No excuses!

When I first started my blog a couple years back my intent was to journal my journey through figuring out how to be a fit mom and how to eat right without all the craziness and nonsense that can sometimes accompany the attempt. I also wanted to inspire others, whether you're a busy mom or any woman wanting to make a healthy change, that it can be done. Even though as women, we want to be strong, fit and healthy, there are many excuses all of us can make to not workout or not eat well, but the bottom line is you just have to be stronger. I'm certainly imperfect in my journey, so I have to constantly remind myself of this, look to others for inspiration and I strive never to quit. There's always going to be bumps in the road and set backs, but there's always recovery too.

I've learned so much about myself through these past two years. One of the most humbling things I've done is run long distance by way of a Half Marathon (hopefully a full one day). Since my first Half, I've ran 3 more. It really shows you what you can accomplish with a little hard work and perseverance. Crossing the finish line is an unbelievable feeling. Another absolute love of mine is Yoga. I have a lot of love and respect for Yoga (Hot Yoga). I've also learned that it is absolutely imperative for well rounded fitness to do strength training, which is the most challenging for me (weight training is not my favorite activity). Lastly, I've learned that I hate diets (with tons of restrictions) and refuse to do so...life is too short not to enjoy the cookies I love to bake (especially with my kiddos).

My approach to fitness

*stay real (dirty dishes are still in the sink because I chose to workout first)

*work hard, if you're making time out to exercise, make it count

*get knowledgeable

*do your favorite exercises but be open to the ones you least like because it's good for you

*move your body or get in a workout at least 20 minutes as day

*No excuses, don't quit

My approach to healthy eating

*stay real (I refuse to starve)

*choose as much whole foods as possible

*get knowledgeable

*80/20 rule, eat the bad stuff (if you must) only 20% of the time or less and watch your portions

*Treat yourself from time-to-time to the "real" deal (i.e. a homemade brownie with real butter), stay away from processed foods as much as possible

*Drink a ton of water!

This is a pretty easy salad I made after a 20 minute workout today (my 5 year old giving a thumbs up)

Ingredients:

Mixed Greens

Tomato Slices

1 Hard Boiled Egg

1/2 Avocado

Chopped Roasted Almonds

Homemade Vinaigrette (EVOO, balsamic vinegar and a little spice)

Yummy! There are so many healthy foods out there that taste amazing, it just takes a little effort to prepare it.

This is me getting my 20 minute workout in before I had to pick up my 5 year old from preschool with baby sleeping in background (love Her!). That's real sweat I'm showing you on my hand just after 20 minutes of circuits. No excuses!

This is the Jillian Michaels exercise DVD I was working out to that I bought at Target. Maybe cheesy to some, but with a newborn and limited time, it allowed me to get a pretty good workout in, in 20 minutes. I can't say I've always been a fan of hers (I've seen only a handful of The Biggest Loser episodes), but she's a badass and I was definitely sweating. I have a few workout DVDs which I alternate to keep from getting bored. One of my favorites is the Express 15 by Gabby Reece (another badass gal, big fan), I combine two workouts to get a full body workout. It's great for busy moms.

My very basic exercise equipment that are worth its weight in gold (no pun). Love all of them!

Always Make Time for Breakfast {egg scramble & sprouted bread}

One of my favorite meals of the day is Breakfast. I'm a firm believer that no one should ever skip out on eating breakfast as it fuels you for your whole day. Usually I keep it simple, mainly oatmeal most days, but when I have a spare minute or two I love to make egg scrambles with veggies for me and my growing family. I don't usually do omelets for the sheer fact that they always fall apart on me, so I end up with a scramble anyway. Nothing beats protein for breakfast with veggies. I also have discovered a love for Sprouted Bread, which I have read is healthier than whole wheat. I love to toast it with a little butter or peanut butter...yum. Here's a typical scramble I make with Sprouted Bread for a side. Very simple, quick and healthy.

Egg Scramble with Veggies and fresh flat leaf parsley on top (Hubby's portion, lucky man).

My usual cut-up veggies prep. Once you have the rhythm down, it's so easy and quick.

I saute the veggies first with a little canola oil, set aside, cook eggs then add veggies back in.

Love this bread, a little on the pricey side but well worth it.

Life With 3...

It's sad for me to say, this is my first post for the new year, but I have been a little busy. Happy belated new year to everyone! I hope its been a good year so far.

I think most of you by now know that I was due with baby #3 in February. Baby Tessa (as my hubby and I finally agreed on a name), was born 19 days early on January 27th. She was tiny and perfect at 5lbs 13ozs. and 19 inches long. Her birth was pretty exciting to say the least. To make a long story short, my water had broken the morning of the 27th. As my history with birthing would have it, I did not feel any contractions right away. My husband took me to be checked out by my midwife at noon and still no contractions and only 2 centimeters dilated. I was advised by BJ, my amazing midwife who helped birth my other two babies, to take Castor Oil to get the contractions going. Castor Oil acts as natural laxative that irritates your uterus if taken while pregnant and can get contractions started. I took some Castor Oil mixed with Root Beer, as recommended, at 3pm and finally I started feeling mild contractions by 7pm. By 8pm my contractions went from mild to "hello!" As we were packing up to go to the birthing center (where I was to have a natural birth anyway), baby Tessa was born at approximately 8:09pm at home. My awesome, amazing, and very calm husband caught the baby and everyone was fine and healthy. My midwife met us at the house 20 minutes later and did all the vitals on myself and the baby. I also can not forget to mention my sister was present and was an amazing help. It turned out to be an accidental "home birth", but a blessing in disguise.

Since then I get asked a lot of questions.

Was it scary? There was actually no time to be scared, as it happened so quick, and the complete confidence I had in my husband to take care of me and the baby was huge. And, having birth twice before, I kind of knew what I was in for. If this had been my first baby, it would probably have been a lot more scarier.

Why did you choose not to have an epidural? There is really no profound answer to this, but it's simple, over 7 years ago with the birth of my first daughter, after talking with many people about birth options, this is the path I chose and committed to with the very loving support of my husband and family, as I firmly believe the less drug intervention the better. When I can and able to, I go the natural route and granted my all my pregnancies were considered low risk which helped. Natural birthing aided by a midwife is something I am very passionate about and hope other women would consider it. Sure things can go wrong like with most anything, but having a child there is no guarantee, like most anything. It boils down to trust what your body was made to do, handle complications, if and any, as they come, have a solid support system (husband, sister, mom, midwife, friend, etc.) and most importantly know your options. It's often I have conversations about natural birthing and other women get so curious and ask a lot of questions and at the end of the conversations, they say "wow, I didn't know that was even an option." I certainly respect when a C-Section is needed and if a woman does not want to go the natural route for birthing. For me, this was the most amazing way to experience all 3 of my daughters births with my husband very involved with all 3 (especially the 3rd). It sounds crazy, but it's a magical moment to feel your body birthing, finding the calm all of us have, yet passed over by many out of fear. Although not easy at times, I appreciated every minute of it, the experience, for it's life changing.

So where are we now?!? Fast forward four weeks later and life with 3 kids...

1. The baby is four weeks old and thriving and older sisters are adjusting just fine

2. Our household just got even louder and I swear I do enough laundry a week for an entire village (of little people and one green giant)

3. I'm addicted to Pinterest and Polyvore (fun things to do to pass the time while breastfeeding at 1 or 2am in the morning)

4. I vaguely remember who my husband is...although he was sweet enough to take me to sushi the other night out of the blue...date nights, very important, even if its just to go grocery shopping at Trader's b/c the kids need lunches for school and milk...

5. I am overwhelmed with gratitude at all the help, food, gifts and well wishes we've received - in fact I have to get my thank you notes out...I hope my friends and family will forgive me

6. Sleep, I will meet up with you again one day...

7. I got my first 2 mile run in today...feels good to get these rickety legs going

8. I'm in heaven as I write this post (hoping there are not too many grammatical errors) , my older girls are playing (hopefully nicely) in the backyard, hubby went for a run and the baby is asleep on my chest.

Life is what you make it, appreciate every twist and turn...it's a beautiful day in SoCal.

Eat and Eat More Often...

When I started training for 1/2 Marathons about 2 years ago now, I really had to rethink my strategy on food as fuel. Before I would eat relatively healthy but would only have 3 meals a day. After months and months of training, not only did my appetite get increasingly more demanding, but my body really needed to fuel and fuel more often. After reading countless articles both in fitness magazines and on the web, I decided that I would try to eat every 2-3 hours. What I have learned and have tried to incorporate every day:

1) It is best to eat within an hour after your metabolic fast meaning within an hour after you wake up in the morning.

2) Eat every 2-3 hours (set alarms if you have to) and not big portions (about 250-300 calories per meal, but if you're very active 400-450 is probably more realistic).

3) It is a good idea to eat a small but satisfying meal (example: whole toast w/peanut butter or a 12 oz. smoothie) before a workout. I know there are just some people who can not eat before a workout, but I almost always have to for energy, unless I do yoga - better to practice yoga on empty tummy.

4) Drink, drink, drink WATER...this is still very challenging for me and I work at. I'd rather drink coffee all day, if I could.

5) Make wise food choices for every meal, so it counts as good fuel. We all know the difference between nutrient rich and not. Basic rule, stay away, far away from processed!

6) Most important is just be conscious of food as fuel and TRY, but do not obsess on structuring meals perfectly. Also, learn to love the foods that are good for you...for me, that was oatmeal and a handful of veggies.

You want your body to use food it needs and not store what it does not need. The idea is not to let your blood sugar drop in levels which encourages overeating. Once your blood sugar level drops, the body goes into somewhat of a panic mode and eats up muscles and holds on to and stores fat for reserves. Eating smaller meals more frequently works for me. I know everyone is different and it takes planning (I won't lie), so find what works for you, and most of all move your body as much as you can and EAT well!

Here's a typically good day of eating for me:

Breakfast: between 6:30 am - 7:15 am (usually)

Oatmeal, oh - how I love thee...oatmeal with slivered almonds, sliced bananas, and a cup of coffee (decaf for now)

Lunch: between 12pm - 1:30 pm

Usually for lunch, I will have a salad with some sort of protein (mostly chicken) and lite dressing. Try to go for the rich green leaves, this is an ok example of a typical salad.

Dinner: between 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Although dinner in my household varies a lot, this might be one typical dinner. I am not afraid to eat pasta for dinner nor bread, my balance is I try to go for whole grains and/or whole wheat varieties. This meal: angel hair pasta with turkey meatballs and marinara sauce, homemade whole wheat buttermilk garlic herb biscuit, and a side of arugula salad (love the taste of arugula, so nutty and unique)

1st Snack: between 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Typically a simple banana, yogurt, or smoothie (I may even have a smoothie for breakfast)

2nd Snack: 1pm - 4pm

After lunch and before dinner, usually fruit (fresh or dried), a smoothie, whole wheat crackers, or nuts (usually almonds)

My weakness in snacking, CHOCOLATE! My counter measure: give in when I really want it! But, I try to have on hand some semi-sweet chocolate chips. A few of these usually takes care of any chocolate craving and I feel satisfied without the guilt. On the same note, I do eat dessert once or twice a week (maybe even 3), but again I try to go for the all natural (stuff the body can actually breakdown), preferably homemade and not from a box. Moderation, not deprivation!

Crazy for Crepes!

November was a slow month for me blogging. I was so busy with kids stuff (end of soccer celebrations, classroom volunteering, girls scouts, prenatal appointments, you name it!) and oh yeah hubby needed my attention somewhere in there too. Then to cap off the month, our family hosted Thanksgiving, which is always great because I love to feed people! But it was hard to get a minute to pound the keyboard for thoughts.

Story Telling Time:

After hosting Thanksgiving and eating up a few days worth of left-overs "this and that turkey stuff," I was over it! Luckily, hubby is so resourceful (I adore him so much!)...(long story, short) he came across a coupon on Amanzon.com that had an amazing deal for a local restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA serving, non other than, specialty CREPES. The name of the restaurant is Rockin Crepes, off of Atlanta and Magnolia. What a find! It was dinner time and we were all hungry for anything but left-overs...crepes sounded perfect, the other end of the spectrum from a fall feast and the restaurant was opened for dinner. Great, let's get to gettin'...

We arrived at our destination and it was kind of hard to find at first as it is tucked away next to a UPS Store and some other small store (perhaps a tanning salon, it was HB). It was not busy at all, but it was a weeknight after all. Hmmm, could this be good?!? Open minded and a hungry belly, I was game. Looking around, it was obvious why the restaurant was called "Rockin Crepes" for the love of all that is Rockin! (I'm more of a Top 40 listener myself much to my hubby's dislike who's all time fav band is RUSH - yes ladies, opposites DO attract!). Ready for this, the decor, rows of Marshall amps (only my father-in-law could appreciate) painted on one wall, painted on the opposite wall was a chain linked fenced, rock-n-roll and sports banners splashed all around, the tables were decoupaged with pictures of rockstar icons including KISS of course (I got flashbacks of my cousin Sal's room in the 80's), and an occasional skull and crossbones as a final touch. For someone who has studied professional commercial interiors, you would think this would be destructive to my aesthetic sensibility, but not a all, it was very comfortable. The service was great! After talking with our very young waiter (all of 15 years old, very nice kid, skater type), we came to find that it is a family owned restaurant and Jimmy, our garçon (French for waiter - we are talkin about crepes), was the son of the owner. We studied the menu coming across crepes named "Alice Cooper", which the my girls ended up ordering and sharing, "Black Sabbath", "AC/DC" just to name a few. I ended up eating "Poison" and hubby ordered "Saxon"...all were savory crepes, although the menu had a wide impressive list of both savory and sweet. It was delicious and beautifully made, in the simplest terms!!! And, a full bar to boot. I definitely recommend it and would go back again and again.

Reviews in, restaurant review 4 stars for "Rockin Crepes", Huntington Beach, CA http://www.rockincrepeshb.com. Great atmosphere, great and friendly service and most of all Rockin Good Crepes! Good on them, for pairing such a delicate fare such as crepes with hard edge rock-n-roll! (Just as an aside, Jimmy Bennett, our garçon, is somewhat of a celeb in his own right, feel free to IMdb or Google him and you'll see what I mean. What was most impressive is that his parents had obviously instilled that it is important to help with the family business despite a little fame, love it!)

This morning:

I have been known to cook up my own crepes from time to time. This morning was the morning, I just felt like reinstating my ever improving, skill seeking of crepe making. I have only tackled sweet crepes, but with my new found restaurant of inspiration, I hope to tackle some savory for future...

Semi-sweet Chocolate Filled Crepes. Looks so innocent, but so mouth-watering good.

Fancy Crepe Ladle that measures the right amount of batter for my crepe pan precisely (it was a wedding gift). The amount is about equal to a 1/4 cup measure, so if you don't have a fancy ladle from William-Sonoma, a 1/4 measuring cup is just fine.

This is my special non-stick crepe pan about 8" round (with a perfectly cooked crepe on top :-)). My mother-in-law gave me this pan as gift about 9 years ago along with neat crepe recipe book. She was always so thoughtful in a culinary sense, giving me cookbooks, kitchen tools, and small appliances. I think it was to ensure that her son will be well fed. Smart woman, for at that time 9 years ago, I literally could burn water. Back then eggs were about the only thing I could do right. But, the upside is I am the perfect example that "anyone" can learn to cook decently and deliciously. Below is my go to crepe recipe...try making it fresh...it's incredible!

RECIPE: Plain Flour Crepes (I use this recipe for sweet crepes)

1-3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs

2 cups nonfat milk

2 oz. unsalted butter (or half a stick - 4 tablespoons)

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Beat the eggs in a second bowl, incorporating one cup of milk. Pour the mixture into the flour well and whisk vigorously until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Melt the butter in the microwave, in a microwave safe bowl, for about 45 seconds, let cool a bit. Add the remaining milk and slightly cooled melted butter a little at a time to batter.

Let the batter stand for at least one hour. This step can not be skipped otherwise you will get a different texture. It's worth the wait!

Heat crepe pan and grease a bit with butter if needed. Pour batter and spread either with a special crepe tool spreader (for lack of better term) or simply swirl the pan until you get it evenly coated with a thin layer of batter. Cook crepes at moderately low heat until it slides when pan is slightly shaken about 1-2 minutes. Turn over once and cook for another minute. Serve with fresh fruit, fruit preserves, chocolate, whipped cream, powdered sugar, maple syrup...the list of sweet fillings are endless, get creative!

Peanut Butter Blossoms with Hershey's Kisses

Most of the time life is not about complicated things. My husband's birthday was a few days ago. And, it's the little and simple things that really make him happy (next to flying an airplane, of course). I thought I would surprise him with one of his all time favorite cookies, "Peanut Butter Blossoms". His grandmother (Mima) use to make this when he was a kid, so it's a classic for him and very nostalgic of his childhood. These cookies could not be any easier. There are many versions of this recipe, including one that calls for prepackaged peanut butter cookie mix, but it is really so much better to make your own from scratch. This was so simple that I did not even need to whip out the mixer. I just used a wooden spoon to mix everything. I got the kids involved by unwrapping the Hershey's Kisses (that was probably the most time consuming part) and they also placed them on top of each cookie....so much fun for them. Below is a recipe made with whole wheat flour that still captures this classic cookie's profile but very homemade and oh so good!!!

Peanut Butter Blossoms with Hershey's Kisses

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt (just a little to bring out the flavor)

1/4 cup sugar (to roll cookies in)

Approximately 48 milk chocolate Hershey’s kisses, unwrapped (I'm going to try dark chocolate next time)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, milk and continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (If dough is too soft, refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes.) Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. ENJOY!

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen

Spiced Almonds

One of the foods I love to snack on are nuts. They're easy to transport and pack a lot of nutrition in a small amount. I love almost every variety of nuts. I especially love almonds, whether it's plain, savory or sweet. I have included below a really simple and easy spiced almond recipe that give these nuts just a little kick.

Almonds are not only loaded with high quality protein (6 grams per one ounce), but they are rich in vitamin E, fiber, and vitamin B to name a few.

Spiced Almonds

Ingredients

2 cups whole unsalted almonds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl.

In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Stir the spices into the oil and cook, stirring until warm, about 30 seconds. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are warm and the spices are evenly distributed. Add the hot pepper sauce and stir to distribute. Remove the almonds from the pan and allow them to cool before serving.

Sunday Dinner: Main Dish - Tilapia, Dessert - Flan

Pan-seared Tilapia with Steamed Rice and Brussels Sprouts

I love Sunday family dinners. On tonight's menu: Fish. I was raised on fish, but cooking fish at home is tricky. First picking very fresh fish is important, and it cooks really fast, so you have tend to it every second. The advantage of cooking fish at home, rather than getting it at a restaurant, is that even the really good restaurants cook fish in a lot of butter. Let's face it, butter makes it taste good, so you keep coming back. Here's a really quick, simple, healthier Pan-Seared Tilapia recipe that anyone can tackle.

Pan-Seared Tilapia

Ingredients

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Rinse tilapia fillets in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each fillet with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish; gently press each fillet into the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook the tilapia in the hot oil until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes per side. Brush the melted butter onto the tilapia in the last minute before removing from the skillet. Serve immediately.

...and for dessert, Flan. Again, another food that I grew up eating, the Filipino culture has a lot of custard desserts (known as leche flan). My grandmother made the BEST flan desserts ever! I'm in a state of nostalgia every time I have a piece. The key, similar to fish, is not to over cook flan. The silky texture is destroyed with over cooking, check if it's done about 10 minutes before recommended cook time. This is a once in a while dessert because it is very rich, but it's Sunday Dinner, so a treat is in order, baked fresh. Below is a simple Kahlua Flan recipe that will wow!

Flan...one word, Silky Yummy! Ok, maybe two words...

Kahlua Flan

(Emeril Lagasse recipe)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur (recommended: Kahlua)
• Mexican chocolate shavings and cocoa powder, garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat until it starts to melt. Lower the heat and cook until caramelized to a golden brown. (Do not stir or touch the sugar, but swirl the pan to melt evenly.)

Pour into a metal flan mold or 9-inch cake pan. Turn the dish and swirl to evenly coat the bottom. Let caramel cool and harden.

Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and add hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the condensed and evaporated milks and Kahlua and whisk well to blend. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until set and just firm in the center but still jiggles slightly, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

To serve, run a thin sharp knife around the rim of the flan. Place a platter or large plate on top of the flan and gently flip over so the plate is on the bottom. Lift away the mold. Garnish with powdered cocoa and top with Mexican chocolate shavings.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

He Grills Meat, I Cook Sides...

For as long as we have been together and that I can remember, my husband grills and I cook up the sides. It works for us. And, he loves to grill steak once in a while. When we treat our family to a steak dinner, it has to be planned with delicious, classic sides. This meal is accompanied by garlic mashed potato, roasted brussels sprouts and buttermilk cheddar biscuits. It seems like such an indulgence, which it is, but I keep in control of nutrition by watching my portion (key!) and making everything fresh from scratch (keeping ingredients as health conscious as possible, but allow such ingredients as butter, when a recipe calls for the real thing). I truly believe you can have what you really want to eat, just eat less of it (everything in moderation), keep active, and learn to cook it up yourself...fresh! It may take some practice. I really had to get into the rhythm of cooking. It takes a while, at least for me. My approach to cooking fresh, keep it simple, try different foods and then challenge yourself. Here's a glimpse of our steak family dinner...

Our busy little kitchen, a whole lot going on. Preping the brussels sprouts for roasting. Shredding cheese for biscuits...

This is the biscuit dough before kneading and rolling out. Yes, there is real butter involved and so good! There is nothing like homemade biscuits. (recipe below)

The beautiful brussels sprouts right before they go into oven (trimmed & cut in quarters). Tossed in olive oil, salt & pepper then spread out on baking sheet, that's it. Roast at 425 degrees for about 20 mins. Brussels sprouts are high in fiber and vitamin C.

Time to eat! A juicy, perfectly grilled steak with garlic mashed potato (you can substitute sweet potato for a healthier option), roasted brussels sprouts and buttermilk cheddar biscuit. It took a lot of persistent offering of brussels sprouts, but the kids see us eating them and now they eat it too. This is hubby's portion, I eat about half except for the veggies. A glass of Cab (only a couple sips for me due to Bambino) to round it off...oh, so delicious!!!

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients

· 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (I used whole wheat flour)

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

· 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

· 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken (I used low-fat buttermilk)

· 1 cold extra-large egg

· 1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar

· 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk

· Maldon sea salt, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add thecheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 8 biscuits

Oatmeal Before The MS150 2011

Riding for the cure! Final prep...so proud!

I was up at 4:30am today, bright and early as they say, to send off hubby on his 4th MS150 Bike Tour. The MS150 Bay to Bay Bike Tour is a huge and amazing fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis.

http://bikecas.nationalmssociety.org

Participants ride 150 miles over 2 days from Orange County to San Diego County, CA. It's a challenge and a lot of fun! Sadly, I have to sit out this year, but proud to cheer my hubby and friends on.

So what does wifey feed hubby for early breakfast who's about to ride over 100 miles on his bike? Simple oatmeal and eggs. A combination of complex carbohydrates and complete protein. Perfect fuel for a long ride. I had to really learn to love oatmeal, and even when I finally made a habit of eating it, I ate the wrong type (instant). I have now seen the error of my way. When you have oatmeal, opt for the steel cut oats (preferably organic) variety because it is less processed. It takes a little longer to cook, but well worth it. Add fruit, nuts and dash of brown sugar for flavor. Oatmeal is also great for children's breakfast instead of boxed cereal which contain, as we know, a ton of unnecessary sugar. Oatmeal is one of the best simple breakfasts and so good for you!

Steel Cut Oats

The finished meal with a little walnuts, dash of brown sugar, side of berries and scrambled eggs.