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Garden Scramble

May 21, 2013
Garden Scramble

When I told Dan I wanted to go GF, his immediate reaction was confusion (what’s gluten?), followed closely by panic. Was this the end of his gluten eating days? No more bread? No more cookies? OMG, was I trying to starve him? No. I was not. In fact, we’ve been eating better than ever since I adopted a GF lifestyle. Since all of our old stand-by meals (delivery pizza, frozen dumplings, cheese/bread & crackers, etc.) are outside my diet, I’ve actually been cooking more lately. Which means fewer starchy, processed foods, and a whole lot more fresh veggies and lean protein. Between that and the new running regime, I think Dan and I are becoming…healthy fitness people. Yikes! As it turns out, there are lots of good...

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Single-Serving GF Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

May 17, 2013
Single-Serving GF Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

For the last two weeks, I’ve been going gluten-free. Not for health reasons — thinking back on the amount of wheat-packed bread and baked goods I’ve happily consumed over the years, I’m pretty positive I’m not allergic to gluten. No, this is all about vanity. It all started when I was griping to my friend Sarah about how all my healthy eating and exercising have lead to no noticeable results in the wedding-diet department. Sure, I looked more toned, but my clothes were still uncomfortably tight. Annoying. Teenage metabolism, why did you leave me? When I was finally done whining, Sarah told me (not for the first time) that I should try going gluten free like she did. She’s also currently on a campaign...

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Restaurant-Style Queso

May 4, 2013
Restaurant-Style Queso

If you’re going to drink a whole lot of margaritas, you definitely need a hearty, tasty snack or appetizer to go with them. My personal favorite is chips & dip. Crunchy, salty chips to cut through the tangy sweetness of the margaritas, and thick, creamy cheese sauce (or guacamole) to help those chips slide down real easy.  Since I made peach margaritas for early-Cinco de Mayo last week, it seemed appropriate to make queso for actual Cinco de Mayo. When  we go out for Mexican food, I actually tend to gravitate more towards guacamole than queso. But lately guacamole has become kind of a regular don’t-want-to-cook-real-food-for-dinner occurrence in our house, so I’m a little avocado’d out. Creamy, zesty cheese sauce is super delicious, though, and seemed...

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Frozen Peach Margaritas

May 2, 2013
Frozen Peach Margaritas

It’s almost Cinco de Mayo! Otherwise known as my favorite excuse to make and drink a whole bunch of margaritas. I realize that two back to back cocktail posts might make it look like I have a bit of a drinking problem, but I don’t — I swear! I just like icy cold beverages made from blended fruit. Who doesn’t, amiright? And, if there’s booze in it, all the better… OK. Can I be honest? I don’t actually have a lot to say here. No back stories, no lead-in to the post. I mainly just wanted a post-work cocktail, and felt compelled to take pictures because it’s a new flavor (and, this is my first time using these glasses). It was a serious struggle...

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Cherry-Berry Frozen Mojitos

April 27, 2013
Cherry-Berry Frozen Mojitos

Today was the nicest day we’ve had in a while — clear skies, high of 70, lots of sun, and no wind. It was a day meant to be spent outside. So, instead of lounging around our condo being lazy like we usually do on Saturdays, Dan and I decided to revive our balcony garden. Admittedly, neither of us is really that good with plants yet. Especially me — I managed to kill three cacti in my office last year. And Dan, who actually comes from a family of good gardeners, never really took an interest in plants before. So when we started our balcony garden last spring, there was definitely a bit of a learning curve. But it was fun, and we were so...

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No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

April 22, 2013
No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

For my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to be low key. I figured since I’ve already started selectively forgetting how old I am, it’s probably silly to make a big deal about my “special day” with the usual group dinner party/bar-hopping extravaganza. So instead, Dan and I celebrated my 27th a few days early with junk food and wine at a local vineyard with some friends, and a deliciously messy lunch with my parents at a no-plates, no-utensils, everything-tastes-better-when-you-eat-with-your-hands seafood joint the next day. So tasty. And, so much fun! And, for my birthday treat, I made ice cream! Honest to goodness, creamy-smooth ice cream with thick swirls of tangy blueberry sauce, made without churning. Dan wants to know why I wasted...

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