Soho Inspiration

I spent a lovely Sunday walking around Soho the other weekend and was so inspired by the vibrant & beautiful colors everywhere I went. Now I'm dreaming in turquoise, orange, pink, yellow & green. Pretty.

the famous Vesuvio bakery

gorgeous linen fabrics at Purl

lanterns at Pearl River Mart

bowls at Anthropologie

"A" Strawberry Apron

A sweet little apron I made for a special order....

365 GF Pizza Crust= Pretty Good!

Zucchini, Garlic, Spinach & Goat Cheese

Mushroom, Thyme & Goat Cheese

I spent a lot of time cooking & treating my mom to some delicious meals this weekend. It was really nice to have a chance to pamper her!

Since I took Monday off from work to spend some time with her, I thought it would be nice to make us home made gluten free pizza but when I ran to Whole Foods to pick up brown rice flour for the dough, they were all out of it. As I was searching, I stumbled upon the Whole Food brand 365 Gluten Free Pizza Crust mix in a box. The ingredients (white rice flour, potato starch, cornstarch, guar gum, granulated honey, salt & yeast) were just about the same ingredients in the dough I usually make so I figured I'd give it a try.

I'm so happy I did! For only $3.99, it was quick, easy & delicious... leaving me more valuable time to spend with mom.

The Pros?
1. Like I already said, quick, easy & delicious
2. The crust turned out perfectly browned & crisp
3. A great base to add additional flavors
4. Also makes a mean focaccia
5. Makes enough dough to feed your entire family

The Cons?
1. The recipe calls for eggs so it's not necessarily vegan. I'll try it using egg replacers in the near future and will let you know how it comes out
2. The instructions are a bit lacking for those new to gluten free baking... I'll fill you in on that in a minute
3. The main ingredient is white rice flour. I would've preferred brown rice flour for extra nutrition & fiber.
That being said, I would definitely buy this mix again.

Making the dough involves a mixer, the mix & some additional ingredients (water, eggs, sugar, salt, olive oil & cider vinegar). It's important to have all of your ingredients at room temperature or warmer so that the yeast will work and the dough will rise.

If you're new to gluten free baking it is important to note that the dough will not look like typical pizza dough. You won't be able to roll it in a ball & toss it up in the air. Instead, it will be very sticky & soft. This is totally normal since there isn't any gluten to form the elasticity that is typical of regular pizza dough. To smooth the dough once you spoon it into your pizza pans, moisten the tips of your fingers and use them to spread the dough. This method actually works really well with any sticky gluten free dough you make. Just don't soak your fingers- the goal isn't too add extra liquid to the dough.

Once you have the dough in pans, cover and place them in a draft free area. I like to turn my oven on as low as possible, let it warm for a few minutes, then turn it off and put the dough in to rise. This dough rose beautifully.

Now for some variations... I added 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning to my dough before spooning it into my pans. The flavors were perfect. I didn't have 2 large pizza pans so I used some smaller pans instead and made 2 deep dish style pizzas. Since I had some leftover dough available, I spread it in another deep pan and made some focaccia that will be perfect for grilled veggie paninis later this week. The first pie I made had fresh spinach, zucchini, sliced garlic and goat cheese. The second featured fresh thyme, mushrooms & goat cheese. Both were seriously incredible and mom definitely agreed! Perfect with a nice bottle of red wine and a green salad.

Craft Hope for Haiti

I am so proud to belong to an incredible crafting community! Many of us craft because we love to use our creativity to make others happy. I can't think of a better opportunity to use our skills than to help the people of Haiti in any way that we can.

Which is why I am so excited to tell you about the Etsy shop currently being hosted by Craft Hope to benefit Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.

They've raised more than $20,000 by selling donated more than 1,000 crafts with 100% of proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders. Please take a look and donate by either buying an item here, or donating a handmade item to be sold. To find out how to donate an item, click here.

Breakfast for Mom

My mom flew into NY for some mother & daughter time this weekend and I'm loving having her around. She is the kind of mother that does everything for everyone else but in my humble opinion, doesn't take enough time to pamper herself. So, since she woke up at 3:30 am to take a 6 am flight, I thought it would be nice to have a beautiful breakfast on the table waiting when she arrived.

I woke up early, did a quick shop at Fairway (which actually isn't that bad at 7am) and made her a healthy & light breakfast of honey bran muffins, greek yogurt with berries & persimmon, freshly squeeze blood red orange juice, and cinnamon coffee.

When she walked in the apartment and found out that a cup of piping hot coffee was waiting for her, she literally said "You are a life saver!" Well gee, thanks mom :)

Honey Oat Bran Muffins
1 cup vanilla yogurt (can be regular milk or soy, can be regular or low fat)
4 tbsp honey
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp apple sauce (preferably unsweetened)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups gf oat bran or gf oats, coarsely ground
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c each raisins
1 tsp finely grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, yogurt, honey, vegetable oil, apple sauce & vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, combine the oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, & cinnamon. Add the oat bran mixture to the mixing bowl & beat until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Stir in the raisins & orange zest.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into each paper lined muffin cup and bake for 15-18 minutes.

This recipe made 9 lovely muffins. Since this is such a basic recipe, feel free to experiment and add your own twist or favorite flavors. Some ideas? shredded apple, banana, chocolate chips, chai spice blend, chopped nuts.....

To veganize, replace the eggs with egg replacer and use non-dairy yogurt.

When life hands you lemons....

...why not preserve them?

I was shopping in Fairway the other day when I noticed some beautiful Meyer Lemons calling my name. Perfect timing.

As you know if you read yesterday's post, my friend Nancy's birthday was this week and I made her some (not so) Red Velvet Cupcakes to celebrate. She and I spend lots of time talking about food. We discuss flavors, recipes, inspiration and get really excited as each new season approaches and different fruits or vegetables come into season. So for her gift, I loved the idea of making her preserved lemons that she could use in the coming months. Sort of like the gift that doesn't end. Or at least the gift that can last up to 6 months in your refrigerator.

I bought the gorgeous Meyer Lemons, preserved them in kosher salt & good olive oil, and included 2 recipes: Chicken Tagine with Lemon & Olives, and Hummus with Preserved Lemons. I hope she likes them!

Preserved Lemons
2 lbs Meyer Lemons
1/2 cup Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Canning Jar, sterilized

Wash the lemon skin well since you will be preserving them with the skin on, and using the skin in recipes later. Cut the lemons in quarter wedges and place in a large non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt & toss so that the lemon flesh is covered. Let the lemons and the salt hang out in the bowl for about an hour. You'll notice that the salt will begin to draw the moisture out of the lemons and the peel will begin to soften. After an hour, pack the lemons tightly into your sterilized canning jar. Cover the lemons with the juice & salt from the bowl and pour in the olive oil. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

The lemons won't be ready to use right away. For the next week or two, the salt & lemon juice will work their magic. During that time, feel free to softly shake the jar to keep the salt well blended in the lemon juice & olive oil. The lemons are ready when the brine liquid is cloudy.
As long as the brine covers the lemons, you can keep in your refrigerator for about 6 months.

Need some ideas for using your preserved lemons? Of course the most obvious, but still incredibly wonderful, is a Moroccan tagine. But how about tossing the chopped peel with some olives and fresh herbs for a great appetizer or a quick tapenade. Use the pulp in sauces, stews or spreads like hummus. Throw with some grains or pasta & grilled vegetables for a quick meal. Just remember to rinse off the salt before you use them!

Preserved Meyer Lemons = great gift for fav foodies

I made 2 jars using the recipe above. One for me, one for Nancy. I wrapped the lid of Nancy's jar with some lemon fabric and attached recipes printed on cotton for inspiration. To learn how to make the fabric recipe cards, stop by in the next few days for a quick tutorial.

Since I made myself a jar too, I'll be coming up with lots of preserved lemon recipes in the next few months...

(not so) Red Velvet GF Cupcakes

Ever since I saw Steel Magnolias a billion years ago, I've wanted to make a red velvet cake. But I'm not really a great baker. Baking seems to be more of a science while I'm a "throw a little this and a little of whatever else I have in the cupboard" kind of girl.

But, today was Nancy's birthday and I really wanted to bake her something delicious. Nancy, or Fancy, as I have nicknamed her, is my co-worker who I seriously adore. There are days I actually want to be Nancy. Every once in a while, we take a break and venture down to the Starbucks in our lobby. And every time we do, Nancy stares at the Red Velvet Cupcakes and announces that she really wants one... and will get one next time. But she never does.

So I decided to make her Red Velvet Birthday Cupcakes for a mini surprise office party. I searched the internet forever to find a recipe that would meet all my needs (GF, easy, not crazy healthy but not crazy unhealthy) and found this one from Recipezaar.com. Although it isn't vegan, it can be easily veganized by replacing the eggs with egg replacers. I also love that fact that it doesn't have butter, uses minimal oil, and includes beets for redness. Well ....about the redness. It didn't come out very red. Instead it is a really lovely dark reddish brown. The good news is that the color is probably a result of the 9 tablespoons of cocoa powder which gives this recipe a rich chocolate flavor. Next time, I'll play around with vinegar and buttermilk for a little acid-buttermilk reaction to bring out the anthocyanin in the cocoa powder. See? Science and my NYU nutrition tuition hard at work.

This recipe made 16 decent sized cupcakes. I frosted them with cream cheese frosting and threw some shredded coconut on top. I just hope I don't eat them all before work tomorrow ;)

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
adapted from Recipezaar.com
3 Eggs
1 3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 can (14 oz) beets, drained
1 tsp gf Vanilla extract
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup Potato Starch
1/4 cup Tapioca Flour
9 tbsps cocoa powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Preheat your oven to 375 F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs & sugar until fluffy. While the eggs are beating, combine the beets, oil, applesauce & vanilla extract in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add the beet mixture to the egg and combine well.
Sift together the brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, salt and baking soda. Gradually add to the beet and egg batter, mixing well as you add. Pour into prepared muffin tin and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Wanna make it a cake? Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Celentano Woodworks... so cool

Apple Ukulele 4 String

Wild Thing 1 String Guitar & Avocado 3 String Guitar

I came across this shop on Etsy the other day & instantly feel in love. Paul of Celentano Woodwarks handmakes fully functional and intonated instruments in the funkiest, most special & happiest colors & designs. And although his shop already has such incredible variety, he takes special orders and makes your musical imagination come to life.

Check out his shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/celentanowoodworks!

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Chickpeas & Raisins

The Golden Globe Awards were on last night and my friend Sharon came over to watch. Since I am gluten free & Sharon is vegan, I decided to make us stuffed acorn squash with quinoa, chickpeas & raisins with sauteed broccoli rabe on the side. Ever since I won this book from Purely Elizabeth (more on that in future posts), I've been a bit obsessed with trying every kind of leafy green on the planet. The slightly bitter flavor of the broccoli rabe was a lovely contrast to the subtle sweetness of my main course. For dessert, I made Ooey Goey Chocolate Cake with some fresh Mint tea.

Some notes about these recipes:
1. I usually keep ready cooked quinoa on hand to use when I want to throw something healthy & delicious together as quickly as possible. For a basic quinoa recipe, check out this post. If you don't have quinoa ready and waiting, it's quick & easy to make while the acorn squash is baking in the oven.
2. This recipe will make 2 main courses or 4 side dishes. For 2 main courses, use 1 large acorn squash. For 4 side dishes, use 2 small acorn squash.
3. Whenever I make squash, I love to use the squash seeds in my recipe. Roasted in the oven, they add a nice crunch to recipes and are a great source of iron, magnesium, manganese & phosphorus. And any leftover seeds make an awesome snack on their own or tossed into a trail mix.
4. I am not going to post the recipe for the Chocolate Cake for now. Why? Because it was a first attempt at making a gluten free & vegan chocolate cake and it didn't come out at perfect as I would have liked. It was really delicious but was much more dense and gooey than I would have liked (hence Ooey Goeey). If you don't care that it wasn't perfect and would really like me to post the recipe, please leave a comment and I'll post as soon as I get a chance.
5. Broccoli Rabe is an excellent source of iron and the splash of lemon juice contains vitamin C which helps your body absorb the iron. Just a fun fact to know & tell at parties ;)
6. This meal contains so many incredible nutrients. Don't be surprised if you feel like a rock star after.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, Chickpeas & Raisins
1 large or 2 small Acorn Squash (see note 2 above)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
2 tbsp Fresh Thyme
1/3 cup Raisins
3/4 cup cooked Quinoa
1/2 cup cooked Chickpeas (if canned, rinsed)
1 tsp Olive Oil
Kosher Salt or Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Wash the acorn squash and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and set them aside (do not throw out!) Place the squash sides flesh side down on a greased baking sheet. Place in your preheated oven & bake for 1 hour.
If your quinoa needs some cooking, now is the perfect time to do so.
While the squash are baking, prepare your stuffing. Heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped yellow onion and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. The onions should be translucent and softened. Add the cinnamon, thyme, chickpeas, and raisins. Continue to stir & cook for another 1-2 minutes until ingredients are combined & heated. Add the quinoa, combine and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
To prepare the squash seeds, wash, dry & toss with 1 tsp olive oil & a dash of salt. Place on a baking sheet and stick in the oven for about 10 minutes. They are ready when they are a nice golden brown. Once you remove from the oven, let them rest for about 10 minutes before using so they can crunchen (I know, made up word) up a bit.
When the acorn squash is baked, the flesh will be soft and your home will smell pretty incredible. Remove from the oven, place flesh side up on a plate and stuff with the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with some roasted seeds.

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic & Lemon
1 big bunch of Broccoli Rabe
1 cup water
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, sliced thin
juice from 1/2 Lemon
dash of Salt

Place the 1 cup of water in a large saucepan & bring to a boil
To prepare the broccoli rabe for cooking, cut off about 1" of the stems from the bottom of your bunch & throw away. Now, roughly chop up the rest of the broccoli rabe (including stems, leaves & florets) and wash thoroughly. Place in the pot of boiling water- the water should not cover the broccoli rabe. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove the greens from the pot. Do not throw out the water- it is chock full of nutrients. Instead, let it cool & drink or mix into a green smoothie. Trust me, just try it :)
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic. Saute the garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the broccoli rabe, lemon juice & dash of salt. Saute for about 2 minutes, remove from heat & serve.

Mint Tea
Fresh Mint Leaves
Boiling Water
Sweetener (optional)

Wash & roughly chop a handful of mint leaves. In each mug, add about 1-2 tbsp (depending on how strong you like your tea) to a mug and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain (or don't... I don't mind the mint leaves in my tea) and enjoy.

Basic Quinoa Recipe

As you might have noticed from some of my previous posts, I usually spend a portion of my Sundays food shopping and getting ready for the week ahead. And although that usually includes preparing a soup of the week, I'm just not that in the mood for soup this week.

Instead, I've decided to focus this week's recipes around quinoa. Quinoa is a fluffy, nutty, gluten free super grain and can vary in color from light tan to deep red. It's a good source of magnesium, Vitamin B2, and contains all nine essential amino acids which means it is a complete protein. Basically, it can kick lots of other grains' butts and is a fantastic source of protein for vegans, vegetarians, and all you folks who are looking to reduce your meat consumption!
For more information on quinoa, check out this site.

Cooking quinoa is similar to cooking rice except it's a lot quicker. I like to make a large batch and then keep it in my refrigerator to use in various dishes during the week. It works perfectly for breakfast, as a pilaf, in salads, in stuffing or even in some desserts!

Basic Quinoa
1 part quinoa
2 parts water
(example 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water or 2 cups quinoa, 4 cups water, etc...)

The first step in cooking quinoa is to rinse it well to remove the saponin. Saponin is a substance that covers the quinoa and has a bitter taste. To wash off the saponin residue, rinse the quinoa thoroughly with cold water & drain well before cooking.
Next, combine your quinoa & water in a saucepan. Note that the quinoa will swell up to 3 times the pre-cooked size so depending on how much you are making, you may want to use a large pot.
Bring the quinoa & water to a boil. Once it is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer & cover the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. I usually like to check at 10 minutes to determine if more time is needed. Once the water is absorbed, remove from the heat, fluff with a fork & enjoy!

Stay tuned for some quinoa recipes that I'll be enjoying this week including Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Chickpeas & Raisins, Greek Quinoa Salad & Breakfast Quinoa....

Why I Run

my first race EVER! The Race Against Prostate Cancer in honor of my father : )
running & crossing the finish line

7/18/09 Run for Central Park

smiling at mile 6 & after finishing the Phily Half on 11/22/09

Just about 2 months after my first half marathon and I'm already training for my next. The NYC Half is just over 2 months away.... let the crazy schedule & constant eating begin!

I've never been much of an athlete. Which is why most of my friends & family were pretty surprised when they first heard I was running. Most were supportive, some indifferent and then others were confused. They couldn't seem to understand why I would spend hours a week participating in an activity that would leave me sore, sometimes limping, and constantly icing different parts of my body. Why do I run? Why did I train for a Half Marathon? And why do I intend to run a full Marathon within the next year? Because I can. And because I needed to prove to myself that I could.

Those closest to me know that the last year or so has been one of the most difficult in my life. Without getting into much detail, my heart was slowly breaking and the pain was so intense, I couldn't seem to find a way to cope with it. Until I started running outside.

When I run outside, my mind is completely clear. Just like the beginning and end of my yoga practice, running is another form of meditation to me. I feel no stress, no pressure. Sometimes I watch others go by or pay attention to the beautiful NYC scenery. Other times I notice nothing and find myself at mile 5 or 6 and am shocked that the miles have slipped by. I listen to music, often singing out loud to The Cure, Phish, Coldplay, Madonna, Matisyahu... I do it for myself, for no one else. I feel alive when I run. And I don't compete against anyone. I run as slow or as fast as my body tells me to. Sometimes I pass other runners. But most of the time, they pass me, and I smile as the go by. There is no judgement from myself and if there is from anyone else, I must be pretty good at ignoring it.

But why a half marathon? Well as I mentioned before, the last year of my life was crap. So much uncertainty, so many scary changes, and too many moments when I didn't think I was strong enough to get through it all but knew I didn't have a choice. So instead of focusing on my chaotic life, I focused on a different challenging goal and put all my energy into accomplishing it. Training for the race took my focus off my difficulties and allowed me to channel it into something I could control. And if I could run 13.1 miles, that would mean I was strong after all.

I ran a few short races leading up to the Phily half for fun & practice, and after one particular 5 mile race, I sent my parents some pictures via email. I remember my mom telling me that they were amazed at how strong I looked. How since I am such a small person, and had health issues (undiagnosed celiac disease) for so long, they'd never really thought of my as a physically strong person. But that is what stood out to them when they saw me running. And the cool part is that I finally felt strong.

The Phily half was probably one of my happiest 2 hours & 16 minutes in a really, really long time. Sure there were hard parts of the race. Like that portion between mile 9 & 10 which was uphill torture. Lots of people around me walked that mile but I closed my eyes, screamed a few words I cannot write, and kept running. I imagined that I was at the north side of the Central Park loop, an uphill portion that many runner's dread, and reminded myself that I was strong enough to make it. I'd run that loop a gazillion times and made it. And I could run this hill and make it. And I did. In fact, I finished the race 4 minutes faster than my goal time. Now I remind myself of the race every time I face something difficult. I know that I am strong and that I can handle the curves balls life throws my way,

After the Phily half, I took some time off. My body just hurt and I injured both my knee & hip during the race. I wasn't sure when I would start again but missed it like crazy. So when I found out I had been accepted to the NYC Half through the lottery I was so excited! I've been working with a personal trainer to strengthen my hips and core so that I could train and I am so ready to get out there again. But now my goals are different because I know what I can accomplish. I run because I love it, I love the way it makes me feel, and I love the smile that is plastered on my face as my feet pound the pavement to the beat of my music :)

To all my fellow runners out there, happy trails! And to those of you reading this and telling themselves they can't even run a mile, trust me when I say you can. A year ago I couldn't run for more than 10 minutes. Now I can run for hours. It just takes one step at a time. And you too are strong enough.

Giveaway to Support Haiti

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my mind around the devastation in Haiti. How life can change in the blink of an eye, and you can't control it. I guess I've been feeling a bit helpless, wondering what I can do to really make a difference and help those who truly need us at this moment. And I've been watching others around me do the same.

As many of you have probably already seen, there are many charities to which you can donate and more continue to form each hour. Remember that every bit counts and giving what you can will make a difference. Feel like things are tight & you just can't afford it? Perhaps cook dinner at home every night & bring leftovers for lunch for a week, donating what you save on meals to relief funds.

Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, is having a very special giveaway. She is giving away (2) $500 donations to the charities of the winners' choices. In addition, for every giveaway entry she receives, she will donate 10 cents to Haitian recovery efforts. To enter, click here.

For additional ways to donate, click here.

67 days till Spring...

Eye Candy....Levi Stolove Wedding Photography

images ©2009 Levi Stolove Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Levi Stolove just launched his wedding photography site and I can't stop looking at it! His pictures are not only beautiful, but truly capture each couple's unique personality & each event's spirit. Can you tell that I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites to include in this post?

Check out his Wedding Photography at Levi Stolove Weddings. You can also take a look at his incredible portraiture Levi Stolove Photography.

Baked Salmon Burgers

Here's another staple in my apartment. I like to make a batch of these to keep in my fridge for busy weeks when I know I'll need to grab a healthy lunch or dinner.

I just got back from my first official training run for the March 2010 NYC Half Marathon and I was STARVING. Lucky for me, the salmon burgers were ready & waiting. I threw together a quick salad of mesclun, avocado, naval oranges & pomegranate seeds, added a mashed sweet potato which I baked Sunday night, and squeezed some lemon juice & fresh orange juice over my entire plate. Presto! Healthy, delicious & filling dinner in 5 minutes.

Baked Salmon Burgers
15 oz (2 cans) of salmon, drained
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup ground gf oats
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped scallions, green & white parts included
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Preheat your oven to 450 F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. I like to use my Misto filled with olive oil for this.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 6-8 (depending on how big you like) patties. I use a 1/3 measuring cup & usually end up with 7 burgers.
Baked for 15 minutes, carefully turn the burgers over and bake for an additional 8 minutes. To prevent them from falling apart, I usually let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Love My Copco

Copco from Bed Bath & Beyond

I seriously love my Copco! I first saw this brilliant cup at Bed Bath & Beyond about 2 months ago and had been meaning to go back and buy one. Lucky for me, my loving & thoughtful best friend surprised me with one this weekend without even knowing it was on my shopping list. She got me the pink & white one. So cute and benefits Breast Cancer research. She rocks.

The Copco looks like a disposable coffee cup but is actually a reusable PBA free mug with double walls for insulation. It's even microwave & dishwasher safe. Since I drink cup after cup of green tea all day, every day, I have a feeling my Copco will be my new best friend. Bonus? the environment will thank me for reducing.

Soup of the Week: Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple with Pomegranate Seeds

When I sat down last night to take a look at my calendar for the next few weeks, I panicked. Between working, cooking, sewing, designing jewelry, blogging & yoga, my schedule is packed solid. But when I found out that I was accepted to the NYC Half Marathon in March, my schedule pretty much imploded.

As I learned when I trained for Phily, training for a race is a time suck. An awesome, wonderful, invigorating, incredible happy time suck, but a time suck no less. When I'm in training mode, I usually run 3-4 short runs during the week and then one long run on the weekend. I also try to fit in yoga at least once, but preferably twice a week, for strength and stretching. And of course kickboxing & body conditioning for cross training. And then there is my diet...

By diet, I mean overall food intake. Not diet as in, calorie restriction to lose weight. I eat constantly during training, consuming at least 3 meals a day as well as lots of healthy snacks such as fresh juices, nuts, dried & fresh fruit, whole avocados... you get the point. It's extremely important to have lots of healthy, whole foods available at my fingertips so that I'm not tempted to eat crap just because I'm stressed or in a rush. Putting crap in my body whether I'm training or not makes me feel like, well, crap.

With all of this in mind, I set out this morning to shop for the week so that I could make a bunch of food that will last. I bought a lots of lemons, kale, spinach, cucumbers, green apples & ginger for my morning juices. Lots of quinoa, olives, herbs & veggies for quinoa salads. Salmon, celery, and herbs for Salmon Burgers. And of course some goodies for my Soup of the Week: Roasted Butternut Squash & Apples with Pomegranate Seeds.

Some notes about this recipe:
1.It's really easy to make, will make your home smell incredible, and is delicious.
2.Although you can purchase peeled & cubed butternut squash in most supermarkets these days, I find it much more frugal to purchase a whole squash. The squash seeds are another bonus of buying it whole- you can spice them, toast them & throw them in the soup before serving for great flavor & texture.
3.Similarly, you can purchase pomegranate seeds already separated from the fruit. At my supermarket, this cost $6-7!!! Crazy since I bought an entire pomegranate for just over $1 and separated the seeds myself. It only took 5 minutes and now I have an entire container to throw in salads for the rest of the week.
4.I should note that the pomegranate seed idea was inspired by a soup I had a Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill a few weeks ago. I loved how they burst in my mouth with a bit of tart juiciness and contrasted against the warm creaminess of the soup. YUM.
And without further adieu...

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Pomegranate Seeds
1 medium Butternut Squash, (about 1 lb), peeled & cubed (don't throw out the seeds!)
1 large yellow onion, cut into large pieces
2 large sweet apples (I used Fuji), unpeeled & cored, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
6 cups vegetable stock (or combo of stock & water)
2 tbsp honey or agave
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
pomegranate seeds

Preheat oven to 450.
In a large bowl, combine the squash, onion & apple chunks and toss with the olive oil. In a separate little bowl or cup, mix the spices and salt. Reserving 1 tsp of the spice mixture for later, toss the rest of the squash mixture to coat.
Spread the squash mixture on a large baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, tossing slightly after about 30 minutes to promote even roasting.
In the meantime, wash & dry the squash seeds and toss them with the vegetable oil & the 1 tsp of reserved spice mixture. Spread the seeds on a small baking sheet & place in the oven for 5 minutes. Don't forget about them or they will burn instead of toast! Set them aside to use later.
Now would also be a good time to separate the pomegranate seeds if you need to.
Once the squash mixture is roasted, puree it with the vegetable stock. You can either do this by pureeing batches in a blender or food processor. Or combine the stock & squash in a large pot & puree using an immersion blender. Once all the soup is pureed and in the large pot, add the honey or agave, cover & bring to a boil. Then lower heat, uncover & allow to simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.
To serve, toss a handful of pomegranate seeds & toasted squash seeds on top of your soup & enjoy!

I'll be posting the rest of my recipes for the week over the next few days so stay tuned....

Vacation Wardrobe

Lots of vacation planning going on around here. I'm in the middle of booking trips to Florida, California, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. Time to shop for some fun clothes!

Here are some pieces I have in my shopping bag....

Boho Floral Bikini from VS

Dahlia Bejeweled Wedge from Banana Republic

ABS by Allen Schwartz Striped Dress from Bloomingdales

Speckled Ink Dress from Anthropologie

Sweeping Ruffles Shirt from J Crew

Soleil Silk Tunic from J Crew

Nanette Lepore Paradise Tunic from Bloomingdales

planning my craft party! Step 1

I'm planning my first craft party! A few of my friends have expressed lots of interest in getting together to craft, eat, play, etc... So I've decided to make it happen.

Step 1 is trying to decide what sort of craft to make. I've been racking my brain for ideas that everyone can do while still socializing and relaxing. Here are some that I've found at Martha Stewart's site.

Idea 1: Making Pretty Cards

Floral Cut-Out Cards via marthastewart.com

Flowery Notes via marthastewart.com

Idea 2: Shadow Boxes

Blossoming Branch Shadow Box via marthastewart.com

Idea 3: Decorated Picture Frames & Mirrors

Deco Fan Picture Frame via marthastewart.com

Idea 4: Jewelry Boxes

Jewelry Boxes via marthastewart.com

I'm hoping to head to Michael's within the week for more ideas & inspiration.
Any other suggestions out there?

Step 2 will be to plan a menu for a group a women that satisfies kosher, vegan & gluten free diets. I'm thinking Mediterranean salads, falafel, gluten free pita.... Stay tuned....