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

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Katharina

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!

Inspired Eats

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Katharina

Hello hello there! I am so happy to say that these past few days have been awesome. I think it’s the whole mentality I’m trying to maintain to get me through the winter. It was actually the title for a recent post of mine, “life is what you make of it.” The winter doesn’t have to suck the life out of me (okay I’m being dramatic here), but instead I focus on what I’m doing now and all the positives of this holiday season. And all your answers really stuck with me and reminded me of so many things I have to smile about. Don’t we all?

Here are few of my reasons, inspired by some of you, in the past couple of days.

A different version of frozen yogurt

I took a container of So Delicious coconut milk yogurt and stuck it in the freezer.

Two cookies for good measure!

The night I received the package I had a couple of Holly’s homemade vegan pumpkin molasses cookies. Wow! These were so good, I’m glad she shared her recipe.

Inspired by two very special ladies.

The other day I saw that Maya and Eliza had each made a bowl of gingerbread-inspired oats. Do I need to explain? This is why I love breakfast. When I’ve had a delicious breakfast then I know it’s going to be a good day.

On my day off from classes I felt like dressing-up.

One of my favorite scarves - it makes me feel like Mozart.

And a skirt I should wear more often.

Along with some dark grey tights and red Mary Janes flats.

I had recently gotten a ton of basil.

So I decided to make a pesto. Rather than using raw pine nuts I toasted them first and it really made a difference in the flavor.

Afternoon snack

These are the Apple Grahams that came in the package Holly sent me. I’ve tried them plain, with the medley jam she also sent me, pumpkin butter, dipped in Sugar Cookie tea, and pumpkin spice soymilk. I have yet to crumble them on a nice warm bowl of oatmeal.

Almost forgot about lunch!

For lunch I tried another Gardein product. This time it was the chick’n scallopini. I really liked how they lightly-seasoned these, and they were also a really nice size. There are some vegetarian products out there that give such small portions and that can be frustrating. I decided to cook up the rest of cauliflower and chick’n scallopini in a Sweet Pepper and Coconut cooking sauce. Served with Nishiki rice. So good that even my little Moofia toy wanted some.

I recently picked up a new item at the grocery store.

What could it be? A rutabaga! I’m pretty sure I’ve never tried one before. My darling darling, Brooke, said this was one veggie I needed to try. She recommended to try them with cranberries, so of course I listened! I roasted the rutabaga and an apple with sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. I also had a Tofurky Kielbasa decorated with ketchup, beer-brewed mustard, and a bit of sweet relish. Yum! I definitely was looking up more rutabaga recipes after this.

This was a special bowl of oatmeal...

In Brooke’s survey one of the questions was, “bowl of hot cereal you have been wanting to try.” And I answered a banana rum cake-inspired oatmeal. Lynn thought it sounded good too, so I decided to make it! I made my way to the liquor store and got a miniature bottle of Captain Morgan’s spiced rum. I did not prepare my oatmeal as I usually do because I additionally cooked it with a couple spoonfuls of spiced rum and a bruleed banana. I topped it with a sliced banana, some pecans, New Morning Honey Grahams, and a ZenSoy banana pudding cup.

I even mixed spiced rum in the banana pudding!

I wanted to be drunk for my Taoism class! Kidding of course!

I hadn't worn this blazer in ages!

Lunch was surprisingly yummy.

I wanted to try out something different for the wee bit of kale I had left. It was just enough to help make this sandwich (I just boiled it). I assembled the sandwich with French Meadow Bakery’s gluten-free sandwich bread, cashew butter, kale, and pumpkin butter. This was a new combination I thought of and wanted to try out; I think some onion jam would’ve definitely sealed the deal, but this was delicious as well. I had some of the leftover hummus from Brittany’s sandwich recipe – perfect for the broccoli!

Bright and early on a Saturday!

Since I have to wake up really early on a Saturday morning (and I hadn’t gotten home on Friday till 4:30 am), I just want as much sleep as I can get. So when I woke up I quickly put my breakfast together. I tried another 18 Rabbits flavor that was sent to me; that morning I decided to try the “Nibble a Sultana” bar. I had it with a container of vanilla Greek yogurt, a diced apple, and cinnamon. I’ve seen sultanas baked with apples in little tarts. This bar didn’t have that same perfect granola-y flavor the other one had. It was okay, but I probably wouldn’t buy it for myself.

Carrots and rutabaga mash + sandwich

With the rest of my rutabaga I followed Brooke’s advice again and made a mash out of it! I stumbled upon this recipe and I knew it would be nothing short of delicious. However, I ended up sprinkling on some pumpkin pie spice and mixed some coconut oil in as well. This had me licking my bowl clean. The sandwich was inspired by a local coffee-shop item on their menu. It had my homemade basil pesto, Gardein chick’n scallopini, roasted red peppers, and goat cheese. Wow! Do any of you ever recreate restaurant recipes?

I just had to!

After going on a long walk excursion with a friend I came home to work on my project.

And I got kind of side-tracked...

Okay, really side-tracked!

Then I finally got back to work.

Then, next thing you know dinnertime rolled around! I had become so focused that I had totally lost track of time.

Yin and Yang

I made sweet and sour lentils and had it with leftover Nishiki rice and coconut oil.

Korean-Russian Carrot Salad

I’ve had this recipe saved for a really long time and totally forgot about it! This tasted very different from what I usually eat, sweet and spicy, but it was a very pleasant change.

Later that night I ended up going to some of my friends’ art exhibit and met up with another friend. Afterwards we went to a birthday celebration and eventually I came back home and I woke up with two thoughts on my mind. “I have on last night’s makeup” and “April’s pumpkin French toast sticks.”

An example of a perfectly delicious Sunday breakfast.

April’s recipe also calls for a peanut butter frosting. I changed it around a bit and made it vegan by omitting the eggs, and used Pumpkin Spice soymilk (highly recommended!!!) and a thickening agent. I used two thick slices of Rudi’s 100% Whole Wheat bread. The toppings include: diced apple, more pumpkin pie spice, and some Apple & Maple syrup. This breakfast was such a great way to start a beautiful day.

Well now I’m off to enjoy the sun and walk to the Farmer’s Market with Matilda. I hope you all had a relaxing and fun weekend! I’ll leave you all with a clip from a new hit TV series aka a video recording I made:

[gigya width="440" height="420" src="http://v6.tinypic.com/player.swf?file=e0l46a&s=6" quality="high" flashvars="gig_lt=1258755181799&gig_pt=1258755196207&gig_g=1&gig_n=wordpress" wmode="tranparent" ]
Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

Much love!

Happiness Often Sneaks in Through a Door You Didn’t Know You Left Open

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Katharina

Hi guys! I’ve been quite a busy girl lately – thanks to school. I’m learning so many things this semester that I want to share with other people! That’s always a good sign, don’t you think? I haven’t just been on the “learning” end of the deal either though. I’ve done some teaching as well! Not necessarily in a classroom setting, but instead I’ve been flourishing in my interests and sharing them with other people. For instance, now a lot of people know that I actually have a passion for cooking; I decided to make a cooking album on Facebook. I think a lot of people were surprised! I’ve also made a new friend that I met at a yoga class. It’s nice to meet people in a setting where you are doing something you truly enjoy, because you’ve got that in common. Then when you hang out and get to know each other, the friendship just grows into something incredible! And now that I’ve been kind of absent for a couple days, I think it’s only fair to share with you all what I’ve been up to. Can’t leave my friends in the dark now can I?

Banana ricotta soft-serve makes my day!

I topped the “soft-serve” with Zoe’s Cinnamon Raisin Granola, some more banana slices, and chocolate sprinkles. I’ve seen a lot of bloggers incorporate chocolate chips in their breakfasts, and this is me making due with what I’ve got! Actually, it’s very appropriate since underneath it all is an “ice cream” of sorts.

A parfait in honor of K!

I changed the ingredients just a smidge for the banana ricotta soft-serve. Rather than vanilla extract, I used coconut extract. Wow! This was also heavenly. I got the soft-serve to stay in it’splace by putting an apple slice underneath – improvising here folks! So what are the layers? Let me start from top to bottom: crunchy peanut butter, Erewhon’s Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice, banana ricotta soft-serve, apple slice, and some more of the cocoa crispies.

For this meal I wanted to do something out of the ordinary.

I used romaine as a sort of platter.

Then I decided to make rolls.. wraps.. not sure what to call this.

I love the freshness of this! I never cease to be amazed by the color palette nature offers us.

I also tried to make another interesting sandwich combo to go along with the romaine... boats?

This sandwich is on Cranberry Cinnamon Swirl bread and filled with eggplant, cheddar cheese, and mango chutney. I wasn’t sure if the eggplant would taste good with my favorite grilled cheese combo. How was it? Incredible!!! Definitely worth boasting about. I just remembered at a restaurant I went to they had breaded eggplant with an apricot coulis – so I thought I could try this. I’m glad I did!s

Now they look like dumplings! And I'm apparently trying to mimic them?

A beautiful snack.

Ak-mak crackers with cream cheese and edamame hummus, sprouts, grape tomatoes, and cucumber slices. Yum!

I made myself a pizza with polenta crust.

I roasted eggplant, parsnips (first time trying them!), and grape tomatoes; sautéed the onion. Then I just plopped some ricotta on and it all went into the toaster oven. After it was done baking I garnished it with some basil. I really like parsnips… a lot! Funny story with the basil. I got those leaves from a basil plant that’s growing out of a crack in a sidewalk. The plant is huge and full of delicious leaves! Nature’s way of breaking through despite what man builds on top.

Unfortunately, the crust didn't bake completely, so I ate this beautiful mess.

After happily eating my personal “pizza” I headed over to David Schultz’s CD release show. At the beginning they showed a brief documentary of their recording process, and their experience of life as musicians.

Now he's got a band!

Hanging out with my new friend, Emily. I also saw some old ones!

On Sunday I gave my baby, Matilda, a bath!

She's cute no matter what!

More sunshine!

This salad consisted of a Falafel Sunshine burger, red onion, tomato, an apple, avocado, sprouts, romaine, and cilantro dressing. Oh! I also squirted some ketchup on the burger. The addition of the apple in the salad was awesome! On the side I had the rest of the apple with a glass of cold soymilk. Perfect for an unexpectedly hot day. Oh man, I feel really stupid. In my review of the Sunshine burgers I said that they had corn. Well, that’s what it looked like! Then I read the ingredients and I believe those are actually lentils. So sorry for the misinformation. My opinion on how great these are didn’t change though – so no worries about that.

My Sunday was filled with lots of studying! But I managed to squeeze in a dinner at the school cafeteria with a friend. Since I don’t have a meal plan, I rarely end up going. My friend, Jonathan, invited me to dinner and we got to catch up on things. I also gave him advice on finding a roommate and which rental companies to stay away from. This is his first year in college so he had a lot of questions, and I had a lot to say!

Hi Jonathan!

Shafer!

Everytime I go here, I feel like it’s my first time. There are just so many choices – they even have a vegan and gluten-free area.

Food! Food! Food!

I got a bowl filled with snap peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts, onions, cucumbers, chickpeas, and hummus. I love their hummus! I actually was planning on bringing a tupperware with me to hijack some, but I forgot it at home. My bad! I also got another plate filled with spiced carrots, veggie pizza, mock ribs in BBQ sauce and peppers, a slice of Italian bread, a vegetable medley pasta (completely tasteless). I also tried some gluten-free French toast sticks – they were awful! I can’t remember the last time I ate something that disgusting. I was actually contemplating spitting it out, but we were in a public place.

He left me a little surprise on my camera!

Let’s see… what other things can I share with you all? Oh yes! I’m not sure if you guys know Jenny but she has an awesome blog that will make you hungry just looking at it! Recently, she put together a “best of” oatmeal post. Check it out! You will be inspired by all the wonderful creations all the bloggers have concocted. And trust me, this is way better than any “Best of” VH1 ever aired.

As for me, I’ve got my critique I told you all about, tomorrow! I’m looking forward to it now. Things are finally starting to calm down a little with my schoolwork load. And in 2 weeks I will be going to my parents’ house down in Florida for my 4-day weekend!

p.s. I just want to say hi to any new readers! HI!!! Here’s to a wonderful week! For some reason I feel like I’m on cloud nine; anybody want to come along for the ride?

Marching to the Beat of Your Own Drum

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Katharina

Matilda told me to send you all kisses!

In my last post I wrote about doing things that suit you. I feel like this has been an interesting topic for discussion in the blogging world. People are trying out new ways of eating, and seeing what works for them. I think that’s wonderful that people are a) trying out something new, b) becoming more aware of what their bodies can or can’t handle, and c) listening to that internal cue. What I like to do is read about different takes on food, and add it to the filing cabinet in my brain – either it stays in a folder, or I apply it to my own little thang. Often times it’s hard to listen to ourselves because we’re bombarded with things telling us “this is the right way”,” what you’re doing is wrong!” Infomercials anyone? Anyway, I’ve been very curious about food for awhile now, but before I use to be very shy about trying new things. Of course part of the reason was that I didn’t cook. I just ate what was put in front of me. If I didn’t like it then I made a fuss. Okay, okay get to the point already! What I’ve learned works for me so far is… almost everything! The only dietary limit I put on myself is no meat, chicken, or fish. I wouldn’t really call my decision to be vegetarian a “limit” though, I see it as more of a personal choice. Vegetarianism has actually opened so many culinary doors for me, that’s partly why I’ve been able to stick with it for nearly 7 years. I haven’t gotten bored or frustrated! I also know that my tummy can’t handle eggs, or cow’s milk – unless it’s in yogurt form, and cheeses are kept to a minimum. However, I know that if I were to cut out dairy completely, the low level of tolerance I have for it already, would probably diminish to nothing. And I love cheese and yogurt too much! Another example for me is pasta. I use to have a horrible time digesting it. But I’ve learned that in smaller amounts, I can handle it just fine. My mom on the other hand can barely tolerate flour breads and pastas. For the most part, she is very adamant about not eating foods she knows will cause her trouble afterwards – but sometimes things just taste too good to pass up. My dad is lucky and was born with a stomach made of steel. He can handle anything! My uncle is a wonder to watch while he eats. I usually don’t watch people eat, but this is like a show I swear! For breakfast he will have a jug, yes a jug, filled to the brim with oatmeal and topped with fruits. Then he’ll have a massive plate entirely covered with rice, eggs, and fish. But his body needs that for fuel since he’s an athlete. He knows that if he were to eat less than he does, he can forget training because his body won’t run on anything less. So, as you can see, everyone is different. Food can spark curiosity in people, but sometimes it gets a bad rap. I hope for you all that food is not seen as the enemy, just remember to stay true to yourselves – and your tastebuds!

Okay, so enough of that! On to something visually digestible.

Check out those huge kernels! This corn hails from Bogota, Colombia.

Check out those huge kernels! This type of corn hails from Bogota, Colombia.

I thought this deserved it's very own plate.

I followed this recipe to make Black Bean and Rice Cakes with Chipotle Remoulade and Roasted Corn Salsa. I was surprised that my attempt at making cakes actually worked!

Mixing it up with a black plate.

Over the French green beans I made a quick sauce out of Dijon mustard, almond oil, some sugar, roasted garlic, rice wine vinegar, and s&p. It tasted wonderful with the green beans! Oh, some 411, (my dad wasn’t aware of this) remember to boil your green beans!

The other day I got a knock on the door just as I was about to leave to make my delivery. “UPS!”

A package from Amazing Grass!

I got some more goodies to review. So far I’ve tried one of their GREENSuperFood packets. At first I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it, and I was preparing my army of tastebuds for defeat. My army was surprised with another victory! I mixed the powder with orange juice, so I know that combination is a winner. However, I couldn’t imagine just mixing this with water. Blegh! They have flavored varieties as well, but I haven’t tried those yet. I, of course did my taste test in the convenient cup they sent me. Thanks guys! You can check out what they have here. I’m looking forward to trying out more things. I have a trip coming up this week, and I think these will come in handy since I’ll be kitchen-less and on the beach the whole day. I’ve got to balance off the piña coladas and Stoli cosmos with something!

Speaking of my trip, I’ll be leaving on Wednesday afternoon and staying here for some nights. I’m so excited. My family and I have gone on little weekend trips, but we haven’t been on a real vacation in a long time. Even though we’re only two hours away from our vacation spot, it’s still going to seem like we’re away from it all. I can’t wait to wake up, and the only thing I have to do is whatever I feel like doing. I’m definitely going to indulge! Indulge is such a seductive sounding word isn’t it?

Two nights ago dad juiced again, so I had some more leftover pulp to work with. What’d I decide to do this time?

I baked a loaf of carrot cornbread.

After seeing Gena’s Guacanara recipe, I couldn’t help but come to the realization that the pulp – being mostly carrots – would be a wonderful addition to a marinara sauce!

It gave so much body to the sauce.

The pulp is basically all fibre so it’s very filling! It ended up reminding me more of a bolognese sauce since it was so thick! I opted to serve these on top of some corn noodles and with some balsamic baked tofu. And on the side I came up with a little something that tasted so much like pizza! It was so easy and quick to put together it could be a perfect snack.

A mini-bagel with muenster cheese, avocado, and some of the "sauce" I made.

Mom approves!

Remember how I mentioned Edy’s Yogurt Blends?

A few scoops of Tart Honey with pineapples and some Zoe's Honey Almond granola bits.

Diva bowl!

After dinner I decided to give myself some more nourishment and put on a French green clay mask.

Another trick I learned in beauty school is to brush masks on with a flat paint brush.

Yesterday I went on an adventure with my dad. We were on the prowl for kabocha, which I will now call the elusive kabocha! I was also on the look-out for some fresh figs. I really want to make a bowl of oatmeal inspired by Eliza and Maya with these little beauties! Alas, I found neither, but I did find some other wonderful things, which I’ll be sharing with you guys tomorrow. Much like Napoleon I don’t accept defeat easily, so the search is still on! Vive la recherche!

I hope you all enjoy this beautiful Saturday and the holiday!

Like Driving down Old Seven Mile Bridge

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Katharina

I have so many shout-outs to make in this post! So let me begin by saying a big hello to our favorite chocolate-covered vegan, Katie. I was looking for recipes to use up some of the carrot pulp leftover from my dad’s juicing extravaganza:

Dad is busy juicing. To all of you that like to buy your brews at Trader Joe's try out Lindemans Belgian Framboise beer with raspberries.

What to do? What to do?

I finally found the perfect recipe! I made a variation of her 24-Carrot Gold Muffins. Instead of muffins, I just made bread. “Same great flavor, just different look.”

Look at all those carrot fibers!

I of course had this as part of my delicious breakfast this morning, but I’ll save that for the next post!

Now moving right along. This next recipe I tried came from another beloved vegan, Gena! After reading all the rave reviews for her Italian “raw cheese”, I knew I had to give it a try. I finally got my hands on some raw cashews.

Enter the infinite abyss of goodness.

The first step involved getting the cashews to the right consistency. Now I know where the cheesy flavor comes from! So what’d I decide to make?

A new take on pizza! Polenta rounds and...

... topped with tomato sauce.

Excuse my super cheesy smile. My mom got really into taking pictures of me, and I was just ready to try this! I also quickly sliced some zucchini and cooked it in a Sherry Red Wine Barbeque sauce.

Mom and Dad couldn't wait either!

We thought Mom's poses were funny!

Oh my! Gena, this recipe was to die for. I’m definitely going to be making this more often. If you haven’t tried it, you should! It’s incredibly easy to make. At the end of the meal I asked my parents how they enjoyed their gluten-free and vegan meal. I follow neither a vegan or gluten-free lifestyle, but I think it’s always interesting to try new things – although I am a vegetarian. Luckily, my parents are very open-minded as well when it comes to food. But in the end we all agree that taste is key! And this meal was one that I wished could’ve lasted forever. Not only was it delicious, but we were all in a good, light-hearted mood. The right way to end a Sunday.

Remember how I asked you guys which nut butter you guys recommended? Well, thanks Jenny for sharing this link with us, I think I’m going to go with a jar of 365 peanut butter. The other day I went to the local discount healthfood store. As I was making my way down the nut butter aisle to see what they had, I stumbled upon a fairly priced jar of almond butter. I’ve missed my almond butter so much. Surprise, surprise, it was a jar of Blue Diamond! Kailey, I tried this as soon as I got home, and I understand why you love it so much! My mom asked me what it was. How to answer her… to share or not to share? I shared, and she answered. One word came from her mouth. “YUM!!!”

I also found another product at the store that I’ve seen on VeggieGirl’s blog.

Living Harvest Hempmilk

I don’t think I could drink a cup of this alone. But like I said before, don’t knock it till you try it. It’s a shame because it’s super nutritious and sounds interesting. So what am I going to do with the rest of this carton? I’m using it to add to my smoothies, as most of the flavor comes from the fruits I add in and not really the “milk” I use – unless it’s coconut milk! Oh! At this discount healthfood store I discovered that they sell boxes of Kashi Go-Lean cereal for – get this - $1.67! I’m definitely stocking up before I head back up to Richmond.

Yesterday, I decided to sign up for one more class for the next semester. So these are the classes I’m going to be taking:

Readings in Literature

Taoism

Intermediate Sculpture

Basic Video

Introduction to World Cinema (This is a Saturday class but I heard the teacher is awesome, oh and incredibly good looking!)

Zoe Foods product reviews

: The motherload!

: Thanks so much Kim! Your generosity is overwhelming.

: Uh oh! I sense the only child syndrome surfacing.

So far I’ve tried a few things from my big box of goodies!

: I tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss bar.

Alongside I had a bowl of Bircher Muesli soaked in fig yogurt, topped with fruits and pecans. The bar is so yummy! I wish I took a picture of what it looked like. I could see the little crispy grains and it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet. I definitely didn’t want to leave my tummy feeling sour before my yoga class. The balance between peanut butter and chocolate was pulled off successfully with this bar! Moreover, they’re also full of protein, fiber, and contain Omega-3′s! I gave a bite for my mom to try as well and she very much enjoyed it. She’s not a picky eater, but I can vouch for her that these are indeed yummy! I’ve never seen them in stores though, so that might be an issue, but Zoe Foods does have an online store. Here’s a link to the following retailers that do carry their bars.

However, there is a product of theirs that I do see in stores often.

Next up is Zoe's Granola!

I’ve been looking forward to trying out their granola for a long time! So I made it extra special by making a red wine reduction for some beautiful peach slices. Which granola do I try first? Cranberries Currants, Honey Almond, or Cinnamon Raisin? Decisions decisions. I opted for Honey Almond over some fresh yogurt! Okay, I admit that I knew what I would be getting myself into even before my first bite. I’m happy to report that my intuition failed me not! I loved this breakfast so much.

Lastly, I tried the Chocolate Delight bar.

However, I am not the biggest fan of chocolate on chocolate. It didn’t taste horrible, just not my cup of tea. I gave it to my parents since I would hate for food to go to waste. Luckily, my parents enjoyed this one! I think you have to really like chocolate to want this bar. So for all you super chocolate lovers, you might just find a new addition to indulge your little tastebuds.

I still have more Zoe Foods products to review, so keep an eye out!

Okay, so I think most have you noticed my inner-artist jump out of me and on to my plates! I am a person who’s very much into living an aesthetically pleasing life. Maybe I should go into design? Well I’m majoring in sculpture + extended media already, so I guess I am designing things. I’m a sucker for packaging i.e. L’Occitane. My favorite store is Anthropologie not only because of what they sell, but every time I go in there I feel like I’m being transfered into another world. I even pour my shampoos, spices, whatever I can think of – into glass containers I find at thrift stores. Oh man, do I take this too far? Well, I guess not as long as I’m enjoying it, right? Right!

So anyway, this brings me to my love of colors and vibrancy. I think nature offers all of that and I love to reap what this wonderful world sows. Which brings me to some more lovely eats based on nature, color, and simplicity.

: There’s something so satisfying about having a nice cup of loose tea.

: A nice way to start the day.

A bowl of coffee oats with bananas, coconut shreds, a gooseberry, and some white chocolate chips.

: What’s inside?

: No, not an alien egg! It’s lychee.

: Drumroll please

: A gooseberry! I’m starting to feel like a magician with cheap tricks.

A nice glass of some juice my dad made with a scoop of Edy's Tart Honey yogurt blend.: I love that a papaya can act as it’s own bowl.

: Fig yogurt topped with papaya chunks, blueberries, and granola.

: Toast with goat cheese, dried tomato bits, and avocado.

So I’m going to go against all these pictures of fresh food. But it definitely goes with the theme of good tasting food! Someone not too long brought to my attention that you can order chalupas and gorditas at Taco Bell with beans. That means, all these years I haven’t been eating them are now gone. I don’t get cravings for Taco Bell, but when I’m on a road trip, it makes life a lot easier. So on the drive down to Florida I knew what I wanted for dinner. I had my parents find a Taco Bell, and ordered myself a Baja Vegetarian Gordita and it was so yummy! It didn’t fill me up at all, but I had packed other things that helped do the trick. Just wanted to pass the word along to anyone else who did not know this.

Whew! This post was hard work to organize. But I love sharing with you guys, and I love what I learn from all of you. Everyone is different, but I can still see the inspiration we all get from each other’s wonderful eats.

p.s. If you haven’t tried Edy’s tart honey yogurt blend, I highly suggest it! I can’t wait to try out other flavors. I’m thinking I might have a slice of carrot bread and a some Edy’s before I go to bed.

Dinner is served

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Katharina

Yesterday I told you guys that I would be posting yesterday’s dinner today. Did that sentence make sense? Just double checking!

I think mealtimes are very important parts of our day. Of course there are times when we are rushed, and scarfing down food is something I try to avoid. Some times I’ll make meals the night before if I know that I will be pressed on time. Anyway, back to dinner. My family is the kind of family that sits down together for meals. I definitely don’t ask to be excused, because why would I? I’m lucky to feel connected to my family and enjoy their company. Yesterday was so nice. My parents helped set the table outside, since I prepared the food. We ended up sitting out in the backyard for a couple of hours just talking. Matilda also joined us. It was so cute watching her. She would scurry around the patio like she was hunting for the pack. Then she’d come sit upright at my feet like she was reporting for duty.

For dinner I made

Avocado Mac and “Cheese” over super high protein pasta (23g!!!)

Sweet Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms with Parmigiano Reggiano over a bed of spinach

I served it with some fruity berry tea. We usually have teas with our meals. I also had some of the Almond and Black Sesame Seed spread with some dipping foods. I finished dinner off with a So Delicious Vanilla frozen sandwich. The meal was a hit with my parents, but the avocado mac and “cheese” was the real star of the show.

Not sure if you noticed the little set up going on behind the table. Last summer break was when I put together what I call the “shrine”. I was so proud of myself when I completed it. It had a lot of greenery going on and fresh herbs. However, my parents didn’t exactly take care of it while I’ve been away at school. I guess I’ll have to start over again?

I’m not sure if you can see, but on the “frame” (I just made it into a chalkboard) I had written “Please take care of me!”

After dinner I had to go on a 12 hour fast to get blood work done this morning. Even though I would be asleep through most of it, I was starting to get impatient. Luckily, I was in and out of the doctor’s office in no time! It was nice because my family was able to sit down and have breakfast together on a weekday. That usually doesn’t happen because I normally eat breakfast around 9. I made my parents some overnight oats. This time I decided to put in some golden raisins, pistachios, and orange blossom water. For myself I made a bowl of warm oats with chocolate protein powder and banana. I also mixed in some coconut oil and peanut butter. I also spread some more coconut oil on a slice of arequipe filled banana bread. I almost forgot! I made a papaya and mora smoothie as well. My dad also made a juice that consisted of kale, apples, beets, ginger, and carrots. Here’s to rosy cheeks!

I decided to catch some rays this morning and start reading a book I brought with me. It’s called Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. So far I’m enjoying it.

Well I have to go! I’m about to meet up/catch up with a friend and try Jamaican food for the first time! My friend said they had vegetarian options for the patties. I’m so excited!

This weekend I’m going to be watching a show called Tango Desnudo with some family friends. Beforehand we’re going to meet up at their place to have dinner and it’s going to be a small potluck. I’m thinking I might make an Indian recipe.

Does anyone have a vegetarian/vegan recipe that has amazed non-vegetarians?

Katharina's Food Adventures

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