Feels Like Summer

Date: May 28, 2016

Author: astottler

After a particularly cold and wet spring, with temperatures climbing to the 80s, it feels like summer!

And if we’re being honest…it feels really hard to keep pushing through with classes!

On Wednesday, we had a Senior Toast. It was a chance to see our class and drop something in the time capsule, which will buried under our class plaque in the quad and opened in 100 years. My contribution was my Giants ticket from Monday night!

At the toast, there was a chocolate fountain+liquid nitrogen to dip things in! I had a banana covered in chocolate and then frozen in liquid nitrogen.

^My God, this is a thing??

Dinner that night was also fabulous. Shrimp risotto, garlic bread (GF), and tomato and cream cheese jam.

I actually had a little bit of a rough time after that chocolate. I felt it in my heart (I’m crazy caffeine sensitive), and couldn’t fall asleep for a while.

This week was rough on my stomach, with some high fat items and the chocolate. I’ve just been craving fruits and veggies to get that out of my system!

Also: still cat sitting! Boot goings cat sitting?

Thursday evening I went to a spin class, and on the drive back I had a really strong feeling that something bad was going to happen. I was really concerned, until I realized my heart was racing from the chocolate. Chocolate sometimes gives me really bad anxiety the next day (presumably from the caffeine). I also now understand the heart attack symptom that is “an overwhelming sense of doom.”

Thursday night, the boot took on the last senior night of the year! It was crazy crowded, but I still enjoyed seeing everyone!

Friday, after class, I was looking forward to a low-key evening.

I started my morning with some Blogilates videos: I think I did Extreme Abs, and then an oblique focused one? I took the workout to a local park/grassy spot and got drenched on the dewy grass. Luckily, Friday was the first time the weather was really starting to warm up, so I decided to just embrace it!

Dinner was pretty delicious. It was steak, but since that’s not my thing I grabbed some leftover teriyaki salmon from the fridge. Our chef seriously makes the best salmon! He also made a giant GF chocolate cake, which was crazy rich or chocolately, so I was able to enjoy it without the sense of impending doom! The frosting was really light, almost whipped.

I spent the night watching my friend’s dance performance, and then having a very long conversation about alternative medicine with my roommate. As a scientist, I have to give it the side-eye, but I am trying to keep an open mind, because there still are a lot of things we don’t know or understand yet. I told her the only reason I was able to buy some of the things we were talking about is that our universe is 70% dark energy, and we have no clue what that is, so it’s theoretically possible that plays a role. #biomajor

I actually went to bed far later than planned, but was up for a morning spin class. It was nice to get my sweat on to start the day. Even nicer? I stopped by the farmer’s market on the way back and picked on lots of fresh summer produce! I’m ready to embrace it with open arms.

Lunch after spin was a nectarine+a tortilla pizza with shrimp, salad, and half a slice of cake.

The main event of the day was the last Stanford baseball game of the season! I’ve really enjoyed going to games this year, and I’m sad to see the season ending.

It was a bit of a scorcher. I’m glad I decided to wear a hat! There was no shade or breeze for most of the game, and I just sat there roasting and sweating.

As for the game, it was 0-0 until the 6th or 7th, and they drew the first blood was a 1-0 lead. We took the lead in the 7th, with back to back home runs, and held on to win 3-1.

My gosh, I love baseball.

After the game, I wasn’t ready to shower for an event tonight because I didn’t want start sweating once I was clean, so my roommate and I went out for a little drive, with the top down. It was the perfect day for it! We blasted music and enjoyed the scenery. One of my favorite things to listen to is a set of medleys by Anthem Lights. They have best of 2015, 2012, etc. The best of 2013 brings back all the freshman year feels. Jeez!

And with that, I’m actually off to a freshman dorm reunion tonight! Crazy how fast these 4 years have passed.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Sweet Potato Bread Recipe

Date: September 8, 2015

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Ok, I know I’ve been promising this bread for forever. Ok, like a week, but still. I’m finally ready to share it today!

First, I want to catch up a little bit. On food. On fitness. Life. Etc.

First of all-my sister is engaged! How crazy is that?? I’m the maid of honor and I’m so happy for the couple! We even broke out the good champagne to celebrate!

It happened on a hot air balloon in Napa-hwo perfect is that? They stopped by for congratulations and to partake in our grilled nectarine salad (because we got nectarines from Costco with only a few days to eat them…)

Recipe here.

Another meal I’ve been meaning to post were these beautiful parmesan and spinach soufflés.

Plus a delicious side salad with herbs, meyer lemon infused olive oil, and aged white balsamic vinegar.

In workout news, I messed up my shoulder today. I was weight lifting with my trainer. We did heavy snatches and I did pretty well-didn’t hit my max but made the lifts I should have made. Then, heavy deadlifts. After working my way up to heavy weights, I did a set of 5 at 210, a set of 3 at 220, and a set of 1 at 230, followed by max reps at 230 (I got 2-apparently my form was going and I wasn’t allowed to try a 3rd with my ‘cat back’). Then,I worked on behind the neck snatch grip presses and snatch balances. It was fine. So basically I spent a lot of time stabilizing heavy weights with my shoulders with no issues. Then since there was a bit of extra time, we did some core work-roll outs. You may have seen those ab wheels before, but I used a barbell with circular plates to roll out. I got a little too ambitious on the first one and roll out to far, and then got kind of stuck and ended up sort of face-planting and felt a pop in my shoulder. I was worried at first, but everything seems to be in the right place and it feels much better than it did initially. The pain is in the same area that my shoulders get creaky, especially this one, so I think it’s just a bit of a sprain/strain. I’m hoping it feels better soon!

In life news, I’m jetting off to Hawaii with my family! My dad has a conference so we’re tagging along and making a vacation of it. To be perfectly honest, I’m a bit worried about what I can eat but I’m sure we’ll make it work. Hawaii is full of nuts and coconut, and the last time I was there I ate both and ended up with a pretty bad allergic reaction to macadamia nuts (this is before I completely avoided them and was still in denial).

It’s actually looking to be a pretty active vacation for me. I have a 10 mile run scheduled this weekend, which will feel great in the heat and humidity I’m sure…Plus some other shorter runs. I’m also hoping my shoulder is ok to visit some of the Crossfit boxes I visited last time I was there! Other excitement includes another visit to see the piggies.

The biggest thing I’m excited about it visiting a goat dairy farm! We went many years ago and I remember trying delicious goat cheese. Plus-RUMINANTS. I think as part of the tour we get to milk them? So pumped!

In terms of my health-my stomach is mostly healed but not 100%. There are still times were I feel super dizzy and nauseous, and tums/pepto still has to come everywhere with me just in case. Luckily, at this point it seems these episodes are mostly linked to certain foods. Which can be frustrating, but I’m trying to be better about figuring out what foods and how to better avoid them The list of things that makes me sick includes dark chocolate, onions, mexican food, tortilla chips, wheat, too much sun butter, too much fatty food. The list goes on. I really do feel like some of this is temporary and won’t affect me in time when I’m fully healed, but we’ll see. In the meantime, I’m sticking to gluten free-all of these breads I make with gluten free flour, and you’d never know it. It seems to be even less noticeable with pumpkin bread than banana bread too.

Which FINALLY brings us to the recipe! I wanted to make sweet potato bread, but couldn’t find the recipe I used in the past so I figured, why not try my own hand at it? Like I’ve said before-I’ve tried very hard to screw up my basic banana bread recipe so I might was well try a little bit harder!

Sweet Potato Bread

Ingredients

1.5 cups mashed, cooked sweet potato or yam

1 c flour

1/3 c milk

2 bananas, mashed

2 T oil (I used avocado)

1 egg

1 T vanilla

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/4 c honey (can add more-to taste)

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

Optional: 1 T orange juice (I wanted to moisten it and in full honesty the only citrus we had was a tangerine so I just used the juice from that)

cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix wet ingredients well, then add dry ingredients.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top (this just makes it pretty!)
Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This dense bread is the perfect segway between summer and fall. It’s a dense, warm bread but doesn’t quite have the kick of fall spices.

What is your favorite quick bread? What should I experiment with next?

Old Habits/ My Puppy is Growing Up

Date: August 5, 2015

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

So I know I haven’t blogged much lately. Part of it has been business, part of it has been I feel like I don’t have that much new to contribute! Either way, despite my hiatus, I’m still in the habit of taking food pictures, so I thought I would share some of them, because why not?

These are spinach and cheese pupusas, and I’ve been sort of obsessed lately. They come frozen, and are basically spinach and cheese in a cornmeal shell.

Super simple dinner: BBQ chicken, spanish style rice, and green beans cooked in the same style as my garlic roasted broccoli.

Lunch at Le Boulange-salad with balsamic, chicken, dried cranberries, and gorgonzola.

Chicken and dumplings with a salad on the side.

I’m obsessed with this salad-I actually have it for lunch most days. Chicken, goat cheese, dates, nectarine, tossed in a champagne vinaigrette.

Funfetti pancakes with the family. For the pancakes I just did the banana+and egg trick in the blender and threw in some oats.

Cooking Light’s lemon parmesan risotto, with a salad on the side. The awesome thing is that this recipe is made entirely in the microwave, so it’s half the work on regular risotto!

Last weekend I went out to brunch with my friends. I got an egg white omelette with turkey burger, spinach, and cheddar inside (topped with avocado of course!).

That evening, I went to a Latin restaurant with friends and got delicious salmon over rice.I loved the fruit salsa on top!

Another Cooking Light gem was this lemon marinated chicken, with a side of feta rice. Super fast and simple, but so flavorful!

I’m obsessed with figs. Don’t you love summer?

Now-puppy picture overload!

Nectarine and Date Salad with Feta

Date: July 8, 2015

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Hello! I hope everyone’s week is going well! Today, I’m sharing a recipe with you all which basically what I’ve been having for lunch every day at work, so stick around until the end of the post!

I started work at 7am today, so a quick breakfast was in order. Cherries+polenta+Luna bar. I probably eat too many bars, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I currently have a healthy alternative baking in the oven which is a total experiment so we’ll see how that turns out!

I didn’t get to have lunch until 1:30, so I was pretty ravenous and tired by then! Lunch was a salad with dates, nectarines, chicken, and feta (recipe at the bottom).

Plus Mary’s crackers.

I’m trying not to get froyo at work more than once a week, but since I was so hungry, I had a small cup with blueberries.

After working the rest of the afternoon, I had a quick snack before Crossfit. A random bar I found that didn’t haven anything I’m allergic to (i.e. nuts-which nearly every bar has), a banana, and a couple of pieces of these freeze dried apple/raspberry balls.

Crossfit was good, but my hip has been bothering me lately when I squat for some reason, so I’m trying to be gentle to it. I worked on power snatches (not landing in a full squat), and did very shallow overhead squats in the WOD which was 12 minutes of overhead squats, push press, and push ups on the minute with an increasing rep scheme. Not a crazy intense one, but I got a good shoulder burn!

Dinner was a few Cooking Light recipes from the Cooking Light app. The app is so convenient-they even make meal pairings with main dishes and sides, and it’s easy to scroll through different recipes based on their principle component (like poultry). Today, we had BBQ chicken which I ate over a piece of gluten free bread, coleslaw, and mashed sweet potatoes with sage and browned butter.

For a little something sweet after dinner, I had a little sunflower seed butter and raspberry jam on gluten free bread.

Now-recipe time!

Date Nectarine Salad

Ingredients:

For the salad:

8-10 oz grilled chicken breast, chopped

1/2 c feta

2-3 nectarines, chopped

about 15 pitted dates, chopped

3 large handfuls of lettuce

For the dressing (adapted from Cooking Light)
3 T white wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 T minced shallots
1 T fresh chopped parsley
1 t Dijon mustard
1/8 t salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed

Mix up the dressing, and then toss it all together!

Serves 3

My Life: Puppies, Vet, Food

Date: July 6, 2015

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

What has been going on lately leaving me such little time to post? This one is part of it! She’s quite the handful. Fortunately, I think we’re starting to get through the worst of the biting phase, but it’s still a work in progress. She started puppy school a couple of weeks ago, and already knows come, sit, down, and shake. She’s a bit headstrong though, and still somewhat easily distracted. She listens to every word we say, and cocks her head to the side when she doesn’t know what we’re saying or if she hears a new noise. She puts her tongue and mouth on everything, and anything is fair game to be chewed on. The weird thing is she really likes licking feet and ankles. She’s also started jumping up to put her front paws on all the furniture. It’s only a matter of time before she’s stealing food from counters!

Work at the vet has been going really well, and I really like my job. That said, it’s basically my entire life right now, to the point that I have dreams about it every night.

And finally, food. Because I’m home, food is a lot more interesting! Last Sunday, I went to another Giant’s game with my mom and got cauliflower flatbread.

And a hot fudge sundae. YUM.

Oh, and a sunburn. Look at what a beautiful day it was in SF though!

Other notable and colorful meals?

A teriyaki bowl with asparagus. Quick and easy.

An egg white scramble with spinach, nutritional yeast, and lemon thyme salt, plus oatmeal and an amazing nectarine. My friend who lives on an orchard visited me again last weekend!

My current go-to work lunch. Recipe coming soon!

Eggs with brown rice/quinoa blend, plus a nectarine for breakfast.

Cooking Light Asian Lettuce Cups with mint snow peas, plus brown rice/quinoa.

A post-workout protein smoothie into which I accidentally dumped a third of the container of dark chocolate cocoa powder, hence the intense color. The smoothie was half cocoa powder, and the other half was a frozen banana, soy milk, a pinch of protein powder, and a handful of spinach.

Froyo at lunch at work. Want to hear something terribly sad? I realized I’m allergic to one of my favorite froyo toppings! Apparently the last ingredient in Heath bars is almonds. On the one hand, this makes me really sad that I won’t be able to enjoy Heath in my froyo any longer, but on the other hand, I’m glad I have an explanation to why I was having a significant mystery allergic reaction. Boo.

Brown rice+my copycat SweetGreen salad-watermelon and feta!

A very pale but delicious dinner. Cooking Light’s lemon marinated grilled chicken, rice with feta and spices, and frozen then baked cauliflower with Greek seasoning blend.

A simple breakfast of eggs, and blueberries/a tiny banana with sun butter.

And finally:

The Primavera salad from Le Boulanger with no nuts and added chicken!

What’s the best thing you ate last week?