Not for the faint of heart......

For at least two weeks now, I have been trying to make (Flourless) Ooey Gooey Rocky Road Cookies.  For one reason or another I have not been able to make these.  The first time, I didn't have the sugar or marshmallows, the second time, I didn't have the marshmallows and thought I'd as my mom to send me some from the States as I couldn't find any here.  But today!  I thought I was going to successfully be able to finally make these yummy cookies. 

I pulled all of the dry ingredient's out and went to the fridge.  There I found NO EGGS!  URGH.

That's okay, I've also been saying that I've wanted to make shortbread cookies.  So today was the day.  As most things I enjoy baking these cookies have VERY few ingredients.

Shortbread Cookies With Strawberry Jam

2 cups flour
1 cup cold, unsalted butter cut into cubes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
jam
1/4 tsp salt optional: powdered sugar


Kneed the first three ingredients into your mixing bowl,
Roll out until the dough is about 1/8th inch thick.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Set your oven to 325 degrees. 

Cut your bottoms and tops of your cookies out using any coo
kie cutters you wish. Set them on a pan and refrigerate for another 15 minutes.
Take your cold dough cookies out, and bake for about 13-15 minutes until a firm.  Do not overcook as these cookies, like all cookies will continue to cook after you pull them from the oven. 
Cool.
Sprinkle tops with some powdered sugar.      Coat the bottom with a jam of your choice and sandwich them together.   

Seems easy enough right?  Don't be fooled.  First of all, 40 minutes is a VERY long time to cool.  So what can you do in the meantime?  I did laundry.....I'm sure you can find anything else that would be more entertaining.....

So not working.....

Assistance from my boy......

 
 








First Batch were burnt.

But don't worry!  I learned from my mistakes!

 

Needless to say; they sucked.  Horribly awfully bad.  Will need to try again.....someday.

Sunday Night with Breaking Bad....

Of course, we added veggies and chicken.

Chocolate Mug Cake:
I found a recipe on Pinterest; but in the end adapted it for specifically what I wanted:

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour- 3 tbsp.
2. Cocoa powder-2 tbsp
3. Sugar- 2 1/2 to 3  tbsp
4. Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Milk- 2tbsp
6. Egg- 1 no yolk
7. Oil-2 tbsp
8. Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
9. 1/2 handful of caramel bits

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl combine steps 1-4.  Mix well.
• Add steps 5-8, stir with a fork ,just until combined.
• Add caramel bits
• Pour this into a greased mug and microwave on high for  90 seconds( or a few seconds more) until cooked through.(DO NOT OVER COOK)
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or simply dust with powdered sugar.

If you want the original recipe click here.


It was moist, Tim thought it was a bit dried out....so I guess watching how long you have it in the microwave is fairly important.

Quite Possibly the Best!

This is so great!  I recommend it! Its not spicy either!
 

 

 

First I'd like to say, that this meal was 100000000 times better than yesterday's.  As yesterday was such an awful day in the kitchen for me.  I started out thinking I'd make the meal posted above, but the internet went down....No pintrest...therefore, no recipe.  So I changed the meal to Chicken Alfredo.....BUT the internet came back on right when I started making dinner, so MID dinner making, I changed to this meal.  I was literally making two meals at the same time without even thinking!!

 

So I stopped making the above and finished the Alfredo (Which was awful and not like the recipe at all because I was so flustered I just threw the stuff together without following the recipe).

 

TODAY was much better.  I was a lot more organized and I started dinner at the perfect time and was able to complete it right on time. 

 

Broccoli Salad:

Ingredients:

• 1 head broccoli, stems removed and florets cut into pieces
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (I did not use bacon because Kara doesn't eat it)
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins (I didn't use these because I don't eat it)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp raw honey or coconut nectar
• 1/4 cup roasted no salt added sunflower seed kernels
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl combine mayo, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.  Mix well and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine broccoli, bacon, onion and raisins.  Gently stir in the mayo dressing.
3. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve immediately.

Nutritional Info:
Makes 6-8 servings.
Serving size approximately 1 cup.
Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 173, Cal. from Fat: 77.5, Total Fat: 8.5g, Sat. Fat: .5g, Carbs: 17.5g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 10.5g, Protein: 4g, Sodium: 174mg, Chol: 2.5mg

Moroccan Chicken:

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika, any other paprika will do
1 1/2 tsp celtic salt
2 tsps turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 organic chicken thighs, fat removed
12 organic chicken drumsticks, skinned
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (I don't eat eggplant so we used potato instead)
2 Tbsp marjoram
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds or slivered almonds
Chopped fresh cilantro
 

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large wide pot, this is what I used, over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add paprika, salt, turmeric, coriander, fennel, pepper, cumin, and ginger, stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, water, and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
Arrange all chicken in a single layer in the pot and spoon some sauce over. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes turn the chicken over, cover and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
Stir eggplant and marjoram into chicken. Carefully stir through and cook uncovered 10 more minutes over medium to high heat until chicken is tender and the eggplant is fully cooked. Season stew to taste with more lemon juice, salt and pepper if you like. Transfer chicken to a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro.
I served this chicken with this Moroccan couscous recipe. I actually doubled the recipe for it.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

 

 

Body Image Hero's

This is it.

This is why I don't get too hard on myself when I eat the wrong things.  This is why, if I miss a workout, I'm not stressed about it.


Thing is: I have better things to worry and stress about.  Well, I don't know about better...but rather other things. 

I could be this girl.  Anyone of them. I don't want to be one. I want to love my body in whatever shape or size it is.  I want to enjoy food and working out without the added pressure of what everyone else thinks. 

So yes, I will eat ice cream for breakfast and then do a run in the afternoon.  I won't go to the gym if I don't want to and why I won't look like a fitness model ever.

I am me.  And I am happy with my flabby ass.  Okay-that's not true.  haha-but here's the thing; my boy likes my body.  And my body gives me something to work on, so in a round about way, I am more happy than not.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/iris-higgins/an-open-apology-to-all-of_b_3762714.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000010

You're doing what with what??

Taco Pizza was the name of the game last night.  The response of Tim and my flatmates was of shock.  Like, what is this crazy American telling us??

It was amazing, and not just by my standards, the crew also enjoyed the dinner.  Tim felt the need to make his own pizza, which looked amazing.  Chicken and mushrooms.  Mat and Kara were very pleased with both.

The boy was such a sweetheart and washed the dishes.

I made a few changes which I'll note in the receipe:

Taco Pizza:

1 pound lean ground beef (I only used 1/2 a pound)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix (Tim made our own seasoning due to his salt intolerance)
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated Pillsbury pizza dough (He also made our own dough!!)
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped

Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to package directions.

Unroll pizza dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.. . Let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Press dough over the bottom and up along all 4 sides the of cookie sheet. Bake pizza dough for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven.  (our dough was a bit thin- so I skipped this step)

Place refried beans into a microwavable-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. (I always add a bit of milk and cheese to my beans, makes them a bit more creamy and yummy!)  Stir well and then spread beans evenly over the top of the warm pizza crust. Top with the cooked ground beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese and then add the tomatoes, black olives and green onion.

Return to oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. (We baked the whole thing for 25 minutes and it was perfect) Serve immediately and enjoy!

This was a must do sometime again, it was that good. 

Enjoy!

xoxoxo


 

When I am in motion, my life is in balance.

I've tried and tried my entire life to be a runner.  To find the sanctity that my best friend has found while she runs.   I say that I haven't found it and then I stop running and realize time and time again, that indeed, I had found it.

When I run, and I'm alone with my thoughts, I feel stronger.  I enjoy the challenge to myself and I love the answers I find while running.

Today at lunch I told Mat that I feel stronger when I'm alone and running. It reminds me that I'm strong while I'm alone and I don't need to worry about others.   It makes me question why I'm in a relationship.  What's the point of relationships?   I'm earnestly seeking the answers. 

At the end of the day, you could never really know the person you're with because every interaction changes who you are.  So if I don't know me and I'm constantly changing, how can I know you? 
Also, when information is withheld in relationships because the other person doesn't remember to tell you something or doesn't feel like its important enough to tell you- then you can' t possibly know that person anyway.  Anyway, this blog isn't for this.  As usual, I get side tracked. 

As a new realized runner; my normal run today will be to try and beat my best time from last week of 10:35/mile

My personal best is an 8 min mile and that was about 7 years ago or so.  And I'll never be a marathoner (I have no ambition to do so) but I will always enjoy the small challenges I give myself in my exercise.

I am happy to note that as of yesterday, my abs were still tender from the workout last week.  So- I'm on a good road to making my body better.

I'd also like to let you know that I've consistently weighted in at 69.5 (151.8 pounds) for the last week.  Whoot whoot!!   So I'm down a few kg and six more pounds to get to my ideal weight. 

I'm getting there....even though I haven't been eating very clean! 

Just because its a queen, doesn't mean its the queen....

I've been using some of Kara's baking supplies and replenishing it when its low.  Sadly though, I don't always end up with the same items she started with.  And as hard as I try, I seem to continue to fail....

 

I have learned that "essence" and "extract" are very different things.  One is syrupy stuff and the other is like water.  Therefore, I shall head back to the shops and purchase not the brand, but the appropriate item. 

Next, I made brownies. 

 

A very moist low fat chocolate brownie alternative, for weight watchers, only 2 ww points per serving ( 24 servings). No oil or egg used. A very moist low fat chocolate brownie alternative, for weight watchers, only 2 ww points per serving ( 24 servings). No oil or egg used.

Number of Servings: 24

Brownies:

Ingredients

1/2 cup applesauce
2 small or medium bananas mashed
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnut pieces

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, mashed bananas and sugar. Add vanilla and cocoa and mix together. Then add baking soda, salt, and zucchini and mix together. Add flour and walnuts and mix together. Spread evenly into a prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes until brownies spring back when gently touched.

Number of Servings: 24

 

 

Firstly, this is more like a cake then brownies, therefore, my disappointment is grave.  Although, had I taken the time to read the comments before buying the ingredients, I wouldn't have made it as it clearly states its more of a cake.

 

I refuse to put these in my mouth (this is why I never baked with my mother,) as I HATE knowing what's in my food.

 

I should have pureed the zucchini and then perhaps I would enjoy this a bit better....although, to be honest, my mom doesn't puree her zucchini in her zucchini bread so technically, I should be able to enjoy these "brownies" if I would step out of my comfort zone. 

 

Either way, Mat tried them and said, "Surprisingly good for what's in them."  Maybe he'll eat them all?