Out of all the breads I’ve made so far, I think ciabatta def. has to be my absolute favorite. It’s so soft!!! And so tasty! And…it has extra virgin olive oil in it so I have the benefit of helping my heart out when I eat it 😉
Today at school we made turnovers with puff pastry (mine were filled with chocolate chips of course but I already gave them away to friends), creme anglais, ciabatta bread, and made bread pudding with leftover danishes that has to sit overnight in the fridge.
I took the ciabatta bread home and made yet another really really REALLY good sandwich…using black forest ham and cheddar again! I think this sandwich was even better than the one I made the other day on the french bread though. I put honey dijon on it and some lettuce and used 2 ounces of ham and 1 ounce of cheese. I also had the rest of the fage container (2.5 ounces of yogurt) and a sliced pear. It was very filling and will give me tons of fuel for when I go work out in a little bit. Tonight is another early dinner because I have to be at work early and its going to be crazy!
This lunch was about 471 calories
This morning, mid-bake, I snacked on some apple slices I had cut up this morning to take with me 🙂
Laura
January 17, 2008 at 6:09 pmHomemade bread is the best!
What is cabiatta versus foccia? Are they whole grain? Sorry if my spelling is off.
p.s. How did you adjust to eating ham after being a vegetarian? I am a red-meat vegetarian and am afraid/feel guilty of making the plunge to red meat again.
jenna
January 17, 2008 at 6:12 pmThis is such a fun question. First of all, no ciabatta is not traditionally whole grain. It has more olive oil in it than foccacia and the shape is different as well. As for adjusting to eating ham: I was a vegetarian up until the moment I stepped off the plane in paris. Then I ate a ham sandwich. And it was amazing. And that was that. It was so good!!!!!!!! No one could believe me back home!
Laura
January 17, 2008 at 6:16 pmLOL (literally laughed out loud to your response). I want to take the plunge……..maybe I will wait until I go to a good restaurant.
Aimee*
January 17, 2008 at 6:37 pmJenna! I love that your first meal consisted of ham in Paris 🙂
Such a coincidence because ham and cheese was my first meal in Paris, and until then I’d been a vegetarian for 5 years!
Laura
January 17, 2008 at 7:04 pmThe bread looks great! I plan on doing a simple dinner of pasta like you did a few nights ago, which made me think of a question.
What is the difference b/w parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano?
Sargento then has a parmesan and Romano cheese? Any recommendations on how you buy yours and keep it fresh would be most appreciated! (I am afraid I won’t use a big block fast enough). Thanks!
jenna
January 17, 2008 at 7:34 pmLaura,
You’re in luck because blocks of parmesan stay fresh in the fridge for months if they are wrapped in foil. I buy big blocks of the good stuff and keep it there for a long time…I don’t really buy sargento in a package because I dont think it has enough real flavor to it. Parmigiano-Reggiano is just a fancy italian name for parmesan. It’s its “full name”. sargento just shortens it….parm-reg is basically the best you can buy and will give you the best flavor. Romano cheese is not parmesan cheese, though it is similar. Its another hard italian cheese. I like the taste of parmesan more though!
Danielle
January 17, 2008 at 8:45 pmI think ciabatta def has to be my absolute favorite as well and yours looks amazing! You are going to make one heck of a baker/pastry chef 😉 Your lunch looks yummy too… minus the ham. I don’t know what it is but I’ve never been able to enjoy ham, no matter what country I’m in, lol. Ah well, to each her own!
I haven’t commented the past few days bc my internet has been down but I’ve been meaning to tell you that I received my first Grindstone Farm delivery! It was the most wonderful thing! I has just gotten home from a full day of classes and was busy making myself lunch when I got a knock at the door. I answered it to find the farmer’s wife with my healthy box! She was so sweet and told me that they had spent the earlier weekdays collecting the fruits and vegetables for delivery and she drives around on Thursdays to drop them off to customers. They don’t grow everything, especially not now when winter has definitely taken over the city of Syracuse but they have relationships with other organic farmers nationwide and get deliveries from the once a week. I listed everything included in this week’s shipment before but words couldn’t give the beautiful fruits and vegetables justice. Everything truly looked just-picked and smelled wonderfully! I cannot wait to start cooking!
Wow, sorry that’s so long, I just wanted to share my experience… I’m so excited 🙂 I’m making the greek white bean soup and a basic vegetable soup over the next few days, thanks for the inspiration!
Sarah(another one!):
If you’re still reading I just wanted to say that I am in your exact situation now too. Totally enthusiastic about cooking but lacking experience, first year living in an apartment, loves yoga, taking NHM225… Syracuse University’s equivalent of Nutrition 101, interested in eating and living healthfully, and an undergrad! Just wanted to let you know that you’re not alone. Good luck, hopefully we can exchange some tips soon! 🙂
jenna
January 17, 2008 at 8:47 pmDanielle,
WOW that’s awesome!!!!!!! I’m SO super jealous. I wish we had something like that here!!! I think you will really like the greek white bean soup. I loved it. Be sure to use dried lima beans though- the canned ones just wont make for the best soup. Thanks for sharing your experience, can’t wait to hear about what you make!
arimcg
January 17, 2008 at 8:50 pmHi Jenna, I don’t know if anyone mentioned this before but you can use localharvest.org to find a CSA in your area. I’m sure there are some in Tampa, give it a try!
Katie
January 17, 2008 at 8:53 pmHey Jenna (and everyone else!),
I stopped at Fresh Market today to get lunch in between classes and saw that mine had Fage yogurt (the small ones) on sale 4 for $5. I don’t know if they’re that price everywhere but it’s worth a try!
I was also surprised and excited to find whipped cottage cheese there. I didn’t think I would since Friendship’s locator said they didn’t have them in TN yet but I thought I’d look anyway! I can’t wait to try it! I just hope some of the brands that make cottage cheese for the Midwest start making whipped cottage cheese before I move back to St. Louis after I graduate from UT this June!
Danielle
January 17, 2008 at 9:28 pmA few more things Jenna 🙂
First of all, I love the new little caption underneath the Eat, Live, Run logo, so cute, and so true 🙂
Secondly, I forgot to ask… where can I find dried lima beans? Good thing you said something too because I would’ve used the canned since I spent so long searching my grocery store for them the other day!
Next! I tried using my food scale last night to find that it doesn’t work! 🙁 I found this one on amazon.com and the brand is Newline. Now I have to return it but was debating what to do next. Do you think it would be a good investment to check out the ones at Williams Sonoma?
And last but not least… I’m completely sore from yoga… and I love it. I’ve started everyday this past week with an hour session and I just seem to have a brighter day all around (despite the cloudy Syracuse weather)
*Definitely look into what arimcg said, that’s how I found out about Grindstone!
Stella
January 17, 2008 at 9:30 pmHi Jenna,
I have a question about about your swiss oatmeal recipe. You mention that you prep it the night before…then you add remaining ingredients in the morning. This may sound silly, but do you eat it hot or cold??
Love the layout of your blog!
Allison
January 17, 2008 at 9:34 pmarimcg- Thanks for the link to localharvest.org…I had no idea that there were these services in my area.
Becky
January 17, 2008 at 9:44 pmCan I just say that CSA site is amazing! There is a farm near me that has developmentaly disabled adults working it. I think I’m going to sign up!
I also wanted to share that I made the mistake of telling my boyfriend that there is an organic beef place nearby. Now he wants to buy an entrie cow!!! Good thing it would be close to $1,000 to do so, or else he would totally do it!
Laura
January 17, 2008 at 10:02 pmDanielle, what type of yoga do you practice? The place I go to is realtively expensive ($13 a class, so it adds up).
Laura
January 17, 2008 at 10:05 pmsorry, one more question for danielle, how did you find a market that delivers. What are the benefits over a grocery?
Danielle
January 17, 2008 at 10:42 pmLaura,
I just started so I’m no expert but I’ve been practicing Vinyasa yoga. During the week I attend the energizing classes and I go to a vigorous class on Saturdays (I’m identifying them as such because that’s what they’re listed as on the schedule, haha). I’m able to go so many classes because I purchased a semester membership from Karma Fitness. It’s an adorable little fitness studio right off of my campus and they had great deals before my winter break so it was only $130! I don’t know how loyal you are to your existing place but I’m sure you could find some better deals if you search around a little. There’s a lot out there, yoga has become really popular!
I get deliveries from a farm, not a market, but they do go to my local farmer’s market during the warmer months. I had heard about farms that deliver and was really interested because I’d much rather support local business rather than big business so I did a little searching using these sites: http://www.localharvest.org/, http://www.buylocalfood.com/find.html, and http://www.farmandfood.org/. Unfortunately I didn’t find any delivery services but stumbled upon a Syracuse local food blog. While reading it one day I read a reference to Grindstone farm (where I get my deliveries) and contacted them immediately!
I’ve only gotten one “healthy box” so far but already love it more than my regular grocery produce. Like I said before, I’d much rather support a local farm then a grocery store chain, but I have more reasons than that… 🙂 ready? Grindstone farm grows all organic produce and it’s actually cheaper for me to buy it from them as opposed to Wegman’s. All the fruits and vegetables that I am going to be getting every other week are in season so I’ll be able to enjoy them at their peak deliciousness 😉 as opposed to a wider selection but oftentimes lower quality as far as taste is concerned at the grocery store. Also, everything is fresh, literally just picked as opposed to grocery produce that could have been picked many weeks ago since it comes from all parts of the U.S. and sometimes the world. And finally I feel better knowing where my produce is directly coming from, a few acres of earth which I’ve luckily been able to see myself.
Hope that answers your questions, Laura, thanks for asking! 🙂
linds
January 17, 2008 at 10:58 pmI’m finding I can relate to so many of the commenters here lol.. Danielle you sound like me last year- I moved into a one-bedroom apartment from the plentiful kitchens of rez. I taught myself how to cook (it involved some eventful evenings of trial and error) and I learned a ton about nutrition and how to take care of myself. I’m an undergrad at McGill (Canadian school) and found I loved cooking so much that I now write a recipe column in the school’s paper every week. I’m an Econ/English Lit major but I’m taking an elective called “the chemistry of food” and I absolutely love it 🙂 Hope your nutrition class is just as fun! (ps your produce delivery sounds sooo good!)
Ruby Red Vegan
January 17, 2008 at 11:10 pmWow, your turnovers are absolutely gorgeous!
Alicia
January 18, 2008 at 12:16 amOMG, Jenna. . .Now you are making me crave ciabatta real bad. I love going to this little deli for lunch and they have the most wonderful ciabattas and coffees. Yum. . .Ok, think I’m heading there for lunch this Sunday. 😛
jenna
January 18, 2008 at 2:49 amStella,
The swiss oatmeal is meant to be eaten cold. That is the traditional swiss way to do it and I personally think it would be kind of funky hot because its yogurt! its very good though, you should try it!
jenna
January 18, 2008 at 3:14 amDanielle,
You can find dried lima beans in with all the dried beans at the store….They are on the bean aisle and very inexpensive…and they taste a WHOLE lot better. You will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was!!!
Thats too bad about your scale. Was it expensive? I would return it if it doesnt work and go get a salter one at W&S. Mine is red and was 60 dollars but totally worth every penny. Its a must have for any nutritious cook or baker! I actually found out by using it that I wasn’t eating ENOUGH food (I would always just throw a handful of pasta in the pot not realizing my body needed more than that!). I love love LOVE mine!
YAY for yoga!!!!! Isnt it wonderful?!! I’m hoping to attend a class this weekend…I’m so glad you found it and love it too! 🙂
Laura
January 18, 2008 at 3:49 amThanks Danielle for such a detailed response!!! That def. is a good yoga price deal compared to mine!!