Tag Archives: newman’s own organic

The Savory and the Sweet

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Thank you all for your two cents on my last post. So many of your inputs were so helpful and encouraging. Really, I think my confidence levels have gone up a lot since I started this blog. I just get a really awesome sense of community and genuine care in the blog-o-sphere. There are a lot of times where I imagine a giant meet-up would ensue and the world wouldn’t even know what hit it. Wabam! Anyway, I have to catch you all up on something that’s totally slipped my mind–chocolate! How did chocolate slip my mind? Maybe because it’s in my belly.

Chai Tea Milk Chocolate

Oh yes, this indeed satisfied my sweet tooth. You could taste the various spices in this creamy chocolate bar. I actually let this melt in my mouth and just let the flavors unravel.

The much anticipated Bread & Chocolate dark chocolate!

I was so eager to try this one out since it sounded so interesting and very different from the other flavors. However, I think I built my expectations up a little too high. This wasn’t bad tasting, just sort of a letdown. It was a bit too acidic for my taste but I did appreciate the texture of the bread in the chocolate. Out of all the Theo 3400 Phinney flavors I tried the Hazelnut Crunch milk chocolate was by far my favorite. The saltiness from the toffee, crunchiness from the nuts, and the sweetness from everything else all embedded in a delicious milky chocolate, just spells out amazing!

Now the last of the Newman's Own chocolates!

I finally can say that I have tried everything that the more than generous folks over at Newman’s Own sent me awhile ago. Yes indeed. Let’s start out with the Espresso dark chocolate. Honestly, this bar was not for me. It didn’t really melt in my mouth and I was expecting there to be more of an espresso taste. The flavor did hit me… eventually, it was more like the aftertaste. Now on to the Mocha milk chocolate… that one was so yummy! It really did taste like a mocha but in chocolate bar form, which means it melts in your mouth! Yum! I think my favorite ones from the chocolates are the Mocha milk chocolate and the Orange dark chocolate.

The other day I used up the last of the bag of Udi's Au Naturel granola.

I had it with yogurt, diced apple, and cinnamon sprinkled on top. On the side I had one of my favorite combos: apple + peanut butter!

A Golden Smacker

This Betty Lou’s snack is appropriately named–the taste was golden! What is a Golden Smacker exactly? It’s a patty with peanut butter covered in dark chocolate. Now where can you go wrong with that? I absolutely loved the texture of the filling and I even spotted some raisins as well. This was so delicious and satisfying to munch on. I really savored this because it was just too good to just gobble up–even though that would be easy too! More please! Betty Lou’s also has a milk chocolate flavor if that’s more your taste.

I love lentils!

I cooked these lentils using my mom’s secret recipe and adding some twists of my own–bay leaves, coconut oil, sauteed onions and garlic. However, the rest will remain a secret mwahaha! Anyway, I cooked some rice with cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods to go along with the lentils. This hit the spot! Out of all the lentils, red is my favorite by far. And  I had plenty of leftovers; perfect for a busy week. To go along with the rice and lentil combo, I steamed a buttload of kale and had some dates + ginger + cashew butter.

I bought this jar of sweet mango pickle on sale for 99 cents awhile ago, but have yet to find something to serve it with.

With the lentils? Nay. Any ideas?

Dinner on-the-go I tried something else from Amy's kitchen!

I think it’s safe to say that whoever was around me in this class was jealous because it smelled really good, and it tasted even better! Not to mention, burritos are so convenient and not messy… unless you order a mondo one at Chipotle! Luckily, in this class I do not get in trouble for eating. Sidenote: later on in this post you’ll see my solution to packing something for the class I got in trouble in.

After running some errands with my dad (yay he's in town), I came home hungry but I didn't know what to have.

Then it occured to me that there is no wrong time to have a sweet potato. Plus, I just replenished my supply and this was the last one in the old bag. I just microwaved it and topped it with coconut butter, cinnamon, and I smeared a bit of Sunland’s banana peanut butter to be a taste-tester. Do any of you do this? Some times I’ll have something with half of it topped with one preserve and the other half with another flavor–this usually happens when I can’t decide or I’m just feeling curious. Oh, and for the record, the banana peanut butter with the sweet potato was awesome!

Inspired by chocolate-covered strawberries!

I know one chica that would love the sound of this! I cooked my oats in the rest of my almond milk and coconut oil. Then I topped this creamy bowl of goodness with April’s protein brownie batter recipe and threw in some beautiful strawberries. This all mixed together was so good. The other night I also tried a different variation of the protein batter recipe by using vanilla protein powder + cashew butter. I don’t think you can make a bad decision when it comes to this recipe. It’s so simple yet so delicious!

Leftovers + Whole Foods hot bar goodies!

When I was running errands with my dad the night before I spotted a dish that I’ve only seen and tried once at Whole Foods. I loved it when I tried it and I always checked to see if they had it. But that night, they finally did! It’s a spicy eggplant and tomato dish + I wanted to try the tofu korma. My dad brought up a lot of avocados from Florida = an avocado a day for me yay! I love avocados but they’re so expensive up here that I don’t buy them often unless I see them on sale. However, in Florida they are incredibly cheap–we’re talking 30 cents each at some places!

The tofu korma was the bomb diggity! It had me craving basmati rice and naan + some other delicious Indian food!

Savory snack time!

I topped a Seedlander Dr. Kracker cracker with cottage cheese, kale, avocado, s & p. This was simple, fresh, and I recommend it! I picked up some cottage cheese at the store the other day, and I’m glad I did. I’ve forgotten how practical and tasty it can be. By the way, if you haven’t tried Dr. Kracker’s crackers then you are missing out! These are so flavorful even on their own. They are a bit pricey, but I found them on sale at TJ Maxx so I figured “what the hey!”

Now presenting the solution to my no-eating-in-class problemo!

Obviously, I did not follow that rule. It did, however, inspire some sneakiness and turned into “Operation This Isn’t a Meal It’s a ‘Snack’”. I also forgot to mention that while running errands with my dad, Whole Foods had a 33.5 oz tub of Greek yogurt that was promptly put in my basket! So yes, as of late I have been relishing in that tub of Greek goodness. I also bought a set of tupperware with a twist on lid to ensure no spills! When it’s on, this girl knows just what to do! So I filled the container with Greek yogurt, diced apple, and cinnamon. Then I brought this amazing bar to crumble into, what would evolve into a delicious yog-mess. I wish I could’ve snapped a picture of this bar! You could see the ingredients, and I even spied some dried apples! I was actually worried upon opening the wrapper that the aroma would waft on over to my professor and that he would catch me red-handed. Mouth full I would say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Anyway, back to the bar. This is a very different product from all the Betty Lou’s reviews I’ve done so far. I think the packaging itself goes along with the fun and light-hearted attitude the company seems to have. And the flavor? It has everything a chewy granola bar should have! Oats, maple, cinnamon, fruits, nuts, and seeds! Now I know why it’s called a Harmony Bar! FYI: “Operation This Isn’t a Meal It’s a ‘Snack’” was a success!

Okay, so I fear this post has a lot of words and pictures and I don’t want to overwhelm anybody. Although I do have so much more to share! But no worries, there’s always a next post. Also, I have really taken your advice on making a to-do list to heart. It has made managing my time so much easier and tasks just seem less daunting. It also helps that I’m checking some things off steadily. Many weights being lifted off my shoulders = easier to breathe. That reminds me! We are over that mid-week hill and now we’re just rolling down to Friday! Actually before I end this post I’m going to sneak in one more picture because I can’t contain my excitement.

From the fashion show rehearsal!

I brought my camera this time and I still almost forgot to take a picture. I cannot express how excited I am for this! It’s on Saturday–so close!!! We got our choreography down, did a lot of run throughs, scheduled our hair and makeup appointments, and overall just had fun.

p.s. my next post I’ll be sharing my re-worked sculpture!

p.s.s. my dear friend, Katie Anne, suggested I make a cheese post and I think that’s a really great idea! So I’ll be working on that. Does anyone else have any themed post ideas they’d like to see me write?

Let’s Make a Toast

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

Something to savor

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

Peach Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream Icing

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

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

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

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

Some new things to try!

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

Lazy night

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

Perfect drink to have before you drift off to sleep.

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

I tried a new flavor!

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

This flavor was really yummy!

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

Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers

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

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

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

What a delicious landscape - where have we landed?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What I Get Out of Cooking

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

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

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

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

Nighttime = snacktime

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

My breakfast is smiling at you!

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

Top with banana slices, naturally!

Cookbook review!

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

The first recipe I tried from the book...

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

Vietnamese-style tofu hero and Asian slaw

It's time for your close-up!

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

Next up...

I got some sweet basil from our backyard.

We also have Thai basil!

Heirloom tomatoes are so beautiful.

They remind me of watercolors.

Voila!

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

A great and colorful dinner in my book!

Later on I made a smoothie.

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

I'm becoming a granola girl!

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

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

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

Go baby go!

"DESIRE"

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

These neon lights were funny!

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

Suspended and cast in bronze playing frisbee!

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

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

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

These would be my siblings!

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

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

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

Peanut butter + Apples

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

Matilda even approves!

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

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

Second chance!

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

Yum!

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

Also served some papaya, avocado, and methi paratha.

We finally bought a Christmas tree the other day!

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

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

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

I love the ambiance of south Florida!

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

You could see the stars

The pier

Part of the boardwalk

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

This morning I had oats in a jar!

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

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

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

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

Parsnip and carrot puree with spices and coconut oil

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

Dessert!

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

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

An installation

Close-up of the figures

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

Swarovski deer!

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

- Elizabeth J. Canham

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

Ketchup

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I have quite a few things to catch you all up on!

First off,

Matilda, my mother, and I sleeping together in my twin-size bed

Our breakfast for her last day in town.

What was served? I made oatmeal with cinnamon and a bruleed banana + shredded coconut for my mom. She also wanted some of the bread we had gotten from the brasserie with sunflower seed butter. I opted for an end piece with marmalade and butter. I also tried a Heart Thrive. This time it was the raisin flavor and it was so good! It was delicious alone and crumbled over vanilla Greek yogurt + persimmon + cashew butter. We both had cups of warm pumpkin spice soymilk with pumpkin spice! We just dilly-dallied around the apartment and took Matilda on a walk.

Mom's breakfast

And mine

Then lunch time rolled around…

Gluten-free pizza crust with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, portobello, and goat cheese.

After we got ready, we were off to the studio!

Wishing I didn't have to spend my last day with my mom at the studio.

But before I dropped her off at the airport we were able to meet up with one my bests for some coffee.

Beautiful smiles all around!

All three of us

Being silly

I was sad when I dropped my mom off at the airport but luckily I’ll be flying down to Florida tomorrow till Sunday!

Lazy Sundays

I had a Rudi’s Organic English Muffin – these are so good! One half with cashew butter and the other half with Creme of Almonds and Dates spread. I also had vanilla Greek yogurt with marmalade and some slices of bananas. I also saved some banana slices for my English Muffin. My sweet tooth was calling my name that morning and I had a Marzipan candy and I tried a Newman’s Own Organic dark chocolate peppermint cup. This one was so good! I did some things around the apartment and spent most of my day painting.

More pizza!

Yummy dinner

I had some of the baguette from the brasserie with basil pesto, and a mock tuna made with soybeans. I also had a sliced up a carrot and look at that beautiful persimmon! I’m glad I decided to cut it that way.

I tried someone's favorite nighttime snack.

Well not just someone, but I tried Jessica’s favorite! Warmed up applesauce with cinnamon, melted chocolate chips, a crumbled graham cracker, and since I didn’t have almond butter I just used cashew. Girl, now I know why this snack is at the top of your list.

Spreading the love on Monday.

What a great way to start a Monday – with heart-shaped goodies! I tried the date Heart Thrive that morning. The date flavor wasn’t as intense as some of the other flavors I’ve tried. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed off. I had it over vanilla Greek yogurt, a sliced banana, and cashew butter. Mixed in with everything else it was good, but alone I didn’t really like it.

Baguette action

This sandwich was composed of: a beer-brat Tofurky sausage, homemade tomato sauce, red onions, and relish. Yum! I love using a baguette as the bread for a sandwich.

I obviously couldn't get enough!

So later on I snacked on some more with a baked apple + cinnamon, goat cheese, and honey!

I also got an incredibly sweet package in the mail!

From one of the sweetest girls around, Mitri! Her package warmed my heart and kept a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

Little delicious treats and wonders tucked inside.

Thank you so much! Don’t you love acts of kindness? Especially through snailmail! Since Tuesday was around the corner, I spent most of my day kicking major booty in the studio. Tuesday = my final critique of the semester!

Breakfast on-the-go

This is why bars are perfect sometimes! I tried the last 18 rabbits granola bar – Haute Diggity Date. This was incredibly delicious and is right up there with the first one I tried. The one that made me think, “this is what a granola bar is suppose to taste like.” Thank you for sending me these bars to review! I am so glad that I did because I will definitely find myself getting these in the future.

So now I will share with you what my piece for this semester’s final critique looked like. Now keep in mind that being there in person is an entirely different experience – as is with most art. I also had a Nag Champa incense burning which definitely added to the piece itself. I had originally wanted to set it up in various open fields and document my interaction in the space. Then I realized how little time I had, and I was debating doing a performance piece with it instead. However, nothing specific came to mind and I never force myself into anything when it comes to my art. So I just let it be, but I will set it up outside and film that in my leisure time.

Balancing on itself

Mitri’s beautiful box of goodies found its way into my piece! Can you spy it?

Watercolors on fabric + burlap

Interesting angle the stripped branches made.

The whole experience was meditative for me, and the environment I built is meditative as well. What a great place to relax…

Where do you all like to go to relax?

p.s. check out Katie’s amazing giveaway!

It’s a State of Mind

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It’s been far too long since my vivacious mother has graced the pages of my blog! When I think of my mom I think of what someone who has a passion for life. She has this youthfulness about her and I believe it can be a state of mind. How you carry and perceive yourself really reflects a lot on how people see you. This brings me to my number one fashion tip: wear it with confidence! When you’ve finally decided what outfit you want to wear, or if you just threw something on, don’t forget to walk out your door with a good amount of self-esteem and work it!

First off I started my Thanksgiving day with some homemade granola!

I used the soybean pulp, coconut oil, honey, shredded coconut, vanilla extract

I used the soybean pulp, coconut oil, honey, shredded coconut, and vanilla extract

Granola + vanilla Greek yogurt/pumpkin puree + raisins

After straightening the apartment up and running some errands, I picked up my mother at the airport and gave her a tour of the place. It didn’t take too long though since it’s quite small. She came bearing gifts from her recent trip to Germany!

German goodies!

Neela definitely understands that Germans have mastered the art of baking bread and Kuchen! Oh and making chocolate too!

Choco Gummibaerchen

Then we started cooking up a storm for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Mom also helped!

Then we set my coffee table and sat on pillows.

Looking cute!

Shall we eat?

This was on the menu:

First time trying Swiss chard!

Swiss chard with toasted pine nuts and raisins

Indian-spiced Kabocha mash

Stollen my mom brought back from her trip to Germany

Sage and pumpkin seed encrusted "chick'n" with cranberry cabernet sauce

I used Gardein scallopinis for the “chick’n”. I also baked some maple cornbread and mushroom gravy.

All together and what have you got?

Afterwards we went on a walk with Matilda.

Then we watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I had never seen that movie, and now I see why so many people love it!

Next morning, mom and daughter breakfast

My mom had some of the gourmet cashew toffee Holly sent me, a Fig Newman, banana, toast with sunflower seed butter (her first time trying it), and an arepa con choclo. Her and I actually split the delicious arepa. For myself I tried the chocolate Heart Thrive over some vanilla Greek yogurt, cashew butter, some Newman’s Own Organic dark chocolate, and a sliced banana. I think the Heart Thrives are getting better and better with each new flavor I try. I heated this one up and I loved the melted chocolate. This one in particular tastes like a cookie. Can you guess which kind? Then we got ready for some shopping!

Dressing room photoshoots - commence!

I tried on this incredible black dress!

So awesome!

Since I’m going to Art Basel this coming weekend, I need to come up with an extravagant outfit!

I'm thinking something along the lines of what I wore to my "End of the World" party.

Also tried on an incredible top.

A dress like in Breakfast at Tiffany's!

My mom likes playing with my camera!

Matilda went shopping with us too!

We were being goofy in the store!

On to the next store – my favorite!

Of course Anthropologie has adorable ceramic egg trays! (far right)

Now it's Mom's turn to model!

I think she wanted to go to the dog bakery!

She makes me smile

Now both of us!

Awesome overalls!

A shame they were too small.

A gypsy shawl!

Then we went to Sur la Table

The cooking class that day was entirely based around chocolate. Katie, I thought of you!

Minus my feet being cut-off, my mom took a cool picture!

We were done shopping and decided to head home for some lunch. Well the day before my mom flew in I had decided to bake something for us.

The ingredients!

I used French Meadow Bakery’s gluten-free pizza crust! Pizza 1: basil pesto pizza sauce, goat cheese, caramelized onions (in brown sugar), portobello, roasted eggplant. Pizza 2: basil pesto pizza sauce, goat cheese, caramelized onions (in brown sugar), portobello, roasted red pepper and artichokes.

The pizza I made!

Pizza No. 1

I must say that I was surprised at how normal the crust tasted. In fact, it didn’t occur to me till later that, “Oh yeah! This is gluten-free crust. Wow!” After lunch we were headed out again and I had forgotten something so I went back. Then I realized I had locked us out of the apartment and my roommate was out of town. Oops! Thank goodness through some guardian angels were watching out for me and my neighbors walked into the building at the right moment. They had a way of getting me into my apartment. Imagine poor Matilda waiting for us!

Dinnertime!

We each had Sunshine Burgers topped with diced tomato, seasoned avocado, and ketchup. I also sauteed some kale in balsamic vinegar and honey + grated parmesan. Lastly, we split a beautiful persimmon! I asked my mom what she thought of the Sunshine Burger. Her response: “DELICIOUS!” After dinner we got ready to go to the movies.

And I packed some movie snacks for us.

We went to go see Julie & Julia.

The movie made me smile so much because I totally feel the same way!

The movie theater itself is so beautiful!

After the movie we wanted to go get some drinks.

We went to this French brasserie called Can Can

My friend was working so she took some pictures of me and my mom.

They brought out the bread - They ended up giving us a free baguette and another loaf!

A toast to us!

With a blackberry Bellini for me and an Indian Summer for my mom.

We also ordered a dessert.

A sweet potato tart with cranberry ice cream and a ginger creme anglaise.

A sweet potato tart with ginger creme anglaise and cranberry ice cream.

After a couple of hours of talking we headed home and laid our little heads to rest.

You are all so sweet and I’m incredibly thankful for each and every single one of you. I can’t remember exactly what sparked me to start a blog, but whatever that reason is – it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it brought me here, with a bunch of wonderful friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying all the delicious leftovers. Cooking shouldn’t be a problem for the next few days!

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance

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23

- Oscar Wilde

Ladies and gentlemen step right up! Wait a minute. This isn’t a circus! But you are more than welcome to come and read.

Hmm… where did we leave off? A-ha! After my breakfast fit for a king princess I got ready to venture over to the Farmer’s Market. I packed Matilda some treats since it was going to be a long walk.

I wore a skirt I found at a vintage punk store in St. Marks.

And some red shoes for a POP of color.

Then we were off!

Looking for the goods.

I had a couple things I was looking for: kale, persimmons, and winter squashes. They only had kale so I whipped out a quarter and paid. It was funny because the lady just held the bag in her hand and she mentally weighed it. Then I just went browsing around the other booths. On Sundays the Farmer’s Market has mostly artisan and vintage items.

I love those shopping bags that say "Thank You" all over them. Thank you thank you thank you!

On the way home I decided to walk a different way and I saw some pretty neat things.

There were plants in each segment.

A sushi restaurant - I think they're trying to be a best-kept secret.

My little nugget.

Pumpkin kale soup + toast + cashew toffee

I mixed in some coconut oil and my leftover sweet & sour lentils in the soup to make it heartier. On the toast is the delicious medley jam Holly sent me, and I had some plain slices with butter. Sometimes I just want simplicity. Maybe I’m coo-coo but often times I’ll eat things plain because I don’t want to forget what it tastes like. I feel like if I forgot what something essentially tasted like then that would interfere with my knack for thinking of flavor combinations. Anyway, I also munched on the cashew toffee, and I realized that it’s read “Christine’s” and not “Christmas” (what I previously thought).

Afterwards lunch I felt like shopping. I got something so I can be a Russian snow-bunny. I got a lot of painting done as well, and went to the grocery store to get some more things.

Faux fur can be chic too!

Lazy Sundays call for lazy dinners.

I roasted some kabocha (finally found one again) and carrot slices. I put coconut oil on half of the kabocha chunks and sunflower seed butter on the other half, but I drizzled all of them with maple syrup. The roasted carrot slices were delicious and I just put sea salt on them! I also baked a Barbeque Sunshine burger. I really enjoyed the distinct flavor this one had! I definitely tasted the smoke flavoring, and it’s really interesting to see the combination of ingredients they use to get that barbeque flavor. I topped it with my favorite BBQ-sauce.

Well, right now it’s a rainy Monday morning and I’m about to head off to finally get a rain jacket! I always say I will, then don’t and then it rains. But before I go I’ll leave you all with this morning’s breakfast.

Woke up to a little love.

I tried the Apple Heart Thrive this time around. I had it with vanilla Greek yogurt (ridiculous sale price=me stocking up), apple sauce + cinnamon, Newman’s Own Organic dried apples, and crunchy peanut butter. So far the one quip about these Heart Thrive bars is that they are drier than I prefer. There’s  nothing wrong with the flavor, just the dryness factor. Atleast I’ve got things like coconut oil and nut butters to moisten them. I also have to make a note about Newman’s Own Organic dried fruit. They are awesome! They’re not overly dry how some dried fruits can be. There’s still a chewiness and plumpness to them.

Okay so I hope you all have a wonderful beginning to a fabulous week! I know everyone must be excited about Thanksgiving break and getting to enjoy all the seasonal eats. My mom is flying into town on Thursday and I can’t wait for some mother + daughter + Matilda time! Not to mention, it really helps turn away any winter blues when I hang out with someone (my mom) that thinks I’m the coolest girl on this side of the galaxy. My mom is like a ray of energy and can make anyone feel special and cared about. She also loves herself and what’s not to love? It’s only natural that as her daughter she’s given me plenty of her infectious injections of self-love and acceptance.

What do you all have planned for Thanksgiving Day? Any recipes you’re trying out or recommend?