Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s a roundup of my most popular pins this week.

This Pina Colada fruit salad recipe would be a great addition to a summer brunch:

Source: tasteofhome.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Avocado & lime & cantaloupe salad? YES!

 

Source: theppk.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

I have 5,000 lbs. of CSA tomatoes on my counter – this Southeast Asian tomato salad would be a tasty & creative way to showcase them:

 

Source: yumsugar.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 What about carrots? I have a ton of those, too, from my CSA. This duo of shredded carrot salads (one sweet, one savory) is a treat for the eyes, as well as for the palate!

 

Source: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 The addition of corn is an interesting twist on the classic Caprese salad:

 

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 I’d add a can of rinsed & drained pinto beans to this Mexicali raw corn salad with beans & lime to create a light, vegetarian lunchbox item:

 

Source: care2.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

And my most popular workout pin? This rockin’ 5-superset Arms & Abs workout . . . summer’s not over yet, my friends!

 

Source: theleangreenbean.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Enjoy!

P.S. Not following me on Pinterest? That’s just wrong. Find me here!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Hello, sweeties! So much has been going on – good and not-so-great. My daughter’s had all sorts of health issues this summer – nothing too serious, but serious enough to suspend plans and abort vacations and visit emergency departments in two different countries. So needless to say, that’s where I’ve been. And not here. She’s getting sorted out, and now, so am I!

I’ve not been cooking the most imaginative stuff over here, I must admit. And yet, it’s been strangely relaxing to be “off the hook” from blogging new recipes every week. It’s freeing to serve up chicken sausages and sauteed/shredded/sliced/boiled (as in corn on the cob) veg from the CSA share every week and not worry about variety. I’ve been keeping things like hard cooked eggs and cooked quinoa and lentils in my fridge, at the ready, for hearty salads that keep my energy up and my nutrition high.

I’ve been keeping up with my training, too, and although I need to be re-evaluated by my trainer, I can tell you for sure that I’m stronger and leaner than ever, despite the craziness of the last 6 weeks. It’s exciting – and I commend to you the benefits of high intensity interval training . . . I’m doing it about three days a week and I’m in the best shape of my life right now. I even worked out while on vacation – a first for me – and it was great. NO weight gain (I normally gain 5 lbs. on our two week summer vacation) and I just felt better. To add to those, we hiked and biked and walked all over on our vacation – felt great to be active, as opposed to our “usual” summer vacay sitting on the beach all day, every day (which has its merits – I didn’t read nearly the volume of books I intended to this year!).

But I miss you, and I miss creative food and I miss routine. School starts soon and all this will come back into play. The workout schedule will be back (personal training and group training and Pilates and Red Cord and steady-state cardio – hoooooray! I’ll see you soon!) and the Crock Pot will be stewing away on the counter. The CSA will perk along for a few more months, and I’ll again crank out interesting, quick and healthful recipes for ya’ll.

September is all about getting back-on-track and starting fresh – and I wanna know: What would YOU like to see/read/know on the blog in September and beyond? PLEASE leave me a comment and inspire us all!

xo

Sarah

P.S. New collage skilz – like them apples? Learned a couple things at this past weekend’s Healthy Living Summit, thankyouverymuch! Psst, if you click on the collage, you can see it bigger . . . .

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I’ve got a lot of kitchen stuff. Just ask my poor husband who put together a giant Ikea armoire to house extra pie plates, cake pans, cookie cutters, etc. etc. etc. We have a big kitchen with lots of cupboard space, but where to put the 3 (yes, you read that right) waffle irons? The juicer? The panini press? Downstairs.

But what do I actually use on a daily basis? That’s a whole ‘nother story. When push comes to shove, the number of tools I use regularly is pretty small, and I’d argue that you really don’t need too much to have a high-functioning kitchen. I’ve declared a moratorium in fact, on buying new things, and an all-out ban on any one-purpose tool. Here are my top 8 favorites, in no particular order – these are the versions I actually own. If you came into my kitchen right now, you’d see these all here!

Lodge 12″ Cast Iron Skillet: This is probably my number 1 most- used item. It’s for cook-top, for oven (you know I love a good frittata!) and it comes pre-seasoned, so you don’t have to mess with that. What’s more, once you cook with it for a while, it’ll get super-seasoned, such that it’s virtually non-stick. Yes, that’s right. I don’t own any non-stick cookware (Teflon’s evil, in my book) and yet I can prep all the same stuff w/the same lack o’ grease (if I want, remember, some fat is good, and in fact, in some cases, fat helps you absorb the vitamins in your food). I do wash mine with soap and water (this is controversial in the cast iron world) because I don’t want tomorrow’s flapjacks to taste like last night’s curry. But maybe you like curried flapjacks?

Breville Hemisphere Blender: I have a love-love relationship with this thing. I use it at least once a day for my a.m. green smoothie. It’s super-powerful – large chunks of frozen fruit are NO MATCH for this bad boy. It’s mostly glass, so I’m not freaking out about plastics, and it’s easy to clean, too. What’s not to love?

KitchenAid Manual Citrus Juicer: I have this exact one pictured. Got it at Target for $10, I think. It’s orange (I LOVE the color orange) and it’s low-tech and I use it almost every day for juicing fresh lemons, limes and/or oranges. Usually for salad dressing, because as you know, I think it’s a crime to buy the stuff. It’s amazing what a hit of fresh citrus will do for  a dish – this is simple to use and goes in your dishwasher.

Microplane Zester: Speaking of citrus, I use this thing all the time, too. Citrus zest adds great zing to dressings and sauces and adds a bright note to cooked dishes with few, if any, added calories. This is also great for very finely grated cheese – if you want it to melt quickly into your dish, this is the tool for you.

Digital food scale: This is an inexpensive digital food scale, goes up to 5 lbs. and has a tare feature (you can put your plate or bowl on it and then “zero” the scale so you’re then measuring whatever you put in or on that bowl or plate). I use mine all the flippin’ time. Just measured out 7 oz. of cantaloupe this a.m. for my smoothie, in fact. Want to see what 3 oz. of chicken really looks like? This here’s your friend. Whether you’re watching what you eat or not, a digital scale can be a useful kitchen tool – for instance, many serious bakers weigh their ingredients to get more precise measurements . . . this little puppy might help those pastries come out more gorgeous than evah!

Cuisinart: I love this thing. I’ve had mine since 1996. It’s beat up and the white base is yellow-ish. It’s not pretty, but it’s a workhorse and I use it often. I can slice potatoes wafer-thin for holiday gratins, grate a boat-load of cheese in a flash, whip up healthy edamame dips for parties, whirl up big batches of pesto with my CSA basil bounty . . . you can even make bread and pie crusts in this thing. See also: the Mini-Prep by Cuisinart – a mini version of this. Originally purchased to puree foods for baby L., I now use it primarily for chopping nuts and making small amounts of salad dressing.

Chicago Metallic Baking Sheets: Why, oh why do people buy baking sheets coated with non-stick coating? That coating’s toxic, my friends. It has PFOA in it and when you heat it up, it emits a gas that’s not good for you. And if you have pet birds, it’ll kill ‘em. What’s more, it’ll blacken the bottom of your muffin or cookie quicker than a jack-rabbit. Furthermore, most cookies and pastries don’t need to be baked on a greased sheet anyway, ’cause they’re greasy, all on their own. What you want, my friends, is a set of these. They come in lots of different sizes and they’re heavy (heavyweight = even baking) and uncoated and they’ll last you a lifetime. What if you’re feeling the need for non-stick? Zero mess? That’s where aluminum foil and parchment come in. These are worth the investment. I use at least one multiple times per week – from fish sticks to chicken nuggets to cookies to roasting veggies . . . DI uses the big rimmed sheets to prep items to put on the BBQ. Get one, test it. You’ll see.

Pepper Mill: This is my pepper mill. It’s fancy, no? I treated myself to this one, made by Peugeot, a couple of years ago when one D & I’d gotten for our wedding broke. That first pepper mill got me hooked on freshly ground black pepper. Great for adding a certain something to lots of different dishes, and for finishing dishes too. Crack some over salad. Add it to your soups. Lots of bang for zero calories. MUCH better flavor than buying pre-ground pepper. If you want to get really fancy, you can get peppercorn blends for slightly different flavors. And you don’t have to have this Rolls Royce of pepper mills. Target has pepper mills. Walmart does too.

These are just a few of my favorite things . . . as you can see, they’re not all fancy or super high-tech, but they’re multipurpose, sturdy and functional. What’re your top 8 kitchen tools?

{Disclaimer: These reviews are my own, unbiased opinions, and I was not provided with these products to review . . . bought ‘em with my own, cold, hard cash.}

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Sigh. Remember how I mentioned that I was thinking great things? Charting new courses? Breaking new ground? I was restless. Feeling a little bored, frankly. Needed some excitement and something “just for me.”

Well, I should’ve kept my fat trap shut, ’cause I got a whole new project thrown at me recently. A new breast cancer has cropped up. Yes, you read right. No, I’m not joking. But so far it looks small and relatively lame. At any rate, I’m going to be fiiiiine, so please don’t panic on my behalf. But if you’re intrigued, check out my new venture, Be The Weeble. I promise to be as entertaining as I can – and I know that there are a number of you who’re dealing with cancer yourselves, so hey, we might teach each other something new. And I know we’ll all have a few laughs along the way.

Things are progressing, but in most cases, breast cancer’s not a medical emergency, so I don’t have a timeline or answers at this point. Needless to say, I may be doing less cooking than usual, but who then again, who knows?  I’ll certainly keep you posted.

xo

Sarah

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I’ve been gone from here for a while . . . and some of you have taken notice. “What’s up with you?” come the emails, the questions at school, the texts and phone calls.

It’s all been good, friends. There’s no crisis, no health emergency. My mammo was clear, my cholesterol rocks.

No, it’s this: I’ve been taking some time away to evaluate the blog, my involvement with the blog and what I want to do (or not do) with the blog. I’ve also been committed to my Move Into March challenge and to healthy eating, and I’ve lost the 7 lbs. I gained thanks to my arthritis and my vacation. I have been able, for the first time in 2 years, to exercise standing up. I feel great, I’m enjoying myself. I’ve been reading lots, and prepping very simple, very healthful food.

“So what about RECIPES???” “The well is dry!!!” come other emails . . . I love love love that you all depend on the recipes – that this blog serves you so well! I may try posting once a week or so – try to strike a happy medium for us all, but truthfully, I’m really quite preoccupied with thinking up ways to better integrate my passion for healthy living, my love of food and cooking and face-to-face, real-life connections with people like you.

As Tama Kieves says, “If you feel lost, you’re on your way to the miraculous.” I’ll admit it – I have no idea what’s going on yet.  But hang with me, will you? What’s yet to come might be even better than we all could have imagined!

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I’m pasty. And grouchy. Uninspired in the kitchen and in desperate need of some sun and sand . . . so while I take a break to recalibrate and find my mojo, I thought it’d be fun to revisit some of Semi-Sweet’s top posts. Look for them starting tomorrow – I hope you get reacquainted with an old favorite or two, or perhaps find a new one . . . . Bon appétit!

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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It’s the holidays, and for us, that means cookie baking, gingerbread house making, partying with friends and family, and, unfortunately, fatigue.  Despite my best intentions, I’m always “too busy” at this time of year.  I’m so looking forward to that stretch of time between Christmas and New Year’s, when our family unplugs and unwinds for the week . . . jammies ’til noon, lazy lunches of leftovers, puzzles, games, and catching up casually with friends we don’t see often enough.

So I’ve been in a cooking rut, which is why you’ve not seen much that’s inspiring here.  Lots of Crock-Pot items – and while they’re certainly convenient and can be tasty, I’ve never had a knock-your-socks-off meal from the Crock.

But last night I got crazy and tried a new recipe, and it was a winner, I tell you!  I stumbled upon this blog last week, and I’m so excited to keep cooking her recipes.  I happened to have local sweet potatoes, onions and garlic in the house, along with a bunch of cilantro, so this was kismet! This recipe does involve some chopping, so I’d say it clocks in around 45 minutes, but your efforts will be rewarded with a blast of interesting and luscious flavors that’ll make your taste buds stand up and take notice. Trust me.  D. and I both sat back after a forkful and said “wow! this is one of the best dinners we’ve had in a loooong time!”  In fact, we were so hot to dig in, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product – so here’s L’s photo of D’s plate, which was more presentable than mine.

Enjoy!

Chicken With Potatoes, Onions & Cilantro Pesto (adapted from Taste of Beirut)

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (cast iron is great here) and brown the chicken a few minutes on each. Set aside.

Add a little more oil if necessary and fry the onions and potatoes until browned. Add the chicken, along with any accumulated juices and the broth to the skillet, cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes until the veggies are soft and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over low heat and add the mashed garlic and chopped cilantro.  Fry for approximately  one minute, or just until fragrant but not browned.  Add the cilantro pesto to the chicken and veggies and mix.

Taste for seasoning, add salt & pepper as desired.  Add the juice of one lemon and serve.

Serves 4.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Are you a fan of Semi-Sweet on Facebook and Twitter?  If you’re not, you should be – you’ll have access to all manner of “bonus content,” including links to interesting health- and nutrition-related articles, delicious-looking recipes I find, news about goings-on around town, and many days, updates on what I’m eating (you might find something new to try!).  A couple of days ago, I posted some tips for making it through the holidays while still fitting into your skinny jeans, and also about baking cookies.  And a few people commented – surprised comments like “Hey, idiot! The two are incompatible!”

Well I argue they’re not.  I’d describe my diet this time of year as “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” – that is, I sacrifice calories in certain areas so that I can indulge in others, while still avoiding holiday weight gain.  And I also exercise that oh, so elusive word – “moderation.”  So when L. and I baked the Candy Cane Kiss cookies I’m about to tell you about, I had one.  And no BLT’s (batter licks or tastes) while in process.  And the rest of my day was filled with wholesome, low-calorie, healthful foods (but for those few pretzels I had at a board meeting, natch).  You. Can. Do. This. Too.

OK, lecture over – on to the fun stuff!

It’s the official start of one of my favorite holiday pass-times . . . baking cookies.  L. and I kicked off bake-a-palooza 2010 with a great Candy Cane Kiss cookie baking session and they came out beautifully.  This is an easy recipe that’s great to do with kids – if you have those around the house, too.  If you want to make extras, this recipe doubles great, and you can freeze the cookies to eat/give away later.  Just make sure they’re fully cooled, and then use a 9×13 plastic container with a lid (ours are Rubbermaid), and if you’re anal like me, you might want to invest in some super-duper big Ziplocs to put around the containers.  No freezer burn’s going to penetrate your goodies, no-siree.  Wanna see a slideshow of our efforts?  Check it out now, but beware, there’s music.

I’ve laid in my ingredients to do a boat-load of my now-famous rugelach (every faux-Jew’s gotta have a rugelach recipe in her repertoire), some dog biscuits for doggies-not-ours, walnut snowballs (L’s favorite and mine too), sugar cookie cutouts, and probably something with pecans, because I somehow ended up with two bags of them.

I’ll keep you posted as I go along!

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Baking?  In July?  Yes, friends, it was in the low 70′s here in Boston yesterday and I had a couple lovely, fresh zucchini from my Picadilly Farms CSA share.  No one but me in this house’ll eat zucchini as a veg, so I thought I might try the sweet approach.

I used this recipe from Elise Bauer’s super site, Simply Recipes and made it in a 12-muffin muffin pan.

There was a little left over, so I buttered up 2 little ramekins and baked that off.  Before baking, I sprinkled the muffin tops with turbinado sugar, so they’ve got a sweet little crunch to ‘em.  Oh, and I added the optional cup of raisins and chopped walnuts to these puppies, too.  These are nice – moist, nice crumb, not too sweet and they require no special equipment to make (although I confess to grating the zucchini in the Cuisinart – it’s just so fast!).  These are delicious alone, or warmed with a schmear of butter, or a drizzle of honey, or a schmear of butter and and drizzle of honey . . . .

And are you like me?  With a portion control issue with baked goods?  These pups will freeze well.  I intend to put at least a 1/2 dozen into a Ziploc and stow ‘em . . . you can defrost them individually for a treat, or en masse for a get-together. 

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Wow, it’s been a long time since my last post – I’m still here – just immersed in another project.  Two weeks ago, D. and I up and bought ourselves a new house – 3 minutes away from this old house, but in a neighborhood we’ve always coveted and watched since we moved to town.  It was all quite unexpected, so in the last 2 weeks, not only have we purchased a new home but we’ve readied ours for market and started showing it.  Talk about whiplash.  Talk about the need for convenience food!  Especially now that we’re living in the “show home.”  The amount of counter-wiping and surface-clearing required to show your house is horrifying.  Not to mention that you become the “crumb Nazi” to your kid.  I hope L. will still speak to me when this is all over . . . she is irritated by the whole affair, and really?  Who can blame her?  A friend said she knew someone who had her kids eat in the tub when they were showing the house.  That sounds like a great idea to me right now, except we can’t all fit in the tub and L. hates to eat alone.

So we’ve been eating out a lot, and relying on Trader Joe’s a lot . . . each evening, I enter the kitchen and peruse the selection of heat ‘n’ eat options available.  Thank goodness it’s salad season – we’ve been eating a lot of giant salads with TJ’s pre-grilled chicken breasts on top.  And chicken sausages.  And microwave quesadillas.  Grilling will be a good weekend option because then the squirrels can eat up the crumbs.

But today, for the locals, I have a gem.  Fordee’s sandwich shop on Mount Auburn St. in Watertown.  This is so close to my house, and yet I have managed to avoid it for years . . . and now I know why I did – their falafel is freakin’ amazing, peeps!  I’d read raves about it on Chowhound, but now, now that I tried it myself I have to concur and I URGE you to get yourselves there immediamente for a falafel wrap, or falafel on a salad, or a falafel plate . . . . whatever you do, get some falafel in your face.  It’ll cheer you up.  I’m a much better person now because of that falafel wrap.

I’ll be back to Fordee’s during this moving escapade for sure – there are a ton of chicken wraps, gyros, shwarma . . . all your mid-east favorites at this small, family run store (plus burgers, chicken fingers, and the regular sub-shop favorites).

I’ll keep you posted on what we’re eating.  And as soon as we accept an offer on this house, I can mess up the kitchen again regularly . . . and wait’ll you get a load of my new kitchen . . . it’s chock-full of BTUs and oven space and yards of counter-top.  A cook’s paradise, and I’ll share it all with you.   I just have to stay afloat until we get there.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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