Sugar.   Damn you sugar!  SAT question and answer of the day: Kryptonite is to Superman as sugar is to me. 

You all go through ups and downs of nutrition right???  Sometimes, I'm so healthy, it makes my friends cringe.  Other time, my own habits make me cringe.  Not at the moment of consumption, but afterwards.  I'm like an addict, just trying to get my fix.  I internally obsess over the strawberry flavored Australian licorice or daydream about the Junior Mints in my cupboard that I will devour, slowly of course, once I get home from my long day covered in children. 

It's easy to cop out and blame the kids I teach.  "They were so unruly today!  Sugar will make me feel better..."  But it truly won't.  At the end of the day (and when I wake up the next morning), I feel at rock bottom again = Addict.  Thank goodness it's not to the hard stuff.  Like coffee.  Or heroin...

It's interesting from a training perspective as well.  I've noticed my energy and motivation levels have dropped significantly in the last two weeks, as my eating habits have deteriorated.  I just don’t feel like working out but did the chicken come before or after the egg?  Working out in itself gives you more energy from the endorphins that are released.  However, by some twist of fate (or pure coincidence) yesterday morning, I ran a PR in a 5k race.  Go figure.  But then proceeded to munch on the M&Ms, Twizzlers, Chips Ahoy, Goldfish, etc at the finish line.  You’d think they would have healthier choices at the end…Like oranges!

Only six days until my first of two triathlons this year.  Six days to get my eating back on track.  Bring on the fruits and vegetables!  I decided I needed to force myself to make a change while I walked around Whole Foods during their "Love Local" food sampling event yesterday.  I found an Odwalla Superfood smoothie on sale for $2 and something just clicked.  Miraculously, I've even managed to avoid visiting a bakery this morning.  Bring on the smoothies!!!

I love to make Kitchen Sink smoothies.  As in "it's got everything in it except the kitchen sink."  I start with the same base every time and then add whatever I have in my overly decorated fridge (see previous blog picture).   I don't measure how much of each goes in...Experiment!

To start:
Banana
European or Greek yogurt (low calorie, high protein and no fat)
Orange Juice
Cinnamon (http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html)

And then. And then and then and then...add any or all of the following:
Kale
Spinach
Mango (Frozen or fresh fruit works!)
Strawberries
Pineapple
Blueberries
A couple drops of vanilla extract?

Blend and drink immediately, or put it in a closed container with and ice pack, go off on an adventure (does the gym count?) and drink it later.  Warning: if you put green stuff and blueberries in it, the color will be a little intimidating.  If you put in everything except the strawberries and blueberries, the smoothie will be an awesome sea foam green color.  But it will taste delicious!!!

I was talking to a friend recently about the new apartment he just rented.  Being food-centric, I asked about the kitchen.  A closet is what he likened it to and went on to say “I am a single guy.  Who am I going to cook for?” 

Hmmmmm.  I seem to be a single girl and I love nothing more than cooking for myself (Ok, I like cooking for others a little more but only because they help with the dishes afterwards).  The kitchen in my apartment is what sold me on the whole thing.  It is approximately 30% of my total living space but worth every square inch.  My refrigerator is smaller than the average bear (Play on words.  Who got it?) but it’s covered top to bottom with family pictures, meaningful magnets, notes, race bibs, postcards and more.  It’s piled high with cookbooks and cooking magazines that I occasionally crack.  Some people are recipe followers, some are experimenters.  I’m of the latter persuasion, but I can’t help buying the colorful cookbooks.  They just make me feel like I can achieve more in the pan/oven/cutting board  arena.                                                                       
If you don’t feel like you can achieve something by cooking for yourself, how can you achieve anything for yourself?  Ok, overkill I know.  But, you must first take care of yourself, then move on to others.  It’s like being on an airplane when the oxygen goes out.  The flight attendants tell you to put on your mask first, then help those next to you.  It’s taken me a long time to understand this concept but I’ve finally grasped it.  The urge to cook for myself has always been here though.  Even if the dishes are dirty and the pots need to be soaked.  That’s what Sundays are for right? 

One of my favorite dinners is a protein salad.  Since I’m training (one race this weekend, two next weekend) protein and clean eating = fantastic.  Now, if only I could kick this sugar habit!   It doesn't help that I have four pints of gelato in my freezer  Damn you Groupon! 

This salad takes about 10 minutes to cook, start to finish and only uses a cutting board, knife (I use my grandfather’s old bread knife.  I've owned it for almost 10 years now and haven’t had to sharpen it once), one plate, one pan, a spatula, a fork and a small mixing vessel for the dressing (I use a sake cup…)  I wash the cutting board and knife while the veggies are cooking so there is less to clean up at the end.  When I was in 5th grade, our teacher read Cheaper by the Dozen to us.  Ever since, I try to do things as efficiently as possible.  Just like the dad in the story who told a complete stranger about the fastest way to take a bath.  Look it up.  Fascinating stuff. 

So, is it the most beautiful salad ever made?  Maybe.  Is it absolutely delicious?  Yes! 

My Power Protein Salad
Trader Joes jalapeño chicken sausage (turkey cutlets or other meat)
Veggies (onion, carrot, broccolini ,bell peppers, kale, anything!!!)-sauté in this order
One egg
Spinach
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Cracked pepper
Salt

Sauté sausage and veggies (don’t overcook veggies) in olive oil and place to the side.  (Note: If they don’t all fit in one pan, sauté one or two items at a time and set aside.)  Then turn down the heat to very low and fry your egg in a little extra olive oil so it doesn’t stick..  Salt and pepper to taste.  Turn egg once and turn off heat.  Cut the egg into strips or pieces with your spatula.  Pour everything over a bed of fresh spinach and cover with a mixture of equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a dash of cracked pepper.  Admire its beauty.  Devour.

In yoga yesterday the focus was: “Speak your truth.”  Well here it is: Even if you make yourself a tasty and healthy dinner after yoga, sometimes, if you stay awake long enough, you get hungry again…

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting up with a charming friend of mine at LFK.   Unfortunately, since I'm training for multiple races (five 5ks, three 10ks, two triatholons and a half marathon), I didn't get to drink booze...But he was a doll and brought me a sparkling water so at least I looked super cool, sitting at the bar, sipping fancy lime water, while the rest of the bar had their Lapsed Catholic cocktails and Oxbow beers.

I’ve eaten at LFK a couple times but usually defer to other restaurants if I’m hungry.  I used to enjoy their burgers. They are served on a pretzel roll with really good garlic mayo, greens, cheddar cheese and a side salad (if you ask for it, otherwise you get potato salad). But the past four times I've ordered the burger medium rare, it un-magically arrives well done.  It’s also not the healthiest thing but it’s not the heart attack in a cast iron container that their mac & cheese is!  Totally worth it though.  The mac is crispy, amazing and served with Dijon bread crumb topping; you can even get bacon in it!  If you like that sort of thing… By far though, the best thing on their menu is there Ginger Margarita.  It's very strong but very very tasty. If you want something a little lighter though, go for  the Crabbies ginger beer or a Maine Root Ginger Soda.
  
Around 10pm, my "date" and I decided we needed to journey across the street to Boda for the late-night menu.  This special menu starts at 9:30, Tuesday through Sunday with Sunday being the cheapest night (1/2 price!!!).  It’s always packed but totally worth it!  Living right next door and smelling their deliciousness day in and day out is as close to torture as I ever hope to come. 

We sat at the bar under the mouth-blown lights and Leon, the bearded bartender, served us some water. The late night menu isn’t extensive but we still debated on what to get, as it's all (pad thai, crispy quail, beef skewers, etc) so good.  The winners were kee mao noodles (wide rice noodles stir-fried with veggies and your choice of protein), fried brussels sprouts and spicy Thai wings with diakon radish and carrot in a sweet chili glaze.  Green Elephant, a vegegarian place down the street, and Boda are sister resturants.  The first time I ever tried brussels sprouts, I was 26 and it just so happened to be this same dish that Green Elephant also serves (go for their Pad Thai and Chocolate Orange Mousse Pie for dessert).  I became hooked on brussels sprouts immediatly!  But then again, if you fry anything, it's going to be good...And speaking of frying things, when you go to Boda and you see they have fried chicken with coconut rice on their special board, get it!  The chicken is so crispy and the rice is quite suprising. 

Boda is not your typical restaurant. You don't have to sit there and wait forever for your appetizers and then sit there and wait for your entrée. When you order items, you just order them and they magically arrive on your table as they are ready.  This means hot and fresh from the frying pan.    For dessert, we couldn't resist something chocolate.  Their mini coconut chocolate mousse cups with home-made whipping cream on top really sealed the meal.  I will even admit to licking the bowls clean.  I must be channeling my inner Venhuizen...

I'm enclosing a recipe from the Portland, Maine Chef's Table cookbook this time.  It's for Green Elephant's Chocolate Orange Mousse Pie, which is silky, chocolaty, heavenly and reminiscent of the coconut chocolate dessert.  Enjoy!

1 (12 ounce) package silken tofu
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate graham cracker crust (or make your own!!!)
sliced and taosted almonds and grated orange peel for garnish

Blend tofu, coconut milk, and orange liqueur in a food processor until just smooth.
In a double broiler, melt chocolate chips.  Cool slightly and then pour into the food processor to blen with tofu mixture until creamy.  Pour altogether into chocolate crust.  Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.  Garnish just before serving.

Last Sunday it was raining and I had a tinge of homesickness. The best cure I could think of was comfort food.   What doesn't comfort food cure? 

People who know me probably wouldn't put “shy” or “antisocial” in their list of descriptor words for me, but I really can’t stand crowds, specifically at restaurants (crowds; one of the few reasons I left my family behind in Texas). That’s why I avoid peak dining hours at all times! 

I decided Hot Suppa on Congress was the perfect spot and arrived around 8:30am (after leaving my apartment at approximately 8:29 = one of the perks of living downtown) . 
It was close to perfect timing as I only had to wait about 20 minutes for a spot. Any later and I would have turned around 
and made my own damn pancakes at home (see recipe below). 

I got a great seat at the bar and ordered my “usual”: a huge single waffle (with butter on top of course), three pieces of bacon and two scrambled eggs. After running my first race of the season the day before, I felt vindicated in my choice. But no fancy coffee drink for me this time as I gave them up for “Lent.”  (See "about me section for more juicy details about that).   Next year, maybe I’ll tackle sugar altogether…or not………

But back to the breakfast: simple and marvelous. It always gets the job done, whatever that job may be! 
Hangover, pure hunger or comfort, this breakfast does it all. I also like sitting at the counter at Hot Suppa. Just because you go there alone and there are tons of people around you, it still doesn't feel like it’s crowded. Just don’t try to go to the bathroom as you will have to wade through a massive crowd waiting for their turn to chow down. Yes, this place is that good.  Try the chicken and waffles when you go too.  Fried chicken and a waffle.  How can you go wrong, really???

Sadly, I don’t own a waffle maker. That pipe dream will have to wait until I get a bigger place. As it is, I have 
to stow my toaster oven in a cabinet under the counter when it’s not in use so I actually have some counter 
space with which to cook, or allow my cat to jump up to his favorite spot: the kitchen sink.  So this ramble leads me to my next recipe; mom’s pancakes! Every time I make the journey home to Texas, I have to have these for breakfast at least once. Unlike other flapjacks, these are thin, a little spongy instead of fluffy and have neat patterns on them. Or maybe I just find beauty in the mundane. When I was a kid, mom poured them into shapes: a “K” for me, an “E” for my sister as well as other shapes.  Those were the most fun ones to eat. What shapes will you make with yours?   The recipe makes a lot and they are easy to freeze if you don't have anyone to share them with...

Mom’s Pancakes!
(makes about 16 four-inch pancakes)
1 ½ cups flour (sub 3/4 cup wheat flour plus 3/4 cup regular to make them healthier )
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ¾ tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk
3 tablespoons melted butter (Mmmmmm butter)
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
½ cup chopped strawberries, bananas, blueberries, or other fruit (optional) 
¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional) 

Place your skillet on the burner on medium heat. 

Whisk dry ingredients together in one bowl and the liquid ingredients together in another bowl. Pour the dry ingredients into the liquid mix and whisk together quickly, but don’t over-stir.  Add more milk for a thinner pancake.  

When the skillet is warm enough (repels small drops of water), coat the pan with a thin layer of butter to ensure non-sticky-ness and pour out your favorite pancake shape. Flip once when you see bubbles appear, pop and leave tiny holes. Mom loves them burnt (don’t ask me why) so if that’s your thing, cook them longer. If not, cook a shorter amount of time. (Insider tip, the first one is never pretty…don’t plan on impressing your new boyfriend with the first one.  It's not going to happen).

While the others are cooking, set finished pancakes on an oven-safe plate and in the oven at 200 degrees F to keep warm. Serve with Maine maple syrup (I believe I am single-handedly responsible for converting my Texas-based family from Aunt Jemima to real maple syrup!), scrambled eggs (with cheese?!) bacon (turkey or pig!), orange juice and a vanilla latte (drink one for me please!?)  

Do you ever have one of those days where you feel like you aren't going anywhere or even moving backwards?  Yesterday wasn't one of those days.  By sundown, I had run 7 miles, walked 3, biked 30 and practiced yoga for almost 2 hours over the course of 12 hours.  And then I decided to start a blog. Forward momentum was the theme for the day.  

It started as a small idea really.  After several failed attempts of dating in Portland over the last three years, I decided to have a love affair with food instead.   Food always knows how to express itself, doesn't pretend to be something it's not and since it's dead, won't walk off and leave me because it's scared (it should be scared though...being mashed up by my omnivorous teeth, squeezed down my esophagus and landing in the acid bath that is my stomach is a little intimidating...).  Sounds like my perfect match!

So who am I?  My weaknesses include Junior Mints, crunchy scones, cheese, green smoothies and my homemade quiche (see recipe and terrible picture at the bottom).   Yes, I’m one of those people who eat sushi in two bites.  No, I don’t want to stick the whole thing in my mouth.  It tastes better and I experience all the flavors instead of them all being meshed together and lost on each other.  I don’t take big bites.  I savor it, smell it, study it, and then I eat it. 

So why should you listen to me?  I decline to eat certain things, either out of taste or ethics.  Oddly enough, I don’t eat much seafood (ethics) but if you put a plate of bacon in front of me, I will eat it blindly and oh so happily.   My palette is not discerning and my tastes are all over the board.  But I truly do love food.  This blog will be a smorgasbord of topics, but mostly revolve around food in all it's glory.  I also run, bike, swim, and work outside with children in nature so don't be surprised if another topic besides food (would that be considered cheating?) slips into the mix.  

So here goes nothing!  

My favorite quiche recipe, modified and as healthy as a quiche could possibly be without subbing low-fat cheese (is that still considered cheese??) is below.  There is no butter or vegetable shortening in the crust so it's thin but really crunchy and perfect.  Enjoy!

Crust: 
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup olive oil

Filling:
6 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 cup cheese!!!!!  (cheddar, pepper jack, swiss, many kinds work with this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked pepper
olive oil to saute
any vegetables you desire (I use cut up carrots, spinach, kale, bell peppers, onion, brocollini, etc)
meat!  I use Trader Joe's jalapeno chicken  sausage (I use one, cut up small) or (turkey) bacon (6-8 slices)

To make this damn tasty quiche, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix  olive oil, milk and salt together.  Then add the flour and blend well.  Push down (or roll it out if you're feeling fancy) in a thin layer to cover your olive oil smeared 9" pie dish, or similar vessel.   Poke holes in the bottom with a fork to prevent bubbling.  Then stick it in the oven for 8-10 minutes or so.  You don't want to cook it until it's brown because it still has about 30 minutes to go once the filling is inside.  
While the crust is cooking, cook bacon/sausage in a skillet and cut up in needed, then set aside.  Saute in olive oil the onions, carrots, brocollini, bell peppers and spinach/kale, in that order so as not to overcook anything.  If the pan gets too crowded, cook a couple things, then set aside and cook the rest.  Let everything cool for a few minutes when finished so the heat doesn't immediatly cook the eggs. Lastly, beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cheese in a bowl .  Add meat and veggies to egg mixture and pour into 1/2 cooked crust.  Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and cook for 35 minutes, or until set.  Let stand 10 minutes and then devour!  Serve with a side salad to make yourself feel better about eating so much glorious animal fat...