D and his gal C came over, as well as Dielle and her family. As by chance, our high school friend M happened to be in town from Pittsburg, so it was quite a warm afternoon of old friends and family. I baked the muffins that I did last week, and again they went down a storm. After a comfy afternoon nosh, me and D&M&C went out for vegetarian dim sum, and while the food was all right, the company and the conversation made for a top-notch evening.
TODAY'S COOKING
Banana Walnut Muffins: Again, adjusted the recipe and again, came out pretty good.
Smoothie: Good. Banana, grapes, cherries, mango, blueberries, flax, milk, the good yogurt, vanilla extract. Sometimes it just comes out right, like this one
AM SNACK: 8am, pint of green iced tea, small handful of chocolate covered coffee beans
BRUNCH: 11:30am, smoothie, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, banana walnut muffin, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 2-4pm, cheese, potatonik, pickles, apple cider, a little beer, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6pm, vegetarian dim sum, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
EVENING SNACK: 8:30pm, apple cider, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Saturday, January 29
Friday, January 28
Parental looming large
Edie had a large morning snack, grapes and cheerios and teething biscuits and water and all dat, yo. So when I sat down to eat my lunch, she pretty much begged for some, so I tore off pieces and fed her some. I first gave her a bit of fish, which she kept in her mouth for a few seconds, then screwed up her face and let it fall to her chair.
I found myself in a weird position, trying to convince Edie that something is actually really good, despite her clearly not liking it. -sigh-. I'm a parent, just like my mom trying to convince me that fruit is actually good. Hrumph.
Oooh, and for the first time in quite a while, almost had a fully "green" day!
TODAY'S COOKING
Mock Superhippy Bread: Soaked a cup of the 7 grain cracked cereal in a cup of water, and and added 1/2 cup of water to the recipe over all. Bread came out nice and puffy, not a tiny dense lead brick like before. Unfortunately, the high moisture lead to weak gluten, where the protein chains were pulled too thin, resulting in a bread that crumbled and fell apart when trying to cut. Tasty, looked good, next time will eliminate the 1/2 cup of water, maybe add a tablespoon or two of vital gluten.
Potatonick: Got a cool book recently, the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the first thing I looked up was Potatonik. My dad turned me on to it, picking it up regularly from Moishe's, a local kosher bakery. It's basically a yeasted potato bread, like a mash-up between a latke and loaf of peasant bread. My version, compared to Moishe's, used 100% whole wheat flour and peanut oil, as opposed to white and cheap vegetable oil. And I grated the potatoes unpeeled, as my mom always believed the nutrition was in the peel! It came out less greasy and a bit fluffier than store bought, but very potato-nikky. Next time I make it, gonna use the traditional fat for this dish -- shmaltz.
AM SNACK: 9:30am, iced green tea
LUNCH: 11:30am, pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese and smoked sable, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, large green salad, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 5:30pm, sprats and avocado on mock superhippy bread, small square of potatonik, pickle, water, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
EVENING SNACK: 6:30, small piece of shortbread, chocolate chops and cashews, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
I found myself in a weird position, trying to convince Edie that something is actually really good, despite her clearly not liking it. -sigh-. I'm a parent, just like my mom trying to convince me that fruit is actually good. Hrumph.
Oooh, and for the first time in quite a while, almost had a fully "green" day!
TODAY'S COOKING
Mock Superhippy Bread: Soaked a cup of the 7 grain cracked cereal in a cup of water, and and added 1/2 cup of water to the recipe over all. Bread came out nice and puffy, not a tiny dense lead brick like before. Unfortunately, the high moisture lead to weak gluten, where the protein chains were pulled too thin, resulting in a bread that crumbled and fell apart when trying to cut. Tasty, looked good, next time will eliminate the 1/2 cup of water, maybe add a tablespoon or two of vital gluten.
Potatonick: Got a cool book recently, the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the first thing I looked up was Potatonik. My dad turned me on to it, picking it up regularly from Moishe's, a local kosher bakery. It's basically a yeasted potato bread, like a mash-up between a latke and loaf of peasant bread. My version, compared to Moishe's, used 100% whole wheat flour and peanut oil, as opposed to white and cheap vegetable oil. And I grated the potatoes unpeeled, as my mom always believed the nutrition was in the peel! It came out less greasy and a bit fluffier than store bought, but very potato-nikky. Next time I make it, gonna use the traditional fat for this dish -- shmaltz.
AM SNACK: 9:30am, iced green tea
LUNCH: 11:30am, pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese and smoked sable, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, large green salad, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 5:30pm, sprats and avocado on mock superhippy bread, small square of potatonik, pickle, water, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
EVENING SNACK: 6:30, small piece of shortbread, chocolate chops and cashews, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Thursday, January 27
Snow All Up In Here
Crazy snow day, B stayed home so I went out on foot for groceries, stopping by a fave dumpling place when the hunger hit. Went out in the evening to Jackson Heights for Indian with friends. Not a great eating day, but a fun day.
TODAY'S COOKING
Green Salad: Just keepin' it real for the week, yo.
AM SNACK: 7:30am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 8:45am, organic wholegrain cheerios with organic dead milk, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: noon, pork and chive steamed dumplings, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 3pm, spoonful of ice cream, chocolate cake, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:30pm, wide variety of Indian food, 2 beers, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
TODAY'S COOKING
Green Salad: Just keepin' it real for the week, yo.
AM SNACK: 7:30am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 8:45am, organic wholegrain cheerios with organic dead milk, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: noon, pork and chive steamed dumplings, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 3pm, spoonful of ice cream, chocolate cake, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:30pm, wide variety of Indian food, 2 beers, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Wednesday, January 26
Winter, why can't I quit you?
Work was quiet, but I kept myself distracted with tasks, and being the only person working (along with a singular kitchen guy), even the minimal business kept me a little busy. Played with dough.
It was a bit rough on the ride in the morning, but plowing through a very strong, very wet snow storm was crazy fun. Still managed to ride over the bridge, do food shopping at Pathmark, and pick up some sinful eats before coming home.
AM SNACK: 8am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 10am, the good oatmeal, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: noon, 5 slices super thin pizza, 8 oz sprite, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, green salad, cranberry lime soda, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 6:15pm, 1 slice of clam pizza, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
I don't like a dense layer of chopped clams out of a can. Reminds me of scrambled eggs. Bleah.
PM SNACK: 7:30pm, experimental Nutella roll, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Pizza dough stretched thin, smeared with nutella, rolled up tight, baked, finished with olive oil and powdered sugar. Needs refining, but potentially a killer dessert for the resto. Kinda a mash-up of babka and pizza.
EVENING SNACK: 10:30pm, burgers, fries, donuts, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
No comment.
It was a bit rough on the ride in the morning, but plowing through a very strong, very wet snow storm was crazy fun. Still managed to ride over the bridge, do food shopping at Pathmark, and pick up some sinful eats before coming home.
AM SNACK: 8am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 10am, the good oatmeal, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: noon, 5 slices super thin pizza, 8 oz sprite, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, green salad, cranberry lime soda, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 6:15pm, 1 slice of clam pizza, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
I don't like a dense layer of chopped clams out of a can. Reminds me of scrambled eggs. Bleah.
PM SNACK: 7:30pm, experimental Nutella roll, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Pizza dough stretched thin, smeared with nutella, rolled up tight, baked, finished with olive oil and powdered sugar. Needs refining, but potentially a killer dessert for the resto. Kinda a mash-up of babka and pizza.
EVENING SNACK: 10:30pm, burgers, fries, donuts, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
No comment.
Tuesday, January 25
My kingdom for some good doohickies
The container store was woefully understocked and overpriced in the area of kitchen dohickies, so more advanced breakfasts at work will have to wait a bit longer. Snow, snow snow, this is turning into one brutal winter.
Very slow in the morning at the resto, but shovelling snow felt good. I remember how much I disliked having to shovel snow as a kid in Staten Island, but because dad asked, I wanted to do it well to make him say how good a job I did. Funny, if my mom asked, it would of felt a bit like punishment and I would have cut corners. What does that mean?
AM SNACK: 8:30am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 10:15am, the good oatmeal, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 12:15pm, 4 slices of super thin pizza, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4pm, green salad, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 5:30pm, 3 Sicilian slices with red peppers, onions, mushroom, 8oz sprite, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 10pm, shrimp fried rice, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
Should I let myself have indulgent PM snacks twice a week after work, or should I rethink? A lack of indulgence will make permanent change a lot harder.
Very slow in the morning at the resto, but shovelling snow felt good. I remember how much I disliked having to shovel snow as a kid in Staten Island, but because dad asked, I wanted to do it well to make him say how good a job I did. Funny, if my mom asked, it would of felt a bit like punishment and I would have cut corners. What does that mean?
AM SNACK: 8:30am, iced green tea
BREAKFAST: 10:15am, the good oatmeal, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 12:15pm, 4 slices of super thin pizza, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 4pm, green salad, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 5:30pm, 3 Sicilian slices with red peppers, onions, mushroom, 8oz sprite, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 10pm, shrimp fried rice, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
Should I let myself have indulgent PM snacks twice a week after work, or should I rethink? A lack of indulgence will make permanent change a lot harder.
Monday, January 24
Wish for March
Felt a bit grim in the morning, but getting out and taking Edie to the morning playgroup helped. Some grocery shopping then banging around the kitchen until B got home made for a good day. So cold, I think most people in the North East are with me in starting to wish for late March sooner than later.
TODAY'S COOKING:
Buttermilk Pancakes: Made plain buttermilk pancakes with just real vanilla as a flavoring, to let the tang of the cultured dairy come through. I used the same-old store-bought stuff, but next time I'm going to use some fancy farmer's market buttermilk to see if it makes any difference.
Mock Superhippy Bread: In the breadmachine again, the 100% whole wheat I've made before with a cup of 9 cracked grain cereal from the bulk section of the supermarket thrown in. Total fail, it didn't really rise or come together as a loaf. I did eat some of it, reminded me of super-dense Scandinavian bread. I think the cereal absorbed a lot of water, preventing proper gluten development. Next time, I'm going to presoak the cereal.
AM SNACK: 8:30am, small handful of chocolate covered coffee beans
LUNCH: 1:15pm, 7 small buttermilk pancakes, water, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:15pm, sardines on failed superhippy bread, large green salad, dulce de leche ice cream, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Surprisingly, the homemade ice cream is still good, and relatively soft. Most homemade ice cream in the freezer goes a bit funky after a week or two, crystallizing and taking off flavors. I think the cooked condensed milk I added for flavor is acting as a stabilizer, like the crappy guar gums and stuff you get in cheap ice cream.
EVENING SNACK: 8pm, cashews and chocolate chips
EVENING SNACK: 10pm, left over pasta, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
TODAY'S COOKING:
Buttermilk Pancakes: Made plain buttermilk pancakes with just real vanilla as a flavoring, to let the tang of the cultured dairy come through. I used the same-old store-bought stuff, but next time I'm going to use some fancy farmer's market buttermilk to see if it makes any difference.
Mock Superhippy Bread: In the breadmachine again, the 100% whole wheat I've made before with a cup of 9 cracked grain cereal from the bulk section of the supermarket thrown in. Total fail, it didn't really rise or come together as a loaf. I did eat some of it, reminded me of super-dense Scandinavian bread. I think the cereal absorbed a lot of water, preventing proper gluten development. Next time, I'm going to presoak the cereal.
AM SNACK: 8:30am, small handful of chocolate covered coffee beans
LUNCH: 1:15pm, 7 small buttermilk pancakes, water, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:15pm, sardines on failed superhippy bread, large green salad, dulce de leche ice cream, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Surprisingly, the homemade ice cream is still good, and relatively soft. Most homemade ice cream in the freezer goes a bit funky after a week or two, crystallizing and taking off flavors. I think the cooked condensed milk I added for flavor is acting as a stabilizer, like the crappy guar gums and stuff you get in cheap ice cream.
EVENING SNACK: 8pm, cashews and chocolate chips
EVENING SNACK: 10pm, left over pasta, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
Sunday, January 23
Chilly Chill
A chill Sunday. Woke up early to bake muffins for some friends of B who were were popping in on same morning. A chilly walk back and forth overt the Williamsburg Bridge, lunch and a nap, then to my brother-in-law's place in Chelsea to set up D and his gal for a stay in the city. Chill with delivery and TV in the evening, and the day is done.
TODAY'S COOKING
Banana Walnut muffins: Used this recipe as a jump-off, but with numerous changes. Used 100% whole wheat flour, one extra egg, doubled the baking soda, doubled the salt, real vanilla instead of extract, creamed the butter with sugar first, mixed EVERYTHING before gently folding in the flour and mixing minimally. Undercooked them slightly and let them finish on top of the oven. Realized after I ate one that if I followed the recipe, they would of been just meh. I don't like banana walnut muffins, but these were pretty good.
Spaghetti, Dad Style: Boiled up dry spaghetti, coated (not drenched) in simple tomato sauce I made in November, then tossed in small cubes of mozzarella while still hot. Doesn't quite make sense culinarily, but totally brought me back to a nice home cooked meal as a child with my dad.
BREAKFAST: 8am, large glass of iced tea, 2 banana walnut muffins, .5 bowl, hunger 3/5
AM SNACK: 10:15am, hot green tea
LUNCH: 1pm, large green salad, spaghetti with homemade sauce and cheese, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 7pm, chicken tikka masala with basmanti rice, 1 potato samosa, garlic naan, dark chocolate, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
I don't really eat chicken, but I thought I'd give it a shot in this well known dish from the take-away. Ick, now I remember why I don't eat chicken. Not a lot of flavor, kinda stringy, nothing to it.
TODAY'S COOKING
Banana Walnut muffins: Used this recipe as a jump-off, but with numerous changes. Used 100% whole wheat flour, one extra egg, doubled the baking soda, doubled the salt, real vanilla instead of extract, creamed the butter with sugar first, mixed EVERYTHING before gently folding in the flour and mixing minimally. Undercooked them slightly and let them finish on top of the oven. Realized after I ate one that if I followed the recipe, they would of been just meh. I don't like banana walnut muffins, but these were pretty good.
Spaghetti, Dad Style: Boiled up dry spaghetti, coated (not drenched) in simple tomato sauce I made in November, then tossed in small cubes of mozzarella while still hot. Doesn't quite make sense culinarily, but totally brought me back to a nice home cooked meal as a child with my dad.
BREAKFAST: 8am, large glass of iced tea, 2 banana walnut muffins, .5 bowl, hunger 3/5
AM SNACK: 10:15am, hot green tea
LUNCH: 1pm, large green salad, spaghetti with homemade sauce and cheese, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 7pm, chicken tikka masala with basmanti rice, 1 potato samosa, garlic naan, dark chocolate, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
I don't really eat chicken, but I thought I'd give it a shot in this well known dish from the take-away. Ick, now I remember why I don't eat chicken. Not a lot of flavor, kinda stringy, nothing to it.
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