Sunday, August 31, 2014

Photo an Hour

7 AM

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Today was all about enjoying the last lazy days of summer. I don't know about you all, but "summer" feels officially over at the Labor Day holiday celebrations. I'm ready for fall. And, yes, I brought out my fall decor. I'm ready for lazy football Sundays. Here's to the last Sunday before the games begin :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Double Coconut Strawberry Smoothie


It was quite chilly here a week or so ago. Like low of 40 at night chilly. Thoughts of fall, boots, football, festivals, and all things pumpkin were filling my brain. I even started preparations for my seasonal wardrobe swap (more on that later). But, alas, it's nearing 90 degrees today. Summer is sticking it out. This means I'm still on my cold smoothie kick and not ready yet for my warm bowl of oatmeal in the mornings.


This smoothie was my go-to breakfast a few weeks ago. I couldn't get enough. I'm that kind of person. When I find something new and tasty, I eat nothing else until I'm sick of it. Which, by the way, usually lasts about two weeks. Afterwards (read: a month or so later), I come back to it occasionally, rotating it through my weekly meal menus.


This is the perfect smoothie for fresh and beautiful strawberries. (Or if out of season, the frozen berries work just as well, usually adding more flavor and color.) The perfect smoothie to satisfy your coconut oil addiction. Oh, wait. Is that just me? I am addicted. I want coconut oil EVERYTHING. In my cooking, baking, health and beauty care. You name it, I will find a way to use coconut oil for it. (FYI, it works wonders on mosquito bites and burns. Trust me, I know.) However, Mr. B cringed the other night when he saw me using it as lotion. Yet I'm the one with amazingly soft skin, not him. I'm pretty sure this is a great addiction. I'm buying the jars in surplus now (or at least begging my friend to because Trader Joe's is too far away!!!! <--- adult tantrum). I digress. Back to this yummy smoothie. Tons of flavor. Try it, please!

As I always say, everything in moderation, right? Well, once the [short] initial obsession wears thin. YUM.


Double Coconut Strawberry Smoothie

Serves 1

1 c coconut water
1 c strawberries, chopped (fresh or frozen, if using frozen ice is optional)
1 T flaxseed or chia seeds
1 T coconut oil
1 T plain Greek yogurt
Handful of ice
Optional: 1 scoop soy vanilla protein powder (when I have it on hand)

Place all ingredients in a blender; mix until smooth consistency. Devour!

Nutritional information (with protein powder): 378 Calories, 18 Fat, 30 Protein, 5 Fiber, 19 Sugar


Pssttt....IT'S GAME DAY. Go Bucks! Go Flashes!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Cookbooks Galore


Actually, "cookbooks galore" is kind of an understatement. It's more along the lines of Mr. B's question the other day about whether or not we'll see our dining room table anytime soon. I'm sure the staff at my library and my local library are thinking the same thing: she's addicted. And I can't help it. Cookbooks are fabulous!! All of the amazing, mouth-watering photographs just scream get in the kitchen and make me. Cookbooks are beautiful. I love exploring new dishes, learning what people put on their own tables, and discovering the stories behind why they make the food they make and how each ended up in the kitchen. If I could actually afford my champagne taste, I'm sure I'd have a wall of cookbooks in my kitchen instead of two over-flowing shelves. But since I understand that if I were to buy every eye-catching cookbook that crossed my path Mr. B would demand control of my paycheck, thank God for libraries!

I can peruse as many of these tasty books as I dare, and discover my favorites, which I immediately run out and purchase or add to my every-growing "WANT" list. This past month I have done just that. I've been up to my eyeballs in cookbooks. Ooohing and Ahhhing over the incredible photos and recipes, with many "Why didn't I think to do that?" or "I must make this now" moments.

Giada's most recent cookbook sent me to the bookstore the very next day. Happy birthday to me, I exclaimed as I dragged Mr. B to the checkout counter, after explaining that "yes, I know my gift card is less than the cost of the book, but look! I'm buying you a Fantasy Football magazine, too!" I mean, if I'm putting money on the card I may as well put money on the card. You know, what I mean?

I think Feel Good Food is by far, Giada's best cookbook because it's on the healthier and lighter side, and it features a few personal daily beauty, travel, home, and other tips/secrets as well. The layout is lovely, and I wanted to make [almost] every.single.recipe. Gah! Yes, I had to immediately run out and snatch this up.


Out of this hoard of cookbooks, my other favorites included Chloe's Vegan Desserts and Eat Raw, Not Cooked. I'm not sure where I came across these two, but they were on my "to read" list and the library had 'em, so I requested 'em. Chloe's beautiful dessert-filled book is the perfect gift for my vegan friends. Heck, I'm won over by anything that highlights my beloved coconut oil. I knew I had to make something immediately, and thought the Chocolate Chip Cookies were the perfect place to start. Although, I made a few changes when it came to the sugar, this is by far the best recipe when you want to freeze the cookie dough and snack on it later. OH.EM.GEE. I couldn't stop. I used 85% dark chocolate chunks as my chips, and while Mr. B found it to be slightly "dry" (I took that to mean not as sweet and heavy). It must have been successful, because once he devoured his baked batch of cookies, he intruded upon my cookie dough. While I'm fully aware that "vegan" is not always synonymous with "healthy," with a few substitutions this could be a great go-to cookbook when it comes to feeding my vegan friends.

Eat Raw, Not Cooked is also one I could easily use every day during the summer, when it's way too hot to turn on the stove (if you have one that works), or your grill has been totaled. I was joking with my co-worker that the good Lord might have dropped this very cookbook in my lap for a reason. He knew I was going to need it! However, now I'm convinced I need a dehydrator. And more time. And I'm going to need more money.

I must own both of these very soon.


Stay tuned for my next batch of cookbook reviews because I'm a hoarder and a lover of all things food. I've only scratched the surface of the dining room table.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Monday, August 25, 2014

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #4

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 8/25/14: original, but separate, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

Jenny and I putting the final touches on the cupcakes.





#4 October: Interpretation of Orange
The Menu:
         Beverage
Orange Dream Delights
         Main Course
Ma Po Tofu
        Sides
Apricot Kielbasa Slices
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Sauce
Orange Rice Skillet
        Desserts
Mandarin Orange Fluff Dessert


I'd like to announce that Cooking Club now has eight members! Apparently my co-workers love to cook, which is awesome. This month our fellow co-worker, Kelly along with her two teenaged-daughters, Angelica and Rosea, and Jessica's sister Melanie joined. There was so much fun and craziness going on in Jessica's small kitchen. We actually had to make our dishes in shifts, but that just meant more hands to help. 

And this month's theme, not sure where it came from, but it left the guidelines wide open. We could either use an actual orange, or any ingredient that was the color orange.

Remember how I went on and on about peaches and them being my favorite fruit and all in the cobbler Cooking Club post, well guess what I brought this month that was orange?

PEACHES. Yes. 

Again, I spent hours going through cookbooks (I have a plethora; I guess it's something I collect) trying to find the perfect "orange" recipe. Nothing satisfied, and I remembered that I had marked some recipes online. Enter Peaches 'N Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes.

Another thing you need to know about me: I.LOVE.CHEESECAKE. There aren't even the right words in our English language to describe my love for this sinful dessert. Every year on my birthday, instead of cake, I get CHEESEcake. I'm so in love. Mr. B understands. I love cheesecake like he loves pretzels. However, I never keep it in the house because I too will devour it in its entirety.

Cheesecake + peaches = perfection.

So imagine my disappointment when these failed. Jessica said she thought they were great and was planning on making them again the following week, but I disagreed. I know cheesecake. And there was just something about the way these set up that wasn't cheesecake-worthy.

My recipe looks yummy.
Ugh.

Everything else was tasty, except the Mandarin Orange Fluff Dessert. It had pineapple. I hate pineapple. I can detect it in anything. [Trust me, my family has tried to pull one on me here and there. But I always know.] Alas, that is another Cooking Club rule: You must take at least one bite of every dish. (However now, after my strong fight to worm my way out of tasting, we all know who doesn't like what and we adjust our recipes accordingly. Of course, this excludes any allergies, or insensitivities, which we aim to avoid any way.)
This month my favorite recipe was the Apricot Kielbasa Slices that Rosea made. Quite tasty, and I think my hubby would even approve. Also, we had our first Cooking Club mishap. Apparently Andrew's pan was a little too hot, and when he added the chili oil, the kitchen was engulfed in spicy fumes. We were all gasping for fresh air!

Apricot Kielbasa Slices
Andrew's Ma Pa Tofu cleared the kitchen.
The spicy fumes were so much, we all ended up outside gasping
for fresh air. My lungs were burning!

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!


Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1
Cooking Club #2
Cooking Club #3

[Update: I've included the link to Jessica's homemade pumpkin ravioli recipe, and a few more pictures of my favorite tasty dishes recreated at home.]

Pssst...In honor of National Peach Month, here are a few of my favorite peach dishes, including a great morning smoothie, a family favorite cobbler, and a mouth-watering tart. What's your favorite peach dish?

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Friday, August 22, 2014

A Week of Food

A photographic stroll through this week's eats. YUM.



Frozen {vegan!} cookie dough is a great snack when forced to endure loud noises resulting in crazy migraines. I found this fabulous chocolate chip cookie recipe in this mouth-watering vegan desserts cookbook. <--- my latest must-own-right-now item.


It's National Eat a Peach Day, and I've had my share of this juicy heaven's nectar this week, believe you me. Nosiree, I can't stop. Peach-aholic, right here!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Monday, August 18, 2014

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #3

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 8/18/14: original, but separate, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!


#3 September: Ingredient Apple
The Menu:
           Main Course
Mango Apple Curry      
           Desserts
Spiced Apple Stir-Fry

Look at that tasty fall stew. Yum-0

Cooking Club is expanding! Our new member is actually Jessica's boyfriend and a fellow co-worker. Welcome, Andrew!

It was Jenny's turn to decide on a theme and she chose apples (because of their abundance lately), which means we must have that ingredient somewhere in our recipe. This month I chose to make Giada's  Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs and Spiced Apple Stir-Fry (<--- not sure where I found this recipe; it was just on a piece of scrap paper, hiding in my box of to-make-soon dishes). I couldn't decide which one I wanted to make, so I brought both.

Check out my new apron!

You have to make this couscous. Please make this, you will be so happy you did. Seriously. This was my first time ever eating this new food, and now I'd eat it every day if I could.  Actually, I enjoyed this recipe so much that I make it about three times a month. Everyone loved it; so the next time I made it, I brought it to work to share with my co-workers. A tiny mistake on my part. They all love it so much, that now if they find out I made some and didn't bring it in they give me a hard time. It's so good I don't even want to share. haha. I want to keep it all to myself. And every time I make this dish, I thank the Lord that Mr. B isn't into trying new foods.

The funny thing is, my best friend Jessica, not the co-worker and Cooking Club member, my other Jessica (I know, it's hard to keep up sometimes), called me up a week after I made this at our meeting. She was going on and on about this couscous recipe she recently made and just knew that I would love. After she finished describing it, I realized it was the same recipe.

Yes, my friends, it is that good.



It's so good that it's listed on the menu for my last meal ever. (You know, the question: What would you eat if it was your last meal?) Yes, I must have this.


Anyhoo, having another member in the kitchen was fun and a new learning experience all over again. I love learning about people and what they bring to the table, literally. This was another great meeting, and next to my couscous, Jenny's Braised Pork and Apple Stew was killer. However, my second dish, Spiced Apple Stir-Fry was quite tasty, and I'd love to have this every time I eat vanilla ice cream. [Actually, this is fantastic on top of a bowl of plain Greek yogurt and sprinkled with sliced almonds. I think it gives Chobani a run for its money. The perfect healthy dessert.]


Spiced Apple Stir-Fry

Serves 4-5

3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (or any favorite apple will work. Also, peeling is optional. I like the texture, so I leave it on.)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (if you don't have, ground works just as well)
1/3 c sugar <--- taste your apples! I rarely use this much sugar, probably less than half. The apples lend enough sugar themselves.
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/3 c apple cider
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp butter <--- I use coconut oil, and I think it's even better, more flavor.

Cut stacked apple slices into fourths; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and spices; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk cider with cornstarch; set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add apple slices and ginger and stir-fry, about 2 minutes. Stir in sugar-spice mixture and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Stir in cider mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and is slightly thickened. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

[I apologize for not being able to provide a photo along with this recipe. It was so good, by the time we finished filling our bellies there wasn't any left to photograph.] <--- Feast your eyes on the beautiful caramelization splendor. It tastes just as wonderful as it looks.


*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!
Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1
Cooking Club #2

[Update: I've included the link to the French Apple Tart, a new photo of the pork stew from last week, which Mr. B devoured with a side of buttered noodles <--- follow the above link for that perfect fall recipe, and some heavenly dessert photos.]

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

In Need of Inspiration


It's been one crazy, albeit delightfully chill, summer over here. Draining, discouraging, hectic, and frustrating are a few words I'd used to describe these past few months.

BUT GOD IS GOOD!


I am blessed with more than I deserve, I'm sure. To remind, encourage, and motivate me on this dreary Wednesday morning (and, I promise you, I don't mind the rain at all), I'm sharing a few pins from my Inspiration boards on Pinterest. You know, to get the juices flowing. I have a huge Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs interactive movie program coming up; I need to get my creative butt in gear!





I pray your Wednesday has been inspired :)


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Monday, August 11, 2014

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #2

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 8/11/14: original, but separated, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]

---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!


#2 August: Cobblers

The Menu:
Blueberry Peach Cobbler
Chocolate Pecan Cobbler
Ice Cream Cobbler Cake


This month's theme, "Cobblers," was inspired by the upcoming season. With fall approaching, changing leaves and chills in the air accompany my FAVORITE time of year. Warm cobbler is the perfect dish on crisp, fall days. Plus, I LOVE cobblers.

Peach Cobbler = All-Time Favorite!

Jenny and Jessica preparing their cobblers.

By the way, my husband and I spent our vacation in Georgia this summer (well, actually it was still spring), and we went to The Lady and Sons. Paula's Peach Cobbler is the best dessert I've had. Ever. Like THE absolute best. Even though Mr. B didn't want his dessert, I insisted he pick out the peach cobbler, and then I promptly devoured it, again. I didn't care that it was a hot-Georgia-nearing-a-100-degrees day. I wasn't missing out on Mrs. Deen's cobbler!

For this love of all things peaches, this month, I brought Blueberry Peach Cobbler to the menu. (Again, FoodNetwork.com; I need to crack open my cooking books from home.)


Peaches are my favorite fruit in.the.world. Put them in a cobbler, and I'm first in line. (Huh.Who am I kidding? I'm usually first in line for desserts. I have a little bit of a sweet tooth.) And see those biscuits on top, with that beautiful sugar dusting? Holy goodness. Click on the above link, make the recipe, and thank me later. [Actually, thank Emeril, it's his recipe. I'm just reviewing and sharing.]

A few things. ---> The second time I made this I used a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flour, which made for a little denser biscuit. Also, I used a little less sugar in the cobbler, substituted the shortening and the butter in the fruit mixture with coconut oil. It gave it a slightly coco-nutty flavor, but I didn't mind. I replaced the milk with almond milk, and the heavy cream with evaporated milk. Instead of whipped cream or ice cream, I poured on a bit of almond milk atop my warm cobbler. Delicious and a little lighter.

On a side note: I really enjoyed Jenny's Ice Cream Cobbler. I love cherries, also. The chocolate one (courtesy of Paula Deen) was okay, but I'm a fruit-in-my-cobbler kind of gal.

My cobbler, Ice Cream Cobbler Cake, and Chocolate Pecan Cobbler.


*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made, or the links to the recipes I know the location. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meeting!
Cooking Club #1

[Update: I've included the ice cream cobbler's recipe link. It's funny, looking back I used to be a huge sweets person. Proof that your tastes can change with self-discipline, fasting, and surrounding yourself with healthier choices. However, I do remember this being to-die-for delicious. I recently bought a bushel of peaches and made this cobbler again. I noted my changes to the original recipe above and added a few pictures.]


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi