Aug 07 2009

It’s been one of those days…

Published by at 11:57 pm under Challenge

Isn’t it funny how by using that little phrase, you already know that I’ve had a bad day? I had intended to take a day and bake/prep a few things before the temperatures soared over the weekend. I planned on making zucchini muffins first thing this morning, and then enjoying one with a cup of coffee. And then I would shower, head out to get some groceries, then come home to bake some bread.

It didn’t really work out like that. At all. I realized I had only one egg, but I needed three for my muffins. I was so set on the schedule I had for myself that I didn’t want to change it around by showering and shopping first, then baking, because after a bout of baking in the summer, I would need another shower.

I have curly hair. Long, curly hair. Two showers in one day? I don’t think so.

So I scoured the Internet in search of egg substitutions in muffins. I mean, there are tons of vegan muffins out there, so obviously something works, right? Well, over and over I kept seeing 1/4 c of applesauce per egg to be a viable substitution. But with all of that zucchini in the recipe, I had my doubts. Still, after wasting away an hour of my morning, I realized there’s no shortage of zucchini in the summer, and I should just try the muffins. After all, I could always bake another batch in a few days, a batch following my tried and true recipe.

The end result was very…moist. And dense. Quite tasty, but not really muffin-like. Frankly, I’m not really sure what to compare these to, but they definitely were not a success. I should have taken a picture to show you how pathetic they looked, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t feel like transporting a pan of muffin flops over to a window so I could take a decent picture (there are no windows anywhere near my kitchen).

Once the muffins were out of the oven, I was so off schedule that I just plowed forward with making the bread dough, in an effort to get myself back on track. With all of my morning mishaps, you better believe that I shelved the idea of making tortillas, and I scratched tacos off the night’s menu. But with a new loaf of whole wheat bread and a pack of bacon in the fridge, I would not go hungry for dinner!

Now set on my first BLT of the summer, my spirits lifted…temporarily. It was then that I remembered the tomatoes that kept disappearing from my garden. Every partially ripened tomato has vanished from my garden over the past week, with nary a trace left behind. Squirrels? Raccoons? Or just a jerk of a neighbor? I’m really not sure. I’ve never seen raccoons around here before, and I’m having trouble accepting that squirrels would take my beautiful Roma tomato without leaving a tiny bit behind. But I don’t want to believe that a neighbor is a tomato thief, either.

Left with no other options, I bought a supermarket tomato that tasted like nothing. But the bread was a nice honey wheat, and after the trying day I had, I have to say that was still one of the best BLT’s I’ve ever had. Never before have I been so excited to sit down to such a simple dinner. And tomorrow’s lunchtime sandwich will be even better, because I can get perfect summer tomatoes at the farmer’s market.

Because of my little experiment though, I didn’t run out for a sandwich at lunchtime when I discovered the only food I had in the house was blanched almond flour, rolled oats, and the bacon I’d earmarked for dinner. I opted for another mushy muffin instead. I have to say, today made me realize how much I’ve come to rely on the comfort of having half a dozen grocery stores and dozens of restaurants only a short drive away (some are even within walking distance, if you’re lucky enough to make it across the street alive).

I’ve also come to realize that if I want to survive this challenge, I definitely need to restock my kitchen!

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “It’s been one of those days…”

  1. […] can easily turn this recipe into muffins, or even mini-loaves, if you so desire. I use it for all of the above, with great results, as long as I actually have the ingredients I need… Have fun playing around with the flour ratios (I’ve even substituted plain whey protein […]

  2. Mimi Stutzon 07 Dec 2009 at 10:18 am

    I was watching the show on 12/05/09 and you did a recipe with stuffed portabello mushrooms and I would like to try it myself. How do I find it or can you send it to me at scerge59@yahoo.com

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