Strawberry-PB2 Protein Smoothie

My Pink Valentine's Day Smoothie.

It wasn't intentional. I just happened to stumble upon a market sale of decently priced and perfectly ripe strawberries. And they actually tasted like strawberries! Here in Ohio, in February, that is quite a find.

Then I went home and put them in my morning shake. The bright pink color screamed Valentine's Day in a mug!

It was gorgeous and tasted just as heavenly. Annnnd it's a decently healthy choice to jump-start your mornings. Annnd I had one every.single.day. last week.

But now I'm out of strawberries. Yes, I'm all too aware I probably won't find that strawberry bargain again until strawberry season actually hits. Frozen strawberries will work, too, in this satisfying pink shake. YUM-O.

It's the perfect pink beverage to kick off that pink holiday coming up....

Strawberry-PB2 Butter Protein Smoothie
*adapted from my Berry Elvis Protein Smoothie

Serves 1 or 2 (if you feel like sharing)

1 6-oz container blueberry coconut milk yogurt
about 1 cup water or 1 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 - 1 scoop soy vanilla protein powder
1 - 1 1/2 T PB2
1 T chia seeds
5-6 fresh large strawberries (or frozen!)
Pinch of xanthan gum (optional ---> used to thicken smoothie) 
3-5 ice cubes, depending on the texture you like

2-3 T of  dark chocolate berry granola (I found this one at Aldi...this is completely optional and I added it in on my last day of the smoothie. It's a nice way to make this breakfast smoothie a little more decadent on Valentine's Day.)

*if using frozen strawberries, I wouldn't add the ice.

Toss all of the ingredients in a blender (add the ice last!) and mix until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy! Or split it with your love for a Valentine's Day treat...if he's into smoothies. Mr. B is not. I may be a little too excited I don't have to share.


And a shout out to my Mama....it's her birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Mama! xoxo

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #15

[Original post date Dec. 2011. --Updated 11/10/14: 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!

#15 September: 5-Ingredient Fix

The Menu:
          Appetizer
Homemade Apple Butter on Toast
          Side
Orzo with Parmesan and Basil
          Dessert
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm not sure who came up with this month's theme, but the stipulation was the recipe could have no more than five ingredients. Unfortunately, I missed this Cooking Club (so I don't have pictures of the other dishes), but I was able to try the recipes the next day at work. Later on, I brought the recipe I had intended to make into work for everyone to try. I made my homemade apple butter in the crockpot. The apples slow-cooked their way to a chunky mess of butter-like goodness.

Apple butter is my absolute second favorite topping on toast, right behind cinnamon-sugar. Growing up there were always jars of this stuff in our refrigerator. And we usually purchased ours from the Amish Country. But as I've grown, the apple butters I've had recently are just too sweet. The last jar I purchased back in April actually hurt my teeth. I've never had apple butter as smooth as butter. I like mine a little chunky. And I've been meaning to try my hand at it for a few months now.

So when I was given the 5-ingredient only assignment, I went to work in my kitchen to make a delicious apple butter. But my main concern was the sweetness. I did not want mine sweet. I decided to pass on adding actual sugar, and replaced it with maple syrup. Added some spices, cinnamon (well, because apples and cinnamon, duh) and nutmeg (which is my favorite spice), and juice, and a couple of hours later I had a tasty, luxuriously, chunky apple butter for my morning toast.

Homemade Apple Butter

4-5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1/2-3/4 c apple juice
1 c maple syrup
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on low 5 1/2-6 hours. During the last 2 hours, stir the mixture every half hour to break up the apples. After cooking, if apples need broken down any more, use a potato masher. Then cook on low another 1/2 hour with the lid off, stirring frequently, or until desired consistency is reached. (If you like yours sans chunks, break out the hand blender or wait until cooled and place in a blender; puree until smooth.) Store apple butter in containers in the fridge. Enjoy!

P.S. I definitely plan on canning and sharing this homemade apple butter with family and friends. It makes a great housewarming/hostess gift.


*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. I've finally caught up! 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 #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9-12
Cooking Club #13
Cooking Club #14

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #12

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 10/29/14: 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!

#12 June: Finger Food

The Menu:
        Appetizers
Tomato, Watermelon and Basil Skewers
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Savory Parmesan Bites
        Dessert
Vegan Raspberry Scones

This month Kelly finally got to pick the theme. She got a bunch of cookbooks over the Christmas holiday and wanted to do an appetizer theme....which became a finger food theme...and then Kelly and her girls couldn't make it. But we thoroughly enjoyed her theme for her.

I came across this fun skewer recipe--actually I have no idea where I got this dish--I just know I've had it for a while. And it includes all of the things I love:

Cherry tomatoes (I eat these like they're candy, God's candy they are), check.
Watermelon (one of the reasons I love summer), check.
Basil (my favorite herb), check.
Balsamic vinegar (love and will put it on almost anything), check.

Even in bad lighting, these ingredients look delicious. I can smell the basil and taste the vinegar syrup as I type. I'd make these today if I didn't have to sell my right arm for the ingredients.

Trust me, you won't stop at just one, or two.....or five.

So, soooo good.

Tomato, Watermelon and Basil Skewers

Serves 8

1/4 c balsamic vinegar
scant 1/4 c sugar
1 (4-5 lb) watermelon, cut into 1 1/2" cubes
32 small basil leaves
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
16 wooden skewers (about 16" each)

Combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. Starting with watermelon squares, push a square to very tip of skewer. Then skewer a basil leaf, then a tomato half. Continue layers until skewer is full. Continue with remaining skewers. Drizzle skewers with balsamic syrup and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and serve. (I even like mine with a little freshly ground black pepper.)


Even though there were only three of us this month, we have one, two, three, four...yes, four recipes. Jessica and I stumbled upon this Vegan Raspberry Scones recipe while killing time at work one day, and decided immediately that these qualified as finger food. We split the cost of ingredients and made these tasty little things as a combined effort.

(However, ours didn't turn out as dark as theirs...)

I was able to score some beautiful raspberries.

Jessica and Jenny might have consumed more than went into the batter. I, however, am not of the fresh-raspberry-liking crowd.

These were so flavorful with a different texture than your average scone. Great for breakfast, warmed with a tiny drizzle of honey, and cup of hot tea.

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are 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 #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9
Cooking Club #10
Cooking Club #11

[Update: Just the previous Cooking Club links!]

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Autumn Apple & Almond Breakfast Parfait

Have an abundance of apples on hand? Have you made this? Or this? Or even my most recent yummy apple recipe? One can never have too many apples around the house. Trust me. Mr. B and I are known to devour about two each a day. He likes them one way and one way only: fresh, raw, and in its original form. He even likes to put salt on them....? (Ick.)  I, on the other hand, will eat them raw, cooked, sauteed, chopped up in stew, shredded in muffins, sliced and slathered with almond butter <--- my personal favorite. However, I have yet to try them sprinkled with salt. I think I'll leave that one to Mr. B.

McIntosh are his favorite. I can handle those as long as they're cooked or in something. Granny Smith's are mine, but I really haven't met an apple I wouldn't eat except for those nasty Red Delicious ones. Who first said those were delicious?! Not even close. I also really, really enjoy Pink Lady, Paula, Molly, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Jonathan....Oh, hi. Brindi here and I love apples.

Apples are versatile and cheap, making them easy targets for a variety of recipes, and because of this I happen to feature them a lot here on Sweet B's. Oh, and they're healthy, too. BONUS. (<--- read in a sing-songy voice.) And they're an excellent breakfast option. I love chopping them up and throwing them in my oatmeal or on yogurt. In fact, just combine any leftover oatmeal, yogurt, and apples and you have one FANCY breakfast parfait. One fancy FALL breakfast parfait. One fancy fall breakfast parfait which seems ALMOST too indulgent for a simple brisk morning.

Autumn Apple & Almond Breakfast Parfait

Serves 1

Spiced Apple Stir-Fry <--- find this recipe here
cooked oatmeal
plain Greek yogurt
almond butter
homemade apple butter <--- find this recipe here
Optional: sliced almonds, unsweetened almond milk (I like to re-heat my oatmeal with some milk to soften it up a bit.)

In a bowl, fancy glass, or whatever you desire, start with a layer of Greek yogurt. Next add a spoonful of oatmeal (I like mine warmed) with a drizzle of almond milk, a spoonful of almond butter, and a sprinkle of sliced almonds. Add a few stir-fried apples, another spoonful of oatmeal with a drizzle of almond milk, a spoonful of almond butter, and a spoonful of yogurt. Top with a dollop of apple butter, a couple stir-fried apples slices, and a sprinkle of sliced almonds. Admire your beautiful parfait that looks almost too good to eat, and a little extravagant for your weekday. Then devour...slowly...with your morning coffee.

The perfect FANCY leftover fall breakfast.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #11

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 10/14/14: 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!

#11 May: Pizza

The Menu:
Cheddar-Apple Dessert Pizza
Berry Batch Brownie Pizza
Fruit Pizza


I apologize.

I failed.

I completely forgot to charge my camera, and it died during my first attempt at taking pictures during this month's Cooking Club.

But that won't stop me from telling you how ah-mazing this pizza is!

It's definitely my kind of dessert pizza...not too sweet, but just right. Apples and cheese always go together perfectly to create the most mouth-watering bite. (One of my go-to lunches is an apple and Munster grilled cheese....yum.) So this pizza did not disappoint. The cheddar made a delightful crust, and paired with the apple-sugar-and-spice topping.... Let's just say I love nutmeg.

You must make this ASAP!

I think this would be great for a brunch, or even more perfect as another the-day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast.

Update: With all of the above being said, I have made this dessert pizza quite a few times since that cooking club and have made many changes since, making it my own recipe. The biggest adaptation is turning the pizza into a rustic galette. For some reason I can't seem to get the pizza crust as sturdy as that first day, and have now just enjoyed making this dessert a tad rustic and crumbly. I changed up the cheese, replaced the butter with coconut oil, and have omitted half of the sugar.

Rustic Munster-Apple Galette

*adapted from Taste of Homes recipe

Serves 8

1 1/4 c flour + 1/3 c (mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flours)
1 tsp salt +1/4 tsp
1/2 c shortening
1 c shredded Munster cheese (I think any cheese would work here, so choose to your liking)
1/4 c ice water
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c coconut oil
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine 1 1/4 c flour with 1 tsp salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add cheese and toss lightly. Sprinkle ice water gradually over mixture, then shape into a ball with lightly floured hands. Place dough in center of large baking sheet (or round pizza pan) and roll outward from center to cover pan (or until big enough to your liking).

In a bowl, mix sugars with 1/3 c flour, spices and 1/4 tsp salt. Sprinkle half of sugar mixture over crust. Cut coconut oil into remaining sugar mix until crumbly and set aside. Arrange apple slices in overlapping rings on crust, leaving a 2" edge. Sprinkle with lemon juice, then with sugar-butter mix. Fold over the 2" edge of dough onto the galette topping, creating an overlap of crust along the edges of the galette and sealing in the apples.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until apples are tender and crust is browned around edges. Serve warm cut into squares, slices, or whatever your heart desires. But be ready to eat more than one piece!

Add a steaming cup of Joe and this is brunch perfection, sweet friends.

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are 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 #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9
Cooking Club #10


[Update: Recipe adaptations, along with mouth-watering pictures, and previous cooking club links.]

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching.... Outlander series on STARZ. Well, I'm not watching it on TV because we haven't had cable in over a year, and our "bunny ears" only allows us to view the local stations for FREE (which means I still see my beloved Browns!), and I'd never subscribe to STARZ anyway. But, alas, that's the station that picked up my favorite historical-fiction series. You can watch the first episode online, but the rest... However, my kind co-worker is downloading the goods and sharing. So, yes, I'm playing catch-up on the first six episodes. There are parts I dislike and disagree with, and have left me going, "Wait. What?! That's not right! Where's wee Roger?!" But for the most part, I like it. Yet, I find I'm skipping a few parts. A little too "bare" for me.

Eating.... PEACHES. They're my favorite. I.cannot.get.enough. But right at this moment I'm devouring this Blueberry Zucchini Bread. While I was off yesterday, I realized I hadn't made any zucchini bread this summer. I knew that had to change immediately, and headed to the farmer's market to purchase an abundance (and I mean an abundance) of one of my garden favorites. On a sad note: this loaf was gone within 24 hours. I am savoring this last piece slowly.

Planning.... social dates with friends, book club, family and most importantly, time with my husband. Summer came and went in a blur, and I never had time to enjoy it really, or see much of the people that matter most to me. The next month or two awaits gelato, football games, a camping trip, fall festivals, Target dates, day trips, Starbucks chats, birthday celebrations, bonfires, and "Gone with the Wind." <--- anyone else attending a theater showing to celebrate its 75 years??!!

Reading.... cooooookbooooks. But, of course, you know this already because I mentioned it here and here, and I have plans of mentioning it on here a few more times. Pretty much until you're blue in the face, and have stopped reading this blog because you've spent your last paycheck on these mouth-watering books. However, now you have a beautiful and eclectic collection. You're welcome.

Actually, I promise I am reading non-related kitchen/cooking books as well. Like a few YA novels, such as An Abundance of Katherines, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. (Sadly, not a fan of either.) Also, I'm dabbling in the Steampunk genre for book club this month with Etiquette and Espionage. Not yet finished and still not quite sure how I feel about this one....

Inspired by.... the new Bible study I'm in the midst of right now. It's focused on Esther, and even though God's name isn't mentioned in her book, it's easy to find the presence of God and his plan. It's causing me to take a step back and view my life. All the crazy and laughable plans I had for my life. The plans I thought I had when I graduated high school. The plans I made when I finished college with my under-grad. The plans I have now. God's plans are beautiful. And bigger.

Excited about.... FALL! The colors, the COLORS! Mr. Darcy is constantly bringing in sticks and leaves. I can't wait until I rake up a big pile just to watch him run through it with pure glee. I love this puppy. Let's hope Mr. B allows us to do this once before he gets all clean-lawn-happy with his new tractor leaf collector toy thingy. <--- that's a thing, right?

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

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

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

Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Ma Po Tofu

        Sides

Apricot Kielbasa Slices

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Sauce

Orange Rice Skillet

        Desserts

Peaches 'N Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

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

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

Braised Pork and Apple Stew

Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs

Mango Apple Curry      
           Desserts

French Apple Tart

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

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

A 4th of July {Morning} Celebration

Happy 4th of July!

We're celebrating America's birthday, and to kick things off we're digging into a big plate of my Red, White, and Blue Waffles. It's my favorite vegan waffles made with blueberry Greek yogurt, and topped with strawberries, banana slices, and a drizzle of raw Ohio Maple Syrup. Head over here for the waffle recipe.

I'm hoping the rest of my day includes a big plate of ribs (it's National Barbecued Ribs Day!), corn, and watermelon.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching....movies with the family. Mama came up to visit this past weekend, and we watched August: Osage County. Julia Roberts is my absolute favorite actress of all-time, and when the movie became available on Netflix, it shot straight to my #1 spot. If anything, this movie will leave you with thoughts that your crazy family is actually not that crazy. And Meryl Streep. Oh, Meryl Streep. How she did not win an Oscar for her role of Violet is beyond me. I mean that character is phenomenal. Phenomenal-ly crazy.

This morning we received the movie Out of the Furnace, with Christian Bale and Forest Whitaker, but it will have to wait. The next few days will be consumed with The 2014 NFL Draft. And, yes, it starts tonight, my friends.

Eating....strawberries and blackberries, and I am LOVING this time of year. When the berries are cheap at the markets and actually have flavor.When my baskets are full with about eight or nine containers [each]. When I can't wait to rush home and make protein smoothies or toss a handful on top of some plain Greek yogurt for a healthy dessert. The only thing better than this is peach season.YUM. Then I can make this beautiful tart. But for now I might indulge in this Strawberry Tart.

Planning....this coming week's dinner menu. I'm OCD and love to make lists, and if I don't have lists then I pretty much have no idea what I'm doing. I plan dinner menus every week, and I probably follow it four out of the seven days. Either we've run out of ingredients for the planned dish, something came up and we're unexpectedly eating out, or Mr. B decides he's hungry for something I didn't suggest. So, why do I plan a week full of meals? Because I need to know I know what's going on. Lists help me feel like I have it together when I sometimes don't. Lists make me happy. This week the menu includes my nacho tray (for consumption while Draft watching), possibly my mother-in-law's favorite must-now-have-for-every-event cake because, you know, we're celebrating our Mamas this weekend, some chicken on the grill since it's supposed to be so nice out (hitting 80s today!), stir-fry veggies over brown rice, and maybe some spinach and mushroom omelets.

Reading.... I'm working my way through a couple of this year's and last year's Newbery winners. As a Youth Services Librarian, I'm often asked a lot of reader's advisory questions. While I'm usually caught up on all of the new picture books that cross my desk, the juvenile titles take a bit more time to get through. I don't mind suggesting titles from other librarians' (or award-winning) lists, but I really like to familiarize myself with the titles I recommend to my patrons. This takes a lot of time, and I'm not as caught up on this as I'd like to be. NO, I have not read every.single.book. on my shelves. GASP.

Inspired by....today's Bible verse. "You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." --John 16:24

Excited about....our new Corgi puppy!!!!!! Mr. B and I will be picking up the little guy over Memorial Day weekend. I CANNOT WAIT. This puppy has been discussed for years because we couldn't agree on a breed, and now that day is almost here. Sixteen days to be exact. I don't think Siamese knows what she's in for :)

I promise to share photos. And quite often. You have been notified. It will be Corgi Nation over here.

For now, let's start with these cuties I found on Pinterest. (Just in case some of you are scratching your head and asking yourself, "What the heck is a Corgi?" like my father-in-law did. P.S. I'm hoping you can actually pronounce it, unlike my father-in-law.)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Morning Layered Oats

This is my current breakfast obsession. Like eating-it-every-day obsession.

Except for this morning. Mr B was home and made me a tasty breakfast, err an early brunch, of hash browns, sausage patties, and (his favorite) French toast. All I had to do was brew the coffee.

He does spoil me so.

Anyhoo, back to my latest bowl of oats, which I'll probably have tomorrow because I work the early shift, and although Mr. B is off, I doubt he'll happily get up at a dark 6:30 to make me another tasty breakfast.

But these oats. These oats are quite simple. It's just my favorite yummy breakfast: oatmeal with whatever fits my fancy. Lately, it's been bananas. I go through phases with bananas. I can eat them every day, with nut butter or in a smoothie, for days. And then I want nothing to do with them for weeks. But I still buy them. And after watching them go bad as my husband tries to finish them off, he'll ask if I don't like bananas any more. (Btw, I can't stand to see any brown on my banana; once it develops a brown spot, no way am I eating that. The greener the better.) And then a few days later I can't get enough of them and put them on everything, like this oatmeal. every. day.

Layered Oatmeal

serves 1

1/3 c cooked rolled oats
here is where I'd normally layer on a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt <--- why I'm not doing that currently I'll explain in a whole other post soon :(
1 T chia seeds
splash of unsweetened almond milk (usually I add enough to surround my oatmeal)
dash of ground cinnamon
handful of fresh berries
1/2 banana, sliced
drizzle of raw almond butter

In a bowl add ingredients layer by layer making it nice and pretty. Enjoy!

Eat it as is, pretty layers on each spoonful, or get crazy and mix it all up. It's quite simple.


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi