YES, that is me doing a pull up – the results of 12 grueling weeks working out with the best personal trainer I know. I met Ray 10 years ago as I was embarking on shooting a wedding special. Getting married seemed so confusing the only way my husband and I knew how to navigate it was by producing a show about it! Ray trained me for 7 weeks, I lost 4% body fat and was in the best shape of my life. Watch the video here (scroll forward to 1:55). AND CHECK OUT HIS HAIR!!!!

And a decade later he has his very own boutique gym. Ray, I am proud and privileged to have you in my life. And the gift you gave me and my Mamas makes you the most generous man I know! I love you, Ray Ray!!!  Only you could push me this far:

It’s hard to believe that Bootcamp is over. Did the 12 weeks fly by or did they take forever? I can only liken it to watching your kids grow. The days can be long, but time still flies. So what did I get out of this except for the 12 pounds & 5% body fat lost?

I now know that I’m a Warrior. Let’s define the word, shall we?

war·ri·or

[wawr-ee-er, wawr-yer, wor-ee-er, wor-yer]

a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness.

Yep, that’s me!

Bootcamp got all of the Mamas into an insanely focused zone, where making our well-being was not a choice but the task at hand. And what I have realized is that I can do this while still living the rest of my life. Still loving my husband, while still loving my kids, while still taking care of the kazillion things a Mom has to do on a daily basis. And like Lisa pointed out at the onset, if the laundry does’t get done once in a while WHO CARES!!! I don’t, that’s who! Below, me attacking the “speed skate”- proves you need zero fitness equipment to get into fierce shape. Just the will.

I’ve also learned that having a support group makes all the difference. I cherished every moment of grunting through the torture with the toughest team of moms, heck, of women, I know. Their dedication to this experience was unparalleled and early morning existential chats about life and motherhood with Marina in the fly Mommy-mobile, my Traverse was just one more perk of the process. I reunited with some old buddies of mine from the club days and most of all have new friends that I will surely have forever. Alicia, Natasha, Crystal, Tiffanie, Marina and Jen: I love you all and thanks for embarking on this crazy plan I put together.

As of today, Sunday January 29, we have created a thread of 2,786 messages on facebook between Ray, Lisa, The Mamas and myself. You see, I group messaged them at the onset, and the conversation has been ongoing ever since full of waaaaaaay too much TMI!!! Too TMI to share and sill remain a family show, sorry! The generous Folks @ NYSC pitched in with free 3 month memberships for the gals and we each got a personal training session once a week. Here is me boxing mine. Thanks John!!

The good news is that The Bootcmap Mamas will live on. I have decided when my show re-debuts on a new network in April (more info to come) – I will feature a fabulous NYC fitness story and the Mamas will tag along!  First up is Brooklyn Boulders this coming Saturday where Lisa will embark on a battle of the sexes and attempt to beat this guy up the toughest climb. Hey, even Lisa needs a challenge every once in a while! LISA, MEET ALONZO, ALONZO, MEET LISA. (CAN U SAY HAAAAWT!)

Now last but certainly not least, I have to bow down to our Princess Warrior. When I came up with the plan, I was just getting to know Lisa. After her spin class one day she told me about a cool place her daughter Nicole worked at, and thought it might be a good story for the show. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese had opened up on Broadway. I covered it in this episode (scroll to 20:33).

Then I asked her to tag along with me and Marina to an outdoor art installation up in Garrison later that day. Afterwards, at my house she said she wanted to do bootcamp with us. I told her if I put her in the group and on tv as a mom who needed to get back in shape, people would hate me and they would hate her because she has NOTHING to lose. We agreed she could be our guide and assist us with nutrition.

But she has done way more than that which brings me to an interesting conclusion: Ray, Dr. Bob and Lisa all have an incredible characteristic in common. They are truly great motivators, yet they don’t judge. If you falter they are there to pick you back up, no questions asked. They are our trifecta of unconditional love. Even typing this is making me teary eyed.

Lisa, you are an incredible inspiration and have made an ever-lasting impression on my life. And…YOU ARE TOTALLY INSANE!!!! Which I love of course. Today at Renegade Insanity, my eldest son played correspondent.

Another perk of the process is that I have gotten to know so many more Mamas! Mamas who kick ass and take names! They all work out at my local gym and are as crazy as I am. Just when you thought the suburban mom next to you was a boring drone, think again. She could be just as hilariously insane as you are! These gals certainly are. My Post-Spin Renegade Botocamp Mamas!

I still have a ways to go to get back in true fighting form, but now I hold the keys in hand, the tools to make it happen. This summer I’ll be strutting my stuff in a bikini – looking just as good as I did on my wedding day and by 2013 Alicia will be wearing my wedding dress….which brings me to…..some final words from the girls.

Alicia has shooed the haters away, lost 33 pounds and at 5′3″ that makes a HUGE difference. PLUS SHE ASKED ME TO BE IN HER WEDDING PARTY!!! WOOOO!!! Can you say My-Big-I-Used-To-Be-Fat-Latino-Wedding???

Crystal has lost 36 pounds and 9 INCHES OFF HER WAIST ALONE!!!!!!

Tiffanie still feels defeated even though she has shed 11 pounds off of her tiny frame! YOU LOOK GREAT!

Marina’s empowered, realizing that working out and making good food choices isn’t such a big deal. In fact, it is easy compared to what life can throw at you.

And Natasha, well, all I can say is she is going to look FIERCE in her teensy weensie feathery costume at Carnival. During these 12 weeks she has gone from a size 14 to a SIZE 8!!!!! Plus she will be working out with Ray vis skype! LOVE IT!

C’mon join the crusade! Fight the good fight! Fight to get fit! WE DID IT AND SO CAN YOU!! xos t

And now a final note from Dr. Bob

As you conclude this phase of the pre baby bootcamp, look back over the past 12 weeks and allow yourself to feel a deep sense of pride both for making the commitment  and for all you’ve accomplished.Whether your goals were modest or ambitious the fact that you embraced challenges, worked hard, and accomplished something worthwhile is what is most important.Realize that you’ve given yourself a gift-that despite the demands of ministering to a newborn-you’ve found a way to take care of yourself as well. Taking good care of yourself -being self nurturing-allows you to take good care of others. My hope is that you will continue on this path and to continue to reap the benefits of your hard work.

Bob! WE ARE SOOOO ON IT! xo t

I must admit, last week I was scared. Very scared. Scared of the new rules. But as Dr. Bob tells me weekly in his spin class…You have to get out of your comfort zone to see real change. Lisa and Ray tightened the reigns….Mamas were going hardcore and being that I’m team captain, I had to commit. I had no choice (which is the whole reason I concocted this crazy plan to begin with!) Let us review:

Rule #1

No eating after 7

As much as I love and cherish every moment with my 2 kids, let’s be honest here, what mom doesn’t also relish the moment everyone is down for the count? Pre-Bootcamp, my husband and I would eat around 8pm when we could relax. 7pm seemed scary. 7-8 was happy hour, our alone grown up time, which brings me to….

Rule #2

No alcohol

My husband and I enjoy wine. And we really enjoy really good wine. On most Saturday nights you will find us in the kitchen with a bunch of friends, cooking while drinking it. When we decided to move to the sticks, we immediately re-did the kitchen to accommodate our love of entertaining and eating!

But let’s face it, after a glass of Borolo, I want to strip off all my clothes and roll myself on the cheese platter. Cover every inch of my jiggly bits with brie, camembert and smoked gorgonzola then lick it off myself like some mad dog in heat. After 2 glasses of Pinot, I want to cannonball into the porcini and pecorino risotto and after 3 glasses of prosecco? Well, let me just writhe my way into a giant rosemary foccacia and gorge myself to death.

Let me be clear, I do not often give into these temptations, but they do play out constantly in my head. Besides, who wouldn’t want to sit by the pot belly stove sipping on this?

Rule #3 (The Double Whammy)

No bread. No pasta

WHAT? No pasta?? No bread?? A real Italian can not survive without those basic fundamental culinary necessities. Lisa (who despite her last name surely is not actually italian- I think she is really a robot!!)  has gone raving mad in my opinion cue: her evil laugh. But as I gazed longingly at her rock hard abs and glutes yeah – I was checking out her butt! in her renegade Insanity on Monday, I thought, well, she probably knows what she is talking about.

I had no choice, Unless I renamed my show, I had to do it. So, I told Mario, I needed my space. My refuge? We will make up one day over his Spaghetti Carbonara @ Babbo.

I was shocked by what happened. Obeying each rule to the T, in 6 short days, I lost 3 pounds. THREE POUNDS! Did you hear me??? THREE POUNDS!

AND I did not lose my milk. This process has been a struggle for me because I’m still nursing, I have to be careful to give my body what it needs to make sure my little Yoda gets what he needs. When I told Lisa I wanted to munch on his little toes, she responded approvingly, “That’s a protein!”

I have been losing body fat (about 5% now) but not dropping weight like I would like to. In 8 weeks I was only down 7lbs. Crystal is down almost 30 pounds!!! Natasha is the incredibly shrinking Mama. Marina has reached her halfway point at 15 pounds. Tiffanie, despite her complaining and Debbie-downer attitude, is down 10! And Alicia – the dark horse – has kept haters at bay and has gone down from a size 20 to a 16!

And now finally I felt like part of the club – the club I created. In less than a week we brought the tally up to 10lb. Lisa said I may be able to go down 10-15lbs in 4 weeks and I thought NO WAY. I now say, YES WAY. Note: I’m going to have myself tested for Gluten allergy this week. Will report the results as soon as they are in.

The exit of alcohol was actually a relief. Being that the holidays were hosted chez moi and with tons of relatives and tons of chaos, much merriment ensued. My new beverage of choice, Water with Lemon and Stevia. When I used to go my fave fasting spa in Palm Desert, this is what we drank. Please note: never consume castor oil more than 1.5 hours before you high colonic. But I digress….

Now my husband and I eat with our eldest boy at 6pm. I do not deprive them of yummy carbs, we still take him out for pizza (see below- PS he LIKES broccoli on his pizza, thankyouverymuch) but my husband usually joins me in my food choice (ok, not at the pizza joint)– which makes it easier. He is getting back in his skinny jeans too!

But I believe the biggest assist has been saying goodbye to gluten (pictured below).

A reporter at heart, I began to investigate. Gluten-free has become such a buzz word. And I wanted to know why. What exactly is Gluten for starters? Plenty of people have wheat allergies that are serious – life threatening,. In fact one of my high school buddies Cybele’s kid had such a bad allergy that she ended up penning a dessert cookbook for the Gluten adverse. But interestingly, according to sources, even if you have a mild allergy, gluten will cause you to gain in the middle and make it virtually impossible to shed the spare tire no matter how much exercise and dieting you do. I’m still eating brown rice (in proper proportions 1/2 cup with a protein meal) and sweet potatoes (photo, below, hubby’s recipe at bottom of post). I can live with this until I reach my goal.

Now if only I could get on board with Lisa’s idea of “steak”. What’s “steak” you ask? An apple and a handful of almonds. See!! I told you! She is crazy. But that’s the kind of crazy I love!!!

As my friend Randy says, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. WORD! Now compare the picture below with the one above. That’s what 9 weeks can do! I’m not there yet, but I’m on my way. And this whole support group concept – of which I was NOT a fan before this experiment – is a key to my success. Accountability, peeps. Let’s make that THE word of 2012!!

If I can do it, you can, too! 1st step? Get on board with the Bootcamp Mamas and join us for a complimentary Ray torture sessions (luv u!) @ PedalNYC for FREE BOOTCAMP SATURDAYS! C’mon, you know you want to!!!!

But the real secret of success is to be prepared. When I decided to try gluten-free, I made sure to stock up on snackables to help me get through moments of weakness…. almonds, rice cakes, dried fruit. and have them with you always. Even when I hit the road in the handy dandy Traverse. (For info on the latest deals on my awesome mom-mobile – click here.)

Alicia is on board, she even sent me this useful link to help with recipes, etc. After all she is headed to Vegas next month to see her all time fave band Motley Crue. Alicia, you rock and so do all my Mamas! xo t

Trace’s Baked Sweet Potatoes Fries

Toss cut up potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil, cinnamon, cayenne, garam masala.

Bake at 400 for 35 minutes. Eat!

Ok, so what do you get when you take a whole bunch of my family and put them under one roof around the holidays? The boxing gloves never quite come into play, but you can bet on a whole lotta chaos and a whole lotta food.

My family lives to eat, we are Italian after all. But we take it to a new level. Everything revolves around food, what to make, how to make it, where to get the best ingredients. Sweets are not our thing, but sopressata, mozzarella, pasta, lasagna, prosciutto, meatballs…well, you get the idea.

Being that I broke up with all of the aforementioned items over 8 weeks ago, I was fearful of what would happen. I have been fighting hard, and I don’t like to lose (FYI:  Ray’s been upping his game @ PedalNYC and I have been taking it out on my NYSC trainer during our weekly boxing sessions).

This is what my family had for lunch, pictured below, on the day they arrived while I went to the gym and had a protein shake instead.

But I’ll admit it, fresh pappardelle is my kryptonite. Toss in a glass of wine (or 2) and forgettaboutit! And that my friends, was exactly what was on the menu. Lucky for me, days earlier my inner Lisa kicked in.

I decided that I would prep a high fiber veggie lasagna to secure a safety net for myself and Mama Marina whose family comes to our house for Christmas. I’ll get to that in a second, but first feast your eyes on this:

Ever since my husband and I went to Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill in Coldspring, we have been hooked on one dish: Pappardelle with Rabbit Ragu. And even thought the thought of bunnies in my food is a major turnoff (I was a vegetarian for about 6 years!), I have to admit it is completely and utterly delish.

Now, we happen to have a farm nearby, Hemlock Hill, and being that everyone wanted to go (my parents are “city folk”), we piled into my handy dandy Traverse (speaking of my Chevy, “like” them on Facebook and you could win a prepaid $2012 card to start of the New Year right!).

While Nonna and my husband took our eldest son to check out the cows and the pigs, Papa and I (with baby in Bjorn) ordered up the meat (which by the way is a lean meat) and I spent a day cooking (as captured by my husband on his GoPro).

When the recipe calls for Pinot Noir specifically, you know it’s no joke. I did have a very small helping, probably about 4 ribbons of pasta and a reasonable amount of sauce. And I was satisfied (unlike last year when I scarfed down 2 giant bowls). Then I gorged myself with little to zero guilt on this:

I’ll share the recipe even though I kinda made it up and it works with any veggies you may have in your fridge – but the most important component is the pasta. I mail order it. It’s called Fiber Gourmet (FYI: they are NOT a sponsor of my show, or my site…just love ‘em!!) and each serving has forty per cent fewer calories (130), 18g of fiber, and 6 g of protein making it a 2pt per portion on ol’ Weight Watchers. HOLLAH!

I sliced up zucchini, portobellos and eggplant (peeled it first) for layering. I fried up some garlic in olive oil (2 tsp=2 points!). Added a couple of cans of San Marzano tomatoes (pureed), a pinch of salt, black pepper, and about 2 red bell peppers. I didn’t reduce the sauce much because the lasagna sheets cook while baking so you need a runny sauce.

For the ricotta mixture I used one non fat and one low fat ricotta, egg whites, 2 boxes of frozen spinach (thawed and drained) and a little salt. I wanted to throw in a cup of Pecorino Romano, but I didn’t.

Then you just layer like you would a regular lasagna, adding some extra sauce for the lasagna sheets to absorb. I made a big one for Christmas, and 2 small ones in loaf pans. One for my folks to take home and one for Lisa who came by on Christmas eve (with a crazy goodie basket including everything from Maker’s Mark to matching bear slippers for my boys).

Now, with the holidays in full effect, the Mamas a week off…not off of training but off of blogging. We will all be back ready to KICK SOME BUTT next week. And I am very proud to announce I lost another 1.5lbs over the past week. I’m on a roll (but just say NO to the bread basket)! And if you want to join us, then come out to meet us on Saturday…..and it’s free for the next 4 weeks!

This week was brutal. Whenever we work out inside, I think, Oh this will be so much easier. Scratch that. Ray was in rare form and tougher than usual. We did countless rounds of burpees, perhaps my least favorite exercise on the planet. Am I praising Jesus or doing burpees? BOTH!!!

Then Ray-Ray The Torture Master put us on a cardio circuit that killed. But as Dr. Bob notes, you have to embrace the pain!

We all ended up with rugburn from these totally insane elbow plank pushups.  Lisa had actually introduced them to me before she volunteered to teach an impromptu Insanity class for some of her loyal Westchester peeps (which lives up to its name). I even had a video of Lisa demontraitng it but then my flipcamera BROKE!!! arggg….but here is an example I found on Youtoube.

Now, this may not seem challenging to those who have 15% body fat (like Princess Warrior) but for us mere mortals, all I can say is Holy Cannoli!!! Man, I love cannolis….Ever have a S’mores cannoli? Ah, but I digress….

This week I decided to add the treadmill to my rounds of cardio. Back in the skinny day, I would run 4 miles, no problemo…I’d wake up before work, run to the promenade and back. Feeling refreshed and invigorated, hop in the shower, lotion up my totally taut bod, put on my seriously skinny jeans and sashay out the door (with a hair toss, no less).

Ok, well, let me just say, I’ve reunited with running, and it does not “feel so good”. All the jiggly bits got seriously peeved, and in – what I believe to be  - a united effort of cellulose solidarity, attempted to thrust me right off the belt. It was not pretty people, neither was the seriously unflattering side view provided by the floor to ceiling mirror on my right (and all the flab that seemed to move up and down in slow-motion).  Note to self: invent Spanx-like workout gear.

Huffing and puffing, I was so drenched in sweat that no one could tell that my milk had let down. 20 minutes later driving home, I was still perspiring profusely as evidenced by yet another highly unflattering pic.

And I must admit that the BFS (pictured left) is not getting much easier. Although I did make it through an hour straight. This is what 200 flights of stairs looks like (pictured below). And the fact that I have my Invisalign braces in, only adds to the uncomplimentary nature of this shot, giving me an Austin Powers-esque edge. Not cute. *Wince*

Week 4 proved a tough week for the Mamas – do yourself a favor and check in with them. You will find tales of inspiration plus they are pretty funny! Tiffanie’s work schedule got switched up on her and was embarking on an 16 hour round trip road trip with toddler (and no junk food), Crystal lost 7 pounds, but ended up in the ER. Marina’s middle is whittling but she is doing battle with both the “editor living in her head” and a work breakfast buffet, Natasha is down almost 10lbs, preaching the Pedal way but still puffing away (Girl, wassup with that???), and Alicia was faced with haters who tried to derail her path. Poo on them. She has lost 15lbs!

When you make a life change some people will be made uncomfortable by it. Most people fear change. I, however, love it. Need it. Thrive on it. So when Alicia’s colleagues tried to bully her out of Bootcamp by making her feel like she wasn’t succeeding (and didn’t have the will power to stick to it), it was all I could do not to confront them. But part of change is being able to fight your own battles. And Alicia succeeded. Gold stars for all the Mamas! Now, bring on Week 5!

And a big thanks to Lisa our Princess Warrior/Sherpa who schlepped all of our stuff (and my baby!) as Ray tortured us yet again in our open Saturday Bootcamp session! We had a great turnout, some friends, some viewers, Natasha even brought her son and his two friends. Those boys walked in with that “We’ve got this” attitude and left with a new found respect for the Mamas! But let me add, at the risk of sounding sentimental, that I am so happy I put this group of crazy ladies together! We are in constant conversation on Facebook – helping and humoring one another as we take this journey together.

(note from the editor (toni): i think laura is hell-bent on ruining my dieting efforts.)

EggNog Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 whole cloves
1-2 sticks cinnamon (or 1/4-1/2t ground cinnamon)
pinch of salt
1/4t ground nutmeg
6 egg yolks, at room temperature
2t vanilla extract
3T dark rum or bourbon

Combine the heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and half a cup of the sugar in a heavy bottom medium size pot and bring to a low boil while stirring. Then cover and remove from heat and let the spices steep for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl.

After the ice cream base has steeped, remove the cinnamon (if using sticks) and cloves and discard.

Reheat the cream mixture over medium heat to s slight simmer. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in about a half a cup of the mixture into the yolks (be sure not to add this mixture too quickly or it will scramble the egg yolks).

After the yolks are warm, add them into the cream mixture and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture reaches 180 degrees or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon and when you run your finger through the back of the spoon, the mixture does not seep into your line.

Immediately pour the cooked mixture into a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of egg.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once the mixture is chilled, stir in the vanilla and rum/bourbon.

Pour into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturers directions. Take it out of the ice cream machine and freeze in an airtight container for at least 3 hours before serving (as the mixture will still be soft after it comes out of the ice cream machine).

Let soften for a few minutes and serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

ABOUT LAURA! and for custom orders: just email me

I first met CIA Pastry chef grad, Laura Scarpino at my son’s day care! She was in the baby room and was his care-taker from when he was just 8 weeks old (TV biz doesn’t give much maternity leave!). And I fell in love with her! She became my go to babysitter and would travel with me when I had to head out of town for work. Only later did she reveal her culinary tricks! I recall the first time she brought her mud cookie’s to my son’s first birthday party and I was like HOLY CANNOLI! This girl can bake!!!! My secret aspiration/retirement plan is to open up a bakery for her. SHE FREAKIN’ ROCKS. I’m serious. I have shot stories with some of the world’s best pastry chefs and this girl could go head to head. And WIN!

The holidays are a magical time for children. Start the holiday season at one of these festive events in and around the city. From a Hanukah celebration at a Jewish Museum to touring a historic Westchester home with incredible fairy tale inspired holiday decorations, there are many kid-friendly ways to enjoy the holiday season.

NYC Police Museum
Dec 4th, 11am – 2pm
All Ages, Event is free with regular admission (adults $8, children $5, kids under 2 are free)
I’m sure the police won’t break up this holiday party! Celebrate the holidays at the kid-friendly, New York City Police Museum. Enjoy craft projects at this celebration that embraces all the holidays including Christmas, Chanukah, Eid, Kwanzaa and other celebrations. Kids can also learn about police from around the world and try on an International police uniform.

Hanukah Family Day
Dec 5th, Noon – 4:00pm
Ages 3 and up, Free with Museum Admission (adults $12, children under 12 are free)
Families can make a Hanukkah menorah from found objects, decorate a dreidel, and see a puppet show among other activities at this Hanukah party at the Jewish Museum. If you have older kids in tow, also visit the museum’s Houdini Exhibit, which is on display until March 27, 2011.

Fairy Tale Holiday
December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 and 26: A Fairy Tale Holiday
Adults and Seniors, $15; Children ages 6-12, $6; Children under 6 are free

Tour this stunning historic Westchester home this holiday season. Kids will love seeing the rooms decorated after various fairy tales. At the end of the tour, you can enjoy cookies and a cup of warm apple cider.

About Alison Lowenstein, CITY KID blogger!

Alison Lowenstein is the author of City Kid New York: The Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents with Kids Ages 4-12, City Weekends: The Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways in and Around NYC, and City Baby Brooklyn: The Ultimate Guide for Parents from Pregnancy through Preschool.

She has written for The New York Daily News, Newsday, Time Out New York Kids, New York Family Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Arrive, American Way,Wild Blue Yonder, TravelandLeisure.com, Babble.com, Grandparents.com, Cookiemag.com, among many other publications and websites. She is the featured expert and Ambassador for PBS Channel 13’s Kids Club 13 and was a guest in the New York Times City Room Taking Questions column. Her website is http://www.brooklynbaby.com. Alison lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two school-aged children.

Ok, so once again i have a house full of out of town relatives and being that the hubs can’t get time off of work…what’s a tv host to do? Take ‘em on a ROAD TRIP! I was working on my Rock And Roll Episode so, we loaded 7 of the Senecal/Shea clan into The Traverse and took off, heading to Bethel, NY to visit the site of the most famous concert of all time. You may not know that Woodstock did not actually happen in Woodstock. Originally, the idea was to create a retreat like recording studio in Woodstock, but then the idea eventually morphed into a live show. But….the questions remained….Why were The Beatles not invited? And why did Joni Mitchell drop out? Why did Led Zeppelin turn down an offer to play? Well, you are going to have to check out the show tonight to find out!

Also tonight, we are 1 on 1 with my Rock icon Joan Jett. Now, I think of her as a tough cookie, but what other Rock legend was she totally nervous to share the stage with? And who used to open for her when she was in The Runaways?

We sit down with our very own Little Steven who tells me about when he teamed up with The Boss, who at that time, believe it or not was a folk singer who was not experiencing much success….until that famous week of showcases at the legendary Bitter End. Well, you have to hear Stevie explain it himself, but let’s just say after those shows Bruce was on the cover of both Time and Newsweek with headlines proclaiming “Rock’s New Sensation” and “Making of A Rock Star”, respectively.

So check out the show tonight @ 9pm on NYC Life….Channel 25 unless you have Cablevision, then it’s Channel 22 xos t

Allergy-Friendly Cranberry Sauce Muffins

(dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, nut-free, and peanut-free)

Makes 12 muffins

These sweet yet tart muffins with their heavenly aroma are the perfect way to use up all that leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce. Bake up a dozen, and watch them disappear!

1 ¼ cups oat flour

1 ¼ cups barley flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 Tablespoons rice milk

¾ cup plain vegan yogurt (I like So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt)

¼ cup rice milk

1/3 cup canola oil

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray (or line with muffin liners).

2.  Measure flours by spooning into a dry measuring cup, level with a straightedge or back of a knife, then pour into a mixing bowl.  Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

3.  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg replacer until slightly frothy.  Add vegan yogurt, rice milk, and canola oil.  Whisk well until smooth. Add lemon zest and brown sugar, mixing well.  Add cranberry sauce and stir with a spoon until thoroughly combined.

4.  Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold wet ingredients into dry, until just moistened. The batter should still be lumpy with a few little spots of dry flour. Do not overmix. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each to the rim.

5.  Bake in center of oven 22-24 minutes, rotating muffin tin once halfway through, until muffins are a lovely golden color on top.  Remove tin from oven, transfer muffins from tin to a cooling rack.   Serve warm or room temperature.

Allergy-Friendly Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Copyright © 2010 by Cybele Pascal

(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish), so as many people as possible can enjoy them.  Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE:  Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions.  If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns BEFORE consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.

Cybele Pascal is the award-winning author of The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook and The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook. She has been a guest on The Martha Stewart Show, the Food Network, the Todayshow, ABC News,Good Morning America Health, and NPR. She writes a weekly food blog, Food Allergy Recipe Challenge on Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Daily and is the host of Eat Freely with Cybele, an internet based Allergy-Friendly cooking show.  She is also a regular contributor to Living Without; the magazine for people with allergies and food sensitivities, and her allergy-friendly recipes have appeared in many national publications, including Good Housekeeping, Whole Living, and NY Parent. Additionally, she has written regular columns for Oxygen Media, AOL, and Gaiam.com.

For more information visit Cybele’s Website!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cranberry Apple Crisp

Serves 6-8

Cranberries and apples pair perfectly in this delicious, old-fashioned recipe. Serve as a wonderful finish to your Thanksgiving Feast.  Or here’s a tip: It’s also a great way to use up all that leftover Cranberry Sauce!

6 firm, tart apples (like Granny Smith)

1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

1 cup brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1½ cups whole berry cranberry sauce

1¼ cups gluten-free All-Purpose Flour Blend

of choice

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats or quinoa flakes

½-¾ cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening*

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 7×11-inch pan or an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish.

2. Peel, core and slice apples into ¼ inch-thick slices. Toss with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup brown sugar and cornstarch. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

3. Spread cranberry sauce evenly over top of apples.

4. Measure flour by spooning it into a dry measuring cup, leveling it with a straightedge or back of a knife and then pouring it into a mixing bowl. Add xanthan gum, salt, oats, the remaining ¾ cup brown sugar and remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mix to combine.

5. Melt shortening (30-60 seconds in the microwave usually does it). Drizzle it into the flour mixture, a little at a time, tossing until you have a large crumb. Spread crumb evenly over top of fruit. Use your fingers to clump it together as necessary.

6. Place in preheated oven and bake 40 minutes until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling up around edges. Let rest about 30 minutes before serving.

*TIP For a slightly drier crumb topping (and for those watching calories), use ½ cup shortening. For a “buttery” crumb topping, use ¾ cup shortening.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cranberry Apple Crisp

Copyright © 2009 by Cybele Pascal

Cybele Pascal is the award-winning author of The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook and The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook. She has been a guest on The Martha Stewart Show, the Food Network, the Todayshow, ABC News,Good Morning America Health, and NPR. She writes a weekly food blog, Food Allergy Recipe Challenge on Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Daily and is the host of Eat Freely with Cybele, an internet based Allergy-Friendly cooking show.  She is also a regular contributor to Living Without; the magazine for people with allergies and food sensitivities, and her allergy-friendly recipes have appeared in many national publications, including Good Housekeeping, Whole Living, and NY Parent. Additionally, she has written regular columns for Oxygen Media, AOL, and Gaiam.com.

For more information visit Cybele’s Website!

First off, let me warn you. I would not recommend more than one per person. We went tailgating with Ed McFarland of Ed’s Lobster Bar and he made these in the back of my Traverse thnx to electrical outlet! hollah! Takes tailgating to a whole new level! Just be sure to bring along a designated driver!!!!

Ed’s Apple Cider Cocktail aka Apple Kamikaze

Ingredients:
1 quart apple cider
10 oz. vodka
4 oz. St. Germain elderflower liquer
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. lemon juice
ice

Fill blender with ice and pour all the liquors over the ice first. Then pour in apple cider and lemon juice. If your blender has an ice crush setting, use this – or just blend it until the ice crushes and the drink appears thick and frothy. Pour into martini glass (or plastic cup- whatev!) and garnish with cinnamon stick (or don’t bother!)