Summer Bucket List

This summer I wanted to detox, practice yoga, travel, run, and see my family.  

I'd say it's been a successful summer.

Detoxed - (accidentally lost 10+ pounds)
Yoga - practiced many different styles in many different studios (over 45 classes and workshops)
Travel - managed to visit 8 states and one province, including Orange County, California; Vancouver, British Columbia, and Long Island, New York.
Running - Ran in two 5km races (Brooklyn Bridge and the Mount Airy Rocks and Runs - the article even mentions a runner from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates!)
Family - Spent quality time with all of my immediate family members and saw many of my relatives up in Canada!

Successful Summer!

Sunday Lunch

Dad grows a lot of squash every year and usually he and I are the only two who really eat it.  Since I've been detoxing, I haven't been eating or even preparing my share of the squash, so today I tried a new recipe and it turned out delicious!!!  I also made some chicken enchiladas for lunch, threw together some ingredients and the family seemed to enjoy them.  I did have some 'tense' moments in the kitchen when I realized that I'm not amazing at making more than one dish at a time (especially when it's my first time making either of them and one doesn't have a recipe).  I also cannot cook/bake in a messy kitchen... eeeek!

Butternut Squash with sea salt and cracked pepper

Twice Baked Squash - filling has sour cream, paprika, sea salt and cracked pepper... toasted breadcrumbs on top!

Chicken enchiladas in Corn Tortillas (glutton free)...
Filling: Grilled peppers, onions, paprika, sea salt, cracked pepper, chicken
Filling Sauce: Sour Cream, medium Salsa
Topping: Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella, Salsa

Easy Chicken Fajitas!

These are SOO yummy and easy to make!  I found the recipe on Handle the Heat and figured I'd make good use of my dad's organic peppers and cherry tomatoes.  The other ingredients were mostly lying around and it took barely 30 minutes to complete this dinner from start to finish! I used corn tortillas because they're glutton free and found some other toppings in the fridge.  Enjoy this quick and easy dinner!

chicken sizzling in the cast iron pan with the peppers and onions

delicious toppings

Mateo loved his!!

Josh's Fajita!

Thirty by 30

I've set a deadline of December 23, 2011.  By December 23rd, I want to have perfected... no, mastered thirty recipes.  I want to have a selection of desserts, veggie dishes, appetizers and entrées to serve at a dinner party.  I want to have the perfect combinations of sweet and salty, light dishes and heavier ones.  So I've decided to try a new recipe every week day.  I'll take weekends off (because I'll be doing a lot more 5km and 10km races this year and they are usually Friday mornings!!).  My first recipe attempt is the Oreo Cookie Cheesecake Cupcakes.  They are currently cooling in the fridge - the taste test will be tonight.  So I'm going to try to upload a lot of the recipes on here, along with some oh so artistic photos of my creations!!! ... get excited!!!

one oreo cookie at the bottom of each cupcake

mixing up the cream cheese filling

voila! final product!

YUMMY