the onions sweat down.
2. Add all other ingredients with the exception of the barley. Bring to a boil. Use the immersion blender to puree all ingredients. If you don't have one of those..you can use a food processor but careful, its hot.
3. Add barley. Cook for about 20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of fage 0%

NI: 8 servings
1 serving (without yogurt): 245 calories, 3.1 grams of fat, 13 grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein