Time for an installment of Weekend Things:
1. In case you’ve been best friends with cookies and holiday treats, here are 12 Simple, Healthy Meals to Cleanse the Holiday Overload
Thanks to Babble for featuring my Creamy Tomato Soup (vegan, gluten-free, microwave-friendly)
2. Apparently that soup is popular because Ziplist featured it in their Top 12 Recipes to Try in January List
3. Christopher Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cook’s Country recommended this Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven with Element IQ
, $249 in his Mostly Practical Holiday Gift List for 2012 stating, “This is one of the few toaster ovens that can actually make toast. I use it all the time.”
At 18.5 x16.25 x11.25 inches, the Breville Smart Oven is not too small but not too large. It is larger than most toaster ovens, with space to comfortably fit six slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, or a whole chicken. However, as a countertop convection oven, it is more space-efficient than a conventional wall oven. A smaller oven means less time to heat up and less time to cook, perfect for preparing a meal in a hurry (or for cooks who like to create in the heat of the moment). This also translates into a cooler kitchen (particularly convenient in the hot summer months) and less energy consumed.
I’ve been thinking of getting one for awhile for all the reasons above, but wonder if just turning on the oven is more practical. There are pros and cons on both sides and if I had more kitchen counter space, I’d buy this in a heartbeat. Given the tight quarters in my urban San Diego kitchen that I believe was made for people who call for takeout nine nights a week, I’m torn.
4. Vintage Flower Storage Bowls Gift Set of 5 – Glass bowls with lids and on sale for $22.50 from Fishs Eddy which I think is a great price, especially because of the lids. You can stack them and lids are so much handier than covering bowls with plasticwrap.
5. Donut Girl Shredded Sweater by Capture, $104 at Threadscene
Makes me want to eat one of these Baked Peach and Nectarine Donuts with White Chocolate Drizzle and Sprinkles
6. How to Make American Cheese according to America’s Test Kitchen. This looks a bit time-consuming and like lots of dishes to wash for a grilled cheese…
…But this looks worth it.
Or try an easy Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
7. Starbucks Evening Menu featuring Beer, Wine, and Small Plates expands across the country. I guess five dollar cups of coffee better move over for plates of brie and wine.
8. Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup, Williams-Sonoma $32.95 – “Pure maple syrup is a treat in itself, but barrel aging transforms this organic premium-grade maple syrup into something truly extraordinary. Kettle-cooked syrup is aged for weeks in 12- to 18-year-old casks originally used to make bourbon. Richly aromatic flavor, with notes of butterscotch, vanilla, charred oak and bourbon (but without the alcohol). Classic partner for pancakes, but also delicious drizzled over fruit, used as a glaze for roasted meats, poultry and fish or stirred into yogurt.”
I could probably drink this or use the entire bottle over one batch of pancakes or overnight French toast because it just sounds so incredible.
8. Is the Cost of Juicing Worth the Benefits? – “Of course eating raw fruits or vegetables is best, but juicing is a better option than cooking or steaming them. Juicing them also enables you to drink a number of fruits and vegetables in a single glass. Juicers can be anywhere from $75 to $500, and you will get what you pay for in general. Do the benefits outweigh the cost and time associated with juicing?”
I’ve always felt juicing is a royal hassle and an expensive one at that. The time spent cleaning pulverized vegetable bits (kale leaves and orange pulp are the worst) from the teeth of a juicer is cumbersome, tedious, and labor intensive. Juicer cleanup takes much, much longer than rinsing a Vita-Mix canister or or even a food processor. Not to mention, I could juice my way through five to ten dollars of produce per glass or two of juice, whereas I could feed our family for a few days with the same amount of produce if we ate it whole. To each her own, of course.
I love fresh homemade juice and there really is nothing like it. The taste, the energy I get, the purity; I can literally feel the good stuff seeping into every cell in my body, but it’s just not something I do anymore. Maybe 2013 is the year to give it another go.
9. Until then, I’m all about blended beverages for the ease of blender cleanup and their creaminess, like a Strawberries and Cream Smoothie (vegan, gluten-free) – Ready in approximately 22 seconds and cleanup takes about the same.
10. The Best Supermarket Hummus – If you’re a hummus fan, it’s so easy to make at home, literally takes one minuet to make and for pennies on the dollar. I usually make something along the lines of this hummus – four ingredients, fast, and easy.
If you buy it, the results are in. Some brands are hits and some miss the mark.
What are your Weekend Things? Do you have a toaster oven or feel it would be practical?
Do you juice? Do you have any recipes you’re trying to make more of this year or less of?
If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.
That vintage flower bowl set is so darned cute. I may just have to treat myself. Although I did promise myself that I would be on a spending freeze after the holidays. My weekend plans include making a big batch of marinade so I can hove lots of flavorful and lean protein on hand for easy lunches. (another post-holiday resolution.) And I promised my daughter we’d make pressed and baked tofu, something I am so happy to learn that she is in love with. Beautiful shot of the doughnuts, by the way. Must pin!
Thanks for the Pin and I love pressed & baked tofu – I have a recipe with peanut sauce that I haven’t made in awhile….hmmm, maybe I need to do that this weekend too!
Same opinion on juicing over here. Secretly, I always end up eating the little bits out of the teeth anyways…it’s tasty mush…it’s good fiber…that frankly could’ve been in the juice/smoothie…and made it more satisfying and easier on the blood sugar…and clean up is much faster with a smoothie that includes whole veg. The expense..don’t even get me started…student budget! So happy to have found your blog, Averie!
Thanks for saying hi and glad you found me. I have tried a few juicers over the years and the pulp-in-teeth problem plagues me on all of them. And to get it out, I either have to erode a kitchen sponge or soak it and it’s just too much…for…a glass of juice! I wish I could love it more though!
I LOVE hummus – here in Cleveland, we had the Sabra food truck pass out free samples of hummus & chips with coupons this past summer. I miss them :/ I try to make my own in Vitamix when I can, though. Experimenting is what makes cooking fun :) Thanks for the comment, too!
Sabra food truck? Ok that sounds so FUN! (and tasty!)
This weekend I’m ALL about your chocolate chip cookies! OH MY WORD! They are incredible. They do remind me a lot of Levain bakery cookies.mmmmm.
We also got a toster oven as a wedding gift. I’d say we use it a few times a month. I’m holding onto it while I have the counter space, but wouldn’t miss it much when we move.
Happy Weekend Averie!
Ok which ones? these? – I have a few different choc chip cookie recipes on my site but those are my faves. If those are the ones you’re talking about, glad you love them to much too & interesting that they remind you of a Levain cookie, which I’ve never had the privilege of trying yet!
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/11/chocolate-chip-and-chunk-cookies.html
Happy Saturday and great list! We had a toaster oven we got as a wedding gift and I ended up donating it because we just weren’t using it enough – it took up too much counter space, was a pain to get out, use, and clean when we needed it. I am obsessed with our new pressure cooker though, it takes up a lot less space and cooks dried beans, grains, and potatoes in minutes!
I do juice, not enough lately, so that’s one of my goals for the new year to use our juicer more.
And here I thought you juiced all the time! I know you use your Vita tons but I thought you were a dedicated juicer too. I don’t feel as bad now! And also donating your toaster oven. I know you use your dehydrator and I have one too and if I didnt have that, I would maybe buy the toaster oven…I dunno. But thanks for the feedback!
I always make homemade hummus. I am a hummus addict, so it’s much cheaper to make it yourself and it tastes better than anything I’ve bought from the store. I’m also a smoothie addict, so I’ll be trying your Strawberries and Cream Smoothie soon. :) And congrats on your soup being featured so much this week!!
“so it’s much cheaper to make it yourself and it tastes better than anything I’ve bought from the store” <-- amen Sista! Even if you only save a buck or two, per batch it adds up if you're an addict :) I know what you mean!
I’m in love with Trader Joe’s hummus! Especially the White Bean — it’s incredible with pita chips or veggies. Have a great weekend!
I love Fishs Eddy! I wanted everything in the store the last time I was in NYC and ended up with 2 of those bowls and they are fantastic!
Oh wow, you have THOSE bowls. How cool! If I lived near that store, I’d be in trouble!
Happy Saturday Averie. I’m actually able to get back on the computer today, as John and his brother are taking the kids skiing for the day. I’m staying home because believe it or not, my kids are better skier’s than me and I want the 4 of them to be able to ski their little hearts away instead of waiting for me. As far as toasters go, I have one of those fancy Dualit toasters that look great, but don’t toast well at all. I bought it when we first got married because I loved the look of it, but there are times where I want to just buy a normal cheap toaster to actually make some decent toast. We tend to broil our bagels and english muffins in the oven, so I guess you could say that’s our toaster :)
It’s so funny, but I actually drank way more smoothies and juiced way more last spring and this summer than I do now. I think I was on the trend of it all and now I’m over it. Too much of a pain and too much clean up. I like veggies and prefer to just eat them normally. I also spoke to my acupuncturist who told me that too many dark greens and juicing is not the best thing. He said these new Raw and Juicing diets need to be in moderation. He has too many clients who come to him with vitamin K overloads (which can lead to blood clots and strokes) because they think it’s healthier to just live on greens and raw foods, and don’t eat a balanced diet. I won’t go into detail why I went to see him, but lets just say that everything is better now that I cut back my whole kale intake. I was eating basically a head of kale every day. He told me the key to longevity is to eat a balanced diet. You know, I agree, and I always feel better when I eat what my body craves rather than trying to feed it a vegan or strict vegeterian diet. I need my carbs! Have a great day girl!
xoxo, Jackie
That’s awesome you just let them do their thing skiing. It’s like running or doing anything in a group. If one person is slower the group is forced to slow down and although Im sure they wouldnt mind, it was nice of you to just let them go. Plus you get some me-time!
And everything your acu said about too much Vitamin K, balanced diet not overdoing any one thing, etc etc. I totally agree with it all. There was a time I was a strict vegan and strictly GF and I am much happier & feel much more balanced as a vegetarian and eating gluten and the everything in moderation approach like my grandma always said and she lived til her mid 90s!
I almost exclusively use that Blis aged maple syrup. It is wonderful, by far the best maple syrup I’ve had. They also make a vanilla infused one that is fabulous. It is another local, made in Michigan product for me. If you order is directly from Blis it is slightly cheaper.
Good to know: It is wonderful, by far the best maple syrup I’ve had.
Now I REALLY want it :)
We love our toaster oven. We don’t have a regular toaster so we use our little oven daily for breakfast and often to heat something quickly. We’ve also baked in our with decent results. Ours is a cheap model from Target. I’m sure the Breville model would be much nicer. I say go for it, it’s definitely worth the counter space!
Thanks for the feedback and that you use it all the time & that your Target model has served you well!
As you know, my cheap, ancient toaster oven is getting put to extremely good use. I don’t have a ton of counter space and hate clutter, so if I’m not using it for a couple of meals in a row, I haul it downstairs and set it right on top of the box my juicer is in! I thought putting it there might motivate me to make a batch of veggie juice once a week or so, but it hasn’t worked yet. I really fell off the wagon with juicing for the same reasons. I think that Breville sounds sweet–if my current model ever dies on me, I would definitely upgrade to that one!
I love the story about putting the t.o. on top of the juicer box and STILL not juicing. I do love the taste but it’s soooo much of a production for 1 glass of juice! And if you’re juicing for health benefits they say that pre-juicing and juicing in advance isn’t really ideal so it’s not like you can ‘batch-cook’ and make tons at once. So the cleanup, every.time. I think you deserve this Breville t.o. after all you’ve been through with yours!
When I was living in a tiny 1 bedroom flat with 4 other people we swore by the toaster oven. I’d bought it for a couple hundred bucks and it was used daily. We all made our own food and didn’t want to continually turn on the oven when one of us was hungry. I’ve debated getting one for our place now but we have absolutely NO counterspace. Like none. Natta, zip. They’re so handy though!!
What you describe is why I want one – but also why I can’t. Ive seen the pics of you in your kitchen & your space considerations look similar to mine. I feel so maxed out already with appliances that even just 1 more could put me over the edge! lol
Oh, I know the feeling. I’m totally, utterly maxed out. I even sent a message to our landlord yesterday asking him if I could add a piece of counter on the end of the kitchen. It would make getting to the fridge difficult, but I NEED counter space. I don’t even have a spot for my new Kitchenaid!
I have a toaster oven, and love it. I use it when I have a hankering for making a small batch of fries or chips out of a potato, turnip or parsnip. Otherwise, heating the entire oven seems like overkilll. The one you linked to looks amazing! I’d love to upgrade mine–it’s pretty old and the door squeaks every time I open it. lol.
Yes, that maple syrup does look drinkable! Yum! And I’m totally with you on juicing versus blending. I have a Vitamix as well, and boy, it doesn’t get easier than that, right?! Bring on the smoothies! :)
There is nothing easier than a Vita for cleanup! For nut butters, I use my food proc but there are way more pieces to wash and parts. Whenever possible, I reach for my Vita first and foremost b/c cleanup is a breeze. And that’s good to know that you use and love your toaster oven!
I am so into the idea of the Bucks’ serving wine. I don’t know why, it’s not like I do much but run in and out of there to get coffee, but they are so ubiquitous it would be great for when you want a drink with a friend and don’t want to deal with the bar scene.
Which leads to my weekend thing-a homemade Sazerac:
https://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/saz-me/
don’t want to deal with the bar scene <-- YES! There are times when a coffee date with a friend could be a wine and cheese meetup and that sounds fun too :)
Oh my – I am totally loving that “how to make American cheese” link. Leave it to America’s Test Kitchen to figure out how to do that – it’s not terribly complicated…I might have to try it!
And I bet living where you are, every once in awhile you must crave ‘American’ type foods. I know when I’m in Aruba for a month or so, it happens to me!
It’s so true Averie – I find myself craving things that I never craved when we were in the U.S. – must be that whole “absence makes the heart grow fonder” thing. ;) I’m always grateful for all the great tropical fruit here though, and you must have some great fruit in Aruba too.
Well we live in San Diego full time but have a place in Aruba and go for a month, a couple times a year, and I find myself craving things like Tootsie Rolls and Gatorade. Stuff that I just don’t crave in San Diego! I bet your fruit is amazing…ironically much of the fruit in Aruba comes from South America..or…South Florida! The South American bananas they get those are amazing!