I don’t have much time because I need to pack for Fitbloggin’ (meeps!) but since so many of you seemed intrigued by my birthday breakfast party at work — it was a HUGE hit and so much fun!

I’ll be blogging and tweeting from the conference, so look for updates. And thank you to ALL for the fabulous 30th birthday wishes! I’ve been to the bar enough times…the oatmeal bar was much more fun!

My grown-up goodie bags were a hit, too…stuffed with macaroons and steel cut oats for at-home breakfasting.

I had plans for a lengthy “what I’ve learned in 30 years and what I look forward to for 30 more years” post but it felt preachy and I think my time is much better spent with my family and furballs. So, I’ll just say…it’s been an amazing three decades. Thanks to my mom for her great post on her memories of this day in 1980, thanks to my co-workers for coming to my party, to my husband for lugging around a Crock Pot without complaining and to EVERYONE who wished me well today.

Lucas just got back from a week-long trip to Seattle. I was so jealous — we went to Portland and Seattle a year or so ago and very seriously talked about packing up and moving!

He asked me what I wanted as a souvenir, and I requested local coffee and a Starbucks Seattle mug to match the Orlando one I already own.

He delivered!

I love the description of that coffee.

That’s the caffeine part of this post — here’s the cookie:

I have Coconut-Almond and Cocoa Macaroons (un)cooking away in the dehydrator. I’ll be packing them up in what I’m calling “grown-up goodie bags” for my birthday party tomorrow!

As I’ve mentioned…I’m turning 30 tomorrow. St. Patrick’s Day. So, rather than stress over having to eat birthday cake that I don’t want, or trudge through the work day, I’ve decided to throw myself an oatmeal party!

I’m making steel cut oats and bringing a toppings bar, including coconut, chocolate chips, dried fruit and nuts, banana, brown sugar, peanut butter, blueberries and more! I’m pretty excited…and it will be fun for me to show my colleagues what my oatmeal craze is all about!

What do you like on your birthday — cake? Cookies? Something else?

I may not be the best cook in the world — but I know how to read a recipe.

So when I tell you to make this now…make.this.now.

As Kel said better than me, POM + Fish (I used tilapia) = Happy! The reduced pomegranate-mint sauce was delicious, but I have to say, I think it would be even better over ice cream. It got sweet and sticky and ohhhhh so good.

Also so good? My recipe for Chocolate Popcorn Brittle, kicked up with the addition of some Naturally Nutty Vanilla Cinnamon Sunflower butter. I’d show you a picture, but I didn’t wait to dig in!

It’s been a very busy, very stressful week…nothing too bad, just lots of busy work! So you KNOW this made my day:

My sweet husband texted me, saying my boys missed their mama!

This also cracked me up — this morning, I tweeted:

And got this video in return, from @NoMoreBacon:

I cracked up — one of those gut-busting, feel sick afterwards laughs. How funny is that?

And a less funny, but still important video…I implore you to follow this link for a clip from Jessica Simpson’s new show. Now, yes, I am a Jessica fan girl (confession: I even bought her clip-in hair extensions) BUT, I think her message is one that’s so important when it comes to media, women and body image. Men too!

OK, gotta end it on a positive note.

How’s about this — my other favorite video?

What do you do when you need a laugh?

Whole lotta bacon cake fans in the house, huh? I can’t wait to hear how all of your versions turn out. The cake, btw, has left my building. 2 days and Lucas polished it off.

Speaking of Lucas, if you want to hang out with both of us AND drink free beer — check out this Beer Tweetup tonight (Thursday) at the Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration, Florida. I’m @kwidrick and he’s @nighthops.

Also speaking of Lucas — for his birthday, I bought him a new pocket video camera and I came home from work to find this video playing on the TV…so cute to see what they do all day!

The bacon cake was a big hit, but I prefer a more subtle, refined OH WHO AM I KIDDING I love chocolate!

So for a sweet treat this week, I made what I can only call Popped Heaven:

That’s chocolate popcorn brittle with a side of riesling. Want some of your own?

Chocolate Popcorn Brittle (adapted from Mark Bittman’s “How To Cook Everything Vegetarian”)

• 2T neutral oil
• 1/2C popcorn kernels
• 1/4C sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
• 1/8C cocoa powder (I used raw with maca)
• 1/3C water

1. Heat the oil in a deep, wide pot. I use a pasta pat or a big stockpot for this.
2. Place three popcorn kernels in the pot and cover.
3. Once the three kernels pop (should take about 4-5 minutes) put the rest of the kernels in, shake to coat in oil, and return the cover.
4. While you’re waiting for the kernels to pop, mix the sugar and the cocoa powder.
   1. I prefer to run this mix through a food processor so it’s super-fine, but this is optional.
5. Place the sugar and cocoa mix in a small pot and add 1/3C water. Stir to combine then put on low heat.
6. Let sugar and cocoa combine — don’t stir! — until it caramelizes and turns a nice dark, silky color.
7. When the kernels finish popping, place into a heatproof bowl. Pour the caramelized sugar-cocoa mix over the popcorn and toss gently to cover.
8. Pour the popcorn into a greased baking or cake pan and gently press down with your fingers, packing the popcorn together.
9. Let cool for at least 5 minutes then EAT!

A 1/2 C of popcorn makes a TON of finished popped product, so if you want to cut the recipe in half you may.

Random photo on my camera that I had to share — I found these on clearance and almost bought them! I am a Syracuse grad, you know. Go Orange!

And finally, I wanted to pass on a video to Jamie Oliver’s TED talk on childhood obesity. It really struck a chord with me, and it’s a really well presented argument. Check it out here and sign his petition here!

That’s right — vegans, beware. Because below, I am proving my awesome wife status with pictures of the Bacon Birthday Cake that made Lucas drool.

But first, an NKOTB throwback video for my baby on his 30th birthday:

Don’t even hate on my for the NKOTB love (which, BTW, I have professed before). I still think Joey looks slammin’.

Ever since we went to Portland and Seattle a few years ago, Lucas has been reminiscing about the Maple Bacon donut he had at Voodoo Doughnut:

So, when I brainstormed ideas for a unique birthday cake (he’s not really a buttercream frosting kind of guy), I turned to Google, which presented me with this gem: Bacon Gets Its Just Desserts.

I knew it could be a winner, and I was right.

I know, I know. I don’t eat a lot of meat, and the sight of this much bacon is a little off-putting for me, too. But you know what? The salty bacon with the sweet maple icing was incredible — and since this was more like a coffee cake than a cake cake, each bite was a mouthful of pecan-y, apple-y, bacon-y goodness.

But first, we had to eat a balanced meal, hand-picked by the birthday boy and right out of “Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite” cookbook. Burgers, beers and cucumber raita.

Good, but we’re a little biased because of the incredible meal we shared with friends over the weekend. I rocked the Bumpit and got my Snooki on.

We had an adorable eating partner.

And open minds — so when we saw these meats listed as taco fillings at the Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant our friends took us to, we said “one of each, please!”

So good — I even tried the head and the chicharonnes, although they were not my favorites. The food was super fresh and when we added grilled onions, cilantro relish and hot sauce…YUM!

And in case I haven’t scared all of you off with the meat-tastic post, I’ll leave you with this gem. Lucas loves to share his homebrew, but he asks his friends to return the bottles so he may reuse them. We got this package on our doorstep over the weekend — a lovely joke from one of his pals.

My 30th birthday is next month, and we’ll be celebrating it with a trip to Baltimore and Fitbloggin‘! Will you be there?

A while back, I found a big ugly green…thing.

If it didn’t have a sign telling me that this ugly thing was a “water coconut,” I never would have believed it. This is, after all, the same store that would post something like this:

Grammar. You failz it.

Anyway, the Internet confirmed that this was, in fact, a coconut. Now — how to open it? YouTube was a big help, but my honey of a house husband had his own ideas:

Like anything in life, we (he) had to work hard; cracking the hard outer shelf and gently pulling aside some unattractive but supportive layers:

And when we did, we gloried in the goodness:

We poured the lovely coconut water into a bowl and then scraped the white yumminess out with a spoon:

Victorious.

I’m still plotting what to do with the fresh coconut, but I had a taste for it and after a run to Whole Foods, I gave into the craving. Meet Coconut-Almond Macaroons a la Joggers Life.

I did make a few changes, substituting oat flour for the almond meal and halving the recipe. That was a mistake, since I’ve already eaten quite a few. I also made a second type of macaroon, from Everyday Raw.

They’re both amazing (and raw, since I stuck ‘em in the dehydrator — what do you think, Patti?) Ahhhhhh macaroon.

So y’all know I love my job, right? This week, I got to meet a man who blows me away with his bravery, his kindness and his SLAMMIN’ body! Would you believe this guy is about to turn 70?

Sandy Scott broke his neck during a horrific cycling time trial — he might have died, and probably should have stopped competing. But he didn’t, and he’s looking to set MORE records for his age group at several national events! I had an amazing day, field producing a video with him, and that will be posted on our site soon.

I’ll leave you with a picture of Travers — aka “Best Cat.” He loves wearing my medal from the OUC Half Marathon and Lucas gave him the nickname.

Who inspires you? Leave me a comment!

P-p-p-p-perfect!

Let’s back up, so I can catch you up on the last few days. On Friday night, Lucas and I hit up a local bar known for its craft beers. A beer blogger’s gotta see what people are drinking, right?

It was a special release party for Brooklyn Brewery, which I normally love. But after a few sips of Luke’s beer:

I decided I was more interested in playing a few games:

And talking to a bunch of friends that showed up. It was a blast! We even managed to record a quick video, using my iPhone:

On Saturday, I worked up an appetite cleaning the inside of my stove. We had an, ahem, incident with some overflowing custard, and no amount of elbow grease was getting it clean. Then we found a natural cleaner recipe online — just a mix of baking soda, vinegar and dish soap and VOILA:

Just like the day we bought the stove! Ahh, happiness…

I celebrated with a POM martini, made with pomegranate-mango juice, Absolut Boston and triple sec, in a martini glass that I rimmed with organic cane sugar and lime juice. More happiness…

Gotta support Pom, since it’s a sponsor of Fitbloggin‘, and I’m going in March! Will you be there?

I’ve also had a weekend of awesome food. Saturday night, I made curried tilapia, broiled until crispy and served over the most amazing spinach and tomato paella:

And tonight, for the superbowl, I made (unpictured) chipotle beef and carmelized onion tacos, from Rick Bayless’ Everyday Mexican. Awesome!

It’s very possible that I’m the last to know this, but did you know that you can pop popcorn right on your stovetop, using kernels and a little bit of butter or oil?

It’s so much cheaper and easier (duh) than buying the microwave popcorn, and better for you. I’ve been topping mine with coconut-lime salt:

And eating by the faceful:

Off to watch the rest of the Superbowl. The commercials have been very disappointing — hello, sexist much? — but the Puppy Bowl made my night.

LOOK WHAT ONE OF THE DOGS WAS NAMED! Tater Tot!

Tater Tot the Puppy Bowl star

OK, off to get in PJs. I am going to a big social media conference in the morning, and I will be tweeting while I’m there. So be sure to follow me!

P.S. I updated my Google Reader with all the Fitbloggin’ bloggers — if you want to add it to your own reader, click here!

It’s a pretty easy — not to mention delicious — proposition.

Bid on one of the dozen items up for auction on Diana’s Bake Sale for Haiti, get yummy treats and help the people who have been so devastated by the Haitian earthquake.

Here’s what I am offering: Mark Bittman’s Whole Wheat Molasses Bread.

Trust me on this…this bread is gooood. I use it to mop up soup and chili, make sammies and even croutons for salad. It’s moist, dense and chewy, and is more savory than sweet.

It’s also a flexible recipe, so if you are vegan or have other dietary concerns, I’m happy to tweak the recipe.

Take a look, and please bid big and bid often. I’ll leave you with one more picture that sums up this whole venture:

via http://redcross.org

Well, ya’ll have certainly given my friend some new healthy food resources, and turned me on to some new ones, as well! Here were the most popular suggestions from my last post:

• Blogs and Web sites:
  • KathEats.com
  • OhSheGlows.com
  • StephChows.blogspot.com
  • CarrotsNCake.com
  • CookinCanuck.blogspot.com
  • KsGoodEats.wordpress.com
  • Fitnessista.com
  • NataliesKillerCuisine.com
  • FoodNetwork.com
  • AllRecipes.com
  • AimeesAdventures.com
• Cookbooks:
  • Rick Bayless “Everyday Mexican”
  • “Vegan With a Vengeance”
  • “Cupcakes Take Over the World”
  • “Bluephies American Cooking”
  • “Laurel’s Kitchen”
  • “Fix and Leave it Light”
  • “Joy of Cooking”
  • “Pretty Darn Quick”
• Magazines:
  • Real Simple
  • Eating Well

And, for all your hard work and great suggestions, it’s time to announce the winner of a Bondi Band…

Congratulations, emueller! You were selected as my random winner, and you also really touched my heart with this comment:

I am super proud of you for finishing and for enjoying the process and the results…Having just finished my own half marathon, it is tough…I was proud of myself for finishing but then everyone wanted to know how fast I ran, which was a snail’s pace comparatively to how you ran, but still – I had to remember I had the courage to start and finish and ran the whole thing..even if it wasn’t a fast run….Love your Bondi Band BTW….thanks for being so honest in your thoughts/feelings…helps to know i’m not the only one HUGS

I will contact you to get your address and send your new headband out!

Speaking of things that are touching my heart — the situation in Haiti. I have been watching the heartbreaking photos and video around the clock, and feeling so many emotions. Empathy and sadness for the victims; desperation for those who have survived but are still in danger, hungry and dehydrated. Compassion and thanks for the tens of thousands of people mobilizing around the world to help. Frustration that the resources just can’t get there quickly enough, or are blocked by bad roads, clogged airports, chaos and confusion.

Like many others, I have donated to relief efforts, and wished I could do more. I know that as a global community, we will come together and do whatever we can — whatever it takes — to bring a bit of stability and hope to Haiti.

Wow, Debbie Downer much? I’ll leave you with something a little happier. This time a week ago, it was sleeting, freezing cold and I was just thankful to be done with 13.1 miles.

Today, it’s 70 degrees outside. Life is good.

This post is inspired by a dear college friend who made my day with an email and a plea — to point her to places that inspire me in my healthy eating journey.

More on that in a moment, but first…

I finally uploaded my Stella stats from the half marathon this weekend! And, I have to say — I’m done beating up on myself. No, I’m not the fastest runner out there…I never thought I was! No, I didn’t reach my 10:00/mile average…but I did maintain that for much of the race, in unexpectedly freezing conditions!

And, thanks to all of your lovely comments on my recap post, I’ve decided it’s time to embrace the awesome. And realize that just by starting the race, I was a winner.

Dork alert…

So, back to the email. My friend (who will remain anonymous unless she wants to peek out in comments, hint hint) wrote this:

I’m wondering if you have a spot where you get your recipes.  Your blog has inspired me to start thinking more naturally, and I’m trying to come up with recipes that are healthy for my husband and I that don’t use a lot of processed ingredients.

Swoon. You had me at inspired.

I know I’m luckier than many — I grew up eating “health food,” although I just knew it as food.

(Reminds me of the magnet my friends Jackie and Jim got me for Christmas)

So for me, giving up junk food, processed food and most crap, mostly meant going back to what Mom and Dad fed me in the first place!

Having said that, I rely on three sources, in this order:

• Cookbooks
  • My favorites are Veganomicon, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (thanks, Andy!), the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook and good ol’ Joy of Cooking.
• Online Recipe Databases
  • I like Recipezaar, A Veggie Venture, VegWeb, Cooking Light and FoodNetwork.com, in particular.
• Other Blogs
  • I subscribe to more than 100 blogs (bless you, Google Reader!) so I bookmark posts that include recipes I’d like to try. I also use Google Blog search if I’m looking for something specific (i.e. tomato soup, lasagna, bread, etc.)

Now, are you ready for my three-part plan for successful healthy cooking and eating?

1. A stocked pantry. I am almost never without staples like:

**Brown Rice, Quinoa, Millet, Bulgur, Rolled Oats: I buy these in bulk and use them in almost every meal. I typically don’t eat many potatoes or other simple starches, although I don’t make a lot of rules (because they’re too easy to break!)

**Stock: I normally keep chicken and vegetable stock in the pantry, and use it to cook grains, meats, etc. It’s also very easy to use if I want to make a kitchen sink soup, which is basically stock heated up with any vegetables I have on hand!

**Vegetables: I am a veggie freak, so I buy whatever looks good at the store, and work it into my meals through the week. I also stock up on organic frozen green beans, broccoli and more, which I buy in bulk at Costco.

2. Meal Planning. I take an hour or so on Friday night, after work, and plan our menus for the week. I used to plan lunches and dinner, but that got to be too time consuming, so now I just make extras of dinner, and bring that or a big salad for lunch. I typically serve a lean protein (meat, beans, etc.), a vegetable, and a grain. If I am serving beans, I double up on the veggies and ditch the grain. The hour that I spend doing this gets me more than that back during the week, because I come home and get started right away, rather than poring through books, Web sites, etc., trying to figure out what to make.

3. Substitutions, substitutions, substitutions. I am very lucky to have a husband who will eat just about anything I put in front of him.

I have made changes to recipes that have resulted in culinary disaster. I’ve also made some pretty impressive dishes. Through trial and error, I have learned when to replace oil with applesauce, and when to stick with the oil; when to use whole wheat flour and when all-purpose is the only choice. I’ve tried foods I couldn’t pronounce, and remade old favorites.

I’m not sure if this helps you, old friend, but I know my readers will have even better ideas for you…

So, leave me a comment and let me know where you find your healthy recipes! I’ll make it worth your while:

• Anyone who leaves a comment will be entered into a chance to win a Bondi Band, the rockin’ hairband that’s sweeping the nation (right, Ashley?)
  
• You can leave as many comments as you want, and get up to three chances to win.
  
• Giveaway ends Friday, January 15th at 5pmET.

They’re wicked cool — in fact, here’s a picture of me enjoying a Bondi at a 5K last year. Enter now!