Cookie Monster

I have been going through a baking phase recently. Probably because it is winter, and I feel the need to eat and eat and eat to store up fat reserves during the lean months. In any case, I have been making loads of cookies. For me, cookies are the perfect snack - delicious, compact, easy to carry in your hand or eat on the go, fairly mess-free. I have been trying to expand beyond the basic chocolate chip and wanted to do something more than the simple break-and-bake (my usual way of "baking").

I started with the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, with the recipe from the back of the box. Those were awesome! They brought back childhood memories, because those are my mom's favorite kind of cookies and her go-to recipe. Next, I went with a white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie in anticipation of my sister-in-law's visit - she doesn't like chocolate. The recipe I used (in the link) calls for cranberries, but I omitted those, and they were still yummy! My husband complained that they were too crispy (that I over-baked them) but I like a crispy cookie.

Next, I did two in one day. An almond cookie and a chocolate pinwheel cookie. My favorite was the almond cookie, but the girls LOVED the pinwheel cookie, mostly because of their fun appearance. I was very pleased with how well they turned out. Today I tried out a recipe for chocolate sandwich cookies. While these were not difficult to make, they were definitely labor-intensive with a very low yield. My husband was making fun of me for putting so much effort into them. The cookies are not that sweet, but if you want additional sweetness, you can add it by choosing a sweeter filling.

Obviously, none of these cookies are healthy ... but that is not the point. As long as you exercise regularly, and generally make nutritious and healthy choices in your diet, there is no reason that you cannot indulge on occasion. Just don't overdo it! Another great thing about making cookies is that they are easy to share!

Today's workout:
45 min. run w/ hill sprints (6.00 mi)
50 min. yoga class
60 min. yoga @home

Thanksgiving Dinner

My husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner again this year, and there will be over thirty people attending! With such a huge crowd, we have to be strategic in our dinner planning. We love to cook and entertain, so we find this totally fun!

We keep a kosher-style house, so none of the dinner recipes contain any dairy, pork or shellfish. (If the linked recipes indicate a dairy product, modifications will be made.)

Here's our menu for Thanksgiving 2009:

• Turkey, of course! The bird pictured here is the one my husband prepared last year. He was so proud of it (and it was delicious!). He is a huge fan of brining the turkey, which he will do again this year.
• Brisket, prepared by my mother-in-law. She will be using a traditional recipe, but my husband has used Emeril's Passover Brisket recipe in the past with huge success.
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup. I made this last year, too, even though my husband was skeptical ... and everybody loved it! This soup is great because it incorporates harvest-time flavors, is warm and filling and can be prepared in advance (I made ours today). The curry gives it a modern flair.
• Fennel Salad with Toasted Walnuts. I like Rachael Ray's recipes because they are easy and quick to make, and packed with flavor.
• Edamame Succotash. I hate lima beans, so I was totally psyched when I saw this succotash recipe. I predict this will be a beautiful dish with all the colors, and a nice change from some of the traditional vegetable side dishes.
• Brussel Sprouts. We love brussel sprouts, but this can be kind of a tough dish to prepare in our house since most recipes call for some kind of bacon or pancetta. My husband actually bought a deep fryer this year, and is deep frying the brussel sprouts with peanut oil. So there you go.
• Stuffing, a traditional favorite. My husband uses Tyler Florence's version containing chicken andouille sausage and roasted chestnuts.
• Cranberry relish. My husband uses a Tyler Florence recipe for this also, a fresh citrusy version with orange. My mom will be bringing a more traditional cranberry sauce as well.
• Potato, Thyme & Olive Oil Gratin. We were thrilled to find this dairy-free potato gratin recipe in Fine Cooking magazine! It seems a little labor-intensive, but it will be fun to try something new!
• Green beans, brought by our aunt and uncle. They are fantastic cooks, so I am sure the dish will be delicious.
• Desserts - Our cousin will be bringing two pies of her own choosing and I have placed an order for brownies from the fabulous Sugardaddy's.

What's on your menu for Thanksgiving?

Today's workout:

65 min. run (7.65 mi)

20 min. resistance training

More Soup

With cold weather encroaching and busy schedules changing our food preparation times, our family will be eating lots more soup! Tonight I made a delicious variation on the traditional Moroccan Harnina soup.

In Columbus, we are supporting local farmers and raising awareness of the importance of eating healthy, locally produced foods this week. Try to use as many local ingredients as possible when creating this dish.

Typically, this soup is prepared with lamb stew meat, but Giant Eagle was out of lamb during our weekly shop, so we substituted beef stew meat and it was still quite yummy. For a vegetarian version, you could omit the meat altogether or substitute chunks of tofu.

Ingredients:
EVOO
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds beef or lamb stew meat
3 tomatoes, chopped in large pieces
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped
1 turnip, chopped (this was not in the original recipe, but I had it, so I threw it in!)
1/2 tsp. turmeric (heaping)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (heaping)
1/2 tsp. cumin (heaping)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 can chick peas, drained
1/2 cup lentils
4 shallots, sliced

Directions: Coat the bottom of a heavy stock pot with EVOO and heat. Saute the onions and meat for 5 minutes at medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and turnip and salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasionally for another 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, herbs and spices. Bring to a boil. Add the chick peas and lentils, turn the heat down to very low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add the shallots about 30 minutes before serving. Stir occasionally while simmering. Add more stock as desired to thin out soup as needed.

We served this soup with a green salad and naan bread. Delicious and nutritious!

Today's workout:
75 min. Fartlek run (7.54 mi)
45 min. yoga

Mindful Eating

After another night of wolfing down a bunch of pita chips without even thinking about it, I realize that I need to tame my eating habits!! While I eat healthfully throughout the day, my downfall is always the end of the day, when I am relaxing and not doing much .... I always feel like I need to be putting something in my mouth, even if I am not that hungry.

The Center for Mindful Eating promotes strategies, based on Buddhist principles, for increasing awareness with regard to our eating habits, valuing quality and improving our relationship with food. Eating mindfully is not about losing weight - it is about fulfilling your body's nutritional needs in the most healthful way. In this Wall Street Journal article, health writer Melinda Beck comments on her experience with mindful eating: "It sounds so simple, but it takes discipline and practice. It's a far cry from the mindless way many of us eat while walking, working or watching TV, stopping only when the plate is clean or the show is over."

Over the next few days, I am going to focus on being more mindful of my snacking habits: identifying when I am truly hungry, savoring the food that I eat, stopping when my hunger has been satisfied.

Today's workout:

40 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.5 mi)

50 min. ballet body class

Fresh Veggies

I have really loved getting our fresh veggies each week from the Weekly Market Bag from the Greener Grocer. It has definitely helped me eat more variety this season and try out foods that I would not necessarily have purchased on my own. The meals I make taste better because they contain fresh, colorful, local veggies. Our menu is definitely healthier, because I am always trying to find new ways to insert the veggies from our market bag. We eat out less often because we always have fresh food at home. My children's tastes are expanding because of their frequent exposure to new and interesting fruits and vegetables, and they are learning about supporting our local farmers and businesses.

Tonight, I'm modifying a recipe from Real Simple, using arugula & chevre from the market bag - it's a spaghetti pasta dish with sweet potatoes. I'm also making bruschetta with tomatoes & mint from the Greener Grocer (as well as basil from our own herb pots) and using a baguette from the Omega Artisan Bakery. Very excited about dinner tonight!

I also made an almond apple crisp with apples that my daughter and husband picked today on her first kindergarten field trip. It tasted delicious, but the apples weren't the right type for baking and they turned into "goo" as my middle daughter described. Oh well!

Today's workout:

60 min. private yoga session

40 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.71 mi)
40 min. resistance training