Image Credit – boston.com

Happy March everyone!  The beginning of a new month is always exciting for me.  There’s just something about seeing the number ‘1′ on the calendar.  In a sense, it gives me a fresh slate and resets the clock for me on all the things I can accomplish in one month.  To some, March can seem like a long month, being that there are 31 days and for most of March, it’s still winter with winter-like weather.  But, I like to think of March as the point where we’re moving towards the uphill side of things.  After all, in 20 days it will be the first day of spring, and spring to me signals the rebirth of Mother Nature.  Our days will get longer, the weather will get warmer, things will start appearing greener and flowers will begin to bloom.  So what’s there NOT to be excited about?  I wanted to dedicate this post to some of the things I am looking forward to (things happening in March and beyond) and things that just get me excited:

• Warmer weather! I’m getting rather sick of bundling up and can’t wait to just walk outside my door without having to worry about bringing my gloves
• Trying new recipes and making some inventive kitchen creations – I think you all can agree with me on that one!
• Longer days – Just being able to see the sun for a few minutes longer each day makes me smile.
• Yoga, yoga and more yoga – Check out Tina’s post about her yoga challenge.  I love reading about how more and more people are practicing yoga, loving yoga and making their practice a priority in their lives.
• March Madness – I like basketball, but my husband is obsessed loves it!  This is the month for NCAA mania and knowing that this is one of Patrick’s favorite times of the year, I’m excited for him.  Plus, his passion and zeal for this sport is contagious!
• The return of my car – After close to $2,000 worth of damages, she’s ready to come home!  All I can say is, thank goodness for insurance…
• Our existing projects (as well as some new ones) and the prospect of them launching and coming to fruition – More details on this soon to come…hopefully, very soon!

Image Credit – fishingforsoul.wordpress.com

What are some of the things you’re looking for to this month?  What are some of the things that get you excited?

Namasté,
Nicole

Do you have a favorite place to eat?  Maybe it’s a restaurant that your parents used to take you when were a kid?  Perhaps it’s a cozy little café in the city where the atmosphere is almost as wonderful as the food?  Or, a mom and pop diner that makes the best breakfast in the world?  Could it be an upscale bistro that knows just how to make your drink and where you know your friends will be on any given weekend night?  Well for me, it is a family-owned restaurant that is literally a stone throw’s away from my house.  It’s a place that has never disappointed me and along with my mouthwatering meal, I always receive the most courteous and friendly service.

However, this past week I realized that the place where I thought would always be open and ready to feed me with good belly-warming food, closed for business.  To say the least, I am devastated.  After 29 years of business, my beloved Chef Chang’s has shut its doors and in turn, my heart feels as if it’s going to shut down.  And I never even had the chance to say goodbye.

Chef Chang’s was a restaurant specializing in Szechuan cuisine.  While many of the dishes served there were absolutely scrumptious, a good portion of them were also not of the healthiest of nature.  And because their food was so tasty, I definitely did not hold back whenever I dined there.  For that reason, I began limiting my visits.  I knew that as soon as I walked in their doors, their chicken fried rice, hot and sour soup, General Gau’s chicken, Peking ravioli, crab rangoon, chicken fingers and boneless spareribs were going to take me hostage for the evening.  I loved me some Chang’s, but decided it was best reserved for special occasions (much to Patrick’s dismay).  And because I was trying to start the new year off on the right track, I was being more restrictive than normal.  Thus, I had not dined there in months.  And the last time I had eaten at Chef Chang’s, I stuck with the more bland foods and the items that I felt were ‘healthier’ for me.  I left still on the ‘hungrier’ side and not exactly ecstatic with my meal.

When Patrick came home the other day after attempting to drop by Chef Chang’s to grab lunch (they had some great lunch special deals), he couldn’t stop shaking his head.  All Patrick could say to me was, “I can’t believe it!  Chef Chang’s is closed for good and we never got to enjoy our last meal there.”   I then realized that because I had been so crazed about not wanting to go there due to my inability to control my overindulgent eating ways, I had missed out on bidding farewell to a place that meant so much to me and Patrick.  Close to 10 years ago, Patrick and I had our first ‘real’ date at Chef Chang’s.  I think it’s safe to say I fell in love with the food there that night, and even more so with Patrick.  We just had the best time eating good food, having great laughs and making even better memories.

I wish I had the chance to enjoy one more meal at Chef Chang’s.  I would have savored each and every bite and ordered whatever I wanted on the menu.  I wouldn’t have worried about a single calorie.  But unfortunately, I am too late.  All the worrying about eating too much and eating the wrong things now just seems sort of silly to me.  While I know losing Chef Chang’s is somewhat trivial, and fortunately it is not a loved one or something of a more serious nature, I have been taught an important lesson.  Life is unpredictable and it’s short.  I always assumed my favorite neighborhood restaurant would be open for business.  I never once thought in a million years it would be gone for good.  When you spend so much time worrying and stressing over little things, you begin to miss out on the fun.  I know health is important and eating well is something in which we should all partake.  However, it shouldn’t consume (lame pun unintended) your life and prevent you from enjoying the things you love.

Goodbye Chef Chang’s.  I love you and miss you.  I’ll always hold you near and dear to my heart.  Patrick and I will be eternally grateful for your delectable food and the lasting memories you’ve given us.  Thank you for all your wonderful years.  Until we meet again…

And while we’re on the subject of things Chinese, I wanted to conclude with some pictures of the closing ceremony for the Chinese New Year.  On our walk through Chinatown yesterday, we watched some of the dragon dances.  Grrr!  It’s the year of the tiger!

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If there was one food you could eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Why?

Namasté,
Nicole

Here is a question for you…

What do food bloggers all have in common other than their love for food?

Their love for taking pictures of their food!

That being said, when Kerstin organized a photography session with a professional culinary photographer and asked if I would be interested in attending, I jumped for joy and screamed, ‘YES’!  Ever since I started my blog, my appreciation for cameras, photography and capturing the moment (and food) has certainly gone up.  I’ve actually read some of my camera’s manual to understand the features and functions on my camera.  Can you imagine?! I’m not quite sure if I was able to process all of it, but I’m proud that I at least made the try.  For that reason, I knew a few tips and tricks from a professional was definitely up my alley and definitely something from which I could benefit.

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

We (meaning 14 food bloggers and 1 husband) arrived at Gary Tardiff’s photography studio promptly at 2pm to begin our photography lesson.  I think everyone (including Healthy Chow) was excited to meet Gary and to begin taking in some of his knowledge.  We all listened closely as Gary introduced himself, talked about his work and informed us that he wanted the afternoon to be more of a discussion rather than a lecture.  Sounds good to me, Gary!

We’re like little sponges…

Our personable, experienced and knowledgeable photog friend went over some of the basics of photography.  He showed us some of the cameras he works with, the different types of lighting and lenses he uses and the purposes behind them.  Gary mentioned that he had the chance to take a peek at our blogs before we arrived to get a sense of our picture taking abilities.  He said we made some nice efforts and that with a few tweaks and some guidance, we’d be well on our way to taking some great photos.  Again, sounds good to me, Gary! But one of the common issues he noticed about our pictures was the fact that our average white balance was not set properly.  Because of this, our pictures tend to come out ‘discolored’ or with tints of color that may not be intended.  Gary went on to talk about shutter speed, aperture, depth-to-feel, the difference between low and high ISO and how the fundamentals of exposure is key.  I really enjoyed listening to Gary and I learned quite a bit.  However, most of the things he mentioned pertained to using a DSLR camera, something which I do not own (not yet, anyways…).  I’ll have to admit that many of the terms Gary used were foreign to me and I couldn’t fully grasp what he was saying being that I have never used a DSLR camera.  But, being that I was in the minority (most of the other bloggers were fully equipped with DSLR’s), I just went with the flow.  I was at Gary’s studio listening to Gary’s words because I wanted to learn.  Once I do get my very own DSLR, I know I’ll be good to go.

After our discussion on photography basics, Gary gave us a tour of his place of business.  It was so interesting!  I think all of the bloggers’ jaws dropped when we saw his collection of plates.  Holy crap on a cracker! If only I could have access to all those plates when I’m taking pictures of my food…I’d be in heaven!  Gary also mentioned that the props he has he finds just about everywhere and anywhere.  They aren’t anything fancy, they’re just items he found that he made work for him.  For example, Gary showed us this beautiful door he found discarded from a building.  To the people tearing down the building, the door was trash.  But to Gary, it was found treasure.

A food blogger’s dream!

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Wall of photography equipment

An example of Gary’s talent

The next part of our lesson was my favorite part.  Gary demonstrated how he would set-up the staging for a client.  Being that we were the ‘clients’ for the afternoon, Gary asked us what we wanted to have photographed.  Adrienne was the first to volunteer her home baked bread.  It looked delicious in person, but once Gary finished photographing, it looked like the most extraordinary loaf of bread I had ever laid my eyes on!  He showed us how to play around with lighting in order for it to appear ‘natural’ and with a few inexpensive tools (ex: vellum attached to wooden frames), pictures can come out priceless.

Gary’s simply constructed lighting box

Gary reviewing the shot on his computer

Kelly’s granola-in-a-jar was the next model for the day.  Because the jar was something that Kelly was having trouble photographing on her blog, she decided to ask Gary for advice.  Gary demonstrated with the the use of mirrors, lighting, a white backdrop and black paper for shadowing, the glass of the jar can be made to be as visible or hidden as needed.  The concepts that Gary was showing to us were so simple and yet, I would have never guessed to utilize them.  I guess that’s why he’s the teacher and I was the student!

Can you see the granola in the mirror?

What the granola looked like after Gary worked his magic…

The final models for the day were M&M cookies made by Jen and eggplant crostini made by Cara.  Both looked absolutely delectable in person; we were all drooling as Gary was taking pictures and showing us how he reviews and edits them on his computer.  I’m actually surprised we weren’t reaching in to grab cookies and pieces of crostini as bloggers took turns practicing their newly acquired tips and tricks.  Lucky for us, we did get to sample the goods after we were done photographing them.  Thanks ladies!

M&M cookies

Eggplant crostini

I had such a wonderful time with my fellow bloggers and of course, Gary.  Gary, you are an amazing photographer and a wonderful teacher.  To be able to have such great talent, and then to be able to pass along that knowledge to others in a form that makes them want to learn more, is truly a gift .  I thank you for your time, your patience and your wisdom.  Some of the most important lessons I learned were:

• To focus on the front portion (or the first 1/3) of the food you are photographing, since the rest after that is pretty much a repetition – For example, focus on the front part of a bowl of pasta, not the entire bowl.
• To look with your eyes, and not with your head – We often times get so happy and excited to take a picture that we just snap it as soon as we see it.  However, we then notice that there are things in the picture that don’t belong, and then it might be to late to take the picture again.  If we take the time to make sure things like the lighting, the composition and the angle are correct, we will be able to take a much better picture.  We need to see and pay attention to the details as we are shooting, and not assume that the shot we have is perfect.
• To make the person who is looking at your picture want to eat what is in the picture – When photographing, we should think about what the person who is looking at the picture would want to see.  We should consider how to make that person want to believe in what we are shooting.  For example, if we’re taking a picture of a cookie, adding a cup of coffee with a few crumbs next to the cup might make the photo seem more realistic and add to the allure of the cookie.

All in all, no matter what kind of camera you have, no matter how expensive or inexpensive, whether you’re in a professional studio or at your home, whether you have a special lense or a homemade lightbox (I made one out of cardboard and tissue paper) or whether you’re a professional or a complete novice, the most important thing is to have fun.  The perfect shot is not going to come with the first try and it’s not going to come instananeously.  By playing around with things like lighting, props, exposure, etc, we can attain a good photo.  By sticking with it, practicing and having a light-hearted attitude, the shots we take can come out picture perfect.

The Graduating Class of Gary Tardiff’s February 6, 2010 Photography Session

(Starting from the back row, left to right)
Shannon, Jen, Sophie, Kerstin, Chels,
Lauren, Adrienne, Elina, Mary Kate,
Healthy Chow, Cara, Kelly, Jen, Sues

Thank you again, Gary and Kerstin! And thank you, Lauren, for driving and navigating!

Do you have any special photography tips and/or tricks?  How much time do you spend taking pictures of one dish?  Do you like to take a few photos?  Or are you like me and take 100’s?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I got up yesterday morning to attend my yoga class, I didn’t think anything was different.  I shut the alarm off, washed up and got dressed for class.  But when I walked out to the street where I have parked my car every day and night for the past four years, I noticed something.  Actually, I should say that I didn’t notice something.  My car was nowhere to be found on the street.  I walked up and down the sidewalk frantically looking for my car, trying to figure out if I had left it elsewhere.  As I began sweating and my heart was racing, I realized that the last place I parked my car (and the last time I saw my car) was at the very exact space where I was standing.  And there was not a trace of it to be found.

(I took this pic this morning, not yesterday when I noticed it was stolen.  This is where my car is usually parked on the street, but today there was nothing…)

I turned around to walk back to my house in a frantic state.  Who would want my car?!  It’s over 10 years old, isn’t flashy, isn’t fast and certainly wasn’t the nicest car on the street.  So who would have wanted to take it?  I felt so sick and so wronged.  Tears started filling my eyes as I dialed the police department’s phone number.  However, I had to be re-directed about three times before actually reaching someone who could tell me about my car.  I was informed that I had to find out if it had been towed before I could actually report it as being stolen.  Was I supposed to know this?!  All I knew was that it was gone, that it wasn’t illegally parked and I didn’t have any outstanding or unpaid violations.  So just where in the heck was my car?!  The third person I spoke to was kind enough to look up my license plate to see if it had been picked up or found by their department.  Sure enough, my car was towed on Sunday evening, about 40 minutes after I had parked it for the night.  Instead of being in Boston, my car was now about four cities over, just sitting there idle in a tow yard.  Yessirree, my car was gone in less than 60 minutes from when I safely parked it.  WOW.  I couldn’t believe it.

Image Credit – carinsurancequotes4all.com

This is what I imagine happened to my car, since the window was never broken…

The pleasant gentleman at the tow yard informed me that my car was involved in a hit and run in the same city as  where the tow yard was located.  Apparently, the person who stole my car, didn’t know how to drive it and hit a parked car.  Naturally, he fled the scene on foot before he could be caught.  The owner of the parked car called the police to report the hit and run and that is when my car was towed.  Needless to say, my car was now broken into, involved in an accident, towed away and pretty damaged.  Zoinks!

Ouch!

My poor car…

The passenger side mirror is gone, too…

Look at the ignition just hanging there…

Take a look at how far back the driver’s seat is…It’s no wonder the thief crashed my car.  How could he see?

At least the thief left me my car parts…

And my American flag…

And if my day wasn’t already fun-filled enough, my next step was to go to the police station to report my car as being stolen.  I’m not sure if I looked as if I was the criminal or if the people at the front desk were having a bad day, but I was treated as if I wasn’t telling the truth.  Because my car was stolen from one city, was then involved in an accident and found in another city, my story was a bit too complicated for them to comprehend.  Finally, I must have broken through to the two ladies because they believed me and my paperwork started getting processed.  But before that was completed, I was asked, “why do you have an American first name and a Chinese/Japanese last name?”  And then I was asked, “why are Asians mostly short, small and on the skinny side?”  And finally I was asked, “why do Asians like to drive cars like Hondas and Toyotas?”  I didn’t feel like answering any of this woman’s questions, but I really didn’t have a choice.  I was at her mercy and just wanted this process to be over.  After over an hour of time, I was finally set free.  Not only was my car stolen and I felt violated, but over an hour of my time was robbed from me and I felt violated once again with the treatment I received at the police station.

Image Credit – cafepress.com

All in all, it wasn’t the best of days.  However, it certainly wasn’t the worst by any stretch.  I wasn’t hurt, no one was hurt in the accident, my car was recovered and it can be repaired.  Patrick was able to help me today during my adventure at the police station and was there when I completely freaked out at home this morning.  While a material possession such as my car was taken from me, the things that matter the most were not.  I still had a safe home to come back to and the support of my husband (and family – thank you Michelle, Dad and Mom for listening and making me laugh!).  When I was at the police station, I heard calls coming in for incidents involving assault, a restraining order and a gun shot wound, and I even heard someone loudly screaming in the background as they were getting booked.  My car being stolen seemed quite trivial in comparison to some of the other issues that were going on around me.  And while today won’t go down in the books as a happy day, it’s definitely a memorable one, and one from which I will learn.  Being able to find the lesson or the moral in a ‘not-so-pleasant’ situation is something I like to do.  It helps to remind me that life is never perfect and is constantly teaching us, if we are willing to learn.  And this is something that can never be taken away from me.

Do you have an alarm on your car?  I know people who don’t even lock their car doors.  Do you use one of those steering wheel locks?  I’m thinking I need to get one…

Namasté,
Nicole

What ever happened to Bobby McFerrin?

Guess What?!  The other day I had the pleasure of receiving the Happy 101 award/game from the lovely Kate! Thank you so much, Lady!  It was such a sweet way to brighten my day and a good reminder that when the world and your surroundings get you down, we have to remember the things that makes us happy and smile from the inside out.

According to Kate, the only thing I have to do is list 10 things that make me happy and then pick 10 people to do the same.  Sounds pretty easy!  Drum roll please…

1) Finding a great bargain – I love to shop.  I love clothes.  I love shoes.  I love handbags.  I love jewelry.  I love food.  And I love it even more when I can get all of those things on SALE!  I don’t what it is, but I get this high like no other when I can find an amazing deal.  And you know what’s even better?  When someone sees me in/with my new bargain purchase and then compliments me on it.  I honestly have to bite my tongue so I don’t yell, “Guess how much I paid for it?!  You won’t believe it!”

2) Yoga - I probably don’t even need to explain this one, but yoga is definitely something that makes me happy.  I love how I feel when I’m on my mat; I feel energized, strong, calm and capable of anything and everything.  Feeling my breath slowly filling every inch of my body and then feeling every ounce of it exit out of my body relaxes my mind, spirit and soul and when I’m finished with my practice, I emerge as a new person.  I feel whole again.

3) Afternoon naps – I’m not sure if I liked taking naps as a small child, but as an adult, I love them.  Being able to curl up on my couch on a snowy and cold day with my favorite blanket (and person) and catching a few zzz’s mid-day is heavenly.  It’s definitely a luxury and one I won’t have forever once I have my own children to prepare for nap time

4) Spending time with Patrick - We really know how to crack each other up.  There are moments when we’re just being silly and goofy and all we can do is laugh at each other.  And, there are times when we’ll have our heart-to-heart talks or when I’ll need a shoulder to cry on and Patrick is always there to make me feel better.  I’m so lucky and blessed to have him in my life and I cherish all the time we spend together.

5) Trader Joe’s - I know I’ve said it before, but I will say it again.  I <3 TJ’s!  I could spend hours there just staring at all their wonderful (and wonderfully priced) products.  And, the people who work there are always so cordial and helpful.  Trader Joe’s makes me happy because I always leave there feeling like I got some good food, some great service and an amazing feeling in my heart.  You can’t beat that!

6) Compliments on the jewelry I’ve created – Making jewelry is something I started close to ten years ago and I still love it to this day.  Being able to have an idea in my head and then making that idea come to life is truly magical to me.  But when someone compliments me on my work and is then interested in that same piece for themselves, it’s music to my ears!  I take pride in my work and being recognized for it makes me a happy camper.

7) Hugs - There’s nothing better than a hug.  I don’t think people give enough of them and even more so, I don’t think people allow themselves to receive them enough.  When my goddaughter or nieces give me a hug, it brightens up my day and totally melts my heart.  I can’t help but grin from ear-to-ear after that.

8 ) Coffee with my sister – After Michelle and I go to yoga class on Saturday morning, we have our morning coffee together.  It’s our time to bask in our post-yoga glow, catch-up on ‘what’s the haps’ and enjoy a fresh brew.  Sometimes, we’ll just sit and chat for hours and before we know it, it’s almost time for lunch.  It makes me happy knowing I have a great relationship with my twin sister and that I’m fortunate enough to see her as often as I do.

9) The arrival of spring -You know that day that comes at the very, very end of winter (or sometimes it’s technically already spring) when all of the sudden you realize the day is longer, the sun is warm and shining and you don’t need to wear a down coat anymore?  Well, that day makes me want to jump up and down and scream for joy!  There’s that somethin’-somethin’ in the air and you just know that the cold is gone and warmer days are here to stay.  I equate the feeling I have on this day to the feeling I used to get on the last day of school before summer vacation…almost.

10) When someone tells me how much they enjoy reading my blog – Whenever I receive a comment in my inbox or on my blog and they tell me how much they enjoy reading Healthy Chow and how inspired they feel, my spirits are immediately lifted.  I started my blog because I wanted to live a more healthy and balanced life.  I did it for me.  But knowing that I’ve been able to bring a little joy in someone else’s life and that I’ve been able to give them some encouragement, makes Healthy Chow a Happy Chow!

And here are the 10 bloggers I wanted to pass Happy 101 along to…(FYI, I wanted to pass this along to everyone!)

Astrid – Two Feet Ten Toes
Angela – Angela Loves Food
Morgan – Life after Bagels
Lauren – Giant Scoops of Joy
Shannon – Lessons to Learn
Sophia – Burp and Slurp
Casey – Spicy & Sweet
Alyson – Nourished Fitness
Morgan – Live, Love, Eat and Play
Ashley – Daily Goods

Thank you again, Kate! This was a fun exercise and definitely brought a smile to my face.  Maybe I should make this a regular practice of mine?  It really does bring things into perspective and reminds me of how fortunate I am.

What are some of the things that make you happy?

Namasté,
Nicole

While I love blogging and posting something new for you to read every day, I have decided to alter my schedule just a little bit.  With the new year came some new projects and responsibilities and thus, my time has to be divided accordingly.  That said, I am going to be posting three times a week (probably Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays).  So, you might have ‘less’ Healthy Chow, but hopefully, there will be an increase in the quality of the Healthy Chow that you will see.  A new year brings new change, right?  I’m all for changing and adapting! (so zen, huh?)

Sound good to you?

And don’t worry, I’ll still be reading all of your blog posts and looking forward to all the new and exciting things I can learn from my bloggie friends.  I’ll never be able to cut that time down!

I’ll see you all tomorrow…

What was your favorite thing to do as a child?  I loved twirling my baton and pretending I was in the marching band.  Where is that thing now anyways…?

Namasté,
Nicole

Am I hearing things correctly?  Do my eyes needs to be examined?  But I think I just heard my favorite weatherman (or meteorologist) say that it’s going to be in the upper 40’s today and possibly even warmer on Saturday!  Woot!  This is great!  As you might already know, I’m not the biggest fan of winter.  But, I’m doing my darnedest to stay positive and to keep my cool (hah, another lame pun) about this current season and the often times challenging weather that comes along with it.  I guess I must be doing well with my change in thinking because Mother Nature has rewarded me (and the rest of the Northeast) with some ’spring-like’ weather!  It may not be time to bust out the t-shirts and flip-flops, but when it’s been so cold that wearing two pair of socks when going outside is starting to become second nature, any bit of warmth is highly welcomed.

That said, I’m going to take advantage of the ‘warm’ weather today and spend as much time as I can outside.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but I definitely want to get more than my share of vitamin D.  Also, I want to appreciate the beauty that Mother Nature can bring versus focusing on the destruction of which she is capable, as we have witnessed this week in Haiti.  If we can get a few days like this every few weeks during the winter, then maybe I will be able to fully change my perspective on this season?  Or maybe, if I continue to welcome winter and all of its glory, to not fret when we do get a major snowstorm and to realize that warmer days are on the horizon, then my Law of Attraction will continue bringing sunshine into my life?  Whichever the case may be, I am going to enjoy today (and tomorrow) to the fullest.  I don’t want to say it, but we might possibly get a messy storm (one involving rain and some heavy wet snow) this Sunday.  So while this ‘break’ in winter won’t last, hopefully, my upbeat mood will, and I’ll have enough warmth in my head and in my heart to keep me sane until spring finally does arrive.  And if that doesn’t work, I can always put on another pair of socks….

Any interesting plans for this weekend?  I have a DIY project that I’ve been ‘diy-ing’ to make.  Hahahahaha!  Sunday might just be the perfect day for this!

Namasté,
Nicole

Life as a food blogger is so hard…

Yeah right!  When Shannon invited me to her cookie swap, I was so excited that I practically yelled at my computer screen.  I had never been to a cookie swap before and the thought of attending one with local food bloggers was enough to make me jump for joy.  I immediately replied yes to Shannon’s email (after all, she can’t hear me yelling through my computer) and began my search for the ultimate cookie recipe.

Image Credit – newenglandcoaching.com

But finding the ultimate cookie just wasn’t as easy as I had anticipated.  Do you know how many recipes there are out there?  Holy moly!  And because my blog is called ‘healthychow’, I wasn’t sure if I should make a recipe that was ‘guilt-free-esque’ or if I should just throw that idea out the window and make a cookie that was fully indulgent, fully fattening and chock full of calories.  I didn’t want to stress over this little matter, but I also wanted my first cookie swap recipe to be pretty darn good.  But then I realized, cookies are cookies and the whole point of a cookie swap is to be able to taste a vast array of these baked goods and to see and appreciate all kinds of recipes.  So, I just went with my gut (lame pun intended) and baked the cookie that sounded the best to me.

Finally, the day had arrived!  I was so happy all day Sunday before the swap.  I’m not sure if it was because I just love a good party or if it was in anticipation of all the yummy treats I was going to be consuming.  Whichever the case was, I was psyched by the time I reached Shannon’s door.  Shannon’s home was cute and cozy and so inviting.  Because Shannon literally lives down the street from me, I was able to burn off a few calories while taking my brisk walk over to her house.  I felt that if I could burn a few calories before consuming a few thousand, it was better than nothing.  Right?

Image Credit – foundation.wchob.org

I can’t believe the amount of cookies!  There were a total of 10 guests at the party, meaning there were going to be 10 different kinds of cookies and each guests was going to be taking home about 3 – 4 cookies of each.  Ummm, that meant we were all going to be taking home a shiz-nit load of cookies!  Oh.em.gee!  Among the guests were Shannon (obvi), Adrienne, Mary-Kate, Elina, Tina, Kerstin, Kelly, Rebecca (Shannon’s friend who was also present at my apple picking adventure), Bridget and me (another obvi).  I was so impressed!  Each of the cookies present were so unique and had their own individual flare, much like the guests and their respective blogs.  I was in blogger and cookie heaven!

Cookies galore!

And so we wouldn’t go into an immediate cookie coma, Shannon, being the wonderful host that she is, provided us with some delicious snacks.  After all, it wouldn’t be appropriate to just eat cookies all afternoon…or would it ?  We all slowly nibbled on the savory finger foods in order to prep our bellies for the main event.  Everything was so tasty and I wanted so much to eat more of the snacks, but I knew I had to save room.  It’s a good thing I wasn’t wearing a baggy pair of stretchy sweat pants!

Salmon mousse with crackers and cucumber slices

Coconut-chai almonds (made by Shannon – so good!), smokey bacon potato chips (brought by Elina), mini pear, walnut and Gorgonzola quiches (made by Shannon – loved the sweet and savory combo!)

The guests of honor:

Cookie Dough Truffles by Kelly and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by Elina

Lime Meltaways by Adrienne

Maple Toffee Bacon Cookies by Shannon

Break-up Bars (Chocolate Caramel Bars) by Rebecca

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Bars by Tina

Black and White cookies by Mary-Kate

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars by Kerstin

Lemon Almond Cranberry Crescents by Me

After we devoured sampled all the various types of cookies and packed up the rest to take home, we let our sugar highs slowly come down by playing a round of Foodie Fight.  This was a Trivial Pursuit type of game that only involved questions about food.  How perfect!  We took turns reading off questions and answering them until we were able to fill all the ‘pies’ (hahaha!).  I couldn’t believe how tough some of the questions were, but even more so, I couldn’t believe the party guests actually knew the right answers.  Needless to say, we laughed a lot and learned a bunch and fortunately, we didn’t eat anymore cookies!

Mary-Kate and Kerstin

Shannon reading some trivia questions

Bridget, Tina and Kelly

Kerstin, Adrienne and Elina

If you couldn’t already tell, I had a blast at my first cookie swap.  Shannon gave a great get-together (that’s a lot of ‘G’s’!) and was a gracious host (one more ‘G’).  I had so much chatting it up with the ladies and of course, tasting all of their heavenly creations.  Even though this was a cookie swap, we also traded laughs, smiles and stories that I’ll be sure to remember for quite some time.  And while I may have eaten more cookies than any normal person should on one given day, I would never swap this good time for anything else.

My loot

I’m having a serious sugar overload at the moment (oh yes, I had more cookies today!).  Do you have any tips to help me snap out of this? I think I am going to drink some hot water with lemon…

Namasté,
Nicole

Do you ever feel old? OK, maybe that’s not the proper word.  Maybe I should say ‘mature’? Do you ever feel like you’re now a mature adult and no longer a young, silly kid? Well, I know I’m technically in my ahem, thirties, and that I technically haven’t been a child in many, many years (alright, let’s take it easy on the ‘many’s’!).  But sometimes it takes me a little bit to fully realize that my days of being completely carefree and not having any responsibilities are long gone.  Yes, I know.  Where have I been?  I’m not sure?  I think I had such a wonderful childhood that I just never wanted it to end.  I was always well taken care of and had anything and everything I could ever want (thank you, Mom and Dad!).  So why would I ever want to grow up?

Image Credits – racheltheperfectmom.com

The other day I was doing some reflecting and pondering about the holidays.  As I was thinking about when I was going to put up my tree, who was on my Christmas list this year, what I could give to those people, where I was going to be on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the logistics of how I was going to get to where I needed to be, I realized that the things that consume my mind now, are so very different from what used to consume my mind when I didn’t have a care in the world.

• Giving vs. Getting – I remember I would literally count down the days until Christmas because I could not wait to see what my parents and Santa brought me for being a good girl the whole year.  The thought of opening gifts and getting more toys, clothes, games, accessories, etc. was enough to keep me on edge from December 1st until December 25th.  And now, I’m not sure if I want any gifts.  I have so much in my life and I’m so blessed to be so fortunate, that I really don’t think I need anything more.  Instead, I’m more concerned with finding the right gifts for my family and friends and seeing the delight in their eyes as they open them.

• Helping vs. Lounging – Obviously, Christmas occurred during winter break from school.  Thus, when I was a kid, that meant I was on vacation.  I didn’t do any of my homework until the very last day of break and I was basically as lazy as they come.  While my mother rushed around making sure all the gifts were in order, the house and tree were decorated perfectly and the food was cooked for our family dinner, I sat around playing with my gifts and wondering what I was going to eat next.  Never did I realize how much work and planning went into Christmas for my family.  I must have just assumed that things happened magically.  Now that I’m older (and wiser), I know differently.  I realize all the effort that goes into a holiday such as this and I want to help out as much as I can.  For example, this Christmas, instead of eating all the food my mother will be putting out, I’m actually going to be helping cook it.  Instead of lounging around in my pajamas, I’m going to be up early and giving my mother a hand at whatever she needs to make this holiday perfect.  And, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

• Cooking vs. Eating – This is the first Christmas that I’m not just making a side dish to bring to dinner nor am I bringing flowers or a store bought dessert.  I’ve been researching recipes for the past couple of weeks and planning the details on what I’ll be cooking for Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas dinner.  In years past, I was never one to offer to cook or bake something of my own.  I guess I just didn’t have the confidence and didn’t want to be bothered.  This year, I am looking forward to baking the ham (and being one!) versus just eating it.  I want my family to enjoy a wonderful home-cooked meal and I want to know that I was a part in making that happen.

• Making Sure Things Count vs. Things Being Even – I have to confess.  As a twin, the amount of presents my parents and Santa gave me had to match the amount given to my sister.  Thus, I would make a mental note of the number while the gifts were still wrapped under the tree.  If I noticed there was a larger package or more boxes with the name ‘Michelle’ on them, I would have felt slighted.  Nuts huh?  Why did I waste my energy doing that?  My parents would never give more to one of us over the other.  It was just a silly childish thing I did.  Now, I feel embarrassed when my parents and in-laws shower me with gifts.  They are all way too generous and spend way too much on me.  But because I know they tend to do this, I make sure to find them gifts that involve thought and ones that they will honestly appreciate.  I’m blessed with such an amazing family and while gifts aren’t necessary, I want them to know how much they mean to me and how much I love them.

• Spending Time with Family and Friends vs. Getting Gifts from Family and Friends – After opening the gifts from my parents on Christmas morning, I would anxiously wait for my extended family to come over.  While I loved seeing my family, I was more excited to see what they were giving me.  Sad, but so true.  The thought of getting more gifts was exhilarating (as if I needed any more).  Because life gets so busy and we’re all going in a zillion different directions, I don’t see my family as much as I would like.  Thus, the major holidays are special to me because it means I will get to spend time with them.  Having a delicious meal, catching-up with my aunts and uncles, chit-chatting with my in-laws, joking around with my cousins and of course, inhaling dessert, are the things that make the holidays fun.

• Looking Forward to Having Christmas with My Own Children vs. Wishing I Still was One of the Children – You know you’re no longer a kid when you’re looking forward to seeing your own kids’ faces on this big holiday.  I have so many fond memories of all my fabulous Christmases.  They are memories I will cherish forever.  That said, I’m looking forward to creating these memories for my very own family.  I want to be able to provide for someone the same things my family provided for me – love, happiness and the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning knowing I’m the luckiest kid in the world.

While getting gifts on a holiday, birthday or any other special occasion is something I’ll always welcome, it’s no longer something I center the day around.  I know growing older and being an adult means more work and responsibilities, but it doesn’t have to mean less fun.  Like many things in this world, this is cyclical.  Because I was fortunate enough to have so many incredible memories of this holiday, it is now my turn to create the same kind of memories for someone else.

Image Credit – mccullagh.org

What is your fondest holiday memory?  What is the best gift you ever gave on the holidays?

Namasté,
Nicole

It finally happened.  We got our first major snowstorm.  Actually, it seems as if many in the eastern part of the country got their first ginormous wallop of snow this weekend.  But who doesn’t want a white Christmas, right?  (well, I wouldn’t say I necessarily want one, but I really can’t argue with Mother Nature!)  This morning, Boston woke up to about a foot of snow.  Luckily, it was a Sunday and because Patrick and I didn’t have much on our plate, we took our time getting up.  But once we were showered and ready to go, we decided to tackle another first.  We embraced our first shoveling of the cars of the season.  Even though I’m not the biggest fan on winter, for some strange reason, I enjoy shoveling snow.  And since yoga class was canceled this morning (and I wanted to be lazy and sleep in), I was looking forward to making my shoveling my workout for the day.

Look at all that white!

I think that’s a little more than a foot of snow?!

When I finally made it to my car (I was snapping pictures of the lovely all-white scenery), Patrick was already in full-force being a snow scoopin’ superstar.  His car was already about halfway cleaned.  Even though we had a pretty sizable amount of snow, it was the light and fluffy kind.  The kind that tends to blow around as soon as you pick it up (TWHS!).  But because we live in the city and park our cars on the street, the big plows have the tendency to block us in.  No worries!  Healthy Chow likes a good shovel!

Can’t wait to ‘dig’ in!

Keep it going, Patrick!

In about 30 minutes, we had both of our cars cleaned and our spots emptied.  I’m not sure if it was the five layers of tops and the two layers of pants and socks or the fact that I was shoveling like a maniac, but I was working up quite the lather and quite the appetite.  Luckily for us, our favorite neighborhood pizza shop, Giga’s Pizza, was open and greeted us with open arms when we walked in for a late brunch.  The shoveling duo was done shoveling snow and was ready to shovel some hot food into their mouths!  I ordered the Greek omelet wrap without the wrap (whole eggs, not just whites.  I wanted extra protein today!) with home fries.  To my surprise and delight, my meal came with toast and fresh, crispy bacon.  I gave my toast and home fries to Patrick, to go along with his french toast and bacon.  We were fed like royalty; Giga’s Pizza never disappoints!

Wow, I look awesome – hahaha!

All done!

My Greek omelet with feta, tomato and spinach along with some bacon – YUM!  And Patrick’s feast of french toast, home fries, bacon and toast!

After we inhaled ate our food, we bundled ourselves up again and walked up the street for some more snowy Sunday fun.  We decided to take on a matinee of the movie Patrick has been dying to see – Avatar.  Avatar was being shown in traditional 2D and in 3D.  Of course, we chose to see it in 3D!  This was my first time seeing a movie in 3D and I was pretty excited to see the movie and to wear the glasses.  We thoroughly entertained ourselves in the theater by modeling our new found accessory.  We can be such dorks!

The movie’s special effects were incredible!  Being that this is the most expensive movie of all time, all the bells and whistles were in this movie.  And watching it in 3D made it that much more exciting and amazing to watch.  However, the movie was close to 3 hours long and after some time, my butt started to get tired.  But as soon as that happened, the movie went into overdrive and all of the sudden, I could no longer feel the pain.  I would say the last 45 minutes are the best out of the 162.  Overall, I would give Avatar an A-/B+.  The special effects were extraordinary, but the story line was nothing special.  But on a snowy Sunday afternoon, going to the movies is certainly a must in my book!

I had a blast today.  While I usually start my weekend mornings (and every morning) with yoga, it was definitely nice to sleep in and take my time starting the day.  The blanket of white that covered the city (and everywhere else) was beautiful. I can’t believe I said that!  I guess when you spend the day having fun in the snow, versus whining and complaining about it (yep, that was the old me), you can actually enjoy it.  Like the Na’vi in Avatar, I felt like I conquered the day.  I didn’t let the cold, snow, wind nor my tired butt get the best of me.  I usually like to stay indoors when the weather behaves like this, but Patrick likes to get out and experience it.  Thanks to him, I had a wonderful day.  And thanks to my positive thinking, my feelings about winter are starting to change.  But when you can spend a lazy wintry Sunday, doing the things you love and being with the person you love, how can you not enjoy yourself?

I’m keeping up with my Kardashians!

If you live in an area that gets snow, what’s your favorite winter activity?  If you don’t, is there anything you do in the winter that you don’t normally do during the rest of the year?

Namasté,
Nicole