Some of you may know or be experiencing the storm along the Atlantic, and I hope those of you being affected are staying safe but not feeling too cooped up… dance parties are good for that. Speaking of dance parties, I’ve been going to lots of great music shows and satisfying my soul by dancing and jumping high to fun music.
Last weekend I was wandering around Brooklyn and came across “granola made with greens, not grains” the latest addition to the Kale Factory line. The “greenola” is made from fresh kale, and comes in two flavors: cranberry nut and spirulina crunch. It was the first time (and only time, thus far) that I’ve come across this variation. Maybe that’s because that’s where they’re produced. I thought it was such an interesting idea, and not to mention they were so tasty! I had to pace myself not to eat the whole container at once. I was very intrigued, made note of the ingredients list, and attempted to recreate them.
And you can also share on other sites with the buttons at the bottom of each post.
Some of you in the past have asked me to do a tour of my kitchen, and I figured what better way to share some of my picks than with a store. So I added a ‘store’ page as well which has a link to my Amazon Store. There are things that are also puppy approved, books, beauty, what have you.
And as an editor for “JENESEQUA” I’m extremely excited to share that our March 2012 issue launched yesterday! This month our cover and editorial features model, Elina Ivanova.
It’s a free app so all you need is an iPad to download. I’ve been anticipating this one for awhile, especially since I got to interview the creator and founder of STRANGEBEAUTIFUL–a concept driven nail polish line.
It’s got quite a neat motivation behind it, which you can read about here.
With that I’m going to take that and rewind it back as Usher liked to put it. Rewind. rewind. rewind back to my roommate’s fashion show.
There were lots of people with their own sense of style.
Grr baby... grr
And not-so-believable poker faces
Beautifully tailored clothes
With very inspired sensibilities.
It was a fun night and I finally got to catch up with my friend and Editor-in-Chief at “JENSEQUA“. It was so neat to see Daniella’s Fall 2012 collection come to fruition. From the beginning.. the source of her inspiration and seeing it all come together in the end, showed me again that fashion is more than vanity.
One of my favorite lovers of fashion, Brooke, has a motto: eat fashion for breakfast. What kind of day would it be if you had a bowl full of Alexis Mabille? To round out an almost complete meal of fashion shows and street style, there’s got to be a third course…
Your responses on my last post were so kind! Thank you for your words and encouragement. I think since right now I’m going through a major transition period in my life (fresh out of college)… it sometimes feels like everything is new to me. Including my blog.
On another note, I wanted to share one of the many things that have been on my mind. I was thinking back on when I went to Colombia a couple years ago, and stayed with my grandparents for a month. They do almost everything there the old-fashioned way. From melting a chocolate tablet in boiling milk and whisking it vigorously to make hot cocoa, to washing the laundry by hand and leaving it out to dry on the line. I love going to places where you really get a sense of how things are made. No special equipment made for convenience sake. Instead you become in tune with the primal way of preparing something. That’s one of the reasons that keeps me interested in cooking. I just think it’s awesome that what grows from this earth can be eaten and we can flourish.
I also think it’s interesting to see why parts of the world have an abundance of certain foods. For instance, you can find so many rye breads in Northern Europe. Did you know that wheat grows poorly there?
Rice is a crop that is available in abundance, so I’m going to share a delicious recipe using this grain.
Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice 3 green onions, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced 1 carrot, grated 1 green apple, cored and diced 1 cup finely shredded cabbage (green and purple) 1/2 cup golden raisins
1. Place the rice in a large salad bowl, then add green onions, bell pepper, celery, carrot, apple, cabbage, and raisins.
2. To make the dressing, in a small bowl, mix Vegenaise, vinegar, mustard, and curry powder.
3. Pour over salad and toss to mix.
The fruits mixed with the tangy dressing makes for a refreshing summer salad! Actually, if you like cole slaw, I think you will enjoy this as well.
I never noticed the purple hue on artichoke hearts until the other day.
Recently, I tried an ancient recipe… manna bread.
I didn’t make it myself, although I do have the ingredients on hand now, so I just need to get to soaking. I’ve heard about Nature’s Path’s Manna Bread from various people, and have always been curious to try it. I decided to try out the ‘Cinnamon Date’ loaf.
For breakfast with coconut butter, a glass of almond milk, and a crisp apple.
The bread was so dense and moist that it almost seemed like a slice of cake! Delicious too.
Supposedly, manna bread has been around since BCE. Now that is a lay of the land recipe, don’t you think?
Simple salads have been making their way on to the kitchen table.
Simple salads with plenty of avocado.
And a salad for the kale lovers!
My mother is definitely a kale lover, so when I saw Natalie’s recipe for Marinated Kale Salad I was on it ASAP! Tahini dressing is not something I usually have, but it makes me raise my eyebrow in interest as soon as I hear about it. The process of preparing this salad really did break the kale’s toughness down, and there was no cooking involved (besides roasting the beets). Simple and delicious.
What’s something that has recently truly fascinated you?
Hi everyone! So I said that I’d be sharing my recap of my trip to New York City, but that is going to have to wait because something very very exciting happened earlier this week that I just can’t wait to share! But before I jump right into it I’m excited to announce the four lucky winners of a $25-gift certificate from Restaurant.com for the restaurant of their choice. Congratulations to Ivanna, Claire, Janelle, Jim!!! I will be e-mailing you with an official congratulations and further information. I’d love to hear about your dining experiences in the D.C. area! Bon appétit my lucky friends.
Earlier this week I flew in from New York, and I was anticipating the next day back in Florida already! Want to know why? I’ve mentioned Brendan Brazier and his book “Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life” on my blog a few times. He’s someone that I look up to, and am amazed by how he’s informed himself of not only the science of nutrition, but how it impacts things from our bodies to the environment. Somehow he manages to bring all of this information to the table in a way that just makes sense. No nonsense. Anyway, I saw that he’s been on tour giving lectures and lucky for me he was stopping by my town! Not just that, but at the local health food store… of all places! As soon as I found out I signed me and my mom up right away.
He actually brought up a topic that I’ve recently discussed on here: hormones. As I’ve noted I’ve recently gone off birth-control, and I really just want to rebalance myself naturally. So far I’ve found that my skin has cleared up tremendously. Funny because that’s one of the reasons why I went on the pill anyways. Birth control for breakouts? What was I thinking? When I initially came off the pill I felt moody, but I reminded myself that it may have just been a symptom of stopping the pill. Anyway, Brendan mentioned something else that may be contributing to my off-kilter hormones. I’m an avid long-distance runner, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I really gave my body a break. Running helps me relieve mental stress, but that doesn’t mean that my body doesn’t feel the physical stress it endures from pounding out the miles. Running is something that I’d like to be able to do for the rest of my life, but my overall well-being is what will allow me to do that in the end. So after hearing Brendan’s own story about how over physical exertion affected his health, I came to the decision to lay low from running for a little bit. I’m hoping that my body will have time to really recover and get a break from the physical stress. This morning I went on a brisk walk with a book in hand. T’was a nice change. It’s hard not to break out into a leap and stride though because sometimes that’s exactly what I want to do. I just love running! But it’ll be back in my life soon, and I’ll be feeling better than ever.
After the lecture we got to try samples of the Vega products.
They had some drinks made with water, coconut water, or almond milk.
The surprising mixture was the chocolate flavored Vega formula with coconut water, but it tasted good! Have any of you tried these products before? I saw them all over Canada. Not just in regular grocery stores, but even at restaurants as a smoothie add-in.
Like any good fan I made sure to bring my book to get it signed!
It’s not everyday that you get to meet someone you look up to. I think he’s making great advancements in the fields of health, sports, and the environment. He’s even dubbed as an inventor, and has been nominated for the Manning Innovation Awards.
If only I had more time to pick his brain!
On the topic of “thriving”, I made some things that could have a life of their own!
Yummy treats inspired by Nutella.
The undeniably delicious combination of chocolate and hazelnuts…
With coconut butter kisses
Chocolate and Coconut Hazelnut Medallions
These no-bake treats are simple to make, and add a flavorful note to your day or night!
Makes around 24
Ingredients
20 Medjool Dates
1/4 cup Old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup Hazelnuts
1/4 cup Shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbl Chocolate chips
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Pinch of Sea salt
Coconut butter (optional)
1. Pulse the oats and hazelnuts in a food processor, but not too much because you still want them to add texture to this treat.
2. Mix in the dates, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sea salt and pulse again. Then throw in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips into the paste and chop for a few seconds.
3. To make a medallion take about a tablespoon size of the batter and roll into a ball, then flatten down to desired thickness. This part is optional but you can imprint your thumb in the middle of the medallions and drizzle a pool of coconut butter in the imprint.
4. You can enjoy them right away or leave them in the fridge to set.
Once again inspired by Brendan Brazier I decided to make one of his recipes.
The Mango-Coconut Energy Bars called my attention as I was browsing through the recipe section of his book.
Taking a satisfying bite into a macadamia nut.
These are dense and full of electrolytes, which are great for recovering from a workout. Or even if you’re just feeling low on energy. Last summer I almost fainted from being overheated, but I believe that my mind-power and bottle of coconut water kept me from being a damsel in distress. So this would probably be a good thing to have during these months where the heat can get intense!
This was a recipe I threw together keeping these two things in mind: vitality and the lovely Lauren.
Awhile ago Lauren reminded me of one of the yummiest salad pairings I’ve had to date: avocado, mango, and beans. I’ll share my “recipe” with you guys, but it’s very loose. I’m just estimating how much I used since I prepare mostly by eye and on how hungry I am at the time.
Mango, Avocado, and Bean Kale Salad
Serves 1
Ingredients
4-5 Kale leaves, chopped
4 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pearl onion, sliced
1/4 mango, cubed
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cup pinto beans, cooked
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
Dressing
1 tbl Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Splash of lemon juice
Sea salt to taste (*tip: mix the salt and balsamic together before you mix in the oil)
1. Massage the kale leaves with the dressing.
2. Throw in the rest of the ingredients, toss, and enjoy!
Oh these are the salad days.
Who is someone you admire for the contributions they’ve made?
Thank you so much for the kind words everyone! I read the comments to my mom, and it definitely made her day. Actually, I think it made her week. Also I had mentioned that I wasn’t wearing foundation. Then I realized that I don’t ever wear foundation. I used to use a popular mineral one, but I looked it up and found out that sometimes it may irritate the skin further. With that, I decided to let my skin breathe and it ended up helping clear it up a bit. Anyway, enough talk about that…
I tried a new kind of kale.
Red kale is also known as Russian red kale. It has a sweeter taste compared to other types, and it even smelled like roses! “Green is associated with Spring – a time of renewal and refreshing vital energy. In oriental medicine green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.“
First, I enjoyed it raw, massaged with flax oil and another dressing.
Alongside, came a sweet potato exploding with beans cooked in shredded mango chutney and thyme.
I love adding thyme to sweet recipes now–especially that one.
I usually prefer purées over brothy soups.
I followed this recipe for pea and watercress purée, except I used ghee instead of butter. It was deliciously fresh tasting, but comforting at the same time. I have fond memories of pea soups and peas in general. When I was younger, one of the daycares I went to always served them. As you can see I love stuffing my sweet potatoes with beans. My dad asked me where I got this great idea from, and where exactly I don’t know–but it’s one of the great things I’ve stumbled across on blogs!
Sweet potatoes another way!
Here I cubed a sweet potato and mixed it with onions, beans, and zucchini cooked with mango chutney. I topped it off with ghee, flax oil, and toasted coconut shreds!
A delicious way to satisfy sweet and savoury flavors.
This sweet potato went to funky town!
Then to salad town with some ghee, beans, and hummus!
The other day I was running some errands to prepare for my move back up to school.
Look at what I spotted when I went to Target!
I thought of you Holly! I wanted to send her a picture text message but then I realized I didn’t have her number hahaha. So instead I whipped out my big DSLR camera to take this picture. I had some onlookers–what? I’m fascinated by peanut butter! If they tried it on top of their oats, sweet potatoes, carrots, or anything for that matter besides just bread… well they’d understand.
Some of my supply to take up to school with me!
I would have a hard time if I were living in the dorms, wouldn’t I? I’m bringing things that are convenient for student-life, and of course to help keep strengthening my liver!
Since I've been adding the pulp from juicing to my oats I've had to move to bigger bowls...
Exhibit A
Beet pulp!
I had leftover spiced cobbler "crust" and served it with peaches and apricots instead of blueberries.
Which I enjoyed poolside!
Tutti-fruitti!
When I watched the movie “Eat. Pray. Love” I learned that tutti in Italian means “everything” or “all”. Now the name of the flavor makes sense! Anyway, I wanted to give you guys a tidbit on a fruit in this breakfast that I haven’t featured much on my blog. Enter the fuzzy kiwi! They are full of vitamin C, which is one of the most beneficial antioxidants for liver health. It provides protection from free radicals and reduces damage to liver cells from harmful chemical toxins. other sources are citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, cucumber, and spinach. Kiwis are also a good source of beta-carotene and vitamin E. A little interesting scientific factoid I found out about vitamin E actually that actually makes sense: “Vitamin E is a fat soluble antioxidant. It protects fats from becoming rancid due to free radical attacks. The cell membranes that protect the liver are fat based. So vitamin E helps protect the cells that protect the liver! A study has also shown that vitamin E can reduce the scar tissue in liver – which can lead to cirrhosis.” Now I just imagine vitamin E as a nice comfy cushion that can protect me! Almonds are also a good source of vitamin E, so your comfy cushion can even be a nice, big spoonful of almond butter.
More kiwis--served with Ani Phyo's coconut ice kream.
Also in this bowl is a fruit I mentioned in my last post. A lot of you had something to say about apricots. I’ve been eating them often, but I realized that I like dried apricots more than fresh. I think it’s because they’re sweeter hehe.
It’s funny how between Florida and Virginia, the background for my food pictures changes. In Florida you may recognize the place-mats and glass table. However, while I’m up at school I use my desk’s stationary pull-out as the background. My actual kitchen gets no natural light, and you know how I feel about that as far as photography goes!
And now that I'm near a Trader Joe's again I can re-stock this, but nothing beats McCutcheon's pumpkin butter.
Here’s a little hint for my next post…
I went to Sur la Table...
To get a brioche mold; but what for?
And that is what you will find out later! Till then…
It was so interesting reading about some of your doshas! Laury had mentioned that one of her clients sees an Ayurvedic doctor who can tell what their patient ate simply by touching them. Wow! Imagine being that in-tune! I thought I’d share a link that you may find interesting, and who knows… it may help fill in some blanks: Ayurveda Info-center.
“The whole person-and the whole field of interpersonal behavior-can be spontaneously enhanced by the process of self-referral, or looking within to experience the Self. This is analogous to the natural process by which all the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit of a tree can be simultaneously nourished and enlivened by watering the root.“
I had some prepping to do last Friday, as we were having guests all the way from Germany. I didn’t want to stress out about it because first off, I didn’t have to! As I was cooking I made sure to have a clear mind, and good intentions. I just wanted everyone to be able to relax and enjoy when they ate. Not to mention, the whole house smelled divine!
Pain D’Epice or French honey-spice bread
This involved egg whisking.
Anise!
and other delicious spices and citrus zest.
I also made a well for the whisked eggs and soy milk.
Finger licking
Oh that’s right! This has to go in the oven.
Et Voila!
A deliciously sweet and aromatic bread–a bit burned around the edges but tasty nonetheless. I don’t think that many of you know that I’m quite the honey afficianado. I have honeys ranging in flavors from lavender to almond, as dark as molasses, local variations, and even artisanal raw honeycomb squares from Savannah Bee Company. It’s funny because most of these were gifts from friends.
Then a mysterious package came in the mail.
I have been eyeing these shoes all summer!
I saw this as a sign to dress up and play hostess.
The guests would be arriving soon!
And a goofy one for the heck of it!
Our guests!
Ivy’s sesame-coconut rice, yellow split pea dhal, and a spinach salad with avocado, blueberries, and lemon-balsamic vinaigrette.
This meal was so flavorful! My mom also made a coconut chicken curry with pineapple. The rice was my favorite though. I cooked some basmati rice with ghee and salt. Afterwards I fried the dried coconut and sesame seeds in more ghee. Once that was golden I mixed it in with the cooked rice. Wow! The ghee did so much for this dish. One of the guests said it was one of the best meals he’s ever had. Perhaps my good intentions really did work!
The next morning involved the French honey-spice bread topped with ghee + a bowl of Greek yogurt, fruits, and ground golden flaxseeds.
The bread reminded me of one of the Christmas cakes in Germany. Deliciously nostalgic.
We also bought pan de bono, which is a delicious Colombian cheese bread.
And one of my other favorites: arepa de choclo
Our guests fully enjoyed the breakfast! Actually, everyone did.
Beans, beans…
“Soaking reduces excess dryness, calming the air element in foods and enhancing the water element. The added moisture supports the action of agni, digestive fire, on food, making foods easier for the body to break down. This beneficial Ayurvedic practice of soaking is used with beans, peas, nuts, some seeds, and dried fruits. Soaking is most often done overnight by simply covering the food with pure water and letting it sit, covered, until the morning.”
After soaking the beans for many hours, I cooked them with bay leaves. Once they were cooked I fried some onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, and turmeric. Then added the beans and some sea salt. Simple, delicious, and very helpful for my liver.
More legumes
I steamed some edamame, then sprinkled on some sea salt. I love eating them out of their shells.
A bowl beaming with green!
This was a mix of kale and mustard greens. I massaged the greens with flaxseed oil, as Neela had suggested. This was very tasty and helped lessen the bitterness of raw kale. Speaking of kale, I found a really great recipe for kale and chard salad with blue cheese. Check it out!
“Kale contains sulphorane…which only becomes apparent when cruciferous veggies such as kale, cabbage and broccoli are chewed or chopped. But it’s what sulphorane does that’s important. It encourages the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, especially those connected to chemically-induced breast cancer and colon cancer.“
I also massaged watercress and green cabbage shreds in flaxseed oil as well.
Watercress is in the same family as kale and mustard greens, so they have similar health benefits.
“Watercress juice is so concentrated with so much cleansing goodness that it activates the detoxifying enzymes in the liver for detoxifying a hangover.”
Watercress juice could be a party girl’s best friend!
Another interesting tid-bit I found from an article I read by Brendan Brazier about stress-reducing foods:
“Alkaline forming – leafy green vegetables, chlorella
High quality, complementary protein – hemp, yellow pea, brown rice
Rich in essential fatty acids – flax seeds”
Check, check, and check! I’ve actually been adding maca powder to my oats once they cool down due to my hormone imbalance; I struggle with too much testosterone. Right now, for me, I’m trying to eat most of my vegetables steamed or lightly (3-5 minutes) pan-fried with ghee to keep the nutrients. If I eat them raw, however, I massage them in oil so it’s easier for my dosha to handle. And it looks like I’ll be enjoying more yellow split pea dhal in my future!
I loved reading everyone’s world-class titles! It seems we have a few world-class worriers in the house. Don’t worry I won’t make you fight for first place! But I do have a little challenge for you. The other day I was reading Joy’s blog and I came across a wonderful list to help you stress a little less and smile more: “25 Instant Pick-Me Ups to Get Happy Now!“
Visiting my mom's side of the family in Colombia.
On a random note, the other day I saw this movie with my mom called “A Talking Picture” directed by the legendary, Manoel de Oliveira. It was about a mother and a daughter taking a cruise from Lisbon through Mediterranean ports, and the Indian Ocean. The little girl’s mother was a professor and she shared the history of those places, while actually experiencing them for the first time herself as well. There were some parts in the movie where there was a table of people each speaking their native language, yet the managed to understand each other. Their conversations were reflections on civilization. Anyway, the movie really reminded me of my adventures with my mom across Europe when I was little, and how I would question everything. It was just us two, until my mom met my step-dad of course!
The two of us in Bavaria!
Speaking of Germany…
Brötchen for breakfast
One half has melted butter, the other has the homemade macadamia nut butter I made with marmalade. Looking at the picture above I noticed that the strawberries look like obscenely large nostrils belonging to a happy bug-eyed somebody. On the side I had a bowl of Greek yogurt with chia seeds, sesame seeds, and strawberries.
My favorite half!
Homemade macadamia nut butter
When I was making this I blended the nuts till they got to a creamy consistency. Then I threw in some more for crunch–I’m a crunchy kind of girl!
More delicious bread from the Germany bakery.
My dad had also picked up a nutty, honey loaf. This bread is dense, slightly sweet, and just so tasty! One slice has macadamia nut butter with pumpkin butter (great combination take note), and the other slice has coconut oil + cinnamon. I haven’t had that combination on toast in such a long time! And I use to have it all of the time. In the glass I made a parfait of sorts with my favorite Greek yogurt combo lately but this time with apricots and blueberries. And who can forget the baby mango!
Then my sweet tooth politely reminded me that I really confectioner's sugar with coconut oil and cinnamon.
I was bursting at the seams with stuff I wanted to talk about, so I called my girl!
A lot can happen in a few days, and we hadn’t seen each other since Friday so that means we had to catch up on our thoughts on the World Cup. Our plan is to save up money to go see the next World Cup in Brasil. We already came up with a plan and I’m going to start learning Brazilian Portuguese seriously after I graduate in a year. We are also hoping that our easiest plan will work: date a soccer player. Oh, I have some in mind!!!
Kick that ball!
After a few hours of talking and making our appearance in our swim-suits and cover-ups, we headed back to my place for some popcorn and Sex and the City. Funny story. As soon as I got home and got out of my car, my over-up fell down to the ground. Imagine if that happened when I was getting up from my seat at Starbucks…
The next morning I remembered that I had something chilling in the fridge...
My friend also made key-lime pie out of scratch! I love that I’ve been able to feature some culinary delights by some of my favorite people in the world. Anyway, she said she was inspired by me and attempted to bake this dessert. I was so proud of her and seriously touched. She admits that she barely goes into the kitchen, so cooking or baking is a big step for her. She wanted my approval, and oh my goodness was it given! Key-lime pie is my dad’s favorite so she packed an extra slice for him. Uh oh! I hope he’s not reading this post because that would mean that I just spoiled his surprise for when he gets back from his business trip.
Dessert was followed by breakfast!
I made a bowl of oats that had some comforting things like apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and peanut butter. Of course, this bowl was enjoyed chilled! My mom has the week off so we dropped Matilda off at the groomers and ran some errands. We came home just in time to answer to our grumbling tummies.
Hey! It's me with my brötchen!
Step 1: cut your brötchen in half.
The assembly "line"
Step 2: get your fillings.
Alles auf Deutsch!
Step 3: assemble!
What a colorful meal!
I am very ready to eat my sandwich.
The winning combination: sun-dried tomatoes, muenster käse, fresh basil, avocado, yellow onion, and some freshly ground black pepper.
And try to remember to leave at least one brötchen in the basket. I’ll leave one for you, Neela!
And I can't leave out my vibrant salad--I haven't had kale in ages!
After our lunch, the princess was ready to be picked up from the groomers.
Everyone knows her at the store and she gets extra treats just for being so cute!
Cutie patootie with her updated summer-do
Hi evewybody!
These puppy paws are waving good-bye till the next post!
I just got an idea! Going back to the delicious key-line pie my friend made… what if me and her have a weekly dessert night. Then we alternate who makes the goodies every week. What traditions do you have with your friends?
Wow, March definitely crept up on us… actually this whole year seems to be flying by so far. This just means spring is making its way here sooner! My weekend was spent re-working my sculpture, writing essays and proposals, and squeezing in some much needed hang out time. Also this weekend, some of my friends were playing at a Haiti Benefit house show–DIY style! My Monday actually started out on a strange note; when I awoke I was greeted to the sight of swollen face… well the right side anyhow. Since I wanted to get that checked out by a doctor right away I had to miss my make-up critique, but I’m not stressing out about it. Health comes before school!
Nom nom--cheers to that!
Betty Lou’s Apricot Fruit Bar Pie = deliciously sweet and tangy, especially crumbled over yogurt, caramelized banana slices, and Sunland’s caramel peanut butter. I love how crumbling the bar makes it really resemble a pie of sorts. That morning’s breakfast’s ”placemat” was an old magazine I was flipping through. While browsing, I stumbled across an interesting article that stressed the importance of eating throughout the day to keep energy levels up. I think most of food bloggers are into the habit of eating every few hours, but it seems that most people don’t. Lots of times I overhear people say that they haven’t eaten all day or since breakfast, and I wonder if they’re totally exaggerating or if they’re zombies. My body’s hunger cues chime in like clockwork, or sometimes even earlier. Lately, I find that my body is requiring even more than before. Am I turning into a boy? Hehe! Anyway, if my belly calls for something earlier than usual than I’ll have a snack to hold me over, and the hunger usually comes back around my usual mealtimes anyway. Works like a charm!
Actually, this brings me to a question I have for all of you: What are some savory snack ideas, and what are some of your favorite filling snacks?
Some dried fruits I've been enjoying: mangos, cranberries, and figs!
Now that my schedule has gotten even busier, more on-the-go meals have been had.
Usually, I don’t care for leftovers, but now they are a blessing. I get to enjoy home-cooked food on the go! I packed a bunch of steamed kale, sweet potato with cinnamon, a cute little jar filled with coconut butter for the potato, and the butternut squash casserole. I also packed a Cranberry Apple Boomi Bar (reminded me of how delicious autumn tastes). I actually got in trouble for eating in class; is it my fault I came prepared? Just kidding! Anywho, this new class is during one of my usual mealtimes and I don’t like to wait to the point where I’m starving. My hunger escalates pretty quickly so I’m hoping I won’t get in trouble for bringing a more snacky-looking meal. I’m thinking Greek yogurt, a dense bar, and some fruit/veggies. It presents to be an issue on Tuesdays because I literally have a class right after. I’m open to any ideas you all have!
MORE PIE!
This time around I tried the Betty Lou’s Blueberry Fruit Bar. I had this with yogurt, banana slices, and warmed up cashew butter. Holy yum! Now I’ve officially tried all their fruit bar flavors, and I must say that I was truly pleased with every single one of them. I don’t know how they managed to make them gluten-free and taste like a yummy slice of pie, but they did. If you look into their products you will see how many allergies they take into consideration; they take people into consideration. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with one of Betty Lou’s sons and I can tell he has a genuine passion for life, family, health, and people; and yes, Betty Lou is a real person and also seems to have a zest for life from what I’ve heard. Companies like this are hard to find, but when I do, I definitely stand behind them!
My new cheese mistress, Fontina, makes her debut.
And she went all out! Dare I say, I think this may be the best pizza I’ve ever had. The thick crust the focaccia gave it reminded me of Sicilian pizza–so good!
Melted over the last of my homemade focaccia, tomato sauce, tomato slices, caramelized onions and butternut squash, and cracked pepper.
I've been putting my hemp protein powder to good use!
I decided to try a recipe that was actually written on the bag: berries, banana (I opted for the fruits to be frozen), milk (whichever you prefer), and the hemp protein powder of course. I’ve already repeated this recipe, and feel free to change up the fruits if you wish (but I suggest keeping the banana). Anyone have any hemp protein powder recipes they’d like to share?
While browsing through Ayurvedic recipes I stumbled upon this little charm...
Date + ginger powder + almond. I’ve also tried this combo with cashew butter, and I highly suggest you try it! When I was reading on Ayurveda, I stumbled upon a very interesting article that I thought was worth sharing: “The Spirit of Cooking”. I agree with a lot of points Harish Johari brought up, and I was introduced to new information as well: “if it weren’t for spices, America might never have been discovered.”
I’ve got quite a few things to look forward to this month: the fashion show coming up on Saturday, my mom is flying into town on Friday. I’m also taking a road trip with one of my best friends down to Florida for spring break. Then at the end of the month I’m going to see Wicked! I hope March has been treating you all well so far!
Since it’s NEDA week I wanted to write about treating ourselves not just with respect, but with love and kindness. Honoring yourself. Harboring negative energy towards others, and especially yourself, is a waste of time. Life is too fleeting to dwell on things. So what does giving myself the royal treatment mean to me? Living life beautifully and to the fullest. Accepting the good and the bad without getting my head wrapped tightly around the latter. Just being. Being who I am and not feeling shame. Never contain your spirit–just let it be free! Moreover, I love to surround myself with things that make me happy: friends and family, the arts… creativity, imaginations, comforting smells, spirituality, and delicious food. The list could go on, but I don’t think we’ve got all day. But here’s how I started my Wednesday!
Crumbled goodness
That particular morning I decided to try Betty Lou’s Apple Cinnamon Fruit Bar… let me just call it an apple pie because that’s what it tasted like!!! Note: All of their fruit bars are “gluten-free / low-fat / vegan / wheat-free / soy-free / corn-free / dairy-free.” You can definitely have these fruits bars alone but I had it with yogurt, a diced apple, and Sunland’s caramel peanut butter. I also spread some coconut oil on the bar before I crumbled it because I’m Katharina and that’s what I do. “In conclusion”, this breakfast was superb! Can you tell that I’m enjoying working my way through the amazing Betty Lou’s sampler package? I really can’t thank them enough.
Then I got ready for Crit day 2.
Check out the pockets!
Acting like a diva is a sure way to wake anyone up!
My professor actually gave me an extension on my piece because he could tell that I hadn’t finished developing it. RELIEF! I was not looking forward to the critique because of that. But thank you all for your kind words on it!!! I will definitely keep you all updated on how the piece ends up transforming. I’m also working on a video right now, and my next sculpture piece.
Thank goodness for leftovers because I came home a very hungry girl after the crit.
I had the last of the Amy’s cheese & pesto pizza. However, this time I decided to throw on some cooked butternut squash. Adding my own twist to pre-packaged food is something I usually do, but I wanted to give the pizza itself a try first.
Tried some new granola bars!
Nancy, over at Granola Gourmet, kindly sent me a sampler package of two of their bars: brownie and spiced orange cranberry. These bars contain no sodium, no wheat, nor dairy. Moreover, they are also safe for diabetics since they have a low glycemic level, and they boast 391 mg of Omega 3′s per serving. So what’d I think?
Brownie: It was definitely rich and chocolatey! I was expecting it to be dry but it surprisingly was not. I also enjoyed the chewy and dense texture of this bar. I also advise drinking this with a delicious glass of milk.
Spiced Orange Cranberry: The orange flavor in this bar was very prominent. I felt it undermined the cranberry flavor and I couldn’t quite make out what was spiced about it. However, the moistness was very nice to bite into, and it didn’t crumble everywhere!
The recipe I was making called for grated nutmeg.
And water chestunuts.
I popped a few in my mouth while prepping. I just love how crunchy they are! Now, what the heck was I making?
Butternut Squash with Carmelized Onions, Chestnuts, and Sage Breadcrumbs
This was one of the recipes from the Veganomicon that popped out at me when I was browsing through it for the first time.
Digging in!
This snack tasted deliciously decadent.
The other day I also attempted to make April’s famous protein brownie batter. This is one chica I definitely trust when it comes to recipes. And it’s amazing because she comes up with so many of these! I used chocolate protein powder and banana peanut butter to make mine. This was so decadent and satisfying to eat. I think I’m going to try vanilla protein powder with cashew butter next.
Dinner is served.
I had the casserole, a chunk of focaccia, raw kale, and olive oil + balsamic vinegar + cracked pepper for dipping!
It was time for the delicious butternut squash casserole to get in my belly.
This recipe was delicious but next time I will follow their advice and serve it with some holiday cranberry sauce. A tinge of tangy-sweetness would definitely bring this to another level. I loved the textures in this! The crunchy water chestnuts, the soft butternut squash and cannellini beans, and the perfectly caramelized onion all topped off with an aromatic sage breadcrumb crust… yum!
Life is so much more enjoyable when you love your mind, body, and soul. So this is me wishing you a positive outlook on the beauty that you possess.
Let’s go back to Sunday morning. Easy like Sunday morning…
The goodness of coconut milk...
I made a bowl of oats with a diced pear, dates, cashews, cinnamon and coconut milk.
I love how much creamier the oatmeal gets.
I gave frozen pizza another chance.
Frozen pizza is one of those things I’m weary about. Usually I’ll end up trying one that tastes like crap. However, I’ve heard lots of great things about Amy’s pizzas. It almost seems like anything that comes out of Amy’s kitchen is a winner. Anyway, I tried the cheese & pesto on whole wheat crust, but what’d I think? I actually really liked it! I baked it so the crust was soft but not too chewy. When there’s pesto on pizza I don’t like to have a crunchy crust because I don’t think it lets the pesto shine and melt with everything.
It was actually warm and sunny on Sunday, so I was in the mood for something fruity.
Into the smoothie went: ice cubes, chocolate protein powder, and a medley of berries.
I've missed the vibrancy of fruits!
Then I got back to working on my sculpture.
I tediously made my own wire out of mesh-form, then made little sculptures out of that.
Funky dinner
I used the romaine as wraps for my lentils and rice. The lentils and rice may look bland, however, they are anything but! I cooked some sweet and sour lentils and amped up the ingredients to make it super flavorful. The thing that I love about cooking things like lentils is that I taste as I go. For the rice I threw in some green cardamom pods, cinnamon, coconut milk, and let it all cook together. With the addition of coconut oil when I served it, this dinner really hit the spot! I was very glad I made enough for the next day.
Then my room turned into the Blair Witch Project.
Critique days leave me no time to make breakfast--thank goodness for cereal!
I warmed up some almond milk with berries and coconut oil, polished off my box of Kashi GoLean Crunch, and threw in some almonds. Quick, easy, and yummy!
My piece
I was having trouble thinking of a way to hold the wire sculptures I made. I couldn’t figure out a solution to carry out my first idea so I came up with this. Personally, I am now thinking that the birdcage is too literal for my taste. I’d say I’m more of an abstract and conceptual artist. But I am particularly happy with one of the wire sculptures I made.
Hi there!
These resemble York peppermint patties don't you think?
Well, except for the green filling–which comes from the spirulina. What was this exactly? Betty Lou’s vegan Organic North Shore Patty! This surprisingly didn’t taste “off” despite the funky color. I really enjoyed the moistness of the filling and how it was all covered in chocolate. Not really sure where the name comes from but I’m curious enough to find out!
Another fruit bar!
This was the Jumbo Cherry Fruit Bar. I really don’t think Betty Lou’s can go wrong with their fruit bars. You can smell the flavor as soon as you open the wrapper. Moreover, these are also vegan and gluten-free, but you wouldn’t even notice. They remind me of fruit pies! Yes, I couldn’t place my finger on it, but that’s it–a delicious fruit pie.
I also picked up a new cheese!
As a cheese lover I like to pick out a new one and see what delicious recipes I can make with it. Last cheese I got was manchego, and now its time for a new love affair. Meet Fontina.
On-the-go
That describes my week so far! Thank goodness for leftovers and sandwiches. This was the last of my favorite sandwich bread with Sunland’s dark chocolate peanut butter and raspberry preserves. In the actual sandwich container is some kale–still digging it! So far this week I’ve had a critique (and we’re finishing it up today), first rehearsal for the fashion show (!!!), first Video II class, taking care of delayed errands and Matilda’s medical needs, plus the usual business of the week. What do you guys do when you feel like you’re swimming in a sea of a seemingly endless to-do list?
p.s. to all of you who commented on cooking Indian food at home, you must try it! Indian cuisine is my favorite and I love to recreate some of my favorite dishes I see at restaurants. Actually I’m going to link back to a post where I put my own twist on one of my all-time favorite Indian dishes, Paneer Pasanda in a creamy mango sauce. Check it out!
