Weekly Eats (June 27-July 3)

Monday Daily Recap:

Breakfast: Wendy's Crepe with fig goat cheese, raspberries, blueberries

Snack: I small piece of Trader Joe's Five Seed and Almond bar

Lunch: Homemade brioche bun with grilled black bean burger and a sprinkle of melted cheese on top. Side of cucumber, tomato, and onion marinated in light zesty italian dressing

Snack: Red Plum, 2 pieces of granola bar, 5 cherries

Dinner: Eggplant Gratin, 1 chicken leg from our beer can chicken, blue moon, noodle bake (Wide mixture of foods I realize, but they were all leftovers and just had bits of each one.. well minus the beer, had the whole thing!)

Fruits: 3

Vegetables: 3

Tomorrow, I need more veggies! And less snacking on granola (P

Workout: 25 minute 1.75 mile walk on treadmill, 60 minute pilates chair workout (Sharon taught me), and 15 minute core barre arms

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Wendy's crepe with blueberries and raspberries with fig goat cheese. Coffee with agave nectar and soy creamer

Snack: 1 piece of granola bar

Lunch: Homemade Brioche Hamburger bun with homemade curry tuna salad and a side salad with vinaigrette and light sprinkle of cheese, 5 tortilla chips (for crunch!)

Snack: cucumber, tomato, onion salad (in zesty light italian dressing), 1 piece of granola bar, hot tea

Dinner: Noodle bake and blue moon (late dinner)

Fruit: 3 Vegetable: 2 NEED MORE VEGGIES!

Workout: 60 minute Ashtanga yoga, 50 lap swim at YMCA (forgot to time myself but it was a great and speedy swim)

Wednesday:

B: Wendy's Crepe with raspberries, blueberries, and fig goat cheese. coffee on the side with agave nectar and soy creamer

S: 1 small piece of granola

L: 1 homemade brioche bun with black bean burger, topped with a sprinkle of cheese and 1/2 TBS mayo on bun. Side of cucumber and tomato salad in light zesty italian

S: 1/2 avocado with cilantro, hot sauce, and 1 tbs sour cream (quick quacamole) and 5 tortilla chips

D: Roasted Shrimp and Orzo pasta with feta and a glass of 2 Buck Chuck Shiraz

F: 2 V: 2 Still need more veggies!!!

Workout: 40 minute walk/run outside for 2.7 miles (1.4 miles straight running)! 55 minute advanced reformer taught by Sharon (WHOA!)

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were kind of off the chain! I was packing and traveling which led to me not writing down my eats... not good but at least I got some days written down. Need to be better about making time to write it down and while on vacation being accountable for what I eat (cause I am sure that I ate a lot of good food).

Farro Salad

I recently made an amazing dish with farro as the base. Farro is a whole grain and unlike wheat, the husk adheres to the grain, which makes it high in fiber, vitamin B, and protein. It is considered the "mother of all grains" meaning that it is the original grain from which all others come from including rice, barley, rye, and wheat. It is estimated to have been around for more than 6,000 years! Why have I not been cooking with it more??? Add some beans and this would be a complete protein meal, or start serving it as a side dish for a different and healthy alternative to potato salads, rice, mashed potatoes, and even pasta.... etc.

Farro Salad with Farm Fresh Tomatoes

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

4 cups water

10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups - farro is generally found on the pasta aisle)

2 tsp salt

1 pound farm fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (I don't eat chives so didn't add)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh italian parsley leaves

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp pepper or more to taste

Directions:

Turn oven on to high broil.

Combine the water and the farro in a saucepan and add 2 tsp of salt. Bring this to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium low once boiling and simmer until the farro is tender, which takes about 30 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl to cool.

Combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil lining the bottom. Toss the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in olive oil until evenly covered, add a bit of salt and pepper and place under broiler. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes start to brown slightly and the onions are tender to the touch. This varies, but you just want to make sure not to burn the veggies, so keep a close watch on them!

When veggies are broiled, add to the farro, then add the parsley and toss to combine well (add the chives here if using).

In a small bowl, add the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil and whisk these together well. Add the vinaigrette to the farro and toss to coat well. Enjoy hot or cold, we loved it both ways!

Goal Setting

I am not one to write down goals, which is likely why I feel like I have all of these goals that I want to accomplish but they seem to never get "checked off". I am amazing at procrastination, looking back over my college study habits I think that I can honestly say that procrastination was my key to success! However, I am finding that without a deadline (like I had say back in college) things just keep adding up. Therefore, inspired by Fitting Back In I am going to write down weekly goals and some monthly goals (monthly goals are a stretch so I am not even going to do a yearly one!) and see how this works for me.

Weekly Goals:

1. Make lunch for Ryan and I Monday thru Friday (this helps save on $ and prevents unplanned high caloric intake out at restaurants)

2. Post a meal plan for all of our meals for Monday thru Friday (will tackle weekends later!)

3. In efforts to analyze and identify my food "culprits" I am going to write down EVERY SINGLE THING I eat (this is going to be hard but it will help identify what my diet is lacking or exceeding)

4. Work Out: I love working out, it makes my day so much better. Instead of just saying I am going to work out five days, I am going to make a plan. While I know that plans can change I am at least going to have a temporary one set out.

5. Blog Daily (Monday thru Friday)! OH MY GOSH this is going to be so hard and time consuming but I love blogging and this should help to keep me accountable. I have so many recipes that I have made lately that haven't gotten posted on here so this should help to get them out to you!

Monthly Goal: To have accomplished at least 3 of the 5 above for one month (PRESSURE IS ON)

and FINALLY, have fun and thanks to you guys for reading this boring subject matter!

I accept any other ideas on Goal Setting... if you google goal setting it is a little insane how much information is out there on what is the best way or the worse way....

When Food Kills - Know what you are eating

When Food Kills

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Here are some highlights from a wonderful article that anyone who consumes food should read. I am not just speaking to those who eat meat, but also to vegetarians.... EVERYONE!

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/opinion/12kristof.html

Antibiotics are recklessly stuffed into healthy animals to make them grow faster.

The Food and Drug Administration reported recently that 80 percent of antibiotics in the United States go to livestock, not humans. And 90 percent of the livestock antibiotics are administered in their food or water, typically to healthy animals to keep them from getting sick when they are confined in squalid and crowded conditions.

The single state of North Carolina uses more antibiotics for livestock than the entire United States uses for humans.

We would never think of trying to keep our children healthy by adding antibiotics to school water fountains, because we know this would breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It’s unconscionable that Big Ag does something similar for livestock.

“These statistics tell the tale of an industry that is rampantly misusing antibiotics in an attempt to cover up filthy, unsanitary living conditions among animals,” Slaughter said. “As they feed antibiotics to animals to keep them healthy, they are making our families sicker by spreading these deadly strains of bacteria.”

Vegetarians may think that they’re immune, but they’re not. E. coli originates in animals but can spill into water used to irrigate vegetables, contaminating them.

We need "more public education". Take a second and know where your food is coming from. Are you supporting agriculture that encourages antibiotics or one that could possibly harm you and your family?

Here is the link again....

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/opinion/12kristof.html

Thoughts and comments appreciated

Daddy Sam's Salmon

Salmon is one of those fishes you either love or hate. I personally love it, but Ryan hasn't always been a fan. It is in season right now and when you go to your fishmonger they are offering about 5 different types of it. I love the King Salmon, but the Coho and Sockeye are also delicious. I don't care for Keta however, a bit too mushy for me. It used to be that when Ryan asked me what we were having for dinner and I said salmon, he would ask what leftovers we had in the fridge. However, once I started basting our salmon in Daddy Sam's Slap in on Salmon Sauce, he started loving it! It also helps that we cook it on our Kamado Joe on a Cedar Plank....

Daddy Sam's Salmon

From the Pearce's Kitchen

2 salmon filets (about 6-8 ounces each)

4 tablespoons Daddy Sam's Salmon Glaze

1 cedar plank (presoaked for at least 1 hour)

Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Place the salmon on the cedar plank and top with the salmon. Smother the salmon in the Daddy Sam's Salmon Glaze. Cook for 12-15 until flaky but not overdone.

*Note, you can also put this in the oven and bake it at 350. Just place the salmon on a baking sheet, top with the daddy sam's sauce and bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes (depending on the thickness and size of your salmon)

Grilled Chile-Lime Shrimp

I served these Grilled Shrimp with the Corn Salad from the last post. These were AMAZING. I could have eaten 1 pound.... make them asap.

Grilled Chile-Lime Shrimp

From Better Homes and Gardens (June 2011 issue)

1 tsp finely shredded lime peel (or zest)

1/4 TBS lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced

1 TBS garlic, minced

2 TBS low sodium soy sauce

3 TBS olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 TBS cilantro

1 TBS honey

1 1/2 lb large shrimp

Directions:

Get your grill hot (we used our Kamado Joe), around a medium high heat (375-400). Combine all of the ingredients, except the shrimp and stir well. Peel shrimp, leaving the tail on, and devein. Rinse well and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Place the shrimp in a large ziploc bag, add marinade, and cover the shrimp well with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, but do not marinate longer than 20 minutes or else the acidic lime juice will cook the shrimp...ceviche anyone?

Place shrimp on surface and skewer the shrimp. I used two skewers to hold the shrimp so that they lay flat and turn easily on the grill.

Place shrimp on oiled grill and cook 2 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Be sure not to overcook.

Enjoy the spice and perfection of this recipe!

Grilled Corn Salad and Vacation in Long Boat Key

Beautiful.... this guy liked me because I fed him one of the whiting that I caught

Johnny and his Grannie

Ryan and I

Memorial Day was spent at the beach. Long Boat Key is in my top 2 Florida beaches (Sanibel Island is the other). The water is so clear and there are lots of shells to find. I think one day we found 75 sand dollars along with a lot of olives and conchs. I also did a little bit of fishing and caught several whiting. Of course we did a lot of Seafood Eating. Our favorite restaurants include Crab and Fin, Salty Dog, AP Bells, Tommy Bahama, and Moore's Stone Crab. After spending a week in Long Boat Key, Florida with my family, I was ready to get back to Birmingham and try some new summer foods. The fresh vegetables and in-season fruits are about to be at their peak and this excites me!

Saturday and Sunday we cooked up lots of fresh food, most of which was cooked on my favorite "kitchen" tool, the Kamado Joe.

Fresh from Florida Corn

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled Corn Salad

Recipe from Better Homes and Garden (July 2011 issue)

8 ear corn, shucked

6 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped (if you buy regular cucumber, make sure to seed it)

2 green onions (optional, I didn't use)

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

4 Tbs white balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs Olive oil

Cayenne pepper to taste (as desired for spice)

Directions:

Heat grill to medium high, around 375-400 degrees. Brush corn with a little olive oil. Grill corn until lightly browned, being sure to turn often. When cool, cut corn from the cobs.

Toss the corn with tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, vinegar, and the 3 TBS olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add a shake or two of cayenne pepper for a bit of spice! Toss together and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

This week I will be posting awesome shrimp kebabs that are to die for!

Mexican Flat Breads

Black Bean Flat breads

This recipe is one that is a go to for me when I want a quick and easy Hot lunch. Lunch is always one of those meals that I always dread because I usually want something hot but don't have time to fix it (i.e. sandwiches and salads start to get boring to me). This one meets both of those requirements and I love it.

Mexican Flat Breads

Recipe from the Pearce's Kitchen

1 whole wheat flour tortilla

1 can organic black beans

1 small can diced green chilies

1 cup prepared salsa

1 ounce shredded cheese (I love Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Jalapeno Cheddar)

Additional toppings of choice - sliced avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, fresh jalepenos, sour cream, fresh tomatoes

Heat oven to 400. Place tortilla on baking sheet sprayed with nonsick cooking spray. Allow to cool until almost crispy, just past where it is soft. This takes about 4 minutes. In the meantime, cook the black beans, green chilies, and salsa in saucepan until warm. Then take the tortilla out of oven, turn onto the other side and top with the black bean mixture. Top with the shredded cheese and place back in the oven until the cheese is melted. Remove and top with any toppings that you would enjoy!

Easy as that! I do like to serve mine with a nice salad and of course guacamole is always on the side for me! I also save the black bean mixture for another 1 or 2 meals!

I am loving this cheese! Kelly from Fitting Back In/Healthified Kitchen Loves Cabot cheeses and encouraged me to get on the bandwagon! I always steered clear of reduced fat cheese because it usually doesn't melt well, but this gem is AMAZING! I am slowly becoming obsessed with Cabot Cheese!

Greek Panzanella

It was 90 degrees here today and very sunny. Perfect weather in my opinion! After teaching pilates this am I went on a nice walk/run late this afternoon. Unfortunately Tucher could only handle about 20 minutes of the walk before he was really hot so I brought him back to house and then went back out to soak up the nice heat. We are grilling salmon on cedar planks tonight and lounging on our back patio.... can you tell I love summer time?

Anyways, I made this delicious Greek Panzanella. It is hard to quit eating and perfect for summer time grill outs. Light and refreshing definitely describes this dish.

Greek Panzanella

Adapted From Ina Garten

Salad:

2 tbs olive oil

6 cups French bread cubes (cut in 1 inch cubes)

salt

1 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced in chunks

1 yellow bell pepper, diced in chunks

1 pint cherry tomatoes (either left whole or cut in half)

1/2 red onion, sliced thin (I hate raw onions so I left this out)

4 oz crumbed feta cheese

2 oz kalamata olives or black olives, sliced

Vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

To prepare the salad, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread crumbs and sprinkle with salt. Cook over medium to low heat, frequently tossing for 5-9 minutes. Cook until browned. Remove from the heat.

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion (if using)

Make the vinaigrette by combining the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until well emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Then add the feta, olives, and bread cubes. Mix together lightly. Set aside to allow the flavors to blend and then enjoy

Quick and Easy Fish

There are those nights when you want a quick, basic meal. Fish is the best thing for us that fits this type of evening. Of course, fish can be fancy or simple, however, this fish is simple and delicious. I started with trout (which has an awesome flavor) with a basic lemon pepper and Garlic Gold olive oil brushed on top. Baked in the oven... Simple and quick as that. For the side we prepared risotto alongside sauteed zucchini with diced tomatoes. Everything was ready in less than 20 minutes. What a great and healthy meal.

Quick and Easy Fish

2 pieces of thin fish, 6-8 ounces pre cooked (I used Trout in this picture, tilapia would also work)

Penzey's Lemon Pepper Seasoning sprinkled on top

Garlic Gold Olive Oil, brushed on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place fish on baking sheet (skin side down if there is a skin on your fish). Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until fish is flaky but not dry. Lesson in fish is to not overcook it!!!

Serve this meal with a great bottle of wine and enjoy the ease of cooking when you are cramped for time

Pioneer Woman is my idol

One of my favorite blogs to read, and one of my first blogs that I ever followed was the Pioneer Woman. I love all of her recipes that I have tried, one of them being Penne a la Betsy. Her Cinnamon Rolls are amazing. These are just two of the many things that I love to make.

A little while ago she came to Atlanta. I was not able to go but my neighbor, Mandi went and got a book signed for the Pearce's Kitchen! This cookbook is a great resource in our kitchen and a great one to add to your own collection.

Note that this cookbook is not "healthy". I could never cook out of this on a daily basis or I would weight 10,000 pounds. It is my go to recipe book for "special occasion dinners" and entertaining feasts.

Pioneer Woman also has great information on Photography. I have used many of her tips while learning how to use my camera. Be sure to follow her blog and try to win one of her many give-aways also!

BlueBerry Muffins and Running around

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

A crate of Fresh Florida Blueberries arrived at my front door!!! My mom came to visit and brought blueberries from the Webster farm. They were So fresh and perfect by themselves, but I had so many that I had to make some blueberry muffins. I found this recipe online and liked the different texture they had compared to a regular muffin. They were pretty doughy and very moist. Get some blueberries and buy them from FLORIDA, they are at their peak in taste.

Florida Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen (one of my favorite blogs!), originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated

The line up:

5 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 large organic egg

3/4 cup organic sour cream or full-fat greek yogurt

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup all purpose flour)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 heaping cup fresh Florida blueberries (can use frozen if fresh aren't available)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin pan with paper liners or spray

each cup with nonstick spray. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well, then add the sour cream (or yogurt) and lemon zest. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a sifter and sift half of the dry ingredients into the batter. Mix until combined and then sift the remaining dry ingredients into batter and mix just until the flour disappears. Gently fold in your blueberries. The dough will be very thick. Scoop with an ice cream scoop into the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are golden and the center is cooked (insert toothpick to check the center). Allow to cool or enjoy right away!

In other news, I have been jogging a little bit lately. It helps that I got a great new pair of kicks! I am obsessed with these shoes and already own two pair:

Jogging has always been so hard for me but something I aspire to do. The weather has been perfect for jogging which helps a lot. As long as I can find a relatively flat path, I can jog for a while. When it starts to get mountainous I get exhausted quickly. I have been keeping track of when I jog in my workout log on the left.

Plus, what is the best way to take water with you? Do I need one of these running belts or a CamelBak Charm????

Please send inspiration my way and any running tips that you may have...

Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken

I made these Chicken Breasts last week and really enjoyed the flavor and more importantly the ease and quickness of them. I have been super busy with work and haven't had time to prepare a lot of meals, like I usually do. I served them alongside broccoli one night and on top of a salad the next.

Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken

Recipe inspired by Jennjo, original recipe of Pearce Kitchen

2 chicken breast, halved (or 4 cutlets, note you want the chicken pieces thin)

1 cup finely chopped pecans (place pecans in a food processor, want them very fine)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the pecans, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes on a large plate. Place egg in a small mixing bowl, beat egg. Dip chicken in the egg mixture and immediately into the pecan mixture. Press the crumb mixture into the chicken on both sides. Place the chicken on a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Continue to coat the other chicken breasts in the same way. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until done. Be sure to check for doneness and not to overcook the chicken.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! Easter is such an important celebration in our family. Not only do we have the traditional rack of lamb with dyed eggs, but we celebrate the greatness of this special day. Our Church this year will definitely awaken the spirit and we can be thankful that there is a purpose in our lives. Thankful for family and friends and prayerful for health.

Mom is here, along with Jaxon and Coby (Australian Shepherds). Needless to say, 3 aussies in one house is a lot of fun! However, we only have 2 frisbees.... Lots of shopping and good eating are in order for this weekend. Last night we visited Ocean Restaurant. Mom's favorite and definitely delicious. Assorted fish like Corvina, Halibut, and Scallops were enjoyed. If you are in Birmingham, definitely try this restaurant out soon!

Happy Easter from My Sweet Boy!

I thought that I would share with you my "tablescape" for Easter. I made the little bunnies that were cut out and decorated the rest of the table with collected decorations. They were for Holly's shower and after trying to remember to take them to her house, I finally just used them here (why can I procrastinate so much!).

Summer Salad

Light and Refreshing

I love making this salad. I often top it with Shrimp or Grilled Chicken, or simply as a side salad. I make a variety of dressings to go along with it or sometimes just a light olive oil and vinaigrette does the trick. This is pretty much our lunch every day!

Summer Salad

Mixed greens and spinach

Fresh Organic Strawberries, cut into quarters

Fresh Organic Blueberries

Walnuts

Slivered Almonds

Dried Cherries

Dressing of your choice (One of my favorite that goes nicely with this is Cindy's Raspberry Nectar Vinaigrette)

*Image From Google Images

Pepper Place

If you live in Birmingham.... It is that time again when Pepper Place Farmer's Market opens! It starts this Saturday and while there won't be tons of tomatoes or peaches, there will be lots of plants and some veggies to enjoy! Support the local farmers and shop at Pepper Place!

A quote from the Pepper Place Website: "Spring in Alabama means seedlings and young plants. Stop by and pick up a flat of locally grown plantings for your vegetable and flower beds! Strawberries and other early crops will be sold as they come in from the field."

PS: Sorry I have been MIA but it has been super busy around here. I promise some good recipes are coming your way soon!

Warm French Lentils

Warm French Lentils:

I am loving spring and the Daffodils that Whole Foods is selling

And now to the recipe review:
ANOTHER fabulous Ina Garten Recipe. This recipe is from one of my go-to cookbooks by Ina titled "How Easy is That". I loved the flavor and I loved the simplicity of this dish.

Warm French Lentils:

Inspired from Ina Garten "How Easy is That"

Ingredients:

2 Tbs plus 1/4 cup good olive oil

1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 carrots, peeled and diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup French Green Le Puy Lentils

1 whole onion, peeled and chopped

1 white turnip, cut in half

1 tsp unsalted butter

4 tsp dijon mustard

2 Tbs red wind vinegar

1 Tbs kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the onion, leek, and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until the garlic speaks.

While this is cooking, place the lentils in 4 cups of water, add the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat after it boils, add the leek, carrots, and onion mixture and then Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils are almost tender. Remove and discard the turnip, then drain the lentils. Place them in a medium bowl, then add the butter.

Whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm. Serve with a piece of warm crusty bread.

This is a great lunch dish as well as a dinner dish paired with a green salad. Drink some french wine with it and dream of Paris!

In other news, Tucher went to the vet today. Last night he started limping which really upset me. He wouldn't put down his front leg. He milked it for all that it was worth, receiving an ice pack, treats in bed, water brought to him, and a lift in and out of bed! This morning I knew that he would be going to the vet and he continued to feel bad. Ryan loaded him in the car and when he got to the vet, Tucher jumps out of the car (which he never does) and RUNS and PULLS ryan into the office! Needless to say, Tucher was all of a sudden FEELING BETTER! Basically, he might have pulled a muscle, nothing broken, thank goodness! Now, he wants to play with the frisbee but he is NOT ALLOWED! If I spend money at the vet cause he feels bad, then he is not allowed to come home and play! We are resting his leg for a few days, despite this look that you get when you take him outside:

Yes, he is SPOILED rotten... he lives the "life"

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Amazing Chocolate Cake!

My Nephew helping out his Grannie open her presents

The Lion at the Birmingham Zoo

Me and my favorite little guy

At the Zoo!

A while back my mom, brother, and nephew came to visit us in Alabama. Mom's Birthday was celebrated while she was here and I made her a homemade birthday cake. I love to cook, but don't love to bake. I don't know why, maybe it is because of all the flour that messes up my kitchen! However, the best part of baking is the smell that it leaves in your home. Better than any candle, that is for sure! I made this cake and everyone really enjoyed it, hope that you will too.

Of course we hit up all the favorite restaurants in Bham, including Chez FonFon, Gian Marco's, Jinsei... all in 2 days!

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Ina Garten via Food Network

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Chocolate buttercream, recipe below

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Hummus Chicken Salad

I love love LOVE mayonnaise. I know that might have turned some people's stomach upside down (The Logan's!), but I love it! I once gave it up for 2 months and that was one of the hardest things ever! I can give up meat, no problem, but NOT mayonnaise. Now, that being said, I hardly ever eat it. Just too unhealthy, but if I have to choose between chocolate of mayo.... mayo it is!

Trying a chicken salad without mayo as the base was a little hard for me to do... But I am very glad that I did. I only made enough for 3-4 servings, but Ryan ended up enjoying it a lot, so I only ate one serving. It is really good, and as an example of its deliciousness, it is one of Kelly's from Healthified Kitchen's top 10 favorites- it wins for her favorite wrap!

Hummus Chicken Salad Wrap

Recipe inspired by Kelly's Healthified Kitchen, originally from Aggie's Kitchen

Makes 4 servings:

8 Tbs Sabra Hummus, classic flavor (or make your own)

4 Tbs finely diced celery (I used about 4 celery ribs, I like lots of crunch!)

2 Tbs fincely chopped green onion

2 Tbs finely chopped red bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste

20 oz chicken breast, diced

2 Tbs lemon juice, divided

1 1/2 ounce raw slivered almonds

Few handfulls lettuce

4 whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and 1 Tbs lemon juice. Cook until no longer pink and then shred. While the chicken is cooking, in a small bowl combine hummus, celery, green onions, bell pepper, almonds, salt and pepper. Stir to combine well. Add the cooked chicken and the remaining lemon juice. Place the chicken hummus mixture onto a wrap and top with the lettuce. Enjoy!

FYI-Ryan also just topped his "BIG Salad" (I love Seinfield!) with the hummus chicken salad and really enjoyed that as well. If you want to reduce the carbs this would be a great way to do that.