day one: breakfast!

Chobani blueberry yogurt with dried cranberry, fresh blueberry and slivered almonds

Only 353 calories and a bright way to start the day!

The boyfriend wants to get shake shack later... Bahh what should I do?!

Back from the Big Sleep, revisited

Oh, gosh. I've been away... again.

I also just ate an entire bag of Utz Sour Cream and Onion potato chips. Not exactly a home-cooked snack meal.

Well... we all have our weak points. And this post is about that. Starting tomorrow, I WILL be faithful to this blog. I will post at least 3 recipes a week and I will post everyday.

I want to finally commit to something wholeheartedly, including putting down my pack of menthols and amping up the workouts.

This blog is still very much a food process. I am going to eat better, breathe cleaner and work out harder. Won't you come along?

Boiled Cans: Dulce de Leche

Caramel- that sweetly viscous treat- is something that almost everyone enjoys. On ice cream, in between layers of smooth chocolate, or snugly packed within a Sea Salt Caramel Brownie.

However, heating sugar over a hot stove and waiting for that perfect moment to remove it from heat (which is no guessing game) is too a little too exacting for my taste.

And that is why I think dulce de leche, caramel's milk-based cousin, reigns supreme. Taste-wise, the two are about the same, except dulce has a slight saltiness behind the sweet, which I prefer to caramel's unbalanced, all-around sweetness.

Now, dulce de leche is quite easy. You need two ingredients and some free time. Once finished, this tasty mixture can top muffins, brownies, pancakes, ice cream... or simply eaten with a spoon, which is my favorite.

Boiling action!

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

It was a pretty dreary day in New York. Gray, windy and wet, the city trudged on, refusing (or at least pretending to refuse) to let the weather get it down.

I, on the other hand, succumbed. I've been pretty busy with a new job in the marketing field (my own office! Mac desktop!) as well as with my other job serving at the Noho Star and haven't made myself a priority. I hit a pretty hard wall of sheer exhaustion and lethargy, and decided that I'd take the afternoon off.

While my original plan was to lay in bed snuggling a body pillow, I came across a picture of a sea salt caramel brownie. My mouth watered and the belly quivered (as most sexual organs do). And I said to myself, "This. I want this".

15 ingredients later and a masterpiece of weight-gaining proportions was completed. I enjoyed mine with a cup of coffee, and then parceled a few in wax paper to give to my roommates and neighbors as gifts. Because nothing says 'thank you' like chocolate and caramel!

Before going into the oven:

Red Lentil Soup

I love soups! Usually, they are easy to make and oftentimes, they taste better over time (read: no bland leftovers).

I first had red lentil soup while working at a restaurant during my undergrad years in Ann Arbor. Instantly, I fell in love.

As you will soon come to know, dear readers (or soon-to-be dear readers), is that I believe in getting the most nutritional value out of what I eat. However, I never, under ANY circumstance, will sacrifice flavor for health or calories. There are so many ways to enhance the flavors that are already in an ingredient, and this simple soup is a testament to that.