Cookies and Crew

Hello, hello!
I'm still trying to figure out my new semester's schedule - which will explain my random and sporadic posting.  I really want to get back to 1-2 posts a day :( I miss it.  Don't worry, I'll work it out soon!

There has been tons going on around here!
New workouts, new recipes - my life has turned upside down!

Breakfast:
My favorite breakfast recently has been some form of cereal, peanut butter, bananas, and blueberries.  It's especially delicious when you get to the bottom of a pb jar and you get to fill it up with goodies and top it off with almond milk! Um, yum.

Each bite had the perfect peanutbutter - banana - cereal ratio and I was in heaven...
for about 3 minutes until I finished it :(

Carrot Walnut Cookies
Somehow, among all the chaos of the week, I found the time to do a little baking.
I stumbled across this recipe on the Whole Foods recipe page and it seemed like a winner - carrot cake is kind of my kryptonite, so I figured a healthier, cookie-version might be a good idea.
it was.

Adapted from Whole Foods Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup apple juice
** I subbed in pumpkin pie spice in place of ginger, 1/3 cup of egg substitute in place of the banana, and 1/4 cup of cranberry juice in place of apple juice. I also added a tsp of salt and 3 packets of sweetener - just because of the ingredients I had on hand.

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine walnuts, oats and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Add carrots, apple, banana and apple juice and stir until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies. Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten slightly. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition: about 60-80 calories per cookie (depending on which ingredients you use)

I enjoyed 4 of these cookies right out of the oven.... and kept enjoying them until they ran out!

Workouts:
I've been running again, thank goodness. 
I did a nice 8 miles on Wednesday and an easy 10.8 yesterday (Friday).

However, there may be a new workout in my future: crew team.
The lightweight crew coach has been trying to get me to join the team, so this past week I went to an "erg" workout - stationary rowing machine - and an on-water workout!!  It was sooooo cool!

I expressed my concerns about being able to maintain my running schedule while rowing, and the coach said he would work with me so I'd be able to do both.  I'm not 100 percent sure I'm ready for this commitment - and the 5 am practices, 4 times a week - but right now, it's something I'm up to exploring!!  It's certainly a good workout, and it's absolutely beautiful when you all row in sync.

Has anyone ever rowed before?  Crew team??

I'm off to nap! And head out for a run with Lisa before heading to work!
Who said Saturdays were rest days....

Banana Creme Pie Trifle

The title says it all.  It really does.
Well, unless you want the recipe...

I was in a baking mood this afternoon.  And I created the best thing I've ever eaten. No joke.

Banana Creme Pie Trifle
Yields: 12-16 1 cup servings

Ingredients:
- The Cake Layer
          - 1 box of yellow cake mix
          - 2 eggs
          - 1 1/3 cup of water
          - 1/3 cup of applesauce
- Sugar-free Banana Cream Pudding (or any other desired flavor)
          - 1 package of sugar free banana pudding mix
          - 1 cup of skim milk
          - 1 cup of almond milk
- Cheesecake Cool Whip Layer
          - 1 tub of Cool Whip (can use reduced fat or light)
          - 1 package of sugar free cheesecake mix
          - 1/2 cup of almond milk
- 1 sliced banana

Instructions:

- preheat oven to 350 and prepare the cake mix as instructed, using applesauce in place of oil for a healthy substitution.  Baked as instructed. 

- while cake is baking, prepare the pudding mix in one bowl and the cool whip mix in a different bowl and place in refrigerator until the cake is done. 

- remove cake and let cool.  Then crumbled with a fork. 

- in a container, begin to layer the cake, the pudding mixture, and the cool whip mixture.  Repeat until all ingredients are used up!  Then, top with sliced bananas. 

I scooped a giant serving... just to test it out.
OH MY GOODNESS, it's like banana creme pie... but better.

It's rather healthy too!
Love me because it's delicious, hate me because it's addicting. 

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

Guess who's officially approaching her thirties now!!!

Okay, well... technically I just turned twenty - but that means the next big one is the 3-0.  As you can tell, I'm already experiencing the quarter life crisis.

You know what helps?  A day full of your all-time favorite things to celebrate another year :)

So... Sister and I went to Costco yesterday.  And, of course, we had to pick up a Vanilla and Butter Cream sheet cake that feeds 48 -- or possibly 6 hungry people.  We broke into the birthday cake after dinner last night because we just had to.  I mean, we kind of needed a head start.

This morning was spent running around.

Easy 10 miles spent listening to my new favorite Glee songs!!
Chiropractor appointment.

Picked up Sister and headed to one of my all-time favorite restaurants: PANERA BREAD.

I don't know what it is... but Panera's had my heart for a little over three years now.  I think they caught me with that cinnamon crunch bagel and reeled me in with the Thai Crunch Salad and Half a Tuna Sandwich on Honey Whole Wheat.  I wish it was "You Pick 4 and 1/2 a baguette" instead of the you pick two...

Then we went grocery shopping for some ingredients -- it's Christmas Cookie TIME!
What?  How did these end up in our cart... and then my mouth?

Follow up cookie baking with a nap and Crazy, Stupid Love? and my birthday was already perfect.  Howeverrrr -- we had some prime reservations for Birthday Dinner!!!

I had Yelped "Best Carrot Cake" in San Diego.... and I chose my restaurant based on the cake alone.  Little did I know that the food would be just as spectacular.

Truluck's in La Jolla -- best seafood and steak ever.

Any place that starts you off with a warm loaf of some whole wheat nut bread and a loaf of french bread is already a winner in my book.  While we munched, we analyzed the menu (there were wayyy too many amazing choices... it took me longer than a minute!)

I had some great company, which is truly what made my birthday special.
Mom and Arnie (Arnie treated us to this divine meal sent from God himself).

Gram and Ryan (Gram was obviously too excited to sit still).

Sister!! We got those Twilight eyes going on...

 

After we ordered our appetizers and our entrees, it was time to open my presents! I already opened presents from my mom (VITAMIXER!!!) and my sister (KATE SPADE WALLET SET!)

But I got this ultra cool apron from my Grams:

A really gorgeous Alex and Ani Ring from my mom (she spoils me) -- although she was more excited about her pro wrapping job than the present itself.

And GODIVA CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES + Jamba juice + Starbucks gift cards from Brother! Obviously my family knows me well...

Our appetizers arrived just as we were done goofing around.
We ordered some Salt and Pepper Calamari with this amazing sweet & sour sauce... the calamari literally melted in your mouth!

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes which were probably the best thing I've ever had.  Well, until our entrees came... the crab cakes were basically all fresh and buttery crab meat (very little bread crumbs), which is a sign of some high-quality cakes!

Sweet potato fries -- which are always delicious!

Just judging from the appetizers, we knew we were going to be in for a treat once our main courses rolled around.  The waitstaff informed us that all of the seafood had been fresh caught within the last 24 hours, never frozen, and caught by their own boat & crew.  Straight from the sea to my dinner plate?  This place was top-notch!

Sister and Mom ordered the jumbo shrimp with roasted brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and portabella mushrooms. Look at the size of those babies!! WOW.

I ordered the Cioppani -- stewed tomatoes in an herb sauce with mussels, fresh fish, calamari, and shrimp.  Grilled bread for dipping! Um the mussels were so big we were joking that they were genetically altered... kind of like Frankenstein.  And the fish was falling apart in my mouth! AH!

We also got two orders of Crab Cake Mac and Cheese for side orders.  Okay, this is one of the most decadent and most delicious things I've probably ever had!  Home made, creamy mac and cheese with some buttery crab cakes mixed in?  Winner.

Brother got the South African Lobster and Gram got the Miso Glazed Sea Bass with Crab Fried Rice -- I think Arnie got the Seared Ahi Tuna, all of which I sampled and fell in love with.  There honestly wasn't a single "loser" dish!

Our waiter - Andrew - surprised me with a birthday card signed by all of the cooks and waitstaff who made my meal AND a chocolate cupcake and a carrotcake cupcake!

I made a pretty great wish and I'm hoping it comes true this year :)
If not, there's always my back up plan: live in my wealthy and successful sister's basement with her dog and her future husband....

You would think we would be either stuffed or content with our jumbo cupcakes... but there was no way I was going to miss out on dessert.  After all, that was the reason we came in the first place!

Coconut Cream Pie with a Shortbread Crust and Whipped Topping. This was perfectly dense and fluffy AND the shortbread cookie crust was kind of to die for... Mom dominated this sucker.
 

My Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Candied Pecans, and Caramel Sauce. UM, Arnie almost lost a finger when he tried to get a bite from me -- sorry, Arnie! -- I was all over this dessert.  This is the carrot cake that dreams are made of. 

And the "Chocolate Sack" -- a container made of semi-sweet chocolate and filled with sweet cream, pound cake cubes, fresh berries, whipped cream, and chocolate morsels. Topped with melted milk chocolate. 
 

OH MY GOOOOOODNESS.  I kept joking that if we died and went to heaven, I'd have to request two burial plots because I would no longer fit into just one.  Damn desserts... sooo good.

There was some joking around after dinner, as usual.
And some family photos!

Over all, I'd have to say this was truly a special night, thanks to a perfect dinner and my perfect family.  To be honest, I could have eaten at McDonald's with this group of people and still enjoyed every moment...

HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I Say Goodbye, I Say Hello!

GOODBYE BAY AREA!!

Yesterday (Saturday) was officially the first day of my winter break - and the last day in my cozy little campus town.... After all the craziness of finals, I was almost sad to leave!

But... let's be honest.  Home > School, any day of the week.

So, around 8 am I set off on a run and for once, I wasn't in the mood for any of my normal routes.  I decided to hit the trails (for the first time this year!) and take an easy recovery run through the hills.  Beautiful 10 mile loop and then an extra 1.5 through the campus just to say goodbye.

I started questioning my own sanity during the run: why don't I run on trails more often?!?! It was a gorgeous run and a gorgeous start to my day :)

I met up with Annie - we were the only ones left in town! - and we ran some errands and grabbed lunch before browsing around a little arts & crafts fair.

Check out my perfect sign: THE SEVEN PERSONALITY TRAITS OF CASEY. 

Unfortunately for my mom (who received a hysterical phone call), my taxi cab driver (who I threatened on multiple occasions), and the poor woman behind the ticket counter at the airport (who almost lost an eyeball when she told me I had to put tags on my bags).

I was heavy on the bitchy and the psycho...

It was a quick 80 minute flight down to SAN DIEGO, BABY!!! And I was lucky enough to be seated next to my friend on the flight! We chatted the whole way and time flew by... I also managed to convince him to sign up for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon with me!

Then...

I FINALLY GOT TO MEET ARNIE! My mom's brand new boy toy...! I felt like I already knew him, from all the great stories I've heard from my momma.  She's a happy one :) So Arnie and I clicked immediately.  Plus, one of his first questions was, "we're should we eat?" followed by "so, I made some honey orange blossom cheesecake with biscotti crust."

Um, he's a foodie.  And I think we'll get along jusssstttt fine.
We only had an hour to kill before SISTER ARRIVED FROM HAAARRVARD so we just picked up a gourmet me a la Yan Can at the airport.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Thai Peanut Sauce on the side.

OKAY!

Want to know why I love my sister so very much?
She hand carried six different kinds of cannolis from Mike's Pastry in Boston, to DC, to San Diego!!! OH MY GOD. OH MY GAGJOIDJF. 

Types: Mint chip, Hazelnut, Chocolate Amaretto, Caramel Pecan, Florentine (which tastes like a peanut butter toffee cannoli), and Strawberry! 

I demolished them.

We hung out around the house, caught up a bit, watched One Day -- saddest movie ever alive, thanks for that Mom -- and then fell asleep on the couch :) love being home!

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This morning, we all woke up around 7 -- busted out the Keurig COFFEE MACHINE
AKA: the only reason I come home to visit  :)

I'm obsessed.  Chocolate Glazed Donut Coffee?  Uh.... yes, please.

And I made a batch of Whole Wheat Vanilla Pancakes with Blueberries! And tons of maple syrup and whipped cream, just because.

Arnie took a blueberry to the shirt... those things are real squirters... watch it.

Now we have a bomb Christmas playlist and we're all MACing it up on our laptops doing various activities ranging from completely unproductive (Sister is facebook stalking....) to semi-productive (I'm blogging!) to productive (Mom is doing some work). 

Brother just got home so I'm off to hang out and go for a family run!!

LOVE BEING HOME! WITH MY FAMILY!

2 Salads and Some Salmon

I'VE MISSED YOU!!

Today officially marks that first day of finals week 2011, baby.  
We should make t-shirts.

Don't worry, I've been studying and going easy on the "bang your head against a wall" habit that I've developed :) gotta love finals week!!

Thanks to my weird coping mechanisms for dealing with high stress levels, I've been running and eating my heart out.  You would think my first instinct would be to crawl under the covers with a jar of peanut butter (okay, maybe that happened...) but I just can't sit still.

Case in point: My Saturday looked a little like this -- run 16 miles. Work. Dinner and dessert with my great friend -- LEE!!  Troy's Greek Cuisine.

We split the appetizer platter (the top photo) and then we divided and conquered the rest of the menu :) Lee ordered this amazing lamb and Gyros wrap, while I opted for a Greek salad topped with chicken souvlaki.  Salads always test better when somebody else makes them for you (I'm pretty sure that's Newton's 4th law) -- and I rarely have that much tender meat!  YUM!

Then we got froyo with all the fixins - study fuel.  Duh.

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My Sunday looked a little like this: Work. Nap. Study. Run 12.5 miles.  Dinner with Lee (again!) and studying... again.

I told Lee I start getting all clingy when I start stressing -- so I basically glued myself to him for the past 48 hours.  Poor guy... 

We had plans to go for vegetarian/vegan Japanese food - then Lee mentioned Barney's Gourmet Burgers and I was SOLD.

I went with yet another salad beast -- Grilled veggie salad topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds and a Vegan Garden Patty.  SO GOOD.

But the best part?  Carrot cake which I didn't share with Lee. 

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Okay, it's the last day before my finals start -- politcal psych tomorrow!! -- and I decided to go heavier on the studying, less on the running, and less on the eating out.

You know when you eat out, you start getting into that rut where ALL you want to do is go out for dinner??  (and dessert)... Well, today I decided to break that streak with a delicious homecooked meal.  This is just what I needed.

I woke up went to work (surprise, surprise), grabbed lunch and napped before hitting the books again!  Psychology and Arabic x 10.

I went on an easy 5 mile run -- all bundled up with long sleeves, sweats, and gloves! -- then hit the gym for a 20 minute elliptical sesh & some stretching :)  Love a good sweat!

On the menu for tonight's homecooked meal?  

Salmon and Quinoa With Veggies.

I marinated the salmon with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and lemon juice - EASY!
Then popped it in the oven at 425 for about 12-15 minutes.

While this was cooking, I sauteed some chopped crimini onions, spring onions, and broccoli. 
 

Cooked up 1/3 cup of quinoa with some Better Than Bouillon chicken stock in a cup of water.

Added the quinoa to the veggies and sauteed it all with some soysauce, salt, and pepper for few minutes and served it with my perfectly baked salmon!

It was perfect.

And packed with protein!!
I'm about to curl up with some flashcards and maybe an episode of Gilmore Girls.

Stay tuned with more updates on FINALS HELL and some delicious recipes :)