Another day, another photo of oatmeal.

I have to admit, however, this bowl of overnight oats was quite delicious. I used Almond Breeze instead of my usual soy milk, which gave it a nice, light, almond-y flavor. Plus, changing it up made my morning oats a little more exciting!

In the mix:

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup French Chocolate Mad Hectic oatmeal
• 3/4 cup Almond Breeze
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• Dried cranberries
• 1 big scoop of Barney Butter

Ok, so oatmeal photos get a little boring, but I know you’re not sick of pug photos!

Organic and Biodynamic Wines

For the locals…

There’s a great event coming up at Gordon’s Wine at the end of the month: Organic and Biodynamic Wines. Let me know if you’re interested in going, and perhaps we can make it a blogger meet-up! (FYI: The previous blogger meet-up event at Gordon’s was postponed to the fall.)

Question of the Day

Carrots ‘N’ Cake is getting a facelift in the next few weeks, so I’m hoping to get some feedback from my readers before its debut. Feel free to add your 2 cents!

What do you like about the current CNC? What would you like to see changed? What would make CNC a better blog?

Gordon’s is currently hosting a fun beer series called “Craft Beer 102: World Brewing Traditions” (a follow-up to their popular “Craft Beer 101” classes).

Craft Beer 102 is a four-part series that focuses on unique brewing traditions of the world’s finest brewing cultures (Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, and United States). Each class covers the history, methods of production, brewing philosophy, and allows participants to sample 7-8 beers from the selected brewing tradition.

This week’s class featured the United Kingdom:

The beer community today owes its global roots to the UK and the birth of “porter” beer. The vast reach of the British Empire challenged brewers to economically produce large batches of beer that could then be shipped around the globe, as opposed to simply dropping the beer off at local pub for community consumption. The “factory” brewery was born, and with it many advances that brewers continue to use in order to serve ever-larger amounts of customers.

So, it turns out that I don’t really like this type of beer. We sampled a number of classic English- and Scottish-style ales, but I just wasn’t a fan. Maybe my liver I wasn’t in the mood to drink?

I ended up eating more pretzels than I drank beer!

The class’s instructor was incredibly knowledgeable about the beers. There wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer without a detailed reply. It was actually quite impressive! And, I loved that he said categorizing beers from the UK is like “herding cats.”  Basically, it’s really tough because many of them don’t fit nicely into a box, like an IPA or India Pale Ale.

We learned that the BJCP Color Guide is designed to allow people (brewers, judges, etc.) to quickly estimate the color of a beer to help categorize it. So, an Imperial Stout, for instance, would likely fall into the 40-44 range. Kinda cool, right?

We tried 8 different beers tonight:

• Goose Island Honkers
• Sam Smith’s Nut Brown
• Burton Empire Ale
• Belhaven
• Sam Smith’s Taddy Porter
• Dragon Stout
• Nogne O Andhrimnir (Mal suggests that you ask for this one by name! )
• North Coast Old Rasputin

Surprisingly, a number of the beers that we sampled were not from the United Kingdom, but instead, were chosen as a good example of that specific style of beer. For instance, the Goose Island Honkers is brewed in Chicago, but is very similar to a classic English Pale Ale. Plus, it didn’t travel across the ocean and likely stayed more fresh.

Additionally, the Dragon Stout was from Jamaica, but exemplified an English Stout. It was also my favorite beer of the evening. It was malty, smooth, and sweet. It reminded me a lot of my beloved Bourbon County.

Even though I didn’t love tonight’s selection of beers, I still had the opportunity to spend some time with one of my favorite bloggers: Bridget! She and her husband attended the tasting, too. I also got to meet a CNC blog reader, who was at the event. Hi, Kristen!

Mal and I decided to go to Maine for the holiday weekend, so now I need to get my act together. I feel like I have so much to do before we leave!

Good night, bloggies!

One of the best parts about my gig with Gordon’s is that I am allowed to attend any of the classes at their Wine & Culinary Center. Gordon’s has some pretty awesome events, but last night’s Ithaca Beer dinner is probably the best that I have attended. (Well, besides the VinoVoyage, of course! )

Last night, Eric VanZile of the Ithaca Beer Company presented 5 beers, which were paired with 5 courses, prepared by Chef Dave Becker of Sweet Basil in Needham.

As soon as I saw the menu for the evening, I was psyched! Everything sounded so delicious!

Eric VanZile of Ithaca Beer was our host for the evening. He told us all about the company and throughly discussed each beer as we tasted it. Ithaca Beer is a small company with just 13 full-time employees and their beer is currently sold in 7 states.

The first beer that we tasted was the Cascazilla.

The Cascazilla is a hoppy, red ale with a big, bold, and citrusy IPA flavor. Generally, I’m not a fan of IPAs, but I liked this one. It was IPA-esque, but not quite a true IPA.

Paired with the Cascazilla was a piece of Bruschetta with Mushrooms, Figs, and Gorgonzola. The strong gorgonzola flavor really brought out the citrus notes in the beer. It was very nice.

Then, we tried Ithaca’s #1 selling beer: Apricot Wheat. The Apricot Wheat was definitely something special.

Ok, let me start off by saying that I usually like fruity beers; I don’t love them. When I drink beer, I like it to taste like beer, not fruity soda, ya know? So, when I first smelled the Apricot Wheat, I immediately thought that I wasn’t going to like it. It has a seriously aggressive apricot smell. But, once I tasted it, I totally changed my opinion. It was light and refreshing with a good beer balance. The Apricot Wheat first hits you with apricot flavor, but then all you taste is beer. It was easily my favorite of the evening.

The Apricot Wheat was paired with White Bean Soup with Calvados glazed Scallops.

The White Bean Soup was made with pureed apricots, carrots, onions, celery, apple brandy, and sage. It was hearty, slightly sweet, and a wonderful match for the Apricot Wheat.

The glazed scallop was perfect.

Up next was Ithaca’s Flower Power.

Flower Power is an Indian Pale Ale with tons of body and tropical notes of pineapple and grapefruit. It’s dry-hopped five times throughout the brewing and fermentation process, so it had a seriously strong hop flavor. Of course, Mal loved this beer. He even bought a 6-pack of it on the way out of Gordon’s.

Mmmmm… beer!

The Flower Power was paired with Spring Greens with an Avocado Dumpling and Pineapple Salsa.

The Avocado Dumpling was outstanding! In fact, I liked it so much, I asked Chef Becker if it was on the menu at Sweet Basil… and it is! Mal and I already have plans to there for dinner soon. (Sweet Basil is also BYOB! )

The Avocado Dumpling was made with a wonton skin, filled with a mushy mix of avocado, Manouri cheese, ginger, and lime, and sauteed. I loved it!

We tasted the final two beers together: Ithaca 12 and White Gold.

The Ithaca 12 is a Monastery-style Quadrupel Ale that is brewed with French malts and German hops then fermented with a blend of Trappist yeast strains. It just sounds like a special anniversary brew, doesn’t it? The Ithaca 12 had a wonderful balance of fruity and spicy flavors– it actually sort of smelled like a Tootsie Roll to me! It was really rich, but dry at the same time.

The White Gold is a rustic pale ale with fruity and herbal flavors. It had a pineapple sweetness and a slightly sour twinge to it. I also really liked this beer.

These two beers were paired with Roasted Chicken Tossed with Homemade Sage Noodles, Stewed Tomatoes, and Glazed Onions and Sliced Gruyere with Port Poached Plums and Candied Pecans.

As you probably know, I’m not a big fan of chicken, so I didn’t think I’d really like this dish. But, I tried it anyway and surprisingly LOVED it. The chicken was so tender and the homemade pasta was fresh and chewy. I ended up eating the whole portion.

The final course was quite delicious as well. The combination of Gruyere (my favorite cheese!) with plums and candied pecans was fantastic. I downed this course too!

I left feeling pretty stuffed, but every bite was worth it. I loved the entire meal. The beer pairing complimented the various courses so well. It was a fun night!

Hi, guys! Just a quickie post because Mal and I are having guests over for dinner. We’re planning to grill and drink some of the fun beers that we bought at the beer tasting this afternoon, so this recap is going to be more of a show and tell post. I hope ya don’t mind!

This afternoon, I attended a beer tasting event at Gordon’s Wine and Liquors called “3 Hours of Sour Power,” which featured a variety of sour beers. It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon and celebrate the beginning of spring. The event was a walk-around tasting, similar to the Black Beer Affair, so we tried a whole bunch of beers at our leisure.

There were SO MANY interesting fruity and sour beers to try! I ended up trying about half of them.

Marie and me.

The beer reps were so knowledgeable about what they were pouring for us. I think we all learned quite a lot!

At the event, I ran into a couple of Boston-area bloggers: Jen of Healthy Laps!

And Susie of We Are Not Martha! I love both of these ladies!

All in all, the 3 Hours of Sour Power event was a really great time. I tried a ton of new beers and even bought a couple of my favorites to enjoy this evening.

Sorry for the limited commentary on this post. I have guests to entertain!

See ya for dinner!

Murphy is waiting patiently for me to take him out for his long walk of the day, so I’m going to whiz right through this post. It’s 65* and sunny, and I haven’t been outside yet today, so I am also in need of some fresh air and sunshine!

Lunch

After working hard all morning, I finally broke for lunch around noon. I threw together a big salad with lots of veggies and some dry roasted edamame. My appetite is finally back and I am craving nutrients!

In the mix:

• Romaine
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Broccoli
• Red onion
• Balsamic vinegar
• Dry roasted edamame

After lunch, I craved something sweet, so I dug into one of my carrot cake cupcakes that I baked yesterday. Mmm!

Snack

After lunch, I went back to work for a couple more hours before taking a break to eat a snack and watch some Real Housewives of New York City. (They’re my favorite! ) As a snack, I made a package of instant oatmeal with liquid egg whites, dried fruit, nuts, and chia seeds. It hit the spot.

Feel Great Weight

Check out some of my favorite kitchen essentials: 5 Skinny Essentials for the Dieter’s Kitchen.

Burgers & Burgundy

Great event this Saturday at Gordon’s: Burgers & Burgundy!

Trading Up Downtown

Check out my Deal of the Week and giveaway!

—

It’s walk time! See ya for dinner!

She works hard for the money
so hard for it honey
she works hard for the money
so you better treat her right

Ya know, I do!

Snack

Before heading to NuVal this morning, I snacked on an apple while I caught up with some blog stuff.  Yesterday’s Ecto fiasco put me a day behind with everything, but I’m just about caught up now.

Lunch

Today’s lunch included a variety of goodies: Fage + nuts + dried fruit.

And, also a homemade salad and cantaloupe.

Great lunch!

Fetching Tags

Ok, I admit it. My dog is spoiled. His parents just love him so much!

Oooh, that’s the spot! Ear rubs feel sooooo good!

Ok, just have to share… I love these Fetching Tags! I think Murphy needs ones that says: I’M SPOILED. I also love “Show Me The Treat” because Murphy will do just about anything for food!

If you have a special doggie in your life, be sure to check out the selection of Fetching Tags in my OpenSky shop. They’re so fun!

Wedding Wine Tasting

FREE wedding event at Gordon’s tomorrow night!

Guest Post: Julie from Savvy Eats

Hello Carrots ‘n’ Cake readers, Julie from Savvy Eats here! As a relatively new blogger, I’m excited to share some of my favorite healthy travel snacks and meals with a twist with you. If you’re a reader of my blog, you know that I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately. Whether I am spending 14+ hours at LAX or driving from Wisconsin to New York, I try to be well-stocked with healthy eats.

Trust me, you don’t want to be stuck hungry in the middle of nowhere on your road trip, with your only fuel options coming from a gas station or worse, a vending machine. Have you ever been on the flight that gets delayed on the runway for an hour or more? I have. If you have no food with you, you will not be a happy traveler.

Bring some fruit and veggies with you that travel well. Apples and oranges do not bruise as easily as other fruits, and are therefore good for traveling. You could also throw some berries or melon in a Tupperware container. As for veggies, pack some carrot sticks, bell pepper slices, or snap peas for a crunchy, hydrating snack!

If you aren’t going through airport security, you could bring a small container of hummus or your favorite nut butter for dipping as well. Or, use one of my favorites: ¼ c. pumpkin puree blended with ¼ c. peanut butter. All of these should keep well for a few hours if you don’t have a cooler available. If you do have one with you, you’re all set!

Sandwiches and wraps always travel well. I love to have leftovers for lunches when I am at class or work, but I don’t like bringing them on planes or car trips; I don’t want the smell to bother my fellow travelers! This is where sandwiches and wraps come in handy. Get creative!

For some extra protein and fiber, try packing some roasted chickpeas! They are my new favorite snack, and are so simple!

All you have to do is drain and pat dry some chickpeas. Toss them with olive oil and your spices of choice. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 F for 35 minutes. They will come out browned and crispy. And much healthier and filling than a bag of chips! Just make sure to store them in a well-sealed container so that they don’t get soft and chewy before you get to them.

I hope I’ve inspired you to pack some healthy snacks with a twist the next time you travel!

Everyone knows California wine, right? You have Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, but what about the Sierra Foothills, Central Valley, Lodi regions? I didn’t even know there was such a place until last night!

Last night’s wine tasting helped me familiarize myself with some of the “deeper tracks” of California wines. Michael Murray of Gordon’s taught the class and presented 5 different wines from the respective regions.

We started with two white wines and a red wine: 2007 Bogle Sauvignon Blanc, 2007 Terre Rouge Enigma, and 2000 Terre Rouge Mouvedre.

The Bogle Sauvignon Blanc was a great “starter” wine. It was bright and vibrant with citrus flavors; a pretty standard Sauvignon Blanc. I liked it, but I didn’t love it, ya know?

The Terre Rouge Enigma was much more my style. It was rich and full-bodied with interesting, even exotic, fruit flavors. Yum!

The Easton Amador Zinfande had a nice and fruity, raisin-y flavor with a spicy, even zingy kick to it. It’d be a wonderful wine at a summertime BBQ.

Along with our wine tastes, we had some crackers and a couple of cheeses (goat and Fontina).

Wine tasting buddies: Beth and Mal!

On the second round of pours, we tried another Zinfandel and a Zinfandel blend.

The 2006 Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel was less fruity and more complex than the Easton Amador. All of the flavors seemed to linger on my tongue. It was a really good wine!

The final wine of the evening was 2006 Bogle Phantom, which may have been my favorite red of the night. The Phantom was a blend of Petite Syrah and Zinfandel, and it was heavy, intense, and a little sweet. It was definitely my type of wine!

After the wine tasting, Mal and I went in search for our new favorite beer: Bourbon County! We fell in love with it at the Black Beer Affair last month. Bourdon County is a fairly expensive beer, so it’s definitely a special treat when we buy it. We’re saving it for this weekend!

While wandering around, I stumbled upon a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Matanzas Creek! I visited the winery back in November, so I was excited to see one of their bottles at Gordon’s.

All in all, another great event at Gordon’s! And, it was fun to go out on a “school” night!

What a FFFUN day!

It was filled with facials, fitness, fondue, and family!

This morning, our facials took a lot longer than expected, so my sister and I nixed our trip to the gym. While my sis showered and got ready, I went for a quick 30-minute run around her neighborhood. I loved running outside in the sunshine– it felt like a spring day!

After my run, I refueled with an orange and a scoop of almond butter directly from the jar (not pictured).

When my mom arrived at my sister’s apartment, the three of us chatted while enjoying some coffee. Of course, I went with the iced version.

My mom’s coffee mug was as big as her head!

(She’s trying not to laugh in this photo!)

After our coffee break, we headed to Gordon’s for Fondue Fest ’10.

The event was part hands-on/part-demonstration, which included information about the history of fondue, an overview of traditional recipes, and how to make fondue.

The menu for the event was quite impressive– it included 5 different fondues!

• Traditional Cheese Fondue – Gruyere & Emmenthaler
• Savory Cheese Fondue – Irish Cheddar & Stout
• Brie and Pesto Fondue
• Chocolate Dessert Fondue
• Flaming Turtle Fondue (from The Melting Pot)

And a whole slew of dippers, including:

• Apples
• Broccoli
• Grape Tomatoes
• Savory Herbed Mini Cupcakes
• Walnut Bread
• Sausage
• Mission Figs
• Strawberries
• Pineapple
• Orange Citrus Mini Cupcakes
• Brownies
• Marshmallows

The instructors for the class explained how to make fondue and then let us loose to make our own from scratch.

The class divided itself into 2-3 smaller groups to make the various fondue recipes.

Our group made traditional Cheese Fondue.

Here’s my mom rubbing garlic on the inside of the pot.

I started with a good-size plate of food.

Then dipped each piece in a different pot of cheese.

I loved ALL of the fondues! I really couldn’t decide on my favorite.

The cheese fondues were paired with a French white wine and an Irish Stout.

After my first plate of food, I had a few more bites.

And, then it was time for dessert!

We had a Chocolate Dessert Fondue and a Flaming Turtle Fondue.

My sister and I shared a plate of dipped fruit and Orange Citrus Mini Cupcakes. Holy yum!

And, then I went back for a few more chocolaty bites. I especially loved the chocolate dipped brownies!

Dessert was paired with a sweet dessert wine. Mmm!

Mom and me!

I’m soooo stuffed right now! I’m not sure what’s for dinner, but it’s definitely going to be something light!

I’m taking the rest of the evening off from working/laptop/internet, so enjoy the evening, guys! I’m off to relax (and digest).