I love that saying.  I love it because it’s simple and because it’s so true.  It’s a saying that I like to remind myself of whenever I am feeling challenged or whenever I begin telling myself I can’t accomplish something.  It’s definitely a good motivator and a good way to maintain a healthy mindset.

When Elizabeth posted about the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge, I knew it was something in which I had to participate.  Elizabeth, along with Jessica, Janel, Corinne, and Lindsey, all decided to create a breakfast challenge involving five main ingredients.  For each day of the five day challenge, a certain ingredient would be highlighted.  Participants are asked to create a breakfast dish/recipe with the star ingredient and enter it into their contest.  At random (using random.org), the winner will be selected and thus will be rewarded with fabulous prizes.  In addition, the winner of each day/ingredient will be highlighted on all five of the bloggers’ blogs.  Again, there are five ingredients in this challenge, therefore giving participants five separate chances to win.  And, participants get to come up with a creative and fun recipe and a new way to incorporate a healthy ingredient into their breakfast.  So, you really can’t lose!

Image Credit – zazzle.com

The first ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge is an ingredient of which I can never seem to get enough.  The ingredient is avocado.  Because I’m a fan of savory versus sweet foods for breakfast, it didn’t take me too long to come up with my entry.  But instead of making this creation as I normally would, I gave it a little twist.

Colorful Tofu Scramble
Serves 1

• a little less than 1/2 a brick of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• a big handful of spinach
• 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• few shakes of Adobo powder
• s&p

1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking the tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  With a spatula, begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit.

2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo powder, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs.

3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes.

4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much.

5) Once everything is warm, eat!

For the second ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge, I decided to vamp up a classic breakfast food.  I figured it would be fun to ‘healthify’ and spiff up a breakfast staple that tends to get a bum rap.  I decided to make pancakes with flax, the second challenge ingredient.  I figured if I could combine a nutritious item such as ground flax with a food that tends to lack nutrients, how could it not be a winner?  Plus, I also wanted to come up with another way to eat my beloved oats.

Banana Flax Pancakes
Serves 1

• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 2 TSP of flax meal
• 1/8 TSP of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/3 of a ripe banana, sliced (the more ripe, the better)
• squirt of agave nectar or maple syrup for topping

1) Grind your dry oats until you get the consistency of flour.

2) In a medium bowl, mix your oat flour, flax meal, baking powder, salt, egg whites and banana slices.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the bananas are completely mashed into the oat flour mixture.

3) Let your pancake mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

4) Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat onto medium/medium high and pour your pancake batter into a giant circle/pancake.  Or, you can make 2 or 3 smaller pancakes.  I made one giant pancake.

5) Let the pancake sit untouched for 5 – 7 minutes.  The batter will be quite thick if you are making just one pancake.  Once you can move the frying pan around and the pancake easily moves off of the pan, you are ready to flip.  Be careful as the inside may still be a tiny bit soft.

6) Once flipped, allow the other side to cook for another 5 minutes.

7) Place your pancake on your plate and top with agave or maple syrup.  Enjoy!

I had a blast creating both of these recipes.  Participating in this challenge gave me the chance to get the wheels of my imagination turning and to get my competitive juices flowing.  And while I know winning any of the contests in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge doesn’t have anything to do with who can come up with the better recipe, I definitely wanted to give it my best shot.  Unfortunately, random.org was not in my favor for either of the first two ingredients.  I may have had creativity going for me, but not dumb luck.  No worries, I certainly didn’t mind, nor was I disappointed.  Whenever I have the opportunity to challenge myself, learn something new and be creative, I can’t lose.  And as Mother Healthy Chow always told me whenever I would come home complaining about some of the mean elementary school kids, “I don’t care what you say.  You’re always a winner to me!“  Awww, thanks MHC!

***BTW, there are still two ingredients left in the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge.  You have until the end of today to submit a recipe and pictures for quinoa, and you have until Thursday to submit a recipe and pictures for walnuts.  For more details, you can go here.***

Are there any words of wisdom you remember from your childhood that your parents or family members may have passed down to you?  Do you have a favorite quote or saying that motivates you?

Namasté,
Nicole

Avocado Entry HealthyChow X Reply | Nicole Chow to thesuperbreakf. show details Feb 14 (2 days ago) Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com 3 attachments — Download all attachments View all images February 2010 43 blog photos 140.JPG 1438K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 144.JPG 1490K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 176.JPG 1402K   View Download Reply Forward Super is not available to chat Super Breakfast Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your fav… Feb 15 (2 days ago) Reply | Nicole Chow to Super show details Feb 15 (2 days ago) Oh boo!  Well, I’m glad I wasn’t too late then!  I’ll work on my entry for flax right now.  Thanks again. Enjoy the day -Nicole - Show quoted text - On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 9:15 AM, Super Breakfast <thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your favor today-sorry about that! There’s still time to submit other recipes though!! thanks for entering the contest and enjoy this free Monday! cheers! elizabeth On Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 11:56 PM, Nicole Chow <healthychow@gmail.com> wrote: Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com Reply Forward Super is not available to chat

Right now, I’m sure most of you out there are seeing the same thing in your fridge.  No, and I don’t mean that box of baking soda that’s been sitting in the back corner for who knows how long now.  I’m talking about your leftover Thanksgiving turkey (if you’re veggie, maybe some leftover tofurkey?).  If any of you have any leftover from your day of feasting, it’s probably not much and probably not as tasty as it was about a week ago.  But if you’re like me (or a certain energetic, carrot cake lovin’ Duke University student), you hate wasting food.  That said, I decided to whip up a quick lunch with my leftover turkey versus being a turkey and leaving my food for the garbage disposal’s pleasure.

I wasn’t exactly sure what I could make being that I was sort of tired of the turkey sandwich and really have had enough carbs lately to last me until the media stops talking about the ‘ay-yi-yi’ of Tiger Woods.  Man, this story keeps on going and going and going! Plus, being that it’s been getting chillier here (although it was a balmy high-60’s yesterday!), I was in the mood for soup.  And when you’re in the mood for some quick soup, there’s nothing quicker than soup in a box!  Armed with my trusty and reliable rectangular wonder and some other remnants in my fridge and freezer, I came up with a masterpiece (at least in my mind)!

Jazzed and Pizazzed Black Bean Soup
Serves 1

• 1 cup of black bean soup (I used Trader Joe’s boxed soup)
• shredded pieces of leftover turkey (I think I used about 1/2 – 3/4 cup?)
• 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of edamame, shelled
• 1/4 of an avocado, sliced and cubed
• 2 TBSP of nonfat ricotta cheese (Greek yogurt would have been great, but I didn’t have any)
• few shakes of adobo powder
• few shakes of dried cilantro
• s&p

1) In a medium pot, begin warming your black bean soup on medium heat.

2) Add your turkey, chopped tomato, edamame, adobo powder, dried cilantro, salt and pepper.  Give everything a good stir.  Allow everything to heat up and the flavors to blend together for 5-7 minutes.

3) Once hot, pour your soup into a bowl.  Top with avocado and ricotta cheese.

4) Discover your new found love for your Thanksgiving leftovers!

Turkey, leftover or not, has always been one of my favorite foods.  I love how it can be so versatile and can take on the flavors of anything and everything you wish to add to it.  In this meal, my turkey had an almost Mexican flare with the black bean soup, cilantro, adobo powder, avocado and tomato.  It was hard for me to imagine that about a week ago, when it was served with mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce.  If you can’t already tell, I really enjoyed this soup.  I know that I really didn’t do too much for all this to come together being that the soup came pre-packaged and the turkey was a gift from my mother-in-law (thanks El!), but that’s what makes being creative so much more rewarding.  With this quickie meal, I was able to clean out my fridge, have a healthy and hearty meal in a jiffy and not waste a single piece of turkey (I made Patrick this soup, too, and he gave it two thumbs way up!).  It sort of makes me wish I had more to gobble, gobble up!

What did you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers?  Has anyone seen a Zhu Zhu Pet in person?  I just saw them on tv the other day and I can’t believe they’re all the rage?! What is up with that?

Image Credit – boncherry.com

Namasté,
Nicole

No, this isn’t a post on the 2009 World Series Champions, The New York Yankees.  I think my family, both immediate and extended, would definitely might give me a stern talking to if that were the case.  This past weekend, my family and I traveled to New York City to celebrate two very special occasions, my mother and father-in-law’s 40th wedding anniversary and my niece Casey’s, 5th birthday.  Not that we need special occasions to celebrate in order to go to New York, but since they happen to occur on the same day, it just makes the trip that much more extraordinary.

(sidebar – Guess who I saw while waiting to board my flight to New York?  Ellie Krieger! Can you believe it?  I so badly wanted to take her picture but since she was VIP, she boarded before anyone else and I missed my chance.  But, when I walked by Ellie to get to my seat, I smiled and she gave me a head nod.  Then I shouted, “check out HealthyChow.com…”  Just kidding, I wish I had the nerve to say that!)

While Times Square was our meeting place and where our hotel was located, we were all coming from different directions and via different modes of transportation.  Ellen and Dan, my mother and father-in-law, were coming from Springfield, MA via train, my brother and sister-in-law were coming from Atlanta via plane with my nieces, my other siblings-in-law were driving in from Boston, and Patrick and I took the shuttle.  Needless to say, by the time we all finally arrived at our hotel, The Millennium Broadway, we were excited to see each other and excited to see the big city.

On the bridge heading to Times Square

The lobby area of the Millennium Broadway Hotel

The Dolls with their dolls

Thanks to Travel Agent Pat, our hotel could not have been better situated.  We were literally in the heart of Times Square and within walking distance from anything we could possibly need.  But then again, when you have a bird’s eye view of the heart of New York City, what more could you possibly need or want?

View from our room

Another angle…

Check out all those taxi cabs!

Are those people or ants?!

I think my nieces, Casey and Taylor, love being in NYC!

Well, there was one thing we wanted and needed and that was a quick bite to eat.  We had all been up since the crack of dawn traveling, so some much needed food was definitely on the menu (lame pun intended).  With the suggestion of the concierge, the eight of us walked across the street to the Cranberry Café.  It was a hungry traveler’s dream come true! The deli offered every kind of hot and cold sandwich, wrap and sub you could imagine while there were also stands for custom made salads and pre-made sushi.  And if sandwiches, sushi and salads didn’t float your boat, there was also the largest of hot bars and a pretty hefty salad bar.  And if you wanted even more bars, there was a whole wall filled with protein/convenience bars.  Because I was overwhelmed with all the choices, I decided to make it easy on myself and went with the salad bar.  I really got a nice myriad of everything – just the way I like it!

Once we purchased our food, we ventured upstairs to the dining area and had a relaxed lunch.  It was a ’seat-yourself’ type of restaurant and we grabbed the largest table we could find and chowed down!  While we were all so excited to catch-up with one another, I don’t think a word was uttered from anyone (including the kids) for at least 1o minutes.  We really needed the nourishment and the Cranberry Café definitely fulfilled that need.

Hungry!

My lunch: romaine lettuce, cucumber slices in vinaigrette, grape tomatoes and 1 small mozzarella cheese ball, a hard boiled egg (minus the yolk), salad of chick peas, red kidney beans, peas and carrots, grapes and cantaloupe

Travel Agent Pat’s Lunch: YUM!  Nothing like corned beef on rye! Hi Billy!

After lunch, one of our hotel rooms was finally ready for us to check in and we were able to freshen up and head back out into the city.  I couldn’t believe how many people were out and about.  You would have thought it was a holiday or that there was some event going on in Times Square, but it was just an ordinary Saturday afternoon.  Because the weather was unseasonably warm, we were able to walk through the city with just light jackets.  It felt like spring and we certainly had a spring in our step.  Just to be able to be in a wonderful place such as New York with our family was enough to put a permanent smile on our faces.

David and Dan

Me and Patrick

After taking a tour of Times Square and the Marriott Marquis hotel’s upstairs lounge, my sister-in-law along with her boyfriend, and my brother-in-law along with his fiancée, arrived and finally, the whole clan was here!  Since one of my brothers-in-law and his family live in Atlanta, we don’t always have the entire group in one place, at one time.  Thus, to have everyone together in one spot was a momentous occasion on its own.  I grew up with only my twin sister and while we were always thicker than thieves, it’s nice to be a part of a large family.  I love the different dynamics that occur within a big family and I love having a large group around.  Nothing is ever boring and there’s always something new to learn about another person.  With my extended family, there are always plenty of laughs, fun, good times and a shoulder to support you whenever you need it.  It’s truly a magnificent feeling to have.

Look at all those floors!

For our first family dinner in New York, we decided to go casual and quite local.  We headed across the street to Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant.  Since this restaurant is right in the middle of the theater district, it was packed when we arrived at 7:30pm.  But since there was now 12 of us, we managed to snag the front tables and basically had the whole front area of the restaurant to ourselves.

Taylor and her grandparents

Kevin,Vanja and Taylor with Casey climbing the stairs in the background

Greg, Carolyn and Taylor - so cute!

From the ATL, David and Lisa

Your girl, Healthy Chow, and Travel Agent Pat

Connolly’s is an Irish pub with live music and pretty good food.  In addition to their traditional Irish dishes like beer battered fish and chips, Irish beef stew and bangers and mash, Connolly’s also serves burgers, wraps, salads and other comfort food dishes.  Everyone seemed to find exactly what they were looking for within minutes and the friendly Connolly’s staff was able to serve our enormous and hungry party almost immediately.  I ordered the Mediterranean grilled vegetable wrap with eggplant, zucchini, tomato, mushroom, roasted red pepper, carrot, romaine lettuce, goat cheese and a balsamic glaze on a honey wheat wrap.  All the sandwiches and wraps came with french fries and while they did sound and look good, I asked if I could substitute the fries for a vegetable.  The vegetable was a carrot and parsnip purée and it was delicious! I think I preferred my side dish of veggies over my sandwich.  Wow!  Those must have been some vegetables!

Once we all finished eating, we decided to have a few more drinks before calling it a night.  Since it was Casey’s birthday the next day and Ellen and Dan’s anniversary, we had a day filled with festivities planned and wanted to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.  Plus, Casey’s birthday breakfast was set for 9:30am and we could not be late for our reservation.  But we were all pretty tired from traveling, so we were ready to hit the sack.  Our first day and night in the big city was great and if it was any indication of how the rest of our weekend was going to be, we were going to have a blast.  The city that never sleeps seems to have some sort of a power over the people.  And we were ready for this city to take us over…

“These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you, let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York…”

***BTW, while we were celebrating Dan and Ellen’s anniversary and Casey’s birthday in NYC, it was also MHC’s boyfriend’s birthday in Boston.  Happy belated birthday, Darrell!***

***Don’t forget to come visit me tomorrow to see what else Healthy Chow and the gang did in New York…stay tuned…***

Do like visiting and exploring big cities?  Do you like to have things planned and mapped out or do you like to plan as you go like me when you’re on vacation?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Thank you so much for your patience.  I’m back and I finally have pictures (and boy, do I have pictures!).  Did you miss me?***

Do you have anyone in your life that is tough to shop for?  Someone who has impeccable taste and great style and has one (or more) of just about everything and anything? A person who is so beautiful that nothing you buy her will compare to her beauty? But this human being is very near and dear to your heart and you love her so much that you want to give her something but you just don’t know what?  Well, ladies and gents, let me introduce you to that person.  That person in my life is Mother Healthy Chow (or MHC for short).

As you might have read from my posts a couple of weeks ago, MHC recently had her birthday.  She turned 39 (*ahem-ahem, cough, cough*) and doesn’t look a day older 25.  Being the good daughters that we are, Michelle and I wanted to get a nice gift for MHC.  But we just didn’t know what?  The woman has too much a lot of clothes, more handbags than she ever can carry, fanciful jewelry, mucho make-up, a collection of shoes that can rival Imelda’s or Mariah’s and two amazing daughters (*pats herself on the back*).  What more could she want or need?

Can’t get enough of this pic!

However, even if a person has just about everything, the person’s gotta eat.  So, instead of taking MHC to the latest and greatest resto in the Boston area, we decided to shake-n-bake things up a bit and do something we haven’t done in awhile and should do more often.  Michelle and I decided to cook MHC a birthday dinner! And because MHC just moved in with her boyfriend, Darrell, we decided to make dinner at their newly renovated home.  There’s nothing like cooking in a brand spankin’ new kitchen!

Because Michelle and I were going to be responsible for cooking the whole dinner and bringing dessert, we had to plan in advance what we were going to make and thus, bring the ingredients.  I’m not quite sure how we decided, but we divvied up the courses as follows: sides, salad and dessert – Healthy Chow and main course and dessert – Michelle.  Yeah, I know dessert is mentioned twice.  That’s no mistake!  We wanted a birthday cake-ish treat for MHC, for candle blowing and wish making, as well as some other goodies, for variety and pigging out’s sake.

Image Credits – fundraw.com

While I was planning the few days prior to the dinner party, I chose to make sides that I felt would go with just about anything.  Because Michelle hadn’t told me what she was making as the main course and I didn’t want to keep annoying asking her, I just went with my gut (lame pun intended)  and selected recipes that were tasty and on the ‘healthier’ side.  Thus, I chose to make two recipes I found from Cooking Light - Creamy Parmesan Orzo and Mustard-Dressed Asparagus.  Both recipes received at least 4 out of 5 stars and very good reviews and comments from readers.  In addition, I had made the orzo recipe a few times before and it was delicious and easy and the asparagus recipe seemed healthy and easy.  Done and done! For the salad, I decided to bring mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, radicchio and frisée) and the ingredients to make a homemade vinaigrette dressing.  So easy-peasy lemon-squeezy!  And for dessert, I just stopped by the store and grabbed brownie bites and chocolate chip ice cream.  You can’t go wrong with warm, soft chocolate baked goods à la mode, right?

I was so excited for this night!  Not only did I want to show off some of my much improved culinary skills, but I also love spending time with my family and I could not wait to see my mother’s new place.  MHC had just moved into Darrell’s condo, which they recently renovated and enlarged by acquiring the adjacent condo unit.  I’ve always loved seeing the interior of people’s homes, but ever since we gave our place a face-lift, my interest has reached a whole new level of appreciation.

Oh my stars!  I thought the ocean view from the outside of their building was incredible; the interior of their home was absolutely gorgeous! I tried not to have any expectations or visions in my head before arriving in order to be totally surprised and when I walked in, I was blown away.  Not only was their condo ginormous, but every detail was carefully paid attention to and flowed seamlessly to the next.  I felt as if I was flipping through the pages of an interior design magazine.

I lurrrrvvve those bamboo floors!

Absolutely beautiful…

Sparkle, sparkle…

I think the food might taste better coming from this kitchen…

Even the spices are cool, or should I say, ’sah-pie-say’!

Now that’s a closet!

My dream come true!

Even the washer and dryer are stylin’!

Darrell loves his shoes, too…

This closet would suit me just fine

An ocean view…

Simply breathtaking…

After receiving the grand tour and getting my groceries for dinner settled, I nibbled on some shrimp cocktail and chips and salsa.  While we told our mother she didn’t have to do a thing, she naturally put out a spread of appetizers and snacks.  What a good lil’ doobie.

It’s a good thing I had to cook or else I’d be full before dinner…

Snacks and sports…

I was having so much fun chatting it up with the party goers that I almost forgot that we were in charge of preparing dinner.  I could see the hungry looks growing, so I stopped munching (for a few minutes) and got started on cooking.  Since all of my dishes were relatively simple to prepare, I picked the one that would take the longest to make and would be the easiest to reheat.  So, I started on the creamy parmesan orzo.  Having Michelle and MHC (she couldn’t stay out of the kitchen for long, nor did we want her to) by my side in the kitchen was so much fun and so helpful.  While I would read off the instructions, one would hand me the needed ingredient and the coordinating utensil.  It was like having my very own sous chefs!

Stir that orzo, Michelle!

Even the birthday girl isn’t safe from kitchen duty!

Love that green!

Once the orzo was about done, I began on my asparagus dish.  Even though the recipe was for asparagus, I decided to add some zucchini since it would give the dish some variety and because I had some just sitting idle in my fridge.  I know, your girl is so resourceful! The recipe called for the asparagus to be boiled, but because MHC had a crazy-arse steamer built into the stove top, I just had to steam versus boil.  It just seemed so cool and high-tech; I had to give it a whirl.  The vegetables took only minutes to cook and the sauce took an even shorter time to prepare.  The key ingredient to this recipe was no doubt the mustard seeds.  They’re little, but they’re powerful (does that remind you of anyone you know?).

I gotta get me one of these…

The Yellow Wonder…(tee hee)

While I was cooking the vegetables, Michelle and her boyfriend, Jonathan began cooking the main dish – chicken saltimbocca.  Jonathan and Michelle make a great team both in life and in the kitchen.  They love cooking together and testing out new recipes.  I was told by the dynamic duo that the trick to making their recipe was to brine the chicken in salt water the night before.  I guess I’ll take their word for it.  It looked dang good! And just as the chicken was about to be taken out of the oven, I whisked together a simple salad dressing using Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, some chopped shallot and salt and pepper.  As I’ve said before, Trader Joe’s never lets me down and he came through for me again that night.  The Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar was divine! It gave the right amount of citrus and zip to the dressing without making it too sweet or weighing it down.  Another winner from TJ’s!

That’s some kickin’ chicken!

I heart TJ’s

Veggie Might!

Finally, dinner was served! MHC did a fabulous job setting up her dining room table for her first dinner guests and her first dinner guests did a fabulous job of dining.  I couldn’t believe how well everything turned out.  Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted wonderful.  Michelle and Jonathan’s chicken saltimbocca was moist and juicy (must be that brining action) and the prosciutto that enveloped it was flawlessly crisped with just the right amount of fresh sage.  Ah-may-zing! And like the chefs who played off of the synergy that was overwhelming the kitchen, the dishes co-mingled with each other fantastically and complemented each other perfectly.

And while I don’t like to brag much, I just want to say that my dishes came out quite well.  MHC loved the creaminess of the parmesan in the orzo recipe and said that the fresh basil was the perfect complement to the dish.  And everyone seemed to really like the mustard sauce on the vegetables.  They said it gave the vegetables a unique flavor.  As for the salad, everyone wanted to know what I used to make the ‘fruity’ dressing.  They truly seemed to enjoy my new found secret weapon from TJ’s and the fact that the salad was tasty without being too greasy or heavy.  Success!

And what would a birthday dinner party be without birthday cake and dessert?  Not a good one in Healthy Chow’s book! Jonathan made a key lime pie that was so light and refreshing, I thought I was having a cocktail.  There was just enough lime to cleanse my palate and the airiness of the filling coupled with the flaky crust was enough for me to want to have seconds.  However, because there were other desserts to sample, I stayed with having only one small (ish) piece and had a scoop of ice cream along with a mini fall-inspired brownie.  I think MHC honestly loved every bite of her birthday celebration.

While receiving a luxurious cashmere sweater, the latest bottle of perfume, a new pair of fall boots, or some fancy handmade jewelry may be a wonderful birthday gift, it’s no match for the gift of time.  Being able to spend time with my mother and sister in her new kitchen laughing, cooking and simply enjoying each other’s company was my favorite part of the night and by looking at my mother’s face, she felt the same way.

Oh, he’s such an angel! Hahahahaha!

Gotcha!

“Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderfuuuuullll?“

MHC is always appreciative of any gift she receives, but I could tell that this time this gift meant the world to her.  She was so excited for us to finally see her new home with Darrell and to be able to see how our culinary skills had developed.  I think it’s always a gift for a parent to see how their children have matured and blossomed, but it’s also a gift for the child to see their parent being happy in their new life.  While it may have been MHC’s birthday, I feel as though I was the one who was showered with presents.  It was a spectacular night filled with giggles, good times and great food.  While it might have been easier to go to the mall or hop online to buy our mother a birthday gift, it definitely would not have been as much fun, nor would it have been as special.  Being able to create a memorable night, such as our dinner party, is something that everyone should try – it may require a bit of time and energy, but what you get back is immeasurable and certainly priceless.  For the person who has everything, it’s definitely something of which they could use more.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?  Or, what’s your favorite secret ingredient to use?

Namasté,
Nicole

I’m a city girl (for now).  I live within walking distance from just about everything I need – a grocery store, restaurants fancy and not-so-fancy, coffee shops (both locally owned and major franchises), a reputable hospital, a couple of malls and most importantly, three different Trader Joe’s.  I’m also steps away from public transportation, so if I can’t get there by foot, there’s always the T.  And oh yeah, the Red Sox play right around the corner from my house.  Needless to say, I live in a great area.

Image Credits – destination360.com

However, while I love where I live and I’m not quite ready for my large house (but a large kitchen would be nice), sometimes I do long for a driveway, my own backyard to hang out in, a basement for storage (Healthy Chow has a lot of stuff) and most importantly, a place to grill.  Don’t get me wrong, I would never say a bad word about my beloved George Foreman grill, but the Foreman just doesn’t give my food that charcoal-y taste.  Don’t hate me, Mr. George Foreman grill, you know I love you…

So the other day when I was rummaging through my freezer, I noticed that we had about a bazillion pounds of chicken breasts (OK, not that many, obvi).  There was seriously a huge mound of poultry just sitting there and it was starting to look a little like Frosty the Snowman (and not in a good way).  That said, when my sister, Michelle, offered (OK, I invited myself) to let us use her grill at her house in the country, I said yes without any hesitation.

OK, so Michelle doesn’t really live in the country.  I like to kid.  She actually lives in Wayland, which is a suburb located only about 20-25 minutes from Boston.  I say she lives in the country because her house has so many trees surrounding it, because there is a lake about 15 yards from her backyard and because she has wildlife such as deer and snakes paying her visits on more than one occasion.  WOW!  Although Michelle doesn’t live very far from me at all, it feels as if our homes are worlds apart in terms of similarities.  So when Healthy Chow gets the chance to cook in a big kitchen, she hops right on it!

The frozen chicken breasts were almost completely thawed by the time I loaded them up in my cooler in my car.  By the time we got there, they were just about ready for marination.  We used Italian dressing (unsure what the brand was), some fresh garlic, dried oregano, dried rosemary, fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  We let the chicken marinate in that mixture in the fridge for a few hours as we hit the mall.  By the time we got back, the chicken was ready for some country grilling.  You’ll have to excuse Healthy Chow – she forgot her camera at her home in the city and thus, you’ll just have to envision chicken sitting on an open flame.  I would imagine it being something like this:

Image Credits – eHow.com

When I got home, I remembered (finally) to grab my camera and take a picture of the grilled chicken in real life.  I think you’ll be happy with the results.

I told you there was a lot of chicken…

With all this chicken already prepared and cooked, I knew we could make more than a few quick meals out of this platter of poultry.  It was just a matter of how creative I could get.  I had to channel my inner Robin Miller; I knew she was deep down inside there, somewhere.  Here are a few pictures of how my grilled chicken became ‘Quick Fix Meals‘:

1) Grilled Chicken with Festive Salad Greens and Feta – This pretty much explains it all.  For our first meal, we sliced up and heated the chicken and ate it over a humungo salad.  It was honestly put together in a few short minutes.  But the simplicity of this meal was what really made me happy.  Grilled chicken cooked on an outdoor grill is divine.  The chicken was cooked to perfection (Thanks Jonathan!) and was juicy and tasty enough where I didn’t even have to add dressing to my salad.

I let Patrick be in charge of the chicken and I think he may have thought we were having guests over.  Boy, that’s a hecka lota chicken!

The salad contained romaine lettuce, baby spinach, baby carrot slices, cucumber, tomato, grilled marinated eggplant and broccoli slaw.

So simple, yet so good!

2) Pita Stuffed with Grilled Chicken, Tzatziki Sauce, Romaine Lettuce, Tomato and Cucumber – This was for lunch one Saturday afternoon when we had both had just come home from working out (Healthy Chow – yoga and Patrick – run around the Charles River) and we wanted something quick and on the lighter side.  I remembered recently eating at a Greek restaurant and having tzatziki sauce to dip my pita bread into and I wanted to recreate that for the sauce in our sandwiches.  To make my version of tzatziki, I combined the following:

• heaping 1/4 cup of nonfat plain yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s European Style Plain Nonfat Yogurt)
• 1/4 cup of chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded)
• 1/2 tsp of chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
• few dashes of dried dill
• salt and pepper

After mixing the above ingredients in a bowl, I let it sit and chill (literally) in the fridge for about 30 minutes while we showered and changed for lunch.  Once chilled, I heated the chicken, stuffed each whole wheat pita with romaine lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices and then poured the tzatziki sauce over the sandwich innards.  For a side, I sautéed some summer squash with thyme, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper.  It was the ideal lunch!

Ready for the tzatziki…

Cool as a cucumber…

Check out all that color, Ma!

3) Grilled Chicken with Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese and Whole Wheat Ravioli – Patrick and I were in the mood for some pasta and gooey cheese every one night but I really didn’t feel up to making anything elaborate.  Ding, ding, ding!  Cue the frozen ravioli!  This was another item that I had forgotten all about until I spotted the bag in my freezer the day I was getting my chicken.   That said, I grabbed my mozzarella cheese, my jarred tomato sauce and my almost forgotten whole wheat ravioli and went to town. While the ravioli was boiling, I heated up the chicken with some melted mozzarella on top along with some tomato sauce that I jazzed up with some dried basil, garlic powder, and dried oregano.

How could I forget I had ravioli?

Hmmm, melted cheese…

Patrick and I shared this plate of food.  I just kept it on one plate for easier picture taking.  Not pictured was the side salad of baby spinach and cucumber we had.  Gotta get in those greens!

There you have it.  The first three meals made from cooking (grilling) just once.  I felt as if these three were all pretty different from one another and definitely ones that could be put together in a matter of minutes.  By having the chicken already cooked, I didn’t have to stress about defrosting it, making sure it was cooked all the way through or having to marinate or season it.  With just a few simple ingredients that I already had on hand in my fridge and pantry, I was able to have my ‘Quick Meal Fix’.

Stay tuned for my next post, as I will show you part II of 6 Meals Made From 1…

Are you a city dweller or do you live in the suburbs?  Do you like living where you are or do you wish to move elsewhere?

Namasté,
Nicole

Sometimes I think I should have dedicated my blog to Trader Joe’s.  I <3 that place!  And, I can’t believe that I only started going there this year.  What the H-E double hockey stick (hi Greg!) was I thinking?  I try to only go there once a week, but it’s hard when there are literally three within walking distance from my house and another that is five minutes from my yoga studio (and I’m at my yoga studio almost every day of the week).  And when I’m in a Trader Joe’s, I try to stick to my grocery list and buy only what I need in order to not overspend and in order to NOT spend over an hour in there.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes, I just have to succumb to the power that is Trader Joe’s.

And like Heather, while I’m at Trader Joe’s, I like to always try a fun, new item in addition to my ‘necessities’.  But because everything seems so fun at TJ’s, I usually have a difficult time choosing the item (hence, my marathon stays there).  So after walking up and down every aisle at least three hundred times and having at least five TJ’s employees ask me, “are you finding everything OK, ma’am (gag, don’t they know Healthy Chow likes to me called ‘miss’?)?,” I finally settled on this:

Granted, this little item may not be as ‘fun’ as some of the tempting sweets that stare at me from up above whenever I’m in the frozen food aisles, but I’ve never heard of pea shoots and they looked pretty interesting.  Plus, they were organic, nutritious and cheap (I think it was less than $2.50 for this).  Sounds like a winner to me!  I also admit that I just like saying ‘pea shoots’.  I know, I’ m weird like that…

Here are some of the ways I enjoyed my fun, little Trader Joe’s pea shoot treat:

On a salad…(beware, it is a humungo salad…)

Before getting salsa-fied...

And after...along with some whole grain melba toast

Just from another angle...

The pea shoots gave my salad of romaine lettuce, baby spinach leaves, cucumber slices, tomato slices, chopped baby carrots, red kidney beans, adobo powder and salsa a fresh added crunch.  I would say that the pea shoots taste like a hybrid of bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts.  I get so used to eating the same things in my salad, that having something unique such as this diddy made my salad special.  Plus, as noted on the box, these pea shoots have a good amount of vitamin C.  Woot!

In a quesadilla (ish):

In a Joseph's flax pita with mashed red kidney beans, tomato, carrots, baby spinach and a slice of reduced fat provolone (not shown).

All grilled up in the Foreman...

Plated next to a sliced Gala apple

When I pressed my quesadilla in my George Foreman grill, the pea shoots got softened and cooked a bit.  While they were no longer as crunchy, the pea shoots still were crisp enough to be noticed in my cheesy quesadilla.  Actually, they seemed a tad more sweet after being grilled versus when I had them raw in my salad.  This was so yummy and filling! But then again, I think grilling anything in a pita with cheese is divine.

In an omelet (a very large one):

It was quite the stuffed omelet...

I think I've perfected the omelet flip...go Healthy Chow!

Next to an ear of sweet corn...

Take a look at all that yummy goodness!

I think this was by far my favorite way to savor the pea shoots.  As I mentioned previously, when the pea shoots are cooked, they taste sweeter.  However, when coupled with the sweet peas, the taste is sensational! I love egg white omelets in general – they are less greasy tasting than whole egg omelets and allow for the inside ingredients to really shine through.  While my omelet had tomato, baby spinach leaves, adobo and garlic powder and salsa on top, it was hands down the peas and pea shoots that stood out.  This combination of the subtly sweet and savory was a.maz.ing! Not to mention corn on the cob (sans butter) is like summer’s candy (oh, I miss you already, summer!).  Can you tell Healthy Chow had a good time eating this meal?

Well, I haven’t been disappointed by a Trader Joe’s product yet and I’m happy to report, that is still true.  I’m so happy that I selected something from the produce section for my fun, little item versus something from the baked goods (because I was so leaning towards that…).  It helped to show me that eating healthy can be fun and having fun while you’re eating doesn’t have to mean eating crap.  Also, a little treat for myself doesn’t always have to mean cookies, chips or brownies (although those are all wonderful, too!).  I have learned that treating myself to healthy and nutritious foods can be just as enjoyable as having a sugary snack.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love me some decadent cookies and cream ice cream, but life can be just as sweet with some pea shoots.

What’s your ideal breakfast?  Do you like having breakfast foods for lunch/dinner?  If so, what’s your favorite breakfast for lunch/dinner meal?

Namasté,
Nicole

***To be sung to the tune of Phil Collins’ Sussudio***

There’s this salad that’s been on my mind…
All the time, su-su-salad-o!
Oh oh!
Now I don’t even know if it has a name…
But I think I like it just the same…
Su-su-salad-o!
Oh oh!

If you don’t know Healthy Chow, she loves her ’80s music, especially some Phil Collins.  She also loves her humungo salads.  Put the two together and you get that little silly diddy from up above that she conjured up in her head late one night.  And oh yeah, Healthy Chow is quite random as well, if you haven’t already noticed!

But whether you have a soft spot in your heart for music from the ’80s, Phil Collins (or Genesis) or just plain ole’ randomness, I wanted to dedicate this post to my recent love of the big salad.  I hate to admit this, but a few years ago, I didn’t really ‘love’ salads.  I knew I ’should’ eat them and I knew it was a good way to get my intake of vegetables.  However, I never really enjoyed them or wanted a salad.  And, the thought of ordering a salad as my meal while dining at a restaurant was the last thing I wanted to do.  I felt that if I ordered a salad, it wouldn’t get me full and that a salad wasn’t worth paying for at a restaurant.  Boy, was I wrong!

I’m not sure what exactly happened to turn the tide.  I know that a few years ago when I was trying to shed a few pounds, I turned to eating salads as a lighter option for my meals.  And I don’t mean the salads that are loaded with greasy cheese cubes, fried breaded chicken pieces, buttery croutons and creamy salad dressing.  I ordered the plain garden salads without dressing, cheese or croutons.  At first, these garden salads were not something I looked forward to eating.  I guess in my mind, plain salads were the equivalent of ‘rabbit food’.  But once I started telling myself that what I was eating was healthy and nourishing for me and I started focusing on how my salads tasted versus thinking about my preconceived notions of salads, I began to thoroughly enjoy my leafy greens.

While I was trying to cut back on calories by omitting dressings and/or cheeses, I also wanted a ‘naked’ salad for the fact that I wanted to truly taste the vegetables.  I wanted to savor their simplicity versus masking them and thus, hiding them, with something else.  I wanted to like eating my salads for the taste of the lettuce leaves and the vegetables, not for the taste of the blue cheese crumbles and the gobs of ranch dressing.  Now when my salad comes already dressed or covered in cheese, I get disappointed.  It’s not because I’m afraid all those extras are going to add to my calorie count, it’s because I no longer like the taste of a ‘wet’ salad.  I’ve been so used to just tasting plain veggies and leaves, that if I get a mouthful of vinaigrette or creamy Italian (TWSS), I just don’t like it.  Now, I’m not trying to preach that salad dressings should be a ‘no-no’ and that cheese should be avoided at all costs.  Don’t get me wrong, I do add the occasional sprinkle of cheese and/or nuts and I will dip my lettuce leaves in a side of dressing.  All I’m trying to say is that sometimes, what you’re covering up can be exactly what you need to see.

In addition to happily ordering salads when dining out, I now have incorporated salads into my meals at home. – especially the big salad (thanks for the inspiration, Mama Lovin – we miss you!).  Many people wonder how I get full off of just eating a salad for lunch or dinner, but they just haven’t seen my salads.  So, I thought I would post a few pictures of my humungo salads to show you, as well as some tips for fostering some of your own home salad love.

Tips for Making and Enjoying Quick, Healthy and Hearty Salads at Home:

1. Variety – Buy different produce.  If you’re going to be eating a salad, try to make it fun.  Thus, don’t make the same salad everyday.  Mix it up by stocking your fridge with various kinds of lettuce (romaine, baby spinach, kale, arugula, radicchio).  Also, give yourself a good selection of vegetables (cucumber, tomato, carrots, string beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper strips, celery…the list can go on forever).  While I do have my favorites and my salad staples, I try to do my best in incorporating something different as often as I can.  It also gives me an excuse to buy and try new things at the grocery store and at Trader Joe’s!
2. Convenience – Make this easy for yourself.  When you get home from the grocery store, wash your produce and slice/chop up your veggies.  Place them in separate storage containers.  Thus, when you go to make your salads, they are already there ready and waiting for you to select them.
3. Color – Try to make your salads as colorful as possible.  Think rainbow!  Different colors represent different vitamins and nutrients, so it’s wise to incorporate a different mix of fruits and vegetables everyday into your meals (to learn more about which vitamins and nutrients come from which color, see this article).  Not only will having a variety of color in your salads be healthier for you, it’s also more visually appealing.  Remember, we tend to eat with our eyes.
4. Texture – I like having cool, crisp cucumber slices in my salads, but I also like the creaminess of an avocado sliver.  Fresh and crunchy romaine lettuce is also one of my favorites, but I also like to add some steamed spinach for a softer and warmer taste.  Adding bean sprouts and/or alfalfa sprouts will also give your salad some more crunch and a unique taste.
5. Protein – Don’t just stop at vegetables.  Adding beans, hummus, tofu and tempeh is a good way to get some protein in your salad.  And of course, you can always add some tuna, grilled chicken, egg whites or a hard boiled egg.  This extra protein will also help to keep you fuller longer.
6. Get Creative – Salads can be pure vegetables, but I like to also add items like ricotta cheese, nonfat or lowfat cottage cheese, dried fruit and chopped nuts (I like to stick with just a sprinkling).   Some of my other creative favorites are salsa, pumpkin purée, grilled eggplant, grilled portobello mushrooms, broken up pieces of melba toast and guacamole.  With items such as cottage cheese, salsa and guacamole, there’s enough moisture and taste that I usually use them as dressings.  And don’t forget that fruit is also a great ingredient.  Just think sliced strawberries, a handful of grapes, some blueberries or even a few kiwi slices!
7. Herbs and Seasonings – Don’t forget the spice!  If you have some fresh herbs on hand, like some parsley, cilantro or basil, throw them into the mix.  Also, sea salt and cracked pepper (obvi) are a nice way to season your salad.  I’ve been to known to add garlic powder and/or adobo powder to my salad.  It gives it a nice kick!
8. Omegas – We probably all want to add more omega 3’s and 6’s into our life.  So, why not sprinkle some ground flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and/or walnuts to your salad (again, I like to add a light sprinkling here).
9. Dress it up – While I’m not the biggest salad dressing fan, I know I’m probably in the minority.  Try out some different dressings (just be sure to use it sparingly) – it might make your salad taste completely different from the day before.  Also, try making your own salad dressings.  With some mustard, olive oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper, you can have your own healthy and homemade dressing in no time.
10. Make it pretty – I like to arrange my salad in a way that it looks like art to me.  Instead of just plopping the ingredients onto your dish, make it look fancy.  Presentation is key!  Also, don’t stick to the same plates, bowls, dishes or utensils.  Jazz things up and use your fine china!
11. Speed – Since all of these items won’t last forever in your fridge, be sure to make and eat your salad.  I know that when there’s some wilting lettuce leaves in my fridge, it pushes me to eat my veggies versus reaching for a non-perishable item.
12. Enjoy! – Once you’ve finished making your salad creation, take the time to enjoy it.  I like eating my humungo salad not only because it tastes good, but because it takes me a good 15 minutes to eat it.  Unlike a sandwich that I can motor through in less than five minutes, a salad takes me more time to chew and thus, to savor.  Because there are so many different textures and different items going on in my salad, it gives me the chance to slowly eat and digest what was on my plate.

There you have it.  There are some shots of some of the various salads I’ve created, eaten and enjoyed over the past few weeks.  And I have to honestly say, I looked forward to eating each and every one of them!   There’s nothing like being able to ‘pig out’ on a salad, and then having a full, yet energized feeling afterward.  I may not have always been in love with the giant plate of fresh produce and greens, but now I’m a huge convert.  I guess you could say, “that Healthy Chow… she’s an easy lover…”

What’s your favorite song from the 80’s?  Or, do you have any tips for making a fun and healthy salad?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Do you like product giveaways?  If so, check these out…***

There is a Bondi Band giveaway at Silly Tater Tot .  It’s the same cute head band that Katy wore while running
in her 5k the other day!

Also, Nicci at Nicci’s Nifty Eats is giving away crunchy crackers and flatbreads from Doctor Kracker. They sure look good!

Are there any foods out there that you’ve seen thousands of times and have considered trying millions of times and yet still have not eaten?  Well, there are many foods that fit that description in my life but one in particular is falafel.  I know, I know!  Can you believe it?  Up until the beginning of this year, I had never had falafel.  It’s not as if it doesn’t sound appealing to me or as if I don’t ever go to Middle Eastern or Greek restaurants.  For some reason, when I am having Greek cuisine, I tend to lean towards the salad with grilled chicken or the rotisserie chicken with the hot sides (I don’t know why, but that term always cracks me up!).  I think I order the grilled or rotisserie chicken because it usually is accompanied by vegetables and/or a salad.  For years, all I ever ordered was grilled chicken with a salad because to me, that was what I considered ‘healthy’.  Don’t get me wrong; I know that it is healthy.  However, after many moons of ordering ‘the usual’, I would end up feeling unsatisfied after my meal was finished.  I would start picking at Patrick’s plate and wishing that I ordered something a little more fun or just something different from poultry and leafy greens.

About a week or so ago, while trying to figure out what we wanted to eat, we ended up driving right outside the Boston area.  You see, for Patrick and me, it’s seldom that we have an actual specific place in mind at which to dine.  We usually end up driving around until one of us shouts out the name of a place the other agrees to, or we end up just going to one of our favorites.  That afternoon, we decided to pay a visit to one of our favorites.

Esperia Grill is a Greek restaurant located in Brighton, MA.  It’s owned and operated by a lovely family and that’s just the feeling you get when you’re dining at Esperia Grill – family.  Tim manages the restaurant and does everything from take food orders, prepare the take-out/delivery meals, clean tables, walk the entrées from the kitchen to the tables and of course, schmooze with the guests.  Tim’s wife, Georgia, is the head chef and can also be seen making everything from the fresh Greek salads to the delectable moussaka.  When you walk into the restaurant, you are immediately greeted by either Tim, or one of his sons and the wafting smells from the meat roasting on the tall vertical spit.  Esperia Grill is a place where when you walk up to the counter to order your meal, you immediately start second guessing yourself because everything looks and sounds so wonderful.

Instead of ordering my usual, I decided to mix it up and order something a bit uncharacteristic for Healthy Chow.  When I was dining at another Greek restaurant earlier in the summer, I had tried the falafel and was impressed by just how tasty and filling this vegetarian dish could be.  After seeing the fresh components for pretty much all of the meals housed in the hot and cold cases at the front of the restaurant, my mind was made-up and the deal was sealed.  I just had to try the falafel wrap (plus, it even said so on the chalk board!).

There are about 12-15 tables at Esperia where guests are able to seat themselves.  Once your food is ready, it is brought over to you by Tim or one of the friendly servers.  Usually at restaurants where you don’t have a designated waiter/waitress, in my experience, the tables are usually left a bit dirty and the dining area itself is a bit unkempt.  However, at Esperia Grill, you could literally eat off of the floor (not that I would have, but I was pretty hungry).  The tables are constantly being maintained and the guests are constantly being catered to.  Plus, the atmosphere is quite eye catching.  The restaurant is well lit and has some unique decorum that will keep you interested until your meal arrives (which is not very long).

My falafel wrap was fala-nomenal (hehehe)!  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from my previous experiences there, it was sure to not disappoint.  And, I was far from being disappointed!  Just check out those sexy grill marks on my wrap:

Talk about being hot off the press!  My wrap was filled with a thick and creamy garlicky hummus and falafel so rich in flavor, that I wouldn’t even be able to begin to guess what was contained in it.  I’m assuming it was the usual ground chickpeas, breadcrumbs and garlic but everything else I can only conclude as being ‘magic’.  The actual wrap was soft and thin and was the perfect vehicle for my Greek deliciousness.  I really wanted to save the other half for my lunch the next day, but I just could not stop myself.  I savored every last bite!

Patrick ordered the gyro on pita and while his looked as equally as divine as mine, my fork never wandered over to his plate.  I was so completely happy with my meal, that I never once wished I had ordered something else or longed for more food.  I guess it goes to show that when you order something you want versus something ‘you think you should order’, you end up being more fulfilled and simply more full.

I’m so glad that I ventured from my norm and ordered the falafel wrap.  It was such a fantastic treat for me and while it was rich and indulgent, it was exactly what my body wanted that day.  And when you listen to your body and allow it to speak, instead of always letting your mind get the first word, you might just learn something.  I certainly did that night at dinner and to that, I say “opa!”

Random question: Do you ever crave something sweet to eat after having a meal that is loaded with onions?

Namasté,
Nicole

Do you remember your prom?  I do.  I spent so much time thinking about it, shopping for the ‘perfect’ dress, dieting, dreaming of the ‘best’ hairstyle, finding the matching ‘perfect’ shoes for the ‘perfect’ dress, making sure I had the limousine reserved, making sure my corsage was just ‘right’, making sure I had plans post-prom, making sure my date had a tux that matched me, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…And after all that, the night just turned out mediocre.  I mean, nothing bad happened but nothing all that wonderful occurred either.  I guess that goes to show that sometimes it’s better to go with the flow than to plan every last detail.

This past weekend, Patrick and I were undecided as to what we wanted to do.  The weather was way too nice to be sitting indoors and yet, we didn’t have any reservations or plans made to travel.  After we both had our morning workouts, showered, had breakfast and got our acts together, we decided we just had to go ’somewhere’.  That said, we jumped in the car and Patrick randomly asked, “Hey, wanna go to Newport?”  It seemed like a good idea to me!  So, I said yes, and we hopped on the highway.

If you’ve never been to Newport, RI, it’s about an 45 minute to an hour drive from Boston.  Many Bostonians/New Englanders rent houses in Newport for the summer and spend their weekends there with friends hanging out on the beach and simply enjoying the hot weather.  Because it was Labor Day weekend, the unofficial last weekend of the summer, we weren’t sure what the traffic would be like.  We didn’t hit much traffic at all and we made it there in about and hour and 15 minutes.  Not bad!

Because we got such a late start and had eaten a late breakfast, we held off on having lunch when we arrived and decided to take full advantage of the fantastic weather while it lasted.  But what were we going to do?  We weren’t prepared for the beach (we didn’t have swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, or flip-flops) and wanted to do something a little more exciting than just walk around the shops.  So, we kept driving until we saw this:

Sachuest Point is located in Middletown, just a short drive from Newport.  We sort of just stumbled upon it as we were driving along the beaches.  People were walking and biking along the road and we just decided to follow where they were going.  Boy, did they know where they were going!  Sachuest Point was as equally breathtaking as it was interesting:

The refuge sports a newly renovated visitor center, over 2.5 miles of nature trails, viewing platforms, and a number of Refuge volunteers present to help visitors and to help in management of the refuge.

Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge is renowned for its fantastic saltwater fishing, and the presence of the largest winter population of harlequin ducks on the East Coast.

The visitor center had information on the Refuge, as well as the various bird and plant species that one might find on the trails.  There was even a mini-theater available that showed videos on the history of the Refuge.  We didn’t stay to watch but it was nice to know there was so much available to see and learn – all for free!

The sun sure did sneak up on us that day.  Because I wasn’t paying attention to misjudged the weather, I was dressed in long jeans and told Patrick to wear a long sleeved shirt.  I held out for as long as I could before I finally had to admit to Patrick, “yes, I goofed.  It’s an absolute perfect summer day and I’m literally dying in my jeans right now…”  Luckily, the slight breeze from the ocean managed to cool us off a bit and we were able to fully explore the trails.  It was so cool and like nothing else I had ever had the chance to experience.

We walked around the trails for about an hour until we decided to start hiking on the rocky cliffs that beautifully lined the water.  I was a bit scared at first, thinking I was going to slip and fall and plunge to my death, but Patrick tested it out to make sure it was safe.  What a guy!

“Oh cool, my iPhone works out here…”

My Captain Morgan’s pose…arrrrgh!

Two roads diverged…

When I saw this, I knew I had to capture it.  I felt it was so symbolic of how our day started out.  If we had made rushed plans or reservations to go and stay on the Cape or some other New England summer hot spot, we would have missed out on the spontaneity of going on our spur-of-the moment car ride to Newport and may not have had as good of a time.  Instead, we chose to relax and not stress about our plans and everything seemed to just fall into place.

By the time we finished walking and hiking, we were famished and in desperate need of water.  We pulled over to a convenience store and chugged a bottle of water and then drove until we laid eyes on this:

We split a jumbo-sized frozen lemonade and I swear, this tasted like the nectar of the Gods! It was so light and refreshing and the perfect snack after our sweat-induced hike.  We drove along the beach roads looking at some of the most gorgeous homes I’ve ever seen.  But because I was so enthralled with my frozen lemonade, I neglected to take any pictures. Sorry! But the lemonade sure was dee-lee-shus!

We then decided to head back into town to get an early dinner.  At this point, I just needed food.  So, I was pretty easy going on our dining selection.  We found free parking and this:

Tickets Bar & Grille was a cute little restaurant in Middletown that was right across the street from the beach and had outdoor seating. Perfect!  They had the usual bar/pub fare – pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, finger food, salads, etc.  I chose the vegetarian wrap that contained zucchini, roasted red pepper, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese and came with a choice of either cole slaw, potato salad, french fries or sweet potato fries. I chose the sweet potato fries – obvi!  Patrick went for the classic turkey club and regular french fries.  It was sheer bliss for Healthy Chow!

My meal was huge!  It basically was a sandwich and a half.  I love that fact that it was chock full of vegetables but in hindsight, I think I should have asked them to go lite on the cheese.  It made the sandwich a bit too greasy.  The vegetables could have also used a bit more seasoning, but it did the job.  The sweet potato fries were cooked just right – of course!  They were crispy, not too salty, sweet enough and hot from the kitchen. They more than made up for the average tasting wrap.

Patrick’s turkey club was quite good.  The whole wheat bread was toasted just right and the crispness of the bacon, lettuce and tomato was a nice complement to the moist and juicy turkey. His french fries weren’t so bad either, but I preferred my sweet potato fries.  We also had just the right seats for people watching; we were across the street from the infamous Atlantic Beach Club.  Let’s just say if I was eating crackers, there was more than enough cheese!  Gadzooks!  It was a scene but the perfect entertainment for our late lunch/early dinner.

After we finished eating, we drove over to Goat Island.  This is where all the mega yachts are docked.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many yachts of this stature ever.  They were all quite extraordinary, to say the least.

With only a few more hours left until sundown, we walked into the center of Newport to explore some of the shops.  There was such a buzz in the air.  I guess everyone wanted to take in every last second of the pleasant weather.  I popped into a few stores and ended up hitting a fabulous sale at Kristina Richards.  Everything was in my size, which is never usually the case, but I managed to narrow my choices down to this:

If you can’t tell, it’s a knee-length blue dress with 3/4 length poet sleeves and a pretty back ruffle. Score!

When my shopping finally started to wind down, we knew what we needed next.  We had worked so hard walking, hiking, and shopping that day that we felt we needed to end the day with a sweet treat.

I chose to have a little bit of frozen yogurt with my purple sprinkles. Jeez!  But they were the best darn sprinkles ever…maybe that’s why they named their ice cream shop, ‘Sprinkles’!  To boot, sprinkles are complimentary…how can you resist that? But in all seriousness, this was one of the best frozen yogurts I’ve ever had.  It was creamy, had bits of mocha blended in, tasted just like a cappuccino and if I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was eating ice cream.  Patrick suggested I order a large so that we could share.  It was a great idea, except I had about 80% of it.  But that’s OK, because I enjoyed every bite of it!

We strolled around while savoring my our frozen yogurt and I was amazed to see so many people were still buzzing about town.  There was live music playing (there was a concert going on in a nearby tent), the shops were still open, people were drinking and dining in the outdoor restaurants and bars, college football was on television and people were simply happy to be spending their ‘last’ few moments of summer in such a relaxing, yet fun atmosphere.

What a perfect way to ‘end’ our summer.  I think at the beginning of summer, we, New Englanders, were a bit stressed due to the lack of sunny and warm weather. However, once we sort of ‘got over’ that, the hot and humid weather kicked in and summer was in full swing.  I think when we focus too much on how something ’should be’ or how it ‘ought to be’, we tend to lose sight on allowing things to just ‘be’.  I expected my high school prom to be such an unforgettable night and hoped that it was going to be something so magical.  Perhaps if I would have just gone in without having any expectations, I would have had a better time.  Patrick and I jumped in our car that afternoon just looking to get out of the city.  We weren’t sure where we were going to go exactly or what we were going to do.  But, we knew we had great company and the whole day wide open for anything and everything.  And sometimes, that is the best road to take…

What did you do this Labor Day weekend?  Do you like having plans or would you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I was a little girl, I wasn’t quite sure about the avocado.  I mean, it had this ugly dark green hard shell and then it was mushy on the inside with this honkin’ pit in the middle.  I remember having to bring the pit into school for a class project.  We stuck a bunch of toothpicks in it and then let it hover over a jar of water.  I think it was supposed to sprout a plant or something but I don’t think mine ever did.  Or maybe it did?  Like I said, I never was too thrilled with the avocado.  Plus, growing up in a household where my Chinese grandmother did most of the cooking, this fruit didn’t play much of a role.  I mean, if you couldn’t stir fry it in a wok, what good was it?  (OK, kidding, that was a joke!).

Now that my age is Larry Bird’s jersey number, I’ve become quite fond of the avocado.  I love guacamole, sliced up on salads, in a grilled cheese, and the list goes on.  But even more recently, I’ve discovered that the avocado doesn’t just have to be part of a spread or filler in a sandwich or salad.  Yes my friends, I found that this lovely fruit can be the star of the show.

An avocado sandwich, you ask?  Yup.  And you won’t be missing the tortilla chips…

Pass Me the Hass Sandwich

• 2 slicesof whole wheat bread (I used Trader Joe’s – obvi)
• half of an avocado, should be pretty ripe (doesn’t have to be Hass )
• few shakes of red chili pepper
• few shakes of dried cilantro (fresh cilantro would be even better)
• few shakes of garlic powder
• TBSP of lemon juice
• s&p
• TBSP of real bacon bits (or more if you <3 bacon)
• cucumber slices
• tomato slices
• few baby spinach leaves

Carefully remove the meat from the avocado half (discard the pit or keep it if you’re doing a class project) and place into a small bowl.  Add all of your seasonings and the lemon juice and then mash with a fork until well blended.  Spread the mixture onto one of your bread slices.  Then, sprinkle with your bacon bits (thanks Roni for giving me this idea).  Please note that I know these bacon bits aren’t necessarily the ‘healthiest’ thing in the world but we’re only using a tiny bit here and the smokey flavor it adds to the sammie is kick-Hass (see what I did just there?)!  Layer the other slice of bread with your baby spinach, tomato and cucumber slices.  Sandwich the two pieces together and then place in your George Foreman grill or panini maker (or you could heat it on the stovetop in a pan with something heavy like a tea kettle on top of it).  Wait a few minutes and it’s done when your bread starts to get toasty.

Serves 1

The creamy avocado mixture goes great with the crisp cucumber slices, coupled with the warm toasty bread and salty, smokey bacon bits – it’s pure bliss.  When I first made this sandwich, I thought it was going to be more of a snack versus a meal.  Not true.  This sandwich is filling!  I’m sure that has much to do with the high fat content of the avocado (it’s the ‘good’ fat and it’s rich in vitamins and high in fiber) – but don’t let that throw you.  This is sandwich is worth every calorie!

So come out of your shell and Hass yourself some avocado already! (sorry, I just couldn’t resist)

How do you like to eat your avocado?  Ever grow a plant from the pit?

Namasté,
Nicole