For the first time evvvvverrr

I have two woah-worthy things to point out: (1) it is Monday, and (2) it is the end of July. What the hell world? I woke up this morning upset about all the things I did not accomplish this summer. I start school in three weeks. With an alarm set at 7:15, I woke up at 6:30 and rolled around in distress. Then I had this ah-ha moment. Essentially, Oprah came to me (and Gale was there too) and said, “Girl! Stop being so emo!” And then Kathy Griffin came in and said, “For the first time evvvverrrr (in her best Oprah voice) this summer, Ashley will get off her emo ass.” So, I rode my bike and did some thinking. My bike-thinking led to this new concept “Yeah you wasted most of your summer, but you can stop this suck fest now.”

Hold the phone. Did anyone see Salt? It was surprisingly good. If you have a Angelina Jolie running-around-in-a-tight-outfit-and-kicking-ass fetish, like I do, go see it. If I were Brad Pitt, I would have her dress up in leather and run around the house kicking shit. I think I should be thanking her for my intense get-yo-shit-together attitude this morning.

Back to me. Right now I am sitting at Starbucks drinking an iced coffee and eating a Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal (with nuts and brown sugar) and an apple I brought from home. Okay, hold the phone again. I like the Perfect Oatmeal and I get it a lot, but they need to go easy on how much water they add. I always end up draining it into the trashcan. Don’t even get me started on their posters that promote colonialism and oppression. Focus Ashley!

This week is huge: Lars and I move into our new apartment. My week is stressful, but what is most stressful is that this week’s plan could totally change.

Monday-Tuesday: I have to pack my entire apartment. I haven’t even started. I am the best packer, though. You know hoarders? I’m like the anti-hoarder. I will not hesitate to throw things away before a move. I hate moving, so I try to make it the smallest amount possible. I also have to say good bye to everyone. It will be a bittersweet couple of days.

Wednesday: My parents come to Ohio to help me buy a a kitchen cart from IKEA and move out.

Thursday-Friday: A bunch of PhD/teaching/life planning.

Saturday: I help Lars move his apartment into a moving van.

Sunday: We move in.

We know we get to move in August 1st, but we may be able to move in earlier (which would make our lives easier). But, the guys who currently live there will not text the landlord back with their move out date. They don’t even live there, really. Further, one of them started changing his pants right in front of me when I was touring the house. Double further, the only food they had was 5 boxes of instant mashed potatoes and un-refrigerated, yet open jars of pickles and jam. Obviously, they are single.

Okay, I have to catch up on some blogs and give Duke Energy a call. I hate phone calls, don’t you?

What kind of random thoughts are you having this morning.

Wine that can make an emo smile…

What up party people? My day has been relatively exciting considering how emo and anti-social I’ve been this summer. I’m like the Daria of food blogging, which I don’t mind. Man, that show should still be on. And, Veronica Mars. And, Party Down. And, Dead Like Me. And, Freaks and Geeks. Focus, Ashley.

Okay, so my mother and I met my father at Patachou. This place is baller. Can a place have the best fruit cup in Indy? Because, they do. It always has more then one piece of pineapple. It was refreshing after my hot Tomato and Artichoke soup. This fruit cup almost replaced the Graveyard of Lost yet Good Television shows that currently takes up most of my mind.

My mother and I spent the afternoon “bonding,” which was demanded by my father (random, right?). My mother and I hit up Crate and Barrel and this wine shop in the mall. Look at my drinking finds!

First, I found this wine called Writer’s Block. I mean, come on! Isn’t this just perfect for a PhD student in English? I almost peed myself in the store. I mean look…writer’s block? That is hilarious. Just the sight of it melts my emo exterior. I may actually smile soon.

I also bought a mini wine glass. I don’t know why I need this, but I wanted it.

Afterwards, I headed to Starbucks with a cookie my mom bought me from the local bakery. It is a butter cream cookie, but I call it “I’m a mother f**king sweet cookie!” cookie. It sort of made my teeth hurt, “but that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts.”

Well, back to skyping with Lars about our new apartment.

Sleeping would be great.

I slept in again, but I was tossing and turning the entire night. I feel pretty awake and alert now, but it was impossible to wake up for my 7 AM workout. I suppose I’ll workout after all my errands/to-dos today. My hot apartment may have something to do with it; we have horrible circulation. For breakfast I decided to use my new breakfast bowl/cup from Crate and Barrel. I filled my cup with strawberries and apples, and also snuck a toasted whole wheat muffin with triple berry jam onto its saucer. It was good after a night of not sleeping. The iced coffee may help me wake-up even more.

I have so much to do today: bills, paperwork, mailing Hannah chocolate (sorry it took so long), and some thesis formatting. It will get done. It must get done! I’m off to take a nice cold shower to cool off, then off to work!

What are methods you use for a good night sleep? Tea? Pills? Exercise? Wine?

Cleaning-Inspired Cooking

I was so out of it today, again. Then I realized I have been out of it this entire summer, because I haven’t been drinking my morning coffee. Hm, good to know.

For lunch I kept it simple. I sautéed one sliced chicken sausage link in olive oil. It was a delicious Spinach, Fontina, and Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe’s. I ate it alongside the Mediterranean CousCous from the Schwann’s man. It was a light, yet filling lunch.

After being all emo for half the day, I finally had coffee. I made half a package of the Starbucks Via Iced. I got a new cup! Well, Carrie from TV and Dinners bought it first, but I loved it too much. I spotted it at Target! Carrie has great cup-taste!

I am moving in early August and I have the daunting task of using all the food in my fridge and cabinets before then. I have a lot of flour and oats, so I made some delicious oatmeal cookies!

I used a great recipe from Whole Grain Gourmet for Healthy Oatmeal Cookies. The recipe uses honey instead of sugar, and molasses. If you like molasses, you will love these. They are darker than the average oatmeal cookie because of the molasses. She also recommended (and I didn’t notice until later) adding more oats. It is your call. I added 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. They are not overpoweringly sweet. I like them!

Oh, and she had a great tip. Spray the measuring cup before you pour the honey, so that the honey pours out of it more easily.

For dinner, I climbed around the cupboards again.

I found a huge 28 oz can of whole tomatoes. Among the many things Andy Warhol and I have in common, the biggest thing is our love for tomato soup. I’ve always bought canned soup, but never again. After researching recipes online and seeing how easy it was, I decided to just make-up my own recipe. I was mostly inspired by Cooking Light. The soup was very good for the first time. I will play around with it more to perfect it.

Tomato and Basil Soup

• 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup of organic free range chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh copped basil
• a sprinkling of dry basil (I was worried I wouldn’t have enough basil)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp olive oil

I opened the can and stabbed the crap out of the tomatoes and put it aside. I sautéed the minced garlic in the olive oil for about 30 seconds on medium heat. I then added the tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and dried basil and brought it to a boil. I reduced the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes. Then I mixed in the fresh basil. I put the mixture into the blinder and pureed it until smooth. Then it was ready.

I served it with an adaptation of my mother’s easy bread stick recipe.

Whole Wheat Breads Sticks

• 1/2 package of Trader Joe’s Refrigerated Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
• butter
• garlic powder or salt
• grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425. I rolled out the dough into a circle (as if I was about to make pizza) after I let it do it’s rising/whatever thing (while I worked on the soup).  I baked it for 10 minutes. I immediately but the baked dough on a baking rack. I microwaved some butter for about 30 seconds, and then stirred in some garlic powder. I brushed it onto the dough (while it was still hot). I then immediately sprinkled the grated Parmesan on to the bread. After it cooled, I sliced it into strips.

Yum, yum. What a day of kitchen adventures. I’m actually having fun cleaning out my kitchen before the move. It is surprisingly inpsiring!

I have a date with the Lifetime movie My Stepson, My Lover starring Rachel Ward. You don’t know who Rachel Ward is? Um, The Thorn Birds: only the best mini-series ever!

Do you have any entertainment-related (music, movies, tv, etc.) guilty pleasures?

Has anyone been watching Top Chef?

1. I hate that one girl that tried to get school children drunk. She has a face I’d like to punch.

2. Stop complaining Top Chef contestants! My Top Chef would know how to make a damn pie! The punch-face girl (see #1) was like “I hope it is okay for not being a pastry chef” and the guest judge said “So what? My grandma isn’t a pastry chef and she knows how to make a pie.” Snap!

A Sweet and Savory Change of Plans

I am so out of it this morning. I was going to make smoothies, but Lars told me not to wake his roommate. So, I’m having an Italian-inspired egg scramble with honey on a corn muffin. Then, I’ll have a smoothie for lunch. Ahhh, everything is out of place!

My Italian-inpsired Egg Scramble consisted of:

• 1 Trader Joe’s Garlic Chicken Sausage Link (leftover from pasta last night)
• garlic clove minced
• a made-up amount of Egg Beaters
• fresh basil
• part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

I also enjoyed my breakfast with half a package of prepared Iced Via Coffee.  Wait until lunch Miss Cup, you will be filled with smoothie goodness.

I was thinking bloggers. Do you have a pottery-painting place where you live? It would be fun to do a pottery exchange. You know, I paint something and you paint something, and then we exchange via mail. And, pottery places have a lot of kitchen-oriented pottery items. Hmm, I have random thoughts in the morning.

Also, it is July. Huh? This summer needs to slow down. But, it is here and we might as well learn something new. For the history of July check out this blog post on dictionary.com.

After lunch I’m heading to my parents’ house to ride my bike! It is stuck there until I officially move. Boo. I miss it. All I do is think about the places I can bike to. Then, I’m heading back to Ohio to finish my thesis, do some packing, and get things in order.

What is your favorite SAVORY breakfast dish?

Local Food Finds

Hello friends. What a relaxing, yet unproductive day. Anna from Newly Wed Newly Veg informed me of this eatery in town: Jane’s Gourmet Deli. So, when Lars came home, I took him out to lunch. Anna was right; it was so delicious.

We walked in and I instantly fell in love, because it had a wall full of wine. It had such a cute gourmet food and wine shop! Lars and I decided to eat outside. I apologize for the pictures, we sat on a shady patio.

I ordered the Panini Rustica which was a hot sandwich with mozzarella, tomato, spring greens, and pesto. I was allowed two sides, so I chose a side salad and a chocolate crinkle cookie. The salad dressing list was great; I chose the Cabernet Sauvignon Vinaigrette. Um, a wine salad dressing? Yes, please. I was nice enough to share my cookie with Lars.

Lars ordered the Tuna Melt Panini with a side of potato salad and Creamy Chickpea soup. The soup was surely the highlight, it tasted like queso. I helped him eat that, because I am so nice.

After lunch, I decided to read at Starbucks. I got a grande iced coffee and a dried apple snack pack.

Then, I went to the Farmers Market! I bought some blueberries (from Delphi, IN and home of my grandma) for breakfast smoothies tomorrow, and grape tomatoes for our pasta tonight! Yippee for keeping it local!

I’m currently watching The Bachelorette. I love this drama!

What is your favorite Farmers Market find EVER?

Ooey-Gooey Brownies

Hey party people!

It has been a great evening, and tonight will be fun too.

After our nap, Lars and I went shopping. I had an apple and Starbucks Via Iced. We went to Dick’s to buy some new soccer things, since I have to learn to play again for the upcoming high school Alumni soccer game.

I bought a new soccer ball and shorts. I’m like the new Mia Hamm.

Lars and I had Trader Joe’s Artichoke Ravioli with his world-famous marinara sauce and Caesar salad for dinner. I loved this ravioli!

I had dinner with a glass of Chuck’s Merlot.

But, the highlight of the night was when I made my first batch of brownies from scratch. I went to Cooking Light and found a recipe for Ooey-Gooey Peanut Butter-Chocolate Brownies. These were awesome! I’m so proud of myself. Lars and I had to have two! I recommend cooking them for only 18-20 minutes during the second baking. The full 30 minutes will surely make them bricks. These were also fun to make…you get messy! If you love chocolate and marshmallow, you’ll love these.

We are off to get drinks with friends! Have a great night.

What is the best brownie you’ve ever eaten?

I got a new bike!

Whew! Okay, I finally have a chance to sit down and blog (but only for a bit). I woke up this morning, ran on the treadmill, and then cooked my family breakfast. I baked them my favorite breakfast pizza and some multi-grain pancakes, which I topped with some Triple-Berry Jam.

I also tried the new Starbucks Via Iced, which I got from my mom. It was good, but I my coffee prefer unsweetened.

For lunch my sister and I had McAlister’s. I kept it simple with a sweet tea and a croissant. I also stole my sister’s pickle.

But, I got a new bike! It was a graduation gift (although I paid for 30% of it, no complaining though) for my Master’s. Doug, the very cute sales person, helped me pick out this beauty: Trek’s Allant WSD. It is a cute light olive green color. I love it! I also bought a lock, helmet, and front basket. Yippee!

I came home starving so I had a bowl of Crispix and an apple.

So, I haven’t had a bike since Jr. High…Do you have any biking tips or advice!?

AHHHH! Speed Post

Hey friends. I wanted to blog real quick about my afternoon/evening/night yesterday. I have had such a busy weekend helping my family send off my brother. I have so much blog reading to catch up on. I look forward to reading your blogs this evening! Love doing it, though!

For lunch I was excited to use my gluten-free pizza crust I got from the Farmers Market. It was delicious. It was rustic and crunchy. Yum. I wanted to give a shout-out to the creators of this awesome pizza crust: The Measuring Cup Gluten-Free Bake Shop. If you are in the Indy area, check it out.

I topped the pizza with Trader Joe’s pizza sauce (a decent buy), mozzarella, fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil. So good!

In the afternoon I wanted some alone time, so I went to Starbucks to read. I got a grande iced coffee and snacked on some fresh mango. 

For dinner we went to a local burger joint called Bub’s. I decided to try the Elk burger. I was nervous so I had a beer and covered the burger with lots of mustard and ketchup. I wasn’t a fan, but I’m also afraid I should have asked for it to be more done. I only ate 1/2.

When I got home I made myself a snack plate with fresh mango slices and one of my cut-out cookies.

Well I need to workout and make breakfast for my family Ahh! So much to do. Talk to y’all later! Have a great Sunday!

The Rhetoric of Binge Eating

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and I am quite good at persuading myself to binge eat.

Yesterday I was so busy baking for Lars’s party that I missed lunch; at his party I grazed. Although I didn’t eat much, I felt that I had lost control over my eating choices. Later I let Lars choose a dinner place, which was not-so-healthy. I saw no harm in enjoying a cheeseburger and onion rings with my boyfriend on his birthday. Then I got home and went cookie crazy. The following is a list of thoughts that go through my head when binge eating, thoughts going through my head last night:

• I already started eating bad, so why stop?
• You ate poorly today, and you usually don’t, so continue with your freedom. Just consider it a bad day.
• You can start a diet tomorrow.
• I’m bored, so I eat.

While these thoughts are comforting and convincing, I often go to bed hopeless and wake up with a horrible stomach ache. The next day I am over-concerned and angry with every food choice I make, even if it is not a bad one. So, this is the real reason I was missing from the blogs this weekend: I was frustrated and embarrassed. The binging has happened less often since I have given up excessive calorie-counting, but it still sneaks up on me during times of stress or long periods of boredom. For the past week I have been sick and/or slightly down, so I can see where the binge eating originated.

How do you cope with a day full of bad eating choices? Or days? Is there a book or resource you have found especially helpful?

Today, I attempted to eat. In the past, binge eating has led to too-restricted eating habits in the days following the binge.

The Day After the Binge (Today)

Today has been a day of sandwiches and leftovers.

Breakfast: A slice of leftover breakfast pizza.

Morning Snack: One of those jam stuffed muffins.

Lunch: (pictured below) Lars and I had a Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwich. This was loosely inspired by a recipe by Cooking Light. We essentially made a grilled cheese sandwich: garlic cheddar cheese, fresh spinach, tomatoes, pepperoni from the deli, and garlic. I also had it with a pickle.

Afternoon Snack: An iced coffee and 1 peanut butter cookie. I gave the other cookie to Lars.

Dinner: Broken Yolk BLT. We put bacon, tomato, spinach, and egg on wheat toast. I loved the oozing yolk when I bit in.

I feel better today and I think having a community to talk to about these issues is helpful. So thanks for listening.