Tag Archives: waffles

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!

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~

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~

A Centennial

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Guess what you are reading right now??? The 100th post of Gillianasana!!! How exciting!!!!

And in honor of this very special post, I will….um, continue with my weekly theme. Because what better way to celebrate a food blog centennial than with food?

So, welcome to Day 2 of Yogurt Week! I’ve recently tried a couple fun new brands – Wallaby and Ricera.


Nonfat Bartlett Pear.
I really like the funky colors/kangaroo design!

This was “Australian-style” yogurt, which is verrry similar to European as far as I can tell – in other words, the polar opposite of thick, tangy Greek yogurt. Each has their place in my heart – I had a serious love affair with the vanilla yogurt I found at our grocery store in Florence. Yes, it was thin, but the flavor was amazing. I miss it…*tear* This was a slight letdown – I was really exciting about the pear flavor, but I couldn’t taste it at all. It was pretty much just sweetened, runny yogurt. It wasn’t bad, per se, just not pear-y. And if the flavor is kind of blah, I at least want a nice thick texture. BUT, there was nothing “fake
 about the flavor – no odd sweetener aftertastes or anything, and that I liked. Whole Foods has lots of other flavors and I’m all about second chances…so stay tuned ;)

I was really interested to see what this was like. Rice Yogurt! I have tasted rice milk before (my roommate at school is allergic to casein and prefers rice milk over soy/almond/etc) and it tasted like…um, rice+milk, so I was very interested to see what a flavored yogurt would be like.
I figured vanilla was a good trial-run flavor, no?
Nothing spectacular about the stats, but I do appreciate the more-or-less readable ingredient list :)

Texture-wise, I’d say it was pretty normal yogurt-y. Not particularly thin or thick, but not freakishly gelatinous like other brands who use a grocery list’s length of various additives and weird, unpronounceable ”edible” things. It was very sweet and rather starchy (in rice yogurt – imagine that ;) The vanilla flavor wasn’t so prominent – a more apt description would be brown/cane sugar. It was basically rice pudding without the added bits of rice in it. I didn’t love it, but I was happy to satisfy my curiosity. There are other flavors, but the high price tag might keep me from trying them again in the very near future.

I tried a food-blog-world fave today:

Gotta love that ingredient list!

Dates are pretty cool, that they can turn into this.
I’ve had the peanut butter cookie flavor, and it is my favorite Larabar ever – duh, it has peanut butter in the title. Cashews in general I have a more ambiguous relationship with. Sometimes I can’t get enough, other times they make me gag. I never claimed to be normal. Anyway, I just didn’t like this. Too sweet (dates are SUPER high sugar), I think the fact that cashews are kind of naturally sweet plus the dates just overdid it. That, and the fact that I’m not cashew’s biggest fan led to a semi-disappointment. But, if you adore cashews, you’ll probably enjoy this.

I also celebrated with a big bowl of appleberry oat bran. YUM!

I made it with 1/2 c. almond milk & 1/4 c. water, cinnamon, cardamom (essential ingredient – just a teeny tiny bit makes all the difference!), and vanilla. After the first round in the microwave, I threw in a handful of blueberries to cook and get juicy in the bowl. Unsweetened applesauce (I use Musselman’s, I can’t stand Mott’s version) stirred in at the end, and a couple more bluebs thrown on top for aesthetic appeal. MMMM!

There was an interesting article today in the paper, about how suddenly everyone has become a food critic with the help of sites like Yelp and Chowhound.

It started me thinking about blogs and reviewing things here. Is it wrong/bad/out of place? Honestly, I don’t think so. We’re not getting paid, and all restaurants should treat paying customers like they’re food critics anyway, regardless of whether or not they actually are. The other thing about reviews on blogs that I think is most important to keep in mind is that everyone is different! We all like different foods, or consider different things better or worse in terms of quality. I love reading lots of different reviews about the same place or food because it gives me a better, more detailed idea of what it’s actually like. This article went into some not-so-nice goings-on behind the scenes with the actual internet companies being, well, money-hounds – and that I certainly am not a fan of at all. That’s just sleazy. But when it comes to blogs, I say write on. Just keep in mind that the writer’s experience is totally subjective, and you never know what you will think of it yourself. 
Y’all, a terrrrrrible thing happened today – my mo took my brother and I to Panera, and upon sitting down and preparing to enjoy my half of a Mediterranean Veggie, I felt something was missing….LuLu!! Gah, you can tell a young food blogger when they forget to bring their camera with them everywhere. (P.S., for any new readers – my blue Canon Powershot camera is named LuLu. Yes, I name my technological accessories. Makes it easier to yell at them when they inevitably screw up.) It was tasty though :)
After a visit with the elliptical at the gym, I popped over to heaven on earth Whole Foods to have some fun. Among other things, I grabbed this little container of fluffy wonder:
Yes, that is all-natural marshmallow creme!
Pretty sweet ingredient list, for what is traditionally the epitome of fake food!
Hmm, now what to test-drive my new present on?
Waffle. Duh.
It would will be better with peanut butter, but I’m quite impressed. I never, ever had a peanut butter-fluff sandwich when I was a kid, and never particularly desired to, but this stuff is just plain fun! I’m thinking gooood on top of some epic oat bowls too…and mixed in with greek yogurt…and on top of smoothies…oh, the possibilities!
I had one of those days where I found myself all of a sudden starving multiple times – as in, dinner was a turkey-hummus-spinach wrap because it was the fastest thing I could think of. Then at the end of the day I feel like a stuffed sausage, like my bottomless pit all of a sudden got way too full. Oy. It’s all good, it all balances out eventually anyway. Just ranting :)
This chick needs to shower and hit the sack STAT – I have a special little “meeting” tomorrow AM. I actually to have to arise before noon. The horror!
~Namaste~

Happy Holiday Eats

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Whoo! I just wrote my [massive] About Me page. Check it out…if you have, like, an hour. Ok, slight exaggeration, but seriously…us English majors can ramble!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!
Remember these? I couldn’t quite decide what I thought of them. 
Well, I was feeling some carbs last night, and took advantage of my mood to try one of these babies – naked!
I LOVE the whole flaxseeds – they add great texture! This waffle crisped up pretty nice, but was still good ‘n gooey in the middle. Yum. I do kinda wish the flaxseed were ground up – the body doesn’t digest it in whole seed form…but it does make for a fun texture! Just sayin’. Still, yummy nutty flavor. I can’t wait to try the Red Berry flavor. Mmmm!
Holiday-eve eats also included:
Luna Blueberry Bliss
Another ex-Luna Sunrise flavor to show up in the regular line. Tastes pretty much identical – blueberry-y with vanilla frosting on the bottom and oats sprinkled liberally on top (my favorite part – surprise, surprise ;)
I do caution people with light sweet-tooths–this could very easily be too sweet for a lot of people. Luckily for me, I have a sweet-tooth the size of the Duomo, so that’s often not a detractor for me.
I miss you, Duomo-dear!
Speaking of bars of the Clif variety, I tried another new one today when I waited too long to eat and was in danger of having a hypoglycemic attack:
I haven’t been thrilled with the Clif bars I’ve tried – the texture is a little odd and they are usually waaay to sweet for me (see above to see why that is a problem!). But, mint+chocolate is one of my favoritest combos EVER, so I figured this was a safe bet. And it was. Very similar in taste to the Luna Choc. Peppermint Stick, which is my favorite Luna flav, just with the slightly chewy texture of Clif. I enjoyed. My hypoglycemia is a big reason why I’m such a fan of bars – they provide an instant blood sugar boost when you’re desperate! Love ‘em.
The ‘rents took advantage of the gorgeous weather New England is treating us to and went off sailing on Sunday, so my brother and I went to dinner. At Whole Foods. Yes, I love it that much. Their salad bar = my Cloud 9.
I should get better about this – as in, wandering around both sides, looking at all the offerings, and combine different ones to make a fabulous, cohesive salad. But alas, that is a battle I have yet to win – I always walk out with a little of everything! Kind of my favorite way to. Lots of different, fun flavors. This was heavy - in weight and in fiber! Sat in my tummy like a rock.
I also picked up this guy (gal?):
Hint is totally unsweetened water that is flavored with the essence of various flavahs. I’ve had the honeydew hibiscus before and loved every sip. I just love that it’s not sweetened, yet still so flavorful! Super refreshing.
Despite all that fiber, my aforementioned massive sweet tooth was still acallin’…and whaddyaknow, but there is a JP Licks right in the same shopping center! It’s a Mass. ice cream chain that the most amazing soft serve ice cream ever, in the craziest flavors. And it’s fat free. Hard to argue.
I went for the Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor:
It was literally a cookie in softserve form. I could taste the buttery brown sugar of the dough. Perfect way to end the meal. I drove home very happy, belting out Glee between licks.
Today was pretty low-key. We had a lovely Memorial Day dinner with out neighbors – and MAN was it yummy!
We started out with a lovely appetizer spread of cheese & crackers and chips & salsa/guac. In fact, last summer (after I had gone back to school, sadly), they held a “guac-off” – one neighbor’s homemade guacamole against our other’s. Yes, I love on a 3-house “street” that is really a hill. Most people drive by and think it’s a driveway for the house in front ours. Nope! It was actually a really fun place to grow up. Like an extended family!
ANYway, dinner was goo-oo-ood.
Quinoa salad a la me:
As with many of my grain salads, I just kind of threw stuff together. But this one came out quite well!
-Cook one cup of quinoa (just follow the directions on the container – I used Bob’s Red Mill.). When it’s done, put it in your salad bowl.
-Rinse one can of black beans and throw in your salad bowl.
-Boil a couple ears of corn (or grill, if they’re still in the husk!). Cut it off the cob and throw it in the bowl.
-Add chopped grape tomatoes, grilled baby bell peppers, fresh cilantro.
-Saute a clove or two of garlic in a little olive oil and add it to the mix.
-For the dressing, I mixed lime juice, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. I seasoned it with garlic salt, a little pepper, chili pepper, ginger, curry, and cumin. 
Feel free to add whatever veggies to this you want, and experiment with spices. 
It will be better the next day, after all the flavors have melded together more. I also prefer these things chilled, so try to make it early and keep it in the fridge for a while before serving (this doesn’t always happen…no biggie!)
It was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself! I looove grain salads (hence the WF’s salad bar obsession). I love that you can do so many different things – they never have to be the same twice!
Our neighbor made these shrimp pizzettas:
The green one has cheese and fresh pesto (!!!), and the other is a “shrimp scampi” pizza, a little creamy with diced tomatoes and cheese. Yum yum yum!
My dad made some delicious, juicy BBQ chicken, but it paled in comparison to the main attraction:
LOBSTAH!
Yup, I’m a hardcore Boston chick – love me some of this shellfish. So good. I don’t even need the drawn butter…just a hefty tail, and maybe a little claw meat. One of the main reasons I could never go totally vegetarian. Just.so.delicious.
This beautiful meal was eaten under the [manmade] stars (aka, their table umbrella):
with a little canine accompaniment:
She likes lobster too. And chicken, and pizza, and appetizers, and…well, pretty much anything we eat. She finds it very upsetting when she is not included in the enjoying of the food. And she makes this known. But how can you resist that face????
[Answer: You can't. She very happily accepted chicken bites from the table, and a couple crackers. Spoiled rotten.]
Ok, I have a confession: this week happened to be a certain time of the month in which I eat everything that passes my nose with very little thought as to whether I really want/need it. It’s quite frustrating after a while, but after I accept that my hormones must sometimes be catered to and up the exercise a bit, I feel better. So, this week is Project: Conscious Eating. I know how eat intuitively, despite it being much harder than it seems it should be, but I’m going to try harder. It just feels so much better when you east when you’re hungry and stop when you’re not. I feel like I was getting really good at it in Italy, but it got harder, as it always does, when I came home to a full-size refrigerator and an endless supply of cereal and snackage. It’s a new month, a new day, and it’s never too late to start. So, I’m starting. Wanna join me? GO TEAM!
Happy June!
~Namaste~

Monster Attack!

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Green Monster, that is!
This is one of the best smoothies I’ve ever made.
1/2 frozen sliced banana
1/2 c. (70 g)  frozen pineapple
1 c. spinach
1/4 cup (good handful) blueberries
1/2 c. Almond Breeze (Unsweetened Vanilla rocks my socks!)
splash of vanilla
Blend, baby, blend!
I think the trick was lots of frozen fruit to eliminate the need for ice cubes, and only half a cup of milk. The texture was perfect – juuust thick enough to savor it but not so much that it couldn’t move out of the glass. Fruity, creamy, and just sweet enough. I love drinking my greens!
Speaking of some of my best kitchen productions, I made some pretty kickin’ oat bran this A.M. too:
26 g organic oat bran (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
1/2 c. almond milk + 1/4 c. water
~2 tsp cocoa powder
~1/2 tsp instant espresso
dash of salt
1/2 banana, sliced and slightly melted in the microwave
handful of blueberries
I say 26 g because I have no idea what this measurement is in cups – I use a food scale for my hot cereal experiments. Really, it’s like a toy, and I’m just playing with my food. That, and I’m terrible at eyeballing portions, and the food scale has helped me get a lot better at it. Yes, I’m a geek. Don’t hate! 
Ok, here’s the process:
Once your oat bran is in the bowl, toss in your cocoa powder (or cinnamon or whatever dry spice you’re feeling that day) and the salt. Then add the liquid – I usually use half milk/half water or more of a 3:1 milk-water ratio to make it nice and creamy. It makes an enormous difference.
Microwave it for about a minute and a half (or do it on the stove – your call!)
Slice up your banana and microwave it in a separate container for 10-20 seconds. I got this “melted banana” trick from this cool chick, and I’ve never looked back. It spreads the sweet banana goodness all throughout the bowl instead of just in chunks, and also acts as an emulsifier and thickens things up.
Here is when you want to add your espresso if you’re using cocoa. I swear by this trick – coffee brings out the chocolate flavor in any dish, and it really makes the bowl richer and more chocolatey. Mmmm!
Add the nanner and keep cooking. WATCH your bowl if you’re nuking it – it can very quickly boil over!
I also like to add blueberries for an extra fruity kick. I love microwaving them and then popping them to release the juice inside. It’s the little kid inside me I guess :)
You might want to throw the bowl in the fridge or freezer for a minute or two to cool it down – it can get HOTTTT! But it’s worth it in the end. Try that melted banana trick – it will change your life. Or at least your breakfast.
Sick of breakfast yet? I’m not. It is the one meal I could eat 3 (or more!) times a day! It’s so fun. And usually involves my favorites – fresh fruit and carbs!
I’m a big fan of waffles as a snack, and I just tried a new brand:
I usually get the Kashi GoLean waffles, but they are suddenly nowhere to be found!! I almost cried when I couldn’t find them at my grocery store OR beloved Whole Foods. Well, ok, maybe I didn’t get that dramatic, but it was close. Time to find a new favorite! So I went with Nature’s Path Flax Plus. Love me some Omega-3s!
For my first taste test, I went with a classic:
Peanut butter+banana. Soulmates if I’ve ever seen them.
The only thing that can improve this dish is maple syrup – enter: Peanut Butter & Co.’s Mighty Maple.
 Genius in a jar. I’m pretty sure whoever created this was eating a waffle with peanut butter and syrup and thought “hey, we should really get these two together?” So, I guess this is really a menage a trois of breakfast foods? How scandalous! And delicious.
 The verdict on the waffles? Well, I was a little distracted by the amazingness going on on top, but I think they will do as a Kashi replacement. They didn’t get quite as crunchy as I like, and they’re a little airier, but I have 5 more waffles left to confirm my opinion.
Anyone bar-crazy? No, I’m not referring to the smoke-filled, dimly-lit rooms where you go to watch the game. I’m talking about the edible kind. The best kind, obvz ;)
First up: Clif C Bar in Raspberry
This new line from Clif boasts only 9 ingredients. That usually means a clean, simple flavor that makes a nice little snack or dessert.
Unfortunately, the only flavor I got was cardboard. It looked good, it even smelled pretty good…but the taste was lacking. There was a vague tart-fruity flavor, but it definitely didn’t scream raspberry, and the nuts on top might as well have not been there at all. The texture was actually pretty good, gooey but not crumbly, easy to eat. I know it’s not the brand; I’ve had the cherry pomegranate flavor before and really enjoyed it; the raspberry just failed. I have yet to try the apple or blueberry, and I’m a believer in second chances, so maybe its just this flavor. But, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Unless your mouth waters every time you see a UPS box on your doorstep.
In yummier news, I had a new Larabar that rocked my chocolate-loving socks off. Their Jocalat line is similar to the original Laras in that the ingredient list is short, sweet, and completely recognizable. And their organic and use fair-trade cocoa, which is always a plus.
I bought the German Chocolate Cake flavor on a whim:

I love it when my whims come through. This was fan-freakin-tastic! I was a little wary because I’m not big on coconut, but Lara knows how to wield this fruit. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness to complement the chocolate without making the bar all about the coconut. This was like a rich, dark brownie. I even liked the little chunks of almond and pecan, which surprised me because I am a hardcore anti-nut brownie girl. But here they just added to the flavor and texture. It’s a little crumbly but not obnoxiously so.

I know the fat & calorie content in Larabars is scary for some people, considering how small the bar actually is. BUT this is only because they are made of real, nutrient-packed foods. Do not fear the fat here! Your body needs it. And the fat in these will make your body a LOT happier than the fat in your average brownie. (Not that classic brownies don’t have their time and place – sometimes, they are simply necessary!) All this to say – this bar was GOOD. And healthy. And chocolatey. What more could ya ask for?
Peanut butter, oat bran, spinach smoothies and chocolate. I miss Florence…but I’m doing ok so far ;)
~Namaste~