I have a confession to make (which I've made previously, actually). I have been drinking instant coffee every day for a year and a half. It's a nasty habit that I've rationalized and justified to myself over and over:
"It can't be that full of chemicals."
"But I have to get to work! I can't brew good coffee for myself every single morning!"
"Well, it's better than the garbage they make at work."
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that, if I was going to eliminate toxins from my diet as much as possible, I had to tackle my cup of coffee too (once I finished drinking the instant coffee I had purchased in Puerto Rico - it would be crazy to throw that out!). Apparently, coffee is one of the crops most heavily sprayed with pesticides.
So I needed an alternative that would allow me to quickly make good coffee in the office kitchen. Luckily, I found a very small french press for less than $10 at TJ Maxx, perfect for brewing one cup of coffee a day. I ground up some coffee beans I had in the freezer at home, brought them to the office, and brewed myself a very formidible cuppa joe. But with a little of my organic/non-homogenized half and half and raw sugar, it went from formidible to SLAMMIN'.
The problem is, my crappy grinder at home works for obliterating the beans, but doesn't do very well to make the larger, uniform grind that's needed for a successful press-pot brew. I ran over to Peet's on my lunch today and discovered, to my utter delight, that they carry an organic coffee, which they obligingly ground for my use in the little french press that is my new best friend.
I can't wait to try it!
UPDATE: Success! The organic coffee from Peet's, plus a little organic cream and raw sugar, is transcendent. It's strong and smooth and ... well, coffee-ish. The way it should be!
Showing posts with label At Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label At Work. Show all posts
1.14.2011
1.11.2011
Eggs-actly
I have been using my little black pot at work every day to reheat my leftovers, with great success (but not without some idiotic commentary and some envious looks). This morning, I decided it was time to cook here for real.
I wanted scrambled eggs for breakfast. I usually make them at home really quickly, throw them in a container, and eat them when I get to work. This usually results in watery, rubbery eggs.
But not today, oh no, nor ever again!
I brought two eggs* in a container, broke them when I got to work and mixed them with a glug of the half and half** I keep in the fridge for my coffee. I melted a little butter in the pot, added the egg mixture, and voila! Fluffy, hot, gorgeous, creamy scrambled eggs in less than five minutes.
The secret to fluffy eggs, by the way, is not stirring them constantly. Let them cook for a bit until the bottom layer has set, then fold sections of them over - but it's critical to this approach that you do so over low-ish/medium-ish heat so they don't brown. Repeat until cooked through. Trust me - it works like a charm.
*Organic brown cage-free eggs from Costco (two dozen for less than $6 - majorly good deal)
**Non-homogenized half and half from Strauss creamery (comes in a glass jug - it's divine) UPDATE - Strauss does homogenize its half and half. I've switched to raw milk from Organic Valley or Strauss's heavy whipping cream, which isn't homogenized, but is lightly pasteurized.
I wanted scrambled eggs for breakfast. I usually make them at home really quickly, throw them in a container, and eat them when I get to work. This usually results in watery, rubbery eggs.
But not today, oh no, nor ever again!
I brought two eggs* in a container, broke them when I got to work and mixed them with a glug of the half and half** I keep in the fridge for my coffee. I melted a little butter in the pot, added the egg mixture, and voila! Fluffy, hot, gorgeous, creamy scrambled eggs in less than five minutes.
The secret to fluffy eggs, by the way, is not stirring them constantly. Let them cook for a bit until the bottom layer has set, then fold sections of them over - but it's critical to this approach that you do so over low-ish/medium-ish heat so they don't brown. Repeat until cooked through. Trust me - it works like a charm.
*Organic brown cage-free eggs from Costco (two dozen for less than $6 - majorly good deal)
**Non-homogenized half and half from Strauss creamery (comes in a glass jug - it's divine) UPDATE - Strauss does homogenize its half and half. I've switched to raw milk from Organic Valley or Strauss's heavy whipping cream, which isn't homogenized, but is lightly pasteurized.
12.15.2010
New Food Horrors
Every time I think - ok, I've got this whole food/pre-industrial revolution way of eating down pat, I find something new that's wrong with food and the way I'm making it.
Problem: Microwaves kill all that is good in the world* - apparently, they change the DNA of food or something.
Fix: I bought a small covered pot to keep at the office (where we have a range, thank God!). I'll be using it to reheat everything from coffee to oatmeal to dinner leftovers.
Problem: Phytic acid** - oats, legumes, and whole grains have this acid, which works to pull nutrients from the soil into the plant, which is great. However, if it isn't neutralized, it locks nutrients in the grain and pulls nutrients from the body, which isn't great.
Fix: I have to soak everything overnight before I use it, from oats, to the whole wheat bread flour I mill, to beans, etc.
To quote a good friend of mine (a nutrition and "real food" guru), "Food wasn't meant to be easy."
Well said, my friend.
* Ten reasons to throw out your microwave
**Discussion about phytic acid found here.
Problem: Microwaves kill all that is good in the world* - apparently, they change the DNA of food or something.
Fix: I bought a small covered pot to keep at the office (where we have a range, thank God!). I'll be using it to reheat everything from coffee to oatmeal to dinner leftovers.
Problem: Phytic acid** - oats, legumes, and whole grains have this acid, which works to pull nutrients from the soil into the plant, which is great. However, if it isn't neutralized, it locks nutrients in the grain and pulls nutrients from the body, which isn't great.
Fix: I have to soak everything overnight before I use it, from oats, to the whole wheat bread flour I mill, to beans, etc.
To quote a good friend of mine (a nutrition and "real food" guru), "Food wasn't meant to be easy."
Well said, my friend.
* Ten reasons to throw out your microwave
**Discussion about phytic acid found here.
6.17.2010
Rice, Rice Baby
I keep a small rice cooker in my work cubicle and like to make rice for lunch from time to time. I do this secretly under my desk because it's so convenient. I realize how weird that is, but I like fresh, hot delicious rice. Is that so wrong?
I just scored major points with the Filipino ladies in my office, who caught me rinsing my rice in the kitchen and sneaking off with the rice cooker pan. One lady asked "Um, where are you making that?" After blushing like crazy and then explaining myself, I got a few approving nods. I think I made some friends. Or they think I'm crazy.
I'm okay either way. So long as I have my rice.
2.25.2009
Predictibility
I've realized that I am pretty predictible. To a fault, really. But I accept it and plan to be spontaneous and unpredictible in the future. I suppose that defeats the purpose, doesn't it?
One thing I've noticed in the way of my predictibility is my pattern of behavior during the workday. It goes something like this:
6:45 AM - With a start, realize I've been hitting the snooze button for an hour, stumble out of bed, wonder what day it is, and begin getting ready for work.
7:45 AM - Leave for work, 5 minutes late, hair done, perfumed, and arrayed in a professional outfit, go-get-'em shoes and jewelry.
8:05 AM - Begin work.
8:07 AM - Need a mental break!
8:10 AM - Check email!
Fast forward to ...
1:15 PM - Fabulous 3" heeled shoes have been discarded in favor of fuzzy slippers.
1:17 PM - Jewelry has been removed and placed in random pockets of my purse, not to be seen again until I clean out my purse, months later.
1:18 PM - Did I even put on makeup this morning? (Apply some, hastily)
1:22 PM - Wait a second, did I put DEODORANT on?!
2:30 PM - Coif has been deconstructed by stress and airless office climate. Hair is now in a messy bun held up with a pen, a couple of bobby pins I found under my desk and/or paper clips.
3:22 PM - I've been asleep at my desk for HOW LONG?!
4:00 PM - The countdown begins.
4:55 PM - The longest 5 minutes in history begin.
5:00 PM - I discover I forgot to do something on one of my projects and get back to work.
5:18 PM - SWEET FREEDOM!
Yes, this pattern occurs almost daily. If I don't go home with a pen in my hair, it's a miracle. I don't mind it. My patterns make me who I am.
When all is said and done, predictibility isn't a bad thing. I look at it this way -- God never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That's a predictibility I can stand on, and a Savior I can count on. And that's all I need.
That and probably some caffeine around 3 PM, Monday through Friday.
One thing I've noticed in the way of my predictibility is my pattern of behavior during the workday. It goes something like this:
6:45 AM - With a start, realize I've been hitting the snooze button for an hour, stumble out of bed, wonder what day it is, and begin getting ready for work.
7:45 AM - Leave for work, 5 minutes late, hair done, perfumed, and arrayed in a professional outfit, go-get-'em shoes and jewelry.
8:05 AM - Begin work.
8:07 AM - Need a mental break!
8:10 AM - Check email!
Fast forward to ...
1:15 PM - Fabulous 3" heeled shoes have been discarded in favor of fuzzy slippers.
1:17 PM - Jewelry has been removed and placed in random pockets of my purse, not to be seen again until I clean out my purse, months later.
1:18 PM - Did I even put on makeup this morning? (Apply some, hastily)
1:22 PM - Wait a second, did I put DEODORANT on?!
2:30 PM - Coif has been deconstructed by stress and airless office climate. Hair is now in a messy bun held up with a pen, a couple of bobby pins I found under my desk and/or paper clips.
3:22 PM - I've been asleep at my desk for HOW LONG?!
4:00 PM - The countdown begins.
4:55 PM - The longest 5 minutes in history begin.
5:00 PM - I discover I forgot to do something on one of my projects and get back to work.
5:18 PM - SWEET FREEDOM!
Yes, this pattern occurs almost daily. If I don't go home with a pen in my hair, it's a miracle. I don't mind it. My patterns make me who I am.
When all is said and done, predictibility isn't a bad thing. I look at it this way -- God never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That's a predictibility I can stand on, and a Savior I can count on. And that's all I need.
That and probably some caffeine around 3 PM, Monday through Friday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)