Posted in Travel on February 24, 2010| 1 Comment »
Well at least a few things anyway.
But it’s difficult blogging on the work netbook, so you’ll have to wait. I have pictures, so hopefully you can wait until I’m back from LA.
Also, Los Angeles is ok, but not one of my top places tovisit again. Maybe I’ll change my mind after I take a tour or something.
How are you?
Posted in Austin, Food & Cooking, Travel, Weekend on February 21, 2010| 5 Comments »
Valentine’s Day Weekend
Taylor and I went to Austin for Valentine’s Day weekend. We pigged out on a lunch of prosciutto and arugula pizza, margharita pizza, tiramisu and wine (well I did anyway) at the Trattoria Lisina, where we had our wedding reception. It was super delicious, as we expected.
On Valentine’s day morning, we enjoyed a casual breakfast of avocado, tomato, cheese and olive omelet, topped with lemon sour cream. Taylor had a bacon and cheese omelet and pancakes. The food was so good, I kept eating even though I was full and finally just had to get the waitress to take my plate. If you’re ever in Austin you should visit the Magnolia Cafe (we went to the one on South Congress).
After breakfast, we visited a few shops on South Congress before heading back home. Unfortunately I have no pics to share with you, so you’ll just have to take my word for it, and check the places out for yourself!
This Week
This week has been pretty uneventful. We go to work, then come home. Some nights I went to the gym here at the apartment. Some nights we ran a few errands. We find something for dinner, watch a few episodes of something on Netflix (this week it’s Dexter), then it’s time for bed.
I was playing around and made a yummy spinach and baby bella mushrooms omelet/frittata. I topped my half with goat cheese! It was so good, we made it again the next night.
This Weekend
Went to a 2-year-old’s birthday party. The birthday boy is my best friend’s kid, and the little guy is so sweet. After cake and presents, and all the kids left, Taylor and I stayed a little while, since we only get to see them a couple times a year. Taylor read him a book or two, we all attempted assembling some of the gifts and I got to participate in bath time. A couple weeks ago I sent some bath markers and tablets that change the color of the water. I teasingly wrote my to my friend that “I hope we can still be friends” after sending such a potentially dangerous gift. But he loves it (he thought he peed in the bath when she put the yellow one in), it helps her get him in the bath and the stuff doesn’t seem to stain, which I was afraid of.
Next Week
I’m spending the rest of today getting ready for a trip I’m taking to Los Angeles this week. Luckily I don’t have to drive anywhere, but I’m still not super pumped about the trip. I need to do a little research to find a couple things to see and do while I’m there. I’ll be spending half my time near the airport and the other half in Long Beach. I’ve found a possible whale watching excursion I could go on. Any other suggestions?
Posted in Working Out on February 11, 2010| 3 Comments »
Celebration:
I’m officially kicking ass at this working out and eating better thing. I have lost about 5 pounds this past month. 5 more and I’ll be around my wedding weight. 5 more after that, is what I’m aiming for.
And it’s FREEZING cold and raining out and I still went to put in my time at the gym. I could have wimped out but I didn’t. And I’m proud of myself.
A Confession:
I sort of can talk myself into working out so I can eat more at dinner. 🙂
Anyone else out there do the same?
Posted in Food & Cooking, Recipes, Trying New Things on February 9, 2010| 2 Comments »
I haven’t posted a recipe in a while, and I actually have another one to share with you, once I get the recipe all typed up.
For some reason last week, I got a hankering for this. I’ve never cooked caramelized onions before (I know, its super simple) and I’ve never actually purchased goat cheese. So I was taking a shot in the dark, and luckily we were having friends over for pizza and there would be alternative pizza toppings if mine sucked.
I usually make my own dough, very loosely using a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook recipe. (You know, the red and white checkered one. The original recipe is Onion and Olive Foccacia.)
Pizza Crust Dough
Ingredients:
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dried yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water (120-130 degrees)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
generous sprinkle of dried italian herbs (you could use any herbs you like)
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 cup of flour and the yeast. Add the warm water, the olive oil, herbs and 1 teaspoon salt to the dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low or medium for 30 seconds. (I’m usually too lazy to get the mixer out so I just stir really well by hand.) Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. (You may find that you need to use a little extra flour.)
3. Shape dough in a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. Punch down, and divide in two, shaping each portion into a ball. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. (If you are lazy like me, or in a hurry, you can skip the rising step, and everything will still turn out ok.)
4. Divide each ball into 4 pieces. On a lightly greased cookie sheet (better yet, cover the cookie sheet with foil first for easy clean up) press out one piece into a circle shape, or whatever shape your want your pizza crusts to be. You can press it as thin or thick as you’d like. Poke a few times with a fork to keep the dough from puffing up in the oven.
5. Bake each crust at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. I usually cook all the crusts in advance so they are ready for the toppings when people come over. Sort of like Boboli crusts, but homemade.
Carmelized Onions
Ingredients:
2 medium yellow onions
pinch salt
pinch sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. Remove the skin and outer layer of the onion. Cut off ends and slice onions in half. Then cut onion into thin, half rings. See this tutorial if you need help.
2. Heat up olive oil to medium high heat until it begins to ripple. Then add the onions, stirring until they are coated with the oil. Add the salt and sugar and stir.
3. Continue to let onions cook, occasionally stirring onions around to cook evenly. You can let them get as dark brown as you’d like then remove them from the heat.
Now it’s time to put it all together!
Lightly coat a pizza crust with olive oil. I have a Misto that works really well for this. Top with generous amounts of goat cheese. (I chose to blob little pieces all over so I’d get goat cheese in each bite.) Then add a generous amount of onions on top of the goat cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. The goat cheese will get warm but won’t look melty or anything, trust me it’s still good this way. You could cook it a little longer if you want a crispier crust.
So here’s the finished product.
It was so good, I made it again a couple nights later. Mmmm, I’m actually sorta still thinking about it now.
Posted in Working Out on February 7, 2010| 3 Comments »
As I shared before, I’m trying very hard to create a healthier lifestyle for myself.
I wish I could say it’s been easy, but that would be lying.
But, since January 13th, when I decided to make a change, I’ve worked out more days than I have not. I know eating meals can’t be a free for all. I know it’s better to eat at home and bring my lunch. I know that my favorite sandwich at Jason’s Deli (California Club) has more than 800 calories in it. I know that I could eat it if I wanted, but know that’s probably not the best choice. I know that a glass or two of wine is ok, but I feel better about drinking those glasses if I’ve worked out.
A one day at a time mindset has worked for me. I try to do my best. I track my exercise and food daily. And I give myself a free day per week, and try not to go too crazy. But if I do, I don’t beat myself up.
This weekend, Jacque came to visit and we had friends over for dinner on Friday night. I didn’t work out Friday or Saturday.
But today I knew what I had to do.
I planned on doing about 3 miles or 45 minutes of walking/jogging on the treadmill. A couple times recently, I’d actually jogged 2 miles without stopping, so I hoped to start with 2 miles. It was really tough getting going. But I challenged myself. As I was getting close to 1 mile, I bargained with myself that I could stop when I got to 1 mile. But when I got to 1 mile, I wasn’t far from the 15 minute mark (I still am taking my jogging VERY slow, so I don’t hurt myself, and since I’ve never jogged before.) So, then I bargained again with myself, just to make it to the 15 minute mark, then I could stop. Of course, when I got to the 15 minute mark, I noticed I wasn’t very far from hitting 1.5 miles, so again, I bargained, that I could stop at 1.5 miles. I pumped my fists in the mirror, and I told myself how effing awesome I was.
I would like to say I continued bargaining this way until I got to my original goal of 2 miles, but I didn’t. I am not dumb, so I stopped because the muscle by my shin bone started feeling more tight and sore than I’ve ever felt before. Then, I went home and did about 15 minutes of abs.
I am proud of myself. I am continuing to work out more consistently than I ever have (with the exception of when I took fitness classes in college). I am watching what I eat. And I know the consistent change will be better for me in the long run.
I have lost a couple pounds, though I don’t know exactly how many since I had to buy a new scale in the middle of all this…and of course the new scale immediately calculated my weight about 3 pounds lower than the other one.
My hubby says he notices that my body is changing. And that feels pretty good.
Andrea Unplugged 