tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52885012594075510622024-02-08T00:55:36.617-05:00Figs and GingerKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-43203311963804581372010-11-02T15:34:00.016-04:002010-11-02T18:00:14.031-04:00Feta Cornbread Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsC_WZquKwYnBu_lZUCHc2qqG7zb6rl6nmG0J-JzclcASWfcDdROrwN7ksSqiIFCEAFBZSWNvjWu_96hyphenhyphenw1wVObmHRCucTH_9lXHkWNV_kZFLgFoFckUXaVcDf3jisGe68UJOuvbaOGYs/s1600/cornbread2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsC_WZquKwYnBu_lZUCHc2qqG7zb6rl6nmG0J-JzclcASWfcDdROrwN7ksSqiIFCEAFBZSWNvjWu_96hyphenhyphenw1wVObmHRCucTH_9lXHkWNV_kZFLgFoFckUXaVcDf3jisGe68UJOuvbaOGYs/s320/cornbread2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535063983389399314" border="0" /></a><br />The gas stove in our home hasn't been working. It won't start, and I'll have to wait for my dad to come home this weekend to fix it. My mom can make the stove start by lighting the stove with a match (only 5 left!) while simultaneously turning the stove on, but it's too much an effort for me to try. So for the past few days for lunch, I have been eating either cold foods or foods cooked in the oven or toaster oven. It's a wonder how many foods don't require the stove.<br /><br />Yesterday I ate spaghetti squash roasted in the oven, then forked into a casserole bowl and then baked again until the top was browned and crisp. Today I had leftover cold lentil salad with toast, not to mention a lot of leftover Halloween candy. (Off topic, but did you know Milky Way and 3 Musketeers taste delicious frozen, like cold milkshakes.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiXH_tg5bOwekota0NR2tebV20u7N3PWRhAnQ97XyVM7VtyAfWyJHGOo32klO8Wm3RYKCZjHLTOgm6D0k1MqCa60mhLm5n1lswPnArmqHXNt7gp3XbmpqbQm1sS8JvYIv0QRSKLNvKzs/s1600/cornbread+4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiXH_tg5bOwekota0NR2tebV20u7N3PWRhAnQ97XyVM7VtyAfWyJHGOo32klO8Wm3RYKCZjHLTOgm6D0k1MqCa60mhLm5n1lswPnArmqHXNt7gp3XbmpqbQm1sS8JvYIv0QRSKLNvKzs/s320/cornbread+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535063754740314386" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />This afternoon, I decided to make feta cornbread muffins. They're moist corn muffins studded with crumbled bits of feta. The feta gives a bite to the muffin while the garlic powder provides the muffin with another dimension of flavor. They're delicious cold, savory with firm bits of feta, and even better warm, with melted strings of feta.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1X8wKF6MFt_1N26pGYh5dl56oQsqRSuy_dWQlOZFkCRYxQc4-0_pucgOLXIkJUjclQk_6nA9jNjkiu4A3tKyN6RBVvAeZpzV7iZgEPUPdY9uKXfuLHNyINTt9aKIY3QRGJVTqLg-4qs/s1600/cornbread1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1X8wKF6MFt_1N26pGYh5dl56oQsqRSuy_dWQlOZFkCRYxQc4-0_pucgOLXIkJUjclQk_6nA9jNjkiu4A3tKyN6RBVvAeZpzV7iZgEPUPdY9uKXfuLHNyINTt9aKIY3QRGJVTqLg-4qs/s320/cornbread1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535057826334670226" border="0" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Feta Cornbread Muffins</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/2 cup cornmeal<br />1 Tbs baking powder<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span>1/2 tsp salt<br />1/4 tsp oregano<br />1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />1 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled<br />3 Tbs canola oil<br />1 egg<br />1 cup milk (I used skim)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Directions<br /></span>1. Preheat oven to 400 F.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through cheese).<br />3. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (oil through milk).<br />4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.<br />5. Fill muccin cups with about 3/4 full with batter.<br />6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes clean.<br />7. Makes about 12-14 muffins.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-38387091547997531862010-10-31T18:08:00.013-04:002010-10-31T19:31:36.223-04:00Chili in Pumpkin Bowls<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27vCehZQk2S5yAM9ozl37o_lpOZ4ThO3QAElc0eIl3uo6arjkUAZTQfHadfiqHQdoWL5QlKUpoPDi4z9HanIgZRs44B5h4YAXCAxa4_aT1sKDUoiEey2pTD2jFtK6oJxcp7Q_tie1Pg0/s1600/pumpkin.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27vCehZQk2S5yAM9ozl37o_lpOZ4ThO3QAElc0eIl3uo6arjkUAZTQfHadfiqHQdoWL5QlKUpoPDi4z9HanIgZRs44B5h4YAXCAxa4_aT1sKDUoiEey2pTD2jFtK6oJxcp7Q_tie1Pg0/s320/pumpkin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534350237379634754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>At the beginning of fall, way back in early-September, I had garnered quite a collection of pumpkin recipes to try this fall. I'd been fairly excited about this collection and had to use some willpower to wait until fall actually started to try the recipes.<br /><br />Well, I've been crossing pumpkin recipes left and right on my list, and unfortunately they've been one disappointment after another. First was the pumpkin pie brownie cupcakes that had me drooling as I read the ingredients and came out tasting a bit like rubber sprinkled with cinnamon. Then came the pumpkin whoopie pies whose texture reminded me of a sponge, only mushier and softer. There was that promising pumpkin blondie that seemed like the epitome of a pumpkin desert, with added pecans and a copious amount of pumpkin pie spice, and turned out strangely pliable and bendable, and not in a good way.<br /><br />Then on another blog, I caught sight of chili put inside a pumpkin bowl. The pumpkin was scooped out, cleaned, then baked before adding the chili, making the pumpkin edible, something you scoop along with a spoonful of hot chili. There was something about the idea of putting something hot and savory inside a pumpkin to be eaten together that made me bookmark the page and write the recipe on my "Pumpkin Recipes to Try" list.<br /><br />And in the spirit of Halloween, I decided to make this recipe tonight for my mom and me. Strangely, my confidence was not dampened by my long string of failed pumpkin recipes. How can anyone go wrong with putting chili inside of a pumpkin?<br /><br />For this recipe, I tried a vegetarian black bean chili recipe that I've been eying for quite a time and used the pumpkin picked by my sister at a farm. The chili was delicious scooped with soft pieces of pumpkin and sprinkled with crunchy tortilla chips. It was hot and filling, with just a kick of heat from the peppers and chili powder. The savory of the chili blended in perfectly with the slightly sweet meat of the pumpkin. My mom and I shared a pumpkin bowl and scraped out the pumpkin, eating every last drop of the chili.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_kdx-mZ9ZhLhP-djTraGAZt3b-rcrLb1akBfet5VwyWDqlDwyHcJQNZ70L7FEgzAESxhux-r3P34fAPEHVZveqVHJysXxo9DI7mvSRqq-ArPVtB2am4vp8BUuRky3wzd6CyzPPCPOI8/s1600/Halloween+2010+010.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_kdx-mZ9ZhLhP-djTraGAZt3b-rcrLb1akBfet5VwyWDqlDwyHcJQNZ70L7FEgzAESxhux-r3P34fAPEHVZveqVHJysXxo9DI7mvSRqq-ArPVtB2am4vp8BUuRky3wzd6CyzPPCPOI8/s320/Halloween+2010+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534350110221904498" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Bean Chili in Pumpkin Bowls</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>3 mini pumpkins<br />2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 onion, chopped<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />3 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped<br />1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped<br />3 cans 15.5 oz black beans, drained and rinsed<br />1 can diced tomatoes, liquid included<br />1 tsp chili powder<br />1 tsp cumin<br />1 tsp kosher salt<br />1/2 tsp oregano<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Directions</span><br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />2. Take mini pumpkins and slice the top off about 3/4 of the way up. Scoop out insides of the pumpkin using a grapefruit spoon.<br />3. Brush insides with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper.<br />4. Put pumpkins, without their tops, on a large baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. While they're roasting in the oven, make the chili.<br />5. Heat oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat.<br />6. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent.<br />7. Add the peppers and saute until tender.<br />8. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Add some water or broth if you like your chili slightly soupy.<br />9. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick.<br />10. Remove pumpkins from oven and fill the bowls 3/4 way full with chili.<br />11. Place pumpkins back into the oven, without their tops, and bake for another 30 minutes.<br />12. Once cooked, turn off oven and leave pumpkins in the oven with lid on to stay warm. They will stay hot in the oven for another hour if necessary.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-73200074916985278732010-10-17T19:16:00.012-04:002010-10-24T19:44:54.594-04:00Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2SPNLRVg9OhCsTJCyDa7zwlH62fl0BHkRTxQ685r_cbJGAztTuGooFFSEZpgVEUiviiOfpoUWHroPsaMyq_IEpNrhkLtIm0e-0s63FTZvfNrhJeLj3BMr2nvM6Pj_54ykoG6R4c-MQI/s1600/muffin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2SPNLRVg9OhCsTJCyDa7zwlH62fl0BHkRTxQ685r_cbJGAztTuGooFFSEZpgVEUiviiOfpoUWHroPsaMyq_IEpNrhkLtIm0e-0s63FTZvfNrhJeLj3BMr2nvM6Pj_54ykoG6R4c-MQI/s320/muffin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531760352012454162" border="0" /></a><br />How is it already late-October? It seems just yesterday I went for a swim in the neighborhood pool under the piping hot sun. Now, I'm sitting snugly by the computer, clutching a mug of hot tea while outside, the wind blows the trees into a bow. Cloudy gray skies have replaced the brilliantly blue ones; the once verdant leaves are now a mosaic of yellow, brown, and red. I threw together a rough list of things I want to do and eat this fall.<br /><br />Things to Do and Eat This Fall<br />1. pumpkins! (boy do I have a lot of pumpkin recipes to try)<br />2. dark nail polish<br />3. soups and stews<br />4. butternut squash<br />5. long walks around my neighborhood<br />6. sweatpants<br />7. kale<br /><br />I wanted to make a dent in my pumpkin recipe collection and was going to share a pumpkin pie brownie cupcake that was vegan, to boot. However, the cupcake didn't work. It just tasted so...blah. The brownie batter was rubbery and tasted only faintly of chocolate. The pumpkin layer on top was okay, but actually tasted better raw.<br /><br />I decided to put aside my pumpkin recipes for now, anyways, and try cinnamon apple cupcakes. The original recipe is actually a coffee cake, but I decided to make cupcakes instead. That way, I can cut the recipe in half and make smaller portions. These cinnamon apple cupcakes are pretty good. They're moist with the cream cheese and speckled with chunks of apples. Cinnamon sugar is sprinkled on top, creating a slightly crunchy top layer. It's not something I'd make again, but today, when I made a failed mushroom risotto and the dirty dishes piled in the kitchen sink, one of those cupcakes kind of hit the spot.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes</span><br />adapted from <span style="font-style: italic;">Cookinglight</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />1 3/4 cups sugar, divided<br />1/2 cup stick butter, softened<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />6 ounces block-style cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)<br />2 large eggs<br />1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />3 cups chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 large)<br />Cooking spray<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <p>1. Preheat oven to 350°.</p><p>2. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.</p><p>3. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.</p><p>4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.</p><p>Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan; just reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.</p> </div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-71274606184180310192010-04-16T11:58:00.015-04:002010-04-18T10:37:46.555-04:00Friday I'm in Love<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">For seven days, I'm keeping a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-i-eat.html">food journal of what I eat daily</a>. This is day five.</span><br /><br />Friday nights are a festive time in my family. My father and sister come home, and we usually eat better than we do on weekdays when it's only my mom and me. Today my mom made xian bing, or Chinese meat pies for dinner.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY54sVPnNLsdr0UOIUpmj4Kj396nQda7vH8OdOja-tUi4eYZPk9samm-YNjGgbC_cpjhe6XsCVKJUt0hanicORN5vICJ54jf0byWIliaDS1JxVAOaBrX2u_ir7M_ItJR1gxkKW_Ml1Yzk/s1600/SDC11680.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY54sVPnNLsdr0UOIUpmj4Kj396nQda7vH8OdOja-tUi4eYZPk9samm-YNjGgbC_cpjhe6XsCVKJUt0hanicORN5vICJ54jf0byWIliaDS1JxVAOaBrX2u_ir7M_ItJR1gxkKW_Ml1Yzk/s320/SDC11680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461483242538592770" border="0" /></a><br /></div>For the filling we used fresh chives from our herb garden. The chives were really the star in this dish, with their sweet, mild onion taste. Dipping them in Chinese rice vinegar, the xian bing was delicious, as expected.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5mGSlI6rFYo7aChkJjRlcGVziPrm1yuGYPAyU8qFi7XserWAHnyIRnqqCo6X1aFzVkvykH4-UwoouxnVd1DKmrnYUnw-w5UOPwXz98QTRJdTJBHXRMJcj1aUJjrIN-xgGQGpNiwaEO0/s1600/SDC11678.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5mGSlI6rFYo7aChkJjRlcGVziPrm1yuGYPAyU8qFi7XserWAHnyIRnqqCo6X1aFzVkvykH4-UwoouxnVd1DKmrnYUnw-w5UOPwXz98QTRJdTJBHXRMJcj1aUJjrIN-xgGQGpNiwaEO0/s320/SDC11678.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461483565343010306" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><br />BREAKFAST: bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">granola</a><br />MORNING SNACK: a glass of <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-two.html">green smoothie</a> and a piece of dark chocolate<br />LUNCH: ravioli with tomato sauce and a kit kat bar<br />SNACK I: strawberries<br />SNACK II: tortilla chips and salsa<br />DINNER: one and a half <a href="http://stiwyd.blogspot.com/2009/03/xian-bing-chinese-meat-pies.html">xian bing</a>, or Chinese meat pies and polentaKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-28815383526264635012010-04-15T12:10:00.010-04:002010-04-17T18:48:24.042-04:00Halfway Through<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKixGbIkC-b32hMwzQT9HYhl7pAPiKHKJZcT0mYcVaSzJIMqMew-9OS0NBoytTJQgA89qsnzRMGQbt_7aEae79DKO5pKrfF4xaYxhyrXYxUBnbQLxADjoxYoDm5Ej9Zzu8rlvjNeJigk8/s1600/SDC11628.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKixGbIkC-b32hMwzQT9HYhl7pAPiKHKJZcT0mYcVaSzJIMqMew-9OS0NBoytTJQgA89qsnzRMGQbt_7aEae79DKO5pKrfF4xaYxhyrXYxUBnbQLxADjoxYoDm5Ej9Zzu8rlvjNeJigk8/s320/SDC11628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461240924296057058" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />For seven days, I'm keeping a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-i-eat.html">food journal of what I eat daily</a>. This is day four.</span><br /><br />I am somewhat beginning to regret having started this experiment of sorts. I eat the same breakfast and morning snack everyday, a light lunch, and stir-fry for dinner. I'm sure some of my readers now read my blog with glazed-over eyes. But now that it's day four, we're halfway through, and it's too late to quit. After all, I started this experiment, and damn it, I'm going to finish it. So hang on with me. I can see the finish line. Here's what I ate today.<br /><br />BREAKFAST: a bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and<a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html"> granola</a><br />EARLY MORNING SNACK: a glass of <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-two.html">green smoothie</a><br />LATE MORNING SNACK: a French yogurt cupcake, a piece of dark chocolate, and three slices of baked tofu<br />LUNCH: baked sweet potato<br />SNACK I: grapes and strawberries<br />SNACK II: peanut butter and jelly toast; small plate of ravioli<br />SNACK III: a piece of dark chocolate; tortilla chips and salsa<br />DINNER: pollock stir fry with broccoli<br />DESSERT: a piece of dark chocolateKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-19641828973343983252010-04-14T12:48:00.017-04:002010-04-17T17:56:58.393-04:00Cheese Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyx7hCK6MPymxPRkZ84WwVIHQqNp8i8RK-IGCiWATwvclBab6hvHuWrZNseRDbEIF1qekBJwuJVr0AKINOehenGW7mADzGqLDw-6jDbI-PelWWisgMneFktcHnxf2s5L51UVfiOEiHj4/s1600/SDC11665.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyx7hCK6MPymxPRkZ84WwVIHQqNp8i8RK-IGCiWATwvclBab6hvHuWrZNseRDbEIF1qekBJwuJVr0AKINOehenGW7mADzGqLDw-6jDbI-PelWWisgMneFktcHnxf2s5L51UVfiOEiHj4/s320/SDC11665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461225302228086210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />For seven days, I'm keeping a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-i-eat.html">food journal of what I eat daily</a>. This is day three.<br /><br /></span>I woke up late today and came downstairs to my usual breakfast of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">granola</a>. Then, a while later (okay, ten minutes), I had my usual morning snack of a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-two.html">green smoothie</a>. Since I didn't have a lunch planned, I decided to bake some cheese muffins and see what leftovers I have in the refrigerator to throw together a quick lunch. After the muffins were ready, I dug in. They were delicious, the cheese salty and savory, almost melting into the muffins. So I ate six of them and called it lunch. Here's what else I ate today.<br /><br />BREAKFAST: a bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">granola</a><br />MORNING SNACK: a glass of <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-two.html">green smoothie</a><br />LUNCH: 6 cheese muffins (recipe below)<br />AFTERNOON SNACK: a plate of strawberries and grapes; a piece of dark chocolate<br />DINNER: none (wasn't hungry.)<br /><br />****<br /><br />Cheese Muffins<br />from <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/">Pioneer Woman</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /></span>1 1/2 cups flour<br />1 1/2 tablespoons sugar<br />1 tablespoon baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoonsalt<br />3 cups shredded colby-jack chese<br />1 cup milk<br />1 egg<br />1/4 cup melted butter (salted)<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span>1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin tins.<br />2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.<br />3. Stir in cheese.<br />4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together.<br />5. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.<br />6. Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.<br /><br />Yield: 12<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-1587621594377459652010-04-13T12:26:00.016-04:002010-04-17T17:55:17.381-04:00Repetition, Repetition, Repetition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oh_Qbq2d3Y0hFKkmRNun2tqq87d3_W7NLrtbHdFcxYefHLk9sCbu11Efcqgj7lwRoSu4PVLMZDG7QEUTTGaNl2dtQqSGjPov1bGe6FIk2l5YS9WWohGmPkN83_YB3v0sphm4EcGe_7Y/s1600/SDC10991.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oh_Qbq2d3Y0hFKkmRNun2tqq87d3_W7NLrtbHdFcxYefHLk9sCbu11Efcqgj7lwRoSu4PVLMZDG7QEUTTGaNl2dtQqSGjPov1bGe6FIk2l5YS9WWohGmPkN83_YB3v0sphm4EcGe_7Y/s320/SDC10991.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461224462649621938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />For seven days, I'm keeping a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-i-eat.html">food journal of what I eat daily</a>. This is day two.</span><br /><br />I have no idea how this happened, but I ate the exact same breakfast, lunch, and dinner as yesterday. And I had four afternoons snacks. That's right. Four. Here is what I ate today.<br /><br />BREAKFAST: a bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">granola</a> and a baked (in the microwave; I know, I know) sweet potato<br />MORNING SNACK: green smoothie (recipe below)<br />LUNCH: <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-one.html">veggie grilled cheese sandwich</a>, two almond cookies<br />SNACK I: a bowl of grapes<br />SNACK II: a plate of strawberries<br />SNACK III: a slice of smoked gouda cheese, one sweet potato, and one <a href="http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_kid_twisted_fruit/">CLIF kids twisted fruit rope</a><br />SNACK IV: a piece of dark chocolate<br />DINNER: a plate of pork stir fry with broccoli, tomatoes, and onions<br />DESSERT: a bowl of ice cream and two pieces of dark chocolate<br /><br />****<br /><br />GREEN SMOOTHIE<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />1 banana<br />1 orange or apple<br />1/4 cup frozen strawberries<br />a handful of spinach (give or take)<br /><br />1. Combine all ingredients in blender or <a href="http://www.buythebullet.com/">magic bullet</a> and blend until smooth.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-44982097019437978502010-04-12T11:57:00.021-04:002010-04-17T17:34:15.665-04:00The first day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ4rMuaUb6-cLJZT5fXvkpCWKPVlZpHSAK-fQko0Vb6BmMfg19VU3h5kQVOFogRl8XZjBGYIfvQzNQFS9VuMjg48rPsHx9vmGBRoHcRayEYCp_T4mOmT_JhgOxwTkPbr4W9xyNvbqGs8/s1600/SDC11654.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ4rMuaUb6-cLJZT5fXvkpCWKPVlZpHSAK-fQko0Vb6BmMfg19VU3h5kQVOFogRl8XZjBGYIfvQzNQFS9VuMjg48rPsHx9vmGBRoHcRayEYCp_T4mOmT_JhgOxwTkPbr4W9xyNvbqGs8/s320/SDC11654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461218886261963602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />For seven days, I'm keeping a <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-i-eat.html">food journal of what I eat daily</a>. This is day one.</span><br /><br />Before you read below and find out for yourself, I'll just straight-up tell you: I eat a lot of food. I try to consume wholesome, unprocessed foods, but once in a while, I'll throw the rules out the window and go munch on some candy. Although I am fond of all the meals, I have a special place in my heart for breakfast. On weekends my mom usually makes my family a leisurely breakfast, but on weekdays we all eat our own breakfasts. For the past three months, I've had the same breakfast every weekday: a bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">granola</a>. If it's possible to feel weary of eating the exact same breakfast everyday, I certainly haven't experienced it yet. Monotony, you may be boring but you sure taste good.<br /><br />Today, I had a refreshing three hour nap, missing lunch, so I ate lunch for snack. Then my mom came home and cooked a delicious meal of stir fry. After watching some "Dancing with the Stars," we called it a night.<br /><br />BREAKFAST: a bowl of plain yogurt with cereal and <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/03/begin-with-breakfast.html">homemade granola</a><br />MORNING SNACK: a glass of banana berry smoothie (recipe below) and 1 1/2 <a href="http://taverngreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/french-yogurt-cupcakes.html">French yogurt cupcake</a><br />LUNCH: nothing<br />EARLY AFTERNOON SNACK: grilled veggie cheese sandwich (recipe below), a plate of grapes, and a CLIF kids twisted fruit rope<br />LATE AFTERNOON SNACK: a slice of smoked gouda cheese and a piece of dark chocolate.<br />DINNER: a bowl of barley bean soup, a plate of pork stir fry with carrots and zucchini<br />DESSERT: a piece of dark chocolate and an almond cookie<br /><br />****<br /><br />BANANA BERRY SMOOTHIE<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span>:<br />1 banana<br />1 orange<br />1/4 cup frozen mixed berries<br />2 tablespoon ground flax seed<br />water<br /><br />1. Combine all ingredients in blender (I used <a href="http://www.buythebullet.com/">magic bullet</a>) and blend until smooth.<br /><br />****<br /><br />GRILLED VEGGIE CHEESE SANDWICH<br />adapted from<a href="http://postmodernfeeding.blogspot.com/"> Recipes for a Postmodern Planet</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /></span>1/4 cup shredded sweet onion<br />1/4 cup shredded carrot<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>1/4 cup shredded sweet potato<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>6 0z shredded swiss cheese<br />6 oz shredded cheddar cheese<br />6 slices whole wheat bread<br />shredded lettuce<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br />1. Combine onion, carrot, and sweet potato.<br />2. Divide the vegetables over three slices of bread.<br />3. Top with cheddar and swiss cheese.<br />4. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes.<br />5. Toast the remaining three slices of bread in a toaster oven<br />6. Top melted cheese with lettuce and top with remaining toasted bread.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-53909578660189219942010-04-11T17:17:00.008-04:002010-04-12T11:39:36.880-04:00What I eat<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Fnui9R4uVYynD-6IZWQAW65R95nKOaUfIsRwVmgo1k7YW1lbPsD33APKq24RQpdOkJRsjWivkEnU0YSQ4UL0HV-QCdhBpx2KbHmOFtwA_f_Mu1KITDWHGGGDMZLOYzjfpNY4SIfreho/s1600/SDC11640.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Fnui9R4uVYynD-6IZWQAW65R95nKOaUfIsRwVmgo1k7YW1lbPsD33APKq24RQpdOkJRsjWivkEnU0YSQ4UL0HV-QCdhBpx2KbHmOFtwA_f_Mu1KITDWHGGGDMZLOYzjfpNY4SIfreho/s320/SDC11640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008612789520418" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Here's something I'll freely admit: I love food. I love preparing food, reading about food, dreaming about food, and tasting the textures of good food. And just like how the sun shines down on some parts of Earth more than others, I prefer some food groups to others. Meat for one: never liked it. In fact, I eat mostly vegetarian with the occasional meat and only for convenience reasons. Dairy: I usually don't drink milk, but I love cheese and eat yogurt with granola and cereal every morning. Basically, if you take a look at what I eat, you'll see that I subsist on a diet consisting mostly of fruits, vegetables, and grains.<br /><br />When it comes to fats and sweets, I have this little quirk: I'm somewhat terrified of butter. I know that it's better than margarine, with its trans fats, but somehow the idea of this stick of pure animal fat makes me break out in a sweat. Once, my family went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my father's birthday. I ordered the Mexican tamales, and they were delicious- creamy, rich corn cakes. I went back home to look up the recipe and discovered I had just consumed 3/4 stick of butter. I almost passed out.<br /><br />It doesn't help that I have a sweet tooth and love desserts. I do make an effort to steer clear of butter, but once in a while we all need to throw caution to the wind and go ingest a stick of butter.<br /><br />For the next seven days, I decided to keep an online food journal of what I eat. I promise to include everything I put into my mouth from morning to night, but I can't guarantee it's always going to be pretty. I won't be including serving sizes since that takes the fun out of eating, and eating should always be fun. Let the adventure begin.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-48837160244199694962010-04-07T14:14:00.017-04:002010-04-07T19:18:06.696-04:00Tastes Like Spring<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXZ0qsiix9iVcDUTVHdadhEsHTFCIUNtbw6hMUebV-BuDsLq5G2KY7s051EvtM7WUDEUvg16FBWngI3m4KVbec22CjSIZRuu3ohQzxRul6cDYMHDvRl4QMzSu2l3BpLaMd4SSinVt6Kg/s1600/SDC11583.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXZ0qsiix9iVcDUTVHdadhEsHTFCIUNtbw6hMUebV-BuDsLq5G2KY7s051EvtM7WUDEUvg16FBWngI3m4KVbec22CjSIZRuu3ohQzxRul6cDYMHDvRl4QMzSu2l3BpLaMd4SSinVt6Kg/s320/SDC11583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457482447821753314" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />My favorite day of the year is the first day of spring. Not the <span style="font-style: italic;">official </span>first day of spring, whenever that is, but the first warm day of the new year; the first day after the long months of winter that you can go outside without your boots and winter hat. On that day, I can feel the heat warming into my bones and jolting me awake after the sleepy winter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmO_bUp6TCzWP1jTbeqzZRT8X9XX135WvC8-yNB_TIjgiYgZkAx2pS08EkcLB406MtT3auTAvq4R5j2LCckuCjKcXS0kgBugx7nANS8emYJFbj8Pn77IC4m32ZwQq4MARfIvSxjiHlmo/s1600/SDC11589.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmO_bUp6TCzWP1jTbeqzZRT8X9XX135WvC8-yNB_TIjgiYgZkAx2pS08EkcLB406MtT3auTAvq4R5j2LCckuCjKcXS0kgBugx7nANS8emYJFbj8Pn77IC4m32ZwQq4MARfIvSxjiHlmo/s320/SDC11589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457481989845184274" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Now, in April, after a slew of warm, even borderline hot days the novelty of warm days is gone. The first day of spring has long passed (or feels like it) and is stored in my memory with first-day-of-springs past.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyWbaLqs8DwWff3PK4jLWXhyphenhyphenMPCrhbyNK6DKfKnEM3rT2gX8-B2mfpBNLV-nPYeqCDEGhKLWGiCVIOKWKCWG_9xLzsr9osBrB70UY07Dc0DL_tjYClOtY-VJr4SP5K-RKei6IqUvlLwo/s1600/SDC11592.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyWbaLqs8DwWff3PK4jLWXhyphenhyphenMPCrhbyNK6DKfKnEM3rT2gX8-B2mfpBNLV-nPYeqCDEGhKLWGiCVIOKWKCWG_9xLzsr9osBrB70UY07Dc0DL_tjYClOtY-VJr4SP5K-RKei6IqUvlLwo/s320/SDC11592.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457482003557458242" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />As an ardent lover of spring, I have to admit something: I feel slightly cheated this year. Here in southeastern Pennsylvania, we went from grey skies to brilliant sunshine, from coats to t-shirts, from winter to seemingly summer. It's as if they skipped spring this year. I returned from a short walk and was shiny with sweat. I would expect this kind of behavior from June, July, August, maybe even May and September, but <span style="font-style: italic;">April? </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSsPBQkbjQZhD9549_EyhREjsjESnFMTaGqYzNlxygePD9jrBAtn1zht2KXz460d9eio9ZcVbTngy0NEU_nQsWY9r4qh4-4myV6vjUL0NkGkGjtqRCu0QXTOiHcqVYZDlVaur5Fxxa7U/s1600/SDC11585.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSsPBQkbjQZhD9549_EyhREjsjESnFMTaGqYzNlxygePD9jrBAtn1zht2KXz460d9eio9ZcVbTngy0NEU_nQsWY9r4qh4-4myV6vjUL0NkGkGjtqRCu0QXTOiHcqVYZDlVaur5Fxxa7U/s320/SDC11585.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457482000772069090" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />April, I don't know what to make out of you anymore. I wanted you to provide me with strawberries and asparagus, which you did (and thank you), but also sweatshirt weather. I wanted you to come down with your famed rain showers and send a cool wind our way. But you know I can't stay mad at you for long- your beauty and charms are too bewitching.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMavjlPVp1IGDa8NLvJc43ZxarwD7jI3LjqxFXCkd77nfmjd-cTFWwGUkQCInEKkP8PkJtoswX1Iz2vRq5Vfxw_3N1gD3ktlZ3XO-sYnoAAmdWE1-xFbsgvE_v-Wau_Cju9dVyRNQbPk/s1600/SDC11584.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMavjlPVp1IGDa8NLvJc43ZxarwD7jI3LjqxFXCkd77nfmjd-cTFWwGUkQCInEKkP8PkJtoswX1Iz2vRq5Vfxw_3N1gD3ktlZ3XO-sYnoAAmdWE1-xFbsgvE_v-Wau_Cju9dVyRNQbPk/s320/SDC11584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457482011199556402" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Even with April feigning summer, I go right on cooking spring foods. I read about rhubarb recipes online. We roast and saute fresh, tender asparagus. And I bake lemon yogurt cake. Since I couldn't find my cake pan, I decided to bake cupcakes instead. Light and airy, the cupcakes taste a bit like spring. You can make them with a lemon glaze, but I just ate them plain and they were delicious.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8qJZhpfW-z-f2X0X1jmMpccjmglW6JcAj5ghRrdJ6WSPxEqIREi9r9AeltsIQy-EgAJwhmjv_JTk92CGe_SN3rk1N5zGvvPjxU3pu_qDdQ_oYz9FbmEF9YmJVGZUBptNecTqqfw_8YI/s1600/SDC11595.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8qJZhpfW-z-f2X0X1jmMpccjmglW6JcAj5ghRrdJ6WSPxEqIREi9r9AeltsIQy-EgAJwhmjv_JTk92CGe_SN3rk1N5zGvvPjxU3pu_qDdQ_oYz9FbmEF9YmJVGZUBptNecTqqfw_8YI/s320/SDC11595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457481979636187122" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />****<br /><br />LEMON YOGURT CAKE (OR CUPCAKES)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cake Ingredients<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>1/2 cup plain yogurt<br />1 cup granulated sugar<br />3 large eggs<br />1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />2 tsp. baking powder<br />2 tsp. grated lemon zest<br />1/2 cup canola oil<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Glaze Ingredients<br /></span></span></span>Juice from lemons<br />1/4 cup powdered sugar<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />2. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, sugar, and eggs, stirring until well blended.<br />3. Add the flour, baking powder, and zest, mixing to just combine.<br />4. Add the oil and stir to incorporate.<br />5. Pour the batter into a 9 inch round cake pan or cupcake pan.<br />6. Bake for 30-35 minutes.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span><span><span><span>Do not over bake.<br /></span></span></span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-77433474356842792372010-04-05T14:22:00.031-04:002010-04-06T18:03:15.339-04:00Almond butter cookiesYesterday, my mom made soymilk again. Soymilk disappears fast in my family. We gulp down the hot liquid while eating breakfast pastries or pancakes. My family makes soymilk ourselves in our soymilk machine, pouring whole soybeans into it and waiting patiently for it to hum a tune to indicate the soymilk is ready. I know most people in the United States drink soymilk cold from a cup, but the Chinese always drink it hot from a bowl.<br /><br />My mom pours some soymilk into a ceramic bowl for me. As I lift up my bowl, the steam rises up to my face, sticky and warm. I drink in the warm, earthy taste of the soymilk, and as always I am transported back to a different place: China.<br /><br />My earliest memories are of my grandparents and of our small, 9th floor apartment in Beijing, China. I lived in that apartment from ages 1 to 5. Those years are now a blur of preschool friends, savory egg custards that my grandma made for me every morning, the playground in front of our apartment with the metal slide, and soymilk bought from a nearby vendor.<br /><br />After I moved to the states to live with my my mom, dad, and newborn baby sister, our family would visit China almost every other summer. We would stay with my grandparent's apartment, a little crowded but we all managed to fit.<br /><br />Every morning, there would be fresh soymilk or tender tofu with soy sauce, zha gao, a Chinese doughnut that is made with rice flour and sweet red-beans and then deep-fried, and jiang mi fan, Chinese rice pudding. After breakfast, we would climb down the 9 flight of stairs (we could never remember which door the elevator was operating).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AWiEUpqx4ZHJ2baFteLfiXDDOg3jWVMVbTmaZHIa5JVYzFWwoVL4zyM9zPXbKRseVtbFQE8sET4P3kAFSCxQsYNTw7kkvBT-9_bkGNMHVk2O2OLIVqsvSUNR_R1uPDJ94AZWOdK018Q/s1600/SDC11110.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AWiEUpqx4ZHJ2baFteLfiXDDOg3jWVMVbTmaZHIa5JVYzFWwoVL4zyM9zPXbKRseVtbFQE8sET4P3kAFSCxQsYNTw7kkvBT-9_bkGNMHVk2O2OLIVqsvSUNR_R1uPDJ94AZWOdK018Q/s320/SDC11110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457023703210754770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have felt a twinge of homesickness my entire life, no matter where I go. I credit that to moving so much when I was younger. I have lived in Beijing, Seattle, West Lafayette, and Charlestown before college. Beijing is the place that I have felt the least homesick in, so I guess that makes it my first home.<br /><br />For a city about the size of Delaware, Beijing is home to 13,000,000 people. Unlike New York City, with its bustling traffic and its glamorous Time Square, Beijing is a bit more humble. It has neighborhoods where you can find people playing badminton, sheets hanging out to dry, the elderly playing chess on cracked, cement tables, and people with wagons selling fresh produce.<br /><br />The summer after I finished high school, my mom took both me and my sister to Beijing. She could only stay for one month, but my sister and I were free to stay the whole summer, and so we did.<br /><br />With my mom, we explored the tourist sites: the national parks, Great Wall, Tian An Men Square. When she left, my sister and I wanted to relax and spend the rest of our summer in a quieter fashion. Not to mention we wanted to eat. Eating is so easy in China. Not that it's hard here, but it's just so convenient in Beijing. There would be vendors at every corner selling juicy lamb kebabs, Chinese biscuits, pastries, fried squid, Chinese omelets, etc. You can hear people shouting for you to buy their food amidst the traffic noise of cars honking and bicycle bells ringing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4p5Vtl-iLYYvibRTNQ3xJGX5rK4VOtyzKJcr5h_UDexZh7QFU0fT4tmTDtaTw4ZnCIKkMv_6z2C6GvWUtz-NzF7QMCxrzfI91OHDBgrZ3etgsLZfpOCFLtE7Cjdih0-DClSj1bzMkS4/s1600/SDC11190.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4p5Vtl-iLYYvibRTNQ3xJGX5rK4VOtyzKJcr5h_UDexZh7QFU0fT4tmTDtaTw4ZnCIKkMv_6z2C6GvWUtz-NzF7QMCxrzfI91OHDBgrZ3etgsLZfpOCFLtE7Cjdih0-DClSj1bzMkS4/s320/SDC11190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457026956674458578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My sister and I would ride the crowded public bus to <a href="http://www.beijingtraveltips.com/shopping/xi_dan/xidan.htm">Xi Dan Shopping Center</a> and spend the blistering hot day in the cool, air-conditioned stores. We would eat squid kebabs with tomato sauce and slurp the thick yogurt from ceramic jugs. And most of all, we ate Chinese almond cookies. Those cookies were mildly sweet, light, and crispy, so light that I once ate five cookies and still managed to eat dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21j1ggbXpHqCLD5xm6-5BYdW21UJL-gB9or8sgClgFQ04aJdmI7I_1UCYMTx1Lvnf9Q3Bj2rU-AlEm1YW64B_nSVkygSF25es4a9hxmADxudODc_OIF4RAFwMnXnFPlFSfoMjRc3kWRc/s1600/SDC11578.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21j1ggbXpHqCLD5xm6-5BYdW21UJL-gB9or8sgClgFQ04aJdmI7I_1UCYMTx1Lvnf9Q3Bj2rU-AlEm1YW64B_nSVkygSF25es4a9hxmADxudODc_OIF4RAFwMnXnFPlFSfoMjRc3kWRc/s320/SDC11578.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457027127957116130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The almond butter cookie recipe I'm going to share with you isn't the same recipe as the almond cookies we ate in China. In fact, I'm not even sure they're even Chinese. But they're soft and sweet and awfully good. With the light flavor of the almond extract, these cookies do remind me of hot summers in Beijing.<br /><br />****<br /><br />ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>1/2 cup almond butter<br />1/2 cup maple syrup<br />3 tablespoons canola oil<br />1 teaspoon almond extract<br />1 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 cup chopped almonds<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees<br />2. In a medium bowl, combine almond butter, maple syrup, canola oil and vanilla extract until well blended.<br />3. Ina small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.<br />4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, along withch0opped almonds and stir until just combined.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span>5. Let sit for 5 minutes.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>6. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, flatten to about 1/3 of an inch and place onto cookie sheet<br />7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.<br /><br />Yield: 18 cookies<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-55081120537433935452010-04-02T12:45:00.014-04:002010-04-02T14:30:05.821-04:00Between a french fry and a potato chipI often feel that potatoes get a bad rep. It's the outcast vegetable that is grouped with pasta, rice, and other starches on the food pyramid. Its lumpy, brown (sometimes blue or red) exterior can't compete with the bright greens of lettuces or the flashy red tomatoes. However, though potatoes may be the humblest looking of vegetables, no one should overlook them: they single-handedly saved Russians from starving to death during their famines. When Russians had no food to eat, they always had potatoes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9-VOPgJ3EM5X2poTPmh9QpQuweb37BdKrQKL_ehNfZq46dyy0Yl6Kf8KeqnZygP8tyFscpGunt_5f1zC85x5ynvfCdoZTudm_qmi3lhimFKiVQHwQBgwzWdN_3KkTiKr386qBT5P2Ek/s1600/SDC11524.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9-VOPgJ3EM5X2poTPmh9QpQuweb37BdKrQKL_ehNfZq46dyy0Yl6Kf8KeqnZygP8tyFscpGunt_5f1zC85x5ynvfCdoZTudm_qmi3lhimFKiVQHwQBgwzWdN_3KkTiKr386qBT5P2Ek/s320/SDC11524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455592417830255986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Potatoes are the renaissance men of vegetables. They not only dabble a little bit in seemingly every course, but even outshine the other vegetables. They can be cooked in nourishing soups, deep-fried for crispy hot french fries, mass-manufactured into potato chips, baked to eat with cheese and broccoli, mashed with butter to eat on Thanksgiving, and etc.<br /><br />The potato recipe I'm going to share with you is, as <a href="http://postmodernfeeding.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a> describes, a cross between a french fry and a potato chip. Called crashed hot potatoes, these potatoes are boiled until fork-tender then smashed, generously slathered with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and dried rosemary. Then the smashed potatoes are put into the oven until the cracks and crevices are crispy golden.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOyvn6GRJUoIim9lPcTxg22WslmPDsC7Z-TAY8lgTZ-fCyMaj_a6N73rizYQj9X2lx2Suh-2gsVHeyJL8jWbNvZHOwdIxOsyWMnmpsfShcAAnnM16XMa3Z1Aniu1B0g-kH2sd7YrYEMo/s1600/SDC11535.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOyvn6GRJUoIim9lPcTxg22WslmPDsC7Z-TAY8lgTZ-fCyMaj_a6N73rizYQj9X2lx2Suh-2gsVHeyJL8jWbNvZHOwdIxOsyWMnmpsfShcAAnnM16XMa3Z1Aniu1B0g-kH2sd7YrYEMo/s320/SDC11535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455592422868931426" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The exterior is perfectly crispy, with a slight herb flavor provided by the rosemary. Inside, the potato is soft and yielding, almost melting in your mouth. I ate six of them for lunch today and would've had more, only there wasn't anymore left.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57mn7O8ZNvdZdi4kSD_aKGl5DGYus5xC7gnH9y6w-mB8KRawRR_6T6tyvmMxvnY81QA4AM8O_fNvtAv-Ys6h4EaFCwzbVXeulbjE4NYImrE7Gq8N6hdFCZFSPmoMEM3u-wlCPVnqW7QE/s1600/SDC11533.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57mn7O8ZNvdZdi4kSD_aKGl5DGYus5xC7gnH9y6w-mB8KRawRR_6T6tyvmMxvnY81QA4AM8O_fNvtAv-Ys6h4EaFCwzbVXeulbjE4NYImrE7Gq8N6hdFCZFSPmoMEM3u-wlCPVnqW7QE/s320/SDC11533.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455592427217809842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />****<br /><br />CRASHED HOT POTATOES<br />adapted from <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/">Pioneer Woman</a> and <a href="http://postmodernfeeding.blogspot.com/2008/06/ode-to-potato.html">Recipes for a </a><a href="http://postmodernfeeding.blogspot.com/2008/06/ode-to-potato.html">Postmodern Planet</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />12 small potatoes<br />Olive oil<br />Salt<br />Black pepper<br /><br />1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Make sure the water goes over the potatoes.<br />2. Add as many potatoes as you want to cook and cook until they are fork-tender, about 30 minutes.<br />3. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet. Place tender potatoes on baking sheet with room between each potato.<br />4. With a potato masher, or a can, press each potato down until the inside cracks out.<br />5. Brush about a teaspoon of olive oil onto each potato, more if the potatoes are bigger.<br />6. Generously sprinkle potatoes with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried rosemary (or any fresh or dried herbs you prefer).<br />7. Bake in oven at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288501259407551062.post-70966107285543009232010-03-29T16:04:00.016-04:002010-04-02T10:30:30.053-04:00Begin with breakfastAlthough I consider myself pretty liberal and open to change, I have to admit that I'm a creature of habit. It seems that I crave routine and order the way some people crave sunlight on winter mornings. This quirk of mine can most clearly be seen in my food choice. When I find a food I like, I eat it. Over and over and over again. However, even I can get tired of eating the same things day in and day out. When that happens, I usually start another routine which I follow, until I get tired of that one, which usually takes a couple months. Since my lunch and dinner are usually different everyday (except when there's leftovers), it's my breakfast foods that are usually the same daily. In a way, I can measure my growth in terms of the different breakfast foods I'd eaten.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9FAB-3W76OhdPWkXB8ktW5dD39_ZF7mnpheaXsw4YjTXAStiDPTsAbsV6gvYnT24r7C4oRrRpBWEfKEn9EjPd_RBIr2ewggnrPYF2sME3Vrs4iTsZ5aoO3JR5ZTDAY-8UcQovWUMlIg/s1600/SDC11478.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9FAB-3W76OhdPWkXB8ktW5dD39_ZF7mnpheaXsw4YjTXAStiDPTsAbsV6gvYnT24r7C4oRrRpBWEfKEn9EjPd_RBIr2ewggnrPYF2sME3Vrs4iTsZ5aoO3JR5ZTDAY-8UcQovWUMlIg/s320/SDC11478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455545678904536290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When I was in 3rd grade, which was 1998, I would beg my mom to buy strawberry <a href="http://moms.poptarts.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=pop-tart&utm_content=Pop-Tarts&utm_campaign=Brand">poptarts</a> for breakfast, which was what everyone in my grade ate at that time. I would pop a poptart or two into our toaster oven and then eagerly wait for it to pop out. When it did, I would always impatiently grab them before they had a chance to cool off. I would then burn my tongue biting into the crisp frosting with a sweet, molten hot strawberry filling. Sometimes I'd try different flavors, such as blueberry and even once, s'mores, but the strawberry one was always my favorite.<br /><br />When I entered middle school, school started at 7:40, so I had to wake up at 7:00 every weekday, which was way too early in my opinion. My mom, after waking me up, would go downstairs and prepare <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/steamedbuns">dou sha bao</a>, or red bean steamed buns, which she'd always put on a plate with a vitamin next to it. Not even fully awake during that time, I'd sleepily eat a couple of those soft buns that would give in to a sweet, chewy interior with flecks of whole red beans.<br /><br />Then came high school, when I started becoming interested in nutrition. I would read the health magazines lying around our home. I kept spotting similar articles in these magazines, such as eating whole grain, more fruits and vegetables, and drink enough water. Listening to their advice, I would pack a sandwich bag full of <a href="http://www.postcereals.com/gn/">grape nuts</a> and raw almonds and munch on them on the school bus en route to school. I never liked the grape nuts that much, nor the almonds, but I ate it because I thought it was healthy. Sometimes, when I forgot to pack my breakfast, I would buy breakfast at school, which included cereal, breakfast pizzas, and always, chocolate milk.<br /><br />In college a<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> during the first semester at Penn State, I ate breakfast in the dining halls, which I must say were excellent. I would usually eat oatmeal or during the weekend brunches, I would eat quiche, waffles or omelets. Penn State had an awesome fruit bar, and I would load a bowl full of kiwis, blueberries, strawberries and mangoes to eat. By the second semester, I decided to save money by buying breakfast outside of school. It was around this time I came across a blog, <a href="http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/">Gluten Free Girl</a>, the writer of which, had an allergy to gluten. After researching this, I questioned whether I might have the same allergy to gluten, so I gave up gluten for a semester. (Later, I discovered that I did NOT actually have gluten allergy). So I would purchase delicious, yet healthy, <a href="http://www.larabar.com/food/larabar/">Larabars</a> at the corner market which although were expensive, were much cheaper than eating at school cafeteria. My favorite flavor, to this day, is the sweet cashew cookie Larabar, made with ground dates and cashews.<br /><br />Last fall, the fall of 2009, I took a year off college. At home, with my mom, dad, and sister, I would eat oatmeal during weekdays, which is what my mom ate everyday for breakfast. I would sprinkle ground flax seed, walnuts, and peanut butter into my oatmeal. I can't say I loved it, but it was good.<br /><br />Now, in the springtime, I have another favorite breakfast. I dump spoonfuls of plain yogurt into a bowl, add two handfuls of toasted <a href="https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=672370">oat cereal,</a> and then add another two spoonfuls of granola. After mixing it together, I eat until my tummy is nice and full.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YYxsX2oeSPNkWnTkokWWBVQWuuRyL61CerWWEd12G5oxi-1JqNhrugyrjHG_AVg_BumY5YueUHOvza1Gx9ZyTT0II1hiRFBfL2gto0mQvNb07_NLDyNKcahlUYxGcYp_0d72nxV67N8/s1600/SDC11463.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YYxsX2oeSPNkWnTkokWWBVQWuuRyL61CerWWEd12G5oxi-1JqNhrugyrjHG_AVg_BumY5YueUHOvza1Gx9ZyTT0II1hiRFBfL2gto0mQvNb07_NLDyNKcahlUYxGcYp_0d72nxV67N8/s320/SDC11463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455545662636531890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Every morning, I wake up, lie in bed for half hour, then with a sudden charge of energy, leap out of bed and into my clothes. After putting my contacts in, I rinse my mouth and head downstairs to my breakfast. And every morning, after finishing my yogurt with cereal and granola I am left content and sated.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaM_2402MkU-CU1N0TeATas8B50n3eKCPoRsbgWE4mlBxKB8JWV1QeSoh1x_Q4vOywrG8u0egpW-mgQ4lRbd41oEU8vfxFzKw0Dn78I8DRg4k0L1wl1bHWmzzGKdZl3hrTmtXI9JAAn0/s1600/SDC11471.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaM_2402MkU-CU1N0TeATas8B50n3eKCPoRsbgWE4mlBxKB8JWV1QeSoh1x_Q4vOywrG8u0egpW-mgQ4lRbd41oEU8vfxFzKw0Dn78I8DRg4k0L1wl1bHWmzzGKdZl3hrTmtXI9JAAn0/s320/SDC11471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455546941442476274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />****<br />HONEY NUT GRANOLA<br />adapted from Nigella Lawson’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Feast<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Dry ingredients</span>:<br />5 cups rolled oats<br />2 to 3 cups raw almonds or walnuts, or a mixture, chopped finely<br />1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds<br />1/2 cup sesame seeds<br />1/4 cup flax seeds<br />2 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />1 tsp. ground ginger<br />1 tsp. salt<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Wet ingredients</span>:<br />¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce<br />1/4 cup maple syrup<br />¼ cup honey (or skip the maple syrup and use 1/2 cup honey, like I did)<br />2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, such as canola or safflower<br /><br />1. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 300°F.<br />2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix well.<br />3. In a small bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. Mix well.<br />4. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ones and stir well.<br />5. Spread the mixture equally onto two baking sheets.<br />6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.<br />7. Rotate the pan ad stir well every ten minutes.<br />8. Remove from oven and stir well and set aside to cool.<br /><br />Yield: 10 cups.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455458789930865536noreply@blogger.com3