Mmmm…I baked the BEST bread last night! We made sourdoughs, which I had never done before but the taste of the French Bread Sourdough was absolutely amazing! It had an almost “cheesy” taste to it that far exceeded any bread I have tried this far. We also made a light rye sourdough, or a french country bread, which turned out okay but lacked the true rye flavor because it was made with a lighter flour. I def. have a new favorite though with the french bread sour. I need to start my own starter so I can make it easily anytime!
For breakfast I used the new hot cereal I got yesterday: Quaker Multigrain. I’ve used this before and like it as an alternate to just plain rolled or steel cut oats. I made it with a cup of lite soy milk, a little maple syrup and about a tbsp of walnuts. Nice and creamy! Today for lunch I am actually meeting with a website designer to help me work out some cool new stuff I want to do to this website. We are going to Tijuana Flats and getting burritos while we chat about ideas. I have been to Tijuana Flats many times and LOVE it because they have the “power-lite” option where they sub low fat cheese instead of the full fat stuff in your burrito. A genius idea for those that don’t want to feel comatose after eating a large mexican delight!
Off to the gym now!
VeggieGirl
March 4, 2008 at 1:47 pmOh my, those sourdough loaves ARE heavenly!! They look fabulous!!
Enjoy your lunch meeting with the web designer – sounds great!! And of course, enjoy the rest of your Tuesday :0)
Romina
March 4, 2008 at 1:59 pmYour bread is beautiful!! I’ve never made sour dough myself, but I would love to try, its so much better home made.
That Quaker Multigrain cereal looks really good too. Great combination of grains! Good way to start the morning. =)
Lisa
March 4, 2008 at 2:03 pmSo…I made my first ever black bean burger!!!! YUMM-O! I don’t have the Veganomic(?) cookbook, however, I’m seriously considering buying it but I found a healthy recipe online. I was able to get 4 patties out of one can of black beans so I baked two (one for dinner and one for my lunch today) and froze the other two patties for some other time! I added a few more veggies than what it called for like mushrooms and onions…and LOTS of garlic…I LOVE garlic. I was so impressed with the outcome! I would have never even thought to have made these if it wasn’t for this blog! THANKS JENNA!
ward
March 4, 2008 at 2:05 pmwhat are the loaves in the bottom picture? why are they shaped that way?
it all looks yummy.
choco9
March 4, 2008 at 2:14 pmTijuana Flats is quie possibly the best thing that has ever happened to me. 😉
I get the powerlite veggie burrito (which is probably what you’ll get too I am assuming). They have great fresh, fast grub. The chips are the best too.
I am jealous, but I usually have it twice a week so I’m still good from two days ago yet. Enjoy!
arimcg
March 4, 2008 at 2:24 pmI love that Quaker multi grain as a change once in a while. I think it has more flavor.
Your bread is beautiful!
hk
March 4, 2008 at 2:29 pmmmm yum, sourdough is my fav! the loaves look great! I’m excited to see/hear about the new changes to the site! have a great tuesday
also…I was looking at the Hodgson Mill site (see Kath’s breakfast post today) http://www.hodgsonmill.com/roi/673/Cereals–More/.
The company has travel flax packs for much cheaper than I’ve seen them in my WFs…just thought I’d point it out to anyone interested!
Kelly
March 4, 2008 at 2:58 pmTo chime in on the grocery store comment from yesterday, I think if you’re conscious about I agree it can possible to stick to a budget AND eat healthy. I spend no more than $50 (usually close to $40) in groceries each week while splitting my list at Whole Foods and Trader Joes. For me it all comes down to having a plan. I always plan out my meals for the week before I go (keeping in mind how many nights I’ll actually be eating at home and how long I have to cook) and make a list.
I found that by doing this I have become a MUCH better shopper. I used to pick up so many things randomly on impulse that would hang out in my cabinet unused. Now I only stock up on something not on my list if it’s a good deal and something I know from experience I’ll need (i.e. canned tomatoes). I also make a point of wasting as little as I can, which keeps me from going overboard, and freeze leftovers. The latter is especially helpful because if I underestimate what I need for the week or have a busy night where I don’t feel like cooking I have fantastic healthy meals at my finger tips.
I think a lot of this can seem time consuming at first but it quickly becomes habit.
Annie
March 4, 2008 at 3:12 pmHey Lisa-
Would you min posting were you got the black bean burger recipe…Ive been dieing to make them but cant afford to buy the Veganomicon book right now 🙁 Thanks!
Karen
March 4, 2008 at 3:21 pmI’m usually just a lurker here, but I had to stop and say those breads look amazing! I’ve always wanted to make a rye.
Yummm, oatmeal…time for breakfast!
Lisa
March 4, 2008 at 3:29 pmAnnie…I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. I didn’t add any of the chili sauce b/c I didn’t have any and I didn’t add the green peppers…b/c I didn’t have any. I might suggest you use just a BIT more bread crumbs than what it called for, some people actually used rice instead of the bread crumbs but I didn’t feel like making the rice before hand.
Make sure you bake them 10 min on each side…maybe even a bit longer. Mine were nice and toasty on the outside but a little mushy on the inside and I did just 10 min on each side. I toasted the w/w bun in the oven for a few min while the patties were baking in there too.
mmmm….I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome and you should def give it a try and make alterations that work for you!!! Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Black-Bean-Veggie-Burgers/Detail.aspx
Ashley H
March 4, 2008 at 3:46 pmI have always wanted to try that multigrain pack. Maybe now I will.
I noticed you havent been using flax anymore is there a reason why.
Betsy in Pittsburgh
March 4, 2008 at 3:49 pmI have a question about herbal teas… I drink probably 3-4 cups a day of herbal teas (mostly celestial seasonings ‘zingers’) And I know it’s not “real” tea and I’m not getting the anti-ox benefits, but what am I getting? Does anybody know the benefits of herbal tea vs. real tea?
jenna
March 4, 2008 at 3:51 pmAshley,
I ran out and can’t afford to buy more right now! I wish I did have some! 🙁
erica
March 4, 2008 at 4:08 pmaww jenna, i’d send you a box of flax paks if i had your address! hehe. 🙂
Grace
March 4, 2008 at 4:08 pmI love sour dough bread and rye bread! If you make it at home, let us know how it goes…it seems difficult, but I’d love to try!
Jenna 2
March 4, 2008 at 4:09 pmJenna,
I’m some-what new to your website i’ve been reading but don’t comment due to lack of time. but i’m just curious you said you weren’t allowed to post any more from your cookbooks due to copy right laws…are you allowed to post any of your recipes from your school? your bread allows looks so great. i have been trying to make a few breads over the past month and all have turned out blah..if you have any suggestions on bread making i would greatly appreciate it. 🙂 so jealous you are going to pastry school. also, do you speak french, since you lived there for 6 weeks? 🙂
erica
March 4, 2008 at 4:09 pmoh and that multigrain cereal looks delicious, how does the taste differ from regular oats?
linds
March 4, 2008 at 4:23 pmVeganomicon sounds like a fantastic buy but for those who might want to sample a few of the recipes before taking the plunge, if you go to amazon.com and search for the cookbook, there is a “look inside” feature that lets you browse through the pages of the book. So you can get some of their recipes online.
jenna
March 4, 2008 at 4:23 pmJenna,
Copyright laws prohibit me from typing exact recipes published in cookbooks online. I can, however, modify recipes and post those on this site…they just can’t be the “same” as they are in the cookbook. I mean, that’s how new recipes are created. You take a recipe from a cookbook you love and you “make it your own” by adding different flavors and textures or subbing out some ingredients. I’ve been so busy lately starting my new program at school that I haven’t experimented much with this but once my life settles down a little more I will for sure! I can’t post exact recipes from my Cordon Blue textbook on here for the same reasons but once I start playing around with different dough formations I will put “my” versions on. I want to start doing more baking tips as well…its just difficult right now because this is my first class in the program so I was waiting til I became a little more comfortable so I could give yall the best advice possible. I’m still learning too! And yes, I do speak a little conversational french. I’m not fluent by any means but I can hold a conversation…especially about food! I studied French and Italian throughout high school and college and I would LOVE to go to Italy next and taste some pasta! 🙂
Erica,
You know..I think it tastes the same! Maybe a bit on the nuttier side? I like it when I feel like switching it up a bit. Its a great combo of whole grains that can’t be beat!
Betsy
March 4, 2008 at 4:46 pmthe bread looks fantastic! I love all these pictures 😉
does the multi-grain hot cereal taste different than oatmeal?
Katers
March 4, 2008 at 5:07 pmHey Jenna,
While I rarely eat meat (usually only chicken or seafood, never red meat), I’m finding myself drawn to vegan cooking more and more. While I know you’re not completely a vegan/vegetarian, I’d love to get more of your thoughts on transitioning. Thanks!
sperly
March 4, 2008 at 5:23 pmjust wanted to post this interesting article from the Today Show while some people are still talking about shopping on a budged.. it’s about how quickly some indulgences add up! Not just in terms of money, but also in terms of calories (for those who are trying to lose weight)! According to them, brownbagging it for lunch will add up to $1,040 in savings!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23441460/
Lindsay
March 4, 2008 at 5:59 pmYum…. I will have to try the multi-grain cereal… I’m assuming it is heartier? Looks good and it might be a nice switch from plain old oats!
Bread looks so good too 😉 It looks like it’s screaming to be dipped in olive oil haha (one of my favorite treats)!
Stefanie
March 4, 2008 at 6:10 pmMmmm Tijuana Flats! Love that place! I used to go there a lot with coworkers on dinner break. We eat way too much mexican food! Can’t wait to see what the revamped website will look like Jenna.