My Week in Groceries: June 27

Wow! I was blown away by your enthusiastic response to the Foodzie Giveaway. The winners are:

1. #27 Lisabella
2. #40 Jennifurla
3. #106 Lauren (who said an English muffin and almond butter)

Send me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) with your name and address and I'll get your prizes in the mail.

I got some great responses on my last grocery haul post, so I decided to do it again. A lot of you mentioned that you are nosy and secretly love to know what other people buy at the grocery store. We should be friends, because I'm nosy, too. It's one of the many reasons I think working at Trader Joe's would be fascinating.

Here's what I picked up on Monday...

*Almond Milk (my new favorite milk beverage)
*Fage Greek Yogurt (4)
*Crumbled Feta Cheese with Mediterranean Herbs
*Unsalted Butter
*Trader Joe's Tart Frozen Yogurt (My new favorite dessert! It's tart, creamy and goes well with fresh berries, all for only 100 calories per 1/2 cup)

*Romaine Lettuce
*Pears (2)
*Orange Sweet Pepper (1)
*Frozen Blueberries
*Bananas (5)
*Yellow Onion (1)
*Zucchini (2)

 

*Trader Joe's Fiberful Bars (great for light snacking that keeps you full)

*Fresh Raspberries

*Fresh Blackberries

*Heritage Organic Whole Grains Cereal 

*Kashi TLC Crackers 

*Trader Joe's Original Hummus Dip

*Eggs

*Baby Potatoes

*Trader Joe's Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette 

*Cliff Bars (for our half marathon this weekend!)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go run a half marathon this weekend. Joey and I have been training for the last twelve weeks, and although I've questioned my sanity at times for thinking it was a good idea to run my first half five days before our wedding, I'm so glad I decided to take the leap. Despite all the craziness and uncertainty swirling around us during this hectic time, our training plan has kept me grounded and motivated. Another major perk has been the massive amounts of fuel I've been eating completely guilt free. 

Bake Sale to Beat Cancer

The fabulous Lauren over at Keep It Sweet is hosting a bake sale to beat cancer.

I have two dozen of my Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies up for bid today and there are a bunch of other amazing goodies, too! Stop on over to her site and place a bid for a great cause! You can find the link here.

Winners of the Foodzie Giveaway will be announced tomorrow morning!


Madison

Foodzie Giveaway!

 

Because it's Monday.

And because I have never before been more thankful for the amazing readers of Espresso and Cream.

And because I can't get enough of all the tasty treats there are out there to try....

I'm giving away three Foodzie Tasting Boxes! Last month, as part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I had the opportunity to get a Foodzie box sent to me to sample. Honestly, I think it was one of the funnest things that happened to me that week. Maybe that sounds strange, but the box was filled with all sorts of unique and tasty samples of different food products I wouldn't normally have gotten the chance to try had I not received the box. In my box, there were a couple packets of fancy sea salts, caramel-filled sandwich cookies, iced tea packets, and a whole bunch of other yummy goodies I scarfed down within the week. 

Foodzie offers a bunch of different products that make great gifts, from small snack-type items like crackers and artisan cheese to unique chocolates and mouth-watering candies. Personally, I've got my eye on the membership that sends you a tasting box every month for a year. :)  

Now, it's your turn! To enter, leave a comment below telling me your favorite summer breakfast by Wednesday, June 29, at 10 p.m. If you're anything like me, you pick a favorite breakfast and stick with it throughout the warm months. Last summer I ate a bowl of Greek yogurt with frozen mixed berries, cereal and peanut butter every. single. day. This summer, it's been all about the thick, creamy smoothies with a piece of peanut butter toast. 

Winners will be announced on Thursday!

Berry-Cherry Soft Serve

Write this down.

Are you ready for it?

If you don't currently own a food processor, put it down at the top of your list of kitchen items you absolutely need. I promise, it will be the best investment you make for your kitchen, and maybe your health, too.

You see, I love ice cream. And if I didn't have a food processor that enabled me to make healthy, fruit-based soft-serve at home, I would probably eat a lot more of the regular stuff. I'm an absolute sucker for soft, creamy, frozen desserts, and although I'm pretty good at making thick smoothies in the morning, using a food processor and barely any additional liquid makes for a homemade soft serve ice cream that's eerily similar to the real deal.

Berry-Cherry Soft Serve

Ingredients
*1/2 cup frozen raspberries
*1/2 cup frozen dark sweet cherries
*2 to 3 tablespoons almond milk or other type of milk
*1 tablespoon reduced-sugar chocolate milk powder
*2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions
*Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add extra milk, if needed.

Happy cooking!

Madison

Family Wedding Shower Weekend

Joey and I spent last weekend back at home and my mom's side of the family threw me an absolutely wonderful wedding shower. I'm so blessed to have such talented, creative aunts and cousins, who also happen to be great cooks! Here are a few pictures from the weekend. As usual, when exciting things are going on I'm not very good at remembering to take photos.

Madison

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers for One (or more)

Thank you, truly, for all your sweet comments, Tweets, and e-mails about my meltdown! I'm so blessed to be able to share this little space on the web with you all and Espresso and Cream is a blessing to me even on my less than wonderful days.

Lately, I've been trying to make an effort to reduce food waste at my house. More often than not, I find myself bringing home new groceries only to throw away produce that didn't get eaten the previous week. And boy do I hate that.

Working on reducing food waste has helped me create more interesting meals on the weeknights, throwing together a random assortment of fruits, veggies and grains, and also results in Joey looking into my fridge and telling me there's nothing to eat.

Wednesday's nights dinner was a product of project no-food-left-behind. With one sweet pepper on its last leg, a small spear of cheese and a half-empty bottle or marinara sauce waiting to be used up, I knew I needed to come up with something fast.

And while I was wary of these peppers as I sat down to dinner (I'm not usually a stuffed pepper or tomato person), I was immediately sucked in upon first bite. The flavors were spot-on and the hefty dose of protein from the tofu and quinoa was just what I needed after a long run that morning. Bonus: these could easily be adapted for more people, and non vegetarians, too, by doubling or tripling the recipe and swapping ground beef or turkey in for the tofu. Take your pick!

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers for One (or more)

Ingredients
*1 red, yellow or orange sweet pepper, top cut off and seeded 
*1 (3.5-ounce) block of pre-baked tofu (I get mine at Trader Joe's) or 1/2 cup ground beef, if making for someone who prefers a non-vegetarian meal (cough cough Joey)
*1/3 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice
*3 Tablespoons marinara sauce
*1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
*In a small saucepan, bring two cups of water to boiling. Add the sweet pepper and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from water and dry the inside with a paper towel.
*Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine the tofu, cooked quinoa or rice, marinara sauce, salt, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese. Spoon into the center of the pepper. Top with the grated Parmesan cheese.
*Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven to 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and filling is hot. Serve immediately, or cool, cover with plastic wrap and re-heat in the microwave when ready to eat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Happy Cooking!
Madison

Bean and Quinoa Enchiladas

There are a number of things I could have titled this post. The most appropriate one being "The week my computer decided it was just as tired as I am and quit working." Or perhaps "That time I walked out of the mall crying, with my mascara running all over my face while I had a wedding meltdown."

Both would be true, but neither very fun to talk about. Thank goodness I had a batch of these in the freezer to save me from having to make dinner last night because I just didn't have it in me.

The requests and e-mails just keep rolling in asking for more easy dinner ideas that can be prepared quickly or made ahead of time and frozen. To those of you wanting more dinner recipes, I have great news because these enchiladas fit the bill. 

I'll be the first to admit that I've been known to stock a freezer that contains its fair share of Trader Joe's frozen bean and cheese burritos. They're easy to pop in the microwave and relatively healthy, plus Joey ate one for dinner the other night and didn't even miss the meat. Major win-win.

My one complaint, however, is that they aren't made with whole wheat tortillas, which is typically a deal-breaker for me. That and the fact that they are more expensive to buy than make at home.

So when I sat out to make some of my own, I knew I wanted them to be healthier and heartier. Mission accomplished. Inside the whole wheat tortillas is a combination of fat-free refried beans, shredded cheese and, here's my favorite addition, cooked quinoa in place of rice. Not that I have anything against rice, it's just that I had quinoa on hand and it's absolutely packed with high-quality protein not normally found in other foods.

Plus, when wrapped up with beans and cheese, picky eaters will never notice it's not rice. That goes for future husbands, too. :)

Bean and Quinoa Enchiladas
Ingredients
*1 cup uncooked quinoa 
*4 whole wheat tortillas
*3/4 to 1 cup fat-free refried beans (vegetarian if you follow a veg diet) 
*1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
*1/4 to 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
*Additional shredded cheese

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. 
*Bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low (simmer) and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from heat and toss lightly with butter.
*In the center of each tortilla, spread some of the refried beans and Mexican cheese blend. Spoon some of the quinoa into the center, atop the cheese (you will have leftover quinoa).
*Fold in the shorter ends of each tortilla first, then roll lengthwise to form tortilla 'pockets'. Place in a large baking dish. Top with the enchilada sauce and some additional shredded cheese.
*Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mixture on top is bubbly and cheese is melted.
*Make Ahead Tip: You can make these ahead of time. Just fill the tortillas as directed and place each tortilla in a zip-top bag. When you are ready to eat, top with the enchilada sauce and cheese and bake at 375°F until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Heathier Recipe 1: Banana Muffins

 

Since I had three very ripe bananas sitting atop my fridge, I decided to jump right in on this request to make banana muffins healthier. Banana bread is one of my favorite breakfast treats and an extremely easy food to make healthier because the ripe bananas naturally provide moisture and sweetness to the recipe.

Upon first looking at the original recipe, I noticed a few things. First, it contained sour cream; great for adding moisture and flavor but not so hot nutritionally. Second, they were made with all-purpose flour. Not the end of the world but something that could benefit from a healthy face lift. There was also a full stick of butter in these muffins and a hefty dose of sugar.

So what's a girl to do? For starters, I stirred in vanilla yogurt for the sour cream to cut down on fat and calories and used a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour for a dose of whole grains and fiber. I also cut back on the amount of sugar used, since I find most recipes are a little heavy on the sweetness. And I cut back on the butter by a few tablespoons and used a little unsweetened applesauce in its place. 

The calorie comparison (calculated using sparkrecipes.com) between the original and my new, healthier version are pretty impressive: 

Original Recipe: 205 calories, 11 g fat (6 g sat. fat), 60 mg chol., 25 g carb, 14 g sugar, 3 g protein.
New Recipe: 154 calories, 6 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 15 mg chol., 24 g carb., 12 g sugar, 2 g protein.

Banana Muffins 

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

*1/2 cup all-purpose flour

*3/4 cup whole wheat flour

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*2 very ripe bananas, mashed

*6 ounces light vanilla yogurt (such as Dannon Light and Fit)

*1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*1/2 cup sugar

*6 tablespoons butter, softened

*2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 

*1 large egg

*1 large egg yolk 

Instructions:

*Preheat oven to 350°F. 

*In a bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

*In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, vanilla extract, sugar, butter, applesauce and eggs until well combined. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined. 

*Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking liners. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Unda-Style Avocado Quesadillas

 

Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic response to the 'healthified' recipe project! Between your comments and e-mails, I now have a full list of recipes to choose from. My plan is to slowly work through the recipes over the next couple months, but bear with me if I'm a little slow at getting to your recipe or suggestion. Things are a little crazy over here.

While I'm 100% over the moon about getting married, I've started to realize that it takes significantly more work to prepare dinner in a mixed veg-carnivore home. Because it takes a little more planning, and because we don't have a single, combined kitchen right now, Joey and I have defaulted to going out to eat on the weekends more times than I'd like to admit.

I'm not entirely sure what that has to do with these Unda-Style Avocado Quesadillas, inspired heavily by 101 Cookbooks. I guess it's just the fact that I'm now constantly thinking about how I would make the meals I eat into something Joey could get excited about, too. 

Take, for example, these quesadillas. Unda-style is a term used for when you cook an egg on one side of your flatbread, quesadilla, crepe...you name it. Basically it's code for pure flavor nirvana. I guess you could say it's the vegetarian's quivalent to an egg atop a juicy burger. 

My man-adaptation for this recipe would probably include a little bit of shredded chicken in between the layers of tortilla and egg, or perhaps a bit of ground beef tossed with some cumin and coriander for an extra kick of flavor. And if I were feeling ambitious, some flaked white fish would make a light and fresh addition. 

For me, they were perfect on their own. No addition of meat necessary. 

Those of you who are married or dating: Did you find it difficult to combine your eating style with your significant others'?

Unda-Style Avocado Quesadillas 

Ingredients

*1 large egg + 1 egg white

*Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

*1 whole wheat tortilla

*1/4 cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese

*1/2 avocado, mashed

*1/3 cup marinara sauce or salsa 

Instructions

*In a small bowl, beat together the egg and egg white until very well combined. Sprinkle with salt and stir to combine. 

*Heat a small amount of butter or oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add egg to skillet and cook 2 minutes, until egg is set on the bottom but still soft on top. Place the whole wheat tortilla atop the soft egg in pan. Flip the egg and tortilla so the tortilla is on the bottom. 

*Fill with crumbled cheese and mashed avocado on one half of the egg. Fold in half. Continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate.

*Top with the marinara sauce or salsa and additional salt and black pepper, if desired. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison 

Send Me Your Family Faves

Family-favorite recipes. We've all got them, some healthier than others. These biscuits, pictured above, were a staple of my childhood. Warm, flakey, buttery, and typically served with a piping hot bowl of beef stew. My mother is a fabulous cook.

When I first started seriously reading food magazines in high school, one of my favorite columns was the section in Cooking Light where they take a classic recipe and make it healthier with a few small tweaks and substitutions. Mac and cheese with half the calories? Sign me up!

So I have a request for you all. Do you have a favorite family recipe that needs a healthy makeover? Perhaps it's a dish of cheesy potatoes, or maybe a casserole of some sorts. Heck, it could even be a cookie. Whatever it is, send it my way. It can be a complete recipe. In that case, e-mail it to me (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) or just a type of dish, in which case you can just leave a comment below!

My plan is to feature healthier versions of your family favorites over the next few months. And as a thank you for sending me recipes to rework, I'll be sending along some blog loving, too, so don't be shy to post links in the comments section!

Madison

Belgian Spice Cookies

 

I realize that it makes absolutely no sense for me to be posting a recipe for spice cookies in June. But sometimes thinking, cooking and eating seasonally-appropriate foods is just so daunting. And sometimes you just want a hearty, soft, spice-filled cookie. 

Last week during a particularly strong heat wave I had split pea soup from Trader Joe's, a piece of whole grain baguette and a spice cookie for dinner. It was delicious and I enjoyed it with a hefty dose of air conditioning. 

If I were a virtuous seasonal blogger, I probably would have swapped the soup for gazpacho, the baguette for tomato focaccia and the spice cookie for a shortbread cookie topped with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

I guess you can call me a rule-breaker in the blog world. At least I've got a whole plate of these little gems to keep me company.

Belgian Spice Cookies 

Adapted slightly from Epicurious.com 

Ingredients

*1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup whole wheat flour
*1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
*1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
*1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 1/4 cups brown sugar
*1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
*1 large egg

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
*Combine the flour, whole wheat flour, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
*With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in egg and beat until just combined.
*Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Mixture may be crumbly but should hold together when pressed together with your fingers.
*Form dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
*Roll dough out into 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into circles with a round cookie cutter or the mouth of a large glass.
*Transfer cookies to a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Vegan Strawberry Streusel Bread

If I'm completely honest with myself, the reason I've avoided vegan baking is because it seems scary and unknown.

Butter and eggs I understand. I know that when you add them to recipes they produce soft, rich, fluffy baked goods that make people oooh and ahhh.

Vegan baking, on the other hand, is another world full of words like flax eggs, vegan margarine and the likes.

So to help you all, and myself, out I stopped by Mama Pea's site, which is full of amazingly approachable vegan recipes, and picked out the easiest baking recipe I could find. Of course, the Apple Spice Coffee Cake seemed a little too much like fall for this time of year, so I switched things up and subbed in chopped fresh strawberries for the apples. Has anyone else noticed how amazingly delicious strawberries are right now?

If you've never ventured into vegan baking, this is a great place to start. And even if you are a vegan baking expert, this streusel bread is worth making. Serve with coffee, at a brunch, or as a mildly-sweet dessert. The choice is up to you.

Have a happy weekend, all!

Vegan Strawberry Streusel Bread
Adapted from Mama Pea's Apple Spice Coffee Cake 

Ingredients
*1/2 cup non dairy milk
*3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
*1/4 cup canola oil
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1 cup whole wheat flour
*1 cup all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

For the topping:
*3 tablespoons brown sugar
*1 tablespoon sugar
*2 tablespoons flour
*2 1/2 tablespoons vegan margarine
*1/4 cup old fashioned oats
*2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper. (I prefer to grease and line just the bottom with parchment.)
*In a small mixing bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, apple sauce, oil, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.
*In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
*Gently stir in chopped strawberries. Transfer batter to loaf pan.
*In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping and combine with fingers until mixture is well combined and crumbly. Spread mixture atop batter in loaf pan.
*Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with vegan margarine or strawberry preserves.

Happy Baking!

Madison

1 Month!

In exactly 30 days from today, I will be walking down the isle to marry this man. And while it's easy to get caught up in the planning, details and little stressors leading up to the big day, at the heart of it all is Joey, who is not only my best friend but an amazing man all around.

Thank you, Joey, for making me the happiest I've ever been and for loving me unconditionally.

Tropical Coconut Smoothie

 

Thanks to everyone who entered the Larabar giveaway. The winner is Roxy who said: 

E-mail me at madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com and I will get your Larabars in the mail! 

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting the dentist and having four fillings done. It was, as you can imagine, about as fun as it sounds. Two new cavities and two old repairs makes for one awfully sore mouth and some pretty numb lips. 

I really should do a better job at brushing my teeth at night. Typically, I laugh at Joey for taking so darn long to brush his teeth. Guess he got the last laugh this time.

When I got home, I decided a smoothie was the best plan of attack for lunch, along with a salad and a veggie 'hot dog'. The whole process of trying to eat was comical, to say the least. I'm just glad there wasn't anyone around to see the little drops of smoothie dribbling down my chin. 

Attractive. Joey has sooo much to look forward to when we get married. 

This smoothie, on the other hand, is a real beauty inside and out. To keep things interesting I've been switching up what types of milk I buy: rice milk, almond milk, regular milk and coconut milk beverage. And when I found myself with some coconut milk in my fridge last week and a half eaten bag of frozen tropical fruit mix in the freezer, I knew a beautiful smoothie was about to be born.

Tropical Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

*1 cup frozen mixed tropical fruit mix (I get mine at Target)

*3/4 to 1 cup coconut milk beverage, such as So Delicious brand 

*1 teaspoon stevia or other natural sweetener

*1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

*1/4 cup vanilla or coconut flavored yogurt (I prefer Dannon Light and Fit)

Instructions

*Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. You can add an ice cube or two, if an even thicker consistency is desired. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Favorite Nutrition Bars and Larabar Giveaway

The two questions I get asked most frequently about food revolve around my favorite nutrition bars and protein powders. I'll save protein powder for another day because it deserves its own post. For now, let's hit the bars.

I should start off by saying that protein and nutrition bars are a highly personal thing and that what is right for me might not be what suits your needs and dietary restrictions. I've done my best to highlight a variety of different bars that are designed for different purposes. It should also be noted that contrary what I thought in college, protein and nutrition bars do not make a suitable 'real food' meal on a regular basis. They do a great job at filling in the holes on a busy day, during exercise, as a snack or while traveling. However, it's my belief that eating bars should never take the place of salads, smoothies, fruit, whole grains and other wholesome ingredients.

#1: Larabar
Nutritional highlights (banana bread flavor): 13% DV of potassium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein

Why I love them: These are by far my favorite bar of the bunch. I first discovered them in college and was drawn to them because of their short ingredient list, which is rare for a bar. The banana bread variety only contains three ingredients: dates, almonds and bananas. Doesn't get more transparent than that!

Favorite Flavors: Banana Bread, Cashew Cookie, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Coconut Cream Pie, Peanut Butter Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

#2: Cliff Bar 
Nutritional highlights: 10 g protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, high in fiber, vegan, 70% organic

Why I love them: I'm a big fan of the protein in Cliff Bars, and while the ingredient list is longer than that of a Lara Bar, I can pronounce everything in them. They are a great choice for before or after a tough workout because they provide a big boost of carb-filled energy. They come in a large variety of flavors, all of which taste delicious.

Favorite Flavors: Carrot Cake, Crunchy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Peanut

source

#3: thinkThin Crunch Bars

Nutritional highlights: 10 g protein, 3-4 g protein, gluten-free, good source of fiber

Why I love them: Unlike many nut-based bars, these babies contain 70% less sugar than traditional varieties, which I appreciate. They also have plenty of protein to keep me full throughout the afternoon and come in around 200 calories each, a reasonable calorie count for my afternoon snack. I guess it goes without saying that these taste great. They really do.

Favorite flavors: thinkThin Mixed Nuts Crunch Bar and thinkThin Chocolate Dipped Mixed Nuts

 source

Giveaway time! The amazing people at Larabar sent over some samples for me to try and a set of Larabar flavors for you to try, too! Flavors include Carrot Cake, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.


To enter, leave a comment below telling me what protein/nutrition bars are your favorites by Wednesday, June 9 at 10 p.m. I'll announce a winner on Thursday!


Madison

Raw Corn and Tomato Salad with Basil-Lime Dressing

I loved being in Austin over the past four days, but there is nothing quite like coming home and getting back into the groove of a schedule and routine. Don't get me wrong, the food in Austin was amazing, but at the end of the day I would rather just eat at home.

The process of cooking my own food and preparing meals with ingredients from my kitchen is such a safe, soothing and relaxing process. I think that has something to do with the fact that I can be slightly type-A and I enjoy knowing what exactly goes into each meal I consume.

For almost a week now, I've been dreaming of making this salad. Fresh, uncooked corn kernels from good old Iowa sweet corn and tangy, juicy grape tomatoes cut with rich shards of cheese. The Basil-Lime Dressing that tops this corn salad is bright and zesty, and would make a great topper to a lettuce-based salad, too.

Raw Corn and Tomato Salad with Basil-Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Dressing
*1/3 cup light balsamic vinaigrette
*1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
*Juice from 1/2 lime
*2 cloves garlic, peeled
*1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
*1/4 teaspoon salt
Salad
*Corn kernels from 4 ears of fresh sweet corn, uncooked
*1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
*1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Instructions
*In the bowl of a food processor, combine the ingredients for the dressing. Blend until well-combined and smooth. Set aside.
*In a large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes and Asiago cheese. Drizzle dressing atop salad mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with black pepper and additional salt, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

Happy Cooking!

Madison

IACP: Day 2

With day two of IACP under my belt, I think it's safe to say it was a success. The morning was filled with classes, including a chat with super-talented photographer Penny De Los Santos and New York Times food journalist Kim Severson. And although I could go on for hours about the amazing things I learned and digested from the classes, let's cut to the really good stuff, shall we?

Meet my friend Dorie Greenspan. I suppose calling us 'friends' might be a little presumptuous for someone I've only now talked to a handful of times. Play along with me, will you? This afternoon Dorie, her husband, Michael, and the team from CuilnApp were parked outside the Hilton in downtown Austin giving away free cookies from Dorie's CookieBar, her buttery, flaky sablés to be exact. The cookies were divine, and I can only hope that 45 years from now Joey and I are as happy as Dorie and her husband seem to be.

{Dinner highlight? My first trip to the Whole Foods hot bar! This salad rocked my socks off.}

{We wandered into Berry Austin, a local frozen yogurt shop, and found this amazing wall mosaic made with old plates and trinkets.}

{Fabulous tart froyo with berries. Des Moines needs to get one of these places so badly!}

{Our night ended with a trip to see the bats under the bridge in Austin-all 1.5 million of them.}

Off to bed. Happy Friday, all!

Madison

Greetings from Austin!

     This week marks my first-ever trip to Austin, Texas, and my first time attending the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) annual conference. I only have a day under my belt, but already this experience has been rewarding, challenging and incredibly educational. Although most who meet me wouldn't guess it, I am incredibly shy at times. I think it must have something to do with the fact that I grew up for much of my life as an only child. This week being shy just wouldn't cut it, so I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, meeting and talking with amazing people, including some of the most influential names in food.

Although I sat next to the Dorie Greenspan at a round-table and across from the lovely, down-to-earth Shauna, of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef, I stopped short of asking to snap a photo with them. Hopefully tomorrow I do a better job of whipping out my iPhone to document a few more of these memorable moments. For now, I'll leave you with these photos of the dinner and walk my mom and I enjoyed at a local Austin taco joint, Guero's.

{Outside Guero's, waiting for our table}

 {My lovely mother, who is looking very fabulous pre-wedding, don't you think?}

 

{I loved the look of this Chicken diner from afar}

 {Only in Texas would you see real, live cowboys on horses downtown}

{Our dinner was a-may-zing! Fresh veggie tacos in whole wheat tortillas with tons of guac!}

More updates coming at ya tomorrow!

Madison