Lentils and Sweet Potatoes...Two Meals out of One...

Before heading to the hospital tomorrow, I cut up veggies and tossed about one cup of lentils into a crockpot with about 1/3rd a bottle of red wine and water to make green lentil and sweet potato stew.

My friend Ali came over for dinner last night and we had a great gossip session and walked the neighborhood with Luna.

Our dinner: stew with sharp cheddar and nonfat greek yogurt dolloped on top!


Post-spinning workout today- I had lentils/sweet potato topped with two poached eggs. It was amazingly good, and reminded me of the tapas I had on Monday.



My mother found another use for our champagne glasses: herb holder!

My mint on the window ;)



Thank you to all my ladies for making my time without Dave so wonderful. He comes home later today, and then it's time to packem' up and head to PA!

Taberno de Haro

After a family weekend, it was so nice to get together with the ladies from school. Marcia, Elise, Marybeth and I all met at Taberno de Haro in Brookline for a fantastic dinner. I have to admit when you walk up to this place it looks a little dreary but the atmosphere inside felt like a Spanish paradise. It could also have been seeing my ladies though.

Our waitress was helpful in not only finding a white wine(to cool ourselves off from the summer heat) but also checking with the kitchen for any gluten in our tapas selections. I was free and clear, and haven't had a reaction! ;)

Our dinner:
potato omelet(no picture)
roasted red pepper salad(no picture)
mussels in a tomato base sauce
eggplant, peppers and onion topped with poached eggs
shrimp cooked in garlic and olive oil
hen braised in sherry and herbs


The mussels...I couldn't get enough of the broth...



I don't normally like shrimp but this was delicious perhaps it was the plethora of olive oil ;)


The eggplant dish was creamy, soft, and perfectly flavored.



The hen cooked in sherry and herbs was quite good, but a tad bit salty.



This is definitely a restaurant I would go back too ;)

Taberno de Haro
999 Beacon Street
Brookline MA 02446
617 277 8272

The Wedding

The wedding was wonderful, and the Harvard Faculty Club did a nice job.


The meal:
Boston bibb letuce with beet and carrot shreds
steak with potato gratin and veggies




Our wonderful family...well almost ALL of us....





My sweetie and I



Happy Birthday to my cousin Hilde and my friend Carrie today!!

Rehearsal Dinner Fun

My cousin Sam is getting married today, and last night we have a wonderful time at the Cambridge Boat Club for the rehearsal dinner.

I made some gluten free cowboy cookies(my secret recipe)for the cookie themed dessert.


It was a Bbbq themed party. I had some corn and avocado salad with fresh veggies and dip for dinner. It was delicious!



Sarah and her plate ;) it was a little toasty inside so Sarah and I ate outside together.



The decorated tables.



Sarah and I on the porch- major sister bonding ...

Breakfast with Mum

The family is in! So, my blogging has been few and far between- oops!

My mom and I have been having some great breakfasts together. I made some homemade yogurt for her, and got some cinnamon raisin bread, with gluten! :)

Yesterday's breakfast( toast with strawberries and yogurt for mum, red pepper and cheddar omelet with toast for me)




Repeater for today... :)


This morniing Dave, Mum and I did got to the farmer's market.

Our bounty


Next post... the rehearsal dinner from last night...stay tuned...

Two Meals Out

I can't believe it, I had two meals out today! I'm a little embarrassed, because I like to think of meals out as a big treat! Alas, with my grandmother coming into to town, and my tummy asking for thai hut- i fell into the urge!

After picking up my Gran at the airport, I grabbed my sister at work and headed to The Friendly Toast for lunch. It's a great spot in Kendall Square to have breakfast or lunch.

Sarah and Gran


My 'guy scramble'(avocado, black beans, salsa and cheddar scrambled into eggs with potatoes on the side). I ate about 3/4 of the eggs and 1/4 of the potatoes. It was a great fill-er up meal!





Then Gran, Luna and I took a walk in the heat, which was brutal and ended after about 15 minutes. Ugh. After cooking off we headed to Dedham to meet up with my Aunt and my friend Jamie. We had a wonderful time all together talking about weddings(the upcoming this weekend), as well as mine. :)

I was wiped when I got home, perhaps dehydrated? and decided I needed someThai hut for dinner. I got the massaman curry with chicken and veggies. It usually lasts me atleast three if not four meals, and I add frozen peas and carrots. Don't ask me why, but I think it rounds out the flavor.

My bowl o' curry


I have a wonderfully large family that will all be coming in for wedding this weekend, including my fabulous mother who is coming tomorrow! I was doing the last final touches to the bathtub when Luna decided to JUMP in! Ugh! I think she thought the faucet was a hose! Silly puppy!

Sunny Monday(Reviews for Wagamama & B.Good)

To do list:
workout(cardio)
complete presentation for class
volunteer at the hospital
MDA Membership Committee meeting
listen to Glee music(because it makes me smile)
train clients

I got everything done today! Woo hoo!

I even purchased my first wedding magazine! I am definitely my mother's daughter getting Martha Stewart Wedding- as my first one! :) Happy early birthday mama- I am turning into you!


This evening I went to Harvard Square for my MDA(Mass Dietetic Assoc.)committee meeting. We met at Wagamama. I had never been there so I scouted it out online and checked for gluten free options before! I had their chicken coconut soup with rice noodles and vegetables. It was delicious, and the manager brought it over to me and confirmed 'gluten free!' How great is that!?!


I was in the mood for something a little sweet so I walked over to get a milkshake at b.good for Dave and I to share. :)

When I walked in I saw this sign 'gluten free buns!' Right on- B.good! I like this restaurant because they give the calories, fat, etc on their menus for patrons to see, and they have baked sweet potato fries! :)


Our milkshake :)



I'm off to go over my presentation with Dave once before bed!

Summer bounty

I've been cookin' up a storm the last two days. I really am happiest in the kitchen, and I now have plenty of food for the week!

Yesterday, I made gazpacho(tomatoes, zukes, red onion, parsley, red pepper,and serrano pepper, red wine vinegar, garlic, and olive oil). It tastes like summer, and is perfect when it's hot out!




I picked up some rhubarb at the farmer's market in Union Square and decided to make a rhubarb & blackberry crisp for dessert.

A beautiful collection of rhubarb and blackberries


The crisp!



For dinner tonight: turkey and tofu 'fresh' rolls.

In the rolls: turkey and tofu, carrots, red peppers, cilantro and buckwheat noodles.


The rolls



It's a busy one this week: last week of summer school, an MDA committee meeting, family wedding, volunteering in the hospital, and clients. Bring it ON!

Dinner for One

Dave is having 'man town' tonight and went to the Beer Advocate Beerfest downtown.

So, I took advantage and made a full veggie filled dinner.

On the menu tonight:
- sweet potato gnocchi(gluten free)
- roasted yellow and red beets
- beet greens sauteed in garlic and olive oil
- goat cheese

I roasted the beets and blanched the greens. Then, made homemade sweet potato gnocchi.


My delicious plate....


From another angle...

Flew by...

Today flew by... I did get in a loop around Fresh Pond with Luna, a disaster greek yogurt scone project(not worth taking pictures of), some cleaning in the house(gran and mama come next week), and a wonderful bbq with Nyssa and Ben.


Dave shrunk one of my polo's, and at one point while cleaning today I decided to dress up Luna- Ha!



Our bbq menu:
Salt & Pepper chips and 'mockmole'
beef burgers and chicken sausage(Whole Foods specials)
grilled corn
greens


Apparently, my picture taking skills are getting worse...ugh...


My plate- I didn't like the corn and I was full from chips and dip!

A wonderful dinner party

Today's roundup
Exercise for the day:
- taught one 55 minute spin class
- loop around Fresh pond with pooch
- walk around the neighborhood

Cooking for the day:
- quinoa salad(for lunch)
- 5-layer dip(for dinner party)
- sunflower bark(for dinner party)

My quinoa salad for lunch




Elise had all the 'epi study ladies' over for dinner tonight, but this time we added the boys and took out the studying!

Elise and Stefan put together a wonderful meal including:
wild salmon
asparagus
Abbey's CSA salad with turnip croutons
Lauren's qunioa salad
Abbey's fresh bread(gluten filled)
My 5-layer dip(as an appetizer)


Salmon and asparagus


CSA greens with radishes, carrots, peppers and turnip croutons ;)



My happily filled plate



On the menu for dessert:
Elise's pecan & cornmeal tarts(gluten free and SOO buttery delicious)
fresh fruit
sunflower bark(I exchanged sunflower seeds for pistachios)
Elise's fresh homemade frozen yogurt & frozen peach yogurt

My dessert plate... the tart was SOO good that I had another small quarter with more fruit later ;)



A great end to day, but now it is late so I must hit the hay!

Buckwheat Dinner

After a quick lifting session and a spin class, I came home to finish my paper. Ugh- this one took me FOREVER!

I only had about 15 minutes to get food ready for the day so I made a quick buckwheat noodly stirfry to have for dinner tonight!

The ingredients for my dinner:



My masterpiece!


My friend Elise is trying the 'gluten free' life for a week and brought four different gf snacks to class tonight- there were cookies, flax seed chips, and tamari crackers.


Overall, I would say the only ones I would buy would be the flax seed chips. I'll find out the brand, and post the name!

A Puppy Day

After training this morning, I came home to finish a project on the food service program I had met with last week in the Boston area.

Then, I took Luna on a walk. We met up with our wonderful dog walker Melissa who was walking our buddies Lenny and Satchel, and decided the puppies should have some time together ;)

So Mr. Satchel man came to play at our house for the afternoon. He was very excited:)



The dogs played for hours, and we have paw prints all over the kitchen from their little water bowl disaster to prove it!

You would never know though that they were little devils by looking at this picture, as they became my little 'sous chefs' at my feet when I was making lunch.


On the menu for lunch: egg white salad with carrots, celery and baby spinach on brown rice and millet bread. Dave's parents bumped up my bread supply yesterday, I was running low! Thanks D & C!

Egg salad lunch. :)



I read class while the puppies chewed together...those who chew together...take naps together???


Then, the wonderful UPS man dropped off our last parcel from our Amazon shipment. I got my copy of Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth, which I am super excited about.


Then, Dave came home and we took Luna for a walk around the neighborhood and then to puppy play. She is pooped from playing with all her 'men' today!

For dinner we had sauteed garlic spinach and organic/nitrate free bacon on top of pizza(grilled bob's, of course). I wasn't very hungry since I had had some tortilla chips and salsa pre-puppy walk. I had two pieces, but they were pretty small.

My plate and first piece with some pizza sauce on the side for dipping ;)

A Birthday Party

After dog class this morning, Dave and I went up to New Hampshire for Grandma S's birthday.

I made 5-layer dip and peanut cookies. ;)

My 5-layer dip


Dave's parents made salmon, and there was pizza.


Aunt Jenny had made a gluten free rice salad which I made I put into lettuce leaves with poached chicken and tomatoes as a sandwich! It was delicious.

For dessert: Aunt Jenny's brownies, fresh strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream


Grandma S opening presents with Luna helping rip the paper :)




We found our little angel fast asleep in our bed tonight...