Reinvented

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Katharina

Hello everyone! In my last post I asked what you guys would like to see in my blog/would you be interested in seeing things from me beyond the realms of food. I used to cover more things on the blog, but somehow as life got busier I stopped frequently capturing life in front of me. I remember pausing at a detail in my outfit that I thought was beautiful and feeling the inclination to share. Or being down on the ground and looking up just to see what it looked like to see things from that perspective–and snapping a picture of it. I’m still curious in that sense, but don’t think to capture it as often. Sometimes I go back and forth between thinking: it’s silly to think those things are important enough to capture, it’s meaningful/meaningless, or why not just enjoy? C’est la vie. It’s true. For right now though, it’s important to me again.

: What would I like to be in focus?

The plants, the deteriorated posts, or the other side of the Hudson River?

Whenever I go to the market I like to walk around and find things I’ve never heard/seen of before.

: One day I stumbled across Siberian Kale.

Kale is a great winter vegetable, and the more it’s been kissed by a frost the sweeter it is.

Here are some more seasonal foods that I’ve prepared in the kitchen recently using recipes from a book I reviewed on here awhile ago, “Thrive Foods“ by Brendan Brazier.

: Mashed Kabocha Squash with Toasted Coconut

Toasting the coconut shreds is so key for this recipe. It’s an extremely delicious that you may have to approach with willpower as to not to eat the entire batch!

: Dandelion Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Lentil Dressing

Dandelion greens are not something I usually pick up, but that was what drew me to this recipe. It was a new way to try various flavors together, and well… it had me had sun-dried tomatoes as well. I also found myself pouring the lentil dressing on to other things.

Continue reading →

Super from Inside, Out

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Katharina

Hello there again everyone! Remember how I said I would be walking in Richmond’s Fashion Week? Well that took place the week before, and I thought I’d do a little recap of the shenanigans. So let’s jump right in, shall we?

So begin the long days...

Beauties all bundled up in the tent that was put up for the finale show.

Inspiration boards and look books made many appearances.

And so did some tasty meals throughout the week…

Spaghetti squash with roasted brussels and chickpeas.

I had stumbled upon this recipe on Susan’s blog awhile ago, and I thought it was a great way to use spaghetti squash. Susan makes an interesting point about this wondrous squash, “Spaghetti squash tastes like–surprise!–squash, and if you sit down to a plate of it expecting to bite into a forkful of angel hair, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re expecting lightly sweet squashy flavor in fun-to-eat strands of gold, you’ll love spaghetti squash in general and this recipe in particular.” Exactly why I wasn’t too crazy about this squash because I had only prepared it the same way I would eat pasta.

I took her suggestion and added some almonds.

This tasted so satisfying, and shed a new light on spaghetti squash. Two things actually in this dish that I’ve had to give a second chance to… brussels sprouts and now spaghetti squash.

Ive also been inspired by my roommate.

She cook a lot with coconut milk, and one day I had to exclaim how wonderful the kitchen smelled! She told me all she did was cook her vegetables in coconut milk with a bit of Bragg’s. So the next time I sautéed some kale and chickpeas, I added those other two simple ingredients and had myself a very tasty meal.

And I when I saw the words "cookies for dinner" I was immediately intrigued.

These Trail Mix Cookies were a bit of an adventure for me. I had never actually cooked with buckwheat groats or tried buckwheat anything for that matter. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can really change it up to your liking, and they’re gluten-free for those who have sensitivities. You can make whatever signature trail mix cookies you dream up! The texture of these is really nice too because it’s moist and has crunchy bits as well.

Cooking this reminded me of when my grandma in the kitchen.

There are certain things like butternut squash soups or boiling milk that remind me of her. Green lentils are another thing that bring me back there. I just cooked some lentils with basmati rice, onions, and garlic in water. Then added random seasonings and sea salt to taste. When everything was almost done cooking I added the diced carrots and green beans. One thing that I don’t like is an overcooked vegetable. I actually don’t even really mind if I find a strand of hair in my food. I just take it out and it’s not a big deal. I mean we have hair on our heads and sometimes one may fall out. Now that I got sidetracked on to the topic of hair, we should get back to the fashion week recap.

Hair!

And makeup!

Incredible makeup might I add.

It was also fun to dress up for events.

Little details

Everyone looked especially beautiful the night of the screening of the films for a contest they were holding.

A really special place.

Byrd Theatre was built in 1928 as one of the Nations’s Grand Movie Palaces, and every Saturday night the Mighty Wulitzer Organ gets played before the movie starts!

And look who flew up here to support her one and only!

Silly moments...

Mixed in with vogue ones as well.

Ah yes there was a lot of vogueing.

And pose!

I was so happy to see that my other lovely lady came to the finale!

And of course this lovely lady too! She played such a key role in putting this whole special week together.

At the end of the night of the finale I was ready to come home to my little munchkin.

And get my fresh face on...

Super fresh!

Luckily, this package came in the mail just in time.

What goodies awaited me?

I know many of you have heard the term “super foods” to describe some foods that have natural properties that work wonders for the body. Maybe some of you have also heard of the renowned Dr. Perricone. He recently launched a new skincare line called Super that’s geared towards prevention, and combines the principles of food + science. I know I have mentioned ayurveda on my blog frequently, and I full-heartedly believe that we can find incredible medicinal properties in food. Remember when I was eating very liver-friendly foods over the summer to help my skin? Well, Super takes the foods that are known to have properties that help the skin, and uses them to inspire these wonderful products. Not to mention, the packaging is so vibrant (and eco-friendly!)! Kind of like the food I make, don’t you think?

Yes, please.

The day after the finale show my eyes felt so heavy.

And suddenly they felt more awake!

The first cream I decided to try out was their Bright-Eyed cream, and my eyes felt so refreshed afterwards. Usually they feel puffy and dim in the morning, but now that I’ve been using this cream they really do feel bright. So I can greet people not just with a bright smile, but also with eyes just as bright!

Then I went out and sported the cute tote I was also sent.

Oh and that big green apple? Did you guys know the green apples actually help fight blemishes? “Quercetin is a fortifying flavonoid that helps prevent eruptions and helps calm red, irritated and sensitive skin.“ Since I have problems with my skin every once in awhile I thought I’d incorporate green apples into my diet.

So far so good!

Especially with hemp seeds toasted with sea salt.

You can find their products at Sephora, or one of their two flagship stores. Also, they will be going live with their site very soon so definitely keep an eye out for it, and I’ll be letting you guys know how the products are working for me. So far I feel like I’m nourishing my skin like never before without following a stressful regimen. Not to mention, they smell delicious, which is a very special treat for a food lover like me hehe. I’m just so excited to see the philosophy of food + science making its mark in the beauty world. Actually, I have a feeling that Super is going to be a part of a lot of people’s best beauty secrets. Secrets that, of course, you can share!

What nourishing foods have helped you with your outer-radiance?

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Posted on April 11, 2010 by Katharina

Yum

These were Dr. Kracker‘s Apple Crisps. Verdict? Awesome! These are probably my favorite flavor out of all of them. They have just enough sweetness from the caramelization of the brown sugar. Yes, you can really taste the dried apple! I tried them with cheese and…

Delicious with almond butter as well.

The other fruity cracker is the Cherry Semolina flavor. It was too tart for my liking, but once again, those are just my taste buds. My dad tried them and he really enjoyed the crackers. To each his own, right? Let me note though that all of these crackers are perfectly crispy. All the ingredients seem to be toasted, which just brings out the flavor a bit more.

Refreshing bowl of overnight oats with a twist!

I’ve seen Averie make overnight oats with protein powder and I wanted to give it a try myself. I soaked the oats with the protein powder, water, cinnamon, and NuNaturals vanilla stevia. In the morning I topped it with a sliced banana and a couple scoops of almond butter. After mashing and mixing the bananas and almond butter in, I was a very happy girl and so was my tummy. When it starts to get hotter I can’t stand warm bowls of oats. I start sweating like a mad man and I keep sweating for a good hour afterwards.

On another note…

Recently I did a performance piece to go along with the video and accessories I made.

Part 1

Part 2

Shout out to one of the sweetest hearts out there!

One evening I decided to make myself a banana hammock, inspired by Katie. One side had coconut butter and the other side was topped with granola. Then I put the two sides together and ate each bite with a scoop of almond butter. I also had a marzipan made by the company that makes them right, Niederegger! Since the weather is warming up, I think all of you should put on your shades and make yourself a yummy banana hammock.

I let the red lentils and rice cool down to avoid any sweating.

I made my usual lentil recipe with coconut oil, and I cooked up some brown basmati rice. I love the fragrance basmati rice gives off. Anywho, I mixed the lentils and rice with the salad ingredients. Delish! After that I headed out to check out the annual student art show put on at one of the gallery spaces at my school.

Performance piece done by some friends.

This was like a laboratory filled with art. They even had crazy sounds playing.

It was nice to see the work of some friends and peers. There are so many wonderful ideas floating around and I love to see them come to life!

I also met up with one of my favorite people!

He had a little gift for me! Delicious heart-shaped cookies with homemade icing. Actually, he wants to open up a pastry shop. He totally should because those cookies were amazing! I loved washing them down with a glass of creamy almond milk.

Pretending to be a shorty so he could fit in the picture with me!

: Lotta Apricota

Awhile ago I was contacted by Nature’s Path to review some of their new products. Have you checked out their granola bars? When I was looking through that flavors it was so hard to choose! All of them sound delicious. But I managed to cut it down to three:

Lotta Apricota: I loved the bits of dried apricot and almond pieces, and the overall chewiness of the bar. One thing that could be toned down is the sweetness. This granola bar was the sweetest because of the yogurt “icing”. It didn’t taste bad, just a bit too sweet for me since I tend to be sensitive to that.

Chococonut: Once again it was a bit too much on the sweet side, but the dark chocolate chips helped bring it down a bit. Maybe more dark chocolate chips will do the trick, hehehe! This bar had the same chewiness that I like from the previous bar. Oh and you all know how much I just love coconut, so this was my favorite!

Pumpkin-N-Spice: Okay, I hate to sound like a broken record but this was too sweet as well. Other than that though, this bar was yummy. However, this was a yummy treat, especially to have towards the end of the cold season.. comforting flavors: cinnamon, pumpkin, and raisins!

I think all of them don’t need all that sweetness because there was enough of the actual flavors… and they could stand up taller without the extra sweetness. A little positive sidenote:

“….All our bars now come in the EnviroBox, which is 36% smaller box than a standard 6.2 ounce box.”

I hope all of you are doing well. I’ve been wrapping the semester up and I’ve got some projects and good news that I’m looking forward too. I’ve also been loving just hanging out with my friends and my dad who was in town this past week. I can’t believe my visit with Liz was only a week ago though. I already miss her! What do you all have in store for the next week?

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!

When Your Alarm doesn’t Go Off

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Katharina

So I’m posting from my friend’s apartment in New York right now. I swear, I feel right at home! Her new place is absolutely adorable and she actually has a backyard in Brooklyn. Lucky Liz!

I took the bus yesterday and the five minutes before my bus departed were insane. My departure time was 7:30 am. Kim walked into my room in the morning and asked if that was the time the bus was leaving, then she told me that it was 7:25. WHAT?! I rolled out of bed, threw some clothes, grabbed my food I had ready the night before and bolted out the door. I didn’t even say bye to Matilda! We definitely pulled a Little Miss Sunshine to make it to the pick-up spot on time. We were a bit late, but I still made it. Then I realized my shirt was on backwards. Now if you ever feel sleepy, this is a sure way to wake you up! The bus didn’t have a sink so I had to go almost the whole day without washing my face, brushing my teeth… nothing. I arrived in Chinatown and walked around for a bit with my luggage and yoga mat. It felt like I was starting a new life. Then I picked up a cab and it was a pleasant ride over the bridge into Brooklyn. The driver and I were talking about how nice of a day it was. We had the windows down and at one of the stoplights, there was a park right next to us and some people were laughing it up, then James Brown came on their boombox – it really felt like summertime. I told the cab driver that we stopped at the right time and both started singing along “get on up!”

I probably won’t be posting here, but who knows. My friend has a job, so I do have plenty of alone time. I sense lots of adventures in the very near future.

Moreover, thanks for all the compliments on my new place! It’s funny how I just moved in, yet I’m already out of town. I tried to get as much done as I could before I left. I can’t wait to get back either though to start decorating the common space. I’d also like to thank Holly for asking me to write a guest post on her blog. I seriously love this gal and she’s such an amazing person! It was so much fun writing it and reading people’s responses. I’m glad you guys enjoyed reading it, and I know I enjoyed reading the others’ posts as well.

The night before I went to New York, Richmond was having another First Friday. So I went with my roommate, friends, and Matilda to see what was going on in the galleries. I also ordered my bus tickets and packed my things!

The show I was mentioned in a previous post called Skull-a-Day: 365 days of skull artwork.

Check out that crazy, carved pencil!

Not only is there talent in the galleries, but on the sidewalks as well.

All girl band!

Some old guy said the word "titties" as soon as he saw this hahaha!

Cutest gallery called Quirk.

Super intense showing full of prints.

My favorite print: Be Blatent, Be Emotional, Risk Everything.

Here are a few things I’ve been doing in the new kitchen:

Fresh strawberries are so delicious! Especially with cream cheese.

Cinnamon raisin toast with various toppings. Yogurt with sliced strawberries and pumpkin butter.

My favorite combo with the toast was the peanut butter with extra raisins!

Now here are some snackies since I munch throughout the day.

A refreshing bowl of raspberries and pumpkin butter over yogurt.

My friend gave me a freshly baked scone.

So before I went to bed I had it with tea, and topped it with pumpkin butter, homemade blueberry jam and some vanilla fro-yo. Some more baked goods from a local bakery:

Half-eaten slices of zucchini and challah bread.

I LOVE coconut milk!

Some yummy cashews.

I tried some “exotic cashews” by Kazana Whole Foods. The flavors were Sweet-n-Sour and Himalayan Secret. Both are so good! I love cashews, but these cashews had some flavorful oomph to them.

I also tried some new condiments.

There’s this brand called Terrapin Ridge that makes some incredible sauces. I highly recommend their Carrot, Ginger, and Miso Salad Squeeze. The other day at the store I saw a bottle of their Brewery Mustard on sale, so I got one to try. Definitely tasted the beer, but I definitely did not mind! The jar of peanut butter for dipping my giant carrot in.

I was able to use the stove in peace as well and made one of my favorite things to go on top of pasta – lentil bolognese! I follow that recipe, but I didn’t add in the celery and I replaced the marjoram with tarragon.

The tarragon gave it an incredible sweet aroma.

Yum!

Boxes make for great impromptu tables, and kale chips make even better sides!

Leftovers are way better! I also added some coconut oil this time and it was awesome.

Some decorating I got done before I left for New York.

So my butt is sore from sitting, and I need to get my day started. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and the upcoming week. Take care friends!

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!

Katharina's Food Adventures

Tag Archives: lentils