On Tap for Today

A fun loving, inspired living blog

April 11, 2013
by Elizabeth
6 Comments

Today: Happy Birthday, Clark.

Everyone’s favorite Frenchie turns four today.   That makes him 28 in human years.  It’s high time he got a job and considered moving out.

Just kidding.  I wouldn’t mind if he learned how to drive and could swing by the office with some piping hot Nespresso every now and then, though.

We’ve had some good times over the past three-ish years since bringing Clark home.  This past year has been especially great, given our therapy visits to the hospital and local schools.  I love being able to share him with such awesome kids.  Just this week, I got to watch Clark curl up on a rug in one of the classrooms at Franciscan Hospital for Children while one of the kids practiced reading to him.  My heart got all mushy.

It was similarly mushy a few weeks ago when a package of hand drawn cards arrived in the mail from a group of kids we visited earlier this year.  I will post the rest on Clark’s very own Facebook page later today.  That’s right.  I am officially a creep and created a Facebook page for my dog.  Judge freely.  

In celebration of Clark’s fourth birthday, here are a few Frenchie “fours.”

Clark’s four favorite foods:

  • Cheese
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Boiled chicken (which, by the way, smells like a dead body… a dead chicken body, I suppose)

Four things an animal communicator (yes, I brought him to a pet psychic) told us about Clark:

  • He loves Christmas (who doesn’t?)
  • He likes Taylor Swift and wishes we would leave the radio on for him while we’re at work
  • Nick is his favorite
  • He wants a turtle, a hermit crab, a rabbit or a baby (at least he’s not picky)

The four things kids always ask us at pet therapy:

  • Where is his tail?
  • Does he have any puppies?
  • Does he snore?
  • When is he coming back?

Four things we call him (besides his real name):

  • Min (short for Mini, which is short for Mini Vegas, which… nevermind)
  • Little muffin (see below)
  • o meu menino (Portuguese for “my boy”)
  • French fry

A couple of years ago, I was walking Clark in Southie when a bus driver opened his window and started yelling, “Muffins!  Hey!  Muffins!”  I thought either I was being sexually harassed or that the man was operating some sort of mobile MBTA bakery… until I realized he was calling out to Clark.  He asked how “little muffins” was doing, and I was like, “Um… his name his Clark.”

“I know,” he replied, “but my nickname for him is Mr. Muffins.”  Well, alright.  I immediately told Nick about this, as we often wonder what sort of nonsense Clark gets into with his best friend and dog walker while we’re at work.  I am not sure if Nick totally believed the muffins story.  Months and months passed and finally that same bus driver pulled up while the three of us were out walking.  The door opened, and Nick got to hear “Muffins!” for himself.  It was awesome.

Life is never boring with Clark.  Happy birthday, little muffin.

Also On Tap for Today:

Do you give your pet weird nicknames?

April 8, 2013
by Elizabeth
5 Comments

Today: Lies and surprises.

I had to take a little hiatus from The Weekend According to Instagram, mostly because I avoided Instagram and limited most forms of communicating with strangers online for the past two weeks, so as to not ruin the surprise part of my sister’s surprise shower.  (That was a long sentence.  I am making up for lost time posts.)

I bet it was a lot easier to surprise people before electricity was invented.

Somehow, though, we pulled it off.  But not without a lot of lying.  A lot.  Lies and surprises go hand in hand, I am learning.  I’ll tell you all about the food (complete with a recipe for roasted sweet potato salad) and decorations later this week, but first I need to come clean.

Lies I told my sister during the past 24-48 hours:

  1. We are going to surprise you for your bachelorette, but your shower is going to be the last weekend in April.
  2. I am stressed out (at this point, semi-not a lie, but mostly a lie) and can’t make it to our cousin’s shower (which is where she thought she was going yesterday) so Dad is going to pick you up.
  3. Someone (I think I specifically said “an idiot”… so I not only lied, but was mean) accidentally posted about your surprise bachelorette on Facebook, so please don’t log into your account.  Ever again. (In reality, multiple people posted about my cousin’s actual shower, thus threatening to topple our very delicately built house of lies.)
  4. I am at my office and I am very stressed out.  (I was at my parents’ house, unpacking glitter and cupcakes.)
  5. And when she texted to say she was on her way to my office to surprise me with tea: I, um… am still stressed out but I just left my office.
  6. I will talk to you tomorrow (or in an hour, when you arrive at your own shower) and yes, I will download that stress management app you recommended.

I was so relieved when Andrea finally walked through that door.  Who needs a stress relief app when you have that smile to look at?  She is going to be the most beautiful bride.  Being her sister really has been the joy of my life.  And that’s no lie.

Also On Tap for Today:

What was the last lie you told?

March 31, 2013
by Elizabeth
4 Comments

Today: Gluten free graham crackers… and Peeps.

If the Easter Bunny left you with a heap of Peeps, I’ve got a plan for you.  It involves making gluten free graham crackers (that’s the only hard part, and it’s really not that hard… I mean, I was able to do it), committing Peepicide in your microwave and consuming 14,000 calories in the span of mere seconds.  You with me?

Gluten free graham crackers

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups of brown rice flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 5 tbs cold, unsalted butter
  • 6 tbs almond milk
  • 3 tbs agave nectar

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, lightly dusted with brown rice flour
  • Using a food processor or stand mixer, combine dry ingredients
  • Add butter, mixing until no large pieces are visible
  • Add almond milk and agave nectar and mix until dough is formed
  • Move dough to baking sheet and form into a rectangle and sprinkle lightly with additional brown rice flour
  • Add a second sheet of parchment paper on top of dough and roll out until the dough is approximately 1/4 inch thick (you may need to trim excess dough from the edges of the pan)
  • Remove the top sheet of parchment and score dough (I used a butter knife, but a pastry wheel or pizza cutter would likely work better), making graham cracker squares
  • Prick the dough all over with a fork or toothpick
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned
  • Remove the graham crackers and transfer to a wire rack to cool, parchment and all
  • Once the crackers have cooled completely, break along scored lines

Notes: I adapted this recipe from glutenfreebaking.com.  I am sure you could play around with which gluten free flour  and milk you use, and substitute honey for agave nectar.  The dough is a bit dry, but it might make a good pie crust with the addition of some oil.

I found these tasty graham crackers to be less sweet than the graham crackers of my childhood (and non-gluten allergic adulthood), but in a good way.  Plus, Peeps are straight up sugar, so it all balances out in the end.  Sort of.  I melted a Peep in the microwave and sandwiched it, along with a bit of chocolate, between two grahams.  I recommend you do the same, but with one caveat:

There is a fine line between melty, gooey Peep and full on exploded Peep, so keep an eye on your microwave.  You have been warned.

I hope you enjoyed a very happy Easter.  We hit the road with Clark the Easter Frenchie (click the link for a video of him sitting in a basket, wearing rabbit ears, chomping on a carrot…) and spent a lovely, sugary day with our Peeps families.

Also On Tap for Today:

Are you a salty or sweets person?  

March 29, 2013
by Elizabeth
5 Comments

You know those weeks when you feel like you just can’t win (quite literally, if you play soccer with me)?  I’m having one of those.

Things that happened this week:

  • My printer broke for the 9 millionth time, and then my hand got stuck in what can only be described as the bowels of said broken printer, while I was trying to fix it.  My fellow non-profit people can relate.  No IT departments.  No HR departments.  No development departments.  If it’s broken, you’ve gotta fix it.  And get black ink from your finger tips to your elbow.
  • Our soccer team lost our first game of the season, 672-0.  And I gained a bruise that rivals the surface area of The People’s Republic of China.
  • Speaking of China, I had a very rare craving for Chinese food.  And I fed that craving.  And I barely lived to tell of it.  (Never, never, never again.)
  • While descending the stairs at a red line station, I got hit in the face by a wind propelled piece of trash.  No amount of Purell nor attempted self-hypnosis has succeeded in helping me move beyond this.

The motto of the week?  YOLO.  You can’t win ‘em all.  

Also On Tap for Today:

  • Looking forward to Easter weekend
  • Packing up food to donate at tomorrow’s Feed the Need 5k
  • Researching various masks and helmets I can wear whilst riding public transportation

What was the low-light of your week?  (I’m all for being positive, but… misery loves company…)

March 26, 2013
by Elizabeth
1 Comment

Today: The weekend according to Instagram IX.

Hello, Monday Tuesday.  It’s going to be one of those weeks, isn’t it?

The weekend according to Instagram IX

  1. Nick and I kicked the weekend off in lovely fashion on Friday night, thanks to the Boston Ballet.  The Ballet generously offered me a pair of tickets to the opening night of Sleeping Beauty.  And beautiful it was.  I highly recommend making it to this show (and grabbing a glass of Champagne on the way in).  The dancers are incredible, the costumes are fabulous, and the music is divine.
  2. My sister and I headed to the Cape on Saturday morning with our parents.  Andrea’s wedding is just two months away (beyond excited), and I got to tag along for her hair trial and a meeting with her florist.  We also swung by a couple of our favorite beaches.  It’s incredible how this winter’s storms have entirely shifted the shoreline in some places.
  3. I love Sunday mornings at CrossFit Southie.  The classes are always small, and I get to spend the rest of the day limping around.  Just kidding… kind of.
  4. For the strength portion of our workout, we were working up to our max reps of bench presses at either 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 of our body weight, or at our body weight for prescribed.  I got 2 reps just under 1/2 my body weight, and 20 reps at 1/4.  (Sometimes I think I should carry a calculator around the gym.)  I was working with two women who are stronger than me, which I always find intimidating, but they encouraged me to keep adding weight and pushing it just a bit more.
  5. New favorite app:  Percolator.  It’s much more entertaining in color.
  6. While I pretended to get stuff done around the condo (but mostly just followed Clark around and Percolated him), Nick got the grocery shopping done at Whole Foods River Street.  What a man.
  7. We didn’t have a hospital visit scheduled this week, so Clark took his magical therapy powers (and matching vest) to the college kids.  We spent two hours in a senior dorm at Bentley, just doin’ what we do (i.e. I hold the leash, Clark snuggles with strangers).
  8. It wouldn’t be a weekend without a Polar FT4 shot.
  9. And it wouldn’t be spring in Boston without… Christmas lights?  If I had my way, the Commonwealth Mall would look like this year round.

Also On Tap for Today:

What is your favorite photo app?

March 22, 2013
by Elizabeth
2 Comments

Today: Spring fitness.

Despite the fact that I practically ice skated my way home (so many near falls slash unintentional triple sow cows) from work last night, it is technically spring.  I don’t know about you, but I am ready to shed my puffy coat and get outside for a run.  In addition to my spring race recommendations, here are a few other great spring fitness opportunities you may want to check out:

New Balance and DCR celebrate spring

New Balance #teamoffbalance at the Reach the Beach Relay finish line

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, March 23rd) from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, New Balance and Department of Conservation and Recreation are teaming up celebrate clear paths for runners and walkers along the Charles.  Stop by the tent near the Hatch Shell where New Balance representatives will be showcasing new products, and proving spring running tips and giveaways.  Oh, and free Boston Common Coffee.  New Balance is also hosting a fun Twitter contest in conjunction with tomorrow’s event.  Tweet @NBBackBay and let them know how you think #NBrunsbos for a chance to win new running kicks from New Balance.

Speaking of New Balance, I stopped by their store in Copley Square last week for the launch of NBPSYCHE, their new line of sports bras.  The New Balance ladies were offering bra fittings and recommendations, and donating $10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every fitting that took place.  To find a great fitting sports bra and know you’re helping one of your favorite brands support a great cause is definitely a win/win. Isn’t it nice to be a modern lady?  You get to write about the new pope one week and bras the next.

BSSC Spring leagues (including a number of new women’s leagues)

After going into temporary soccer retirement (so as to not walk down the aisle covered in bruises), I am making my probably-not-so-triumphant return to the field next week.  I’ve been playing the the same team for a number of years now, but we started out as total strangers (this sounds like the start of a romantic comedy).  Joining a league is a great way to stay active, meet people, and relive your middle school travel team soccer glory days.  Or whatever.  Boston Ski and Sports Club is offering a number of new women’s leagues and is giving a $25 discount (on first time individual sports league registrations) when you use the code BLOGONTAP.

Get outside with Ultimate Bootcamp

You know I love Ultimate Bootcamp (find all my UBC recaps on the Fitness On Tap page).  With the weather warming up and the snow melting on the stadium stairs, this is the perfect time to join a session in Southie or one of their other many locations.  Save $30 on your first four week session with the referral code BLEL30 at registration.  An added bonus: You get to catch sunrises like the one above while finishing your last squats and burpees.

See you outside, my friends.

Also On Tap for Today:

  • A much needed power boost B12 shot
  • Looking forward to a night at the Ballet
  • T.G.I.F. (for serious)

What are your spring fitness plans?

 

March 19, 2013
by Elizabeth
0 comments

Today: Gluten free thumbprint cookies.

I hit the sibling jackpot when my younger sister was born.  She was smart, funny, talented and clever.  And then she grew up.  And somehow, she got smarter, funnier, more talented and more clever.  I am so lucky that she only lives a mile away and was only sort of kidding when she said she had given up speaking to me for Lent.

She swung by our condo before the parade on Sunday, and brought her fiance and one of her lovely friends, Amy, along.  And Amy brought along some of the most delicious cookies of all time, adapted from this recipe and her friends’ blog, The Feasting Freds.  With another storm threatening to derail work plans (and following through on that threat with several inches of snow before dawn today), I dug through my cabinets to find that I had almost all the ingredients on hand.  I put on my frilliest apron and got to stress baking.

The original recipe (for maple walnut jam cookies) calls for whole wheat pastry flour, which I swapped out for a mix of coconut flour and almond meal.  I found I needed additional flour mix, as the dough was a bit too soft.  I used agave nectar instead of maple syrup, and was sure to use certified gluten free oats.

Gluten free thumbprint cookies with raspberry preserves

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup gluten free oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1/2 cup of almond meal (plus more, if needed)
  • 1/2 cup of coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • raspberry preserves (I like Bonne Maman, and not just because I was a French major)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a rimmed cookie sheet.
  2. Mix chopped walnuts and gluten free oats in a food processor and grind until they’re combined.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the canola oil and agave nectar.
  4. In a larger bowl, combine the dry and wet ingredients, and stir.  Add additional almond flour if needed.
  5. Form the dough into small balls and drop onto cookie sheet.  Flatten each ball slightly and form a depression (or in happier terms, a raspberry preserves pocket) with your thumb.
  6. Add a small amount of preserves (or your favorite jam) to each cookie.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies can be a bit crumbly when they first come out of the oven, so it’s important to employ a little will power and allow them to cool and set up.  After a (very large) number of baking flops since forgoing gluten, this recipe was a real victory.  I’ll take ‘em where I can get ‘em.  These cookies were quick, easy, perfect for giving away and provided just the little project I needed to take my mind of this darn weather.

I’m grateful to Amy for sharing the recipe, and I am grateful to my sister for sharing her friends.

Also On Tap for Today:

Have you made anything tasty lately?

March 19, 2013
by Elizabeth
2 Comments

Today: Spicy sweet potato lentil burgers {a guest post from Alex Eats Green}

I was thrilled with Alex reached out with what follows.  We met at last year’s Healthy Living Summit and I’ve been smitten with her blog (and her lovely self) ever since.  Please enjoy her stunning photographs and delicious recipe, and be sure to head over to Alex Eats Green for more of the same. xoxo Gossip Girl Elizabeth

Spicy sweet potato lentil burgers

Hi guys! My name is Alex, and I’m over at Alex Eats Green, where I blog about being a vegetarian. Recipes, daily eating and restaurant reviews are all included in the fun, but it’s also a lot of photos of my good looking friends. Elizabeth was crazy kind enough to pass over the reins to me so that I could share this delicious burger recipe with you.

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Even before I went green, I was never the biggest fan of the burger. Growing up, I was definitely always a hot dog girl; all the bacon, blue cheese, and caramelized onions couldn’t change that. But now that I’m a vegetarian, burgers are a whole new ball game. The possibilities for combinations truly are endless: beet, bean, quinoa oh my and more.

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Each month, myself and a few friends get together to share our most recent life happenings. I was in charge of dinner for the most recent one (…you know where I’m going with this one), and I knew that the perfect companion to our conversations/giggling would be these burgers.

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I like them for a few reasons: they’re easy to dress up – you can get creative with the toppings, and make them as fancy or low key as you wish. I also like knowing exactly what is going into my burger, which can’t really be said for most veggie burgers that you pull out of your frozen foods aisle. And finally, they’re sweet potato burgers! You would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t enjoy what is essentially sweet potatoes on bread. Am I right, or am I right?

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You’re sure to impress at any BBQ, monthly dinner, bookclub, or just yourself with this recipe. Enjoy!

Spicy Sweet Potato Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry green or red lentils (I used green split pea)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1-2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper and mixed Italian herbs (each)*
  • 4-5 small organic sweet potatoes, baked, peeled, mashed
  • 1-2 cups fresh or frozen spinach or kale
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 tsp. olive oil or parchment paper

Mashed Avocado Topper

  • 1 large avocado
  • 1 – 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
  • S&P
  • Optional: Add micro greens, sliced red onion, yogurt, or cheese!

*a note about the spices – I basically put every spice I had in my cabinet into this mixture. Feel free to take some liberties on the varieties/amount of spice, but the spices listed above is a good place to start.

Instructions:

  1. Combine lentils in large soup pot. Add enough water to cover about 3 inches above lentils. Boil until lentils are very tender, about 45 mins – 1 hour. Drain water from lentils. Transfer lentils to a large bowl and cool.
  2. Add the seasonings to the lentils. Stir with lentils until well blended. Cover lentils and set aside.
  3. Slice sweet potatoes in half, and bake at 375 degrees. Cool, peel, and coarsely mash. Add mashed potatoto lentil mixture and mix well.
  4. Chop kale or spinach then add to mixture. If using frozen spinach, squeeze out as much water as possible. Add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to mixture (more if you still feel that the consistency is too sticky)
  5. Using a spoon or both hands, form mixture into balls and then flatten. Press breadcrumbs lightly onto patties. Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes. Don’t skip this step!
  6. After chilling, freeze any burgers that you want to save for later. 
  7. To cook burgers, heat in non-stick pan with small amount of olive oil for about 5 minutes or baked in oven on parchment paper until hot and crispy at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Flip over at the half-way point.

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For more food fun, and general ramblings about life as a vegetarian, come follow along at Alex Eats Green. Thanks for having me, Elizabeth!

Also On Tap for Today:

What is your favorite meal to make for friends?

March 18, 2013
by Elizabeth
1 Comment

Today: A new and improved City Sports.

I saw something somewhere (vague, I know… I’ve been especially flaky lately) about every moment being Monday morning – that is, a chance to start fresh.  I like the idea that we are new and improved with every decision that we make.  And there you have it, your pep talk for the day.

I had the pleasure of joining City Sports for their 30th anniversary and new location opening (DJ’d by none other than Sheldon Gentles, arguably the star of our wedding reception) in Chestnut Hill this weekend.  Those of you who have shopped at their previous Chestnut Hill location will love their new set up.

While I always had great luck at their old location (great running and soccer gear, in particular, and fantastic customer service), the high ceilings, airy layout and gorgeous displays at the new location (part of “The Street” development on Route 9) is a huge improvement.

A few highlights from the new and improved City Sports in Chestnut Hill:

  • Over 9,200 square feet, featuring new and expanded departments for women’s apparel, footwear, youth and team sports
  • Uniform height displays, allowing the shopper to navigate the store more easily
  • The women’s department includes dedicated space for extended sizes
  • An updated women’s pant wall and one of the most comprehensive sports bra collections available anywhere in retail
  • An upgraded footwear department (OMG, shoes!) with an in-store track and treadmill to test out more than 300 styles
  • An expertly staffed racquet sports department with full-time racquet stringing and demo services

I was thrilled to see the selection of women’s apparel in extended sizes.  Why shouldn’t women of all sizes be able to find high performing and well fitting athletic apparel – apparel that looks and feels good?  Brands available in extended sizes include CS by City Sports, Moving Comfort and soon Nike.  I also loved the indoor track, which just plain looks cool, but also makes great sense for those wanting to test out their new kicks before buying.

New and improved looks good, don’t you think?

Also On Tap for Today:

Where do you shop for kicks and athletic gear?

 

March 18, 2013
by Elizabeth
0 comments

Today: The weekend according to Instagram VIII.

Whew.  What a weekend.  With the circus St. Patrick’s Day parade being in town, it was especially important to get my Sunday things done on Saturday.  That meant grocery shopping, laundry, a few work projects, and a jump on my spring cleaning.  Sunday was strictly for having fun.  That’s how it should be.

The weekend according to Instagram VIII.

  1. I headed out to Chestnut Hill new “The Street” development for the grand opening of City Sports’ store on Route 9. Having shopped at their previous Chestnut Hill store since I was in college, I was excited to see their new and improved location.  More on that later today.
  2. Nick and I have significantly reduced our food waste over the past month by doing a better job meal planning and making sure we don’t double up on purchases.  Even though our diets are quite different (cave man vs. picky bird), there is a lot we end up sharing.  We picked up enough food for the week, plus a few extras for entertaining this weekend.
  3. I don’t think there is a toy on the planet that Clark can’t destroy.  We’ve tried everything.  Even a toy that was allegedly tested on tigers.  Here he is ripping a braided rope bone to shreds.  He’s lucky he’s cute.
  4. Speaking of the woofer, I took him on extra long walks Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, knowing he’d be cooped up a bit during the parade.  After last year’s incident involving an over-served lady attempting to feed him Cheetos (she screamed “You’re so mean!” at me when I ushered Clark in the opposite direction), we try to keep the Frenchie inside during the parade and its aftermath.  We got to see the parade preparations (from no parking signs to street sweeping) taking place before the crowds descended.
  5. New shoes alert.   Bows, studs, and spikes?  Hey now.
  6. I spent much of Saturday night in the club cleaning like mad.  This is one of my favorite (freshly dusted) corners of our condo.  The silkscreen print is by Tiphanie Brooke (I found it on fab.com last January) and always makes me smile.
  7. We also squeezed in a little tea and TV time, watching the Oscar-winning documentary Undefeated.  The film follows the Manassas High School football program over the course of one season, and their struggles and victories both on and off the field.  I highly recommend it (and, if you’re anything like me, I highly recommend you have Kleenexes on hand).
  8. Before heading out for the parade on Sunday, Nick, Tina, Mal and I celebrated with an Irish flag of hard cider.  The black and white effect is especially unhelpful here.  Cider plus food coloring equals fun.  And surprisingly, no green teeth.
  9. As you saw yesterday, we soaked up the scene on Broadway and enjoyed the parade in good cheer.  I like men in skirts.

Also On Tap for Today:

What was the highlight of your weekend?