The Faux Foodie Girl

Extreme Couponer in Training

2012-01-28T07:38:00.000-05:00

What can I say they start young!!! and she is good, real good!!!!

[iPhone photo]

"Oh My God It's Good!!!!"

2012-01-25T21:05:00.000-05:00

The chef has spoken "Oh my God this is Goooood". You know when the chef is saying how good the food is before he even puts it on the table that it's really good.

In the faux foodie house we eat a lot of rice based meals, a lot of stir-fries, a lot of shrimp meals, but this was like nothing he has ever made before. This was the quickest stir fry ever too.

This is my idea of a perfect dinner. It was fresh, healthful (the coconut cream is a little heavy, but so worth it), colorful, quick. The coconut milk gives this stir-fry a special creamy tasty flavor. The shrimp were sumptuous and succulent. I love shrimp. They take about two seconds to make (okay, three minutes) and it all ends up being very light.

I think I am in love with the Thai food.

It’s bright! It’s spicy! Dare I say it's exciting! I’m excited by food… but I guess this should be no shock after all. If you are looking to spice up your menu, this is your dinner....

Thai Shrimp Stir-Fry [source]

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound frozen large shrimp (peeled and deveined), thawed

1 bunch scallions, whites thinly sliced, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

~~3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn~~ [we didn't have any]

Directions

In a small pot, cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar until sugar dissolves. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque throughout, 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a medium bowl and return pan to heat.

Add 1 teaspoon oil, scallion whites, bell pepper, and corn to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pepper is crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Add fish sauce mixture and coconut milk, bring to a simmer, and cook 1 minute. Return shrimp to pan, add scallion greens, and cook until shrimp is heated through, 1 minute. Top with basil and serve with rice and lime wedges.

Hot? What?

2012-01-24T23:13:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day [aka work day] until I literary walked out of the office and than all hell broke loose. But I came home to a most amazing smile that erases all worries and stresses and we were off to a park. There is a park across the street with "baby swings" and I've been meaning to take Kiki there for some time, but as always something comes up, but we finally went today.

You decide how she liked it!

It is safe to say, we will be going back to the park tomorrow :)

I could barely get her out of there with no tears and once we left, she was out within minutes.

Once the chef was home, I was off to a yoga class. I signed up for a gentle vinyasa class, or so I thought I did. There was nothing gentle about this class. It was a warm advanced vinyasa class. I just about died....I walked out with the skin on my fingers all wrinkly and my clothes completely drenched as if I took a two hour bath. Not sure I was ready for it. I just started taking classes again and was still getting used to the whole thing so gentle is what I needed. But secretly I was glad I tried a heated classes. The warm class takes yoga to a whole new level. I have a feeling I will be going back to this class ;)

By the time I got home, the chef had the whole dinner ready and served. On tonight's menu we had wild and brown rice salad and baked tilapia, but the chef was not able to find the wild rice in the pantry so the wild and brown rice salad was not quiet wild tonight. But nonetheless absolutely amazing.

This rice salad was a great alternative to the usual pasta salad. The home-made dressing was tangy and perfectly complemented the nutty rice combinations (we still had the brown rice and basmati). Note that the recipe calls for cold rice so you can mix it with all the veggies. Our rice was warm, but still a winner. I went for seconds... I wish we had some leftovers for tomorrow....

I suggest if you don't have dinner plans for tomorrow you make this one. I promise you, you will love it!

Baked Tilapia and Wild and Brown Rice Salad [slightly adapted from the "Power Foods" cookbook]

Ingredients

For The Dressing

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For The Salad

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice, made according to package directions; 3 cups cooked brown and/or brown basmati rice (about 1 1/3 cups uncooked), made according to package directions

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices

6 ounces red cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard; set aside.

Place the wild rice, brown rice, yellow pepper, red onion, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the dressing, and toss well to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl.

What I Want NOW

2012-01-23T22:52:00.000-05:00

I have no idea where I got this image from, but i do know I LOVE this whole outfit - everything about it - shoes, pants, shirt, handbag - most of all - her confidence!!!!

PERFECTION!!!!

Meatless Monday - Trying Something New

2012-01-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of Meatless Monday, the chef made wheat spaghetti with wilted spinach, feta and poached egg. This recipe was incredibly simple yet indulgent. The star(s) of this meal were a poached egg and chicken broth. Both give a very nice touch of creaminess to this dish and the wheat past makes it nutrient dense.

[yup, this pic was taken before the one above]

The chef never poached eggs before so this was his first time and it was great!!! I could have easily just had another poached egg and omitted everything else... In chef's words "Ahh this was easy". It turns out, poaching eggs is easy and delicious and pairs quite nicely with the savory cheese. A glass of red wine would have been a perfect pairing to this dish. I just didn't feel like wine tonight..water it was.

It's a busy TV night for me - Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game - my goodness, thank God for DVR - and I have a bunch of magazines I want to get through - MS Living, Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Storage and HGTV Magazine - wow, I am tired already...

Q: What are you doing this fine Monday night?

Wheat Spaghetti with Spinach, Feta and Poached Egg Recipe

[recipe adapted from the Clean Eating, October 2011]

Ingredients:
1 bag of spinach
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Pinch Sea Salt, plus additional to taste
2 Cups low sodium chicken
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large Eggs
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti (8 oz)
1/2 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
Cook spaghetti, set aside
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook until onion is soft. Add spinach to pan. Saute until spinach is wilted, then add broth. Cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, poach eggs. Drain spaghetti; add to spinach mixture and toss. Serve poached egg on top of spaghetti and top with feta.

Bon Appétit!

Weekly Menu Plan

2012-01-23T18:25:00.002-05:00

[source]

I am exhausted from the weekend, hence I am late posting our weekly menu. Though I am late posting it, I did plan it all on Friday and the groceries were bought on Sunday morning. This week is also challenging as there is some travel and work dinners, but I planned for it all. So hang on, it might be a bumpy ride this week. I planned for some really quick, healthy and delicious meals - 30 min max - I know you'll like it!

SUNDAY: Cheese - hummus - ice cream - [told you it's all about quick and delicious, not sure about healthy - but the chef didn't feel like cooking]

MONDAY: Wheat spaghetti with spinach, feta and poached egg

TUESDAY: Baked tilapia and wild and brown rice salad

WEDNESDAY: Thai shrimp stir fry [or grilled chicken and pasta with white bean and broccoli pest - yup, it never happened last week]

THURSDAY: Business Dinner

FRIDAY: Mushroom and prosciutto pizza

Q: What are you making this week? Share your favorite recipe!!!!

Love in iPhone Photos

2012-01-20T10:30:00.001-05:00

[source]

I am thankful for a day spent with my baby girl.

It was a very much needed day - to be with her, to be at home, to forget about work, to stop pouting, to relax, to shop, to nap and enjoy a galore of baby kisses.

Our morning walk view

Yummy breakfast

Nap time

Shopping extravaganza

My favorite dinner

Q: What were you thankful for today?

On Fire!!!!

2012-01-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

A homemade version of a take-out was on a menu tonight. Only it was a healthier version of the tasty Thai classic made in less time than it takes to have it ordered and delivered. It is light and fresh, dare I say easy with a capital E. You can seriously have this ready in 30 minutes flat, perhaps a little longer with all the chopping and prep, but worth the time for a weeknight meal.

It was a spicy dinner - actually very HOT!!! My mouth is still on fire. That little bit of sriracha and my mouth is burning. I am not a big fan of hot food, but I survived and dare I admit it, maybe even enjoyed it. If it wasn't for the hotness, there would be something missing for sure. The shrimp were amazing - plump, juicy and spicy!

I am off to relax now - Kiki is asleep, breakfast/lunch/coffee are all ready for tomorrow - the only thing I need to decide is to what will relaxing entail - watch "ABC Family tv shows (don't laugh, the chef is already laughing at me...), go to bed and read or organize my home office?!? Hmmm....decisions...

Shrimp Vegetable Pad Thai [slightly adapted Martha Stewart's EveryDay FOOD recipe]

Ingredients

8 ounces dried wide, flat rice noodles
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving (3 limes)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4lb sauteed shrimp
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons roasted salted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Soak noodles according to package instructions; drain. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, chili sauce, and brown sugar.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium-high, tilting to coat pan. Add eggs, swirl to coat bottom, and cook until just set, about 1 minute. Transfer eggs to a cutting board, loosely roll up, and cut crosswise into thin strips. Add 4 teaspoons oil to skillet and heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides, 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to cutting board.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, carrots, garlic, and scallion whites to skillet and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add lime-juice mixture and bring to a simmer. Add noodles and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add eggs and tofu and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt. Divide among four plates and top with peanuts, cilantro, and scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.

Cooking like Kath Eats - Easy Chickpea Curry

2012-01-17T19:58:00.022-05:00

Tonight's dinner was completely inspired by these meals. I admire people that have the ability to just throw together the ingredients on hand and create a delicious meal. Me on the other hand, I prefer to read cookbooks and see the picture of what the chef will be making;) If a photo makes me think "YUM" or I am drooling, the meal gets thrown into the "weekly menu plan".

Tonight's dinner was an amazing "meatless monday" example of high protein, veggie loaded deliciousness! It was crunchy, flavorful and spicy. I lufed it!!!!

I loaded my plate and I ate it all. I am usually not the biggest fan of the brown rice, but with all the curry and garlic juice, it was really good, and I think the key is that it wasn't dry!

Easy Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1 cup ~~long-grain white rice~~ substituted with brown rice

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced medium

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

4 teaspoons curry powder

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Roasted cauliflower

2 1/2 ounces baby spinach (2 1/2 cups)

~~1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro~~ -oops, we didn't have any

Coarse salt

Directions

Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and gently simmer 8 minutes.

Add roasted cauliflower and cook until cauliflower is warmed through and chickpeas are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and cilantro and season with salt. To serve, divide rice among four bowls and top with curry.

Roasting Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cauliflower, stem side down, on a cutting board. Working from center of head, cut four 3/4-inch-thick "steaks" and set aside. Cut end pieces into florets (you should have about 1 cup). Toss florets with 1 teaspoon oil and arrange on one side of a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until florets are softened and browned in spots, 25 minutes.

Weekly Menu Plan

2012-01-16T18:33:00.002-05:00

I am on a role making the weekly menu and the chef for making the meals. Last week was a great success, and with a good plan in hand for this week, I think we are off to a great start. The theme of this week is easy, peasy and delightful!

MONDAY: Meatless Monday - Easy Chickpea Curry

TUESDAY: Shrimp vegetable pad thai

WEDNESDAY: Lighter sesame chicken with rice and broccoli

THURSDAY: Dining Divas

FRIDAY: Grilled chicken and pasta with white bean and broccoli pesto

Mediterranean Vegetable White Bean & Feta Penne

2012-01-13T18:38:00.002-05:00

I am so proud of us, well, really of the chef for making ALL of the planned meals this week. To finish off the week, we had some more veggies - yipee for two "meatless mondays" in a same week!

The theme of this week was "The Best of Clean Eating 2" and another recipe that was a complete delight - mediterranean vegetable white bean and fetta penne. Just reading the title, this meal has all my favorites - veggies, feta, and pasta!!!! Of course I had a glass of sauvignon blanc and the chef added some grilled chicken that was leftover from earlier in the week.

This dish is not only delicious, but a cinch to throw together. The flavors are great (of course, I am biased as I am a huge fan of feta cheese), and we discovered an added bonus - it is also delicious as a cold pasta salad for leftovers the next day!

Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean and Feta Penne
[slightly adapted from The Best of Clean Eating 2]

INGREDIENTS:6 oz whole-grain penne pasta
1 cup cooked canned white beans, drained and rinsed well
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced, divided
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
~~1 medium zucchini, cut into eighths lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces~~
1 medium ~~green~~ yellow and red bell pepper, cut into thin strips, then cut into 2-inch pieces
~~1/2 tsp dried rosemary~~
1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cook penne according to package directions, adding beans during the last minute of cooking.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, vinegar, basil, pepper flakes and salt; set aside.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium high heat, tilting skillet to coat bottom lightly. Add [zucchini] and bell pepper and cook for 4 minutes or until edges begin to brown, stirring frequently. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in tomato mixture and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Chop chicken into bite size pieces and add to vegetable mixture. Cover to keep warm.
5. Drain penne-bean mixture, place in a serving bowl, sprinkle evenly with rosemary and all but 1/4 cup feta. Spoon vegetable/chicken mixture over top and finish with remaining feta.

More "Clean Eating"

2012-01-12T21:45:00.006-05:00

We made it to Thursday with a delicious home-made meal inspired by my all-time favorite "Best of Clean Eating 2". I am pretty much going page by page and picking out the recipes. I want to try them ALL.

So if you are short on time, looking for something quick and healthy, I highly recommend this recipe!!! The recipe calls for 15 minute prep and cook time, but I believe it took the chef about 30 minutes due to all the vegetable chopping and prepping, plus he added the mashed potatoes.

The best part of this meals was amazing flavor of pork - the paprika was so "tingly". If you don't believe me, you should make it, I promise you, you will not regret it!

Instructions

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and sliced into about 12 medallions
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed and drained
1 cup of frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small white onion, diced
2 tsp olive oil
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to blend together the rub for the pork tender (olive oil, paprika, cumin, S&P) and then toss the meat with the rub, coating well. Seat bowl aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil to medium heat. Saute the red pepper and onion for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add corn and lima beans, sauteing another 3 minutes or until heated through. Pour mixture into another mixing bowl, toss with healthy dash of S&P to taste and cilantro (optional) and set aside, keeping warm. Wipe out pan and heat last tsp of olive oil to medium heat. Add pork medallions and cook about 3 minutes on both sides or until done. To serve, spoon succotash onto plate and then place 2-3 pork medallions on top. Can also spoon a little of the pan juices over the pork if desired. Serve with a side of mash potatoes.

Thankful Thursday

2012-01-12T15:24:00.000-05:00

I was struggling to find an inspiration what to write for today's Thankful Thursday until I read this on another blog today:

“On my calendar today: ‘remind yourself that when you die, your ‘in basket’ won’t be empty. So many of us live our lives as if the secret purpose is to somehow get everything done. We stay up late, get up early, avoid having fun, and keep our loved ones waiting. Often, we convince ourselves that our obsession with our ‘to do’ list is only temporary - that once we get through the list, we’ll be calm, relaxed, and happy. But in reality, this rarely happens. As items are checked off, new ones simply replace them."

[source]

As you might have noticed this about me, I am a little bit of an A personality. I constantly write never ending to-do lists and convince myself that as soon as I get them done I will finally relax and do things I really want to do and enjoy. But the truth is the lists never get completed. You are now probably thinking and what does this have to do with the "Thankful Thursday" post - well you see, I am thankful for my daughter who is teaching me every day that the life is not about getting things crossed off of my To-Do list, but enjoying every moment with her. Because one day I won't remember the completed to dos, but I will remember my precious time with her.

Thank you Kiki for teaching me the most valuable lesson of all!

Curried Chicken with Peas

2012-01-10T23:15:00.001-05:00

Have I told you I am obsessed with "Clean Eating" magazine and now the books too. Obsessed! Totally obsessed!!!! Four out of five recipes this week are from the "The Best of Clean Eating 2" book. If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend you do. You will thoroughly enjoy it. The meals will make you feel good, full and healthy.

Tonight's dinner had all of the chef's favorite ingredients - chicken, peas and rice. As soon as I saw the ingredients, I knew the chef would approve, but there was a twist to it - it involved curry!!!! S.P.I.C.Y.!!

The color was beautiful and the flavor was very tasty. So glad we decided to go with something a little different than the usual stir fry. This is a reminder that we should use the curry a lot more often - I love the spiciness of it!

Before dinner, I went to a gentle vinyasa class. It was much needed 1.5 hours of ME time. I am really enjoying the yoga classes I've been going to for the last three weeks. I read somewhere that it takes only 21 days to create a new habit - I think I might almost be there.

CURRIED CHICKEN WITH PEAS

INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsp ~~mild or hot curry paste~~ curry powder
1 cup ~~low-sodium chicken broth~~ vegetable stock
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add scallions and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown on all sides.

3. In a small bowl, whisk curry powder into stock. Add curry mixture to wok and bring to a simmer over same heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Add peas and cook for 30 seconds, until just tender. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken over rice.

Halibut with Avocado - Pineapple Salsa

2012-01-09T22:47:00.000-05:00

The January/February 2012 issue of "Everyday FOOD" has been the best one yet!!!! I love every single recipe. I ear-marked every single recipe. There is really no reason for me to tear out recipe pages as I always do, because I want to try them all. So I am keeping the whole magazine.

So tonight, the chef made the halibut with avocado-pineapple salsa on bed of arugula. It was hot!!!! I mean spicy hot, too spicy. I made a mistake and bought some type of a hot pepper instead of a jalapeno.

But guess what, we survived the hot pepper and really enjoyed our dinner. It was so light, refreshing and filling. The citrus in salsa gave a perfect flavor to the lightly breaded fish and the juice from the salsa made for a great salad dressing.

Halibut with Avocado - Pineapple Salsa*

Ingredients

2 avocados, diced small
2 cups finely diced pineapple
~~1 jalapeno, minced~~ hot green pepper
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
6 skin-on halibut fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
Arugula, for serving

Directions

~~Heat broiler, with rack in upper third.~~ The chef lightly breaded the fish instead of broiling it!! In a medium bowl, stir together avocados, pineapple, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt.
~~Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and place fish, skin side down, on sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until fish is opaque throughout, about 8 minutes~~. Top fish with salsa and serve on a bed of arugula.
*Source [here]
The authors of the recipe also recommend this salsa with pork or chicken...I would love to try it with pork!
Of course no post can be complete without a picture of Kiki. We had a blast grocery shopping yesterday. She "talked" the whole time we were in the store, she had to touch everything I put in the grocery cart and she loved flipping the pages of my coupon book. A perfect mommy's little helper!!!!

P.S. I just got a new macro lens and I am learning how t use it so pard the quality of my photos....

Weekly Menu Plan

2012-01-09T22:10:00.003-05:00

New year, new weekly menu plan. December was really tough on the fauxfoodie household weekly menu. We did a lot of take outs, a lot of "whatevers" a lot of eating out, a lot of snacking and a lot of cookies for dinner. To say I was thrilled to actually have a plan with some veggies and protein would be an understatement!!!! I was exhilarated! :) So much that I planned for one too many dinners. What can I say, I was excited!

MONDAY: Halibut with avocado and pineapple salsa on bed of arugula

TUESDAY: Smoked paprika pork tenderloin

WEDNESDAY: Curried chicken with peas

THURSDAY: Easy chickpea curry

FRIDAY: Mediterranean vegetables, white bean, feta and penne pasta

Q: Do you meal plan? How do you get back on track to eating healthy?

I Hit the Jack Pot

2012-01-06T22:02:00.002-05:00

Wow, did I hit a jack-pot today..... Nope, I didn't win lottery, but I did score amazing deals at Target, better yet Missoni for Target. I guess third time is a charm!!!

You see, when Missoni for Target collection came out, I was on a business trip and was not able to get to Target and the website was down so I couldn't get anything. Than about a month later, I was walking by the baby sales racks and found some really cute stuff, and of course Kiki had to have some designer wear. By some luck, today I read on Twitter that Missoni for Target was having an online sale, so I immediately jumped on it and scored BIG, real BIG....

And on top of the already existing discounts, I found a 10% off coupon and free shipping - now you probably agree that I hit a jack pot :)

My jack-pot included a twin set (which I will wear separately of course), long sweater, cardigan, umbrella, scarf and an ottoman for my new home office. I can't wait for it all to arrive next week.

This "little" purchase made my Friday an amazing Friday. I guess good things really do happen to those that wait!!!! Off to do some "Pinteresting! You can follow me here....

Watercress and Pear Salad

2012-01-03T22:35:00.003-05:00

I felt so fancy having a watercress and pear salad tonight. This is one of those salads that I usually leave for restaurants only, but since I recently found out that I am having some B12 complex issues, I am making an effort to include B12 in everything I eat, and watercress is packed with B12 vitamin complex.

So tonight I whipped up a little treat of watercress, pear, goat cheese and grilled cheese salad with mustard and honey vinaigrette.

Delicious!

There is really no recipe or directions, it's one of those salads where you just throw the ingredients together and fancy salad is served. Don't wait for the special occasion, just do it - make yourself special any day!

To make my day brighter, I bought some peonies. They are so beautiful, pink and fluffy - what's not to love!!!!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T22:03:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year! Wishing you much love, health, joy and happiness!

I love New Year! The New Year represents a fresh start, a new beginning, a new opportunity to make things different. There is so much hope that the new year will be better and more fulfilling.

I had an amazing 2011 and wouldn't have changed anything about it. The 2011 gave me a new outlook on what's important and what I want from life.

But the 2012 will be about becoming a better ME. After all, there is always room for improvement. I want to be more patient, more caring, more thoughtful, more relaxed, more balanced, more present.

The good thing is I have 365 days (OK, 362 as of today) to become a better ME!

I hope your 2012 is off to a great start! May this be your best year yet!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T23:19:00.000-05:00

Our little family of 4 (yes sous-chef counts as an equal member of the family) had a beautiful, quiet Christmas and a wonderful 4-day weekend. There were gifts galore, amazing food, delicious cookies and refreshing drinks, and a lot of slobbery kisses.

Hope your weekend was filled with much love, laughter and happiness!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!!

Curried Rice with Shrimp

2011-12-22T13:57:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that we love rice and shrimp. But we only usually make one or two different dishes, and I was ready for a change. As I was perusing my Evernote, I found a recipe that I saved almost a year ago... Curried Rice with Shrimp. I loved it without even trying it.

As I was putting Kiki to bed and cleaning up the upstairs, the smell of curry traveled through the house and I couldn't wait to sit down and enjoy the dinner. The recipe was awesome - so so so good.

The recipe called for some basil, but we didn't have any, so the chef suggested some green peas. I vetoed the peas, but now I regret it as it would add a great little "spark" to this photo. Plus a hint of some greens would have been great. Oh well. Lesson learned, listen to the chef, he knows what he's doing!!!

So the recipe...here you go:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 ~~cup long-grain white rice~~ jasmine rice

kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp

~~1/2 cup fresh basil~~

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes.

Add the rice, 2½ cups water, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle them in the partially cooked rice.

Cover and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4-5 minutes, fold in basil (If you have some)

Dear Santa

2011-12-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

Dear Santa:

All I want for Christmas are my front two teeth....

Love Always, Lexi

P.S. You can throw in a few toys too, I won't mind :)

Tuesday Things

2011-12-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

1. The holidays are stressing me out. So what do I do - I go shopping, for myself.

2. In my defense, I only bought a pair of Christmas PJs. I didn't feel like trying on anything else. Now I regret it, as Ann Taylor had an amazing sale of 50% off on any single purchase.

3. I will be going shopping again tomorrow. But tomorrow, the only things I will be looking for are the Christmas gifts. I am so behind on Christmas gifts. At this time, all I have are two gifts. It's sad. Do I need to remind you that I still have to mail them, both in the US and Croatia. I think our family and friends will be enjoying gift opening after Christmas. Or so I keep telling myself.

4. Our Christmas cards finally arrived from Tiny Prints today. They will be mailed out tomorrow. Some may even arrive before Christmas day. I am completely in love with our Christmas cards... but than again, wouldn't you be too?

5. Completely random, but even if I could, I would never... Would you? Would it be worth it? I mean $25,000???? Really???

Weekly Menu

2011-12-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

In my efforts to eat more veggies (Sanity Challenge) and power foods, aka healthier than what I have been eating, the weekly menu will look something like this:

Sunday: veggie burger and kale chips for me and Chipotle for the Chef
Monday: BBQ Turkey Patties with sweet potato fries
Tuesday: curried rice with shrimp
Wednesday: lightly breaded tilapia and black bean salad
Thursday: grilled chicken and avocado tomato salad
Friday: DATE DAY more about this later;)

I am also hoping to do some baking this week. The plan is to pick 4 recipes and make some cookies for Christmas weekend. What shall I make? Since it's our first Christmas as a family of 4 (you bet the Sous-Chef is the equal member of our family), I want to have a proper Christmas dinner (a blend of Croatian and American tradition) and a Christmas day brunch (my tradition). A lot to think about. A lot to plan for. Very little time left....

Q: What will you be eating this week?

Saturday Shenanigans

2011-12-17T23:28:00.004-05:00

Last night I completely passed out on a couch at 8:30pm and than when I woke up at midnight, I could not sleep due to my ongoing sinus problems and newly acquired soar throat. This morning I still felt terrible despite my efforts with sudafed, amoxcilin, tea, gargling salt, etc. But life most go on when you have an active 7-month old.

Every weekend I make a long list of things to get done and I rarely ever get anything crossed off and than feel disappointment. Probably because I pack it so much it's almost impossible to get it all done. So this weekend, I eliminated the to-do list. I've decided to just go with a flow. It felt a bit odd not to have anything to cross off, but I enjoyed the freedom and no direction.

The day was packed with good stuff. We acted silly, we played, we laughed, we walked, we napped, we fought naps, we shopped, and I had two hours of ME time. It was truly a glorious day.

Thanks to an expiring Groupon that I purchased months ago, I went to a yoga class for an amazing 1.5 hours of stretching. The Blue Sol Yoga studio was calming and the class was great. I haven't done any stretching or yoga since my prenatal yoga classes and I definitely felt it. I can only imagine how I will feel tomorrow. My goal is to get to class once a week. It will be part of my Sanity Challenge - keep moving.

After yoga, I did some quick shopping at TJ Maxx and Target.

Don't you just love these little tags in the dressing rooms - Possibly and Definitely! I certainly had some items on the Definitely.

After my ME time, I came home to two silly turkeys and joined the self-portrait party!

Shortly after, we took Kiki to the close by park and did some walking and playing on the swing. Since it was towards the end of the day she wasn't the happiest camper but we managed.

Quickly after she went to bed and we enjoyed the "everything in the sink salad" and movies. We watched "Debt" - I say go rent it, it was good! We also watched "Hangover II", I say skip it. Save yourself $3.00.

Sanity Challenge

2011-12-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I have been feeling a little stressed out lately - trying to do one too many things, taking on way too much, trying to do it all. And the saddest part, not doing the right things for myself - taking care of myself has fallen to the back seat [is this even a right saying, hahaha]. December is traditionally a busy month, but adding to it a 7 month old and a new role as a mom, things got a little out of hand.

While I've been thinking about it for some time now, I haven't really done anything about until I read a post from "City Life Eats" - December Sanity Challenge 2011. While I might be a little late to start the challenge [yup I am starting it on December 15th], I am a firm believer that any time is a good time to make a change as long as you are truly ready.

What is this challenge about - it's about making holidays sane, happy and healthy. My hope is that the habits I create this month will carry on and the stress levels will magically disappear. OK, I know they will not disappear, but hopefully habits I "pick up" will help me cope with stress better.

I decided to concentrate on three areas that will help me gain sanity.

1. MOVE MORE - it doesn't matter to me what I am doing, as long as I am moving - walking with Kiki, running, doing yoga, weight lifting - any of it and all of but as long as I am moving EVERY DAY. Doing something like this for myself always makes me feel better, so I will make an effort to do something every day. For a Type A person like me, to-do lists are essential for my daily survival, so I am placing "MOVING" on the to-do list so it's there every single day until it's part of my routine.

2.GO TO BED EARLIER - I have being "fighting" going to bed earlier for years now, and you would think with a baby going to bed at 7pm every night, and getting up by 5 or 6am every day as exhausted as I am somehow I still can't get myself to bed before midnight. So my resolution is to start going to bed only 10 minutes earlier than the previous night and change that time every 3 days. My goal is to start being in bed by 10pm, reading, actually reading a book and no blogs (sorry blends) and lights out by 10:30pm. I bet if I do this, the "Moving More" part will be easier.

3. and last but not least, EAT MORE VEGGIES - notice I didn't say healthy, but eating more veggies. I eat pretty good. I start well with healthy breakfast, mid morning snack and lunch and than evenings unless the chef is in town, are terrible. My dinner consist of cereal, or banana chocolate bread or ice-cream - terrible, terrible, terrible. I eat a lot of fruits, but not enough veggies. My goal is to incorporate veggies in all of my meals. I know I can do this. After all, I read enough of healthy food blogs to have ideas for a whole year and never eat the same thing.

I know it's a middle of a month, and right before we all start making New Year's Resolutions, but I believe no time is better than NOW. I need this, I want it and I know I can do it.

Since today is the day, I have completed my moving more challenge. I went for a really nice 45 minute walk with the sous-chef and Kiki and everyone loved it. And as of now I have 3 minutes to get to bed 10 minutes earlier than yesterday, so I better get going. The eat more veggies part - total fail today, but tomorrow is a new day.

Q: How about you? Do you need more sanity in your life? Do you want to start some new habits? Join me! It's a party!

Saying Goodbye

2011-12-14T22:24:00.000-05:00

I am feeling a little sad today - my parents went back to Croatia. 10 days went by so fast. The 10 days were just not enough, but I am grateful for them for coming back in just six months since the last time they were here.

So much has happened in 6 months.... Let's see, Kiki is about to start crawling, she has three front tooth coming through, she laughs all the time, points at things that she wants - mostly my iphone and TV remote and reaches out to be picked up. My oh my, has she changed in six months.

There is a reason why they say "They grow up so fast". I better get started on her baby book. Before I know it she will be celebrating her first birthday, which by the way, I have already started planning through Pinterest, and I only have her first two months recorded. I think baby photo book is in order too.

While my parents were here, most of our time was spent playing with Kiki, and the rest, shopping and eating and drinking a lots of good wine, my favorite activities. Something I absolutely love doing with my family and we did it so well. I didn't buy too much, but I did find some amazing deals both for Christmas gifts and me, of course;)

Let's talk food - delicious!!! Whenever they are in town, we always make the same meals- it's comforting and it always brings back such great memories.

I miss them so much already and wishing we all lived closer, but...it is what it is, and we made the best out of the time we had together.

The Night of Twihards

2011-12-07T18:36:00.001-05:00

I saw it. I loved it. I need to see it again.

[Yes, I am 33 years old and not ashamed to say I am obsessed.]

People, run, don't walk, you need to see it!

Meatless Monday

2011-12-06T23:59:00.000-05:00

My mom and dad are in town and I am extremely happy and busy, what can I say I am a busy bee these days. But in the midst of all the craziness, I couldn't resist posting this recipe...this is my childhood favorite and who would have thought the family of carnivores ate vegetarian meals at least once a week. No wonder I love my vegetarian nights!

Before my parents even landed, I knew I wanted to have breaded spinach patties. These are the best vegetarian patties I have ever had! Pure deliciousness...

My mom usually serves the veggie patties with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes. This is an ultimate comfort food. I've been feeling so much stress lately, that this was a perfect "Meatless Monday" comfort.

The breaded spinach patties are so delicious...you must try them. As far as I understand, the preparation process takes awhile, but the end result is well worth it. I believe my mom cooks the spinach, than cuts it in tiny pieces, mixes in some bread crumbs, salt, pepper and an egg to hold it all together. Once you make the patties you put them in the heated pan and cook on high (I will check the heat and get back to you on that one) until golden. To take away some of the excess oil, she places them on the paper towel, and once they cool off a little bit, they are ready to be served.

I am always hoping for some leftovers, that is yet to happen... it's that good!!!!

I am off to spend some more quality time with the family and think about all the other meals that I want to eat while the parents are in town....yum, yum, yum!

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

This week, I have a lot to be thankful for, but most of all I am thankful for

FAMILY

FRIENDS.

With them, life is complete!

And now, let the craziness of December begin...

Being Thankful

2011-11-24T06:48:00.001-05:00

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary

Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

[source]

Emotional Roller-Coaster

2011-11-22T21:48:00.000-05:00

Today was an emotional roller-coaster. Today I was an emotional mess. I have never been as exhausted as I am today. Today didn't begin well, but it certainly had a great ending.

I should probably explain my self...Two weeks before Kiki was born, we found out that the sous-chef had cancer. The cancer was fast progressing and prognosis was not good. With no treatment she was given 2-4 weeks, with a very aggressive treatment she could have 1-2 years. Obviously, we immediately contacted the Animal Cancer Clinic, got an appointment, saw Dr. Dominguez and started with her treatment the following day.

Six months later, she was given a clean bill of health. Unfortunately since than every time she does something out of ordinary, I freak out and we are on our way to see Dr. Dominguez. And so far, we've been so lucky that he has always sent us back home saying all is good.

For the last two days, the Sous-Chef has been hacking, wheezing, throwing up, acting lethargic, just not being herself. And of course with everything that we went through with her, hacking is a bad sign - a sign of lung cancer, which means that the cancer has spread. So of course, we immediately took her in to see Dr. Dominguez. After lung/chest Xrays, a few blood tests, we left with some cough suppressants, ear infection meds, and clean Xrays and we were told that the sous-chef is in complete remission:) Probably a kennel cough she picked up at the groomers two weeks ago. Pop the bottle of Prosecco (and Rum & Coke for the Chef) - It's time to celebrate.

For the last two days, I spent endless hours crying, and then I cried some more when we found out that she is fine. I was a complete emotional mess. Add the post-partum hormonal imbalance, and you do not want to be near me. Last night I slept about 3 hours in anticipation of not knowing what will happen and I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

The sous-chef is 10 years old. I know she is old and the time when she is no longer with us is coming, but I am not ready for that time yet. We still have so many adventures ahead of us. I want Kiki and her to be best friends. I want her to grow up with the Sous-Chef as long as possible. And today, we got another chance for that. I think Christmas came early this year!!!!

Mission: Cleaning out the Refrigerator

2011-11-22T20:08:00.000-05:00

I am on a mission to clean out our refrigerator before the holidays. This is the perfect time to get everything used up, cleaned up and get it ready for all those delicious holiday foods. So might have guessed, the meatless monday wasn't happening today.

We had some Al Fresco chicken basil sausages, peas and rice, so the chef made his favorite - chicken fried rice. Who am I kidding, this is fast becoming my favorite too.

It is such a quick, throw in everything type of meal, and it appears to be easy to make. Or so the chef makes it look easy to make.

My favorite part of this meal is the fried egg...gosh, I think this is the sole reason why this is becoming my favorite food. I just love the chunks of the fried eggs - absolutely delic!!

I've been trying to get better at capturing those special "moments", which means carrying my camera with me at all times to the point that I am always sticking the lenses in your face - not sure what the family thinks of it yet, but you got to admit these photos are good and if I didn't have it on me, we would have never captured these precious moments.

The Loves of my Life!

5 Things Thursday

2011-11-17T06:35:00.000-05:00

I've been feeling a little bit overwhelmed, a little stressed out, a little burnt-out, a little exhausted these days. To relax, I have been perusing Pinterest late at night and escaping to a land of calm.... Have you seen these? So creative - I love it!

It's incredible how the power of a few words can change the whole outlook on life. Just reading a few of these make me happy - make me giddy - make me smile...

What made you smile today?

My food has super-powers

2011-11-16T22:24:00.000-05:00

I am obsessed with Women's Health magazine recipes this week. While de-cluttering and browsing through some old magazines, I found another amazing recipe that made for a delicious, savory, rich and high-protein dinner.

I've been making a conscious effort to eat more veggies everyday. I've been snacking on baby carrots and peppers during the day and some type of veggies at dinner time are a MUST. So tonight, I asked the chef to use a whole bag of spinach - we all know spinach cooks down... Did you know spinach has super powers - it fights health enemies [cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis], loaded with vitamins and it slows down the aging... Do I need to convince you any more why you should be eating spinach...all the time!!!!

Anywho, not sure who was a star of tonight's dinner, but it was awesome! I went not only for seconds, but thirds. Needless to say, I do not have enough to pack to take with me tomorrow for lunch. It was certainly rich with all the cheese, pesto and walnuts, but so yummy. Do I need to remind you I went for thirds!?!

Savory Seafood Pasta [source]
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz multigrain penne
12 to 14 medium precooked peeled shrimp
2 Tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola parmesan or goat cheese, or whatever you have on hand
3 c chopped baby spinach
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp ready-made pesto

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add shrimp, cheese, spinach, tomato, walnuts, and pesto, stirring well to help wilt the spinach and distribute the pesto.

Makes 2 servings. Per serving: 360 cal, 19 g fat (5 g sat), 26 g carbs, 390 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 22 g protein

Almond and Chickpea Burgers

2011-11-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

Vegetarian or not you should make this burger. It will open your eyes to the whole new world of delicious and good for you foods. I know it wasn't the Meatless Monday on our menu, but I thought it would be good for us to have, after all we had all the ingredients on hand.

Once the Chef saw what was on the menu, there was some grunting and complaining, but he made it after all and the best of all - he liked it!!! So much that we fought over the third one.

The actual burger was a bit dry, but the flavor was amazing - crunchy, almondy, sweet - a complete delight with all the toppings. For sure to be seen on our menu again, very soon!

ALMOND & CHICKPEA BURGER [source]
INGREDIENTS

Total time: 25 minutes

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup slivered almonds (2 oz)
1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander Pinch salt
1 large egg
4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo, or to taste
~~2 cups shredded romaine lettuce~~ 2 cups of arugula
1 beefsteak tomato
4 whole-wheat pitas (6-inch)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small pan of boiling water, cook garlic for 3 minutes to soften. When cool enough to handle, peel, transfer to a large bowl, and mash with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, toast almonds for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a food processor or blender. Pulse on and off to grind almonds into a fine meal (be careful not to turn them into a paste).

3. Add chickpeas to garlic; mash with a potato masher or fork until no whole chickpeas remain. Add almond meal, parsley, cumin, coriander, and salt to taste. Stir to blend.

4. Add egg and mix well. Shape the mixture into 4 patties. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until browned and crisp on the outside and heated through, about 5 minutes per side.

5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend mayonnaise and chipotle pepper. Spread each burger with 11/2 teaspoons chipotle mayonnaise.

6. Divide half the arugula and tomato evenly among bottom halves of pitas, add a burger, then top each with remaining arugula and tomato.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 386 cal, 21 g fat (2 g sat), 44 g carbs, 465 mg sodium, 16 g fiber, 17 g protein

Weekend Adventures

2011-11-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

Another big weekend filled with many baby milestones. We made our first road trip, we visited Disney for the first time, Kiki sat up all on her own, the chef ran a 1/2 marathon and we cheered him on!!! I'd say it was a pretty amazing weekend.

Did someone say breakfast

2011-11-09T22:58:00.001-05:00

I wasn't overly hungry tonight nor inspired to cook dinner. The only thing on my mind was the good old forgotten breakfast - toasted sandwich thin with wild berries jam.

So that's exactly what I did... I had breakfast for dinner. But I couldn't just have one. I mean one is not enough. I was craving sweet like crazy so I also had a spoon of chocolate peanut butter. And if that wasn't enough I had a honeycrisp apple.

It's been a very long day. As a matter a fact it's been a long week.... I'm in desperate need of some ME time!!! But for now I will relax with the November issue of LUCKY and INSTYLE magazines and some CMA awards...

Trying Something New

2011-11-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

It was a day full of experimentation. Kiki tried some new foods, I tried some more cooking and discovered Picnick. All in all, it was great and I am very proud of both of us.

So this little nifty collage and photos in all kinds of exposures, frames and signatures are a result of playing in Picnik. Picnik is an online photo editor that pretty much does wonders for your photos. It's like an online version of Photoshop. Tonight I played in the basic Picnik, but I am thinking that for $25.00 per year, it will be worth it to upgrade it to the premium level and get access to even cooler tools.

So anyhow, let's get back to the other NEW stuff we did today! I bought the "Baby Mum-Mum Organic Rice Rusks". At first she wasn't quiet sure what that was all about but than she loved it. I think she wanted more:). It looks like we may have a good eater on our hands! In case you were wondering, the love of peas continues.

Are you worried about me? Don't be, I am not starving. I am actually managing quiet well. Another successful home-made dinner. Tonight on the menu was Bocca veggie burger and tabuleh salad.

Oh and mandatory white wine! Very much needed.... And sadly I couldn't finish the glass!

It was good. It satisfied my hunger and I didn't burn down the kitchen. I think that is success, for me of course.

I am off to play some more with Picnik and my photos. I think I may even throw in some Pinterest too. I am truly obsessed. Someone pull me away from the computer.

Weekly Menu Missing in Action

2011-11-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you noticed, perhaps you didn't, but I didn't put together a weekly menu for this week. The chef is missing in action this week and so is the weekly menu. It's hard for me to plan anything when I don't really cook, but I did go grocery shopping yesterday with a slight idea of couple of meals that I know how to make. But since I am on my own and cooking is not forte, I am not pre-setting any meals, but just going with it. Depending on the evening and Mili-Mali's mood, I will "attempt" my dinners.

So today is a Meatless Monday and in spirit of FFG traditions, I went meatless. And this is how I did it - gosh, I am so proud of myself for doing this. Please don't laugh, but it's my attempt of keeping it "normal". I bought Amy's 4 Cheese Pizza, and decided to plump it up a bit - some proteins and greens.

The plumping process included cracking two eggs on it and let them bake on the pizza on 450F for 12 minutes.

Once the pizza cooled off (for about two minutes) I added some arugula.

Can I just say, this was the best pizza I have ever made. Underlining, that I have made. You won't hear me say this often;) OK, so it lacked a bit in taste - it could have been saltier, but what's matters is that I ventured into uncharted territories and cooked something myself. Chef, please don't get used to this, you are much better chef than I can ever imagine being...and I miss your cooking....and YOU!

I am off to bed to catch some zzzzzz as I am expecting Kiki to wake up soon. She didn't sleep well last night, meaning I didn't sleep well, and she is all over her crib right now, restless sleeping...

You are 6 months old - Happy 1/2 birthday!

2011-11-06T23:09:00.002-05:00

Me dearest baby A....

You are 6 months old - Happy 1/2 birthday!!! Let's celebrate!!! I can't believe we are already celebrating the 6 months of your life. I can't believe you've been with us for 6 months! I can't believe how much it's possible to love someone as much as I love you! The time has flown by...too fast, and I need to stop it, or at least slow it down.

You have been an amazing baby.
You are a happy baby.
You smile all the time.
You love your mommy and daddy - your big smile tells it all.
You love your nanny too and that makes me both happy and jealous;)
You are starting to like the sous-chef and you love petting her.
You are not the biggest fan of sous-chef's kisses, but you'll put up with it and than you laugh:)
Your laugh is infectious and it melts my heart.
You require constant attention and entertainment.
You love your exersaucer.
You love sitting up, but not on your own yet.
You love rolling over and you hold your head up so well.
You love riding in your stroller during our walks/runs.
But you hate riding in your car seat in the car.
You love playing with your keys and banging them against your chair.
You love your giraffe Sophie. She must taste good ;)
You enjoy the rice cereal, especially eating it with the spoon.
You had a first taste of peas, you ate them but you are not crazy about them like your daddy.
You love holding the spoon, too.
You like to hold your bottle, too...no surprise there.
You sleep so well at night, but you are still learning how to nap during the day.
Just like mommy and daddy, you love sleeping on your stomach.
You are a great mommy's little shopper and enjoy shopping.
You even enjoy our trips to the Barnes & Noble.
I love the excitement you show every time we sit down to read books.
You love being read to - you eagerly"turn" pages and "talk" back.
You babble all the time and I love having conversations with you.

My dearest Kiki, you are an amazing child and I love every minute of my life with you!!! Happy 1/2 birthday my darling!!!

6 months stats - UPDATED on 11/9 after our doctor's visit
Weight:
height:
Diapers: size 2 for day and size 3 for night
Clothes: Size 6-9 months

Retail Therapy

2011-11-05T23:06:00.000-04:00

What a day!!!! What an amazing day!!! The only that was missing, was the chef. But Kiki and I had a fantastic day. The day started fairly early, so Kiki and I went for a walk and it was soo sooo soo chilly and I loved it. And than we were off for some excellent retail therapy. There seems to be a theme when the chef is out of town, the girls go shopping and we do it so well.

We got to the mall fairly early, snagged some good deals and than we met up with my friend Jen for lunch at "The Grill on the Alley". The only criteria for a restaurant was that they cater to gluten free diet and this place even had a separate gluten free menu. Score!!!! Even better, they had $6.00 brunch cocktails. Naturally, we had to have some Bellinis.

My lunch was good - southwestern chicken wrap with aioli mayo. You can never go wrong with some aioli mayo. But the star of my meal was the bread, crunchy, fresh with fluffy middle - yum!!! I wish I just had the bread!!!

Of course after lunch we shopped some more and than Kiki and I headed home and went for another walk with our family friend Jade. And than it was bed time. As I am writing this my eye-lids are getting heavier and heavier... good night Moon! good night my stars!

Fun Friday

2011-11-04T22:33:00.000-04:00

Today was another crazy day that started before the sun came up. I worked on some more emails, and it seems as though they are never ending, got Kiki and myself ready for the day, ran some errands, looked for office space, went to some meetings, had a lovely lunch at a new pizza place in Design District and finally found my way home.

As per usual, the girls [Kiki, sous-chef and me;)] went for a nightly walk that was chillier than usual. I must say I am loving this Florida "fall" weather. By far it's my favorite time of the year. The only thing that I am struggling with is how to dress Kiki. Everything I read says always dress babies one layer more than yourself but every time I do that she is sweating like crazy, but her little hands and feet are freezing. I am at a loss. I guess this falls under those new parent dilemma... HELP!!!

One of the highlights of the crazy but fun Friday was having lunch at a new pizza place in Design District - Harry's owned by Michael of Michael's Genuine. Perhaps it's just new to me. The menu was so simple with only a few dishes, appetizers, and a small wine list. We had the real Italian thin margherita pizza and polenta fries. Oh wow - I am in love with those fries. They were lightly fried with chunky pieces of sea salt with home made ketchup/salsa. I could have just had those and a small salad. I think the next time I will. If you find your self at Harry's, you should definitely order the polenta fries.

Since Kiki and the sous-chef are already in bed, I think I will call it a day. It was a crazy busy but fun Friday. I finally finished the "Girls in Trucks" book, and it's time to pick a new one. But since the "Girls in Trucks" was disappointing I really need something good this time. I am sure my personal library will deliver;)

Have a great weekend....but make sure you check back with us, more fun times are in store for the FFG ladies....

For the Love of Running - November Challenge

2011-11-04T06:52:00.001-04:00

I have lost my running mojo. Ever since Kiki/baby A/Mili-Mali [yes, she has a lot of nicknames] was born, I can't seem to get back into running. I think of it as a chore, something I have to do, not something I want to do and enjoy and it really bothers me.

I've been reading a lot of running blogs, Running Magazine, Pinterest quotes, anything and everything to get me inspired, but nothing changes. I tie my shoes and instead I go for a walk. Usually taking Kiki with me as she loves our walks too...

So what gives? Is it the mother's guilt of trying to spend all the waking hours with her, is it that I was never a true runner before, but used is a weight loss tool, or is it the fear that I am not a runner I used to be.

In attempt to gain motivation and find the lost love of running, we recently purchased the super-dooper BOB stroller for all of our outdoor activities and so far I am loving it. I even ran with it twice. OK, I jogged, but that counts, right!?! I also got a new pair of sneakers. So with all this NEW, will my love for running return? Stick around and you shall find out... or better yet, join me in this month's challenge "November on the Move". Do whatever you like, but just keep moving!

My Goal: As long as I am moving, regardless if it is running or walking, moving is all that matters!

Happy National Sandwich Day!

2011-11-03T23:03:00.000-04:00

Did you know that today is the National Sandwich Day? Neither did I until I saw it all over twitter and bloggosphere. Who would have thought that when I was planning our menu.... How lucky!

And boy did I pick a good sandwich for tonight - steak sandwich with sauteed mushrooms and spinach.

It was absolutely divine. You should make it now. No, run to make it now. As always, the FFG family went for a short walk, got Kiki to bed and than the chef and I sat down to eat the most flavorful sandwich I have ever had.

The star of the sandwich was dijon mustard. It perfectly complemented the sauteed steak and mushrooms. One part that I could have easily gone without, spinach - it tasted wilted, old....oh well. Other than the spinach, the sandwich was a pure perfection. The crusty wheat baguette, parmesan cheese, sauteed steak and mushrooms...what's not to love.

Steak Sandwiches with Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach (adapted from Martha Stewart "Everyday Food")
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp vegetable oil
8 oz of flank steak
sharp cheddar cheese
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
10 oz of baby spinach
4 tsp Dijon mustard
8 slices of crusty bread, toasted

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Cook steaks until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer to a plate; tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
Add onion to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms brown, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar and any accumulated juices from steaks; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Add spinach to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Thinly slice steaks against the grain. Spread mustard on 4 slices bread. Dividing evenly, top with sliced steak, mushroom mixture, and spinach. Top with remaining bread. Serve immediately.

Bobbing & Eating

2011-11-03T22:33:00.000-04:00

Today was a whirlwind. I woke up late, ran out of the house with no breakfast in hand, ran around town on different appointments, got to the office around noon and spent 4 hours cleaning out my email inbox. And we all know what cleaning out the inbox means - future TO DO LISTS and PROJECTS. And the saddest part is that I am not even nearly done with it!!!! But tomorrow is a new day, new opportunity to get the work done, as I had far more important project to come home to - Baby A and our evening walk.

We took our BOB stroller for a walk and it was glorious. The BOB is an all-terrain super-duper stroller that is great for our evening walks and runs. It is so smooth and handles all kinds of bumps on the road nicely - so nicely that it puts Kiki to sleep every time!

Tonight we walked for 3.39 miles and it was glorious! We both loved it! Following Kiki's ritual of getting ready for bed, the chef made the shrimp pesto pizza. He has made this pizza before, but for some reason or another tonight it just didn't sit well with me. This is one of those really quick meals that I know I love, but tonight it just wasn't it. Something was off...maybe next time. I'm not giving up on this one just yet! This picture is not flattering at all... you can skip it!

Not so flexible

2011-11-01T22:02:00.001-04:00

I am not sure why I bothered to make the menu this week!!! Urgh, we are yet to make anything from it. It's sad and frustrating at the same time. Sad, because I try very hard to put together a very balanced meal plan - healthy and easy to make. But frustrating because life gets in a way of plans and things change, including our menu. I take so much pride in putting it all together, but at the same time I need to learn to be flexible.

So tonight instead of having this, we had baked chicken + brown rice + mixed salad.

I know it sounds a little boring compared to what we originally planned, but it was really good. I was a little afraid of the brown rice, but to my surprise, it was good, very good.

I think it helped that the chef added some slivered almonds and mozzarella cheese:) Cheese makes everything better.

The chicken was seasoned with olive oil and vegeta and baked for 40 min on 400F. I only had a 1/2 piece since it was really really really thick. In case you didn't get it, it was really thick ;)

And perhaps one of the best parts of dinner - veggies. The starchy and protein heavy dinner needed some balance and greens. What better than all the greens in our fridge seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar - my favorite dressing combo.

After dinner I was reading some blogs, and as always checked out this blog and was struck by the balance of protein, carbs and veggies on this plate!!! I wish I could be that balanced. I am amazed with all the meals that she makes. I am actually jealous!!!! If you are looking to be healthier, eating more local food and using everything and anything that you have on hand, you must check out her blog. I guess when you are a registered dietitian and recipe developer, these things come to you naturally.

I am off to spend some quality time with my Google Reader. I have a lot to catch up on - 200+ blogs....I think I am having difficulty adjusting to the new format though....

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T22:59:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrated Baby A's 1st Halloween! She was the cutest pumpkin in the pumpkin patch... She got to wear her costume for a little awhile, but since she looked so cute in it, I am tempted to dress her up again on a sunny day and take some more pictures!!! Yes, I am becoming one of those crazy moms.

Despite the awful weather that we have been having, we went trick or treating. Truthfully, we went to my friend C's house, took pictures of kids in costumes and ate some good food!!!! And despite the great Halloween spread she put together and my camera in hand at all times, the only pictures that I walked away with were of this little pumpkin. But trust me when I say it, the turkey burgers she made were amazing - juicy and flavorful. I did pass by her in the kitchen when she was drizzling something over them, but I forgot to ask her what it was. C - if you are reading this, tell us your secret!!!!

Since C is such a great hostess, there was great candy, great cookies and delicious cake that I had to indulge in; after all it is Halloween!!!!

After pictures and dinner were over, we walked for a bit and than drove home, so it was Baby A's bed time. Our little pumpkin must have been so tired as she fell asleep before we even left their neighborhood.

How was your Halloween? Did you get a lot of candy?

P.S. Yes, today was supposed to be a Meatless Monday, but knowing that C is a great cook, we couldn't have said no - and it was totally worth it. So instead, we are having a Meatless Tuesday.

Weekend in Pictures

2011-10-31T07:05:00.001-04:00

Weekly Menu

2011-10-28T22:01:00.000-04:00

I have said it before and I will say it again, if I have the weekly menu planned I am ready for the week. And if the menu is planned on Friday night or Saturday morning, I can relax for the rest of the weekend. Not having the menu done till Sunday really stresses me out, and I have finally learned to spend some time with my cookbooks at the beginning of the weekend in order to avoid unneeded stress. So all that's left is to pick up a few ingredients, which will most likely happen during the week, as the chef likes to buy meat/fish the day we eat it.

You are probably wondering what we are having...so without a further ado...this whole week is based on recipes from Martha Stewart's "Everyday FOOD" magazines.

SUNDAY: Grilled chicken and corn arugula salad

MONDAY: Stuffed Peppers, meatless of course - it's Meatless Mondays after all

TUESDAY: Shrimp + spinach + mushroom barley

WEDNESDAY: Steak sandwiches with sauteed mushrooms

THURSDAY: Shrimp pesto pizza

FRIDAY: Leftovers

SATURDAY: Date night

Not sure if I ever shared it with you but I love all things that are pretty and functional, organizational and girly. Naturally, the weekly menu planning process requires a very cute notepad that is perfect for making the list of meals and a side bar to list all of the ingredients.

Even better, it's perforated so I don't need to take the whole notepad to the store with me but just the grocery list. If you would like one, you can get it here. I promise, you'll love it.

Not sure about you, but I am off to enjoy my weekend completely relaxed as my menu is D.O.N.E.

Chicken Parm, the Clean Eating style

2011-10-18T22:15:00.000-04:00

Back when I was pregnant I craved Chicken Parmesan all the time - I think it was my comfort food. If I could, I would have eaten it all the time, and luckily the chef found a way to satisfy my craving the healthy way.

Well nothing has changed, I've been craving it ever since I saw the recipe in the "The Best of Clean Eating" cookbook. Luckily we had all the ingredients on hand, so it was easy to add this to our weekly menu plan.

The best part of this dinner was the chicken. The way he did it was so delicious - chicken breasted coated in an egg and panko bread crumbs baked in the oven for 20 min at 400F and then for another 10 min with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce.

I have to say, I am not sure what I was thinking when I was planning our meals this week, but all the sauces have been with chunky tomato, and that is my least favorite sauce. Yikes.... it never has been. I think it reminds me of the tomato sauce that my mom used to make from scratch every fall. The smell of cooked tomatoes would linger in the house for weeks, or at least it felt like that and it's just something I never liked. Still don't.

Today has been emotionally draining, but the good news is the sous-chef passed her oncologist visit with flying colors!!!! YEAH!!!! the downside of the visit, she is a bit overweight, so we have to watch her diet, but other than that everything looks great. it's not even 9pm, but I am beat - waiting around for results and doctors' appointments will do this to you...

This is what we did after the sous-chef's doctor's appointment - rolling around on the floor and loving it. This is happiness!!!!

xoxo, The Faux Foodie Girl

Mondays Can Be Glorious too....Cantina 27

2011-10-17T21:25:00.013-04:00

If every Monday was like today, than let every day be a Monday! My day started off with a text from my boss saying to come in late because, ohhh who cares why, but that was a wonderful Monday morning gift. And while I was getting ready, this little "party" took place in my bed. This melts my heart - the three loves of my life - beyond adorable.

And than later today, we (my team and I) went to a meeting where I enjoyed the most beautiful seafood salad and glass of Ca'Bolani Sauvignon Blanc.

If you find your self in Miami Beach and are looking for a good Italian restaurant stop by Cantina 27. This place is a hidden gem. Owners are Italians, food is home made, authentic and delicious. But I do have to say, do not judge the book by its cover. It's not the prettiest looking restaurant, but the food is fantastic.

I was debating whether I should take a picture or not, but in the middle of my meal I decided that this salad deserved to be shown on the blog - fresh grilled calamari, mix lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, basil, olive oil and pepper. It was so light and refreshing. It's perfect for a summer lunch or dinner.

And as if great salad and wine weren't enough, I had a piece of homemade tiramisu, the real tiramisu;)

Just the right amount of espresso, cream, cacao - truly the best tiramisu I've have had in the US.

Cantina 27

2701 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140-4405
(305) 673-5241

The Faux Foodie Girl

P.S. Our dinner plans fell apart tonight - I bought a wrong phyllo dough. I actually bought a puff

pastry, so I didn't make the spanakopita, but don't think the dough went to waste. I added cheese and egg

mixture in between two layers and called it a day. After baking it for 20 minutes on 400F, it ended up

actually being pretty good and reminded me of a cheesy croissant. Try it,

sometimes great things come out of total disasters.

Tomorrow is a big day - one too many doctors appointments for both me and the

sous-chef. I am hoping for the best for both of us.

P.P.S. Thinking of Giuliana Rancic...

Wishing her a successful fight against breast cancer and a fast recovery!

Reflections on Motherhood

2011-10-16T07:25:00.008-04:00

This movie is such a beautiful reflection of motherhood and things I wish I knew before....

I am no expert on motherhood, but I am an expert on my child :)

The Faux Foodie Girl

Sensational Saturday

2011-10-15T22:58:00.000-04:00

When I was pregnant, this is what I imagined my Saturdays would be like once our baby is here. Today was truly a sensational Saturday. We all went to bed pretty early last night, so by 7am Kiki was ready for the day. Once Kiki was done with her breakfast, with our coffee in hand, we went to a beautiful Robbins Park. One of the great things about Broward County is the abundance of beautifully kept parks. Last time we were at this park was more than a year ago on chef's birthday, and I was probably about a week or so pregnant :) and look at us a year later!!!

Within a few minutes in her stroller, Kiki fell asleep for an hour while the chef and I enjoyed a beautiful walk. These days our only time to catch up on life is during our walks and I truly enjoy each and every one of them.

Once she was awake we took advantage of nature and tried taking a few photos....

Such a precious moment!

And this is how we go from a sleepy baby...

To a mad baby...

To a happy baby...

To a smiley baby...

...and back to putting everything in her mouth - it's teething time...

"...and I am done mommy...no more"

After our glorious walk, we ran a couple of errands, picked up some lunch and spent a good portion of the afternoon napping. First the chef and Kiki napped while I was cleaning out my closet. and then Kiki and I napped on the couch. It was amazing. I don't remember the last time she slept this much during the day. I am now wondering if we will be paying for this during the night or is this just something she needed. She is getting very snuggly and I love just laying there with her. My favorite moment is when she opens her eyes and smiles at me - my heart melts.

After our glorious naps, we got dressed up and went out for dinner. So far dining out with her has been relatively easy. She usually gets fed as soon as we sit down and than we take turns holding her or she sits in her stroller and entertains herself with her giraffe Sophie.

Tonight we went to a mediterrenean restaurant - Taverna Yiamas in Hollywood Circle. We haven't been there in a very long time and it was nice to sit down and enjoy some good greek food. The portions are very generous so we split an appetizer, salad and an entree, and the chef also had a hearty greek soup. I had a glass of house Pinot Grigio, which was really good. I should have asked what it was!?!

For the appetizer, we had our usual cheese phyllo and a greek salad. The phyllo was a little dry, but still good. I've decided to make some on Monday night for our Meatless Monday using my mom's recipe.

For the main course, we shared a combo of three: falafel, gyro and chicken shiskabab with a side salad, rice and couscous. A delicious and smart choice.

Plenty of food for two of us to share. Of course no dinner would be complete without a desert, so we stopped at the Chocolada Pastry and Bakery shop across the street from the restaurant. The bakery shop carries european pastries, among many, my favorite - Kremsnita. Kremsnita is simply a vanilla and custard creme cake.

Just in case there were not enough pictures of Kiki...we took some more. In order to get one good picture, you need to take 15 and hope one of them will be "the one".... I am not sure that we succeeded, but we love taking them anyway.

Kiki is in bed, the weekly menu is done, and despite all the napping today, I am beat...I can hear my bed calling my name...

The Faux Foodie Girl

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-10-15T21:11:00.000-04:00

The menu is done!!! The menu is done!!!! Planning the meals is half the battle. I feel an incredible ease once I have the menu prepared. I really don't like leaving it for Sunday mornings, it just stresses me out. So for the last few weeks I've ben trying to get it done on Fridays or Saturdays. It makes Sunday mornings that much more enjoyable.

So for this week I consulted one of my favorite cook books - "The Best of Clean Eating". Actually, the CLEAN EATING is my favorite foodie magazine and when I found out that there was a cook book, I knew I had to have it. So far we are doing recipes page by page and they all look mouthwatering.

SUNDAY: Cauliflower and chickpea gratin (we never got to make that last week and we have all the ingredients)

MONDAY: Spanakopita and Greek Salad

TUESDAY: Chicken parmesan with wheat pasta

WEDNESDAY: Shrimp + spinach + mushroom barley

THURSDAY: Dinning Divas

FRIDAY: leftovers

The Faux Foodie Girl

My Fives

2011-10-14T06:50:00.003-04:00

Over the past few months I’ve seen this little interesting survey posted a few different blogs [Julie, Courtney] so i decided to do it myself.
source

So here we go…my Fives!

Last five people I talked to on the phone:

the Chef
my boss
Salon Seven - my hair stylist
a colleague
my mom

Last Five Meals I Ate:

cheese lasagna and a salad
banana bread
yogurt and granola
banana
Lindy chocolate

Last five places I’ve traveled:

Charlottesville, VA
Philadelphia, PA
Charlottesville, VA
New York, NY
Gambellara, Italy

Next five places I will go (outside of my hometown):

Houston, TX
Williamsport, PA
.
.
.

[it's kind of hard to plan out of town trips with a 5-month old baby]

Last five workouts:

walking
walking
walking
stretching
walking

Five things making me happy right now:

Kiki
the chef
Starbucks Non-fat latte
Kindle
Baby video monitor

Five essential clothing items for fall (oh how I wish it was fall in Miami):

Green Hunter rain boots
Riding two-tone boots
Leather jacket
Skinny jeans (that fit- Hello Baby Weight!!!)
chunky sweaters

Now it’s your turn!
Feel free to share ANY of your fives today!

The Faux Foodie Girl

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-13T06:37:00.023-04:00

Thankful Thursdays are my favorite blog days. It's a perfect day to reflect on all the good things that I often take for granted and appreciate all the little things. So here is what I am thankful for this week:

baby A's smiles and giggles

uninterrupted night of sleep [bc the chef gets up with her EVERY night]

home cooked meals

honeycrisp apples

apple and cinnamon oatmeal

banana chocolate chip coffee cake

salmon cakes

functioning DVR

good night reads

cookbook collection

So what are you thankful for this week?

xoxo, The thankful Faux Foodie Girl

Tuesday Things

2011-10-11T22:21:00.000-04:00

I am not sure what to write about today, but I'll be a copy cat and do what other bloggers do and jump on the band wagon and write about "Tuesday Things". I guess that pretty much leaves it open to write about anything. So here we go:

1. I am counting down the time till we go to PA. I am super excited and super nervous about traveling with a baby. Traveling is one of my favorite activities, but traveling with a baby - I guess we'll just have to find out.

2. I overslept this morning. BIG TIME!!!! This never happens to me and I can't even blame it on the baby since she slept through the night.

3. I ate breakfast on the go - meaning I ate it in my recently vacuumed and cleaned car. I only hope I didn't make a too big of a mess. The chef says I run a bakery in my car seat [too many crumbs]!!!

4. Kiki is practicing napping. Who ever said all babies do when they are little is sleep, never met my daughter. She is great at sleeping through the night, but during the day is a challenge. Yesterday she slept 35 minutes in the afternoon in her crib - YEAY!!!! We celebrate small victories!

5. I got some not so good news from my doctor today. But it will all be OK as long as I don't keep consulting Dr. Google.

6. I am obsessed with a cookbook that's been sitting on my bookshelf for the last 4 years - "The Sonoma Diet Cookbook". I don't think the chef minds the recipes either.

7. Dinner leftovers make for the best lunches next day. Thank God the chef always cooks for 3. May I remind you there are only 2 adults in our household;)

8. The chef would like for everyone to know that he is no housewife!!!! He is a manly man that cooks because he has to (I am a total disaster in the kitchen. He has no other options but take out and that's get boring after a while)....and because he enjoys it and because he is the best husband ever. Yes, I am spoiled!

9. I started Christmas shopping today. I ordered the first Christmas gift for Kiki - I am so excited about it I want to burst of happiness!

So what did you think - it was totally random, but so liberating to write whatever was on my mind....

Good Night,
The Faux Foodie Girl

Dinner Confetti

2011-10-11T22:04:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned before, I am totally obsessed with "The Sonoma Diet Cookbook". First off, the book is very pretty - the pictures are beautiful. I know we’re not supposed to “judge a book by it’s cover,” but when it comes to cookbooks, that’s exactly what I do. I really love a cookbook with pictures of the meals, so I know what the end result will be! We really do eat with our eyes first, don’t we?

Before I go any further I want to clarify that I am not following this cookbook for any weight loss reasons, but rather for the quality of the healthy and quick meals. Most of all, the chef always approves my suggestions :)

For tonight's dinner I picked the Confetti Summer Salad because it really showcases all the great produce that is in season right now. Everything should be readily available at either the Farmer’s Market or the grocery stores. It’s a snap to make, and since you make it ahead, you’ll have it in the fridge ready to go when everything else you are cooking is ready!

The chef also made baked mojo chicken, which I love. What you don't see in this picture is baby arugula and a slice of wheat baguette which I added after I took the pictures. Adding more peppery greens to this healthy meal was a great choice. YUM!

I made a mistake tonight. I needed something sweet and we are all out of chocolate, so I made a cup of latte. I have a feeling it's going to be a very long night - I can feel it. I don't suffer from insomnia, but tonight might be a first.

Doesn't this foam look amazing? It was so tasty. I actually ate it with a spoon :) A great dessert, but it needs to be a non-caffeneited next time.

RECIPE & DIRECTIONS [slightly adjusted to our likes]

4 medium ears fresh corn, or 2 C thawed frozen corn

~~4 baby zucchini, halved and thinly sliced~~

1 sliced avocado

baby arugula

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 scallions, sliced

1 medium yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 C bottled Italian salad dressing made with Olive Oil (I used Newman’s Own)

1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)

1. If using fresh corn, cook ears of corn in a small amount of boiling water in a covered large saucepan for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool. when cool enough to handle, cut corn from cobs. (you need about 2 cups)

2. In a large bowl, combine fresh cooked corn or thawed corn, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, bell peppers, salad dressing, and if using, cayenne pepper. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

Meatless Mondays

2011-10-10T21:57:00.002-04:00

It's Monday, better yet it's Meatless Monday. For the last few weeks, we fell of the wagon when it comes to meal planning especially incorporating meatless Mondays. So for this week, I was keen on getting it right. The meals are planned, groceries are bought, pantry and fridge are full, now we just need to make those meals - well, the chef does ;) The meals are all chef approved, so we should be all right. No surprises this time!!!

As I was doing all the planning and prep, I tried to be conscious about what we already had in the pantry and incorporating it in all of our meals. For tonight's dinner all we needed was ricotta cheese. Buying only one ingredient to make a delicious dinner deserves an A+, if I may say so. My planning was flawless, but the dinner was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Tonight's dinner was simple, quick and delicious - my favorite kind of dinner, and chef's I am sure. Hopefully, the chef will leave the recipe in the comments section...

{For my mom and mother in law...skip this part, please}

As I walked in the house, the veggies were chopped, the lasagna bubbling in the oven, and the chef was holding the baby - oh baby, oh man ...now I know why we have a baby ;)

I waited to eat my lasagna until Kiki went to bed so by than the dinner was cold, but that's exactly how I like it. I know, I know, I know, cold lasagna, but what can I say, it's my favorite. The salad was a mixture of all the veggies with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper - simple and refreshing.

The lasagna was cheesy and gooey with crunchy ends - oh so yummy. I went for seconds...

Of course no post would be complete without a few photos of Kiki. We are getting ready for the solids and tonight we tested the high-chair.

I think high-chair received an approval. She was so happy sitting there and tasting ;)

This smile is absolutely priceless! It melts my heart....

Tomorrow we will try solids...wish us good luck!

What makes my Monday bearable is great night of TV shows - The Gossip Girl, The Lying Game, Hart of Dixie, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Most Eligible Dallas - thank God for DVR!!!! I am off to relax....

Q: What makes your Monday bearable?

The Faux Foodie Girl

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-10-09T22:05:00.001-04:00

I am back to menu planning. I actually missed it and I felt lost all week with out it. So this week, I was ahead of the game and made a plan and did all the grocery shopping on Saturday. So here is what we are having:

MONDAY: Meatless Monday - Vegetable Lasagna

TUESDAY: Baked Chicken + Summer Confetti Salad

WEDNESDAY: Baked Tilapia + Basil Quinoa With Red Bell Pepper

THURSDAY: Cauliflower + Chickpea Gratin

FRIDAY: Eating Out - hoping for a date night

The Faux Foodie Girl

Shopping, shopping, and some more shopping

2011-10-08T23:28:00.000-04:00

So what do you do on a saturday when it's raining like crazy, the chef is out of town and there are no house chores to be done - you go to the mall and do a lot of shopping!!!

It was a heavenly day of retail therapy! We shopped till we dropped - literary. We came home, ate a bit and felt asleep in our bed - all three of us - Kiki, the sous-chef and me. Just a quick note, the sous-chef was not shopping with us, she was actually sleeping at home all day, but I guess it's always nicer to snuggle than sleep on the cold leather sofa;)

So what did I buy [chef: do no read any further...]

-- a lot of 6+ months clothes for Kiki - Gymboree was having an amazing sale, a couple of sleepers and a pink tutu

and a few things for ME: shirt, sweater, rain boots, and some other goodies

Do you sense a theme here - it was totally unplanned, but I like it - hunter green and black - my favorite colors!

Kiki was fantastic during our shopping trip - she napped, she babbled, she smiled - a shoppers dream!!! For the first time today, she wore her first pair of jeans and sneakers and she was absolutely adorable...of course I am not being subjective at all ;)

My friend Nat gave us this whole outfit - it's absolutely perfect. I hope she gets a lot of wear out of it - absolute cuteness:)

This little black spot in the bottom right hand corner would be the sous-chef inspecting the bags:)

The sneakers are the best part of this outfit - the sneakers make this outfit! They add such an element of cuteness.

Just in case you are wondering, I did eat today, but nothing worth photographing - a chocolate croissant and banana for breakfast, turkey and cheddar cheese toasted sandwich for lunch and granola for dinner. I hope for some better and more interesting eats tomorrow.

I am off to bed now - a book is awaiting for me - "Girls in Trucks"....I am at the point in the book when it's hard to put it down... good night lovelies....

[source]

The Faux Foodie Girl, aka a Professional Shopper

Alexis is 5 Months Old

2011-10-06T14:55:00.000-04:00

My dear Lexi,

You are 5 months old. Wow, where has the time flown? It feels as though just yesterday we brought you home from the hospital. I just need to freeze time and stop it right now. I am not a fan of this growing up business.

Right now, you are the sweetest little girl. You smile whenever anyone looks at you. You are easy to please. I know the day will come when all of this will change, but for now, I cherish it with all my heart.

Lately you've been rolling all over the place. All of a sudden one morning you just started rolling and didn’t stop.

You love to be in an upright position and push off with your little strong legs. You love to sit in our laps and just hang out! As far as your toys go, you tolerate the Bumbo and the Mamaroo for a little while, but you are growing out of Mamaroo fast. You still love your blue chair as we call it and the jungle gym is the most exciting place for you. I am excited for you to start sitting up, but I also don’t want to wish the next milestone to come. It all just goes by so quickly.

Food - We started adding a spoon of rice cereal at 4 months to your bottle feeding but waiting for the spoon feeding...I think both daddy and I are afraid you won't like it and than what!?!

You are constantly watching what we are doing and are very observant. You also are very interested in TV, I wonder where you get that gene from;)?!! You love "Old McDonald" baby Einstein videos. Heck, you love ALL baby Einstein videos. We try not to have it on when you’re in the room because you will not take your eyes off of it. Someday I’ll let you watch it!

You have found your toes:) They are rolled up in this tight little ball as you hold onto them and stretch to get them towards your mouth. Most times, you socks end up in your mouth. You love to do this especially at the diaper time change. You suck on your fingers constantly. As a matter of fact you are always chewing on something and you are a drooling machine. We change your bib at least 4-5 times a day!!!

You laugh and talk all the time - it’s such a funny, infectious sound! We do crazy things to make you laugh because it's the best sound I've ever heard.

You love to go for our early morning or evening walks. Most of the time, you are wide awake and looking around. You still tolerate the car rides, probably because you fall asleep within a few minutes. But for some reason as soon as we get one on the street next to our house you start crying - why? I guess we'll never know :)

And best of all, you love to touch my face and explore with your little fingers. Now this melts my heart!!!! And when I kiss you, you kiss me back - well, at least I think this is a kiss. You slobber all over my face and I love it.

We love you so much and I look each and every day and the person you are becoming!

Love,
Mommy

5 month Stats

Weight: 15 lbs

Height: 27 inches (you’re so tall)

Clothes: 6 months is your perfect fit

Diaper: still wearing size 1 for day and 2 for night (Pampers 12 hour)

Eating: every 3 hours, 6-7 ounces per bottle

Milestones just keep rolling in...

2011-10-04T22:51:00.000-04:00

Our little girl reached another milestone today - rolling over. She succeeded all on her own.

She's been spending more and more time on her side and all of a sudden she rolled over. She is so proud of herself every time she rolls over. Her smile says it all - I DID IT!!! ALL ON MY OWN!!! - or at least that's what I imagine her saying. Now she just needs to learn that when she rolls over, she can put her head to the left or right side and rest. At the moment she struggles with keeping her head up and not burying it in...we'll get there. I am not sure who is more proud, me or her - what an accomplishment!

It's amazing with kids how one they you're worried they are not doing things other kids are doing and than next morning you wake up and she is doing it all like she's been doing it forever. All in her own time:)

Tonight I finally persuaded the chef to make grilled salmon. I love salmon. The chef, not so much. So every three months or so, he gives in and makes some grilled salmon. Today's teriyaki salmon was extraordinary. It was really a thin piece, but it kept all of its juiciness. Just my kind of salmon.

For the side dishes, the chef sauteed asparagus and mushrooms, my favorite veggies and jasmine rice. Perfectly balanced meal. Now if only I could learn how to take perfectly balanced photos, all would be good in the world. I was playing with the camera settings and iphoto editing tools - let's just say I have a lot to learn. The above photo wasn't to too bad, but the one below is terrible. I have so much to learn.... If you know photography, please teach me - I need help, desperately.... I guess that is obvious.

It's time to relax...The big decision of the night is - should I watch TV, surf the net or go to bed and read some...maybe I'll do a little bit of everything.

What do you do to relax in the evenings?

xoxo, The Faux Foodie Girl

"Old McDonald..."

2011-10-03T23:22:00.001-04:00

She might not have my hair, my eyes or my nose, but she has my love for books!!! And nothing makes me happier. She loves to "talk" at the same time as you read to her and she loves to touch every page. She squeals of excitement as soon as you start reading and it makes me laugh every time!

There is nothing better than creating the good habits early. Her excitement over books is priceless. I love watching her follow the story from page to page, pointing and touching. She loves the changes in the intonation and tries to imitate us, which is hilarious.

I always imagined that after her bath, we would sit in her rocker and read books and than she would have her last bottle of the night. But my little munchkin doesn't like anything in between her bath time and bottle. I don't blame her, I don't like anything standing in between me and my dinner either.

So tonight, nothing stood in between me and my dinner and most importantly the chef was on board with the whole tofu thing. Until he actually tasted it and than put all the tofu on my plate. The least to say, he wasn't the fan.

The chef made a tofu stir-fry. It was delicious and perfect for a meatless monday. I am really loving asian inspired cooking...who would have thought I was ever going to say that!!! Yum yum, enjoy!!!

xoxo, The Faux Foodie Girl

Summer days

2011-09-26T22:59:00.000-04:00

It was a great weekend with plenty of baby time. We went to the beach, we went shopping, we played, we napped and most importantly, we did A LOT OF LAUNDRY. I know, it seems to be a highlight of every weekend. I understand that we have a baby now, but how did we go from 3 loads per week to 7??? Please don't answer this question... just enjoy this view - it's priceless!

Hollywood Beach, FL

Daddy's Girl!!!! She is happiest in her daddy's arms :)

Kiki is not a fan of sun and heat, as a matter of fact, she seemed to be scared of it - my little Casper!

Meatless Mondays - Not This Monday

2011-09-26T22:42:00.000-04:00

I am back, I planned a weekly menu, the chef cooked, but I completely forgot about the Meatless Monday. Oh well, we will have a meatless Wednesday, since tomorrow we are having pork chops. Oh the irony from pork chops to vegetarian, that's what I call a balance!

So tonight, the chef made a simple and quick meal - baked chicken, rice and peas. If you take each part of this meal, they are chefs' favorite foods. Not sure he liked tonight's meal - his words exactly "The rice kind of tastes fake". I agreed with him... Other than the rice, I loved the chicken and the peas - delic! The peas are becoming my favorite :)

While grocery shopping yesterday, the Uncle Ben's quick rice - the microwavable kind, was on sale, so we picked up for packets. On top of the sale, I had some coupons, so the 4 packets were total of $2.50!!! Price wise, this was a great score, taste wise - well, you get what you pay for.

This afternoon was one of the best afternoons I have had in a very long time. I came home and my little munchkin smiled at me as soon as she saw me. She started laughing, babbling, kicking her feet and I loved every moment of it.

We practiced tummy time, rolling over and reaching. These moments with my baby girl our absolutely priceless. The best of all are her giggles and babbling - absolutely hysterical. Oh, and my little one has a new nickname - KIKI. The chef kept calling her peanut and since I exclusively speak to her in Croatian, I said to her one day kiki-riki, which means peanut, and she laughed so hard when I said it, so since than KIKI it is. I think she loves it. She has the best grin on her face when we call her Kiki.

Thankful Thursday

2011-09-22T21:16:00.000-04:00

there is nothing sweeter than waking up to this face, coming home to her smile, witnessing the milestones of my little girl... I am thankful for every moment we have together and watching her discover the world...and it's a big world!

and I am back...

2011-09-22T20:38:00.000-04:00

If you have been wondering where I have been, I'll let you know in a second. If you haven't, well I will let you know anyway. I might have not been blogging, but I have certainly eaten. Both the chef and I have been traveling, so I never planned our weekly menu. While the chef was galavanting around the world, I reverted back to my college days of petit buerres and milk, hummus and cheese, freshly baked cookies and ice-cream cones. Well, there were some fruits and veggies here and there, one of two smoothies, a few oatmeals, but all in all nothing worth blogging.

But the following week, well, I think pictures tell it all...

Just so you know, each night I ordered bread pudding - the best dessert ever. I must learn how to make it, pronto!

The travel was great, but coming home is priceless....

What I Want NOW: Let's pretend it's fall in Miami

2011-09-20T12:42:00.000-04:00

Let's pretend the fall is coming... If it was, I would be rushing out and buying this jacket. I might rush out and buy it anyway. If you would like to join me in this shopping spree, go here.

It's totally "b.a.n.a.n.a.s"!!!! Or even better "I die"....[Rachel Zoe]

Real Simple Obsessed II

2011-09-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

I am completely addicted to everything with the name "Real Simple" - its magazine, website, home organizing books, cookbooks, office decorating/organizing storage, calendars, etc... When it comes to their recipes, the 20 minute recipes are my favorite - quick, healthy, simple and delicious.

There was a slight change in tonight's programming, as always;) The menu quickly got changed after the chef read off all the ingredients, and we realized we did not have 1/3 of the ingredients needed - so, "Real Simple" website recipes to the rescue - the 20 minute recipes of course.

As I was looking through all the delicious recipes, I was hoping to find something that would utilize the ingredients we had on-hand and voila - Chicken Cutlets with Chickpeas Pesto. The only ingredients that were different from the original recipe - cucumber and celery - hurray!!! Now this is what I call luck!!!!

So while I was playing with Mili-Mali, the chef put together this yummy meal in less than 20 minutes! To quote the chef "Ah, this was easy-peasy and I like it". The recipe didn't call for the tomatoes, but once I saw the colors through my lens, I knew this dish needed a pop of color and some more veggies.

I love chickpeas. They are mushy, starchy, bland and take on wonderully the taste of other ingredients and that's why I believe pesto goes so well with it.

We were done with dinner and getting Mili-Mali to bed so early tonight [read: for once we ate before 9pm] that I decided to bake some tofu and cookies. The tofu came out wonderful. I can't wait to have it for lunch tomorrow - crunchy, with toasted sesame seeds and paprika - yum!

The cookies on the other hand, not so much wonderful. I am not sure even what to call the things that I made last night. I saved a recipe from IGE's blog for Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups for the emergency nights when I need a dessert without baking and tonight seemed like a perfect night. I followed the recipe to a T, but what I made did not resemble in any way shape or form the cookie IGE made. So where did it go wrong? I have no idea!!!!!

I tasted some this morning, and they weren't bad, but they won't come out of the muffin pan without totally scraping it with a fork. Will I be making them again - I hope so, because I really love peanut butter, chocolate and no baking part.

The recipe says no baking, just melting the chocolate in the oven, but somehow I managed to get a huge burn on my arm - only me, only me!!!! I should have stopped at tofu!!!!

Ingredients

8 small chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs or crushed crackers
1/4 cup olive oil
8 small radishes, cut into wedges
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 cup store-bought pesto
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Season the cutlets with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat the cutlets in the bread crumbs, pressing gently to help them adhere.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half the cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and cook the remaining cutlets, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
In a medium bowl, combine the radishes, chickpeas, pesto, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Serve with the chicken.

Real Simple Obsessed

2011-08-30T23:09:00.000-04:00

I am obsessed with the "Real Simple" magazine. It's perfect! You ask why - well, it's real simple [he, he, he - I am probably the only one laughing ] - it contains all the topics in which I am interested in - organization - fashion - wellness - food - fitness, and so much more! Do I have to add that all the recipes I choose from RS, the chef never says no. And we all know that's a key in our menu planning and our marital bliss;)

So when the Chef came home tonight the conversation went something like this:

Chef: What's on the menu tonight?

Me: Shrimp stir-fried rice with broccoli from the "Real Simple"

Chef: ooh crap...I never read the recipe, I just remembered I liked the picture!

hmmm, not a good sign or rather it's a sign of trouble. But the chef totally surprised me and made the exact dish. Except for the better lighting, the RS and the chef's meal look exactly the same.

Don't the shrimp just look delicious! Juicy, plump and sweet...

But I got to admit, the meal was a tad bit too sweet for my taste. All that soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, onions together... hhmmm...maybe a little less of everything next time. Especially less of the onions. Something happened with my taste during my pregnancy - I can't stand garlic and barely can tolerate cooked onions, and this is so unfortunate because the chef loves to use them in his cooking.

The broccoli was great. I haven't had broccoli in so long, so tonight it was extra delicious. There is something magical when you put together rice and broccoli - certainly a combo I should be having more often!

If you want the exact recipe, visit their website here, but if you want the Chef's recipe, see below!

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m | Total Time: 20m | plenty of leftovers

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 clove garlic, chopped
3/4 pound frozen peeled and deveined large shrimp, thawed
sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch broccoli (about 1/2 pound), cut into small florets
1 small red onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Directions

Cook the rice according to the package directions. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, garlic, and ½ cup water.
Season the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing occasionally, until almost opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the carrots, broccoli, and onion and cook, tossing, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
Return the shrimp to the skillet, whisk the soy sauce mixture again to redistribute the cornstarch, and add it to the skillet. Cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve with the rice.

xoxo, The Faux Foodie Girl