Yogurtland

Yogurt and toppings - quite a nice variety!

I was recently provided with a gift card in order to sample Yogurtland, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop (apparently the first such company that offered self-service) with 170 locations in the US, Guam and Mexico. The majority of locations are in the western half of the US. In Atlanta there are 2 locations, one on West Paces Ferry Rd. near I-75 and another in Norcross. A third location in Peachtree City is coming soon. At the West Paces Ferry location on a recent rainy Saturday, high school kids dominated the constant crowd in the bright, friendly shop. A sprinkling of young families played into the mix as well.

Although I believe the Atlanta yogurt market is over-saturated I was pleasantly surprised with Yogurtland's flavors, toppings, atmosphere and price. I tried many of the available flavors (more than a dozen!) including limited edition Yo Frappe and Mango Mixer tart flavors. Both were tasty. I personally prefer the tart flavors, and found the plain tart flavor to be delicious, especially when coupled with fruit and chocolate toppings! Toppings include the usual fruits, nuts and candies as well as mochi and tiny pieces of cheesecake as well as cookie dough bites - definitely appealing for the under fifteen set. Other flavors I enjoyed include Pecans & Pralines, Superfruit tart, Guava-Pineapple tart and Red Velvet Cupcake Batter. In my experience it is hard to find a good chocolate frozen yogurt and Yogurtland's version was pretty good - another welcome surprise. On the company's website you can view all flavors. I would love to try the Matcha Green Tea (which was not available when I visited).

I was also impressed by the pricing. At 33 cents per ounce the cost is reasonable and seems quite a bit lower than some of the other local yogurt establishments. Each of the above creations cost about $3.50. If Yogurtland was closer to me it would definitely be my top pick. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: The yogurt described in this review was complimentary.

The Capital Grille - lunch post

Mini-tenderloin served with roasted butternut squash & cranberry chutney. Usually two tenderloins are included but we split this plate with the fried lobster tails (unfortunately NOT on the special $15 plate lunch!) and the chef split the plates for us.

I was recently invited to try The Capital Grille's new lunch menu, which includes special 3 part lunch plates. The lunch plates are $15 and include soup or salad, choice of entree (current choices include mini-tenderloin sandwiches, lobster roll and "knife and fork" BLT) and a side dish - see Atlanta lunch menu here. This is a more economical option for those who want to experience the great service, atmosphere, view (it's on the 8th floor) and food of The Capital Grille in Atlanta. I found all of the options I tried from $15 menu to be tasty. I also love the bread service here. In addition to the $15 plate with the porcini bisque, mini-tenderloins and roasted squash we also tried the special oysters of the day (wonderful!) and the fried lobster tails - also a daily special. The Capital Grille is a great place for a business or special occasion meal and now for lunch there is a more cost-conscious option as well.

Porcini mushroom bisque- one of the options on the $15 lunch plate menu. Creamy and tasty.



Special of the day: fresh raw oysters, shucked perfectly with lots of sauces to choose from.



Homemade grapefruit soda - really fresh and not too sweet. I preferred this to the lemonade.

This cheesecake is awesome: light, delicious and made even better by the strawberry puree and berries served on the side. I love the sugar top and the tasty crust is made from vanilla wafers. I usually don't even like cheesecake and this was so good I had to take a piece back for my co-workers.

Peaches from Georgia Peach Council and a Cookbook

This summer I was fortunate to be provided with a box of peaches from Pearson Farm through the Georgia Peach Council along with Peach County, GA native Gena Knox's excellent cookbook, Southern My Way: Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavors. The peach crop this year is wonderful and I truly enjoyed eating and cooking with these peaches. I made peach ice cream (my own recipe) as well as a Georgia Caprese salad and a Cornmeal Peach Cake from Knox's book. The cornmeal peach cake was particularly spectacular. I actually made two!

Georgia Caprese Salad with Lime Vinaigrette (Gena Knox's recipe)







My box!







Cornmeal Peach Cake, cooling.







The sliced warm cake with homemade peach ice cream. Gooey and delicious!

If you haven't bought any fresh peaches this year, buy them now - they are still ripe and can be purchased at any of the farmer's markets around town.

Cook's Warehouse Midtown Breakfast with Chef Nancy Waldeck

Luscious shrimp and grits, baked cinnamon and maple french toast and strawberries with lime glaze. A healthy take on delicious classics.

Back in June I was invited to a breakfast at the Cook's Warehouse Midtown location in Ansley Mall. I had not yet been to this location, which moved from Amsterdam Walk. The space is large, with a wonderful kitchen for cooking classes and great kitchen products as always. Chef Nancy Waldeck entertained us by cooking several of her wonderful recipes - the shrimp and grits was a favorite - and showed us how to keep the calorie count down in addition to making the dishes taste great. Tricks for this include using low fat cream cheese in the grits and using chicken stock instead of cream when sauteing the shrimp. Nancy has a wonderful website and blog as well as a book called Taste and Savor. Cook's Warehouse is a must-visit for anyone who loves to cook and also a great place to learn, since they have many classes ranging from basic to advanced and theme cooking.

Chef Nancy Waldeck gave us some great tips, like how to cut a bell pepper properly for slicing and cooked the above tasty breakfast for us before our eyes.

Pie Shop

Coconut Cream Pie = heavenly.

I was invited to try the fabulous Pie Shop back in July. This recent addition to Buckhead puts out pies, tarts, custards, tassies and more, including both sweet and savory items. In addition to what is pictured here, I've also tried their Savory Custard with Okra and Mushrooms, Vegetable Pot Pie, Cherry Pie, Chocolate Pie and Lavender Honey Pie. A unique feature: the shop stays open until 1 AM on weekends to accommodate dessert-seekers and bar hoppers in the neighborhood. Their communal tables allow for lunch, dessert or a snack (or dinner on the weekends!) to be eaten in; or you can take a whole pie to go. The selection changes weekly - click here for the current menu - and you can join the shop's email list to have the weekly selection emailed to you on Monday. The combinations range from classic to inventive - definitely a place worth seeking out.

Entrance to Pie Shop. You drive around back to reach the entrance. Look carefully for the Pie Shop sign on Roswell Road as it is easy to miss.



Pie on display.



Strawberry-topped Cheesecake bites with gingersnap crust, Caramel-Banana Tassies with Pecan-Shortbread Crust, and Peanut Butter Cream Tassies with Chocolate-dipped Cookie Crust.



Three Grape Pie - unique and tasty.



Strawberry & Candied Lemon Peel Pie - my second favorite after Coconut Cream.



Wall of pie poetry - a really neat idea!



North Georgia Fried Apple Pie.



Butterscotch Meringue Pie.



Owner Mims Bledsoe with the pie boxes used for takeout. Tell her Amy on Food sent you!

Yogurberry FroYo in Buckhead

This week I was invited to check out Yogurberry Frozen Yogurt and Smoothies (local site and worldwide site) in Buckhead's Terminus building. A friend and I were treated to several samples of this store's tart yogurt. Current flavors include plain, chocolate mocha, blueberry and taro, and the flavors change regularly. Yogurberry has several unique features when compared with the many yogurt shops popping up around town. For one thing they offer a variety of smoothies, hot drinks and bubble tea in addition to the yogurt. In addition, they offer a granola parfait (pictured above) and a variety of other drinks. I also like the homey touches: hand-made signs and topping combination suggestions including owner Brian Hah's "Brian's Special".

The yogurt here is quite tasty and apparently is made in-house. I liked the plain and taro flavors the best - in my opinion chocolate does not pair well with the tart yogurt taste and the blueberry was a bit sweet for me, but still delicious. They have many different and unique toppings here, including Pocky, mochi, a variety of cereals and tons of fruits and candies. I absolutely loved the avocado shake with bubbles (tapioca balls) added in. Wow - this could definitely be lunch and as it is not too sweet, probably a pretty healthy one. I will be back for that shake and recommend this place for a good, unique yogurt fix. Parking is validated for up to 3 hours.

Plain & blueberry swirl with strawberry, mango, granola and blueberry.



Taro with Strawberries, mochi and coconut - these flavors so very well together - you have to get a taste of each in one bite!



Chocolate Mocha yogurt with marshmallow creme, chocolate sauce and Golden Grahams - Yogurberry's homemade s'more.

Sweet Blueberry Blue Cornbread

I think this dessert looks a little patriotic with the red, white and blue.  Perfect for the 4th of July!  It turned out very yummy.  I love the texture of the blue cornmeal and the yogurt added a little twang and lots of moisture.  You need to try this recipe!  It was very different but good.

It is not too terribly sweet, so if you want it sweeter you may want to add more sugar.  Maybe this would be even better simply with a little butter on top instead of the strawberries and cream.  They were almost too sweet for the mild cornbread. 

I found the recipe on Paula Deen's website.  I changed the recipe trying to make it a little more healthful.  Here is the original recipe. 

Sweet Blueberry Blue Cornbread
adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar (I used part Splenda and part sugar)
1/2 cup blue cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten (I used Eggbeaters)
1/3 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup fresh or fresh frozen blueberries
1 tbsp vanilla extract
strawberries and whipped cream for garnish if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8” square baking pan with non stick baking spray and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, vanilla, eggs, oil and butter. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just until blended. Gently fold in blueberries.

Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Serve warm with strawberries and whipped cream.


This post is being linked to Ultimate Recipe Swap @ Life as Mom.

and

Chocolate Banana Almond Smoothie

This is my new favorite breakfast lately!  I kind of made it up and have been adjusting a little as I go.  My newest addition is the spinach.  You don't even taste it (proof- my son didn't) and it only changes the color a little. 

I thought I was doing great with this smoothie until I entered the recipe into Spark People.  There are quite a few more calories and fat than I expected.  Now I know that I will only drink half of this smoothie from now on.  My son can drink the rest. 

1 banana

3/4 cup (about) lowfat/fat-free yogurt or kefir

4 cubes of ice

1 ounce almonds

1 tbsp milled flax seeds or chia seeds

1 tsp dark chocolate cocoa powder

1 tbsp chocolate chips

1 handful of baby spinach

Nutrition Facts

(this is just an estimate)
1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 496.6
Total Fat 25.1 g
Saturated Fat 6.7 g
Cholesterol 11.0 mg
Sodium 147.3 mg
Potassium 1,242.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 58.5 g
Dietary Fiber 10.0 g
Sugars 36.0 g
Protein 19.2 g

Pineapple with Mint

This is one of my favorite summertime treats.  I got the recipe from Whole Foods years ago.  Don't you love walking through that store eating all of yummy samples that they offer? 

It's very simple to make.  All you need is some fresh pineapple, mint and sugar.  I use about 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of fresh mint.  I put them (sugar and mint) in my mini food processor and pulse until everything is chopped and the sugar is green.  Combine the mixture with the pineapple.  Let it rest for a little while before serving so the flavors can mingle together. 

This is best if served the same day. The mint tends to turn black/brown if it hangs around too long. 

I have linked this recipe to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Come check out all of the fabulous recipes that have been posted.

Strawberry Almond Clafoutis

I saw this recipe on Cinnamon Spice the other day and knew that I had to make it.  It looked like a fancy French dessert that was didn't look too difficult.  The name is pronounced (kla-foo-tee). I would say that mine is not a traditional clafoutis because you are supposed to use cherries.  I had strawberries in my refrigerator so that's what I used.  It's a crepe-like, custardy dessert that is so easy to put together because all you do is mix everything in a blender and pour it into a dish and bake. 

I made it for breakfast the other day.  Hey!  It was a nutritious breakfast including fruit, protein, whole grain and dairy.  What else do you need?  I rationalized it anyway....

You can eat this warm out of the oven or after it has sat in the refrigerator for a while.  I actually preferred it eaten cold. 

Cherry Almond Clafoutis

(adapted from Saveur)

1/3 cup Sliced Almonds
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
6 Eggs (I used Egg Beaters)
6 tablespoon Sugar
1 + 1⁄4 cups Milk
2 tablespoon amaretto
Pinch Salt
3⁄4 cup All-purpose or White Whole Wheat flour
3 cups strawberries, sliced
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

1. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they get a golden-brown color to them, tossing often. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 425° and generously butter a 9" cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Combine vanilla extract, eggs, sugar, milk, amaretto, and salt in a blender. Blend for a few seconds to mix ingredients, then add flour and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

3. Pour batter into buttered skillet and evenly spread strawberries over top then sprinkle with almonds. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar and a dollop of whip cream if desired.

PBandJ - Updated Healthier Version

We love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at our house.  I have done my best trying to make them a little healthier by using fresh all natural peanut butter, reduced sugar jelly and whole wheat bread.  The biggest problem in this sandwich was the jelly.  Even with "reduced sugar" it still wasn't great. 

I found this idea in my new favorite book, The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids by Tosca Reno.  This is a terrific book if you are looking to improve the diet of your family. 

Instead of plain peanut butter, I decided to make some of the healthy peanut butter dip (minus the chocolate chips) I made a couple weeks ago and use that on the sandwich.  It was perfect!  AND instead of the "reduced sugar" jelly I just used some sliced strawberries....no sugar at ALL!  I thought it turned out very yummy and so did my son.  It made a quick lunch after his baseball game today.

I am sharing this post at Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen, Make it From Scratch and Tasty Tuesday at City Wife, Country Life so come check out all of the wonderful soup, salad and sandwich recipes that others are sharing.   

Nature's Garden Delivered

I was recently offered a free "tiny" box of produce from Nature's Garden Delivered, a company that delivers organic fruits and vegetables. The box was actually quite a generous portion and I like that you can go on the website and select what you want. They also offer small, medium and large boxes. This is a neat service for those who want organic produce and either don't have time to shop for it themselves or cannot get out of their home easily.

Sample of the Tiny box from Nature's Garden Delivered.

Ljubljana and Environs

Grilled octopus with figs and potatoes - this is probably the largest octopus I've ever seen on a plate!



John and Cal outside restaurant Gostilna Sestica in Ljubljana, Slovenia.



Wild boar with dumplings.

Our first night in Slovenia we had dinner at Gostilna Sestica, just down the street from B&B Slamic where we stayed. We enjoyed our dinner in the courtyard, although John's fish was rather salty. The octopus was tasty and the boar definitely something different! A great way to start off our time with John and to say hello to Ljubljana.

Slovenia is a neat country. Overall it was one of our favorite spots on the whole trip. Most people know English well here because they learn it from television (they don't dub, even most kids shows) so communication wasn't difficult. The lifestyle is so laid back here, with lots of cafes lining both sides of the river that runs through the center of town. Our last night there we even caught a free concert featuring Joss Stone and the Slovenian artist Siddhartha. We also had a fabulous time in the mountains of NE Slovenia (more to follow in next post).

Fish with greens.



Yes, they eat horse. This is a reminder of how difficult times were for people during the Yugoslav Wars. No, we did not try any.



Dragon bridge in Ljubljana.



Fruits for sale at Ljubljana outdoor market.



Basket anyone?



Flowers for sale in the marketplace.



We saw (and ate) lots of ice cream in Prague, Slovenia and Croatia!



River running through Ljubljana.



Art in the anarchist district of Ljubljana.



Predjama Castle, about an hour outside of Ljubljana. Our friend John was very excited to see this castle, which is an amazing architectural delight. Built right into a cave mouth, this is certainly a unique sight.



Postojna Cave - near the castle. We had a blast riding the train into the mountain for a look at these spectacular caves. They really didn't want us taking photos but this is one long cave system!