Low Maintenance Meal

Year 5, day 1 is on the books.

And I survived.

Sans one toe nail.

Yesterday was the America's Finest City Half Marathon. Wondering why you haven't heard much out of me lately? Aside from traveling all over the country for different journalism and leadership camps, I've also been running my tail off. And melting. Because it's been damn hot here.

Because of all of my traveling, and that whole pesky starting the school year business, I wasn't in nearly the shape I wanted to be in for this race. But it's ok. I finished. I didn't beat my Safari Park time, but I was in range. Even with the extreme heat, steep uphill mile 12 and lack of training, I felt ok about my finish. I know that if I had been able to train the way I really wanted to, I would have done better. But it is what it is. Better next time around!

But I have officially "made it" as a runner. They say it is a rite of passage. A badge of honor. A medal of merit.

I have lost a toe nail to a race. It's gross, and rather unpleasant to look at, but it has happened. And I limped my way through the first day of school in my super cute outfit, with my super cute shoes... and now I am home and I can't wait to melt into the couch.

Unfortunately, someone has to cook dinner. Looking around, I don't see anyone volunteering, and the cat doesn't have thumbs... So it looks like it's going to be this girl. Let's make this easy...
 

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

There are no pictures of this because 1) I'm too tired and 2) it was too delicious.

 

1 lb. pasta
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c chopped red onion
3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can artichoke hearts (drained, chopped)
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 c feta cheese
3 T chopped parsley
2 T lemon juice

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drunken Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

I'm not sure what your doctor would have to say about it, but downing --at least-- one of these apple-based bad boys a day sounds like a genius idea to me.

I have been trying to concoct a cupcake that perfectly marries the combination of salty and sweet that my taste buds seem to be constantly craving. I wanted a kettle korn cupcake, but I know that no matter what I do I won't be able to capture that perfect crunch. I'm not sure kettle korn is really meant to be any thing other than, well, kettle korn.

But with a bowl of apples slowly over ripening on my kitchen table and salted caramel mochas on the menu at Starbucks, and idea came to me....

Drunken Apple Cupcakes

with Salted Caramel Icing

 Photo by Jessica Y.

The perfect combination of salty and sweet: salted caramel frosting and rum-drunk apple cake. 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup applesauce, at room temperature
2 large eggs
3 tsp rum
1 cup finely grated Granny Smith Apples

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, set aside. 

3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend together butter, sugar and applesauce until well blended and fluffy, about 1 minute. 

4. Add in eggs one at a time mixing until combine after each addition. Blend in rum. 

5. With mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Fold in finely grated apples (as well as the juice of the grated apples). 

6. Divide batter among paper lined muffin cups filling each cup halfway. 

7. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven 17 - 19 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. 

Icing 

1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup Caramel Sauce (homemade or store bought... depending on how motivated you are)
1 tsp rum

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. 

2. Add powdered sugar and blend on low speed until mixture comes together. 

3. Add caramel sauce and rum and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes.

4. Frost your cooled cupcakes!

Cherry Cola Cupcakes

What makes the world go round? Diet coke! Or... at least that's what makes my world spin. I've been toying with the idea of doing some baking with soda for some time now, and my quest to yearbook camp a few weeks ago finally gave me the opportunity to do that.

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

adapted from A Muse in My Kitchen

(parenthetical notes show you how I made this vegan)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used earth balance)
• 1 egg (I used Ener-G egg replacer)
• ½ cup buttermilk (I used vanilla soy milk and earth balance)
• ¾ cup Cherry Dr. Pepper 
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
• 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare a muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Dr. Pepper, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract; stir to combine. (At this point the mixture will looked curdled, it’s normal…keep moving on!)
6. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and mix on low speed.
7. Add half of the liquid and continue to mix.
8. Repeat until all of the dry and liquid ingredients are combined (the last addition should be the dry ingredients), scraping down the bowl as needed.
9. Divide batter among 12 cupcake liners.
10. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.
12. Frost with your favorite buttercream frosting! (I used a rum-buttercream and topped them with a sour cherry.)

Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp

When I was in grade school, one of my closest friends was Thai. I don't remember the story about how her parents met, but I vaguely remember there being cheeseburgers involved. Her mom was from Thailand and her dad was American. My friend was exotic looking, but having grown up in Southern Oregon, she was just a typical small-town girl.

I remember going to her house after school when we were in the fourth or fifth grade. She lived close enough to our elementary school that we could walk--this always impressed me, as my house was a good ten miles outside of town and you couldn't walk anywhere. Walking home, we'd pass a little corner store. Sometimes, we'd pop in and wander through the isles, loose change burning a hole in our pockets. Rarely, though, would we buy anything. Because we knew what was waiting for us at her house.

We would usually sprint the last block to her house, and explode through the front door. Our backpacks (Jansports, with the straps as loose as they would go, of course) would get flung onto the dining room table and we'd scurry into the sunroom (another novel concept for me). We'd scramble onto the overstuffed floral print couch, and on the wicker coffee table, waiting for us, would be an assortment of cookies and two huge glasses of whole milk. I've never been a fan of milk, so my glass always went largely untouched... but you can bet I did a number on those cookies!

Everything in this house tasted exotic to me. Even the air had a different tang to it--like it had traveled with my friend's mom, all the way from Thailand, and was somehow spicier than our boring old Oregon air. Plain chocolate chip cookies somehow oozed with even more chocolately goodness. Lemon cookies forced my lips to purse together in a pucker so tight it almost hurt--but hurt in a delicious way. Oatmeal, which I usually detested, was creamy and smooth, the raisins and nuts a burst of flavor and an added texture that complimented the unfamiliar spice that the cookies had. It was as if everything had the underlying sweetness of coconut, and the surprising zing of an unknown pepper.

Even though my foodie forays into Thai cuisine never broke past cookies, the occasional bowl of sticky rice and spicy pork and veggies, all things Thai bring me right back to that sunroom and an overflowing plate of cookies. I've since lost touch with this friend, but I do wonder if my house was as intoxicating to her as hers was to me. I wonder if the dinners of Hamburger Helper or snacks of cottage cheese and crackers were as flavorful and complex as the meals we shared at her house.

When I tried this recipe, the flavors and smells it created took me right back to these memories. It was like an instant teleport, back in time, to that house with those people. The spices that lingered in the air in my sixth grade memory permeated my own house, as I mimicked many of the flavors I remembered, even if only by smell, from my childhood visits.

Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp

adapted from allrecipes.com

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 stalk lemon grass, minced
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
• 1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• sea salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute. 
2. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. 
3. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. 
4. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the shrimp; cook until no longer translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantro.  

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Being raised in the Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon provided me with some distinctly country-style memories that always bring a smile to my face. When I compare my childhood to the lives that my students are currently living, I can't help but wonder how much of an impact my country upbringing really had on who I am today.

I learned to drive on a tractor. I spent most of my summer barefoot. We didn't have pools in our backyards, we had nature--and a rive. I took my driving test in a hail storm. It's nothing like Southern California. Does that make one better or worse? I don't know.

Growing up, summer meant long, hot days. It mean sunburns, followed by a fresh crop of freckles. It meant barefoot and in a bathing suit, from 9 am until 9 pm. It meant sleepovers on the trampoline. It meant running in the sprinklers. It meant all-day adventures with my partners in crime, Katie and Laura, who lived in the houses adjacent to my parents'.

From grade school until we each started our own paths in early high school, the three of us were inseparable. We staged lawnmower races across our backyards (because no one in Oregon has a fence). We whipped up strange concoctions to attempt to feed to Laura's dog, Charlie. We made paper dolls that looked like people we knew--Most famously, the Dawn Doll. We did origami and played with clay, and tried to sell our creations to the neighbors (the Guy Who Didn't Pay still owes us big bucks for whatever crap we pawned off on him). We came up with elaborate stories to torment our younger siblings with--I am fairly certain we had Laura's sister convinced she was adopted. We played the piano and sang Lion King songs. We took dance classes. We waited for the sun to set for kick the can and flashlight tag. Looking back, I don't know how we ever got bored. We had each other, and we had acres to run wild on.

As our clay-creation business proved to be less than fruitful, we also sought out employment through other means. I mowed a community lawn for $45 a month. We all did our share of "chores" to earn our freedoms and a little fun money here and there. But before we could jump, full force, into the workforce at 15 or 16, we found another way to make some extra money for all the Jones Soda and Mambas our little hearts desired.

One of the local farms paid people to pick blueberries during the summer. Pickers made $2.50 per bucket, which probably worked out to far less than minimum wage, but our child labor was somehow legal. Katie, Laura and I would get up at 5 something in the morning, have one of our parents drive us out to the farms, and we would pick berries until noon. Each bucket you filled got you a stamp on your card, which you turned in at the end of the day. I remember paychecks being roughly $75, which, when you're 12 or 13, is a lot of money.

But the work wasn't easy. Not only did we make a huge sacrifice by getting up early, but we would spend hours hunched over rows of blueberries, sitting ontop of hard plastic buckets. We got sunburned. We ate a lot of junk food. We ate a lot of blueberries. We watched in awe as migrant workers, with far more nimble hands than our own, breezed down rows of blueberries, filling up a dozen buckets in the time that we completed two or three. But nevertheless, we did this for several summers. Blueberry picking became somewhat iconic for us--it was summer when you could make some extra cash picking berries.

Over those summers, I guess you could argue that I learned how to appreciate hard work. I learned how difficult it can be to make decent money doing manual labor. I learned that ice cream is even more delicious after you've been working in the hot sun all morning. I also learned that I hate blueberries. I was never a fan of the fruit before, but after summers of sneaking handfuls as a snack, here and there, I loathe their taste. I may have even been known to refer to them as the "devil berries." Funny how things turn out, no? Despite the distaste for blueberries that I developed, I still fondly think back to all my summers spent on Norris Farms. I can't walk by a fruit display in a store and peek to see if the berries are from Norris's.

And even though I am not a blueberry fan, I have come to appreciate them for what they are. As a kid, they meant money to me. Now, they mean a fun ingredient to toss into muffins and breads, sparingly, to change things up.

With the copious amounts of zucchini I have had at my disposal, I have been looking for a way to change up the typical zucchini bread with some new flavors and textures. Blueberries answered that call!

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

recipe adapted from epicurious.com

Blueberries and lemon zest add an interesting twist to zucchini muffins.

Muffins:

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pint fresh blueberries

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts/pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line a muffin tray with paper liners OR lightly grease two large loaf pans.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda and baking powder and salt.
4. With an electric mixer, mix the eggs and sugars. Add the olive oil and applesauce, followed by the juice and vanilla.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients.
6. Fold in the zucchini, zest and berries.
7. Scoop into liners, or fill loaf pans.
8. Mix together the crumble ingredients, until well blended (but crumbly, duh!).
9. Sprinkle on top of the muffins/loaf.
10. Bake for 18-22 minutes (muffins) or about 1 hour (loaf). 

Mini Marathon Muffins

Five years ago, I'm pretty sure that if I had tried to run a mile, I would have dropped dead before I finished. I'm fairly certain that the likelihood of getting the five-years-ago version of me in running shorts and tennis shoes, bouncing down the beach boardwalk before noon, was virtually nil. Even the thought of running, for any other purpose that to save my own skin, would have made me cringe. "Running" and "fun" were definitely not on the same page in my book.

But now, years down the road and about a hundred pounds lighter, I've got an addiction. I may still groan about an upcoming run, but I also crave them. I like the feeling of pushing my body. I like being out of breath. I like struggling to make it up a hill, beat my last mile time, push myself just a little bit further, sweat just a little bit more.

In May, I ran my first half marathon. My running buddy and I prepped for our race in a number of ways. We did lots of distance runs... with celebratory high-fives every time we demolished an old time or distance... We ate a lot--did you know that running 10 miles a day will make you REALLY FREAKING HUNGRY? The night before, we relaxed, watched crappy TV, ate carbs with reckless abandon and baked.

What could be better for a half (or mini) marathon, than protein-powered, chocolate-chipped, bite-sized, mouthfuls of delicious? With protein powder in the batter, these little guys were exactly what we needed the morning of the race... and pretty much any other time we felt like eating them.

Mini Marathon Muffins

Adorable and delicious. What more could you ask for?

* 3 large, ripe bananas
* 4 egg whites
* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup nonfat milk (or almond milk)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
* 1 cup oats (processed to fine crumbs in blender)
* 1 cup all purpose flour

* 1 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash bananas with fork.
3. Add to the bananas…eggs, oil, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Whisk together the protein powder, flour and oats.
5. Gently blend the protein, flour and oats into the banana mixture and stir for 20 seconds or until moistened.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour batter into lined mini muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3 full. 
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle of the center muffin comes out clean.
9. Devour. Have energy. Gain all the muscles!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Have you missed me?

I wish I had some sort of really good excuse that would explain away my absence, but I really don't. Life has been happening. School was wrapping up, I was shutting down my classroom, packing for two separate trips to Texas, and now I'm enjoying a sweet six days home before I'm off again.

It is safe to say that my posting is at an all time low, and as much as I'd like to promise to be better, I can't. My summer is a cycle of home for a cluster of days, gone for several more, home again, gone again. And while I am away, my fingers itch for my mixer. My brain is filled with recipe ideas. I'm dying to spend a morning, barefoot in my kitchen, watching my neighborhood come to life.

But, when I get home... It doesn't always come to fruition. After being gone for so many days, there is so much to do. So much that doesn't get done when I'm not here. I seriously think the cat needs to start chipping in with the housekeeping, or paying rent. Either that or she needs to get a job.

One thing that does, to some extent, manage to take care of itself while I am gone is my garden. Back in April, I planted a little patch of my backyard with zucchini, bell peppers, summer squash, tomatoes and an artichoke. Now, the summer squash died. The artichoke isn't anything to brag about. The tomato desperately wants to be transplanted to a new location that is less crowded. The bell peppers are overshadowed by the gargantuan zucchini plans. And the zucchini... well, they're taking off. I kind of think they are the bullies of the garden, stealing everyone else's water and nutrients and getting HUGE when I am not looking!

I picked several small (about 6 inches long) zucchini before I left for Houston on Wednesday. I came home Sunday night to find these monsters! I've never fancied myself to be much of a green thumb--most of my gardening success can be attributed to my friend Kerri, who seems to be a wealth of knowledge on just about every topic.

The picture doesn't do them justice. The largest was at least 12 inches long, and about three inches across!

Not wanting my bountiful produce to go to waste, I've scoured the internet looking for recipes. I've thumbed through cookbooks and magazines. I've tried -a lot- of things. You would think that zucchini would be a pretty easy thing to work with. Not the case! I've had more flops in my past attempts than successes! And by flop, I don't mean inedible. Or even bad. Just not worthy of sharing with the world, or adapting and making my own.

That is, of course, until this morning. My whole kitchen still smells faintly of baking cinnamon, cardamom and chocolate. It is a divine smell. It kind of makes me want to eat everything in sight. Which is why I need to get going on this run I got myself psyched up for.... 45 minutes ago...

Zucchini and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from a whole bunch of recipes from all over the place

Delicious, adorable and vegan. Just like my friend Kerri! (ok, I'm not sure if she is actually delicious... We don't have THAT kind of relationship)

Because I love my friend Kerri so much, I made this recipe vegan... But you could easily change it by using real eggs and butter in place of the apple sauce and oil. But the vegan version is just as delicious! (If you don't have egg replacer on hand (you can get it at Sprouts!), bananas work!)

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
•  1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon all spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Equivalent of 1 egg, using Ener-G egg replacer, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• splash of olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 apple, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all the wet ingredients.
2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, soda, salt and spices. Stir in the sugars.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
4. Fold in the zucchini, apple and chocolate chips.
5. Spoon into muffin cups, filling 2/3s full.
6. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.
7. Enjoy!