Friday, February 8, 2013

Omelets, Waffles & Workout Clothes

Its been a crazy, busy kind of week. Lots of stuff going on at work, teaching a bundle of classes, taking care of the peanut, preparing for Josh’s birthday celebration…oh…and I came down with a fever on Sunday. Yikes! All of this led me to loosing my voice on Thursday morning. I some how pushed my voice through teaching step, but I think I may have to take a talking break all day today.

When I have a crazy week, there is nothing like breakfast for dinner (brinner) to comfort me. So, of course, I was thrilled to do a review of Lindsay Landis’ (the blogger behind Love & Olive Oil) Breakfast for Dinner.

IMG_3118

The cover makes me hungry :). According to the publisher:

“We all know how fun it is to have breakfast for dinner. There's something comforting and exciting about breakfast on the dinner table. Lindsay and Taylor capture all of this in Breakfast for Dinner—elevating our favorite breakfast foods into delicious dinner meals. A sampling of recipes that you will find in this cookbook, include:

  • Main dishes, like Italian-Style French Toast and Chicken & Biscuit Waffles
  • Sides and starters, like Parmesan Beignets and Nova Lox Bruschetta
  • Drinks and desserts, like Early Grey Panna Cotta, Bananas Foster Crepe Cake, and Bacon Old-Fashioneds”

Flipping through the book..I bookmarked at least 10 recipes. The first one I made? The broccoli & cauliflower omelet:

IMG_3115

Can I tell you a secret? I had never made an omelet before…I know, right? Lindsay’s simple explanation made it a cinch:

IMG_3116

I roasted my vegetables:

IMG_3111  and some purple potatoes for the side:

IMG_3113  Cooked up my eggs, as per Lindsay’s instructions. Added in the vegetables and fresh, organic mozzarella cheese and…

IMG_3119

(potatoes and crushed pineapple on the side). Not as pretty as Lindsay’s, but it came out in one piece!! Not bad for my first omelet. I see many in the future.

I wanted to share an awesome recipe from the book, Chocolate Brownie Waffles (making these next!):

BFD_waffles

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WAFFLES WITH
BLACKBERRY SAUCE

makes 4 to 6 waffles ★ active time: 30 minutes ★ total time: 45 minutes

These chocolaty cakelike waffles come together even quicker than cupcakes. Tangy blackberry sauce
and a dollop of whipped cream add the perfect finishing touch.

For Blackberry Sauce

  • 2 cups (10 ounces) fresh or frozen blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Juice from 1 lemon

For Waffles

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly whipped cream, for topping

1. To prepare blackberry sauce, stir together blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat; if using fresh blackberries, add 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer, stirring and crushing berries with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved and berries begin to break down. Transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; warm in a saucepan over low heat prior to serving.

2. For waffles, in a saucepan or a double boiler over low heat, stir butter and chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, followed by milk. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until just incorporated.

3. Preheat a Belgian waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions. Drop about 1/2 cup batter onto iron for each waffle (more or less depending on the size of your iron), and cook until outside is crispy. Serve warm, drizzled with blackberry sauce and topped with more blackberries and freshly whipped cream, if desired.

On a side note, did you hear that pv.body created their own line called Ellie? I love the look of the clothes and will be reviewing an outfit soon. For more info, check out their website(Save 20% on Ellie!) or check them out on  Twitter: @MeetEllie and Facebook: /MeetEllie.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Journey Cycling & Fitness & Cookies!!

I teach at a larger gym and love it! I know that the BIG gym environment isn’t for everyone, and even I, on occasion, prefer to go to a smaller studio (Bikram is my favorite). Today I tried out a new studio, Journey Cycling & Fitness (note: I decided to try this gym on my own and am not being compensated in any way).

According to their website: “We understand the world of indoor cycling and group fitness can be intimidating, but at Journey Cycling and Fitness Studio, we strive to make your experience as exceptional as possible while also providing a revolutionary full-body workout.” The studio offers spinning, boot camps, a variety of group fitness classes (including core, boxing, and yoga focused classes). They also offer nutrition counseling and seminars.

IMG_3106

The whole studio is very modern, with exposed pipes and clean lines. The front desk (shown above) is very welcoming, with a large class schedule displayed behind the desk. The staff was super friendly and they offer a free class during your first visit.

I peaked into the spinning studio, which is gorgeous:

  IMG_3108

IMG_3109

I needed a good stretch, and took a Mind ‘N’ Body class.

IMG_3107

It was absolutely fabulous! My only complaint is that the group fitness area is on the small side. There were five of us taking the class and we almost completely occupied the space!

I would really like to go back and try a spinning class. If you’re in the area, give Journey a go!

On another note, my Tate’s giveaway is open until Friday at noon! All you have to do is leave a comment, linking to (or telling me about), your favorite cookie recipe. I’ve received so many fabulous recipes, I had to share a few:

Autumn’s Monster Cookies

Joelle’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Candice’s White-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Amy’s Almond Crisps

Sarah’s Triple Chip Coconut Cookies

Noelle’s Chocolate Cherry Kiss Cookies

Jenn’s Crinkles

What are you waiting for? Enter!