Finding the Right Word

No one seems to like the word resolution anymore. It’s as if it’s some term that is certain to set you up for failure. I’ve seen that in 2010 we should set goals instead, but that doesn’t really strike a chord with me either. I’ve been thinking about it a lot though, and this year I think I will call them commitments. These things I choose to better myself in the next year will be promises to me and actions that I commit myself to.

I think last year was the first year that I took my resolutions/commitments seriously and I’m pretty proud of what I accomplished. (I honestly can’t believe I’ve been running regularly for a year now!) I don’t like it that this New Year’s practice has gotten such a bad reputation over the years, so I decided to change that for me personally. I agree we should set goals and make commitments throughout the year, but what better time to evaluate ourselves and recommit than a brand new year. I think reflecting on our faults and shortcomings and making a promise to better ourselves is an important part of wellness.

So here you go. These are my 2010 Commitments. I’ll be checking back with them in the spring to stay on track and I think there are a few that have the potential to result in some great reading and recipes!

Run my first half marathon on March 28th.
I’m giving it a try. I’ve grown to enjoy running although I can’t say it is my favorite activity just yet. This could be my one and only half, but I have to give it a try to challenge myself and my abilities.

Make at least one recipe from a fellow food blogger each month.
Like most of you, I have recipe after recipe bookmarked from all the great food blogs out there. I’m going to commit to trying one or more each month. My goal with this is to leave them relatively unaltered so that I can try some great food, give you a new recipe you may have missed in your reading and spread the word about some of my fave blogs.

Make at least one recipe from a cookbook each month.
Similar to food blogs I have cookbooks and magazine cut-outs galore. It is time to start trying some of these recipes more often!

Read one informative book & one novel each month.
This one may be tough, but I want to structure my time to get in more off-screen reading. I love mysteries because they help me unwind and take a break from work. Similarly I want to keep up with reading nonfiction, informational books such as those focused on nutrition, cooking, environmental concerns and world religions.

Visit as many local food festivals as possible this year.
No I don’t have a number associated with this, but I’m thinking anything better than zero will be a good start. There are so many local food fests around Kentucky. From spoon bread to strawberries to bourbon there always seems to be something going on. This is the year I’m going to make it a priority to attend. Now that I’ve learned about cultures halfway around the world I’m realizing how important it is to learn more about that which is right in my backyard.

Make at least 75% of our food purchases local and sustainable.
I’m not exactly sure how I will measure this, but I will figure it out. I would say now we are somewhere in the 50% range and I want that to change. I chose 80% because there will always be some things such as grains which we eat that are not likely to come from nearby. In addition, I enjoy eating and cooking ethnic foods and those ingredients aren’t always available locally. To define the foods I’m talking about here, locally grown produce, grass-finished beef, naturally raised chicken and pork and local honey are examples.

Frequent my local international markets.
My plan is to shop here once a month for grains and spices. My goal is for this to also help me diversify my cooking and start making more of the wonderful foods we’ve had the opportunity to try during our travels.


Okay, so what do you think? I’m actually pretty excited about it and ready to get 2010 underway!


I’d love to hear what some of your food and wellness related commitments/resolutions/goals are this year!

Also, if you are looking for some support while adopting some healthier habits this coming year, check out the Ten in 2010 event going on at Recipe Girl. I’ve joined in with the goal to stick to my half marathon training and lose 10 lbs.

I also wanted to be a part of it because I’m seeing a lot of commitments to eat less fat and carbs. I think we all know how I feel about that. I certainly believe in everyone’s right to their definition of health and healthy eating, but I’m hoping I can use myself as an example to debunk some of those old school healthy eating myths. I’ll be eating lots of full fat, whole grains and naturally grown foods. I’d love to see you join in if you haven’t yet!

Coconut Oil Giveaway Update

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

I'm still visiting with family so posts will resume later this week. I have an important update regarding the coconut oil giveaway though and I wanted to be sure to spread the word.

The contest is open to both U.S. and Canada residents! So all my readers from Canada, feel free to enter. Just head to the original post to follow the instructions and comment there. I'm so excited that I could make this contest a tiny bit more international. I hope I can offer more worldwide giveaways in the future.

Happy New Year! I'll be back soon!

Coconut Oil Christmas Giveaway!

Several months ago I delved into my own research about coconut oil. I shared my findings in a post with the determination to start using more virgin coconut oil in my day-to-day cooking. I searched for it when I was in Brazil only finding small quantities that were actually more expensive there than what I could get in the States.

Weird, right? With all those coconuts growing everywhere.

After getting settled back in the US I knew I had to find a source. After reading Nina Planck’s Real Food: What to Eat and then taking a trip to Southeast Asia my interest in the company Tropical Traditions began to grow. I applied to be considered to review a sample and they quickly replied offering me a 32 oz jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. A few squeals escaped after reading that email. I won’t lie; I was incredibly excited to give this coconut oil a try.

I think a lot of it has to do with our recent trip. Although we didn’t go to the Philippines, we were able to witness some small scale agriculture during our travels to areas nearby. In case you don’t know much about Tropical Traditions they sell wet-milled, virgin coconut oil from small organic farms in the Philippines. They also sell many other coconut products including a coconut peanut butter that will likely make its way into my first order.

In my last post I said I likely wouldn’t become a person who takes coconut oil by the spoonful for medicinal purposes (some cultures do this), but I have to tell you, I love taking little tastes of the oil straight from the jar. Ever know any of those people who could eat butter straight from the stick? (I know it makes me cringe, too.) Well, I couldn’t do it with butter, but this coconut oil is an entirely different story.

Last summer, I used coconut oil on my cinnamon toast and it turned out great, but with this time I wanted to do a bit more cooking with it. Mainly to see how easily I could incorporate it.

I was invited to check on the recipes on the company’s website and I did. The first recipe to catch my eye was for no-bake cookies. For some reason, my mom always called these California Cookies in our house, not sure why. Regardless, we grew up with them as almost a staple as far as the occasional treat goes.

Of course, they have a ton of refined sugar so I rarely make them anymore. I was thrilled to find this recipe that uses honey or maple syrup (I actually used both), and of course coconut oil instead of butter. I also used a natural peanut butter.

The coconut oil works great in them and the flavor wasn’t overwhelming, the cocoa flavor actually comes out more. I wasn’t thrilled with the sweetening combo. I used both because I didn’t want a distinct maple or honey flavor. I will be honest and say they aren’t as great as the original with sugar, but that’s not to say they aren’t good. We are enjoying them and the new twist on flavors as well as the fewer refined ingredients.

On the recipe list there was also one for coconut chicken. It immediately reminded me of the simple version I often make that uses butter. I posted about it a little while back. So I ground about 1 ½ cups of whole wheat bread crumbs, ½ cup unsweetened coconut, salt, and pepper in the food processor. Next I melted about 3 tbsp of coconut oil. I tossed 2 chicken breasts (cut into pieces) in the coconut oil (make sure the chicken isn’t too cold or the oil will solidify). Then I coated the chicken in the crumbs and coconut. After 20 minutes in a 400 degree F oven it was all done.

I was so pleased with how it turned out. My husband even commented on how tender the chicken was. The coconut oil really improves this fave, super quick meal.

So, as if you had any doubt, coconut oil will now become a staple in my kitchen. I do have to admit that I won’t be using it with wild abandon because it is a pricey product. However, having it around to use more often is worth the price for me especially when you are supporting small scale, sustainable agriculture, not to mention the health benefits. Oh, and the flavor. Okay, you get the picture.

Or do you?

Want to try some virgin coconut oil of your own?

Well, I was trying to plan out when to tell you. I figure Christmas is as good of a time as any for a giveaway, especially one that will help jumpstart your healthy habits in the New Year.

Tropical Traditions has graciously agreed to give away a 32 oz jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut oil to one of you, my readers, free of charge!

Okay, so here is how to enter and increase your chances.

The contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents because the company will be shipping directly to you. (An apology to my international readers.)

I should mention I’m big on following instructions too (I know such a stickler). So to be fair to those who do follow them, if you don’t, your entry won’t be counted.

First instruction – Tell me each of these things in a separate comment. I subscribed, I tweeted, I followed = 3 comments = 3 entries. I know, a lot of work, but I’ll be using a random number generator to choose the winner so if you want each entry counted it will need to be in a separate comment.

1. You need to subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter. Leave me a comment below telling me you did AND I would love it if you would include in this comment why you want to try the oil.
2. Get a bonus entry for Tweeting the giveaway and tell me here with your Twitter username. I’m @lori1329 by the way.
3. Get a bonus entry for becoming a Follower (that little Google gadget on the side) and tell me here, or remind me that you already follow me.

Okay, that’s enough rules. Given it is the holiday season and you all need a break from the computer, I will wait to pick the winner until January 2nd, 2010. The contest will end at 11:59 pm EST on January 1st, 2010.

Ready to have a Happy and Healthy New Year with Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil? I’m really excited to share this great product so send on the entries!

PS. If you don’t win and want to place your order, be sure to check out the Referral Program. You can get a copy of Virgin Coconut Oil by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy free with your first order. If you'd like to refer me with your order, just drop me a note and I'll send you my number.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Merry Christmas #6 and #26

Yes, I’m still making my way through that 30 Foods List. I may not have accomplished it all by my 31st birthday (this past Oct), but I’m determined to follow through and finish the list soon. I think my New Year’s resolution will be to finish it by June.

Yesterday I took on two of the Christmas recipes I listed – #6 Gingerbread men and #26 Stollen bread.

The Gingerbread men simply because I’ve never even made gingerbread of any kind. My mom doesn’t like gingerbread so it wasn’t part of our Christmas celebrations growing up.

The Stollen because I fell in love with this bread when I worked in a bakery. We would bake loaves and loaves of it during the month of December. I’m also drawn to it because of my German roots.

I chose some recipes I liked from the web, stocked up and got baking. Let’s start out by saying that it wasn’t exactly the most successful baking day.

The gingerbread men turned into round gingerbread cookies. I cut the recipe in half and I think I didn’t add enough flour. I couldn’t roll and cut them out, even after cooling the dough. However, the recipe I used from Good Things Catered is fantastic! I love the flavor and the gingerbread is nice and soft. I didn’t end up with what I intended, but the cookies were still tasty and festive.

Although, I think I’m the only one in the family who likes gingerbread. Therefore, I could be the only one eating them. Cut-outs or not, based on that little tid-bit of info. I’m glad I made a half batch and they freeze well!

I enjoyed every part of the process of making the Stollen - the sponge and dough, the kneading, the baking. Bread is just my thing. I only need to perfect my ability for making it. I can’t seem to align my love of baking it with truly great results.

I followed a recipe from In Mama’s Kitchen and instead of candied fruit I used dried cherries, dried pineapple and raisins. I was trying to get around products with high fructose corn syrup and most candied fruit has it. A friendly reader sent me a source for some without it last year, but I procrastinated and never got around to ordering any.

The bread has potential. The flavor of the fruit, spices and rum really come through. It was just a little denser than it should have been. I also tried to get away without adding the glaze which we used to put on top of the ones I made at the bakery, but in all honesty I really like that addition. Next time I will probably glaze them to add a little more sweetness.

So I’m not completely disappointed, but I will be attempting both again. Good, but not great, however, still worth the effort.

Did you try any new recipes this year? How did they turn out?

I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas! Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you will feel all the warmth and happiness this holiday can bring. Thank you for reading Fake Food Free and for all your great comments. I’m looking forward to continuing this blog, and all the friendships I’ve found through it, into 2010.

Merry Christmas!!

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee: A Review and Recipe

I have two favorite things when it comes to the islands of the Caribbean.

One is rum.
The other is coffee.

Both of my favorites come from the island of Jamaica. I did just get back Saturday from a wonderful week in the Caribbean, an annual trip for us. However, this year we spent our time enjoying Antigua. One trade off of seeing a new island paradise was that I didn’t get to bring home any of my favorite 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Lucky for me, just a few days before we left I got an email from C&C Specialty Coffee asking me if I’d like to review their 100% Grade 1 Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. I don’t make a habit of doing too many reviews here, but as you can probably guess, my answer was a resounding YES to this request.

Great timing too. And here I was worried I’d be going through my fave coffee withdrawal this January.

I received a 1lb bag of whole beans. I wasn’t home when the box arrived so I went and picked it up from our apartment office. As soon as I got back in my car I had to use the key to open it up. I just couldn’t wait! The second I turned up the flap on the box the aroma filled my senses. There is nothing like it.

Just to share with you in a bit about this particular variety of coffee. It is grown in a specific region of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and its cultivation is monitored by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica. A few years ago, my husband and I took a bike tour through the Blue Mountains and were able to see these coffee plants first hand. It is known for having a mild flavor and a lack of bitterness. It is pricey because of its quality and because the small area means less is produced, but in my opinion it is worth every penny.

I opened the coffee yesterday and brewed myself a couple cups. It was dark, rich and full of flavor. The quality was what I’ve come to expect for this special coffee that I consider the best in the world.

As good as it was, of course, I couldn’t just drink it. I had to make something with it. It took me a while to decide just what. Now, I’m not trying to bombard you with biscotti given that it is what I also posted about on Friday. However, when I came across Kathy and Matthew’s (A Good Appetite) Spicy Double Chocolate Biscotti, I was inspired.

I wanted to find a way to keep most of the flavors Jamaican in nature, but all I could think of was jerk chicken! Then it dawned on me – Jamaican Allspice. I used whole and ground it myself and then ground the coffee beans into a fine espresso powder. I had a lot of walnuts on hand so I decided to use those as the nuts.

The biscotti are rich and chocolaty and the second it touches your tongue you can taste that slightly spicy, cinnamon flavor of the allspice.

Jamaican Coffee and Spice Biscotti
Adapted from Spicy Double Chocolate Biscotti from A Good Appetite

3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee beans, finely ground (I used that from C&C Specialty Coffee)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or pieces

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Whisk or beat the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, ground coffee, baking soda and allspice. Gradually incorporate this mixture into the eggs and vanilla. Finally stir in the nuts and chocolate.

Grease a baking sheet with butter and divide the dough in two. Using buttered or floured hands shape each half into a log or rectangle side by side (leaving an inch or two between for spreading during baking) on the cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches in thickness. Bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into ½ to 1 inch wide slices using a serrated knife.

Place each piece back on the baking sheet with cut side up and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the pieces and bake another 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. (Note: The original recipe instructs to lower the oven to 275 degrees F before the second baking, however, I forgot. Oops! Mine turned out fine, though.)

About the source:

C&C Specialty Coffee sells 100% Grade 1 Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and 100% Kona Coffee. They pride themselves on providing a quality product to their customers in a timely manner for competitive prices. So much so that they offer free shipping on all orders in the continental US. The coffee cost is $38 per pound with slight discounts for higher quantities. You may also choose medium or dark roast based on your preferences.

Once you get yours be sure to check out their recipes page. There are all kinds of interesting drink ideas including Coffee Eggnog.

A special thank you to C&C Specialty Coffee for providing the product for this review. As I’ve said before, Blue Mountain Coffee is worth the splurge. If you are a coffee lover, once you try it you will be hooked. And if you are not a coffee lover, it just might convince you to become one.


Have you tried 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee?

Whole Grain Biscotti

Do you have one of those foods or recipes that you are known for in your inner circle of friends and family?

For me, it is biscotti.

I started making it when I first began working in an office place out of grad school. I used the Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe from the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Bridal Edition and altered it over time to make it my own. My original version that became so popular with my coworkers included white chocolate chips, walnuts, almond extract instead of vanilla and no banana.

I still love that biscotti and will make it again, but I wanted to play with the recipe a bit and see if I could get buy using whole wheat flours and unrefined sugars. Like the Pecan Shortbread, I was so happy with how it turned out! Of course, it isn’t exactly like my old version, but it is every bit as good in its own unique way.

Whole Grain Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

1 cup demerara sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups white whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter and sugar. I give it a little extra time because the sugar is such a coarse granule. Next, blend in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually incorporate the flours, baking powder and salt. Finally stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Transfer the dough to an ungreased baking sheet. Separate it into two pieces and mold the dough into a rectangular shape about one inch thick. Sprinkle each with a bit of demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut (I use a serrated bread knife) the biscotti into pieces about one inch wide. Place the pieces back on the baking sheet, cut side up. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and carefully flip each piece over so the other cut side is exposed. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy! Makes about 24 pieces of biscotti.

What food or special dish are you known for?

This One’s for the Dogs

Considering how excited I am to have our pug, Macy Mae, back with us I simply could not leave her out of my cookie baking this year. I’ve had a recipe for some apple cinnamon dog biscuits for a long while now and this year I decided it was finally time to try them. I have several dog owning friends and I thought a little Christmas gift for the best buddies would be appropriate this holiday season.

I first read up on the ingredients since I'm not familiar with doing a lot of baking for dogs. I wanted to make sure the foods and methods of baking were safe. I ended up altering the recipe, not because it was unsafe, but because the original recipe had a lot of seasonings and some oil that I didn’t think were necessary. I mean, I love Macy, but she is a dog which will eat just about anything. I doubted she’d miss the cloves or other pricey additions.

I was right. She didn’t care a bit.

If you have some dogs that need gifts this year, these are easy to make and I’ve heard no complaints from the two dogs I’ve witnessed enjoying them.

They are certainly pug tested and approved!

Apple Whole Grain Dog Biscuits

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
¼ cup apple, minced
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon
About 1 cup water

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except the water. Slowly pour a half cup of the water over the mixture and stir. The consistency needs to be one for which you can roll the dough out on a floured surface. Gradually add the rest of the water until you reach the right consistency.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. I used a round glass, a small heart and gingerbread men. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. I don't know the exact amount it will make because I used all different sized cutters. I was able to fill four small decorative Christmas canister/jars.

Update: I just wanted to add that the biscuits should be eaten within about 2 weeks because they will develop mold if left out at room temperature. Macy and I learned this the hard way. Sorry I didn't add that in the post. The original recipe I adapted didn't list any storage tips.

Pumpkin Curry Cookies

While we were visiting Vegas before Thanksgiving we once again stopped in my favorite chocolate shop, Vosges Haut-Chocolate. I have to stifle giggles of glee when I walk into this place. It is full of the most amazing chocolate combinations I’ve experienced. Just the smell gives you that feeling of comfort only a smooth, rich piece of chocolate can bring.

The concept of the company is based on the phrase Travel the World through Chocolate. The company’s mission is to:

Create a sustainable luxury chocolate experience, to bring about awareness of indigenous cultures through the exploration of spices, herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, nuts and the obscure.

We stocked up well this time and I’ll do more reviewing once we break into the bars we purchased. Today, though, I want to tell you a little about something else that caught my eye while in the store.

My favorite chocolate infusion is the Naga Bar, a chocolate of 45% cacao which is mixed with sweet Indian curry powder and coconut flakes. The combination is amazing – a quality chocolate that melts in your mouth, tiny bits of coconut to add a crunchy texture and a curry flavor that lingers in the back of your throat long after the last bite.

As I was walking around the store this time, I noticed cookies. I checked out the label and was both intrigued and excited by the fact that they turned the Naga Bar into a cookie. The ingredient list looked something like this:

Pumpkin, coconut, curry and chocolate chips. My first thought – I can do that.

So here you have my new creation for the cookie exchange I co-hosted last weekend. I stuck with my minimally processed ingredients as much as possible adding in plenty of pumpkin, coconut, curry powder and chocolate.

Personally, I was thrilled with the results. Pumpkin and chocolate chips are always a great combo, but a few seconds after you take a bite the curry gently hits your taste buds intensifying the flavor experience. The only thing I would like to change is the cakey texture of the cookies. Although, I’ve made pumpkin cookies before and this seems to be the influence the addition of fresh pumpkin has. If you have a tip for making them less cakey, please share.

My husband liked them too, although I will admit that only a select few really enjoyed them at the exchange. They were a hit, but only a mild hit. I’m judging by how many were left over. I even set out samples for people to try knowing it would be a different combination for some. I’m not sure if it was that perhaps people didn’t like one of the ingredients in them or the cookies as a whole.

I didn’t let it get me down though. I loved the combination and will be making them again soon. If you have a bit of a diverse flavor palate, give them a try. Maybe you can even help me improve the recipe.

Pumpkin Curry Cookies

2 ½ cups whole white wheat pastry flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp curry powder
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup demerara sugar (unrefined cane sugar)
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup pumpkin, pureed (mine was a thin consistency as it was fresh that had been frozen & thawed)
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
¾ cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and curry powder, set aside. With a mixer, cream the butter, sugar and maple syrup. Add the eggs one at a time and incorporate well. Next mix in vanilla and the pumpkin.

Gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate and coconut. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

How was your week? I have to say mine was pretty good. However, I have a feeling next week will be even better. As you read this we are on our way to Antigua! This is our yearly vacation to the Caribbean that we’ve managed to fit in since our honeymoon six years ago. I call this one a vacation and not a trip because we really relax and do a good dose of nothing for the week. It’s wonderful!

This is our first trip to Antigua so I am incredibly excited to see a new place and explore a little in between the relaxing. We’ve hired a driver for one day who is going to show us around the island and get us some local food so keep your eyes out for a post after the New Year. I also have a few recipes going up next week while I’m gone.

Reading this week was outstanding. I have been bookmarking articles, posts and recipes left and right. I hope you enjoy them!

eatingRD shared a post about a recent trip to Fort Collins and with it a recipe for Pistachio Coucous Patties. I know, the name alone has you intrigued. I was! They remind me a bit of a falafel and I can’t wait to try to them myself.

Lesley Lifting Life did a great review for a local joint near her called Local Burger. This place looks incredible! You can check out her post to learn more, but they serve all kinds of meats (and veggie options) with a traceable source along with organic, gluten free and vegan sides. I’d love to have a place like this in my area!

A Good Appetite shared an extensive list of their favorite cookbooks. Coming from such great cooks I was thrilled to have these recommendations. So if you need a last minute gift idea head on over and check them out.

Esquire magazine listed a slide show of the 59 Best Breakfast Places in America. I’m both hungry now and ready to jump in the car for a foodie road trip! Who’s coming with me?

No Meat Athlete (and his lovely wife) shared a crafty idea for dried fruit ornaments. These are just beautiful and the post will take you through the steps to make them yourself.

Eat Me Daily is inviting everyone to submit their best Guy Fieri Gingerbread man. I love his shows on the Food Network especially Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I may try out my own creation when I make gingerbread in a few days.

I want to send a big Thank You to The Daily Dose for giving me the Superior Scribbler Award. I greatly appreciate it!

Also, one last link. I’m finally starting to get rolling with my travel blog, The 3 Star Traveler. This is the blog I have transitioned to after moving on from my ex-pat blog, Blondie in Brazil. This week I posted my 3 best kept travel secrets!

Photo of a tasty tiramisu we had during last year's vacation in Jamaica

Avoid, Guilt-free, Substitute, Light and Other Words I Don’t Like

Raise your hand if you’ve come across an article or an email with some form of these words in the title. (I have both hands raised). I promise if I receive one more email that has a “guilt-free” recipe in the title I’m going to scream. Well, okay, a delete and then a purge from my email memory forever will suffice.

Last year I did a post on All that Healthy Eating Advice and I’m sticking to those thoughts and feelings this year as well. I really dislike the idea that we have to use tactics and trickery to control eating and that a feeling of guilt can enter our minds when we eat a real food we truly enjoy.

Food is part of culture. Culture can often be defined by food.

Family celebrations and holidays throughout history have focused on food. I believe with all my heart that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. I also feel it is dishonoring our culture and traditions to find sneaky ways to avoid enjoying real food and beating ourselves up like it is a failure of character if we do.

I’ve been there. Tried all the tactics myself and am guilty as charged.

Yes, there are some problems with our food culture in the U.S. Not listening to our minds and our stomachs and stuffing until we are sick is not healthy. Stuffing with foods made of heavily processed ingredients isn’t healthy either. Not to mention, avoiding any movement until New Years isn’t the best decision.

There are some very unhealthy habits that surround our holidays, that is true. I’ve mentioned some of them above. But truly savoring and enjoying my mom’s pumpkin pie, the cookies I bake or a rich, delicious appetizer at a party can be one of the healthiest things we do this holiday season, especially if we are in the camp of sacrifice, deprivation, and guilt this time of year.
I know, I’ve been there.

You can read all those tips/thoughts/ideas I listed in last year’s post. I only have a couple more to add this year. These are a few more of the ways I am looking at things this holiday season.

Invest and enjoy. If you are going to indulge, make it worth it. Buy real cheddar and not processed cheese food, make your own cream soup and buy a quality chocolate. Break those fake food habits and start eating real food. Yes, it will take some readjustment of your budget and time (we’ll address this in a later post), but when you stop buying the processed stuff you’ll have money to spend on the quality stuff and your body will thank you for it.

Keep moving. You are going to eat and enjoy some delicious foods this season that likely have more calories than what you eat on a normal daily basis. Again, this is okay. Physiology makes it so an increase in calories causes weight gain. Exercise will combat these extra calories and carry you happily through a holiday season. You’ll reduce your stress, the endorphins will be pumping and you’ll feel much more like St. Nick than Scrooge.

Not all the time, every day. Keep your parties in mind throughout your week and lighten up on the days you don’t have one. It’s perfectly okay to indulge in the foods at your friend’s dinner party this weekend, but when you have a chance to cut back this week, do so. Save your intake of cookies and desserts for the cookie exchange and take a break from them a few days before. Don’t take it to the point of feeling deprived, but some checks and balances throughout the season will keep you from gaining a lot of unwanted weight. Along with the exercise, doing this helps. Since the beginning of November, I’m rid of 9 lbs of the weight I gained over the past couple years (all that ex-pat eating experimentation) and I’ve enjoyed A LOT of great food.

And what if you do gain a few pounds?

Accept and appreciate yourself. So you gain 5 lbs during the holidays? So what? The bigger question is – 1. Did you enjoy the foods you ate and avoid mindless munching? 2. Did you enjoy the time spent with the people you love? Give yourself a break and commit to losing it as soon as the holidays are over. Life is so short, don’t spend it feeling deprived and consumed with guilt.

The healthiest thing we can do this holiday season is know ourselves well enough and be in tune enough with our bodies and emotions to choose the foods we want, eat them and savor every bite, appreciating where they came from and the people who made them.

Photo from the Bellagio Las Vegas Dec 2008

Olive Blue Cheese Pecan Spread

Olives, cream cheese and toasted pecans; such a great combination. At a bakery where I used to work we sold a spread made of these three ingredients so when I was trying to think of an appetizer to take to my cookie exchange it came to mind. Not remembering exactly how to make it, I did a search and I found this recipe for Cream Cheese-Olive Spread.

This one is a bit more like a cheese ball rather than a spread, but what is a holiday party without a cheese ball, right? I used it as a base and added a few of my other favorite ingredients to spice it up a bit. It also helped me put those Mezzetta Italian Castelvetrano Green Olives from the Foodbuzz Fest to very good use.

It was a huge hit pared with these homemade flaxseed crackers.

Olive Blue Cheese Pecan Spread
adapted from Cream Cheese-Olive Spread at myrecipes

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
½ cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp olive juice
½ cup pecans, chopped and toasted

In a mixer, combine all ingredients except for the pecans. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Spoon the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Cover in the wrap and shape into a log. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll in the pecans just before serving. Serves about 10 to 12 people.

P.S. Mix the pecans into the cheese spread and you’ll have a great filling for mini party sandwiches on whole grain rolls.

Sharing My Win: French Press Coffee

Way back in June I was fortunate enough to win a recipe challenge from Miranda who writes My Food and Life Encounters. This was actually a double contest entry for me and thanks to all your friendly votes my Café & Cream Shortbread was the winning recipe on Miranda's blog.

The prize? A Bodum Chambord French Press!

At the time I was still living in Brazil so I had the prize shipped to my parent’s house since I knew I would be back in the US in a few short months. Well, when I traveled to my hometown for Thanksgiving I finally got my hands on my prize!

I looked up a bit of the history on the French Press and learned that like most inventions it was discovered by accident. Much like the artisanal coffee I made in Brazil, traditional coffee was made by boiling the water and coffee together and letting the grounds settle.

In the 1800s a Frenchman made the mistake of forgetting to add his coffee to the boiling water. He decided to pour the boiling water over the grounds instead, and when the grounds floated, he used a screen to press down the grounds and separate the liquid. From that point the development and use of the French Press coffee maker was born and the modern variety is attributed to an Italian designer named Calimani.

Although I’d been served French Press coffee before, I’d never made it myself so there was a bit of a learning curve. First, I couldn’t use the fine ground Brazilian coffee I brought back with me as there were multiple warnings throughout the instructions about using only course ground to avoid clogging the screen. I ended up pulling out the Breville whole bean coffee I received in my goodie bag from the 2009 Foodbuzz Blogger Fest. I ground it myself to a course texture.

I added four scoops of coffee per the instructions. It suggested one scoop for each four ounce cup of coffee. Considering I’m a 8 to 12 ounce per cup girl I thought this amount would work well. The instructions lacked details for the amount of water though so I just filled the pot half way with boiling water.

It sat to brew for four minutes and then down went the plunger. Success! I enjoyed a strong, rich cup of French Press coffee this morning. I really enjoy switching up my coffee making methods especially after living in a coffee-centric culture for two years.

Thanks to Miranda and Bodum for the giveaway! If you are looking for a Christmas gift for a coffee lover I did notice there is a festive red French Press on the Bodum web-site. If you need another cookie idea I’ve reposted my Café & Cream Shortbread below. I think I might make it again this week for a Christmas luncheon I’m attending.

Café & Cream Shortbread

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
½ cup mascavo sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I used white, but others may work well too)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp ground coffee (espresso powder would work too)

Cream butter and sugar. Add in vanilla. Slowly mix in flour. Dough will be crumbly. Press dough together and split into two equal parts.

Transfer one half to a sheet of plastic wrap. Press together to form the dough more and wrap in plastic as you shape it into a square log. Refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes.

To the remaining dough, mix in cocoa powder and coffee. Repeat the same process forming it into a square log shape. Refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dough from fridge. If it is too hard to work with allow to sit at room temp for a bit to soften. Cut each log into four equal strips. Arrange the dark and light strips so that they alternate, make two stacked rows. Wrap in plastic and from into a square log, pressing the dough together slightly. Unwrap and cut cookies about ¼ inch wide.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes and carefully transfer from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Makes 12 to 15 cookies.

Sweet Potato Flax Muffins

These muffins were inspired by Off Her Cork. I read Andrea's Thanksgiving Day recap and the idea of putting bananas in sweet potato casserole to sweeten it caught my attention right away. I had wanted to make some muffins with some hearty, healthy ingredients that were also relatively low in added sugar and this gave me a great idea to work with.

These muffins are made with the flesh of a mashed sweet potato, banana and maple syrup for sweetness, and flax and whole wheat flour for an extra nutritional boost. They are slightly sweet with a hearty texture. The banana comes through and the sweet potato adds a special richness.

Sweet Potato Flax Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed meal
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup butter, softened
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 sweet potato, flesh only, mashed
½ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 12 muffin pan. In a large bowl mix together the flour, flaxseed, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the egg, maple syrup and butter. Combine well and add in the mashed banana, sweet potato and milk. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients mixing gently just until they are incorporated into the batter. Divide the batter evenly into each muffin tin. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

My Saturday is going to be a full day in the kitchen and I couldn’t be happier about it. I am co-hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday so I’ve got a lot of baking to do. I can’t wait to share some of the goodies with you next week!

Tonight we have my husband’s company Christmas party which is always a lot of fun. We missed last year so it has been a while since I’ve seen some of his coworkers and their spouses. The dance party and local beer make for a good time as well.

I’m very slowly getting back into something that resembles a familiar groove. Writing, reading and networking is making it back onto my daily agenda. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with the holidays, though. Moving back was a huge event and I feel like I’m running to catch up with the holiday season. I hope I do soon because I’m worried it is going to be over before I have time to enjoy it fully!

How is the season going for you this year?

Some great reads from the week and a bit before…

Art and Lemons cooked up some Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding. I’d never thought of a pumpkin twist on rice pudding. Two of my favorite desserts all rolled into one. It looks so good!

Not Derby Pie shared Eggnog Ice Cream. I had just been thinking about making this when I found the post. I’ve been craving eggnog lately and have squeezed in a couple Eggnog Lattes so far this season. I think I’ll make this ice cream for New Years.

Delicious Delicious Delicious brought back memories of Southeast Asia with Black Sesame Madeleines. We tried a lot of black sesame desserts while there and I loved the nutty flavor. These sound great with coffee.

Have you heard about Terra Madre Day? It will take place on December 10 to celebrate the 20th birthday of the Slow Food Movement. Check out the site to see if there is a foodie event taking place near you.

Homegrown gardens yield better nutrition, boost self-esteem was an article on TriCities.com that I enjoyed reading this week. It’s amazing what a simple garden can do for both physical and mental health.

Photo of a gingerbread house display at the resort during our visit to Jamaica last December.

Spicy Pumpkin Crock Pot Chili

It’s funny how you don’t appreciate things until you no longer have access to them. Take bagels for example. I love them, but only ate them on special occasions before our move abroad. However, once in Brazil with no access to their chewy, soft goodness I craved them all the time. They were always one of my first food purchases when I visited the States.

A crock pot or slow cooker falls into that same category. We had one before our move, but I rarely used it. Then after we moved I kept coming across all kinds of recipes I wanted to try with no pot to cook them in. So when I came back to the US a crock pot made my birthday wish list. My husband's parents granted me the wish by getting me a nice and shiny 5 quart Crock-Pot® as a gift.

I hadn’t had chili in a long time and I knew it was the first thing I wanted to try in the pot. The dilemma became the beans. I’m trying to avoid going back to the canned version after making them from dry for the past two years and I’d never made chili with dried beans.

After searching around online a bit I learned that I could just soak them as normal and put them in with the other ingredients no problem. Speaking of canned goods though, I did have to go for the canned tomatoes and I searched hard for some without HFCS. I found that the plain diced tomatoes without seasonings are the least likely to have it as an ingredient. Maybe one day I’ll have my own stash of home-canned tomatoes to turn to.

Last year, I made some chili with pumpkin in it and left the roasted pumpkin in chunks. When I was home for Thanksgiving my Dad sent a huge pumpkin back with me and I decided to roast it up and add the puree to the chili this time. The pumpkin flavor doesn’t come through as well with this method, but it does make the chili rich and thick. Pumpkin is becoming a regular addition to my go-to chili recipe. I really enjoy what it adds to the dish.

This version is nice and spicy, leaving a bit of burn in the back of your throat. The only way to have chili for me, but if you don’t want heat just leave out the red pepper and hot sauce. Also, many recipes I found for using dry beans said it would take 12 hours on low! I got up early to get it in by 6:30 am and it was ready to eat by 2:00 pm. So a good 8 hours is plenty.

Spicy Pumpkin Crock Pot Chili

2 cups beans (I used ½ black and ½ red, soak overnight, rinse and drain)
½ lb ground beef
1 lg onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg can diced tomatoes (~28 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (~14 oz)
1 tbsp hot sauce
2 ½ tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 cups roasted pumpkin puree

Add the beans to the 5 qt pot and break up the raw ground beef over the beans. Add the onion and garlic then pour in the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in the hot sauce, chili powder, cumin, red pepper, salt and black pepper and incorporate all ingredients. Next stir in the pumpkin.

Set the Crock Pot to Low and cook about 8 hours, stirring it occasionally. Serves 6 to 8 people.

My Pecan Shortbread

I’ve mentioned that I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting lately. I haven’t even purchased white sugar and flour since we’ve been back in the U.S. I’m on the search for alternative sugars and flours to use in my baking to mix things up a bit and improve nutritional value. Right now I’m using demerara sugar (unrefined cane sugar) and whole soft white wheat pastry flour.

I’m co-hosting a cookie exchange this weekend so that is giving me plenty of opportunity to play around in the kitchen using my new ingredients. Last night as I was flipping through recipes I came across one my mom gave me a few years back. It is for a homemade version of the pecan shortbread cookies made by that popular cookie company with elves. You know, those packaged cookies that remain in the aisle I no longer go down at the supermarket.

Those cookies are darn good though and I have made the original recipe before, but of course this time I wanted to try out my new choices of sugar and flour. I tried making a cake last week and it didn’t turn out so well hence it wasn’t blog material. I was anxious to see how it would do in the cookies.

They turned out great! So close to the original version that I would not even be tempted to switch back. The cookie is soft and tender just the way I like my shortbread and I upped the pecans a bit so that you get at least one piece in each bite.

I’m sure this week I’ll end up buy the white flour and sugar for the party because there are a few things I want to make without experimenting, but these cookies are a great start for treats with fewer processed ingredients.

My Pecan Shortbread

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup demerara sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole soft white wheat pastry flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
¾ cup pecans, chopped

Cream the butter and sugar. I give this a little extra time because the sugar has a much larger grain than refined white sugar. I want to make sure it is incorporated as much as possible. Add in the vanilla. Mix in the flour and blend well. Finally mix in the chopped pecans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. The dough will be slightly dry and crumbly. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap or place in a container and chill for 30 minutes. Grease your cookie sheet lightly with butter and remove the dough from the fridge. Roll pieces of the dough into 1-inch balls and flatten slightly. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Mine came out in 12 because I don’t like them too done. Makes about one dozen with a couple to spare.
*If you want to try the original use white sugar and cake flour.

I'm submitting these cookies to Food Blogga's Eat Christmas Cookies Season 3. Check out the blog to submit your own. Then head over to the ongoing round-up post for all the the cookie recipes you could possibly need this holiday season.

Vegas Again - The Food Only Gets Better

There are two places that we try to travel to regularly each year – the Caribbean and Las Vegas. While our other trips represent exploration and adventure, trips to these two places represent relaxing and familiarity.

I’m not sure why Vegas has won the honor of a yearly visit from us, but we always have so much fun each time we go. I will also admit that living two years in South America does help you deal with crowds of people much more easily. Something about that lack of a personal bubble thing.

Over the years Vegas has transitioned from a cheap eats kind of place to a gourmet food haven. When we go we do our best to seek out those rare cheap eats for quick meals, but then pick one or two special places to go to for nice meals. This way we don’t break the bank, but still have the chance to splurge a bit.

As much as I like a good deal, I look forward to these special meals so much. We tend to pick places that fall somewhere between casual dining and the super fine dining where you can easily drop a paycheck. Some hotels name it contemporary dining. Our new pick this year was Olive’s in the Bellagio. We’d read mixed reviews before going, but were determined to try it out ourselves. To sum it up, we’ll be going again on our next visit.

We made a reservation and were able to sit out on the patio to watch the fountains during our dinner. Even though I had taken a look at the menu before our dinner I still had a hard time making a decision. There were too many good options available.

The drink was easy - a gin martini with blue cheese olives and a sprig of rosemary. My favorite way to have it; nice and simple and the olive gives you a nice flavor surprise.

I finally decided on the Veal Agnolotti with wild mushroom ragu, robiola rocchetta burro fuso and black winter truffle. This dish was incredibly rich, a little on the salty side, but I enjoyed every bite, especially the black truffles. I think this was the first time I have tried them and I’m hooked. The blend of veal in wrapped in the pasta was excellent. Although due to its richness I’m glad my husband and I shared our entrees.

He went for the Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops Á L'Orange with chestnut risotto, orange agrodolce, brussel sprout and fried collard green salad.

Wow! Tender scallops on a risotto that burst with orange flavor. It was topped with crispy collard greens which they flash fry to get them so crispy (or so I learned from the server, a super nice guy). I’m finally coming around with Brussels sprouts. I can’t remember having them until a couple months ago. No bad childhood memories. I just hadn’t had the opportunity. These were slightly undercooked for my taste, but the seasoning and overall flavor were delicious.

Our dinner at Olive’s took the place of our usual outdoor dining at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris, however, we ended up squeezing it in for lunch. I’m not sure if it is the French food or the atmosphere I like the most, but we love going there while we are in Vegas.

My husband started with the French Onion soup. It is just beautiful there.

I wanted cheese. It was all I could think about when I knew we would dine there. I ended up deciding on the Baked Brie. It was fantastic with black pepper honey, roasted garlic and hazelnuts.

For lunch we both got the Steak Sandwich that then turned into an open faced sandwich and then just steak. There was a lot of bread! It had the perfect sweet and salty combo with all the caramelized onions.

Okay, now for the sweet stuff.

Ever since seeing the movie Serendipity I have wanted to try the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3 in New York. Our travel plans haven’t taken us there yet, though. Well, imagine my surprise when we saw that they opened a Serendipity 3 in Las Vegas right outside of Caesar’s Palace! I know it is technically not the original, but I had to go anyway.

To be honest we were prepared for disappointment seeing how we had built it up over the years. To our surprise, however, we weren’t disappointed at all. I know it is from a mix and the topping wasn’t exactly real cream, but we did enjoy every sip. I thought it would be like a milk shake, but it was very different to me. The frozen part has a lot of texture maybe like little tiny Dippin’ Dots. That’s the best way I can describe it. My husband already has it on the list to try the peanut butter one on our next visit.

So now to the top dessert of the trip.

We like Cheesecake Factory. Again, I know it’s not at all local or sustainable, but when in a place like Vegas that caters so much to the tourist we find we can split meals there or get a small something (because their portions are huge!) at a reasonable price.

Add to that the fact that we don’t have one where we live now and we certainly didn’t have one in Brazil. So it ends up being quite a treat for us when visiting highly touristy cities.

And, well, let’s be honest. I am in love with their cheesecake. I do give them credit for that. I’m not sure I have had better.

The one that caught our eye this time was a special feature Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake™. Twenty-five cents of the sale of each piece goes to Feeding America. That helped make the decision as it isn’t too often that you donate much of anything to anyone in the process of buying a piece of cheesecake except for maybe the extra hours you might donate to the gym afterward.

The picture doesn’t do it justice because it was taken with my iPhone, but I have to tell you that this was one of the best desserts I have had in a very long time. The flavor was unbelievable! It was layers of cheesecake separated by layers of red velvet cake. It was honestly the moistest red velvet cake I’ve had the pleasure of trying. Along the top was a thin layer of cream cheese frosting.

This is one I want to recreate in some shape or form in the future. Although, I have no idea how they prepared it or assembled it. It is worth giving a try though to experience it again.

Now that we have so many favorite foods in Vegas it gets harder and harder to find new things each time. We just want what we had the last time. I’ll keep trying though. Who knows what next year will turn up!