by Kimberly | Jan 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
One thing about reading food blogs – you make things you would never even DREAM of making. I tried a new bowl of oats this morning. Honestly – it wasn’t my favorite – but I might try it a little different at least one more morning.
1/3 cup oats
2 egg whites
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp pb (from Trader Joes – crunchy salted. Just nuts and salt. Good stuff! Actually tastes like peanut butter)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cook oats/eggs/water for about 1.35. Stir well the other ingredients into it. Eat. These are filling. Just not sweet enough for me. We’ll see… Any tips? These are very healthy too:
227 cal, 6 fat, 6 fiber = 4 points
by Kimberly | Jan 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
We thought the bags looked pretty familiar when we walked in – we were right –
this place is owned by the same folks who own Cheesecake Factory. You know its going to be good. And it was next door to Ann Taylor – so how bad could it bed? And it had a wait at 4pm? We only waited about 15 minutes and when we walked out – it was about an hour wait. Glad we got there early!
I was not anticipating a sit-down nice restaurant when I heard about this place from a friend just based on the name alone. I’m so glad we stopped there.
We had their bread – very good. I took lots of photos. I dropped my knife and fork – silly me. The tables were completely on top of each other, but people know how to dine. I couldn’t tell you what the other folks were talking about at their table. Most of the time people talk so loud at restaurants. Our first waiter wasn’t all that, but halfway through they changed shifts and our waitress was much better.
To start off with – the Edamame: stir fried with Spicy Szechwan Sauce. SO GOOD! Better than Chais in Durham (gasp!)
Then, Janel got the soup of the day – a chicken chowder with veggies. I took a bite – good and warm on a cold day.
I got the mini goat cheese and mushroom pizza. This was not mini (about 7 inches by 3 inches) and was only 4.95 and was AMAZING. I would go back there every time and order this.
For dessert (and take home): New Orleans Beignets Served Warm with Three Sauces (a creme anglaise (close your eyes and savor the warmth and richness good), chocolate, and raspberry. They were warm and yummy. Thanks Kathy for the suggestion.
This place was definitely the best place I ate all weekend and I would gladly go there again! 🙂
by Kimberly | Jan 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
This week I’m trying something I did last week with smoothies – week of oats – where I eat oats every day this week for breakfast and see how it makes me feel. Just saying that I feel like the pit of despair in the Princess Bride. Do you know what I mean?
Anyway, first day:
1/3 cup oats
2/3 cup water
1 T dark chocolate pb
1/2 banana
SO GOOD! Filling – hmmm, we’ll see. Maybe I’ll try some steel cut oats or maybe egg white oats…
by Kimberly | Jan 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
Ok – here is my last smoothie for the week of smoothies:
1/4 apple
1/2 banana
1/2 cara cara orange
1 1/2 tsp ground flax
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup spinach
3/4 cup kale
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
Mix all.
Very good – not too sweet.
I like the low-cal, heavy fiber, portability of green smoothies.
I like the quickness of them in the morning.
I like all the veggies and fruits you are getting first thing in the morning.
I would like more protein in mine – I usually pair it with pb on a thin or something. PB in the morning is so good.
Now, for the week of oats.
by Kimberly | Jan 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
Love the internet. It created
a safe haven for Janel and I to venture into suburbia for lunch after church. Though it didn’t disappoint, it didn’t exceed my expectations. It was good. Not fabulous.
Janel got the hash with chorizo, tomatoes, avocado, potatoes. It was good – there was other stuff in it too. She said it could have used less chorizo and more tomotoes. Came with an english muffin – which I had.
I got the acclaimed heart heathy Caramalized Banana Steel Cut oats. A huge bowl – massive. Good, but very sweet. Basically – a big bowl of steel cut oats – which I love. With a banana chopped up on top, sugar blowtorched on it – with a runny caramel sauce below. Good, sweet – filling.
Do I need to go back if I’m in the area – no not really. Good for lunch on a Sunday afternoon – yes. Very quick service and cheap (under 10$). So there you go.
by Kimberly | Jan 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
Since I am going to be out having fun this wknd in the Chicago area with my friend, I thought I would go ahead and post the menu for next week.
I am doing good so far. Spending less money on food. Cooking more legumes. This week I am doing well at the start of cleaning out the freezer work that I will need to do in the next 2 months.
So, here goes:
Leftovers: hummus pancakes (yum!)
Monday: brunch in Chicago with Janel and then probably a hummus pancake on an arthur’s thin when I get home.
I am housesitting all next week for some friends so I want something easy and portable that I can just grab or eat in bowls.
All breakfast: oats – saving money, healthy, and filling (and versatile) – T-Friday. Saturday will be tea and muffins I think with a friend over a book review
Lunch: curried vegetables from a recipe that I am adapting from Crostini and Chianti. Yummy and healthy – even without the couscous. Just give me a bowl
Wednesday I’m hitting the salad bar at Jason’s Deli with a friend of mine – taking a break from work and I haven’t been to the new one yet.
Saturday – beef stew from The Kitchn – using some steak and roast that I have in the freezer – full of veggies. And my friend is bringing a late bday offering – oreo cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Yes, there will be some running after that meal. And I have some bread in the freezer we are going to use to sop up all the goodness in the beef stew.
Recipe of the week is from Bon Appetit – Dried Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. I am halving the recipe – and it will still make a lot – plenty for a plate for the office.
I am looking forward to picking up a few good finds in Trader Joes on Sunday – and dreaming of the day when I live within easy shopping distance of a TJ again!
