So in an attempt to taste more exotic flavors in 2009 I used a Christmas gift card from Oil and Vinegar to purchase 1 deciliter of white truffle oil. Every town should have an Oil and Vinegar store! http://www.oilandvinegarusa.com/
No longer am I only a sampler of truffle oil. Oh no, now I am a buyer. Wut wut! It feels great. I have consumed more droplets of white truffle oil in the past 24 hours than I care to admit, but you know what? A new year calls for a celebration. I'm ushering in the New Year (9 days into it) with this tasty oil. Now if I can only work there part-time, I can maybe get the 30% discount and maybe have 20 little bottles of oils to experiment with. $14 per deciliter of white truffle oil may become economically impossible. On the other hand, it's Italy in a bottle. WORTH IT.
Anyone know of recipes using white truffle oil, just post them. So far I found one by Bobby Flay: Parmesan-Encrusted Portobello Mushrooms with White Truffle Oil.
Wishing there were more oil tastings in Virginia,
Shannon
Friday, January 9, 2009
New Year's Non-Resolutions
So it's the new year. 2009! Wow where have the years gone? Where have the pounds gone? I am happy to report I have lost 16 lbs and it feels good. I wasn't trying to lose, per se, but getting back in shape is good news all around. Getting to sleep by 1 am, drinking more water and less caffeine and ruling out coffee altogether (!!!) has not only made me lose some stomach baggage (too many Cool Ranch Doritos?), but I am also sleeping better. Sorry Starbucks. I still love your seasonal drinks (Grande Caramel Apple Spice, hold the whip)!
Unlike most New Year's seasons, I didn't write a list of "Resolutions" because if I do write out that list, they never come true. That's the one to-do list that never gets accomplished the way I would have liked it to. So, this year, no expectations. My mantra is "just do it". (Okay so picking up running again might have inspired a Nike quote or two.)
This year I have written a list of "foodie" goals. So far all I have is: be more creative with recipes. Meaning: use more items in the pantry until they are gone, instead of spending crazy money on groceries each month. This doesn't mean you have to scrimp on GREAT food.
For example, when you get Christmas money, don't spend it on clothing, spend it on FOOD!!! Good food. Delicious oils and vinegars and fruits and vegetables and herbs and spices.
Plant an herb garden. You can whip up anything with the right ingredients as long as they are fresh and non-processed!
Drink more water. At least 8 glasses a day, but try for more. I try for 10, and last year at this time, I was an avid Coke drinker. But after drinking so much water every day, you really do lose the taste for sugar! Every now and again I'll have a Coke with say pizza, but try to cut down by 1/2. Worked for me! (Tip: Add a lemon, lime, or orange wedge to your glass of water and it is more flavorful and fresh but still healthy...or do what one of my babysitting charges used to have me do...the only way she'd drink water would be with a black cherry dropped in first!)
Oops, I guess I do have a couple "resolutions".
Eat less processed food and less fast-food. Not to be confused with NO fast food. That's setting yourself up for failure... Because if you forbid yourself from driving through the McDonald's line, one day you just might cheat and drive through for a quick Coke to wet the whistle and end up ordering 2 Big-n-Tasty's, a large fry with extra packets of ketchup, and a vanilla milkshake (personal story). Then you have broken your sworn vows to the health cookbooks and health food gods and fruits and nuts sitting on the countertop at home and you have to start all over. No, I don't really believe in health food gods. But I do believe your body is a temple!
So until next time, don't worry about letting yourself down this year. If you know you will not truly hold to your list of 65 resolutions, just have one and keep it. Or don't even "resolve" to do something differently. After all, it's a new year. You should WANT to live better.
Ok, off to have a couple bites of Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra. It's that time of the month, give me a break!
Shannon
Unlike most New Year's seasons, I didn't write a list of "Resolutions" because if I do write out that list, they never come true. That's the one to-do list that never gets accomplished the way I would have liked it to. So, this year, no expectations. My mantra is "just do it". (Okay so picking up running again might have inspired a Nike quote or two.)
This year I have written a list of "foodie" goals. So far all I have is: be more creative with recipes. Meaning: use more items in the pantry until they are gone, instead of spending crazy money on groceries each month. This doesn't mean you have to scrimp on GREAT food.
For example, when you get Christmas money, don't spend it on clothing, spend it on FOOD!!! Good food. Delicious oils and vinegars and fruits and vegetables and herbs and spices.
Plant an herb garden. You can whip up anything with the right ingredients as long as they are fresh and non-processed!
Drink more water. At least 8 glasses a day, but try for more. I try for 10, and last year at this time, I was an avid Coke drinker. But after drinking so much water every day, you really do lose the taste for sugar! Every now and again I'll have a Coke with say pizza, but try to cut down by 1/2. Worked for me! (Tip: Add a lemon, lime, or orange wedge to your glass of water and it is more flavorful and fresh but still healthy...or do what one of my babysitting charges used to have me do...the only way she'd drink water would be with a black cherry dropped in first!)
Oops, I guess I do have a couple "resolutions".
Eat less processed food and less fast-food. Not to be confused with NO fast food. That's setting yourself up for failure... Because if you forbid yourself from driving through the McDonald's line, one day you just might cheat and drive through for a quick Coke to wet the whistle and end up ordering 2 Big-n-Tasty's, a large fry with extra packets of ketchup, and a vanilla milkshake (personal story). Then you have broken your sworn vows to the health cookbooks and health food gods and fruits and nuts sitting on the countertop at home and you have to start all over. No, I don't really believe in health food gods. But I do believe your body is a temple!
So until next time, don't worry about letting yourself down this year. If you know you will not truly hold to your list of 65 resolutions, just have one and keep it. Or don't even "resolve" to do something differently. After all, it's a new year. You should WANT to live better.
Ok, off to have a couple bites of Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra. It's that time of the month, give me a break!
Shannon
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Friday, January 9, 2009
White Truffle Oil
So in an attempt to taste more exotic flavors in 2009 I used a Christmas gift card from Oil and Vinegar to purchase 1 deciliter of white truffle oil. Every town should have an Oil and Vinegar store! http://www.oilandvinegarusa.com/
No longer am I only a sampler of truffle oil. Oh no, now I am a buyer. Wut wut! It feels great. I have consumed more droplets of white truffle oil in the past 24 hours than I care to admit, but you know what? A new year calls for a celebration. I'm ushering in the New Year (9 days into it) with this tasty oil. Now if I can only work there part-time, I can maybe get the 30% discount and maybe have 20 little bottles of oils to experiment with. $14 per deciliter of white truffle oil may become economically impossible. On the other hand, it's Italy in a bottle. WORTH IT.
Anyone know of recipes using white truffle oil, just post them. So far I found one by Bobby Flay: Parmesan-Encrusted Portobello Mushrooms with White Truffle Oil.
Wishing there were more oil tastings in Virginia,
Shannon
No longer am I only a sampler of truffle oil. Oh no, now I am a buyer. Wut wut! It feels great. I have consumed more droplets of white truffle oil in the past 24 hours than I care to admit, but you know what? A new year calls for a celebration. I'm ushering in the New Year (9 days into it) with this tasty oil. Now if I can only work there part-time, I can maybe get the 30% discount and maybe have 20 little bottles of oils to experiment with. $14 per deciliter of white truffle oil may become economically impossible. On the other hand, it's Italy in a bottle. WORTH IT.
Anyone know of recipes using white truffle oil, just post them. So far I found one by Bobby Flay: Parmesan-Encrusted Portobello Mushrooms with White Truffle Oil.
Wishing there were more oil tastings in Virginia,
Shannon
New Year's Non-Resolutions
So it's the new year. 2009! Wow where have the years gone? Where have the pounds gone? I am happy to report I have lost 16 lbs and it feels good. I wasn't trying to lose, per se, but getting back in shape is good news all around. Getting to sleep by 1 am, drinking more water and less caffeine and ruling out coffee altogether (!!!) has not only made me lose some stomach baggage (too many Cool Ranch Doritos?), but I am also sleeping better. Sorry Starbucks. I still love your seasonal drinks (Grande Caramel Apple Spice, hold the whip)!
Unlike most New Year's seasons, I didn't write a list of "Resolutions" because if I do write out that list, they never come true. That's the one to-do list that never gets accomplished the way I would have liked it to. So, this year, no expectations. My mantra is "just do it". (Okay so picking up running again might have inspired a Nike quote or two.)
This year I have written a list of "foodie" goals. So far all I have is: be more creative with recipes. Meaning: use more items in the pantry until they are gone, instead of spending crazy money on groceries each month. This doesn't mean you have to scrimp on GREAT food.
For example, when you get Christmas money, don't spend it on clothing, spend it on FOOD!!! Good food. Delicious oils and vinegars and fruits and vegetables and herbs and spices.
Plant an herb garden. You can whip up anything with the right ingredients as long as they are fresh and non-processed!
Drink more water. At least 8 glasses a day, but try for more. I try for 10, and last year at this time, I was an avid Coke drinker. But after drinking so much water every day, you really do lose the taste for sugar! Every now and again I'll have a Coke with say pizza, but try to cut down by 1/2. Worked for me! (Tip: Add a lemon, lime, or orange wedge to your glass of water and it is more flavorful and fresh but still healthy...or do what one of my babysitting charges used to have me do...the only way she'd drink water would be with a black cherry dropped in first!)
Oops, I guess I do have a couple "resolutions".
Eat less processed food and less fast-food. Not to be confused with NO fast food. That's setting yourself up for failure... Because if you forbid yourself from driving through the McDonald's line, one day you just might cheat and drive through for a quick Coke to wet the whistle and end up ordering 2 Big-n-Tasty's, a large fry with extra packets of ketchup, and a vanilla milkshake (personal story). Then you have broken your sworn vows to the health cookbooks and health food gods and fruits and nuts sitting on the countertop at home and you have to start all over. No, I don't really believe in health food gods. But I do believe your body is a temple!
So until next time, don't worry about letting yourself down this year. If you know you will not truly hold to your list of 65 resolutions, just have one and keep it. Or don't even "resolve" to do something differently. After all, it's a new year. You should WANT to live better.
Ok, off to have a couple bites of Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra. It's that time of the month, give me a break!
Shannon
Unlike most New Year's seasons, I didn't write a list of "Resolutions" because if I do write out that list, they never come true. That's the one to-do list that never gets accomplished the way I would have liked it to. So, this year, no expectations. My mantra is "just do it". (Okay so picking up running again might have inspired a Nike quote or two.)
This year I have written a list of "foodie" goals. So far all I have is: be more creative with recipes. Meaning: use more items in the pantry until they are gone, instead of spending crazy money on groceries each month. This doesn't mean you have to scrimp on GREAT food.
For example, when you get Christmas money, don't spend it on clothing, spend it on FOOD!!! Good food. Delicious oils and vinegars and fruits and vegetables and herbs and spices.
Plant an herb garden. You can whip up anything with the right ingredients as long as they are fresh and non-processed!
Drink more water. At least 8 glasses a day, but try for more. I try for 10, and last year at this time, I was an avid Coke drinker. But after drinking so much water every day, you really do lose the taste for sugar! Every now and again I'll have a Coke with say pizza, but try to cut down by 1/2. Worked for me! (Tip: Add a lemon, lime, or orange wedge to your glass of water and it is more flavorful and fresh but still healthy...or do what one of my babysitting charges used to have me do...the only way she'd drink water would be with a black cherry dropped in first!)
Oops, I guess I do have a couple "resolutions".
Eat less processed food and less fast-food. Not to be confused with NO fast food. That's setting yourself up for failure... Because if you forbid yourself from driving through the McDonald's line, one day you just might cheat and drive through for a quick Coke to wet the whistle and end up ordering 2 Big-n-Tasty's, a large fry with extra packets of ketchup, and a vanilla milkshake (personal story). Then you have broken your sworn vows to the health cookbooks and health food gods and fruits and nuts sitting on the countertop at home and you have to start all over. No, I don't really believe in health food gods. But I do believe your body is a temple!
So until next time, don't worry about letting yourself down this year. If you know you will not truly hold to your list of 65 resolutions, just have one and keep it. Or don't even "resolve" to do something differently. After all, it's a new year. You should WANT to live better.
Ok, off to have a couple bites of Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra. It's that time of the month, give me a break!
Shannon
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