pink rickshaw: March 2012

March 28, 2012

miette inspired brownies

"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate."-Katherine Hepburn

Scrolling through your news feed this week probably looks like this: Health Care, Health Care, Crazy Jet Blue Pilot, Health Care, $4 Gas, Health Care, Chocolate helps you lose weight and Health Care. What's that you say? (before and after health care) In case you missed the news earlier this week, chocolate can actually help make you thinner. ( And no for the record, this is not what I read when I clicked on one of those diet links you get on the top of your Gmail page (Lose 80 lbs by eating Twinkies!) This is legit. (Well legit until we find out the whole thing was sponsored by Godiva.) A study done at the University of California at San Diego reports that those who consumed chocolate the most frequently had a lower BMI on average than those who consumed it the least. The theory is that the metabolic effects of certain ingredients in chocolate make it a good slimming food because it is calorie- neutral. To celebrate the good news, I immediately ran to the pantry to whip up some guilt free chocolate brownies from the Miette recipe book.

As a huge fan of SF's Miette (as seen here), I purchased the cute bakery's book but, it has for the most part, served as eye candy on our cookbook holder. Fighting the temptation to pull out the ol' Duncan Hines box to fill the brownies craving, I opted instead to crack open the book with it's gorgeous scalloped edges. The brownies recipe is actually one of the easier (if not the easiest) recipes in the book. The Miette trick for their delicious brownies is to bake the brownies individually and they recommend using muffin or cupcake pans instead of baking it in one piece and cutting. The result is crispier edges on each brownie. I used a combination of square and round muffin pans and was pleased with the results. The recipe also calls for espresso powder which like me, if you do not want to run around looking for, can be simply substituted with instant coffee. Also, the optional walnuts add the perfect touch. Overall a win-win-win: a delicious treat, a use of the Miette book and I think I may have just lost a pound.

image source: SD (a special thanks to my hand model/mom)

-SD

Posted at 05:13 PM in foodie corner | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

March 20, 2012

trend: peplum

"Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions."-Coco Chanel

peplum (noun): a short flared, gathered or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman's jacket, dress or blouse.

The following conversation is fictional and did not take place (just in case there was the slightest chance you thought PR scored an interview with Kate M) .But if it did happen, we imagine it would go something like this:
PR: Oh, Duchess of Cambridge, you are looking oh so classy, yet, so on trend. What is that lovely extra layer of flouncy fabric around your hips?
Kate: Oh, that's my peplum.
PR: Peep-lom?
Kate: Peplum, dear.
PR: Do you need a BFF?
Kate: No. I am far too fancy and busy. Besides, I have my sister Pippa.
PR: Pippa. Peplum. Got it.

One of the biggest trends for Spring is just as fun to wear as it is to say. Peplums on dresses, tops and skirts add a bit of girly retro glam to otherwise basic silhouettes. The trend first showed up in Spring and Fall 2012 runways and has been spotted on fashionable celebs like Olivia Palermo, Emma Stone (pictured above), Michelle Williams (as seen here at the Oscars) and last week on Kate Middleton (who also recently rocked another favorite Spring trend: colored denim) . If you are looking to incorporate the style into your Spring wardrobe (as seen here), the good news is that there are plenty of choices for a look that works with your body type and your level of comfort in embracing the trend. For an evening peplum look, try the peplum dress or skirt. For a more subtle and casual version, try a more streamlined peplum top. The key is to keep the look balanced. If you opt for a peplum top, keep the bottom simple and straight with skinnies or a column mini. Similarly, a peplum skirt looks best paired with a basic and tight tee. Here's a few retail items to try the trend with.