Nourish and Flourish

Oh Yes I Did

The Trial

The Temptation (or Terror?!)

 

Can you see the red hue?

  The Taste

 The Verdict

nutty, smokey...

SPAMMY! 

Oh yes, I did. 

(and I'll never do again!)

The Temptation 

OH YES, I DID!!

(and I WILL do again!)

My first piece of REAL cheesecake in YEARS. It was good. Sooooo good. :-)

Thank you, Open City Cafe, for tempting me with your delightfully delicious desserts. 

Tempting me so much that I shoved all fears aside and enjoyed the entire piece sans guilt.

:-D

***UPDATE****

I am moved into my new apartment in Washington DC! Even though I'm still bed-less and sheet-less, I've been sleeping better than ever. Air mattresses are so underrated.

The past few days have been crazy, hectic, and FUN! Today I started my new job as a barista at Barnes and Noble. The staff members I met were very welcoming, and I was already able to take advantage of the 50% employee discount in the cafe! (By far, the best part of the job, no?).  Tomorrow I work a full shift, which will be an official departure from much less structured days this past year. 

I'll be back in a few days with a post recapping the past week. :-) Many things to share!

I hope you all are doing well!! I have lots of catching up to do, and look forward to reading about what's happening in your lives!  XOXOXO

Your word is a lamp to my feet,

and a light to my path.

-Psalm 119: 105

Have you tried Spam? Thoughts?

I haven't, unless the nuts count! I've heard it's good with pineapple though! Haha

What's the best dessert you've eaten recently?

POWERless

Guess where I chilled a few nights ago!

FA SIZZLE!

If you guessed that I was pimpin' with Chingy, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg at the Holiday Inn...

You'd be wrong. :-(

But the Towne Place Suites was almost as exciting.

I mean, check out da crib!

(Oh, hi Mom!)

Ghetto beautiful green walls, accented by maple wood bed frames and tasteful multi-colored bed spreads.

Flat screen TV? Yes please.

But this was the real deal maker:

A fully stocked kitchen!

All of that for under $100. Not too shabby.

But WHY was I at a hotel? 

I wish I could tell you that my mom and I hopped a plane to pull slot machines in Vegas, but not so.

After a late dinner (at none other than P.F. Chang's, of course!--quick pause for pic!),

Salmon Steamed with Garlic and Ginger--one of my usuals!

...my mom and I returned home to a DARK house. We learned, through a note scribbled on a piece of binder paper and taped to our door, that our power had been disconnected while we were gone! 

A power box on the side of our house fell in a huge wind storm a few nights ago, and the power company finally made it out to our house last night to check on it. 

Well, it turns out that, since the power box is our property, it was responsibility to call an electrician to replace it. The problem was, that at 10pm, no electrician could come to our house.

We were POWERless.

Having spent 24 hours without power a few nights ago, and not knowing when an electrician would be able to get to our house, my mom threw up her arms and declared we were going to a hotel.

We fumbled around in the dark and threw random things into our suitcases. Of course I forgot underwear…and toothpaste…and my makeup remover. But I did manage to toss in some eggs, cheese, veggies and bars, which became breakfast in the morning.

 The stove never heated up, so I had to utilize the microwave. 

Egg puff (2 eggs whisked together, nuked for 1.5 minutes), red onion, zucchini, mushrooms, blue cheese Laughing Cow, WCM Luna

I'm glad I brought a a few kitchen sink food items with me because the complimentary breakfast in the lobby ended at 9:00 am, which is when I rolled out of bed.

The reason I'm dedicating a post to this hotel chill time fiasco is not to show off my stellar eats, but because it really wasn't a fiasco. A few years ago, however, it would have been. I would have panicked about needing to go to a hotel on such short notice. I would have worried about not having access to all my "necessities" (i.e. safe comfort foods). A change in routine was once a recipe for disaster.

However, during the past few weeks, I've realized how much I've changed this year. 

While I was in DC I was able to go out to eat and enjoy every aspect of my meal, without feeling a smidgen of guilt afterward. I was able to sleep on the floor, go days without internet, and, (this is the real kicker), skip the gym for more than three days. I know that for many people these events sound normal, but I was so tightly wound up for so long, that rigidity became MY normal. I wouldn't go anywhere unless I knew I could eat the foods I wanted and workout to my heart's content.

Now, I am at peace with being powerless.

And damn, it feels good!

Life is more exciting, more satisfying, more invigorating when you live buoyantly. In other words, when you accept that you can't control life's curve balls, the struggle is over. There is no struggle because you KNOW that there is a greater plan. There is NOTHING to worry about. 

You know what else feels good? Progress. *Update*: I've managed to put on some healthy weight and am pretty excited about it! The hard work is beginning to pay off. :-)

Anywho...Long story short, it took  20 hours for Idaho Power to turn our power back on.  

My mom and I celebrated our home's re-electricification with a delicious take-out meal from Mazzah, a small Mediterranean restaurant five minutes from our house.

I ordered the chicken kabob platter: a skewer of veggies and a skewer of chicken, served with basmati rice, pita bread and a choice of two sides. 

My sides were Dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice and veggies then cooked in lemon juice and olive oil) and hummus (garbanzo beans ground to a smooth texture and mixed with lemon juice, fresh garlic and tahini). 

The best part may have been the creamy tzatziki sauce--mmm!

I plowed my way through this meal! So tasty and filling. In fact, I was a little uncomfortably full afterward.

Last night, I met my gal pal Meg for more fantastic food. We ate dinner at Pho Nouveau, a relatively new Vietnamese place in downtown Boise.

I typically order Pho (pronounced FUH) when I go to Vietnamese restaurants, but it was scorching out, so I went with something a bit more refreshing.

Banh Hoi: Banh hoi trays are served with lettuce wraps, steamed rice noodles, herbs, and Vietnamese dipping sauce, along with your choice of meats, shrimp, or combination, grilled to perfection for you to wrap with your hands.

 
What a feast! The plate above contained lettuce, cucumbers, mint leaves, basil leaves, carrots and cilantro. I enjoyed wrapping the shrimp, noodles, herbs, and veggies together!

It was so nice to catch up with Meg! We're both beginning new chapters in our lives, which meant there was a lot to chat about. We've been friends since high school, however our friendship has grown tremendously since I moved back to Boise last January. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to get to know her better, and am most definitely going to miss meeting her for dinner each week.

Dessert was four of these:

Hershey's Macadamia Nut Kisses! 

My mom recently took a trip to Maui and brought back a bag of these only-available-in-Hawaii-and-online chocolate delights. I LOVE macadamia nuts. I LOVE chocolate. I LOVE the ALOHA message inside. :-D

I'm not so sure I'm going to love these though...

Another gift from Mom. This can has been sitting on the kitchen counter for a week, daring me to pop it open. 

I'm pretty much opposed to all things SPAM. 

Should I woman-up and give them a try?  

 

Eggstraordinary

I bought one dozen locally farmed eggs at the Saturday Market over the weekend. Typically I purchase eggs at the grocery store, because for some reason, I've always deemed them "safer." However, considering the recent egg recall on mass-produced eggs, I'm relieved that I paid a little extra for those laid on a farm located just 15 miles from my home. 

I've been enjoying my fresh eggs more than ever this week, and think they might appreciate a little bit of lovin' (since they've definitely been enduring a lot of hatin'!)':  

Dear Egg,

We’ve had a rocky relationship over the years, but today I want to tell you that from here on out, our status will no longer read “It’s Complicated.” (as long as you don't contain salmonella!)

Consider this my ode to you.

ODE TO EGG

As a little girl, I loved you most in egg salad form.

source

And squealed with delight when I was given the green light to enjoy you sandwiched between an English muffin at Mickey D's (road trips only!).

Later in life I shunned you because you contain fat.

But loved you again when I found out you are carb-free.

I once boycotted your cholesterol.

But loved  that I could avoid that cholesterol by separating you into two parts—yolk and white—and that I could just eat the white.

Today, however, I’m embracing you in whole form. And I’m thanking you for your versatility, your amino acids, and your ability to create incredible luscious baked goods.

I’m enjoying you in your entirety because when consumed whole, you are one of the most nutrient-rich foods in the world!

You contain all essential protein, minerals and vitamins (except Vitamin C), including:

            *Vitamin D (one of few foods that contain this naturally)

            *Choline (necessary for healthy cell development, including those involved with metabolism)

*Lutein (good for the eyes because it helps prevent cataracts and muscular degeneration)

*Folate (crucial for red cell formation and proper fetal development)

I’m enjoying you in your entirety because you taste best that way.

And let’s not beat around the bush: without you there’d be no chocolate chip cookies, no flourless peanut butter cookies (thanks, Julie!), no cakes, no soufflés, no meringues.

And no dinners like this:

PARMESAN EGGS IN TOMATOES

(Adapted from Everyday Food)

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large beefsteak tomatoes

coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

2 large eggs

1 t. chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2. Cut off the tops of the tomatoes, and gently spoon out the center. Place tomatoes in the baking dish and sprinkle well with salt and pepper.

3. Divide corn among tomatoes. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, chives, and 2 T. Parmesan. Season well with salt and pepper. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the tomatoes and top with remaining Parmesan.

4. Bake for 45 minutes and serve.

These were so easy! 

You can experiment with the filling and add whatever ingredients your heart desires. Some ideas:

• chopped spinach and feta
• smoked salmon
• caramelized onions
• turkey bacon
• broccoli and cheese (cheddar or Parmesan would be yummy!)

A few other egg recipes I love include:

Mediterranean-Style Frittata

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

Baked Eggs with Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese

And check out Fitness Magazine's healthy egg recipes here.

***Egg Safety Tips*** 

          source

• The likelihood that an egg contains salmonella is 0.005%, making your risk of contracting illness VERY low.

• Make sure to cook your eggs thoroughly! Food-borne illnesses are associated with undercooked eggs (aka runny yolks). To ENSURE safe egg consumption, bring the egg to 160 degrees F. This temperature kills bacteria like salmonella.

• Store fresh eggs in the refrigerator no longer than 4-5 weeks.

• Store hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator no longer than one week.

• Before adding an egg to a batter or dish, always crack it in a separate bowl. This allows you to detect a foul smell (meaning the egg is bad), before you "ruin" the dish.

Don't eat in fear, JUST BE SAFE AND ENJOY! :-)

What's your favorite way to eat an egg?

Do you have any egg dishes that you'd like to share? (links welcome!)

Perks and Post-Its

Happy weekend! 

I arrived in Boise last night, but instead of staying here for four more months before grad school begins, I'm PACKING.

It's official:

I'M MOVING TO WASHINGTON, DC FOR THE FALL!!

On Wednesday I was offered a job at the cafe inside Barnes and Noble in Georgetown (a DC neighborhood). I interviewed at Starbucks on Thursday, and am still waiting to hear back, but either way, this girl is going to be a barista for a few months! 

I was also offered a part-time position at one of my favorite frozen yogurt shops in DC, Mr. Yogato. I'm crossing my fingers that in addition to the cafe job, my schedule will allow me to pick up a few shifts there each week.

 ***Because free coffee and fro yo = major work perks***

(cute logo, eh?)

My favorite way to pass time on a long flight is to read gossip magazines and munch on peanuts (love those little packets and always ask for extras to carry in my bag!).

Yes, I suppose these prevented me from drifting off...for the 45 seconds it took me to eat them! :-)

Unfortunately I didn't have time to visit the newsstand before boarding my plane yesterday, so I was excited to find an abandoned copy of Star magazine in my seat pocket.

Among the celeb gossip was a blurb about Katy Perry:

"Katy let it all hang out at a poolside press conference in Singapore on Aug. 2"

Excuse me?

If Star deems Katy's pooch regular tummy "belly bulge" then I think someone needs to show the editors what a real stomach looks like.

Care to protest with me by stomach flashing the editors of Star? ;-)

I know this topic has been discussed extensively, but for some reason yesterday it really struck a nerve with me. 

No matter how body confident you are, clips like this likely make you think twice about your own body'. When I'm at my normal, healthy weight, my stomach sticks out a LOT more than Katy's. I've tried to fight it for years, but even 100 crunches per day doesn't wittle the love cushion from my middle. 

Star is inadvertently suggesting that a little fat around the belly is unattractive and unfavorable. Stories like this create unrealistic expectations and ideals for readers. 

And they're everywhere.

So what should we do? How do we fight messages like this, that permeate our society? Sure, we can boycot gossip magazines, but I believe that taking a proactive approach will ultimately yield a greater impact.

Today, for the first time, I'm taking part in the Operation Beautiful movement. I'll be leaving three fitness magazines, adorned with self-affirming post-it notes, in my gym.

 
Ever since hearing about Caitlin's mission, I've been inspired to take part. However, there's a difference between "inspired" and "doing." 

Imagine if we all left a message today. We could potentially reach 20, 30, 40 + people! 

I challenge you to spread Caitlin's message this weekend. Let's change the way we feel about ourselves, one post-it note at a time!

LOVE YOU ALL!! <3 <3 <3

Have you taken part in Operation Beautiful? If so, where did you leave your post-it?

Chip Calories or Paper Nothings?

I hope your weeks have started wonderfully!

To those of you that were at The Healthy Living Summit--thank you for sharing your experiences! I lived vicariously through you all over the weekend.

NEXT YEAR I WILL BE THERE!! It may be a year away, but I'm already getting excited about meeting the people behind the words that inspire me every day.

Right now, though, I'm STILL enjoying vacation in Washington DC. :-D

It's hard to believe that it took me two years to fall in love with this city. I LOVE the excitement, the buzz, the culture, the invigoration I experience here. 

But what I love most are the people. (No, not those sleazy politicians!) 

FRIENDS.

People MAKE a place. 

Elaina and me in Whole Foods

Neal at Nooshi

Silliness with Stephen

 Ashley and our complimentary chocolate roulade cake at Open City Cafe. 

But all good things must come to an end. *Sigh*

Or must they?

I'm seriously considering moving back to Washington DC for four months before I begin grad school next January. Finishing up my last prerequisite class has taken a bit longer than I'd originally expected, so instead of rushing through the material, I'm deferring my conditional acceptance (must finish the class/take the GRE). 

I am so relieved, and feel much less stressed knowing that I now have time to sufficiently prepare for both exams! 

However, postponing for an academic quarter means four more months of life at home. I'm lucky to have a great relationship with my mom, however I've realized that I'm more alive, more energized and much happier when I'm immersed in the hustle and bustle of city life. Especially when the hustle and bustle involves living within a close proximity to a group of good friends.

SO, I'm looking for a part-time casual job (coffee shop, bakery, fro yo shop?!) that would pay enough to cover rent. And my friend, Jen (who, by the way, just started her own blog!), has offered to let me live in her apartment!

I'll keep you all updated on the job-search progress. I have three interviews this week!

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Okay, enough babbling...Let's talk FOOD! 

Two nights ago, my brother and I were wandering around the Dupont Circle area and stumbled upon a fabulous Turkish restaurant called Agora.

We had originally planned to grab a quick bite at Whole Foods, but after skimming the Agora menu, I insisted that we stop for dinner.

I'm so glad that we did! Check out the mezze (appetizers/small plates) that we shared!

 Cacik: Yogurt, cucumber, dill, vinegar, garlic, olive oil 

Kasik Salad: Diced tomatoes, onions, parsley, cucumber, feta cheese, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Turkish red crushed peppers 

 

 Kasik Salad: what lies beneath! mmm

 Dolmades: Rice, pine nuts, tomatoes, stuffed in Swiss chard 

Swordfish Kebap: Marinated in ginger, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil 

Shish Tavuk: Marinated grilled chicken breast and grilled tomatoes 

Everything was absolutely wonderful. My favorite dish was the swordfish; it was perfectly seasoned and tender. If it weren't for the high mercury levels in swordfish (and the cost!), I think I'd eat it every day. Yum.

Alec was a happy diner too. :-D

 

After dinner, I ran into CVS to buy a bottle of water. However, I can not, for the life of me, enter CVS and leave CVS with just ONE item! 

Especially when I spot things like this:

Several months ago, The Simply Bar made a few taste-test appearances on blogs. However, at the time, I think they were only available via online order.

Well, here's proof that they've arrived in drug stores! I snagged two Peanut Butter Chocolate bars and one Cinnamon bar.

The nutritional stats on these are AMAZING. There aren't many protein-packed bars (16 grams!) that don't contain artificial ingredients. YAY for Simply!

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Before I go, a quick question:

Would you eat these?

No calorie SLIM CHIPS ( description taken directly from the maker's website):

Slim Chips is an experiment around alternative 

types of snack food. The consumption of junk 

food is very often associated to habits and social

rituals that help interrupt the flow of routinary 

daily activities more than to the hunger impulse. 

The basic ingredient here is edible paper, almost 

nutritionless. Don’t get fat, just eat nothing. 

It's like eating tasty air, available in mint flavour,

blueberry, cheddar or wasabi.

This is a paradoxical product that plays with 

weapons like irony and nonsense thus leaving 

the interpretation to the bravest consumers

Funny (haha), but in my opinion, there is something inherently wrong with consuming paper. Paper is wood, people! Our bodies aren't designed to eat wood! 

Plus, I can't imagine that these would actually satisfy a chip craving. If anything, I'm guessing they'd intensify chip desires even more!

I'm going to stick with this philosophy (and save money and tummy troubles while doing it): 

Want chips? Eat REAL chips! :-D

Even though they can be scary, I'll take (and love) chip calories over wood nothings any day!

xoxoxo! <3 <3

Blind Date (Blogger Style)

Hello!  

A few days ago I took the train from Washington DC to Baltimore for the evening.

Did you know that Baltimore is the home of many foodie treasures?

BERGER COOKIES

  

CRAB CAKES

 

CHICKEN BOXES

 

According to Wikipedia: A chicken box is an inexpensive meal consisting of 4-6 wings, served in a fast food carry out box with some kind of French fries.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to try any of Baltimore's specialties. (Sigh...Next time?).

However, I did have the opportunity to meet and eat with this inspiring lady!! (Which one million crispy crab cakes could never match!)

Katie, from Health for the Whole Self was THE reason I ventured to Baltimore. She greeted me downtown, at Penn Station, with a big smile and warm hug!

Since our time was limited, we immediately began walking towards Tapas Teatro, a quaint restaurant near the Charles Theater.  

Clearly I was celebrity blogger-struck because I forgot to take a picture of the restaurant!

(We'll have to settle for this one, compliments of Google).

Al fresco dining at Tapas Teatro

Katie and I sat down at a window table and began chatting about everything-- blogging, cooking, eating, relationships, body image, stereotypes...

AND completely neglected to look at the menu.

Our waiter must have stopped by our table at least six times before we were ready to order! I think he was slightly agitated by our indecision!

Every item on the menu sounded scrumptious, but we finally settled on four tapas to share:

 Oven Roasted Sea Bass: fresh sea bass accompanied with roasted tomatoes and herb infused olive oil

(I totally made up that description! This was a special, so it's not listed on the online menu! hehe)

Asparagus with Serrano Ham: fresh asparagus topped with Serrano ham and shaved Parmesan, finished in a sherry-butter sauce

 

Mediterranean Mix: Roasted romas, asparagus, artichokes and Manzanilla olives finished in a spicy vinaigrette

 Sauteed Shrimp: shrimp with garlic, capers, chiles and crustini

I LOVE the concept of tapas--sharing small plates of food with others makes the experience more intimate and FUN! Plus, it allows you to try multiple dishes. 

Each item was cooked perfectly. The simple flavors were bold and flavorful, just as Spanish food should be. I've been to many tapas restaurants, in both Spain and the United States, and I think Tapas Teatro takes top prize for creativeness and consistency.

We were two happy eaters!

Katie is just as sweet (even sweeter, if that's possible!) as she seems! Her blog has been a huge source of inspiration to me, and I'm so grateful that we were able to spend an hour and a half dining and dishing together.

We realized that we have lots in common and vowed to see each other again. She even offered to give me a tour of Baltimore next time I'm on the east coast. 

When that happens, we'll be sure to make a stop for crab cakes and Berger cookies!

What foodie item is your city or state famous for? (I know this question has been asked by other bloggers,  but I want to see your answers!)

Fabulous Friends, Food, FUN!

I've missed you!!!

It's been an entire week + one day since my last post, but it feels  MUCH longer!  I'm completely out of the blogging loop! Fortunately this lazy morning is providing me an opportunity to jump back in. :-)

I've been on the go all week, and even spent a few days in New York City without internet *gasp!*. ;-) Being sans-computer made me feel a bit detached from the world, but in retrospect, it provided a wonderful opportunity to completely unplug and connect with the real world around me. 

So even though I''ve been a bit disconnected from blog-life, I'm savoring every moment I've spent reconnecting with incredible friends! 

Me, Elaina and Whitney at Northside Social

Ashley and me at Rockfeller Center

 My favorite servers at my favorite ice cream shop in DC, Thomas Sweet! (I used to come here EVERY day in college--no joke! Naturally I became tight with the staff. haha)

Stephen, me and Caitrin at Clyde's 

Whitney, Josh, me, Tage, James and Elaina at Northside Social

Besides spending time with old friends, the best part of this trip has been discovering new foods.

Case in point:

(I'm really excited about this!)

*Yes, I do realize that my underwear are peeking out. Yes, sometimes I feel frisky at Whole Foods.* ;-)

But why am I so excited about a pint of ice cream?

Because this is a special muscle-building delight!

PROTEIN ICE CREAM!! (ready to eat!)

I read about Arctic Zero in a Hungry Girl article a year or two ago, but have never seen it for sale in the grocery store. My only hesitation in purchasing this product was the hefty price tag ($5.99/pint!). 

I also didn't realize that probability that this pint would be consumed in one sitting was VERY HIGH.   

Ummmhmm. This is a single serving pint, folks!                                            

IF you pack the entire frozen dessert all at once, you're feeding your muscles 20 delicious grams of whey protein! A perfect post-workout snack or nighttime nosh, no?

Even better, there is NOTHING artificial in this product! Not even artificial sweetener! 

It tastes a lot like homemade protein ice cream, without the scooping-measuring-pouring-blending-hassle.

*NOTE*

I want you to know that for me, Arctic Zero will NEVER replace real ice cream or frozen yogurt! Ever! It has a completely different flavor, but is delicious in its own unique way. In other words, I probably wouldn't eat this for dessert, but rather as a protein supplement.

Another item I've been noshing on:

TJ's freeze-dried banana slices! If you can find these, buy them! They make a wonderfully sweet, crispy snack! I've been packing them in ziploc baggies and carrying them in my bag. Whenever hunger strikes, they're right by my side, ready for munching! A great, all-natural (nothing but bananas!) source of energy for hot, sweaty days!

And I finally tried Kombucha!

My friend Jen and I decided that a bottle of cranberry kombucha would be the perfect accompaniment to our Whole Foods salad bar meals the other night. Little did we know that this particular bottle was carbonated! Jen shook it a few times to mix up the residue at the bottom (what is that stuff?!), then twisted the top and...BOOM! Out it came!

Oooops.

We drank it shot-style in salad dressing cups!

It was just okay. I think the cranberry juice masked the strange fermented flavor. I will definitely try this again thoug, mainly because it touts nutritional benefits that are hard to pass up. 

Okay let's backtrack a bit...

Last Sunday, my friend Ashley and I took Bolt Bus to New York City for two nights. We 'd both been to NYC before, so instead spending our 36 hours visiting super-touristy sites, we decided to explore the city on foot, with little direction in mind, and see what we stumbled upon.  

I think the most efficient way to recap our adventures is in slideshow form (aka few words, lots of pics). :)

PINKBERRY!!

 

 Original tart yogurt topped with raspberries and mochi...Oooohhh Yummm

Me, Ashley, Michael (Ashley's cousin--a Broadway actor!) and his friend (I feel awful that I can't remember her name!)

 And another NYC staple: Tasti-D-Lite! 

(Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda-approved!)

(Ash is the perfect hand model, isn't she?)

Chelsea Market 

Chelsea market is an enclosed food emporium in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. It's foodie heaven! I could have spent an entire day here eating, shopping, admiring etc.!

The Nut Box
 

This place was stocked with organic nuts, trail mixes, dried fruit and granola. Yum!

Ninth Street Espresso

 Two words: AMAZING. ESPRESSO.

This triple Americano warmed my coffee-loving soul. 

Hale and Hearty

10-Vegetable soup snack 

After browsing Chelsea Market, we continued walking towards Greenwich Village. On our way we passed Babbo, Mario Batali's well-acclaimed restaurant!

We also stopped at Vosgues, one of my favorite chocolate shops! 

I always go for the Wooloomooloo Bar.

 Woolloomooloo: roasted & salted macadamia nuts + Indonesian coconut + hemp seeds + deep milk chocolate

And just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any better, I found:

Peanut Butter and Co.!

As expected, this was peanut butter lovin' heaven.

I sampled Cinnamon Swirl and White Chocolate Dreams, two flavors I'd never tried. Both were absolutely delightful, however I ended up buying a jar of the more traditional Crunchy Time. I also snagged the official Peanut Butter and Co. Cookbook! Can't wait to try the recipes when I get home!

Later that night we enjoyed a sushi dinner at Ooki Sushi. 

This avocado tuna roll was the highlight of my meal! It was by far one of the best sushi rolls I've ever eaten because the chef didn't skimp on the fillings. Each piece was so big, I couldn't fit them into my mouth in one bite. 

Before I wrap up this MEGA post, I'd like to share a few more noteworthy meal highlights from the last few days. (I'm now back in Washington DC). 

A couple nights ago, I re-gutenized!

 

My friend Tage was celebrating his  24th birthday at Matchbox, a bistro well known for its pizza. I couldn't resist partaking in the pizza party fun! 

Elaina and I split the Veggie: cremini mushrooms / spanish onions / roasted poblano peppers / roasted garlic / mozzarella / fresh herbs / fingerling potato crisps. (See pics above).

I was excited to be eating pizza again, but this pie was a bit too greasy. Elaina and I actually ended up ordering another pizza, the Oven-fried Tomato and Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, which was much tastier! (I forgot to take a picture!). 

Happy Birthday, Tage!

Unfortunately my stomach wasn't as happy as my tastebuds were. I was a bit grumbly in the tummy afterwards. However, I think I'm beginning to embrace the philosophy that the benefits of enjoying wheat (aka crispy pizza crust!) occasionally outweigh the costs.

James was enthusiastic about his pizza too!

I also recently enjoyed a meal at Bangkok Joe's on the Georgetown waterfront.

Ashley, Jen, Elaina and I began our meal with a HUGE bowl of Chicken Lemongrass Soup: Thai herbs and mixed mushrooms in a hot and sour lemongrass soup.

I also enjoyed a Grilled Shrimp Salad: Mesclun mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, red onion, red pepper and croutons, served with a spicy herb-peanut vinaigrette.

I LOVE Thai food because the contrasting flavors (sweet, salty, spicy) and colorful presentation really heighten the senses. Yum!

Okay, that's all for today! I have SO much more to share, but I'm going to have to save it all for a later post. I'm really enjoying my trip, and am excited that I get to spend one more week here! For the first time, I've been able to truly enjoy dining out in DC's restaurants. In college I avoided restaurant food because I didn't know its nutritional content! Each meal here is making up for lost time. :-)  

I'll be back in a few days with another update. One upcoming highlight: Yesterday I had the opportunity to Burp and Slurp with Sophia! 

Now, I'm off to the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market!

I hope your Sunday is wonderful!

xoxoxo