Peppermint Brownies

I went to a party Friday night and made brownies for the occasion. It has been so long since I cooked, I really had no idea how this experimental recipe was going to turn out. But it was a success.

Nothing settles a crummy weekend like chocolate! (plus they are almost guilt free - seriously)!

There’s a whole bag of Starlight mints on top of those babies. Too bad all of the pan smacking came before all the drama…

And I’ll admit, I was feeling a little festive.

(My camera is still out of commission. Thanks D for photographing!)

Pizza, Anyone?

Wow, I know I haven’t posted one of these in a while. But who has time to cook anymore? It seems that this summer, I have become the queen of anything boxed, pre-made, microwave-able, and takeout-able. While I’ve still managed to keep it pretty healthy (when I’ve been eating), I’m trying to get back to my old ways.

So tonight, instead of turning on the microwave, I turned on the oven.

And I know that despite my best efforts, this really doesn’t count.

Because I used a store bought pizza crust, jarred sauce, packaged shredded cheese (fat free), and a sprinkle of capers –and threw it all together in about three minutes.

But it looks pretty good, doesn’t it? I know it’s not Chicago style, but I’ll have plenty leftover for tomorrow night, after a full day of GSI training.

Black Bean And Brown Rice Casserole

I made this last week, but forgot to post the picture.

Zucchini Bran Muffins

Yes, they are heart shaped. They are kitschy-cute. They are healthy. Need I say more?

Eggplant

Eggplant is the word of the day.

So, I’ve been trying to make eggplant myself, as when I first tried to cook it several months ago, I failed miserably.

But last night, with my 5 pound eggplant in toe – success!

I cut it into rounds, salted it, let it sit, rinsed it, cubed it, and then sautéed it with garlic-flavored olive oil.

While this was quite palatable, I got to thinking:

What variation of something that I already know how to make could I do using eggplant?

I decided – eggplant patties – like tuna or salmon patties.

I took a few of the prepared rounds, cubed them, put them in the blender, and let them go until they were in fine shreds. Then I mixed in (not in the blender, in a bowl) egg white and breadcrumbs. Then I put them in a pan. And the rest is history.

They were awesome. What a stroke of culinary genius, if I do say so myself.

Do You Like Pina Coladas?

As is evidenced by my medication regimen (see previous post), I can’t drink alcohol. This is fine as I was never a big drinker, anyway. But, lately I’ve become quite addicted to Starbuck’s frappucino’s *the light version*.

I mean, come on, we all have our vices, right? And since I had a lot of ups and downs in April, it was a good way to get some calories in me, without having to force myself to eat when I wasn’t feeling up to it.

However, despite my love of Starbuck’s, I think I’ve found my own creation that is going to fit the bill:

- ½ cup Silk light chocolate soy milk
- ½ cup ice

Blend soy milk and ice in a blender until frothy. Enjoy! *

You know, it’s the little things in life. Especially because now I can make something at home that might just make me feel a little better, especially on really bad days. And there is definitely something to be said for being able to make the bad days a little better!


* The whip cream is fat free and the black part at the bottom of the picture is actually the glass!

The Ultimate Breakfast Burrito

Okay, so personally, I couldn’t stomach this for breakfast, but those who are so inclined can feel free to enjoy. I prefer it for lunch, instead.

Lupus Cookbook

Sometimes my culinary genius impresses even me!

The other night I made an absolutely delicious concoction of pasta, spinach, edamame, garlic, olive oil, and Italian cheeses (see picture above).

And it got me to thinking. So many people come out with cookbooks nowadays, based on everything under the sun – low fat, gluten free, low carb, etc., etc.

So why not a cookbook that focuses on foods that are healthy and help with the symptoms of lupus (and rheumatoid arthritis)? Plus, I looked on Amazon.com and there isn’t one!

There are two other components to this, as well:
1) I’ve found that when I am feeling well, I love to spend hours in the kitchen experimenting. It’s a good form of therapy and relaxation.
2) The recipes need to be easy because there are times when, despite medication, I (and others out there) aren’t going to feel like slaving away - or might not feel up to eating at all – but need healthy food to keep going.

As is evidenced here, I am never going to be a food photographer, but I think that I might be on to something here with the cookbook idea. I’ll keep you posted.

Plus, this actually fits into some of the goals I had for my life – like studying health and being a published author.