Author: foodsweatandbeers

Quick Update: Confession Edition

/ foodsweatandbeers / 12 Comments

True story….  I just have a moment to write this before I head off, but I really needed to share this with everyone.

On my lunch break today, I rushed home for a quick workout.

This is what I look like when I am a sweaty moster:

Instagram did its best to make this picture cute. A for Effort.

Can I just say how difficult it is to workout listening to stand up comedians on Pandora?  Laughing builds abs, right?

Speedy Demon

377 calories in 28 minutes, Mama likey….

Second confession:

Whipped Cream. A dangerous canister.

My snack today was a Southwest Airlines bag of pretzels and whipped cream with sugar sprinkles on top. Much more whipped cream than this was consumed.  Having access to a full canister is dangerous business.

Life’s all about balance, right?

Nothing’s Right, I’m TORN!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 12 Comments

(***WARNING: The following post is going to make me sound like a spoiled brat.  I promise that [most of the time] I am not, and I’m just being melodramatic because it’s Wednesday and I’m sleepy.  Take it with a grain of salt, as a fair percent of it is in jest.***)

Here’s the thing.  When you offhandedly tell your friends you’d be okay with playing one night for them in volleyball if they needed, you never really think that volleyball game is going to come.

Here’s the other thing: You’re wrong.

That game will come and it will, undoubtedly, be the night that you really wanted to/planned with folks to go to Woody’s City Market in Raleigh with all your friends from that Tri-Beer Meetup you talk about incessantly.

Not only that, but one game will really mean two games, scheduled at the least convenient times ever known to mankind.  6:30. 8:30.

Don’t worry, the games will “be conveniently” (those quotation marks imply the dripping sarcasm that’s coming out of my every pore) located about 30 minutes from your house, 3o minutes from the bar, and 30 minutes from any likelihood of you being able to participate in the Dogfish Head Tap Takeover you’ve waited for your whole beer life (which may only be a mere 2 years in the making, but it still means a lot because this never happens and Dogfish is NEVER on tap anywhere near you).  You know, in case you were worrying.

You will undoubtedly feel like a brat for wanting to play one game then dash, and you will also feel like a jerk for ditching your beer friends.  This is natural.  Be prepared to feel this way all day.

Here’s the thing: whatever happens, it’s going to make you feel lousy.

How is it only Wednesday?

To make up for this downer of a post, here are a few things that make me incredibly happy:

  • This one time, I went to a Lady Gaga concert.  This was my outfit:

    That's right. Those are birds in my hair.

    This was my inspiration:

    Yup, birds on his back.

  • Although mon frere, Hunter, thought it’d be patriotic of him to go to France during the Fourth of July and take pictures like this:

    Il est degoutante, non?

    … he’s back, stateside!  Which means that I will be showering him with all the American love I have to give in just a few days!!

    He's my twin, 7 years removed.

    Can’t wait.

  • Today is the Changing of the Sales.  Come on, Harris Teeter…. Mommy needs some new cheese!

Bull City Burger and A Beer Blunder

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and a happy end of Monday to all!!  I must admit, today was certainly not the best day I’ve had in a while.  An early morning meeting, a dash of stress when it came to work -related stuff, a rogue pebble chipped my car window, and my fitness class of choice was (groannnnnnnnnnnn) BodyCombat. You may be asking yourself, “If you hate the class so much, why do you do it?”  Well, I do it for this.

Sweaty Betty

I rocked out 777 calories during the workout, which is actually not as high as I was expecting but, at the end of the day, the class kept me sweating, and left me panting in only the sexiest possible way.

You know…. like an overheated puppy.

Speaking of sweating, I always find myself sweating in the weirdest possible ways at the gym.  Here was the real winner tonight:

Shin sweat... nectar of the gods.

Super cute.  However, I did get to kick it in my new Under Armour goodies I picked up at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, so I was a happy camper combater.

Afterwards, I figured it was as good a time as any to use my TryItLocal Voucher (it’s sort of like a new version of Groupon… or LivingSocial or ANYTHING like that.)  It was for Bull City Burger, and I figured I’d take the beau out for some  BEEF!

This quality Durham restaurant and brewery, brewing their own beers and focusing on a “farm-to-fork” process, working with North Carolina farm raised beef, hormone and antibiotic free. They also have all-beef hotdogs, and they work with local farmers for their produce such as tomatoes, cukes (for pickling!), and lettuce.  BCB makes their own condiments as well, though I didn’t try any (alas… next time.)

After putting in our order, I grabbed a soda, while Ryan waited for his Roger Lager (made by BCB!!).  I normally wouldn’t get soda out, but this was a special occasion… they had Boylan Soda… not in bottles… IN A FOUNTAIN!!  For $1.75, you get unlimited refills in a beautiful mason jar.  I went for the Black Cherry, and was NOT disappointed.

Black Cherry Cola, more delicious nectar of the gods.

Seriously, this started the meal off on the absolute right note.  Boylan bottled sodas normally go for something like $3 a bottle when my brother would get their birch beer, so I felt like I was committing highway robbery: soda style.

Shortly after our order, our meals came over to the table.

Burger Bliss

Since my burger over Independence Day weekend was a little burnt, I was elated to try a perfectly cooked patty.

Ryan ordered a Chili burger with cheddar cheese, and I ordered the Green Monster: A burger topped with Gruyere, raw onion, and roasted poblano peppers.  We also split an order of Dirty Fries: Russet potatoes, skin on, fried in peanut oil.  The fries were SPOT ON!  Very crispy, well salted, paired nicely with the ketchup (Heinz Simply Ketchup, gotta love it).  The bun was fantastic, crisp outside, soft and delicious inside.  Ry was initially worried about how small the patty was, but after realizing that the Chili packed a punch, he realized that it was definitely enough meal.  My burger was delightful. My only complaint was that the roasted poblano peppers were not warm, something that I expected.  They were still tasty, but I think they would’ve been more enjoyable with a little temperature increase.  They were probably roasted and cut, then just kept in a little container waiting for unsuspecting girls like myself to order them… HOODWINKERY!

Clearly, it didn't bother me too much. This was about 5 minutes into eating....

As always, I punched my Clean Plates Club card, and headed back over to the fountain.  I had to try a few more sips.

Boylan Paradise!

The birch beer was not my favorite, but the cream soda… oh heavenly angels!!  It was so creamy, and so so very great.

While the burger prices were fairly steep ($6 plain, up to $10 specialty, or more if you add your own toppings), the soda and fries were definitely at the right price point, and everything was made locally and made well.  A great date night spot…

We had pipe dreams of heading to Fullsteam for a little dessert (namely, their Cherry Imperial Stout commissioned by Northwest Cherries).  Alas, our late arrival resulted in the bitter disappointment of learning the keg had been KICKED (not tapped, like I originally said… that was at 4 pm).   DEPRESSION FACE!

Ry saw the sadness in my eyes, and brought me somewhere to cheer me up: Total Wine.

Foothills Hoppyum.... served in a Foothills glass!

Foothills Hoppyum, a hop-head’s dream come true, served in the brewery glass courtesy of another awesome evening at Rockfish…  I guess I’ll just have to head there tomorrow before dinner.

I’d say darn…. if I was even the least bit disappointed!

Time for another glass before bed, and another episode of 24… we’re addicted to all the Jack Bauer drama we can get!!

What would be your perfect burger?  And what would be on top of it?

Say Yes to the Dress (and the Bride!)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 18 Comments

Howdy friends, and happy Monday!  I’ll admit, Mondays are always rough, especially when they start off with a surprise meeting, but c’est la vie!  I rewarded myself for a productive morning with a delicious salad of epic proportions:

Greens make me feel like a lean, mean, machine!

Today’s salad consisted of:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Half a GIANT green pepper
  • 2/3 of a small tomato
  • Reduced fat mexican cheese mix
  • Black beans
  • Salsa

It is was DELICIOSO!!  I wolfed it down like a ravenous were-Jordan.  And now, onto the topic of the post.

My Best Friend’s Wedding!

My dress looks exactly like this.

No, definitely not the movie.  THE REAL LIFE THING!!

My dearest friend, Caitlin (of Chicaito, her new blog!), who I’ve known officially longer than I have not, is marrying her college sweetheart and they’re starting a beautiful life as husband and wife in Chicago.  When Caitlin asked me to be one of her Maids of Honor, it obviously wasn’t even a question, and I feel so honored to be a part of her magical day and all the things leading up to it!

Last month, we gathered in her hometown for the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party in Philadelphia.

Bride to Be Cait and her Co-MOHs Breanna and Jordan

It was an excellent weekend, and a great way to meet some of the bridal party who I’d never met before.  Caitlin and I have been friends since FOREVER, but as we went to college 470 miles apart, we only got to see each other now and then during the past 6 years.  We never lost touch, though, and every time we’re together, it’s just like we’re teenagers dancing at the All-Camp Dance at Camp Tockwogh.

That'd be our wedding photo... if Eamonn weren't in the picture, of course!

I will admit, I never knew what was involved in being a Maid of Honor, and it’s a whole lotta stuff that I’d never imagined. Who knew how many ways you could organize cupcakes on a table for a shower, or how many peen shaped accoutrements ther were for the bachelorette party.  Not I!

Luckily I already had 4 tiaras for her to choose from...

All those hours of saying yes to marathons of Say Yes to the Dress, though, and the hours of looking at bridal sites are about to come to a head, as the nuptials are in less than 2 weeks!!  I’m so excited to be a part of the big day, and you know I’ll be there with hankies in case she cries, a tiny sewing kit (that I will have no idea how to use) if she rips her dress, and a shot of vodka to get the party started.

That being said, getting prepared for the big stuff (standing next to her at the altar, giving a speech at the reception) is started to make me a little nervous!  I haven’t given a big speech in a while and, as someone prone to tears, I really don’t wanna lose my cool and start bawling in front of a bunch of loved ones and strangers… I still feel like I’m that teenage girl getting ready to send her besty off to be with another best friend!  I know no matter what happens, Caitlin will be happy and she won’t hold it against me if I break down into tears, but I just wanna make her day as special as possible!

Do you have any advice on how to be the best MOH in the world? 

Have you ever been in a wedding?  What was it like?

Whatever happens, I know we’ll have fun…. because honestly, when don’t we?

Six Pack Sunday: Anniversary Sale and Aversion to Pale

/ foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

Good day friends, despite my claims of how lovely this Sunday is, I’ll confess, I only have left the apartment to grab supplies for breakfast this morning.  We whipped up some egg sandwiches (combo 1 full egg + 1 egg white, some REAL bacon, and some low fat cheddar on a sandwich thin.)  It was divine, and it felt especially naughty to be eating real bacon.  But sometimes, turkey bacon or fake-in (read: veggie bacon) won’t cut it for me.

This Six Pack Sunday is brought to you by the fine makers of UV rays (i.e. our good friend, Mr. Sunshine) and Nordstrom.  My favorite things.

No, definitely not that Mr. Sunshine.

Without those two, my week wouldn’t have been as fantastic as it was!  So here it is:

Six Pack Sunday

  1. Since I’ll be heading up to OCNJ again this coming weekend, I’ve started scoping out a few other things I wanted to do but simply didn’t have time to do over Independence Day weekend.  One of the biggest ones that I’d like to do, and have wanted to do since I started liking seafood, was visit one of the infamous seafood spots that my mom and dad always used to go to when I was growing up.  Top of the list? Smitty’s Clam Bar (I searched far and wide for a website for them, to no avail… maybe they’re keeping it old school.)  I remember coming here all the time growing up, and my mom would always get the most amazing looking clam chowder and fried clams, but as lovely as they looked, the idea of seafood skeeved me out.  Now… well now it’s all I want.  Also on the potential list: Yesterday’s or Obadiah’s. Basically anywhere great that can serve me fishies is all I want.

    Fish are friends. And fish are FOOD!

  2. On Thursday, I had an appointment with my personal Nordstrom consultant, Amy, to preview the Anniversary Sale.  It was the most amazing shopping experience of my life.  She had pulled all the watches and purses that I wanted to see, and brought me through the tents of racks full of deeply discounted things.  She also brought me a beverage to enjoy as I scanned the piles and hangers full of clothes.

    Sipping my complimentary soda while I wait for my consultant.

    I’ll be honest, though I saw many things I was fond of in the catalog and online, I really only truly intended to buy ONE.

    Happy (early) Birthday to ME!!

    Oh, it is love.

    The Michael Kors watch of my dreams.  I had been eyeing this puppy since they came out, but when I saw the prices drop so low AND was sent a Nordstrom note for $20, the time just seemed right.  My birthday isn’t until August 24th (MARK YOUR CALENDARS!), but the sale ends when July ends, and I know the catalog things go fast.  My other early birthday present will be my trip to the Healthy Living Summit in Philadelphia, so if you’re going too, be sure that I’ll be celebrating early Friday and Saturday night!!

    Though I only had my eyes on the watch at first, that didn’t stop me, from blowing my paycheck on a few other goodies. Woops.

    My haul!!

    Two pairs of Nike Running shorts, one pair of Nike capris with a wide pink band, one pair of Under Armour capris, and the Zella blue hoodie.  Not too shabby.

  3. On the same note of Nordstrom, when I was going through my bag, I realized that the pair of pants that I’d bought had not been included.  Either someone misplaced it, or it was set aside, but either way, it didn’t come home with me!  Well, I called them back, spoke to my personal stylist, and she immediately apologized profusely and offered to drive them over to me.  TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE?!  Any of you who shop at Nordstrom, I am sure, are aware of their impeccable service.  You may not know, though, that it’s a long standing tradition and that their old handbook used to be a single note card with only 75 words on it.Welcome to NordstromWe’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

    Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.

    Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time. – Source

    Though their handbook has expanded, their basic concept of service and judgment has not changed.  It’s a beautiful thing.

  4. Jalapeno Poppers.  They’re a true love of mine, though I rarely indulge because they’re often fried, filled with gooey fatty cheese, and not something I spend my money on.  HOWEVER, the ones at OnlyBurger (which used to just be a food truck, and now has established a fantastic mortar and brick storefront) were off the chain!!

    Bacon wrapped, not fried, and fantastic

    They were wrapped in bacon, very fresh jalapenos, and stuffed with cheddar and (get ready, all you Southern food lovers, to have your mouths watering) PIMENTO CHEESE!! I also had a lamb slider, and the prices were so so reasonable, it was perfect.  You can follow OnlyBurger on Twitter to see specials, and find out where they are bringing the truck next!!  But seriously, if you hate chasing cars (i.e. if you’re not a dog…) go to the restaurant.  It’s also the neighbor of my favorite froyo place… Tutti Frutti! Dinner and dessert within a few feet? You can’t beat it!

  5. I may have a problem… An addiction to collecting pint glasses.

    That's not even close to all of them.

    It’s getting out of control.  Luckily, my apartment complex did me a solid and thought of this when they offered giant bookcases in every apartment.  I’m a lucky duck.

  6. The sunshine is my true love.  I’ve been trying to make sure that I have enough of a tan to rock my bridesmaid dress for my best friend’s wedding in two weekends, which results in lots of this:

    Thank goodness for that Kindle.

    Which basically translates to I’m cranking so hard through that book!!  And those UV Indexes are my second favorite reading material.

Ok, well we’re off to celebrate my beau’s father’s impromptu Vegas wedding tonight with dinner, so I guess I should probably shower.

Have a great evening, and good luck getting back into the swing of things tomorrow!  Dreadful Mondays….  This is what I think of them!

Rawrrrrrrrr!! GO AWAY MONDAY!

Anything good coming up for you this week?

BodyJam: Booty Blast Edition

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Good morning lovely ladies and gentlemen!

It’s a GORGEOUS Sunday morning and, after looking at a forecast for nasty weather all weekend, I’m happy to say that was the opposite of what really happened.  It has only deepened my belief that I can trust the weather man/woman as far as I can throw them (which, despite how jacked I am, is not very far).

Maybe the weather person weighs 10 lbs? If so, I'm set.

After a quick breakfast of cinnamon cranberry pancakes (using the complicated recipe of Hungry Jack Pancake and Waffle Complete Wheat Blends + cinnamon + Ocean Spray Craisins) and some sugar free syrup, I was fueled enough to hit the gym, and hit it hard.  Despite having just spent my rent’s worth of money on workout clothes at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (which starts July 15, GET YOUR SHOPPING SHOES READY, FOLKS!), I donned my normal workout attire, not really expecting too much from this workout.  You know how sometimes you go into the gym and it feels almost like your duty?  This was one of those days.

Well, a few minutes into the BodyJam class, that opinion quickly changed. The class was with Alison C., my favorite instructor at O2 Fitness in Chapel Hill because she makes everyone so comfortable in getting down and dirty with their dance moves.  We were popping, we were locking, dropping, dripping, snapping, spinning, I think maybe someone taught us how to dougie (if you don’t know how to dougie, use this instructional video.everyone will think you’re cooler than you already are, especially if they watch you practicing.)

Those peaks? Probably dougie-ing.

We finished the class with a house/tribal set that DESTROYED my booty.  There were a lot of kicks, jumps, and a weird scoop leg move that blasted my booty.  The whole rest of the day, every time I sat down/stood back up, I got that sore reminder of how smooth my moves were.  Fantastic booty burn.  I complimented that blast with 30 minutes on the reclined bicycle, reading my book du jour, The Justice Game by Randy Singer. It was great because I didn’t even realize how long I was riding, and VOILA it was pool time!

Before the pool, we stopped by Quiznos where I picked up a small toasted Veggie Caprese and some baked Lay’s.

Poolside Gourmet

More pooltime, more sunshine, more reading, and it was time for dinner! (I know, my life revolves around food.)  Having burned over a thousand calories at my workout earlier, I felt as though I had some room to indulge.

99 cent margaritas? Don't mind if I do.

Which, of course, was followed by an UNBELIEVABLY GOOD meal.

Chicken Quesadilla, Chile Relleno, and beans (the magical fruit.)

This has inspired me to make a chile relleno of my own ASAP! I don’t know what I’ve been doing avoiding these my whole life but peppers + mexican fillings = dream come true.

We migrated to Roth Brewing Company (which will be a separate post entirely), had a blast, and finished the night off with some serious dance battles on XBox Kinect.  Never in my life have I enjoyed playing a “video game” before!!  I whipped out a few of those BodyJam moves, and (of course) went undefeated.

That's me cutting a rug at my best friend, Cait's, bachelorette party.

Best night I’ve had in the Triangle in some time, and was filled with friends, food, and (luckily for my waistline) fitness!

Do you like to dance?  If so, where? The club? The Discotheque? Group fitness classes? Dance studios?

Have any good recipes for stuffed peppers?

Enjoy this stunning day, and the tail end of your weekend!

Women and Chick Beer vs. Craft Beer: A Response

/ foodsweatandbeers / 20 Comments

Good Saturday morning, y’all!  Hope you’re already enjoying your weekend, and doing lots of amazing things.  So far, I’ve Body Attacked, had a fantastic double date with my workout buddy (and mistress of the killer workout, the  Death Deck, Melissa) and her guy, and snacked heavily on some froyo and some quality brewskis.  But more on that, later.  See, right now, I have something to talk about that’s been on my mind for the past two days but, as I was swamped at work/working overtime to make up for coming in late on Monday, I had little/no time to blog, tweet, facebook, gchat, or any other fun social media that I love.  But now it’s time.

A few days ago, an article came out and swam around the twittersphere.  The article, from New Zealand’s The Marlsborough Press, was entitled Women and Beer: The taste test results are in.  To sum up the article, a sort of experiment was conducted inviting women who don’t normally drink beer to come out and try two new beers which have been specifically designed to appeal to the ladies.

The two beers in question: Valkyrie Brynhild and Beltane Maiden Source

To expand: one, the Beltane Maiden, was flavored with lemon zest to give it a “sweet citrus flavor”, described as “light in body, low in bitterness, and with a velvety finish.” While some women found it refreshing, others were turned off by the cloudiness, yeastiness, and called it “absolutely disgusting.”

The next beer they tasted was called Valkyrie Brynhild golden ale, which was described as “gentle hopped” and flavored with “hokey pokey” (I have no clue what that means, but I heard that’s what it’s all about…) Again, mixed results ranging from “I’d choose this over a glass of wine” to “drinkable, not too much taste.”  No real winner here, either.

The author of this article, Geoff Griggs (who some of you may know if you spend a lotta time going to beer tastings in New Zealand) found that, when polling the women afterwards, and asking what it is about beer that women don’t like, the answers ranged from taste to the “bloated” and “gassy” feelings they get.  Others focused on the image of beer drinking, traditionally associated with young males getting obliterated at parties.

With the advertising culture of beer obviously geared towards males, with most featuring concepts like this one:

the women are merely accessories are prizes sought by the likes of (yuck) Carlos Mencia and friends.  It is no wonder that women find the image of beer drinking a bit off-putting. One beer manufacturer is even trying to combat this stereotype with “Chick Beer“.

I'll take sexist bottle designs for 800.

Allegedly, this beer won’t “weigh you down” with less than 100 calories per bottle, the flavor is “soft and smooth”, and it’s only “lightly carbonated” to avoid that “bloaty” feeling.  Also, from the site:

Chick Beer finally gives women a beer choice that suits their tastes and their style. The bottle is designed to reflect the beautiful shape of a woman in a little black dress.  The six-pack looks like you are carrying your beer in a hip stylish, purse.  Chick’s unique reflective bottle blings you up!  It’s fun, fabulous, and female!

Ok, we get it.  Lots of times, girls like to shop, to wear dresses, and to have jewelry.  But I have to admit, this beer makes me feel like my fondness for shiny things (Seriously, I’m like a raccoon around Swarovski ) is being mocked, and then sold back to me.  This beer truly just sounds like a flavorless, low carbonated light beer. And there are enough of them to go around.

As a lady of lager (pulled that one from the Girls Pint Out description!!) myself, I have to say that this was an incredibly interesting look into why my breed is a rare one indeed.

Too many women that I know have zero knowledge of the rich, diverse world of craft beers, of the subtle pairings of beers with foods, and of the fact that you don’t have to drink enough to get drunk to enjoy them (thus, avoiding that bloated feeling! I don’t know if I’ve ever been bloated off a single beer.)

Likely, many of them only remember beers from the days of college or partying, where they were hoisted up for kegstands of warm, cheap light beer or were tossed a can of some swill. It’s no wonder, then, that they shifted their interest to the more “refined” wine.

I'll have you know, this was a kegstand of Carolina Brewery Amber Ale. GET ON MY LEVEL!

I certainly don’t think that beers should be developed in order to appear “girly” (just like I didn’t think it was the best practice for Camel to introduce Camel No. 9 in hopes for more women smokers) but only because I think it creates a beerdrinker that will only want that kind of brew. Education can make a world of difference, and women may learn to embrace more beers if they realize what else is out there (and that it’s not all cheap, nasty cans or deep, dark stouts.)

Bottoms up to Craft Beer, ladies!

There’s a world of beer out there, just waiting for you to give it a try.  And even though the bottles may not look like little black dresses or “bling you out”, I promise there are some pretty ones out there that can match just about any outfit you put together.

Microwave Titration: Office Hardships

/ foodsweatandbeers / 12 Comments

Here’s the thing: I dont remember much about high school chemistry class.  My teacher’s name was Mrs. Arensberg, my friend has a seizure in the middle of one class, and we did an experiment with titration.  Just because I remember that I did that experiment, I couldn’t tell you what titration means.  I vaguely recall, though, that it involved messing with one beaker, and then another, trying to get the right balance of fluid into a bigger beaker.  My chemistry major whizkid boyfriend is going to hate this post so much.

Titration is not.... you can't just make up definitions for.... nevermind.

Yup, just call me Jordan Nye the Science Guy. (Fun Fact: I met Bill Nye when I was in college, he visited UNC.  Less Fun Fct: He was a total asshole.  Seriously, not nice at all.) 

That’s all beyond the point.  What I’m getting at, is that the act of adding some from one beaker and some from another always sat with me as how titration works. And I feel as though, every day I use the microwaves at work, I’m doing my own little chemistry experiment.  Only, instead of trying to balance liquies from two beakers, I am trying to balance out the power of two different microwaves in the office.

In the red corner, we have this little gem:

Heater of all foods good.

This microwave is the jack of all trades. It can toast, it can nuke, and it does it all without burning anything.  My food always emerges hot, not crusty, there are often treats on top (such as chocolate chip cookies or chocolate frogs like I saw yesterday!!)  It’s a beautiful thing to walk over there, and my popcorn never stinks up the office by burning.  Sometimes, when I’m waiting for my popcorn, I do wallsits by this microwave.  I love it.

Then, in the blue corner, we have this eyesore:

DEMON MICROWAVE!

This. Microwave. Sucks. It turns frozen meals into hard as rock, inedible blocks, it burns the living daylights out of popcorn, and I constantly have to change the length of time as well as the power level.  And on those rare occasions when I am cooking a veggie patty in one, and want to make steamed veggies in the other… I have to choose which gets the demon (or wait 8 minutes to eat instead of 4). 

 
Today, the Morningstar Grillers Chik’n Patty had the shame of being put in the demon.  I had to watch it like a hawk and, even still, the edges got a little burnt/crisper than I usually like.  Despite my best efforts, it was not my finest work, but I avoided the great Lean Cuisine Rock that happened in 2010 (seriously, I couldn’t pull the enchilada from the rice… it was bad.)
Salvaged meal

Chicken patty slathered in laughing cow blue cheese and Frank’s Red hot (A favorite sandwich combo of mine)! The vegetables, of course, were perfect.  Corn, carrots, peas, and green beans.  I rounded things off with a sugar-free jello cup, and I get a feeling I’ll be sneaking over to that beautiful microwave of treats to sneak a cookie… or the head of that frog!!

Until then, I’ll leave the titration to the beau.  I’ll take care of everything else… especially of looking classy.

Don’t worry. I got this.

What’s for your lunch today?

 
How are the facilities at your office when it comes to whipping up a tasty meal?
 

Hybrid Crab Cakes and Whipped Avocado Sauce

/ foodsweatandbeers / 9 Comments

Today was a day of temptation, as a meeting at work featured cookies and fruit cups.  I held off from the temptation of cookies by focusing on a much more delicious snack (note the dripping sarcasm.)

Oh, neat. Celery.

Paired with Athenos Hummus (which is not nearly as delicious as the Sabra I had earlier today and, comparatively, it is dry and grainy.)  Oh well….

I thought I was playing it cool, being all healthy and junk when…. WAIT A MINUTE!! WHAT’S THAT OVER THERE?!

Honeydukes Chocolate Frog!!!!

It came complete with a Godric Gryffindor trading card!!  My coworker just recently came back from Orlando, FL after spending a long weekend in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. She brought back a chocolate frog, which I consider a major tease/appetizer for my trip to Orlando in October!!  That’s right, home of such major attractions as Julie of PBFingers and former haunt of Meghann (Meals and Miles). Oh, wait, also home of such exciting spots as Disney World, Universal Studios, and Halloween Horror Nights is where I’ll be the weekend before Halloween!! (I’m welcoming any tips and advice of what to do in the sunny city as this was a totally random flight plan spawned by the Southwest Airline 40th Anniversary SUPER SALE!!)

Obviously, I had to have a few bites.  Oops.

Tonight, for dinner, I decided that, when life hands you crab flakes on sale, make crabcakes!

Since I’ve never undertaken such a wild dish as this, I knew I needed some inspiration, and so I of course looked to the internet.  Taking a bit of two recipes, one from the Trans-Ocean website for Cajun Crabcakes, and another for “The Wire” Worthy Crab Cakes from The Kitchen Sink.  They both looked good, so this is what I ended up with:

Recipe Hybrid Crab Cakes

  1. 1 tablespoon of Fat Free Greek Yogurt from Trader Joes
  2. 1 tablespoon of Hellman’s Low Fat Mayo
  3. 1 egg white
  4. the juice of one lemon
  5. a few splashes of worcestershire sauce
  6. Salt and Pepper
  7. Cajun seasoning
  8. 8 oz of crab flakes (Trans-Ocean was my choice)
  9. 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  10. 1/3 of a red pepper, diced
  11. 2 to 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, stir together ingredients 1-7 (yogurt through Cajun Seasoning) together. Add the crab, mashing the heck out of it so that it’s got a nice finely mashed texture.  I wanna say stringy, but that sounds gross. But I guess that’s what I mean. Add the panko, red pepper and maybe some more spices if you forgot to add them earlier (like I did.) Split the total mix into four even parts and mold each part into a round little cake. Refrigerate the cakes for at least 30 minutes.  This will help the cakes hold together a little better on the pan.

Put 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add two crab cakes and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes before flipping and doing the same on the other side (or until lightly browned and heated through.) Remove the first two cakes to a plate; and repeat the directions above. If necessary, add some more oil to the skillet and cook the remaining two cakes according to the directions above. Serve warm, and maybe with a little of this yummy whip.

Whipped Avocado Dipping Sauce from Kristin of the Kitchen Sink’s Recipe
1 avocado, skinned and pitted
juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and whip with a wire whisk (alternately, place the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse) until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Serve chilled.

This recipe worked out pretty well though I think, if I didn’t have the sauce, it would’ve been a bit dry. It was a healthified version of a dish that I’d only had SUPER FRIED in the past, which also helped. The peppers added some crunch to it, and I bet it would’ve been excellent in a sandwich with some lettuce, a tomato, and a sandwich thin!  Maybe tomorrow, as I have two leftover cakes!

Since I’m hoping to FINALLY get back to the gym tomorrow, I’m off to sleep in hopes for an early workout!

Have a splendid night, and remember (remember) the 5th of November (the beau rented V for Vendetta, which he’s never seen before…. Adorable.)

Lunchspiration and Zumba Gear!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

After coming back from a long weekend, it’s always hard for me to get back into the swing of eating things.  My cupboards are usually bare, I did my best to empty out the fridge before we left, and I’m so exhausted that the idea of a long grocery trip is often beaten by the idea of a nap.  These past few days were no different.

I flew back to RDU on a slightly later flight than usual and arrived around 1:25, so was able to be back to work by 2pm.  Truly, the Southwest Airlines route from RDU to Philly and back is unbelievably easy, frequently very cheap/on sale, and never takes longer than 1.5 hours.  I can’t even talk about how convenient it’s made living 300+ miles away from my family.  But, as they’ve yet to add personal masseuses and white noise machines on the flight, I still find myself tuckered out after a day of traveling.  I managed to grab some of the “essentials” last night at the store:

Most. Random. Essentials. Ever.

Truly, though, I was just getting what was on sale as I knew, fairly soon, the changing of the sales would occur (as it does every Wednesday).  That left me with a still fairly bare cupboard.  Then, right before lunch, it hit me.

Flatout Wrap: Unwrapped

The Full Monty

  • Flatout Wrap (light Italian)
  • Egg scramble inside with: red pepper slices, sauteed spinach, salt and peppah
  • Reduced fat Sargento 4 cheese blend
  • Carrot (cut myself!)
  • Sabra Hummus from yesterday’s shopping trip

I’ve tried hummus of all kinds, Athenos, non-name brand, Trader Joes, Harris Teeter…. they don’t hold a candle to the creaminess of Sabra, and the rich nutty taste of this particular flavor (Roasted Pine Nut).  Now it’s gluten free, too, which doesn’t really effect THIS GIRL too much, but worth mentioning for everyone else out there!

I also got an awesome package in the mail….

Zumba Nation, baby!

A brand new Zumba shirt (and bracelet, not pictured!) from the ladies over at Zumba Goodness.  Big thanks to the girls, Sarah and Kasey, and congratulations to them for a year in the Zum-biz!!

Can’t wait until next Tuesday when I can rock it out at Zumba class at O2 Fitness (the new instructor KICKED MY ASS last week, so I’m ready for her to bring it again.)

Workout plans tonight are a little tough, as I’m on call from 5pm-9am tomorrow morning and have to be by my phone/a computer all night…. maybe that’ll give me some time to whip up a healthy meal and finally unpack my life as I’ve been living out of my suitcase lately.

How do you get inspiration for lunch time variety? I’ll be honest, I saw a tweet from FlatoutBread and another from Sabra Hummus  and it just hit me.

Do you have any gear particular to the workouts you do?  I have seen instructors rocking the official Les Mills gear, and I want the Body Attack shirts SO BAD. So if anyone else wants a 6’1″ blonde (who’s currently rocking quite the suntan) to model their Les Mills attire…. just gimme a call.  Or a tweet.

Back to work, overtime today to make up for my unbearable lateness of being yesterday.

(If you caught that pun, you win!!)