A Rambling Brain Post, and a VERY TASTY FLATBREAD PIZZA

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Sometimes, on the worst days, all it takes is a little flatbread pizza.

Wake up at 4am to help my husband finish packing and then drive him to the airport. Think I've thrown a travel pack of Pepto into his belongings, but I have no memory of where I've put it, so I double the effort and throw a second one in.

Make it home from the airport before the sun's up. Contemplate letting my dog take a piss because I know she's going to need to before I wake back up after the nap I'm about to take. Decide not to because I can barely keep my eyes open.

Nap. Nap. Wake up and text my husband. Nap.

Wake up at 8:45, walk the dog, pick up her warm gooey poop, hold my breath as I walk it to a trash can in the park.

Return home, ignore breakfast, ignore the kitchen.

Look at the laundry list of chores that need to be done on top of regular, actual work. Feel a little guilty about how desperately I want to mope on the couch.

Finally decide to make my breakfast at 10am. Mother freaking pizza.

Get giddy as the aromas of oregano and melted mozzarella fill my house. 

Feel like a genius.

Deal with the kitchen. 

Scrub bathroom floors.

Send important work emails.

Vacuum. Vacuum. Vacuum.

Run errands, come home and wash laundry and dry it and make the beds.

Finally sit down at a computer.

And write.

Easy-As-Pizza-Pie Flatbread White Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 Flatout Bread Wrap (I used 100 calorie whole wheat)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella
• 2 tbsp feta cheese
• 1 tbsp white onion, chopped
• 1 handful spinach
• 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning (any kind of mixed seasoning will do, or you can simply use oregano in its place)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place flatout bread wrap on a baking sheet. Spread olive oil around with a spoon to smooth it out and distribute evenly.
3. Add shredded mozzarella (freshly shredded truly is the best!), feta, and white onion. Distribute spinach evenly.
4. Sprinkle italian seasoning like it's freaking fairy dust all over that thing.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges have begun to get brown and crispy.
6. Cut. Serve. Devour.

My Hangover Cure

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...the completely unofficial, and only once tested remedy.

Disclaimer: This is not a normal practice and I don't advocate being in the situation to even NEED a hangover remedy. But, we're all human, and sometimes we wake up with a banging headache that is screaming at us for having one too many drinks.

I woke on on Saturday morning feeling like I took a freight train to the face. Between drinking strong drinks, dancing at a concert, and eating octopus at midnight (why?!?!), my body was pretty angry.

Step One: Go to Brunch. 

If you can handle it, and it's relatively close, WALK THERE. As painful as it is, the fresh air and sunlight will help you a lot. When you're there, order something delicious and filling. I encourage eggs, meat, and bread. I ordered Naan with chicken chorizo and two sunny side up eggs. ALSO, DRINK WATER WHILE YOU'RE THERE!

Step Two: Add Nutrients. Another thing to do at brunch, if possible. We decided to hit up Meli Cafe, where they have freshly juiced beverages. I had a delicious beverage with a ton of freshly juiced ingredients, like oranges, carrots, apples, and beets. If you can't get it at brunch, at least add some fruit or take a multi vitamin. ALSO, WATER!

Step Three: Take A Nap

Now that you've stuffed your face, it's time to fall into a fitful coma for 3 hours. Or as long as you need to sleep. I napped while my fiance watched sports (what sport? no idea. didn't care). I am a strong advocate of napping to golf, because it is by far the most boring sport to me, and I can always nap. Other good options are: Friends Season DVDs, Avatar, any movies that are long.

Step Four: Sweat

This is the hardest one for me. Now that you've eaten and rested, you may feel just a little bit better. No, you're not ready to conquer the world. But, you are ready to sweat a little. Get the rest of that booze out of your system. You will probably want to sleep instead, but trust me, it's worth it. DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A WATER BOTTLE!

If you're worried about balance, stick with a bike or elliptical (don't want you hurting yourself!). I, for one, was brave and hit the treadmill. I ran 4 miles, but it took me a full hour. I alternated between walking (4mph), walking on an incline (3,8mph, 5-9 incline), and a light jog (6mph). 

I know what you're thinking... how on earth will I get myself to work out when I feel like death? Well, the answer, my friends, is water and entertainment. I brought my iPad and started catching up on Revenge (awful show, still have to watch it for some reason) and drank a LOT of water.

Step Five: Get Pretty

Now that you've eaten, napped, and sweated (and PLEASE tell me you've been drinking water), it's time to put yourself back together. I had plans for a friend's birthday party that night, and we were meeting at Blow by Blow to get our hair done, so I showered (had to) and did my makeup, then got dressed. I donned a good old arm party and headed over to Blow by Blow. Before and After pics below... it obviously helped.

Step Six: Have A Drink

Notice I did not say "Get drunk" or "Drink a bottle of wine." Having one drink is fine, but over-doing it will put you in the same predicament you are finally easing out of. So, chill out, have one glass of wine, and don't get too excited about the alcohol. I'm a big fan of red wine when I'm not feeling so hot, because it keeps me warm and feels somehow nourishing (again, this only counts if you're only drinking a little bit!).

Step Seven: Eat Again

Eat again, and eat a lot. You're finally in the clear, for the most part. I was at Pump Room and ordered a Kale Salad (read: nourishment, vitamins), a salmon over rice pseudo-sushi (read: healthy fats, light carbs), and some fried polenta (read: carbs and cheese in my belly). 

Step Eight: Learn From Your Mistakes and Just Go To Bed
Don't go out. Don't go drink more. Just go to bed. I cannot even describe how amazing it felt to crawl into a nicely made bed and curl up, knowing that I could drift off into sleep.

Question:

• What's your hangover cure?

10 Delicious and Healthy Fall Recipes

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Happy Fall! How many times have I said that already? You'd think I was an easily excitable person or something...

For those of you who followed me a year ago, I did a series of posts called The 12 Days of Pumpkin (you know, "On the first day of Pumpkin, my true love gave to me... 12 pumpkin fries, 11 pumpkin truffles, 10 cups of oatmeal, 9 golllldennnn cupppcakesssss!"). Anyway, while I work on some fall recipes for you, I decided to compile the best of fall...

Apples and Pumpkins, mostly. Because who doesn't love that?

Recipes are below, listed in order of the images here. Go buy a can of Pumpkin and a crate of apples. Go crazy. Go hog wild. Whatever they're saying these days.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

Spicy Pumpkin Fries

Healthy Apple Pie in a Cup

Pumpkin and Walnut Oatmeal

Wasabi and BBQ Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles

Whiskey Apple Cider

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Healthy Upside Down Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pancakes

Smoked Gouda and Scallions Egg Sandwich

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This is the king of the breakfast gods. Runny, over easy eggs under melted smoked Gouda cheese with a kick of scallions, all between crunchy toast. A gourmet breakfast in 5 minutes... What's your excuse not to make it?

Eggs make the world go round. I think. I'm a total dork and passed out at 8:30 last night (stop judging me). I popped up, fully awake, at 5 something this morning, with one thing on my mind. Breakfast.

If you've been with me for a while here, you've probably already heard me say that breakfast is the meal of the champions. It's true, though. When you wake up, your body is in a similar state to when you finish a workout. You've burned through most of your nutrients while sleeping, and your body is hungering for protein and a small amount of carbohydrates to fuel your muscles. Oh, and your brain... unless you want to be Grumpy McGrumperson all morning (count me out for that).

I'll add to that the fact that eating in the morning makes you less likely to over-do it on food throughout the day, as it keeps your blood sugar steady (provided that you're not overdosing on carbs, like a plate full of box pancakes would do to you -- but if you're a pancake-obsessed breakfaster, try these protein packed pancakes or these fiber filled waffles).

So what do you say, are you ready for breakfast?

This little creation was first inspired in the cheese aisle. I spotted a bag of sliced smoked Gouda (amazing, right?) and grabbed it immediately. The creamy, smoked flavor does wonders to compliment the fried egg, and scallions take it over the top. I promise.

Smoked Gouda and Scallions Egg Sandwich

Calories: 225

Servings: 1 Per Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
• 1 slice Smoked Gouda (or other creamy cheese, such as provolone)
• 1/4 stalk Scallions, chopped
• 2 slices toast (I used Sara Lee's 45 Calories and Delicious Toast)

Directions:

1. Ingredient Prep: Start with chopped scallions and sliced Gouda sitting out and ready to use (you'll need to move fast once your egg starts cooking).
2. Toast the toast: Put your toast in the toaster!
3. Grease the pan: Grease a small frying pan using olive or vegetable oil (I pour a bit of vegetable oil in, then use a paper towel to wipe it around and soak up the extra so there are no puddles). 
4. Get cracking: Crack one medium egg and place it in the pan, trying not to break the yolk. If the egg whites spread out too much, you can use a plastic spatula to guide the egg back into a shape that will fit on your toast. As the egg begins to cook more and solidify, this gets easier. 
5. Flip It: When the sides of the egg whites begin to look less runny and are turning white, use a plastic spatula to flip the egg over to cook the other side. 
6. Cheese and Scallions: Once you flip the egg, immediately add the slice of Gouda and place scallions on top. Turn the temperature down to low and cover the pan to melt the cheese as much as possible. After flipping the egg, it only takes a minute or two for the second side to cook.
7. Voila! After just about two minutes (no more), use a plastic spatula to transfer the fried egg, gouda, and scallions onto a piece of toast. Add the second piece of toast on top and cut down the center to break open the yolk. Enjoy!

How To Stuff Your Face With Mexican Food... The Healthy Way

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“Honestly, all I want to do is stuff my face with some Mexican food.” <-- Yeah, that was me, last week. I don’t know what came over me – I don’t often have strong cravings and, when I do, it’s usually for toast (seriously), so when I suddenly HAD TO HAVE Mexican food, it was like a whole new world.

But Mexican restaurants, while they may be authentic, are pretty much horrible for you. So are tortillas. And sour cream. And queso dip. You get the issue here. And, to make it worse, it’s nearly impossible to have a Mexican dinner at a restaurant without succumbing to the Margarita Misery – and by that, I mean yeah, I’ll just have one – oh, shit, I didn’t realize they are each 400 calories.

And yet, if you know me, you know my attitude about these things. It CAN be done. It just hasn’t been done – YET.

So here’s my solution… because we all deserve to stuff our faces with Mexican food. And we all deserve to do it without paying for it later.

The amounts of each ingredient can very easily be altered – because it’s really just a bowl of Mexican-related ingredients thrown together – so feel free to mix and match, omit and add, etc.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Spinach, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup Black Beans (if you're buying canned beans, look for organic, low sodium, etc – as most canned black beans come LOADED with sodium)
• 1/4 cup Cheese – Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey jack, the works! (I used 2% Mozzarella) 
• Avocado/Guacamole – 2 tablespoons Guacamole or ½ Avocado
• Diced Tomatoes (Make sure you get fresh tomatoes and dice them yourself OR pick canned diced tomatoes that do not have added ingredients like fillers and sodium. In the images you see here, we used some canned diced tomatoes and then added a few chunks of freshly diced tomato too).
• 2 tsp Cumin
• Hot Sauce (to taste)
• Pre-cooked Chicken Strips (Optional)

Directions:

1. Heat beans over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and add cumin.
2. Chop fresh ingredients (spinach, avocadoes, tomatoes)
3. Combine!

McSkinny Egg Sandwich

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Raise your (virtual) hand if you've ever craved an Egg Mc Muffin. Or maybe a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel. We're all culprits... or maybe we're not being entirely honest here!

I'll admit it: They're good. Like really good. Like gimme-gimme-happy-kid good. But they're not good for you.

I'm semi obsessed with fitness. People who know me will sometimes ask: Then how do you eat things like cupcakes and truffles and nachos without feeling guilty? Well, here's the secret: it's all skinny. So I'm not just stuffing my face with butter-and-oil-filled cupcakes; I'm chowing down on 60 Calorie Cupcakes (Note for you: You can make cupcakes with Sparkling Water! You're welcome) or 100 Calorie Cupcakes.  And I'm not just grabbing truffles from my local bakery, either. I'm making <100 Calorie Cake Balls to share with friends and family (sharing is key, my friends!).

And I'm not swinging through the McDonald's Drive Through for an Egg McMuffin. I'm whipping up a batch of 30 calorie frittatas and using them all week! For a low calorie McMuffin, toast a 100 calorie English Muffin or two pieces of Sara Lee's "45 Calories and Delicious" bread! Your grand total will be between 123 and 133 calories!

Nutritional Information for Frittatas*
Does not include toast/english muffin.

Recipe | Skinny Spinach and Asparagus Dip

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Let's talk about things we love, shall we? Ok, I'll go first... You know what I love? I love the taste of the totally-bad-for-you spinach dips you can get for $6.95 at T.G.I.Fridays or Applebees or some equally unimpressive yet easy restaurant. But I never order them.

In fact, I can't even remember the last time I walked into a T.G.I. Friday's, sat down, and ordered a Spinach and Artichoke dip. Really. I know it exists... but I can't remember doing it.

Why? Because it's so bad for you. Like, ridiculously bad for you, throw your diet out the window, you're overdosing on sodium kind of bad.

That's crap to me. Why do those restaurants insist on sour cream and butter and salt (oh my!)?

There's got to be more to life than that, right? (Am I dramatic enough yet?)

Okay, so that's my first favorite thing (and a total tangent about the health content of chain restaurant dips). My second favorite thing? Greek Yogurt. Why? It's good for you. And you can put it in just about anything.

Do you see where I'm going with this? Unhealthy spinach dips + super healthy greek yogurt = ???

Any guesses? Did I just hear you say "Skinny Spinach and Asparagus Dip?!" WOW! Good guess. That's IMPRESSIVE!

And so, by using Greek Yogurt instead of the typical sour cream base, this comfort appetizer goes from HORRIBLE to HEALTHY.

Looking for other healthy appetizers to use? Check out the food section of my website or go specifically to Lettuce Wraps, Grilled Eggplant Nachos, Spicy Pumpkin Fries, or Whole Wheat Quesadillas. 

Curried Lentil Soup

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I love curry dishes. Especially when they are that perfect combination of heat and sweetness. Thai restaurants blow my mind in this way. Unfortunately, that would also blow my "diet" (before you freak out on me, no, I am not on a 'diet,' per se, but I do try to eat as healthily as possible).  Curry dishes are often so high in sugar and fat (coconut milk should be put in jail for being so horrible but so good at the same time) that they're almost not worth eating.

Until now! <--you knew that was coming, didn't you?

Curried Lentil Soup:

Why it's awesome = lentils are rich in protein (we're talking Bill Gates rich -- err, I mean Steve Jobs -- err, basically just Rich with a C.A.P.I.T.A.L. "R"). They're also Rich in fiber -- which is quite a good thing, indeed.

What You Need:

• 1 cup of dried lentils
• 4 cups of water
• Cumin
• Curry
• Salt
• 1/3 white onion
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese (to be grated)

  
 What You Do:
1. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add lentils.

2. Add 2 teaspoons of Curry, 1 teaspoon of Cumin, and a dash of salt. Reduce to simmer and let sit for 20 minutes.

3. Coarsley chop 1/3 of a white onion (could be anywhere from none to 1/2 depending on personal preference) and add to pot. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Before serving, grate sharp cheddar cheese into bowl on top of soup. 


**This soup save in the fridge very well, as the flavor only intensifies with each day it is left to sit.**