Thursday, February 21, 2013
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Moving site to Wordpress
I thought it would be fun to learn a new blogging platform, so I'm packing up and moving this site to http://www.zeut123.wordpress.com/
Zeut was my chat handle from WAY back in 1994. Sad, but true. I was addicted. In case you don't remember, Zeut ruled castle Anthrax in the Monty Python's Holy Grail movie. It's not a suit, or a Greek god.
Zeut was my chat handle from WAY back in 1994. Sad, but true. I was addicted. In case you don't remember, Zeut ruled castle Anthrax in the Monty Python's Holy Grail movie. It's not a suit, or a Greek god.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Part 1: The Vita-Mix
I bought my very first Vitamix last Saturday. I'm already in love with it. I've used it everyday so far. I admit that I love toys and gadgets, especially those that really do the job in a way that nothing else can. You should see my biking setup!
I also admit that I get bored easily with my toys, and am always looking for something else to learn about or try.
Remember old commerials? This is how I remember the Vitamix:
It had this strange spigot. It looked cool, and it sounded like an airplane.
Even as a kid I wanted a professional blender, but my parents were not cooks, and didn't invest in kitchen supplies or whole food. I didn't learn to cut veggies and use a knife until I was in college.
My health history is a long story, and it will have to come out in bits and pieces. Lately I've struggled with thyroid and arthritis problems, and have been trying to work a little harder on my sleep, exercise and nutrition to see if I can avoid NSAIDS and hormones. This will be a record of my efforts - good, and not-so-good.
Last Tuesday I had a both my dental exam and the first eye exam in 7 years. The dentist wants $5000 of my hard earned cash in exchange for a bridge, crown, and weeks of eating soft food. The eye doctor tells me that I have Pseudotumor Cerebri - and that thanks to my hard work so far, it's in remission. If I ever get back to my teenage weight of 325 lbs, or even start gaining weight at all, it would come back and I could go blind.
Blind. Hmmm..... No thanks.
So, I started thinking about how I was going to eat well during the dental work, since my tendency is to get glum and eat lots of sugar. I also wanted to see if getting more fruits veggies into my diet would help with the thyroid and arthritis stuff.
My tai chi teacher told me that he and his wife drink green smoothies. That got me thinking. I knew my blender wasn't up to the task. I went down to the local gourmet kitchen supply shop Hartwick's to see if they had a Vitamix. They aren't easy to find really - and I don't know of anyone who owns one. They had several!
The wonderful sales clerk let me take one over to their kitchen demonstration area.
"I'm gluten-free, let's make rice flour", I said, when she asked what we should start with. In 30 seconds we had two cups of flour. I poured it out into a bowl and sifted the flour through my fingers - it was totally smooth and like what I'd buy at the health food store. I had so much fun dropping food into the blender that it was very hard to leave without one. I placed it on a 48 hour hold, and went home to talk my boyfriend into it.
I also admit that I get bored easily with my toys, and am always looking for something else to learn about or try.
Remember old commerials? This is how I remember the Vitamix:
Even as a kid I wanted a professional blender, but my parents were not cooks, and didn't invest in kitchen supplies or whole food. I didn't learn to cut veggies and use a knife until I was in college.
My health history is a long story, and it will have to come out in bits and pieces. Lately I've struggled with thyroid and arthritis problems, and have been trying to work a little harder on my sleep, exercise and nutrition to see if I can avoid NSAIDS and hormones. This will be a record of my efforts - good, and not-so-good.
Last Tuesday I had a both my dental exam and the first eye exam in 7 years. The dentist wants $5000 of my hard earned cash in exchange for a bridge, crown, and weeks of eating soft food. The eye doctor tells me that I have Pseudotumor Cerebri - and that thanks to my hard work so far, it's in remission. If I ever get back to my teenage weight of 325 lbs, or even start gaining weight at all, it would come back and I could go blind.
Blind. Hmmm..... No thanks.
So, I started thinking about how I was going to eat well during the dental work, since my tendency is to get glum and eat lots of sugar. I also wanted to see if getting more fruits veggies into my diet would help with the thyroid and arthritis stuff.
My tai chi teacher told me that he and his wife drink green smoothies. That got me thinking. I knew my blender wasn't up to the task. I went down to the local gourmet kitchen supply shop Hartwick's to see if they had a Vitamix. They aren't easy to find really - and I don't know of anyone who owns one. They had several!
The wonderful sales clerk let me take one over to their kitchen demonstration area.
"I'm gluten-free, let's make rice flour", I said, when she asked what we should start with. In 30 seconds we had two cups of flour. I poured it out into a bowl and sifted the flour through my fingers - it was totally smooth and like what I'd buy at the health food store. I had so much fun dropping food into the blender that it was very hard to leave without one. I placed it on a 48 hour hold, and went home to talk my boyfriend into it.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Zeut's Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Zeut's mini Lemon-poppy seed scones
Makes about 24
● 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, room temperature (Unsalted, Organic Horizon)
● 1/2 cup sugar (Organic, granulated cane juice)
● 1 large egg (Organic, free range)
● 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (Organic)
● 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
● Zest from one lemon (Organic: peel zest and then finely chop)
● 1 3/4 cups spelt flour (Whole grain, Bob’s Red Mill)
● 1/4 teaspoon salt (Kosher)
Preheat oven to a measured 325 degrees.
In the bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds, and mix. Add the flour and salt, and mix once more to incorporate completely. The dough will be stiff, try not to over-mix. Add water a tablespoon at a time if it is too dry.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough may also be frozen for up to 2 weeks at this point.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Pinch off walnut-size pieces and roll them into small balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a buttered silver baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or just until the cookies become golden-brown and firm to the touch. Transfer the cookies from the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool. The texture of these will be scone/bread like, rather than crisp like a cookie.
● Very heavily adapted From "The Village Baker's Wife" by Gayle Ortiz
Makes about 24
● 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, room temperature (Unsalted, Organic Horizon)
● 1/2 cup sugar (Organic, granulated cane juice)
● 1 large egg (Organic, free range)
● 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (Organic)
● 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
● Zest from one lemon (Organic: peel zest and then finely chop)
● 1 3/4 cups spelt flour (Whole grain, Bob’s Red Mill)
● 1/4 teaspoon salt (Kosher)
Preheat oven to a measured 325 degrees.
In the bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds, and mix. Add the flour and salt, and mix once more to incorporate completely. The dough will be stiff, try not to over-mix. Add water a tablespoon at a time if it is too dry.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough may also be frozen for up to 2 weeks at this point.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Pinch off walnut-size pieces and roll them into small balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a buttered silver baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or just until the cookies become golden-brown and firm to the touch. Transfer the cookies from the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool. The texture of these will be scone/bread like, rather than crisp like a cookie.
● Very heavily adapted From "The Village Baker's Wife" by Gayle Ortiz
Monday, April 25, 2005
Zeut's Marathon Energy Bars
Jessi's Super Yummy Marathon Energy Bars
These are excellent! I ate two small bars on my last 10 mile walk, and felt really good. I have a sensitive tummy, and these passed the test!
These have a good mix of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates. I didn't feel the sugar slump I often feel from commercial energy bars. The spelt flour is much easier to digest for many people. If you are sensitive to too much fat in your training food, you may eliminate the 1/4 cup of sunflower oil.
These bars are dense enough to hold together in your fanny pack without getting crushed and they don't crumble as you eat them while walking. Don't expect them to be as chewy and dense as a commercial energy bar: think brownie-like.
I can't emphasize the importance of quality ingredients enough! Please don't use commercial ingredients. Your body is worth it! I shop in bulk at a natural food store.
Prep time: 45 minutes, Makes about 24 bars
1/3 cup organic unsalted, roasted almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup (grade B)
1/4 cup organic sunflower oil (or unsalted butter)
2 organic free-range large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup low-fat organic yogurt, plain or vanilla (unsweetened)
1 very ripe organic banana, peeled and mashed
1 3/4 cup organic whole spelt flour
1/4 cup organic oat bran
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 organic apple (Fuji), peeled, cored and grated
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 pitted & diced medjool dates
1/4 t organic lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the almond butter, maple syrup, sunflower oil, eggs, vanilla, yogurt and banana. In a separate bowl combine the spelt flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Blend dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir in apples, raisins and chocolate chips, dates and lemon zest. Pour batter onto a greased 13x9x2 inch pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the bars to cool and cut into 1X4 inch bars. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze anything you don't eat in 24 hours.
These are excellent! I ate two small bars on my last 10 mile walk, and felt really good. I have a sensitive tummy, and these passed the test!
These have a good mix of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates. I didn't feel the sugar slump I often feel from commercial energy bars. The spelt flour is much easier to digest for many people. If you are sensitive to too much fat in your training food, you may eliminate the 1/4 cup of sunflower oil.
These bars are dense enough to hold together in your fanny pack without getting crushed and they don't crumble as you eat them while walking. Don't expect them to be as chewy and dense as a commercial energy bar: think brownie-like.
I can't emphasize the importance of quality ingredients enough! Please don't use commercial ingredients. Your body is worth it! I shop in bulk at a natural food store.
Prep time: 45 minutes, Makes about 24 bars
1/3 cup organic unsalted, roasted almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup (grade B)
1/4 cup organic sunflower oil (or unsalted butter)
2 organic free-range large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup low-fat organic yogurt, plain or vanilla (unsweetened)
1 very ripe organic banana, peeled and mashed
1 3/4 cup organic whole spelt flour
1/4 cup organic oat bran
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 organic apple (Fuji), peeled, cored and grated
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 pitted & diced medjool dates
1/4 t organic lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the almond butter, maple syrup, sunflower oil, eggs, vanilla, yogurt and banana. In a separate bowl combine the spelt flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Blend dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir in apples, raisins and chocolate chips, dates and lemon zest. Pour batter onto a greased 13x9x2 inch pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the bars to cool and cut into 1X4 inch bars. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze anything you don't eat in 24 hours.
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