Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes

Now there is a blog title to get excited about!  These brownies are crazy yummy and they were sort of an accident.

So, on Wednesday my students took a practice ACT during school.  This meant that I just proctored all day and I was able to go home early!  What a win!  Plus, the students did really well!  They started with an average of about 18 on the math section and now their average is above 20!  That is great growth!  I was super proud of them and I had extra time so I decided to bake something for my advisory.  I was also asked to bake for an upcoming Oscar party this weekend.  I figured I would just bake a double batch of something and have enough desserts for both events!

My students told me that they would like brownies or cheesecake.  I decided to just combine the two!  I started baking, but then I realized that I didn't have enough sugar!!! I was feeling super lazy and so instead of going out to buy more sugar, I decided to take a risk and use brown sugar instead.  My laziness ended up being a good thing since these brownies were super tasty and a huge hit!

Now, I am sitting in school and my students just had the brownies.  They loved them and there is only one left!  (Well, actually there is 13 left...I just kept 12 at home for that Oscar party I mentioned earlier).  These brownies are yummy and you should make them!

Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:16 tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1 plus 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp espresso powder
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
8 oz light cream cheese
1 cup nonfat, plain greek yogurt
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and line your cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a small saucepan, place the butter and chopped chocolate.  Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until melted and combined.  Remove from heat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and espresso powder.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugars with the eggs and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with the greek yogurt, sugar and flour until well combined.
6. Beat the chocolate mixture into the sugar/egg mixture until well combined.  Mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
7.  Place about 2 tbsp of brownie mixture into each cupcake well.  Place about 1 tbsp of cream cheese mixture on top.  Then place about 1 tsp of brownie mixture on top of the cream cheese.  Using a toothpick, swirl the cream cheese and brownie batter.
8.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool.

Enjoy :)

Shrimp Sushi Bowl

Sorry for getting a little ranty/ravey on Monday.  I don't know what got into me.  Of course, after I complained about running, I went for a 3 mile run and it totally made me feel better.  I actually did the same thing this morning because I went to see the Revenant last night.  

That movie is insane.  First of all, it's super intense.  Like I was clenching my arms for pretty much the entire movie.  Second, it was gross.  I had to close my eyes pretty frequently so, actually, I don't think I saw most of the movie.  And third, it was long.  I felt like I just ran a marathon or something (well maybe not that long), but I felt drained after.  So, I woke up this morning and I went for a run to make myself feel better and more upbeat. 

It totally worked, I got to school today ready to take on the world! Then, one of my students gave me a super sweet valentine's day mug with some chocolate in it.  Woo!  This is good since I have to fly to Baltimore today for a teaching conference this weekend.  I'm feeling much better and I'm super pumped.

I am also super pumped because we agreed on an offer with the seller of the condo we love! I'll keep you posted, but it looks like we will be able to close on April 1st and then move!! I can't wait!

And, to celebrate, here is a crazy delicious dinner idea.  I saw one of those Tasty videos that circulate on facebook and it was for this cute little sushi thing.  So, of course, I started to crave sushi, but sushi is not easy to make on your own.  I decided to make a sort of "deconstructed" sushi.  And, here it is!  This is a perfect, easy dinner.  Plus if you use gluten free soy sauce, it is totally gluten free!  

Shrimp Sushi Bowl

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cooked brown rice

4-5 cooked, cold shrimp

2 tbsp greek yogurt

1-2 tsp siracha

2 tbsp avocado, mashed up

1-2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice according to directions, scoop 1/4 cup of the brown rice into a bowl.

2.  Place the shrimp and avocado on top of the rice. 

3. In a small bowl, mix the greek yogurt with the siracha and then place on top of the rice. 

4. Drizzle soy sauce over everything.

Enjoy :)

Avocado Egg Salad

How are your new year's resolutions going?

I am not a huge fan of resolutions.  I like to think of them more like lifestyle choices.  I decided that since my wedding is in less than 200 days, I am going to work on being healthy, eating well, and getting in great shape.  So far, I have lost some weight and I've been doing more strength training.  I feel great!  I am also watching my students take their last final right now and so I am getting focused on starting fresh with them next semester!  I can't believe I am already entering second semester...before you know it, it will be the end of the school year and time for summer!

Today I am sharing a recipe that has helped me stay focused on my goal of eating well.  I saw a recipe for egg salad that used avocado instead of the typical mayo/egg combo.  I love avocado and I figured this would be amazing!

I also saw an idea for a smoked salmon sandwich that had avocado on it.  So, I got to thinking:  What if I used my avocado egg salad to build a yummy salmon sandwich.  This way, I would get some great nutrients, lots of good protein, and it would be delish.

Avocado Egg Salad

Ingredients:
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 whole avocado
1 tbsp non-fat, plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp chopped chives
fresh ground pepper
dash of lime juice

Directions:1. Place chopped eggs in a container.  Then, add in the avocado and mash with a fork until well combined.  Then, mix in the rest of the ingredients.

My smoked salmon sandwich! Avocado Egg Salad,
Smoked Salmon, and Cucumbers :)

Enjoy :)

For more avocado ideas, check out this page: 13 Health Benefits of Avocado

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

Last night we had friends over to ring in the new year and it was a blast!

My little brother bartended (he even made his own menu!) and we had a potluck sort of dinner!  I made my Build Your Own Nachos with Crock Pot Salsa Chicken and my Lightened up Spinach Artichoke Dip.  Everything was a huge hit.  We also had Crock Pot Barbacoa, Baked Mac n Cheese, and, of course, tons of desserts.

We watched the ball drop, played funny charade games, and had an amazing time.

This morning, I made some french toast for my brother and his friend who stayed at our place and now, after some advil :), I am getting ready to hit the treadmill for a bit.

I'm not a huge fan of new year's resolutions, but I do think it is nice to reflect and refocus at the beginning of a new year.  2015 was great.  I ran my second marathon, got a new job that I love, and did a TON of wedding planning.  That being said, 2016 is going to be crazy epic.  First and foremost, I AM GETTING MARRIED!  I can't wait to say "I do" to my best friend and see all my hard work from wedding planning finally play out.  I am also planning on running marathons 3 and 4 and just generally staying fit and eating healthy.  Finally, tomorrow Bri and I have plans to talk with a mortgage broker about moving forward in the process of buying our own place!! I can't believe all this very grown up things are just around the corner and I could not be more excited.  So, here's to an amazing 2016!  Happy New Year!

Salmon Burgers

I had a bit of a crazy weekend.  Friday night was nice since I got to hang with my co-workers at a bowling alley after school and then I went to Half Acre with some friends.  Then, Saturday morning I went for a lovely 8.5 mile run.  I got home, showered and then Bri and I packed our laundry into my car and headed out to do our laundry at my parent's house (I know we are so not adults).  Anyways, while we were on the highway, we were cut off by another driver who was changing into our lane.  His car clipped mine and we lost control.  The car spun and hit the median.  By some miracle, we were totally fine and my car was still drivable.  The other guy was also uninjured, but his car was totaled.  He was blamed for the accident so I thankfully don't have to pay for the repairs on my car.  Overall, I am incredibly grateful to be alive, healthy, and able to back to school tomorrow.  

I think the weirdest thing about our weekend was how normal everything else was.  Laundry, book club, cooking, and so on.  It was just a very simple weekend aside from our crazy car crash.  I made these Salmon Burgers recently and they are super tasty.  I'm going to celebrate being alive and normal by eating them :) Oh, and I made a crazy tasty Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread to put on my salmon burgers! 

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 shallot, chopped

2 tbsp chopped Seafood Blend Herbs

1/4 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 egg

Directions: 

1. Cook the salmon: Place the salmon on a piece of tinfoil and preheat oven to 400.  Drizzle a little olive oil over the salmon and sprinkle salt and pepper on it.  Drizzle with a tsp or two of lemon juice.  Then, wrap in the foil and place on a baking tray.  Cook for 20-25 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.  Let cool.

2. Once salmon is cooled, use a fork to flake pieces of the salmon into a bowl.  Add in the breadcrumbs, herbs, greek yogurt, and mustard.  Stir to combine.  Then, add in the egg and stir to combine.

3. Lightly grease a pan and form a salmon patty.  I made 6 patties with this mixture.  Place in pan and cook over medium for about 4-5 minutes.  Then, flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  

4. Serve with a bun or over a bed of greens and if you want, spread some Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread on top! 

Enjoy :)

For the Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread: Use 1/4 cup of yogurt, 1-2 tsp of siracha, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 clove garlic (minced).  Stir everything together and you are good to go! 

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

School has been going really well.  Cheer practice has started, we are already starting Unit 3 for math, and it has been so much fun getting to know my students.  I even got the chance to chaperone a field trip to a college fair with the juniors.  They were super into it and it was really great to see.  I love that I get to help them out and be part of the whole picking out colleges experience.  

I have also been busy with wedding planning, as the days count down, we are starting to get more and more into the smaller details.  This means lots of decision making, which is not always my strong suit.  However, it also means lots of fun and excitement which is what I am focusing on. 

And on top of all that, the marathon is right around the corner! I have 4 training runs left and 11 days until the big race!  I am super pumped, but also starting to get nervous! 

Now, for this recipe.  It was one of the easiest meals I had ever made and it made for some really great school lunches.  All you have to do is dump all the stuff into your crock pot, wait, and then enjoy! Can it get any easier?  Plus, it was really tasty.  I would put some of the chicken mixture into my school pyrex container, sprinkle a little cheese on top, and then add some avocado slices if I was feeling really fancy.  Yum! 

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock (I used vegetable stock because it was what I already had in the fridge)

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cumin

1 cup brown rice

1 15 oz can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

Optional: Salsa, Guacamole, Avocado, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Green Onion...etc.

Directions:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry.  Place in the crock pot.  Put tomatoes, 1/2 cup stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin in as well.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

2. After about 4 hours, add in the black beans, brown rice, and corn.  Cook on low for another 3-4 hours.

3. Serve with a little melted cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream or greek yogurt! It's really up to you!

Enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Bread

Marathon training makes me SO HUNGRY! Seriously, I am hungry all the time.  Plus, my lunch at school is at 1 in the afternoon.  So, when I eat breakfast at 5:30 and run in the morning I feel great, but by the time lunch rolls around, I am practically seeing stars I am so hungry.  I decided it would be a fantastic idea to hide some food in a drawer in my room so that I can discretely munch occasionally.  This was the motivation behind these Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Muffins...

This recipe made 24 mini muffins plus a whole loaf pan.  Bri was very excited when he saw what was happening in the kitchen and these guys came out great!  

Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Bread

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 small zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry with paper towels

4 eggs

1 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup dark chocolate m&ms

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a mini muffin pan and loaf pan.  

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, oats, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the greek yogurt and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Beat in the shredded zucchini.  Add in the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.

4. Stir in the m&ms and then spoon into the prepared muffin tin and loaf pan. 

5. Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes and bake the loaf for about 25-30 minutes.  A toothpick should come out clean from both.  Let cool and enjoy!

Vegetarian Black Bean and Avocado Burritos

Today I am sharing some really big news! I got a new job!  I am still teaching high school math, but now I am at a school much closer to my home!  I used to commute for about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way to and from school.  Now, my commute is about 25 minutes.  It's amazing!  Plus, I am working at this amazing new school in Chicago and I am learning so much.  I have been there for a few weeks getting ready and now the first day for my students is right around the corner!  I can't wait! 

I have been really busy with all the changes so I have been a little bit behind on cooking and sharing what I'm cooking.  However, I am starting to adjust to this new life and a 25 minute commute means I get home much earlier than usual and therefore have more time to actually make dinner!  Here is one of my new dinners that I am really into.  It was really easy, vegetarian (so Bri's a big fan), and quick.  It is a great weeknight meal and you end up with leftovers for lunches! 

Vegetarian Black Bean and Avocado Burritos

(Adapted from The Kitchn)

Oven ready burritos!

Ingredients:

12 whole wheat tortillas

2 chiles in adobo sauce, minced

1 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt

2 15 oz cans of low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

2 avocados, peeled and diced

2 cups of your favorite salsa

1 cup shredded light Mexican cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 13 by 9 inch pan.

2. In a food processor, combine the chiles, a few tsp of adobo sauce, and greek yogurt.  Add in 1 can of the black beans and pulse to combine.  You should get a nice paste mixture.  

3. In a bowl, combine the black bean paste, the other can of black beans, and the chopped avocado.  

4. Spoon a few tbsp of the mixture into the center of a tortilla.  Roll to create your burrito and place seam down in the pan.  Repeat with the rest.  

5. Pour the salsa over the tops of the burritos and then top with the shredded cheese.  Wrap tinfoil over the top and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Red Velvet Cookie Dough and Brownie Parfait

It's my birthday! I decided to share this treat today because it is one of my favorite treats that I have made! But first, let me tell you all about the fun birthday events I have been up to!

First, on Saturday, my family and Bri went to dinner at Due Lire.  I had the Tortelli and it was quite delicious.  Then, on Sunday, I ran the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon and afterwards, went to lunch at D4.  Yesterday, Bri and I went for a little picnic for dinner in the park and now today is the big day!  Today, my family is coming downtown and we have reservations at RPM Italian.  I have never been, but I have heard phenomenal things.  I am pretty excited.  I also baked some of my famous Inception Cookies to bring to my staff at camp today.  I sorta feel like I'm in elementary school again; I'm bringing treats for my class :)

So this dessert basically combines all of my favorite things.  It has brownies, red velvet cookie dough dip, and homemade whipped cream.  I LOVE whipping cream.  I think it is just so cool,  Plus the brownies were the beer brownies that Bri and I made with spent grain from brewing.  This dessert was just outrageously delicious.  

Red Velvet Cookie Dough and Brownie Parfait

Ingredients:

(this fills one large mason jar)

2-3 brownies (I used my Beer Brownies)

Red Velvet Cookie Dough Dip:

8 oz low-fat cream cheese

1 cup non-fat, greek yogurt

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

2-3 tsp red food coloring

Whipped Cream:

4 oz low-fat cream cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Bake the brownies or use your favorite store bought brand.

2. Make the red velvet cookie dough dip: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the greek yogurt.  Beat in both sugars until well combined and then add in the cocoa powder and red food color.  Mix until well combined.

3. Make the whipped cream: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar.  Add in the cream and beat on high until peaks begin to form.  Continue to beat until you have stiff peaks.  

4. Use a mason jar or other container to layer your dessert.  Start with some crumbled brownies, then red velvet dip, and then whipped cream and repeat. 

Enjoy :)

Cream Cheese Brownies

I had a bit of a rough day at school the other day.  It's the end of the year and more students than usual are restless and not putting forth their best efforts/behavior.  It is frustrating for me because I want to see them finish the year strong and get good grades.  However, that is  just not happening with some of them.  I was feeling sad, so when I got home I decided that I needed to bake brownies.

I also went for a 6 mile run so I felt like brownies were a good way to motivate myself to run the full 6 miles and then also have a little treat to help make me feel better.  It helped!  Plus, the next day was better.  Sometimes I guess there is just something in the air at high school that makes students act a little crazy.

These brownies were delightful.  I got the idea for them from browsing the website at America's Test Kitchen.  I adapted their recipe a tad, but overall I followed similar instructions.  They had really great ideas for making the brownies look beautiful and to make sure that the brownie and cream cheese swirls nicely and the cream cheese doesn't sink.  They were pretty tasty and I am pretty excited about having even more brownies waiting for me when I get home!  Bad day or not, these brownies are a great recipe to have for special occasions or just to enjoy a little treat after dinner! 

Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp espresso powder

4 oz 70% cacao chocolate

8 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 oz light cream cheese

1/2 cup greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line a 9 by 9 inch pan with foil.  Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.  

2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese for a few seconds and then microwave for 30 seconds.  Beat in the 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp flour until creamy.  Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, place butter and cut up chocolate.  Microwave at 50% powder for about 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate is melted.  Stir every 30 seconds to check.  

4. In a seperate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder.

5. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the chocolate mixture until well combined.  Then, mix in the flour mixture until just combined.  Set aside 1/2 cup of the brownie batter.

6. Spread the brownie batter into  your prepared pan.  Then, spread the cream cheese mixture over the top.  Finally, use the 1/2 cup of reserved brownie batter and place 6 spoonfuls on top of the cream cheese layer so that they are spread out.  Using a knife, swirl the batter by cutting through the layers horizontally and then vertically.  

7. Bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Use the foil to remove the brownies from the pan and let cool for about 1 hour before cutting. 

Enjoy :)

White Bean Verde Enchiladas

Today is one of my bestie's birthday!!! Happy birthday, Caryn!  To celebrate, we are going to dinner at this fun BYOB Mexican restaurant and then were probably gonna end up doing Karaoke after! I am so excited to celebrate with her and I even made a special birthday dessert!  I can't tell you about that because it is a surprise, but here's what I had going on in the kitchen last night:

Friday night cake baking :)

Last night was pretty chill and it was amazing! I baked, had a glass of wine, and whipped this yummy concoction up for dinner!  I mashed up an avocado with a few squirts of lime juice and some salt and pepper.  Then, I cooked a couple eggs to perfection and put everything on top of some toasted whole wheat toast.  Finally, a few dashes of Frank's Hot Sauce and I was ready for one amazing meal.  It was super simple and I know everyone really into this "toasts" craze.  This is a great recipe to try! 

Avocado Toast with an Over-Easy Egg

Finally, in honor of my excursion to a BYOP Mexican place, I am sharing with you a yummy Enchilada recipe! I am a huge fan of Enchiladas. We make them all the time over here.  This recipe was really easy, totally vegetarian, and super yummy.  Since I am in the mood for some Mexican food, I figured this was the perfect thing to share! 

White Bean Verde Enchiladas

Ingredients:8 large corn or flour tortillas

1 can verde enchilada sauce

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup of your favorite guacamole

1 red pepper, sliced

1 cup shredded, light Mexican blend cheese

1 cup non-fat, greek yogurt (I love Chobani :))

2 tsp lime juice 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and pour some verde enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.

2. Dip each tortilla in the sauce so that it is mostly covered, then spread some beans, guacamole, a few pepper slices, and a sprinkle of cheese down the middle of the tortilla.  Wrap the tortilla and place seam down in the pan.  Repeat with all of your tortillas and filling ingredients.

3. Pour the rest of the verde enchilada sauce over the finished enchiladas and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. 

4. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Serve with a little greek yogurt and lime juice.

Enjoy :)

Vegetable Fajitas

Well, I just enjoyed some good ol' TGIT time with Grey's and Scandal.  I don't want to give anything away, but I am a little bit in shock...which is basically how I feel at the end of every Thursday after watching these shows.  I am also pretty pumped that tomorrow is FRIDAY.  And I can finally sleep in and enjoy some relaxation after a LONG week of school.

I am so excited to tell you about another great weeknight meal I have cooked up!  This recipe is so simple and you can make it with whatever you have in the kitchen.  It is a great recipe when you don't have a ton of time, but you want something delicious and healthy.

One of our favorite places to go to is Garcia's in the Lincoln Square area.  It is super yummy, they have great margaritas, and it is super reasonable.  Plus, you end up with leftovers for days.  One of my favorite dishes there is there Vegetarian Fajitas.  They throw in a ton of different vegetables and it is unpredictable every time!

Today, I was at school all day, took an hour train home, ran 4.5 miles and then just about crashed into the couch because I was tired, and I had to watch Grey's Anatomy and Scandal (of course).  Homemade Vegetable Fajitas were easy, quick, and absolutely perfect for dinner!

Vegetable Fajitas

Ingredients:
About 3 cups of vegetables
Here is what I used:
Squash, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Onions, Whole Kernel Corn and Red Peppers
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
olive oil
salt and pepper
corn or flour tortillas
Toppings:
Guacamole
Sour Cream/Greek Yogurt
Salsa
Shredded Cheese

Directions:
1. Chop vegetables and heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add in the onions and garlic first and cook until the onions become translucent.  Add in the rest of the veggies and the seasonings and cook until they also become soft and translucent.
3. Create your fajitas with your tortillas and any toppings you want.

Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yesterday was the St. Patrick's Day celebration in Chicago.  It was also buddy, Lauren's, birthday and some of my best friends from college are in town as well! In fact, one of my friends is named Patrick so I was pretty pumped to celebrate St. Patty's day with my very own Patrick.  Last year, we went and saw the dyed green river and all of that so this year we decided to just hang out.

I started the day off with a nice 8 mile run outside!  I am so excited that spring weather is here and it no longer hurts to be outdoors.  It was fantastic.  After a much needed shower, my friends all got together and kicked off the day with green mimosas and cinnamon rolls!  We ended up hanging out on the porch enjoying the beautiful weather and it was just awesome.  After some pizza for lunch, we walked to a nearby Irish bar and saw some Irish step dancers.  This is something that I've always wanted to be able to do and I just can't figure out.  I mean, I am a decent dancer, but I just can't get my feet to do anything that resembles Irish step dancing and so I give those girls a lot of credit and I think it's crazy cool.  For dinner, we went to Cheesie's by the Belmont Red Line stop.  That place is so bad, but so good.  If you are ever in the area and respect a great grilled cheese sandwich, you have to go.  And then, we ended our night at Cesar's having some "killer" margaritas along with some delicious nachos.  Overall, it was a really fun day.  It's days like these where I am so grateful for the fantastic friends I have and the great city I live in.

Because it was the St. Patricks Day celebration and because it was a birthday celebration.  I decided to make Irish Car Bomb cupcakes.  I have tried a similar cupcake before and it was really yummy.  So, I wanted to make my own.  I was inspired by the Brown Eyed Baker and I made some adjustments to the recipe.  Here is what I came up with!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup Guinness beer
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
2/3 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
Filling:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp Irish whiskey
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions:
1. Make the cupcakes: preheat oven to 350 and line 24 cupcake wells with liners.  Or, if you want, I made 6 giant cupcakes in my silicon cupcake holders and 24 mini cupcakes in a mini cupcake pan.  Then, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.  In a small saucepan, place butter, canola oil, Guinness, and cocoa powder.  Heat until butter melts and stir to combine.  Let cool while you beat the eggs and greek yogurt in a large bowl.  Beat in the chocolate mixture until well combined.  Beat in the flour mixture until just combined and fill your cupcake wells so that they are about 3/4 full.  For mini cupcakes, bake for about 12 minutes, for regular, bake for about 17 minutes, and for giant, bake for about 19 minutes.  Let cool completely.
2. Make the filling: chop the chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl.  In a separate, microwave safe bowl, pour the cream and heat for about 30-45 seconds.  You want it to be warm, but not boiling.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate completely melts.  Stir in the whiskey and the butter and then let sit so that the ganache starts to set.
3. Make the frosting: beat the butter in a large bowl until it is light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until it is well combined.  Beat in the Bailey's and continue to beat until your frosting because light and fluffy.  Add in more powdered sugar as needed.
4. To assemble: using a knife or a cupcake corer, cut out the centers of your cupcakes.  Spoon in the ganache to fill the centers.  Then, using a piping bag or an offset spatula, frost your cupcakes.  Serve immediately, or store in the fridge in a container.  Before serving, let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Healthy Falafel with Feta Dip

I started school! I can't believe that summer is truly over now that it is after Labor Day and school is back in session.  Truly, I started last week, but it was only a 3 day week and it was followed by a 3 day weekend.  Now, I am really back to the grind.  I am still teaching Geometry and Algebra Advanced and its great because I have all my stuff from last year.  Being a second year teacher instead of a first year teacher definitely has its perks.  Not only do I know what I'm doing, but I also have past students saying hi to me in the hallways.  I'm still exhausted, but I am having fun.

Being a teacher is exhausting, but being a teacher who is in the peak of marathon training is ridiculous.  Yesterday, after teaching all day, I came home, laced up my running shoes, and went for a "short" 9 mile run.  The worst part, was when I came home I was too tired to make dinner, but I was starving.  So, here is a recipe that I found, loved, and had a ton of leftovers for those nights where you just don't feel like doing anything besides sleeping.

Baked Falafel with Spicy Feta Dip

Check out this blog because it is one of my favorites and this recipe is fantastic!  I made a couple adaptions so here they are:

I used whole wheat flour, light feta cheese, and non-fat, plain Chobani greek yogurt.  I also ended up using 5 garlic cloves because I just love garlic.  Otherwise, I followed the recipe and it came out amazing.  If you want to make this recipe gluten free, just use gluten free flour!  I had this for dinner with a pita and for lunch on its own.  Either way, the falafel is super tasty and that spicy feta dip just sends it over the top!

Enjoy :)

5 Courses to Celebrate 5 Years

August, 3rd: Bri and I had a really great year.  One year ago, we moved into our apartment and celebrated our 4-year anniversary.  Now, we have been living together for a year and are on year 5 of our relationship!  It has been really great and I am so appreciative for all the amazing times we have experienced together.  To celebrate year 5, I thought it would be cute to cook dinner together and have 5 courses in honor of 5 years.  We shared this amazing meal and watched a movie and it was a quiet and lovely anniversary.

Zucchini Soup

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Feta and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Toasty Parmesan Tomatoes

Creme Brûlée Cupcakes

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup
(adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients: 
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
3 tbsp nonfat, plain greek yogurt
cornstarch (optional)

Directions:
1. Place broth, zucchini chunks, onion chunks, and minced garlic into a large pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer and cover and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour back into the pot and stir in the greek yogurt.  If the mixture is too watery, add about a tsp of cornstarch and stir until it thickens.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy :)

Salmon Roll and Birthday Celebrations!

I saw this recipe on Food and Wine and I just had to give it a try! It was so easy to throw together and I would totally eat this Salmon Salad on its own! My cat was a big fan too!  Every time I took out the container of Salmon Salad, he went crazy trying to get some!  I finally caved and threw him a little piece of salmon just because he was so stinkin' cute!

But first! I promised to re-cap my birthday shenanigans at some point, so here it goes.  My birthday was on a Monday.  Of course the festivities had to start on the Friday before.  Friday, I went to Ravinia with my parents and a couple friends to see West Side Story with the CSO playing the music.  We got tons of snacks, brought in dinner from City Park Grill, and my mommy got me a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting!

Saturday, Bri and I went downtown, had dinner at Balana, saw This Is Our Youth at the Steppenwolf, and stayed at Sofitel for the night.  It was really nice and so much fun!

Sunday, I got to see some of Bri's family when we met for dinner at the one and only: Portillos.  I just love that place!

Finally, the big day arrived: Monday.  Monday was a normal camp day for me, but all my campers sang happy birthday and it was really cute.  Then, my mom and I took the train downtown to meet up with Bri, my dad, and my bestie Caryn! We all went to dinner at Kuma's Too and had AMAZING burgers (well, except Bri who got their make-your-own mac n' cheese).  And then, we ended the night with dessert from Margies.  Everything was delicious and I could not have asked for a nicer weekend to celebrate my birthday!

After all that, I needed something fresh and light like this Salmon Roll! I adapted it a bit, so here it how my version went:

Salmon Roll

Ingredients:

1.5 lb salmon filet

salt and pepper

1/2 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

8-10 whole wheat hot dog buns

Directions:

1. Cook salmon: sprinkle salt and pepper over the salmon filets and let bake in the oven.  I did mine for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.  Once the salmon is cooked, allow to cool.  And then flake the salmon into small chunks.

2. To make the salmon salad, in a bowl, combine the greek yogurt with the chopped chives, parsley, and lemon juice.  Stir in the salmon chunks.  

3.  To serve: scoop some salmon salad into a whole wheat hot dog bun.  It will look just like a lobster roll, but so much healthier!!!

Enjoy :) 

Cranberry Coffee Cake

I am in a brunch mood! Today I am sharing a recipe that I made a while ago, but it is so good and can easily be adapted.  Plus, it is perfect for brunch!

It is only 8 in the morning, but I already ran 9 miles!  Today, I went on my first run with CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association).  Every Saturday, they have long runs where you get to the meeting place by 6 a.m. and run with a pace group.  I went with the 10:00 race group and it was a blast! It was so much better to run with other people and I am already done with my whole Saturday still in front of me! I met a ton of people, had some great conversations, and it was just a blast.  I will definitely continue getting my butt out of bed by 5 a.m. on a Saturday in order to do this.  Marathon training is a marathon in itself and it was so nice to have a group to run with.  Next week, we will be doing 10 miles!

So, that is why I am in a brunch mood and this coffee cake is just the best.  I found a recipe over at Hungry Couple and just adapted it slightly.  This recipe called for cranberries.  I won't lie, I made this during winter when it was cranberry season and then just forgot to post about it.  However, you can totally use fresh blueberries or strawberries now that those are so amazing!

Cranberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups nonfat, plain greek yogurt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups cranberries
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a tube pan.
2. In a medium bowl, make the crumb topping.  Mix all ingredients into the melted butter so that you have crumbs that look like wet sand.
3.  To make the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and butter until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla, orange zest, and greek yogurt.  Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined and then, gently, mix in the cranberries.  Pour the batter into your greased tube pan.
5. Take the topping and sprinkle on top of the batter until it covers the whole top.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake has risen and is springy to the touch.

Enjoy :)

Stacy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Last year, my cooperating teacher gave me a recipe for Banana Bread.  It was the best banana bread I had ever had! I just had to share her recipe here since it didn't seem fair that I was one of the only people who knew such great banana bread existed! I tweaked the recipe a tad the last time I made it to use half whole wheat half all-purpose flour, but you can use all all-purpose if you want.  Here it is!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I used half whole wheat and half all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
5-7 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup canola oil (I used 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Whisk to combine.
3. In a large bowl, beat bananas until well mashed.  Beat in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil.  Beat until well combined.  Slowly beat in the flour mixture until just combined and then stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 55 minutes or until and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Enjoy :)

Healthy and Vegetarian: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know I've been a little MIA lately, but I just had to post something to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  Also, I had to share my latest soup recipe since a bunch of people have been asking for it.  So here it goes!

My Valentine's Day has been lovely so far.  I seriously underestimated the amount of giant stuffed bears I would see in a 24 hour period.  High school was crazy today! I handed out Hershey Kisses to my students to honor the day, but other than that it was a normal school day.  I did wake up to a cute card from Bri sitting on my computer.  Then, I came home to him cleaning the apartment and getting dinner ready! It was so sweet.  We decided to do Valentine's day at home since neither one of use loves going all out for the holiday.  However, it is our first Valentine's Day where we are actually together! I guess that is exciting!  I got him two puzzles of the Chicago skyline to put together and then hang up in our new place.  He got me a great box of chocolates (he customized it to make sure I would like all the candies!). He also got me a "mystery gift" since it hasn't arrived yet.  I'll have to keep you posted! For dinner, he's making Quinoa Risotto and for dessert, I made my Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Cheesecakes!  I am writing this and just drooling at all the smells coming from the kitchen.

Now, onto that soup recipe.  This is what I had for lunch today since I knew I would want something healthy to balance out all the sugar I would most likely be consuming.  It ended up being a great idea.  This soup was simple and amazing.  It makes a huge batch since I wanted leftovers, but you can cut the recipe in half if you want.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
(adapted from Chow)

Ingredients:

3 lbs. broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
4 cups water
10 oz light shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

Directions:
1. Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces so that the green part is separated from the stalk.  Place half the green pieces in a large bowl and the other half in a medium bowl.  Also cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces and add to the large bowl.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the large bowl of broccoli pieces, the cubed potato, the vegetable broth, and the water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes have softened.
3. While cooking, cut the other broccoli pieces into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Once pot is cooked, blend the mixture in batches until you have a pureed broccoli mixture.  Place back into the pot and heat over medium.  Stir in the rest of the broccoli pieces and let cook for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cheese and greek yogurt.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy :)

Now it's time to eat...