Death by Chocolate

This post is grossly overdue (it was supposed to be written on Superbowl Sunday). But hey, better late than never right?

Truth be told, my mind has been restricted to legal analysis and existential thoughts. I have been focusing on getting back into law-school mode--believe me, it's easier said than done after a month of enjoyable holidays--while at the same time planning for my first summer as a "lawyer." On the one hand, at the end of the day I'm still hungry and inclined to share my thoughts; on the other, I'm still a first-year law student anxious to reach that time of the day/night when I can slump on my couch and watch Netflix. And let me tell you, that time seldom comes as soon as planned for.

That is my lame excuse for disappearing from the blogosphere.

Now moving onto something more cheerful...

I've been thinking (seriously) about getting a dog.

I know what you're going to say, If you don't have time to cook dinner and write about it, how are you going to have time to care for a dog? There's a lot of merit to that question--probably more than I'd like to admit--but at the same time, a dog will bring me something that not even the most delicious piece of my favorite dish can bring me. Yes, I'll probably be extremely stressed and tired for the first few weeks (or months). And yes I'll likely regret my decision once or twice (or thrice). But I'll also have a happy and cheerful companion; I'll have the company of a charming, cute, cuddly friend; and most importantly, I'll have a perfect roommate (provided I pick the right breed!).

Anyways... something to think about.

And now the food. Here is the recipe to quick, yet delicious, chocolate peanut butter chip cookies.  The recipe is very simple and you'll likely have all ingredients--maybe not the peanut butter chips--at home. So they are the perfect chocolate (and PB) fix.

Chocolate Nut Butter Cookies (adapted from King Arthur Flour)
Active time: 20 minutes; total time: 30 minutes + cooling.
Makes about 3 dozen.

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened,
• 1/4 cup smooth nut butter (I used almond butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips (and a few chocolate chips!)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the sugars, butter, and nut butter until well combined and mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg, and water. 
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture and blend well. Fold in the peanut butter chips. 
5. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared sheets and flatten each cookie into a 1/2-inch thick round.
6. Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Let Me Try This (Marathon Training) Again.

Well hello there blogosphere! It feels good to be back.

In case you were wondering, I've been absent due to moving, travels and endless meals cooked for me (instead of by me). Nonetheless, I've missed the kitchen and it was just a matter of time until I returned.

Once again, I'm training for a marathon--hoping to complete the training this time sans injury--and trying to eat better in the hopes that I'll achieve my "racing weight" (see Matt's book for reference). For that reason, I've found myself scouring the interwebs in search of healthy, yet yummy, recipes. Keep in mind that I'm back in Mexico (see previous posts about moving away from Boston), so some ingredients listed in the multiple recipes I've pinned are hard to find. For instance, unsweetened applesauce. Don't ask me why, but us Mexicans apparently don't consume unsweetened applesauce--maybe that's why we top the fat countries list? So, for recipes like the one below, I had to make my own applesauce.

Regardless, I'll keep searching for healthy recipes and post experiments from my runner's diet. I hope you enjoy my journey (for the second time) into marathon training nutrition (sort of).

Peanut & Almond Butter Protein Muffins (adapted from Veggie and the Beast)
Makes 12 muffins.
Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes + cooling

• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup oats
• ¼ cup flaxseed
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup natural unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup almond butter
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 packets Stevia
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 375F (180 C); line (or grease) a 12-muffin pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, stir together the applesauce and peanut butter. Mix in the honey, sugar, egg, and vanilla, and then stir in the greek yogurt.
4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mix and stir to combine. Divide batter among 12 muffin holes.
5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool completely before storing and store in airtight container. 

Three years and a cookie

So here is what's happening in my life: my junior-year classes are finished and I still have not gotten accustomed to my semester. How is that even possible? Well, when time flies, that is what happens.

I cannot believe that almost three years ago I moved to Boston. I was a shy high-school graduate looking for a new life; a quiet teenager trying to manage in a pool of four thousand other freshmen. Yeah, the girl who asked everybody she met for their phone number in a desperate attempt to make connections, that was me.

Fast forward a couple of months and I suddenly started developing real friendships. I befriended my future roommate in November (I think) and my current group of friends after that. Then came second semester and my life changed a lot. I went from going to bars and clubs to partying in my friends' dorm rooms. Don't get me wrong, it was lots of fun, but it was a big change.

Sophomore year I moved off-campus and thought of myself as an independent adult. Ha ha. Anyways, now it's the end of junior year and I've been blogging for more than a year. Who would've thought.

In the spirit of nostalgia I decided to try a modern take on a childhood favorite: PB & J cookies. They actually taste like the sandwich, but sweeter and cuter. They are also more complicated than spreading some peanut butter on toast and topping it with jelly, but they are worth the work.

PB & J Cookies (adapted from Sweet & Skinny)

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated Splenda or sugar
• 3 tablespoons liquid egg substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Strawberry or grape jelly for filling (about 1/4 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, butter and sweetener on medium speed until mixture is blended, about 3 minutes.
4. Add egg substitute and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes. Scrape the sides with a spatula. Add dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated, about 1 minute.
5. Set aside 1/2 the dough. Roll the remaining half into 15 balls. Using your thumb or index finger, press a hole into the center of each ball to create a bowl. Fill each hole with 1/2 teaspoon jelly.
6. Place the saved dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap until it 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 1 1/2-inch squares and press a fork to create crosshatch marks. Wet the fork slightly to prevent sticking.  Lay one cookie top on top of filled cookies; press the sides gently to close. 
7. Bake cookies until dough is no longer shiny, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies onto wire rack and cool completely.

Healthy Cookie

I hate being sick. I know everybody does, but I really do despise it. I am not the kind of person who can just sit and wait in her apartment all day long. Let alone for 3 days in a row!
I am sick of being sick. 
That being said, as my cough begins to die out, I can finally take baking into consideration again. Don't get me wrong, its not like I haven't been browsing through food blogs dying to make almost everything I see these past few days; but I couldn't muster up the energy to cook and I didn't want to spread my germs.
Anyways, today I decided to bake some "healthy cookies." I took the recipe from the Boston University Sargent Choice website. The recipe boasts a few "nutrition notes" that make the cookies even more appealing to my nutrition-obsessed self.

• Flour reduced by 1/2 and replaced with oats.
• Salt reduced by 1/2
• Butter replaced with peanut butter and olive oil
• Sugar reduced by 1/2
• Chocolate reduced by 2/3

Whole Grain Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Sargent Choice)

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 ¼ cups quick cooking oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
• 3/8 cup granulated sugar
• 3/8 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or mini chocolate chips)
• 1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt in small bowl.  Beat oil, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl until creamy.
2.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets.

Simplest Cookie Ever

There's one cookie recipe I know by heart, and it is by far the easiest cookie you will ever come across; not to mention it tastes great. So here is the recipe for my peanut butter cookies.

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar (1/2 brown; 1/2 white if you want)
• 1 egg

1. Mix ingredients together.
2. Make balls of about 1.5 inches and place on cookie sheet. Press a fork into each cookie perpendicularly so as to form a checker-like pattern.
3. Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.