Boy this is going to be a monster post!!!
All the food lab experiments were very cool today. Remembering how I felt when I left lab last week, I kept it simple with just one small bite of each item – just enough to taste for the sensory analysis. Here’s a recap of the selections (and I wish I knew the details of each experiment, but unfortunately I don’t. Most of them involved replacing an ingredient with an alternative sweetener or other substitute)
Amy’s sugar-free + control toffees –
Chocolate cakes – (with splenda, etc.)
Cupcakes (with splenda)
Corn muffins (with WW flour?)
PB cookies with PB2 + Jif
Ice cream with soy and control –
Cara’s puddings
Kelsey’s jellos! (See her experiment here!)
Splenda fudge (go with the original. In fact, in all of these – just use the real thing! I can’t think of a single experiment that was better altered!)
I actually left lab feeling good and not full at all – tiny bites, tiny bites!
We we got home, Larbs was here!!! Along with her friend Martha and later her friend KitKat (Katie) arrived with the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen (except for our wedding flowers 🙂 ) Thank you Katie!!!
They were the perfect centerpiece for a colorful lunch.
Mom and Larbs got me presents while they were out yesterday. Four of these gorgeous totally-my-style placemats (from Bed, Bath + B I think)
And a tiny bottle of Juicy Couture! Thanks B+L!
The lunch had to be both gluten-free and vegetarian friendly, so I decided on salads, with optional croutons and optional chicken as toppings. (Kelsey, the veg, added beans to hers!)
Romaine tossed in balsamic + lemon olive oil plus cranberries, carrots, feta + walnuts.
The side items included grilled cilantro pesto chicken (morphed from yesterday!)
And homemade GH croutons (toast in oven tossed in olive oil, S+P until crunchy). Store air-tight for a few days.
Plus fresh fruit
And toasted buns for a few –
I had a salad topped with chicken + croutons
And a cilantro pestoed half of a bun (of which I only ate half b/c dessert was served when I had half left and I wanted to switch my palate)
Serving of fruit – antiox!
After lunch Matt, who by luck was off work early today because he went in at 3 this morning, did a beer tasting for the group of his latest wheat beer.
I drank half of my 6 oz glass and gave him the rest.
And last but not least, we all shared a cut up Apple Turnover Savannah Bar!!!! DELISH!! I had 2 of the squares.
I spent an hour cleaning up, just blogged (whew!) and am going to join my husband in the hammock for a swing. Kelsey is writing her Foodservice paper on a blanket in our yard!
We’re planning an early dinner at EarthFare to meet up with some readers in town for a concert, and then drinks with Kate and Nate.
SPEAKING OF NATE………
I give you: The Blog Stalker!!
Friday Dance!!
Shannon (The Daily Balance) says
I love your ‘monster’ posts! What a fun lab, not surprising that the real thing always won out over the imposters 😉
Beautiful flowers, beautiful lunch! Have a great evening!
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Nate says
Longest KERF post ever. I feel like I just ran a marathon. Thanks for the bloglove.
JENNA says
What a FUN FUN FUN lunch!!! 🙂 such beautiful flowers!! I love them. Have fun tonight!
Melissa says
What a beautiful, colour lunch. I enjoy looking at the photographs you take of your food because they are done so well. 🙂
I second the Happy Friday!
tina says
Fun afternoon!!!
Julie says
Sounds like the perfect afternoon!
Sarah says
Those flower are too pretty! Lunch looks much better than what I had… have you checked out the voting for best food blog recently??? You’re winning!
Moran (The Running Addict) says
Wow so much fun!!! Enjoy tonight!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini) says
What a fun and yummy afternoon. I love the abundance of color at lunch!
Sharon says
Oh wow, what a great time!
Erin says
Aw. A swing in the hammock. How dear!
Marissa says
Those flowers are gorgeous!
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats says
What a great afternoon – that bar looks SO good!!
*Andrea* says
what a lovely lunch!! i love your interior of your home – if you weren’t studying to become a RD you should be an interior designer 😉
AlliJag says
How fun, what a great Friday afternoon!
LOL – I read the Blog Stalker after lunch and almost peed my pants – Nate is too funny!
Have a great time tonight!
Casey says
Kath! Where did you get your blue skirt in the picture above? I must know! I must have that skirt! 🙂
thepinkpeppercorn says
WOW!!! Love the monster post!! hehe, awesome stuff – and what a LUNCH!!!!!!!!
Sara says
What a fun lunch and afternoon!
Runeatrepeat says
I didn’t even realize it was long since it was interesting 🙂
Kiersten says
What a fun start to your weekend!
Michelle Hisae says
That looks like such a fabulous lunch spread! Dang, girl, you hit it out of the park. I bet there are going to be many summer parties in your future!
Heather says
Your food labs look like so much fun! It makes me wish that I was taking that class with you 😉
Wow, those ARE beautiful flowers! So summery and perfect for this gorgeous weather!
Glad to hear you enjoyed your company… have a fun time tonight!
life coach jen says
Those flowers are gorgeous and I’m glad you didn’t get too full from all that tasting in class!
Angie says
Beautiful lunch….and love the flowers!
Thanks for sharing your class’ lab experiments! 10 years ago, I did Kelsey’s exact experiment in my food science lab, but, as far as the others go, Splenda didn’t even exist yet.
It brings back good memories!
Chelsea says
Oh YAY! Blog Stalker!!!! That salad looks fab and you’re right those flowers are AMAZING.
Leah @ Simply Fabulous Now says
What a nice lunch!! I love the looks of it!!
Have fun tonight!!
Jenn Hains says
What a great looking lunch! Yum. I have to admit that dessert looks amazing. Was it homemade or store bought?
Briana says
Those flowers are gorgeous and your meal looks great too. I know all about that beer tasting. I mean I can’t drink yet but my dad has taken up brewing after stopping about ten years ago. Earlier this week, he took a sip of one of his brews and broke out into a little kid smile saying “That’s really good beer.” You could see his pride and happiness beaming from him.
Those labs look so intriguing too.
Hallie says
Dang that’s quite the spread! I need to make more friends who cook so we can have potluck parties 😛
So what did you think of the tastes in class? Particularly the corn muffins with the WW flour…that’s on my “list to try” so I’m curious what you thought.
brandi says
Happy Friday! what a fun afternoon 🙂
K says
What a fantastic Friday! Everything looks amazing from lunch – love the impromptu beer tasting!!
The Duo Dishes says
All that food tasting…yum. Those apple squares do look quite delish!
sue says
those really are the most gorgeous flowers! and what a fun class- thanks for sharing all the pics!
Ellen M says
homemade croutons are my absolute favorite! sooo much better than store-bought.
Help Meghan Run says
Beautiful! I want one of those buns *so bad*! 🙂
Check out my blog as I run with Team in Training and raise money for blood cancers!
www. HelpMeghanRun .com
Meg says
Loved every bit of your monster post.
Great new placemats! 🙂
Bec says
your classes always seem so interesting and lunch looks fantastic!
Adi (oatonomy.com - repaired!) says
Your lunch looks so tasty… and inviting! The chicken looks especially mouth watering… mmmm…
And yes, those flowers are gorgeous!
Kath says
Sarah ,
SWEET!
Casey ,
Target! They have all kinds of colors.
Briana ,
Aww fun!
Hallie ,
I think I mentioned in the post that all the originals were the best….but for that experi. I’m not sure what the original was because I preferred the WW. I could be mistaken about what the variable was. And I don’t have the recipe. Actually, I think it was another Splenda recipe now that I think about it….
Kath