Let's Eat!

For those of you who do not know me, the way to my heart is through food. If you do know me, you know that cookies and various other baked goods are almost impossible for me to resist. I enjoy the baking process almost as much as eating, which is why I am always looking for new and interesting ways to make traditional baked goods a little healthier. I believe in eating whole, non-processed foods when possible and I like to know what I am putting into my body. I can easily satisfy my sweet tooth with simple substitutions, but there are times when the traditional high calorie, high fat and high sugar recipe is the only option (Christmas, Thanksgiving, date night). I don't believe in depriving myself so, on those occasions when I have a hankering for the real thing, I attempt to exercise portion control.

Sometimes I am successful in the kitchen and sometimes I fail miserably, but I enjoy experimenting with the ingredients that fuel our bodies. This page will be dedicated to my adventures in the kitchen. I don't think I will post recipes and step-by-step instructions. It will be mainly pictures and my own observations/thoughts on the meals I am attempting to create. If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail or leave a comment :)

Baking with Avocados

I have a bag of avocados sitting on my counter, ready to be consumed. Guacamole? Chocolate pudding? Salad? Nah, it wasn't doing it for me. I wanted COOKIES!

If you Google 'baking with avocados' the results are endless. Sometimes people shy away from these wonderful fruits because of their caloric density and relatively high fat content. The fat content of avocados is unique in that over half the fat in an avocado is in the form of oleic acid (good stuff), which is similar to composition of olive oil. Don't be afraid of this nutrient dense food; avocados are great for your eyes, satiety and cholesterol. Plus, they're delicious! 

Apparently avocados can be substituted for butter. That makes sense; they're high in fat and when blended, has the consistency of butter (kind of).

Protein Pancakes

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and I am always looking for variety in the mornings. Traditional pancakes don't have much nutritional value but are oh so tasty. after several attempts, I managed to amalgamate a few recipes to come up with nutritious and tasty pancakes.

Protein Pancakes and Raspberry Topping

Summer 2012: Never a dull moment

This summer was filled with hellos, goodbyes, travel, excitement, nervousness, moving, tears, and a whole slew of other events/emotions. I apologize in advance for the lengthy post!

June

My studies at BLCU came to an end and I had to prepare to say goodbye to some great people. I studied with people from all over the world and made friendships that I hope can withstand distance and inconsistent communication. Final exams came and went and I found myself frantically packing my apartment. I purged most of my clothes and fit my belongings into two suitcases. I'm impressed I managed to stay within the weight restrictions.

I will miss these crazy ladies! 

July

My Last Week in Beijing, in a Nutshell

**This post was written in July but I forgot to post it. Apparently blog maintenance takes more time and effort than I anticipated - my bad**

Wow, I can't believe it's already that time to say goodbye to Beijing and all it has to offer. Living abroad is very different than being a tourist abroad. As my last few days in Beijing creeped up on me; I realized I didn't do all those wonderful touristy things one should. Sure, I went to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and Temple of Heaven during my time here but I've been slacking. So, Jules and I put our heads together and planned out a week of tourism in Beijing. This post is a recap of my last week in Beijing.

National Museum

Our original plan was to go to the Eunuch Museum, but due to the rain we were forced to choose a more suitable venue. The Eunuch museum has outdoor displays and statues, and we didn't want our experience to be ruined by the rain. So, we decided to eat at Capital M (delicious) and then make our way to the Nation Museum of China. Upside: this museum is free. Downside: Chinese history/culture is very rich and it was a little overwhelming trying to take it all in. At one point, we realized we were wandering around aimlessly staring at pots, vases, scrolls, etc. It was at this point that we decided to make our exit. I was satisfied with the visit, and now I can tick it off the list.