I think one of the main struggles of being human is self-acceptance.  For a long time I wanted to believe that I am not a naturally lazy person who, like a cat, would prefer in general to spend eighteen straight hours in bed or staring out a window. I wanted to believe that I might learn to make a gorgeous fruit and crème tart, knit a scarf or change the oil in my car. Heck, I thought I might even bake bread some day. But as it turns out, I am not that person. I think that the only activity in which I can accept tedious practice and prolonged delayed gratification may be writing. So instead of a carefully detailed recipe for apple pie, I give you baked apples.  And baked in the microwave, no less!  With only three other ingredients!  Can it get any easier?  The bonus is that this recipe is also far healthier than your typical butter and sugar filled pie.  And you may even be saving energy by not using the oven.  I’m not really sure because that sort of information falls into the realm of things I am too lazy to research…is that my bed calling? Raisin-Filled Baked Apple Courtesy of Fat Free Vegan 1 medium apple 1 Tbsp raisins Cinnamon 2 tsp maple syrup (or other sweetener) Place raisins in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Allow them to soak until plump and remain in soaking liquid until ready to use. Wash an apple and remove most of the core, leaving about 1/4-inch of core at the bottom of the apple. Remove a thin strip of peel from around the top of the cavity. Place the apple into a deep microwave-safe baking dish or bowl. Sprinkle the...

I love pie, and always have, soggy crusts and all. But due to mounting heath concerns, pie and I are no longer on a first name basis. One way to enjoy all the yummy fruity delights of pie without inhaling the buttery pastry and cups of sugar is to skip straight to the fruit. This recipe makes great use of two of my favorites – ripe peaches and fresh raspberries. It’s wonderful with a little vanilla fro-yo.     Grilled Peaches with Fresh Raspberry Sauce Adapted from Bon Appétit | August 2007 Yield: Makes 6 servings 2 1/4 cups (lightly packed) fresh raspberries (about 13 ounces) 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 medium-size ripe but firm peaches, halved, pitted Puree 2 1/4 cups fresh raspberries along with 3 tablespoons water in food processor until puree is smooth. Strain raspberry puree through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer. Stir in 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until blended. Fresh raspberry sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Melt butter and brush peach halves all over with it. Grill until tender, about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve with sauce. Top with vanilla frozen yogurt for an amazing summer time dessert. If you liked this post, please do us the further boon of Liking the Fierce and Nerdy page on FaceBook. Also, we’re giving great stream on Twitter, so do give us follow. featured image credit:...

When I want to sound cool and mysterious, I say I was raised in the desert. When I want to explain why I’m loud, stubborn, cynical, opinionated, dramatic, charming (in an overbearing sort of way), and obsessed with protecting my territory and feeding everybody hummus, I say I was raised in Israel. And when I’m listening to Californians whine like babies about the weather, I say I was raised in Albany. (Not to mention how I was shaped by all the crazy years spent on the New York theatre scene trying to “make it there” and, ipso facto, “anywhere”  during which time I worked as an Elf at Macy’s, cleaned up vomit at comedy clubs for stage time and tips and gave out sandwiches and fruit on the subway in the South Bronx for $50 a day + “donations” – but I’ll save all these tales of struggle for my motivational seminars: “Reach for the Stars — Fall on your Ass — Get a Real Fucking Job with Some Health Insurance” and “Artists Starve – Arts Administrators Get Fat, So Come to the Break Room of Life Like I Did and Grab Your Piece of the Pie (actually day-old birthday cake)”. Anyhow, the desert. The characters in Hari Kunzru’s Gods Without Men spend an awful lot of time schlepping around the desert looking for aliens. I spent my fair share of time schlepping around the Israeli desert as a young teenager, but I was just looking for snakes, lizards and scorpions to sell to the creepy American zoologist who lived in town. He said he was buying these critters for research, but I think he REALLY didn’t like falafel and hummus, if you catch my drift (He ate them. Fuck subtlety- I’m Israeli!). Anyhow,...

I’ve been trying to get in the habit of exercising. This may sound banal to you, but in reality this is like trying to get a feral cat used to full body shampoos.  It’s a process.  After I do my time on the treadmill I want a treat, but the last thing I want to do is eat something that will ruin all my hard work.  But neither do I want to waste calories on some diet dessert that bears more resemblance to wet packing material than food. Hence my search for cake that is both yummy and not made with butter, something I wasn’t even sure existed.  But luckily I have not been alone in this quest, as proven by the following recipe.  It  may help to get you through the dark days of winter without necessitating a shopping trip for larger pants. Dark Chocolate Yogurt Cake Courtesy of Food.com and from Little Corner of Mine.com blog Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins Serves: 4-8, Yield: 1.0 loaf cake Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup white sugar 1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt 3 large eggs, lightly whisked 1 tablespoon strong brew coffee 1/2 cup canola oil Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350’F. Grease a 8.5×3.5 loaf pan. 2. In a large bowl, sift in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add in salt, sugar. Stir to mix well. 3. Then add in all wet ingredients: yogurt, eggs, coffee and oil.  Whisk everything together until blended. 4. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before taking out to cool completely...