Welcome to my first What I Ate Wednesday!
Today, I finished the last of my homemade almond butter. I literally scraped the sides of the container with a knife, spoon, and then a spatula. It is a sad day.
Breakfast was delicious, even so. There was just enough almond butter left to cover my Food for Life English Muffin. I used to be a hardcore loyalist of the Thomas Original Nooks & Crannies, but since trying this sprouted brand, there's no turning back. Nineteen grains and seeds, no added sugar, no flour, and a moist, nutty taste? I was sold at the first bite.
After breakfast, I meandered a bit, read blogs, made the kids lunch, and found the perfect recipe for my lunch. I wanted to use spinach, and eggs, and a scramble seemed just too obvious. So I searched "spinach" on Smitten Kitchen. The results included one of my favorite foods, quiche! I don't like the dry, microwaved kind that you'll oftentimes get at some coffee shops, though to be honest, I've never had homemade quiche; it was the perfect opportunity. We had frozen spinach, eggs, cheese, and a few random frozen puff pastries. Destiny beckoned me to follow the light.
You see, it's very rare that I find all the ingredients for a new recipe in our kitchen. By "our," I mean my family, which includes my Dad, Kelly (stepmom), and my siblings, Megan, Ryan, Madison, and Kara. There's quite a few of us. My parents are very busy with jobs and three young kids, ages 11, 9, and 5. This leaves little to no time for them to cook, and its rare that we have a sit down dinner anymore.
Cooking, in my family, usually means microwaved Easy-Mac, chicken nuggets, and sometimes microwaved peas for the three young ones, and some sort of sandwich for my parents. My twin sister Megan and I usually fend for ourselves. I don't mind this set up, as it gives me the freedom to choose what I want for dinner and include important food groups such as vegetables, but I would love to teach to my younger siblings the importance and downright deliciousness of unadulterated, whole foods.
Mashed potatoes shouldn't come as "dehydrated potato flakes" in a box, nor should calorie-free "butter spray" be used to replace the real thing. Sure, real butter contains fat and salt, but when used in moderation, it helps your body absorb certain nutrients and it tastes much better than that plastic stuff. I'm not telling you to dip your fingers into the jar of butter like I did when I was three. I'm just saying that in moderation, it can be good for you.
I would love to cook nutritious meals for my family. Fruit and vegetables would be plentiful, and instead of Easy-Mac, we'd be eating whole grains, lean means and beans (or tofu if my entire family didn't think it was disgusting). And I swear, it would taste good. I enjoy yummy, nutrient-dense food, and throughout the past six months, I have learned the value of cooking for yourself and others. (Thank you, bubbaloo, for allowing me to make you blueberry pancakes three weeks in a row). There is no replacement for handed-down recipes or the time it takes to cook a nutritious meal. There is so much more value in putting forth effort in how you cook and what you eat, than any boxed item can replicate.
My cousin Allison brought some friends to my Grandmother's house for dinner recently, and they couldn't believe that she made real mashed potatoes and homemade strawberry pie. It shouldn't be like this. We shouldn't constantly choose convenience over health. It isn't fair to future generations, and more importantly, it isn't fair to ourselves.
I am now stepping down from my soap box.
Back to the quiche. I followed a Martha Steward recipe, as listed on Smitten Kitchen. It didn't take long to make, and the results were divine. I'll have a recipe and more pictures up tomorrow. As I waited for the quiche to bake, I chopped up a carrot and mixed equal parts hummus and balsamic vinaigrette. I think that if I continue to eat carrots like I have been, I'm going to turn into one.
Delicious!
After lunch, I went for a walk to take a much needed break from the computer, and to clear my head. I find walks very relaxing and wholesome. I always feel like I'm doing something good for my mind, body, soul when I walk.
While I walked, I listened to The Avett Brothers, and they reminded me why I love music so much. I'd write more on that, but this post is getting long-winded already.
By the time I got home, it was around 4:15, and I made a quick run to Trader Joe's to pick up some ingredients for tonight's dinner; burrito bowls!
Of course, I couldn't just settle on guacamole...
Twenty-two dollars later, I rushed home to start prepping dinner, but I was ravenous. So I opened the guac, and paired it with some multigrain chips for a quick snack.
For dinner, I started with boiling the rice, and finished with the help of my wonderful Bubbaloo.
Lettuce, rice, and beans, topped with cheese, sauteed veggies, and Trader Joe's Spicy Pico de Gallo Guacamole, which was totally worth the splurge! (I realized, when I got to Trader Joe's, that the avocado I bought wouldn't be ripe in time for dinner :p)
The bowls were delicious, and surprisingly filling! Of course, Jay and my Dad both could've eaten another helping or two; I, on the other hand, struggled with feeling full for the next hour. Jay reminded me that it wasn't the end of the world, that eventually I would feel fine, and eventually...well, I did. During that hour though, I think my biggest fear was that I'd be full forever, that I'd let the discomfort and the urge to purge get the best of me, that I'd start the awful cycle again. Thirty days, yes, but with a lifetime to go. I wouldn't have made it this far without the support of friends, family, and my biggest support, Bubbaloo.
After making him sit through the latest episode of The Big C, at around 10p.m., he went home. Megan decided it was a good idea to watch most recent True Blood, and through the middle of the show, I was hungry again!
I chose a plain Chobani with a drizzle of honey and some dried cherries.
My first What I Ate Wednesday was quite a bit of work! I took over one-hundred pictures, and had to change my camera batteries! The results were worth it, though; a picturesque, thought-filled day in my life through food!
We had some leftover rice from yesterday. For as long as I can remember, left over rice has always meant my Dad reminiscing about his college/bachelor days, when he and his housemates would make copious amounts of fried rice from leftover Chinese food. These days, the suggestion is always there, but the execution is left up to someone else, and usually that means sticky old rice in the trash. Instead of letting it go to waste, I decided to take up my Dad's recommendation, and whip up some fried rice.
To create this recipe, I borrowed ideas from two blogs that I love very much: Peas and Thank You and Smitten Kitchen. There go my creativity chops. Anyhoo, I searched "stirfry" on both of their sites, and came up with Mama Pea's Thai Beefless Stirfry and Deb's Ginger Fried Rice. From Mama Pea, I borrowed the Thai-infused sauce recipe, and from Deb, I followed instructions and added additional ingredients.
Eggy-Fried Rice:
2 large cage-free eggs
1 c. cooked rice (leftovers are perfect!)
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 large carrot, julienned
3 tbs. chopped yellow onion
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. natural peanut butter (use less or omit entirely, depending on preference)
1 tbs. lime juice
1 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
pinch of ginger
salt + pepper
Instructions:
1. Combine peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, and honey in a small bowl. The peanut butter doesn't mix well, so don't worry if it looks kind of icky; it'll taste great.
2. Prepare your vegetables! And garlic. I just used what we had in the fridge, but some great additions would be red pepper, water chestnuts, snap peas, and mushrooms. I swear, that peeler has become my new best friend ever since I bought whole carrots! I don't hate it.
Because it was my first time doing it, here's a lesson on julienning: in words, or in video.
I don't have any pictures of the onion, garlic, or peas, as Kelly interrogated me at this point.
Kelly, "Why are you taking pictures?"
Me, "Because I have a blog."
Kelly, "What kind of blog?
Me, "A FOOD BLOG!"
It's hard enough when your parents think anything you do with food relates to your eating disorder. Making food, enjoying it, and celebrating it with other people/bloggers truly brings me a sense of fulfillment. I understand her concern, but I am not doing this because I want to hurt my body. I'm doing this because I'm hungry. And I like pretty pictures.
3. Heat a medium-large skillet to medium heat, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add garlic to the pan. Let the garlic brown, but only lightly.
4. Add remaining olive oil, and add carrots, onion, and peas. Add desired salt and pepper. Cook for about 6-8 minutes on medium, stirring every few minutes.
5. Add rice and sauce mixture. Stir until the rice and sauce are evenly distributed throughout the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional five minutes, or until heated through.
6. While the rice and vegetables are cooking, crack eggs onto a separate oiled skillet, on medium heat. Be sure that the pan is large enough for both eggs to fit. Fry the eggs until the whites are mostly solid. To ensure that the eggs cook quick enough, you can place a saucepan lid over top the skillet. I used a kettle!
7. Once the eggs and rice are done, spoon the rice into bowls and top each bowl with one fried egg.
Enjoy!
Serves 2.
Today, I relied heavily on reci"peas" by Mama Pea. Her fabulous blog is made not only of snark, but also of delicious food and meal ideas. After sitting around for most of the day, contemplating when ----- -----, (the grocer that hired me three weeks ago!), would call me back, I decided that cooking would be the most productive use of my time. Besides, you know, browsing other blogs and craning my neck into precarious positions as I read.
Breakfast and lunch already covered, I decided that a dinner high in protein was necessary. I wanted to use the quinoa thats been sitting in the pantry since February, but since my last effort was disastrous, I was slightly afraid to use it. However, I plucked up some courage and found Mama Pea's simple Spanish Quinoa, and decided all things go; this wasn't the mess of plain quinoa and straight balsamic vinegar I concoted before. Using her recipe as a reference, I made several changes based on what we had in our kitchen (my family is not very vegan-friendly!)
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Mama Pea's Spanish Quinoa:
Ingredients:
1/2 c. dry quinoa
2 T. chopped onion
1 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 t. chili powder
Instructions:
Toast quinoa in bottom of a saucepan over medium heat.
Add chopped onion and saute for a few minutes. Add broth, sauce and spices and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and serve
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Deliciousness!
Instead of tomato sauce, I used Bertolli Tomato & Basil pasta sauce. I also added about 2 oz. baked chicken to the mix, and a sprinkle of shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese. Like Mama Pea, I circled the mix with broccoli florets, heavily doused in garlic powder, salt and pepper.
The quinoa mixture was wonderful, and I'm glad I'll have another serving tomorrow. One thing I'd change: I'd sautee the onions first in a bit of the broth, and forego toasting the quinoa. It was just a tad too crunchy for me. Other than that, the recipe reminded me of chili, and essentially would be with some beans and extra veggies. The heat of the chili powder was lovely; this is something I'll be making often throughout the winter months!
Of course, my Spanish Quinoa wouldn't be complete without dessert. We had a few bananas going bad, so I settled on Mama Pea's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cookies.
The recipe was extremely simple and easy to follow, though due to my below-par pantry, I had to make more than just a few substitutions.
I used:
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. 1% milk (in place of almond milk)
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 bananas, mashed
3 tbs. ground flax (in place of protein powder)
2 tbs. brown sugar (in place of sweetener)
2 tbs. honey (in place of sweetener)
1 tsp. baking powder
Directions (quoted straight from Peas and Thank You):
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined.
3. Scoop batter by heaping tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet, and bake for 9-12 minutes, until cookies are firm.
Could it be: a. fertilizer, b. my sister's diarrhea, or c. a mud-based face mask?
The answer is d., none of the above.
They came out...okay, looking more like elephant poo than cookies. HOWEVER, they tasted just fine. Lovely, in fact. I may or may not have eaten four in the span of three hours.
I prefer them straight out of the oven or microwaved, with a drizzle of peanut butter on top. My recipe yielded about 20 small cookies, so I froze about ten so they would keep. My sisters tried them, and I'd suffice it to say they would much prefer eating that mud-based face mask, so its just me and my cookies.
In the future, I'd probably add an additional scoop of flax and nix about 1/2 the amount of cocoa powder. I do like chocolate, but I much prefer peanut butter, as you should well know by now.
I also calculated the nutrition info! (For those of us who need a little reassurance. These ARE nutritious. Peanut butter is full of healthy fats, cocoa is rich in antioxidants, flax, well, is flax...need I say more?) My dad named them "Survival Cookies," after I read off the"very healthy" ingredient list. He even said, "They're so good for you -- they taste like breakfast!" Now if only I could keep my siblings from eating Lucky Charms and Captain Crunch....
Salad Mix:
4 cups mixed baby greens
1/2 lb. halved organic strawberries
3 oz. fresh goat cheese
4 tbs. walnuts (in the future I would caramelize the walnuts, as they did at Beach Creek.)
salt and pepper, to taste
Dressing:
1/2 c. halved organic strawberries
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tbs. olive or canola oil
2 tbs. honey
salt and pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Directions:
1. Rinse the greens and chop into smaller pieces on cutting board. Place in large bowl.
2. Cut the strawberries in half, and add to greens.
3. Crumble goat cheese.
4. Add walnuts to salad mix (caramelize them first if you'd prefer them that way.)
5. Add dressing and toss salad; let sit. This will allow the greens to really absorb the flavor.
6. Place salad mixture into serving bowls or plates, and top with goat cheese. Enjoy!
Serves two.
Depending on your preference, you could add or subtract the amount of honey you use.
Today, I am 27 days symptom free from my eating disorder. This is a new record for me, and it falls just below the two symptom free months I enjoyed straight out of my third hospitalization. Since February, I allowed myself to be slightly drawn back into bulimia's clutches. I've been slowly regaining my footing. Three days, nine days, fourteen days...and now twenty-seven. My success is in no small part due to the unwavering support of my boyfriend, Jay. He has been there for me through the worst, from the fifty minute bathroom breaks to the potassium drip. He has endured my relentless self-deprecation, the constant chatter of my eating disorder that surfaces whenever I pass a mirror. He has held me through the fullness and the frustration, he has stayed with me despite the selfish wall my eating disorder has built around me. He has loved me so fully, without hesitation, and because of this, I am learning to love my self.
If you're reading this, I love you, bubbaloo.
Jay has taught me more than unconditional love; he's also helped me grow stronger, and he's allowed me to view food as something enjoyable. Several weeks ago, we went to Wildwood, where his parents own a beach house. We went to a restaurant called Beach Creek, and both ordered my favorite item on their menu -- the house salad.
Comprised of "tender mixed greens, goat cheese & cracked walnuts with a strawberry vinaigrette," it had both of our mouths watering for weeks to come, whenever the salad was mentioned. Today, we tried to recreate the salad for a picnic at the park, which we were unfortunately rained out of. However, it was cooler, and still very enjoyable to eat inside.
Though the salad from the restaurant definitely topped the one we made, our salad was very enjoyable, and I would definitely make it again. My pictures are rushed and don't do the salad justice, as we were ravenous after a run at the park.
Summertime Strawberry Salad Recipe.
It really is a delicious summer salad, and it's very easy to make. Jay and I both finished our bowls and sighed in contentment/fullness. It was a lovely, yummy day.
