I'm baaaaack! And with a tasty recipe!

I have obviously been blog-MIA, but my summer classes and some new responsibilities that I took on took over my life and I haven't had much time for fun.  But I am back with lots of stuff to share, starting with a tasty recipe for Strawberries & Cream Cheese Brownie "Cupcakes"!

Before you begin the brownie batter, you will need to make the filling so it is ready when it comes time to "assemble."  This time I used a whole package of cream cheese, but had leftovers, so half a package would be plenty (just halve the sugar too).  Mix about 1/8 cup of sugar with the softened cream cheese using a mixer, and then stir in fresh diced strawberries.  Set the filling aside for later.

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Fresh strawberries! Yum!

Completed filling

Now it is time to make the brownie batter!  I got the basic recipe from the Nestle website, but have made a few dietary adjustments.  To make the batter you will need:

1 2/3 C sugar

3/4 C melted butter

2 T water

1/2 C chocolate soy yogurt

2 t vanilla extract

1 1/3 C flour

3/4 C cocoa

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.  Next you will need to grease and flour your cupcake pan, or use liners.  Cooking spray works, but your brownies are more likely to stick, so I really recommend the old fashioned vegetable shortening with a dusting of flour if you aren't going to use the liners.  If you use liners, I recommend foil for ease when eating.

Next combine the sugar, melted butter, and water using a mixer.  Milk can also be used in place of the water, but doesn't make much of a difference.  Next stir in the soy yogurt and vanilla.  The soy yogurt is a substitute for eggs (1/4 C for each egg), and I like using the chocolate soy yogurt because I'm making brownies.  In baking I have found soy yogurt to be the best egg substitute, plus it gives you some extra protein that other egg substitutes don't.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, and then gradually mix them in with the wet ingredients to form the brownie batter.

Dry and wet ingredients before combining

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Completed brownie batter

 

Once the batter is ready spoon a small amount into each cup of the cupcake pan.  I recommend using about one heaping tablespoon.  Next put a small amount of the cream cheese filling on top.

To encase the filling, put another small spoonful of the brownie batter on top.

Complete the process by using a clean spoon to smooth out the top layer of batter and "hide" the filling.  Using the filling in this manner will give you more of a cheesecake brownie when you are finished.  In the future, I may also try making the brownies as "cupcakes" and then using a pastry bag and tip to fill them after they are cooled for more of a fresh cream cheese taste.

Ready for the oven!

 

Pop them in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are firm and dry.

They will need to cool for quite awhile before they are ready for topping.  Due to time constraints I had when making these I used a store bought chocolate fudge frosting and stirred in some diced strawberries.  It tasted fine, but in the future I think I will make something from scratch.

I put a small spoonful of the frosting with strawberries on top of each cooled "cupcake" and then used a half of a strawberry slice as a garnish!

YUMMY!

 

Even though my picture of them didn't turn out too well, the "cupcakes" turned out delish and I got rave reviews at the meeting I took them too.  These are a definite "make again" item!

Check back in soon for more updates on what I've been up to while I've been MIA, and what I'm doing while preparing to go back to school :)

The Scoop on Poop!

Today was the Walk for Wishes sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the Cleveland Zoo.  I have walked for several years now with my sorority, both as an active and alum member.  Usually I just pay the $25 fee to participate, because I am selfish and like that I get to spend the day at the zoo afterwards.  This year though I decided I was going to actually work to raise money, and set myself a high goal (for me!) at $250.  Thanks to my amazing friends and family, I not only met my goal, but I surpassed it, raising $285!  I owe them all a big thank you for their support!  Make-A-Wish means a lot to me and I love what they do for children and their families.

As we have seen the zoo numerous times, JR and I were mainly going for the walk itself this year.  I was also quite excited about a new exhibit at the zoo called "The Scoop on Poop!"  Well, the exhibit was a bit of a let down; it was a lot of reading and not a lot of poop.  It was pretty funny to have an exhibit all about poop and there were a few highlights, which I have highlighted for you below.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend :)

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Part of the opening sign - please note what our little hyena friend is doing.

Elephant poo! 
I learned that it would take an elephant 7.5 hours to eat and poop out my weight in dung.

Dung beetle drag racing!

You had to roll your ball of "poo" to see who could make their beetle push their ball of poo up the hill the fastest!

An example of some of the excellent images on display :)

 EVERYBODY POOPS! :)

 

Lots of Deliciousness!

Though I haven't posted in a bit, that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking!  This will be a long one but stick around for the whole entry because there is a lot of deliciousness to hear about :)

On my original trip to Whole Foods I picked up some tempeh because I had never tried it before.  I chose an organic kind that had chopped veggies in it.

I prepared it as suggested on the package by slicing it and cooking it in a pan with a little soy sauce and olive oil.  I then threw it on top of a salad.  I LOVED the flavor of the tempeh, but I need to adjust to eating it.  It has whole soy beans in it and both hubby and I had a sore stomachs afterward.

Next up was a Eggplant, Yogurt & Feta Dip recipe that I got off of an Oikos Greek Yogurt lid.  I made half, again because there are only two of us.  To make the dip I needed:

1 small eggplant, peeled

2 T olive oil

1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper

1/2-3/4 C Greek yogurt

1 T lemon juice

half a 15.5oz can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1/2 C feta crumbles

1/8 C chopped mint (I forgot to buy this so mine didn't have any)

I began by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  Next I chopped my eggplant into 1/2" cubes and tossed it with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  I then spread it out to bake for 20 minutes, cooling afterwards.

Once the eggplant is cooled, combine it with all the other ingredients in a bowl and serve with warm or grilled pita.  The dip was delicious and very tangy - I suggest using regular yogurt if you don't like the tang of Greek yogurt.  My only complaint it that it is not very attractive looking.  If I was serving this to guests or taking it to a gathering, I would consider adding an ingredient that would add some color or garnish it with some veggies or something.

That same day I also made a tasty new side dish: Asparagus Potato Skins.  This recipe is from American Vegan Kitchen, though slightly adjusted.  To make the potatoes I needed:

4 medium potatoes

4 asparagus stalks

2 T olive oil

1/2 t soy sauce

1/2 t balsalmic vinegar

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 T milk

1 t Dijon mustard

2 t minced garlic

First I baked the potatoes until they were tender, and roasted my asparagus by brushing them with the olive oil and baking them for 15-20min at 400 degrees.  Once the potatoes cooled a bit, I scooped out their insides and combined the potato with the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, milk, mustard, and garlic.  I also chopped up my asparagus and added that in.  I recommend using kitchen scissors; I tried several nice, sharp knives but nothing worked as well as the scissors.  

Roasted asparagus

 

Potato and Asparagus filling

Next I filled my scooped out skins with my filling and topped them with a little shredded cheddar because we like cheese around here.  I baked them for about 15min at 400 degrees, and cooked up some breaded seitan cutlets to go with them while they baked.

Both parts turned out really tasty, and hubby was a very happy camper when he came home from class to a covered plate of delicious dinner.  We will be making these again!

 

Tonight portobella "burgers" and some fried potatoes were on the menu.  My sister made me these when I was visiting her in Atlanta, and though I didn't have a recipe, I thought I would give it a whirl.  Talking to her later, the only thing I missed was to add some dill and I included lemon juice for some acid.  

I will start with how I made the potatoes, as they are pretty standard and easy.  I sliced up three medium potatoes in thin, half medallions and cooked them for about 5 minutes in boiling water to soften them up a bit.  I then cooked them in a pan with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and thyme until they were browned.

To make the "burgers" I first removed the stems from my four gorgeous portobella mushrooms.

I then combined the stems with 1/2 a medium bell pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a splash of lemon juice.  I put this all in my food processor and combined it on the chop function.  I seriously love this little guy - my mom got it for us for a gift.  If you don't have one, you should seriously get one.  They are great for making lots of salsas, dips, stuffings, etc.

Next I turned on my George Foreman grill so it could heat up and brushed my mushroom caps with a little olive oil.  While the grill was finishing heating, I moved my stuffing mixture to a bowl and stirred in about 1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles.  You can use any cheese you like; my sister used shredded cheddar when she made them.  I loved the flavor of the blue cheese with the meaty mushrooms, though, so I will be using it again.

Once the grill was hot, I grilled the mushroom caps for a few minutes.  I then added hearty spoonfuls of the filling to the caps and grilled them for a few more minutes.  When they were done I put them on a bun and served them with a little mayo and mustard.   They turned out so amazing, and the garlic and thyme potatoes went great with them. 

Please let me know if you try any of these recipes and how they turn out!!

Seitan Success! (And the Italian Seitan Sandwich)

I woke up this morning to a crock pot full of completed seitan.  It looks like brown brain matter, but smelled pretty tasty!  I drained the broth, straining it and placing it in the freezer for next time, then placed one "loaf" in the freezer and one in the fridge to try later in the day.

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Completed seitan ready for the fridge!

After perusing my American Vegan Kitchen cookbook for a recipe that caught my eye, I decided to come up with a sandwich creation of my own using things I had around the kitchen.  And that my friends is how the Italian Seitan Sandwich was born :)

First I mixed some oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Parmesan with some breadcrumbs.  I next cut a slice of refrigerated seitan from my loaf that was about 1/4in thick, and heated a little olive oil in a pan.  As the oil heated, I coated my slice of seitan in my breadcrumb mixture - because the seitan was already moist, I didn't need anything additional to help to breadcrumbs stick.  Once my oil was hot and my seitan coated, I placed it in the pan to cook. 

While the seitan was cooking, I heated a little marinara in the microwave, sliced some homemade challah bread (see previous post for recipe) and popped it in the toaster just long enough to get warm and a little crusty, and got out some pesto from the fridge. 

The seitan took about 5-10 minutes to cook, and I flipped it several times using tongs.  I cooked it until it was heated through and the breading had browned and become crispy.  Once it was about down I put a half slice of provolone on top.  While it was melting I put my challah on a plate and coated one piece with a hearty layer of pesto.  Finally I placed my breaded and cheesed seitan on top of the challah with pesto, topped it with a little marinara, and then the other piece of challah. 

The Italian Seitan Sandwich

The sandwich was AMAZING!  It didn't take that long to make and was very simple; I will most definitely be making this again!  Hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as I do :)

Savory Seitan: Slow Cooker Edition

For Easter, my lovely in-laws gave the hubby and I an awesome vegan cookbook.  BONUS: It's written by a northeast Ohio native (Ashtabula to be exact)!  It is called American Vegan Kitchen, and is written by Tamasin Noyes.  She also has a blog at www.veganappetite.com/ that you should check out.  FABulous stuff!

In her book, Noyes includes a recipe for making your own seitan; the minute I saw it, I wanted to try it out.  So today I made a trip to Whole Foods (my first ever, and let me tell you, I found grocery store nirvana) to get the necessary ingredients.  Some of the ingredients are household items that most people would have handy, however, the nutritional yeast, vital wheat gluten, and soy flour are not items I regularly have.  You can get any of these items at your local natural foods store, or at a place like Whole Foods.  (Did I mention I'm a little in love with this store?)

Upon returning from the store (and taking a nap), I set out to make the slow cooker version of the seitan.  Noyes' main recipe is for making cutlets in the oven.  I wanted to try a quick and easy version, so I opted to try her slow cooker method.  Plus, I love a good excuse to use my crock pot; as a vegetarian I don't get many chances to utilize it.  I also chose to halve the recipe as there are only two people in our house, and if it didn't turn out, I didn't want to throw away two pounds of seitan.

To make one pound of sietan, I needed the following ingredients:
1 1/4 C vital wheat gluten
1/8 C nutritional yeast
1/8 C soy flour
1/8 C soy sauce
1 T ketchup
1 1/2 t olive oil
3/4-1 C vegetable broth, and 4+ C vegetable broth, separated
1 1/2 cloves minced garlic

To begin, I mixed my wheat gluten, yeast, and flour in a small bowl, and then set it aside for later.

soy flour, vital wheat gluten, and nutritional yeast

Next, in a large bowl I combined the soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, garlic, and 3/4 C of the vegetable broth.  To make my broth, I used Organic Better Than Bouillon.  It has a great flavor and dissolves very quickly in warm water.  It can be found at most major grocery stores.  

Liquids mixture

I then gradually added the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon.  The mixture quickly came together and became very elastic.

Once all of the dry ingredients were mixed in, I kneaded the "dough" for two about two minutes.  I then formed it into a ball and let it rest for about 15 minutes.  You are supposed to divide it into loaves after it has rested, however, next time I make it, I think I will divide it before letting it rest.  After resting, the dough is VERY elastic and difficult to divide and shape.  While my dough was resting, I got my crock pot ready by filling it with about 4 cups of broth and turned it on low.

 The seitan taking a nap :)

After the 15 minutes were up, I divided my dough into two "loaves" and placed them in the broth in the crock pot.  The seitan needs to be covered by the broth, and I found I needed to add a little more.  This is where the Better Than Bouillon worked great; I just added a little more water and some of the paste, which quickly dissolved into the existing broth.  I then put the lid on the crock pot and set the timer for 8 hours.

As of right now, my seitan is cooking away in my crock pot.  It should be finished sometime around 3am, which works out perfectly because then it will be cooled and ready to store by the time I get up in the morning.  Once it is cooled and I have tried it, I will update this post with details on the results!

Noyes says in her book that the seitan can be stored in the fridge for a few days, and that the cooled seitan will actually be firmer and easier to slice.  She also suggests freezing it, either with or without the cooking broth, for future use.  She also suggests saving your broth for next time you make seitan, explaining that this will enrich its flavor.  All you need to do is strain the broth and store it in the freezer until next time!

Summer Goal #2: The Vegetarian Adventure

In my younger years (not that I am all that old), I was a vegetarian, though not a very good one.  I was young, lived in Rootstown/Kent, Ohio, and had limited resources.  I was also not incredibly passionate about it; I was a vegetarian because I simply didn't like meat.  I eventually went back to eating meat, though never in large quantities, and sticking mainly to poultry and seafood.  When I met my husband, JR, I began eating even less meat, as he was a vegetarian.  It just wasn't very economical to buy meat for just myself, plus I like a lot of the vegetarian options available.  As time passed, I began eating meat mainly when we went out.

This past April, while watching a documentary relating to the latest topic of study for my students' upcoming FPS bowl, I decided to make a change.  That documentary was Food, Inc.  Now I am not one to be easily swayed.  I have seen my share of PETA and animal rights videos, articles, and pictures.  Why terrifying and shocking, they were always too radical and extremist to make a true impact on me.  (I, as a rule, stay away from extremists  of any kind because I feel they generally do not listen to other viewpoints and keep an open mind to changes and new possibilities.)  Food, Inc. was not this way however.  I felt that they provided a realistic perspective on the atrocities that are going on in our food industry today.  They did not preach extremes; they strongly suggested a environmentally and health conscious way for our food industry to operate.  It made me see the risks of continuing to eat the food that I do, without trying to terrify me into making a change.

But make a change, I have.  If JR wasn't a vegetarian, I would have probably just gone organic with meat.  Because I live where I do, I could get us things like free-range chicken and grass-fed beef.  However, I didn't feel there was much point in spending money on this stuff just for myself.  So, vegetarian it would be.  I also decided to try to eat more organic and less processed food.  I have such great resources here in Cleveland - the West Side Market, my neighborhood farmer's market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and others I'm sure I don't even know about - and I should be taking advantage of them.

So that is my second summer goal:  to become a great vegetarian!  I plan on not only exploring the resources I have here in Cleveland, but also exploring what exactly it means to be a good vegetarian.  I plan on learning how to eat vegetarian the "right" way, how to cook great vegetarian dishes that anyone can enjoy, as well as how to do all of this as economically as possible. 

I plan to post about this, so check back for how goes progress.  Tonight I will be attempting to make my own seitan, so check back for an update on how it went, and how to do it yourself!

Summer Goal #1: Conquering Cleveland

Well, sort of.

I have lived in Cleveland for over a year now, but really I have not explored it much.  This, I realize is doing not only the city a disservice, but myself.  This city has a lot to offer and why shouldn't I explore it?  So one of my goals for this summer is to explore my city. 

This is where I need some help.  I can easily find the well-known Cleveland "must sees."  And while, I want to explore these well-known spots, what I really want to explore are the spots that are unique to Cleveland and really make Cleveland, well, Cleveland.  So, fellow Clevelanders, what and where are these Cleveland gems?  Clue me in so I can truly become the Clevelander I so long to be!

Atlanta

While in Atlanta, I got a picture of the "golden poo" this time!  Really it is a soybean pod outside of a restaurant, but you see what I mean...

I also forgot to talk about the AMAZING little pizza shop Leslie and I found in Atlanta.  The place is called Rusto's and if you are ever in the Midtown Atlanta area you must find it.  You will not regret it, and it will be an amazing experience.  I've posted info from their site about them below, as well as a picture of the delicious margherita pizza .  Another fun fact:  in talking to the two owners, who were both working while we were there, we found out that the owner/chef is from Cleveland! 

From www.rustospizza.com:
"Two guys wanted a place to feed their friends and family good food, for a reasonable price that won’t kill the world in the process. We started with a very basic idea, and with an enormous amount of help from family and friends, we got the ball rolling. We envision Rusto’s as a place for everyone, a place where a good time is to be had by all.

We take a painstakingly large amount of care in the food that we make, and it shows in the result. We make all of the mozzarella fresh daily, along with our own special pizza dough and the San Marzano tomato sauce. There are no trans fats, preservatives or anything that shouldn’t be in there. In addition, we hand make the ice cream, with no preservatives or stabilizers, every egg that goes into the mix is cracked by us. The food is simple, healthy and delicious!!

Along with fresh food, we are very proud of the fact that we aren’t using containers, cups, disposable silverware, and napkins that kill the world. "Every one of our products is 100% biodegradable, and made out of either corn or sugar cane" We do not offer drinks in plastic containers, only aluminum, and personally recycle every container that can be. We want a place that is good for everyone and a place that does not make the world any worse off.

So come in and check us out, you can find both owners there 7 days a week, personally taking care of you. So come in, eat some pizza & ice cream, have a beer and hang out!!!"

 YUM!!

So obviously I have not been posting.  Things got crazy at work and with the end of the semester for grad school, and there just was not time.  I have decided to jump back into things by sharing two great recipes I have made lately.  The first is just a basic brownie recipe, but with a way to sub the eggs.  The second is a recipe I got from a friend for challah bread and it is just fantastic.  If you try either of them, let me know how it goes :)

Brownies
1 2/3 C sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 T water or milk
2 eggs OR 1/2 C soy yogurt (I like using the chocolate flavor)
2 t vanilla
1 1/3 C flour
3/4 C cocoa
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13x9 pan. TIP: I also like to put them in cupcake pans so there is no cutting mess.
2) Combine sugar, butter, water/milk in a large bowl.  TIP: I find using a large whisk for all mixing for this recipe works best.
3) Stir in eggs/yogurt and vanilla.
4) Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and add to other mixture.
5) Pour into pan.  Bake 20-25 min or until a toothpick/knife comes out clean.
6) Cool and enjoy!


Challah Bread
*This recipe makes two loaves.  I will only be making half the recipe because we can't eat two loaves fast enough!*
2 1/2 C warm water (not too hot!)
1 T active dry yeast (about 1 packet)
1/2 C honey
4 T vegetable oil
2 eggs (+1 extra for egg wash)
1 T salt
8 C flour

1) In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over water.  Beat in honey, oil, the two eggs, and salt.
2) Add flour, one cup at a time, beating after each addition.  Graduate to kneading as mixture thickens.
3) Knead until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
4) Cover with a damp, clean cloth and let rise for about 2 1/2 hours.  Dough should about double in size.
5) Punch dough down.  Divide in two and knead each for about five minutes each.
6) Divide halves into thirds, and roll each third into a snake that is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
7) Braid thirds together, pinching ends together.

8) Grease baking sheets, and place braids on sheets.  Cover with towels and let raise for another hour.
9) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  While oven is preheating, lightly beat extra eggs and brush over the top of each braided loaf.
10) Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Bread should make a hollowish sound when you knock on it.  Cool for one hour before cutting and serving.

ENJOY :)

1) doing art again
2) 80 in April
3) DVR catchup

On the way home today I had the distinct pleasure of getting in a mini traffic jam. Why, you ask?  Well there was a red Corolla in the passing lane that was going five under the speed limit.  This little red Corolla would not move over and was completely baking up traffic.  Why wouldn't it move over, you ask?  Well it was because the woman driving on the Corolla was too busy talking on her phone to realize that she was 1) no longer traveling at or above the speed limit in the passing lane, 2) that she was not passing anyone, and 3) that she was causing a back up.  iuslgvfi lushfilahsdiashg dha/ jaw!!

People are so self-absorbed.

1) Precious
2) Veggie Pigs in a Blanket
3) A healthy eye

1) deviled eggs
2) awesome vegan cookbooks
3) family

1) 6 months of married life!
2) seeing good friends
3) kids and their innocence

1) real people playing real music
2) being helpful
3) boiling eggs in anticipation of coloring them

1) Patio hangouts
2) Tank tops
2) New glasses!

1) 70+ degrees and sunshine outside
2) Wireless internet
3) Banana bread using Great Grandma Shepherd's recipe

Can I just mention how productive I have been so far this week? (And I am still getting some relaxing in too!)  Usually I have all these goals of stuff to get done, but I never accomplish any of them.  But so far, I have actually gotten a lot done!  Here's my progress on my Spring Break To Do List:
- Spring cleaning Got the bedroom & bathroom done, working on the spare bedroom
- Art piece on Tim Burton for class Finished Ed Wood, working on book
- Pedicure
- Work ahead on hw Keeping up, not ahead yet
- Update school portfolio
- Go to the park
- Finish my puzzle
- Fix my sewing machine
- Finish our couch pillows
- Fun day trip somewhere
- See Christopher, Sarah, and the girls
- Catch up with friends Lunched with Michelle at Aladdin's, trying to make plans with Lexi
- Adventure with the hubby
- Order wedding photos Ordered wedding photos AND sent in comments on 1st draft of album

I also got a few other things done as well:
- Made banana bread for Easter
- Created a new deviled egg recipe
- Had a great time at Tegan & Sara with hubby
- Helped hubby study for school
- Got Easter gifts for family
- Sent an Easter card to Sissy
- Caught up on some DVR material
- Set up the wireless internet
- Took Minerva the Mazda3 to the car wash
- Caught up on some laundry
- Put new photos in frames
- Caught up on some reading
- Took care of a dr. appt.

Hopefully I get lots more done in the remaining days!

1) Creating new recipes
2) Deviled eggs
3) Being productive

I just created a very tasty fancy deviled egg recipe!
I just added a little Miracle Whip to the yolks to make a base.  Then I added chopped sun-dried tomatoes, feta crumbles, and fresh chopped chives.  YUM!

1) Tegan & Sara!
2) lazy days
3) Tegan & Sara!

1) hubby hangouts
2) springtime weather
3) tim burton movies

1) SPRING BREAK
2) making a yummy dinner
3) Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

1) good meetings
2) the thought of getting to sleep in for a whole week
3) Karev has a brother?!

I need an iPhone simply so I can buy this...

My Spring Break To Do List

In no particular order...
- Spring cleaning
- Art piece on Tim Burton for class
- Pedicure
- Work ahead on hw
- Update school portfolio
- Go to the park
- Finish my puzzle
- Fix my sewing machine
- Finish our couch pillows
- Fun day trip somewhere
- See Christopher, Sarah, and the girls
- Catch up with friends
- Adventure with the hubby
- Order wedding photos

I may add to this... :)

1) SUNSHINE!
2) fudge bars that only have 57 calories
3) getting uber complimented for some work I did

1) getting a genuine thank you from a student for helping her
2) sweatpants
3) having power to get ready with in the morning

1) thunderstorms
2) silly faces
3) naps

1) Cheesy but awesome professional pics with the hubby
2) Brunch with hubby, mom & dad, Leslie & James
3) veggies

1) Planning Father's Day surprises
2) Seeing Sissy!
3) Not being exhausted all the time

1) only 5 school days until spring break
2) getting approved to do a really cool alternative assignment for class
3) singing along to good music

1) finishing a novel I wasn't reading for a class
2) eating healthy
3) nice weather

1) 8 of my 10 FPS teams making it to State
2) sunshine!
3) proving stupid, gossiping, overly-critical people wrong

1) finally visiting the coffee shop/record store in the neighborhood
2) being productive
3) reading for pleasure

Ready to kick off week 2 of the meal plan!  Still going strong :)

NOT ready for my week of schedule craziness thanks to an adjusted schedule to kids can take OGTs.

And finally, three things:
1) losing 3 lbs thanks to healthy eating and working out
2) submitting pics for our wedding album
3) cuddly hubby

So I have made it through the first week!  Go me!

I have stuck with my meal plan for the most part.  I haven't eaten anything I shouldn't, but a couple times I didn't eat my snack that I was supposed to because I wasn't hungry.  I also stuck with my workout and have completed all of it.  I am really proud of myself for sticking with this and I can't wait to keep going through with it next week!

I've been slacking on my three things though so here are three for the week:
1) sunshine all week!
2) getting a lot accomplished at work
3) people standing up for what's right

The "Plan"

I was going to write about all of this last night, but by the time I actually had a minute to sit down and relax, I was too tired to think.  Why so tired?  I'm making a change... a good one!  Lately I have gotten very lazy in regards to myself - I eat like crap, I eat too much, and I don't get hardly any exercise.  Now maybe I could have gotten away with this when I was younger, but 27 year old me is not so good at dealing with all this mistreatment.  And you can tell.  I feel crappy, I'm always tired (even when I DO get good sleep), I get sick often, and I've gained a little weight.  So I decided it was time to stop all this nonsense and get myself back into the habit of taking care of myself.   Easier said than done.  You're talking to a girl who has never really had to work out and who could eat pretty much anything she wanted and still look good. 

So in order to get myself off in the right direction, I have started a meal and exercise plan.  I found it online through the Women's Health magazine website, and it includes three weeks of meal plans, as well as an ab focused workout plan (because that is my biggest problem area).  Yesterday was my first day, and overall I think it went well.  I followed my meal plan and didn't cheat at all, and even did a good job with the workout.  I completed the cardio portion (treadmill walking at 4% incline for 27 minutes - including warm up), and did most of the ab exercises.  I couldn't do the exercises quite right b/c I don't have a fitness ball yet.  However, with a little help (and motivation) from the hubby (who works out all the time and knows a lot from his years of basketball), I did most of them, just slightly modified due to the missing ball. 

Right now I am still optimistic.  The only really challenging part so far is the beverages.  I am used to my caffeinated beverages in the morning and I struggled yesterday and today without them.  Today I also had a little trouble with the smoothie I was supposed to drink for my AM snack.  It was a creamy lemon smoothie, but I couldn't get it down because of the taste.  (Note to self: I do NOT like smoothies made with ricotta.)  Since I couldn't eat that, I stayed healthy and drank an orange juice so that my metabolism wouldn't stop.  Today is also an off day for the work out, but since I'm starting from nothing with that, I may go walk a bit on the treadmill tonight.

Hopefully all goes well with this.  I need a positive, healthy change right now - especially in time for spring!  On that note, I will end with my  things for yesterday:
1) 27 minutes on the treadmill
2) positive changes
3) sunshine!

1) Alice in wonderland
2) Not having strep
3) My adorable and silly husband

1) Pwning my grad school hw
2) Forehead kisses from hubby
3) Tarter sauce

1) reassuring job news
2) coloring books
3) pictures of my mom using the snowblower

1) cakewrecks.blogspot.com
2) Pizza Sundays
3) Reese PB Eggs

1) Being lazy and watching stupid movies on TV
2) Men with pot-bellies wearing overalls
3) Falling asleep to Harry Potter

1) grocery shopping so I don't keep eating like crap
2) Cadbury creme eggs
3) Amazing students who love doing academic things

1) DayQuil
2) hugs from hubby after a long, hard day
3) helpful, supportive parents of my students

I've really been slacking on things this week.  Without going into the gory details, work was really rough this week.  I would like to post three things though, from the past few days, just because I really need it right now.

1) My friends and all the people I have that are SO supportive of me
2) Seeing the Cleveland skyline driving home at night
3) sunshine

I took the weekend off

It's was Valentine's Day, our half anniversary for when we started dating, and a long President's Day weekend, so I definitely did not spend much time on the computer.  JR and I had a fun and mostly relaxing weekend together.  It was just what I needed - especially after Friday.

Friday I got some disappointing/frustrating news. I found out that it is very likely that my district will be doing a reduction in forces at the end of the year.   Friday I found out that my position is on the list of 12 that could possibly be cut.  I knew that this could be coming but it still makes it hard to hear.  In the meantime I'm going to keep my head up and apply for any jobs in my area that I can find.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Three things for the whole weekend...
1) The Tudors
2) QT with my hubby
3) Meeting a Sarah who looked eerily like me

We're going down...

I hate to admit it, but I am all about the latest One Republic song, "All the Right Moves."

1) Sleeping in thanks to snow days!
2) Spaghetti w/ garlic bread
3) Good knee news

Good news about the knee today!  I have a fairly common problem with it called soft knee.  Basically, from what I understand, it's an inflammation of the cartilage under my knee cap.  To fix it I have to ice it, take ibuprofen, and do these exercises to strengthen my quads (to take stress off my knee cap).  Yay for it not being a major problem!

1) Pringles Stix
2) Vintage wool skirts
3) Crosswords

So the snow has started to come down.  I'm hoping the drive home isn't too bad, but I'll put up with it if it means I have a snow day tomorrow.  I am REALLY hoping for one because I go to see the orthopedic physician tomorrow about my knee.  It hasn't been hurting so much, but I want to go get this checked out so I don't become Mrs. Hobble-Along any time again soon.  We got JR registered for school yesterday - YAY!  He's so cute when he gets excited about going back.  He tries to play it off, I think.  I know he'll do well and I'm so proud of him for doing this.  That's all that is really going on here in snowy Ohio.  Maybe something interesting will happen this afternoon for my to post about.  Probably not though :)

1) Paying off a credit card
2) Seeing JR excited about going back to school
3) Getting halfway done with another awesome PowerPoint
and a BONUS... getting Valentine's presents for my hubby!

Here's hoping for a snow day this week, and answers at the doctor's on Wednesday!

1) Making my Grandma Russel's taco dip and remembering her
2) Getting the DS away from JR long enough to play Professor Layton for a bit
3) Super Bowl commercials

Yesterday...

1) Hangouts with good friends
2) Big Guy's Pizza
3) NOT getting the loads of snow that everyone else did

:::sigh:::

Today has been a mostly frustrating day.  Yesterday my knee started bothering me and I was still in a lot of pain this morning so I scheduled an appointment at my doctor's office.  I couldn't see my regular doctor so I saw someone else in the practice.  Basically, he doesn't know what's wrong and told me to go to an orthopedic physician.  In the meantime I guess I just have to tough it out and hope I can either get in to someone quickly or that the pain subsides.  Here's hoping things improve.

Today's three things...
1) Being there for friends
2) Biscuits
3) Being uber productive

Because I have hw to do...

...all you get tonight is my 3 things.
1) Moms who help with grad school hw questions
2) Planning a fun outing with other married peoples
3) Bones (the show, not the skeletal kind)

Oh look what I found for you...

Now no looking for the book!

From the way I keep up with this...

... you would think I was terrible at commitment.  But really, I am quite committed to lots of things.  I just forget about posting on here.  Boo for me.

I do have something fun to share though, because I had a realization yesterday.  To get this realization, you must have first read the book In the Night Kitchen by the great Maurice Sednak.  In this book, a small boy gets baked in batter (cake batter, to be exact) while venturing in the night kitchen.  Here in lies my realization.  Ugg boots - you know those hideous boots that I cannot escape because I teach both middle and high school - look just like the feet of the little boy in this book when he is baked in batter!  Now I realize the humor of this is lost on those of you who have not read the book but oh well.  Go find the book and look at his batter baked feet (though I warn you that he anatomically correct throughout the book) and you will  get a good chuckle.

Now for my three things... which I most definitely need today...
1) Taco Bell
2) Hubby's excitement over his new DS game, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (yes you can giggle)
3) Being on schedule with my hw

Yesterday's 3 Things

Since I forgot...
1) Hungry Hungarian Paperkash Sandwiches
2) Dinner dates with my husband
3) Being in the mood to wear a dress to work

Today's 3 Things

1) Baking
2) Coming home after a bad day to hugs from my hubby
3) Gilmore Girls

Today's 3 Things...

1) Papa John's Garlic Sauce
2) Snuggles
3) Planning for something new for my students

I forgot to post these yesterday...

1) 40 degree days in January in Ohio
2) reminiscing with the hubby about when we first met
3) car washes!

I am lame...

...and have not been keeping up like this as I said I would. In order to encourage myself to do so, I am stealing something my sister is doing. She is listing 3 positives about her day each day. Since I have been quite the Debbie Downer lately, I think it would be a good daily practice to help me try to not focus on the negatives so much. So here goes nothing...

1) when one of my students got super excited b/c she knew the definition to a word
2) Your Shot Jigsaw Puzzles on the National Geographic website http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/jigsaw-puzzles
3) Jeans Day at work