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Monday, July 4, 2011

Amuurica

Happy 4th everyone!

I'm home for the weekend and that means a few things:
  1. I'm not at work. Yessss.
  2. I get to sleep in. Double yesss.
  3. I get to cook and bake without having to buy any of the ingredients. Awww yeaaa.
  4. My dad's Nikon is at my disposal to do with it as I please.
  5. I finished the second season of True Blood.
Yesterday, I basically spent the day hanging with the madre. Everytime I come home, the first day always seems to be devoted to grocery shopping and produce-stand-hopping. Not that I'm complaining--usually the shopping is centered around the things I intend to create in the kitchen.

Speaking of buying the ingredients for the things I want to make, I did not even have to think about what I needed to buy for one of my planned creations. I opened the baking cabinet in my mom's kitchen and the container of chocolate chips was COMPLETELY full. It is usually about a quarter to halfway full...I took this as a direct hint from my dad (who last did the grocery shopping) to make chocolate chip cookies. I used my usual recipe but tweaked it a bit. I'll include the changes on my old post about the cookies. 

For dinner last night, I decided to go all out, pre July 4th barbeque style. I pulled together an international quinoa salad and black bean burgers. I added some broccoli sprouts to the burgers to hold them together. The quinoa salad ended up being sans chickpeas because my mom and I didn't realize that we were out until the salad was halfway done. And we were certainly not about to go back to the store. No ma'am.


Here, I would like to bring attention to my thumb muscles. My mom and brother made fun of me, but I have really big thumb muscles. Any other field hockey players can vouch that after a day or two of playing hockey your thumbs hurt like no other. I swear I have amped thumbs from hockey. Try and fight me, I'll destroy you with my them.


I'm mildly obsessed with perfectly ripe avocados. The color is evidence of nature's inherent perfection.


These were just some of the players. You can see all by clicking on the recipe link. I STRONGLY recommend this salad. I can attest that I am not a big mint person. I've never really enjoyed the taste of toothpaste in my food...don't like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, no peppermint patties, and only sometimes am I a fan of Thin Mints. But this salad is delicious. It tricks you--you think its light and refreshing because of the taste and aroma of the fresh mint and parsley, but then the fullness hits you because of the quinoa and corn. I had too heaping servings in addition to the snacking while I made it.

Maddie grilled up the burgers for us.


But then she got distracted so I finished them up.



My mom and I feasted. We had some sides of avocado, sliced tomato, and basil pesto as condiments and steamed corn on the cob as well. We sliced up some whole wheat wraps and used them instead of buns.



I still have not mastered using a camera, so I apologize for the blurriness and strange focus. The food is what counts anyway, am I right? Nom nom nom.

I would like to add that I much prefer the flavor and texture of grilled black bean burgers vs those fried/cooked on the skillet in some oil.

This morning I woke up and planned to go for a bike ride with my mom but fate said, "Nope, uh, no you're not going for a ride." I couldn't seem to get my tires to properly inflate so I ditched the bike shorts and cleats and pulled on mah brand spankin' new sneakers and did an interval run on the track.



I had been running with my mom's old walking shoes. I have a problem with spending money. Needless to say I was SERIOUSLY overdue for some new shoes. So my momma bought me some. Thanks momma.

I also got my new turf shoes in the mail. Hello Beautiful.


My feet and ankles will love me this summer/hockey season. Although my sensitive skin will not--hopefully I can break these suckers in before preseason or else my feet will puff up in blisters.

I made breakfast this morning for my mom and dad. Banana French Toast adapted from the Engine-2 diet and tempeh Fakin-Bakin.

French Toast (tripled recipe)
via Engine-2 Diet

3 very ripe bananas
1 1/2 c almond milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
3 tsp cinammon
3 tsp vanilla
slices of bread...about a loaf

Mash the bananas in a bowl, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Cook on a skillet set between high and medium high for about 2 minutes each side. The key is to basically sear the outside of the battered bread so that they are not all gooey when you eat them.


I drizzled maple syrup from Vermont on top of the toast and added a big bowl of blueberries on the side.

Basically I'm having a vacation at home. How pathetic is that...my vacation is to go home for two days. Regardless, I'm enjoying myself, relaxing, cooking, and baking.

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