Monthly Archives: December 2009

Let’s Make a Toast

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18

Let’s start this post off on a sweet note because that’s how I usually start my day. ‘Tis true that chocolate is usually the first thing I eat in my day. When did I become such a choco-aholic?

Something to savor

I finally tried the last kind of chocolate cup the folks at Newman’s Own Organic sent me. Three come in a package so that worked out very nicely for my family. Everyone approved – more than approved! This was the dark chocolate caramel cup. The dark chocolate melting  on my tongue and the gooey caramel! How could one go wrong?

Peach Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream Icing

Peaches are one my best friend’s favorite things! So these cupcakes sounded perfect to satisfy her incredible sweet tooth for Christmas! Do you see the bits of peach in the frosting?

I led her up to them with her eyes closed and I think she was very happy!

I usually don't like icing, but if it's homemade and like this - oi!

We had cupcakes with coffee and she got to try the vegan banana coconut cheesecake I shared in my last post. I was nervous about her trying it because it’s hard to satisfy her sweet tooth. I was stunned when she said she really liked it!

Some new things to try!

My dad noticed this seasonal flavor of Kefir at the local healthfood store. Sounds interesting, right? Personally, I wasn’t too keen on it. It just tasted fruity and not even tart. It doesn’t taste bad by any means, just not what I’d imagine cranberry creme brulee to taste like. I also got some Pico de Gallo tortilla chips by Garden of Eatin’. These looked like they’d be the most flavorful. They have this mild smokiness that I enjoy – even better with melted pepper jack cheese! I haven’t tried the chili yet though.

Lazy night

I had some chickpea dish my dad got at the Indian store with a methi paratha. Lately I’ve been loving raw collard greens.

Perfect drink to have before you drift off to sleep.

Just to make sure I would only have sweet dreams that night. Homemade hot cocoa with the delicious homemade marshmallows Maya sent me. One little thing I like to do to my hot cocoa is melt in real chocolate. I also made cups for my parents too because nobody wants nightmares!

I tried a new flavor!

I used another freebie coupon the people at Oikos sent me. Some of the things I like about Greek yogurt are its tartness, texture, and it’s high in protein!

This flavor was really yummy!

No weird artificial tasting flavor here! I even found real blueberries in it! So good.

Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers

I used a four-cheese tortellini for this recipe I spotted in the Real Simple magazine the other day.

For dinner I made a recipe inspired by one that sparked my appreciation for capers.

Four-cheese tortellini with eggplant, tomato, roasted red peppers, and capers with Rice parmesan sprinkled on top. And the whole thing was drizzled with olive oil for extra flavor.

What a delicious landscape - where have we landed?

After dinner I went to go watch the movie Nine with some friends.

At the theatre they had a claw machine where you could win watches instead of stuffed animals!

My friend remembered her white cheddar seasoning for the popcorn - good thinking!

Today is the last day of 2009 and usually I find myself not coming up with a resolution because throughout the year I am constantly reevaluating things and see what I want to change. However this year I decided to make one. I want to practice more patience with my parents. Sometimes when they offer to help me, I usually brush it off because the thought of having to explain everything to them makes me anxious. But does taking a few minutes out of my time to go over something really need to be a big deal? No. I think the reason why it’s so hard for me to be patient with my parents is because I have patience for everyone else – and parents are unconditionally there for you. But I will work on that because I know that it also makes them happy to be able to help me out in any way. “Patience is a virtue, Virtue is a grace; both put together make a very pretty face.” Do any of you have any resolutions?

I plan on ringing in the new year with a bottle of this

and a box of chocolates! No matter what your aspirations or resolutions are for the upcoming year, I hope they help you seek more fulfillment in your own life. Not just seek but actually attain!

p.s. the next post is a fun one!

Hope You Had Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Part II

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Hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen we’re blasting back a little bit further into the past!

Granola girl is back!

I had this bowl of Udi’s Au Naturel granola with the apple grahams Holly sent me, spiced applesauce, Sunland’s caramel peanut butter, and vanilla yogurt. This granola is really good if you want to keep it simple or basically, it would go well with anything! The Au Naturel flavor is basically a wildflower honey sweetened granola.

Looks like I couldn't help but take a bite of the tortilla before I took the picture!

I just stuffed it with black beans, peach salsa, sour cream, nutritional yeast, and cilantro.

Whoa mama!

I hadn’t had banana soft-serve in forever! Size does matter when it comes to this – the bigger the banana the better (you get more)!! My toppings: coconut milk, Artisana Cacao Bliss, and Bekah’s scented almonds. YUM to the 10th degree!!! I’m talking love in exponential amounts.

Have any of you guys ever taken or heard of Zumba? Well this is a dance class I go to whenever I’m down in Florida. My mother and I love to dance and all of those classes have so much energy and happiness from everyone that you can’t help but have fun. There are even some professional ballroom dancers that attend the class. Everyone in that class just lets loose and gets down. For real!

With some friends from the old dance academy.

And with Wilson, one of our old instructors!

We also did the hora!!!

The dance instructor was touched by the students' card and gift to her.

Santa Claus came!

There was never a boring moment in that class!

After the dance class my best friend came over and Matilda got some presents! But I guess she really liked the necklace I got.

I went to go meet up with a friend for coffee.

Keeping it natural.

I tried Udi’s Muesli that morning – muesli is one of my mom’s favorite breakfasts. This was a really good muesli!!! There were lots of dried fruits – which I find to be lacking in a lot of pre-packaged cereals.

Agave-Lime Grilled Tofu with Asian Slaw and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Another recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’. The best mashed sweet potatoes ever!!! You mash it with a cashew cream, butter, and chipotle pepper. Everything in this dish was incredible and complimentary to each other. I love when a meal touches so many different kinds of flavors. This took my taste buds on a delicious ride.

Pistachios

My dad came home form the store with a container of pistachios! I love these nuts, especially with dried cranberries and golden raisins. I really want to make a pistachio butter. Has anyone tried pistachio butter? Do you like it?

And I FINALLY wore the shorts my mom got me on her trip to Germany.

They gave me two coffees but I had only ordered one! Maybe I should've played the lottery that day.

I've known her since I started middle school!

Later on we went to Target and they had me try on the new Rodarte dresses. I didn’t know Target had such cute things!!!

My friend up at school sent me a little box of treasures!

And the ring lights up!!!

Tempeh Creole

Dinner that night was something special. I made another recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’. I love the variety of flavors this book has. I usually stick to using the same spices and seasoning when I cook, but this was different from what I usually use. I served it over some brown basmati rice and with a colorful pepper medley on the side.

Breakfast is a calling!

Looks like I had English muffins for breakfast that morning. One slice with butter and the other with pumpkin butter. I also tried the egg nog flavored yogurt with a lot of cinnamon sprinkled on top. Does that count as “sprinkled” still? It looks like it was actually doused! I also had apple slices with caramel peanut butter = delicious.

Yummy snack

I know some of you are always keeping your eyes out for new snack ideas. Well I found one that is not messy and perfect for when you’re on the go! Not to mention it tastes really good. I tried Udi’s granola nuggets! Let me quote them , “Snack-perfect granola chunks made with honey, oats, and lots of nuts.” They contain almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds. I tried the little nuggets with Wallaby’s Downunder Mango Tangerine flavor.

And now we’re going to blast somewhere else into time.

Personally, I like raw collard greens better than cooked.

I tried cooking them the other day but I wasn’t too keen on the flavor. Anyway, these collard greens made for perfect wraps for the leftover Moroccan stew. There wasn’t much liquid left so I didn’t have to worry about stuff spilling out. I also had some Mestemacher bread with mashed avocado, tomato slices, and horseradish sauce.

Check it out!

Look at what my mom made!

We had to use up a bunch of veggies that we had in the fridge so this was a mish-mosh of things! She even cooked daikon radish! I’m not sure what she put in here exactly but I’ll tell you what I do know – besides that it tasted delicious – cauliflower, yellow squash, daikon radish, mushrooms, yellow onion, turmeric, fenugreek, coconut milk, and other things!

Another nighttime snack

A bowl of fruits with coconut milk is something I’ve been eating daily while in Florida. That night I remembered that I still had some Fig Newmans! I love the chewiness of these fig cookies.

So that was the time traveling adventure! Now that we’re all back up to speed, I have a story to share with you all. This was shared with me over Christmas dinner and I thought it was inspirational. They told me about a writer who was diagnosed with cancer but wasn’t going to give up without a fight. So what did they decide to do? They had heard of “laughing clubs” in India and other countries, so they got their wife to go to the library and find a bunch of comedies. Everyday the two would wake up and watch a funny movie. Eventually he was able to cure his cancer with laughter. So never underestimate the power of bursting out in an uncontainable laughter or even just a giggle will do. What’s a miracle you’ve had in your life?

Hope You Had Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

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Hello hello everyone! I hope you haven’t forgotten about me. I am going to have to catch you all up on things – and I have some major catching up to do for myself. I want to know what everyone has been up to! To get you guys back up to speed I decided to do things a little differently. I’m going to go backwards with two part post. This means we’ll be time traveling! If only I could time travel back to when women wore beautiful decorative hats! And then I’d go further back to BC times and listen to Plato speak.

So let’s begin! I’m going to start off with the day after Christmas!

Warm spiced vanilla oatmeal with banana, coconut oil, Cacao Bliss, and a crumbled gingersnap.

Then we got ready to meet up with some old family friends. I’ve known them since my family moved to America and I haven’t seen them in years! We decided to meet up at this Latin grocery store that’s the size of a regular supermarket. Usually, specialty stores are very small – so this was quite a treat.

They had a cafeteria-style eating area.

A machine that makes freshly-squeezed orange juice. It reminds me of the 70's.

I've never seen an arepa de choclo look like this, but it was delicious nonetheless!

Hi everybody!

Leche (milk) de moras (raspberries) and a HUGE tamal!

Afterwards we went and did some shopping. Surprisingly the mall wasn’t too crazy.

Big ornaments

A winter wonderland.

Oh my, I had to stop myself that day. We walked into a store and I was trying something on and then I turned around to my mom and said “I’m done.” I figured since me and some friends wanted to go on the hunt for some New Years Eve stuff, I should not go crazy all in one day. Save some for later! I feel my style is in the midst of another evolution. Although I always have my underlying style motto: keep it classy. But I will show you guys some things I got.

I feel like a horseback-riding, biker, crime-fighting woman of the future in these pants. And yes, I wore them out later that night.

Sequins shorts!

I seriously think I have had this extra surge of confidence go through me. I feel like being more daring. When I browse through fashion magazines I find myself “oo-ing” and “aah-ing” at all these wonderful clothes – so why shouldn’t I be able to pull it off? Besides, life is too short to be worrying about if something is too “crazy” to wear. Of course, if you don’t feel like it’s you then don’t do it. Everyone has their own style, so embrace it!

I remembered that I never showed you guys the black shoes!

Whoops! How did these little hermits and strawberries find their way here? Who am I kidding, these guests are welcome anytime!

I also got a rock star faux-fur vest.

And my best friend was rockin' it too!

Too cute to handle!

Before I forget! Matilda got a new do the other day.

And she's going to be stylin' in a super cute vest as well! Like mother like daughter.

I love this picture!

She came over and we got ready for a night out on the town. We decided to go to a place we haven’t been to yet. It was funny because when we got there we thought the lounge was very trendy and cool – a bit too dark – but we were wondering why the music wasn’t pumping. The music was good but not really heart-thumping and energizing. They did however end up playing some happy-go-lucky Beatles and James Brown tunes. So we did our thing. Then as we were leaving my friend saw there was an upstairs. Naturally, we went to go check it out. This was where the party was at!!! So we stayed for a while longer and danced our hearts out.

Random picture of the place outside.

So now let’s rewind one day and go back to CHRISTMAS! This is how it started out…

Snowmen bowls!

From a very dear friend!

This is why I love the holiday season!

My favorite ginger!

Gorgeous Brooke sent me a wonderful Christmas card and a glamorous wintery picture!

I made my dad a brochure of things around south Florida I think he'd be interested in doing + a bowl of Key Lime (R)Ice Cream.

Somethings he enjoys... opera, bike riding, spirituality, and healthy living.

Spiced pumpkin oats, a gingersnap, maple syrup, coconut oil, sprinkles, and macadamia-cashew butter for two eyes and a mouth.

Mmm butter stollen!

And Archer Farms' bread pudding yogurt!

And Archer Farms' bread pudding yogurt!

I made my mom some macadamia-cashew butter since she can't eat solid nuts anymore.

Another recipe from The Accidental Vegetarian - Grilled Eggplant with Nuoc Cham.

We were invited to a Christmas dinner so here are some prep pictures!

Make the crust...

Macadamias, walnuts, coconut-rolled dates, maple syrup, and cocoa powder = gluten-free and vegan crust! It’s practically raw too.

The cake part...

Tofu, coconut cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and some very ripe bananas.

Now into the oven it goes!

My dad looks like he's up to something.

Moroccan Stew

I followed the recipe that the lovely Lauren sent to me. Thanks so much girl! This recipe was a winner and I’m so glad I had leftovers. Actually, I just finished the last bit that was left. All the spices, veggies, and chickpeas cooking together for hours just made it out of this world. On top I garnished it with the “scented” almonds Bekah sent and cilantro. Mouth-watering.

They made pop-overs as well and had teenie roasted potatoes!

Look at what found its way on to my plate and I wasn't even looking for it!

This was such a cute little happy surprise. April! It’s a teeny purple potato!

Then it was time for coffee and dessert!

Happy with homemade tres leches complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top!

There was also a postre de nata which is basically a cream dessert. All these Colombian desserts! Where is the one I made?

A vegan banana coconut cheesecake with chocolate macadamia crust

Wow! That’s a mouthful (a delicious one). Here’s the recipe for the cake. Although I would make a suggestion: use a bit less banana and up the vanilla extract. Everyone loved how fresh tasting this cake was. And the crust… the crust was to die for!

Some of them were fellow vegetarians!

They shared stories of the different parts of the world they’ve been in and the various interesting people they’ve come across. They were so intriguing themselves. You can literally see their inner-glow in this picture! This was such a fabulous Christmas dinner. There was great food, wonderful company, and new friends.

More wonderful family friends!

Mom and I!

Passing a childhood book on to a new family.

This was such a reminder of what Christmas means to me. The whole day I was constantly reminded of how precious our lives are and the ones who are in it do care. And it’s so wonderful to feel that.

‘Twas the night before Christmas…

My dad walked into the house and told me I had a package!

It was from Maya!!! Look at the gingerbread people doing yoga poses! This was such a sweet package and not just because of the goodies. Maya, your words mean so much to me. Seriously, if you don’t now this young lady – you should. She’s one of my role models.

A yummy package from Maya! Jam thumbprint cookies, homemade marshmallows, pumpkin seed brittle, and world peace cookies!!
A yummy package from Maya! Jam thumbprint cookies, homemade marshmallows, pumpkin seed brittle, and world peace cookies!!

Homemade marshmallows - I'm never going back! You hear that Jet-Puffed?

So that is all for right now. Next post will be a blast further back into the past!

I hope each and everyone one of you have been able to spend the holiday season with dear ones and warming up with their love.

A Dose of R & R

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In my last post I forgot to include some more pictures from Art Basel. So before I forget again, I will start this post out with something to wrap your minds around!

A whip cracking and look there's even dirt on the ground!

This seems to last forever.

Suspended in air?

These Evan Penny silicone sculptures were so perplexing to the mind and the eye!

Every single person's mind was boggled.

These two pieces were hyper-realistic yet had an illusional twist. Definitely the buzz at this year’s Art Basel in Miami.

I spy a winning fruit combination.

That morning I tried Udi’s Banaberry flavor – for kids! Overall I really liked the granola except the freeze-dried strawberries threw me off. The banana chips were so good though because added a natural sweetness. I had the granola with a sliced banana, and Sunland’s caramel peanut butter.

After my mom and I got our groove on we came home, got ready, and I prepared something to bring to my mom’s friend’s birthday get-together.

My first time trying fava beans.

Mondo-sized beans!

Did you guys know that in Portugal a Christmas Cake called Bolo Rei (“King Cake”) is baked with a “Fava” bean inside. Whoever eats the slice containing it, is supposed to buy next year’s cake.

Favetta

I got this very simple recipe from The Accidental Vegetarian. Then when I was done I just poured in a small pool of olive oil and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Simon Rimmer recommends serving it with coriander seed flatbread but anything dippable will do.

Look at how nicely my mom's friend set the table up!

And someone was proud of the gingerbread house they put together!

Brie!

Mom & Daughter

Then someone kindly offered to take a picture for us so I didn’t have to bust out the stretch armstrong camera move.

A bit blurry but that's okay - my mom looks adorable!

I love this shot! Laughing is such a wonderful thing.

One of the ladies made a very pretty seafood pate decorated with roasted red pepper!

Everyone exclaimed how delicious it was and asked her to share the recipe. Since I don’t eat fish, however, I just took their word for it!

Latinas could talk forever, and I love it.

A group of gorgeous women!

I want a pretty birthday cake like that.

Did I mention that twins were celebrating their birthdays?

They haven’t celebrated together in 10 years! The one in the blue shirt lives in Colombia so it’s not often that they’re together on their special day.

Slicing the cake wedding style!

Of course Colombian coffee was a must.

I loved being around these women. They were so full of life and just enjoyed each other’s company. I’m pretty sure my tummy was sore from laughing at the hilarious stories they shared – lots of funny confessions too!

Greek yogurt!

The kind folks at Oikos offered some freebie coupons to me to try out some of their products. My first choice was the plain 0% tub of Greek yogurt goodness! I really enjoyed the texture of this yogurt because it was thick but still creamy. Sometimes I find that certain ones can have this strange fluffiness to them. Not to mention, this yogurt is organic meaning it’s authentic and just how Greek shepherds made their yogurt. They have other flavors like strawberry, blueberry, vanilla, and honey that I’m looking forward to trying out.

What a bright breakfast!

Yesterday morning I tried Udi’s original flavor made with “Thick-Cut Rolled Oats, Wildflower Honey, Canola Oil, Raisins, Banana Chips, Walnuts, Cashews, Almonds, and Pistachios.” I had it with a sliced banana, papaya and pineapple bites, and Oikos yogurt. Yuuuuum! I loved the variety of nuts and the dried fruits have this sweetness that I love. Oh, did you perhaps notice my little army?

Chocolate-covered gummi bears

I usually munch on these while I make my breakfast but this time I thought I would be polite and invite them to my favorite meal of the day.

I made a quick sandwich since I was going to be on-the-go!

Slice No. 1 = Sunland’s dark chocolate peanut butter. Slice No. 2 = Cherry preserves. Chocolate-covered cherries in sandwich form! I think I’m becoming a chocolate lover too! Actually, I think I already am!!! I just noticed that I have chocolate every single day. And I must say, life is good. My friend picked me up and we were off to some thriftstores!

We found some little treasures.

For the mysterious Elizabeth. Hmm... who could she be?

I tried on someone's old wedding dress.

And I had a reunion with zany little Madeline!

She turned into a Swedish girl and I shared some of my mood-changing lip gloss with her!

Later on I went to the bookstore to flip through magazines for ideas. Cookie ideas! Three-course meal ideas! By the way, I haven’t mentioned this but some time soon I will be hosting my first cooking clinic! It was going to take place this Wednesday but I think that may be too stressful. Anywho, I’m so excited! My mom has also been bugging me about making a Christmas list so I browsed through fashion magazines and fell in love with so many things. I have a feeling my list won’t be so hard to make! I don’t usually ask for presents though because I like to see the thought behind the gift. At some point my mom met up with me at the bookstore and we exchanged magazines and shared some cheesecake and a cappuccino. She always orders a cappuccino and I always steal some sips. But I love that she never minds. We lost track of time and before you know it my belly was telling me “I want dinner!” I was going to prepare something last night but I looked at the recipe and it called for two hours! So I just saved it for another day.

Instead I quickly put this together.

Have any of you tried Mestemacher bread? It’s a brand from Germany that makes all-natural, whole grain bread. Some don’t like it, but my family does! It’s especially delicious with cream cheese and raspberry preserves. Last night I had it with gouda, leftover vegan Caesar dressing, heirloom tomato slices, capers, and small bell peppers. These bell peppers were bursting with flavor!!! Gosh this just made me remember the fresh broetchen that was had every morning when I lived in Germany. German bread is so good! After my dinner I decided to relax and take a bubble bath.

Candles were lit.

The bubbles kept rising!

I poured so much of the bubble bath liquid in before I turned on the jets. So once those were turned on the bubbles went above my head. Santa Claus beard! Sometimes I think we forget about little things like bubble baths, cozy spots, or anything else. A friend of mine takes bubble baths almost everyday, and I think that’s a wonderful idea. Maybe for you it’s not specifically a bubble bath, it could be picking out a delicious recipe, or a morning stretch. Whatever it may be, may it bring you joy!

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you

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Greetings everyone!

Tofu Ricotta and Blueberry Vinaigrette

Look at the blueberry flecks!

I simmered strawberries, blueberries, and sunflower seeds.

Okay okay so what was I making?

Wild Field Green Salad with Sun-Dried cranberries and Blueberries, Fresh Strawberries, Sunflower Seeds, Tofu Rifcotta, and a Warm Blueberry Vinaigrette

And look what I found in my greens!

This salad was absolutely delectable! My parents couldn’t stop giving it rave reviews and they kept asking questions about it. Gosh, every recipe I make from the cookbook I just fall in love anymore. This was actually a recipe from one of the many Guest Chef sections. Scot Jones was the mastermind behind this mouth-watering salad.

After dinner we started to decorate the Christmas tree.

Tada!

Then my friend came over and we got ready for a night out…

While listening to Jay-Z songs because he's the essence of south Florida.

Pit stops!

We went to the Blue Martini Lounge.

They actually had a DJ so you know what that means…

And the man behind me told me my trick was “to be exotic”!

Oh really???

Then the rest of the ladies arrived!

If there's music playing then you know I'm not sitting!

And it looks like someone had to end their night a little early.

After a night of dancing I still managed to wake up for my favorite yoga class. I always look forward to Saturday mornings in Florida because of this class!

I made my mom some breakfast.

Oatmeal with ginger syrup, cinnamon, pineapple, and a pumpkin gingerbread cookie.

Granola girl over here with a side of fresh fruit!

That morning I tried Udi’s granola cranberry and walnuts flavor.

YUM! Cranberries and walnuts are delicious together!

I had it with the pumpkin pie yogurt I found at Target the other day, the rest of the cashew toffee Holly sent me, and Bekah’s “scented” almonds.

My dad went to see if there were any ripe papayas to pick.

Leftover tofu "ricotta"

At the store the other day I picked up a box of Dominex eggplant cutlets. These were breaded “italian style” so it was only natural to serve it with tomato sauce, rice “parmesan”, and my leftover tofu “ricotta”.

And refreshing cucumber slices.

Afterwards I got ready to go shopping with some friends.

My friend had Pocky sticks!

Shoe shopping!

We each decided to try on heels that we liked but would be too shy to wear. That’s one thing I’ve been working on. I use to find myself holding back when it came to what I wore. I felt like a little girl dreamily looking at store windows and heels. But why did I have to be a bystander? I find that for myself, if I just go with my gut and wear what I want to wear I feel like a million bucks. Maybe your “thing” isn’t fashion. Maybe it’s no longer just thinking about that painting class you have been hesitating to take because you think you’re “not good enough.” Whatever it is, don’t allow yourself to believe such a lie. Once you start doing what you want to do, the hesitation fades away and the confidence starts to shine as brightly as the sun! Anyway, I finally found the perfect black heels, but I may go back to get these babies…

The perfect New Year's Eve shoe perhaps?

Speaking of New Years, I have no idea what to wear! I’d love to hear what some of you are planning to wear to ring in the new year.

Food and fashion at the same place!

We stopped by Nordstrom Cafe

They have so many items that I see around the blogosphere. Larabars? Check! Clif Z-bars? Check! Dark chocolate? Check check check! I also had my dose of color when I stopped by the Kate Spade store. Walking in there never ceases to bring a smile to my face.

I hope you all got to spend your weekend the way you wanted to! Some of you were snowed in, but it’s not too bad when you’ve got hot cocoa and an excuse to stay in, right? Now I wish you all a wonderful beginning to an exciting week.

Even Artichokes Have Hearts

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Awhile back I was contacted to review a new ProBar product. Have you all ever heard of their fruition bars? These bars aren’t a whole meal replacement bar like the original ProBars, but they make a perfect little snack.

fruition!

Peach – The first flavor I tasted on my tongue was the peach. M’mm good!

Blueberry - I love blueberries! And this reminded me of a chewy version of a blueberry muffin.

Cran-Raspberry – This bar was slightly tart from the cranberries but it was still sweet as well.

Strawberry – This one was my favorite! It kind of reminded me Nutri-grain bar but without the weird slimy filling – it was actually way better!

Moreover, you could tell these bars were made with real fruits and not artificial flavoring. All of these bars had a yummy chewy texture and they didn’t crumble everywhere. I loved that! The chewiness meant that the goodness just lasted a little longer.

Strawberry was my favorite!

Here is some more information from their website:

-Two servings of fruit in every bar-

-Snack Size: 160 calories per bar-

-4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of fat-

-Certified Organic by QAI-

-Dense with antioxidants and Omegas from Chia Seeds-


Another Chef Tal Ronnen recipe... Hmm what could it be?

Grilled artichoke with Caesar dressing

Why hello there!

The Caesar dressing was so easy to make and incredibly delicious! I think a lot of the flavor came from the addition of capers. Eating the artichoke was so much fun! It’s about as time consuming as eating a pomegranate. And what’s that on the other plate? Well I decided to make something from another great cookbook of mine – The Accidental Vegetarian.

Pumpkin Enchiladas with Mole sauce

The recipe is actually available online over here. Let me tell you though… grinding up the chillies, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, peppercorns and cloves emitted this heavenly smell. This was such a great lunch. I felt like some eccentric foodie having a delicious lunch for one. Maybe I am?

Breakfast time!

I tried another Udi’s granola out this morning. Sorry Liz, I didn’t go with your pick but I will tomorrow because I found something today that’ll go along perfectly with the cranberry flavor. Okay so what flavor was I just so eager to try this morning? I tried the Hawaiian flavor “with ginger-toasted macadamias, pineapple, and coconut, you can feel the warm sunshine in each bite.” I had it over vanilla yogurt + banana + and drizzled with rich and creamy coconut milk. This was the bomb.com! Oh my gosh biting into pineapple and coconut bits THEN toasted macadamias. Iar just now realized that they were ginger-toasted! This made me think of my girl, Maya over in Hawaii. By the way she recently completed an amazing marathon!

I went to Target and I FINALLY found this holiday flavors.

I’ve seen them on some of your blogs and I wouldn’t have known about these if it weren’t for you guys! I was so happy and I carried them all in my arms like a baby to the cashier.

Not your average PB&J

So remember how I said that Sunland’s Dark Chocolate Peanut butter was lacking in the peanut flavor? Well I must’ve not had a big enough spoonful because today I made a sandwich and scooped on 2 gigantic spoonfuls of this stuff on some toast. Then I microwaved it to get it a bit gooey. I licked the spoon clean and my tastebuds were awakened! What was I thinking the other day? This was so good. I decided to extend chocolate-covered day over into today and I spread some of the strawberry jam Holly had sent to me on the other slice of toast. This was like having a chocolate-covered strawberry sandwich + peanut butter! Can I get a witness?

I also tried the Sugar Cookie yogurt.

It really just tasted like vanilla yogurt though. Meh. But the other flavors actually sound better so I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Also, since it’s the season of giving I thought I’d mention that Holly has been trying to raise money to build a well for a village in Cambodia. I’m so glad that my belief that people are good is confirmed everyday and we are so blessed! You can check out the  charity over here. The goal is almost reached! So if you can help out in anyway, even just spreading the word – because you never know who can stumble upon this – will help!

To go along with my last post I found a link that I hope all will enjoy! So check it out - Recipe Inspiration. I hope you all make the most of your weekend be it relaxing to the max or partying it up day and night! Just remember John Lennon’s words, “time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.”

What I Get Out of Cooking

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The obvious is that I get to taste delicious food, but cooking means more to me than that. It has become something therapeutic for me and draws out many metaphors about life. I cook with spices and seasonings and I think about the different flavors that foods offer. Much like my motto for life: it shouldn’t be bland! Moreover, cooking is time I take out of my day for me – to do something I want and like to do. I think it’s important for people to incorporate “me time” in to their daily lives. You are wonderful, so why not? Cooking also has it’s financial advantages, but that’s not really my motivator. While grinding mustard seeds to a powder I started thinking. I realized that cooking has helped me get this sense of independence. Knowing that I am able to make so many things by myself and constantly learning new things is precious to me. Making things out of scratch – “hey I made that!” It’s the simple satisfaction I get after I put the fork and knife down when I’m done eating a delectable meal.

So let’s the put the fork and knife down and look at some things I’ve recently put together.

That's a wrap! Not really because we're just getting started.

I stuffed it with a readymade chickpea dish from the Indian store and my leftover spiced parsnip and carrot puree + coconut oil.

Nighttime = snacktime

I noticed a pear in the fruit basket that was definitely ready to be eaten. I decided to make a pear sauce with cinnamon, amaretto, and sugar. I crumbled some honey grahams on top and warmed it up. Then I remembered Jessica’s favorite nighttime snack and I put white chocolate chips on for the final touch. I love using amaretto to make sweet things!

My breakfast is smiling at you!

And I definitely smiled back! I spread Sunland banana peanut butter on one slice of my English muffin and dark chocolate peanut butter on the other. Oh my goodness I absolutely loved the banana peanut butter. It was such a wonderful sweet spread. The dark chocolate one was good but not quite what I expected. I couldn’t really taste the peanuts in it – it reminded me of Nutella actually. Which is fine by me! If you go to Sunland’s website you can see all the other peanut butters they have. There are so many intriguing flavors like sweet molasses, Thai ginger and red pepper, vanilla cranberry, and onion parsley!

Top with banana slices, naturally!

Cookbook review!

Awhile ago I had a cookbook by Chef Tal Ronnen sent to me. Actually, one of my Thanksgiving recipes is one of Chef Tal’s creations (not from the book though). Anyway, this book is bursting with colorful, fresh dishes and all of it is vegan. I loved reading all the stories, tips, recipes, and they even have an upscale vegan restaurant guide. One of the restaurants happens to be in my very backyard (and they serve incredibly delicious food). Anyway, this book also includes a cashew cream that is used in a lot of recipes. I loved seeing how versatile certain foods can be and how creative one can get with cooking. One thing that stuck out to me the most was in the foreword: “When I crossed over to vegetarianism as a teenager, I didn’t abandon my taste buds. I took them with me. In fact, I took them further.” That’s exactly how I feel! Even if you’re not vegan, I’m sure these recipes will get your mouth-watering with the pictures alone. In fact, both my parents browsed through the cookbook and constantly oohed and aahed.

The first recipe I tried from the book...

This was my first time using daikon radish - it's much milder than the Cherry Belle radish.

Vietnamese-style tofu hero and Asian slaw

It's time for your close-up!

This was so good (loved the Asian slaw) and tasted very different from what I usually have. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever tried Vietnamese food. I believe this counts as a food adventure!

Next up...

I got some sweet basil from our backyard.

We also have Thai basil!

Heirloom tomatoes are so beautiful.

They remind me of watercolors.

Voila!

Oh my goodness! Crisping capers in olive oil is amazing. I highly recommend doing this! They gave this simple dish a satisfying salty and delicious crunch!

A great and colorful dinner in my book!

Later on I made a smoothie.

One of my friends from Brazil said that she never understood why people put avocados in salads because in Brazil they eat the avocado as a fruit – with sugar or in a smoothie! Technically it is a fruit! It’s also nicknamed a butter pear – so fitting! I found this so intriguing and I immediately started to concoct smoothie recipes in my head. So in this smoothie I blended together some ice cubes, 2 cups vanilla soy milk, a large banana, half an avocado, and 2 large dates. I usually never measure things out (except when I bake) but with smoothies I find it helpful to measure out the liquid part. This was enough for 3-4 servings. You must try this! It’s so easy and so delicious.

I'm becoming a granola girl!

The folks over at Udi’s Granola sent me an incredible package of their granolas to try out. Every flavor sounds delicious and today I opened the Vanilla granola. I had it with raspberries, Bekah’s “scented” almonds, vanilla yogurt, and crumbled Newman’s Own Organics chocolate chocolate chip cookies. I approve! This granola was like it was just made! No chunks because once their granola is done baking they massage it by hand to break it up. Moreover, they also hand-mix in the dried fruit if the recipe calls for it. Check out more of their flavors here! Which flavor should I try out next? I can’t decide!

Anywho, you know what’s funny? Remember over the summer I was on a mission to find the elusive kabocha? I checked everywhere and I finally found one at an out-of-the-way Asian market. Now the other day I went to Whole Foods and what did I see? About 20 kabochas right in front of my face. Either they’ve been reading blogs or it’s just a happy coincidence! I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday. Before you know it the weekend will be right at your doorstep!

p.s. If that wasn’t enough eye candy for you, here are some more pictures from Art Basel.

Go baby go!

"DESIRE"

This looks like it was made with felt but it's as hard as a rock!

These neon lights were funny!

Every once in awhile something would subtly move and make a whimsical noise

Suspended and cast in bronze playing frisbee!

p.s.s. Check out Maggie’s vegan Bountiful Cookies giveaway. Remember those cookies with intention? Remember how much I loved them? Go check this giveaway out!

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

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Have you guys ever eaten so much fruit that you think you might become one? How weird would that be if I morphed into a papaya. I’d probably have to live in hiding though because I wouldn’t want anyone to eat me.

These would be my siblings!

These are some of the papayas from our papaya tree. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is so awesome and satisfying! Papaya has many health benefits as well: promotes digestion (especially for meat-eaters), rejuvenating properties, good for the heart, rich in vitamin C and carotene. Even the skin can help minor surface wounds heal!

So it's only natural to have this wonderful fruit for breakfast.

I had this with vanilla yogurt and Bekah’s delicious coconut chia granola (perfection).

Peanut butter + Apples

I got to try a very special peanut butter thanks to the kind people at Sunland. I really enjoyed this flavor because I could still taste the peanut butter and it wasn’t too sweet. Caramel and peanut butter naturally go together. Don’t you think? They sent me a box of goodies not too long ago…

Matilda even approves!

Hickory Smoked Peanut Butter + Mom's sweet potato and butternut squash soup with cinnamon and coconut oil

I love the crunchiness of this one! It was good but I’d like it better with something else. Later on that day I gave it another try.

Second chance!

I decided to try the hickory smoked peanut butter with spinach, gouda, tomato, and cracked black pepper. Much better! I bet it would also taste delicious with provolone or mixed with some noodles and veggies – a smoky peanut stir-fry? Let’s rewind a little and give special attention to the soup my mom made.

Yum!

She made a sweet potato and butternut squash soup. I added some black beans and cilantro in my bowl!

Also served some papaya, avocado, and methi paratha.

We finally bought a Christmas tree the other day!

Can you believe I went in a mini-skirt, sleeveless top, and sandals? Crazy!

After dinner we headed to the boardwalk to walk along the beach...

It was a nice way to wind down on a Sunday night.

I love the ambiance of south Florida!

It’s all about enjoying life and not letting things bring you down.

You could see the stars

The pier

Part of the boardwalk

My best friend and I are planning a special ceremony that'll take place before I head back to Richmond!

This morning I had oats in a jar!

I haven’t had oats in a jar in ages. I just cooked my oats in soymilk + pumpkin pie spice and the huge chunk of peanut butter left in the jar. Then I chopped up a pear and let it sit for a bit and topped it with pumpkin butter.

My dad also had his first ever oats in a jar.

Since his was a plastic container I didn’t cook the oats in the jar. For his I pretty much made it the same as mine except his had a banana instead of a pear and I crumbled a Newman’s Own Organic chocolate chocolate chip cookie. He walked over to me with his jar and exclaimed how good it was. Duh!!!

This morning I baked so many cookies! But I don’t want to tell you what kind they were because that’s a surprise.

Parsnip and carrot puree with spices and coconut oil

I also had toast with gouda and apricot jam. This is such a great combination. Next time I will try this combo grilled with cinnamon!

Dessert!

Not too long ago Maggie had asked if I could post some desserts I like to have after dinner. Why yes, of course! This was last night’s dessert. I went to the store and got a case of tunnel vision once I read the words “carrot cake”. Note that carrot cake and tiramisu are my two all-time favorite desserts, so into the cart went the pint of Organic Rice Divine Carrot Cake ice cream. That’s a mouthful! And a delicious mouthful it was. I also tried a Newman’s Own Organic milk chocolate caramel cup. Yum yum yum!

And now it’s time for more art! Continuation from Art Basel…

An installation

Close-up of the figures

The letter O and the co-founder of the word "okay" forming a K

Swarovski deer!

“There is no freedom like seeing myself as I am and not losing heart.”

- Elizabeth J. Canham

I hope everyone started the week off on the right side of the bed!

Finally

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Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a wonderful wonderful week. For some of you, the holiday festivities have already started. Would anybody care to send me some delicious latkes? Mwahaha! Anyway, I really don’t know where to start. The past week was filled with finals, papers, and catching up with friends before my road trip back to Florida. So that’s where I am right now! And if anybody wants some sunshine, there’s plenty to spread around.

I’m going to start the post off with some more pictures from Art Basel.

Ai Wei Wei's sunflower seeds made out of porcelain.

Now take a closer look.

Okay I will save more for later! Now on to some food.

My dad flew back up to Virginia with me for business!

After a bad experience with airport food – stomach flu – I’ve been weary of eating it so I pack my own stuff.

Peppermint coffee drink standing in all it's glory.

Lunch for two

Soba noodles, edamame, a medley of vegetables + lemon juice + coconut oil + salt

While I was away I received a wonderful little package.

Bekah lovingly made all these wonderful munchies. Coconut chia granola, cumin, cinnamon + maple “scented” almonds, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Everything was taste tested by moi, and my parents. Well my mom didn’t get to enjoy the cookies since she wasn’t in Virginia. So delicious! Hey Bekah, you need to share your secret on how you made the granola – it’s incredible!

Leftover veggies and edamame with barley and peanuts.

Kale and more barley!

Can you tell that I love green? I drizzled sesame oil on top of it all and sprinkled on some toasted sesame seeds as well.

A most delicious dinner.

I smuggled an acorn squash from my Florida and I was ready to eat that baby! I roasted it with Canadian maple syrup, cinnamon, and coconut oil. I also made my mom’s secret recipe for red lentils with coconut oil. Can’t forget the sweet potato!

Persimmons

I always think of my darling darlings when I eat one! They’re so good with vanilla almond granola, vanilla yogurt, and cinnamon. Is there a certain food that just seems so precious whenever you eat it? A few on my list are figs, persimmons, dates, and white peaches.

Kale with toasted pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan. Someone baked tater tots – yay! Tater tots just sound so cute! I also had some Gardein crispy tenders. I squirted on some ketchup and Old Bay seasoning. I was a little kid that really liked their vegetables!

So easy and delicious!

I used up the rest of the penne pasta in the box. I sauteed some red onion, Tofurky Italian sausage, and garlic. I mixed it all together with homemade basil and toasted pine nut pesto, then grated some parmesan on top.

This papaya was grown in my parents backyard AND it's organic.

Even with this picture you can see that this papaya was bursting with flavor. BURSTING!

More pasta

Gnocchi, homemade pesto, and grated parmesan over a bed of kale.

That day I went for a walk around to different galleries with a friend, since I missed First Friday.

Message in a bottle ornament!

They look cuddly and cute but they're really sharp!

Beware!

Amazing jewelry - handwoven mesh.

Very illustrative wire work.

Let's take a picture of each other taking a picture!

Matilda and one of the gallery owners became fast friends.

Woodblock prints

More gnocchi love

My roommate’s boyfriend made this delicious thick carrot soup. I decided to incorporate it into my dinner. Thick carrot soup, kale, gnocchi with pesto, and parmesan. More please! Later that night I decided to take Matilda on a walk on one of the avenues with lots of pretty houses.

The holiday season is here!

I love Christmas lights.

It's like a waterfall.

A mountain of blueberry love all piled over granola and vanilla yogurt.

Colors!

Salted edamame + carrot sticks. Sandwich: cream cheese, tomato slices, and the last of my pesto! Then I was off to my last final exam of the semester. The trick is to think positive because most likely you do know your sh!t.

Last night in Richmond I had dinner at a friend's.

Maybe you recognize the Hello Kitty sandwich container? Afterwards we had some hot cocoa and were stuck to the space heater like mosquitos to a zapper! A friend of mine was playing a free show that night so we headed over there close to the time they were going to start playing.

Every band was awesome and so full of energy.

There were three couches set-up movie theatre style so comfort was thought of! It was a very cozy environment and everyone was into it.

They also had some random projections playing.

Well that was my brief recap of my week! My semester is done and it’s time to relax. And now that I’m back in Florida… you know what that means! Well, one thing I learned this past week is to “never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” Couldn’t have said it better myself, Mark Twain. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing wonderfully and surrounded with honey bunches of love!

Peek-a-boo

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These past few days have been filled with so much excitement and inspiration. Art Basel really left me feeling like a changed person! Wow, I have never been around so much eye candy in my life. Not to mention, the people watching was incredible. I saw this couple waiting in the women’s line for the restroom fixing their outfits:

Apparently they do this every year. (the picture is from a past Art Basel)

So many people were walking pieces of art themselves. I also had other moments which didn’t quite feel real. Sidenote: Val Kilmer looks totally different now!

Okay, so I will do my best to catch you up!

I tried the Lemon Poppyseed Heart Thrive that morning. The last one of the bunch that was graciously sent to me. I saved it for last because many of you told me it’s your favorite. I really wasn’t too keen on the flavor of this one – it had an odd soapy after-taste. I had this with vanilla Greek yogurt, ginger syrup, pineapple tidbits, and cashew butter. Overall, I enjoyed these vegan suncakes. My favorites were: Cranberry, Chocolate Chip, and Raisin! And don’t forget, if you order them online you can mention my blog. They also have a section of the site that has serving suggestions. (Cream cheese + brown sugar over a warm Heart Thrive = yumm!)

Sandweech!

Goat cheese with dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts

I finally arrived in Florida close to 11 pm. It was nice to just relax and talk in the kitchen with my mom, while fulfilling my duty and finishing the pint of vanilla bean ice cream with amaretto. The next morning I woke up and I realized my window was open all night. I had to smile to myself that this can happen in December. I went into the most spacious room in the house and did some yoga. Then I had…

One of my favorite cereals!

I love the Kashi GoLean Crunch! I haven’t tried the honey almond flax flavor (love it). I think bananas are the perfect fruit for this cereal. Along with some rose green tea and I’m set to go!

I packed a sandwich for my dad

Incredible Vermont Cheddar, tomato, and horseradish sauce. It was just missing some green, even cilantro.

Lunch and snack for me

Inside the wrap: crunchy peanut butter, apricot marmalade, and Asian pear slices. I also had a lentil soup with some bread for dipping.

Ready to go to Art Basel!
On the way down there
Art Basel Miami Beach 2009

I actually had to check my camera in because they weren’t allowed. Don’t worry though, I eventually my camera went undetected through security mwahaha!

The Garden Cafe

The first day I was overwhelmed and left with a high! So much incredible art, who can help but be left with a glorious dizzy spell.

More of my favorite cereal

I sprinkled on a medley of nuts: pistachios, pecans, cashews, and almonds. On the side I had a bowl of yogurt with kiwi and the most delicious papaya I’ve ever tasted. Organic and straight from the papaya tree my parents have been growing in the backyard!

Another packed lunch

I made myself a similar sandwich to my dad’s from the day before. Tomato slices, Vermont cheddar with cracked black pepper, horseradish sauce, and olive tapenade. I usually don’t like olives but this particular tapenade is the exception. I also made some rotkohl with chunky spiced apple sauce and coconut oil.

Day 2!

I totally lost track of the time…

But I made it for dinner!

My mom boiled sweet potatoes; good thinking! I topped mine with coconut oil, cinnamon, and pineapple bits. I also had some more Vermont cheddar, tomato, avocado, and leftover rotkohl.

It was a Friday night so you know what that meant…

A long night of dancing in Miami!

I’ll be seeing more of this lady in a week!

Soul sister!

I got home very late, but I woke up early and eager for my third day attending Art Basel. This time I was going with my parents and a family friend. It was nice to view all the artwork alone for the first couple of days, but I found myself wishing I had someone to discuss things with. So on Saturday I was blessed with the gift of gab! But before all that happened, breakfast had to be eaten.

Can’t get enough
And can’t get enough sandwiches with this cheese!

Avocado, Vermont cheddar + cracked black pepper, tomato slices, and horseradish sauce. I also made a teriyaki stir-fry with yellow squash and snowpeas.

My mom can make oatmeal look yummy when it’s cooking!

Sneaking in my camera was a success on day 3! I took so many pictures of the art, so I’ve decided that I will be spreading them out over the next couple of posts. Seeing this stuff in person is mind-blowing.

Close-up of a painting – these were in relief

Everything seemed to be suspended

Perfect for an on-the-go snack!

The strawberry Fruition bar is my favorite flavor from the new ProBar line.

Two gorgeous women!

The bistro was packed!

My dad, Paula, and my mom!

So much art!

After 6 + hours of walking around and taking everything in, we headed over to Lincoln Road Mall for some dinner. We went to a couple shops, but before we had dinner we had to make a pit stop…

Ghirardelli!

Giving out peppermint bark - can you hear the sleigh bells?

It was funny because I saw they had peppermint bark when I looked at their ad outside. Right after that thought my mom’s friend announced they were giving out samples of it. I squealed with excitement!!!

We went to a Cuban restaurant

We decided to go to Yuca, we had passed it many times and it always seemed to draw the crowd in. Come here on a Friday night and you get a night of salsa dancing!

Lovely ladies!

I love this picture of us!

Warm bread with a sweet garlic butter

Ravioli Yucalotti

“Homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli with a cream of black bean, and infused with goat cheese” This was so delicious! I just realized I forgot to take a picture of dessert. But I’ll tell you what it was. A Tres Leches de Turron: “‘A yuca original’ sponge cake with Spanish ‘Turrón de Jijona’,  served with our homemade guava cream cheese ice cream” So good! The sponge cake tasted like a meringue.

I decided to spend my last night in Florida just relaxing because I had to take up at 4 am to catch my flight back up to Richmond. I only have a few exams left and then I go back to Florida on Friday. The sunshine is waiting for me, and I’ll be sure to share it all with you. I have so many things to look forward to in these upcoming weeks.

What exciting things do you all anticipate? Can you believe 2009 is almost over?