The Beauty in Friendship

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Katharina

Looking back on this past weekend, I did a lot of catching up! On Sunday I met up with another friend of mine. She had been gone for a year studying up in Delaware and she’s been back in town for awhile. Let’s just say a reunion had been long overdue!

Sunday bowl of oats

Sundays are the only day of the week where I can let my body tell me when it’s time to wake up. As a natural early-riser, I practically jumped out of bed when I read 8:54 on the clock. I knew just what I wanted for breakfast. Awhile ago I had hurriedly scribbled down a recipe for Jamaican oats. The green color comes from the vanilla protein powder I use. Aside from that, this bowl of oats contains a mashed up banana, pineapple, banana slices, almonds, coconut shreds, and some good old-fashioned Canadian maple syrup.

Sunday lunch

I love Nishiki rice, especially topped with almonds! I got to use a new ingredient in this meal; Gardein’s seasoned bites! The people over at Gardein generously gave me some freebie coupons to try out their plant-based proteins. If you check out their website, they have so many wonderful sounding foods! I cooked some broccoli then added in the seasoned bites. Lastly, I added my favorite BBQ sauce to the mix. Yum!

After doing some of my usual Sunday chores I called my friend up to see what she wanted to do. The invite to her apartment was gladly accepted! Her entire family has a keen sense of style when it comes to home decor.

See what I mean when it comes to decorating?

The smell of freshly baked cookies is always heavenly.

The day Molly gets a dog is the day I know that prayers can really be answered!

She also showed me her pride and joy... an avocado plant!

Speaking of dogs, Molly’s got a gig as a dog-sitter for a woman that lives close-by. So we ventured over to the woman’s house and took care of some pooches.

Lucky dogs!

Matilda and T went on a walk together. The start of a new friendship?

We headed back and I decided to leave when the sun went down. I’m not the best nighttime driver. I came home to a quiet apartment and made myself some dinner with the rest of the Gardein seasoned bites. My mom has this mix that she grinds up and it always smells so good when she cooks it with chicken. Since I don’t eat chicken, I just admire the smell. But now that I had these little bites to work with I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make something similar.

I cooked the seasoned bites in ground up cinnamon bark, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

After cooking the bites and the okra I simmered it in a Sweet Peppers & Coconut cooking sauce; served with Nishiki rice.

Let’s see… today was an unusual Monday. I was feeling extremely motivated and extra spunky! Why? Because it was 77 degrees and sunny!

This necklace gives any old outfit some oomph (I spy a cute pup in the background)

After I got back from practicing some stick-combat in my Taoism class, I took Matilda on a walk to a hip thrift store called Rumors. I tried on some pants, but I didn’t really find any that fit right. Afterwards, I headed back and whipped up a quick lunch before my Apocalyptic Literature class (we’re currently reading about zombies).

Two things that made me feel special today: awesome necklace and painted nails.

Ooo another Sunshine Burger!

I recently picked up the Southwest Sunshine Burgers. I really think that this brand makes the best veggieburgers I’ve come across. I also really appreciate the simplicity and use of whole foods that go into these burgers. I am going to check out some recipes they have on their website! I just tried this one with some BBQ sauce (which also made a perfect dip for the okra). I met up with my friend Molly again and we picked up some applications at an outdoor shopping mall.

Nishiki rice again!

It’s just so wonderfully sticky! I cooked some chickpeas, broccoli, and okra in a spicy Tomato & Coriander sauce.

Maya, the lovely American Gourmande, posted an interesting question in her last post that I thought was definitely worth sharing with all of you (in case you don’t read her wonderful blog).

“Has there been a misunderstanding lately in your life that communication cleared up?“

Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Katharina

Hello lovely people! I hope you’ve all had an enjoyable weekend so far.

As I said in my last post, I’ve been trying out recipes from my newest cookbook, The Accidental Vegetarian. So far the recipes I’ve made have all been delicious.

: Goat’s Cheese and Mango

+ honey, mint, olive oil, and sesame seeds on toast

: Matilda is styling a cowl neck sweater.

After Matilda and I okayed our outfits we went to a few vintage shops around the area. I am currently in search of a hat like this…

They've always got interesting window displays.

Two nights ago it was First Friday around here. I’ve mentioned it before on the blog, but it’s a night where all the galleries in the area show off their new exhibitions. The streets, venues, and restaurants are all busy with people dressed to impress.

: I decided to wear this Renaissance inspired blouse.

I went with the pup and hung out with my roommate the gallery she works at for most of the time. Matilda was definitely the star of the night. Everyone just went up to her like she had some sort of magnetic powers. I’m almost certain that she possesses some unearthly gift that makes her so incredibly captivating.

A lazy bowl for breakfast.

Saturday mornings for me usually mean an effortless breakfast before my 9 am class. I just warmed up some soymilk with Nature’s Path vanilla almond granola and strawberries. Effortless but delicious! Some of you have mentioned that their Pumpkin and Peanut Butter flavor granolas are yummy. I think I know which two flavors I will be trying out next!

Another Accidental Vegetarian recipe!

The recipe was Moroccan Spaghetti, but I didn’t have any spaghetti on hand so I just used penne. I spiced the sauce and chickpeas with turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin. I made sure not to use too many mint or cilantro leaves. The chopped almonds added a nice crunch to my lunch. I decided to go on a nice walk with Matilda to meet up with an old friend of mine for some serious catching up over some apple cider.

Did you guys know that Ina Garten absolutely hates cilantro? She refuses to use it in any of her recipes. So if you Googled the words cilantro and Ina Garten, you would come up with no recipe but rather information on how much she dislikes this herb. I use to not like cilantro either, but over time I guess you could say that it’s become an acquired taste.

Is there something any of you use to dislike, but have later come to appreciate?

None for you!

We headed back home before it got too dark and cold.

The colors of the leaves made everything have a shade of red.

My friend and I caught up on all our guy issues and reminisced over high school memories from 7 years ago. It’s crazy to think how time seems to be going by faster and faster. For time most part I just stay in the present, but sometimes I get overwhelmed with thoughts about my future and where I want to end up in life.

She gave me a wonderful gift she picked up while she was in Canada a few months ago.

I’m a sucker for packaging and this is just so darling!

Speaking of darlings, check out Katie’s generous giveaway. Moreover, don’t forget to stop by and read about the Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness.

Just a little cake humour on a Sunday!

I found this picture on the Serious Eats site and it’s called Osgood pie; perhaps because it’s “oh so good”.

Feeling Quite Ghoulish

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Katharina

In honor of one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, this is going to be a post full of spooky things and autumnal eats!

: My first bowl of pumpkin oats!

I just mixed in pumpkin puree with oats, vanilla protein powder, dried cranberries, NuNaturals vanilla liquid, and pumpkin pie spice. Once that was done cooking I topped with with pecans, Butterfingers, and ginger syrup. Yum!

: After I was done enjoying my bowl of pumpkin oats, I put on some spooky tights.

: More pumpkin goodness.

So I was roasting some acorn squash while I took Matilda on a walk. When I got back I realized I hadn’t even plugged the toaster oven, so no acorn squash for lunch! I improvised and made a mess out of bulgur, sautéed onions and garlic, chickpeas, pumpkin pie spice, coconut oil, and pumpkin butter. Totally random but still yummy.

: I actually roasted the acorn squash this time!

The only differences in this bulgur mix was the addition of raisins and subtraction of pumpkin. The acorn squash was baked with maple syrup, cinnamon, and butter.

: The black hole!

: Kind of like a cherry crumble.

I had a bowl of Nature’s Path vanilla almond granola with sweet dark cherries in warm soymilk.

: Fall colors!

: I tried a sample packet I got in Florida.

This is an all plant protein made by LifeTime. I tried the vanilla flavor and I was pleasantly surprised. I expected it to have a super “green” taste, but it didn’t at all and it was so yummy and thick. I tried it plain first, then I blended a banana after my taste-testing.

: Lunch!

Lunch was delicious! I had a sweet potato with Artisana’s coconut butter a la Liz. Homegirl knows what’s up! This was incredible. I am going to have to get myself a full-size jar of this stuff. One the side I had a mound of wilted spinach and chickpeas cooked in a spicy tomato and cardamom cooking sauce. I dressed it up with some crushed cashews.

: Dinner

This was incredibly delicious! I got the recipe from Molly Wizenberg’s blog, Orangette. The recipe? Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini! I used the last of the sample of tahini from Artisana. On the side I had a Japanese sweet potato with butter and 1/2 garlic powder (too lazy to saute garlic), the other 1/2 cinnamon. Japanese sweet potatoes are so delicious!

: And here’s what I did with the last of my free white acorn squash…

I adapted my favorite Yummy Mummy, Cate’s white beans and Lebanese cous cous stuffed acorn squash recipe. Since I didn’t have cous cous on hand I just used bulgur. The acorn squash was too small to fit all the stuffing so I just put th rest of it in a bowl and eventually made it an acorn squash delicious-mess.

: Sweet potato and ricotta toasted sandwich.

I roasted some kabocha with cinnamon and maple syrup. Then I put some Artisana coconut butter on each wedge. In the back is some sweet potato with the coconut butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon as well. And my burnt toast? It’s a sweet potato and ricotta toasted sandwich! The original recipe calls for rye bread but I just used whole wheat since I don’t have rye bread. I also realized I forgot the spinach! Oh well! In the mug is a new tea I got: chocolate hazelnut!

Now on for some real Halloween frights! I had a reunion with an old friend of mine and he brought two other friends along. It was my first time meeting them but we had such a bonding experience! We went to a haunted hayride. Actually we visited three different attractions. We were chased by scary creatures with chainsaws, had to go through pitch black mazes while people and other things jumped out and surprised us. At some points we had to get down on our knees and crawl!

: Driving to certain doom…

: Down a dark and winding country road.

: All smiles!

: The place is actually a berry farm.

: Nightmare numero uno

: They took us on a really long hayride out to the woods in the middle of nowhere!

: Oh yes he dared!

: We’re like naive little baby chickens!

: Still naive!

David is such an incredible person! He's just bursting with life!

David is such an incredible person bursting with life!

The woods!

So we decided to take a break from being scared out of our minds and stopped for a photoshoot.

Hilarious!

He's such an actor!

I’m suppose to be the scary one, but I look terrified!

He was good at being creepy.

And Iman got to kiss one of the scary guys!

Moreover, don’t forget to enter my 101st Post Giveaway. You have until tomorrow noon time EST to enter!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween! I’m hoping to go trick-or-treating. I just have to remember to smile really big! And of course there’s a costume in store.

p.s. Make sure to check out Krissy’s glo-ing giveaway!

What if you’re having fun and you want time to slow down?

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Katharina

Good evening ladies and gentlemen! I have quite a few goodies in store for you. Thursday night I stayed up late watching TV with my mom and worked on my post. I have so much fun writing these up. I really enjoy thinking about what I would like to share with you all. So let’s get to it!

Mom and I knew that we’d be waking up early today for a kickboxing class – 8:30! But I know there are some people who take cycling at 5:30. Imagine having the energy to do a cycling class at 5:30. Do any of you get up super early for a workout? After we came back, despite having a big pre-workout snack, I was so hungry! I didn’t have to wait to cook anything though because I had a bowl of muesli I had sitting overnight in my fridge. My mom made a pouty face and said, “you didn’t make one for me?” Aw man! I quickly made a bowl of muesli for mi madre.

: Mom’s bowl consisted of pomegranate seeds, a baby banana, sultanas, and some plums

: I had pomegranate seeds, plums, sultanas + honey & peanut butter

Do you see that beautiful pink and green fruit on the side?

: A guava! You can eat the skins as well.

My mom also put peanut butter and honey in her muesli. I love how she tries whatever I’m having!

After lounging around some we got ready for the beach and packed a lunch. Oh my gosh! The weather was beautiful, but the wind + sand = painful.Then we went swimming in the water and I saw a huge sting-ray and a big fishtail + chunk of fish floating around. Gross! So we battled it out in the sandstorm for a bit, went back in the water, then headed home. Atleast I got my tan on though! When we got home I took a shower and tried to get as much of the sand out of my hair as I could. After I got ready it was time for an outing with my dad. And I looked up recipes for tonight’s dinner while he drove.

: I highly recommend the cookbook on the left! Both are great, but the one on the left is my favorite.

We went to the local health food store called Tunie’s. It’s a really great place with so much selection. They sell a lot of things that are hard to find – even in places like Whole Foods. Not to mention, they have some of the cheapest prices around – even cheaper than Vitacost sometimes. So let me show you some of their selection…

: Check out all the seaweed!

I instantly thought of Katie and grabbed a bag of arame. Okay okay, I will warn you guys. What I’m about to show you requires your full attention and a moment of silence.

: The Land of Milk and Honey

Those are jars upon jars of nut butters. Did you know that Maranatha has dark chocolate spreads – like dark chocolate almond.

So this is what I got:

: Dulse and Arame

: So good!

This pasta made out of quinoa sounded interesting. My favorite BBQ sauce (thick style) and my favorite pumpkin butter. Replenished my coconut oil supply. I’ve never tried hemp protein powder. My dad also noted that I can use it in baking to add some protein. Brilliant! I also got some sample packets of other kinds of plant based proteins. Don’t worry I didn’t forget the jar of cashew butter! If there’s a word to describe cashew butter I think it would have to be… sophisticated. I know that’s a weird word to be describing a nut butter, but it’s so subtle yet delicious.

: Coconut girl?

So much So Delicious action going on here. I had a coupon for the ice cream and yogurt, and I’ve never tried to kefir.

: Duh!

I got the Purely Decadent Blueberry Cheescake. This was so good! I loved the little blueberries and just everything. I announced to my family that dessert was coming after dinner. This was before I even started making dinner!

: Yay! My mother asked what could she do to help.

My dad turned on some Best of Simon & Garfunkel and poured us glasses of wine.

: What a coquette.

: Recipe? Measurements? I’ll just eyeball it! As usual.

: Baked butternut squash (ketchup in the background), avocado, and hot sour chickpeas

Deeelicious! I went out with my friends later on Friday night, and I’ll be posting those pictures up next. It was definitely an eventful night; but when you’re in Miami, when is it not?

I made the FAQ video on Friday but due to some technical difficulties it’s just not available right now. Sorry!

p.s. thank you for the compliments on the dress! I bought it awhile ago at none other than… Anthropologie.

*For some reason my comments were disabled but I fixed it!

Change of Pace

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Katharina

I’m going to rewind on my eats a bit because I’ve been skipping around. Remember that pumpkin & lentil curry me and my friend made?

: This is what I did with my leftovers.

Since it was pretty thick it made a good filler for a wrap. The curry was just re-heated with some coconut oil and I also grilled an apple with cinnamon, then spread on some Crofter’s superfruit spread (pomegranates and black currants blended with red grapes and morello cherries).

: Cran-Lemon Twister

Well, this was the last ProBar out of my sampler package. I have to say, I was not disappointed with these bars. The first bite I took out of this one I literally made the “mmm” noise. It definitely has a zing and gave my tastebuds a little twist they’re not use to. Some of the ingredients in this bar are cranberries, lemon, papaya, and pineapple. There are so many other ProBar flavors I didn’t get to try, and I really want to. I guess I will be starting a new collection?

: Dun dun dun… the mandolin slicer.

I bought a butternut squash not too long ago, and I knew exactly what things I wanted to make with it!

: Butternut squash fries!

I seasoned them with salt and some Old Bay. On the side I followed Happy Herbivore‘s spicy chickpea spread recipe. You must try this! It is incredibly easy to make, requires no cookibng, and is great as a sandwich filler, dip, or even alone. In the very back is the famous potato salad from Mrs. Marshall’s Carytown Cafe.

: I mixed in some vegan mayo and ketchup to make it more like a “fries” dip.

: Butternut squash mash

I was reading Lauren‘s blog one day and saw that she made butternut squash mash, and it just sounded so good! I mixed in some coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, and I topped it off with coconut shreds. I had to wait for it to cool down – this was steaming hot!

: More butternut squash fries!

I baked these with freshly grated parmesan then I grated some more on afterwards. I served it with my last ooey-gooey arepa con choclo (sweet corn cake with farmer’s cheese). But I plan on re-stocking while I’m in Florida. There’s a Colombian cafe that makes delicious arepas. But my dad said they changed the cook so they’re a bit different now. We’ll see.

: Pumpkin penne with homemade pumpkin puree

I have no idea how I stumbled upon this recipe, but I’m glad I did. I didn’t have sour cream so I used cream cheese instead. Logical substitute, right?I got to try out another Tofurky product – the Italian sausages. I really like the seasonings they used for these sausages! I’m also glad there is a vegetarian version of these out there because I feel like this recipe would be incomplete without that ingredient. Delicious and easy!

Just like Mitri, I will continue to eat my orange foods to maintain my olive complexion! I have another fall colored dish for you. I’m so use to seeing green in my vegetable portions!

: Root vegetables and chickpeas

I followed a recipe sent to me through the Kardea newsletter. This is just something I made a big batch out of convenience. I plan on serving it with rosemary infused white rice. For a more rustic dish you could serve it with wild rice, or any other grain your prefer. I bet even roasting some potatoes and almonds in this would be delicious as well.

: Matilda also got a special somethin’ somethin’ from Trader Joe’s!

I almost forgot! Here’s the food porn I promised!

: Mmm so creamy

Hmm… what to do with my strawberry Chobani?

: Breakfast the other day was like a banana split!

I heated up a Vitalicious brownie, sliced a banana, sprinkled on some cashews and sprinkles of course! Topped it off with a scoop of fro-yo. On the side I had some cranberry cinnamon swirl toast with cream cheese and 1/2 with Crofter’s superfruit spread and the other 1/2 with Creme of Almond & Dates.

: Up close and personal

: Explosion!

Holly, look it’s a yog-mess!

Today I fly to Florida! Actually, the other night when I double-checked my itenerary I realized that there was a very big mistake. My dad had booked my flight as if I were departing from Florida tomorrow and flying back there on Sunday. Oops dad! You mixed them up. He was able to work it out I guess. Anywho, I’m so excited!

: Some of you may be experiencing the harsh weather already, so don’t forget to bundle up!

: Matilda says so!

p.s. Does anyone have any penne and pesto recipes they’d like to share? Thanks a bunch!

p.s.s. Keep the questions coming! I hope to have a video up by tomorrow. Special post for Friday!

Fluorescent is the New Black

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Katharina

My week has been stressful, but Holly’s post about Ups and Downs reminded me that even when life gets tough, there’s always a bright side. A highlighter yellow bright side!

I made a little personal project for myself last week. Matilda and I go for walks around the city, and I always find myself looking down at her and smiling to myself. I wonder… what’s it like for her? Walking through grass must be like walking through a cornfield for us!

: Matilda has mastered the art of being okay with doing “nothing”.

Click the link below to see the little video I put together.

Matilda’s Walk

: Fresh peaches

: Finally feeling like I’m back in business.

FOOD PORN ALERT! This creamy bowl of muesli had it’s fair share of cinnamon, peach slices, coconut shreds, and almonds. Can we all say yum? Now all together… YUM!

: Cheap ice pops!

So I bit the top off before I took a picture. I just poured some OJ into my ice pop molds. The next time I made these, I added some soy creamer to make them kind of like a Creamsicle. Which reminds me… Stoli Vanilla + Orange soda = THE BOMB!

Highlights of my week so far

I was looking through Craigslist the other day and read these words, “ANTHROPOLOGIE INTERNSHIP.” Click! Oh my gosh, guys… it’s screenshot time!

This was exactly what I want to do as a "practical" job after I graduate, but in New York.

This is exactly what I was planning to have as a “practical job” when I graduate, but in New York!!! Speaking of “displays”, my room is coming together. I still have some things to hang up and crafting projects I’ve been meaning to finish.

Matilda being a watchdog.

All she does is growl at everything and everyone that passes by.

Studying where I sleep... this is supposedly and ineffective way to study. Supposedly...

Check out this mess!

I don’t think you can see this – unless you have super sonic vision – but on the little chalkboard by the crazy mask I wrote “boys suck.” Well, they don’t really. I just think I must’ve been on another planet when girls learned how to flirt and stuff. Or maybe it’s just the fact that we’re from different planets anyway!

When I was grocery shopping the other day I saw that winter squashes were on sale for 69 cents a lb. What’d my eyes fall upon? The elusive kabocha and I met again! I’m thinking I should go back and get another one, and some other delicious winter squashes. Hello? Last time I paid $1.50 per lb. for the Japanese squash! I’d be crazy not to take advantage of this super deal.

So I went on a food adventure and tried lotus seeds for the first time! I made a lotus seed congee, and I changed it around everytime I ate my leftovers.

: Served hot! So hot there was steam coming off this.

: Broccoli and carrots in a peanut sauce + coconut milk + basil.

More Thai inspired veggies!

: This bowl had cinnamon, coconut oil, and warmed up Crofter’s Superfruit spread since they have dark cherries)

: I also saw that avocados are on sale for $1.50 each.

Speaking of avocados, an old friend of mine said I have really nice, full hair and that it must be because I eat avocados and olive oil. It’s also all thanks to nuts, and coconut oil (eat and put on my hair). Then the other day he said my hair is like Fara Fawcett’s hahah! Lately, it’s been flipping out by itself. Then he said “girls would kill to have that.” Oh, please feed me more compliments hot friend!

So this “old friend” of mine is also an old crush of mine. When I was at his house the other night, he pulled out a jar of Sunflower Seed Butter from Trader Joe’s. Oh my goodness! I think my eyes popped out of my head because he asked, “what?!” The flavor was overwhelmingly good and totally unexpected. I urge you all to try this if you haven’t already. I know at least one thing that’s going in my cart next time I go to Trader Joe’s. Oh and we went on a nice bike ride together! This is where we met up:

: The “compass” aka the center of campus, but it was totally empty then.

The moon looked eerie that night.

Then we just rode around the Victorian neighborhood called “the Fan”. I’ll take a picture of that for you guys. It’s so nice! Then we went back and watched this musical called “Shock Treatment”. It’s by the same guy who did “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Well, basically we got all cuddly during the movie and he had so many nice things to say about me. Garsh!

Sophia, his cat.

She realized I was taking pictures of her!

I thought I was over my friend… and I was. But I’ve started crushing again. Not sure if he’s good news though. He’s got this je ne sais quoi, and all the girls fall for it. Even girls that usually don’t go for his “type”.

Anyway,I tried out a new recipe from Happy Herbivore for “tuna” out of chickpeas. Holy moly! I’m making a recipe card for this one for sure!

: Served in a toasted bun.

I spread some mayo + tarragon on the bun. I love the subtle sweet flavor tarragon has.

: It even looks like tuna!

I threw in some raisins for some added sweetness.

: I also tried the “tuna” on some new bread I got from a local bakery: spelt!

I love it! I use to go to this bakery after school back in highschool, and I would have them build me a sandwich. They also make awesome cookies, and other breads. I can imagine this “tuna” recipe would taste awesome on their Honey Wheat loaf + sprouts!

: My missing ingredient is back! Hello avocado!

: Banana, coconut milk, and coconut shreds

There’s a grocery store that has bananas on sale for 29 cents a lb. on Tuesdays. Lots of bananas = banana pops! I am now addicted to making my own popsicles. Anybody have any recipes they’d like to share? Or ideas?

I’ve also seen that some of you guys add coconut milk to your oats. Well, I had an opened can sitting in my fridge… I think you guys can guess what I did next!

: Refreshing bowl of muesli with coconut milk & shreds, vanilla, and a blob of Cacao Bliss.

This looks so creamy and delicious! I can imagine some graphic designer going crazy over how “simple” it looks ahaha.

: Another bowl of muesli with coconut milk topped with Gena’s banana soft-serve and Creme of Date and Almond spread. The raisins are hiding somewhere in there!

Lastly, my most exciting highlight of this week so far!

I’ve been trying out some U.S. Mills products:

: A yummy bowl of their gluten-free Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice helped my late night studying not seem so bad

By the way, this brought me back to Cocoa Krispies and loving how the milk would turn into chocolate milk!

What’s that you say? You would like to try them too? Well, here’s your chance to receive a generous gift courtesy of U.S. Mills:

1. One product of each brand (Erewhon, Uncle Sam Cereal, New Morning, and Farina)

2. a Patagonia T-Shirt (available in Adult L, XL & Kids L)

3. and some coupons

How do you win?

In the comments section of this post, let me know the flavors of each brand you would like to try and your favorite way to eat cereal or use cereal. Maybe you simply enjoy it with milk, but I know some of you have some creative ideas up your sleeves!

Make a comment by this Saturday, September 12 at noon EDT, and I will randomly pick a winner (please only comment once). The winner will be announced over the weekend.

Spread the word about this contest by linking back to this post then e-mail me at onthepolkadot@hotmail.com, and that’ll earn you another entry. Good luck everyone! It’s my first giveaway eee!

Dog Days of Summer

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Katharina

First and foremost, I’d like to thank you all for the encouragement and insight on my interest in studying abroad. As some of you may know, I am originally from Germany, so studying there would not be a problem. However, I might choose somewhere other than my motherland since I love traveling and getting to know other cultures. What’s more exciting is getting the opportunity to adapt to them! But, Neela, we can still take a train and find an awesome city to conquer together! We’ll have all the men at our feet while we shop, right?

On another note, since I haven’t been posting that often, let’s get down to business folks. Right now I’m sitting at a new coffeeshop that opened up where I live. They’re concept is really neat -

“…offers the best in delicious, organic, fair trade coffee, served up by our excellent baristas, using state-of-the-art equipment. To go with it, we’ve got a fantastic menu, packed with both sweet and savory fare and using the freshest organic ingredients. And while you’re savoring the coffee and the food, we invite you to jump on our free wireless, and to enjoy entertainment, classes and activities.“

The coffeeshop is actually an extension of a local healthfood store that really pushes the idea of supporting local farmers and making less of an imprint on our environment, while taking our health into consideration.

Let’s see… where to begin? Oh I know! The first and most important meal of the day. It also happens to be my favorite!

: Toast for breakfast!

I was always jealous of my roommates toast always smelling so good. How come mine didn’t smell so good? I think it’s because I usually have the super grainy kind of bread. The other day when I went to the store, I knew I was running really low on cereal, and I knew yogurt was on sale for $1.88 for 32 oz. Then I spotted the one. Meet my new love, cinnamon raisin swirl toast. Well, not really a new love, just a forgotten one. This morning I smeared some whipped butter on one slice and coconut oil on the other. Then I sprinkled on some extra cinnamon. This time I was the one making the roommates wonder where that heavenly smell was coming from. One of the toasts even got Hello Kitty burnt on it. In the bowl I had plain yogurt, sliced banana, homemade blueberry jam, flaxseed and a crumbled honey graham stick. Thank JB for reminding me of how yummy blueberries and banana are together!

I was also inspired, yet again, by the hilarious Jess! For real girl, keep doing your thang. You’ve got an ability to make people smile and laugh!

: A wrap that I would like to say was muy delicioso!

In the wrap was a random veggieburger, Trader Joe’s corn salsa, mayo, and carrots. On the side I steamed some cauliflower and doused it with nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes. Spicy!

: I also munched on this!

I discovered something wonderful at the bottom of this bag. Besides some of the sugar granules that managed to sprinkle off the nuts, I found raspberry jelly bits! More PB&A goodness right there.

: Mini wraps!

I was low on groceries so I checked our freezer and I found some chick’n strips that I think have been forgotten. So here’s what I decided to do… I heated up some wraps on the skillet (notice the burn marks). Then I spread some Triple-Layer hummus, topped it with spinach, chick’n strips cooked in tamarind-date chutney, and smeared some Duke’s mayonnaise all over. I didn’t exactly wrap these babies… I just folded them over and got to work eating. I know mayonnaise makes some people cringe. But there are so many varieties now: cholesterol-free, vegan, light, and even with added omega-3′s! Today I was mulling over a menu and I read “sun-dried tomato mayo”. My food processor and I will soon get to crackin’. Now if I could get my hands on some Delouis.

I found another wonderful item at the local grocery store the other day. I browsed through the bakery items and found just the thing!

: I had them slice it for me.

Once I’m at my new place and I feel more freedom to do things in the kitchen, I’m going to start baking my own bread again. When I first moved into my current place I would bake Irish soda bread weekly. However, I felt like my baking skills were being taken advantage of and I stopped baking things all together. This is why when I go home to Florida you might notice that I take full of advantage of the kitchen and my love for cooking and baking. I’m going to stop thinking of buying good quality items as a splurge. It tastes better and it just makes me feel more content about my meal. Why not make everyday special, you know?

: A big salad with baby spinach, Hanover tomatoes (THE BEST), avocado, roasted chickpeas, and a sweet honey dijon dressing.

I roasted the chickpeas in ground cinnamon, powdered onion, honey, and a bit of soy sauce. This smelled so good! Alongside my salad I had some slices of bread with the Three-Layer hummus and a baby slice with avocado!

: Something similar for lunch the next day.

However I buttered my bread and put some minced garlic on it then grilled it.

: I scooped some of the chickpeas and tomatoes on the toast and it was so yummy.

For dinner I wanted to use the chickpeas for something other than a salad.

: I wanted something a bit more filling, but still refreshing.

I steamed some rice with basil. I dumped the rest of my chickpeas in my bowl of rice and mixed in chopped raw carrots and tomatoes. While the rice was still steaming I stirred in the essential coconut oil. Can’t go a day without it! This was exactly what my tummy was hoping for!

: I also had a cup of Chinese Green Monkey Tea.

I have some exciting plans coming up next week! Besides my move-in date being tragically postponed till Monday, my friend, Liz, will be arriving on Wednesday. Get ready for some serious adventures you guys. This girl has got spunk, sass, and all that jazz. She’s a New Yorker, what can I say? She’s staying till the 9th and I’ll be heading back up with her. I haven’t decided how long I’ll be staying though. So if you guys have any recommendations of places for me to go to (not limited to foodie things) let me know. Oh! And if anyone wants to go on a date that would be nice too! I like to call them dates because it just makes it sound more exciting hehe.

: I want some Lucky Candy! Anyone want a piece?

If you haven’t checked it out yet there’s a very interesting contest going on at the Special K Treatment. Go take a look before it’s too late!

Also, Mia was kind enough to honor me with a blog award. I’ve never received one before so this is definitely something special. And thank you so much! Now I have to fulfill the duty as a lovely blogger and pass it on to other lovely ones.

Oh gosh, do I have to choose? I totally suck at this kind of thing because I love everyone’s blog that I follow, or else why would I be reading it?

Neela, Mitri, Nicole, Kelsey, JB, Cate, Gillian, Katie, Brittany, the Brookes, Jess, K, Janetha, Emily, Jenny, Monica, Lauren, Lynn, and Holly. Okay I went over 15… and I could keep going. You seriously are all so wonderful and I can imagine you guys are just as radiant, if not more, in person as you are in your blogs.

p.s. For all you chia people out there, I stumbled upon this recipe that’s perfect for the summertime.

Chia Fresca

1 glass of lemonade

1 tsp Chia Seeds

1. Combine chia seeds and lemonade. Shake or stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until chia seeds swell. Enjoy this delicious and healthy chia fresca.

2. Chia fresca can also be made by soaking the chia seeds for 10 minutes separately in a glass of water. Then combine the chia seed gel with any flavored water or juice for an exciting different flavor of chia fresca.

Bet you didn’t think Chia seeds could be had as a refreshing lemonade, huh?

Take care all and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week. I’ve got to refill my iced tea and Matilda’s water bowl because it’s just one of those hot summer days!

Whoa mama!

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Katharina

So this post is going to be full of pictures! I finally got ahold of a memory card reader. Without further ado, I present you with the pictures that have been MIA.

Remember when I said I made my first green smoothie?

: This tasted very yummy, but I ended up feeling sick to my stomach about an hour after.

Awhile ago I had visited one of my roommate’s family and I got to try a bunch of wonderful food from the Philippines. They have this wonderful treat called Ube. What is that? Well it’s basically a purple yam and it tastes hella good. If you know of any Philippino stores, you should try some desserts with ube in them. If you don’t have one nearby, you can always go to an Asian market, and I’m sure they will at least have ube jam. It’s seriously worth trying.

: Ube mixed with coconut make this ice cream to die for!

: I made Gena’s cauliflower salad with a sweet potato topped with shredded coconut and cinnamon.

This salad was wonderful! I loved the surprising addition of the golden raisins. It added a sweetness, but it was subtle enough to go well with everything else.

: A yummy bowl of chickpeas, roasted red peppers & onions, over coconut wild rice with coconut oil.

: I followed Ramya’s recipe for Vendakkai Poriyal.

: I mixed the veggies with chickpeas over coconut basmati rice and coconut oil.

If you like okra you have to try this recipe! If you don’t like okra you have to try this recipe! Everyone should just do it.

Here’s some more chickpea lovin’.

I made a salad with chickpeas, onions, and BBQ sauce. To go along with my salad I made some spaghetti aglio e olio.

I made a salad with chickpeas, onions, raisins, and BBQ sauce. To go along with my salad I made some spaghetti aglio e olio.

The spaghetti aglio e olio was a recipe I found on Rouxbe. It’s an online instructional cookbook.

During my “recent picture hiatus” I went to the river with my friend, Steph, and some other people. It was so much fun! Thank goodness she was a camp counselor because she helped get the fire going and had a wonderful idea for roasting our veggies.

Hi Steph!

This was the secret location tucked away in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Richmond.

Steph had the idea of putting our veggies in personal "pockets".

While we were at the river I let Matilda loose and guess what she did? She bolted towards the water. At first I was afraid because I didn’t know what to expect. Matilda was a natural and she had so much fun swimming around.

There she goes!

I also brought along some Philippino treats. They look like eggs - green eggs and ham!

This past weekend my parents flew up to kidnap me. It also happened to be the weekend of Richmond’s Vegetarian Festival. It was such a hot day, but since it was at a park we were able to sit in the shade a lot. I got to sample a lot of things. Among these samples I tried Tofutti’s cuties. These were delicious and perfect for a hot day! The two flavors I sampled were key lime and wild berry.

We were able try different things from a variety of vendors.

We were able to try different things from a variety of vendors. Lunch was like traveling around the world with plates from the Mediterranean, Ethiopia, and Thailand.

So many people! So much heat!

Matilda came with us. She got some treats and plenty of water as well.

After the festival I decided to take my mom to Trader Joe’s. The last time she had gone to one was over a decade ago! She was so happy I took her there, but she was a little bummed that they don’t have one in Florida. Trader Joe needs to make his way down here! We got a bunch of things, and since we knew we had a long driving day ahead of us we got some travel food. My dad picked out a blackberry Belgian beer that I said I would split with him since we had to do a raincheck for Father’s Day.

Hmm... what's this? Trader Joe's horseradish hummus!

The verdict? Me likey a lot! And so did everyone else.

Yesterday, I arrived at my parent’s house, and of course I always get excited to see what they have. I usually don’t buy crackers, so I was eager to try these. I tried some Harvest Grain Simplyfit crackers. I could make like Kailey and just munch on these straight out of the box! So of course I had some for lunch today. I’ve never tried Kashi’s TLC crackers, but I’d imagine these are just as delicious. They also use 10 whole grains and seeds (like quinoa).

On another note, there are a few perks I’ve discovered since blogging. The main one being all the wonderful people I have encountered! Everyone seems so friendly and open to new things, and I love that! You guys rule! Another perk is getting samples. I hate buying a whole box of something and I end up not liking it. It makes sense to sample something before you dive in, right? Unless you know you’re going to like it, or simply don’t mind. So let’s get to the good stuff!

The generous people at Kay’s Naturals were more than happy to send me some samples of the products.

I'd say they were more than generous!

So far I’ve tried all the cereals, and tonight I plan on trying some more. I’ve liked everything, but my favorite would have to be the Honey Almond Protein Cereal. I loved having it with almond milk and a caramelized banana. Thanks so much for the package, Lindsey! I was seriously blown away when I saw all that was sent to me.

Next up, Michelle, over at Alternative Baking Co. hooked me up with some delicious vegan cookies.

Opening the letter!

They sent me a Colossal Chocolate Chip cookie, and their cookie of the season - Coconut Macaroon.

Wow! Which one do I try first? I love anything coconut so of course I couldn’t get enough of the coconut macaroon. The chocolate chip cookie was incredible as well; it tasted like unbaked cookie dough! I loved everything about these cookies. They were chewy just how I like them, and huge just how cookies should be. Thank you so much Michelle!

Lastly, Annette over at Sun Warrior sent me some sample packets of their protein powder. She sent me the vanilla and chocolate flavors. I haven’t tried those yet, but I will definitely report back.

Does anyone have any suggestions for some yummy shakes?

I’m going to save all my breakfast eats for my next post. Yes, they are that good!

I hope you are all enjoying the rest of your Monday. Now let’s all face the rest of the week!

TasteSpotting

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Katharina

So I submitted something after La Belle Vegan said she was on TasteSpotting. I’ve seen the site before. Go check it out! The chickpea dish I made yesterday is on the first page.

I’m gonna recap a little starting all the way back from… I can’t remember anymore, but it’s worth noting!

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Peaches

On Friday I had my best friend over for dinner. I made Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran.

Ze ingredients! All combined make an incredible meal.

I followed Happy Herbivore’s recipe for Fire Roasted Channa Masala. The chickpeas were kept company by some garlic broccoli and a methi paratha. I ended up putting a dollop of plain yogurt on top of the chickpeas because it was, I admit, too spicy for me!

Sweet Saffron Yogurt

Now here’s some non-food related stuff! I’ve taken it upon myself to spruce up my parent’s place a bit. I usually end up doing that, since I enjoy decorating a whole lot and I’ve got nothing better to do. Well maybe except soak up the sun. I went to the thrift store with my friend the other day and found some really cute things! Some are actually for my place up in Richmond.

A bread pan for my parent’s place! Some plates and a mug for my place in Richmond.

I also got a wicker cabinet and the colorful frame and photo. The rest of the stuff in there was just me doing what I usually do. What that is… I’m not sure!

This patio set (seat cushions not included)

I’m imagining the patio set over in this part of the backyard against the wall

with the wicker cabinet hanging over and putting a simple vase with some fresh flowers. I’m also going to paint designs on some of the fallen coconuts. It would be such a romantic set-up.

Oh my gosh how could I forget?! I went to this healthfood discount store today and… DRUM ROLL… I found the So Delicious sandwiches in all the flavors I wanted to try! They even had the ones made with coconut milk. Of course I bought a box of the Coconut ones made with coconut milk and biked home as fast as I could. My consensus? I’m pretty sure all of those “ice cream” sandwiches are incredible and edible gifts from above.

Now I’m off to make Susan’s Ethiopian-inspired red lentil soup.

Ps Enter here to get a chance at winning some delicious Coconut Bliss!

The company we keep…

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Katharina

This morning I was definitely in the mood for something comforting. So I decided to make a warm bowl of oatmeal. I tried to mix it up a bit though.

I added a new ingredient – Watkins Butter Pecan Extract. I also added in a banana, coconut oil, and some unsweetened coconut flakes on top. To accompany my oatmeal I had a toasted wheat cake (a Philipino treat), fruit salad topped with yogurt, and Twinings Chamomile Green Tea.

Remember how I told you guys I was going to be cooking for a small gathering? Well I decided to make a yellow lentil and coconut milk soup.My dad made a five-vegetable curry. I didn’t get to take a picture of it though! Our friends also made some gnocchi and a yummy sauce! It was a tomato sauce that was slightly sweet and zesty. We brought food and of course my doggy, Matilda! She had no idea that she would be making a friend. After dinner we went to go see Tango Undressed performed by some dancers of the Miami Contemporary Dance Company. I wasn’t crazy about it, but it did make me want to take up dance again. It’s incredible how the human body can move. After the show we went back to our friends’ place to have coffee and cookies. They actually had vegan cookies as well. It was funny actually because they told me those cookies are for me. Then I saw them put more cookies out on a dish and I asked, “what’s wrong with those?” They thought I was vegan! It was so funny. Anyway, here are some pictures.

“What’s going on?”

This guy had a totally retro ride and what I call a Cuban grandpa hat. Notice the shrunken head hanging from the rear view mirror.

Matilda’s new friend, Simba!

Today I really went all out in the kitchen. I made huevos rancheros with some modifications. I followed this recipe to make polenta crackers, instead of using tortillas. This is the first time I’ve had eggs in a really long time. I’m not the biggest fan of eggs, nor is my stomach. But my mom saw the recipe and kept bringing it up, so I took it as a hint.

Polenta crackers

The huevos rancheros and a sliced pear on the side. Look at the little heart I cut out! I decided to sprinkle the pear with cinnamon.

For dinner I made up a recipe. Soba noodles with a squeeze of lime juice was the foundation. I roasted summer squashes, onions, and pineapple in a teriyaki sauce, and cooked some chickpeas in the same sauce.

This was incredible! Do you guys like the new placemats?

My mother and I went on a little shopping adventure today. We also did a lot of home decorating and picture hanging.

We also got Walkers Shortbread Raspberry Thins and Caramel Cream coffee by Flavor Xotics. The coffee smelled so delicious!

These followed after dinner along with coffee. What a nice way to end a Sunday.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I can’t believe it’s already the middle of May.

Katharina's Food Adventures

Tag Archives: chickpeas