Edible Education

Aah, learning.

Since school if officially out for the summer (thank goodness,) naturally, I had to go off and take a class. Duh.

But... we may all be able to learn something from this class. It's a teen cooking class at Sur Le Table at The Grove. It's only a week long, but I have a feeling there is much to be learned in this week (and of course y'all will be learning too.) The course has a "Tour around the World" theme, and today was Mexican food day.

I walked there in light of a Fiasco Mission, but I ended up coming twenty minutes late. They were really nice about it, and class went on!

So apparently, the class (of about 10 people,) broke into two teams; Team Awesome vs. Team Charlie (yet nobody is named Charlie.) The teacher's name is Annie, and she's is sooooo nice. After class, she even gave me a mini tour of the store while we gushed over kitchen appliances. (I love meeting people who understand the importance of a Kitchenaid mixer.) :)

So I slept in until 11:30, and I enjoyed my bowl of stove top of oats at noon. Into the oats went:
1/4 cup oats
3T wheat bran
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup milk
1/4t cinnamon
a generous handful of stevia

After I put the oats in my mug (I love eating my oatmeal in mugs,) i stirred in some WF (Whole Foods) white chocolate chips, and topped it with some kiwi, sliced banana, and white chocolate almond butter. (I'm working on getting that recipe to you guys, honestly.)

So after class at the Sur, (that's my new abbreviation for Sur Le Table,) I poked around and found this really awesome looking ice cream/sorbet/granita/frozen yumminess cook book. Unfortunately, It was almost 20$, and I don't have an ice cream maker. (Although I certainly wouldn't mind one... ;)  )

So here are the Vita mixes. Sadly, the one on the right is 599.99, and the one on the left is 499.99. But Annie told me Vita mixes have the horse power of a motor boat. So if I ever need to pulverize a boulder, I know what appliance to go to.

I think I have this exact mixer, but in Green Apple. Another difference is that, I didn't pay the 299.99 (or is is .95?) listed here. I payed under $220 at overstock.com.

Just leave me here and pick me up next year.

This is a page inside The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. (I didn't even have a copy before today!) But, it was $40, so I decided to look elsewhere.

So I couldn't help myself. I went back to the exact same ice cream place I went yesterday.  (But they posted nutritional information AND ingredients. Does that count for something?)

My mom ordered the exact same fro yo I ordered yesterday, but dipped in chocolate.

I, being the wild person I am, ordered the exact same thing I ordered yesterday. Living in the edge, I am.

Yay, Bennett's! 

So afterwards, my mom and I used the need of a parking validation as an excuse to go to Barnes and Noble. Thanks, validation!

I heart Cooking Light. (No I didn't buy ALL the books. Yet.)

This is the book for the stand mixer. At the end of this, I'm going to have a wish list of books so long it'll fill a book itself!

I was on my way out, promise. But it looked interesting. I just had to look at it.

This is in a Brazilian cookbook. My friend Priscila, (remember?) is Brazilian and makes an amazing version of this with her grandmother. (Can I please have the recipe, Pri? Pretty, pretty please? But the people want to have the yummy cheese bread recipe share with them! Pwease?)

Being the Irish girl I am, I looked in the traditional Irish cooking book. Of course, I opened up to the recipe to Batter Pudding. I'd lighten up the recipe for you all, of course!

Another mishmash dinner. It was inspired by today's Mexican food lesson.

Deconstructed Skillet Mexican Lasagna (say that five times fast)

2 small corn tortillas

1/2 cup Boca soy crumbles (their natural version is the best!)

1/2 cup- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (I didn't measure, I just poured)

sprinkling chili powder

1/2 -1t minced bottled garlic (or about 1-2 cloves minced)

salt, to taste

about 2T fat free/low fat cheese

Spritz corn tortillas with nonstick spray, cook in a skillet on medium high heat until crispy, about 2-3 minutes on each side. I didn't time it, so just watch. Remove tortillas from pan. Spray skillet with nonstick spray, and add soy crumbles, tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, and salt. Tear tortillas into bite- sized pieces, and add to skillet. Once mixture is thoroughly heated, sprinkle cheese on top and cover until melted. Picture note: The cheese is in their, but after I scooped it into my mug, (more mug eating!) the cheese wasn't on top anymore. It still tastes good. 

As a quick side, I snapped the ends off some green beans. I tried to do it quickly by just lining them all up and cutting all the end up at once. I also cut them in half once or twice more because I like them kinda short. It's just a personal preference, so feel free to not do that. (I would still take the ends off, though.) I just browned them up in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray. Along with the green beans, I added a dash of salt and some bottled garlic. Play around with it if you want. Use a few cloves of garlic (more or less, whatever you like,) and put in your favorite salt substitute if you want. Yay, versatility!

Enjoy!

-Kelly M.