After a craving one evening for some blueberry muffins, I awoke in the morning with very little time to spare, but with a decision to deliver on the muffin front. I found and adapted a recipe online, and luckily, we had everything in the house for the preparation.
If you are in a real pinch for time but want to whip something up, this very quick muffin recipe will surely impress and satisfy. I made them with ten minutes to spare before I packed up to go to the airport. I let them bake while I was stuffing my suitcase.
The recipe only makes 6 muffins: just a little sampler or an á la minute breakfast. What sets these apart from the rest is the mix of cinnamon and blueberries, but you could also substitute the blueberries for apples, bananas, chocolate chips, or a combination of any or all. I like the idea of toasting slivered almonds and chopped walnuts and mixing them with plump raisins, banana slices, and chopped apples. But I’ll save that for another breakfast, when I have a little more time.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup whole milk
1 large egg
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen blueberries
raw sugar crystals
1. Grease or place muffin liners in a 6-muffin pan. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Melt the butter and let cool momentarily. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and milk.
3. Beat the egg and add half of it to the mixture. Discard the other half.
4. In a 2-cup measuring cup or another bowl, mix the flour, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
5. Pour into the wet mix. Stir until just incorporated and then softly fold in the blueberries.
6. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, sprinkle the sugar on top, and bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Slater Mussels
Today, in Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries, my go-to cookbook for “what’s left in fridge/seasonal cooking,” he calls for a spicy, clear soup of mussels. I couldn’t agree more with his assessment of what I would like to be eating this afternoon.
The recipe is simple and refreshing. Pick up a loaf of bread, prepare the broth, and you’ll have a delicate yet hearty winter dinner.
Simmer a bundle of mussels in chicken stock. The amount of mussels you purchase merely depends on how many you’d like. As they cook and begin to open, add red chili flakes. Squeeze in juice from one lime; add a pinch of sea salt and sugar. When all of the mussels have opened, cut in some cilantro.
Serve piping hot with crusty bread and extra lime wedges and cilantro.
The recipe is simple and refreshing. Pick up a loaf of bread, prepare the broth, and you’ll have a delicate yet hearty winter dinner.
Simmer a bundle of mussels in chicken stock. The amount of mussels you purchase merely depends on how many you’d like. As they cook and begin to open, add red chili flakes. Squeeze in juice from one lime; add a pinch of sea salt and sugar. When all of the mussels have opened, cut in some cilantro.
Serve piping hot with crusty bread and extra lime wedges and cilantro.
Park Avenue Sorbet
Park Avenue Winter, that restaurant that keeps changing with each turn of the weather, has a delicious selection of ice creams and sorbets for this season. Sure, winter may not be the time that one starts to crave these frozen desserts, but the Park Ave selection will have you licking the bowl.
Chili-Chocolate is a rich, velvety treat that seems totally decadent until you realize that it’s under the sorbet grouping. That’ll have you asking for a second scoop.
Cider-Carrot is also a sorbet. The sweetness from the carrots translates well into a frozen ending. And the balance of cider mellows out the vegetablish vibe, and brings a sophisticated tang to the bright orange boule.
On the ice cream side, the Brown Butter Pecan is well worth the fuller fat. The smooth, creamy nature of the homemade dessert goes perfectly with sips of espresso in between spoonfuls.
Chili-Chocolate is a rich, velvety treat that seems totally decadent until you realize that it’s under the sorbet grouping. That’ll have you asking for a second scoop.
Cider-Carrot is also a sorbet. The sweetness from the carrots translates well into a frozen ending. And the balance of cider mellows out the vegetablish vibe, and brings a sophisticated tang to the bright orange boule.
On the ice cream side, the Brown Butter Pecan is well worth the fuller fat. The smooth, creamy nature of the homemade dessert goes perfectly with sips of espresso in between spoonfuls.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Mushroom Penne in a Pinch
A few nights ago, hungry and tired late on a raining evening, my boyfriend and I tumbled out of a birthday party. Too late to sit down to a meal and too famished to wait for take-out, we racked our brain for what was left in the refrigerator at home.
Some white button mushrooms, an onion, garlic, tri-colore pasta, celery, and a red pepper were the neglected remains of a few home cooked meals from the week prior. A quarter of a jar of marinara sauce saddled up on the side shelf. It seemed like a bare-bones collection of ingredients for a meal, but with the help of my mandoline, I was able to whip up something fast and satisfying, with a touch of gourmet.
A mandoline is a device used in many professional kitchens to slice vegetables, fruits, roots, etc. very thin. They can get fancy and expensive, but there are also extremely functional $20 versions available quite widely. Mine is from the Bowery Kitchen Supply in Chelsea Market; and, as I cook more and more, I find myself using it for more everyday preparations simply for the sake of saving time (it slices incredibly fast). The thin slices also add an air of elegance to any dish.
And such was the case on the rainy, cold evening last week. Ravenous, I knew I had to act fast. I put a pot of boiling water on as soon as we walked in the door. I then sliced the mushrooms and onions with the mandoline, heated some oil in a pan and sautéed them down, and sliced garlic into the mix and sautéed a little more. I added the pasta sauce and let the mix simmer. I boiled the pasta while I sliced the celery and the red pepper with my magic machine. I tossed the green and red mixture with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and set it on the table. When the pasta was soft, I drained it, added the mushroom sauce, and set in on the table, too.
Voilá! The tri-colore pasta laden with caramelized onions and velvety mushrooms steamed at the table. Next to it rested the refreshing little salad. There was nothing fancy or fussy about the dinner—served at midnight—but there was something incredibly luxurious about it. We lit a candle, served each other, and thoroughly enjoyed our late-night fungi on the fly.
Some white button mushrooms, an onion, garlic, tri-colore pasta, celery, and a red pepper were the neglected remains of a few home cooked meals from the week prior. A quarter of a jar of marinara sauce saddled up on the side shelf. It seemed like a bare-bones collection of ingredients for a meal, but with the help of my mandoline, I was able to whip up something fast and satisfying, with a touch of gourmet.
A mandoline is a device used in many professional kitchens to slice vegetables, fruits, roots, etc. very thin. They can get fancy and expensive, but there are also extremely functional $20 versions available quite widely. Mine is from the Bowery Kitchen Supply in Chelsea Market; and, as I cook more and more, I find myself using it for more everyday preparations simply for the sake of saving time (it slices incredibly fast). The thin slices also add an air of elegance to any dish.
And such was the case on the rainy, cold evening last week. Ravenous, I knew I had to act fast. I put a pot of boiling water on as soon as we walked in the door. I then sliced the mushrooms and onions with the mandoline, heated some oil in a pan and sautéed them down, and sliced garlic into the mix and sautéed a little more. I added the pasta sauce and let the mix simmer. I boiled the pasta while I sliced the celery and the red pepper with my magic machine. I tossed the green and red mixture with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and set it on the table. When the pasta was soft, I drained it, added the mushroom sauce, and set in on the table, too.
Voilá! The tri-colore pasta laden with caramelized onions and velvety mushrooms steamed at the table. Next to it rested the refreshing little salad. There was nothing fancy or fussy about the dinner—served at midnight—but there was something incredibly luxurious about it. We lit a candle, served each other, and thoroughly enjoyed our late-night fungi on the fly.
Good Seats
A few weeks ago, I was helping a friend with a few things near Union Square. When we’d completed our chores, we were left with empty stomachs and a craving for Mexican food. Luckily, I remembered that a branch of Rosa Mexicana was nearby. Unluckily, I realized that getting a table would be almost as difficult as getting them to return something for you at Scoop without a receipt. But, before I could get too bent out of shape, my partner in crime discovered a nook of seats behind the receptionists alter. We cozied up in the corner and snagged a passing bar busser. In no time, we were sipping margaritas, ordering from the full menu, and devouring the famous-for-a-good-reason guacamole. Next time you’re in a tizzy for tacos, remember these easy access seats!
Steak n’ Eggs At Lodge
Lodge opened as a gimmicky hipster spot in Williamsburg about a year and a half ago. The corner spot is split into bar and dining area and features glossy white antler lights and other mod-taxidermy-themed touches. I’d always been curious about checking it out but never had such a specific reason to mingle amongst the cool-than-though, Beacon’s Closet-clad set.
Brunch is reason and a half: specifically, the steak and eggs at brunch. A plate divided into a full dinner portion of flank steak, buttery scrambled eggs and diner-style potatoes make for an ideal Sunday morning combo platter.
Go with your drinking buddy from the night before and split this dish. It only costs the few bucks you managed not to spend the night before, and it’s plenty for the hung-over set. It’ll have you fully recovered—or back into bed for a well-sated afternoon nap—in no time.
Brunch is reason and a half: specifically, the steak and eggs at brunch. A plate divided into a full dinner portion of flank steak, buttery scrambled eggs and diner-style potatoes make for an ideal Sunday morning combo platter.
Go with your drinking buddy from the night before and split this dish. It only costs the few bucks you managed not to spend the night before, and it’s plenty for the hung-over set. It’ll have you fully recovered—or back into bed for a well-sated afternoon nap—in no time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Ger-ice Cakes
The rice cakes at Geronimo led me to develop my own!
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 c jasmine rice
½ c toasted, sliced almonds
¼ c soy sauce
¼ c baby capers
Panko crumbs
Salt
1. Make the jasmine rice as the package directs. Toast the almonds on a pan, being careful not to burn them. Crush them into slightly smaller bits.
2. Heat 3 inches of oil in a saucepan.
3. Stir the eggs, rice, toasted almonds, soy sauce, and capers in a large bowl to combine.
4. Roll about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a patty and then cover in panko crumbs. Repeat until all the batter is used.
5. In batches, carefully drop the patties into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about four minutes.
6. Drain and dust with a salt. Serve very hot.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 c jasmine rice
½ c toasted, sliced almonds
¼ c soy sauce
¼ c baby capers
Panko crumbs
Salt
1. Make the jasmine rice as the package directs. Toast the almonds on a pan, being careful not to burn them. Crush them into slightly smaller bits.
2. Heat 3 inches of oil in a saucepan.
3. Stir the eggs, rice, toasted almonds, soy sauce, and capers in a large bowl to combine.
4. Roll about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a patty and then cover in panko crumbs. Repeat until all the batter is used.
5. In batches, carefully drop the patties into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about four minutes.
6. Drain and dust with a salt. Serve very hot.
Art + Food at Geronimo!
While in Sante Fe a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of dining at Geronimo, an upscale eatery located on the ever-popular Canyon Road in the midst of some of the countries best art galleries. Walking into the restaurant, a space that consisted of many cozy rooms housing small groups of tables or the bar, I could deduce that where people now consumed elaborately designed plates of food, they had once gazed at intricate and sophisticated exhibitions. And, in fact, there is still very much artwork on the walls. The same local and internationally famed artists whose works hang in the bordering galleries also find their way in here.
Beyond the artwork, I was particularly struck by the more traditional aspects of the evening. The service was delightful; a young gentleman served us promptly in the bar room, unaffected by the fact that we merely wanted a few items rather than an entire, multi-coursed meal.
The menu was eclectic and extensive, with options ranging from veal to soft shell crabs to elk. Preparations were also extremely diverse: a tartare here, a homey vegetarian dish there. The myriad ingredients—albeit a particular spice or ethnic bend—easily transcended us from the mountainous West and exposed our taste buds to the entire world.
A favorite dish of mine was the Fiery Vietnamese Chile and Honey Grilled Mexican White Prawns with Almond Jasmine Rice Cakes, Baby Frisee, Red Onion Salad, and Yuzu Basil Oil. WOW! The mix of flavors—spicy punch from the chile rub, fragrant and mellow rice—and textures—the crisp outside of the rice cake and the wiry greens and the smooth shrimp—made for an easy plate to retire to the Clean Plate Club. I was truly astonished by how much I adored the entire flavor profile of the dish.
It led me to consider how I could recreate this fanciful platter in my own home. I widdled down the spicy shrimp to a Sriracha-based preparation, and the micro greens were easy to re-create (just purchase fantastically fresh baby salads, and you are golden). The rice cake, my favorite aspect, took some trial and error but proved to be fairly simple. See sidebar for recipe!
Beyond the artwork, I was particularly struck by the more traditional aspects of the evening. The service was delightful; a young gentleman served us promptly in the bar room, unaffected by the fact that we merely wanted a few items rather than an entire, multi-coursed meal.
The menu was eclectic and extensive, with options ranging from veal to soft shell crabs to elk. Preparations were also extremely diverse: a tartare here, a homey vegetarian dish there. The myriad ingredients—albeit a particular spice or ethnic bend—easily transcended us from the mountainous West and exposed our taste buds to the entire world.
A favorite dish of mine was the Fiery Vietnamese Chile and Honey Grilled Mexican White Prawns with Almond Jasmine Rice Cakes, Baby Frisee, Red Onion Salad, and Yuzu Basil Oil. WOW! The mix of flavors—spicy punch from the chile rub, fragrant and mellow rice—and textures—the crisp outside of the rice cake and the wiry greens and the smooth shrimp—made for an easy plate to retire to the Clean Plate Club. I was truly astonished by how much I adored the entire flavor profile of the dish.
It led me to consider how I could recreate this fanciful platter in my own home. I widdled down the spicy shrimp to a Sriracha-based preparation, and the micro greens were easy to re-create (just purchase fantastically fresh baby salads, and you are golden). The rice cake, my favorite aspect, took some trial and error but proved to be fairly simple. See sidebar for recipe!
CocoaVino Does Its Share
My first taste of CocoaVino Chocolate was a Drunken Fig: a decadent trifecta of dried figs, California port, and fair-trade dark chocolate. Alisha Lumea and Avril Pendergast-Fischer, patissiere and sommelier, respectively, are the masterminds behind such a luscious confection. They are also responsible for tempting millions of Manhattan women with their Olive Oil Bonbons. The extra virgin olive oil blended chocolate ganache-hazelnut treats are available at Murray’s
Cheese and online. In case justifying a chocolate indulgence with the health benefits of olive oil or fibrousness of fruit isn’t enough to grab you, CocoaVino is a completely eco-conscious company. From 100% wind-generated electricity to eco-friendly cleaning products in their facilities to the use of organic, sustainable, regional, and fair-trade ingredients, it’s practically doing the environment a disservice not to bite into a delicious hunk of CocoaVino.
Cheese and online. In case justifying a chocolate indulgence with the health benefits of olive oil or fibrousness of fruit isn’t enough to grab you, CocoaVino is a completely eco-conscious company. From 100% wind-generated electricity to eco-friendly cleaning products in their facilities to the use of organic, sustainable, regional, and fair-trade ingredients, it’s practically doing the environment a disservice not to bite into a delicious hunk of CocoaVino.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sunday Morning French Toast
It recently occurred to me that every time I make a family brunch, I ALWAYS use a tattered, ripped-from-a-magazine recipe for banana stuffed French toast. Last week, I realized that the recipe comes from Zoe Restaurant in Soho. I got the restaurant recipe from a decade-old Bon Appétit Magazine. And over the years, I’ve made small changes to the original that appear in myriad pen markings over the glossy page. I’ve also discovered that using the whole-wheat challah from Silver Moon Bakery on 105th Street makes the very best rendition. This recipe, though it seems tedious, can be split into night-before and day-of preparation, a huge bonus for morning meal prep. Usually, I toast the almonds, prep the bananas, and make the dry sugar-oat mix the night prior to my big brunch.
Ingredients: for 6 big servings.
2 tbsps plus ¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsps plus ½ cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas
1 loaf of challah
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup thinly sliced almonds—toasted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup minute oats
2 tbsps all purpose flour
1.Heat 2 tbsps. butter in a skillet; add 2 tbsps. sugar and water. Stir until it foams.
2.Slice in the bananas and cook until tender. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill.
3.In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and 2 tsps cinnamon. Add ¼ cup butter and incorporate.
4.Preheat oven to 350º. Slice bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Slit a pocket in the middle of each slice. Stuff each bread slice with the banana mixture.
5.Whisk milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar and pour into a baking dish. Soak bread slices for 10 minutes, and then flip them and let sit for another 5 minutes.
6.Remove bread from egg mixture. Coat both sides of each piece with toasted almonds. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drop clumps of the brown sugar butter on top of each slice.
7.Bake for about 25 minutes and serve hot.
Ingredients: for 6 big servings.
2 tbsps plus ¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsps plus ½ cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas
1 loaf of challah
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup thinly sliced almonds—toasted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup minute oats
2 tbsps all purpose flour
1.Heat 2 tbsps. butter in a skillet; add 2 tbsps. sugar and water. Stir until it foams.
2.Slice in the bananas and cook until tender. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill.
3.In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and 2 tsps cinnamon. Add ¼ cup butter and incorporate.
4.Preheat oven to 350º. Slice bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Slit a pocket in the middle of each slice. Stuff each bread slice with the banana mixture.
5.Whisk milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar and pour into a baking dish. Soak bread slices for 10 minutes, and then flip them and let sit for another 5 minutes.
6.Remove bread from egg mixture. Coat both sides of each piece with toasted almonds. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drop clumps of the brown sugar butter on top of each slice.
7.Bake for about 25 minutes and serve hot.
Music to my Gullet
A few songs I’ve been listening to lately keep reminding me of nibbling. Ghostface Killah’s Fish: we eat fish, tossed salads, and make rap ballads…The Stampeders’ Sweet City Woman: And she feeds me love and tenderness and macarons…R. Kelly’s Remix to Ignition: we got food everywhere as if the party was catered… Beach Boys’ H.E.L.P is on the Way: Cyclamates, juicy steaks, sweet things too…and my personal favorite, Dead Prez’s Be Healthy: I’m from the old school, my household smell like soul food…sweet yam fries with the callaloo careful how you season and prepare your foods…
And, of course, if you just want a little background music while you eat, there’s always Booker T & the MG’s Green Onions for that!
And, of course, if you just want a little background music while you eat, there’s always Booker T & the MG’s Green Onions for that!
Lavender Whipped Cream
Months ago a great girl friend of mine sent me some Lavender Violet Vanilla Bean Sugar from Savory Spice Shop. In the months that it has sat in my pantry, I’ve stared down the bottle numerous times, racking my brain for uses. It looked so delicious and yet I could not thin of a single application for the flower-flecked sugar crystals.
This morning, in the height of hot chocolate season, two fantastic usages dawned upon me. First off, simply add it to your cup of cocoa. It will make even your office-supplied Swiss Miss packet taste like a decadent treat.
Secondly, add it to whipped cream. Whether you’re swirling it atop your mocha (double whammy!) or topping off some Sunday morning pancakes, the whipped cream while elevate any sweet. I can’t wait for the summer when I can use my secret weapon whipped cream on blueberry pies and raspberry trifles…
This morning, in the height of hot chocolate season, two fantastic usages dawned upon me. First off, simply add it to your cup of cocoa. It will make even your office-supplied Swiss Miss packet taste like a decadent treat.
Secondly, add it to whipped cream. Whether you’re swirling it atop your mocha (double whammy!) or topping off some Sunday morning pancakes, the whipped cream while elevate any sweet. I can’t wait for the summer when I can use my secret weapon whipped cream on blueberry pies and raspberry trifles…
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Resolution 3: Better Late Night Snacking
I must admit that I am a huge late night snacker. Whether it’s the fact that I’ve been working late on a particular day or that I just haven’t gotten around to dinner until, say, eleven p.m., I always find myself hailing to the kitchen long after the sun’s gone down.
And, I usually end up rooting around and making something less than healthy. Quickly made pasta with pre-made red sauce, rice, microwave popcorn and a million other shouldn’t-be-eaten-as-a-meal-after-eight carbs easily go down my gullet in the wee hours.
I shouldn’t hide the sweets either: a scoop of ice cream, some chocolate chips that I originally bought to make something with, maybe a nice bowl of steaming hot chocolate.
This year, while I don’t think I’ll be getting to bed any earlier, I know that I can change my late night eating habits. I am going to start eating healthier past the hour of ten p.m.
A sliced up apple, or if I feel like being fancy, a fruit salad would be a much better
go-to than a bowl of spaghetti. A plate of crudités, even with a small amount of spinach dip, could provide much more nourishment than simple, but unsatisfying rice.
And, how about a cup of yogurt instead of ice cream? I could even gussy it up by adding some sliced strawberries or a few blueberries and dried cranberries.
Another great option if I want something savory would be turkey on a thin slice of toast. Or better yet, turkey on little cucumber rounds. Now the ideas are rolling. Better yet would be tuna on cucumber rounds.
Someone recently told me that drinking tea at night will curb any craving almost completely, and I resolve to test this method as well if I feel that my late-night feeding frenzy isn’t coming from a place of hunger.
Regardless of whatever I am nibbling on underneath the moonlight, I will be sure that it is NOT chocolate or ice cream unless it’s my birthday.
And, I usually end up rooting around and making something less than healthy. Quickly made pasta with pre-made red sauce, rice, microwave popcorn and a million other shouldn’t-be-eaten-as-a-meal-after-eight carbs easily go down my gullet in the wee hours.
I shouldn’t hide the sweets either: a scoop of ice cream, some chocolate chips that I originally bought to make something with, maybe a nice bowl of steaming hot chocolate.
This year, while I don’t think I’ll be getting to bed any earlier, I know that I can change my late night eating habits. I am going to start eating healthier past the hour of ten p.m.
A sliced up apple, or if I feel like being fancy, a fruit salad would be a much better
go-to than a bowl of spaghetti. A plate of crudités, even with a small amount of spinach dip, could provide much more nourishment than simple, but unsatisfying rice.
And, how about a cup of yogurt instead of ice cream? I could even gussy it up by adding some sliced strawberries or a few blueberries and dried cranberries.
Another great option if I want something savory would be turkey on a thin slice of toast. Or better yet, turkey on little cucumber rounds. Now the ideas are rolling. Better yet would be tuna on cucumber rounds.
Someone recently told me that drinking tea at night will curb any craving almost completely, and I resolve to test this method as well if I feel that my late-night feeding frenzy isn’t coming from a place of hunger.
Regardless of whatever I am nibbling on underneath the moonlight, I will be sure that it is NOT chocolate or ice cream unless it’s my birthday.
Resolution 2
Outer Borough Dining Discoveries
Each time I venture off the island, I am pleasantly surprised by the culinary playfield in which I frolic. My Thai standby in Queens, my pizza pit stops in Staten Island, and those key lime pies in Brooklyn are recurring players in my dreams.
So, why I only make these not-so-far train rides (or, at worst, ferry trips) once in a blue moon has no excuse. This year, I am resolving to push my epicurean boundaries at least once a month. I’ve heard of delicious Jamaican food lurking in Brooklyn, and of Sichuan food in Bay Ridge.
It’s an embarrassment that I have yet to try these haunts, but I know I’ve still got time—and 2008 is the year to do it!
Each time I venture off the island, I am pleasantly surprised by the culinary playfield in which I frolic. My Thai standby in Queens, my pizza pit stops in Staten Island, and those key lime pies in Brooklyn are recurring players in my dreams.
So, why I only make these not-so-far train rides (or, at worst, ferry trips) once in a blue moon has no excuse. This year, I am resolving to push my epicurean boundaries at least once a month. I’ve heard of delicious Jamaican food lurking in Brooklyn, and of Sichuan food in Bay Ridge.
It’s an embarrassment that I have yet to try these haunts, but I know I’ve still got time—and 2008 is the year to do it!
Resolution 1: Better Breakfast
Each morning, I dash out the door in a frenzied desire to start up the day. Sometimes I’ll grab a banana; more often it’s picking up a muffin at the coffee shop around the corner from my office. They are delicious, but by eleven thirty, I am starving again, having not eaten any protein, and start thinking about lunch.
In the days of living with my parents in Ohio, nearly every morning included either yogurt with nuts some small amount of protein and fruit. In college, I almost always ate eggs in the a.m. I’ve somehow slipped from these good habits to on-the-go stand-bys and sugary replacements.
2008 is the year that I start making oatmeal again, buying eggs for homemade omelets (quick ones!), and taking vitamins with a glass of orange juice. A muffin can be a sleep-in Saturday morning reward for a week well worked, but during the grindstone days, I’ll be munching on protein-rich rise-‘n-shiners.
In the days of living with my parents in Ohio, nearly every morning included either yogurt with nuts some small amount of protein and fruit. In college, I almost always ate eggs in the a.m. I’ve somehow slipped from these good habits to on-the-go stand-bys and sugary replacements.
2008 is the year that I start making oatmeal again, buying eggs for homemade omelets (quick ones!), and taking vitamins with a glass of orange juice. A muffin can be a sleep-in Saturday morning reward for a week well worked, but during the grindstone days, I’ll be munching on protein-rich rise-‘n-shiners.
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