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Can we just take a moment and talk about how British TV has ruined my life?
Mostly I'm talking BBC's Sherlock. Because over a year has passed since the last episode, and they haven't even starting filming the next season.
And do you know why this is? Because the stupid actors have to be sooo brilliant that they're totally becoming famous, and doing blockbuster movies, and Peter Jackson even delayed filming of the Hobbit because Martin Freeman just had to go and finish breaking my heart and filming the last of series 2 of Sherlock. Into little, itty bitty pieces, Martin Freeman. Itty bitty pieces.
Martin Freeman plays John Watson, and he just sort of grabs hold of you and he's so sweet and lovable and unexpectedly badass that you don't even notice the grip he's got on your heartstrings until he freaking pulls, and oh crap, can't handle all the feels. I knew enough of the Sherlock Holmes canon that I knew what was going to happen, and I knew what it meant, but freaking Martin Freeman still had me bawling like a baby.
And then there is Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock, and is just as brilliant as Martin Freeman, and I'm a little bit in love with him and his cheekbones. It's a little bit unfair how good-looking he is, because he's a wonderful Sherlock. See, even though Sherlock Holmes is such a cold, unrelatable character, you start to like him because Watson does. And then you like him even more because it's clear that he cares about Watson, but he doesn't have any social skills to speak of, so you excuse him for being a prick because of those adorably awkward moments when he tries to apologize. And of course he's amazing and has superhero-like powers of deduction, and despite the fact that he claims sentiment is a weakness, he lets you glimpse those moments that show he really does care, made all the more profound for their rarity. And he does this all while being, if I may borrow a term from Anne Rice, a gorgeous fiend. There's no defending against that.
And then there are the moments when John and Sherlock giggle together like little boys, and that just chips away your last little bit of defense.
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Of course, that all says nothing of the writing and direction, which is smart and subtle and doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator like a lot of shows do (even though I solved A Study in Pink like 20 minutes in; come on Moffat, you're better than that).
Not like Elementary, which I started watching in an attempted to feed my Sherlock addiction. Jonny Lee Miller is fantastic (mostly because he plays Sherlock in a completely different way; you can't out Cumberbatch the master), but the writing is poor, and I can't get behind Lucy Liu's Watson. She's annoying and a nag, has a rather confused backstory and is completely unrelatable. Watson is supposed to be the everyday man (or woman, as it were), the one you identify with and the plot device Sherlock has to explain his deductions to. She works as a plot device, not a whole lot else. If they could amp up the writing a little more, make Watson a little more sympathetic, and the police a lot less dumb, it would be a good show. Not as good as Sherlock, but then we don't have to wait thirty years for the next season, either.
So that's one example of how British TV has ruined my life. And I didn't even get into Merlin or Doctor Who. Next time.
After having British TV ruin my life and Martin Freeman break my heart into itty bitty pieces, I deserve cookies. For breakfast. Don't you agree?
And they're not just cookies, but super healthy vegan cookies made with protein-packed quinoa, whole wheat, bananas, and only 1 tablespoon of oil for the whole batch. And some antioxidant-rich dark chocolate chips. Because I need chocolate after all the feels, okay? *sniffle*
These cookies are soft, sweet, and flavorful. You're never going to mistake them for the dessert kind, but they're tasty and so darn healthy, you can eat them for breakfast. Or munch on them guilt-free while watching Sherlock and sobbing your brains out.
Quinoa Breakfast Cookies {Printable Version}
Yield: 18 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. wheat germ (optional)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 banana, mashed
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
½ cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, wheat germ (if using), baking powder,
cinnamon, and salt. Add the banana, sugar, molasses, oil, and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated.
Fold in the quinoa and chocolate chips. Drop the batter by the tablespoon on a cookie sheet lined with
parchment paper or a silpat mat. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set. Cool on wire racks.
Tip: The cookies will stick. Use a metal spatula to help remove them.
Recipe by Kim