My Grand Illusions

Challenges

I'm back at work full time+ these days, tax season is here in full force. It's a double edge sword because my savings account needs to be replenished for all the future travel plans I have but so many things suffer like quality time with my family and friends, clean laundry and exercise and eating well. While it's mildly slow here at my office I'm making plans to eat well this tax season and I hope to lose a few (or 20) pounds along the way. I've been bringing all the things to make a great salad so I get my greens in, snacky things like 100 calorie popcorn to thwart cravings that would normally have me eat giants sums of chips and I've been munching on apples dipped in chocolate almond butter to quell that sweet tooth that rages on every single day.

The challange is to KEEP IT UP. I must start planning the night before for breakfast otherwise I'll end up pouring a huge bowl of cereal for myself or totally forget to grab anything and eat donuts from the corner bakery. I mean, don't get me wrong, donuts are lovelyto eat and eat and eat but my butt doesn't approve. I've learned that I need high-ish protein breakfasts that consist of both protein and carbs to keep me going. Two of the recipes I'll be making that have given me great success in the past:

Dough Boy Smoothie (From Kath Eats. This smoothie is so good especially when topped with a little bit of coconut butter and chopped nuts.)

Oatmeal Pumpkin Bake(From The Edible Perspective. I sometimes sub pumpkin for applesauce or mix up the other ingredients for something new. If I half this bake and top with peanut butter and jelly it's a delicious breakfast meal for around 300 calories which is perfect for me. Then the next day I eat the other half!)

I keep Hail Merry raw vanilla maple almonds on hand at all times and a stash of oranges, apples and bananas also. Another secret weapon? Those small one-serving Justin's Nut Butter you can find at almost all nicer grocery stores...genius.

I've got my plan in place, oh yes I sure do. I just need to keep it there and keep working toward eating well and feeding my body what it needs on a regular basis.

I'm on the lookout for really tasty salads (grain or vegetable based), simple one dish meals and foods I can prepare some at work where I'm limited to a can opener and a microwave. If you've got suggestions or blogs you recommend I'd love to hear about them.

Now, I'm off to make a delicious and hopefully simple dinner while I count down to quitting time (9pm!).

Obsessed with Indian food

When I was in New York a few weeks ago I had the chance to dine at Haveli's, It's an "authentic Indian cuisine" place that knocked my socks off. Immediately after eating there my Aunt and I headed to her local Indian shop and I was overcome with all the spices that I'd never even heard of and bought a few of the spices that I was familiar with. I am now the proud owner of enough Turmeric to satisfy any Buddha or anybody, ha!

Since I've been back I've been a tiny bit obsessed with Indian cuisine. My birthday is coming up and I've got plans to dine at two Indian food places during that weekend and I couldn't be more excited. Images of naan bread and veggie curries are floating through my dreams and I swear I think mango chutney is coming from my pores I've eaten it so often in the last two weeks.

I've made red bean curry and red lentil dal recently and it's only given me a taste for more Indian dishes. Clearly I have Fenugreek in my DNA.

Do you have any good (vegetarian-friendly) Indian recipes, or maybe you know of a good Indian recipe book or website?

Please help me satisfy my addiction!

Want to join in the fun?

See that little badge in the far bottom right column? The one that looks like this:

 
It's a new book clubI joined. But it's not your average book club, it's a Foodie Book Club! We're going to read all about food! I'm so fascinated by food and how people choose food and the origins of foods and preparation and, well, anything having to do with food so this is a perfect book club for me.  

You can see the first three books that we're reading if you click on this link. The first book, which I'm so interested to read is:

The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain. I'm actually a bit nervous to read about him eating a "freshly slaughtered seal", but I'm hoping to learn a thing or two and that can't be a bad thing. Also, Anthony is dirty hot in my book, sort of like Johnny Depp.

If you're interested in reading about food and talking about it, please come on over and join us!

What should I make/bring?

So, you guys know I'm going to England IN EIGHTY days. OMG. I'd love to bring a few recipes with me to make while I'm there. Things that are "American", if you will. I've been thinking and thinking of what screams American! food and other than hamburgers and fries I ain't got much.

Also, being a vegan means I avoid meat and dairy products. So basically I'm asking for the nearly impossible. American foods that are vegan, or at least vegetarian-friendly. I am pretty well adept at altering recipes to make them vegan-friendly unless it's like a steak on a plate, obvs.

Also, I happen know that they don't have Double Stuf Oreos  where I'm going because we ate the shit out of those things while they were here visiting. I intend on packing some to bring with me. (Unless I eat them all!) What other treats should I bring? I'd like to get a few little things for everyone to try.

A little help, please!  

Fruits galore

Apples are nice enough, I suppose. I like Gala apples and regular old plain apples and I can eat a Granny Smith with pleasure. I've cut a few in my day and eaten them with peanut butter or dipped them in some type of fruit dip. I've never had an apple that just blew my socks off and honestly, I doubted there was one out there.

WRONG. ON SO MANY LEVELS. 

One of my favorite things about going to Central Market is that if you ask the guys in the produce department if you can taste something they will gladly whip out a knife and cut you a piece of whatever you ask for. I had been told by a random stranger to try Honeycrisp appleswhile in line at WalMart the other day and when I entered Central Market there was a huge stand of Honeycrisp apples glowing, just waiting for me to taste them. I asked a gentleman working there if I could try a slice so he cut Jackson and I generous pieces of Honeycrisp apples for us to try. WHOA. First, these apples are HUGE, they easily are double the size of a regular apple. And they taste like the best apple I've had. Seriously, go find them and get one. Then come back and tell me how much you love me and these apples. 

Our awesome produce guy told us we had to try Green Dragon apples next. LORDY I fell in love with apples with that one slice. I can't seem to find them referenced on line or find a picture but they look like your standard green apple except they taste like awesome and sunshine. I tried to resist eating one last night but caved at PM because I just couldn't not eat another. Please go get one and then you can thank me after you wipe the apple juice from your chin.

Since we were so receptive to the other two apples we were given slices of Macoun apples and whoa nelly, those things rock. They flesh is a beautiful snowy white and the flavor is a delicate yet sweet flavor that cannot be beat. Some apples are extremely crisp but these aren't. They are like a silky smooth, gentle crispness, if that makes any sense. The skin is delicate and not liable to cut your gums like some apple skins. Of course a few made it into my basket. Grab a few of these also.  

After we made our way through the maze of apples we were guided to the Holy Grail of cantaloupe's. The produce man told me it was the best cantaloupe he'd ever had and I trusted his word, After all he had just guided us through a maze of apples each on more delicious than the last. Let me tell you that taking a bite of the Sugar Kiss Cantaloupe was practically orgasmic. It was the sweetest, most delicious piece of cantaloupe I've ever had. I made a beeline for these smaller-than-average melons and had to resist buying them all. PLEASE GO SEEK THESE OUT AND GET ONE. I had to call Central Market today to ask them the name of the melon for this blog post and the man that answered the phone told me they are only available for a few weeks and people go nuts over them. I'm planning on getting more this weekend.

I just love fresh fruits, it makes me giddy to fill up my fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and it's rarely empty. Good quality fruits that make me smile are the best kind. I hope that you will go find some of these fruits and try them out and let me know what you think. I love sharing food finds!

Also, I bought persimmons for the first time. I'm anxious to eat one. Maybe I'll find a new fruit to add to my bowl.