Tag Archives: smoothie

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

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There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.

- Linus, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I know.

If you see one more damn recipe involving pumpkin, you won’t be able to stomach it in all its golden-crusted glory in a mere 4 days. But don’t you have a can or two of the orange stuff left? And might you want to use it in a less butter-and-sugar-packed manner?

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I feel ya.

Now, before you scroll down and click away because what follows is a smoothie recipe and you think, “pssh, this chick talks about eating seasonally and wants me to make a smoothie in November?? Riiiiight.”, just try it. Really. It’s delicious and will totally get you in the thankful mood.

Plus, if you’ve up here in Mass. and living through the random 60+ degree days we’ve been having, you’re probably in the smoothie mood already.

I’ve been making this smoothie when I’m not quite ready for a huge bowl of oats for breakfast, but still want something spice-y and festive. And because I keep every time I go to a grocery store, I walk out with at least one can of pumpkin and have to think of new and interesting uses for it.

Like pumpkin tiramisu with homemade spiced ladyfingers. And rum. Which, come to think of it, wouldn’t be a terrible addition to this smoothie if you were so inclined.

But let’s keep it PG for now.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

adapted from Oh She Glows

Makes 2 small servings or 1 large

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You’ll need:

  • blender
  • 1 c. milk of choice (I like unsweetened almond)**
  • 1 banana, chopped & frozen
  • 1 c. pumpkin
  • 1 T blackstrap molasses
  • 1 t vanilla extract (a few drops of almond extract would also be delicious)
  • heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • heaping 1/2 tsp ginger (ground)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg if desired (feel free to experiment with cloves & cardamom as well!)

Add the milk to the blender first – for whatever reason, it seems to help the blades make it smoother.

Then add the rest. Because the sticky molasses is a huge pain to measure out with spoons, I developed a handy little trick that I use with my digital scale:

Before you throw the pumpkin in the blender, make a little well in the center of it after it’s measured out. A pumpkin crater, if you will. Put the cup on the scale & zero it out. Measure out by weight the molasses as you pour it into the pumpkin well. Then plop it in the blender together! This just minimizes the amount that gets stuck to the sides & don’t actually get blended, which drives me nuts.

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Or, if you do not have slightly absurd OCD tendencies, just pour it in and hit blend.

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**Because pumpkin is a wonderful thickener, this smoothie is very thick with more of a pudding-like consistency. I like it because I can eat it with a spoon, but feel free to add milk/decrease pumpkin as you see fit.

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Cheers!

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What’s in a Name…or Post Title

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Welcome to…
My yard. 
A.k.a, the Gillianasana photography-practice site.
No Flash
—–>
 w/ Flash.
Couldn’t decide.
All my mother. I bake, she gardens. Hobbies are important.
Especially when they become your career! Yesterday I zipped down to Providence, Rhode Island to check out the Johnson & Wales culinary school campus. It hopped to the forefront of my list when I read about their Culinary Nutrition program and decided it was definitely worth a visit. It was indeed, and I got a lot of really good information and now have way too much thinking to do. I’m going on a college tour road trip with my brother (a senior-to-be in high school) and madre this coming week, and on the way back we are stopping in Hyde Park, New York to check out the holy land  CIA – Culinary Institute of America. It’s the big one, where you go to be in the food industry. It scares me. 
That said, tomorrow we leave for Philadelphia and will be on the road until Friday night! I am bringing my mini laptop and will hope and pray to find hotels with wireless access or computers – but just in case I can’t, I promise I WILL return! With pics. LOTS of pics. I’m looking at this trip as a good time to practice my [food]photography skillllllz. 
Speaking of which…breakfast anyone?
Melon is one of those foods I could (and often do) eat every day and never get sick of it. Especially this kind:
Tuscan melon!
It is a lot like canteloupe, only smaller and I find a little sweeter and stronger in taste.I had this in, where else, Florence, and fell in love. Look for those indented lines in the rind. It’s amazing.
Blueberry Acai Dannon Light & Fit
Yes, another new flavor I was powerless to try. I actually really liked this – I could actually taste the acai and it blended wonderfully with the sweet blueberry! It’s kind of a hard flavor to pinpoint, but I find it a little tart and a little sweet at once, a bit like pomegranate. The only issue, other than the ingredient list, is the awful fake-sugar aftertaste. WAY too sweet. I wish it had just been sweetened with real fruit! Oh well, I ‘ll just have to do it myself.
Nothing like a waffle on a Saturday morning (er…afternoon…)
AB-squared: apple butter + almond butter. A perfect combo.
Did some shopping at Old Navy. Ugh, shopping. I can never find exactly what I want. BUT, I did get a pretty cute dress 50% off because one of the straps was broken! Sewing won’t even be necessary. LOVE that!
I came ravenous. Nothing a smoothie can’t fix – especially when it involves this:
Amazing Grass’s Amazing Meal Chocolate Infusion protein powder.
I used half the packet + 1 c. frozen mango + 1 c. almond milk + splash vanilla. I should have added a little extra cocoa powder, but didn’t.
Aglow with healthy goodness!
I didn’t love the Amazing Meal – it was a little too spirulina-y for me. But I didn’t hate it either, and liked it with the mango very much. Of course, I like pretty much anything with mango….Either way, as far as Amazing Grass goes, the Kidz Wildberry and Original Superfood powders are in the lead.
The liquid health theme continued with this:
I got it on sale at WFs last week. As usual with Kombucha, I have no idea what to make of this! What I love about it is the complexity of the flavor – it changes every second it’s on your tongue and definitely keeps me interested. This one went from berry-sweet to flowery and then very pine-y. I probably wouldn’t but it again, but it was a fun try. I wish the Honest brand would go on sale again!
Because my mother, brother and I hit the road tomorrow, we had to have Father’s Day a little early.
Dinner on the patio!
Including:
My grandmother’s salad: romaine, tomatoes, avocado, red onion in red wine vinegar+olive oil and S+P.
Grilled eggplant, marinated in balsamic + olive oil. Melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Probably one of my favorite things.
Roasted taters
Fresh pasta in a vegetarian sauce for me, lamb for the fam. [Don't worry, I had some tempeh for protein ealier!]
And my present to the man of the day:
Chianti, straight off the boat plane.
YUM!!
Tippy agreed.
For dessert, I whipped up some peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies (Dad’s fave)  using the Supercharge Me cookies recipe:
The first batch was gone before the second even left the oven. I think they liked them. 
Dessert also included this newbie:
Chobani Champions honeynana!
It’s not thick at all; it’s basically like regular yogurt, but I suppose that could very well be more appealing to kids which I assume are the target consumers here (although I know plenty of “grown-up kids” who would be attracted by the cartoony design). The flavor is great though! Unlike the chocolate, the cane sugar taste blends  in very well. It reminded me of a yogurt I ate all the time when I was little, but I can’t remember exactly which one – I think it was Yoplait Custard-Style Vanilla. SO good. Gotta love nostalgia foods :)
Time to go pack, pack, pack! 
~Namaste!~
P.S. Remember that surprise I mentioned? Check out the sidebar — I’m a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher!!! Dancing most definitely ensued when I got the email. I love Foodbuzz, and my absolute favorite blogs are all a part of its awesome community, so I’m super excited and proud to be too. Share the foodie love!

All My Single Ladies

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I think it’s about time I introduced some of the ladies in my life:
Daphne, the newest addition to the Gillianasana family. We even like the same music ;)
And a traveling chica of a different sort:
Isabella the Polka-Dotted Moka!
I bought her in Florence because we had one in our apartment and these seriously make some incredible coffee – and it’s TOO easy!! I almost squealed out loud when I saw Whole Foods actually sells them. I highly recommend if you only drink a cup or two a day, because they’re easy to clean (NO soap, just good rinsing), fast, and the taste is bravissima! Unfortunately, they only have the regular one here, no polka dots…all the more reason to pop over to Italia, no?
I’ve met a couple other singles…
Raspberry Goji Dannon Light & Fit
Unfortunately, I did not like this enough to put a ring on it. It was just kind of a vague berry flavor. Admittedly, I can’t think of what gojis alone taste like – haven’t had them enough – but all I could taste was a strawberry-raspberry-ish flavor. Oh well. Made for a decent enough snack.
The next one was slightly more likely to be a keeper:
Chobani Champions! I guess these are the greek-yogurt-for-kids attempt. I personally am a fan of the starburst design.
Normal Chobani consistency – not super thick, but enough to be called a respectable Greek yogurt. The flavor was, well, cocoa+vanilla+cane sugar, which is pretty appropriate considering that’s basically what it is. I liked it and it made for a fun little dessert, but to be honest, I could make this on my own by just mixing in cocoa and vanilla to plain yogurt and be just as happy, if not more (the cane sugar taste was a little much for me). But, the package also comes with a “honeynana” flavor which sounds quite promising, so stay tuned!

And finally…

This Odwalla Sweet&Salty Peanut bar may have been single, but I wasn’t really lovin’ it. It had a very peculiar flavor that reminded me exactly of spirulina? It was muted but strong enought o distract me with every bite from the sweet & salty peanut goodness. I was in my car when I gobbled it down, but it looked pretty much like a wider, flattened Kashi TLC chewy bar. This was odd. And when I wasn’t distracted by the mystery flavor, I noticed it was almost all sweet and very little salty. Oh well. 

Being single is all well and good…but couples can be pretty cute too.
What could be mingling with the Fage?
MANGO!!!! Oh, yum. These were perfectly ripe and juicy and wonderful. Despite my obsession with them, I don’t often buy them fresh because they tend to be pricier. But as I walked into Whole Foods, lo and behold – cart after cart of mangoes on display for 5/$5!! It was a good day.
That mango is a bit of a philanderer – he was also seen canoodling with oats last night:
[Almond milk, flaxmeal, and cocoa powder may or may not have also been involved.]
And he didn’t leave ’til this morning!
Scandalous!
Ridiculously long-stretched metaphor aside, this was a seriously delicious bowl of overnight oats. Mango + chocolate=love. Maybe star-crossed lovers?
The next mingler was:
Amazing Grass Green SuperFood in Lemon Lime – the “energy” drink powder.
Schmoozing with frozen banana and cherries, almond milk, spinach, vanilla and a dash of cocoa powder.
I actually kinda liked this. The combo wasn’t perfect (but actually I liked the cocoa powder), but it was pretty tasty. I definitely think it gave me energy, though – I drank this before leaving for a dinner party I was helping the caterer with (serving, plating, etc.) for some more food service experience. When I came home, I was still pretty wired and not as wiped as I expected for being on my feet for 4 straight hours! Quite impressive, Amazing Grass!
Speaking of that dinner party, please at some point this summer make these:
Grilled peaches. Cut in half, place on grill. Easy, pretty, delicious. Emphasis on the latter.
On with our couples!
Justin’s Honey Peanut Butter.
First spotted with sprouted-grain toast and cinnamon…
Then getting friendly with a cracker…
 The verdict? I liked this much more than the honey almond butter – I could taste the honey a little better. Overall, it’s a really decent peanut butter. Nice mouthfeel, and a very classic taste – you think peanut butter, this is that flavor. But, it wasn’t good enough to knock over my dear Naturally More, so I probably won’t be purchasing the jars. Those packets sure can be handy, though! And I’ve heard about Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut butter…NUTELLA with natural ingredients??? YESPLEASE.
I have also discovered that tempeh makes a wonderful sandwich.
Just a leftover block of tempeh with spinach, mustard and S+P on sprouted grain bread. This is my favorite kind of thing to eat because it does leave me full, but not heavy. It lasts me a long time but I never have that super-full-feeling in my stomach. Love that :)
Single Taken Smoked Salmon salad:
Spinach + arugula + smoked salmon + tabbouleh + capers + mustard + balsamic. The only thing it was missing was goat cheese…other than that, yum. Sure made this single girl’s tastebuds happy!
~Namaste~

Eat, Drink, and Watch Parades

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HAPPY FLAG DAY!!!

Every June 14th, my little hometown has a parade. It’s always a fun day. I was in the parade for 8 years, first with my dance teacher’s studio, then for 5 with marching band. And now, I’m just happy to be the alumna who sits on the sidewalk and watches, glass of vino in hand :)
A blend from Montepulciano. I wish I had been able to go there – a little hill town in Siena – if nothing else for the wine. Next time!!!
Also had a little salad and…
Olives. I miss Italy.
What I really love about Flag Day is that when you walk around, you notice that everyone is just happy.  Kids are gearing up to collect as much candy as their ziplocs will hold, adults are chatting over grilling burgers and dogs, teenagers are maneuvering multiple conversations between friends and cell phones. And it’s the same every year. There is something to be said for tradition. 
I was obsessed with getting something from these guys when I was little. That blow-up Pink Power Ranger balloon was a must-have in 5-year-old Gillianasana land.
Check out the dog on the leash tied to her pants!! Loved it :)
I was one of them. RepreSENT. [The crazy looking kid in the back right would be my brother. Oh, he makes me proud.]
What’s a parade without marching clowns?
More doggies!
Yes, that is a stuffed dog on a gigantic fire hydrant. You see why I like this parade.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just rewind back to Saturday every Monday?
Let’s do it.
Starting with b-fast:
Melon + RASPBERRY Chobani!!
I’d heard good things, and decided to pony up thr $1.50 to try it. Good choice.
This was YUMMY! I really loved it. As with most Chobanis, the “fruit on the bottom” is more like jam and mixes perfectly without being cavity-inducing or fake-tasting. Yogurt-vana.
Again, most flavored Chobanis don’t stand against the sideways spoon test:
But it’s still thick enough to be a respectable Greek yogurt, and the flavor makes up for it. I definitely recommend it.
I also had one of my banana bread-turned-muffins:
Very tasty. Quite spicy – I like to add a lot of different spices and see what happens. Here I think it works!
Family friends came over for dinner and my mom put together some seriously delicious pasta:
Trofie al caprese!
Fresh pasta + grape tomatoes, halved + fresh cubed mozzarella + lots of fresh basil. She just dressed it in an olive oil+ balsamic vin dressing. It was wonderful, and so easy. A perfect summer dish!
I made more vegan chocolate-almond cookies for dessert, as per request of mia mama:
But I chose to devour this little guy instead:
A cannolli from our little Italian deli, Tutto Italiano. The best this side of the Atlantic.
It also inspired a new recipe idea I’m pretty excited about….oh, the suspense!!
On Sunday, I played working girl and helped a personal chef my mom knows who owns her own catering/chef company. She’s pretty much a one-woman show, and it’s quite impressive! Being curious about this kind of job, I asked if I could be her assistant – sous-chef, if you will – for a day and she kindly obliged :)
A big day calls for a big breakfast! Since I had to get up pretty early, I turned to an old standy-by: overnite oats.
Before bed. into the bowl went:
1/2 c. oats
1.2 c. almond milk
1 T ground flax
10 cherries, sliced up
cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa
The next morning, after a 30 second spin in the microwave to take off the chill, I cracked open a fresh Fage container and scooped 1/3c. on top:
Oats > ice cream sundae anyday!
All mixed up ;)
I think a combination of a tad too much cinnamon + sleepy tastebuds made this not as tasty as expected, but it had pontential. And kept me happy for a good 3-4 hours, which is quite a feat for me!
My morning was spent chopping veggies for salad, mixing up broccoli slaw, and shucking corn. A LOT of corn. It’s all good, I just pretended I was Pocahontas. I know what you’re wondering and yes, I can paint with all the colors of wind.
The event was a graduation party at a rather ritzy house. It was a really helpful, educational experience for me and while I’m not sure it’s a trade that’s calling my name, I did enjoy it. It was, however, a looooong day of chopping, stirring and standing. After passing out on the couch briefly when I came home, the only dinner that really appealed to me was in liquid form.
Green Monster it was!
Featuring this:
With almond milk, banana, cherries, a big handful of spinach and a splash of vanilla:
I was surprised at how much I liked the original flavor! It was a little grassy, but it added a nice flavor. My only worry would be that I would get tired of the same flavor in smoothie after smoothie. 
Do any of you use powders in smoothies? Do you use multiple kinds to switch it up, or do you have a solid standby that keeps you happy? 
In other product-related news, I’ve found a new waffle love!
Nature’s Path has really got the crispy-on-the-outside/soft and dough-on-the-inside thing down. And while I will admit there is not even the slightest hint of pomegranate flavor, the flavor it does have is delicious! Whole grain-y and sweet, almost honey-y. Exactly as it should be.
Man, I love toaster waffles. A lot.
I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow AM, so I better hop off to bed.
Any other World Cup watchers out there? I’m hardcore Italia, all the way. Looks like it’s gonna be a tough cup to win!
~Namaste~

Edible Vengeance

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This being my blog and I all, I have every intention on being 100% honest on here. And honestly – today was not a good day. I know exactly why, but that didn’t change the fact that just getting out of bed was a challenge. Every negative thought possible was running through my head, about everything – my body, my abilities, my future – it was an endless stream of depressing negativity.
What I hate most about days like this is how LOUD the ED voice becomes. I should eat as little as possible, work out as long as possible, blah blah blah blah BS. There was a time where I could and would listen. But now, it just pisses. me. off. So, I fought back. How, you may ask?
Chocolate.
First in the form of yogurt:
I have had this for a while, but was saving for dessert…and then kept forgetting about. This morning was time.
It was good, quite good (although not amazing). At first it felt “wrong” eating something so chocolatey…but really, it’s not all too far away from what I would put in oats.
I mean look at the ingredients:
It was a tad sweet for me, but all in all yummy. And it helped – made me feel just a little stronger.
Oh, and the chocolate did not stop there. Oh no.
Chocolate-covered cherry oat bran.
[Note: Next time, cut cherries smaller!]
Amazing Grass GreenSuperfood Chocolate
With almond milk, banana, cherries, and a splash of ‘nilla. 
LOVED this. Very deep and chocolatey; I was impressed! I liked this as much as the Kidz Wildberry flavor – my only reservartion in buying a bigger container was that I don’t necessarily want a chocolate-flavored smoothie every time I make a smoothie…maybe I will like the Original? Anyone else tried these before?
I continued my day of “edible vengeance” – after quite the breakdown in the kitchen with my mom – with probably the best sandwich this side of the Atlantic:
This is an Italian Sub from a little Italian Deli near my house that I grew up going to. The family who owns it is from Southern Italy and import most of their products, and make their [absolutely mouth-watering] bread. Walking in there is like walking into a mini-Mercato Centrale. It’s wonderful. And they make the best Italian sub ever on their crunchy, golden, doughy baguette that rocks my carboholic socks.
Although, I will say this – there is nothing “Italian” about an Italian sub except for the individual ingredients. Yes, the bologna, salami, mortadella, mozzarella, and all that is Italian – but try to find this in Italy, and it’s simply not there. In fact, when we explained what an Italian sub is to my Food & Culture professor, she looked at us like we had 3 heads! It is such a cool example of how food changes and adapts to a different culture. One of the many reasons why I love it so :)
Anyway, the vengeance went right on into dinner:
Artichoke-onion-garlic pizza on whole grain crust from Whole Foods. Aka, heaven.
This was so yummy. Their whole grain crust is to die for – you can see the flax seeds hangin out in it! YUM. And really not all that expensive, either!
I suppose today has been a long time comin. I can tell because I’ve had a serious itch to bake, bake, BAKE! And I have. Tonight it was Jenna’s Whole Wheat Banana Bread that I made into muffins:
We had ripe bananas, I had the recipe pulled up…it was fate.
That little heart is from the end of my box of Kashi Heart to Heart cinnamon cereal (one of my favorites!). The two on the bottom have a drizzle of almond butter on top, and though you cant see it, the top 2 have a brown sugar sprinkle on top. I like getting creative with the presentation :)
And last night, I made Dreena’s SuperCharge Me! cookies:
With craisins and vegan chocolate chips.
May I just say – WHOA. These are incredible. I just love sweets that are good & good-for-you. The flax meal gives them a wonderful nutty flavor and texture! I will be making these again. Butterscotch will be involved.
And speaking of chocolate [when I am not speaking of chocolate?], the Amazing Grass trial continued yesterday with:
I loooved the Wild Berry, so I had high hopes for the Chocolate!
1/2 nana + 8 cherries + 1/2 c. almond milk + ~1 c. spinach + 1 packet Kidz Chocolate SuperFood.
Meh. I didn’t like this one much – too…grassy? I was really surprised when I liked the regular Chocolate so much! It was better after I added a hefty spoonful of cocoa powder, but still – I’ll stick to the Wild Berry.
More new things were sampled yesterday, including:
Sideways-spoon test:
It passed – a little too well, though! It was a bit too reminiscent of eating glue. And it had a weird texture, like a little gritty? I’ll keep on keepin on with Fage, the tried & true [love].
Took advantage of a 5 for 5 sale at WFs and got some new Odwalla bars – well, new to me.
I liked it, but it was not very pomegranate-y at all. It reminded me of a NutriGrain bar without the icky sugary filling. I might not buy it again, just because it wasn’t exactly a stand-out, but it was worth the try.
In other news, I think my body is insisting on becoming a vegetarian. My mom and I went to the gym and then when we got back, she made a lentil-chicken soup using leftover chicken from dinner this past weekend. It smelled good, and I do love all-things lentil…but I couldn’t stomach the idea of chicken. No idea why. But, if your body screams at you, it’s a good idea to listen – so I made this tasty mess:
This was 2 egg whites + the remains of the tofu package I used for the cake frosting. It was Nasoya Lite Silken Tofu, because it was the only silken tofu the store had. It mixed with the egg whites more or less easily, and I cooked it in the pan with some broccoli slaw, garlic salt, pepper, oregano and rosemary. I drizzled it with *the best* olive oil, and when it needed still a little something more, I added a splash of golden balsamic vinegar – perfect. With a slice of whole grain bread from Costco. It was really tasty! I will definitely be making this again!
I wish I could say that’s all that’s been happening over here, but…this ain’t the half of it. Emails, culinary school research, job search…oy vey. This is definitely a job for yoga.
~Namaste~

FUNday

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Lately, something has really been getting to me. My posts since I’ve returned have felt very spastic and kind of everywhere to me. Must be the English major coming out – I have to have a thesis!! I’ve just noticed that titling posts is difficult because there is no one thing that can sum up what I’ve said, and being my perfectionist self, this does not sit well. All this to say – I’m working on it ;)
Yesterday I was really tired, for no apparent reason. I had planned on hopping over to the gym (in my NEW CAR!!!), but could not summon up the energy. I tend to take these things as a sign, because when it comes to exercise, I know I will personally stop it altogether if it stops being fun. And part of its continuing funness is not forcing myself to go every single day. Took the dog for a walk and did a little ab work before bed–and kept it fun!
Speaking of fun…let’s talk food.
This was yummy, but I have to say, I have never been much for key lime-flavored yogurts. Something weird about it, it kind of has a weird-sweet taste to me? This was the best brand I’ve tried though. Ha, how sick are you of seeing pictures of Stonyfield cartons?!
B-fast also included a classic – cinnamon toast!
Well, cinnamon+ almond butter + pear preserves toast. There is just something about cinnamon on toasted bread, it’s like they were mutually created just for this to be made. My mom always made me cinnamon (and butter :) toast when I was sick, so it’s a major nostalgia food for me too. In fact, when I had to bring my ‘nostalgia food’ to my Food & Culture class this semester, I almost did this – but peanut butter-banana waffles won. It was a tough decision, let me tell you. 
Ok, I could have sworn up and down on all things gourmet that I talked about this, but apparently not, so…
In my Food & Culture class, we were all asked to discuss our persona “nostalgia food” – something that when we eat, the mere look/taste/smell takes us back to a certain moment or feeling that only this food can do to us. I chose peanut butter-banana waffles (with syrup, obvz), because whenever I had waffles for breakfast, my dad insisted on putting peanut butter on them (hell if I know why I protested – that was genius.).
Do you have a nostalgia food?

I also tried this guy:
It was…well, like a ginger snap! A bit heavy on the cloves, though. Like all Larabars, what you see is what you get – so if you’re not a ginger fan, stay away. But if you are, it’s quite tasty. I am kind of in between, and so far the peanut butter cookie Larabar is the winner (shocking, I know). What I like about these is that they are made of real food, and the high [healthy!] fat content keeps me full and happy for a pretty decent amount of time.
In other fun news – I got a present!

Ok, well, not exactly a surprise present, because I bought it for myself, but still – who doesn’t get excited when a package arrives with their name on it???
Amazing Grass is a company whose products are craaaazy popular in the food/healthy living blog world. Their products – bars, wheatgrass powders and smoothie powder add-ins, are all-natural, organic, and busting with nutrients. I ordered 2 of their the Sample Packs – the regular product combo and the Amazing Meal combo. 
I have tried a couple of their bars before and enjoyed them because of their lasting power and readable ingredient list, and one of my favorite bloggers swears by their magical powers, so it was about time I got around to checking them out!
The first one I tried was the Kidz Wild Berry packet – because it sounded fun!
3 servings of fruits and veggies?? How is that possible??
Straight from the site: “We’ve used a quick-drying, low temperature, nutrient-preserving method to make a fruit and vegetable powdered drink that mixes easily with water or milk to provide your child with a fast, delicious way to drink up the healthy benefits of a variety of fruits and vegetables.”

Pretty cool, right? 
[They do say that this is NOT meant to replace the fresh fruit/veggies in one's diet - just for a vitamin boost!]
1/2 frozen banana + 2 big strawbs + 1/2 c. almond milk + 1 packet Kidz Superfood Wild Berry
This was yummy. As in, once I go through all my samples, if I don’t find one I like more, I’m making a beeline for Whole Foods and buy the big container of this stuff. We’re all still kids at heart, anyway! It was pretty sweet, but it’s a smoothie so it wasn’t obnoxious, and I really liked the berry flavor it added (trust me, you’d never know it was also zucchini, brussel sprouts, green beans, and 10 million other veggies!). Next up: the chocolate. I’m excited.

I slept muuuch later than planned today, so time to catch up on my to-dos! I’ll be back – with car pictures!!

~Namaste~

Fake-Out

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Ok, so don’t get me wrong – I am a hardcore believer in the importance and general superiority of whole, minimally processed foods, and a big part of this blog is dedicated to finding and delivering new and delicious recipes and products that are just that. BUT, let’s face it – in the U.S., with our busy Blackberry-driven lives and the vast availability of the processed stuff, sometimes we save ourselves some stress and trouble and buy it. Being a college kid, I get it – sometimes it’s better (taste and health-wise) than the “food” served in the dining hall. Plus, while it’s not always the case, a lot of the natural stuff has a higher price than the regular stuff. I do think it’s worth the price – I kind of look at it as an investment in my own health, but it’s not going to be the end of me to eat it once on a while. And if others prefer this stuff to the all-natural kind, or need to eat it for other reasons, that’s ok too. This is just my personal opinion. Ok, there’s my spiel, on to the pics!
Before I discovered the wonderful world of Greek yogurt, I was a Yoplait Light/Dannon Light & Fit addict. I saw this new flavor and, well, I can’t resist anything pomegranate-berry flavored. Tried….but can’t.
Meh. The texture is clearly nothing special, but I was in it for the flavor – and it didn’t really deliver. It was kind of a vague berry-like taste with that odd fake-sugar aftertaste. Boo. Oh well, at least I tried it.
The thick-style Yoplait Light was my favorite part of breakfast ever – again, pre-Greek. Loved the thickness, even if it was a little questionably gelatinous. A new flavor came out and I felt I should be fair and see what it was like.
Well, what I liked about it was that it did do some justice to blueberry pie, crust and all. It had a graham-like flavor in the background that worked well the the berry flavor. Still can’t quite get past the fake-sugar though – last fall I decided to give up sweeteners as best I could (sometimes a girl just needs a Diet Coke!), and now I can practically smell it when I have products that use it. But minus that, the flavor was decent.
Alas, I just couldn’t stay away:
THAT would be Chobani’s pomegranate and may I just say – WOW!! I loooooved this! Had that nice cranberry-like tang that pomegranate does, and it had actual pom. seeds in it! The “fruit on the bottom” wasn’t syrupy or heavy, it was just like when I add jam to my plain yogurt. And, as you can see, it passed the sideways-spoon test! My only problem? The $1.50 per cup part. Cruel. I suppose it will make breakfast all the more special when I have it!

That “special meeting” I mentioned yesterday was actually just me going to see my high school band director. He was essentially my 3rd parent/therapist my junior and senior years, and I practically lived in his office. I wouldn’t have done, well, a LOT if it weren’t for him. He’s one of those people that I can talk forever to, because he’s very good at reading my mind and just “getting it,” ya know? So, I stop at Dunkies for our coffees and spend a couple hours just chillin and chattin. He’s retiring this year and it makes me unspeakably sad that I won’t be able to do it anymore :( But, change is good. It makes things happen.
P.S. – does anyone else adore Dunkies’s cinnammon coffee? Mmmmm :)
After my “therapy session”, I came home and was hangry. The sunny-side-up egg with spinach on toast disappeared way to fast for LuLu to snap a picture, but I did manage to breathe long enough to show you these beautiful organic grapes I got at WFs yesterday:
LOVE grapes. Juicy, brightly-colored goodness.
I had a turkey-arugula wrap for lunch, but it looked about as lackluster as it tasted (it needed….something). However, I did put my new bag of frozen mangoes to use:
1/2 c. mango + 1/2 sliced banana + 1/2 c. almond milk. I like going simple the first time I try things.
It was good, but I think mango and banana together are too sweet – they both call for citrus or berry (or both). And I also didn’t add spinach, but I wonder if it wouldn’t have mellowed the sweetness a little. Spinach is clearly a must-have in all smoothies!
Anyone else in Mass. feeling gross right now? It is hot, sticky and icky. I felt a bit worn down all day, even after a nap. I hit the elliptical to see if it would help, but I think it just made me feel grosser. But, my philosophy with working out is even when in doubt, try it for 5 minutes. If you can’t do it, it’s not worth pushing, but it’s a very seldom occurrence that I regret working out. And with an iPod full of Glee tunes, it’s pretty enjoyable anyway! (The It’s My Life/Confessions mash-up rocks my socks!)

Pre-run snack was this guy:
One of my favorite flavors. It’s sweet and nutty, you can SEE the berries and seeds, and it pleasantly crumbles in your mouth but not before. It is a little sticky, but it doesn’t bother me. It is quite sweet, but the tartness of the berries seems to balance it out. Yum:)

I treated myself to a trip to Whole Foods for some cold, creamy treats (to be revealed tomorrow!), and this guy:
I am obsessed with these. They’re just so good! This flavor is particularly awesome – a little floral, a little sweet, a lot awesome. If you like flavored water but not the sweeteners, try these!!! They have wicked fun flavors too – I want my Whole Foods to stock the mango-grapefruit so bad!

Dinner was again inhaled too quickly for LuLu (this is NOT a habit I intend to continue), but it wasn’t too interesting – imagine if you will a Morningstar Farms black bean burger over spinach with a little cottage cheese +dijon+ pineapple salsa. If you have not tried pineapple salsa, you MUST – it is absolutely drool-worthy with teriyaki-glazed salmon. Trust me. You will never look at teriyaki the same again.

Dessert was a mish-mash, including this newbie:
After reviewing the Raspberry one a couple days ago, I was wary. And again, underwhelmed. It was not cardboard-y like my last try, but it was waaaay heavier on the date than blueberry flavor. But it was pleasantly gooey, and the nuts on top added a nice semi-crunch. Still…blah. I’ll give the apple a shot – and then give up. Although I still think the cherry-pomegranate was pretty good…(see above for my opinion on pomegranate anything.)
I also made good on my word and had a peanut butter-fluff waffle:
YUM. I think the marshmallow brought out the sweetness in the waffle, and the peanut butter…well, I’m pretty sure peanut butter improves pretty much everything it’s put on. I used my favorite brand ever, Naturally More – although my mean grocery store no longer carries the regular kind, only organic, which I don’t like as much (go figure, right?). The regular has added egg whites and honey, whereas the organic doesn’t – maybe that’s why? And Whole Foods doesn’t carry it. Hell if I know why. You can find it at WalMart (yes, you read that right), and it’s really pretty cheap – if you’re a pb fan, you MUSTmustmust try this. It changed my nut-butter-lovin’ life. Whole flaxseeds give it a little crunch, there’s a little bit of can sugar for sweetness…gah. Sogood.
At the beginning of this week, I declared the start of Project: Conscious Eating. I haven’t forgotten about! And, while I can feel I’m getting better at it, it’s a sloooooow process. Sometimes I just start snacking and can’t stop. It’s too easy here, with a family-size kitchen available 24/7. It’s frustrating, and can be very defeating, but here is what keeps me sane: 1) I learn more about myself and how my body works everyday, and I know what helps and what hinders it, and 2) the world is not going to stop turning if I eat one cookie or handful of cereal too many. I will get up, start a new day, and try again. One of the hardest things I struggle with is eating too much – in the past, feeling “stuffed” triggers a total binge and then guilt so painful it’s tangible. And that cycle is just not fair to myself. So, that is really the point of my project – which is really a lifelong project – to continue to live and get back on the horse and look at each day as a new chance. I truly hope that anyone who takes on their own project keeps that in mind above all – let the past be the past.
And on a completely unrelated topic, I’m watching the movie 27 Dresses (cute, but pretty formulaic-chick-flick), and JAN from The Office is James Marsden’s [character's] editor!! She does play an excellent “woman-in-charge.” Although I looove the episode where so goes all “hippie mom” on them….hehehe. 
I got me a babysitting job tomorrow AM, and still need to de-ickify. Gosh, I have rambled like whoa today!
Sweet dreams all :)
~Namaste~

Green & Real

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Well, it’s been a solid week and a half since I’ve been back…and reality is closing in. I miss Florence. I miss being able to step outside into streets once walked by Dante and Pellegrino Artusi. I miss the challenge of speaking another language. I miss the daily trips to the market, and my dried fruit guy.
BUT – I will say, it’s good to be able to make these again:
Is that green????
Why yes, green it is. This is a pineapple-banana-blueberry-spinach smoothie made with almond milk.
I got into smoothie-making the summer after my freshman year in college, and never looked back. They’re so fun and versatile and tasty! I have a pretty standard basic recipe that I play around with:
>1/2 cup milk – I usually use almond milk, and if I use more fruit, sometimes I’ll up it to 6 oz (3/4 cup).
>half a frozen banana – this is pretty important. I’ve tried banana-less smoothies and they are simply not as good. Smoothies scream for the creamy sweetness bananas provide. Trust me.
>Spinach – usually around a cup. You can’t taste it at all. Great way to get in some extra greens! Plus, it makes the smoothie a cool color. You can bet that my kids will love “Green Monsters” (as they have been dubbed by the food blog world).
After that, I play around with the fruit, but I often add at least a couple tablespoons of blueberries. I try to use frozen fruit – I slice bananas and then throw them in the freezer in a Ziploc. Sometimes I throw in some berries too – if you use more frozen fruit, you won’t need to add ice cubes to get that thicker smoothie-like consistency (I always feel like ice cubes water down the flavor too much).
I did miss my blender in good ole Italia. I swear by these smoothies – refreshing, fruity, and nutrient-packed. I know the spinach thing sounds weird, but really, you cannot detect any spinachy-hint at all. Just yummy fruit!!
Speaking of tasty beverages – have you tried or heard of the mystical kombucha?
It’s a living culture (basically like fermentation) of healthy microorganisms including lots of essential nutrients. Sounds crazy and a little gross, perhaps, but it’s taken the healthy-living-blog world by storm so I had to try it. I’ve tried Synergy’s Mystic Mango flavor (of course – mango!!!), and was…perplexed. The flavor is very interesting – acidic, like a weak vinegar almost. It’s naturally “effervescent” (fancy schmancy term for slightly carbonated), which I like a lot. I didn’t love the mango, but I wanted to try it again and I found this on sale at Whole Foods and thought “if not today, when?!” I really liked this! The apple was a perfect complement to the kombucha, and though I didn’t taste much jasmine, I think it made the flavor a little more mellow. It was really good – if you’ve never tried it before, this would be a good one to start with, I think. Still very tart, but in an enjoyable way. Only 70 calories per bottle. I’m usually not a fan of “drinking my calories,” (with the notable exceptions of espresso drinks and smoothies), but this I feel is worth it because it’s tasty and so freakin good for you! They do tend to be pricey, but it’s a nice once-in-a-while treat.
I know I mentioned a “theme of the week” – but after more brainstorming, I think I am going to do a special themed post. It will be several product reviews, related to each other. I’m totally open to opinions though, so if any one thinks a weekly theme versus one big fat post is better than the other, let me know!!!
Any Costco fans out there? My dad is a total Costco junkie and whenever I come home, I always find a new lifetime supply-sized box of something. This time, it was this:
My mom made a packet (which is huge and definitely holds more than one serving) and mixed it with white onion and canned diced tomatoes – and it rocked! It’s not too hot-spicy, but well spiced with cumin, garam masala – the classic Indian flavors. I threw it on a bed of spinach and added a spoonful of cottage cheese and it was de-lish:
Not exactly as appetizing as it looks on the box, but it certainly tastes great! The ingredients are just water, chickpeas, onions, sunflower oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, salt, cumin, spices. I just love short, readable ingredient lists! Half a pack is 210 calories with 7 grams of fat (only 0.5g is saturated!), 10 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. Pretty sweet stats! Real food just tastes so much better.
From the new…
to the old! I love these bars. They are a college kid’s dream – healthy, tasty, and a good source of quick energy.
I love that you can not only see every ingredient, but taste them too – the almonds, honey, and flax combine beautifully, and the variety of textures from the different grains, whole almonds and flax seeds makes it seriously fun(oxymoron?) to eat. One of my favorite snacks!
Lately, it has occurred to me how much I really love blogging. I know my updates haven’t been as constant since I returned – but that will change. I’m slowly settling back home and just need to find my rhythm again. But really, it’s become so important to me. I love writing, and especially about food, and it makes me so happy to be able to have a place to share it with others. I literally find myself writing posts in my head – I have post-its everywhere reminding myself of things to mention or discuss. It’s been such a great outlet, and even if all I ever have is 5 readers, it’s still just as fun. I think a part of it is I spent so many years depriving myself of so much food-wise, now that I’m on the other side, I’m all the more passionate about food, and sharing it with others. It’s truly one of those things so deeply set within a culture that the millions of meanings and symbols it has go unnoticed and it really just fascinates me. Talking and writing about it is just plain FUN!
Just my thoughts for the day:)
Lots more pictures and reviews to come!
~Namaste~