Here is a question for you…

What do food bloggers all have in common other than their love for food?

Their love for taking pictures of their food!

That being said, when Kerstin organized a photography session with a professional culinary photographer and asked if I would be interested in attending, I jumped for joy and screamed, ‘YES’!  Ever since I started my blog, my appreciation for cameras, photography and capturing the moment (and food) has certainly gone up.  I’ve actually read some of my camera’s manual to understand the features and functions on my camera.  Can you imagine?! I’m not quite sure if I was able to process all of it, but I’m proud that I at least made the try.  For that reason, I knew a few tips and tricks from a professional was definitely up my alley and definitely something from which I could benefit.

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

We (meaning 14 food bloggers and 1 husband) arrived at Gary Tardiff’s photography studio promptly at 2pm to begin our photography lesson.  I think everyone (including Healthy Chow) was excited to meet Gary and to begin taking in some of his knowledge.  We all listened closely as Gary introduced himself, talked about his work and informed us that he wanted the afternoon to be more of a discussion rather than a lecture.  Sounds good to me, Gary!

We’re like little sponges…

Our personable, experienced and knowledgeable photog friend went over some of the basics of photography.  He showed us some of the cameras he works with, the different types of lighting and lenses he uses and the purposes behind them.  Gary mentioned that he had the chance to take a peek at our blogs before we arrived to get a sense of our picture taking abilities.  He said we made some nice efforts and that with a few tweaks and some guidance, we’d be well on our way to taking some great photos.  Again, sounds good to me, Gary! But one of the common issues he noticed about our pictures was the fact that our average white balance was not set properly.  Because of this, our pictures tend to come out ‘discolored’ or with tints of color that may not be intended.  Gary went on to talk about shutter speed, aperture, depth-to-feel, the difference between low and high ISO and how the fundamentals of exposure is key.  I really enjoyed listening to Gary and I learned quite a bit.  However, most of the things he mentioned pertained to using a DSLR camera, something which I do not own (not yet, anyways…).  I’ll have to admit that many of the terms Gary used were foreign to me and I couldn’t fully grasp what he was saying being that I have never used a DSLR camera.  But, being that I was in the minority (most of the other bloggers were fully equipped with DSLR’s), I just went with the flow.  I was at Gary’s studio listening to Gary’s words because I wanted to learn.  Once I do get my very own DSLR, I know I’ll be good to go.

After our discussion on photography basics, Gary gave us a tour of his place of business.  It was so interesting!  I think all of the bloggers’ jaws dropped when we saw his collection of plates.  Holy crap on a cracker! If only I could have access to all those plates when I’m taking pictures of my food…I’d be in heaven!  Gary also mentioned that the props he has he finds just about everywhere and anywhere.  They aren’t anything fancy, they’re just items he found that he made work for him.  For example, Gary showed us this beautiful door he found discarded from a building.  To the people tearing down the building, the door was trash.  But to Gary, it was found treasure.

A food blogger’s dream!

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Wall of photography equipment

An example of Gary’s talent

The next part of our lesson was my favorite part.  Gary demonstrated how he would set-up the staging for a client.  Being that we were the ‘clients’ for the afternoon, Gary asked us what we wanted to have photographed.  Adrienne was the first to volunteer her home baked bread.  It looked delicious in person, but once Gary finished photographing, it looked like the most extraordinary loaf of bread I had ever laid my eyes on!  He showed us how to play around with lighting in order for it to appear ‘natural’ and with a few inexpensive tools (ex: vellum attached to wooden frames), pictures can come out priceless.

Gary’s simply constructed lighting box

Gary reviewing the shot on his computer

Kelly’s granola-in-a-jar was the next model for the day.  Because the jar was something that Kelly was having trouble photographing on her blog, she decided to ask Gary for advice.  Gary demonstrated with the the use of mirrors, lighting, a white backdrop and black paper for shadowing, the glass of the jar can be made to be as visible or hidden as needed.  The concepts that Gary was showing to us were so simple and yet, I would have never guessed to utilize them.  I guess that’s why he’s the teacher and I was the student!

Can you see the granola in the mirror?

What the granola looked like after Gary worked his magic…

The final models for the day were M&M cookies made by Jen and eggplant crostini made by Cara.  Both looked absolutely delectable in person; we were all drooling as Gary was taking pictures and showing us how he reviews and edits them on his computer.  I’m actually surprised we weren’t reaching in to grab cookies and pieces of crostini as bloggers took turns practicing their newly acquired tips and tricks.  Lucky for us, we did get to sample the goods after we were done photographing them.  Thanks ladies!

M&M cookies

Eggplant crostini

I had such a wonderful time with my fellow bloggers and of course, Gary.  Gary, you are an amazing photographer and a wonderful teacher.  To be able to have such great talent, and then to be able to pass along that knowledge to others in a form that makes them want to learn more, is truly a gift .  I thank you for your time, your patience and your wisdom.  Some of the most important lessons I learned were:

• To focus on the front portion (or the first 1/3) of the food you are photographing, since the rest after that is pretty much a repetition – For example, focus on the front part of a bowl of pasta, not the entire bowl.
• To look with your eyes, and not with your head – We often times get so happy and excited to take a picture that we just snap it as soon as we see it.  However, we then notice that there are things in the picture that don’t belong, and then it might be to late to take the picture again.  If we take the time to make sure things like the lighting, the composition and the angle are correct, we will be able to take a much better picture.  We need to see and pay attention to the details as we are shooting, and not assume that the shot we have is perfect.
• To make the person who is looking at your picture want to eat what is in the picture – When photographing, we should think about what the person who is looking at the picture would want to see.  We should consider how to make that person want to believe in what we are shooting.  For example, if we’re taking a picture of a cookie, adding a cup of coffee with a few crumbs next to the cup might make the photo seem more realistic and add to the allure of the cookie.

All in all, no matter what kind of camera you have, no matter how expensive or inexpensive, whether you’re in a professional studio or at your home, whether you have a special lense or a homemade lightbox (I made one out of cardboard and tissue paper) or whether you’re a professional or a complete novice, the most important thing is to have fun.  The perfect shot is not going to come with the first try and it’s not going to come instananeously.  By playing around with things like lighting, props, exposure, etc, we can attain a good photo.  By sticking with it, practicing and having a light-hearted attitude, the shots we take can come out picture perfect.

The Graduating Class of Gary Tardiff’s February 6, 2010 Photography Session

(Starting from the back row, left to right)
Shannon, Jen, Sophie, Kerstin, Chels,
Lauren, Adrienne, Elina, Mary Kate,
Healthy Chow, Cara, Kelly, Jen, Sues

Thank you again, Gary and Kerstin! And thank you, Lauren, for driving and navigating!

Do you have any special photography tips and/or tricks?  How much time do you spend taking pictures of one dish?  Do you like to take a few photos?  Or are you like me and take 100’s?

Namasté,
Nicole

As many of you may know or may have even joined in yourself, I participated in Project Feed Me.  Project Feed Me was created by Natalie at nono2yoyo.com and its purpose was to help feed thousands of hungry families.  Over the course of nine weeks, each participant was to collect a certain food item (recommended by Natalie) and then bring those donated food items to their local pantry.  This project started during the first week in October (you may have remembered my post) and was designed to end right around the holidays, a time when people tend to need the most.  I remember Natalie emailing me a couple of months ago letting me know about her project and asking if I would be interested in participating.  All I could picture were the sad faces of little children, hurting from being hungry and being left without some of life’s most basic necessities.  It just didn’t seem fair to me that I had a fridge full of food and more than enough to eat on both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and there were families out there that would happy to just have a can of soup.  That said, I eagerly replied to Natalie’s email with an astounding ‘yes!’ and began shopping for my food items.  It was such a simple task, but one that made me feel so extraordinary.

I’m so grateful that Natalie decided to start this project.  She opened her heart and decided to do something to help this ongoing problem.  And what better group of people to participate than healthy food/lifestyle bloggers?  Natalie put out her message to the blogosphere and asked us all to spread the word – whether it be on Twitter, Facebook, on our blogs, word of mouth, through church/community groups.  Well, the word sure did spread as Project Feed Me had 168 members and will have donated over 3,024 food items.  That’s incredible!  Thank you, Natalie, for creating such a wonderful project and for making it all so easy for us to be a part of such worthy cause.  Sometimes, I tend to forget that there are others out there that are in need.  I get so busy with my day-to-day life that I forget about what’s going on outside of my ‘own’ world.  All I needed was this reminder from Natalie; it was that easy.  The feeling of knowing that I have the power to help people in need is a feeling that I don’t want to ever forget.  We all have the power to do this.  It doesn’t have to be a grandiose gesture, it can be as small as giving the spare change in your pocket or donating a jar of peanut butter.  What matters most is that we acknowledge the need and then do something about it.  So again, thank you Natalie, for initiating this and for making us accountable.  I’m sure there are going to be many faces out there that are now going to be smiling because of you and your project.

To conclude Project Feed Me, Natalie asked that the members send her a picture of all the food they collected.  No problem, Nat!  Here are a few of mine…

Healthy Chow with her first food items – canned chili!

All the goods..

A solo shot…

While I finished the nine weeks of collecting the recommended food items and in a sense completed Project Feed Me (I still have to go to my local food pantry), I know that a cause such as this never has an ending.  Unfortunately, there will always be someone in need, whether it be for shelter, clothing or food.  However, it is always a good time for us to give back.  It doesn’t have to be around the holidays or during a particular season.  For that reason, I said in my blog post title that this project is ‘almost’ completed because in a reality, there isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a finish line.  This may be the season of giving, but after participating in Natalie’s project, I want it to be a life of giving.  After all, being able to help one another is truly the one gift we all need.

Do you tend to be more charitable around the holiday season?  Do the holidays make you want to give?  For me, the holidays make me realize just how fortunate I am and how I already have all the gifts I will ever need.

Namasté,
Nicole

When I started reading healthy/lifestyle blogs, I noticed there were some foods that these bloggers could not stop raving about and could not stop eating.  Among these foods were oatmeal, kale, spinach, pumpkin, beans and nuts.  Nuts were put on just about anything and everything.  I saw them on oatmeal, yogurt, salads, in sandwiches, baked goods, soups, paninis, and stuffed in gourds.  Back then, I liked nuts.  But, I was always afraid of their high calorie content and the fact that I could inhale a pound of them in one sitting.  Now, I’ve grown to fully enjoy all kinds of nuts and have learned to consume them without abusing them.  I’ve become quite fond of raw almonds, walnuts, cashews and even the occasional peanut.  However, pecans didn’t play a role on my grocery shopping list.  I’m not sure why?  I think I just stuck with what I liked and never moved beyond that (remember, I am a creature of habit).  A few weeks ago, that all changed.

Marta from The Pecan Store (a division of The Green Valley Pecan Company) had emailed me asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their prized pecans.  At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to say.  After all, I wasn’t much of a pecan eater.  But once I had the chance to look at their website and learn all the facts about this powerful little nut, I was sold!  Within a few short days, my package arrived from Marta and inside was a half pound of pecan halves.  Wow!  I was shocked!  It was quite a hefty bag to sample, but I certainly wasn’t complaining.  Now, I just had to figure out what I was going to do with all these pecans…

Before I ripped open the bag to sample my little goodies, I took a peek at the informational brochure that came along with my package.  Honestly, I don’t know where I’ve been because I had no idea pecans were this amazing! Check it out:

The latest research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms pecans are one of the highest antioxidant-rich tree nuts and are ranked in the top category of all foods for antioxidants.

Pecans are a good source of fiber, providing 10% of the Daily Value for fiber in a single serving.

Scientific research at Loma Linda University shows the addition of pecans to the American Heart Association’s Step 1 diet lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) levels more than twice as much as the AHA Step 1 diet alone.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged this and related research and approved the following qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

After reading all those benefits, I was even more excited to try my pecans.  I can’t believe I’ve been missing out.  Thank you, Marta, for sending me these amazing nuts to sample.  And while I’m grateful for the half pound of pecans, your other products don’t look so bad either (hint, hint).  In fact, they look almost too good to be true: Butter Toffee Pecans, Dark Chocolate Pecan Bark, Arizona Pecan Brittle, Oliver Pecan Amaretto Pecan Honey Butter, San Saba Blackberry Pecan Preserves, Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge and Oil Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil.

The pecans were delicious!  They were softer in texture than an almond or walnut but still had a nice, subtle crunch.  They’re rich and buttery in taste and complement both sweet and savory dishes.  In fact, these pecans were so tasty that it didn’t take me too long to get through the entire bag.  Aside from the few handfuls I would grab out of the bag to munch on as a snack, I made some great creations.  Take a look…

Buzzy Spiced Banana Pumpkin Muffins

Sweet Sweet Potato with Cottage Cheese, Raisins, Honey and Pecans

Pumpkin Pie Cake with Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Agave Nectar (inspired by KathEats.com)

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Chickpeas and Pecans

Sweet Potato Brownies with Coconut, Flaxseeds, Pecans and Walnuts (Say what?  Yup, you heard right.  Stay tuned for the recipe…)

After reviewing and consuming these pecans, I’ve decided that The Pecan Store sells a good nut and that pecans must now become a staple in my kitchen.  Like all nuts, the pecan is versatile.  You can put them on and in just about anything, and whatever you’re eating will taste that much better.  Plus, it’s a great way to get some more protein and healthy fat into your diet.  Pecans have always reminded me of the more decadent desserts such as German chocolate cake, butter pecan ice cream (one of my Dad’s faves), pecan pie, pecan turtle clusters and cinnamon pecan rolls.  Perhaps that’s the reason why they’ve been void from my nut repertoire? But now that I know I can add pecans to foods and still have them be healthy, I guess I was the nut for not trying them sooner!

What’s your favorite nut?  Do you like receiving food as gifts (ex: fruit baskets, Harry & David Gift Towers)?

Namasté,
Nicole

I don’t know about you all but when I’m hungry, I’m hungry! If I don’t have something quick to reheat or make in the fridge when the dinner bell (or the breakfast, brunch or lunch bell) rings, my fingers start getting itchy and I reach for those crunchy snacks (and I’m not talking about the baby carrot or celery kind either!).  And then I figure if I can’t whip up something that’s quick and healthy, I might as well just eat snacks for dinner or get some greasy easy takeout (there are way too many convenience options when you live in a college area).  I wish I could say that this doesn’t happen too often, but that wouldn’t be honest.  And then one day as I was doing some blog reading, I came across a post from The BroccoliHut.  If you aren’t already a reader of Caroline’s blog, you should check her out!  She’s quite creative in the kitchen and makes some killer hummus.  But what caught my eye that day was Caroline’s fast and hearty soup.  Not only did it look and sound delicious, but it was something that I could totally put together in that instant.  I had the exact same ingredients in my cupboard and fridge and yet, the idea never came to me.  That’s why I love all you creative and expressive bloggers! You always know how to inspire me and you always know how to shake some sense into me!

I love Trader Joe’s Soups: Carrot Ginger and Latin Style Black Bean

The nutritional facts

Not bad, huh?

Spicin’ up my soup!

My The Broccoli Hut-Inspired Soup (thanks Caroline!)
Serves 1

• 1 cup of Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Soup
• few dashes of curry powder
• few dashes of cumin
• 2 TSP of freshly grated ginger (I love fresh ginger – but this can be omitted)
• 1/4 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• 1 cup of frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 cup of frozen cubed butternut squash
• handful of spinach leaves
• salt
• white pepper

1) In a medium saucepan, heat the carrot ginger soup on medium heat.  Add the curry powder, cumin and freshly grated ginger.  Give the soup a stir to get the seasonings well-blended.

2) Once the soup starts to heat up, add the chickpeas and frozen vegetables.  Stir the soup well to make sure all the frozen veggies get heated.

3) Add the spinach to the soup and stir.  Once the spinach starts to wilt, cover the saucepan with a lid.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer for another few minutes.

4) Eat immediately!

I’m so happy that this soup came together in a hurry because my appetite was growing by the second!  But instead of my usual mindless snacking (OK, I admit I had a few raw almonds), I saved my appetite for this hearty soup.  And boy, was it worth the wait!  Similar to the soup I made a few weeks back, the seasonings and ginger were the show stoppers of this soup.  The curry powder and ginger added a nice warmth to the soup without it being spicy.  But having chunks of cauliflower and butternut squash to sink my teeth into while eating this soup (versus drinking/sipping) made me feel fulfilled and satisfied.  Adding the chickpeas to the soup was a great way to get some protein into this meal.  Plus, I love the way chickpeas taste with spinach.  Is that just me? Being a visual person, I also enjoyed seeing the orange, dark green, beige and white colors mixed together.  It’s so much more interesting when your food looks good, in addition to it tasting good!

I’m not quite sure why I have a tendency to feel a healthy meal can’t come together in a few minutes.  It’s really not that I don’t think it’s possible, it’s that I don’t think I will have the ability to pull it all together.  I tend to rely on recipes and ideas that I see online and in magazines and cookbooks, so when I have to pull something out of thin air, it’s not as easy as I would like.  But, I’m learning and I thank all you healthy living/food bloggers for always pushing me to do so in your own special ways.  Those Trader Joe’s boxed soups are a staple in my house and I tend to just eat them as they are.  I never dreamed that these little boxed wonders could be transformed into a speedy and simple meal.  But that’s the beauty of cooking!  You can take something as plain as soup and with a bit of creativity and experimenting, you can have something as wonderful as this meal.  There are no right’s or wrong’s; if it tastes good, you win! No one ever told me that ‘cooking’ meant having to slave over a hot stove for hours upon hours, for some reason, I just had this preconceived notion.  But after being inspired by Caroline and realizing that there is magic in simplicity, I know there’s a whole other world to explore when you can think outside of the box.

Speaking of  ‘my soup in a box’ (or that famous skit brought to you by JT and Andy Samberg), what’s your favorite SNL skit?

***Do you like sparkly things?  Well, if you do, you’re in luck!  Check out my giveaway!***

***BTW, if you like natural sodas, go and check out the Zevia giveaway on Morgan’s blog.  Better hurry up, it ends tomorrow, 11/20!***

Namasté,
Nicole

We on Award Tour with Muhammad my man
Goin’ each and every place with the mic’ in their hand
New York, NJ, NC, VA
We on Award Tour with Muhammad my man
Goin’ each and every place with the mic’ in their hand
Oaktown, LA, San Fran, St. John

If you don’t sweat know that song, it’s Award Tour by A Tribe Called Quest.  And while I’m patiently waiting for my issues with WordPress to be resolved (I can’t upload any pictures.  I keep getting an error message that says ‘the uploaded file could not be moved…’), I’ve decided to get as creative as I can with my posts without the usage of pictures, all while still keeping you interested.  So, I’ve decided to go on a little ‘award tour’.  Sound good?

Yesterday, when I discovered that I could not finish posting the post that I had intended on sharing, I began to panic.  I really get frustrated when I can’t communicate with you all via my blog.  Instead of going completely silent, I decided to post a little memo saying what was the ‘haps’ with Healthy Chow.  I figured to you all, it was just going be an FYI.  But to my surprise, many of you emailed me asking if I was alright and expressing your concern.  I felt so honored and appreciated! You are all so near and dear to my heart.  My eternal thanks to all of you.  Muah!

Recently, I’ve noticed that many bloggers have been handing out awards to other deserving bloggers.  I’ve seen ones for the Kreativ Blogger award, the Your Blog is Over the Top award, the Friendly Blogger award and then there are the FoodBuzz nominations.  That said, I’d like to give out my own awards.  OK, it’s not a real ‘award’ or a banner you can display on your blog, but it’s a shout-out, and certainly a well-deserved one.

And the winners for the 2009 Healthy Chow Awards are…Drum roll please…(these are in no particular order):

1) Brandi from Bran Appetit! – Brandi’s blog was one of the first healthy food/lifestyle blogs I’ve ever read.  I immediately fell in love with her amazing breakfasts (check out her Carrot Cake Oatmeal and her Muesli Melon) and the fact that she never lets any food go to waste.  She has this clever way of transforming her leftovers into brand new meals.  She also makes some delicious looking food (like her Fiesta Turkey Soup) and baked goods.  Plus, if you ever have a question, she’s more than helpful and will do her best to find the answer for which you are looking.  Much like her breakfasts, Brandi is sweet and her heart is made of gold (not oatmeal or grits).

2) Lauren from Food for Living – Lauren is my homegirl, literally.  She lives right around the corner from me and was one of the first friends I made at the Healthy Living Summit.  If you’ve seen her blog, then you know that this lady needs to write her own cookbook!  I love everything she makes and creates.  She puts a healthy spin on every recipe and makes you drool all over yourself when looking at her photographs.  Just take a look at her recipe for Homemade Banana Bread ‘Larabar’ Bites and her recipe for Chicken Parm Meatball Subs.  And if you’ve had the chance to meet her in person, you’ll know she’s just one of those genuine, salt of the earth people, who are one-in-a-million.

3) Allie from Live Laugh Eat – I love reading Allie’s posts because her enthusiasm and excitement literally jump off the screen!  She has this way of describing her yummy creations and her mood when making these creations that makes you feel as if you are right there with her.  She’s funny, spunky and smart.  Allie is inquisitive and does just about everything – for example, running, golf, kickboxing, strength training, yoga and she plays and teaches the oboe (she’s also a full-time college student).  Plus, she makes this sandwich called, ‘the banini’, and it’s sheer genius!  She’s also a Trader Joe’s fanatic and enjoys trying out new foods.  Just check out what Allie did with her POM Wonderful.  Her zest for life is infectious, as well as her beautiful smile!

4) Sarah from The Foodie Diaries – Sarah could be a comedienne.  Actually, Sarah should be a comedienne.  Whenever I read one of her posts, I immediately crack-up laughing.  Her wit and humor is addicting, in addition to her love for making her favorite foods taste even better.  If you were a guest at Sarah’s dinner table, not only would you have abs of steel from laughing so hard, but your belly would also be full from her unbelievable creations.  Don’t believe me?  Just check out her Sugar Plum Fairy Oats and her 7-Layer Sandwich.  Sarah has a fondness for recreating or DIYing meals she’s previously consumed at restaurants.  The outcome?  Sarah’s concoctions are far better! So, she’s sassy, funny and talented?  Yup.  Or in Sarah’s world, it would be ’sí’!

5) Katharina from Katharina’s Food Adventures – Do you know anyone that is so cool and unique that you admittedly kind of want to be like them?  Well, for me, that’s Katharina.  If you’ve read any of her blog posts, you’ll know what I mean.  Just take a glance at her About page – uh, hello…she’s a sculpture and extended media major!  Plus, she makes some of the most spectacular food creations.  Katharina uses some uncommon ingredients, but her end result is always a masterpiece.  A couple of my favorites are her polenta and her sandwich made of edamame hummus and sunflower seed butter.  And she has these great pics of her just enjoying her food – you can truly get a sense of how much of a fun-loving and sweet spirited person she really is.

6) Sophia from Burp and Slurp – Sophia has a soft spot in my heart.  Whenever I read her posts, I’m immediately enlightened.  Her honesty in her posts makes you realize just how wonderful of a person she is and just how real she is.  I’ve told Sophia on more than one occasion now that she’s wise beyond her years.  And then there’s her food!  To say she’s a master creator would be an understatement.  How she makes these heavenly works of genius in her college dorm room is beyond me.  You have to see it, to believe it – just take a look at her Kabocha Grits and her Grilled Fig Pizza.  Insane! I admire her strong faith, her love for all food and her courage.  She’s definitely an extraordinary person.

And there you have it!  Those aforementioned names are this year’s winners.  But, in my eyes, you are all winners and have touched my heart in more ways than I could ever describe.  I applaud you and thank you!

What’s the best prize or award you’ve ever received?  Or, have given?

Namasté,
Nicole

In my not-so-lengthy tenure of being a healthy lifestyle/food blogger, I’ve made many observations and I’ve learned quite a few things.  But the one major thing I’ve noticed is that everyone seems to have the best looking darn breakfasts EVER!  See here, here and here for examples.  That said, I’ve decided to step up my efforts in making my breakfasts a bit more interesting to my stomach and to my eyes.  A girl (sorry, woman) can’t live on a plain bowl of oatmeal forever, can she?

I’ve been seeing various recipes for oatmeal, grits, pancakes and waffles and while I want to try all of them, the one thing I had a hankering for the other day was french toast (or ‘fr-INCH’ toast, as my husband from Western Massachusetts would call it).  Perhaps it has something to do with the sudden change in temperature around here?  Maybe it’s because I recently had all that French food?  Or, maybe it has something to do with this post I happened to stumble upon the other day.  Whichever the case may be, I decided to forego my ‘yoush’ of having a bowl of hot, plain oats and made Banana Stuffed Peanut Butter French Toast.

The Usual Suspects...

To make this little breakfast diddy, you will need the following:

• 2 slices of Trader Joe’s Sprouted Flourless Whole Wheat Berry bread
• 1 1/2 TBSP of Better n’ Peanut Butter – low sodium (of course you can substitute with any other kind of nut or soy butter)
• half of a small banana, sliced into 1/4 inch segments
• 1/3 cup of egg whites
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• few dashes of cinnamon
• few dashes of nutmeg (BTW, did you know that consuming large quantities of nutmeg can possibly make you ‘loopy‘? )
• pinch of brown sugar (or evaporated cane juice or any other dry sweetener of your choice)
• drizzle of agave nectar, Trader Joe’s brand (honey or maple syrup would also be good here)

1) Spread your peanut butter on both sides of your bread.  I went a bit on the lite side with the peanut butter but feel free to glob it on, if that’s how you like to roll…

2) Take your banana slices and layer them onto your bread.  Unfortunately, I only had frozen bananas in my house.  I just can’t seem to use the fresh ones fast enough before they start turning into a brown mess and my house becomes a fruit fly farm.  I would suggest using fresh banana slices.  My frozen ones started to get mushy once they defrosted.

For all those green monster smoothies...

Like baby food...

3) Sandwich the two slices of peanut buttered, banana laden bread together.  Set aside.

4) Add your egg whites, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar together in a shallow bowl.  Whisk lightly with a fork.

Can't you just smell the cinnamon-y goodness?

5) Drop your sandwich into the milk mixture carefully.  You don’t want any bananas to fall out (hehe, Healthy Chow has a twisted mind).  Let the sandwich absorb some of the milk mixture.

Like taking a bath in milk

6) While your sandwich is soaking it all in, coat a small skillet with cooking spray and set your stove to medium.

7) Once your skillet has heated up, gingerly pick up your sandwich and place it onto your skillet.  Let it sit for about 3 or so minutes untouched.  You want the eggs to cook up a bit and give your sandwich a light crust.  You may also want to turn up the heat a bit here to medium-high.  Resist the urge to peek or flip

Check out the oozing banana, it's trying to say 'hi' to you

8 ) Then, with a spatula, flip your sandwich over.  Let the second side cook for another 2-3 minutes.  If your sandwich appears to be browning too much, turn down your heat back to medium.

Flip that french toast!

9) It’s done when both sides of the bread are lightly crunchy/toasted and have that beautiful french toast color.  Place it on your plate and then drizzle it with agave nectar.  Dig in!

Breakfast bliss...

I don't know how I waited that long before taking a bite...

YUM-MAY!

This french toast was absolutely scrumptious! It’s so basic, yet so out-of-this-world.  Why did I not make this sooner?  It literally took me ten minutes to prepare this from start to finish.  I always think that making a delicious breakfast is going to involve a lot of time and a lot of clean-up.  This proved me wrong.  There are no excuses now for not making a breakfast that is healthy, hearty and heavenly.  It’s stated that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  This could not be more true.  If one can start the day with a nutritious and tasty meal, it sets the tone for the rest of the day.  You start off feeling full of energy, feeling as if you did something to take care of your body and feeling like you can take on the world because you gave your body (and mind) the nourishment it needs and deserves.

Not only did I enjoy eating my finished product, but I also had quite a bit of fun concocting this combination.  And just think of all the other possibilities…you could use nutella as the spread, stuff the french toast with thinly sliced and softened apples, peaches, pineapple or pears and even add chopped nuts, unsweetened dried coconut, dried fruit, dark chocolate shavings, ground flax seeds or fruit preserves as a topping.  Or, you could use different kinds breads such as a cinnamon raisin, oatmeal or even brioche (maybe not as healthy, but definitely divine).  The combinations are endless!

So the next time you’re rushing around in the morning looking for something to eat for breakfast, and you consider reaching for a pop tart, I hope you’ll remember this recipe.  You can decide whether you want to stuff your face with something overly processed and filled with sugar or just simply stuff your french toast.

What’s your favorite way to start your day (a breakfast food, a hot beverage, exercise, a stretch, meditation, prayer, etc.)?

Namasté,
Nicole

*OK, this one is for you, Mom.  I know how much you love this song, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” , and you know how much I love you!

Boy, the Summit was like the grass sample that was in our swag bags, AMAZING!  After two days of socializing and ‘getting-to-know-you’s’, we finally arrived at the day I was looking forward to the most – conference day.  I think I’ll always be a student at heart because the thought of being in a room with all of our knowledgeable sponsors and keynote speakers was making me giddy with joy.  I could hardly sleep Friday night in anticipation of the big day.  I think I fell asleep with a smile on my face and woke up with one.

OK, that's me after I got ready, not as soon as I woke up

Because Patrick was so very kind to give me, Lauren and Shannon a ride (the first of many), we were able to make it to the hotel bright and early.  Thank you!!!  When we arrived, we were greeted by the Big 6 and were presented our SWAG BAGS (cue the bugles and applause)!  They were absolutely stuffed with coupons, tons of food samples, informational brochures, a re-useable bag (along with the re-useable bag the swag came in), pens, magnets, a shake container, a t-shirt, a shoe wallet, a baked good and magazines.  It was the ultimate goody bag!

The sign of the time

Heather, Megan and Caitlin

"Say my name, say my name..."

My Blue Heaven

"Swagger like us!"

After checking in, getting our name tags and bags, we were ready for breakfast.  Breakfast included an array of fresh fruit, Oikos yogurt, various blends of  MixMyGranola, fresh bagels, danish, muffins, Kashi TLC bars and the obvi fresh coffee and tea.  I chose an Oikos yogurt with honey along with a few scoops of lowfat MixMyGranola and some chunks of cantaloupe and pineapple.  I love me some fresh fruit for breakfast (or anytime), especially when it’s already been cut-up for me .

Hmmm, this yogurt is DEE-LEE-SHUSS!

Tina, Shannon, Lauren and Jesse

We had a good hour to relax, eat and do some more meeting and chatting before we headed off to the conference room.  As I mentioned before, I can be somewhat of a dork.  So when I walked into the conference room, I wanted to be sitting front and center.  However, that was being occupied by some of our sponsors, so I opted for front-ish and left of center.  What can I say?  I like to pay attention!

My table mates - Casey and Ania

Casey and Ms. Bright Eyed & Bushy Tailed

After finding our seats, the Big 6 introduced themselves and welcomed us all to the Summit.  You could tell they were just as excited as the attendees and were glowing with anticipation of the day ahead.

Drum roll please!

The Big 6

Our first speaker was Janel Ovrut, a local registered dietitian, who talked to us about the importance of having a ‘healthy’ diet and how we can manage to eat well in our busy day-to-day life.  She was quite friendly and informative and gave us some useful and easy to remember tips.  She was able to provide insight without sounding ‘preachy’.

The next speaker was my favorite speaker, Cory, aka ZestyCook.  Zesty gave a wonderful presentation on Blogging 101.  He gave us pointers on how to best monetize our blogs, design our blogs and how we could best make them as successful as his (almost!).  I brought my giant legal notepad from home specifically for Zesty’s presentation.  I wanted to be a sponge and soak up as much zest as I could.  I think I did a pretty good job because while I hung onto his every word, my little hands managed to scribble out pages and pages of notes.  Thank you, Zesty!

We then broke for lunch (and the bathrooms).  I actually was hoping that this was not the line for the bathrooms and luckily, it was the lunch line.

The waiting game

But, the bathroom line wasn’t too much shorter.  Hence, by the time I got to the head of the lunch line, it was rather slim pickin’s.  Although I did manage to get a yummy turkey sandwich and fresh fruit that helped to squelch my hunger.  I was just hoping for some vegetables and since the lettuce shreds that were left looked a tad lack luster, I opted out.  But now that I have seen some of the other food bloggers’ pictures, I seemed to have missed a whole display of roasted veggies and salad greens.  Eh, that’s what I get for not going to the restroom when I first had to go and for being a Chatty Cathy .

We Are Not Martha - Sues, me and Chels

My Lunch: turkey with swiss & mustard on whole wheat bread w/ a side of fruit and caprese salad

Lunch mates

Meghan checking her phone...

Once lunch wrapped up, we had another very informative presentation from organic dairy farmer, Regina Beidler.  Regina, along with her husband and daughter (who was also at the Summit), are cooperative farmer owners at Organic Valley and the milk from their farm goes to Organic Valley’s New England Pastures for fluid milk or to Stonyfield Farm for their yogurt products.  Regina really opened my eyes to the importance of supporting local farmers and eating organic dairy products.  She was a great speaker and really did a spectacular job speaking to her audience.

Next up were the ladies from Body + Soul magazine.  They scared informed us about some of the potential dangers/toxins hidden in our beauty products and what are some alternative products we could use.  Wow!  I really need to do a better job of reading the labels on my beauty products – yikes!

Caitlin, from whom I won my golden ticket to the Summit, then gave us a presentation about Operation Beautiful.  She talked about how it got its start and how far it has grown.  Caitlin, along with Operation Beautiful, are both so inspirational!  To say the least,  I was moved!

To pump up get the audience and get us involved, the Big 6 then did some product giveaways.  Sadly, I was not a winner but I had a heck of a time cheering on those that did!  There were some great prizes!  For instance, a $300 gift certificate to Athleta.  Um, hello?  Healthy Chow needs new yoga clothes!

Then, we broke for juice (sans cookies).  Andrea, from POM Wonderful, set-up a giant spread of ice cold pomegranate juice and even posed for a few photos.

I’ve actually never tried POM before.  The tartness of the juice was similar to cranberry juice but with a slightly sweeter twist.  Andrea told me that most people she knew cooked with the juice versus just drinking it straight-up.  I can definitely see it working in a citrus-y salad dressing or with a nice piece of fish.  Lucky for me, Andrea gave me a few extra bottles and coupons to take home.  Thank you, Andrea!

To wrap up, the Big 6 each did a brief presentation on the type of fitness they prefer and how they got started with it.  Caitlin and Tina spoke about running and how while they have some injuries, they continue to work through those injuries and take care of their bodies.  Kath talked about how she squeezes in exercise whenever she can, such as when doing household chores like washing the floor and mowing the lawn.  Jenna talked about one of my favorite things in the world, yoga.  She talked about how great of a workout yoga can be and how important it is for the body and the mind.  I couldn’t stop nodding my head in agreement with Jenna.  I so badly wanted to jump out of my seat and tell the group that if they hadn’t tried yoga, they could come with me and I would be more than happy to show them the light .  Finally, Heather and Meghann talked about running and how they have worked up to competing in races.  They even brought out their running gear and demonstrated what they like to use and how sweaty these things can get .

To conclude the conference, we appropriately took a group photo.  We all squeezed into the back of the room and once again, Hangry Mark was our photographer.  Thank you, Mark!  I think if you squint your eyes or get a magnifying glass you can find me (I wore high heels (again) just so you all could see me!).

I promise I'm in there!

I don’t want to sound like a broken record (but I will) , but I want to say that I’m so happy that I was able to attend the Healthy Living Summit.  I had the chance to meet such extraordinary people and learn some fascinating things.  All these women (and men) share the same passion – to live a healthy and happy life filled with fitness, eating well, and passion.  Out of all the people I met this weekend, the one common link is that they all love life and want that life to be a healthy one.  While they aim to be healthy and fit, they know life has to have balance.  For that reason, there was never a hesitation to enjoy themselves – whether that meant having a cocktail, savoring a scoop of their favorite ice cream or simply getting up a bit earlier to take in a morning run.

Just watching the Big 6 speak about their favorite kind of exercise or their favorite thing to eat or how they first started blogging, you could honestly see the enthusiasm and drive exuding from their souls.  I truly felt empowered to be around all of these like minded individuals (bloggers and readers) – people like myself who want the best life and the best me possible and just want to share that with the world.

Contents of the bag...I refrained from eating anything so I could get a complete picture for you to see...that was really tough!

What makes you feel empowered?  Or, what’s the best free sample you’ve ever received?

Namasté,
Nicole

So if you thought I had a good time at JP Licks, you should seen me on Friday night!  Woot!  And if you thought I looked good eating my oatmeal cookie frozen yogurt, then you really should have checked your girl out on Friday night.  Sssss…

I’m not quite sure if it was the color of my dress or the fact that I was glowing from excitement or if it was just because it was a hot and humid August night, but my cheeks were rosey with delight (wow, that rhymes).  Lauren and I arrived at 7pm right on the dot and were greeted by the lovely HLS organizers (I like to call them the Big 6).  If you’ve never been to the Rustic Kitchen in Boston, it’s a beautiful (and rustic-ish) restaurant located in the Radisson Hotel.  It was also the home to the HLS cocktail party.  The Big 6 did a fine job selecting the perfect establishment for our ‘official’ meet and greet.

So welcoming...

Just lovely...

Hangry Mark was our 'bouncer' for the night

Candid shot...

Meghann & Kelly - blogging sisters!

Caitlin and lady in red...

And if just seeing and meeting all the ladies whom I’ve only known online wasn’t enough adventure for my Friday night, just take a gander at all the good eats that were there.  The place was laid out!

Our menu

Even the napkins were purdy...

Hmmm, look at those salad greens

We had a 'ball' of a time!

A view of it all...

Pizza, pizza!

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I was so busy talking, taking pictures and introducing myself to all the bloggers and readers, my plate only consisted of this:

Delish!

But what I did have was mighty tasty.  The crust on the margherita pizza was crispy with the perfect amount of chewiness.  The tangy-ness from the tomato sauce was also nicely matched with the fresh hints of sweet basil.  The oven roasted ratatoille consisted of zucchini, summer squash, bell pepper and eggplant and was cooked and seasoned just right.  I love it when vegetables are still crunchy and only enhanced enough with seasonings so that their true flavor still shines through.

Like the colors from all the beautiful dishes that were served that night, the ladies of HLS 2009 were vibrant and glistened against the backdrop of the roaring wood-fired ovens and lanterns that seemed to dance along to the beat of the night. There was a definite buzz in the air (and perhaps amongst the ladies as well ) and it was quite refreshing to be surrounded by people so warm, friendly and interesting.  I was just disappointed that I didn’t get to meet and speak to everyone.  Like me, I’m sure all the women had a story to share but I guess I’ll just have to tune in online to learn more about them.  But of the women I did have the opportunity to meet, they were all fabulous and such a pleasure to chat with and to get to know. I know I said it before, but I will say it again, I am truly proud to be a part of such an intriguing and passionate community.

Don't the lights look like floating flowers?

Ali and Kristen

Another pic with the lady in red...

A packed house...

Allie & Heather

Another candid...

Can't you just hear all the excitement?

Lauren and some blog readers

Just the like the once full glasses that were now empty, my tank was out of gas and it was time to go home.  Plus, my feet were yelling at me for wearing those high heels (sorry feet!).  It was time to go home to get a good night’s sleep since tomorrow was going to be another jammed pack day.  If you don’t know by now, Healthy Chow can be somewhat of a dork and she likes to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed for big events.  A girl needs her beauty rest, ya know?

Empty!

How much sleep do you need a night?  Can you tell when you don’t get enough rest?

Namasté,
Nicole

(If you couldn’t tell, the post title is supposed to be sung to the tune of Will Smith’s Summertime.  Oh, I amuse myself!)

This all started at the beginning of 2009.  I was on my laptop and had the Food Network on tv and I believe it was a commercial featuring Ellie Krieger that peaked my interest.  She was talking about making the foods you crave in a healthier manner without having to sacrifice the taste.  It was that simple.  So I kept watching and looked for when her show would be on next.  I then googled her name and not only did I find her books, website and culinary masterpieces online, but I also found blogs that featured her easy, yet healthy recipes.

They were blogs run by everyday people, mostly women, who were trying to live a healthy lifestyle through cooking, exercise and balance.  I’d find one blog and read it.  Then, I would see the blogroll on that blog and read that.   Then, I would click on all the blogs that were linked in that blog’s blogroll and then I would repeat those steps again and again on the following blogs.  It was as if a tiny snowball had started rolling down a hill with a sharp 90 degree angle in the middle of a nor’easter.  This snowball was growing at the speed of lightning and there was no stopping it.

Image Credits – blog.readysetconnect.com

I spent hours just reading all the posts from these bloggers.  I read about their journeys, their adventures in the kitchen, their achievements on foot, on the bike and on the mat, their indulgences, their cravings and how wonderful they feel through it all.  These bloggers totally moved me (another lame pun).  Each blog had its own voice and I felt as if it were my calling to listen.

Fast forward to July of 2009 and after reading and being a loyal follower of too many healthy lifestyle blogs to name, I finally decided to bite the Magic Bullet (that’s homage to the beloved green monster smoothie).  I thoroughly respected each and every one of the bloggers I had encountered and really admired their strength, support for one another and their zest for life.  I decided I was going to start my very own blog.

While I haven’t been blogging for very long, I feel as though I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the healthy lifestyle and food blogoshere and about myself.  I can honestly say that the people I have come across have been nothing short of delightful, supportive and downright genuine.  I feel honored to say that I am a part of this community.

When I began reading all the buzz about the Healthy Living Summit and saw that it was going to be right in my backyard, I knew I had to go.  Unfortunately, I didn’t move quick enough and the tickets had been sold out.  To say the least, I was bummed.  But I had envisioned myself being at the Summit and knew there had to be some way for me to get there.  That said, I saw that Caitlin was holding a silent auction on her blog for one golden ticket to the Summit.  All proceeds were going to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Caitlin’s Team in Training efforts to run the Disney marathon.  I knew that ticket was going to be mine and on July 8, that vision became a reality.  Thank you, Caitlin!

Finally, the Summit is here!  Today is the first day of events.  We are meeting in Boston (literally blocks from me) for an ice cream social where we can meet each other, gab some and eat (a little or a lot of) ice cream (or frozen yogurt, if that’s what you prefer).  Friday night we are having a cocktail party out in Boston at a swanky bar.  Then all Saturday it’s conference time where we get to formally meet and listen to our gracious sponsors, organizers and keynote speakers.  But as we bloggers know, it’s all about balance.  So after a full day at the conference, we are meeting in the North End for the Fisherman’s Feast Italian Food Festival.  And to balance it all out, on Sunday morning, there is an unofficial 5K run followed by brunch.

I am excited beyond words!  I cannot wait to meet all the bloggers whom I’ve only known through the internet and to listen and learn from them.  It will be such an extraordinary experience and I am grateful that I can take part in it.

I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard and given so many countless hours of time and energy to make this Summit a reality.  To Caitlin, Kath, Jenna, Tina, Meghann and Heather – thank you from the bottom of my heart and I look forward to finally seeing you all face-to-face!  And a big shout out to the Summit’s sponsors as well, ZestyCook, FoodBuzz and Stonyfield Farm – thank you!

Here’s to a weekend of fun, food, good times and making new friends!

Image Credits – beaconinn.com

What have you’ve been excited about?  If you have a blog, do you remember what made you decide to start one?  If you don’t, do you think you’ll ever start one?

Namasté,
Nicole