Kitchen and Bathroom Updates!

With all of my posts about food, I'm sure y'all know where my favorite place in a house is.... drumroll...the kitchen! So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that the kitchen was getting fitted in this past week. Excitement doesn't really grasp my actual emotions - thrilled, exhilarated, in a tizzy of joy, passionate, hysterical - all of those together.

Basically it's like this - surprises are my favorite thing in the world, and the kitchen is my favorite place to be. I haven't seen any of the finished products because I have refused to look - I can't bear to ruin a good surprise! So I finally decided to venture over...best day ever!

Here is a sneak peak as the work gets done, there is dust everywhere, so please ignore it.

The bar area got the same soapstone as the kitchen, talk about beautiful. I don't know what to look at, the cabinets or the counter! The wood for the kitchen and bar is a mix of butternut and black walnut. Both were trees that were found in Mike's parents yard at their house in Canton - so smart of them to save it.

Surprise! We have a beverage refrigerator for the bar! I had long forgotten about the addition of this guy, but oh boy am I pumped for properly cooled beverages.

Mike quickly reminded me that he's the beverage drinker of the family, so it will most likely be full of beers carefully chosen for his palate. No need to go getting all territorial on me, I just like to brew and taste beers, not actually drink a full bottle.

I'm still not over the wood and the hardware on the cabinets. It's so rustic and industrial, yet homey and friendly. Sigh, perfection.

And look at that nice big counter for prepping and serving! And a big farmhouse sink - things I have always wanted and thought I'd have to sell my soul and happiness for a job that would afford me these things. Thank goodness I was wrong.



And here is a view to see where the fridge and freezer are going to go, and then to the left will be some cabinets and the coffee machine. Think we will have enough food to put in the separate refrigerator and freezer? My money's on yes.



Up close and personal - you can really see the wood and handles...oh gosh I can't wait.



The crown molding tops off the finishing touches...to me finishing touches means we're almost there.



And just in case you were worried, because I know I was, yes the dishwasher has a dish warming setting. So for all of those 10 course meals I plan to cook for friends, don't worry, the dishes will be warm.



We made some progress between the first time I snapped pics and the second - the dishwasher is in and the doors are on!



The upstairs bathroom is getting there too. I picked out a trough sink to bypass the issue of only having one drain hole but still wanting 2 faucets for the master bath/2nd floor bath. And the cabinet that it's going with is another piece of art. I love wood, have I mentioned that?

We went with a darker wall color knowing that all of the trim would be white, and the marble is a bright white, with hints of grey. The pictures aren't that great, so sorry for that. Very poor lighting, being in a rush, and snapping pics at dusk doesn't make the best combination apparently.

 As much as I love people and great company, I've realized how much I value my own personal space, and some good ole quiet time. Good things come to those who wait, so I will keep on waiting!

Chemex Coffee Maker

For Christmas I was gifted a 6-cup Chemex coffee maker, and I am just now getting around to using it. I know what you're thinking, how could I call myself a lover of all things coffee and not want to immediately try using it?! 

I have no answer for you, I'm embarrassed enough. But I will say it's pretty much the best thing that has happened to me since learning how to do a pour over. 

A pour over is perfect when you just want to make one cup, but that's not always the case. The Chemex definitely takes the spotlight when I need to make coffee for more than one person (or multiple cups for myself). It's basically a super sized pour over, and let's be honest, I normally need more than one cup of coffee :).

The filters can be found at some specialty stores, not your average grocery store. I found these particular ones at Crate and Barrel, but they are on Amazon for about the same price - chemex coffee filters.

It's ready to make some magic! Tare your scale so you can keep track of the amount of water you pour in. This time I used about 64 grams of coffee and 710 grams of water, to make enough for a little more than 2 cups.

Just like for a pour over, let the coffee bloom first. Blooming coffee for a pour over or Chemex is easy, you pour just enough water to wet the grounds and ideally, not have anything drip out yet. Pour your water in the middle, about the size of a quarter, and then let it sit for 30-45 seconds. 

Why? Simply to let the grounds breathe. There are vents on coffee bags to let CO2 escape, to let the grounds "degas". When hot water hits freshly ground coffee, the rate of degassing increases and the grounds will noticeable puff up, pushing water away from them. If water doesn't touch the grounds, then you won't get good extraction, and you won't have good coffee. So bloom your coffee people!

After blooming, pour away! Keep the same circular motion that you use for a pour over, ensuring that all grounds are getting wet.

The heat from the water is fogging it up, but it just adds to the excitement of waiting for me. 

When you're done, remove the filter and toss it (or keep your grounds and sprinkle them on your garden dirt if you are looking to increase the acidity of the soil).

Use the little spout for pouring. This vessel makes me feel like I'm a greek goddess pouring from an urn or something...I don't know why, but it made me happy so I'm going to run with it. PS - the mugs I found at Crate and Barrel too, only $3.95 each!

And after pouring a full cup, look how much I have left over! I could even consider sharing! Luckily there was no one around, so I didn't have to waste any time wrapping my mind around this option.

Happy brewing!

Protein Bar review: OhYeah Victory Bar

As you probably have guessed by now, I love a good protein bar in my life. Yes, I would rather be eating my own, knowing that every ingredient is Lindsey approved, but sometimes that just can't happen. 

And because of this, I still love to spend an laughable amount of time perusing the protein bars in grocery stores. Because I know you're wondering, my process is this:

- I start at one end of the aisle, and pick up the first protein bar that I would possibly consider purchasing.

- I read the ingredients and then pick up another protein bar to compare.

- I compare things like protein amounts (I prefer higher), calories (between 150-250), sugar (between 3-10 grams, depending on calories), fat (I prefer lower 3-7 grams), and then the specifics on things like protein sources, sugar sources, and overall ingredients.

- As I find the winner, I will put back the loser and then pick up another and start the process all over again. 

Sounds SO fun right?! Maybe you'll try it one day. But really, I can't attempt making protein bars without trying other ones - so I like to chalk it up to research and development.

Anyways, the other day I found the Victory bar by OhYeah! Nutrition at my local Vitamin Shoppe. I hated spending $2.60 on one protein bar, but I "needed" something before work and I was intrigued by the nutrition facts.

First, 200 calories. In my opinion this is the perfect size for a protein bar. That way I can enjoy it alone or pair it with some raw vegetables and call it a meal. 

Second, 21 grams of protein. That's quite a lot for a 200 calorie protein bar - so it caught my eye.

Third, 20 grams of dietary fiber. This was the biggest stand out, most protein bars aren't worried about fiber, and they usually don't have more that 4 or 5 grams. 

Fourth, 8 grams of sugar. Now, that's nearing the higher end of my standards, but I was willing to let it slide for all of the other things it had going on. I'm not sure why the fitness industry insists on thinking that all of these people who trying to be fit and watch what that eat need sugar in the protein bars. In my opinion, quit putting sugar in the bars and you will be in high demand. Do so see what these body builders, fitness competitors, and other health enthusiasts do to themselves as far as eating and discipline? I think we'd all be ok if it didn't taste like a piece of candy.

Fifth, the size! Most 200 calorie bars are smallish, and they don't feel like you're really eating anything portion wise. This one has at least a few inches on most other protein bars in the 200 calorie range - size does matter for protein bars, at least for me anyways. 

I was too quick to eat it and didn't snap a pic - I borrowed this from Moms RUN this town. If you don't like my review, you can hop over there and see what they think too!

Now, the texture was interesting - something I wasn't expecting. The bar is bendy, like a thick playdoh, and it doesn't have a crunch or crumbly aspect to it at all. I actually don't mind that - if I want crunch I can eat some celery. Post eating, I felt full and satisfied, and I stayed that way for about 3 hours (not that I would wait more than 3 hours to eat again, that's just silly).

I won't pay over $2.50 for the bar again though, so off I scurried to Amazon for better deals. And there it was! A box of 12 chocolate chip cookie dough Victory bars for only $18.28 -- that's only $1.53 per bar! Not too shabby, plus I have Amazon Prime so it was free 2-day shipping. Winning.

They have 4 flavors: almond vanilla, chocolate chip cookie dough, fudge brownie, and peanut butter chip. I have tried chocolate chip cookie dough and peanut butter chip so far... and so far so good!

Homemade Gummies

Sour patch kids, gummy bears, swedish fish, sour gummy worms. Sometimes I just need a little gummy love in my life. A few years ago I tried making homemade gummies, but that was before I liked to take pictures of my food and then share it with the internet world. And this is one that definitely needs to be shared!

It only takes about 5 minutes to prep and as little as 3 ingredients to whip up - then about within 20 minutes you have your very own gummies!

Homemade Gummies
If made according to my recipe, these treats are gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo. Feel free to use a vegetarian friendly gelatin - and then let me know how it goes!

Gather these things:
    Dry
- 5 T of of Knox gelatin, or 6 packets
   Wet
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup of fruit - I used a frozen berry blend from Trader Joe's, but any raw or frozen fruit will do.

Directions:
- Combine fruit and lemon juice in a saucepan, turn heat to medium-high and simmer until fruit is soft and can be easily blended.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Or don't today I was eager and skipped this step, but I know my Vitamix can handle it.
- Dump mixture in blender, turn on low.
- Add gelatin 1 Tbsp or 1 packet at a time. Allow it to blend until smooth before adding next one.
- Once all gelatin is added, blend until smooth.
- Immediately pour mixture into a pan to cool, you can speed up the process by sticking it in the fridge or freezer (if you haven't let the mixture cool and you stick it in the freezer, you could have condensation build up on top...it won't hurt it, it will just freeze your gummies and then you will have to let them thaw before cutting - all prolonging the process of eating them. Not a best practice in my book).
- Cut into shapes of your choice - I almost did hearts in the spirit of Valentine's Day, but didn't have the patience :).
- Eat!!



As I was making, I got to thinking - there are so many things you can add to this recipe to take it to a whole new level! I included a few things I would consider adding in my pictures, and here are some more:

1. Add a caffeine AND flavor kick with some Mio Energy, and with no added calories....which led me to number 2...
2. Add your favorite pre-workout powder to the mix and then you don't have to carry a big shaker bottle without - just bag of gummies that are easy to eat on the go/in the car
3. Add a flavor punch with some herbs - I added basil to one of my recipes today, but couldn't really taste it - I think I needed more than 4 leaves.
4. Crystal Light packets anyone? Aren't there alcoholic beverage flavored ones now? It could be like you're drinking a mojito at work! I wonder if I could add alcohol to these. Oh man back to the kitchen for me.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I love gummies enough that I would probably try them all :).

Combine your lemon juice and fruit of choice in a small saucepan.

Then blend away! Can you tell I didn't wait for it to cool? Still steaming!

Prep your gelatin for easy and continuous pouring - I dumped the 6 packets into a bowl that I could easily hold.

Then slowly pour.

Once you have poured - give it a little time to blend together. I'm not sure what a mouthful of Knox gelatin would taste like, but I would hate for you to find out the hard way.

Have that pan ready and waiting, the gelatin will start to congeal fairly quick.

Throw it in the fridge or freezer and then take it out when it feels stiff to the touch. I would say it probably feels like a fake boob, but I'm not sure what those feel like.

I sliced mine into 13 rows and 13 columns, but feel free to get creative with shapes and sizes!

Yum! Gummies make me happy - it feels like I'm indulging, but it's actually a pretty balanced snack when you look at the numbers - 45 calories, 8g protein, 7g carbs, 4g sugar for about 30 pieces.

Candy for those who don't want to cut out the candy :). Enjoy!

Homemade Gummies

Servings: about 6 - this is for 30 pieces per serving (about 170 pieces, mine were cut 13 x 13 )

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Knox Original - Gelatin, Unflavored, 6 Envelope	120	0	0	48	0	0
Trader Joe's - Very Cherry Berry Blend Frozen Fruit, 1 cup	90	22	0	1	5	16
Lemon juice - Raw, 1 cup	61	21	0	1	2	6

Total:	271	43	0	50	7	22
Per Serving:	45	7	0	8	1	4

No-Bake Mint Chocolate Protein Bars

I derailed my protein bar train for awhile, but today it was time to get back on track. Why now? Well, mainly because I had purchased some protein powder and I couldn't bear to drink in a smoothie, so it had been sitting around gathering dust. It was too chalky for the minimal ingredients I normally include in my smoothies - so time to get creative!

It was the Garden of Life RAW protein powder, the original flavor. I had never bought it before and I normally buy vanilla flavored ones, but they only had original or chocolate. How bad could original be? Just add a little vanilla extract and I'll be good to go, right? Well, wrong. The lack of flavor combined with the VERY sandy texture just didn't cut it for my smoothies. So, today I re-purposed and put it into this no-bake protein bar.

No-Bake Mint Chocolate Protein Bars
If you make this according to my recipe, it will be vegan and dairy free.

Gather these things:
   Dry
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup almonds (or any nuts)
- 3/4 cup Garden of Life RAW protein powder (or protein powder can go here, but texture and amount of liquid will differ. If you use a whey or egg white protein powder, these will be paleo approved)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup puffed kamut (any puffed cereal will do, to make it gluten-free, try puffed rice)
   Wet
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup almond milk (if you use a different protein powder, start with 2 Tbsp of milk and add as your mixture blends...this protein powder happens to need a little more liquid)

Directions:
- Line a pan with plastic wrap, I used a 7"x11" pan, but choose based on how many bars you want/how thick you want them.
- Put dates in food processor and blend until they are the size of dried beans.
- Add almonds and blend mixture until finely ground.
- Add all ingredients except puffed cereal. Blend until mixture forms into a sticky ball.
- Dump mixture into a mixing bowl and added puffed cereal. Mix with hands until incorporated.
- Place mixture into pan, put a piece of plastic wrap on top of mixture and press until you have the thickness you want.
- Cut into as many bars as you desire - I did about 20.
- Eat!!

Before and after, poor dates!

Add the almonds to the mix, then blend away.

Dump everything else in. I like super dark chocolate so I used Hershey's special dark cocoa powder. This is actually a really great price - cocoa powder is running about $4 a can and this is only $2.98! And I have amazon prime, so free 2 day shipping for me!

A big, mint chocolate, sticky ball of goodness. High in protein too, my favorite way to start the morning. Hah.

Add your puffed cereal of choice once your batter has formed. I definitely underestimated the thickness of the batter...it broke my spatula. Hence why you should mix with your hands, I learned the hard way for y'all. You're welcome. 

Next time I will probably leave out the puffed cereal - it didn't add much to bar and it went stale/soft fairly fast. I'm thinking cacao nibs, or a chopped nut of some kind will hold up better next time. 

Then roll them out to the thickness you want. I wanted mine to be around 80 calories so I could eat it with my coffee before I workout in the morning. I don't love eating before my workouts in the early AM, but I have been lifting in the morning (rather than cardio, since I have weights in my house and no treadmill), and I have found I need just a little something so I can make it through.

Cut to desired size and package up for the week! I'm keeping mine in the freezer because there's something so satisfying about a cold, mint chocolate treat. It's almost like ice cream! Ok not really, but if you close your eyes, the flavors are there. 

Recipe name

Number of servings

Serves  people

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Sun Maid - Dried Pitted Dates, 1 Cup (40g)	440	120	0	4	0	84
Garden of Life - Beyond Organic Raw Protein Powder - Vanilla, 4.5 scoop (23 g = scoop)	405	5	0	77	0	0
Trader Joes Nuts - Almonds Raw (W/ Potassium), 1 cup	640	24	56	24	0	4
Hershey's - Cocoa Special Dark Powder, 25 g (1 Tbsp)	50	15	3	5	325	0
Trader Joes - Almond Milk Vanilla Unsweetened, 0.35 cup	14	1	1	0	63	0
Arrowhead Mills - Organic Puffed Kamut Cereal, 0.5 cup (15g)	25	6	0	2	0	0

Total:	1,574	171	60	112	388	88
Per Serving:	79	9	3	6	19	4

80 calories, 9g carbs, 6g protein, 3g fat - my ideal ratios for a pre-workout snack! What's your favorite pre-workout snack?