Critic's Corner

Thank you so very much for letting me know your thoughts! I usually right back to commenter's in the comment section but I read the emails with comments before hand and decided to do half and half! Half with powdered sugar and intended to do a glaze on the other half. I started a chocolate glaze with rum but I didn't know the rum bottle was empty and I was quickly running out of time! I just topped the half with what I had started for the glaze, an almost a ganache type frosting. I used melted chocolate chips with butter and cream then added powdered sugar to it after...


Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake 
The toppings were fantastic, the cake was not as fantastic. Huge bummer, right? Everyone was very full from dinner so only two or three  of us had a piece of the cake anyway.

 

I did... and I was unhappy when I realized the butter change was not acceptable. The cake was still "good" - it was worthy of eating and sweet and "fine"- but the  Attempt #1 was PHENOMENAL... so I am upset but I learned my lesson with the butter that I used. My mom and I used Smart Balance (regular) and 1/3 less fat cream cheese in the Attempt #1 and the "butter" I had on hand was smart balance light and 50/50 for Attempt #2 with fat free cream cheese as the original recipe called for. 
Word to the wise: I would not use the combo of smart balance LIGHT AND a wheat/whole grain flour for this cake again. I knew it affects the consistency from many experiments pre-blog. However, I thought with the half all purpose and half 50-50 butter it would work out better than this. Oh well right- I feel bad because Jeff's family probably thinks my baking skills stink, but it goes to show the first time around is best! I guess I live to see another Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake.

Bourbon V.G Blondies:
We had some pre-dinner and Jeff said "They taste like pancakes". He was referring to the maple syrup flavor. A friend of his brother's was staying over for a job interview in town, she said that really liked them but they were very different from what she expected.
I had one before going over and thought they were tasty- very gooey and caramel-y. I think next time I will up the flour a bit, and def. not use marshmallows. I would think dried fruit, or butterscotch chips, or peanut butter of sorts would work very well. 
Mocha Swirl Cheesecake:
I think this had the best reviews.. 
Momma Mo said it was great and not too sweet. Jeff's brother's friend said "Mmmm Cheesecake and Coffee, Aaah".  I didn't push for any official reviews but everyone seemed to like that the best.

Saturday

Check out my attempt # 2 at Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake  I did last night for this afternoon!

Let me know your opinion if I should top it with powdered sugar , a rum glaze or a citrus glaze !! I get emails with all the comments so I will see em!

I also did a version of Veggie Girl's Blondies- mine had Bourbon, Toffee and Marshmallows! Check it out here: B Healthy's Bourbon V.G Blondies

My plan for Saturday: head to the gym for short cardio/strength session, store to get a few necessities, head over to Jeff's parents for more family fun.


Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

B_Healthy's Bourbon VeggieGirl Blondies

I completely support anyone who chooses or needs to be on gluten free diets, vegan, vegetarian etc. Even though I do not personally take part in any of these, I find VeggieGirl's creations quite spectacular. I find it even more spectacular because with those restrictions, I can imagine how very hard it can be to find foods or make foods that support it let alone be delicious! So I thought I would try out a delicious blondie recipe from VeggieGirl herself with some of my own adaptions to her adaptions!

I have been itching to make these and came home to realize I had no dried fruit, and almost out of frozen fruit! I had leftover heath toffee pieces from xmas baking. I also had leftover marshmallows from Chocolate Windows and rice krispie cereal, which will never get eaten! So I made LOTS of adaptions!

• ** Adapted from Veggie Girl's Fig-Almond Blondies ( click to get her recipe)
• (** which she had brilliantly adapted from the Raspberry-Almond Blondies recipe from Martha Stewart's cooking website**)
• 6 ounces nonfat greek yogurt (I used Trader Joes)
• 1/4 cup Smart Balance Oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons maple syrup ( I don't like or have molasses)
• 1.5 cups flour (I used Organic Whole Grain All Purpose Flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup almonds, finely-sliced
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 3/4 cup Crisp Cereal
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate toffee pieces
• Bourbon!! I had about 1 tablespoon left
  • Milk of choice, added to the batter as needed
  
  Get-It-Made:
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly coat an 7 x 11 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  
  In a large bowl, add in the yogurt, oil, sugar, vanilla extract, Bourbon and syrup. Mix well.
  In the same bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, sliced/slivered almonds, marshmallows, krispie cereal, and toffee. As the mixture starts to thicken up/combine, add as much of the milk as you need (but not too much) so that the batter is mixable. ( Mine was very mixable/gooey if you will)
  
  Pour mixture into the pan ( I used a 9 x 13 by mistake but wish I had used a slightly smaller pan) (coated generously with nonstick cooking spray).
  
  Bake for about 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean.
  
  
  The result:
  
  Oooey Gooey delicious Blondies!
  I have no idea how they came out as delicious as they did! I feel as though mine were Kitchen Sink Blondies and Veggie Girls "base" is just a fantastic blondie recipe in general! I most certainly will make these again, but I will use a smaller pan ( that was in the directions I am just silly) and probably not use dried fruit and chocolate chips instead of the toffee/marshmallow.
  
  I will update the review tonight after Jeff's family have a taste...

Super Sales on Larabars and Arnold Sandwich Thins, Super Run, Super Day!

Body:
Run and 20 min Yoga! I love this whole "intention and expectation" thing because I posted friday morning that a run and yoga is what I intended to do but this little part of my mind was telling me "what if you knee hurts? you are going to end up on the elliptical" . Well, I did end up on the elliptical- but only for a 10 minute cool down! This  time my total distance was 6 miles but I walked the first 0.8 or so to warm up - so I ran 5.2 miles. I wasn't concerned with my time but I will tell you- I ran the fourth entire mile in 6 minutes and 30 seconds!!! I did half of it at 9.2 and then felt like I could keep going.
Honestly, I was reminding myself to just keep going because I have the strength to do so - I intended to accomplish and I expected myself to do it.
Wooohoo!

I got back from the gym and did my own session with my DVD music. I know the DVD off by heart by now and I go just a little bit faster so I like to get going on my own. For some odd reason, I did upward facing dog much more today than usual. I wonder if that means anything?

Mind:
I didn't get to reading today but I did get back to suduko and started to read through the latest American Dietetic Association Journal that came in my mail yesterday! I will try to post anything exciting!

My loans aren't ready yet but no worries there, I didn't get to the books but I did get back to a girl that was going to buy one of my previous books. I also looked for jeans for Jeff but didn't find the ones I wanted.

I went to the grocery store so that I would be "stocked" up for this upcoming week of classes! Unfortunately when I came home I realized we are now out of laundry soap , (almost) toothpaste and (almost) toliet paper! Yikes!

Soul:
Baked MORE!! Can you believe it? I feel like I am a baking machine lately! I will post separately because I finally got to do a version of Blondie's that Veggie Girl inspired me and another Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake because I had all the ingredients!

Grocery Store mini trip! I know its silly but I really feel much more happy when I have gone to the grocery store and know that I have lots of healthy ingredients for the week ahead to make! I think that is a great tip for those who are struggling with weight loss or eating healthier  - When you have a stocked kitchen of HEALTHY foods that you enjoy or know how to prepare, you will eat healthier! There will also be less worry and confusion of "oh no there's nothing at home to make, I'll go out to eat" since you have what you like at home. I was so excited to get GREAT deals!

Here is some of what I picked up:
 

So excited - Harris Teeter finally had Arnold Sandwich Thins ON SALE ! The also had all their lunch meat Buy 1 Get 2 Free!! I got four packs of sandwich meat and two packs of cheese for $8 ! I am not a HUGE sandwich fan, but they can be very handy as part of a quick meal. I also got:

• Arnold Sandwhich Thins: Whole Grain White and Whole Wheat
• huge bag of locally grown Kale
• a big eggplant
• Designer Whey Vanilla Protein Powder ( It was on sale too! I am pumped because I wasn't liking the big bucket of stuff I got before)
• Pecan Pie Larabar on sale - all larabars at Harris Teeter are $1 for this week!
• Not pictured
  • Lunch Meat:
    • Honey Ham
    • Virgina Ham
    • Chicken Breast
    • Smoked Turkey
    • Colby Jack
    • Baby Swiss
  • Eggs
  • Newmans Own Fiber Bread- on sale too!
  • Organic Bananas
  • Grapefruit
  • Cream Cheese
  • Mini chocolate chips

Okay on to Lunch:

 

Grilled Organic Cage Free Chicken ( I had froze it from Trader Joes, grilled on the foreman)

Frozen Stir Fry Veggies with some reduced fat Feta

Sweet Potato Fries

Leftover Black Bean Soup ( it was better than the first time I tried it but really spicy!)

Snack pre-baking:
Toasted Kale- I ate all of that and it was delicious! Almost like popcorn- I just sprinkled some salt and put it in my toaster oven for a few minutes until it got brown and crispy.

 

Dinner at Jeff's Parents:
(his mom had found the sandwich thins and lunch meat etc. on super sale at Harris Teeter as well!)
Arnold 7 Grain Sandwich Thin, Deli Ham, Provolone, Mustard
Some Chips and his mom offered me a tomato again! Yum, Thanks!  

I saw the baked beans after this, I had a spoonfull of them too.

A blue Moon

A glass of wine

( I started a second glass but then gave it to Jeff because I couldn't finish)

Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake ( Attempt #2)

I don't know if this attempt will beat my first attempt with my mom tuesday for this delicious, LIGHT pound cake ! It was so delicious that it was gone in two days practically!

Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake
Original Photo

Original Recipe from Cooking Light can be found here: Original Recipe Contest Winner

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
1 teaspoon flour
2 3/4 cups AP Cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat-free cream cheese, softened
10 tablespoon butter, softened 
1 cup granulated sugar 
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs 
3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
Baking spray and Flour for Bundt Pant
2 tablespoons powdered sugar optional topping

B-Healthy Recipe 01-10-2009

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
1 teaspoon AP Whole Grain flour 

1 1/4 cups AP Whole Grain Flour (Minus 1 Tablespoon to equal Cake Flour)
1 1/2 cup AP Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat-free cream cheese, softened
10 tablespoon Smart Balance Light and Smart Balance 50/50 blend to cut out saturated fats 
3/4 cup granulated sugar ( all I had left!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 large egg
1/2 cup Egg Substitute (to cut out saturated fat and cholesterol)
3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
Baking spray with flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Get-It-Made:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon flour in a small bowl; toss.

Lightly spoon 2 3/4 cups (minus 1 Tablespoon) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Place cream cheese and butter in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed to blend. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time; beat well after each addition. Beat on high speed 1 minute.

With mixer on low, add flour mixture and liqueur alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray and lightly floured.

Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
Cool completely on wire rack.

 

Sift powdered sugar over cake.

Yield

16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Approximate Nutritional Information ( Adapted from from Original Recipe, these are my estimates for substituting Smart Balance for butter, less sugar, substituting Egg Substitute for whole eggs)

CALORIES: 273
Fat: 8 g 
Carbohydrates: 43 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 59 mg

I am going to double check on this because I am interested if these are correct estimates- I will probably use a recipe calculator and will update if needed. I will also be taking it over to Jeff's Mom and Dad's today for a "family get together" ... along with some leftover Mocha Swirl Cheesecake and B Healthy Veggie Girl Blondies if they turn out alright!


BIG QUESTION:
Should  I do a citrus glaze, a rum glaze  or sift powdered sugar?

Happy Friday!

Its Friday!! 

Up early and Jack ran away when I was making Jeff a smoothie for breakfast! He is such a stinker! I used the new "Bella" mixer to make a single smoothie for Jeff. Let me tell you, Is this thing perfect for us or what!?! I LOVED IT! I put in frozen mango, frozen blueberries, banana, peanut butter, and protein powder with organic milk. I was very hesitant that this little guy would really crush up the frozen fruit- however- it blew me away! It made it SO well and SO fast. The best part is that I don't always want a smoothie- so when I use the blender I have to clean out the blender AND the nasty cup that sat in jeff's car all day at work. This saves 50% of that- I mix-in and give him the same cup so I only have to wash once thank goodness!
Thank you Bella Kitchen for making such a great product! Thank you Mom for handing it off to me!

Jeff finished his smoothie while he drove around and found Jack.

On to my breakfast..
Pepperidge Farm 7 Grain Light Style Bread toasted, with 3 egg whites and some hot sauce in sandwich form, Frozen blueberries and mango and some banana with pb. oh and cinnamon!

The plan for today:

Run run run on the treadmill, its too cold outside today! Yoga after.. Look for the jeans for Jeff.. school stuff- see if my loan is ready, see if books are in, change around my schedule potentially...

* I am so glad to have any and all readers, those who comment and those who may not! I hold a special place for those that have been commenting for awhile and I am excited for new readers as well. This blog has given me so much back as a creative outlet, a hobby, a place to give my thoughts, a place to share my life and more. Thank you to each and every one of you that keeps up with my life, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Hope your day and weekend are superb! *

Home Safe but Tuckered Out

I am home and tuckered out! Jack is too because he didn't even want dinner - he has laid in his "bedroom" since we got home! I think it was all the attention and spoiling my parents gave him. We went on lots of walks too- and he had lots of treats. He was kinda bad only because the parents let him up on the furniture:

I must be so tired from all of that baking I have been up too ... Creme De Menthe Brownies, my personal favorite is Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake , and Mocha Swirl Light Cheesecake-

In fact, I doubt my fatigue had ANYTHING to do with the freezing, 1 hour wonderful walk this morning, 3 hour drive, 2 loads of laundry, and unpacking 8 bags of a bullet smoothie mixer my mom gave me ( thanks!!! woohoo!), leftover baked goods, clothes bought while shopping with my mom, and luggage! Right ?


Body:
Walked with my mom and Jack , 3+ miles this morning! It was very chilly compared to yesterday's walk gees! My knee is a little sore from the run yesterday but nothing major at all really- I am gonna get a heat pack now and ice and alternate to get the blood flowing- hopefully get rid of any swelling!

Mind:
Read more in the morning but only a little bit!

Read some new blogs!! I am so excited to receive comments from readers I was unaware of! I love that people are enjoying my blog as much as I enjoy writing it! I would certainly like to add to my blogroll but I always end up closing the browser and can't find the exact addresses again! So feel free to send me a comment so I can add you/ or you can add me etc. etc.

However, most all of my mental energy went towards my 3 hour drive on the highway with Jack! I fought off sleepiness by drinking water and singing to Jack, he is not a fan. Oh well.

Soul:

I am the type of person that feels MUCH better if I unpack immediately- otherwise the stuff lays around for a week or longer! So I got everything going right away into its place- except the laundry- however I folded AND ironed what is done! Hooray for that

Jeff is home and I am home ! Yah! He LOVES his new sweater/shirt that I assured my mom he would like! Also, two of the pairs of pants fit fantastic and he loves them! The third pair were jeans by the SAME brand, SAME size as the other two pairs- and clearly 2 inches too long!!??!?!? What the crap ? oh well, I will go see if I can get a shorter pair. I hope they aren't too short though!

After I got back and put everything away, I caught up on this premiere week of shows I remembered to record before I left! 90210, Priviledged, and The Biggest Loser!

Dinner with Nate and Andrea! Andrea picked me up and we met the men at the restaurant! Both of us had not seen our significant others' in four days! and... both Andrea and I ordered the same exact meal, both Jeff and Nate ordered the same exact meal too- how coincidental!?!

****** Jeff got a great deal on a BRAND NEW vehicle thanks to his uncle Jeff... it is a truck and he wanted a truck! it is 4 wheel drive and he wanted 4 wheel drive so we could take it onto the beach for camping at the ocean and it has more too! The bet part is it is brand new with a full warranty and he is getting it for what the used vehicles cost that he was considering recently! I won't reveal too much because there are some logistics involved - he/we should be bringing it home Monday so I will reveal all the details and photos then! ****** Thank you to everyone who has been commenting, keeping up with this situation for us, and hoping along with me that things work out post accident! ( Erica , Mads, Veggie Girl, Strong and Healthy, Hangrypants and I hope I am not forgetting anyone else...)

I am so excited that Jeff's uncle Jeff ( his namesake and practically his identical twin as far as personality goes) and aunt Darlene are visiting this weekend. This happens to work out nicely with the car deal since Jeff can ride back with them sunday and drive back his new truck! They are great fun so it will be a family oriented weekend of wine, laughter, and who knows what!

On to the food:
Breakfast:
Egg whites with hummus, Oats with Bluberries, Bananas, Pears and Peanut Butter.

Oh and if you haven't already checked her out- Lee of For The Love of Peanut Butter - made a version of my Pumpkin French Toast for breakfast today- She loved it and I am so happy!!!! Thanks for the tag Lee!


Lunch: (sorry it wasn't pictured I had already packed everything into the car)
Leftover pasta bake from last night ...



Snack:
A small banana with peanut butter and greek nonfat yogurt. I also crumbled a bite of a Luna Sunrise Bar that I have never had before. It was yummy!

Dinner:

We went to a hot dog/greek place that has a great sandwich and salad menu! I got the Greek Salad ( iceberg, onion, tomato, greek olives, feta, beets, pita) with Grilled Chicken. Jeff ordered the special hot dog and chili fries. I did have some of the chili fries - meh - pretty good- I liked the fry part better than the chili part.




TGI almost F !