Healthified black forest brownie a la mode

Sometimes I get these crazy intense cravings for over-the-top decadent desserts.  Not just a cookie, or a biscotti, or chocolate covered blueberry but something sinfully scrumptious.  You know.  One of those desserts that makes your eyes flutter back into your head in excited anticipation as soon as you set your sights on it.

I was having one of THOSE cravings the other night.  I NEEDED something sweet and succulent.  This was serious.

I put my thinking cap on (which happens to be the only cap in my closet), and headed to the kitchen in search of inspiration. 

I grabbed a handful of cherries from the fridge:DSCF7343

After halving and depitting them, I  threw them in a pot.  Then I added 1/4 cup of water.  Hmmmmm….

DSCF7346

I figured I could make some sort of fruity compote by simmering the cherries until the water evaporated.  That sounded like it could possibly be tasty.

DSCF7351

Hmmm what could go with this cherry compote?  I headed to the freezer and grabbed a deep chocolate Vitatop:

DSCF7349

Then I put the vitatop on a plate, admired its chocolate beauty, then popped that puppy into the microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds until it was nice and hot!

DSCF7354

THEN, I topped the vitatop with a 1/3 cup of slow churned vanilla ice cream, of course:

DSCF7357

And my cherry compote:

DSCF7362

I admired it from all angles, which took a while due to the aforementioned eye fluttering:

DSCF7363

And then I dove in.  Face first.

DSCF7365

Truth be told, I have no idea what to call this concoction… but healthified black forest brownie a la mode sounds quite appropriate 🙂

DSCF7368

Reasons NOT to feel guilty: 186 calories, 43g carbs, 4g fat, 7g protein, 10g fiber

/

Continue Reading

So simple, so tasty.

For as much as I like to go out to eat, and boy do I like to go out to eat, I too enjoy having a simple tasty meal at home. Tonight’s dinner was just that.  So simple, so tasty.  Since I talked myself out of running this morning (I guess I learned nothing from yesterday’s post), I wanted a quick and light dinner so that I could spend some quality time with my tenner shoes this evening.

After a quick fridge inventory, I decided a turkey wrap was the feature entre of the evening.  1 whole wheat Flat-out wrap, 4 ounces of Boars Head Turkey Breast, 2 tbsp Trader Joes creamy original hummus (MY FAV!!!!), some tomatoes, onions, and cucumber:

DSCF7458

P.S. cucumbers are my new favorite vehicles for loading up with hummus.  So friggin good… why did I not discover this combo sooner?!

I also had some lazy-gal’s cucumber salad on the side:

DSCF7462

Since I go out to eat quite a bit on the weekends, during the week I shoot to eat as healthy as I can.  The key for me is that “healthy” still has to equal tasty.  If it ain’t tasty, I ain’t eatin!

DSCF7469

It’s a wrap:  324 calories, 30g carbs, 9g fat, 39g protein, 13g fiber

As I sat on my balcony devouring this delicious dinner, I started thinking about how varied my meals are throughout any given week.  Tonight I was feasting on a simple wrap—and Saturday night I feasted on French cuisine.  Is it just me, or is it kind of crazy how much food there is to taste and experience in the world?  It just kind of astounds me!  I have problems.  I know.

Speaking of that French Cuisine, Saturday night after Jamie, Vanessa, and I saw Harry Potter, we took a stroll over to Café Monte to get our grub on.  I wonder how you say “grub” in French…?  Grubeaux?

DSCF7405

We had a bit of time to spare before our reservation, so we used a bit of it to oogle over the dessert case.

DSCF7406

And then their expansive breakfast menu (must come back for breakfast soon).

DSCF7411

Then headed to the bar for some cocktails because that’s what any self respecting lady does on Ladies Night Out.

DSCF7412

Hello orange dress Smile

The restaurant was really cute inside and reminded me of some of the places I visited during the week I spent in Paris in college.

DSCF7408

Speaking of that week, the one main thing I remember about Paris was how rude the people were and how much I hated the food.  The only French word I’d learned was “poulet” (translates to chicken).  So at every restaurant I visited I‘d scan the menu for poulet, then use the point and repeat technique to order my meals.  Poulet.  Poooooolettttttttt (insert rapid menu tapping here).  No wonder the people hated me Winking smile

Luckily, the folks at Café Monte were very hospitable and also very knowledgeable about the menu items.  Plus the menu was in English, so I didn’t have to search too hard to find the chicken dishes SmileDSCF7414

Since I had a Living Social deal for the restaurant (Boo.Ya.), we decided to get crazy and order the cheese fondue for our appetizer:

DSCF7416

Give me a loaf of bread, and I’m a very happy lady.  Give me a loaf of bread AND a tub full of melty cheese and I may kiss you and beg to be your sugar mama.  Do not be alarmed.

For our dinners, I went with the Chicken (poulet!  pouuuletttttttt!) and Wild Mushroom crepes, Vanessa got some crazy looking fish dish (the Trout Amandine), and Jamie got the Lobster and Crab risotto:

     DSCF7417DSCF7418DSCF7420

I think we were all pretty happy with our meals.  My crepes were really tasty, and I especially enjoyed the juiciness of the pulled chicken breast against the creamy madeira sauce.  If the dish would of included sundried tomatoes it would have been a show stopper.  That’s probably not very “french” though, huh?

After dinner, we decided it would only be proper to cap our night off with coffee and dessert.  After nixing the desserts each of us weren’t feeling, we were left with the winner.

Carrot cake:

DSCF7421

I’m not sure what carrot cake has to do with French Cuisine, but it was pretty darn delicious.  Especially with the coffee!

Cafe Monte French Bistro & Bakery on Urbanspoon

On a side note, I really enjoyed the Harry Potter movie!  There were some parts that were a bit cheesy and child like–but I had to keep reminding myself that these were SUPPOSED to be kids.  Even though Harry had a 5 o’clock shadow and six pack abs and Ron and Hermione we making out every time they had five seconds to get a quick grope in these were the KIDS I’d been following for the past 10+ years… they’d just grown up a bit.  *Sigh* … haven’t we all?

/

Continue Reading

She’s going the distance…

I’m one of those weirdos who likes to run WITHOUT headphones.  Did you know that some people actually do that?  I think the first thing most runners do after lacing up their sneakers is pump up the jams.  Yes, it’s 1992 again.  Where IS that jock jams c.d. anyway?

Personally, I just like to hear the sounds of nature (or the sounds of city) as I’m running.  Or, perhaps it really just has something to do with my paranoia and not wanting any crazies sneaking up behind me without my knowledge as it could impede my natural defense mechanism:  the karate chop.   Hyyyyyyyy-ya!

Sometimes as I’m running sans music, my subconscious starts to play songs to keep me entertained.  There are two songs that pop into my head more than any others.  The Rocky Theme song.  Yes, I’m serious.  And Going the distance by Cake.  “She’s going the distance.  She’s going for speed.  She’s all alone (ALL ALONE) in her time of need.”  Not that any of this songs applies to me, but for some reason it keeps me chugging along.  Whatever works, right?

As much as I enjoy running, sometimes I wake up and want NOTHING to do with it.  I have this mental debate with myself about whether or not to run.  Then I try to convince myself I’ll go after work (haha, nice try self, but when has that ever happened?!).  The process of just getting myself outside is the hard part. Once I get going, I’m ALWAYS glad I did.

I was talking to my mom a week or so ago, and she mentioned this new book she’d read called In the Long Run.

InTheLongRun

She casually suggested I read it.  AKA she told me I needed to read it.  She told me why I needed to read it.  Then she told me once again that I should really really just give it a shot.  And then three days later the book miraculously appeared at my doorstop.  Funny how those things work, isn’t it?

I can’t fully recommend the book.  BUT I can recommend the first 104 pages (slowly but surely making my way through it Winking smile ).  It does have my mom’s stamp of approval though, and I’m pretty sure that’s the highest level of stamp a book can receive.

The one theme in the book that has really resonated with me so far is: “slow down, and you’ll go farther”.

When I woke up Sunday morning I REALLY wasn’t in the mood to run.  I felt groggy (even with 8 hours of sleep), so I made some coffee and cooked up my normal dippy egg + 3 egg white scramble + a toasted slice of Trader Joe’s sprouted bread.

/

Then I decided if I was going to run (which the jury was still out on), I’d need some extra fuel so I threw in a 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s plain vanilla greek yogurt (my fav) and some strawberries.  While I let all that deliciousness sink in, I started thinking about the book.

Slow down, and you’ll go farther.

It’s like I could hear my mom whispering these words in my ear.  Slow down, Mare.  Slow down….. That was enough for me to get my butt in gear.  Once outside I decided that rather than hitting the trail for my normal 3 mile loop, I’d head for the city for a leisurely uncharted jog.  2.5 miles into it, I felt like I could run a little farther than my normal 3 miles.  4 miles into it, my knees still weren’t bothering me.  5 miles into to, I was pretty much AMAZED at my progress.  And at an OUTRAGEOUS 6 miles, I was still holding steady at my normal 10 minute mile pace.

Never in my life have I ran that long.

HOLY COW.  Where did that come from?  I’ve been running 3 mile loops consistently for the last couple of weeks after FINALLY making it through my interval training and getting to the point of running without any walking intervals.  But going from 3 miles to 6 miles, no problem?  I’m still shocked.  On my normal 3 mile loop, I always feel like DEATH at the end.  Like every last ounce of life has been sucked from my being and it’s all that I can do to drag my feet back to my condo.  Is that because I have a predetermined route in mind and I’m just hurrying to get to the end?  Is it really just in my head?  Just HOW far can I run if I set out with no plan in mind?  8 miles?  10 miles?!

I guess mom was right.  Maybe I’ll actually finish this book, unlike the 5 others I currently have in progress Smile

What’s the farthest you’ve ever ran?

/

Continue Reading

Don’t eat poop. Eat a Bagel.

At some point in the last few weeks, I unofficially declared a new weekend goal:  to try AT LEAST one new (to me) lunch spots in the city each week.  It’s good to have goals in life, guys.  You need to give yourself realistically obtainable milestones to strive for.  Goals give your life purpose and destination, and, in my case, a full belly.

About 30 minutes into what should have been a 5 minute drive to Owen’s Bagels including FOUR (potentially) illegal u-turns, I finally (wo)manned up and called Owen’s to find out where the heck they were located.

With their direction, I quickly made it Owen’s, which is smashed at the end of the Pavilion Plaza on South Boulevard:

DSCF7384

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you might drive by it (four times) blissfully (or not so blissfully, as the case may be) unaware.

Now normally I’d question the pedigree of a restaurant whose letters are peeling off the awning, but I haven’t had a good bagel in god knows how long and I swear if I see another bagel thin flaunting itself as a delicious bagel alternative I may go batshit.

So I made an exception.  I do have goals to keep in mind after all.

DSCF7383

Owen’s is locally owned and operated and they are all about fresh steamed bagels, which they purchase straight from an NYC bagel shop.  The bagel sandwiches are made to order and come piping hot off the steamer.  If you’ve never sunk your teeth into the chewy bliss that is a hot steamed bagel, I beg you to get your butt to Owen’s.  Stat.

DSCF7381

There was a whole lot going on inside of Owen’s.  I spotted a couple dozen people laughing and happily enjoying lunch against a backdrop of crazy signs and oddball décor.

The quirkiness of Charlotte never ceases to surprise me.  You just never know what you’re going to get, unless you take the time to look inside.  I think that’s what this city is really about.  Slowing down, and taking the time.  Stopping to smell the bagels, if you will.

DSCF7382

At the front of the store, you’ll see the ordering section complete with construction paper visual aids depicting their menu items.

I giggled over a few of them including the Muenster Mash, Tonya Harding Club, Ned’s Gandy Dancer, and the Booty Bagel.

DSCF7375

After ordering, I popped a squat in a back corner and admired the writing on the wall (no pun intended).

DSCF7376

It was EVERYWHERE.  Kinda made me wonder why they don’t just stick a ladder out front and let some customer put a good sharpie to work on their awning lettering.  There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for a couple free steamed bagels Winking smile

DSCF7380

After a short wait, my grub was ready!

DSCF7373

I went with the Jake Delihome Bagel, which was loaded up with turkey, colby cheese, AVOCADO, onion, and tomato on a Bialy bagel:

DSCF7370

I’m not sure what a Bialy Bagel is exactly, but the sandwich was awesome.  The turkey and cheese and veggies were tasty, but it coulda been bologna sandwiched between that steamy bagel and I think I still would have been in heaven.

I was so so so happy to see that they had Cheddar & Sour Cream Baked Ruffles!!  Cheddar & Sour Cream chips are pure nostalgia for me.  They were the chip of my youth, whereas funyuns were the chip of my teenage years… mmmmmm funyunnssss…. Oh how I miss those stanky snacks.

DSCF7379

And with this, I bid you ado:

DSCF7378

Owen's Bagel & Deli on Urbanspoon

/

Continue Reading