Eat, Drink, and Watch Parades

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~