Laura's favorites and best of 2010

I stole this idea from my friend Adam.  Thanks for the inspiration! 
Here is a compilation of my favorite things from 2010.  Some categories have two things listed because I struggle at making decisions as to which things are truly my favorites...

Country Song: Somewhere With You by Kenny Chesney
Non Country Songs: Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons and Owl Waltz by Seabear
Song to workout to: Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz
Wine: Schmitt's Sohne Riesling
Cooking adventure: Making a gluten free cake from scratch with my sister, having to measure out and convert 6 different flours, various leavening agents, spending 5 hours in the kitchen for a cake that collapsed in the center. It still tasted good...right Anne?
Movie:Julie and Julia
Tea: Good Earth Vanilla Chai
Gluten Free Snack Bar: Cherry Pie Larabar
Salad Dressing: Annie's Organic Greek Goddess Dressing
Gift Received: an antique Candlewick by Imperial wine glass
Workout: pyramid swim workout with Rae in October
Class at YMCA: Wednesday Night Power Yoga 
Coffee Shop: The Root Note in La Crosse, Wisconsin
Drink: Bulmers Hard Cider
Liqueur: Bailey's on the rocks, preferably at an Irish pub but it's still wonderful in the States
Sandwich: The turkey, Gorgonzola cheese, walnut, pear sandwich from Allister Deacons
Dessert:Molly Wizenberg's Winning Hearts and Minds Cake (she made this for her own wedding cake)
Place visited: The Aran Islands
Blog: www.orangette.blogspot.com
Vegetable: Roasted asparagus
Day: June 6, 2010 Queen Elizabeth's birthday- I was lucky enough to attend her birthday parade and see her along with the rest of the Royal Family, including Prince William
Quote: It's a tie between:

"peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." and

"Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, "you owe me." Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky."

Food discovery: Turkey burgers and Arnold's Sandwich Thins
Purchase: Canon zoom lens
Guilty Pleasure: Chicken wings with ranch washed down with a Rolling Rock
Concert: Eric Church
New food tried: Irish Soda bread
Shoe purchase: Original Sperry deck shoes
Discovery: Kwik Trip's milk in a bag
Snack: Dark chocolate mint almonds 
Sports game: U.S. vs England World Cup Soccer game, I watched it from a pub in London and it was simply outrageous
Lesson learned: If you have doubts, they are there for a reason.  Listen to them, you will be happy you did.
Academic Class: Behavior Modification
Game: Bananagrams
Website: www.eatingwell.com
Chocolate for eating: Galaxy milk (made in the UK)
Chocolate for baking: Guitard milk chips
***Yes, there are two different chocolate categories, baking chocolate is very different from chocolate that I just eat plain.  And, yes, for those of you who know me well will find both of these selections very odd, as I am a dark chocolate type of girl. I eat one Dove Dark Chocolate Promise almost everyday, however, I can't put this as my 2010 favorite because it has been so since about 2004 :)
Scariest Moment: Tripping at the Cliffs of Moher. Only the highest cliffs in Europe. Whoops.
Book: It's a tie between Eat, Pray, Love and  A Homemade Life

My Favorite Snapshot, taken in Ireland

Music video : Sara Bareilles King of Anything (definitely due to the strong photographic elements)

 
Youtube video: Marcel the Shell
 


That completes my best of 2010 list.  After rereading my post, I couldn't help but notice the recurring trends of food, Ireland, and of course, chocolate.  I guess that sums up my year pretty well and I am not complaining.
Yesterday someone asked me what my New Year's Resolution was going to be and I replied  "I don't make New Year's resolutions."  I do not believe that the mere turning of the calendar is a reason to try to make huge life changes that are pretty much bound to fail (some 96% of new year's resolutions have failed by the end of January).  I believe that any day is the perfect opportunity to make a change and I try to take advantage of each and every day of the year to become a better person. I am not saying that I don't have goals or certain things that I want to accomplish in the next year---I have my sights set on many,many things.  I am very excited for what 2011 has in store.  Who knows where I will be next year at this time, but I know whatever is meant to be will happen and it will be perfect.  I hope you have a wonderful 2011! Be well!

heavenly hummus

I must admit that a few years ago, I thought hummus was a bit bizarre.  I did not understand why my family spread it on crackers, veggies and sandwiches when there was good old ranch dressing.  My relationship with hummus has since changed and I completely understand why my family indulges in this decadent spread.  It is now one of my favorite things to keep on hand! 
There are many different varieties of hummus available including garlic, artichoke, roasted red pepper, greek olive, and of course the plain favor. Each one is better than the next and I often spend too much time debating over which flavor to buy from the store.  My favorite brands are Sabra and Athenos, each grocery store stocks different brands.  Hummus is made from chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and originated in the Middle East.  It is traditionally served on pita, flatbread, or falafel. I am at home for winter break and despite the fact that I am not enrolled in classes right now, I am learning something everyday.  Today my Mother taught me how to make my very own hummus.  I am as happy as can be and amazed at how effortless this process truly is!  Making homemade hummus allows you to control exactly what goes into your dip.  You can eliminate the added fat and preservatives which are often found in the store bought kind, creating a truly healthy snack.  It is more costly to buy it premade and after today, I can say it tastes better homemade.  Then again, what doesn't?!  There is a catch to this recipe-you need a food processor, but this provides one more reason that a FP will be my next kitchen appliance investment.

Homemade Hummus
1-15 oz. can chickpeas (drained)
Juice from 1/2 of a fresh lemon (use a citrus reamer)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Any additional flavor you desire--today we added 4 cloves fresh garlic.  You could also add peppers, cilantro, olives etc.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until combined. Chill in the refrigerator for up to a week and a half.  Enjoy on sandwiches, gluten free crackers, grilled cheese, fresh carrot sticks, sliced red/yellow/green peppers, radishes, cucumbers, spread it on sliced deli turkey and make mini roll ups....get creative!

Chickpeas in the food processor

Fresh lemon juice is key, use a citrus reamer for easy juicing

I have to give my Mother credit for taking this picture of me during my cooking lesson

Adding olive oil to the mix

The finished product, of course it would look better in a pretty bowl, but I couldn't resist eating it straight out of the processor!

Christmas in Photos

Christmas was absolutely lovely, filled with family and wonderful food.  My favorite aspect of Christmas is not the giving or getting of gifts, its spending time with my family--preparing food and drinks together, playing games, building puzzles, and lounging around with the dogs.  I don't want to spend much time on my computer today, so I'm not going to write much other than: Merry Christmas! I took way too many pictures today, here are just a few from the Warren/Rapp celebration!  More to come later.  I hope you had a splendid holiday.  I'm off for a nighttime snow shoe adventure with Mom, Kelly and the dog!

Anxiously waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve

Frances wanted to wear the Christmas Tree headband

Mom's chocolate covered apricots

Homemade caramels accented with chocolate and kosher salt

Anne's fancy orange curls

Mimosa's

 

Coffee with Baileys Irish Cream

Beef Bourguignon with caramelized brussels sprouts.  This picture does not do the meal justice.

What's inside? Eco friendly cupcake wrappers of course!

The incredible, edible egg. Maybe

Many people are familiar with this famous saying but I am willing to bet you a million bucks only a handful have every stopped to think about it.  Errrrr, are the eggs you are eating really edible?  Alright, technically they are edible but in my book barely, just barely.  My last post was about omlettes and now I feel it's only right to provide my take on eggs.
Three years ago in my college speech class, I chose to research the meat and egg industry and I was instantly horrified. My family has always been a bit persnickety about the meat and eggs we consume--my mom gets our beef from an old neighbor who raises his own grass fed, free range beef and we often get eggs from local farms.  We are actually going to get our own egg layin' chickens now that we live in the country and have somewhere for the chicks to hang out.  My dad hunts and fishes like its his job (sometimes we wonder if he ever goes into work during the summer and fall)  providing us with fresh, top quality, minimally processed, antibiotic and growth hormone free meat and fish.  I never truly understood why my parents made these choices, but after my research project, it is crystal clear.   I could go on and on and on and on and on about the meat industry, but I'm going to focus on eggs in this post.  I'll save the meat story for another day---don't want to upset your stomach too much.
In the past, eggs have gotten their fair share of negative attention and a bad rap- many people hear the word egg and immediately think cholesterol.  Yes, eggs do have cholesterol, but if you eat a well balanced diet, paying attention to the other sources of fat and cholesterol you consume,  the amount of cholesterol in one egg will not have any negative effect on your health.  In fact, the egg is packed with 6 grams of protein, 9 essential amino acids and other healthful fats. The nutrients found in eggs help keep your eyes healthy, as well as your hair and nails. Clearly, the egg is quite incredible. Where the problem arises is in the production of eggs for local supermarkets-where most of us tend to buy our eggs. There are many studies that have been conducted, as well as on going studies, that claim that free range chicken eggs are nutritionally superior to eggs from chickens raised in cages at massive egg farms.  I have read many of these studies, and can truly see why chickens who are allowed to graze, get exercise, and see the sun produce better eggs.  Some people disagree with and disregard these claims.  I am not going to attempt to untangle the results of these studies, however, I do think that a bit of common sense can go a long way.  Just stop for a moment and think.  Would you rather eat eggs laid by a chicken who has spent her entire existence in a cage no bigger than a shoebox, surrounded by millions of other birds who have never seen a second of daylight?  They can barely stand up in their cages, let alone get any form of exercise.  Chickens are supposed to be able to roam around and eat a variety of grains, fresh greens and insects.  Egg farm chickens are fed the same grain everyday and therefore produce a lower quality of egg, lacking many of the valuable nutrients found in a free range egg.  Free range eggs have been tested and have 30% less cholesterol than factory raised eggs, as well as double the amount of vitamins A, E, and D.  If a chicken's diet is lacking essential nutrients, it only makes sense that the eggs it lays are also going to be lacking these nutrients.

A standard egg farm

I do not need any scientific studies, facts, or conclusions to know that I do not want to eat eggs from chickens raised under these conditions. (animal cruelty is another major concern that I'm not going to tackle today either)   I value my body and health and I see a direct relationship between what I put into my body and how I feel and preform. Many of my friends chuckle a bit when we are making cookies and they find brown eggs in my refrigerator. They don't understand why I pay an extra dollar or two to get free range organic eggs.  I am not criticizing anyone who buys a dozen sunshine farms eggs for $1.39, many of us have never been prompted to think about the conditions under which our eggs are produced; I am simply encouraging you to think about the eggs you eat. Unfortunately, we cannot mindlessly assume that the food stocked on the supermarket's shelves is safe to eat.   Many of you who are reading this are college students and we are all on a tight budget.  I highly doubt that you are going to break the bank by spending that extra dollar on free range eggs.  Hey, you could even buy one less beer at the bar this weekend and spend that money on eggs.  Now there's an idea.

A lovely nutrient packed free range organic egg that I enjoyed for lunch

Still here

Hello World.  Yes, I am alive and survived my last day of first semester classes, a Christmas Extravaganza Party, my final photography portfolio critique, a snow storm that left us with 16 additional inches of snow, and the -20 degree weather.  My car, however, did not survive these events and is getting fixed.  I have come to realize how different life is without having a car to drive at my finger tips.  Simple things like running to the co op to buy ingredients for dinner or going to a coffee shop to do homework take more time and thought to coordinate. I was forced to put my bike away for the season on Saturday, due to the amount of snow on the ground.  I was trying to make it through the entire semester, but my last day of riding was Friday, December 10th.  Hopefully my Diamondback has a great winter rest.  Not having a car and not being able to bike have caused me to think quite a bit about the possibility of moving to a climate in which I could bike or walk outside comfortably year-round.  I am not talking a Florida type of climate, just somewhere in which the low temperatures are still in the 40's or 50's, rather than below zero.

I am going to write about one of my favorite weekend breakfast items: the omlette. I eat the same thing each day during the week, however, the weekend provides more time to indulge in something other than my Monday-Friday oatmeal with peanut butter and honey.  I have to give credit where credit is due and everything that I have learned about the omlette, I learned from my father.  Weekend mornings often consisted of me waking up around 10 o'clock to the smell of my dad whipping up a mouth watering brunch upstairs in the kitchen.  He frequently made crepes, pancakes, or my personal favorite: omlettes.  3/4 of the year, I  had Saturday morning swim practice and the thought of arriving home to a phenomenal breakfast is what kept me going through those 7,000+ workouts.  Last weekend I woke up craving an omlette (if you were wondering...yes, I do wake up with food on my mind quite often) and made my best version yet. I think my dad would be proud.
First I sauteed red and green pepper, white and red onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon, and wilted spinach.  I add a bit of milk to my eggs (Phil's cage free, organic eggs of course) before beating them and putting them in the pan.  I added fresh mozzarella cheese and the sauteed veggies and bacon.  A piece of whole wheat toast must accompany my omlette at all times, I actually cannot eat eggs without some type of toast. Okay, I probably could, but I won't.  One of my best friends was visiting for the weekend and I think he would vouch for me and say that Sunday's breakfast was delicious.

Muffin Mayhem.

I have to admit, I am a real sucker for a good muffin.  I am also very picky about the muffins I like and the muffins that I chose to eat.  I think there is mass confusion in the baking industry these days, 'muffins' have turned into an excuse to eat cake for breakfast.  I cannot stand eating a muffin from a gas station or a grocery store because all you can taste in these muffins is the insane amount of sugar in these calorie packed "breakfast"  items.  If you are going to eat an Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chocolate chip muffin, (with a whopping 13 grams of fat and the first ingredient on the nutrition label is sugar)  why don't you just get a nice big slice of chocolate cake instead?  It's probably a healthier choice.  There is no difference between muffins and cake when you buy them pre made from the store, it is merely a sneaky way of making people feel a bit better about what they are eating for breakfast (not to mention adding on mass to American's muffin tops, more on that later).
Can you tell that I get a bit worked up about muffins? To me, a muffin should be healthy enough to be eaten for breakfast with a cup of coffee or enjoyed for an afternoon snack.   If I want cake---I will eat cake.  Trust me.  But sometimes all I want is a muffin, a real muffin.  A good muffin usually features a flavor or fruit such as blueberries or bananas and I like adding whole wheat flour and bran to start my day off with whole grains.  Adding these unprocessed flours also give muffins some nice flavor and a dense, hearty texture.
I made these spiced apple butter muffins two weeks ago and they quickly won my affection.  They are the perfect density and have a rich flavor.  They were so good that I am going to make them again tonight.  I told you, I like muffins.

Spiced Apple Butter Muffins (eatingwell.com)
 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran, or oat bran
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup spiced apple butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup finely diced peeled apple

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in bran.
3. Whisk egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar, oil and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins; add them and the diced apple to the bowl. Stir until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).
4. Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a topic that is gaining popularity among many individuals and also in the psychology world, where it is being used in therapeutic settings.  In no way do I claim to be an expert on the topic, however, I have been reading a book about mindfulness and also studying aspects of it in my Behavior Modification class. What is mindfulness?  Mindfulness stems from Buddhism and other meditation practices.  The actual, official definition of mindfulness is often a topic of debate but the general idea of mindfulness is bringing your complete attention to the present moment in an effort to become completely aware of your body, sensations, and emotions in a non judgmental way.  In doing so, we are more likely to acknowledge the emotions we are feeling and accept them, rather than reacting in a way that will negatively impact our minds and body (such as feeling upset, angry, anxious, or tense, as well as reacting and enjoying positive moments in our life). Practicing mindfulness is something I think many people have never even considered.  As I started reading the book Wherever You Go, There You Are, a book written by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who uses mindfulness practices to treat the chronically mentally ill as well in the education, development and growth of psychologically health individuals;  I really began questioning myself and my ability to practice mindfulness.
How many of us can say that we take time during our day to slow down and consciously notice the present moment, not making any inferences on what is happening, but simply acknowledging the here and now.  To be honest, I rarely do this, but have been working on my mindfulness practices since beginning Wherever You Go, There You Are.  Mindfulness is also an important aspect of yoga,  and since I have been attending a yoga class regularly, I have been forced to engage in mindfulness techniques.  It is not easy for me to slow my mind down, in yoga class I often find myself thinking about school work that needs to be done or happenings in my life.  As I progress in my yoga, I am making strides in my ability to focus just on my body and breathing during my hour of yoga and let everything else go for this time.  In no way have I mastered or even come close to perfecting mindfulness and there is still much reading on the topic that I hope to accomplish over winter break.  In a society where we have extremely high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, I believe many people could benefit from the practices related to mindfulness and I am excited that it is becoming a popular practice in  many cognitive behavioral therapies. If people could learn to slow down and take in the present moment, maybe we could learn to be happy with what we have and who we are, and the beauty that lies in the simple things rather than wanting, consuming, and buying happiness.  Many adults in my life have told me to start enjoying each day when I am still young, because each year as you get older the time goes by more quickly than the last. I do not want to look back at my life thinking that it went too quickly or wishing I would have enjoyed certain moments more, and I think that practicing mindfulness will help me accomplish just this.  The next time you are feeling tense, happy, angry, or anxious, I dare you to practice mindfulness, take in the present moment, and tell yourself "this too shall pass."

A Major Dilemma. Well, at Least in my Book...

Fresh herbs are something that manage to sneak their way into almost every dinner recipe that I cook or have been wanting to try.  Fresh herbs add a kick of flavor that you just can't achieve with dried herbs.   Fresh basil is about $4.00 for a small bunch and only stays fresh for a few days. And that is just basil, don't forget about fresh parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chives, and thyme.  It would be much more reasonable for me to buy herb plants and have my very own herb garden, which is what I am going to do. What is the dilemma you want to know?   It's currently 21 degrees outside and no green houses in Wisconsin have any baby herb plants for my garden. May is too far away. This just is not right. The way to fix this dilemma?  I must drive south to find a green house where I can purchase my very own herbs to plant in my window box garden.  Florida anyone?