Confessions; Life, Lately (Mostly Food).
Posted: September 5, 2015 Filed under: Awkward Moments, Confessions | Tags: confessions, dinner, Food, random, recipe, working out Leave a commentHappy Saturday Friends!
Any exciting weekend plans? Farmer Ben and I are having some friends over for an evening of good food and games. I’m really looking forward to it!
Other than that, my back-to-school game is in full swing! Not gonna lie, I’ll be happy once my orientation class is over so I don’t have to log in every day. I probably still will… but I won’t be obligated to. That makes all the difference!
In other news, have you guys heard of EBATES? It’s stupidly easy. You sign up, download their button, and when you are on a site that gives cash back, it turns red. Once activated, you get money back! If you don’t want to download the button, you can go to the EBATES’ site and find what you’re looking for that way. I’ve gotten money back on a book for school, protein powder and a baby shower gift.
(Full Disclosure, if you sign up via the link above and make a purchase, I get $5. Thank you in advance!).
I signed up about a month ago and I’ve already gotten $8.05 back from online purchases. My sister, on the other hand, got $26 back (I think she does more online shopping than I do). It doesn’t seem like it’s that much, but those few dollars here and there add up! You’ll either receive a check in the mail or you can have it go to your PayPal account.
Confession time… (Mostly Food)
- Farmer Ben and I had pizza for dinner three times this week (Unless you count Sunday as last week, then it’s technically only 2 times). One of said pizzas was a “nacho pizza.” Yes, it was ridiculously good and I think I gained approximately 5 pounds.
- I am officially over summer squash and zucchini…we’ve been eating it SO MUCH and people keep giving us more! I’ve gotten creative, making a zucchini “lasagna,” and just eating it raw, dipped in hummus or dressing…and a few other ways… but there are only so many things you can do to squash. Sometime next week, we’ll have zucchini fritters and the elusive zucchini pizza crust (because clearly, we never get sick of pizza). Gulp…wish us luck!
- I made these cupcakes with a few modifications, to use more zucchini up (and then my mom gave us 3 more). They were good but only required a cup… I may need to quadruple the recipe and freeze them! Any suggestions for what else we should make?
- I am really into snack plates (Always with radishes and cucumbers)… I think it’s becoming a problem…this was a recent work meeting.
- Farmer Ben and I have a problem with making everything boozey. The cupcakes I talked about earlier? I put Kahlua in them… And Farmer Ben? He made this…
I can’t even.
- I’ve been alternating between three pairs of running capris. I have other bottoms to wear, but they just aren’t as comfortable! I’ve been doing a lot of laundry the last few weeks.
- Speaking of running… I’ve been eyeing different GPS Watches/Heart Rate Monitors… I’ve even gone as far as putting some in my online shopping cart… but I can’t convince myself to spend the money on them. Any suggestions on brand? I’m bouncing back and forth between Garmin and TomTom. Are they worth all the hype?
- And sports bras. It’s time to cough up some cash for some new sports bras. Why is having boobs so darn expensive?!
- Looking back over my last month of posts, I realize that I haven’t blogged about so many things…look for some major photo/catching up posts in the next week or two!
That’s all for today, Friends! Any confessions on your end? Let me know in the comments!
Current Obsessions and Farmer Ben
Posted: December 17, 2014 Filed under: Confessions, Food | Tags: diy, Farmer Ben, homemade, recipe, skoop, vanilla, whiskey Leave a commentHi Friends!
Hope you’re having a great December! I wanted to stop in with some randomness today….
I have a lot of obsessions. Does that mean I have an addictive personality? Probably.
Here are some (mostly food related) things I’m too into right now.
1. Homemade Vanilla. I took a cue from Joy the Baker and starting making my own (the first batch was bourbon vanilla). A while back, we had picked up a bottle of fancy-schmancy bourbon vanilla at Homegoods or TJ Maxx…last night, I happened to glance at the price tag-$12 and the normal price was $17 for an 8 oz bottle! Gah! I just started a batch of Jameson Vanilla… the whole bottle of Jameson is somewhere around $25 and vanilla beans are around $1 a piece. Plus, if you get cute little bottles, these would make perfect presents for the foodie in your life (Note: there is a 6 week infusion period, so if you start a batch now, it would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!)
2. Maple Syrup. Yes, I live in Upstate NY, so I’ve always appreciated (real) maple syrup…but lately, I have really taken the plunge. I’ve been using it as a replacement for regular sugars in recipes (like these carrot muffins) and adding it in my coffee smoothies or hot tea.
3. Ninja Blender… Farmer Ben and I got a Ninja Blender as a Christmas/house-warming present (did I mention that we moved in November?) and I cannot tell you how much I love it. We’ve had it just over a week and I have used it almost every day. I’ve made two kinds of nut butter, pumpkin smoothies, carrot muffins… the possibilities are endless!
4. Healthy Skoop products. Remember when I did that review for their B-Strong protein powder? Well, I liked to so much that I decided to become a skoop retailer. Did you know that for every serving of Skoop sold, a serving of fruit and veggies is donated to a school lunch program? Pretty awesome, right? You can check out my shop here. AND, if you use the code cheers25 you can get 25% off your entire order from now until January 4.
5. Homemade deodorant…I sweat a lot… And a lot of natural deodorants don’t really work. But, I’m determined to find one that does. I used this recipe (is that the right word when applied to deodorant making?) I’ve only been using it for a couple of days, so I will keep you posted on the pit situation. To date, no crazy rashes or burning, and Farmer Ben doesn’t mind sitting next to me, so that’s a good sign!
Speaking of Farmer Ben, he turns 32 today! Happy birthday Darlin’, I love you!
Your turn: What are you obsessed with (eating) lately?!
Carrot Pear Muffins
Posted: December 15, 2014 Filed under: Food, Health and Wellness, Holidays, Local Food, Recipe | Tags: healthy recipe. easy recipe. one bowl, muffins, recipe, siggis 3 CommentsHi Friends! Happy Monday!
I don’t know about you, but all of the sweets hanging around the office are really starting to catch up with me. That being said, Farmer Ben and I had a day off together yesterday and decided to do… a lot of baking. Typical
After making some boozey cookies, I wanted to make something quasi-healthy. We had some yogurt and a pear in the fridge that we had forgotten about, so I perused the internet to find a recipe that I wouldn’t feel guilty while baking eating.
I ended up using this recipe… kind of (I am really bad at following directions). I am also super lazy and put all of the ingredients into one bowl. Yes, ONE bowl.
Note: These are NOT sweet muffins. They have some sweetness, but I would classify them as more of a breakfast on the run OR a snack, especially if you add a dollop of nut butter.
If you’d like them sweet, I would up the amount of maple syrup to 1/2 or 3/4 of a cup.
The siggi’s website has a lot of really great recipes, if you’re looking for something different, check them out!
Carrot-Pear Muffins with Skyr
What you’ll need:
About 2 Cups grated carrots (I threw mine in the ninja)
1/3 cup maple syrup (the REAL stuff, please!)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 splash vanilla extract
2 eggs
½ cup plain yogurt (I love siggis plain skyr)
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbs Flax seed meal
2 Tbs Hemp Seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground ginger
1 pinch sea salt
1 pear, chopped (an apple would also work well)
What to do:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease really well.
In a large bowl, mix all of your wet ingredients (including carrots, excluding pear). Fold in your dry ingredients until well combined.
Mix in chopped pear (Note: the batter is going to be pretty thick, don’t worry).
Pour into prepared muffin tin.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean).
Let cool and enjoy!
What are you baking these days?
Disclaimer: I am a siggi’s Culture Club Ambassador, but all opinions, per usual, are my own.
Interested in being a siggi’s ambassador? Send me an email for some info.
Creamy Dreamy Dip
Posted: January 21, 2014 Filed under: Confessions, Entertaining, Food, Recipe | Tags: appetizer, blender, Cabot, cheddar cheese, cheese, cheese spread, Cream Cheese, Creamy Cheesy, easy recipe, organic valley, party food, recipe, spread Leave a commentHi Friends!
Happy Tuesday! I figured I’d stop in and share my latest obsession: Creamy Cheesy Dip/Spread (made in about 5 minutes with a blender). Seriously… I think I’ve made this dip about 5 times in the last month (3 times for social gatherings and 2 times just because I couldn’t stop thinking about it). I make it a little differently each time, but this way seems to be my favorite.
And if you have these ingredients… how can you go wrong, really?!
This is super easy to make and can be made with so many different flavor combinations… serve it with some sliced baguette, a good dip chip or some veggies… I’m also loving it as a spread on sandwiches.
Sorry for the lack of photos… but I didn’t think that blended cheese would photograph well.
Noelle’s Creamy Dreamy (cheesy) Dip:
*adapted from a cream cheese box–I can’t find it on the Organic Valley website or I would link it for you.*
- 1 package cream cheese, softened.
- 1 (8 oz) brick cheddar cheese (I am a big fan of Cabot Extra Sharp)
- 8 oz. Plain Greek Yogurt/Sour Cream
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tsp. onion powder or chives.
- 2-3 tsp. smoky paprika
- a pinch of sea salt
- a few good cranks of black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon (optional)
Grate your cheddar cheese.
Add all ingredients into food processor/blender–EXCEPT your cream cheese and lemon juice. Pulse until everything is chopped/well combined.
Add in remaining ingredients and pulse for a few more minutes until everything is incorporated.
Scrape into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for an hour or so before serving–this allows the flavors to really come together.
Want to add in some veggies? Throw in some broccoli, spinach or kale.
This dip is real good. Please try it!
Scenes from a Long Weekend-Part II: Garden Eats
Posted: September 4, 2013 Filed under: Entertaining, Food, Gardening, Holidays, Local Food, Recipe | Tags: bruschetta, cooking, dinner, easy recipe, Food, gardening, goat cheese, healthy-living, local food, recipe, saranac lake, summer food, tomato bruschetta, vegetables, vegetarian, veggies 2 CommentsIn my last post, Dad, Eileen, Gary and I were in Saranac Lake getting our local food on… I managed to pick up a few goodies….
After bringing Farmer Ben a surprise coffee, I took Gary and my Dad for a long walk on a bike path by the lake. It was hot…and sticky.
I then rushed home to clean-up and make some more delicious eats….
Here is what I whipped up….
Avocado-Tomato Bruschetta
What you’ll need:
- 1 baguette…preferably local
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling on bread
- 2 large tomatoes (or 3-4 small-medium)
- 15 fresh basil leaves (approximately)
- 1 tbsp. or a splash of balsamic vinegar
- Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
- 1 avocado
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Mince garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic. Stir…cook garlic until it softens-do NOT let burn. This won’t take long. Pour garlic and oil into a metal mixing bowl and set aside.
- Chop/dice tomatoes (this will be depend on how big you want your chunks to be–side note: chunks is not an appetizing word.) Add to mixing bowl with garlic and oil.
- Also, if you don’t want soupy bruschetta, drain some of the juices before adding to bowl.
- Chop basil. (tip: stack some leaves on top of each other, roll them length-wise and slice into thin strips) Add to mixing bowl.
- Add in remaining balsamic, salt and pepper and stir. Set aside
- Slice baguette on the diagonal into 1/4 -1/2 inch slices. Place on baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Place in oven and let brown. Meanwhile, dice up your avocado and add to the bruschetta mixture–do NOT do this until ready to serve.
- Remove toasted baguette from oven and top with bruschetta mixture.
If you’re feeling extra naughty, grate some parmesan over the top.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Garden Delight Pasta
(Or…trying to use up all the veggies on your counter/in the fridge pasta)
What You’ll Need:
- 1 lb whole wheat pasta (I used angel hair)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (or 1/2 a giant onion like I used…), diced
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 medium eggplant, chopped
- 6 large kale leaves, sliced (I just ripped it up)
- 2 large Swiss Chard Leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped (about 1-2 tbsp.)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 large tomato, chopped (or, if you have leftover bruschetta mix, that will work too!)
- 3 oz. goat cheese (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
What to do:
- Heat water for pasta and cook according to package
- While your water is boiling….
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add in onion, until it starts to soften.
- Add in zucchini and eggplant, stirring occasionally, be careful not to let veggies stick/burn. Reduce heat to medium low. (This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on your veggies/size of pan)
- Add in Swiss chard and kale, cover and let wilt. Stirring occasionally.
- Stir in cooked and drained pasta (it should be hot) and mix in remaining ingredients.
Remove from heat and Serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings.
Favorite seasonal meal? How do you use up all of your leftover veggies? Goat cheese in pasta, yes or no?
Stay Tuned for Scenes…Part 3!
Squash Mystery Solved
Posted: August 8, 2013 Filed under: Food, Fun, Gardening, Growing, Local Food | Tags: cooking, cross breeding, Farmer Ben, Food, gardening, growing plants, local food, mystery, produce, pumpkins, recipe, scallop squash, squash 2 CommentsFolks,
Mystery solved. We’ve got pumpkins… These are the first of many…although none of them really look alike. We also have what we think is a scallop squash and an albino pumpkin. Cross-breeding in action?
Sigh, I think we’re going to be making a lot of cookies and pie…
Happy Thursday!
What are you growing? Any mystery plants in your garden? Have any good pumpkin recipes to share?
Fresh Picked Plates-July
Posted: July 18, 2013 Filed under: Beliefs, Food, Gardening, Health and Wellness, Local Food, Random | Tags: beet greens, breakfast, cheese, cooking, dinner, easy meals, Farmer Ben, Food, fresh food, garden foods, gardening, goat cheese, greens salad, health and wellness, healthy-living, local food, meal inspiration, recipe, soba noodle salad, veggies 1 CommentI love local food…especially when it’s coming straight out of the garden or from a farm down the road.
Even though the growing season has been slowed down with all the rain, we’ve been very blessed with loads of arugula, radishes, swiss chard, beets and beet greens, chives, scallions, cilantro and lettuce. We’ve also been picking up beans, carrots and other veggies, along with local meats, eggs and cheeses at the market or our co-op.
My favorites (potatoes, tomatoes and peppers) are coming along and I can’t wait… we’re also going to have a squash and bean surplus…perfect for the freezer!
Anyway, here is a peek at how we’ve been using up all of our greens lately (please forgive my less than stellar photography skills):
I was on a butternut crust pizza kick a few weeks ago:
But we always love our giant salads…

Cold soba noodle salad over greens (salad has green beans, green tomatoes, peppers, scallions, cilantro)
And we’ve had a few other tasty hot meals:

Local Pepper stuffed with barbecue pinto and adzuki beans, black rice, local cheddar and topped with chives.
And here are some of my meals I’ve been packing for breakfast/lunch:

Beets, Swiss Chard, Beet greens, carrots, cilantro, mint, scallions, grilled veggies, a local burger and pecans with a roasted garlic vinaigrette

Swiss Chard rolls with rice, dill, garlic and lemon juice, big green/beet salad

Green pepper stuffed with rice, and local chicken sausage, eggs, onion, and eggplant
What about you? What’s your go-to summer meal? What’s been on your plate lately?
Um, What are you Drinking?
Posted: June 20, 2013 Filed under: Food, Health and Wellness | Tags: almond breeze, almond milk, blender drinks, chia seeds, cocco rizzo cooler, coconut milk, easy recipe, Eat & Run, Food, recipe, rice milk, scott jurek, vegan, vegan drink 6 CommentsI finished Eat & Run by Scott Jurek.
Awesome book. Great story-telling, interesting (and tasty!) recipes. Great information. In all honesty, I probably would have finished it in a day or two, but my schedule hasn’t allowed for much down time…regardless, I enjoyed it…I’ll probably end up buying this book.
Am I going to immediately go vegan now that I’ve read it? No.
But I will be adding a lot of his recipes to my current rotation. Scott’s “Holy Moly Guacamole?!” Anytime, anywhere. I whipped up a batch the other night…Farmer Ben and I had devoured it by the next day!
After last night’s run, I made a little refresher Scott named the “Coco Rizzo Cooler.”
This drink is surprisingly light and not-too sweet with just a hint of coconut. The chia seeds add a fun texture. Scott recommends this for before, after or during a long run. I don’t know if I’d drink it during…but it is tasty for an after run treat. It’s got some really good stuff in it!
I had a serving this morning in place of my usual coffee pick-me-up.
The really good thing about this is that it’s great on it’s own…but I can see it being equally delicious with a variety of other ingredients (crushed ice and rum, maybe?)…experiment!
It’s not very pretty, but it’s fun!
Anyway, I didn’t have the exact ingredients…so here’s my version:
Coco Rizzo Cooler
Adapted from Eat & Run
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup plain cooked rice (I used jasmine)
- *1 cup almond-coconut milk (I always get Blue Diamond’s Unsweetened Variety)
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. chia seeds
*The original recipe called for coconut milk… either way, be sure to read the label. Buy the milk, NOT the drink.
What to do:
- Combine all ingredients except the chia seeds in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. (I had a few chunky bits because I overfilled my blender and had the beginnings of a Coco Rizzo disaster…oops.)
- Pour into a large container that has an airtight lid (I used two giant mason jars), add the chia seeds and give it a good shake.
- Keep refrigerated. Serve chilled and shake again before drinking.
Can be poured into a glass or bottle, if you are on the run. Makes 4-5 servings.
Enjoy!
Cinnamon Bun Cake
Posted: June 12, 2013 Filed under: Food, Recipe | Tags: breakfast, Butter, cake, cinnamon bun, cinnamon roll, cinnamon swirl, cupcake, dessert, dessert cake, desserts, frosting, frosting recipe, maple syrup, mascarpone, recipe, sugar 2 CommentsOh boy… this cake is sinful. And comforting…can something be sinful and comforting at the same time? If this cake is any indication, then yes….It’s like a warm hug from your great, great aunt…followed by a slap in the face…does that make sense? Or maybe I have that backward…
The cake is fluffy…like a pancake, but the cinnamon swirl adds pretty marbling and buttery goodness…enough buttery goodness to satisfy old school Paula Deen. The frosting is just the right amount of sweet and creamy.
Sidenote: This was actually made as a sample dessert…my amazing friends are getting married at the end of the summer and I am lucky enough to be doing their wedding dessert (cake wasn’t the only option).
I followed this recipe… mostly. I didn’t have any cupcake liners, so I used two 8 inch rounds, I also cut the sugar in half, made a couple of ingredient additions and substitutions and used my own frosting recipe (which has drastically less sugar).
The frosting recipe is a little more complicated than a regular frosting, but it is so worth the extra step or two. Trust me.
Also, please see my notes on the frosting regarding quantity and sweetness.
By popular demand, here is my version.
Cinnamon Bun Cake
Adapted from Every Craving, via Tasty Kitchen (see link above)
Ingredients:
FOR THE CUPCAKE:
- 2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
- 2-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon smoked Salt
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 1 scant cup sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
FOR THE CINNAMON SWIRL:
- 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1/3 cups Brown Sugar
- 1-½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoons Salt
*NOTE: I followed the original recipe instructions for the swirl, but it made too much… so I am cutting it in half to save your insulin levels.
FOR THE FROSTING*:
- 8 oz (I think) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 8 oz. Mascarpone, room temperature
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
- 3/4 cups Confectioners Sugar**
- A splash Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup (please use the real stuff to avoid breaking my heart!)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
*Note: This makes more frosting than you’ll need. I would suggest dividing your frosting into two dishes then adding the maple syrup and cinnamon to one, saving the other half for a different dessert (mixed with crushed up Newman O’s, or on red velvet cake? Anyone?)… OR you can just half this recipe…I know mascarpone is a bit fancy for a regular old cake, but trust me, it’s worth it.
**Second Note: You’ve probably figured out that I am not a huge super sweet frosting fan..so adjust to your taste.
What to do:
Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease two 8 in round cake pans and set aside.
Make the Cinnamon Swirl
- Melt butter in a small-medium sized bowl over double-boiler. Once melted, remove from heat.
- Stir in cinnamon, sugar and salt until smooth. Set aside.
Make the cake
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl (I use my trusty pastry blender for this…you can also use a mixer).
- Beat in eggs, one at a time (If using the pastry blender, switch to a solid serving spoon or rubber spatula for beating).
- Stir in vanilla and sour cream.
- Beat in milk and flour mixture, adding a little of each at a time until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- This is going to make a pretty thick batter. That’s okay, don’t panic.
- Divide half of the batter into each of the prepared pans.
- Give the cinnamon swirl a quick stir and lightly drizzle 1/3 of it over batter.
- Divide the rest of the batter into each pan and, using a rubber spatula, spread evenly. Drizzle 1/3 of the cinnamon swirl over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- Whip cream to soft peaks, place in refrigerator/set aside.
- Place mascarpone and cream cheese in stand mixer with whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until combined and smooth.
- Beat in vanilla and add in powdered sugar, a little at a time, until completely incorporated.
- Fold in whipped cream by hand (I use a rubber spatula)
- *Refrigerate until ready to use. *See note above.
- Right before frosting, add in remaining ingredients.
- Frost your cake, top with remaining cinnamon swirl.
Happy Wednesday!
PS. How to use up the leftover frosting, two ways:

Fruit, cookie and whipped frosting parfait