Author Archives: Live. Eat. Be.

Thought o’ the Day: grace not perfection

Posted on by

2

Happy Wednsday everyone!

It’s dreary here in New York, so I thought I’d pop in and give y’all a little something to think about, other than the icky weather.

I came across this quote just now, and it struck a chord.  None of us are perfect. It’s just a fact of life, and one I think that should be embraced.  Imperfections are beautiful, make us interesting and unique.  It would get pretty 1984 around here if we were all the same, and no one wants that!

We all have awesomeness within us.  Even if you’re in a slump, there are ways to cultivate and bring out those sparks.  So think about that for a moment.  What do you love about yourself? We all need to love ourselves a little more and embrace our imperfections.  Me – I hate my ears, and I’m an emotional softy.  But you know what? My sensitivity is what allows me to relate, empathize and sympathize with others, so I’m going to embrace it! I might be a crier, but it’s because I care. So, criers unite! Embrace it!

I do believe that imperfections and all, we should all take pride in a job well done, regardless of what that job is.  Maybe it’s caring for a loved one, a career that we may be less than thrilled with, or a personal DIY task – whatever it is, take pride in accomplishing the task to the best of your ability.  Work to hold yourself to a standard of grace, not perfection; because none of us are perfect, and that in itself is perfect.

Travel Eats – West Palm Beach, FL Edition

Posted on by

0

Hello Friends,

There is little I love more than traveling; experiencing new and different places.  Naturally, one of my absolute favorite things about traveling is eating.  Whether it’s a completely foreign cuisine, or a hidden local gem, it’s all good to me.

On a recent trip to see the boyfriend’s family in FL, I was introduced to a little place called Darbster. This gem of a restaurant, with great ambiance, delicious, and beautifully plated food, is fully vegetarian (and often vegan).  Now, I’m not a vegetarian, but I do try and focus on a nutrient-rich diet, full of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and healthy greens.  Darbster, in my estimation, has nearly perfected the model of a vegetarian restaurant that also appeals to the mainstream, meat-eating, diner.  I’m a huge, HUGE, believer that a truly good dining experience is not just about the food.  It’s the food, presentation, ambience, setting and staff combined, and Darbster’s got a pretty good thing going on.

source
I wish I had taken a picture at night, it’s incredibly charming

I can’t recall what everyone had, but I had a delicious vegetarian version of beef wellington.  This may have been a rookie mistake (and the waitress did warn me), but absolutely loving the real-deal, I just had to try this dish.  It came out beautifully planted, deliciously seasoned, but I just couldn’t dig the faux meat.  Taste was great, it was the texture that I had a hard time with.  So my only qualm would be, and I find this at almost every vegetarian restaurant I go to, the abundance of meat substitutes you find on the menu.  I would have much preferred the dish to be mushroom wellington.  But that’s just me.

You all know by now, that I’m a dessert fein.  I’m the girl that looks at the dessert menu first, just to ensure I save enough room if something warrants it. The desserts at Darbster were out of this world! We ordered two to take home and share – a raw, gluten-free brownie, and a gluten-free chocolate raspberry mousse tart thing.  I don’t know what was in it exactly, but it was soooooooooo good. Oh man, if only my teleport was working I could hop right down there for dessert!

If you find yourself in the West Palm Beach, Florida area, check out Darbster – we need more restaurants like this!

darbster

8020 South Dixie Highway

West Palm Beach, FL 33405

te: (561)586-2622

www.darbster.com

Dessert All Star – Blueberry Almond Tart (vegan and gluten free!)

Posted on by

0

Hello hello!

I hope everyone is doing splendidly today!  Up here in the North East, Mother Nature has been in a fickle mood lately, but thankfully she blessed us with an absolutely lovely day on Saturday which facilitated our first grilling, and outdoor dinner, of the season! Thank you Mamma Nature!

My friends who have been fortunate enough to be around when I’ve made this tart, won’t let me forget it, and as blueberry season gets closer and closer, the requests become more and more frequent.  I discovered this recipe over at Eat Live Run last summer and have been hooked ever since! It’s vegan and gluten-free friendly, and is soooo good that even those who shy away from healthier food options will be impressed.  It tastes like a fancy pastry you picked up on the streets of Paris!

Just a couple notes before I send you off to the market.  One, you can find almond meal/flour almost anywhere now, but it’s readily available at both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.  At Whole Foods you can find the Bob’s Red Mill brand.  Their almond meal/flour is blanched and super fine.  I find that the crust is virtually indistinguishable from a shortbread when you use this brand. Trader Joe’s also has packaged almond meal, but it is un-blanched, which produces a slightly heartier, more rustic crust.  Both are delicious!

Also, I prefer to use a 9.5/10″ tart pan, but have not taken note of the increased measurements to facilitate this.  Next time I make this (and rest assured, this tart makes a regular appearance around here), I will update the recipe with that option.  The recipe (and picture) below is a very slightly altered version of Jenna’s recipe, using a 9″ spring form pan.

The best thing about this recipe? It’s healthy! It’s basically just nuts, fruit, and a small amount of maple syrup as a sweetener.

Blueberry Almond Tart slightly adapted from Eat Live Run

Ingredients

for the crust:

2 cups almond meal

3 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp canola oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

for the filling:

1 cup blueberry juice (available at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods)

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup maple syrup

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds – for topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Spray a 9″ spring-form pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients and mix until clumpy.  Pour mixture into pan and press down to evenly distribute and form crust, ensuring that there are no holes, and the crust continues evenly up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the blueberry juice with the cornstarch and whisk well.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan, whisk together the other 1/2 cup of blueberry juice, 1 cup blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the juice/cornstarch mixture, and keep whisking until the mixture thickens.  This will take about 6-8 minutes.  Once thick, add the remaining blueberries, pour into the prepared crust, and refrigerate until chilled and set – about 1-2 hours.  Do not cover with plastic wrap – it will stick.

Right before serving, scatter almond slivers on top and press down very gently. Enjoy!

Useful materials and ingredients:

9″ Spring-form pan

Fluted French Tart Pan

Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour

Death by Ooey-gooey Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Posted on by

0

Hey y’all!

Long time no see! I really love this blogosphere thing.  It’s encouraged me in so many ways, in such a short amount of time, but, you see, I started it when I was unemployed.  It was high on my list of things that would help me rediscover myself, my passion and my purpose; I fell into a pretty easy routine.  Now that I’m gainfully employed again, that routine doesn’t seem so easy.  But I am going to make every effort to work it in, and make it part of my new routine – I promise! I’m still cooking. I’m still baking. I’m still gardening (update on that coming soon, and y’all will be so proud!).  And most importantly, I’m still on my quest to live and love life to it’s fullest and healthiest, and to just be in the moment.

So in honor of new, and ever-changing, routines, take a moment and make these dangerously rich, and delicious, chocolate crinkle cookies.  They are gluten free and have no butter or oil.  They do have a lot of sugar, but they are so rich, I challenge you to eat more than one or two.  Ok, never mind, please don’t do that – you’ll get a one heck of a tummy ache!

Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies  from Divine-Baking

yields about 18 cookies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 oz), divided

3 large egg whites, room temperature

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided

1/2 cup unsweetened coco powder

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably fine sea salt)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave (about 2 minutes, stirring a few times) or in a double boiler. Cool slightly while mixing your other ingredients.

Using a stand mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks.  Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar.  Continue beating until mixture resembles marshmallow cream.

Stir in melted chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.  Roll 1 tablespoon dough into a ball using your hands; roll in sugar, coating thickly.  Place on prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Stand Up Against Bullying

Posted on by

2

Hey y’all – again, I must apologize for the inconsistent posting, but life has me a bit distracted at the moment.  I promise to get back in the kitchen and regular scheduled programming soon!  In the meantime, I’d like to briefly talk about a very important issue – bullying.

A while back, whilst comfortably seated in a nice artsy cinema waiting to see The Artist (phenomenal film by the way if you haven’t seen it yet), I watched the preview for Bully (trailer above) with quiet tears running down my face.  A couple weeks ago we went to see the documentary, and again, cried through most of it.  Yes, anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a bit of a softy (the words “Bridget cried, ’cause Bridget’s a crier” have been uttered by friends on more than one occasion), but I truly found this to be a powerful, heartbreaking film and one I would strongly urge everyone to see.  I think it is as important for adults without kids to see it, as it is for those with, because basically it reminds us to be kind, treat others the way in which we ourselves would like to be treated, and by standing up for what is right and against indecent behavior, we hope to make the world a better, safer place.

Now, there’s been some controversy around the film and giving it a rating.  You’ll notice it is “Not Rated.”  My understanding is that because there is cursing, by kids, in the film, it was going to be rated “R.” But then, kids, pretty much the target audience, even with parental supervision, wouldn’t be able to see it.  So it is up to the independent theater to decide whether to show the film.  Hello, kids swear in the film because kids swear! It’s reality; a crass one, yes, but true.

We’ve all been witness to bullying in one form, and at one time, or another.  I personally distinctly recall being bullied as a kid.  It was scaring and hurtful.  Thankfully I grew up to be a strong, independent person, and to see bullying for what it really is, and that is insecurities and lack of awareness of the bully, but that’s not the case for everyone.  A dear friend, and amazing social worker, made the keen observation that there is a fundamental difference between when we were young, and the environment kids grow up in now.  For us, bullying didn’t follow us home.  We experienced it at school; we experienced it on the bus.  If we were lucky, like I was, we had loving, supportive families we could talk to at home.  Now, with the ever expanding world of social media, there is no escaping bullying – whether it be by phone, text, Facebook etc. – and the effects are devastating.

Please, set an example and treat others with kindness and an open mind. Teach your children to be kind, open minded, to stand up for themselves and for those who are being wronged.  I think deep down we all want the same thing – a healthy, safe world for ourselves and future generations; so be kind, set an example and be the change you want to see in the world.

B. x

What I’m Craving Now – chicken piccata

Posted on by

2

Hello friends!

A wicked off-season cold has been the reason for my online radio silence the last few days – sorry about that.  But I’m finally feeling human again, so I’m back at it.  It’s nice to “see” y’all and I hope everyone is doing well!

When I’m feeling sickly, my appetite is a bit more fickle than usual.  For whatever reason, I am craving, big time, this chicken dish.  I always called it lemon chicken, thinking how funny it was that it tasted just like chicken piccata.  Well silly me, that’s because it is chicken piccata. ha!

Anyway, this particular recipe comes from a neighborhood friend of my mum’s.  I’ll give you a little background story, because actually, I think this is a great idea for anyone who lives in a neighborhood; a way to get to know and support your neighbors.  The residents of my mum’s little South Carolina neighborhood have an email chain that gets activated when someone is in need – they are sick, have recently had a baby, have had surgery and are recovering – that kind of thing.  The email goes out and a schedule is made as to who is going to provide meal(s) for what days, so the person in need has one less thing to worry about.  And you know what, they all pull through! It’s really great.  My mum happened to be having surgery at a time I was scheduled to be home and the people of the neighborhood came around with dinner, every single day. It was great! Some was homemade, some was store bought. It didn’t matter though, it was simply a relief not to have to worry about cooking.  And man did we eat well!

My absolute favorite dish that was brought to our door was this lemon chicken.  Two healthy portions were delivered, and the chicken was served with rice and some steamed green beans. Perfection! If I remember correctly, I may have hogged both portions and given my mum leftovers out of the fridge.  Selfish? Maybe, but I say it’s simply a testament to the deliciousness that is this dish.

So whether you’re cooking for yourself, a loved one or a neighbor in need, give this dish a try – it’s sure to please! (I had no intention of busting out a rhyme there, but it works, so I’ll go with it!)

Lemon Chicken (Piccata)

serves 4 (unless you hog it all like me)

Ingredients

3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1/2-inch medallions

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or you can use 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup white wine)

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200ºF (95ºC).  Place a serving platter in the oven to warm.

2. Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour.  Shake off excess flour.  Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet; pan-fry chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Work in batches and do not crowd the skillet, adding oil as needed.  Place the chicken pieces onto the warmed platter in the oven. When finished with all the chicken, drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving a thin coating on the surface of the pan.

3. Cook and stir the minced garlic in the skillet until fragrant, about 20 seconds.  Pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using).  Scrape and dissolve any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet (also called deglazing the pan). Stir in the lemon slices and bring the mixture to a boil.  Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more.  Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated.  Add the parsley; remove from heat and set aside.

4. Arrange the chicken medallions on plates and spoon sauce over each portion to serve.

I suggest serving this dish with brown or a whole grain wild rice mix and steamed green beans (or vegetable of choice) and a nice side salad. Yumm-o!

Note:

A little side note down here to urge you to buy natural/organic, humanely raised chicken (or any meat) whenever possible.  By paying the little extra, you ensure that you and your family aren’t ingesting the hormones and antibiotics that are more-often-than-not forced into conventionally raised meats, and you’re also supporting practices of high standards of raising animals humanely with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space and the ability to engage in natural behaviors.  In my opinion, naturally raised meat tastes better, so I believe it’s worth the price in more ways than one. For a little more info, check out Certified Humane.

What are you going to BE this weekend?

Posted on by

2

Happy Friday everyone!

Just a quick post to wish everyone an lovely weekend and share the picture above.  What are you going to be this weekend? Think about it and see if you can implement a little extra creativity, passion, kindness, love, adventure…. into your weekend. This may just help you to Live Well. Eat Well. Be Well.

B. x

Throw Together Meal – baked egg with roasted potatoes and vegetables

Posted on by

3

Good morning y’all!

Today’s recipe inspiration is really, really simple.  I’m talking about, “why didn’t I think of that before” simple; and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you have already figured out this trick.  I’m probably just late to the party.

How many times does mealtime roll around and you stand, with the fridge door open (wasting energy!), scratching your head in disbelief that there is nothing to eat? All the time, right? Then you inevitably go get takeout somewhere, spending money unnecessarily, eating a meal that’s likely not nearly as healthy as one you could make for yourself.  Well I’m here today to simply inspire you to get creative; use what you’ve got. More often than not, it’s possible.  Now, note, in my case, I used some leftovers (ding ding ding! bonus – don’t waste those leftovers!), so no need to follow this recipe to the T.  Take the principle idea and adapt to what you have, and your own personal tastes, and enjoy the satisfaction of being resourceful.

Oh and pardon the crummy, kind of blurry iPhone photo – I didn’t exactly have high hopes for this meal, but was so impressed by how easy it was, how pretty it turned out and just how darn tasty it was, that I took a snapshot before digging in.  And I’m glad I did, so I can share it with you fine folks!

Baked Egg with Leftover Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables 

serves 2

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten

dash of milk (about 2 tbsp)

1/4 cup diced roasted potatoes

1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup + grated cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)

italian seasoning

salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease two ramekins (natural cooking spray, oil of choice or butter).

Into the two ramekins, divide the potatoes and peas (remember, feel free to use whatever “filling” you want!), being mindful to leave room for your egg mixture. Set aside.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the two eggs, add milk and grated cheese.  Season lightly with italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Divide this mixture evenly into the ramekins and top with cherry tomatoes.

Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the top begins to golden and is just dry. Serve with salad and toasted artisan whole grain bread.  Enjoy!

The Green Thumb Project – part two

Posted on by

1

Hello hello!

So last week  I introduced you to my Green Thumb Project.  Well it continues! I spent Easter weekend at my boyfriend’s in Connecticut, aka the home of my garden.  We made a trip to Home Depot where he bought me dirt – romantic, right? Personally I think there are a few motivations behind his support – 1) it keeps me entertained while he’s working, 2) it will (hopefully!) produce home grown veggies at his disposal – really, the way to a man’s heart truly is through is stomach! and of course 3) this project makes me happy.  Anyway, we came home with a few bags of both potting soil and garden soil.

I spent all weekend turning this:

Into this:

I tilled the existing soil, spread and mixed in the fresh, new, stinky, garden soil, and then, after a decent amount of research, determined that the easiest way to figure out the number of seeds/plants in any given area, and what is where, would be to plot out a square foot grid.  Many seed packets, or instructions, say for example, 16 seeds per sq ft. or two plants per sq ft. So that’s what I did.

The green beans you saw sprouted last week – those will go in the back where I’ve tied string for them to grow up.

My last step for the weekend was to plant the direct sow seeds I mentioned previously – carrots, swiss chard, kale, arugula, mesclun and broccoli raab.  I marked them, watered them, and hoped for the best!

I also planted a cherry tomato and a basil plant in a larger planter.  I was later told it was all-together too early and that both will probably die – so hope for no more really cold nights! Later I gave the planter some other inhabitants – cilantro (for the boyfriend, not me, I think it tastes like soap.  Do you feel the same way? read this NY Times article.) and rosemary.  I planted mint separately so it doesn’t take over – it’s bossy like that you know. How great is it to have fresh herbs at your finger tips?!

As of today, April 23rd 2012, everything is sprouting in the garden! Exciting! At the moment they are teeny, tiny little sprouts, but they are alive and growing strong. Yay!

Continued suggestions, words of wisdom, and motivational thoughts welcomed! I’m not going to lie – I’m going to be pretty disappointed if nothing actually grows.  I try and remind myself that at the very least, it’s peaceful and relaxing to play in the dirt. That simple fact makes me feel this project is certainly helping me live well by reducing stress, and it will hopefully help us eat well this summer.  That’s what it’s all about – Live Well. Eat Well. Be Well.

It’s snack time (again)! – Chocolate-Apricot Nut Bars

Posted on by

2

Photos by Johnny Miller. Courtesy of Whole Living Magazine, April 2012 (source)

Whole Living Magazine did it again! These Chocolate-Apricot Nut Bars were a breeze to throw together (less than 10 minutes!) and were a BIG hit with the boyfriend and other friends.  If you’re anything like me, you snack on say, dried fruit, nuts and chocolate during the day.  Well, why not throw all that into one tasty, wholesome, snack, easy to wrap up and take on the go?! Your friends and co-works will be jealous and amazed when you casually say “these? oh I just whipped ‘em up!”

Chocolate-Apricot Nut Bars

1-1/2 cups dried apricots

1/2 cup raw almonds, toasted

2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Coarse salt

1/2 oz dark chocolate, melted

1.  Pulse apricots, almonds, 1 Tbsp coconut, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely ground.

2.  Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an inch overhang on all sides.  Transfer mixture to pan and press firmly to form a rectangle.

3.  Use parchment overhang to remove from pan.  Drizzle mixture with chocolate and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

4.  Transfer to the refrigerator and leave until firm, about 15 minutes.  Slice into six (6) bars.  Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  For snacking on the run, wrap bars individually in parchment paper.