Eating spirals

8 02 2010

Before I get to today, can we please revisit last night’s Saints glory? Two of my favorite moments:

1. The second touchdown. It looked so effortless…and just beautiful.

2. This:

I almost cried meeeeself. And I’ve only been to Nawlinz twice. :)

SUCK IT, COLTS!

I headed to the gym this morning and spent some time on a CrossRamp while watching the highlights from last night’s game. With a grin on my face. Good times.

Before I left, I had a Stonyfield Farms Vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup Green Way Multigrain Flax Flakes, flax, sliced almonds & a banana. Why did I pick the smallest bowl in the world?

Green Way is my supermarket’s organic line of products. It’s so much cheaper than brand-name products:

For lunch, I had a schizophrenic salad. I combined a bunch of random shiz together but it worked out so well! It was delicious.

In the bowl: mixed greens, spicy Korean carrots (store bought), some of the beer glazed beans from last night and a Laughing Cow Cheddar wedge. Surprisingly delicious!

I had an un-pictured clementine sometime later.

For dinner, I was excited to try out my new vegetable slicer. I spiralized some green squash. Tell me this isn’t super cool:

I made my noodles with a simple spicy peanut sauce: 2 TBS crunchy peanut butter, 1 TBS light soy sauce and chili powder. An excellent combination:

For dessert, I had a cup of tea with a rice crackers & fruit spread sandwich! I used the Crofter’s Organic Superfruit Spread (Europe). What a simple and great combo.

I really love reviewing my eats on days like these…everything was so good! :)

Giveaways:


Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : beans, breakfast, cereal, dinner, monday, peanut butter, yogurt

Super seeds & beans

7 02 2010

Is it just me, or Superbowl commercials are particularly men-oriented this year? Apparently, women do nothing but emasculate, annoy and nag men about everything. Unless they’re super hot. Then, only their bodies matter! Fantastic.

And I have news for you, Budweiser. You don’t make good beer. Stop with the million commercials already.

So I had to work on a writing assignment today and somehow it ate up my whole morning. I realized it was past noon when my stomach started to grumble and I didn’t even have breakfast yet.

I quickly made a bowl of pumpkin & ricotta cheese oats (think creamy pumpkin cheesecake taste), but with a new to me addition…

Chia seeds!

Full disclosure: I contacted ChiaSeedsDirect and inquired about receiving a sample. Don, who is the manager at the company, kindly replied and sent me this sample. I’ve seen chia seeds around the blogosphere and heard about their stellar nutritional profile. However, they are quite expensive and I wanted to try them out before investing in a substantial quantity.

According to the website,  chia seeds come in at 138 calories, deliver 11 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per one ounce serving. They have a high level of antioxidants and more fiber, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus than flax seeds.

Chia seeds thickened the oatmeal and made it richer. They’re crunchy and slightly nutty in taste. I really enjoyed them so far and can’t wait to use them in more meals! Big thanks to Don for sending me a sample.

After breakfast lunch, I got back to writing. I had an apple around 4 p.m.

Once my dad got home, we hit up the Russian supermarket for our weekly groceries. I snapped a photo with my phone of when I think the cart looks best: full of fruits and vegetables! That’s mineral water on the bottom shelf.

Later on, it got filled with high fat Amish sour cream, smoked fish, cheese, bread and cookies…don’t you worry.

For dinner, I decided to make a recipe out of my newly acquired copy of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. I spent some time browsing through it last night and it’s awesome.

In honor of the big game, I had to go with…

I used a Hobgoblin Dark English Ale from the Wychwood Brewery, which is in the UK.

The beans came out fantastic! Slightly smokey, sweet and spicy.

I also had a spinach, yellow carrot and grape tomatoes salad with TJ’s Goddess Dressing:

Now I’m devouring some clementines.

Man, what a game! Go Saints!

Do you use cookbooks? What are your favorite ones?


Comments : 19 Comments »

Categories : apple, beans, dinner, oatmeal, peanut butter, product review, weekend

“Make your wishes”

6 02 2010

First off, thank you all so much for your lovely birthday wishes via comments, emails and Facebook! It added so many more warm and fuzzy feelings to my day :)

I had a great birthday, full of love from family and friends. It all started from the moment I woke up.

I opened my door and found 22 beautiful roses on my doorstep from my parents:

And a box full of presents from my awesome brother. I guess he’s trying to make up for years of sibling abuse during my childhood ;)

My new cooking Bible

Foer's latest book! This is nonfiction about his experiences with vegetarianism

What's up, zucchini noodles?

I told you he was great!

My mom said we were going to get sushi for dinner, just my parents and me. What she didn’t tell me was that my cousins and an aunt from Queens were also coming! It was a nice surprise.

I was given more beautiful flowers right before dinner:

But the sweetest gift I received yesterday came from my seven-year-old cousin Daniel. First of all, it came in a Spider-Man bag. He already won me over, and I didn’t even open it yet.

Inside the bag I found a Swarovski box…

With an original necklace creation by Daniel! Now that’s hours of meticulous work:

But wait! There’s more. He wrote me a fantastic letter:

You might be wondering why it’s addressed to “Olay.” In Russian, the softer, cuter version of my name is Olya. But for a seven-year-old learning English in school and speaking Russian at home, that might be confusing…So, my name is Olay :)

My favorite parts of the letter: 1) his concern for my gift accumulation  2) the joke of all jokes. So cute!

After lots of laughs, we all headed to Omiya Sushi, my favorite sushi place near my house. Drinks were “buy one, get one free,” so we split huge Sapporo beers.

We also ordered two Star Wars salads for the table. It consists of deep-fried shrimp on top of greens and avocado, covered with the “House Special” sauce, which is spicy and tangy. I don’t know why it’s called Star Wars, but I don’t care. It’s delicious!

Then we ordered a bunch of different rolls to split:

I made sure to situate myself strategically near the ginger. The wasabi can go elsewhere, thanks. Even though I love spicy food, I can’t stand that green devil!

My mom and I share a love for the Omiya Roll, a house-special roll that’s baked and arrives warm to the table. It’s beyond incredible.

When we got home, my mom whipped out the cake she bought on her way to the restaurant from work. It was Cake Kiev, which is pretty much Ukraine’s most popular cake. It has three layers of meringue with hazelnuts and a buttercream-ish frosting. This version had walnuts too.

As you can imagine, the cake is super filling, so having a little piece (especially after that intense sushi dinner) was enough for everyone!

After spending time with family, I headed to Williamsburg with some friends. We only made it to two bars ( K & M and the Bushwick Country Club) before it was 2:30 in the morning and I was ready to pass out!

I’m telling you how late it was so you’re not surprised that I had brunch this morning, rather than breakfast :)

But I did wake up to another package, four jars of Crofter’s Organic Superfruit Spreads that I recently won via Brandi’s giveaway:

After opening this box, all I could think of was a bowl of PB & Jelly oats:

I cracked into a jar of the European origin: Black currants & Pomegranates blended with Morello Cherries and Red Grapes:

This was slightly tangy and delicious with legit pieces of fruit in it. I loved it! My brother and his girlfriend had this spread on toast and were also big fans.

Today, I am looking to relax! Maybe do some yoga, but nothing intense.

Are you snowed in where you are?

We got some snow but nothing like the Capital!


Comments : 12 Comments »

Categories : Russians, avocado, brunch, cake, dinner, drinking., going out, oatmeal, peanut butter, product review, sushi., weekend

Old people partying

5 02 2010

That’s the term one poor soul searched and ended up on my blog. Did he or she know that it’s my 22nd birthday today? And that I’m closer to the “old” adjective?

But don’t worry about me. You know what today means for you, right?

Every time someone asks you, “what time is it?” You have to say, “It’s party time!”

My people are watching. They’ll know.

I’m gonna eat some cake today. It’s cool.


Comments : 20 Comments »

Categories : cake, drinking.

Taking a Bite of It: Joy Indian Restaurant

3 02 2010

This Friday, I’m turning 22. Although I plan to adequately celebrate via the Brooklyn bars, one of my friends won’t be able to be there. So what’s the next best thing? Indian food!

The selection process was easy:

1. Google “Best Indian food in Brooklyn”

2. Arrive at Yelp. Choose Joy Indian Restaurant in Park Slope:

We were the only ones in the restaurant, which was clean and pleasant. It took a while for the waiter to finally come up to us. It seemed like he was handling a bunch of take-out orders.

We ordered the Indian Hor D’Oeuvers: Assorted Hot Appetizers plate to split.

These were nothing special: just the greasy, slightly sweet and spicy taste you want from deep fried potatoes and vegetables.

For my main dish, I ordered the Chef’s Special Vegetable Delight: fresh vegetables marinated in herbs & spices, grilled in the clay oven, then cooked with special almond flavored sauce.

In parenthesis it said that it’s “highly recommended by our celebrity customers.” I was intrigued:

I asked them to make it extra spicy because I was afraid that it would be too bland. The almond flavor definitely came through. It was really creamy as well, just with the right hint of spice. So good! I wonder what celebrities agree with me on this one :)

Of course, we also had the basmati rice:

And warm, soft, chewy and delicious naan bread. Did I mention it was delicious?

We asked for a check and got a complimentary dessert before it was brought to us. I like to believe that my Canon Rebel has magical powers. Yeah? Yeah.  Pistachio and mango ice cream:

Beyond the food:

  • The wait: the restaurant was totally empty when we walked in around 2-3 p.m. I did hear that this place is hoppin’ for dinner though.
  • The service: our waiter was kind of slow, since we were the only ones there. But overall nice and accommodating.
  • The decor: it was the standard “we are a classy establishment” look. White tablecloths, cloth napkins…but clean and bright.

Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : restaurant review

Welcome to February

1 02 2010

It’s a short one, let’s get productive!

Many of you share my enthusiasm for Lady Gaga, regardless of her craziness. Despite her shock factor approach, I feel like she’s less polarized than Taylor Swift, who is pretty ordinary in comparison. But I know a ton of people who can’t stand Swift for some reason.

That’s my pop culture rave for the day :)

I was planning on taking a strength training class at the gym this morning, so I made sure to have a proper fueling breakfast. Thomas Multigrain Light English Muffin with PB, banana & cottage cheese mixed with pumpkin.

But my plan was foiled when the bus came late and I got to the gym 20 min after it started…but it’s okay. Instead I ran, spent some quality time with a CrossRamp and did some ab work.

For lunch, I had a tofu/spinach/hummus sandwich on toasted TJ’s Sprouted Grains bread:

With cheesy broccoli on the side: steamed broc with a shredded and melted cheese stick:

And continued working on my fruit quota for the day:

After lunch, I got to baking again! Since all the Super-Charge Me! cookies were gone yesterday and were such a big hit with my family, I decided to make another batch.

This time, I added Peanut Butter Chips and used spelt flour instead of whole wheat.

This was my first time using spelt flour and it definitely made a difference in these cookies. They were much softer and chewier. I can’t wait to do some more experimental baking with this flour.

The final product is delicious…those PB chips! What an addition.

For dinner, I had leftover brown rice & red beans, with avocado slices and some Greek yogurt as a sour cream impersonator.

Yoplait is catching on to the Greek yogurt craze:

I only had a little, so I don’t know how I feel about it yet. First impressions: less tart than Chobani & Fage Plain, a little more sour-cream like. Full report to come!

So I’m turning 22 in four days and still have no bday plans.

What’s the most fun bday that you’ve had?


Comments : 11 Comments »

Categories : BBQ, avocado, beans, breakfast, dinner, peanut butter, run, yogurt

Super charge

31 01 2010

And another weekend comes to an end.

You know, I say that as if I have to wake up for work tomorrow or something. I guess I apply to more jobs on the weekdays, so it’s a difference, right? :)

I recently won an awesome giveaway hosted by Janetha and got my prize in the mail this weekend. A beautiful necklace courtesy of Lisa Leonard Designs. I’m in love with it:

Thanks Janetha! Can’t wait to wear it.

For breakfast today, I put ff ricotta cheese in my oats. I forgot a) how creamy it makes the oats b) how delicious it is c) how much extra protein it adds: 10 grams per serving. Rockin’

I also put a little twist on my morning coffee, using a tip from Allison. Cocoa coffee! A packet of hot cocoa mixed with a brewed cup of coffee, rather than water or milk. So simple and genius. Taz liked it too.

Later on, my dad and I went to the gym. I have to admit, one of the things I enjoy most about working out at the gym is people watching. While running on the track today (which is on the highest floor, so I get to observe everyone below me),  I saw the coolest woman.

She was the only female in the weight lifting room, a.k.a. the prison yard. She had a mowahk and was lifting more weights than any of the men around her. She was like a female Arnold, circa 1991. It was killer.

For lunch, I had a huge salad: spinach, red cabbage, grape tomatoes, carrots with balsamic, feta tomato basil cheese and crushed Skinny Dippers Rye Grain Crackers. I loved the crunch!

If there’s one trend sweeping the food blogging community right now, it’s the need to get supercharged. Since I’ve been meaning to make these cookies forever, I took this as a sign to finally bake a batch of Super-Charge Me! cookies:

I didn’t have any chocolate chips (yeah, who am I?) so I used cranberries instead, plus a mix of almonds, pecans and walnuts. They came out fantastic.

I had rice & beans for dinner because let’s get real, I wanted to get to dessert. I’m glad I grabbed a few…because between my parents, my brother and his lady friend, these are already gone! I guess I’ll have to make them again…with chocolate ;)

Currently watching the Grammy Awards. Let’s discuss this little number:

Dear Lady Gaga,

How heavy are those shoes? How do you sit down in that thing? And more importantly, how many assistants do you call when you gotta pee? And uhhh…did you dump your hair into a tub of fluorescent highlight fluid? I’m gonna guess the 3D snowflake you’re holding is to hurt people who don’t like your outfit.

But running to Bad Romance? So fun!

Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah
Roma Roma-ma

GaGa
Oh la-la…


Comments : 17 Comments »

Categories : baking, beans, breakfast, coffee, dinner, oatmeal, peanut butter, run, weekend

You say food, I say what?

30 01 2010

True story: I went out last night and my face almost froze off.

The ridiculous cold didn’t seem to scare off many bar enthusiasts, though. Lower East Side was packed with people trying to drink away the frost. You know I rocked a Guinness.

In other news, I’m addicted to the Asian supermarket near my house. I’m considering learning Chinese and Japanese and Korean, just so I can read all those crazy labels.

I did end up getting two easily identifiable products:

Nature’s Soy Five Spice Flavored Tofu:

And Tofu Shirataki Noodles. I’ve actually been looking for these for a while and am really glad I found them:

I also tried out another TJ’s find:

Steamed broccoli completed the meal:

The tofu was flavorful and the noodles really chewy. The sauce was nothing to write home about. I’d hoped that it would have a stronger peanut flavor but it was kind of eh.

I’d definitely buy the noodles again. The spiced tofu is also a nice change. It’s super firm, which makes it really easy to handle.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal. And my dad enjoyed making fun of me.

He makes fun of my food choices all the time.

Take my breakfast from the other day. I was sipping on a Green Monster & Smoothie Remix: frozen berries, kale, a mini GREEN Superfood packet, banana, flax & water.

My dad goes,  “Are you drinking dirt?”

Yes, dad. Pure, nutritious dirt.

So while I had my tofu-centered dinner, what did he eat?

A little dish called kartoplyaniki. This has Eastern Europe written all over it: potatoes, flour and meat. Some families omit the meat. But that would be a major violation in my family’s kitchen. Oh,  also these came after a bowl of borsch, salad and a few shots.

In his defense, I have to admit that kartoplyaniki taste fantastic topped with some sour cream. I found a recipe in Russian on this blog. I’ll gladly translate if anyone’s interested!

I saw him looking at me from the corner of his eye when I got a small bowl of crack Quaker’s Oatmeal Squares:

-Is that oatmeal in cere-

-Dad…Don’t start with me.

-Okay, buddy. I’ll just eat my food here.

He better. Or I just might sneak in some tofu into his next meal.

And that’s a threat.

;)


Comments : 14 Comments »

Categories : Russians, berries, breakfast, cereal, dinner, drinking., going out, green monster, product review, stir fry, weekend

Tempeh/Tofu in Caramelized Soy Sauce

30 01 2010

I’ve been promising to share this recipe for a few weeks now. Today’s the day!

I have no idea why or how, but I’ve been receiving a copy of Today’s Diet & Nutrition magazine. It’s alright. A recent issue featured an article about exotic spices, which not only contribute loads of flavor to dishes but also have lots of health benefits.

The magazine featured a recipe for braised pork in caramelized soy sauce, but I’m not a fan. So I made some improvements and subbed the main protein (tempeh or tofu, whatever I had on hand).

Here’s the dish with tempeh, broccoli and kale:

And with tofu and kale:

If you like spicy, flavorful meals with major lasting power, this recipe is perfect!

Tempeh/Tofu in Caramelized Soy Sauce

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 tsp ginger (powdered or fresh grated)
  • 1 tsp chili powder/red pepper flakes/cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2-3 cups cubed tofu/tempeh
  • 1 large red onion, cut into thick rings
  • 2-3 TBS soy sauce
  • 2-3 cups kale, cut into small pieces
  • 1-2 cups broccoli/other veggies you like

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. When oil is hot, add all the spices and half the onion. Salt lightly. Cook until onion turns brown and smells awesome, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add the tempeh/tofu and cook until it’s mixed well with the spices, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining onion and the soy sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes.
  5. Lastly, add the kale/other veggies and cook just until wilted.
  6. Remove from heat and serve hot.

It’s delicious with lots of hot sauce (but what isn’t, right?)

What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to modify it. Use a different protein, different veggies or even different spices. Your kitchen will smell fantastic for several hours, another plus!

What’s your favorite spice?


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : recipe

A favorite

28 01 2010

“It was that kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything, and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road.” -  Holden Caulfield

On my bookshelf, I have a special place reserved for precious, my most favorite and cherished books:

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger has always been a favorite of mine. I read it at least six times when I was younger and will surely reread it again.

So it saddened me to find out that the author J.D. Salinger passed away in his home yesterday. I think he was just as interesting as Holden’s character in the book. Have you read it? It’s incredibly good.

The highlight of today’s eats was definitely breakfast. I did a little victory dance when I found this at the local grocery store the other day:

I mixed the yogurt with 1/4 cup dry oats + flax and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I added a banana, cinnamon and crunchy PB:

Okay, so this is a mess in a bowl, but it tasted heavenly: chocolate, PB and banana. An epic combination! Like eating dessert for breakfast. Can’t wait to have it again!

The rest of the day was kind of standard: gym, job applications, lunch, job applications, dinner, etc.

Man,  I am really bummed about Salinger. Sorry for the lamest post in the history of posts. I’m gonna go work on my smile.

I’ll stop rambling with another favorite quote of mine from the book:

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”


Comments : 12 Comments »

Categories : breakfast, oatmeal, peanut butter, yogurt

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