July 2010

Fitness Kick Start: Mr. How Sweet’s Interval Workout.

I don’t know if you are aware, but Mr. How Sweet is a runner. I am not. I tried running a race with him when we were dating. He almost dumped me. Let’s just say that patience is not his strong point. And running is not mine. The thing is… he is fast. He ran his first marathon in 3:40. We have a treadmill in our basement. When Mr. How Sweet goes downstairs to run intervals, I always get excited about having some peace and quiet to myself. But then the screaming starts. The man coaches himself. He yells at himself. Not so peaceful. But his workout kicks butt. Mr. How Sweet’s Treadmill Intervals 5 minute warm up at 6.5 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.0 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.1 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.2 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.3 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.4 1 minute at 7.5 1 minute at 9.5 2 minutes 6.5 5 minute cool down This is just the beginner workout. Do this workout 3 times a week. Each week, add on one more interval. The second week, the next [...]

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Homemade Nut Butter Love.

It’s no secret that I love peanut butter. If I was stranded on a desert island and could only take 3 things, a jar of nut butter and a spoon would be 2 of them. I haven’t quite figured out the 3rd yet. It’s a toss up between bacon and my favorite pair of shoes. When I make nut butters at home, I rarely make plain, boring ones. I like fun flavors. I don’t do ‘plain.’ Plain makes me cry. Take a look. Salted Chocolate Pecan Butter This one is my favorite. Don’t hate it because it’s beautiful. Pistachio Coconut Butter This one here may be an ugly duckling, but I promise she makes up for it. The pistachio-coconut combo is a fabulous one. The only way to get rid of the ugliness is to eat the entire batch. It works, I promise. Chocolate Cherry Almond Butter I hate almond butter. There, I said it. I think almond butter is bland, not sweet enough for me, and tastes like hot garbage. But I love this homemade version. Probably because there is chocolate in it. Vanilla Cinnamon Pecan Butter Hello, perfect pecan butter. Aren’t pecans the least healthy nut you can [...]

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Bourbon-Soaked Cherries and Tart Frozen Yogurt.

Last summer, Mr. How Sweet developed an obsession. This obsession consisted of marinating different types of fruit in vodka for weeks, then drinking the vodka on ice and making smoothies with the fruit. All in the same night. He called it ‘moose juice.’ I called it lighter fluid. And a bad decision. But I guess I didn’t learn my lesson. I soaked these cherries in bourbon. You don’t have to use bourbon. You can use whatever you like. Pick your poison. I think I am partial to bourbon because it is the life elixir of the Lovett family. But rum would work too. Then, once the cherries have absorbed some liquid, dump them over a bowl of ice cream. Or in my case, some tart frozen yogurt. Bourbon-Soaked Cherries 2 cups bourbon (or rum, vodka, etc.) 1 1/2 cups pitted cherries Add cherries to bourbon and soak for 48-72 hours. Serve with tart frozen yogurt (my favorite is the Trader Joe’s brand) or ice cream of choice. I’ve never been a fast ice cream eater. I’m the girl who loses her double scoop on the dirty concrete because I can’t lick fast enough. I’ll wait a moment while you get [...]

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Loaded Spinach Salad.

Even I must admit, sometimes you just get a spinach salad that is fabulous. A few simple ingredients, bacon usually being one of them, turns regular ole’ spinach into a delicious meal. Not that I really ever consider salad a meal, unless I have an entire loaf of bread beforehand. Bonus points for bread dipped in herbed olive oil. We don’t have to talk about the bad salads that come into our lives. Let’s just focus on the good ones. Like this. I can deal with the raw spinach when it’s topped with some of my favorite things. I enjoy texture too – sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy. After I snapped these photos, I topped the salad with filet which made it even better. I’m not usually up for chicken, but if it was acceptable (and affordable) to eat filet everyday, I would do so. I drizzled the salad with olive oil, because if you have been reading you know that I do not really enjoy salad dressing. What I really wanted to do was make a hot bacon dressing, but I think I had my share of bacon grease for the week. I’m going to save that for another [...]

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Fitness Kick Start: At-Home Blast.

I’ve made no secret that I love quick, at-home workouts that get the job done when time is limited. Maybe I just don’t like leaving my couch? The truth is, I don’t do them at home that often. I do much better getting up and going to the gym. That way I don’t get distracted by glittery things that catch my eye such a stilettos and bacon. I don’t know how those things derail a workout, but believe me, they do. My at-home workouts usually get done on the weekends. I like ‘em quick and dirty. All you need is a set of dumbbells. Get-It-Done at Home 20 Walking lunges with overhead presses (press overhead during the lunge) 20 Squat thrusts to pushups (Squat, jump down to pushup, jump up to squat) 10 alternating side lunges with tap to the floor Wall Sit – 90 seconds 10 burpees 60 second side plank (right) 60 seconds mountain climbers 60 second side plank (left) 20 plie squat jumps (start in plie squat, jump feet together, jump apart) 20 triceps dips 90 seconds bicycle crunches REPEAT ONCE

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Salty Chocolate-Caramel Turtle Cookies.

I don’t like nuts in my desserts. I like nuts on their own – almonds, peanuts, walnuts and more. But when they are mixed into my cookies or brownies or ice cream or bacon, it’s a no-go. Not a fan. And yes, I just said bacon. But that all flies out the window when it comes to these cookies. I have never liked nuts in chocolate, so it came as a surprise to me when I found out that I loved turtles – the candy, not the animal. I think it is the sweet and salty combo. It never fails me. I have decided that nuts taste good in desserts if I expect them. If I am expecting a soft and chewy brownie and bite down on a walnut, all bets are off. I just couldn’t stop thinking about salty pecans in these chocolate cookies. It’s no secret that I love this cookie recipe – I’ve made a form of it almost every single week. So I added more sea salt than usual, added some salty pecans, and large chunks of caramel. Perfect doesn’t even begin to describe them. Salty Chocolate-Caramel Turtle Cookies Makes approximately 24 cookies 1 cup butter, [...]

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Sweet Potato Homefries.

You are probably checking this out, thinking about how healthy these home fries are since I made them with sweet potatoes. Right? Well, hold the phone. I may have done something bad. I may have fried them in bacon grease. And when I say ‘may,’ I really mean that I absolutely did and it was 100% fabulous. See, I have a little confession. I don’t always fry my bacon. Let’s be honest – it’s messy, it’s time consuming, and I am not always in the mood to get burnt by flying bacon grease. So many times, especially during the week, I lay it on a wire rack and bake it, letting the drippings fall onto the baking sheet below. And then I throw them away. Yes, you heard me correctly, I throw away the drippings. Somewhere in Heaven (hopefully…) Mother Lovett just had her 14th heart attack. And somewhere 15 minutes away from me, my mother just dropped dead. In my family, throwing away the drippings is the ultimate sin. But yesterday, I decided to fry bacon. It is so much better that way. And then I dumped the drippings in a jar and placed them in the back of [...]

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Some How Sweet Grocery Staples.

The nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are about 35 minutes away. If it were up to me, I would waste the gas and drive there every weekend. But Mr. How Sweet has a wiser head on his shoulders. The conversation usually goes something like this. Me: I’m going to the store, what do you want? Mr. How Sweet: Chicken. And steak. And healthy cookies. And chicken. Me: Chicken. Check. Mr. How Sweet: Where are you going? Me: Umm…probably Giant Eagle. But…maybe…Whole Foods. Mr. How Sweet: Do you need to go to Whole Foods? Why? What do you need from there? We need to save money! Me: Stuff. I need stuff! Alas, I make the trip every few weeks. Which is probably for the best, because once I walk into those stores it is like I have never seen food before. I walk around like a complete loon with a blank grin on my face, crashing my cart into store displays. You can’t argue with me – it is foodie heaven. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things that always land in the cart. I prefer to shop there by myself, because Mr. How Sweet has [...]

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Baked Mac and Cheese Cupcakes.

No, not those kind of cupcakes. Cute, little savory cupcake-formed stacks of mac and cheese. Healthy ones, too – made with whole wheat bread crumbs and whole wheat pasta. Are you sold yet? I figured this would be a good way to sneak in some veggies. Since I obviously have to cook for myself the way a mother needs to cook for a 3-year old. When I look for vegetable recipes, I often turn to the masters of the kitchen – Giada in this case. I also have my share of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks. No, I will never give up bacon and cheese, but I figure if anyone knows how to make vegetables taste good, it has to be vegetarians. But I’m still stuck on the theory that vegetables taste like mud when I make them and like diamond-crusted, chocolate-stuffed bacon when someone else makes them for me. In other words, can you come over and cook some veggies for me? Let me just say that I loved the cherry tomatoes in here. They were the best part – adding a bit of sweetness to the cheesy pasta. Another thing I love is how versatile this dish is. Different [...]

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Frozen Hot Chocolate – The Healthier Way!

I am very deprived. I have never actually had frozen hot chocolate. I guess I can’t be the best judge here. But I really, really, really want to try it. Does that count? Can someone please transport me to New York City so I can try some famous Serendipity frozen hot chocolate? And while you’re at it, please take me to buy some Christian Louboutin’s. And a fancy purse. And a sugar daddy. Sorry, Mr. How Sweet. But clearly, I need one. It will save us a lot of money, I promise. See? I’m full of ideas. Can I just take a moment to whine about how fabulous this frozen hot chocolate is? I promise I am not this annoying in person. (Though judging which family members you ask, that may be debatable.) It has protein. It has chocolate. It tastes like heaven. And it doesn’t have 8 million calories either. I’m in love. Frozen Hot Chocolate – The Healthier Way! 1 cup skim milk (or milk of choice) 1 cup greek yogurt – frozen (freeze for 1-2 hours) 2-3 tablespoons organic cocoa powder 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon organic sugar (or sweetener of choice) 1 tablespoon reduced-fat chocolate [...]

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