Watkins Glen

Went to Watkins Glen this weekend for some photos. 

Took advantage of my time there and ate lunch at Wildflower Cafe. California Rachel Panini- Turkey, swiss, 1000 island dressing, spicy slaw and avocado., black bean and corn salsa, and to polish it off Rooster Fish Aspen Wit wheat ale. Don't worry I took the photo when no one was looking.

Eggplant Pizza

I bought an eggplant awhile ago at a Farmer's Market because it looked cool. Then I remembered I have no idea what to do with eggplant. 

The farmer told me Sicilian eggplant has smaller seeds and is sweeter than Italian eggplant.

Once you slice the eggplant is the perfect shape for mini pizza's!

Regarding sauce to cheese ratio I prefer things on the cheesey side. When drinking wine I get a little saucy but for all other intents and purposes cheesiness will always be victorious in my life.

Delicious purple crust pizza

Cheese makes anything worth eating so this was definitely something I might try again!

Photos from September

This is one of those typical photo dump posts to make me feel better about myself in regards to "I've been planning on doing stuff for the blog!" Really. I have. Life has been crazy.

As always I have that awkward balance of unhealthy and healthy. This nutrition degree isn't stopping me from eating Fair food!

Breakfast wrap with Eggs, Steak, Beans, and Salsa.

 Tuna Wrap- Using Hummus to replace the mayo. Surprisingly Tasty

Crazy protein wrap. 1.5 oz peanut butter and 30g of protein powder.

First time cooking with TOFU

Hubba Hubba. I want this on my wall.

NY State Fair...butterfly fries. Major Nommage.

I forgot stuffed peppers usually have rice, not bread crumbs. Woops.

I only bought you cuz' you're pretty

Baked potato soup. Yes I cooked the skin in the bacon pan.

Microwave baked apple

As you can see I haven't been totally neglectful this month.

Bugs for Dinner

Would you eat Bugs if they became a healthy and environmentally friendly option to the world?
-I recent study from Wageningen University determined the protein quality of some insects is similar to that of common protein sources already in the diet. In addition some properties of the insects protein lends it to being used in food sources.
-On top of that raising insects requires considerable less water and resources. I've read this a few places but here is a good example.



If you think bugs are gross check out these gross candies (also the photo source)

Food Photos

Random food and food related photos from the past few weeks. Specifically when I visited my cottage.

I F******* love breakfast sausage.

 No wonder people don't know where to start!

New hideout

Frittata's from vegetable pulp

Breakfast is one of the most enjoyable things to cook. It can steer the rest of the day in a positive direction.
With this being said sometimes mornings are not so enjoyable. I routinely end up eating cereal or toast instead of something healthier and more filling.

The other day there was time to make mini frittata's using some of the vegetable pulp from juicing.

Using frozen pulp of spinach, celery, and cucumber. I also used fresh onion and peppers.

1. Saute fresh vegetable to soften. Later add frozen pulp to help it thaw.
2. Add vegetables to muffin tins.

 

3. Mix 8 eggs and add to each tin.
           Initially the idea to combine vegetable and egg together before throwing in the tins. But with hot vegetables the egg would start to cook. Feel free to do so if the vegetables had time to cool. 

4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350 or until egg is cooked through.

Enjoy :-)



Tip for next time: ditch the cupcake wrapper- it ends up just sticking to the egg. A well greased sheet will be sufficient.

How Its Made: Tabasco Sauce

Thank you cynical-c.com for always having such good stuff. "How It's Made" food addition will now be routine.

Monkey Bread

Considering the previous post was about "Gramma's cooking" it is no wonder I have been thinking about monkey bread. It is hands down the best thing -food wise- at the holidays in our family. It hasn't been around the last few years so I made up a lazy recipe- ensuring it's eventual return to the table next to the cheese-ball.

 

I'd imagine by now you've figured out I ain't about that measurement thing. It's 4 ingredients, if you're really struggling with the concept of "winging it"...look at another blog.

Procedure:
1. Shape biscuit dough into globular shapes, roll in cinnamon sugar and line a pie pan with them.
I used 2 store bought containers of dough (vacacation is no time to make dough from scratch).

2. Bake in a 350 degree oven. About 12-15 minutes
3. While baking melt butter in a pan. Add leftover cinnamon sugar mix from rolling biscuits...if you used that up feel free to use brown sugar. Melt down sugar-let it bubble make sure it doesn't burn.
4.Remove delicious biscuit wreath from oven

5. Pour butter/sugar mixture over delicious biscuit-wreath

6. Try to let cool before devouring

These little nuggets are obviously the best. Biscuit, butter, sugar. The risk of developing pre-diabetes is a risk I'm willing to take.

I made this for my Mom while we were at our cottage. It's a miracle any made it through the night and into the car for the ride home. The second it was done it was being devoured. We got our fingers dirty, we ruined out appetite for dinner. We did not care.

Gramma's Cooking

 Gabriele Galimberti took photos of Grandmothers with their families signature dish. Hard to pick a favorite out of the bunch.

Delicatessen with Love

Mindless Eating

 Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University, is doing some of the coolest research!

  His book Mindless Eating has been a favorite for some time and is a solid go to when coming up with presentation ideas. I have presented many of his studies and tips for eating more thoughtfully several times and each time is keeps the audience engaged and laughing because some of the outcomes of pretty shocking. In addition it's empowering to know research shows a lot of people make the same mistakes when it comes to overeating- especially when they're busy. A few tips can go a long way on cutting down consumption.

For example this article deals with the foods we choose after fasting. When we're hungry we typically pick high caloric foods because we want to refuel our bodies. But if someone routinely skips meal and buys food on impulse the "only this time" indulgence in starchy food can become a habit. A second more more recent article deals with grocery shopping when hungry. Simple steps like having a healthy snack before driving home or grocery shopping can curb the desire to eat or buy too much. If this doesn't work Wansink reports in his book some people even go out of their way to change their routes home so they're not exposed to the temptation. Whatever works to make it home to a healthier meal!

Although sometimes small in size Wansink has performed dozens of studies related to eating behavior, marketing, and social cues related to consumption. Each one is more interesting than the next!

Death Row and Final Meals

Photographer Henry Hagreaves recreated the final meals of several inmates about to be executed for their crimes. In a separate article Hagreaves explained the potential of what someone could learn from the meals. For example was the man who asked for a single olive somehow trying to create an association with an olive branch...a symbol for peace? We may never know.



Link to article



Henry Hargreaves Website
Who has quite a few food related projects!

Health and Indulgence

It's hard to find a "focus" for this blog since everything about nutrition interests me. Health and wellness with tasty fruits and vegetables interests me as much as the indulgence of sweets and gourmet food.
The breakdown of nutrients in the body is inspiring. Which sounds odd to say but I am often reminded by how incredible our bodies are as they break down what we eat to such small components and use them as building blocks. The human body is an outstanding machine, and as much as I want to fuel mine with the cleanest of fuel...those indulgences leave me wanting and disregarding any consequence.

Nutrition itself is constantly changing and becoming more complicated. Yet food and cooking should be so simple. Transforming raw products into dishes healthy or otherwise is magical.


This being said I can't really say this blog is anything but an adventure. It's all over the place much like my life at the moment. Healthy and active, indulgent and lazy, bold but doubtful. I'm hoping one day to find a healthy balance between all of the things I want to be. But with so many options, much like nutrition, it is going to take lots of learning, trial and error, and acceptance.

Food Power in movies

Pretty interesting. Not only does it apply to movies but MANY other roles in our own real world.

French Toast Casserole

This past Sunday I didn't have to work. Given this rarity I woke up early and decided to make french toast. But I ran into a snag when it was discovered there were no eggs in the house. Eggs are not worth the effort of putting pants on just to walk to the corner store. So instead of ordinary french toast the improvised french toast CASSEROLE was created!

1. Cut bread into about 1 inch cubes

2. Melt butter. Add all liquids together (second time around I'd skip the yogurt, left a mild sour taste)

3. Add in sugar and spices

4. Put bread into dish, pour liquid over bread- make sure to get every part of bread wet. Even if it means some gentle stirring (the liquid itself doesn't fill the dish...for a reason).

5. Bake about 10 minutes at 350. NOTE I used a toaster oven.

Before

After!

In the end it was a little over baked so it came out more like a bread pudding. If you're into that keep the recipe the same. I'd either shorten the baking time or remove some liquid for next time.