Monday, August 26, 2013

Some Delicious Eats

Over the weekend my mom and I cooked up a storm.  Last week to celebrate their 40th anniversay, my Mom and Dad went to Alaska slamon fishing.  They brought back approximately 154 lbs of delicious halibut, cohiba and king salmon- and we are going nuts over it.

My recipes are as follows:
My salmon marinade is awesome.. Once many years ago I was testing different variations, including herb rubs and the like and I found this was the most tasy. It is as follows:
Salmon Marinade:
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup olive oil

I eyeball all measurements, but I combine them, emulsify the dijon with the soy sauce and olive oil and marinade it in the salmon and pour a bit over the fish just as its done cooking. Tastes great!


Black Bean Mango Salsa
(great for all fish esp mahi mahi, we just spoon it over the grilled fish)
1 can black beans
1 cup diced firm ripe mango
1 roma tomato cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup each diced red and orange pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeno chili
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic peeled and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


Just combine all these ingredients together, serve immediately or cover and chill
Wasabi Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup shittake sesame dressing (or any asian dressing)
2 Tbsp wasabi
this is all to taste, we just grill fish and dollop this on the side of it and eat it together. its amazing....



My mom and I also made the Barefoot Contessa Crostata with peach and blueberry filling.

Ingredients
For the pastry (makes 2 crostatas)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) ice water
For the filling (makes 1 crostata):
1 pound firm ripe peaches, peeled
1/2 pound firm ripe black plums, unpeeled
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
For the pastry:
Directions
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball, cut in half, and form into 2 flat disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you only need 1 disk of dough The other disk of dough can be frozen.



Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the baking sheet.

For the filling:
Cut the peaches and plums in wedges and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice. Place the mixed fruit on the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the 1/4 cup flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts to hold together. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Gently fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let the crostata cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Friday, August 16, 2013

Photo Food Diary

This is what I had to eat yesterday, Thursday.

Breakfast was one of my favs, oatmeal, a tsp of brown sugar, slivered almonds, banana slices, dried raisins and cherries, and a tblspoon of peanut butter!  Delish and filling. I also took a guzzle of this Trader Joes Strawberry Kefir below. It is super yummy and my mom firmly believes it will help my tummy troubles, but added bonus is that I get some dairy, when I'm normally adverse. I have found myself craving this every morning.



Yesterday was a pretty normal day at work. I had a ton of coffee but had to run home at lunch time to get some carpet estimates. Stupidly I spilled nail polish all over my carpet (red on cream carpet) and it looks like a  murder scene.  I have to get it take care of quickly.
But bonus of being home was making a nice nutritious lunch.
This was a veggie burger with fat free American cheese, a bunch of spinach ketchup and mustard on a sandwich thin.  I also had a couple baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and I ended up eating about 4 mini pickles.



For snack I had a bunch of grapes. These grapes from Costco are the best!

After work I headed to the gym and did 45 min of Zumba and 30 min of spin. It felt so good! I havent worked out like that in a while! Afterwards I headed out to the Olive Pit and had a delish dinner.  

I got a Mediterranean Salad with pita and falafel. I love FALAFEL!! its seriously something that I cant live without. I get crazy cravings for it.  This was such an awesome salad!
Overall pretty decent day of eating, except for that ice cream sundae I had for dessert.. oops (no pic)

Monday, August 12, 2013

Slim-Fast 3, 2, 1 Shake Review

I got this new protein shake and thought I'd give it a go and see how it filled me up!  If I'm going to drink a protein shake, I want it to replace a meal and not be just a snack.
It has 6 grams of fat 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber which I love- plus tons of vitamins (100% of your vitamin C and E for the day). They advertise that all Slimfast shakes contain 1/3 of your recommended vitamins and minerals for the day so essentially it is suppose to be a meal replacement!
Being always on the go, the convenience of a bottle you just grab from the fridge and go with- is awesome however slim fast has been pushing these hard with accompanying recipes and cocktail promotions so that makes it a little more daunting when deciding how to use it.  Their recipe for the strawberry and cream shake included coconut rum, pineapple and strawberries which I didnt have readily available so I didnt go out and purchase all for one little shake.
The first four ingredients on the back were fat free milk, water sugar and milk protein.
I found that the overall design to be lightweight and nifty. I loved that I didnt have to drink it all at once but could take it to go and drink it over the morning!
The consistency was smooth but I found it to be more milky and less strawberry-like. I would prefer a heavier strawberry flavor, but overall it kept me full all day and I would buy again IF on sale and priced well!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Photo Food Diary

This is what I had to eat yesterday.


Breakfast was a big bowl of fruit with cantelope, orange and banana, as well as a big cup of tea - Wild Youthberry, from my new Teavana tumbler. Had so much drama from Teavana - they replaced my glass one because it shattered but their customer service and general follow-thru was horrible. I am no longer going to purchase from them.

Lunch was delish. I met my parents at a local place in Anaheim that serves home style Greek food. My mom and I got the Gyro pita served with rice and Greek salad and my dad got the chicken plate - we all split homemade hummus.  It was SOO good!  I was starving from breakfast and this really hit the spot!

Dinner I ate out once again. We went to this place called Barolo's which is delish. It is run by this guy named Guiseppe straight out of Italy. Instead of ordering off the menu we just tell him what we're in the mood for.
I had sea bass picatta with a side of veggies and garlic pasta. He puts so much carmalized garlic on the pasta it seems to seep out of my pores! Amazing good tho.  I didnt have too much pasta but I need to get back on the health wagon hardcore after this.
I went to the fair this week too which has not helped me case!

Some pics:
The Ferris Wheel



View from on top of the Ferris Wheel

My favorite fair food!!

Friday, July 19, 2013

The Haps

So lately I've been extremely busy- Who isn't right?

Work has been off the hook with gold tournaments galas and video shoots. I am so excited because our shoot for Hike the Halo finally came together and can be found here:
Please register if you live in the Orange County/LA area! It will be a fabulous event and we have so many vendors we are bursting at the seems!

So lately here is my life in picture:
Last week we had a golf tourney for work called "Parr Wars" it was all Star Wars themed which was so fun. It was held in Palos Verdes a the Trump International Gold Resort which is a completely breathe taking location. It was a nice day out of the office and because it was held on a Friday I didnt have to give up my weekend for it!

Also last week and yesterday i made a couple of fabulous dinners for guests  :) I loved how this pic came out from last week- last nights din I forgot to snap  :(
This is quinuoa with peppers, cucumber tomatoes and avocado with a citrus glazed salmon. Dessert was my peach and blueberry cobbler from my last post!
Last weekend was hard because my cousin and best friend Neal was in the hospital. I spent most of my time with him and his wife Steph whom I love. I was glad to be there with him in support and in the end we got some really good news about his disease...

Also I attended my Grandpa's obon which is a Japaneses Buddhist memorial service. I love the Buddhist religion. I feel connected to my heritage and completely in a calm tranquil state when I am at the church. I love that the religion centers around enlightenment and human nature. I also believe in rebirth. I think about my Grandpa often and know his soul is watching over me. I miss him so bad my heart aches every time I think of him, but feel so grateful and blessed that he was part of my life for so long.
He inspires me to work hard and be a good person. I want to make him proud and even though he's not with me in the present I feel him all around me every day.


I am signing off to start working on our Gala for this week. I had a nice week overall and I'm excited to take vacation next week. My family is going to Lake Tahoe where we will bury my Grandpa. I get to see my bro and spend time with the fam which I'm really looking forward to.


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry Peach Crisp

My grandma has a ton of ripe peaches right now, and with a little dinner party planned last night, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make a special dessert. Since Ina Garten is my hero, I always turn to her in moments like this.

It turned out yummy, but the crumble topping ended up sinking in to the peaches and blueberries a bit. I will have to per-fect it next time!

Ingredients 

For the fruit:
2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (6 to 8 peaches)
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the crumble:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.





Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily (I found it easier to immerse them for about 90 secs).  Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 
granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups (I put it all in one giant Corningware dish).



For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it's in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly (I cooked 60 min). Serve warm or at room temperature.















Overall - served with vanilla bean ice cream- NOTHING BETTER!!  :)

Oh and here's a pic of dinner:





Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Workout Week July 3-9th 2013

My personal goals: 
It was a holiday weekend, normally I would use this as an excuse to pig out. Not this year. Instead I used it as an excuse to CHALLENGE myself to stay in control. To push the envelope I added in a cleanse which definitely kept me accountable and on target. It was my personal goal to finish the cleanse and drink lots of water.
Overall personal goal analysis: I am SUPER proud of myself this week. I set out to complete a cleanse and even though I wasn't perfect, I pushed myself further than I ever have before and I was really happy with the results. It was agonizing but SO worth it.

Here’s how my workouts went:
Wednesday:  bootcamp in the early AM. It's getting easier and easier to wake up for this because I enjoy the class and my instructor so much! This day I got off early from work for the holiday weekend!
Thursday: Fourth of July! One of my fav holidays. I started the day off right by going for a long hike with my mom followed by lots of errand running and Angel game. No other place I'd want to be on the 4th than at Angel Stadium eating a hot dog and watching fireworks!

Photo courtesy of Angels Baseball "The Halo Way"


Friday: Started the day off with pilates and MAN how I miss not taking that class regularly. It is sooo great for your core and mental well-being. I love pilates. Afterwards I went swimming and to the movies. My mom and I had a fun day of movie hopping. We saw Monsters U and Superman- both were mediocre. I liked Monsters U slightly better but I have higher expectations from Pixar.
That evening was a night out in LA
Saturday: I started the day off right with a good workout.  Afterwards was shopping and Angels.
Sunday: I went to the gym in the early AM and in the afternoon prepped and began my cleanse. The next two days I didn't and couldn't do too much physically.
Monday: Was back at work after the long holiday weekend and barely made it thru the day.
Tuesday: Having more energy made all the difference working out. At work I had a video shoot for my event Hike the Halo on November 10th.  The shoot was super intense with lots of burpees running and stair climbing - I am so sore! In the PM I went line dancing.

Overall a great week and a lot to be proud of. And I'm just going to wrap it up with that positive note!!!

Monday, July 8, 2013

Dr. Oz's Two Day Wonder Cleanse

I am currently in the midst of Dr. Oz's Two Day Cleanse.  When reading about this cleanse and even saying it in my head now- TWO DAYS. Easy right? WRONG! Hardest thing I've done in a LONG time.  I am dying and not because I am in pain, the cramping headaches and side effects aren't that bad. It's more the struggle against the mental battle to snack graze etc.
This cleanse is specifically designed to rid our body of toxins.  Dr. Oz describes it as a physical and spiritual transformation.. I dont really know about that but I am skeptical by nature  :)

You can read about it here:
http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-on-Cleansing-Do-You-Need-a-Cleanse/1

Day 1: (Yesterday)
In the AM i had oatmeal with peanut butter because I was about to do a big workout and I couldn't last without something, so I went to spinning after my breakfast, and then began prep:
I went to Trader Joe's and Sprouts and bought the following items- (some things needed for the cleanse I already had) This was tough because my mom was doing it with me so I had to double all ingredients
- Cabbage
- Fennel
- Cucumber
- Frozen Pineapple
- Caraway Seeds
-Cayenne pepper
- Kale
- Flax Seed
- Shittake Mushrooms
- Prunes
- Almond Milk
- Sauerkraut
- Celery
- Red Onion

Then I got to work prepping my food. It was nice to work with my mom. We doubled all the batches and decided to make all the food for both days immediately and just tupperware it all.

For Breakfast: Quinoa and Prunes:

Not too bad- super filling. In fact my mom and I had a hard time eating all of it. The prunes add a natural sweetness to the power packed quinoa and the nutmeg was a nice spice. Kind of like eating a bowl of oatmeal with a slightly different texture. This is the meat of the cleanse and from here on out it's mostly liquid.

Snack (drink 2x a day): Pineapple Kale Juice
This had kale cucumbers, mint, lemon and pineapple in it. Not very sweet, very healthy tasting, but not the worst. If you can get your mind around the fact that you're drinking something good for you and really boosts your digestive system, you can get past it...

Lunch: Fruit Smoothie



This had a 1/4 banana, blueberries flax seed and almond milk in it. If you look at the ingredient measurements this is not much at all. I had to bulk it up with more ice. Not very filling but full of antioxidants, vitamins and enzymes... 
UGH at this point in the cleanse, the 2pm lull, it gets super hard.

Dinner: Veggie soup broth with a side of sauerkraut and sliced apple
Here is my prepping- my mom had a huge awesome pot which was perfect for this because it requires so many veggies, esp when you double the recipe




The end result which is the broth isnt very beautiful, just looks like chicken stock.  This was pretty bland because of the lack of salt. It wasnt horrible tho and the parsley added a nice fresh touch.  The recipe on the website makes  A LOT of broth.
Next post will be about my feelings and experience with this cleanse.
Stay tuned!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Summer 2013 Must's

Since Summer has officially begun- YIPPEE- I thought I would put together a list of things I'd like to accomplish.  Inspired by my friend Bree at http://breebeatscf.blogspot.com/
here they are in no particular order:


1. Take a roadtrip (checking this one off this weekend as I journey up to San Fran with my mom to see my bestie)

2. Throw a pool party- gotta hit up my parents for this one

3. Have my friends over to break in my new BBQ, learn how to master the art of perfectly BBQed fish

4. Experiment with new cocktails such as- Bellini's, Watermelon mojitos, peach collins, bitters, etc...

5.   Bonfire at the beach with S'mores

6. Go country line dancing and 2-step with a stranger

7. In relation to #6- get some cowgirl boots  :)

8. VEGAS!

9. Take in as many firework shows as I can

10. Since it gets dark so late, take up running around my neighborhood- train for a 10k, also go on walks after dinner

11. Host a movie night with my friends

12. Lose 10 lbs

13. Set some hiking dates

14. Do a major home improvement project- like refining my patio

15. Bike to the beach/ around the beach

16. Catch a fish in Bridgeport- just like grandpa taught me... Savor this Summer in Bridgeport and Tahoe, just has he would have wanted....

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Recognizing Inspiration

Well June is almost over and I feel like I didnt even get to enjoy it much.  Through most of it  I was either extremely sick or working my tailfeather off.  Luckily I am happy and healthy now and just want to focus the rest of the summer on enjoying myself and living in the moment.  I want to make less plans and focus more on the now. I hate having dates and deadlines to constantly meet because it ultimately sets myself up for imminent failure.  I am happy at work, happy in life and want to relish this time because it often feels fleeting.

This past weekend I was honored to not only bring in a gift for CFF but more importantly recognize the courage and heart of a brave little girl I have had the pleasure to meet through work. Her name is Taylor, and despite her affliction with this rare disease, she lives her live as normally as possibly and doesn't let CF define her or what she does. She surfs, works out, skates, and behaves like any normal little girl would want to. She is incredibly brave and strong and totally INSPIRES me.  I was lucky enough to get some great pictures of her on the field of Angel Stadium thanks to Jordan Murph and his great photography skills.

Enjoy!



Thursday, June 20, 2013

Workout Week June 12-18, 2013

My personal goals: 
Working really hard to change my eating habits. The past few months I've really let it slide, and I do not work out much during baseball season so it's imperative that I eat healthier to make up for that.  I am also in major transition in my life so it's important to not let that effect my habits.
I am traveling next weekend so I want to make sure I am good up until that point so I can be bad while I'm in San Fran.

Overall personal goal analysis: Get back into drinking water and eating 5 fruits and veggie servings during the day. Back to basics.

Here’s how my workouts went:
Wednesday: Went to bootcamp and was super out of shape but proud I went. That night was Bingo night at Steph's.  She made her famous garlic bread- dangerous.
Thursday: Went to spin class in the evening. It was nice to work up a sweat. Afterwards I went to Downtown Disney and undid all my hard work but it was worth it!
Friday: No workout- but lotsa drinking
Saturday: Had an event in the AM at work- it was fun however, we did stand up paddle at Back Bay in Newport beach. That evening I worked

Sunday: Worked again until 5ish and then celebrated Fathers Day at the beach with my parents.
Monday: Went on a hike with Rebecca after work. It was wonderful
Tuesday: Worked all evening


Man all I did was work this week. I'm boring.



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Workout Week June 5-11, 2013

I'm back!
After some time moving, starting a new job and breaking into a new routine I have settled in quite nicely.  I am so happy to be working at CFF. I love the families and volunteers, love my coworkers and love my boss. Couldn't be happier!
Sadly I came down with a very bad bout of bronchitis which incapacitated me for a couple weeks. That also took me out of work and had me bedridden, so I haven't been doing much.

My personal goals: 
Last week I was so sick I didn't exercise a lick- this week I was focused to getting back into a routine, eating healthy and easing into exercising.  I have also been dealing with plantar fasciitis which is an inflammation in the heel and arch of your foot- this has thrown off my body A LOT. I am working on incorporating the MELT Method, by therapist Sue Hitzmann into my life and if it makes a difference I will report!

Overall personal goal analysis: I am looking to stop binge eating. I tend to be good for a day or so then totally fall off the wagon on weekends or at 6 pm when I get home from work. I gravitate right towards things I shouldn't be eating. I am trying to get back in a good mindset and ease back in to working out. I lost a lot of my stamina and cardio so I am running in the mornings around the trails by my condo and I'll do intervals of walking so i don't overdo it.  This has been making a big difference.

So there is not much to say about working out this week, because that didn't happen- so my weekend in pics:
A new pillow bought for my bed <3

Birthday Cake Ice Cream at Rite Aid

Transporting a ton of wine to the hotel for a gala

Gala ice sculpture

Relaxing night by the fire with cocktails

Our hotel room facing the Newport Country Club with the ocean in the background.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Photo Food Diary

This is what I had to eat yesterday, Thursday
Woke up for an early meeting and grabbed a bowl of cereal with cut up strawberries and blackberries
Ran off to work and did a lot of paperwork and prepping for my departure next week.
For lunch I've been dining out a lot as my colleagues have been wanting to take me to lunches.

I went to El Ranchito with a colleague for lunch then stopped over at Wholesome Choice which is this amazing Meditteranean themed market. I loved it!  For lunch I had machaca and eggs with rice and beans and flour tortillas. Thankfully I only ate half.
When I got back to my office I sat and had some tea and went to more meetings. I was antsy yesterday with all the benefits and last min interviews I have to get scheduled before I leave my job.

I packed these late afternoon snacks so I wouldnt gorge for dinner... but alas. I did!
For dinner I went to Yardhouse and got the side salad, tomato basil soup and a side of fries. I coulda done without the fries!
Oh well- it was delish.
Looking forward to a full and busy weekend!