I was going to post my new quinoa, spinach, and egg breakfast recipe, but that can wait until another day. I figure that those of us in the health and fitness blogosphere don’t need to be posting about silly things like that when so many people in Boston have had a terrible day.
Thoughts and love to those who were there and who have been affected.
Did you know that bee pollen may actually be good for us? I know, it sounds ridiculous. But, I got to thinking about it after this pollen filled week. Here is Georgia, the pollen count reached 8000 and we are at peak pollen season. It’s fine if you don’t suffer from allergies, but for those who do, we kept up inside. Blurgh.
Anyway, fyi, bee pollen is thought to be the next up and coming superfood due to its antioxidant content, and mysterious supposed healing qualities… We can not really say for sure what it may be good for, but a lot of scientists and doctors have been experimenting with it in areas such as in chemotherapy healing.
So, before the pollen hit, we got engagement pictures taken in the most beautiful spring weather!
And, in the meantime, I have been neglecting my blog. Poor blogosphere… Oh well, sometimes it is good to take a break.
…Just like I took a break from eating oatmeal. Sometimes I’ll eat oatmeal for weeks, then I take a month long break until I find a new way to cook it. Well, I have discovered a new oats creation!
Coconut oats!
Cook some plain oats with your favorite milk (or water), add a pinch of cinnamon, 1 packet of stevia, and add 2 Tbsp. of unsweetened coconut. Make sure the coconut you buy is the unsweetened flakes in the bakery isle. Heat for a few minutes as needed, and enjoy! I usually stir in 1-2 Tbsp. of chopped walnuts to make it more filling.
The coconut is nice because it adds a little bit of fat to make it satisfying and a hearty breakfast. Have you tried adding coconut to your oats?
Sometimes it is easy to get sucked into your own little world, and forget about others. But, this is important to me as I am a true New Yorker at heart. I grew up in New York until I was 16, then moved here to the South. So, this post is dedicated the relief effort for anyone who wants to find out more info about donating or helping out!
Organizations you can donate to by text:
Places to donate supplies:
I decided to re-post a comforting dessert recipe. Everyone has done many entree recipes, but why not the most “comforting” sinful dish I can think of! At least my version is trans fat free, and improved ingredients 
I used Immaculate Baking Company’s cinnamon bun dough and biscuit dough which contains no trans fat. 
Directions:
This is what it should look like when you take out of the oven, and then (below) when you turn it upside down. Delicious! …not so nutritious, sorry. Everyone loves it though. A definite crowd pleaser.
The goal here was not to make health food. So that is not what this is. It’s just a slightly healthier alternative to the traditional treat. Small tweaks and changes help without having to sacrifice flavor. And, it’s all about moderation and getting comfortable with that moderation. If you have a few bites of this–it won’t hurt you.
Hey everyone! I will be gone on vacation on a Baltic cruise for a little less than 2 weeks.
See you when I return! Will have some food stories to tell you, I am sure 
Inspired by the new memes about what people think about different professions, hot topics, and other shenanigans… I decided to create my own meme for RD’s.
I already had seen someone else do this for RD’s, and I thought it was pretty funny, but wanted to convey my own opinion. Hope you get a laugh from this too
I believe this will be the start of my third year of more serious blogging. But, hah, when is my blogging ever that serious?
Anyway, resolutions to me are more just things I want to do this year.
Happy New Year!
Are you making any resolutions this year?
My friend just got married this past weekend, and my sister threw her a Twilight themed Bachelorette. It was so creative, and we had a blast. 
We had a few red drinks labeled type A, B, O, AB, and “drink up”. We also had some blood red wine. 
We love any reason to throw a themed party and decorate! 
Cute plates on which we served a cake I made (the cake can not be shown for other reasons). The key to excellent chocolate cake is adding a box of pudding to the recipe. 
Almost ready. Decorating the bar. 
Love this decoration. 
And finally, the pose next to Edward: 
For breakfast, with a view of the ocean (one of my favorite things this trip), my Mom made her famous french toast. The key to excellent french toast is getting big fluffy bread and baking it with the egg mixture.
Other mornings my brothers would eat these ridiculously unhealthy cinnamon buns:
Too much saturated fat, not enough fiber, too much sugar, too much sodium…
Anyway, we stopped at some local restaurants including Vie’s Snack Shack. This is a true local stop. I think the owner said they have been there 50 years.
They are known for their conch fritters, garlic chicken with Johnny cake, rice and beans, and limeade. Most conch fritters I have tried have always been like hush puppies–all breading and not much flavor. These conch fritters were the best I have ever had. They came with a tasty dipping sauce which I think had cumin in it.
Even though this food was fried, it was nice to be able to try something completely different from what I would normally eat. I am not a big fan of chicken on the bone and fried, but everyone else loved it and said it was the best fried chicken they have had. The Johnny cake tasted like a fluffy, fried, doughnut pancake.
Perhaps the most popular place in Coral Bay, St. John is Skinny Legs. It is a bar that is known for their burgers, and you can even play a game of darts, or shop at the connecting small local stores.
We decided that my Dad should be the mascot for Skinny Legs because his legs are the skinniest I have ever seen. Apparently the owner has very skinny legs. Our waitress said they could possibly be tied for the skinniest legs.
And of course we had to go to the famous Woody’s. They have a well-known happy hour from 3 to 6 where you can get $1 drinks! Crazy. And my 18 year old brother could legally have a drink in St. John (even though it is part of the US). No one even asked for his ID.
I ordered a salad with shrimp:
I also ordered another shrimp salad at Aqua Bistro (the best restaurant in Coral Bay, in my opinion):
I have always loved salads with shrimp. This salad (pictured above) is probably higher calorie than you would think because it is tossed with a creamy Caesar dressing. Caesar salad is never a lower calorie menu option. I wasn’t looking to watch calories. I wanted some cold, and fresh tasting.
Another pretty looking fish entree at Aqua Bistro:
The Drinks of Vacation:
Big Kahuna Rum Shack in St. Thomas had the best frozen drinks so far. The ice was nice and thick, and it was not too sweet. We also stopped at this smoothie truck in the middle of nowhere. They were offering free rum with smoothies. I noticed that the Virgin Islands likes to giveaway rum.
I got some kind of coffee smoothie. Starbuck’s doesn’t giveaway free rum. Oh, and there is actually no Starbuck’s in the Virgin Islands. I should open one up there, and then I could live in paradise all year long!
And we made plenty of frozen drinks and margaritas at the rental house thanks to my cabana man.
Well, that’s all for now. I am going to start planning my next trip…
Plane Food
Did you know that Delta now has some food available for purchase in-flight? My Dad ordered a chicken salad sandwich that looked full of mayo, cheese, and white bread/croissant.
Not my idea of a healthy lunch. The red wine is a nice idea though. I grabbed a salad at the terminal earlier–smarter idea. I tried to check the nutrition facts of Delta’s menu items, but have not found any yet. They are trying to be somewhat healthy though. Delta has a Greek yogurt and Kind bar option for breakfast, and always has a fruit and cheese plate.
St. Thomas Welcome Drink
As soon as we got off the plane in St. Thomas, they had free shots of rum and were playing music. I thought it was hilarious. And then there was a bar at the ferry terminal which is where we had our first rum drinks!
Shipwreck Landing
Our first night we went to get some seafood at Shipwreck landing in Coral Bay, St. John. I had some tasty shrimp, and this rice cake side that I have never had before. It was delicious, and makes me want to think of a way to make a healthier brown rice cake.
Homemade Dinners
We were staying at a rental house, so we made quite a few dinners at home. If you travel to the Virgin Islands, be warned that the grocery prices are very expensive (more on this later). Turkey was over $10/pound. Grouper was over $20/pound (locally caught). A box of triscuits was about $8. A can of tuna was $4.
Pasta dinner one night:
Ok, I know this picture is a little ridiculous with my man standing there looking off into the distance. Just silly. We had a lot of dinners out on this deck with such a great view. It was my favorite thing. And yes, I did make my Mom buy wheat pasta which she was annoyed with because she likes authentic Italian food (she is part Italian).
Arroz con Pollo night:
Served with mango, plantains, and a salad.
Shrimp and Mashed Cauliflower:
I made the mashed cauliflower which my whole family enjoyed including my brothers. I carmelized onions, steamed the cauliflower for a while, and added spices while steaming. I mashed the onions into the cauliflower with some whipped butter, sour cream, and a small amount of cheddar cheese.
Dinner by candlelight:
My Dad made grouper–finally, some truly fresh seafood. You could taste the difference. This grouper had a more sea salt flavor, and meatier texture because it was so firm and fresh.
Psycho Baker’s aka “Trixie Treats” Dessert: Key Lime Pie
I kept telling my Mom there was no way she was going to find all the ingredients to a key lime pie at a tiny island grocery store. But, she was determined and she did find the ingredients–even the key lime juice!
This whole pie cost about $30 to make since the ingredients were so expensive. Graham crackers were $6 and these weren’t even organic! Psycho baker insisted that it was worth it. So, I let her bake away. Hey, if she was going to all this trouble to make the pie, I was going to eat it even if it wasn’t my idea of healthy.
To be continued…
The last time I had been on a bike was when I was about 16 years old. I had a nice little mountain bike that got me to and from my babysitting gigs.
After listening to my triathlete/cyclist boyfriend talk on and on about how he loves cycling, I started to think about if I would like to ride a bike again. I used to ride a bike all the time as a kid, why not now? Makes total sense, and it’s another fun, new way to get exercise.
So, after eating lunch with Mr Triathlete, and watching him eat this ridiculously funny portion of pizza and salad, we went to go search out a bike.
I don’t really know a whole lot about the bike I got. I guess I should, but I am still trying to learn everything I need to know. I will get there. I got a Giant Avail something? And Mr Triathlete mentioned how I need 105 components, and I just said, ok. I really have no idea about bikes.
I felt so dorky when I got everything on. Everyone said I was crazy for using clip-less peddles, and told me I would fall down. Well, I fell down. But, I was in the apartment, and on the carpet. So, it was no big deal–yet. I have a good teacher.
Looking dorky
I am still scared about crashing, or getting stranded somewhere with my bike messed up. And I’m afraid that I won’t be able to make it up a hill, or that I will look like a dork. But, I am more excited to feel the wind in my face, glide around more quickly than I can run, and see different scenery more quickly than I can run.
So, here’s to the start of a new hobby/exercise where I have no idea what I am doing. And that’s what life’s about
