High Rise Bakery

I always forget how much I love High Rise Bakery! The smell of freshly baked bread is so comforting when you walk in the door. This morning, I took a friend from school for breakfast. I had the oatmeal, which other than High Rise’s, I DO not eat! Ugh, to me oatmeal is slimy and gross, and even though I KNOW it is good for me I never can stomach it! Their oatmeal is cooked in steamed milk, and has maple syrup, toasted pecans and dried cherries. It is SOOO amazingly delicious, and for small a good price at $3.50. My friend got the yogurt, granola and fruit, which I've also had, and next to my own granola is my favorite in town. It had the right ratio of dried fruit to oats and nuts, perfectly toasted and sweet! Overall, High Rise is known as being a little expensive, but the portions for breakfast or lunch sandwiches are HUGE! You can definitely share, which brings the cost way down. To me, the experience of seeing the day’s bread being made makes it all worth it!

High Rise Bakery
208 Concord Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138

High Rise Bakery(Harvard Square)
56 Brattle St
Cambridge, MA 02138

Lord Hobo

Last night, Dave and I checked out the new "beer" bar in Cambridge- Lord Hobo. We went around 6:30pm thinking that there would be no one there…the weekend after Thanksgiving. The place was packed! We got the last table, on the side. There were lots of people there, laughing and having a good time, even the head brewer from John Harvard's was sitting at the bar having a couple! Dave, of course, as a big beer guy, searched on the LONG beer menu for some new and amazing tastes, while as a gluten freer – stayed with the red wine. After ordering their truffle/parm "chips" for his birthday appetizer, our wine and beer came out. For $8, I'm sorry I do expect to have not a 1/8 pour in my glass. I had the saddest, smallest glass of wine.
Overall, the food was great. We had the truffle "chips" that came with four dipping sauces, truffle ketchup, an aioli, and vinaigrette- very yummy! We also got the deviled eggs- which were six very nicely plated varieties to try- chili pepper, truffle, and avocado- very smooth and creamy. For dinner, I got the mussels which came with MORE fries!! The mussels were cooked to perfection and the broth was very good. Dave got the hanger steak, which came out piping hot and melted in your mouth. The steak came with roasted garlic that you could break out the cloves from to smother on the steak! YUM! Boy heaven- fries, steak, and beer!!

Gluten-free wise, it was just not worth asking on his birthday! So, I have no idea what is gluten free or not. I will admit, I had some stomach pain this morning, but I'm guessing the fries were coated in flour.

After Thanksgiving and the beer bar, I definitely craving veggies and fruits today!!

Lord Hobo
92 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02141

Dave's birthday

Today is Dave's birthday. He asked for bacon and coffeecake for breakfast, a family walk, and a Shaw's sheet cake, and NO comments by me!! Yes, his girlfriend of almost four years could make him a wonderful cake at home, yet the boy wanted Shaw's!! Tonight, we are more than likely going to Lord Hobo, and I promise to write a review!


Cinnamon Streusel Coffeecake(Dave's Birthday treat)
Cooking Light Dec '96


1/3 cup chopped walnuts(I didnt use nuts!)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil(I used canola oil)
2 large eggs(I used 3 medium eggs)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, and stir well. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; sprinkle 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture into pan. Set walnut mixture aside.
Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl, and beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Measure 2 cups of batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan; sprinkle remaining walnut mixture over batter. Pour reserved 2 cups batter over walnut mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Post Thanksgiving Review

After about four calls and not having the correct ingredients- the corn pudding was probably a "9" out of 10...not too shabby!
The quionoa stuffing was delish! It was warm and hearty- I am going to keep this one on my list for Thanksgiving for years to come.
My squash(butternut squash, with a little butter and brown sugar)was gone after the boys(9 of them) first ROUND!!
The pumpkin squares were a HUGE hit... I told everyone they were gluten free AFTER consuming them OF COURSE!! :)

Holiday Workout

My sister told be about a workout she heard about for traveling consisting of 500 reps(repetitions)! So I not only tried it, but modified it into a NEW Holiday Workout for all!

- 20x squat
- 20x pushups(knees or toes)
- 20x reverse lunges(alternating legs)
- 20x chair/bench dips
- 20 second plank
- 20x bicycle crunches

Complete this circuit 3-5x!

This workout could be done ANYWHERE- so why not complete it over the next couple days when you are on your turkey holiday!

Happy healthy eating.

Breakfast Favorite

This morning, I got back from the gym and was reminded of the fact that I didnt have any of my gluten free bread from Abigail's bakery. It's a brown rice and millet bread, sweetened with agave nectar, so amazingly good in a world of really awful tasting gluten free breads! A real bummer when I'm out!
Another go-to "quick" breakfast meal I make though - Sweet potato hash with poached eggs! So delicious!

Recipe:
- small sweet potato(shredded with cheese grater)
- small yellow onion(diced very finely)
- 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- shake of salt
- 2 cups of water( for poached egg boiling)
- salt and pepper to taste

Place a fry plan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Then place the shredded potato, and diced onion in the fry pan and cook about five minutes, til slight brown coating is seen on the mixture. Bring a saucepan of water salt and vinegar to boil when the water starts to boil- place the eggs CAREFULLY into the water, and bring the heat down to low. Cook the eggs for around 3 1/2 minutes- depending on how you like your eggs cooked. I added a grapefruit, on the side, for a little fruit added to my morning!

Enjoy!

Holiday Workout Week

This morning I blew it! I just couldnt get out of bed, there the alarm went at 6:32- and there my hand flew out from the covers to slap it off. The next time, I woke up it was 7:11. First off, I can't rememeber the last time I slept duirng a weekday til 7:11- it felt amazing! Secondly, it's one workout, it won't make or break my week.

My plan for this week:

Tuesday- run at the gym
Wednesday- spin
Thursday(Thanksgiving)- Dave and I are having our own Turkey Trot.
Friday- stadiums
Saturday(Dave's birthday)- whatever he wants...which could mean video games and beer all day!


Especially, during holiday weeks- I think it is important to keep moving. Whether it be to bundle everyone up and take a walk on Thanksgiving morning/afternoon or a flag football game with the whole brood.

Some of my family favorites:

-hiking in the Laurel Mountains
- sledding down Rea's Hill
- walking thru the VT woods
- making a "snow" turkey
- signing my ENTIRE family up for a Turkey Trot and not telling them until the morning before...I did this last year , and guess what- everyone loved it! ;)

Most important, make it a happy experience for all family members!

Fall Weekend

Well, the leaves are falling off the trees, and to me these large piles of leaves mean a couple things....the semester is finally coming to an end...the holidays are almost here...warm soups and stews...family time!

I love warm chilies, sauces and stews that fill your body up, and keep you full for hours. Sometimes, I even have them for breakfast, it’s deliciously filling!


One of my favorites for Sunday Dinner:

Turkey meatballs (gluten free)

- 1/2 cup of oats (food processed to a meal)
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tbls. of tomato sauce(whatever you are using with your pasta or have in the fridge)
- 1 lb. of ground turkey meat (94% lean...I think Plainville)
- salt and pepper
- any fresh herbs you have in the house
- 2 tbls. of mozzarella or parmesans cheese
- Rest of the jar of pasta sauce or whole made sauce (I like anything with low sugar(aka. no added sugar in the sauce)
- pasta ( I use Eden Organics kamut- high fiber/protein)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and roll up mixture into little or big balls onto a cookie sheet or onto baking dish. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes (until cooked thoroughly). On the stove, place a saucepan with sauce. When the meatballs are done, place them into the sauce on low heat until ready to heat or the pasta is ready. I sometimes add frozen peas and carrots into the pasta, when cooking for a little boost of fiber/daily veggies. Mix everything together, add some cheese on top and VOILA!





This Thanksgiving we are heading up to New Hampshire.

I am in charge of:
- the butternut squash( she asked for this one)
- corn pudding
- gluten free apple crisp
- quinoa stuffing
- sparkling apple cider

We'll see how it all goes, and I will take pictures of all the finished products...

Tonight, some of the girls from school and I went to a new restaurant in Coolidge Corner (Brookline) called the Regal Beagle . Our waitress, Elizabeth, was very sweet and helpful, and added some helpful hints to our dinner decisions. We tried a nice mix of dishes from the entire menu. The date stuffed with gorgonzola and wrapped in bacon were unbelievable. Excellent flavor, beautiful presentation, with a balsamic reduction drizzled underneath, they are a perfect 10! We also, for appetizers, got the pumpkin hummus that had a great mix of vegetables and feta on top, very nice pleasant hummus taste, though I didnt taste the pumpkin. I had a side serving of butternut squash risotto that was good, but not excellent. One of the ladies got the Mac and Cheese with Ritz topping, which though not gluten free came to the table "piping hot" and was oozing with cheese. I had ONE small bite, and it was totally worth it...so cheesy and creamy. Someone also had the chicken dish which came highly recommended and was served on polenta with mushrooms and I believe collard greens. It was delicious! I fully recommend this place, for food, the cool decor and great staff!

Regal Beagle
308 Harvard St.
Brookline, MA 02446

Bittman's 101 for Thanksgiving

Anyone who knows me - knows how much I love the Dining & Wine section of the New York times...especially the column by Mark Bittman called The Minimalist. His recipes are simple, ingredients lists aren't to long, and his joy over food is delightful to read about. This week he published - another one of "101" lists-101 Head Starts on the Day for Thanksgiving! Instantly, a smile was on my face!

Here are some of my favorites:

15. Thai Squash Soup: Simmer cubed winter squash, minced garlic, chili and ginger in coconut milk, plus stock or water to cover, until soft. Purée if you like. Just before serving, add chopped cilantro, lime juice and zest, and toasted chopped peanuts.

48. Cut sweet potatoes into wedges; boil until tender. Drain and toss with olive oil. Wrap each with a prosciutto slice and a sage leaf, then roast until browned.

49. Halve and seed acorn, butternut or delicata squash and roast until squash begins to soften. Meanwhile, cook bulgur, drain and toss with coarsely chopped pine nuts and currants. Add a bit of the stuffing to each squash half and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake until squash is tender.

66. In a blender, whip olive oil, lime juice, a little red onion and a stemmed and seeded jalapeño. Toss with lots of shredded raw sweet potato, diced red bell pepper and chopped cilantro.

67. Sprinkle shelled pumpkin or squash seeds with a little chili powder; roast, shaking occasionally, until lightly browned. Combine with grated sweet potatoes (raw or lightly sautéed in butter or oil), raisins and a vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, a touch of honey and maybe a little more chili powder.

101. Buy some cheese. Unwrap it and put it on a plate with some walnuts and fruit; let come to room temperature. Serve with good bread.



The link for the whole article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/dining/18mini.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

For the holidays and for everyday life- I think it's good to think "everything in moderation!" :)

Lola

Lola, is our almost ten month old puppy. She is from a shelter in Indiana(Lucky Lab Rescue)and quite photogenic as you can see.:)She has been a lot of fun, but also more work than we had expected. Luckly, we have a park around the corner from our house,where she can play with her puppy friends twice a day! Not only is the park great for Lola, but we have met some really great people as well!

Recently, she had had some issues with lurching and jumping on people while on lead outside. We called the experts in from ARL(Animal Rescue League) & City Dog Training to help us out. Our little puppy has been diagnosed with fear aggression. So Dave and I have been working with her on commands and special techniques while on and off lead. Apparently, shelter dogs especially mixed breeds, seem to have more trouble with fear and anxiety than non-mixed breed. Who knew!

workout buddies

Since last summer a group of us have been getting together once mostly twice a week to "do" Harvard stadium. There are 37 sections, and with our team it now takes about 45 minutes to complete. It is so nice to be outside , chat while "sucking wind" and get a great workout in. We've even got a team together for the American Lung Association Climb in Feb '10- to race up 1 Boston Place.

Someone came up with the idea for a rogue bootcamp- where we meet on a gym floor about once a week. workouts include: sprint, tons of lunges, pushups, abs(including planks), and whatever fun exercises someone brings.

Every Sunday, I send an email to the group explaining what my workouts will look like for the week, if anyone wants to join.

A sample week:

Mondays- stadium 7am
Tuesday- cardio or rogue bootcamp- 6:30am
Wednesday- spin- 7am
Thursday- stadiums- 7am
Friday- rogue bootcamp 7am


I have loved having a group of people to workout with. It's motivating and keeps me on a much more regular schedule with my own workouts.

Granola Recipe

Granola Recipe:


- 2 cups of oats
- 1/4 cup of agave nectar or 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinammon
- 1/2 cup of chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup of oat bran
- 1/2 cup of raisins(or any other dried fruit)
- 1/8 cup of shredded coconut
- 1 tbls. of canola oil or olive oil
- cooking spray or rub canola oil(for baking sheet)
Add ins:
-1/4 cup of cocao nibs
-1/4 cup of pecans, walnuts, etc



Preheat oven to 350F. Place the oats and chopped almonds onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes to toast. Place all other ingredients in a bowl and mix. When oats and almonds are toast, add them into the bowl. Bring down oven temperature to 300F. Spray pan/coat with oil and place mixture on cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until slightly brown in color. Let cool, then break apart into pieces. I keep my granola in the freezer, I think it stay fresher this way.

What I eat my granola with:
- low fat yogurt with a client's YUMMY peach and organge jam
- by itself in between class
- warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds and with about 1/4 cup of either pumpkin or vanilla ice cream(Breyer's if my favorite)

*** some gluten intolerant people can't have oats, due to contamination. If needed make sure oats are clean(aka- haven't been mixed with other grains) before using them****

Turkey Chili

Turkey Chili(Gluten Free)

- 1 lbs. of ground turkey(94% lean)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes(large)
- 1 medium yellow onion – diced
- 1 to 2 small sweet potatoes( diced)
- 1x can of black beans(drained and rinsed)
- 1x can of white kidney beans(drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup of water
- 1 tbls. of cumin
- 1 tbls. of chili powder
- 1 tbls. of Rooster sauce(found in Asian section of every grocery store)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional Add ins:
- 1x pepper(green or red)
- 1 to 2x shredded carrots(with cheese grater or by hand) ** I add these ***
- ½ can of adobo chili sauce
- 1 to 2 tbls. of agave nectar
- 1x can of tomato paste(I add this in mine)

Brown the turkey meat in a skillet, until cooked through- about 5 to 7 minutes on medium to high heat. Then add in the onion and the sweet potatoes to the skillet, cook for about 5 minutes. Next, throw all the kids (all the ingredients) into a large pot or your slow cooker. I usually cook the chili for atleast four hours on low in the slow cooker (crockpot) or 3 hours on the stove at low heat. Sometimes, I will make the chili in the morning, and leave it on all day (for about six hours) and it taste fantastic as well! This usually serves atleast two meals- dinner and lunch the next day for two people! We eat it with corn tortilla chips or my boyfriend loves his with pretzels!

Soup

Soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner is one of my favorites. I love having a warm bowl of soup for breakfast, it's filling- has protein, fiber and fills me up until lunch. Some of my favorites this season are black bean and pumpkin, sweet potato and peanut, turkey chili with sweet potato, and thai chicken soup(pictured).

Recipes

There are days when you want to cook and you don't want to cook- but there is always someone to feed... at my house...

tonight i found :
ground turkey(93% lean in the fridge)
soy.potato and rice pasta
cabot cheddar
frozen peas and carrots
lowfat milk (new england organic)

so.... turkey burgers and mac and cheese(healthy style) .....