CONTEST: You Could Be The Next Vita-Mix Host!

Remember my post about how the Vita Mix blender was pretty much the best thing on earth? Well that’s good news, because not only is the blender still the star of my mom’s kitchen, but they are having a contest called “Pitch Me” (Which I am totally going to enter, by the way.)

All you have to do is submit a video of yourself showing off your Vita-Mix blender and demonstrating how you’d be the next greatest demo star and you could win $10 grand in cash! Yay! Overall, they’re giving away $20,000 in prizes. Hey, even if you don’t win, you could walk away with a Vita-Mix, and that’s a great prize just by itself!

Here are some more details:

“Participants must showcase their skills with a Vita-Mix blender and are judged on their video’s creativity, popularity and overall quality. As the competition progresses, Vita-Mix will air highly-rated submissions on national commercials, to drum up support for the leading videos and further publicize the contest. Vita-Mix is offering over $20,000 in total prizes including the single Grand Prize of $10,000 cash.”

GOOD LUCK!

FREE Coffee Bean, TODAY, NOW!

Is today my lucky day or what? Coffee Bean is offering a free 12oz drink TODAY, right NOW of their favorite holiday flavors. Check it and head on over! Yum, these look delicious! (Sorry I didn’t mention it earlier, totally slipped my mind!)

Nothing Says Holiday Like The Smell of Homemade Apple Cider

Making homemade apple cider is absolutely the best for the holiday season. It’s so easy to make and it makes your home smell AH-Mazing! Plus, how beautiful does it look while simmering on your stove? Great for a party or just for yourself!

Ingredients

* 8-10 apples (I used gala for a less tart or intense taste)
* 1/2-1 cup sugar
* 4 tablespoons cinnamon (or 4 cinnamon sticks)
* 4 tablespoons allspice

Directions

1. Quarter your apples (no need to remove peel or seeds).
2. In a large stock pot add your apples and fill with water–just enough to cover the apples.
3. Add your sugar.
4. Wrap your cinnamon and allspice in a doubled up cheese cloth and tie, and add this to the apples and water.
5. Boil on high for one hour (uncovered) checking on it frequently.

For the rest of the recipe, head on over to Daily Kitten!

I Heart Coffee Bean!

One of the thing that I really missed about Los Angeles when moving to NYC was Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I have a small obsession with Coffee Bean. I think their coffee is the best. Even when I was unemployed, I still managed to scrounge together some change to get my coffee fix. And it’s not cheap either! My favorite used to be the Vanilla Soy Latte, but now I think I’ve found something new – Indian Assam Tea Latte. It’s amazing. (Not to mention they have free wi-fi!). I just wish they did frequent buyer cards!

If you have never been to a Coffee Bean and/or are a huge Starbucks fan. I beg you to reconsider. What’s your favorite coffee spot?

Edamame – Once You Pop, You Just Can’t Stop

Edamame has recently become the most trendy snack-y food of our generation. Move over chips and salsa, Edamame is taking over!

So what is so great about this little boiled soy snack? Well, first of all 1/2 cup daily gives you tons of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein – because you probably don’t get enough of that with your daily diet. And this is such an easy way to get it. You don’t need a knife and fork, they are super portable – can be eaten hot or cold and best yet, they taste super yummy!

If that hasn’t sold you on it, maybe this will!

• 120 calories
• 9 grams fiber
• 2.5 grams fat
• 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
• 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
• 11 grams protein
• 13 grams carbohydrate
• 15 mg sodium
• 10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
• 10% Daily Value for iron
• 8% Daily Value for vitamin A
• 4% Daily Value for calcium

As you can see, that little serving of edamame gives you 9 grams of fiber, which is equivalent to 4 slices of whole wheat bread, minus the carbs. It also contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A. And for a plant food, it’s quite high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast.

So next time you think about grabbing some potato chips, think EDAMAME! Your body will love you!

Imagawa Yaki: Japanese Adzuki Bean Cakes

These little cakes filled with sweet adzuki beans are the most heavenly things on the planet Earth (in my opinion). We called them Flippys. I used to go as a little girl with my dad and brother to get these fresh from J-Town. They always have fresh ones becaus

e they sell out so quick. They fill each little cup with some sort of pancake batter (though its more chewy and tasty) and when it starts to bubble, the spoon in about 2 tablespoons of sweet adzuki bean filling. Then they pour more batter into another empty metal c

up and then once that’s cooking, the flip the side with the filling onto the side without the filling and let it sit. Hence the name “Flippy.”

Japanese or French Women Don’t Get Fat (or Old)

I started off by reading French Women Don’t Get Fat and subsequently doing the Magical Leek Diet. I loved it so much that I read French Women For All Seasons as well. Both books introduced to me some great new recipes (I wasn’t really that into French cooking at first) that are super easy to make. And also re-introduced me to the wonderful Leek.

My past birthday, my mom got me Japanest Women Don’t Get Old or Fat (Take that, French Women!). Though the principles are the same – eat foods within seasons, incorporate lots of veggies and fish and don’t don’t don’t binge on American food, the recipes are totally different. The similarities in both books are almost spooky. Both women grew up eating their mothers home cooking, went away and spent some time in the US and came back home only to be told, YOU GOT FAT!

Ironically, they didn’t even try to lose weight – they just ate their normal food and pounds started to shed quickly. Wow.

I could relate to the Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat more easily because I love Japanese food. I’m not talking about sushi (although I could eat that everyday). I’m talking about Rice Balls, Salmon, Miso Soup, Sauteed Veggies, Kale, Seaweed, Pickled Veggies. YUM.

Both books are a great read and not only are they funny and witty, they present a ton of great recipes. I would recommend both!

The Sore Throat Cure All – Ginger Tea

I’m home sick today, working away just as hard as I would be if I were at work, so I guess I can hardly call this being home sick. What are my symptoms? Well I have a headache, feel very tired, have a sore throat that makes me feel like I’ve been a chain smoker my entire life, and just feel bad overall.

I’ve been sipping Ginger Tea, which is my cure all for a sore throat, lost voice, refreshing and energizing warm drink to stay healthy and pretty much what I rely on during the cold winter months. As you may or may not know, Ginger is a wonder root – it has anti-inflammatory properties, great for digestion, helps break down fatty foods, and can aid in nausea, as well as many more things.

It’s super easy to make, here is my recipe, though you can modify it to your liking (some people add lemon).

Ingredients:

• About a 3 inch piece of ginger root
• 6 Cups of water
• Honey

Directions:

1. Grate the ginger as fine as you can get it, leaving the skin on.
2. Put the ginger in the 6 cups of water and bring to a boil
3. Once the water is boiling, simmer it on low for about 15 – 20 min
4. Use a fine strainer and ladle to pour out the tea into a cup, toss the ginger in the strainer back into the pot
5. Add about a teaspoon of honey or to your likeness.
6. Sip slowly and enjoy!

Do you have a family sore throat or sickness remedy that you’d like to share? Please comment and let me know!

Also check out 5 Ways to Avoid the Flu!

The best blender since sliced bread

My mom just bought a Vita-Mix Blender and I can’t wait to get it in the mail. The Vita-Mix is the blender that a lot of professional blending places use like Starbucks or Jamba Juice because they are strong enough to hold up customer after customer. This blender isnt’ cheap and will run you around $400 each, but well worth it. It can make soup, ice cream, sauces, heat stuff, cool stuff, etc. You don’t have to prep the fruit when you throw it in, it blends up all the seeds and stems so you don’t eve know you’re eating them! The reason I want to get one is so I can make fruit/veggie smoothies and I can’t wait.

Do you have one? What do you think of it?

The best eggs are organic!

We have 5 chickens in our backyard and a turkey. The chickens lay about 1 egg each everyday and it’s awesome. Organic eggs are the very best. Sometimes they are brown in color or even a greenish-white. Those are my favorite. They are so tasty and yummy and you know the chickens aren’t left in a tiny cage so you can feel better about eating them.

Eat Your Heart Out, Valentine’s Day.

I wrote a blog post on Threadbanger.com of some of the edible heart shaped foods I found on the web and links to how you can make them…. in lieu of Valentines Day…Check out the post here!

A juice a day keeps the doc away!

Lately, I’ve been going to the Health Food store across the street from my office every morning to get a fresh made veggie juice. Usually i get carrots, kale, parsley and spinach – often switching out one of the greens if its not available. A regular size juice costs $5.95. Ridiculous, but at the same time, I love it and I  need to make sure I get all my veggies for the day. Therefore I am going to invest in a juicer. I’ve done some research and found that the Breville Juice Fountain Plus is a good one – not top of the line, but not a piece of crap. It retails for around $200. I know i can get one that does a multitude of things, but I just want it to juice…. I’ll get a blender later. Any recommendations?

Can’t go wrong with BACON + CHOCOLATE!

My uncle is a huge chocolate addict and apart from getting him a bunch of gourmet chocolates I thought that something creative and very VERY different was appropriate this holiday. I found BACON CHOCOLATE from Vosges Haut Chocolat and it’s the perfect gift. Not to mention they even have some fancy shmancy gourmet items too. I ordered him the assorted mini exotic candy bars and I think he’ll love it. It’s the perfect gift for about $25.

*I actually bought the chocolate bars, not the cute little bacon chocolate pic, but now I’m wishing I could go back and get this one instead!

Homemade Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Exactly one week ago from today was Andrew’s (my boyfriend) birthday and I made him homemade carrot (and walnut) cupcakes with homemade icing. It was tough without a hand-mixer, but they turned out terrific! Recipe is below. Got any good recipes for amazing cupcakes? Comment below!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting:

• 3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

101 things to do with ramen noodles

I happen to not be a poor college kid, and I happen to have a job – but despite the fact, I still love ramen. Not only because its cheap,  but I just love the taste. One of my roommates in college taught me a new way to eat it – throw away the sauce pack it comes with, drain the water and add soy sauce. This got me thinking and soon I was putting butter and parmesan cheese and creating other concoctions. Then I saw this book, 101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles, and I thought, I must have it! What a great way to utilize such a cheap, popular staple in my diet to make a whole new array of dishes!

grill pans are the best!

For my birthday this year, one of my present was a grill pan. I know – sound boring, but I guess that’s what you get when you get older and you really don’t want any more clutter or toys. I have been grilling up a storm this weekend and this past week with new ideas from the internet and cook books. This is was by far one of my favorite.

Grilled tomato, basil and mushroom skewers. Pretty yummy. And a pretty color!

My favorite PINK kitchen gadgets

I love cooking, probably more than the next person. I find it like an art and by adding different colors, you create a whole new dish. Now, I admit that I don’t own many gadgets right now because I’m squished in a tiny apartment in New York City with no counterspace. But, often, I do dream about the day where I’ll have a gadget for everything… and yes, it will be pink. Here are my top 10 picks:

1. Pink Blender: For drinks, sauces, soups, smoothies – you name it. You gotta have a blender!

2. Pink pot holders / dish towels: Apparantly John Deere likes pink too. And these are not really gadgets, more of a kitchen staple. Who cares? They still make my list!

3. Pink Strainers: Not only are they a great pink color, but they have very stylish designs on it!

4. Pink Knife Set: It’s not just one knife – it’s a whole freakin’ knife set. Who knew cutting could be so glamorous?

5. Pink Wine Opener: How do you open your pink wine? With a pink wine opener! Just kidding, I hope you don’t drink pink wine….

6. Pink Cooking Utensils: Yesss…. more pink!

7. Pink Stove: What to cook on? A vintage pink stove! I’m in love – where do I find one?

8. Pink George Foreman Grill – an essential in every household.

8. Pink Cupcake Liners: What a perfect accessory to your next baking party.

9. Pink Water Dispenser: Need Water? Why not make it a cuter dispenser than the generic ones?

10. Pink Mixing Bowls: So many bowls that you can use them for soup, salad, mixing – anything!

Valentine’s Day

So a question to all of you folks out there: For Valentine’s Day, are you supposed to exchange presents? Is only the guy supposed to get the girl something, or both?

I mean, I guess it’s old fashioned in a way, but my friend was telling me that it’s the guy’s day to celebrate his significant other. I don’t really think that’s fair for the guy though. But then, what do you get them? How much do you spend? A box of chocolates doesn’t really do the trick, though, I’d still like a box. Maybe a stuffed animal? I have no idea. Help!

And speaking of chocolates…. click here for a link to those delicious and amazing looking truffles from the Truffle Shop. They have a TON of other stuff too. YUM!