Thursday, October 28, 2010

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles

















Have you ever just woke up mad?  I mean really angry...  


 It could be the most beautiful, sunny day, but for some funky reason you are just pissed at the universe.  On these particularly hostile days, the littlest things can really grind your gears, and you may just discover 47,853,892 pet peeves you didn't know you had :D!


Here's a few--
Things that make me want to blowdart you in the face...


1.  Confusing walk patterns. - Cars follow certain traffic patterns, and so should walkers.  I live my life in the fast lane, so quit  your dilly-dally-meandering, because I AM TRYING TO GET TO CLASS! Look up from your iphone, put one foot in front of the other, and keep things moving!

2.  Escalator Hoggers-  These are the close relatives to Confusing Walkers... They spread themselves all the way across the escalator... Usually a hand on either side.  In no situation, besides Will Ferrel in Elf, would you ever need BOTH hands on the escalator railing.

Pick a side you walrus!





3. Knitting in Class- I understand that you are a domestic craft enthusiast, but can you please leave your GRANDMA SKILLS at home? I don't whip out my cross-stitch, or my paint-by-numbers poster, so save the scarf for later, Betty Crocker. 

4. Silly Band Bondage - Look at how silly you are! With all those silly bands you must be such a fun person!  Either you a drug addiction, or self-infliction problem, or you must really hate your wrists.  Looks what can happen to Silly Band-abusers!


5. "I have a question!!?" - Yes, we know... That's why you violently raised your hand and wiggled around in your seat for a minute.  Just ask it.





6. Gross Market Purchases - Do you really eat 10 bags of Tostino's Pizza Rolls? Seriously... 12 boxes of ham and cheese Hot Pockets, with a side of Sasquatch beef sticks!? You disgust me!  Usual Offenders  = Dude Bros.


I find that nothing busts through that anger like a great sweaty workout and some screamin' hot food!
Feed your inner-tiger... Embrace the heat... And try some

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles



















What You Need


-Noodles of some sort
-Snow peas
- carrots
- water chestnuts
- baby corn
- onions
Sauce
- 2 T Peanut Butter
- 2 T Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Hot Sauce
- 1 T vinegar
-  1 T Honey
- red pepper flakes
- touch of minced garlic
Toppings
- Crunchy noodles
- peanuts
- red pepper flakes


1. Assemble your noodles, veggies, and take it to the wok!  ( this recipe works best at Jeff Dining Hall!)


2.  While your goodies are cookin' away... Attack your sauce!  Combine all sauce ingredients, and microwave for about 20 seconds just to melt the peanut butter down!


3. Mix your noodles and veggies into your sauce and top with crunchy, spicy red pepper flakes, peanuts, and noodles!


4.  Feel the burn baby












Deep breath. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Feel better?
I promise the next entry will be more peaceful and optimistic!  


Saturday, October 2, 2010

Church Picnic Bean Salad



Remember back when your parents made you go to church?  Sunday mornings were always high on the family stress scale.  There was one thing that was an antidote for the boring services, awkward handshakes, and uncomfortable pews... And that was the church picnic!  Endless tables of every church lady's best dish.  Those old dames may not know what MTV is, but dang can they whip up a covered dish!

In honor of every silver-haired, hymn-loving chuch lady...

I give you..

Church Picnic Bean Salad

What you need 

-Hit the salad bar yo!-

4 T Red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Packets of Sugar
pinch of salt
lots of pepper

- black, kidney, garbanzo, green... Any beans really!
-  celery
- red onion
-green pepper

1. Mix together your dressing, making sure to dissolve the sugar in the oil and vinegar.

2.  Then pour over the beans, celery, onions, and green peppers!

3.  You can eat it right away... But I suggest letting them beans hang out!
 The longer it sits... The better it gets!

You might even want to sneak a TUPPERWARE to the dining hall

Shhhh... Don't tell Shivley!


More Bout' Dem Beans!


Nooo not those beans!
Beans Beans the magical fruit..
The More you eat...
the more you
...
Lower your risk for heart disease- and cancer! 
Beans = Health Dream. Period!
High in fiber, low in fat, and yummy yummy...
check it-->

 Black Beans are rich in anthocyanins, the same heart disease– and cancer-fighting antioxidants that are found in grapes andcranberries.

Garbanzo (chickpeas)
A recent study found that a chickpea-fortified diet slashed “bad” LDL 
cholesterol levels by almost 5%.

KidneyThe thiamin (vitamin B1) in this bean protects memory and brain function; a deficiency has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Navy Potassium regulates blood pressure and normal heart contractions.

PintoFiber helps stabilize blood sugar, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

http://www.prevention.com/health/nutrition/smart-shopping/healthy-eating-the-many-health-benefits-of-beans/article/7aef06ef823d6110VgnVCM10000013281eac____/2 






Fiber makes me happy!



Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Ghetto Banana Oat Chunk


As a proud member of the Bryan Hall Kitchen Club, I would like to share with you my first Bryan-Born cluster-fuck of a recipe!

 The Bryan Hall kitchen was best described by my roommate Colleen as the kitchen used in Jurrasic Park.  There is a striking resemblance.

Sooo with a few mushy bananas from the dining hall, applesauce, oats, and walnuts, I thought I'd try to whip together a home go-to ...
Banana Bread.

Armed with my goods, I headed to the dungeon.
To have the key to Bryan kitchen is to unlock a world of strange out of date kitchen devices, crusty pans, and sticky utensils. Somehow everything has a residue, and smells like a nursing home. :) Yummy! Let's get cookin'!

Ghetto Banana Oat Chunk


Thanks to lack of ingredients and a muffin tin I dubb thee... CHUNK!
Not quite a loaf. Definately no muffin... 
What you Need
- 2 Spotted/brown bananas
- 1/2 cup of Applesauce
-1 egg
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 cup flour
-1/2 cup oats
splash of vanilla
cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
Walnuts 
cinnamon sugar /cocoa powder for dusting
**Warning I did not use actual measurements for the baking powder and soda b/c everything was STICKY and gross!**

Preheat Oven to 350
(The oven I used was not accurate and kiiiinda burnt the top of my banana chunk)

1. Mash up your naners real good. Add in applesauce, egg, sugar, and vanilla.
2. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients... Flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and even cocoa powder if you are a chocaholic. 

3. Combine wet and dry ingridents. Mixy.

4. Grease your lil' pan... 

4. Create an added sweet crunch on top with crushed walnuts, and cinnamon sugar... And wish the lil' guy luck! There he goes!
WOW YOU may be surprised that there is NO FAT in this here naner-bread!
Yupp! Applesauce and mashed bananas gives enough moisture and richness that you don't need any oil or butter! Amazing!

We made it out of Bryan Kitchen alive... Now pour a big ol' glass of milk, and butter up a slice of warm banana oat chunk... A wholesome, ghetto-baked treat!! 

ADDED HEALTHY GOODNESS
* Oats - dietary fiber and whole grain
* Walnuts - Rich in Omega-3 and minerals
* Applesauce - Alternative to Oil




Who says you can't eat good in the ghetto?


Just for fun... change the words to...
"I'm not a loaf
...Not quite a muffin!"





Monday, September 27, 2010

Table for one.
















Yo Degas! It doesn't have to be like this!


Why are we so afraid to eat alone?  God forbid we go to the dining hall without an entourage big enough to move tables around to accommodate everyone. Why is it so shameful to independently venture into a restaurant by oneself?  So often we heat up a Lean Cuisine instead of going to get what we are really hungry for.  And I am not talking about going to a cafe with r stack of homework to occupy ourselves and non-verbally tell others that "Ok I may be alone, but it is because I am just really busy."


What might happen if you go out to eat solo?  Will you feel judeged? No one wants to be that poor guy/girl who is eating alone in public, right?  Well sometimes, I want to be that person.



Not that I don't love social eating, but some of my favorite meals have been little personal adventures.  I go, I eat, I enjoy.  No need for small talk or gossip, just nomming with myself!


 Whenever I am feeling at disconnect with the world and need to be centered I seek solitude.  I ride solo to go do something rather risky--- and usually more rewarding.


I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine






I'm lovin' cloud nine, my head's in the sky






I'm solo, I'm Nommin' solo






I'm nommin' solo, I'm nommin' solo, solo

Nommin' S-o-l-o

I needed to find inner- independent- food- rebel-Anthony Bourdaine-self ... Like the time i blew $30 bucks at a tapas bar in JFK International airport , or when I went to the traditional Indian meal for the Diwali festival by myself.

Yeah it is about time.


So here I go... Off to the little bitty town of Eclipse for a bang up meal.  A  'Local Tasting and Dinner' from new Eclipse chef, David Lopez that featured seasonal and local fare from around Athens Ohio. $15 per person if you drive, or $10 if you ride your bike...SCORE! Jeez.. that is cheaper than a meal at the dining hall, and there's even a mini-bike work-out!

Where Its At Yo : The Eclipse Country Store
 So I made it... And now I realize I am alone in a room full of locals with their groups of friends and family. Where to sit? It is like the first day of school all over again! How refreshing!


"Do you mind if I sit here? I am a loner tonight!" --- And just like a table of strangers becomes a welcoming gang of fellow humans!  Really, everyone wants a new friend, even a weirdo that bikes to restaurant events by herself :)


Soooo what's for dinner?!


Le Menu
Spinach and mushroom lasagna with local Snowville Creamery cheese.
Chicken in a pear sauce, 
A grilled vegetable and olive antipasto platter
Savory spanish rice pilaf
Creamy gruyere Potatoes
Local greens with gouda and homemade dressing
Home made breads
And a desert of lemon bars, dark chocolate ganache topped cupcakes, and black bean brownies...

Ehhh if i HAAAAVE too..



After all was said and devoured I had to stop and think about what just happened as I looked up at a sunset that I would have missed had I stayed in to do homework.  That sky was a one time deal, as was the meal, as was the conversation between newly made friends.  Sometimes you just have to do whatever the hell you feel like doing--- Or eat wherever the hell you feel like eating. Even if you are alone.