Bad Reviews

"I'm an A student. I'm addicted to feedback, and I want to please people. That's sort of how I've gotten to where I am. And I think that it's insidious to be spending more of your time reflecting and talking about [critics], and talking more and more in smart ways about your otherness, rather than doing the hard work of your job." -- Mindy Kaling speaking with Rachel Martin of NPR's Morning Edition

(hear the interview here)

I heard that interview this morning and figured it was serendipity and great inspiration for this here little 'ol blog. Like many, I can completely relate to Ms. Kaling's people-pleasing compulsion. It's something I wish I could change about myself, but it's also what's gotten me to accomplish a few things I'm pretty proud of. Nevertheless, that need for an A+ or a pat on the back from your boss or the acceptance from a new group of peers never quenches the thirst of a true people-pleaser. That's because there's always someone else to impress, something else to achieve, another gold star to jump through hoops for. It turns into a tiring and not-so-fun race against yourself-- a race you can never, ironically, win. The blogosphere is full of lots of how-I-live-my-perfect-life-and-how-you-should-live-yours. I get it-- I love reading those blogs too! This blog or at least this post is a bit more...."ain't no body got time for that!" Next month I'll  become another year older, and although I feel like a life-long adolescent what with the being in 19th grade and all...It's probably time to give up the life-long pursuit of getting an A+ in every aspect of life. Recently I found out that someone I really wanted to like me did not feel even close to that way about me, and my immediate people-pleasing gut reaction was to think 'wait, what did I do wrong? how can I fix it? how do I get them to like me back?' and then I realized....I have spent WAAAAY too much time being concerned with these ridiculous questions and quite frankly-- I am in 19th grade and ain't no body got time for that! 

"7 Habits of Remarkably Happy People: #1. They choose (and it is a choice) to embrace who they really are."
This is not a photo I authorized taking (as you might be able to tell), but here in my PJ's enthralled in making the best meringue I could manage, I didn't notice I'd gotten it in my hair-- that's who I really am :-)

Now, what I do have time for is this incredibly easy and fast breakfast. I'm a morning person (there! I said it), and the one thing I'm always running out of time for is eating a great breakfast. With this gem of a recipe, you will still have time for your morning workout, shower, blow dry, 'I have nothing to wear' mini meltdown, and commute. Also, did I mention that it tastes phenomenal and actually keeps you full 'till lunch?!

KiwiConfections Spicy Avocado Egg-wich

Serves 1

1 whole egg

1 egg white

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Half of a small/medium avocado, sliced

1 Slice Low Sodium Ezekiel Bread*

1-2 teaspoons Hot Sauce

Directions

1. Spray a small/medium frying pan with some non-stick cooking spray. Heat the pan on medium/high heat.
2. As the pan is warming up, slice up half of an avocado. (Store the other half in a Tupperware container and place back in the fridge.)
   
3. Crack the eggs into the pan, salt and pepper the eggs, and flip to cook both sides
4. While the eggs are cooking, toast the bread
5. Once the eggs are cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
   
6. Once the toast pops out, place your sliced avocado on top of the toast.  Dribble hot sauce on top of the avocado. Place the fried egg on the top.
7. Enjoy immediately 
   

*”Sprouted Grain breads made of a variety of grains and legumes, like Ezekiel bread, deliver all of the amino acids necessary to make up a complete protein. And while most of us don’t rely on grains as a good source of protein, sprouted grains can be a good place for vegetarians to pick up some of the complete protein they’re missing out on by not eating meat.” -- Monica Reinagel MS, LD/N, CNS

When Life Hands You Brown, Mushy Bananas

You always hear "When life hands you lemons..." I never really understood why lemons were considered so bad. And besides, it's pretty clear that lemonade, lemon bars, and lemon wedges in water and/or cocktails are all delicious. On the other hand, most people will simply throw their brown, mushy bananas away. And that is why I propose we change the aphorism to, "When life hands you mushy, brown bananas." Because if you actually use them to bake with, they're even better than regular, yellow-green bananas. If you haven't caught on yet, I'm about to make a metaphor between almost rotten fruit and life. Three years ago yesterday, I met an awesome guy in a brown banana situation. I had just moved back to Kansas City after graduating from U of M, I still wasn't 100% positive that I wanted to go to medical school, and my first significant relationship had ended a few months prior to that. Coming back to Kansas City wasn't easy because it meant swallowing my pride and moving back in with my parents (who I love dearly) instead of going straight to grad school or a high-paying career, and it also meant leaving my social network and having to start over. After going on a few dates with people I'd met organically through work or mutual acquaintances and realizing that it wasn't working, I did what I consider to be the most daring thing I've done to this day-- I joined an online dating service. I'm sure many of you or people you know might think, "Aww, that sort of thing is really nice and cute for other people, but I would rather die than do it for myself." (Believe it or not, people have actually said this to me after knowing how Ryan and I met). And I can't blame you for thinking that because I think I thought that too before I pulled the trigger. I went on 17 dates in the span of two weeks. I don't recommend this sort of schedule to anyone, and I probably could have started a blog on just those 17 experiences. The guys I met were hardly brown bananas, but they weren't for me. Just when I was ready to close my account, I decided to make good on a raincheck I'd given a guy who had messaged me before. I was so busy at work (and going on dates) that I had turned down a polite invitation to grab drinks from a really great-sounding guy. He had just graduated from Notre Dame (I didn't hold it against him) and was in Kansas City living with his older sister while applying to dental school. We both loved "Arrested Development" and travel-- he'd been to South Africa for study abroad and I'd traveled to Central America on health brigades for three of my four spring breaks in college. Last minute, I said that I had some free time for lunch and that we could meet then. He obliged and three years later we've traveled to 7 different countries together, he's in dental school, I'm in medical school, we're engaged, we've made wonderful new friends, and we only have 18 months left of being 350 miles apart. Whether it's online dating or having to do long-distance, don't dismiss the brown, mushy bananas and just throw them away. Sometimes, finding "the one" in an unorthodox manner or having to face the challenges of long-distance before you're even married makes your banana bread way better than the ones made of regular, yellow-green bananas. Oh, and...Happy three year anniversary, Ry!

And now for a fantastic recipe-- a guilt-free, but delicious and moist banana bread to welcome Fall.

Healthy Banana Bread

Serves 10

3 medium, very ripe bananas, mashed

½ Cup reduced fat Greek yogurt

2 Tablespoons Canola oil

2 eggs

½ Cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ Cup All-Purpose Flour

½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ Cup Ground Flaxseed

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add brown sugar and vanilla and  beat until combined.
3. In a separate bowl combine flours, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
4. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; stir just until blended.
5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove bread from pan; cool completely.
6. Slice and enjoy (or cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for later).

Photo Credits: KiwiConfections

Challah [Read: Holla'] for French Toast

I didn't realize that the popularity of brunch has a linear relationship to the rising popularity of Hipster-ism...but apparently it does. And in true hipster fashion, I must say: I was obsessed with brunch before it was cool. What?? I really was! It all started when I ate at Angelo's in Ann Arbor, Michigan. When my friends and I arrived at the corner of Glen and Catherine, there was a line wrapped around the little brick building. With all the amazing eateries in Ann Arbor, it seemed like all the hungover college kids, dignified college professors, and too-cool-to-care grad students had picked their favorite brunch spot by waiting an hour for Angelo's. Once we were finally inside, I realized why.

Photo Credits (from left to right): Daniel Brenner and Yelp

The place was bright, it smelled delicious, it had managed to keep the same charm from when it opened in 1956, and it seemed impossible to pick just one thing from the menu. But I prevailed, I did the impossible-- I chose just one! I ordered Angelo's most popular dish: the Raisin Bread French toast. And so began my love affair with French toast. Since that Sunday morning in Ann Arbor, I've ordered the signature French toast at nearly every breakfast/brunch place I've been to. I hadn't met a proper contender for Angelo's French toast until I ate at Kansas City's own Westport Cafe. The best Brioche French Toast EVERRRR! The lavender honey whipped cream and maple syrup its dressed with don't hurt either. However, a single, albeit thick, slice of challah sets you back about 180 calories or 540 calories for three slices (the serving size at Westport Cafe). And the gorgeous French toast at Westport Cafe isn't easy on the wallet either at almost $15! It also makes me sad when my family and friends with Celiac disease can't enjoy this French toast. Now, I make it at home. One batch with Rudi's Gluten Free bread and one with Sarah Lee's 45 calorie bread. By using 45 calorie bread instead of the Challah, you can reduce the calories by up to 75%!! Here's my recipe for fool proof French toast, the delish lavender honey whipped cream, and the perfect syrup.

Fool-Proof French Toast

Serves 6

16 Pieces of Sarah Lee 45 Calorie Bread or 12 Pieces of Rudi’s Gluten Free Bread (or a combination of the two)

3 Cups Milk

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 Egg Yolks

6 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Vanilla

Directions

1. The Day Before: Leave your bread out to dry out. Flip them over in the evening to dry out the other side. If you didn’t leave your bread out the night before, place them on a baking sheet and in a 300 degree oven. After 10 minutes, flip them over to dry out the other side.
2. Heat the milk up in the microwave until it’s warm (one minute in the microwave for three cups of milk).
3. Separately, melt the butter in the microwave (1 minute in the microwave for 4 Tablespoons of butter).
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Mix well.
5. Add the butter and the milk to the large mixing bowl. Mix well.
6. Soak three slices of bread at a time in the mixing bowl. Submerge each slice in the custard mixture for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Lift the bread and allow it to drip excess egg/milk mixture into the bowl. (if using gluten free-bread, allow it to soak for two minutes)
7. Heat a large griddle or skillet on medium. Coat the skillet with a little butter. Do not let the butter burn. Place the soaked pieces of bread on the griddle/skillet, and cook until golden brown on each side (about 3 minutes for each slice). You want the French toast to be crispy on the outside but with a slight jiggle of the custard in the middle. Place the cooked pieces on a baking sheet, and keep them in a warm oven until all the slices have been cooked and ready to serve (150 degrees or less).

French Toast Recipe Adapted from: America's Test Kitchen "Lazy Day Breakfast" (Season 11)

Lavender Honey Whipped Cream

Serves 6

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Honey

½ teaspoon dried or fresh Lavender

Directions

1. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer while you begin making the French toast.
2. While the French toast is cooking, start whisking the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, honey, and lavender.
3. Finish whipping the cream once it reaches the soft peak stage. Be sure not to over whip the cream.
   

Perfect Syrup

Serves 6

1 Cup Real Maple Syrup

1 Cup Pancake Syrup

1 teaspoon bourbon

Directions

1. Mix the syrup and bourbon in a microwave-safe “syrup dish”
2. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds

Whipped Cream and Syrup concept inspired by: Westport Cafe