Working My @ss Off!!!

I have been extremely busy at work lately. I work at a local bank and with interest rates at an all time low, I am just swamped with refinances. Hopefully the market will start to get better and house prices will start to climb up again.

I have been looking at possibly purchasing another home myself. I already own a duplex and I am thinking another 2 unit might be a good investment in this market. Besides I wouldn't mind getting out of the area that I am currently living in. I am on a busy street, so it's very loud and I am looking for something a little more peaceful. I love the city but it will still only be a short drive away.

I recently made Angela's Basil Scalloped Tomatoes and Croutons, I did enjoy this dish, however the raw sugar I used didn't seem to go to well. I also used cherry tomatoes instead of grape. I do plan on making my own croutons for salads sometime soon as well. Because the Ezekial bread was so good toasted in the pan like that.

Pretty isnt it?

With fall right around the corner I am looking forward to getting in the kitchen more and making more "made from scratch" meals. I am talking soups, breads, desserts...... all of it.

I am sad to see summer go, we really had some great weather in Milwaukee this summer, nothing too humid, but after sitting in a cold office working all day, I have to admit the humidity is a nice change and I enjoy it, for a little while anyway.

I hope to keep the summer glow into the fall months for sure.

Nichole

Birthday Week, Celebrations & Sushi

Hope everyone is enjoying the last of the warm summer days, wherever you are! We have a nice warm week of 80+ degree weather in Wisconsin and I am looking forward to enjoying it!

It was my birthday last Monday and I had a great time celebrating with friends! I went out for sushi on my birthday to one of my favorite sushi restaurants, Wasabi. I love this place for 2 reasons, they have BROWN rice and they are the only sushi restaurant in Wisconsin (or so they claim) that has FRESH wasabi. I love the chopped up wasabi root instead of the paste, if you haven't tried it and it is offered you should definately go for it!

Brown rice (almost resembles chocolate)

See the fresh wasabi in the back of the salmon & avacado rolls?? YUM.

Green Tea ice cream and birthday candle? Fabulous!!

I have never tried Green Tea Ice Cream, but I did love it! It had a very unique flavor.

Looking at all these sushi pictures is making me want to eat more this week too! I think I just might have too :)

After dinner I went to Cafe Hollander in Wauwatosa, to enjoy some drinks. They have a gigantic beer menu full of Belgium beers. I enjoyed a beer sampler.

My favorite was on the far left (Gulden Draak)

Gulden Draak is a dark brown Triple Ale, which makes it an exception amonth the Belgain Triples. It balances a natural malt toffee-like sweetness with a mellow hoppiness.

I also enjoyed some more sushi on Friday night ( I am surprised I am not all sushi'ed out by now)!

Transformer Roll and some other cooked roll, first time getting "grilled rolls" & I have to say that I was NOT impressed. I guess I am a raw kinda brown rice roll girl!!!!

I definately like the roll on the left more, the one on the right I think it was called the Volcano Roll did not have any rice in it at all, and it was definately lacking.

All this sushi talk, I think I need to go eat more!!!!

Nichole

Busy Summer of 10'

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been so long since my last post, I miss blogging. I have a lot of pictures on my camera that I need to upload to show you some of the awesome eats I have made lately, such as Basil Scalloped Tomatos with Croutons, Raw Cookie Dough Balls (Vegan), Vegan "Lara Balls", Eggplant Parmesean and many more! :)

First off back in July (I can't believe it's almost the end of August), I celebrated a good friend of mine (my brother's girlfriend) Lindsay Carron's 21st birthday. We bar hopped around Milwaukee, starting at a favorite of mine, Blu at the Pfister Hotel. Blu has amazing views of Milwaukee, it is located on the top floor of the Pfister.

We enjoyed some very strong martini's, I thought the Blu Heat Martini was very unique so I gave it a try. We sipped these fun drinks...

Premium Tequila shaken with Blue Agave Nectar, Spanish Liquor 43,

 Fresh Lime & Jalepeno Pepper

I just love that little jalepeno floating in there, seems so odd but it actually was good!

We went to a couple other places as well, The Garage, & Suite.

I am so excited to celebrate my birthday coming up on August 23rd (Monday!) I am not sure what I want to do yet, I am thinking a booze cruise on Lake Michigan. Sounds fun hey?

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, fall is right around the corner!

Nichole

New Obsession

It has been quite hot in Wisconsin as of late, and nothing is suiting me better than Heather's Protein Ice Cream.

I like to play with the recipe and see how interesting I can make it and other times I do it just like Heather.

                                              

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream

Same ingredients as Heather, just added in some chunky peanut butter, then topped with walnuts.

Yum in a dish.

I am really enjoying all the new discoveries of foods in the blog world.......

Vegan Overnight Oats

Protein Ice Cream

Humnut Cheese

Breakfast Cakes

Raw Nut Taco Meat

and the list goes on................ and on................ and on.

I am looking forward to creating my own recipes in the future and sharing them with all of you!

Nichole

In Need of Detox....

I am in need of detox from all the sweets I consumed this long 4th of July weekend. My weekend was filled with lots of family, food, and fun.
Summerfest on Friday night to check out a group called NERD, it was so busy on Friday night it was hard to stay put in one place because there were people everywhere. Mostly we walked around and people watched.

I ate entirely too much sugar this weekend which includes lemon cake, cookies, banana creme bread, apple pie, vanilla ice cream, and coconut popsicles. Not too mention there could be more.... that is why I am trying to detox right now.

I am trying to eat raw fruits and veggies during the day and minimally steamed veggies and soups at night. Tonight it was steamed asparagus, raw spinach, tomato and carrot salad and instant miso soup.

This was dinner around 6pm, I was pretty hungry after work so I started making it as soon as I got home.  Afterwards I did some laundry and dishes, and took the pups for a long walk. I wanted a nap but worked out with Jackie Warner instead with a 40 minute full body workout. I am glad I did it felt great and I haven't done a strength training workout in a week. 

I so pretty sweaty post workout so I made a Protein Smoothie and it was great and perfect to cool me down. 

I leave you with some gorgeous pictures from the Milwaukee lakefront fireworks...

Hope everyone had a great Independence Day and honored those brave men and women who fought for it!!!!!

Nichole

Vibrams Five Fingers

Long time no... blog? Ha! Well it is summer and life has been very busy! Work, exercise, social life and time for cooking and family.. how I fit it all in I will never know. Sometimes I wish there were just a few more hours in a day.

Everyday when I come home from work I change out of my dressy work clothes into my work-out clothes... this motivates me to get some exercise in some way or another. I have not been stressing over days where I miss a work-out, because life happens and there will always be another time to get in that work out.

I picked up a pair of Vibram Five Fingers from Rodiez's Running Store in West Allis, WI. I have been reading about the "barefoot alternative" and I thought these would be a great option for the shin splints I get from running, and I could use them for walking the pups as well. I was still sore from my intense work out with Jackie Warner so I decided a nice long walk would be a good alternative & not over doing it.

Funny looking little shoes aren't they? They had a pair of Green and White ones that were not as bright and noticable but not in my size so I decided to get these brightly colored Vibrams!

My verdict: I liked them, I didn't run in them but I think they will take a little time to get used to. I feel like my walk was more intense but I guess that would make sense since my feet and legs would be working a little harder and not being so relaxed from the cushion of the tennis shoes.

I have been doing a lot of reading on these shoes and Ashley at edible perspective has a great info page on Vibrams located here.

Check out Lindsay Carron's website she is a truly talented artist.

Delicious dish of the day:

Vegan Refried Pinto and Black Bean Burritos!

It's easy to make vegan refried beans, just subsitute your fat with vegan butter! Warm pinto beans in a pot on the stove add in 1-2 T of vegan butter and mash when warmed. Easy and delicious. I wrapped up the refried beans, rinsed black beans, spinach, tomato and avacado all up in a La Tortilla Factory whole grain wrap.

Nichole

Summer Salads

I had such a busy day yesterday filled with lots of exercise! I started my morning out with a 24 minute lower body workout with Jackie Warner. I seriously love this woman. I am upset that the full body workout is no longer on my "on demand". I guess this how they get you to buy the DVD. Which I just might crack and buy.....
On with my day I had a great day at work and came home & walked both dogs (seperately), I could not walk a 90lb rottweiller and a 70lb black lab at the sametime. They would be pulling me in all directions! Then I went for a bicycle ride, I would say it was about 3 miles. When I got back I was craving cold veggies and I had plenty stocked in the fridge. I also wanted to try my new salad dressing..

I later realized I could easily make this stuff myself and have in the past since the ingredients list consists of apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, water, honey, garlic, onion and pepper.

Um yea.... it was still good.

Spinach, Cukes, Celery, Tomato, broccoli, crushed black pepper

With Some Yummy Daiya action

After I consumed this huge salad, I wanted something sweet...

Banana Walnut Ice Cream

1 frozen banana

1 spoonful peanut butter

1 spoonful cashew butter

cinnamon

1/4 cup almond milk

handful walnuts

1 teaspoon chia seeds

BLEND IT ALL!!

Hit the spot. Yum. 

I broke down and ordered a Vita-Mix yesterday, granted it was only a refurbished one.. let's hope it doesn't break the bank! Ha! I am so excited to use it and try lots of new recipes :)