A Few of My Favorite Things

Sometimes, the world appears to be caving in. When you feel like you are watching helplessly as lives are destroyed by natural disasters and heartless dictators, I find that it can help to turn to what you love. Because when the big things make you cry, you have to find the little things that make you smile.

Like a crusty and perfectly golden piece of baguette.

 

Juicy red plums. As tasty as they are pretty.

 

My long tea spoon that I [not-so] secretly stole from home. I use it multiple times a day. It’s perfect for eating oats, yogurt, nutella, and everything in between.

 

The vino-themed kitchen towels I found on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond. Affordable, adorable, and amazingly wine-stain-free. So far.

 

Warm spring breezes, new flowers, and extra sunlight.

 

What makes you smile?


 

What I’m Loving Right Now

1. dried apricots, for the way my teeth sink softly into the mellow, sweet flesh inside

2. organic pink lady apples, for their unapologetically tart but sweet flavor

3. the glorious 50 degree weather today. because it’s about damn time.

4. the big bang theory, for rescuing me from the black hole of academic research. and for sheldon.

5. the fact that I will be in California in 24 hours!!!

 

All the Rage

Oh, bloggies, do I have some things to share. It is high time I introduce the latest obsessions of the Gillianasana kitchen. Hold on to your food processors, people!
1. Xantham Gum
I finally bit the grit after seeing countless images of protein ice cream and banana soft serve and ponied up the 13 buckaroons for this little bag of magic. Considering I use 1/4 tsp. at most at a time, it was a very worthy investment. Worthy and delicious. Not only can I create fruitylicious ice cream with a light-as-air texture on a whim, in any shade of the rainbow…


Oh yes. Green Monster ice cream. Don’t be jealous – go make your own!

…but I have also created what may be one of my favorite oaty creations ever. Which leads me to obsession #2: Ice cream for breakfast, anyone?

Whip up your fave hot cereal & top with a fresh batch of ice cream. It will change your breakfast-lovin life. Seriously. It has that fun hot-cold thing going on, and it’s sooo much better than just throwing fruit in the bowl (which, don’t get me wrong, has it’s place – on a pedestal lower than this.) Carby, creamy, fruity, fluffy…this has it all. Next stop: as a pancake topper. Stay tuned.

#3: PB & Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful

Oh. My. God. I don’t even like white chocolate. But apparently when combined with peanut butter, it’s a horse of a different color. A really, really, amazingly yummy & addictive horse.
[P.S. - I can't speak for the company, but I'm pretty sure no horses were/are harmed during the production process.]
Seriously, I cannot decide if I like this better than Dark Chocolate Dreams, and I’m a dark choc fiend. It’s sweet, it’s salty, and it’s good on anything – but my personal preference is a spoon. I have no words left. 
#4: Avocado

More specifically, Gena from Choosing Raw‘s Dilly Carrot Avocado Spread. I made this to bring up with us to Maine (I promise that post is coming!) and it was a HUGE hit. I have a history of not being much of a fan of this particular brand of produce – and it still bothers me in salads when it gets a slimy and odd (same issue with bananas…well, not so much in salads….you know what I mean) – but I have recently discovered a new love for this green goodness when smashed into other things. Sounds violent, tastes delicious. I have many future plans involving this little guy!
#6: Eat a cupcake – Save the world.
Ok, maybe the world won’t be saved. But there is something so comforting, so restorative, so blissful about stopping into a local bakery and treating yourself to a little buttercream bliss . And really, if you think about it, wouldn’t the world be a happier place if all the haters just stopped for a cupcake break every now and then? I think yes.
(I haven’t been eating a cupcake on a daily basis – that would take away its specialness – so this is less of an obsession, more of a discovery. Potay-to, potah-to.)
#7: M. F. K. Fisher

Dear Mrs. Fisher,
Can I please be you when I grow up? And also, could we do gastronomical tour of France together? Call me. Hope all is well in the afterlife. Thanks,
Gillian.

I’m making friends with this book, a collection of her best work, as I chose her as the topic of my senior thesis (of course). The way she writes and weaves food into her stories, it’s so…delicious to read.
“People ask me: Why do you write about food, and eating and drinking? Why don’t you write about the struggle for power and security, and about love, the way others do?…The easiest answer is to say that, like most other humans, I am hungry.”

P.S. – expect the quotes to keep coming. I have to write a small book about this woman and her writing…I’m gonna have some stuff committed to memory, methinks.

And finally, no list would be complete with chocolate.
#8: Stonyfield’s Organic Minty Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

I knew this would more than likely be good. But it is SO much more. It just epitomizes that perfect combo of mint + dark chocolate. I’m amazed and impressed with my own restraint that three days after bringing this pint home, it still resides in the freezer not completely empty. YUM with a capital Y.
Tomorrow brings a new Over-the-Humpday Challenge…bring it on!
~Namaste~

And then….it happened.

It was inevitable.
Truly only a matter of time.
I knew the end before I began.
I am officially addicted to Glee.
I know every single line to the entire stage version of Rent. My iPod is roughly 75% original cast recordings. I own multiple Broadway documentary DVDs. The heaviest book I own is solely devoted to the history of this soul-stirring musical tradition. I spent most of my high school career daydreaming about the day I would get to sing on stage and show people that I can do more than just march with a piccolo (which I am proud of, don’t get me wrong), and I still think about how blissfully happy I was when that day finally came. Glee was created for geeks like me. So why did I not jump on this show the minute it hit the airwaves? Well, call me a drama queen – but I did it for my own sanity. It started right as the new school year started and I knew that it would be difficult to keep up with a show (can you tell I had yet to discover the wonder that is Hulu?), so I ignored it. And then, my roommates in Florence were all addicted, and I heard songs…and it was over the minute I stepped off the plane. This show rocks my Broadway-addict-heart’s socks.
And that is where I have been.
Where’s the food, right? Watch Idina Menzel and Lea Michele sing “I Dreamed A Dream” and feed your musical soul – and then come on back. I have some serious foodage for y’all. Happy Grooving!
~Namaste~