Friday Download

July 22, 2011 By Laura

Just when I thought it would never get here…

TGIF!!!

I’m exhausted from this week. Tonight I’m unwinding with an Italian wine tasting and dinner with some good friends, new and old. ~~6p can’t arrive soon enough!~~

Ah, Napa... how I miss you.

~~Wine-ing~~ Winding down for the week, I decided to do a little “getting to know you” post. I loved this quiz Jess @ Healthy Exposures did… I’m copying her. 🙂

How do you like your eggs?

Any way but hard boiled! Qu-egg-sadilla–style is a rare repeat dish (translation: favorite).

How do you take your coffee/tea?

Black. ~~Like my soul~~.

Source: Post Collegiate Cats

Favorite breakfast food?

This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make all day. It’s like picking a favorite child!

Peach Cobbler Chia Pudding

Zucchini Oatmeal

Peanut butter: Smooth or crunchy?

Typically I choose crunchy. TJ’s Roasted Valencia, so be specific.

If it’s homemade, it’s got to be smooth (mainly because I’m not skilled enough to make it crunchy).

I AM skilled at making it spiced though – Spiced Almond Butter.

What kind of dressing on your salad?

Oddly, I’m not a big dressing person. I usually go for the salsa or hummus.

More recently I’ve been diggin’ the Bragg’s Liquid Amino spray bottle.

Coke or Pepsi?

I don’t drink soda unless I’m on an airplane and really feeling run down. At that point I will only drink Coke (Atlanta, represent!) and I need a side of peanuts.

While scouring the ‘net for a pic of Coca-Cola and peanuts posing together, I learned that some people actually put the peanuts in the coke.

Source: Biscuits and Such

Have you ever heard of/done this?!

You’re feeling lazy, what do you make?

4 words: Whole Foods hot bar.

You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order?

*GASP*

Pizza isn’t something to be lazy about! It must be the good, authentic Italian variety. If I’m feeling lazy I get it to go (they don’t deliver) from Antico Pizza.

It is best eaten fresh there ~~with a 40~~.

You feel like cooking. What do you make?

Please visit: Sprint 2 the Table for more on my love affair with ~~food/baking/all things culinary~~ this topic. 🙂

Do any foods bring back good memories?

Some say smell brings you back. I say food does. One of my earliest memories is rolling out pie crust with my grandmother.

I also have many a fond memory of making peanut butter cookies and brownies with my mom and wrestling my sisters for the honor of getting to lick the bowl.

It’s serious business for my sisters and me.

Do any foods bring back bad memories?

Gin. Does that count as food? *gag*

Is there a food you refuse to eat?

I’ll try almost anything once… but I did draw the line a couple weeks ago at Escorpian.

What was your favorite food as a child?

Grilled PB&J. With Cheetos and chocolate milk. Total comfort food.

The PB gets all melty and the bread is so yummy-crunchy in contrast. Saltiness from the butter. Sweet from the jelly.

Source: Funny Spoon

Grilled PB&J

JIFF creamy PB
Grandmother’s homemade muscadine jelly
2 slices of trashy white bread
Land ‘O Lakes butter (salted)

Make sandwich. Don’t skimp of the PB. Butter each side of the bread. Toast in pan until golden brown on each side. Inhale.

Is there a food that you hated as a child but now like?

Picky doesn’t even begin to describe me as a child. Nothing green touched my mouth (unless it was covered and smothered in ranch). I didn’t like cheese. Or eggs. Absolutely no cooked veggies. No water.

If it had any nutritional value (except peanut butter), I wasn’t going near it. My poor mother.

Now I won’t drink a smoothie WITHOUT adding spinach or kale. Proof that there’s hope for anyone!

Favorite junk food?

Waffle House. Double your hash browns for 30 cents more.

Source: Late Night Debates

Do you have any weird food habits?

See above comment about spinach in smoothies. Also see breakfast question for zucchini oatmeal. Or above answer revealing an odd penchant for WaHo.

Favorite dessert?

Anything involving chocolate and peanut butter. Together. In cake-like harmony.

*cue the music*

Source: Blisstree

***

Do I talk about peanut butter too much? 🙂

You can play too! Is there a food you refuse to eat?

Does food bring back any memories for you?

Eggplant Shirataki + WIAW

July 20, 2011 By Laura

In honor of my crazy work week(s)…

I’m copying the growing wordless WIAW* trend. Does good food really need words? I think not.

*As usual (except for last week), Wednesday = Tuesday eats.

But first, a run. I don’t know why I stopped posting these breakdowns… I like to look back at them. Nevermind the fact that you have to suffer through them. 😉

Stats:

Distance – 4 miles
Time – 32:37 mins
Pace – 8:09 mins

___________________________________________________________________________________

Breakfast

I did say it is almost worldess WIAW, right?

The delicious Chocolate Breakfast Pudding. So. Good.

Lunch

Salad topped with carrots, celery, Purple Haze goat cheese, a Lightlife Chick’n Cutlet. A bit chewy, but it wasn’t bad!

Snack

Cottage cheese tastes really, really good with peanut butter. Someone call Intervention.

Not pictured: celery and hummus, Think Thin bar, and random handfuls of cereal.

Dinner

Big. Win.

Mom recently told me about Shirataki Noodles – apparently it is just tofu pressed into noodles. It’s gluten-free, vegan, low-cal, and – most importantly – a QUICK-FIX.

The only downside is the smell when you first remove them from the package, but that does go away once you rinse them (thoroughly) and pop them in the microwave for a minute.

To go with my noodles, I roasted some eggplant, red onion, and garlic in a quick vinaigrette. Then tossed it all with an heirloom tomato (because I didn’t get enough at the tomato festival) and more Purple Haze goat cheese.

Perfect light dinner for a summer day!!!

…followed by a little something I like to call…

Dessert

____________________________________________________________________________________

Roasted Eggplant with Tofu Noodles

1 medium eggplant, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic
1T EVOO
1T marsala wine
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp herbes de provence
1 tsp red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/2 if you are sensitive to spicy foods)
1 package Shirataki noodles (or 2 servings of pasta)
S+P, to taste
Optional toppings: fresh tomato, cheese (I used goat)

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut eggplants into 1/2 inch slices. Generously salt the slices, allowing them to sit for 15-20 mins. Wiping away the beads of water that form (this process removes excess moisture – which makes ggplant “slimey” – and bitterness).

Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, marsala, vineger, herbs, and pepper flakes.

Cut the eggplant slices into 1/2 inch cubes and toss in a large bowl with the garlic, red onion, and vinaigrette. Spread eggplant onto foil-lined baking sheet and roast for ~3o minutes, tossing once halfway through.

Prepare noodles as instructed on package.

Divide among two plates, adding extra toppings as desired (I loved how the goat cheese melted and clung to mine!).

Makes 2 servings (or 4 sides).

***

I’ve taken to working from Starbucks lately. They have a the bar where I can stand and a constant supply of caffine… perfection.

Do you find you get more work done from a “third-party” location?

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten today?

Winning Trifecta

July 16, 2011 By Laura

Today is a winning day!

My birthday party (we gonna party like it’s your birthday…)
The Auria earbud winner is announced
MY BEST FRIEND’S WATER BROKE!!! There’s going to be a baby boy today!

Clearly, I have things to do. 🙂 Here are a couple of birthday highlights:

: Fried Ice Cream “Cake”

: Mom’s Red Velvet Cupcakes

: Awesome, wine-themed present from Mom and Baby Sis

BUT… you want a winner.

The lucky winner (chosen by Mom) is….

Katy @ notjustacarnivore!!!

Congrats, Katy!

***

I’m off for a quick sweat at kickboxing before continuing with party prep and waiting on a baby!

What are you doing this weekend?

Did it cool off where you live? It’s only going to be 80 here today!

My Birthday Banana Bars

July 15, 2011 By Laura

Today I am 28.

Just 2 years away from the dreaded age of 30. Surprisingly, I don’t really care about turning 30. In fact, I am looking forward to it.

It seems like a solid age. One where you’re more established in your career and people take you seriously. ~~This should be fun to look back at in 2 years…~~ 🙂

But I digress (progress?). Today I am only 28.

I was going to pontificate on 28 things I’ve learned or do some equally inspiring; however, I was up most the night working.

Kidding, kidding... I still love my job. Now pass the caffeine.

(Lesson learned #1: the “real” world doesn’t care that it’s your birthday – you still have to get yer shizz done.)

Instead, I’ll share with you a special delivery I got last night right when I was about to have a nervous breakdown around 11pm:

Sea salt and olive oil on the side

This is my favorite cake. Sweet, salty, fudgy deliciousness. Midnight snack worthy, fo’ sho’.

Part 2 of the delivery is the book you see in the background – Vino Italiano. I cannot WAIT to devour this one.

Did I mention I’m going to a wine/food trip to Italy this fall?! More on that later. 🙂

So what if I spent the beginning of my 28th year up all night working?

This year the July 15th is under a Capricorn full moon (insert Twilight Zone music here) and that apparently means abundance, career, and money. I can get on board with that.

Tomorrow my awesome mom throwing me a birthday party at her house. Think: pool, corn hole, grilling Big Green Egg-style, and mas cerveza y vino and 30+ friends. ~~There may not be any photo evidence.~~

_________________________________________________________________________________

On top of all that, I invented my new favorite granola bar (which I’m munching on as I write – ‘scuse the crumbs).

It’s bananas. Nutty. No sugar added. Crunchy and almost raw. (Almost = “dehydrated” in the oven at 170 degrees.)

Try it out with your favorite nuts and seeds. I used Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, and cashews.

For a little bit of added sweetness, I used NuNatural Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia (yes, they sent me samples… no, I wouldn’t lie to you).

I love how the vanilla scent it added went with the banana flavor! (B-A-N-A-N-A-S! I was trying realllly hard not to do that – blame Gwen Stephani.)

Vegan and gluten-free, ya’ll.

______________________________________________________________________

Banana Nut Bars

1 ripe banana
25 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia
1 T nut butter (I used PB)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2T chia seeds
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/4 C cashews
10 Brazil nuts

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Place first 4 ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add seeds and nuts, pulsing until seeds are beginning to break up and incorporate into the banana paste.

Spread batter onto parchment-lined baking sheet to desired thickness (mine was about 1/4 inch thick).

Place in oven for 6-8 hours, flipping 2-3 times after first 3-4 hours. Turn oven off and allow to continue drying out overnight (~7 hours).

Break into pieces/bars and enjoy!

***

EXCEPT I will post the winner of the awesome earbud giveaway! If you’re a runner/walker, you should especially check these out – they won’t wiggle out and the music quality rocks.

You have until midnight tonight to enter – good luck!!!

What’s your favorite way to celebrate your birthday?

Are you a big party-type of person or an intimate dinner? Somewhere in between?

Chef Summer Series – Bruce Logue

July 1, 2011 By Laura

Wednesday’s dinner was so good I woke up still in a food coma.

Yes, I realize that makes no sense.

The best way to recover from a massive dinner is a run. The reason I love a morning-after run isn’t due to excess calorie intake. The purpose of the run is to sweat out the stuff my body hates.

See, I LOVE dining out. I like rich foods. I like red meat. I like wine ~~a lot~~. My body can’t stand those things. I actually woke up in the middle of the night in a full sweat as my body rejected the aforementioned.

Today’s run was to sweat it all out.

Stats:

Distance – 4 miles
Time – 32:17 mins
Pace – 8:04 mins

In today’s heat, sweating was not difficult.

The most important part of the morning-after run is to strike the “I’m a bad ass” pose.

What deliciousness brought on the morning-after run?

My friend Corrine and I attended another of ONE Midtown Kitchen‘s Summer Chef Series. (Remember the first one with Chef Hugh Acheson?)

This week’s guest was Bruce Logue from La Pietra Cucina (my favorite Italian place in Atlanta).

Chef Bruce Logue

The amuse, 1st and 5th courses are done by ONE’s Chef Drew Van Leuvan and courses 2-4 are by the guest chef. Each course is served with a pairing.

The Menu

As we waited for all of the guest to arrive, we were treated to crisp glass of sparkling wine that I wish I knew the name of. It was light and refreshing after coming in from the heat.

Amuse

One of my my favorite dishes of the night – Potato Zeppole wrapped with a charred beef and dusted with rosemary and freshly ground pepper.

1st Course

This was my favorite. We learned as the dish was being served that Chef Drew used to own a pasta making company.

That was apparent in the perfection on this Sweet Corn and Mascarpone Tortellini. It was served with a tomato that had been roasting for 3 hours, smoked cream, and lemon verbena.

All of the flavors we good, but the perfection of the pasta made the dish. It was so light it almost melted in my mouth.

The pairing was great as well. A glass of Borgo Conventi, Collio Sauvignon 2009. It was ok on it’s own, but paired with the dish the flavors grew and we discovered this was an incredible multi-layer, complex wine. Brassy and floral, then a super-juicy melon, followed with a clean ending. Cheers.

2nd Course

This was the only problem of the night. The planned course was to be a burrata, but it apparently was delayed in it’s arrival from La Pietra. Therefore, we were served the 3rd couse.

The Cavatelli with green garlic, asparagus, and a white bolognese. Cavatelli is similar to gnocchi; however it is made from flour, semolina, and water (no potato like gnocchi).

It was quite good – chewy pasta, rich bolognese, crunch scapes.

The pairing was excellent… and is now my favorite Italian beer! Menaerea Ambe. The beer was a nutty, surprisingly light amber with a touch of honey

The problem was the order – this rich pasta dish following another intensely-flavored pasta dish was too much. We needed the lighter course and sparkly beverage originally planned here to rest the palate.

3rd Course

The originally planned 2nd course came out next: Whipped Burrata with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and pesto genovese.

I love burrata, so whipped burrata seemed like a good idea and it would have been at a 2nd course. Unfortunately, by there time we got to this we were ready to keep going to the meat. The table agreed that it was like being brought down too soon at this point.

Don’t get me wrong – it was still tasty and the whipped burrata was interesting. Almost ricotta-like. The pesto was the highlight of this dish – not too cheese-reliant, allowing the basil to shine.

The pairing was not the best. It was called a Ruby Slip: Absolut Ruby Red, Prosecco, and Lemon. The drink itself would have been a great starter, but was wayyyyy to light at this point in the meal.

4th Course

Milk and Fennel Roasted Pork Arista with a warm broccoli salad and truffle chips.

Truffle chips are just as good as they sound like they would be, FYI.

Arista is just a fancy way of saying pork loin cooked in milk. It is extremely moist and flavorful without being too rich.

The pairing was a Due Torri Pinot Noir. I was more than ready for a good red and this fit the bill. It was full of berries on the palate and finished with a hint of spice.

5th Course

We were stuffed at this point. They brought out dessert and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. It was a HUGE Blackberry Tart.

Thankfully, there is a whole other part of the stomach for dessert.

It wasn’t actually berry-heavy. The tart was filled with a couple of blackberries, pecan cream, and… gorgonzola granita. ~~I finished it like a champ.~~

The gorgonzola granita stole this show – a salty, cheesy, ice cream topping.

The pairing was weird. It was a deep glass of Tenuta Lodola Nuova, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2004. I get where they were going, matching it to stand up to the granita. However, it was way too intense for any bite that didn’t have the granita. The smoky, leathery taste and chewy tannis overshadowed the tart filling… it was really good with the Pinot I had left for the previous course though!

See why I woke up in a food coma?!

***

One of my favorite parts about these dinners is meeting new people, as seating is communal-style. I promised the people at out table a shout out: Hellooooo! 🙂

What is your “cure” for over-indulgence?

Is your body less of a fan of certain foods than your palate is?

Ode to Lemons

June 20, 2011 By Laura

Did you know…

Lemons are really good for you? A single lemon satisfies your daily intake of Vitamin C (strong bones, people!). They also are a good anti-inflammatory.

The taste of water isn’t my favorite. I keep a lemon in my fridge at all times and squeeze slices into my water. Adding lemon encourages me to drink more by masking the flavor of Atlanta’s finest tap water. I drink A LOT of water.

Other Lemon Uses:

Use the juice to make a simple dressing for salads. A french green bean salad was delicious with this Lemon-Tahini Dressing.

Sauté them for to serves with pasta or chicken. Check out this pasta dish I made with Meyer Lemons and asparagus (yes, you can eat the whole thing).

Bring out flavors in dips or sauces with lemon. I used both lemon juice and zest to highlight the roasted red pepper and spices in this Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip).

Lemon can add an extra dimension to desserts. This weekend’s Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread Cookies would have been missing something without the citrusy zest.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Why the lemon plug? It’s HOT outside.

I did a 4 mile run this morning and by the time I was done it had almost hit 90 degrees outside.

This is run #3 since I pulled my achilles. Post-run I was chugging lemon water to rehydrate and reap the benefits of the anti-inflammatory.

My Achilles was ok. I could feel the strain, but it wasn’t painful enough to slow me down. Flat land is hard to find in Atlanta, but I managed to ~~more or less~~ keep away from hills to avoid stressing it too much.

Stats:

Distance – 4 miles
Time – 32:23
Pace – 8:06

***

Thank you to everyone for the warm comments about my dad on Father’s Day. You all definitely brightened my weekend. 🙂

How do you stay strong during/after working out in the heat?

Do you have a “secret” for adding a little something special to dishes?

Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread Cookies

June 18, 2011 By Laura

Father’s Day Weekend.

What to do…

Cookies are in order. Girls without their daddies most certainly deserve treats. Definitely a few glasses of wine (which will no doubt be blamed for any tears). Not to worry, I’ll strive for balance.

My dad would have LOVED to see this

There will be time spent simply remembering my dad and try to concentrate on the fact that I was lucky to have such a great man as a father for 25 years of my life (cliche… but look at all the jerks out there!).

My dad loved to laugh. He was so smart – loved learning more than anyone I’ve ever known. Enjoyed good wine, food, football, and hanging out with his “girls” (Mom, me, and my 2 sisters).

To those of you whose fathers are still with you, give them an extra hug today. Or at least don’t forget to call! Maybe buy a present or two. Ties, socks, chocolate-covered cherries (those were my dad’s favorite).

To those who are in the unfortunate situation of being without a father on Father’s Day weekend, my thoughts are with you. I can’t say it gets easier… but it doesn’t get worse. That’s something, right?

Treat yourself to cookies. The kind your dad would have liked, or the kind that are most comforting to you. Maybe they are just fun to make. Light, buttery, summery cookies like these Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies:

Some people are intimidated by baking.

One of the secrets to doing it well is measuring flour properly. It can make the difference between fluffy, delectable treats and dense failures. “Real” bakers will argue that the only way to measure is by weight. However, more often than not, I use a simple measuring cup. I’m a lazy baker.

To me, the important thing to do is to fluff the flour. When it sits in your pantry, it settles. This compacting can result in the addition of 25% more flour than the recipe calls for.

Solution: Take a fork and fluff it up before diving in with your measuring cup (please tell me you’re using a dry ingredient cup already). Then use a knife to sweep off the excess flour. Do NOT shake, tap, or compact the flour down.

Once you have the shortbread base, this is an easy recipe to take in many directions. You could change it up with some basil or thyme!

Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Keywords: bake dessert Rosemary Lemon cookie spring

Ingredients (20 cookies)

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C white whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 C salted butter, softened
1 T light agave nectar
1/2 C confectioners (powdered) sugar

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, rosemary, and lemon zest.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer (I used a hand-held), mix together butter, agave, and confectioners sugar at a low speed. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until dough produces small butter lumps.

Using your hands, make a ball with the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. (Lightly flour your hand to make this easier!) Knead dough until it just comes together (5-6 times). Roll into a log (like the cut and bake cookie dough)and cover in parchment paper. Refrigerate 1-2 hours, until hardened.

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Remove from fridge and cut into small (~1/2 in thick) disks, arranging on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden brown, ~20 mins.

***

Happy Father’s Day!

What is your favorite way to celebrate life well-lived?

Surprise Blondies

June 17, 2011 By Laura

Last night’s was another Screen on the Green in the park across from my condo.

One of the reasons I love Atlanta

The showing was 16 Candles. My group was enthusiastic about re-living the 80s on the lawn with bottles of wine.

This is Kathleen’s enthusiastic face. Really.

Our wine of choice was a Malbec (one of my favorite varieties). I was gifted a bottle of a 2008 Antigal Uno from Mendoza, Argentina. It was perfect of the slightly crisp evening.

We enjoyed it with crackers and Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper (a creatively-named sheep’s milk cheese). It was a great pairing! I could also see this wine being wonderful with pizza or lamb.

Name: 2008 Antigal Uno

Tasting Notes: Lingering juicy blackberry taste, followed with end notes of chocolate. As it opened up, a hint of spice in the middle. Satisfyingly smooth ending.

Price: ~$15

Added bonus: the bottle is really neat

One the friends is gluten-free, so I thought this was the perfect time to try out a special recipe for her! Sadly, she isn’t eating any carbs right now. ~~Happily, that meant more for me!~~

I gave her one in a baggie to take home and freeze for when she’s eating carbs again. 🙂

She should have had a bite… ’cause they were really friggin’ good.

Blondie had a bite.

Leggo my Blondie!

For my friends’ benefit, I referred to these as “Surprise Blondies” due to the secret ingredient.

Katie @ Chocolate-Covered Katie shared these “Genius Blondies” a while ago and I’ve had them bookmarked ever since.

Bloggers were raving about how good they are… but sometimes these “trends” turn out to be all hype. I’ve tried a few and they weren’t realllly all that good (microwave protein muffins down right suck).

Katie’s Blondies? They live up to the hype.

Blondies have more fun

Katie’s were originally made in a brownie pan. I would use mini-muffin tins. That way they’re easier to serve and you don’t need to cook them very long (the faster I can get to my dessert, the better). You can fill each hole nearly to the top with dough – they aren’t going to puff up a lot (i.e. they aren’t going to turn into muffins).

I used a square “bar” pan. This pan rocks, btw.

I made adjustments to 90% of the ingredient amounts and added a couple items, so I’m re-posting the entire thing for ease. Know that they originated here with Katie.

Surprise Blondies

1.5 C chickpeas (drained and rinsed with skins removed)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 packet Stevia
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C ground flax
1/4 C peanut butter
1/4 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, blend all ingredients (except chocolate chips) until completely smooth. Hand mix in chips, and scoop into a greased mini-muffin tins.

Bake 15 mins. You want them a teensy bit under-done so they remain moist and doughy when cooled.

Note: You don’t HAVE to remove the skins from the chickpeas, but it will make the batter much more smooth. (Same goes for using them in hummus, FYI.)

***

What’s your favorite way to sneak in veggies?

Mine is now Zucchini Oatmeal. Or these brownies. And, of course I’m now a Blondie-believer.

Friday Download

Grilled PB&J

Eggplant Shirataki + WIAW

Breakfast

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Dessert

Roasted Eggplant with Tofu Noodles

Winning Trifecta

My Birthday Banana Bars

Banana Nut Bars

Chef Summer Series – Bruce Logue

Ode to Lemons

Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Surprise Blondies

Surprise Blondies

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