Brown Rice

Pink ‘n’ Orange

August 9, 2010 by Hillary 12 Comments

You might be a little surprised by the presence of this post, as I should be on the road headed east right about now, but nope… I’m still here! I’ve delayed my departure ‘til tomorrow. Unfortunately, that means a shorter turn around between Chico + Chicago, but there are still a few unfinished jobs to be done.

Last night I made dinner for my parents, as I thought it would be my last meal at home for the summer. In doing so, I crossed off two more items from my list*.

To make/bake before Monday Tuesday:

Blueberry Peach Crisp *
Cookies
Granola
Mama Pea’s Tofu *
Pesto

I made Mama Pea’s Honey Lime Tofu + Strawberry Peach Salsa recipe to the T. My parents were a bit surprised to see strawberries on top of their savory tofu, but no one left any leftovers.

The peachiness continued moments later as I served them Peach Blueberry Crisp for dessert.

Peach Blueberry Crisp II

[original recipe @ Health on the Run]

Filling

6-7 large peaches, peeled
1 – 1 1/2 c. blueberries
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 T pure cane sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping

3/4 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. unsweetened coconut
6 T unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. salt

Cut peaches into large chunks and place in a mixing bowl with blueberries. Add flour, sugar, and vanilla; toss gently. Place into a deep baking dish of some nature.

In a smaller bowl, mix together topping ingredients, distributing the butter evenly. Place on top of fruit mixture. Bake @ 350* for 45-50 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. We ate it a la carte tonight; the ice cream wasn’t missed.

SO much to do today it’s scary! I can’t believe the week of HLS is actually here! I’ve got my usual pre-travel butterflies.

Later…

Hillary

What is your favorite color(s)? Pink + Orange. Could you tell? : )
Do you prefer cobbler or crisp? Crisp… can’t wait ‘til pear season again.

Ice Cream Inquiry

May 11, 2010 by Hillary 15 Comments

I’m currently sitting at my desk eating a mug-full of Haagen Dazs coffee ice cream with Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips. I tried to ignore my after-dinner sweet tooth, but I couldn’t quiet my mind from screaming for ice cream; alas, I made an emergency trip to the nearest store to settle my craving.

Picture me in the ice cream isle for a solid five minutes. Ice cream flavors are a big decision obviously. I skimmed over the Skinny Cow and other wannabes and went straight to the real stuff. It was a battle between B & J and H.Dazs. After writing an entire speech about Ben and Jerry’s, I can’t help but want to support an environmentally-friendly company. However, comparing the rather long ingredient list of a tub of B & J’s ice cream to the single syllables on its rival created competition. I chose the less-ethical Haagen Dazs over the happy cows tonight =/

What is more important to you: simple ingredients or supporting a company that treats their employees tremendously and does all it can to take care of the environment?

Five ingredients, or twenty… ice cream makes any day better : )

* * *

Before I indulged, I licked my dinner plate clean of tofu and vegetables. I didn’t have any of my go-to teriyaki sauce to use for my stir-fry, so that meant I was making my own marinade.

Simply Soy, Sesame & Almond Butter Tofu

soy sauce

toasted sesame oil

almond butter

honey

garlic

sesame seeds

I used my chef’s eye as my measuring device tonight, so I apologize for the vague recipe: Mix ingredients together in a small bowl until the almond butter is incorporated. Chop a cube of firm, organic tofu into bite-sized squares and place into a lightly oiled baking pan. Pour marinade over tofu chunks and bake @ 350* for 30-40 minutes.

In the meantime, cook a pot of brown jasmine rice and stir-fry organic broccoli and carrots in a sizzling wok. When the tofu is golden brown, the rice toasty, and the veggies tender yet crisp, pile into a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Then eat up!

* * *

I said I had a lot to fill you in on, didn’t I? Alright, one thing at a time:

1. I am not moving [sigh of relief!]. It turned out that my roommate and I have decided to stay in our current apartment and fill the third bedroom. Phew…one less stress/expense to ~~cross of my list~~.

2. I am officially an intern at College Lifestyles! I will be writing weekly posts all summer long about nutrition and healthy living. I promise to keep you updated with my new endeavor, but the next couple of weeks are for getting organized as I finish up the semester.

3. My dang cold [?] from last Sunday is still lingering on, but I couldn’t go any longer without physical exercise and my eye-candy at the gym. Here are my workouts from yesterday and today for your thrilling entertainment:

Muscle Monday

indoor track run [1.5 mi.]
30-minutes spin [10.5 mi.]
15-minute treadmill walk @ 4.0 [5 minutes each @ incline 6.0, 8.0, 10.0]
conditioning!

Running Tuesday

indoor track run [0.5 mi]
30-minute treadmill run

4 min. @ 6.2 — 2.0 incline

6 min. @ 6.6

10 min. @ 4.2 — 6.0 incline

4 min. @ 6.6

6 min. @ 6.2 — 2.0 incline

10-minutes recumbant bike
conditioning!

Hope ya’ll are having a great start to your week. I’m loving that tomorrow’s already Waffle Wednesday… but wait, I’m still without waffles – shucks!

XOXO,

Hillary

Give It A Whirl

March 30, 2010 by Hillary 10 Comments

Hi again! Lucky for you, I can’t complain about a lot at the moment as I am blogging from my comfy bed [which now is bedded…after two days], with the soothing sounds of James Morrison. I enjoyed my Tuesday just like any other ~~Tuesday~~ Saturday. After my banana berry waffle, I was craving a Green Monster for lunch, so I pulled out the blender…and it stayed out the remainder of the day; I ended up using it a total of three times today!

Blender Round 1

074

Mmm…Dark Chocolate Milkshake. Fooled ya! That would be my delicious Green Monster a la: 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen berries [raspberries, blueberries, strawberries & blackberries], 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 T ground flax, 1 humongous handful of fresh spinach, and ice.

I then got an intense craving for p.nut buttah:

Whole Wheat Toast a la PB & Raspberry Jam

After lunch and running a few errands via Green Monster energy, I came home and rinsed out the blender for round two.

Blender Round 2

041

After working for a hummus company [summer 2008] and being spoiled by both my mom and dad’s homemade hummus, I am never amazed by any tubs I bring home from the store. Today I decided to give making my own a go. I basically made the recipe up as I went, so it didn’t turn out to be blue ribbon quality [I’m thinking more tahini, more acidity, more zing!]…but it’s definitely edible : )

Healthy Hill’s Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained

2 T tahini [sesame paste]

1 T olive oil

1 T seasoned rice vinegar

4 T water

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/3 cup chopped parsley

3-4 minced garlic cloves

salt to taste

I gave my hummus a taste test with half of a huge carrot for an afternoon snack and then I was off to the gym. Today’s time spent at the gym was a complete 180* spin from yesterday’s weak workout:

1 hour spin class
indoor track run [1 mi.]
arms + stretching

2 x 12 lat pull downs @ 40 lbs.

2 x 12 seated row @ 40 lbs.

4 x 12 “weights to chin” w/ 12 lb. bar

4 x 12 bicep curls w/ 12 lb. bar

2 x 12 tricep extension w/ 12 lb. bar

Dinner was Sunday’s leftovers: stir-fried tofu, brown rice, broccoli & carrot + sesame seeds & sesame oil [sesame 3x in 1 day!].

Blender Round 3

That you might ask is banana soft serve! I know it doesn’t look like much, but holy yum! For those of you ice cream/fro yo lovers, like myself, you must try this ASAP.

To make: Freeze your overly ripe bananas – the longer the better – that didn’t get invited to your most recent oatmeal party. Place however many bananas into a blender – I’d say 1 per serving – and blend away! You don’t have to add a thing! I didn’t freeze the banana for long enough tonight, hence the runnier texture, but with a dollop of PB&Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, I couldn’t find a spoon fast enough.

Talk about a healthy dessert. This soft serve would be delicious with an encyclopedia’s worth of toppings.

There ya have it…today’s blender excursion. I hope ya’ll will give these recipes a whirl in your blender! Well, my contacts are getting drier by each word I type. Must turn off my light. I’ve got ~~classes~~ a holiday to prepare for!

Night,

Hillary

It's the little things…

February 23, 2010 by Hillary Leave a Comment

Afternoon, friends! Tuesdays are officially the worst day of the week [in my book], but so far, so good…

I finally got out of bed around 8:15 – an hour later than I had wanted – but I must have needed the extra hour because I was still tired and moody (?) upon waking. I was in the kitchen making my breakfast when my roommate strolls in wearing her pajamas, pours a bowl of cereal, and asks, “Don’t you not have class until 11:00?”. She was right. As I’ve said before, I l.o.v.e. my mornings! I had already showered, gotten dressed and had a pot of oat bran simmering away before she had woken up…and she had class at 9:30! I hate having to rush my morning routine : )

Anywho…my bowl of oat bran today was double delicious! I like oatmeal 12x better than oat bran, but it’s nice to switch it up occasionally. I learned that the key to making a successful bowl of bran is cooking it on LOW heat, and making sure to not overcook it.

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 T ground flax

~ 1/4 cup blueberries

~ 1 T chopped walnuts

[TJ’s “baking” walnuts are so convenient!]

~ 1 tsp. agave

splash of 1% milk

A cup of [caffeinated] green tea is becoming a part of my morning routine.

***

Thankfully, we finished our chemistry lab early today, so I was able to come home to enjoy a hot lunch on this rainy, cold day [bipolar weather, I think so].

brown rice & stir-fried Soyaki tofu + slightly steamed broccolini, carrot & sesame seeds

The brown rice & tofu were left over from last night’s dinner, so I was able to just reheat them and enjoy within minutes. I honestly liked today’s lunch better than yesterday’s dinner – mmm…healthy & delicious!

***

It’s the little things in life that seem to be bringing me the most happiness right now: a creamy bowl of oats, a hot cup of tea, natural lighting and bright photographs, my reader’s sweet comments, a sweaty workout, a new magazine…

When life get’s tough, what makes you happy?

My muscles are soreness-free, so I’ll be hitting up the gym before my Nutrition & Food Science Association meeting tonight. Elementary Foods exam tomorrow. Statistics exam Thursday. Here we go…

Simplify Your Life

February 1, 2010 by Hillary Leave a Comment

Howdy ho. Happy February, Foodie Friends! Hope you had a fabulous first day of the month. I had a case of the Mondays today. My body hasn’t adjusted to the short weekends yet. In due time…

As for school today…nothing out of the ordinary, but the workload is piling up fast! After struggling with my O. Chem homework last night I decided to buy the solutions manual for the homework problems – as the instructor recommended – come to find it was $30 more than what I paid for the actual text. Ugh, “I’ve” already spent an arm and a leg on books this semester. F*$93GJ@&%! That’s how I feel about the ridiculous cost of textbooks/school materials. Can I get an amen?

To cheer myself, I spent more $$$ (not much more):

I bought a ticket to see Colbie Caillat in concert! She is coming to campus March 4 – super excited!

***

I have a lot to do tonight, so on my 20-minute bus ride home I pictured the inside of my fridge and tried to concoct a dinner menu in my head. I needed something filling, simple, and duh… nutritious.

Whole Black Beans, Brown Rice, Broccolini, Crumbled Chevre & Fresh Black Pepper – that’s it!

As a college student, my kitchen is simply stocked – no spice drawer, few condiments, etc. Also, I keep my cabinets free of clutter by eating up what I have before opening a new can of beans or box of cereal, for example. This can result in some monotony, but it makes life simpler…and I think we could all fit more “simple” into our lives.

Speaking of simple, dessert doesn’t get any easier than a shot of (frozen) bittersweet chocolate chips. Hey, I gotta use my darling glass for something ; )

I gave myself a time limit to blog tonight, and well, that time is just about up. I have a date with homework, and then a date with The Bachelor (I wish) at 8:00pm ; )

Ta ta for now,

~ Hillary

S is for Saturday

January 30, 2010 by Hillary Leave a Comment

Whew…what a Saturday! I’ve been going going all day. I almost bailed on my roommate this morning, who I had made plans to go to spin class with, but eventually the exercise addiction in me beat the temptation to sleep another hour under my cozy covers. I downed a bowl of Greek ‘n’ Granola and then we were out the door to The Resort. I was a bit scared about taking a spin class today, as I woke up extremely sore from yesterday’s yoga, but I managed to power thought the entire hour.

Spin. Shower. Shop. Study. That was the plan for today. However, the studying might have to wait until Sunday…priorities, right?

I gulped down another Carrots ‘N’ Cake iced latte after exercising, rummaged up a little lunch from my empty fridge, and then it was time to shop. I went to FOUR grocery stores today. I told you I was going going going all day. I didn’t even find the one thing I was searching for. I then folded my massive mound of clean laundry before putting my groceries to use in the kitchen.

I made boxed brownies. I know, I’m ashamed, but if you knew how sinfully scrumptious these were, you would make them too!

While the brownies baked in the oven, I made dinner:

Brown Rice, Stir-fried Broccoli, Carrots, Red Onion and Teryaki Tofu

Cook 1/2 cup brown rice in 1 cup water for ~35 minutes. Stir-fry firm tofu in a bit of vegetable oil and TJ’s Soyaki Sauce. Remove from wok and add broccoli, carrots and onions. Stir-fry until soft. Layer rice, veggies & tofu in a big bowl and gobble up.

After 25 minutes, the decadent brownies were ready to be removed from the furnace.

I prefer to use a muffin pan because I am able to use my magic muffin papers — easy, crumb-free eating & clean-up!

Of course I sampled one fresh from the oven. Truffles they are indeed! Well, my of-age roommates are doing of-age activities tonight, so Mama Hill is at home doing mother-like activites.

See ya’ll Sunday (sometime)…

Mwah,

~ Hillary