Tag Archives: recipes

Neopolitan Macarons and Recovery Runs

May 12, 2013 – 5:03 pm

Helloooo!

This week was challenging in terms of workouts because I felt sick for a lot of it…but I managed to get some good walks and weights in to keep me going.

The interesting thing about me and migraines is that when I get a nice workout it actually relieves the migraine better than pain meds.

Believe me, working out is really the last thing I want to, but when I start breathing through my workouts it regulates my breath and blood flow to the brain.

I really enjoyed this second week of heavier weights in smaller reps for Best Body Bootcamp because my muscles were a little more used to the extra push from last week. It felt great to feel the strength continue to take shape, especially in my upper body.

During yoga class I am able to lower myself from plank to floor in chataranga without going to my knees and that feel amazing to be able to do.

Yesterday was also a great test of strength and endurance because my sister and I went on a 6 mile cross country jog, and my muscles were much better at enduring the strain of it. Having good company, good tunes, and a beach view from the bluffs didn’t hurt either though! :)

My sweet tooth was also put to the test this weekend when my sister and I made real French Macarons!

We had been talking about making them for awhile and finally did it.

We made literally melt in your mouth oh my gosh the sugar foment neopolitan ones where one side was vanilla, the other chocolate, and red berry frosting was sandwiched in between.

They were very labor intensive and very picky cookies to make but they were so worth the effort!

We modified a recipe we found on YouTube for a Kirby macarons so I will include the link below.

Also pictures:

image

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Also HAPPY MOTHERS DAY if you are a mom!!!

Cheers,

Christin Joyful

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Balancing act: Baking and Bootcamp

May 5, 2013 – 9:06 pm

Hello and happy Cinco De Mayo!

So I made this week I was able to get all five bootcamp workouts in, plus review some great blogger recipes and re-create a few!

Firstly, let me just say that I really enjoyed Best Body Bootcamp this week. The focus was on strength training sessions that really pushed me to use heavier weights, and I was really proud of the results. I was secretly grinning inside the whole time I was doing my Arnold Presses during Workout B especially.

I don’t know about you, but as much as I enjoy dance classes, yoga, and (ahem) attempt to enjoy running and plyometrics (I love to hate you, burpees), there is something so empowering about burning through some good old fashioned heavy free-weight sessions.

I feel strong and challenged, and never really to out of breath. But the sweat still pours, and the muscles burn, let me tell you!!

I read on Tina’s blog that the next round of Bootcamp is going to have some amazing new features, including videos of each workout!

I strongly encourage you to at least check it out if not join. Sign-ups begin May 20th, and you can find out the deets at www.tinareale.com :)

 

Now…on to the recipes!

I am really proud of myself, I have to say. We are having a potluck at work tomorrow for Cinco De Mayo, and I decided to take a crack at baking some delicios new dessert recipes that I found whist perusing some of my favorite blogs!

The first one I found the link for on CupcakesandCashmere but it was a recipe from Foodbeast.com and you can review the original recipe here.

It’s a Pinata cake!

Seriously…you bake a cake in two round bowls, hollow out the middle, put candies inside, and seal it up, frost it, and then cut it open for a candy surprise!

I know. Total mind blow.

I’m going to have to update this post with pictures tomorrow after we cut it open, but for now, here is the process and the end result!

Mixing the batter, placing in bowls...

Mixing the batter, placing in bowls…

cake2

Slicing the finished cakes in half, preparing to scoop out the middles…

cake3

Filling the middle with Reese’s Pieces and M&M’s…frosting the edges for glue…

cake4

All done! Glued, frosted, and decorated :)

 

The second recipe was for chocolate chip cookies using avocado instead of half of he butter.

Say Whaaaaat???

This one I found via eatliverun, and it is from the cookbook Absolutely Avocados. Fortunately for me though, Jenna provided the whole recipe and great pictures.

As of this moment, I have the dough chilling in the fridge, but I will update you later on how the turned out.

If you wanna see the finished product now though, go ahead and jump over here to see what they lok like. :)

I get bonus points for this recipe either way though, because I am taking the cookies to work, and I got the avocados from my boss who brought them in to work to share.

sharing is caring.

But for now this is the only teaser you get of how my cookies are turning out:

cookie dough

 

Yeeeaaahhhh Buddy.

Well,

 

Hope you had a blissful Cinco De Mayo weekend, and have a great week!

Cheers,

Christinjoyful

 

 

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RAINBOW CAKE JELLO SHOTS

May 17, 2012 – 11:05 am

As you may know, I am in a pirate guild called the Northstar Penguins. What you may not know, is that as a Penguin, I participate in fundraising events to raise funds for Ren Faires, supplies, etc. These fundraisers usually take place at local bars and we sell jello shots…

 

So of course being the overachiever that I am, I had to take it up a notch…so I found and slightly modified this recipe For Rainbow Cake Flavored Jello Shots!!!

Recipe (slightly modified and doubled from original in the link):

  • 4 cups prepared lemonade
  • 8 1/2 envelopes plain gelatin
  • 3 cups cake flavored vodka
  • 6 tsp sweetened condensed milk
  • liquid food coloring
  • Clear 3oz plastic cups
  • spray can frosting
  • colored sprinkles
  • wooden popsicle sticks

So I ended up doubling this recipe in order to make enough shots, and then also added a little extra of each ingredient to make sure I had enough for each color…

Method:

Combine lemonade and gelatin in a saucepan and heat until the gelatin is melted. Add the vodka and sweetened condensed milk. Take out 1 cup + of the mixture and add like 8 drops of red food coloring. Use a teaspoon to tediously carefully dole out about 1 1/2 teaspoons of red jello shot mix into each of 40 3oz cups, give or take…for the first time, go with 40, it should be right if you follow the measurements correctly.

Place the cups of red jello in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes, or until firmed but sticky still…take another 1 cup+ of jello mixture and add red and yellow food coloring. Take your teaspoon and place 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of orange jello cake mixture on top of the red layer in each cup. Place in fridge for approx 18-20 minutes or until firm. Repeat this process for yellow, green, blue, and purple. Note that as the jello mixture sits, it will start to harden faster with each layer, so it will take less and less time in the fridge with each layer (thank god).

Red layer in fridge (on left) next to regular-ass jello shots

 

Jello shots with red orange and yellow layers…about half way done!

Once you have completed each layer, take your can of frosting and dollop each one. Add sprinkles. Serve with a popsicle stick to get the jello shot goodness out. :)

Here’s the finished product (held by my pirate buddy and sister from another mister Lydia) :

The finished and delicious product!!!

 

We sold out of these in like 5 seconds flat…I highly recommend these as long as:

1) You like jello shots

2) you like cake flavored yumminesses

3) you have lots of patience and perserverance

 

Enjoy!!

 

Cheers,

 

Christin

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