Fake-Out

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~

Happy Holiday Eats

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~

Sleep, Eat, Repeat

Have you ever been in the situation where suddenly there are several incredibly good things happening that you literally don't know what to do with yourself? Since coming home, a lot of new and really exciting opportunities have appeared and as thrilled as I am, I feel almost paralyzed. I just don't know which direction to leap into! I'm by no means complaining, I just feel a bit...dazed. Of course, situations like this lead to one of my favorite activities: list-making. Oh, I love lists. So pretty and clear and organized. Yes, I'm a geek . And I love it.

Even if lists fail me, there is always one thing I can turn to: food! So let's get to it, shall we?

Now, you may wonder, what in the heck does a girl fresh from Tuscany eat when she returns to America, land of the packaged, home of the processed?

OATS!

These oats being in the form of bran, which I actually prefer to rolled oats. I like the texture better, something more mixable and thick about it? 

This particular mix is chocolate-strawberry. Before I left, I ran out of my dark cocoa powder (*tear*), which really makes the bowl, but it was almost just as good with this guy:

I found this at Whole Foods when in search of carob powder. The "bits of unsweetened chocolate" just called to me (and the price tag on the carob powder chased me away...). It is so good. It's rich but because it's unsweetened it doesn't overwhelm you, just makes it super chocolate-y. And it's FairTrade, so you can consume with a clear conscience:)

Another favorite of mine discovered just before I left for Italia is this beauty:

Ezekiel bread toasted & spread with:

+

I have a very specific technique for this toast - I use a piece of wax paper and mix them together while the bread is gettin' toasty, and then spread the mix on when it pops. It's crunchy, it's creamy, it's salty, it's sweet...it's wonderful. One of my favorite home snacks ever. It's good with apple butter as well, and I'm sure other fruit spreads would also do quite nicely. But there is just something about this Stonewall Kitchen Cinnamon Apple jelly that just makes my tastebuds oh-so-happy! Barney Butter is another wonderful find. Like most almond butter, it is a tad pricey, but this is my first jar and I've had it for a while, so you really can make it last. I've tried the infamous Maranatha brand and it just does not do it for me. This one and Naturally Nutty take the cake.

Can you tell I have missed nut butters? Because I have. A lot.

And, I'll admit, as much as I adore how little processed food I ate during my semester, I also missed these:

Hello Gorgeous.

Yes, I am Luna bar lovah.

I really got into them last year, when I tried one in desperation before a late night plane trip going home. I made my way through all the flavors and then...was hooked. They help me a lot at school, where getting protein is not always easy for me (cafeteria meat scares me), and they have a slew of other vitamins and minerals. Plus, they're pretty, and we all know how much I like pretty food :)

While I am more in favor of getting all your nutrients via whole foods, I'm the first to admit that sometimes my lifestyle just gets in the way! So, for now, I've made good friends with the microwave and embrace as many natural albeit processed foods that come my way.

The Vanilla Almond is a relatively new flavor to the Luna line; I think they are ending their Luna Sunrise line (which makes me a little sad - the Apple Cinnamon was SO good!), but it seems that they are just making some of the Sunrise flavors a part of their regular lineup? I loved the pretty design on top and that you can actually see the almond pieces in it. The flavor was a tad too sweet for me, at least in terms of 'breakfast'; but it is a vanilla bar, and I think those are kind of asking for sweet anyway. All-around nice taste, rather dessert-like in fact. I wouldn't recommend it for those without much of a sweet-tooth, and I wish the almond flavor was a liiiittle more prominent, but it's a good bar. Chocolate Peppermint Stick still owns my heart, though;)

I guess Luna has been going through some ch-ch-ch-changes, because they also have a new "protein" bar line. I have tried the Cookie Dough and while I enjoyed it, I didn't so much get the 'cookie dough' part. More like nougat? But, to be fair, I tried the other two recently:

Chocolate Peanut Butter!

A brilliant combination - this one was looking good already. And, of course, the fact that it is coated in chocolate helped a little too ;)

And inside:

The flavor of this bar was good - the peanut butter wasn't too sugary and it was balanced out pretty well with the chocolate flavor. My biggest issue was the texture - it's a little too jaw-breaker-chewy for me. But, for 12 grams of protein and in the case of a Reese's craving, it's not a bad option.

I also tried the Chocolate Cherry Almond:

The chocolate coating on this one was a little on the dark side, which I loved! This one was my favorite of the 3 Luna Proteins. There were legit chunks of dried cherry in this one and you could taste the almonds. With the smooth chocolate coating, it was really a delicious way to get in some nutrients :) 

First official product review: Check.

BUT...I can't live without my veggies.

This would be a big, bright, beautiful salad featuring marinated mushrooms from our Italian deli (it's literally like walking into a mini Mercato Centrale...I love it) and grilled bell peppers, courtesy of my dad. If you've never grilled peppers before, you must! They were made for the grill. They're wonderful with grilled chicken, too. I love summer grilling!!!

Though my appetite is not reflecting it, I feel like I've been sleeping constantly. Nap, drink seltzer, eat, repeat. I should probably just accept the fact that my body clearly is going to take its sweet time adjusting back to home...but it's driving me a tad crazy. I crave energy! All in good time, I suppose. 

Tomorrow my mom's got me working at some hoity toity house tour (it's all good, I'll wear my new dress from the Cascine market!), but tomorrow night we're going to dinner at a family friend's house and we're having - what else? - Italian. Bellissima!

~Namaste~