A Twist on Grilled Cheese

Do you have specific meals from childhood that hold a special spot in your heart, or more accurately, in your stomach?  Two of my favorites that I remember my parents preparing quite frequently are grilled cheese and fried egg sandwiches.  Our family's grilled cheese sandwiches were prepared on Nature's Own wheat bread and slices of Kraft American cheese.  On the side, Mom and Dad would have a bowl of tomato soup, while my brother and I enjoyed chicken noodle.  Of course no grilled cheese was complete without a giant puddle of ketchup for dipping.  Fried egg sandwiches were my Dad's specialty, and we all loved when he offered to whip them up for a simple dinner on a lazy night.  There's something so delicious about the combination of soft fresh bread, over-medium fried eggs, and salt and pepper.  And the best part - the drippy yolk that was perfect for dipping.

Last night I was craving the comfort and satisfaction of one of those simple childhood favorites.  Since I'm no longer ten years old and know a thing or two more about cooking and healthy eating, I combined my two childhood favorites and kicked it up a notch.  Give this recipe a quick read, and then later this week when you're short on time or simply looking for a childhood classic, give this sandwich a try.

Sweet and Savory Grilled Cheese

1. Start by selecting two slices of hearty bread - my favorite is Great Harvest Dakota Bread.  On one slice spread a layer of Dijon mustard, and on the other, a generous serving of strawberry jam.

2. Next, layer fresh basil over the Dijon mustard.  On the opposite side, place several chunks of good quality rich cheese.  For my cheese, I chose Beemster Classic Cheddar.

3.  In a saute pan over medium heat, fry an egg.  To ensure that delicious drippy yolk, you'll need just a couple minutes to reach a doneness somewhere between over-easy and over-medium.  Layer the egg over the cheese.

4.  Flip your basil coated slice over to top the egg.  Grill the sandwich on a panini press or oven-top pan until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted.

Is anyone drooling and already planning a trip to the kitchen for this grown-up version of a childhood favorite?  This twist on grilled cheese is a winner in my books, and will certainly be my new favorite lazy night meal.

Tri Latta Race Report 2012

Tri Latta Triathlon

Charlotte, NC

June 9, 2012

750m swim, 17 mile bike, 5K run

HIGHLIGHTS

SWIM: 14:04 (1:52/100m)

T1: 2:17

BIKE:  48:46 (20.9mph)

T2: 1:46

RUN: 22:04 (7:07/mi)

FINISH: 1:28:55

PRE-RACE:  I can't believe this is my first triathlon in almost a year.  My last race was Westpoint Lake on June 23, 2011.  I expected a slight decrease in my training and racing volume with the start of residency, but I definitely didn't expect to take a year off.  Training has continued during this roller-coaster of a year, but the quantity and intensity has been highly variable.  I registered for this race about 2 weeks ago when I learned that I had finally been granted a requested day off.  Leading up to Saturday, I had worked three nights with only a few hours of sleep each day followed by a transition back to three long day shifts.  It's funny to consider how particular I've been with pre-race prep (nutrition, sleep, training) in the past, yet how completely unscripted this week has been.  Regardless of the chaos, I was filled with nervous energy on Saturday morning - extremely excited to be back on the starting line yet questioning if I had the ability to compete at the level I expected of myself.

SWIM:  Let me just start by saying that staring at a 750m swim course is so much nicer than 1500m or 1.2mi.  The course was an out and back lake swim with waves leaving every four minutes.  Water temp was 79 degrees.  Aside from the time-trial starts that I prefer, this was one of my better swim starts.  I found clean water pretty quickly and settled into a rhythm.  There was congestion at the turn around point that lasted for 150 meters or so, but then it was clear to the finish.  I was expecting to exit the water at roughly 12 minutes, so I was surprised to see 14 minutes on my watch.  Even the fastest times of the day were slower than expected, so I'm guessing the course was long.  Regardless, we all swam the same course, so distance doesn't matter.  My time of 14:04 was 14/183.

T1: Nothing too exciting here except a long uphill run into transition.  I was in and out pretty quickly without any hiccups.  2:17, 16/183

BIKE:  Leaving and returning from the park we were on a narrow single lane road that was 1.5 miles long, scattered with speed bumps, and in bad need of a new layer of asphalt.  Once we were out onto the main road I was able to settle into a rhythm and focused on keeping my HR up with an appropriate effort for short course racing.  95% of my bike training happens on the trainer at 4am or 8pm, so it felt good to get back out on the road.  Things were going well until I turned back onto the park road and found myself faced with packs of bikers spread four wide across a single lane all trying to dodge speed bumps and pass each other.  After that little joy ride we were back into transition.  48:46, 18/183

T2:  Since the run was only 5K, I opted to go without socks, which saved me a few seconds.  1:46, 13/183

RUN:  The course was advertised as packed gravel and dirt trails with rolling hills. I'm not sure who came up with the definition of "packed" gravel, but the more accurate description would be boulders.  Let's just say racing flats + tired legs + giant rocks make for an interesting combination.  I stayed upright, which is more than I can say about several people around me, but it wasn't pretty at times.  Once I found my running legs, my pace picked up and I negative split each mile, running the last in 6:26.  22:04, 12/183

Overall: 9th OA (5th amateur), 2nd AG

Recovering with an afternoon siesta in the sun and Mix1

I can't begin to say how happy I am to be back in my element and racing again.  This past year has been a crazy mix of ups and downs. In a lot of ways, my commitment to training has been my source of stress relief and aided in keeping a smile on my face.  My conditioning and fitness isn't near where it was one year ago, but I'm happy to have had a respectable race and look forward to what the rest of the season has to offer!

Taste of Charlotte

I discovered about a week ago that Taste of Charlotte was happening this weekend.  Being a lover of all things food, I knew immediately how I would be spending my Saturday afternoon.  Here is my agenda for a lovely Saturday away from work:

• Tri Latta Triathlon - 1st race in more than a year!  Race report coming tomorrow.
• Laundry - ugh
• Taste of Charlotte
• House Supplies: Has anyone else noticed that you coincidentally run out of everything at once?  Literally, I'm out of paper towel, glass cleaner, toilet paper, dish detergent, and garbage bags.  How does that happen?
• Nap Time/Laziness/Blog
• Ortho Chief Roast

Now, onto the food.  Taste of Charlotte is an annual event, very similar to other "Taste" events in major cities, that showcases the food from many of the Queen City's casual dining restaurants.  Unlike Taste of the Nation that I attended a few months ago, this is an casual outdoor festival that is free to the public.  To "purchase" food at a particular tent, you need to stop by a coin booth and buy a cup of coins.  For $20, you'll receive 15 coins that you can exchange for food.  Items cost either one, two, or three coins. 

The festival was packed with people

Live music entertained the crowd

An absolutely beautiful day in the Queen City

I love that the Uptown Charlotte area is new, clean, and filled with great stores and restaurants.

One of my favorite natural grocery stores, Healthy Home Market.

Taste number one came from Cafe Sienna.  The Sea Bass Cake with Chipotle Slaw cost 3 tokens.

Last year, this dish one for best taste.  The cake itself was a little heavy on the breading and I would have loved some more fresh slaw, but it was certainly savory and flavorful.

Woodland's Indian Cuisine prepared one of the few vegetarian selections, Vegetable Biryani with Chana Masala.

  

I was happy to discover something green among lots of fried foods and meat.

Newk's Favorite Salad, minus the chicken.
The bowl was a refreshing mix of romaine, artichokes, pecans, feta, cranberries, grapes, and a sherry vinaigrette.

I've heard great buzz about the fresh cuisine at Loco Lime, but have yet to make it over to Central Ave. to pay a visit.

  

Vegetarian Taco filled with sauteed zucchini, squash, onions, bell pepper, cilantro, and a duo of sauces.

Last, but not least, was dessert.  I had three coins left and debated between TCBY and a cupcake.  Ultimately, the cupcake won since it was more unique.

The fresh strawberry cupcake sounded perfect for summer.  It's currently sitting on my kitchen counter waiting for the perfect opportunity to be consumed.

Over, Taste of Charlotte was an enjoyable way to spend an hour on a beautiful Saturday.  There were a variety of restaurants being showcased.  Next year, I hope there are perhaps a few more vegetarian options.  If you're in the Charlotte area, the festival continues tonight and Sunday, so head on out and enjoy Uptown.  

A Sunday Hike

 Welcome to McDowell Nature Preserve, an 1100 acre park along the banks of Lake Wiley in Mecklenburg County.  Despite being just 15 minutes from Uptown Charlotte, a ninety minute hike left us convinced we were far, far from home.

The plan for the weekend was to work on Saturday (me at the hospital, my parents painting my bedroom) and then have fun on Sunday.  Since I'd been busy working the during the week, I had never quite defined what our "fun" would be.  After a lazy morning and a tasty and filling breakfast (Gooey Banana Bread Batter Steele Cut Oats), I did I quick web search to find some local hiking trails.  I considered Crowders Mountain based on recommendations, but wasn't excited about the 35 mile drive.  Looking at a map, I discovered that Lake Wiley was just a 15 mile drive and shortly the plan was made - we were headed to McDowell Nature Preserve.

The weather could not have been any more perfect!  The combination of upper 70 degree temperatures, bright sun, and a light breeze left us feeling it was April.  We hiked for ninety minutes along trails that varied between narrow paths through thick forests and gravel pathways along the river.

We saw several trees with these huge knots in the side.  Does anyone know what they are?  I'm not sure if they are a natural part of the tree trunk or an indication of stunted growth due to some prior damage.

There were some beautiful homes along the banks of the river.  It certainly wouldn't be a bad location for a lake house.

Bailey had a blast running along the trails, sniffing out all of the scents, and then running back to greet us.  Here she is showing you just how much of a water-hater she is as she jumps back to avoid getting wet from the small ripples in the water.  Crazy dog!

The biggest thing that Dad misses from Florida is having is having a boat and spending time on the water.  He enjoyed watching all of the boats come and go from the boat ramp, but I know that what he really wanted was to be in a boat himself.

Here I am together with my partner in crime enjoying a break along the side of the river.  I love spending time with Bailey!  Her energy is infectious.

After our hike, we set out to find a picnic area to enjoy our lunch.  Not a bad view, right?

Lunch was a selection of refrigerator and pantry odds and ends.  We re-energized with hummus, home-grown cherry tomatoes/carrots/snap peas, rich and savory cheddar cheese, melt-in-your mouth pineapple, and Rice Works tangy barbecue chips.  It was a light, yet satisfying, lunch of munchies that were enjoyed while soaking up every minute of the glorious weather.

Don't think for a minute that Bailey was neglected.  Her hard work was rewarded with a bone and a carrot. She still managed to convince her Daddy that she needed more love and attention, so the following massage and pampering session took place.  She's got a really rough life!

The rest of our Sunday afternoon included a trip to the farmer's market, installing new light fixtures, replanting some vegetable plants, and a short run to and from Yoforia for a mid-afternoon treat.  

At the end of the day Mom, Dad, and Bailey packed into the car and made their way back to Atlanta.  I, on the other hand, hit the YMCA pool for a swim workout.  T-minus 4 days until I race my first triathlon in over a year.  Yikes!

Flavors of Fern

Today has been an absolutely perfect Sunday in Charlotte!  Tomorrow I'll share lots of pictures from today's excursion with my parents to Lake Wiley.  And get excited, because these aren't just any old iPhone pictures - these are pictures taken with my NEW camera!  I'm now the owner of a Sony DSLR A300 that Erin so nicely sold to me.  It's opening up a whole new realm of photography and I'm excited to see the results.

For now though, let's back up to Friday.  Look who arrived!

My parents arrived to Charlotte that afternoon for a weekend split between hard work (painting, planting, installing light fixtures, and a spattering of daddy-do tasks) and fun (visiting, delicious meals, exploring, hiking).  Each time they come to visit I spend a considerable amount of time researching restaurant options.  Charlotte has so many incredible dining venues with enticing menus that it makes choosing a single meal very difficult.  Friday night's dinner, however, was an easy decision.

Fern, Flavors from the Garden, is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Uptown that has been receiving rave reviews since they opened almost one year ago.  I had the opportunity to sample one of their dishes at the Taste of the Nation event, and it was easily my favorite bite of the night.  After scoping out some spices, art, and wine in South End, we made are way down Central Ave to Fern.

While the restaurant was small and unassuming in the middle of a strip of stores, we were immediately impressed upon walking inside.  The decor was earthy and welcoming, yet so very simple and tasteful.  Everything on the menu sounded incredible, which made selecting our appetizers and entrees difficult.  We started with three different shared appetizers, each of which was unique and packed with mouth-watering flavors of local and seasonal produce.

Warm Kale Salad -

Wilted Kale, Carrot Ribbons, Roasted Beets, Black Sesames & Beet Vinaigrette.  Served with Warm Herbed Chevre Cakes

Fern Bruschetta -

Warm Vegetable Ragu over Hearty Slices of Charred Garlic Bread

Baby Cakes -

Pan-Sautée of Garden Latkes with Minted Cream

(Unlike traditional potato latkes, these were made with zucchini and squash.)

Often, it is quite simple to select a vegetarian entree from a dinner menu.  Unfortunately, it's simple because there is often only a single option.  At Fern, however, there is a page full of mouth-watering entrees.  After much consideration, I selected the Farmhouse Ragout.  From the crushed potatoes to the savory tempeh, to the sweet carrots, every mouthful was a different mixture of bright tastes.  The portion size was hearty, and even for a girl like me with a big appetite, I left with a small box for another day's meal.

Farmhouse Ragout -

Crushed Potatoes with Preserved Lemon & Unfiltered Olive Oil, Spinach

Local Glazed Rainbow Carrots, Marcona Almonds, Tempeh & Roasted Tomatoes

When our waitress offered to present the dessert selections, we couldn't resist.  We selected two to share between the three of us.  How often do you find vegan dessert options at a restaurant?  Never.

Vegan Beer Battered Donut Holes - 

Chocolate Stout Glaze and Homemade Strawberry Preserves

Vegan Carrot Cake

Coconut Creme "Cheese" Icing

We all agreed that the desserts were good, but didn't quite meet the high expectations we had given the appetizers and entrees we had just enjoyed.  Nonetheless, they were good and we almost cleaned the plates.

If you live in Charlotte, you certainly need to add Fern, Flavors from the Garden to your restaurant rotation.  We commented repeatedly that we wished there were more restaurants that took a vegetarian/vegan and locally sourced approach to dining.  At least now I have a local restaurant that is comparable to Candle 79 and doesn't require a trip to NYC to enjoy a well executed vegan meal.