A Way To Start The Day

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Katharina

I reminded Matilda of how lovable she is…

"What else did you expect?"

This is true.. I should also note that Matilda is no ordinary dog. No, I have to lure her with treats to go out for walks, and she doesn’t settle for just any kind of food, toy, or other dog. She can also eat an entire bar of dark chocolate without repercussions. Lucky her, but I don’t want to go through the experience of the latter again.

And definitely not with this pot of chocolate.

When I came across Ashley’s recipe for ‘Chocolate Coconut Fudge Sauce‘, I went to the store to fetch some coconut milk to make it later that day. The coconut milk was incredibly thick, so I knew this was going to be a yummy, decadent affair.

Chocolate-dipped strawberry?

Yes, please. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this jar was nearly empty by the end of the morning.

Since it’s Friday and the weekend is beginning, I thought I’d share some breakfast ideas with you.

Katie’s ‘Deep-Dish Cookie Pie‘

It's very moist on the inside and crusty along the edges.

Some people like their cookies crunchy all the way through, but I like to have a little bit of both worlds. Something that will melt in my mouth, but with a crunch my teeth I have to bite through first.

Topped with goat's milk yogurt and berries, and a cup of green tea.

I'm going to tell you a little secret...

This cookie pie is mostly made with beans! Red bean cakes anyone?

Around the table for a more traditional breakfast

Continue reading →

Sharing the Sun with My Friends

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Katharina

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It’s been a little while since my last post, and a lot has happened in the world, hasn’t it? Before I jump into my post I just wanted to share some links with you all that help towards the relief efforts over in Japan. When the news kept unfolding during the first couple of days my mind couldn’t help but wonder how the people in Japan were handling the situation. I know that Eastern thought is very different from the western mentality. While some in the west may be frantic, I had a feeling that the people in Japan were trying to be calm and collected about the situation. I think they already have a sense that the world is much bigger than they are, and that catastrophic things in nature are a part of it. Well, that’s just my thinking. Here are some links though that you all may be interested in:

Charity Navigator

American Red Cross

Search Dog Foundation

Direct Relief International

Last week I was in Florida with two close friends of mine for spring break. Oh my goodness, I wish we could all go back, but life doesn’t always work out like that. Atleast we have memories and pictures to look back on though, right?

: We were ready to leave the cold weather behind.

: A good way to use up the last of some Greek yogurt.

: Pit stop for munchies.

: Pit stop to escape a major creep that was harassing us on the highway.

We finally made it home after a lot of scary incidents. By the time we got my parents house all we wanted to do was go to sleep.

: The next morning I woke up and I knew I wanted something refreshing.

: Chilled oatmeal, diced apple, Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, and honey.

: Papaya from our tree and an arepa de choclo from the local Colombian bakery

: Then I found this gem in the cupboards.

: My parents got honey from a local beekeeper.

This was one of the best honeys I’ve ever tasted. It was thick and had such a wonderful unique flavor. Whenever I get honey I try keep it local as it also helps with allergies. Later on we strolled along Mizner Park, an outdoor place for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

: We stopped by a heavenly store.

As soon as I saw the words “Spice & Tea Exchange” I knew we had to go in. After oh-ing and ah-ing at all the wonderful blends of herbs and spices we settled on some to take home with us: almond cookie tea, blood orange smoothie tea, berry white tea, and black truffle salt. All of these things smelled deliciously potent, and my imagination started to get carried away.

: After dinner we enjoyed some treats my step-dad brought back from the German bakery: cherry quark küchen and rhubarb quark küchen.

: The next day involved the beach!

: Packed some rye bread, homemade hummus, and some other goodies.

: For dinner I made a cous cous, bean, and vegetable salad.

Add some goat cheese for the final ‘pow’.

: Dinner was followed by spooky beauty treatments.

: That was also the night before Matilda would shrink down to three times this size.

Despite it being warm, I felt like making yellow split pea soup.

You can click over here for the recipe. It’s simple and delicious.

Especially when you've got buttered rye bread for dipping.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to hang out with some of my best friends.

They are the kind of people that are okay with sitting in silence, and don’t mind when I want to vent. Plus, they know how to have fun! Here’s a quote that sums up what I love about these ladies:

“Your friendships should be low maintenance. Life is stressful enough with work, relationships and family. You don’t need someone in your life that you dread contact with.“

-J. Harvey

Speaking of friends, I’d like to give a shout out to the beautiful, Jen! She used to write a food blog, and now she is back with a new blog! She’s also attending culinary school so it’ll be exciting to read about what she’s learning. Check it out here.

Oh and Matilda wanted me to show you guys her new look.

Stay tuned for the next recap!

p.s. my mother nominated me for a contest on Perricone’s site on Facebook, and I’d greatly appreciate it if you click this link and “like” my picture! But first you have to have “like” the Perricone MD page on Facebook. Thank you very much!

What a Breath of Fresh Air

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Katharina

Hello everyone! Let me tell you… last week was anything but ordinary! My mom came to visit me for a whole week, and my step-dad was in town on business as well. I know I’ve mentioned my stresses about being financially dependent on my parents on my blog before. Recently, I’ve been having to make conscious effort to stay away from bleak utilitarian ways. Whenever I’m around my mom I’m reminded that it’s nice to treat ourselves just because, so her visit couldn’t come at a better time.

My parents enjoyed the delicate candies I made.

Moms are wonderful at French braiding!

A loaf of freshly baked bread...

And this is what happens on the way home.

Chocolate!

And...

More chocolate!

What surprises are in here?

Mmm truffles.

Tiramisu, cookies and cream, blueberry cheesecake, dark chocolate sea salt caramel, and black forest cake.

A blast from the past.

And one of the best ideas I've come across: honeycomb covered in milk chocolate.

My mom got some filled chocolates to try too.

I love that she enjoys so many things about life.

And she has a taste for colorful food as well!

She's the queen of salmon.

More colors!

I made Aggie’s Last Minute Sesame Noodles for me and my parents to enjoy during the week. I loved the sesame oil in this dish! It felt special when I packed this for me and my mom in my little lunchbox, since she went to my classes with me while she visited. I also packed some for my step-dad to take with him to work. He was also in town on business that week. It’s quite a rarity that my parents are in Richmond at the same time, so I wanted to treat them as much as I could!

Since my mom was in town, she whisked me away to Trader Joe's.

I usually make my own hummus, but since my mom was in town I wanted her to try the Triple Layer Hummus. There are no Trader Joe’s stores in Florida so this was a little special something something.

And she brought something special up from Florida... papaya from our tree!

Simple, delicious, and convenient "mush"

This is Joy’s recipe for gluten-free chickpea and apple slaw. I accidentally processed it in the food processor for too long, but it still tasted delicious! Tangy and sweet, like what the recipe says, with dried cranberries and a Granny smith apple in the mix.

On a slice of "Seeduction" bread.

Oh my goodness this is the kind of bread that is so good that you could finish the whole loaf without putting anything on it.

My version of a bento box--Rotkohl (German recipe for red cabbage), leftover red lentil burger tipped with vegan mayo, avocado slices, and coconut milk basmati.

Random, yes. Delicious, yes. YES!

While my mom visited she also made her classic recipe and one of my favorite desserts: tiramisu.

Proud of her creation!

As she should be.

We were looking forward to having the girls over that night!

Beautiful ladies all around!

Dainty dishware was appropriate.

The best tiramisu my mom has made to date!

And a night isn't complete without dancing, or salsa in this case!

But wait, was there more fun to be had?

Précisement, mes ami!

We went out to dinner at one of my favorite hang out spots, Balliceaux.

It has the neatest decor.

To start off we ordered tandoori fried cauliflower with a chickpea salad and pickled cucumbers.

I want to learn how to make cauliflower taste this good! The chickpea salad and cucumbers added a refreshing touch to the crispy battered cauliflower.

I also ordered a cup of roasted pumpkin-mushroom and barley soup.

This tasted so much like a soup my grandma use to make when I was little!

I couldn't put my finger on which recipe I'll have to ask my grandma for.

Aromatic steamed salmon with black bean paste, scallion-celery stir fry with house made bacon, and fragrant jasmine rice for the sir.

I’ve never heard of cooking celery. Curious, eh?

Southern fried Twin Oaks tofu with red beans and collard greens for the queen.

Twin Oaks makes the best tofu EVER! And the way that they prepared it here was reminiscent of a typical southern dish with fried fish. I thought it was adorable that my mom, queen of salmon, decided to get this vegetarian dish. I may have done some influencing though because I also wanted to try this, but I had something else in mind for myself…

A hearts of romaine salad with a creamy hazelnut dressins and crunchy ZUCCHINI BREAD CROUTONS!

As soon as I saw the words “zucchini bread croutons” I knew that would be my choice. Oh my goodness. If salads could be desserts this would be it. I kept gushing about how wonderful of an idea it was to do this! It was so delicious that I sat there thinking of all of the wonderful breads I could make into croutons. The waitress exclaimed, “you can make them out of any bread!” And right she is. Next time you have a sweet bread in your home, I advise you make them into croutons. Actually, I urge you!

After dinner we met up with some wonderful people.

My mom got a taste of Ipanema's homemade soy ice cream and their vegan apricot almond blondie.

We had a feeling that the dessert made us extra hyper.

The past week was a memorable one indeed. It was so much fun having my mom go to my classes, and she got to see what her daughter does in art school. I’m sure a lot of parents would like to have that experience. She got a better understanding of what my life is like for most of the year. Looking back on her visit I see that she’s become a more flexible person, or maybe she just really likes being around me? I think it’s both!

p.s. I’ll be announcing the winners to my last two giveaways very soon, so keep an eye out for that! My apologies for keeping you all waiting.

It’s a Beautiful Morning

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Katharina

Wow so I can’t believe that it’s already mid-June and I’m catching you all up on what I’ve been up to since the end of May aka since I’ve been in Florida. Before soaking up the sun, my mornings have consisted of eats like these

Papaya from our very own backyard and something else local...

A mix from a local bakery that has actual bird seeds in it!

Hey Brittany, I’m eating bird food too! Okay so that was corny, but I couldn’t help it! Anyway, this mix has scraps of their bread, oats, sunflower seeds, bird seeds, and who knows what else! I’ve enjoyed it with cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, fresh fruits. And the above picture has cottage cheese with honey mixed in, a lot of cinnamon, and a nice big spoonful of the cashew-macadamia nut butter I made for my mom awhile ago.

Strawberries drizzled with coconut milk, dark chocolate hazelnut butter, and the last brownie crumbs!

And you can't go wrong with cinnamon, banana, peanut butter, honey, and the creamy addition of coconut milk!

I love my coconut milk.

You also can’t go wrong with cinnamon, pear, and hazelnuts.

Look at what I found in my parents' pantry!

This should look familiar to some of you. I was so eager to try them since I had never had them before. Actually, I had just the recipe in mind! I’ve always had my eye on Jessica’s chia-icing.

First attempt didn't go so well... I think it's because I used Kefir.

I also tried Irish steel-cut oats as well and I love the texture and nutiness!

It tasted good and I was excited about trying the chia seeds so the consistency didn't matter to me!

But I wasn’t going to give up either. I bought some Greek yogurt at the store and I attempted to make the chia-icing yet again.

And this time with peaches, cashew-macadamia butter, almonds, and amaretto syrup.

Much better!

Look at the treasure I found at the thrift store!

Everything in the store was 50% off that day so I got this whole set for $10–there’re four of each in the set.

This makes me want to have people over for a nice breakfast.

I looked this up online and found out that these are actually collector's items!

I also got this little tea cup.

Have you guys had any amazing finds recently?

And of course I made a special breakfast soon after getting the set!

I made crêpes stuffed with sweetened ricotta cottage cheese (only thing on hand) and cinnamon. I topped them with fresh strawberries, chocolate hazelnut butter, more cinnamon, and a drizzle of amaretto syrup. I think this is a true example of eating with the eyes first. Then my mouth got a taste and it was strange because I’d never heard fireworks go off in the morning.

Can you tell that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day? If my mornings have been starting out like this then you can imagine what I’ve been feasting on throughout the day. Let’s just say that I’ve been taking advantage of the kitchen, my mom’s cooking, and being so close to the tropics.

Two of the Sweetest Things in Life: Friends & Family

Posted on May 9, 2010 by Katharina

Why hello there! Let me start off by saying that I was touched by the responses I got on my last post. And I am glad that it was just what some of you needed to read. Never leave a friend hangin’!

In my review of Farm Rich’s product I mentioned how they were a bit pricey. Well it was brought to my attention that you can print out a coupon right over here!

Funky colors

Greek yogurt + granola + sliced banana + papaya + pumpkin seed butter + shredded coconut

My dad has been in town this week and he brought up a couple of papayas from their tree!

Speaking of my dad, we've had a few picnics over the week.

It’s been really nice to have him here and to just enjoy the nice weather. We would meet up at Capitol Hill, where we’ve had many picnics before, and just sit under a tree and hang out.

Here's an old picture of Capitol Hill

I packed him a hazelnut butter + creme of dates & almond sandwich

A pumpkin seed butter + creme of dates & almonds sandwich for moi!

I can get pretty cray-cray when I eat

And there's my little nugget, Matilda, cooling off in the shade by my bike

My dad also brought up turmeric fingers, and they stained my own!

I grated the turmeric into the spiced red lentils while they were cooking and it made such a noticeable difference!

I served the lentils with coconut oil (of course), basmati rice, and steamed broccoli spritzed with Bragg’s.

Later that day I met up with some of my ladies at Ipanema's sister restaurant, Garnett's.

It reminded me of a charming country kitchen.

We wanted dessert, but the baked goods that day didn't sound too appealing to us. We just talked and ordered coffee and tea instead.

Then we took a hop and a skip over to Ipanema in hopes of finding yummy desserts.

The great thing about these two places is that their dessert menu pretty much changes daily. They’ve got staples like brownies a la mode, but their pies, cakes, and other desserts are different each day. Not to mention they also have gluten-free and vegan options as well.

One friend got the maple creme brulee.

My other friend ordered the mixed berry pie a la mode.

And I got the vegan apricot almond bar a la mode.

All of these were so incredibly delicious and huge oh my gosh. Perfect! But was there ever any doubt? This place always impresses with its desserts. Later on we found out that they actually make their own soy ice cream as well! It was also nice to bump into a friend of mine who works in the kitchen. I always ask him for his recommendations.

My friends are so pretty!

After dessert we wanted de-stress from all the school and life responsibilities so we went dancing for a bit. Much needed! I love these ladies to death and I felt complete after hanging out with them.

I'm going to be honest I was a little hesitant to share these muffins with all of you because they look funny...

But they taste yummy and I wanted to use the last my hemp protein powder so I made these muffins following a basic muffin recipe. I also opted for coconut extract instead of vanilla, filled some with Cacao Bliss or pumpkin seed butter, and sprinkled on some coconut shreds and chocolate coconut sprinkles. These are perfect as part of a quick snack.

Say bye bye for now, Matilda.

Matilda is now in Florida staying with my family since I’ll be going to New York soon in a couple of weeks. I won’t be staying for too long, but unfortunately I can’t take her with me since I’ll be flying from New York to Florida. Three weeks without my baby!!! I need distractions. I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! And all the mommies in the world better be feelin’ the love!

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Katharina

Greetings everyone!

Tofu Ricotta and Blueberry Vinaigrette

Look at the blueberry flecks!

I simmered strawberries, blueberries, and sunflower seeds.

Okay okay so what was I making?

Wild Field Green Salad with Sun-Dried cranberries and Blueberries, Fresh Strawberries, Sunflower Seeds, Tofu Rifcotta, and a Warm Blueberry Vinaigrette

And look what I found in my greens!

This salad was absolutely delectable! My parents couldn’t stop giving it rave reviews and they kept asking questions about it. Gosh, every recipe I make from the cookbook I just fall in love anymore. This was actually a recipe from one of the many Guest Chef sections. Scot Jones was the mastermind behind this mouth-watering salad.

After dinner we started to decorate the Christmas tree.

Tada!

Then my friend came over and we got ready for a night out…

While listening to Jay-Z songs because he's the essence of south Florida.

Pit stops!

We went to the Blue Martini Lounge.

They actually had a DJ so you know what that means…

And the man behind me told me my trick was “to be exotic”!

Oh really???

Then the rest of the ladies arrived!

If there's music playing then you know I'm not sitting!

And it looks like someone had to end their night a little early.

After a night of dancing I still managed to wake up for my favorite yoga class. I always look forward to Saturday mornings in Florida because of this class!

I made my mom some breakfast.

Oatmeal with ginger syrup, cinnamon, pineapple, and a pumpkin gingerbread cookie.

Granola girl over here with a side of fresh fruit!

That morning I tried Udi’s granola cranberry and walnuts flavor.

YUM! Cranberries and walnuts are delicious together!

I had it with the pumpkin pie yogurt I found at Target the other day, the rest of the cashew toffee Holly sent me, and Bekah’s “scented” almonds.

My dad went to see if there were any ripe papayas to pick.

Leftover tofu "ricotta"

At the store the other day I picked up a box of Dominex eggplant cutlets. These were breaded “italian style” so it was only natural to serve it with tomato sauce, rice “parmesan”, and my leftover tofu “ricotta”.

And refreshing cucumber slices.

Afterwards I got ready to go shopping with some friends.

My friend had Pocky sticks!

Shoe shopping!

We each decided to try on heels that we liked but would be too shy to wear. That’s one thing I’ve been working on. I use to find myself holding back when it came to what I wore. I felt like a little girl dreamily looking at store windows and heels. But why did I have to be a bystander? I find that for myself, if I just go with my gut and wear what I want to wear I feel like a million bucks. Maybe your “thing” isn’t fashion. Maybe it’s no longer just thinking about that painting class you have been hesitating to take because you think you’re “not good enough.” Whatever it is, don’t allow yourself to believe such a lie. Once you start doing what you want to do, the hesitation fades away and the confidence starts to shine as brightly as the sun! Anyway, I finally found the perfect black heels, but I may go back to get these babies…

The perfect New Year's Eve shoe perhaps?

Speaking of New Years, I have no idea what to wear! I’d love to hear what some of you are planning to wear to ring in the new year.

Food and fashion at the same place!

We stopped by Nordstrom Cafe

They have so many items that I see around the blogosphere. Larabars? Check! Clif Z-bars? Check! Dark chocolate? Check check check! I also had my dose of color when I stopped by the Kate Spade store. Walking in there never ceases to bring a smile to my face.

I hope you all got to spend your weekend the way you wanted to! Some of you were snowed in, but it’s not too bad when you’ve got hot cocoa and an excuse to stay in, right? Now I wish you all a wonderful beginning to an exciting week.

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

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Katharina

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

These would be my siblings!

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

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

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

Peanut butter + Apples

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

Matilda even approves!

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

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

Second chance!

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

Yum!

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

Also served some papaya, avocado, and methi paratha.

We finally bought a Christmas tree the other day!

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

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

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

I love the ambiance of south Florida!

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

You could see the stars

The pier

Part of the boardwalk

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

This morning I had oats in a jar!

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

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

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

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

Parsnip and carrot puree with spices and coconut oil

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

Dessert!

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

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

An installation

Close-up of the figures

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

Swarovski deer!

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

- Elizabeth J. Canham

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

Finally

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Katharina

Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a wonderful wonderful week. For some of you, the holiday festivities have already started. Would anybody care to send me some delicious latkes? Mwahaha! Anyway, I really don’t know where to start. The past week was filled with finals, papers, and catching up with friends before my road trip back to Florida. So that’s where I am right now! And if anybody wants some sunshine, there’s plenty to spread around.

I’m going to start the post off with some more pictures from Art Basel.

Ai Wei Wei's sunflower seeds made out of porcelain.

Now take a closer look.

Okay I will save more for later! Now on to some food.

My dad flew back up to Virginia with me for business!

After a bad experience with airport food – stomach flu – I’ve been weary of eating it so I pack my own stuff.

Peppermint coffee drink standing in all it's glory.

Lunch for two

Soba noodles, edamame, a medley of vegetables + lemon juice + coconut oil + salt

While I was away I received a wonderful little package.

Bekah lovingly made all these wonderful munchies. Coconut chia granola, cumin, cinnamon + maple “scented” almonds, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Everything was taste tested by moi, and my parents. Well my mom didn’t get to enjoy the cookies since she wasn’t in Virginia. So delicious! Hey Bekah, you need to share your secret on how you made the granola – it’s incredible!

Leftover veggies and edamame with barley and peanuts.

Kale and more barley!

Can you tell that I love green? I drizzled sesame oil on top of it all and sprinkled on some toasted sesame seeds as well.

A most delicious dinner.

I smuggled an acorn squash from my Florida and I was ready to eat that baby! I roasted it with Canadian maple syrup, cinnamon, and coconut oil. I also made my mom’s secret recipe for red lentils with coconut oil. Can’t forget the sweet potato!

Persimmons

I always think of my darling darlings when I eat one! They’re so good with vanilla almond granola, vanilla yogurt, and cinnamon. Is there a certain food that just seems so precious whenever you eat it? A few on my list are figs, persimmons, dates, and white peaches.

Kale with toasted pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan. Someone baked tater tots – yay! Tater tots just sound so cute! I also had some Gardein crispy tenders. I squirted on some ketchup and Old Bay seasoning. I was a little kid that really liked their vegetables!

So easy and delicious!

I used up the rest of the penne pasta in the box. I sauteed some red onion, Tofurky Italian sausage, and garlic. I mixed it all together with homemade basil and toasted pine nut pesto, then grated some parmesan on top.

This papaya was grown in my parents backyard AND it's organic.

Even with this picture you can see that this papaya was bursting with flavor. BURSTING!

More pasta

Gnocchi, homemade pesto, and grated parmesan over a bed of kale.

That day I went for a walk around to different galleries with a friend, since I missed First Friday.

Message in a bottle ornament!

They look cuddly and cute but they're really sharp!

Beware!

Amazing jewelry - handwoven mesh.

Very illustrative wire work.

Let's take a picture of each other taking a picture!

Matilda and one of the gallery owners became fast friends.

Woodblock prints

More gnocchi love

My roommate’s boyfriend made this delicious thick carrot soup. I decided to incorporate it into my dinner. Thick carrot soup, kale, gnocchi with pesto, and parmesan. More please! Later that night I decided to take Matilda on a walk on one of the avenues with lots of pretty houses.

The holiday season is here!

I love Christmas lights.

It's like a waterfall.

A mountain of blueberry love all piled over granola and vanilla yogurt.

Colors!

Salted edamame + carrot sticks. Sandwich: cream cheese, tomato slices, and the last of my pesto! Then I was off to my last final exam of the semester. The trick is to think positive because most likely you do know your sh!t.

Last night in Richmond I had dinner at a friend's.

Maybe you recognize the Hello Kitty sandwich container? Afterwards we had some hot cocoa and were stuck to the space heater like mosquitos to a zapper! A friend of mine was playing a free show that night so we headed over there close to the time they were going to start playing.

Every band was awesome and so full of energy.

There were three couches set-up movie theatre style so comfort was thought of! It was a very cozy environment and everyone was into it.

They also had some random projections playing.

Well that was my brief recap of my week! My semester is done and it’s time to relax. And now that I’m back in Florida… you know what that means! Well, one thing I learned this past week is to “never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” Couldn’t have said it better myself, Mark Twain. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing wonderfully and surrounded with honey bunches of love!

Peek-a-boo

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Katharina

These past few days have been filled with so much excitement and inspiration. Art Basel really left me feeling like a changed person! Wow, I have never been around so much eye candy in my life. Not to mention, the people watching was incredible. I saw this couple waiting in the women’s line for the restroom fixing their outfits:

: Apparently they do this every year. (the picture is from a past Art Basel)

So many people were walking pieces of art themselves. I also had other moments which didn’t quite feel real. Sidenote: Val Kilmer looks totally different now!

Okay, so I will do my best to catch you up!

I tried the Lemon Poppyseed Heart Thrive that morning. The last one of the bunch that was graciously sent to me. I saved it for last because many of you told me it’s your favorite. I really wasn’t too keen on the flavor of this one – it had an odd soapy after-taste. I had this with vanilla Greek yogurt, ginger syrup, pineapple tidbits, and cashew butter. Overall, I enjoyed these vegan suncakes. My favorites were: Cranberry, Chocolate Chip, and Raisin! And don’t forget, if you order them online you can mention my blog. They also have a section of the site that has serving suggestions. (Cream cheese + brown sugar over a warm Heart Thrive = yumm!)

: Sandweech!

Goat cheese with dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts

I finally arrived in Florida close to 11 pm. It was nice to just relax and talk in the kitchen with my mom, while fulfilling my duty and finishing the pint of vanilla bean ice cream with amaretto. The next morning I woke up and I realized my window was open all night. I had to smile to myself that this can happen in December. I went into the most spacious room in the house and did some yoga. Then I had…

: One of my favorite cereals!

I love the Kashi GoLean Crunch! I haven’t tried the honey almond flax flavor (love it). I think bananas are the perfect fruit for this cereal. Along with some rose green tea and I’m set to go!

: I packed a sandwich for my dad

Incredible Vermont Cheddar, tomato, and horseradish sauce. It was just missing some green, even cilantro.

: Lunch and snack for me

Inside the wrap: crunchy peanut butter, apricot marmalade, and Asian pear slices. I also had a lentil soup with some bread for dipping.

: Ready to go to Art Basel!

: On the way down there

: Art Basel Miami Beach 2009

I actually had to check my camera in because they weren’t allowed. Don’t worry though, I eventually my camera went undetected through security mwahaha!

: The Garden Cafe

The first day I was overwhelmed and left with a high! So much incredible art, who can help but be left with a glorious dizzy spell.

: More of my favorite cereal

I sprinkled on a medley of nuts: pistachios, pecans, cashews, and almonds. On the side I had a bowl of yogurt with kiwi and the most delicious papaya I’ve ever tasted. Organic and straight from the papaya tree my parents have been growing in the backyard!

: Another packed lunch

I made myself a similar sandwich to my dad’s from the day before. Tomato slices, Vermont cheddar with cracked black pepper, horseradish sauce, and olive tapenade. I usually don’t like olives but this particular tapenade is the exception. I also made some rotkohl with chunky spiced apple sauce and coconut oil.

: Day 2!

I totally lost track of the time…

: But I made it for dinner!

My mom boiled sweet potatoes; good thinking! I topped mine with coconut oil, cinnamon, and pineapple bits. I also had some more Vermont cheddar, tomato, avocado, and leftover rotkohl.

: It was a Friday night so you know what that meant…

A long night of dancing in Miami!

: I’ll be seeing more of this lady in a week!

: Soul sister!

I got home very late, but I woke up early and eager for my third day attending Art Basel. This time I was going with my parents and a family friend. It was nice to view all the artwork alone for the first couple of days, but I found myself wishing I had someone to discuss things with. So on Saturday I was blessed with the gift of gab! But before all that happened, breakfast had to be eaten.

: Can’t get enough

: And can’t get enough sandwiches with this cheese!

Avocado, Vermont cheddar + cracked black pepper, tomato slices, and horseradish sauce. I also made a teriyaki stir-fry with yellow squash and snowpeas.

: My mom can make oatmeal look yummy when it’s cooking!

Sneaking in my camera was a success on day 3! I took so many pictures of the art, so I’ve decided that I will be spreading them out over the next couple of posts. Seeing this stuff in person is mind-blowing.

: Close-up of a painting – these were in relief

: Everything seemed to be suspended

Perfect for an on-the-go snack!

The strawberry Fruition bar is my favorite flavor from the new ProBar line.

: Two gorgeous women!

: The bistro was packed!

: My dad, Paula, and my mom!

: So much art!

After 6 + hours of walking around and taking everything in, we headed over to Lincoln Road Mall for some dinner. We went to a couple shops, but before we had dinner we had to make a pit stop…

: Ghirardelli!

Giving out peppermint bark - can you hear the sleigh bells?

It was funny because I saw they had peppermint bark when I looked at their ad outside. Right after that thought my mom’s friend announced they were giving out samples of it. I squealed with excitement!!!

We went to a Cuban restaurant

We decided to go to Yuca, we had passed it many times and it always seemed to draw the crowd in. Come here on a Friday night and you get a night of salsa dancing!

Lovely ladies!

I love this picture of us!

Warm bread with a sweet garlic butter

Ravioli Yucalotti

“Homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli with a cream of black bean, and infused with goat cheese” This was so delicious! I just realized I forgot to take a picture of dessert. But I’ll tell you what it was. A Tres Leches de Turron: “‘A yuca original’ sponge cake with Spanish ‘Turrón de Jijona’, served with our homemade guava cream cheese ice cream” So good! The sponge cake tasted like a meringue.

I decided to spend my last night in Florida just relaxing because I had to take up at 4 am to catch my flight back up to Richmond. I only have a few exams left and then I go back to Florida on Friday. The sunshine is waiting for me, and I’ll be sure to share it all with you. I have so many things to look forward to in these upcoming weeks.

What exciting things do you all anticipate? Can you believe 2009 is almost over?

Summertime is the Right Time

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Katharina

Hey party people (yes it’s a Monday, but that doesn’t change a thing), here’s a recap of my weekend!

Some Sweet BBQ mix crunch!

Can you believe I’m almost done with my goodie box from Kay’s Naturals? So far my favorite products are Honey Almond cereal, Sweet BBQ snack mix, both kinds of Nutty Crisps, and the Chili Nacho Cheese chips. I mixed this with carrots, TJ’s corn salsa, and some edamame. You know I had handfuls of the PB&A mix to go with this.

Friday Night

Friday night included my friend filling that huge jug with half of a handle of Sweet Tea Vodka and Limeade. Surprisingly didn’t taste bad.

I made my own concoction complete with pineapple and watermelon chunks. I think I like my drinks fruity. I didn’t want to drink a lot so I just drank water with fruit chunks in it, and I just played drinking card games with the rest of them. It was a lot of fun and we were just hanging out outside till the next day. That’s what I love about summertime – the summer nights.

Papaya, mandarin oranges, and shredded coconut over my cereal.

I started out my Saturday with a refreshing bowl of cold cereal. I was feeling like an old man yesterday from some of Friday night’s birthday festivities. I decided to stick to my usual Saturday routine which include yoga in the morning… detox yoga! I spent most of my day packing. I also got to sneak in some hang out time with my dad before I had to drop him off at the airport. After some more packing I reunited with my friend, Sway. She decided to come back for this semester, but she might go to Argentina for the spring. I might decide to study abroad as well. I didn’t know that you could pretty much choose any country. Do you know how exciting that would be if I got to do that? Technically, I can go to Europe and study as a regular uni student since I have my German citizenship. But I don’t want to switch schools, so I’m just going to follow the program that my school offers.

Sway and I went on a really long walk with Matilda around the city. We completely lost track of time, and our tummies told us it was time to head back to my place. But first we made a stop at Comfort. It’s southern food with a twist. And they serve their water in cute mason jars. Luckily, you can skip the 45 minute wait and just order your food to go and it’s done in no time. I don’t think they usually do this, but there’s no reason not to!

Matilda was eyeing her food so hard!

Since my tummy has been sensitive lately, I just whipped up something quick for myself.

One side of the toast has coconut oil with lavender and nutmeg+powdered sugar sprinkled on top. The other side is just coconut oil and cinnamon.

After sitting outside and talking about everything we could think of and getting eaten alive by mosquitos we headed inside to head out to our friends’ birthday/gallery opening party.

On the way there we saw this cool light set up!

When we got there, I think they were finishing up dinner – oops! So they didn’t hear us knock the billion times we did. Just us we were about to let out some glass shattering screams, one of them opened the door. Darn! We went with our friends to pick up some goods and presents for the birthday boy. By the time we got back, people started coming. After hanging around inside we decided to check out the balcony. Once I stepped foot out there I stayed there the whole night. Actually, I stayed on the ledge and constantly gazed out on to the skyline.

I got to see a lot of people I hadn’t seen in such a long time! Some of my friends that were touring over in Europe came back and shared some of their adventures. I met a lot of new people as well. The whole night felt like everything was just right. It was breezy and I was hanging out on a balcony downtown with one of my closest friends, sharing a bottle of wine. I think everyone thought it felt just right because people were just laidback and friendly.

They also have a mini garden!

Sway and I kept smelling basil and we had no idea why! Then we looked over and spotted the basil plants along with some other veggie plants.

Mr. Glaring Eyes must've thought I was a creeper.

Thank god she comes back on Thursday.

Then we're going to New York in August!

Luckily, some of our friends that live on my street offered us a ride back. It’s really not that long of a walk, but we didn’t want to walk around downtown so late. On the way back, there’s this horrible “bump” that they have to drive on to get into their alleyway. Well, needless to say our friend’s tire popped. Sway later told me he was okay with it and grilled everyone some marinated bell peppers stuffed with feta and what not. He also exclaimed, “tonight we eat like kings!”

I got up this morning and started packing some more and I found a sweet surprise!

Packet of Pop Rocks circa Halloween!

Do you like seafood? SEE FOOD!

My friend dropped off a book she made for me and a friend of ours (he’s also a neighbor). I don’t mind sharing with you guys:

Heyy what's that suppose to mean?

I guess it’s true. After my seafood joke it makes complete sense.

She also made little pockets for our mix CD’s.

Since Walker and I are neighbors!

She really likes work by Gustav Klimt.

Recipe!!!

Yes please!

Bahaha!

Of course Matilda wasn't forgotten.

This seriously made my day! The mix CD she made was also awesome, and I’m so glad to call her a friend. Anyway, that’s it for my weekend. I’m just going to be packing some more. Sunday started out super sunny, but it ended up raining a lot. Perfect excuse to stay inside and pamper myself and do some stretching. But next time it rains I’m going to get some frozen yogurt! My friend works at a fro-yo place and started this policy: if it’s umbrella worthy rain, you buy one fro-yo and get one free. Definitely no complaints here.

Much love to you all!

p.s. I found this really neat blog, Tribeca Yummy Mummy. It’s just very endearing and I can’t help by smile.

“In NYC, where I live with my husband and 2 children, I work part-time as a cooking teacher to lots of mini-chefs, ages 2-5 for the most part. My focus is to teach the kids how to cook seasonally, understand where their food actually comes from, and get them so involved with making their food that they forget that they “don’t like” certain things. They are always teaching me, too, and I try to share all of that on my blog, Tribeca Yummy Mummy.“

Katharina's Food Adventures

Tag Archives: papaya