On the Fly

Oh.my.goodness. I am SO tired right now I can’t feel my lower body. Seriously! Today was BUSY, productive and FUN! Here’s a recap:

This morning I woke up and had my favorite breakfast: a toasted Ezekiel english muffin with almond butter & preserves with a banana and yogurt.

Coupled with a big ol’ thermos of coffee, it kept me going throughout the morning.

Since I was the only one there, I didn’t take a single break all day. I ate my lunch while working and running around. Busy, busy, busy!

I packed a boar’s head turkey and pepperjack sandwich on Arnold’s Double Protein Bread:

And a slice of banana bread with an apple for snackies:

I ate the banana bread for a midmorning snack around 9:45 and ate my sammie and apple around noon, while running around. This was my first time trying the protein bread and I loved it! It has a very soft and light texture and reminds me of my favorite oatmeal bread. It didn’t have a “strange protein-y” taste or anything like that and I was super happy to rack up so many protein grams! Lord knows I needed the fuel!

When I got home around 3-ish, I had about 2 tbsp of Sabra’s SPICY hummus (and, boy, was it ever spicy!) and kashis for a snack.

I am sooo exhausted but planned on a 40 minute run. Then I thought to myself, when was my last rest day (I seem to forget!)? I used the handy blog to scroll back and see when I last took a rest day and it seems like I have worked out every single day this week!! Woahhhh….this girl needs some R&R! Today is the perfect rest day and tomorrow I’ll be back at it! It’s thundering out anyway. Perfect excuse to take a hot shower and reeeeelax!

And now, here’s a recap of my day when I was sole pastry chef!

I got to work a little early, around 6:45, and immediately set to work on the “to-do” list that Adam had left for me. I pumped out all the pumpernickel rolls and cranberry bread and then immediately started on another batch of pumpkin whoopie pies

This time I used a new filling—I made homemade marshmallow fluff and beat that with butter, powdered sugar and cinnamon. I got good reviews!

And then I made some blueberry muffin loaves:

Before I knew it it was time to plate up the dessert for a luncheon we had today. I plated 45 slices of pumpkin pie with chantilly cream and caramel sauce.

And I had my first “in the heat” chef moment! Adam had left me already whipped cream in a piping bag so I wouldn’t have to worry about making it and could just top all the pie slices right before they went out. But…..when I went to use his whipped cream it ran like water and all the servers were looking at me like, “what do we do now? These need to be out asap!” So, I had to rush to whip some more cream in about 3 minutes and finish all the desserts. It was funny because someone actually called me the boss today! He was helping me with the caramel sauce and asked me how I wanted it done because “I was the boss”. I could get used to that

After that, I made more bread dough for tomorrow, whipped 20 lbs of honey butter, baked spicy cheddar crackers and more chocolate chunk cookies. Adam stopped in to see how things were going this afternoon and he was shocked I had already checked off everything he had set out for me to do! He told me I could do whatever I wanted…bake a cake, play with chocolate, make cupcakes……what’s a girl to do with a free kitchen and every ingredient known to man?!

……..I made carrot cake sandwiches! I used this recipe and got good results.

My only gripe was that the “cookies” were SO soft that even when I piped, ever so gently, the cream cheese frosting on, they broke apart. I ended up only getting 6 perfect sandwiches out this entire batch! It was a little frustrating though. I liked how the cookies had oats in them—they were like hearty oatmeal cookies.

Since I finished the check list with about three hours to spare, I debated making some pumpkin bread as well. But….at this point I had honey butter in my hair, cream cheese frosting all over the place and was just darn tired!! So…..tomorrow is a new day! I scrubbed the floor, mopped and scrubbed the pastry station and huge mixers. I think my muscles are growing just lifting the huge mixing bowl—its big enough for me to take a bath in!

Sadly I also burned my paw today pretty bad. I whacked it on the scalding hot oven door. Ouch.

So, needless to say, I am so exhausted at this point! The “parents” are home but I was so tired I just fixed myself a simple, fast dinner and ate early. I had a slab of baked tofu that I reheated, more roasted brussels (in evoo, sea salt and pepper), some olive focaccia bread, grapes and a small glass of cabernet.

I didn’t finish all the tofu. I swear, when I’m working my appetite is all wonky! I think just being all the food ALL DAY LONG (and taste testing things as I go) really makes me not so hungry! I know I need to continue to eat up to normal fuel amount since I’m so active but sometimes its just hard. I know yall say you would no self control if you were a pastry chef but seriously, if you stick you face in a bowl of melting chocolate for 8 hours you would no desire to eat it anymore. You would just want to gnaw on a carrot or celery stick. I swear! When I leave work I’m so sweeted out that I don’t even want anything! I think the key is just to keep eating healthy, protein-rich small meals (with a big hearty breakfast) and snacks throughout the day so I don’t have a burnout.

I did eat some dessert though—my favorite combo of crunchy, sweet and cool: a rice pudding with two almondina cookies dipped in

It sort of looks like bunny ears?!

Okay….I’m pooped and going to go take a bubble bath and get in bed and read. Catch ya tomorrow!