The Green Monster

We're talking food today, folks. Or I guess smoothies. I know, I know. Fall's coming and cold smoothies are on their way out. But until it's a cool 50 degrees outside, We're going to talk about them. Have you heard of the Green Monster smoothie? I'm sure you have. I'm usually about two steps behind everyone else in the world. I found the recipe on Pinterest, and I've been addicted to it ever since. The best part about this smoothie is that it's customizable. Combine whatever fruits, juices, and yogurt flavors you want. The key ingredient is what makes it a green monster...spinach. Yep, spinach. I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of spinach (especially when it's cooked), but I did some research. Each little baby leaf is chock full of vitamins, it's a good source of heart health, and it protects your vision. Also, ladies, Fitness Magazine lists it as one of their super foods for healthy skin and hair...HELLO. Who would say no to that?

Because I can't do much cardio exercise at the moment (read about that whole saga here), I've been trying to eat as healthy as possible. This smoothie fits in perfectly because it's low in calories. Here is my little take on the Green Monster:

1 big handful of fresh, clean spinach (you can't taste it, so load it into your blender)

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup orange juice (or juice of your choice)

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 tablespoon vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

3 ice cubes

splash of honey

Blend blend, blend! And then, enjoy and bask in the glory of healthiness.

Royal Freak Out

So this morning I had a royal freak out over this stupid little insignificant thing that doesn't even matter in the grand scheme of the whole universe (or at least in the grand scheme of my life, not trying to sound like a drama queen here), and do you know what made it better? Peanut butter M&Ms brought to me by a good friend and the promise made by the same friend of 5 Guys for dinner. Is it pathetic that my freak out ended because candy and the motivation of the best burger ever, fries, and a cherry Coke were put in front of me? I sure don't think so. Food will do that to me. Freak out is now a distant memory.

San Fran

This past weekend I was able to go home for a few days (which was wonderful because, is it just me, or is Provo getting old? Maybe it's because I feel like hardly anyone has been here this summer). But while I was home we took the lovely 1 hour and 45-minute drive to THIS place, and it was here that, in the case of me not being married/engaged/dating someone by the time I graduate and leave BYU, my future was decided. Ladies and gentlemen, in the possible event of me leaving BYU by myself, I'm moving HERE.

Don't ask me how, why, or when, but at some point I'm going to find a way to get myself here. Don't ask me how I'm going to afford it. I'm still juggling around a few career options that will hopefully help me pay to live in this fantastic place. They are: a public relations professional somewhere, an editor at HarperCollins, or a student at the California Culinary Academy. Granted, as a student I'm not going to have any type of good income, but maybe I can persuade people to pay me for warming their hearts with my wonderful culinary masterpieces. Who knows.

But anyway, I fell in love with this city all over again. I love the culture, I love the museums, I love the shopping :), I love the houses, and I love that it's right on the bay. I love the Bay Area in general. I was born there, so maybe that causes the ties that I have to that place. But there's just something about it that suits me. I love the weather. No snow, no extreme heat, but cold enough that I can wear cute boots and jackets. Wow, I'm slightly pathetic. I didn't realize my outfit options are a huge factor in where I want to end up someday. But seriously, how can you beat this?

Asparagus and Hollandaise

Since this summer I'm just working with no school, I'm contemplating starting a food blog because I need something to do with my time at night. Oui? Non? I haven't done much cooking in a while, and that's something I miss. Last week I made a delicious ice cream pie, but since then...nothing. I've become addicted to the website www.foodgawker.com, which features beautiful, sometimes out of the ordinary food, and I admit sometimes I spend a couple hours a day at work just browsing and being jealous of the talented people who create these masterpieces. So maybe I'll start one, too. Last summer I wrote a post about the cooking goddess that is Julia Child (click here to read), but since then I haven't done a whole lot to become more like her. Maybe I'll buy her "The Art of French Cooking" cookbook. I'm also coveting Giada de Laurentiis' new book, "Giada at Home." I have two of her other books, and they do NOT disappoint!

I've also become a bit obsessed with beautiful kitchens. I have to have a gorgeous kitchen to match my beautiful food, right? :) Anyway, here are some that I found:

Nut-ell-a, [nuh-tel-la] -noun A delicious tub of fat and chocolate

Today I was looking at one of my favorite food websites, foodgawker.com, and I learned that it is World Nutella Day. So I would like to celebrate by listing some of my favorite things/memories that involve Nutella.

1. Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake cupcake at The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe.
2. 39 girls going through tubs and tubs of Nutella in London. The poor Schuellers couldn't keep up with our demands!
3. Nutella on fruit
4. Nutella on toast
5. Nutella milkshakes
6. Nutella won-tons (my specialty, thank you to Giada de Laurentiis for the recipe)
7. Nutella right out of the jar with a spoon
8. The gallon-size tubs of Nutella available at Marks and Spencer in England. You just can't find that in America.

Today I encourage everyone, if you've never had it, to try some Nutella. You won't regret it! :)

Julia Child is a Goddess!

Food has always been an important part of my growing up years, because my mom is a fabulous cook. I remember being a little kid and watching her roast a chicken or bake bread. I love that she always let me help, no matter how imperfect something turned out because a 5 year old was involved in the process. This really instilled in me a love of cooking. I think I like it so much because it's my way of giving service. Who doesn't like receiving good food? Baking and desserts are my specialty (mainly because I have the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know), but I've been trying to break out into other things - soups, rice (I recently made a delicious lemon risotto), and everything else that sounds great.

A few days ago I was at Barnes and Noble looking for some good summer reading, and because of all the "Julie/Julia" hype (which I am DYING to see), Julia Child books were all over the store. Her biography, "My Life in France," caught my eye because first it's about Julia Child, so it involves stories about good food, and second it's France. Maybe the French phrases she uses could help me polish up my French. So I picked it up and started reading. Well, reading is an understatement. I'm devouring this book. Julia does such a great job at giving details of French culture and food. She talks about how only through practice, practice, and more practice did she become a great cook. She says to never, ever apologize for any mistake you make while cooking. If you do, your eaters will only focus on the mistake and not on the good parts.

It was this quote that I loved: "I had always been content to live a butterfly life of fun, with hardly a care in the world. But at the Cordon Bleu, and in the markets and restaurants of Paris, I suddenly discovered that cooking was a rich and layered and endlessly fascinating subject. The best way to describe it is to say that I fell in love with...food - the tastes, the processes, the history, the endless variations, the rigorous discipline, the creativity, the wonderful people, the equipment, the rituals!...What fun! What a revelation! How magnificent to find my life's calling, at long last!" So, to quote Mrs. Child, "Bon apetit!"

Wedding Day!

This last Friday my roommate Laura married Jared Johansen. I am so happy for them! Laura looked beautiful and the wedding was perfect. She asked me about a month ago to make her cake, which I was so excited to do since I LOVE baking. It was a stressful month of planning what cake pan sizes I would need and the flavor and getting all the ingredients (66 eggs, 25 lemons and 36 sticks of butter, no joke!), but in the end it was all worth it. Laura chose the flowers that went on top, and altogether it was fantastic! Much better than I thought it would be.

The cake was three-tiered lemon poppyseed with lemon curd filling topped with vanilla buttercream frosting. I was nervous that since the reception was outside the frosting could melt, but with some divine help it was about a cool 70 degrees or so, and the frosting held its shape. I'll admit I almost cried when Jared and Laura cut the cake (this cake was my baby and I had developed a special relationship with it), but it was so fun to watch. While baking is sometimes a bit stressful, it is so worth it to see the outcome and the look on people's faces when they bite into something good. I love it. So congratulations Laura and Jared!

So cute!

The cake!

Summer Life.

I've been home from London for about 3 weeks, and I can't believe how fast it's gone by! I'm going to be back at BYU before I know it. I've been looking for a job, and that's been driving me nuts. But I have two interviews next week for jobs on campus, so maybe something will come of that!

My roommate Laura is engaged, and she asked me to bake her wedding cake! This has always been a dream of mine, and I am so excited. I'm thinking a 3-tiered lemon poppyseed cake with lemon curd filling and buttercream frosting. I can envision in my head what I want it to look like, it's just creating it that I'm nervous about. But all great cooks start somewhere right? And a goal of mine is to be a great cook!

I'm loving the warm weather. I came home nice and pasty from London, and thanks to some good old sun my freckles are beginning to come back. I've brought my Ray Ban Wayfarers out, and I've been loving it. And all the rain has made the Salt Lake Valley beautiful. I love waking up early in the morning, looking out my window, and seeing green everywhere. I hope it stays that way.

Yesterday my family went through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house, and it's beautiful. When we arrived, there was a storm raging. I don't think I've ever seen it rain so hard in my life! But once we got into the temple, I couldn't even hear it. And there are pictures of Christ everywhere, which I absolutely love. I just love that our church builds such beautiful structures for us to come and sit, and just feel at peace.

So far summer has been going well. Life is good.