Kneadful Things

Staying Healthy during my pregnancy....it ain't been easy, folks.

Oh, how I have been tempted to just overdo it. A lot. Chocolate calls my name and whispers sweet nothing in my ears.....Nearly impossible to quiet. I have to do my best to stay motivated to eat healthy during the most important time in my life to eat healthy.  I have taken to scanning recipe websites and my cookbooks all night long to become inspired. Last night, I made an apricot-balsamic glazed chicken breast with roasted brussel sprouts and roasted yams (skin-on). Protein, iron, folate, and fiber are all very important nutrients while pg. Unfortunately, all that I crave are CARBS CARBS CARBS....huge piles of fruit and no-bake cookies are what I want. SOOO hard. It helps that the fruit that is in season (citrus) is one of my favorites. I think my son may, in fact, end up having orange juice for blood.  I suppose that orange juice is better than vinegar and hatred.

I didn't give up all of my sweets. I still love baking, and think that sweets are ok in moderation. I decided on home made peanut butter cookies. Crunchy on the outside, sweet on the inside....not unlike a lot of mothers in Park Slope, Brooklyn. (and sometimes, just the reverse). My lovely husband took them into work yesterday and, apparently, they were gone within an hour. Dang. What a popular cookie! I made them for Chinese New Year, because any almond cookie I could make would not be as good as the ones I purchase at the Chinese bakery. So, GONG HEY FAT CHOI!

Cocktails and Cookies.....

The Cinnamon Caramel Apple....courtesy of the webtender....I have made and consumed this drink before...it's an awesome egg-nog alternative. This year I will be having cider-sans-alcohol, but Oh well. You all aren't dry.

Ingredients:

• 1 shot Goldschlager
• 1/2 glass chilled apple cider
• 1 shot caramel liqeuer.

Mixing instructions:

Pour shot of Goldschlager in a cocktail glass, fill with 1/2 glass of chilled apple cider, add 1 shot of caramel liqeuer. Stir to mix.

I heart Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies.

You should always eat your cookies while bundled up on the sofa....with a giant glass of milk. This recipe can be found on...

Cookie Madness

Oh my world, were they rich. Though, I still could have eaten a dozen...

I have no idea what cookies I am going to make this evening...We are snowed in here in the NE. The weather is total crapola, and not even my dogs want to go outside. I was so bored, I watched daytime television. Did you know that there are six million ways to use evergreens in your decorations? Now I can tell you 5 million. I have also been youtubing excessively. Gotta love watching people pole dance on the N train....good times. I would join them, but I don't think pregnant pole dancing is very sexy.  I do know one thing for sure....I am making a big ol pot of hot cocoa.

I did learn a very valuable lesson today. Do not rest your cereal on your pregnant belly. Baby Moves=Cereal all over your bed. Guess I should stick to resting cookies on the belly.  Having a baby is enough of an overwhelming experience on it's own, that I do not need to add to it by spilling everything. Ahh, the joy of hormones.

I find myself spending hours debating the pros and cons of the bjorn vs the sling....should I buy a bumbo or not? How many miracle blankets should I order? When will I need a high chair? It's all consuming. It makes me long for the days I could unwind with a lovely glass of cabernet. Have one for me.

No cookies today. Not for me. Not for anyone.

Pregnancy brain is not a myth. It's a cold, hard, fact o' life. In fact, while typing out "brain" just now, I typed BRIAN, twice.

I made TWO, DOS, DEUX, batches of cookies today. I inevitably screwed up TWO, DOS, DEUX, batches of cookies today. Don't ask me where the first went wrong. But if I were the head of the DHS, I might surmise it was the cookies fault for not preparing themselves enough for baking.....or somewhere along the line I messed up the ingredient ratios.

The second batch? No-bakes. How to you screw up no-bakes? Well, I assure you that it's easier than you may think. How about using a 1/3 measuring cup accidentally in place of a 1/2 measuring cup. Oh yeah kids, I am a real freaking pro.

So here I sit. Cookie-less and sad, lamenting my chocolaty oat goodness that never was.

There's always tomorrow, right?

It should be illegal to sell halloween candy to pregnant women.

You do not see milk chocolate because I don't like it. But what you do see is Brach's new caramel apple flavored candy corn....it's so super fantastic. Does it really taste like caramel apple? Probably not. But the little things are damn tasty. Ahh, the spoils of a holiday I don't even celebrate.....It's like my very good Jewish friend who can't wait for Christmas because she loves candy canes. Bring on the mini bars and caramello.

Pinkberry is Better than Yolato.....Staten Island gets Panera Bread....Guiltless Gourmet

Everyone wants to be Cary Grant, Even I want to be Cary Grant

-Cary Grant (aka Archie Leach)

Yolato is not Pinkberry. Sure it has a similar taste, texture, preachy message about bacteria and calories, but something just isn't right. The toppings aren't as good. It's a dollar more expensive (5 buckaroos for a small with one single, solitary, topping.) There are very few seats in the joint. (2, there are 2 seats in the shop) There aren't any cute, Korean ladies offering me crushed walnuts and trendy music. I was left longing for my Koreatown yoghurteque. Even if this place does let me take pictures. I wanted green tea covered in blackberries, instead, I had plain with pineapple. Not as good. It's like second best. Like marrying your first cousin, because marrying your sister is illegal. It made me sad. Oh well.

So NYC now has it's very own Panera Bread. Carb addicts beware. My hubby is on cloud nine. Cobblestones may have 1100 calories, but to Tim, it's eleven hundred hugs of goodness. I ordered the salmon salad tossed in a clean bowl with just a lil dressing. Minus the wheat-berries. It was decent, but then again we weren't there for me. (Obviously, I can't eat bread) Tim was over the moon for his tuna salad on asiago cheese baguette. I didn't hear a peep from him until the entire thing, INCLUDING the chips was lurking somewhere in the dark recesses of his tum-tum.  I really did like the meyer lemon dressing, though. It was tangy. It was very good with the salmon, which often cries for citrus. I can't tout the benefits of salmon enough, the omega 3 fatty acids are being hailed as everything from anti-carcinogenic to IQ enhancing to prevention of Alzheimer's. You really need to be getting enough DHA and Omega 3's it's FOR YOUR HEALTH people! If you don't eat fish, flaxseed oil is another good source of O3's. (I find that if you mix it in your mango smoothie, you don't really taste it.)

And if you haven't tried it yet, you really must. Guiltless Gourmet's baked yellow corn tortilla chips. I am totally addicted. They make great nachos, taco salad, crushed and used as breading, they are AWESOME! And NOT GREASY at ALL! My search for the perfect tortilla chip is over. I have found the holy grail of deliciousness. Thank goodness they sell them at Whole Foods. Makes my life a lot easier.

More Fear, Am I Nuts?

As you all know, I have been trying to get pregnant for quite some time now, unsuccessfully. Now that my doctor is "fairly certain" that most of my issues have been related to my celiac disease, she said I should be able to successfully gain enough weight to get pregnant. Currently my body fat is somewhere around 10%, which is very low for a woman. My doctors don't want me to gain too fast because that won't help either. So I am at this crossroads, what to eat, when to eat it, how much to eat. It's really hard. But now also, they are giving new guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. The 35 lbs that was formerly considered acceptable as a "healthy weight gain" is now looking at being considered too much. The 40+lb weight gain that many women are putting on? Down right dangerous. If it weren't enough to consider already, now, it's even more difficult. Am I freaking out too soon? Probably, but my family has a serious history with obesity and obesity related illness. Do I want an overweight toddler? NO. And they have already proven that children that are in the 95% for their weight at their age group are much more likely to become overweight children and obese adults. This is when I wish that I didn't major in a biological science. Ignorance is bliss, but could also be just that; ignorance. GRRR. MAKE UP YOUR MIND SCIENTISTS!

They covered my salad in cheese, I asked for "no cheese"

It was the night of my beloved nephew's birthday. He is now fourteen. He wanted Carrabas. Not some delicious, "of the moment" Brooklyn Bistro, He wanted a chicken parm from Carrabas. Living in NYC I have serious reservations about going to a chain restaurant on Staten Island. At least there's a Target nearby, right? Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like a trip to Target.  (Throw in a rousing round of Fairway and you have yourself a NIGHT, BABY!) Wow, I swear I used to be more exciting. Really, you don't believe me? Fine, bite me! (See, I can be feisty, and not at all domestic!)

So, Carraba's menu is a nutrtional minefield. Good luck finding much. (Especially after the huge basket of refined carbohydrates they lay down in front of you like an offering of so much intenstinal problems.) I ordered a grilled shrimp salad with no cheese and dressing on the side. Apparently the dressing/cheese thing went completely unnoticed by the server and recieved my salad thusly,...

I ate the shrimp. Yeah, that was about it. The salad was DRENCHED in dressing and COVERED in cheese. Not really what I was looking for in a salad. When I think salad I don't think....triple bypass. I think I could have had more luck at the outback steakhouse next door. (Though from what I understand, it is owned by the same dude.)

"Al Di La, where are you?"  Yeah, I don't think that I will be returning to Carrabas anytime soon. Thank the Lord. For now, I am going drink my iced green tea, eat my orange, and go for a walk.

Talking Tea Lounge....home made cookies....

I love an occasion to bake, even if I don't have an occasion to bake, I make one up. I will invent holidays more feverish than Festivus. Tuesday was "America needs chocolate chip cookies" day. Friday might be, "Screw Valentine's, I am eating chocolate early" day. Granted, I don't really eat what I bake, I just enjoy the process. I also enjoy knowing I am helping other people enjoy themselves.

At home for dinner, I cook uber-healthy, but oh-so-tasty suppers full of lean protein, fiber, and nutrients. When I bake, I throw myself into a frenzy of reckless abandon. I could make Tom Sizemore proud of my insanity. (This is not where I mention that I use mostly organic ingredients and no trans fats. You are supposed to imagine me throwing caution to the wind.) I have no idea why more people don't live for their kitchen aids like I do mine. (Though some people golf for fun, and I just can't imagine.) Amy Sedaris needs to be my best friend, she is the hip, non-felon, Martha Stewart. She makes me want to wear nylons and a girdle.

Tuesday night, I decided on fluffy chocolate chip, certainly a favorite. They go great with a bottle of wine, a pint of ben and jerry's, and heaping-helping of self-pity. They even taste super on a good day. (If that's how YOU like your sweets.) They are better than wrapping yourself warmly in the confidence that your high school guidance counselor never bestowed upon you.

(Wow, this post has taken a strange turn. I did in fact, have the same guidance counselor in High School that Marilyn Manson had, and just look how he turned out......RICH AND SCARY, BABY! Thank you, Mrs Price. GO Heritage Christian School!)

Anyways, back to the cookies. If you have them, you will want them. You would slide down a slide of razor blades into a pool of broken glass if it meant you got to eat them in the end. Nothing short of walking in on your parents in a compromising situation would stop you from getting to these. Then again, there are always blindfolds and earplugs. I might even listen to Josh Groban to eat these. Concessions must be made. I will be making these again tomorrow night. (let me know if ya want some!)

Monday, Tim wanted something sweet whilst we were at the Tea Lounge on Court, so we shared a slice of delicious almond marzipan cake. Made by SugarMagnolia, this cake is really quite dense. It tastes as though an entire bottle of DiSarronno went into the batter. The frosting was...I don't know....marzipanny. It was lovely. My coffee was the perfect accompaniment. Definitely try this one.

Geez Cat, Do you Eat anything other than sweets? Ummm,,,no not right now. Babycakes and Zana

I have been on a sweets binge, I admit it. For the past few weekends, (If you have read my blog for any period of time, you know this is when I splurge on calories and the like.) So, for the past few weekends, I have been trying several places, and going back to old favorites. This weekend Tim and I tried the new "itty bitty little bit of a thing" bakery in Park Slope, Zana. Though I am fairly certain this is a retail bakery and not a patisserie, I very much enjoyed it. Sunny yellow walls greet you as you walk into this space, which I kid you not, is smaller than my closet. The salesperson was nice and very helpful, telling me about the different offerings. Rumor has it that this place has a crazy tale of patisserie and marriages splitting leading to it's opening, but to be honest, I don't care how it opened so much as that it opened. Tim and I ordered the chocolate purse filled with chocolate hazelnut mousse and set upon a french meringue, and for breakfast the following day, a chocolate muffin, the size of a small child. If I am fortunate enough to become pregnant in the near future, I can very much see myself falling deeply for this place. They had a goat cheese and vegetable sandwich in the case that I can't wait to sink my teeth into.  And with their uber convenient location at the top of the F train steps, you can't go wrong.

The desserts were so rich I could only afford a few bites. (Not to worry though, Tim could have eaten 2 of those purses!) The intense, dark chocolate exterior had a wonderful "snap" when you bit into it. (No forks were used, due to the fact Tim wanted it NOW...as soon as we entered the truck!) The mousse was at once fluffy and dense.  The flavor lingered on your palate not unlike a good Bordeaux. It sort of spread from the tip of your tongue to your nose and back again. A wonderful experience. The meringue somehow stayed crunchy despite being surrounded by the wonderful mousse, and gave the purse an unexpected but welcomed texture contrast.

The muffin was good, but not as wonderful as the purse. (Though to be fair, it was eaten later) It had a very different shape, as though they put a TON of batter in each portion and just let them run together in the baking process. The muffin was not as chocolatey as other similar muffins I have had, but I think that's good, seeing as how it's basically a breakfast cupcake.  It paired well with my sumatra coffee.

I also want to mention that compared to other bakeries, (and even grocery stores) in the area, Zana was particularly affordable. The chocolate purse and the muffin only set us back slightly over $5. A real bargain if you ask me.

Though I don't make mention of it very often, and you couldn't tell by reading my posts, I have certain dietary issues. For one, all of the desserts that you see me eat, I only get to eat maybe 1 or 2 bites at best. My body does not appreciate sugar, and dairy, the way that I do. I can eat certain hard cheeses and goat cheese pretty easily, but things like full fat mozzarella or ice cream especially, don't like me. In fact, they can make me downright miserable. Also a major offender? Butter. While my husband could eat a butter and dulce de leche sandwich, I am left on the sidelines eating a sprouted spelt and hummus sammy. (not that it isn't delicious.) Also, lately even my favorite thing, gluten, has been bothering me. But there is a place for me in this world, and that place is Babycakes Bakery on the LES of Manhattan. At Babycakes, there is a whole world of baked goods for me, from cupcakes to pie, from cookies to pound cake. And trust me, they are a Godsend to people like me. Sunday Tim and I ordered a trio of desserts, a chocolate chip cookie, a carrot cupcake, and a brownie.  The frosting on the cupcake was heaven, and not a speck of butter. It doesn't need it, it's insanely delish on it's own. The cupcake itself was bursting with carrot and spice flavor, and as fluffy as any non-spelt cupcake I have had. The brownie was just enough brownie for 1 person, and had plenty of chocolate chips in it to satisfy my crazy chocolate problem. The cookie was crisp and chewy at the same time. Overflowing with chips, this cookie did not let me down. Though Tim dislikes the atmosphere at the bakery (he HATES hipsters, and this bakery attracts them in droves) he admitted the sweets were very good. Though he still, hands down prefers Baked in Brooklyn. Which I will admit, have the best lattes in town and have a tremendous product. I just can't indulge there like I can at Babycakes.

Just so that you don't think I have lost my healthy sensibilities, for dinner tonight I am making stir fried tofu with soy noodles in an almond butter and soy sauce tossed with broccoli, kale, bok choy and red pepper. You see? It's ALL about BALANCE!

The Minnow is Gone.....Brooklyn Burger Bar is now. Uncommon Goods

Upon returning from my Christmas holiday, I noticed a bright yellow awning where the black awning had been, this could only mean one thing....yet another restaurant swap. Where one restaurant goes away, another opens in it's place in what seems like minutes. You doubt that the owners have not so much as changed hands, but merely changed their minds. The Minnow on 7th avenue did just that, and only the awning and a few seats changed. It is now, The Brooklyn Burger Bar.

I started with a cosmopolitan that took slightly over ten minutes to prepare apparently, and Tim ordered a sprite. (There was a lack of iced tea on the menu....no, seriously, there was NO iced tea!)I ordered a veggie burger with sweet potato fries, (There weren't any non-deep fried sides on the menu) and Tim ordered the italian style burger with red bell peppers and mozzarella cheese. My veggie burger was the exact same as the burger served at the minnow, with one difference....a brioche bun. I personally prefer a sesame seed bun or ciabatta for a veggie burger, but what do I know?

Tim's burger had nearly as many toppings as meat and was overdone. He ordered his medium and it came out a dried well. (And given the wilted-ness of the lettuce on the side of my burger, I am pretty sure it was left to die in the hot window.) The only saving grace of this restaurant was the fact that the drink wasn't 10 dollars. (It was $7). Will I be going back? Nah....for my money....I like Hope and Anchor, plus they have drag queen karaoke.

On another note, my sister Emily cracked me up yesterday on the phone, and I want her to move to NYC....big favor??? Nahh, packing up and moving 500 miles can't be that big a deal. (I did it!)

We torment my grandmother. She likes it.

I would also like to give props to a site that I have fallen for....Uncommmon Goods. They sell just about anything strange....I like it.