Since being sick my appetite has been waaaay off, and I know when I’m not interested in eating there is something way wrong! I always seem to be interested in food! Hence the name, right? Hopefully this virus that has taken over my body will part ways soon and I can get my normal energy back. In the mean time, I’ve been trying to find food that sounds appetizing and I haven’t had much luck. I stand in front of the fridge pondering and waiting, just waiting to see if a good craving will pop up. Nothing but a small, ‘meh’ emerges, along with a painful cough. I just eat because I know that’s what I should do. But, alas! I actually found a great product that soothed my sore throat and chest and was pretty much the only thing that has made my tummy happy. (more…)
January 24, 2011
September 19, 2009
study hard, play harder
whew, this week just flew by! This is great but it’s been a little too fast. I feel like the weeks are just getting away from me. While I never really was a party animal, I’m employing the motto of ‘study hard, play harder’ this weekend since I’m going to try to fit in both! While tonight is Friday, I’m going to try to get somewhat caught up so that I can enjoy the Greek Food Festival Saturday evening and the Pink Martini Concert Sunday night. Boy do I have lots to do, as I’m sure you guys are no stranger to this, right?
Thursday I rushed to the farmer’s market after work and before class and found some yummies. I think I cut the cantaloupe too soon because it wasn’t very good, but the dates are AMAZING!! I think this is my new love. I have to be careful because when I brought them home I had 5! hello fiber and carbs! I want to try to make granola bars with them or some kind of quick bread. Do you have any good date recipes to share??? Yum!
The bag had a bunch of different varieties, I liked the tiny brown one in the back the best.
They also had date bread and cookies and I about bought them all! Next time I want to try the bread. Oh my gosh, this cookie was just wonderful, you’ll see . . .
I’m meeting with my chair tomorrow at a coffee shop, since it’s so hard to meet during the week with work. I need to look over some more research, but I think I’ve decided on a thesis topic focusing on coconut water! eek! I’m excited yet very nervous about the whole thing. It will be something like ‘The effect of coconut water on rehydration after exercising in the heat’ What do you think?
Everyone I’ve told or asked about it doesn’t seem too excited and many people don’t even know what coconut water is. But, no one in the department is giving me any other ideas!!! I’ve been very frustrated and discouraged trying to find something, but I hope this will work. I’d like to compare it to traditional electrolyte replacements to see if it is better (that would be neat), does the same, or is not a good sports drink. I’m just having a discrepancy between how much sodium is in the product. The USDA database says 252 mg/cup, but most of the brands available say 60 mg or less. That isn’t really ideal for a ‘sports drink’. I contacted ZICO brand and they said the USDA must be in error. Anyone have any ideas? I haven’t heard back from the USDA as of yet.
Yesterday for dinner I made peanutty noodles. Peanut butter is one of my favorite things and I can have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert pretty much or just straight from the jar. I love this recipe because it’s pretty darn versatile. I didn’t have any bokchoy so I just left it out and added more carrots. Yum! I like to use soba noodles, but anything you can find works.
Here is the Peanutty Noodle recipe.
And the yumminess I promised! I topped 1/4 of the date chocolate chip cookie with a bit of vanilla 1/2 fat ice cream. Wow, it was the perfect combo!
So that’s what my weekend is going to look like, I need to get to studying and brainstorming asap! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend 🙂
What’s your motto lately?
July 7, 2009
hot hot hot
It’s been pretty dang hot here lately and I think we only have another 2 1/2 months of it yet to go? Ugh! I just feel like this heat drains me and steals all the energy I have! Does anyone have any advice on powering through hot desert weather? I make sure to stay hydrated, but I can’t seem to regulate my temperature well, even in the winter. I also get terrible heat headaches since all my veins blow up like little balloons. I just have to get through it!
I call this the blow dryer effect . . .
I’m going to the SNE Conference in New Orleans, so I guess I won’t get any reprieve from the hot weather. I think it’s supposed to rain 3 out of the 5 days I’ll be there, so I’m sure the humidity won’t help things!
I also bought some new running shoes! They were only $30 at DSW and they are quite cushy and comfy. Now you all know that I am not the running type, and I don’t run that often to be honest. I’ve been dancing since I was 8 years old and was on the dance team in HS and college. I can dance all day long or take fitness classes like kickboxing and spin, but running has always been a challenge. I truly admire those of you who can run and run and run! So, I decided that I am going to start training for a sprint triathlon on October 3! I think that I’m not getting any younger and I’d like to do something like this when I have the chance. Because I’m also studying sports nutrition, I’d like to better counsel athletes if I’ve actually experienced it myself. We’ll see how it goes . . . this hot weather isn’t helping at the moment.
My lil sis Sarah’s 4th birthday was this past Sunday (the one on the left, her friend Hannah is on the right). My dad actually has 3 little ones! Isn’t he crazy?! But, he truly loves it and can’t wait till he can retire and spend lots more time with them. There is Kauner who’s 6, Sarah who just turned 4 and Josh who’s 3. Wow, I don’t think I could even imagine having 3 kids right now even at the age of 24. It was also Sarah’s friend Hannah’s birthday, so it was double the fun. Here are some pictures of the party with lots of crazy kids! Ahhh . . . to be a kid again and not have a care in the world.
Don’t drop the egg!
I want candy!
Sweet Josh was tired!
In foodie news, I have a couple great recipes for you that I tried out this past weekend, both involving my favorite thing . . . peanut butter! I swear I think I could eat that stuff all day long. It would definitely be my first choice if I was stuck on a deserted island 🙂 My ultimate favorite brand is Trader Joe’s because it has a wonderful roasty toasty flavor. When I taste a regular brand peanut butter now, it just tastes flavorless to me. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend no matter what you were up to!
Asian BBQ Chicken with Crispy Peanutty Noodles
( I got the ‘crispy’ idea from PF Chang’s dan dan noodles)
Ingredients for the chicken:
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- dash cayenne
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken tenders
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours (this also freezes well).
Prepare grill.
Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Place chicken on oiled grill; grill about 4-5 minutes each side or until done, turning and basting frequently with the marinade.
Ingredients for the Noodles:
- A bunch of your favorite veggies to sauté. I used 2 baby bok choy, 2 green bell peppers, several julienned carrots, green onions
- 1 bundle of soba noodles, boiled until al dente
- For the peanut sauce to add at the end: 2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce all warmed up in a small saucepan (you may have sauce left over, depending on how saucy you like your noodles)
Stir fry all the veggies until slightly tender in a large wok, but still crisp; remove from wok. Add some more canola oil, then the cooked noodles and cook until crispy around the edges. Pour the veggies back on top of the noodles along with the peanut sauce and serve with the asian BBQ chicken! Top with more green onions for garnish. Pyramid apricot ale is one of my favorites and went well with this type of dish.
This chicken recipe is very versatile, so I used it in another recipe the next night because I had some leftover . . .
Chicken Satay Wraps
(adapted from CookingLight)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 2/3 cup light coconut milk
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp curry powder
- dash cayenne
- 2 cups chopped asian BBQ chicken (see above)
- 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
- romaine and bok choy for stuffing and greenage
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little bit of olive oil. Add carrots and onions; sauté 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk and next 5 ingredients (through cayenne); stirring constantly. Add the chicken; cook 1 minute, stirring to coat. Remove from heat; cool. Warm tortillas and spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla, and top each with greenage. Roll up and enjoy!
I also topped mine with some creamy goat cheese.
mmmm . . . mid bite
One recipe, two versatile dishes that are a whole lotta yum 🙂
Speaking of glorious nut butters . . . Angie is giving away some great stuff from Trader Joe’s (my favorite, um I mean it’s terrible!) Darn it, I forgot she is on east coast time and I missed it! But you should still check out her blog 🙂
What’s your favorite way to use nut butters?
February 13, 2009
peanut butter party
Peanut butter has always been a love of mine, and I’ve probably eaten gallons and gallons already in my lifetime! It is just creamy, nutty, roasty toasty and just plain lip-smacking delicious. I get excited when I get to the last of the jar because then I can have what I call a ‘peanut butter party.’ This is my way of scooping out the very last of the peanut butter without digging right out of the jar (which I would happily do if I didn’t restrict myself). I call it a party because I like to ‘finish off’ things, and who doesn’t like scraping right out of the peanut butter jar?! It’s just plain fun trying to get in all the nooks and crannies, and then when I’m done with just that little bit left, I’m done. You should try it, it’s highly satisfying!
As far as brands go, I would stick with the natural varieties, or those that don’t have any hydrogenated oils (trans fats) in them. My favorite would have to be Trader Joe’s brand. It has such a pronounced roasted peanut flavor that is delicious! I have yet to try that Barney Butter that every one raves about, but I haven’t looked for it here. Anyone want to swap brands? I will send a jar of Trader Joe’s for a jar of Barney Butter!
Another thing I love about peanut butter, aside from its great nutritional value (in moderation of course), is that it is so versatile. I swear I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! I recently made a recipe called peanutty noodles that I adapted from CookingLight, which plays on the savory side of peanut butter. I also have a cookbook called The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book, which features a ton of savory and sweet recipes, all of which highlight peanut butter . . . of course!
Peanutty Noodles
Serving Size: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1 tsp dark sesame oil
- 1.5 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger (about a 1” cube)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter (I used 1/2 cup because I like mine peanut buttery!)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbs rice or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
- Cooking spray
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 block marinated tofu (I like TJ’s teriyaki flavor), cut into strips
- 2 carrots, peeled and shaved into thin strips with a veggie peeler
- 2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2), thinly sliced
- 2 baby bok choy, sliced, separate white and green parts
- about 2 bunches soba noodles (you can also use udon)
Preparation
Heat 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 4 ingredients (broth through chili garlic sauce); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer just until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
Cook Soba noodles according to package instructions. This usually is pretty quick and can be done just before tossing everything together.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add tofu, bell peppers and white parts of the bok choy; sauté 5-10 minutes or until tender and golden. Add carrot slices and green tops of bok choy; sauté just until wilted. Add warm peanut butter sauce, and cooked soba noodles; toss well. Serve Immediately and enjoy!
Nutritional Information
- (based on CL recipe)
- Calories: 296 (27% from fat)
- Fat: 8.8g (sat 1.7g,mono 3.8g,poly 2.7g)
- Protein: 11.7g
- Carbohydrate: 43.1g
- Fiber: 3.4g
- Cholesterol: 1mg
- Iron: 3.6mg
- Sodium: 400mg
- Calcium: 44mg
What’s your favorite way to use Peanut Butter?
