Sunday in the Kitchen with My iPod...

One of my favorite things to do is cook and sing along with my iPod.

I used to go home from school and sing at the top of my lungs until my parents came home from work. Back then it was mostly show tunes (I went through a Broadway phase at 15) and The Beatles. The Beatles are always in my heart.

I've noticed that a lot of things I became interested in at 15 are permanent parts of me to this day. At 30...a lot of things have come full circle...and Sunday I found myself singing along in my kitchen to Les Miserables, The Beatles, Paul McCartney...among some newer musical loves (The Waterboys, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nikka Costa, Rasputina, Leonard Cohen, The White Stripes, Depeche Mode, Dave Matthews Band, NoCrows, Josh Groban, Maroon 5 [yes, Maroon 5], various Celtic folk songs, etc). These all accumulated from friends and random stages I've gone through...every musical revelation coming at exactly the right time and adding to the woman I am now. I have no doubt that music will shape me throughout my lifetime.

In the morning I was mellow and bleary-eyed in the kitchen, humming along while making eggs, home fries and pan-cooked apples with butter, cinnamon and ginger...and Cappuccino!

Homefries: potatoes, garlic, fennel seeds, cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper


I'm totally in love with my Mukka cappuccino maker, by Bialetti...


In the evening, after knitting and a nap, I bopped around and sang along while making almond butter balls (mmm), washed numerous dishes and lettuce for a salad, made some cumin and chile-powdered zucchini with butter, peeled and chopped veggies, pruned my basil plant, made a Stinging Nettle infusion...drank some beer :)

Almond butter balls: 4T almond butter, 4T butter, 1 cup crushed cereal (I used honey rice puffins), a drizzle of agave nectar (no corn syrup!!), and about a half cup confectioners sugar. Mix all ingredients, form into 1 inch balls and chill. YUMMY!


Zucchini: Steamed and then tossed with a little butter, chile powder, cumin and celtic sea salt.


Carrot and Potato "Stew:" Cut up all the veggies (potatoes, carrot, onion and celery) and throw it in a pot with olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, Worcestershire pepper, and Celtic sea salt. Toss it a bit and then add half a carton of organic chicken stock, about 1/4 cup soy sauce, a sprinkle of chives and ground ginger and onion powder. Cover and simmer until potatoes are cooked through but not mushy. Serve with a veggie burger patty!



All of this is so much more fun with the music on...I decided it was a sign to close up shop at around midnight when my PM Chakra meditation music came on... :) And as I was preparing to close down, Krissy started e-mailing me more music to listen to in the kitchen (Conspiracy of Beards, from the day before...see previous blog :) Krissy is responsible for exposing me to a lot of the bands I mentioned above.

I find that I'm in a better mood throughout the day when I sing a bit in the mornings too...I'm not sure why I don't make more of a point to work this into my morning routine...have to slow down more in the morning, I guess. I certainly could have used the singing today!

Yesterday, I made a yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked (Scottish) salmon with spiced apples and a little salad.


After that I had the lovely soundtrack of a new find, Freddie Stevenson, going while I got ready for work and then on the subway. Today I waited until the walk to the train to put on some Waterboys...but it was a bit late by then! I'm currently blogging to re-gain my center. It seems to be doing the trick...although it's making me want to run home for one of those almond butter balls!

I could have used a morning in the kitchen with my iPod! Maybe tomorrow. X

Lunch with the Ladies...and Gentlemen...

I just got back from a wonderful day out with my friends Krissy and Sara. We went to the Highline Ballroom to see a wonderfully quirky group called "Conspiracy of Beards." They are a 30 Man a cappella choir that sings Leonard Cohen songs. There was a huge Bromance happening on that stage and I loved it! I've had "Chelsea Hotel" stuck in my head all day.

It was a wonderful afternoon. I got supremely silly while drinking a wee glass of Guinness (Sara and I declared that we aren't going to use the word "small" anymore). I was completely obsessed with the fact that my glass was, in reality, plastic and shorter than the Guinness can. It just seemed wrong. In fact, all the glasses were plastic except for the martini style...why do you suppose that is? And why am even wondering? No, I'm not drunk right now...just cheerfully spent after a wonderful day out with the girls.


I ate mini kobe burgers with potato straws and the house ketchup...delicious!


Everyone should have a silly day out now and then...and Spring is the perfect time to indulge a bit. There were new buds on the trees and lots of cute little dogs being walked...then we went clothes shopping. Spring has sprung.


XOXO

P.S. Krissy has blogged about the Beards...Here.

Like a Good New England Girl...

I made seafood soup :)

I bought 1/2 lb cubed fish from Fresh Direct...which consisted of salmon, tuna, swordfish and sea bass.


I'm finding out how super easy soup can be...when you don't make your own stock, anyway...



I chopped up some red onion (about medium size) and browned them with about one clove minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Then I added some diced russet potatoes (about 2-3 medium size), the fish, and liberally sprinkled it all with cajun seasoning, pepper, and some onion
powder.


Next came a carton of organic chicken stock...then I covered the whole thing and let it simmer until the potatoes were cooked through.



As an after thought, the following day I added some fresh kale. mmmmmm....

Following My Bliss...

I've been on a roll this week! Started out in a less than happy mood on Monday...and decided to send a tweet to Mike Scott on Twitter...so I bravely composed a very enthusiastic, but un-stalkeresque, note about how much I love his music and how serene I felt after listening to an album (Universal Hall) on the Subway that morning. I sent the tweet and rushed off to my knitting group all nervous after reaching out in cyber-land...as if I'd just e-mailed a boy I like. I guess, in essence, I had! LOL

He responded immediately with, "Thanks!" and a little note about giving his regards to places here in NYC.

I was grinning like a mad fool all day.

Funny how a little pebble in the pond of his day could be such a cannonball to me! Though I'd like to think I contributed to a smile or cheery mood since, as my friend Krissy put it, "He's always contributing to your good days!" Very true.

Anyway...it turned my attitude around....and got me back into listening to The Waterboys on the walk to, and on, the subway in the morning; this apparently helps keep me on track (no pun intended).

Monday night, after meeting with my Women Artist's Salon, I (against my more responsible instincts) went out for drinks at a brilliant place called Apotheke. It's a nouveau speakeasy! One of the drinks concocted for me was called "The Smoking Jacket" and it contained single malt scotch. I had to try it, of course...it was aptly named...sort of reminded me of Laphroaig.

Tuesday started off with a Dr.'s appointment, in which my doctor lectured me about food and everything else I've come to believe in. I won't be giving her the link to this blog, that's for sure! So, what did I do immediately after my appointment? I went out to lunch with some ladies from my office to St. Andrews, a Scottish (sigh) bar and restaurant, for a pint of Bellhaven "Wee Heavy" Ale and Haggis :)

*Photo courtesy of Heather and her camera phone!*

It made me feel warm and fuzzy all day...

Wednesday, during my walk to the the train, I saw a license plate that read, "LIVEGOOD" and thought, "Damn right" ...while listening to The Waterboys and wearing plaid leggings...

Thursday, I thought might be light on Scottishness, but then I found out that the newest "Outlander" book by Diana Gabaldon has a publication date! Wee! These books introduced me to the idea of visiting Scotland, back in 2004, and the rest is history. I also found out about a Scottish networking website, when I went to her official site about the book, called Panalba (and promptly joined). Then, I e-mailed Craig Ferguson (fingers crossed they read it on air)! In addition to all this, my friend/co-worker Glen (shout out to Glen!) said he sat in front of 2 Scotsmen on the train ride in to the office. Sigh...the weather was a bit British too...On the way home I snuggled up in the lovely rain hat I bought near the Grass Market in Edinburgh this past August.

Today is Friday...not much Scottish has happened today, besides my red tartan jacket and watching last night's Craig Ferguson (repeat) over breakfast...there was some kilt action, which is always a treat...wink.

The Universe is constantly putting Scotland in front of me, and I am always more than happy to greet it...Even my doctor was wearing a long red tartan women's kilt on Tuesday (totally random since she's Asian). Tartan week is fast approaching too...

I have plans to visit Iona and Edinburgh in the fall...which can't come fast enough...although I need the time to save for it!

I guess my point with this particular blog entry is to follow your bliss...where ever it takes you. Take chances and follow your instincts; basically, find what makes you feel warm and fuzzy :)

The first time I stepped off the bus in Edinburgh I felt as if I'd returned home...it's certainly a bliss worth following.

I've Lived Here Before
by The Waterboys

i've lived here before in days of old
i recognise these buildings in my soul
i know each winding road
and every rise
is friendly and familiar to my eyes

i've lived here before i do believe
i have rejoiced in these fields and i've grieved
i can feel it in my blood
that i belong
to this strange and stony rock i stand upon

yet i cannot put a name upon it
i cannot place the time
nor see the land as it once was
nor tell which house was mine
no i cannot put a name upon it
which was where and when
yet here i am
a perfect stranger
home again

there's confusion in my head as i depart
but a singing, ringing, soaring in my heart
for beyond all time and space and doubt
i know
i've lived here before
long ago

Thanksgiving Salad!

I LOVE this salad...


Mixed greens...dried cranberries, pecans, gorgonzola, organic roasted turkey breast....I pan-cooked the pecans in some raspberry balsamic vinegar...then tossed the salad with the vinegar and olive oil...salt and pepper.

Definitely something to be thankful for...LOL

Heavenly Chocolate and Brie Panini

A while back I made these brie paninis with chocolate and fresh basil....recipe courtesy of The Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis

AMAZING!!!

I made them in a frying pan because I don't have a panini press...another thing I covet :)

Panini with Chocolate and Brie


I paired it with a salad of wild rice, chopped walnuts, edamame, and dried cranberries (recipe courtesy of Prevention Magazine):


Cranberry Edamame Wild Rice Salad
In lg bowl, combine 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tsp olive oil, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss with 1/2 c cooked wild rice, 1/2 c fresh or frozen and thawed shelled edamame (beans), 2 Tbsp fruit juice-sweetened dried cranberries, and 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts. Serve at room temperature.


This salad was part of a great article about getting the right amount of veggies into your diet:

"The Veggie Factor"



The panini was sinfully delicious....the basil, chocolate and cheese paired together so well! I made the paninis all week...until I ran out of brie....mmmm.

Snack Attack!

Just in case anyone thinks I'm some sort of organic guru...

I LOVE junk food...once in a while. I suppose you could have gotten that idea from my Muppet party blog...but I did try and "health" the food up as much as possible for that event.

This week I've been having major snack attacks and I have learned that if I don't follow where my tummy leads me...I will inevitably become pretty angry :)

So, what did I indulge in this week? A trip to McDonald's, with a friend, for a Shamrock Shake (which are discontinued, gasp!) on St. Patrick's Day turned into a snack of cheeseburger and Med Fries (followed by a Scottish beer when I got home). The cravings spilled over into the office on Wednesday where I indulged in some amazingly satisfying cheez-its and, my favorite, pepperoni pizza!!! Pepperoni pizza would be my last meal if I was ever on death row (have you ever played that game?) Funny side note about the pizza (or maybe it's just messed up) but the pizza boxes were plastered with ads for an exercise device called "The Ab Rocket." It made me laugh as I took my second slice.

The icing on the junk food cake was a Dr. Pepper...which tasted like liquid gold! When I was a kid I used to always order root beer when I had pepperoni pizza at Papa Ginos...so Dr. Pepper was a pretty good match.



The best part? My body didn't rebel against me after all this because I didn't go hog-wild with the portions...just enough to satisfy...or at least because I ran out of cheez-its LOL.

It's so sinfully delicious to indulge once in a while. Sort of makes me feel like a kid...when going to McDonald's was a treat and snack food was fun.