Vanilla Creamer for coffee (sweetened with stevia)

Good morning everyone!

I will be traveling soon, and of course I was up til 2 am last night packing and organizing my things! Why does packing take so long?! No matter how much in advance I know I’m going to travel, I always underestimate how long it will take to pack. Maybe it’s because I like to play beauty parlor before I go, and wash my hair, shave, do my nails, etc? You know what I am talking about, right? I like being organized and ready to take on the world when meeting new people and going to new places! And that usually means getting decent rest,  bringing all the toiletries I need, and painting my nails.

One thing I do loathe about traveling is not having a gym. I’m traveling to California, which means no gym or weight machines in my foreseeable future.

I also don’t have all of my fave homemade goodies, like this homemade vanilla creamer.

 

I love the idea of having a creamer around that is as sweet as Coffeemate, but without the sugar! I also love using stevia because of its purported health benefits (lowering blood sugar). Cheers!

Vanilla Creamer

• 2 cups half and half (or full fat coconut milk, if going dairy-free)
• 5 tbsp stevia
• 3 tbsp vanilla extract
• Nutmeg and cinnamon, to taste (1/8 tsp, maybe?)

In a small sauce pan, heat the half and half on low heat. As the half and half warms up, add the stevia and spices and whisk til mixed. Take the half and half off the burner, and store in an airtight jar in the fridge.

Sugar & Spice Vanilla Creamer (dairy free, and perfect for Fall!)

Hey all,

I know I’ve been woefully absent, and I’m sorry! Things have been crazy with all the recent repairs we had to do here. Remember how our electricity was turned off? It turns out our electric company mixed up the meters in our building, which means they’ve been charging us for the wrong meter for MONTHS. Crazy, right? They said they’d rectify our billing, but I’m skeptical. Our Electric company seems to have really made a mess of things.

Nothing else new here– I’m actually feeling great! Pinup perfect!

I started taking Chinese Ginseng (along with my million other supplements), and I’m positive it’s giving me more energy. I’m also allowing myself one to two cups of coffee in the day. I actually think coffee makes me feel great…to a point. When I drink more than one and a half cups of coffee or so, I definitely feel it, and I don’t mean that in a good way.

Admittedly, I have had one bad incident so far– I’m experiencing a new symptom. At the doctor’s, I noticed that my blood pressure was 98/72, which is Normal/Low. That’s not quite low (low is 90), but not quite normal (normal is 110-115). Later in the week, I went to the gym for the first time in a month. I must have overworked myself, because as I was doing resistance training, I felt myself feel faint. As in, I became dizzy and had to concentrate not to faint! I also felt a little nausea and vertigo. It took me about 30 minutes not to feel weird. Strange, right? I’ve never experienced anything like that before! I had only drank coffee that morning before the workout, and I think that may have had something to do with it. Note to oneself: don’t overdo it at the gym, and remember to eat breakfast. (I know better than that!)

Speaking of coffee, I’m in love with a new creamer that I made! As you all know, I love coffee. I’ve also tried to cut any fake sugar out of my life, except for stevia. Ugh! But I’m stuck on my aspartame coffee creamer. The only creamy, low calorie creamer (1 tbsp=15 calories) I can find is Coffeemate’s Vanilla Sugar-free Creamer. I’ve drank this stuff for years, and it’s made with apartame, of course. With my new lifestyle changes, I’ve decided to try my hand at making my own creamer at home with stevia. Why not give it a go, right? I saw Danielle’s great recipe for a French Vanilla Dairy-free Creamer on her blog Against All Grain (which is based in San Francisco, you know how I miss California!), and I knew I had to adapt her creamer! I made a few changes to her recipe: I used stevia and light coconut milk to lower the sugar and fat content of the creamer, I added a thickening agent and simmered the creamer for longer to thicken the overall product, and I added a cinnamon stick and Pumpkin Pie Spice because I love my coffee sweet with a slight spiciness! I also added just a touch of maple syrup and honey to give the creamer scant undertones of honey and maple. Honestly, this Creamer would also be delicious as a dairy-free, Fall-inspired Hot White Cocoa. Just combine the ingredients (minus the coconut flour) and heat til warm and serve!

Sugar & Spice Vanilla Creamer

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 2 1/2 tbsp stevia
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 shake of Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste)
• 1 tbsp coconut flour (for thickening, you can try other thickening agents, as well!)

Optional:

• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat til boiling. Lower heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, and serve with a cup of joe!

Coffee Alternatives (for Paleo Girls and Wannabes!)

Hey Burlesquers,

I figured out recently that I have to cut down my sugar consumption and enjoy a little less caffeine in my life. That doesn’t mean, however, that I still can’t have fun! I read a great new post called How to Kick Your Caffeine Addiction and Actually Enjoy Your Coffee Again on the blog LifeHacker (an offshoot of Gawker media). The article gives multiple tips and techniques on how to lower or completely eliminate your caffeine/coffee consumption. They also give examples of multiple coffee alternatives, and that included an herbal tea that supposedly tastes similar to coffee called Teeccino. Teeccino is a gluten-free beverage, too.

I thought, “No way could herbal tea taste anything like coffee,” but I was intrigued. I found Teeccino “medium roast” Java on Amazon. com and ordered it for 10 bucks. Could it work? I decided to give it a whirl. I got my favorite mug and single cone filter ready. Apparently, you even brew this like you would coffee!

As I poured the tea out of the canister, I noticed a strong mocha chocolately scent that was very similar to coffee. I also saw how dark the tea looked as it brewed in my single serving filter. Wow!

And then I tasted it….Wow! Teeccino is great, everyone! I completely recommend this as an alternative. My mom tasted it and thought it was a cup of mocha cocoa.

For those of you that have more technical knowledge of tasting, Teeccino has similar undertones of Mocha Java coffee–nutty, chocolately, and medium roast–but you don’t have the same acidic mouth feel as you would when taking a sip of coffee. This means a cup of Java teeccino tastes like a non acidic, more chocolately and smooth cup of slightly weak coffee. Coffee is acidic and sometimes even vibrant (depending on the bean), and you can feel this acidity in your mouth. Teeccino has none of the acid that is rough on your system, but retains all the undertones of coffee. Brilliant! I love it!

Sparkling Cherry-Cinnamon Water

Hey all,

I meant to post to you all much earlier, but I’ve been swamped with work! In between working hours digitizing US  journals and magazines from the turn-of-the-century (one of my summer jobs) and mentoring undergraduates for a Mellon program (my other summer job), I have been trying to get my dissertation prospectus approved! This means I’ve been having to complete multiple drafts of my work while meeting with professors. And, gasp, I haven’t even unpacked some of my moving boxes! Needless to say, I’m a busy bee this month. It should slow down next month, though.

Oh, and I have fun news! Remember when I mentioned that I’d be attending a national symposium for my students and moderating a panel? Well, I am being put up in the Marriott (with all meals paid!!!) by the foundation and, even better, I was able to swing getting Ron invited with all meals paid! I made a deal with them: if Ron helps moderate a 100 student breakfast that I am in charge of, then he can come stay with me in the hotel and will have a pass to the conference with all meals paid! Huzzah! This may not seem like much, but for poor graduate students, a two days stay in a nice, air-conditioned hotel with all meals paid is a sweet deal!

Speaking of sweet deals, this morning has been filled with healthy sweets. I made myself coffee, of course.

Good morning!

Then I decided to make another batch of flavored water. On the menu today? Sparkling Cherry-Cinnamon Water!

I simply cut up a handful of cherries and a small Gala apple, and then added the produce to a jug of sparkling water with a cinnamon stick. The result? A pretty pink drink that’s perfect for summer! This flavored water will never get old! I love it. So fun for the weekends, brunches, breakfasts, or weeknights after a long day.

Ok, I’m off! I actually have another post to share with you, and I need to work on that! Have a great day, y’all!

Sparkling Cherry-Cinnamon Water

Ingredients:

1 plastic jug

1 liter of sparkling water (or plain water)

1 small apple

1 handful of cherries, rinsed and de-pitted

1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

Thinly slice the apple, and rinse, core, and cut in half the cherries. Put at the bottom of your water jug, and add the cinnamon stick. Fill your jug with sparkling water, and then give it a good stir. Let stand for a few minutes before serving. Voila! Fancy drinks at home to feel fabulous!

Day Spa Apple-Cinnamon Water

DIY Home: Apple-Cinnamon Water

Want something low in calories, cool and refreshing, and that’s as easy to make as cutting up an apple? Try this Day Spa Apple-Cinnamon Water by Audrey at Lose Weight By Eating! Ok, I have to admit, I did NOT think this would work. Could an apple and a cinnamon stick really flavor an entire jug of water? Come on!

But everyone, I’m the one eating crow (US slang for eating my words) because this cold water really did taste strongly of apples and cinnamon! I love it! This drink only had to infuse for a few minutes and already the flavors were pronounced! I really recommend making this for yourself or your family. This Apple-Cinnamon Water is low in calories, uses some of her “metabolism-boosting” foods, and is really refreshing. This might be yet another kitchen staple of mine!

Day Spa Apple Cinnamon Water by Audrey at Lose Weight by Eating!

Ingredients:

1 pitcher

1 thinly sliced apple

1 cinnamon stick

water

Directions:

Simply fill one large pitcher with water and add one cinnamon stick and one thinly-sliced apple. You can refill your pitcher three times before you need to switch out your old produce and spice for new.

Peanut butter Oatmeal with an Apple-Almond Milk Smoothie

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

~George Eliot

Quite the inspiring quote, isn’t it? Today is a day of new beginnings. I haven’t been taking care of myself lately– missing the gym, eating poorly, and not sleeping enough. I know better than this, but sometimes it’s hard not to slip into old habits, right? Especially when you’re in the midst of a big event, like moving?  Well, I had trouble sleeping last night, partially because of stress and partially because of not feeling great. You know that feeling you get when you know you’re not taking care of your body? You’re tired, you experience anxiety about mundane things, and you just feel….blah? I experienced that last night, and I woke up early. TOO early. I was tired and feeling a little anxious, and mad at myself for it!

I decided in that drowsy moment that today I would clean up my act. No more staying up late to watch a show! No more extra dessert! Eat more vegetables! Drink more water! Get to work! (And look, I’m already at work!)

When left to my own devices, I am quite the hedonist, but it never makes me feel good in the end. I know this! But sometimes we forget. Or need reminding. I actually found more  inspiration this morning from a new fitness/health blog I found called, “Rabbit Food for My Bunny Teeth.” This woman lost 80 pounds, and she now chronicles her daily adventures in cooking, baking, fitness, and weight loss. Admittedly, I think she is more self-disciplined than I ever want/plan to be, but I think she is adorable, and I really like her balanced eating plan–specifically, her “rabbit food pyramid.”

Rabbit Food Pyramid:

Produce: fruits and vegetables.
Whole Grains: brown rice, quinoa, couscous, whole grain pasta, whole grain breads, whole oats, and whole corn.
Protein: tofu, tempeh, Greek yogurt, cheese, beans, chickpeas, lentils, milk, eggs, turkey, and chicken.
Plant Based Fat: avocado, olives, nuts, and seeds.

She recommends for lunch and dinner, for example, that you eat 2 servings of vegetables, 1 serving of whole grain, 1 serving of protein, 1 serving of plant based fat. For breakfast and a snack, you should eat 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of whole grain, 1 serving of protein, 1 serving of plant based fat. This makes sense! Structuring when you eat your fruit and veggies (to make sure you eat enough!) seems like a great idea. I even decided to base my simple breakfast—Peanut butter Oatmeal with an Apple Almond Milk smoothie– after a sample breakfast she provided. (Her recipe requires cashew butter and soy milk, and I swapped the cashew butter for peanut butter, the soy milk for almond milk, and added cinnamon and vanilla extract.)

I’m going to the gym again today. Considering I still feel sore from Sunday’s workout, I figure I need to start taking care of my body and fueling up! And this breakfast was perfect. Super healthy and fresh with both hearty (oatmeal) and refreshing, sweet elements (Apple-Almond Milk smoothie). I never thought of blending an apple for a smoothie, but it definitely worked! Such a simple idea. And I feel full! Thanks, RFFMBT! You’re my new favorite.

Homemade Mocha Cocoa Mix (sugar free, fat free)

Hey all,

Thank you so much for all of the tips about my cake-in-a-jar dilemma!! After some serious contemplation and fretting (should I do a marbled cake? a yellow cake? neopolitan?), I decided to make my best friend’s yummy Chocolate Kahlua Cake! Ron and I have had this cake before, and we both LOVED it. Why not make it in a jar? I will layer the cake in a jar with spiced/spiked whipped cream, and top it off with chocolate chips or sprinkles. Yum! I even bought ribbon to tie around each jar. I will do a post on this soon!

In other news, today Ron and I began house-sitting for a professor (yes, she lent us her condo for three weeks—we love her!), which meant we went on a grocery store run to stock up. We stopped at one of our favorite grocery stores, Trader Joe’s, and oh my my, I found one of my top five favorite crackers of all time!

Raisin Rosemary Crisps from Trader Joe’s

These crackers are crisp with a sweet, nutty flavor from raisins, flaxseeds and sunflowers seeds. The rosemary also adds a hint of herb. Plus, you can have 12 crackers for 90 calories, and they are made with 6-7 ingredients—no weird preservatives or ingredients I’ve never heard of. Wheat flour! Raisins! Seeds! Salt and pepper! Yay for Trader Joe’s making such a fun, healthy snack. I had these today for lunch with goat cheese and carrots. Mmmmm.

When I was at the store, I also picked up ingredients to make my own instant cocoa mix! I’ve gotten in the habit of drinking Ron’s cocoa mix at his house, and it’s full of sugar! No bueno. I know I can buy pre-packaged “diet” instant cocoa mix at the store to remedy this problem, but I also love the idea of making an instant mix out of mostly stevia, which is a sugar substitute I prefer using over Splenda.

Some of my ingredients for today! I keep my Stevia in this old-fashioned “Snowflake sugar” tin. Fun, right?

I also like being able to control what goes into the cocoa mix and the flavor of it! I went online and found a great sugar-free, fat free homemade mix at “Honey, I shrank myself!” blog. However, I wanted more of a mocha flavor with deeper chocolate notes, cinnamon, and added marshmallows (because I had some on hand). Well, then, looks like I’m making my own recipe for this one!

To make my sugar free, fat free instant Mocha Cocoa Mix, I used instant decaf coffee, instant fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding, dark coca powder, nonfat dry milk, cinnamon, and mini marshmallows.

my mix in a jar!

Because of all the fat free and sugar free ingredients, this mix made with hot water comes out to only 50 calories per 2 tbsp serving! Wooo!  However, I’m going to make my cocoa with half water and half lowfat milk to boost the creaminess factor, which makes it around 100 calories per cup. (I just don’t love non-fat milk. I think it tastes too watery!) I’m also thinking about next time making this mix with a scant amount of brown sugar. (Brown sugar + coffee= a happy BB!) By the way, if you’re looking for a great, 150 calorie low sugar dessert, have a cup of this cocoa with biscotti! I love biscotti because you can find great low sugar kinds that are really delicious! And they’re lovely paired with Mocha Cocoa. Anyway, I’m off to curl up with my mug of goodness! Enjoy!

Happy Easter! Strawberry White Tea Spritzer (with mint)

Good morning, Burlesquers, and happy Easter!

"All happiness for Easter", ChoiceArtwork.com

I hope you all are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the Easter bunny! I am admittedly a little tired. (And I was so productive with work on Friday! Drat!) This weekend, for me, was a bust! I think part of my tiredness must be some of my lifestyle changes– I’m beginning to go to the gym again, and I’m eating better. In fact, I woke up a pound lighter on Saturday! Huzzah! All of my recipes are working! But my body is adjusting, I think, and I need a little perking up.

How to remedy my energy zap? A virgin Strawberry White Tea Spritzer (with mint), of course!

Strawberry White Tea infused with my leftover cucumber, orange, and mint, and some frozen strawberries.

Cucumber-Orange Tea Infused Vodka (with Mint)

As I’ve said before, I’m not much of a drinker. That doesn’t mean, however, I didn’t USE to be more of drinker (Vodka Tonic at a concert, please) or that I don’t like alcohol (the John Daly is delightful).

Absolut Vodka ad, May 2008. This ad imagines the state of California as split between north and south. This gestures not only towards the 19th century California Republic revolt of the north during the Mexican-American war, but also satirizes the present-day cultural differences/tensions between the northern and southern parts of the state.

Now and then I still sit down and have a good, stiff drink. I’m not much of a beer fan, but I do love my hard liquors. My favorites are the clear variety that contain less congeners: gin, vodka, and St. Germain. (If you don’t know, congeners are the toxic byproducts of the fermentation process that cause hangovers, and the darker varieties of alcohol have higher concentrations of these toxins, like red wine, bourbon, brandy, and tequila.) I usually order my favorite liquors with soda water/tonic water and citrus fruit, like lemon or lime. So refreshing!

With that being said, sometime last year I was attending a party and decided to bring fruit-infused alcohol to the festivities (as my potluck contribution). I was unsure how the infused-liquor would taste (and if I could even properly infuse the alcohol), but I decided to be bold and take my chances! I am so happy I did. My friends not only drank all of the fruit-infused hard liquor (they made drinks with tonic water from it), but they also ate all of the fruit right out of the pitcher! (Some sticking their hands right into the pitcher and grabbing the fruit. Maybe they had a few too many drinks?) I am actually going to write up this recipe for my Cinco de Mayo post!

This month, however, I thought I’d include a more spring showers-esque infused-alcohol recipe that includes both herbal and citrus flavors: Cucumber-Orange Tea Infused Vodka (with Mint).

Cucumber-Orange Tea Infused Vodka (with mint). So refreshing!

(Light) Vanilla Chai Greek Yogurt

A new day and a new post, friends!

Yes, my spring fling is over, and I am little sad. My honey and I loved seeing the historical sites in Plymouth and Salem, and through Hotwire, we paid only $80 dollars for a waterfront room at the Radisson Hotel in Plymouth! Gorgeous. We also ate one of the best meals we’ve had in months at a little cafe in Plymouth.