Things I’m Loving (Right Now)

Hi guys,

Im going to start putting together a series every so often on “Things I’m Loving (Right Now)”- just things I am into at the moment, from food to books, to soaps, dog toys, etc. Anything and everything making my life better- and things you guys might be into as well.

So this Months List Includes the Following:

• Dr. Bronner’s Miracle Soap in Lavender. It really does clean everything! I use it to clean out my tub, and then in my tub for a really relaxing soak. Lavender is the most calming sent to me.
• Galaxy Granola. I was sent a few free samples a month ago and it is amazing! All natural, no added sugars, flavor baked in. It is super crunchy and has great flavor. My favorite was the Raspberry Granola with real pieces of dried raspberries in it. Yum! Try over cottage cheese for a great snack.
• Little Bee, by Chris Cleave. A great read that really pulls you in from the first page about a refugee from Nigeria and an Englishwoman whose lives intersect. I’m really enjoying it- but its keeping me up every night!
• The Good Fork Pork Dumplings, and the fact that they are now sold at a booth at the Brooklyn Flea every Saturday in Fort Greene. Hands down the BEST dumplings I have ever had- so juicy with amazing flavor, and this incredible sauce on top. I almost peed myself with happiness when I saw them at the Flea.
• Pilates. I’m so into it right now! Its changing my whole body- strength, tone, flexibility, and helps you breathe better. Find a small group class near you with reformers (the machines) and go! You will love it- just shop around for a good, knowledgeable teacher. And start with a Beginner’s Class.
• The Highline. I visited this Manhattan development this weekend for the first time- it was incredible. So cool! Old train tracks now covered in an amazing boardwalk type thing with seating, foot pools, and incredible gardens. Eventually it will run from downtown to mid-town. You must visit it when you are in NYC.

Hope that gives you all some inspiration/ ideas for the month. Feel free to add your own- I love hearing from you. 🙂

Somethin’ a Little Extra On Top

Well, things have been pretty normal ’round here, and I’ve been getting my fruits and veggies- or trying to. And probably too many doses of chocolate, but of course, those go undocumented!

Here are some of my latest culinary creations:

A big ol’ veggie sandwich… (basically an excuse to buy this really good mayo I bought the other day)…

YUM!

With lots of crunchy fruits and veggies on the side…

A yummy wrap for lunch with hummus, baba, and lots of fresh veggies…

YUM #2!

A lovely bowl of cereal with fresh fruit,

And black beans + sweet potato tacos, with a side of “okra fries”.

This was the first time  I’ve made the “fries”, and they were delish! Spiced them and popped ’em in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes.

Mmmmm, tacos!

Oh, yeah, and a dog!

Not to eat, of course, but to play with. We took the plunge and adopted a dog (i.e. I have been begging for a dog for 2 + years and on my birthday, Loren finally conceded to the inevitable) who I can partially blame for falling of the face of the blogosphere, because she is just too cute/ demands all my attention/ loves to cuddle/ needs lots of walks/ jumps on trees at the dog park and tries to destroy them/ my cats hate her so I have to spend my time breaking up potential dog/ cat fights.

Her name is Sya and I am in love. 🙂

That is all for now- we will be back! 🙂

Weighing the Evidence on Exercise

I am a little late on the uptake, but I just read a fascinating article in the NY Times dated April 12 about the need for exericse. Does it really have benefits in weight loss? Apparently not, its just about eating less than you burn. And as we all know, in WOMEN it has shown to increase appetite, making weight loss MORE difficult. But not so for men- life just aint fair!

What is also interesting is that the article asserts that exercise is helpful in keeping weight off, because of the way it helps us to metabolize food. This is must read for all you healthy foodies/ gym rats/ cubicle sitters/ runners/ standers out there!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18exercise-t.html?src=me&ref=general

The Incredible Egg

I’ve always loved eggs. They are, seriously, a perfect food. One egg is a protein packed, low-calorie, high satisfaction guarantee!

And lately, I’ve been eating a lot of eggs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even though I am no longer a vegetarian, I still don’t eat very much meat, so eggs provide me with the protein I crave.

For me, a perfect breakfast is a sunny side up egg cracked over a slice of WW toast with lots of hot sauce (and some cottage cheese on the side for extra lasting power).

Looks weird,  but trust me, it’s a really good combo!

For dinner, I recently tried my own version of “beans and toast” for dinner using some TJ’s baked beans… topped with a perfect sunny side up egg. Simple, easy, and so satisfying for a weeknight meal.

There was a little bit of cheddar on their, too!

And recently, Loren and I made a miraculous discovery. Well, not so miraculous, but a life-changing event for us nonetheless….  We started hard boiling a carton eggs on Sundays, so they are ready for snacks and meals for the rest of the week! So easy, so life altering- REALLY!

I’m sure most of you guys have your own egg boiling recipes, but for those of you, who, like me, were a little clueless in this department, I found an easy system:

• Put eggs in pot
• Cover with cold water, at least 1 inch higher than the top of the eggs
• Put vinegar in water (I use rice vinegar) to prevent the whites from coming through any cracks. Add salt to help it boil faster
• Cover, bring to boil
• Once the water is at a ROLLING boil, bring down heat to medium low, and cook for another 8-10 minutes, depending on how well you want them cooked
• When you remove the eggs from stove, put them in a bowl of ice water so they STOP cooking right away
• Put in your fridge and enjoy all week!

I don’t know why we didn’t start doing this sooner. It’s been so nice to have these guys in the fridge, ready to be made in to lovely kitchen creations. While I love eating them plain with salt-and-pepper, I love cutting them up (one whole egg, one white) and having them on toast for breakfast.

I love spreading cream cheese, really good butter, or a little bit of sharp cheddar on the bread as well.

And one day when I was home for lunch, I made the most delicious egg salad using one egg and two egg whites (mayo, mustard, s &p).

Having the eggs ready makes these kinds of healthy meals so simple and fast.

YUM!

So, us egg eaters are on a whole new kick. We buy two cartons of large, cage free eggs a week and hard boil a dozen every Sunday.

I just ate my last for snack while posting, so I can’t wait for a fresh batch tomorrow!