Cycling Foodie

Follow

Here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you have the chance to get a good ride in today. This is the first Christmas in years that I will not ride and I am quite sad about that. I am just thankful to at least get a nice walk in this morning. 

Mt. St. Helena, view from Santa Rosa.

Mt. St. Helena, view from Santa Rosa.

This Christmas morning brings with it a stunningly beautiful day in Santa Rosa. I wish I had my bike with me!! The morning was chilly to start, but it has warmed up very nicely. The air is a bit better here than in Davis of late. We are having “Spare the Air Days” in Northern California right now and this has been a source of great upset for many who feel that it is wrong to restrict the tradition of a blazing fire in the fireplace during the holidays. While I certainly can understand that, and do miss having a big roaring fire on a chilly night, I can also understand the importance of clean air for everyone’s health. So, thank you to everyone who is honoring the Spare the Air Days. It does make a difference.

Lovely morning light and shadows

Nature's Christmas Lights

Follow

Start your holidays with a super healthy green smoothie!

Baby Kale, Kiwi, Banana, Mango, Oats, Whey Protein

This year’s menu is going to be a little different – a little heart-healthier and lighter – but it will still be festive and delicious!

Pork Tenderloin with a Port-Cherry Sauce
Roasted Yams
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Baby Greens Salad with Organic Apples, Spicy Candied Pecans,  & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Dessert may be a low-sugar & low-fat orange curd with blackberries. That is, IF my curd sets. I used half sugar & half Monk Fruit. I used one whole egg and replaced the other with egg whites (the ready-to-use kind you get in a carton). The juice of 1 1/2 Cara Cara oranges and one lemon, plus the zest … it tastes OK, we’ll see how it sets when it cools. I’m not 100% sure about the taste of the Monk Fruit yet. I need to play with this a bit more. I tried using 100% Monk Fruit in the last batch of curd I made and it was dreadful. We’ll see how it is with 1/2 sugar & 1/2 Monk Fruit.

If the curd does not set, I’ll have to figure out a way to use it as a sauce for something.

Here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’ll have limited Internet access, but will do my best to get a few posts in here and there.

Please be SAFE – remember – NO drinking and driving!

P.S. Santa brought me a very cool new helmet! A Rudy Project Technically Cool and super comfy green/blue helmet – it’s like the one that one of the cycling teams wears that every time I see it I say, “I have to find one of those!” And, it will go great with the Ireland jersey Santa brought me last year!

Thanks, Santa! You’re the BEST! I’m looking forward to riding with you again soon!!

Follow

Award Winning Irish Apple Cake

I first fell in love with this cake at a St. Patrick’s Day party. I entered entered this cake into a bake-off at work and won the “Best Cake/Bread” category.

This recipe is published with the gracious permission of Elizabeth Jennings. She has adapted this from her grandmother Minnie Jennings’ recipe.

Irish Apple Cake
Adapted from Minnie Jennings (County Mayo, Ireland)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon each: baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg
1 1/2 cups flour
3-4 Granny Smith apples*
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup additional sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Generously butter a 9″ round cake pan.

Mise en place – measure out and assemble all of your ingredients.

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (except the remaining 1/4 sugar).

Core, peel, and dice the apples to about 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups) and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the apples and nuts.

Batter will be very thick and chock-full of apples. 

Pour into prepared pan, level out. Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Don’t overcook or it will become dry. Depending on your oven and type of pan, the cake could take anywhere from 45 min- 1 hr 15 min. Just keep checking with a toothpick and take out when it comes out just about clean. It may take a couple of times to make it before you get a sense of when to take it out.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with creme anglaise, whipped cream, or ice cream. Great for coffeecake in the morning as well.

Even moister and more flavorful the next day. Just keep wrapped tight. No need to refrigerate.

*Don’t skimp on the apples, the more apple, the moister the cake, and don’t substitute a sweeter apple.

Sadly, I don’t have a good picture of the cake. I guess this just means I’ll have to bake another soon. Sounds like a plan for New Year’s Eve!

Remembering this St. Patrick's Day party makes me smile!

Follow

I have been officially chided by a colleague at work for not posting these past few weeks. (You know who you are, MV, and thank you for getting me blogging again.) Life has been handing me a few challenges recently, so I have been doing a bit of juggling and have certainly dropped the proverbial blogging ball.

I am now officially on vacation, so I will do my best to post just as much as I possibly can!

Lots and lots of cookies have passed through my kitchen of late. I’m working on some new recipes – some healthy, some not so healthy, but hopefully you will find all of them delicious. Here are a few of the recipes I’ll be posting soon:

Peanut Butter Kisses
Snickerdoodles
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry & Lemon Cookies
Apple Coffee Cake Muffins (whole grain, low sugar, and low fat)
Chewy Ginger Cookies
Spiced Nuts
Greens, Apples, Pecans with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Herbed Goat Cheese
Caesar Salad (if I can talk someone into being a guest blogger)

Oh, and I am very excited to say that I did get permission to publish the Irish Apple Cake recipe, so look for that. Trust me – you will want to add this to your list of recipes for special occasions!

I am also hoping for nice weather and to get some good cycling in over the break. The weather forecast looks promising! MUST get some training rides in and SOON!!!

Are you looking for a year end tax deduction? Consider donating to my 2014 Tour de Cure ride! Click here to donate.

Follow

I am thankful to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my mother. This year will be a little different. Rather than having Thanksgiving at her home, we are joining her friends and neighbors in a potluck. I’m bringing homemade bread, a salad, and a fruit & cheese platter.

Hearty homemade whole grain bread with whole wheat, pumpernickel, oats, millet, and polenta.

The loaves are still warm as I type this and the house is filled with the satisfying aroma of freshly baked bread.

Salad will be a light and fresh mix of baby kale, chard, and spinach with crisp-sweet Fuji apples, toasted walnuts, and a light honey-mustard vinaigrette I whisked together.

After work today I was pleasantly surprised to find the Davis Farmers’ Market happening downtown and picked up some lovely red grapes, persimmons, and a couple of artisan cheeses that will make for a festive platter. I haven’t decided which cheeses to bring tomorrow, but I’m leaning towards these four: an herbed goat, a smoked cheddar, a Stilton with cranberries, and a “Foggy Morning” fresh cheese (perhaps served with some fig jam).

Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, but I do hope to get at least a quick ride in in the morning. I haven’t been riding nearly enough! It’s not quite light enough in the morning anymore to ride before work, so I’m back at the gym or out walking on nice weather mornings. It’s been chilly, but beautiful!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! I hope you get to spend it with your loved ones!

Good Morning Sunshine!

Follow

I’m looking for some lighter recipes these year, so I’m playing around with meringues. These are based on a recipe by Emeril Legasse’s  “Forgotten Kisses.” His recipe reminded me of a childhood favorite that a neighborhood mom used to make; she called them “Forgotten Cookies” because she left them in the oven overnight. As I recall, she left them in a 200-degree oven, but my memory may not be serving me correctly. The technique I used was based on this article from Fine Cooking.

Here’s my version:

2 extra large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup super fine sugar*
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Very, very close to stiff peaks.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Separate the eggs while cold and set the yolks aside and refrigerate for another use. Set the whites in your mixing bowl – make sure the bowl is very, very clean because even a tiny amount of fat will prevent the whites from properly whipping up. To ensure that you achieve the best volume, allow the egg whites to come to room temperature. Using your whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Whip to blend, then add the sugar about 3 tablespoons at a time. When you’ve added about half the sugar, add the peppermint extract. Whip to combine, then add the remaining sugar in several additions. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Ready to scoop.

Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet, using either two spoons or a small portioning scoop. Depending on the size of your scoop, this can make up to 48 small cookies.

Place in the preheated even and turn the temperature off.

Place baking sheets in the oven and turn the oven off. Leave them undisturbed for at least two hours, or overnight. I found that after two hours they were quite lovely, but the inside was not quite dry yet, so I’ll be leaving mine in the oven overnight.

These are very sweet. I want to find a way to make them a bit less sugary, so you’ll probably be seeing a few more versions here until I get them just the way I want them.

After two hours ... the center was still a little moist.

* You don’t need to spend extra for “super fine” sugar – simply pulse regular granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds.

Follow

Here's hoping you enjoy this spectacular day!

As we go about enjoying this absolutely glorious Fall morning, please take a moment to honor our veterans and the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we can be here today.

To all our veterans,
past and present,
thank you.

Follow

Tuscan Kale, kiwi, pineapple, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and a touch of whey protein. If you haven’t tried a green smoothie yet, this one will convert you.

A great way to start your day.

The past few days have been stunningly beautiful in Davis and the weekend weather forecast looks promising. Here’s hoping you get some great cycling in this 3-day weekend!

As you’re enjoying your Monday off, please remember why we get to celebrate Veterans’ Day on Monday and pause to honor and remember our troops who have made so many sacrifices for all of us.

Follow

Ready to go into the oven ...

A little treat I’m working on for the Holidays. I’ll post the recipe as soon as I get it just right.

A little spicy … a little salty … a little sweet. The perfect party nibbler!

Follow

I am loving having Internet access on the machines at the gym. While I was on my favorite machine this morning, I came across some great information and recipes for healthier holidays. Check out the Mayo Clinic website for some great holiday recipe ideas and loads of valuable nutrition and health information.

The holidays this time of year can wreak havoc on individuals with health concerns, such as diabetes. If you’re diabetic, be sure to check out the American Diabetes Association website, also, for healthy holiday tips and recipes.

Enjoy in good health!