Tag Archives: honey

Knockoffs

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No, no,no – this recipe isn’t about handbags…or sunglasses…watches… or anything purchased from a sketchy vendor.

However, this is alllll about knocking off products that you love.

Lately, I’ve been alllll about Nature Valley’s Dark Chocolate Granola Thins.

Like…seriously obsessed.

Some have had issues with the chocolate melting….and unfortunate staining of clothes and papers…or getting all over keyboards, etc. I definitely experienced that my first go-around with this beauties…but a new home in the fridge keeps them perrrfect. Oh – and they come in peanut butter, too – haven’t tried those yet….

Obsessed.

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My biggest problem? Not enough in a box. :)

Sooo – I took to attempting my own variety.

I’ll be very honest – these don’t taste like NV Granola Thins…but they do taste good. That’s all that matters. Plus, they calm my salty, sweet and crunchy cravings allll in one lil’ bite.

I started with a (low cal) granola recipe – I halved the recipe – but kept the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey and omitted the cherries. I think next time around I’ve up the honey – just for the sticky-factor. Oh! almost forgot – I added 4 squares of honey graham crackers – crushed.

Once it is all mixed – I pressed it firmly into a lined pan and baked the granola at 275 for about 40 minutes….just kept an eye on it.

Once toasty – smother in dark chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Stick that beauty into the fridge to firm up – and then…uhh, attempt to cut.

Okay…this part was messy. I would classify these as…shards…of granola thins.

….like snowflakes…they each took on their own unique shape.

However – each is beautiful…and oh-so-delicious… in its own, special way. haha

Oh, and I walked away with a tupperware container full of these little beauties – as well as a bag of honey-vanilla granola (once I successfully collected the granola shrapnel from my counters).

Two for one – score!

Nature Valley Granola Thins – don’t worry – even with this snack, I’ll still being picking up a box the next time I’m in the store…I’m sure of it.

It’s a Date {Deux}

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I’m fairly certain I’ve used that title before…but whatever, it fits. haha

So, as of late – my pre-run fuel as been a couple of dates with some sunflower butter. Lots of energy from the sugars and fats – and it doesn’t leave my tummy grumbling with the “pre-breakfast…why are you running, I’m empty…blues.”

That’s been nice and all, but I kind of wanted to spice things up a bit…make it a bit more exciting…so what jumps back into my brain but the ah-may-zing Raw Chocolate Cake that I stole from Gabriela earlier this year.

I basically stuck to that recipe with only a couple of minor changes…

  1. I only had 16 dates – you’d never know that four whole dates were missing. :)
  2. I used dark chocolate cocoa powder this time around – major win.
  3. I did not add the extra melted chocolate.
  4. I added a tablespoon of raspberry jam just to see what would happen (not much)
  5. I used honey instead of agave because I wasn’t sure how “good” the agave I had was… I will say it was challenging to combine the honey and coconut oil…two very different viscosities.
Okay, so maybe there were more than “a couple”..
It all worked out well in the end though.

Ooey. Gooey. Darrrk Chocolatey (and maybe a little raspberry-y – though I think this is just in my mind because I know it’s in there). Coconut-laced goodness.

My favorite part? Probably the “frosting” – for the hard time that the honey and the coconut oil gave me – I love it. It is just sooo thick and gooey…really like a true ganache.

I mean…seriously now.

Basically, if this doesn’t put a pep in my step in the mornings – I don’t know what will. :)

Tonight I’m off to have dinner and drinks at Teatro in Boston with a fantastic friend of mine – very ready to indulge in some calamari, some delicious beverages (margs and sangria are callllling to me), to explore their summer menu and catch up before she gets back in the swing of things for school.

 

Post-Lab

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Hello, hello lovelies! Well – today has been a long one that is for sure! Exam – check…Lab – check. Now, I can sit back relax and blog!! Woo! Unfortunately, my lab will have me posting at wonky times throughout June…mostly because there is no set time when we get out…it’s when you finish. haha

Anyway – onnnn to my eats!

I slept in this morning (9:30 or so) – I think the restlessness from the other night caught up with me. Either way, I awoke refreshed and ready for my java. :)


I sipped on that while catching up on blogs and some coursework, and eventually decided I should put something else in my stomach. TJ’s honey Greek yogurt with a little more honey on top? Please and thank you.

Lunch was both a success and a failure. Success – sauteed, crispy BBQ tempeh that had been marinating from the night before. Failure – wilted greens. Bleh..they were just not good.

These two beauties got me through class and lab (pictures courtesy of the Larabar website):

Deeelicious.

Once home from class I conjured up something magical out of leftovers. Rice and beans (and veggies). Basically – took rice, took mostly beans and veggies from my soup (leaving broth behind this time – even though I love it) – and voila!

Okay so it may not look like much – but it was delicious (I’ve been lovin’ the word, haven’t I?? Ahh, too tired to get creative) and definitely hit the spot!!

I’m off to relax – happy almost Friday!

Back in the Saddle

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Good morning!! I cannot believe its Sunday already AND that I did not really post yet this weekend…*sigh* haha

I hope you all have had a splendid weekend!! My weekend was pretty good, low-key, but good — even with a dentist appointment in there. haha

I’ll kinda do a wrap up of what’s been going on for the past couple of days (which feel like eternity in blog-time, right?)  Friday was a VERY busy day — I trekked all the way to school with ALL of my books (two whole bags worth, joy)…and I put them all in…my LOCKER. YES! A locker…in college. Who woulda thought. haha It feels SO high school, but it’s a life saver. I’m glad my school does it (considering how many kid’s commute its a good idea). I didn’t even have a locker in high school (eons ago)…I think the last time I actually remember using a locker was in 5th and 6th grade…and it might have been plastered with photos of Leo DiCaprio (Titanic, obvssss) and Hansen. hahahahaha

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All joking aside, this locker really will save my ass this semester — or should I say…it’ll save my back.

It was a hectic day which included hopping the train home for my appointment yesterday. While I waited for the train a random middle-aged woman decided to talk to me about how she likes how I do my eyeliner and asked me to instruct her on how to do it…. yah…yayy cities! haha :) I honestly don’t think she was a weirdo…though it was a weird topic of conversation to have with someone you’ve never met or spoken to previously…I think she was just very interested in how I do my eyeliner. ha She continued to talked about galoshes and how she wears them in the garden but doesn’t get how people where them to walk around the city…her thoughts…they’re feet must be cold! My thoughts: I guess you’d rather have cold dry feet than cold wet feet.

Moooving on. Yesterday, I was up bright and early for my dentist appointment (*dread) — it went well actually, my hygienist was so nice (some of the ladies there can be quite mean about flossing deficiencies….haha). I walked away unscathed and happy camper with a new toothbrush, floss, toothpaste and a 2010 planner. haha What? Everyone’s dentist doesn’t hand out planners?? :-p

Breakfast was….A YOGURT MESS! SHOCK! I know it’s been a while. :) Chobani, honey, flax, and sunflower seeds. Nom, Nom, Nom.

In the afternoon, I enjoyed a couple of bowls of popcorn and an apple with PB! Woopwoop! :)

Dinner was baked green (and this time lost of other colors, too) rice. I told my mom that we should use up whatever veggies were gonna go back…so we ended up with the obvious spinach, carrots, onion, eggplant, and tomatoes … I don’t think there was anything else? Maybe? haha Either way…it was freaaaaaking delicious!!! I need to make this at my apartment ASAP.

After dinner, I totally intended on blogging…but I got sucked into the SAG Awards preshow annnnd the SAG Award’s themselves. As a former musical theatre geek…lemme just say…GLEE!!!!!! YAY! haha I’m so happy. Plus, the dress that Lea Michele wore was gorrrg (she was too, obviously)…I especially loved the color.

Anyway — hope you lovelies have had a wonderful weekend…that was mine in nutshell!! :)

Pick-cha Post

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Hola mia amigas!

I hope everyone is doing splendidly and that you survived Monday!! Today was a busy, busy day and included lots and lots of food…SO in the interest of time…this post will be HEAVY on the pics and light on the gab….okay – so I can’t just NOT talk…so yeah, it’ll just be lighter on my gab. :)

Breakfast — the usuaaal. Coffee + another overnight grapefruit with honey! I found a grapefruit knife…made my life waaaay easier.

I’m proud to say that I’m now fitting into the smallest shirts that I have since high school — worrrrrd! (Excuse the funny face & blurry pic)

I also then captured myself in this flattering pose — I don’t know what I was doing…I think stretching my jeans out — but whooo knows. Either way, I thought it was time to post of photo of myself being a weirdo on the blog. hahaha (Excuse the heinous carpet — it’s gonna be ripped up soon! yay hardwood!)

I also find this funny because the camera’s settings/the off light made my arm look like a rubber band and almost non-existant. I swear I have elbows! My arms look very Olive Oil-like.

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Movin’ on…

My bro and I hit the road for Boston early — lots of errands to get done, though its not quite time for us to leave the comfy nest and go back to our (sometimes) hectic city lives.

While in the city, we stopped at Cafe Jaffa for lunch. I got the Falafel and Hummus Combo plate which comes with a side salad (I chose Greek…Mediterranean place..I think Greek salad is the best choice – plus they pile it high with feta..NOM). My bro had the Falafel plate.

Mine:

Greg’s:

After stuffing ourselves…we both walked away with very happy bellies.

The rest of the afternoon was spent avoiding hitting pedestrians as I drove through Central Square in Cambridge and then hitting up the good ole Tar-jaaaay (Target for those unfamiliar with my accent hahaha).

I bought a bunch of goodies at Tarjayy including this goodies:

For dins we had my mom’s AWESOME BBQ turkey meatloaf. This thing blows any horrid memories of meatloaves out of the water. So moist and delish.

Oh yes, and there were green beans, too.

Right now, I’m just chillin’ watching Tony Bourdain tour Mexico. I’m also watchin’ my bro slave away in the kitchen over a carrot and ginger soup that will be part of a meal he is making for my dad and his wife as their Christmas present. It involves fresh ginger, reduced fat coconut milk – and yeah, carrots…and it smells divinne! I cannot wait til it is blended up. I’m sure it’ll just be superb. My bro is quite the cook.

The beginnings of soup:

Ta-ta for now lovelies!!