Let Downs Left and Right

I would have posted sooner but someone placed 5 dozen (thats a lot) freshly baked cinnamon rolls near my desk. Its always on a day when I am dead serious about staying within my range… and then the temptation in the form of warm baked cinnamon rolls sits in front of me.
I took a 1/4 of one.
Probably still 300 cals worth of cinnamony sin.
DAMMIT.
I got ready for a delicious cup of traders joes greek yogurt and to my horror disocovered a funky gelatnous ring in the center of my yogurt… the date was fresh… and i was grossed out. CHUCKED! I went into the office fridge and found a chobani that was given to me last week… i cautiously opened it and gave it a stir… it was still good. whew. i threw in some oat bran. fresh bloobs and crumbled a 100 cal blueberry muffin.
I snapped a crappy shot of this and started to dig in. I got some really grossed out looks but it tasted a lot like a trifle. It was heavenly!
Speaking of heavenly, I had made a buffalo “chicken” salad for lunch and my fellow diva called and said “We need a drink, Mo”. And i looked at my salad. I looked out the window. Looked at the salad. Looked out the window…
“okay, i will meet you at the pub in 5″
The pub won. Not just for the ice cold beer with lunch but for this beauty: Matt, the bar owner always rolls his eyes when I order, jokingly of course, because this meal in his mind is a “healthy girly meal”. And really the only thing healthy is that i ask for salad instead of fries. My friends ordered loaded tater tots and double stuffed baked potatoes…i ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with chipotle mayo, fresh spinach and some provologne cheese. The spinach florentine sandwich. I dont know if it was karma or the fact that the kitchen was so busy but the end result was that my sandwich wasnt what i was hoping for it to be. It was on the bland side (blasphemy!) but the side salad? PERFECTION!
the reality of my disappointing sandwich inspired me to go home and make some fake take out. Lo Mein.
I couldn’t find my chicken seasonings and decided to wing it. (hahaha-wing, chicken- get it?) I diced up some lite tofu and a ginormous zucchini. I sauteed them both in some sesame oil and garlic for a few mins and then tossed in some thoroughly rinsed tofu shirataki noodles.

I added some soy sauce, ponzu sauce, onion, garlic, and some other randoms that i thought would make this taste good.

It wasnt TERRIBLE but it really needed that chicken seasoning to bump up the flavors and steer clear of the SOY SAUCE flavor. lol. I still enjoyed it but my other lo meins have been much much more successful.

How has having a craving for something let you down?

I was once craving crispy fries from Pomme Frites and the order i took to go was completely soggified. GAG

Do you think your PARENTS should use Facebook, and if so Should they be friends with you and your friends?

I say maybe. Parents should take a Facebook tutorial and study a List of Dos And Donts. This should be something for Melissas Three Things Thursday!

Karen and Mo Day

I retyped the entry… not as funny as the first one… but blogger can suck my left toe!

**********

Just wanted to thank everyone who reached out to me about the date. You are all right. I am going to go on a 2nd date and possibly even a third. he is a nice guy and I can’t go into anything with negative feelings or any baggage from my past relationships. And who says it has to get serious right away? I am all for a friendship that turns into something more! And if hes okay with that than he might be more perfect for me than I know. Lets hope it works out. and if not, lets hope I am that much closer to finding my dream boy!

*********

Big surprise I had a yogurt mess for breakfast. Seriously, its like crack. I add different things to it each time. for this batch i added some peanut butter. And kept the protein powder, cinnamon and hazelnut but this was just too much.

it tasted great but with all the strong flavors competing it got a little too rich and i couldnt finish.

I know, ME? not finish anything? its crazy but its true!

I had some bits of yogurt at the bottom of the container that i didnt really feel like rescuing so i let mickey clean up shes really good at cleaning up.

And this reminds me of a doggy ice cream recipe

All you need is: 8 oz of non fat plain yogurt (if flavored, get honey flavor), 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp smooth and natural peanut butter. Blend it all up and freeze in 1/4 cup portions. Doggies will love! I promise! Unless your dog is weird and doesnt like my ice cream. then you can just give your dog a meat pie.

No sooner than i get to work that I find a cupcake that matches my shirt and my socks. So how can i say no? it was like a gift straight from the man upstairs… (no, not my neighbor-gag)

And in my efforts to avoid grocery shopping (major fail by the way- went shopping yesterday) I decided to make some eggs and taters for lunchies.

And not just taters… processed. Artificial, fakin bacon and oddly yummy boxed potatoes. it reminded me of the potatoes i used to get on the AM flight to Florida with my powdered eggs. Nostalgic and gross all at the same time.

and eggs. with goat cheese. OH Goat cheese. it makes eggs taste amazing. Added some broccoli too. heavenly.

I enjoyed this but I feel a bit poor having eggs for lunch… lol. Roomie is coming home to a fridge full of tofu… hes gonna be pissed! OH WELL! at least i know he wont eat it!

Around 5 pm karen plops on my visitors chair and told me she was having a shitty day. And I hate shitty days. They totally suck. The worst part was that she was so busy she didnt have time to eat. TRAJEDY! And she really needed a drink.

She then said the most beautiful thing anyone in the history of this blog has ever siad to me.

“I think we should go to 5 burros for dinner”

thinking about the Eggs I was probably going to consume AGAIN for dinner… i thought it was a great idea.

We walked to 5 burro from my apartment to burn some cals… and were told we had ONE HOUR wait. on a weekday! BANANAS!

We killed time in Victoria’s Secret. I never laughed so much in my life. The sales woman who was wearing a shelf for a bra gave us push up bras to try on… her sales pitch was hilairous too. Just and FYI… Push Up Bras are lies… how you gonna explain that not so perky rack when the lights go out???

Well we left the deceitful bras behind and took ourselves to the delicious and always honest 5 burro cafe. Margaritas, tacos guacamole… all that good stuff. No photos becuase well you know i have been there and you know what i eat.

What you dont know is that we go to Marthas bakery after every trip and since we’re walking we dont hold back!

Chocolate mousse. Silky. Chocolatey. Rich. DIVINE. Karen had never has this before and since she was deprived of food all day we each got our own slice. We asked the lady to pack forks and napkins cuz we were walking back and eating out of our cake boxes.

Karen took a bite as we were leaving the store and shot me a dirty look. She hates when i introduce her to something delicious. Because at that moment, she knew she wouldnt be able to eat SOME of it… she was going for ALL OF IT.

shit, and so was i! It was awesome. walking to kew gardens with our personal cake boxes. In our own blissful chocolatey worlds.

It was a good Karen and Mo Day indeed!

when your friend needs you… what do you do?

I take them to eat. Nothing says I care like a slab of calorie loaded cake.

Inspiration

Inspiration can come from many different parts of life. Friends. family. Sometimes even a photo will give you inspiration. As a blogger, my inspiration comes mostly from Other Bloggers. I owe a lot of my foodie adventures to the dedicated people who log on every day and write, review, click, and post for my entertainment. Had it not been for bloggers i would not know the joy that is Oats in a Jar, baked Tofu, and all the latest physical challenges I have gotten myself into!
My newest adventure comes from One fit Foodie, Naomi. A natural diva. I love her cheery posts and her awesome workout tips. Half the time i wish I could mirror a day of eats as they are balanced and Freaking Delicious looking! If you want to mirror a blogger, shes on my top list of recs ( you can be like me too if you like, cuz im awesome too- but if you are reading this you already know that xoxox) A few weeks ago i made a batch of her chocolate cinnamon protein muffins and they were so delish and easy to make… when she posted an overnight oatbran recipe i was all over it!
Here i set up my “recipe book” aka my laptop and prepared the recipe with some tweaks…
one container of greek yogurt ( i used honey)
1/2 cup of oat bran
splash of milk
1/4 c fat free hazelnut creamer
1/4 cup water
cinnamon and one splenda.
sprinkle of chocolate protein powder
Mixed it all up and let it sit overnight.
It smelled like Cinnamon raisin rice pudding. mmm.

i could only eat half. it was so filling! and tasted like Dessert! I am so glad i got 10 chobanis last week. lol. and the box of oatbran has changed my life. I dont know if i can enjoy oatmeal again. Im serious. i dont know if i can.

Around lunch I had some tofu shirataki noodles with diced herb chicken, zuchini, and an instant pesto. I documented the instant pesto process but Knorr needs to be told their pesto is gross. Its cream based- should have known… but i tried to make it better as much as i could. the end resulted in a runny bland “cream” sauce that went right in the trash. i was better off making Papa Namaste pasta sauce.

I was full all afternoon. Might have snuck some popcorn or whatever but I was craving some cheese at din din. And Ijust happened to have some Ile De France Brie in my fridge!

I know… I LOVE cheese! My love for cheese is probably the top reason i can not be a vegan.

I had some brie. I wanted a grilled cheese. and a fruit preserve. The problem was I had 3 different jars of fruit preserves and didnt know which one i would like the best. So i did what anyone would do… Sampled it. in the end i went with the cherry preserves and the brie. I was in the mood for a sweet and tart combo with the brie. I toasted some whole grain bread and then broiled the bread with some brie to melt it.

smeared some preserves on it and was about to have at that baby open faced…

But thought the ooze action was too perfect to miss. It was an awesome combo.

About a week ago, I traded Mari some homemade muffins for some pineapple chobani that I didnt care for…

Yuuuuums!

What are the plans for the weekend?
I have a blind date tomorrow! and a Dinner date with Missy on Sunday!

Girl Talk and a shrimp dish

Hey Kiddos, Its nasty and gross outside but I am positively charged and feel pretty damn good.
Facebook followers might already know what Im about to dish but I gotta give you a bit of back story so you can be excited too. Who doesn love a little drama? And I know that I normally dish about food and what not but with my BFF away for a few more days I want to tell you all so you can jump up and down and be all giddy with me, cool??
If you want to skip the story, i marked some asterisks with the story’s conclusion.
You all know I am no longer with Henry. We broke up a few months ago and i have been feeling wonderful. I have amazing friends and have lots of new hobbies…and well just an overall LOVE for LIFE! I have lived in my bldg for going on 3 years. I like it here. And I make references to Hot Neighbor who lives below me since i first spotted him almost 2 years ago. Hes very polite and very cute but I never gave him much thought, especially since he mostly sees me when I am walking Mickey in my pajamas and bed head. Last week he asked me how Henry was and I briefly explained we were no longer together. Since then Hot Neighbor has been asking all the right questions (what do you like to do for fun, what do you do for a living, where are you from, etc)
Did you squeal?
i did. just now.
He was sending texts but I had no idea who was sending them… (WINK)…and he decided to call me last night.
!!!
squeal again?
I did.
It was a long conversation. We have a lot in common. Nothing romantic on the front as of yet but I know he is definitely interested. I am enjoying this tremendously. And if you all like I can keep you posted on Hot Neighbor.
Okay, so there you have it. Hot Neighbor called me. Yay!.

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

I scored some Siggi’s on fresh direct for $0.99! I was really looking forward to the pomegranite flavor but all they had was the vanilla. Beggers can’t be choosers, right?

I was impressed at the many specs of vanilla bean in the yogurt! My original plan was for granola but I had just run out (don’t you just HATE THAT???). The flavor of the yogurt was pretty good but I wanted something else to go with it to give it a teeny weensy bit of a salty taste like a trail mix granola would do and only one other thing i had on had could provide such a flavor.

good ol’ PB. I felt kinda bad taht I used peanut butter in this “fancy” yogurt- its fancy to me cuz that shit is expensive LoL- but i really do love peanut butter in my yogurt these days.

How good does that look??? MAN! It was the best brekkie i have had in a while…or maybe im still reeling from the hot neighbor story. idk.

While presuing Hungry Girl (which i havent done in FOREVER) i found a shrimp and grits recipe that sounded easy enough. Ironicaly, my coworker had just had some shrimp and grits… a la Paula Dean. I wanted a healthy version because we all know Paula’s recipe was probably the better one but it also had butter, cheddar and bacon among its ingredients. I set up some grits and when they were ready i added a tsp of ICBINB and a wedge of laughing cow cheese. They got really creamy. I didnt have any sharp cheeses to go in the grits so i added some garlic. I also grilled some shrimp and seasoned them with an allspice of sorts. served it with a side of zucchini fries. SUPER FILLING. WTF was I thinking eating all that for lunch? LOL> I needed a nap shortly after but I settled for a huge Iced Coffee (thanks DD for the freebie).

I snacked on an orange before the train ride home and was really craving EGGS.

Egg white and mushroom omlette with fat free mozzarella cheese and baby bella mushrooms. I sprinkled it with parm after and served it with a Rudi’s Organic Honey Wheat Bagel.

I am really loving the eggs for dinner thing.
Got a Paula Dean Recipe that you lightend up on your own???

AND / OR

Wanna share a story about your most memorable crush?

NOT the Perfect Greek Yogurt

It is a gorgeous sunny day in NYC… but BRrr! its Cold! last night I posted on Facebook about the 31 cent scoop deal at Baskin-Robbins and I was passing it up because it was so damn cold. But then at 9:45 pm my friend Chris (who had just made a run to BR after my post) had told me that I had to go… and so i grabbed mickey and ran like i stole something to Baskin-Robbins. I made it there with 2 mins to spare. I was good yesterday, i had worked out and rewarded myself with a scoop of the resses pb ice cream which was 300 cals… I savored every bite. and IM going to the gym today.
I started my day with my first ever Brown Cow Yogurt. They were on sale and I stocked up on a few.
This might be my LAST brown cow yogurt. Its not awful but its not great. The reason i buy greek yogurt is because its thicker than regular yogurt (and the protein). Its mostly about the consistency. The brown cow is a bit runny… and off tasting for me. Did not love.

Mid-morning I was getting a rumbling in my tummy…i blame the runny yogurt. I was grateful to find this Think Thin bar that I received from Carol when i won her “follower of the Month” contest! She sent me an awesome package of yummy bars, drinks and a hemp shake!

the bar was interesting. it came in 2 pieces. I initially only wanted one piece which was 75 calories… but there was something about this bar that I just kept wanting to eat more. so i ate the 2nd piece. it was awesome. I am searching for these babies as they will have to become part of my emergency stash of snacks… for nasty yogurt mornings.

At lunch time I had an awesome Shrimp Salad with avocado and a herbed vinagrette. The shrimp were seasoned with Emeril Essence and had a really yummy flavor that complimented the salad! and dude, gotta love my avocados in my salad! wicked good!

someone put this on my desk. I put this box in my desk drawer. I feel like a recovering alcoholic in a bar… the desire to pick at them is killer! Im gonna give the box away to someone who can afford to have a chocolate party in their tummy.

I got home and exercised. I was a little disappointed because i tried a new program on the elliptical for fat burning and i didnt FEEL like i worked hard enough so i hopped on the cross trainer for 15 mins and REALLy started to sweat. I dont think i will be doing hte fat burn program unless i need to take it easy!

i came home to enjoy some much needed hydration. I was going to name this cup after the Pimp Cup but obvi im not a pimp [anymore] and am a diva. So when i was going to call this the Diva Cup… i noticed the name sounded familiar. Its the name of a menstraul cup… ewww. lets not name it that. SO simply put its the Mo Fab Cup.

I digress. the entire point i was trying to make was that i am likely to drink more water if i put it in a pretty cup. smh. jeez.

dinner was kinda lame. more leftover skirt steak with roasted brussels and parm cheese.

However, “dessert” was awesome. Baked tortilla chips with a combo of spinach artichoke hummus mixed with garlic hummus. This photo is an oldie but I wolfed down the chips and hummus before i could capture its beauty. And because i had no one to kiss goodnight, i was heavy on the garlic. MMM!

Whats your favorite Dipping Sauce or DIP? I love me some hummus and ive fallen madly in love with Garlic Hummus….

P.S. Today is the LAST Day to enter the $20 Gift Card to Stop and Shop! If you want to enter but dont have an appropriate account please submit an entry via email to iarethefoodsnob[at]gmail[dot]com, subject: STOP AND SHOP GC

Dreaming of Dinner ALL Day

Last Night Mickey and I decided to take a long walk. We didn’t really have an agenda per se but I ended up on Mari’s block and surprised her. I brought her a small pressie and got to hang out at the casa de namastemari. Had a great time with her and can’t wait to drop in on her again soon. (Mari, consider this your warning lol)
Looking forward to the weekend… I have some much needed sleep to catch up on!

For Brekkie, I enjoyed this lovely lovely chobani. Something was missing. It was fine on its own but it needed a lil something more. As noted yesterday about how much i disliked my yogurt in my oats, i decided to add a heaping spoon of PB. I have not been able to satisfy my peanut butter cravings… must be because i am running out of the stuff. I LOOOOVED PB in the yogurt. Not pictured cuz i hoovered it. It reminded me of the peanut butter soft serve at the Lite Choice!

Lunch time I had my usual avocado and hummus sammy on Ezekial Bread. I switched up my hummus from Red Pepper to Spinach Artichoke. I think i found my new crack. I really really enjoyed the spinach artichoke flavored Hummus and thought it went better with the avocados. I also had a cup of progresso light beef stew. Probably didnt need the soup. I was really stuffed. But it was cold in the office so it warmed me up a bit.

I was dreaming of my dinner ALL day.

Zucchini fries. I love zucchini. When I slice them into fries, i stirfry them till they are crisp tender- oh so good! Anyone ever try roasting this bad boy??? let me know!

Skirt Steak. I scored an amazing deal on skirt steak… can you beleive the pic above was sold as ONE piece of steak??? MADNESS! I managed to get 4 servings out of that monster!

Paired it with one of Tu-Lu’s jalapeno cheddar corn muffins! Awesome dinner!
For dessert i wanted something cakey…

and now that i have chocolate protein powder in my possession I decided to try the Protein Cake that all the bloggers are lovin these days. I dont know who started it but i have seen it on Naomi’s blog, Mari’s blog, and Julie’s blog… etc etc.

To make protein cake you need : 1 tbsp of canned pumpkin or applesauce, 1 scoop of protein powder, 1 egg white, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 splenda.
Stir it up. And microwave for one minute.
When its done top with peanut butter or jam… or whatever you want.

Verdict: not bad for 100-something calories… and really filling. Will def make again!

Any big plans for the weekend?

Any Ideas on how to use my TUB of protein powder?

I’m Baaack!

I am back in my office! What a glorious day too! If the desk wasnt so dusty I might have kissed it… Note to self, clean desk, then kiss it! Camera is here, camera cord is here, and sipping from my smoke free coffee traveler.
We’ve got a bit of catching up to do. Last I spoke to you, i was telling you about my friend who went to China. On his Official last day at work I came in with a yummy brekkie.
Chobani with honey and a heapin spoonful of granola. I normally get the 0% Fage but the 2% was on sale. Oh man, was this good! I always have been a fan of greek yogurt but I never experienced bliss like this before. Creamy and sweet… i will not lie- i licked the container. I could eat 3 servings of this stuff in one sitting! (but i never have)…

Then one of my coworkers brought in a devils food cake with a cream cheese frosting. The temptation was too great as I have a weakness for chocolate and the night before was dealing with the most vicous Brownie Craving that ever existed. I gave in and had a sliver of this baby. The cake was dense and chocolatey…i shaved off the frosting because i really wanted the chocolate…not the frosting.

Around lunch time I had a Dr. Zevia that was out of this world! I am such a soda junkie! really really good.

with some steamed chicken (gross) and steamed broc slaw with spaghetti sauce. Dudes, this was a crappy lunch. It took every ounce of will power in me not to dump this and run to the deli for a grilled chicken and avocado sanwich on texas toast (if im gonna go to the deli- im gonna do it up RIGHT)

Around snack time i finished the last of my special k thin crisps that I got from the Food Buzz Tastemaker Program.

These are really yummy! Wish I had more. ((((free stuff))))

Around dinner time I was craving tofu.

I had some marinating and was eager to see how it came out.

ooooooooooooo! I sliced these blocks up and grilled them over medium.

Served with Brown rice and Broccoli.

Overall, i didnt really care for the marinated tofu… the marinade kind of got lost in the tofu… is that weird? I ended up using a dipping sauce for the whole dish.

It was a bland day. And with eating all this subpar food, its no wonder that I went to 5 Burro cafe the next day and drank 2 raspberry margaritas, 3 lobster tacos, rice, beans, and a tray of chips with pico de gallo… OH MY TUMMY!

Well Its about Damn Time

…that i do a real post!
Welcome… to a full days menu- complete with the COOKING of DINNER! (gasp) I know. its been a while.
For breakfast today, I opened up some greek Yogurt! Oh yeah, I have missed this glorious stuff. I got a shipment last night from fresh direct of the sweetest strawberries and knew I had some yogurt to go with it. Very little sugar required for this batch of strawberries! They were perfect and I got a free order of strawberries so im in heaven. I took a shot of the yogurt bar i made at my desk…

then the finished product to go with my double tall skinny extra hot cinnamon dolce latte. It was a yummy breakfast. One that I enjoyed for hours because I kept getting interupted as I was entering my yogurtopia. I maintain that they were jealous – but it was good to the last drop- so there!

Along with my fresh fruit, I got some amazingly fresh Ciabatta rolls that I ordered for some hearthy sandwiches. I was getting tired of the sandwich thins and really wanted something along the lines of a roll and these were just right. they are about 3 inches long and pretty thick… i can bet they will be mighty filling!

I dabbed on some lettuce, with mayo/dijon mustard (together is heaven)

and added some smoky virginia ham and muenster cheese. On the side, (not pictured) were some baked cheetos and a crunchy sweet pear. I was quite full and glad to have something different for a change.

Changing your daily eating routine can help if you have constant cravings. trick your mind by chaning up the routine…. and if that doesnt work- u might be preggers… j/k.

Dinnertime!

I actually cooked!

I was celebrating Mickeys’ first successful day in her new crate sans accidents/crying/howling/ etc.

I got this amazing chuck fillet for dirt cheap last week and spiced it with some Montreal steak seasoning (coarse salt, pepper onion and garlic)

And threw the sucka on a hot grill pan. I let it cook for a while (till it was still a lil red inside) I like it rare (only when im home- at restaurants i like ‘em med rare)

Lookadat hunk-a-meat.

I nuked some taters for some baked potato lovin.

and boiled a a head of broccoli in butter and garlic.

TADA! I ate 1/3 of the massive hunkameat and thought this was hands down the best dinner i have made myself spontaneously in a LONG time. it was good. I have leftovers. Im thrilled.

Hi, I’m allergic to trees

Hey ya’ll! Boy, is it hot today!
I woke up with itchy eyes, a runny nose, and a sore thoat. The culprit: TREES! I am allergic to tree pollen…and grass pollen but mostly tree pollen. Where do I live? Surrounded by trees. Where do i walk my dog? In Forest Park. FOR-EST = TREES.
Is the allergy medicine working? hell no.
So my itchy runny sneezy self seeks comfort.
last night i remembered a european chocolate yogurt someone gave me from trader joes and i loved it. I had some plain yogurt in the fridge and chocolate syrup…
I mixed it all together.And created my chocolate yogurt. I used the plain yogurt because of all the sweetness from the chocolate. It wasnt too sweet and definitely satisfied a sweet tooth. However, i ate with my eyes and there is more than half of this bowl sitting in my fridge right now (but at least its healthy).I went to Dunkin Donuts this morning on a mission for iced coffee (as I sip my 2nd iced coffee of the day) and saw in the window that they have a new sammie. Egg white and cheese on an english muffin. I used to order that (back when i was rich) every morning from the deli before work. It was a great deal and it was pretty damn tasty. I shall be ordering it again.

Yesterday, i raved about my Dr. Praeger Burgers and I made one for todays lunch. This is a shot from last nights dinner but I made two, one for dinner and one for lunch. I added goat cheese to the mix and it was fantabulous. Alongside these babies are some BBQ popchips. I wanted polenta fries but didnt feel like slicing, grilling, waiting, etc. Chips did a good job! At lunch though, I munched on carrot sticks.

For dessert, I indulged in a square of my truffle cake chocolate bar. This was a great gift from my coworkers. One square is rich and delicious and is a total treat. I am almost done with the bar and am savoring every last bit.

And around 3 pm i was craving some yogurt and granola….so I had some! It was supposed to be my breakfast but that egg white and cheese sammie sounded more appealing. I used plain fat free greek yogurt, honey and a crumbled granola bar and had a party in my tummy. Sometimes (i said SOMETIMES), you have to listen to what your body is craving -it will prevent you from going overboard.

I dont have any plans for dinner but think I might open up my new Dr. Praegers TEX MEX burgers to bring for lunch tomorrow!

It Smells Like Spring

There are always certain days when the air just smells like the season is changing…does that make sense? Today I got a whiff of fresh cut grass and then when the sun was shinning it just felt like Spring was getting comfortable!
And as I look out my window, I feel spring. So I hope it stays night.
I’m continuing today where i left off yesterday: LUNCH.

I brought in a Vegan burger. I was tired of the other kind I was eating – it was a Masala Burger and while it was delicious day 1, 2, and 3…I was ready for something else. This was a “grillers” kind of burger. So i grilled it on my stovetop grill pan.

I smeared some Garlic Laughing Cow on an Arnolds Sandwich thin with lots of lettuce (for Crunch) and my Vegan Burger in between. It was a pleasant change. One thing I hate about those Vegan Burgers though is the way they repeat on you… Ever burp after eating one of these? You don’t want to!
For dinner last night I was desperate to cook something because there has been a lot of take out and leftovers going on…and I needed to chop or grill something.

Found some tofu to grill up. Good thing too because in about two weeks, it would have had to go bye bye. As I was grilling away my roommate came home and commented that whatever i was cooking smelled good… and then he walked into the kitchen and gagged. He has never tried tofu but claims to hate it. So now that I got him to say tofu smells good, next thing im gonna do is make him eat it.

I thought I would try this with some Country Bobs sauce. While I love the two separately, I didnt love them together. I think i was craving a terriyaki kind of flavor… but I ate this and was satisfied. I was too busy playing with new toys in the kitchen and experimenting…

with my new loose tea leaf pot! Isnt it a cutie? I got it in Chinatown last night for home brewing so i can save my tea bags for outdoor adventures!

I was feeling very intimidated with all my tea and all the possibilities of tea mixing but my new friend Christine sent me a wonderfully detailed email about all the possibilities that I have before me! So I made an iced tea to go with my lunch and an oolong for breakfast.
I noticed while brewing last night that the leaves are dried and look so small but when they steep they expand beautifully! I was most surprised by how much the oolong had expanded. it nearly doubled in its size.

thats my Oolong for breakfast. I loved the aroma of this one so I brewed it just as it is. And it was a perfect cup of tea!

Then I started to get creative. While researching possible mixes I found a TWILIGHT mix. Its Blood Orange Tea mixed with Valentines tea ( kind of deep red and smells somewhat floral and fruity). The dried stuff smelled really good together so I heated up some water and put my new tea pot to work.

7 minutes later I removed the basket and had a gorgeous slightly pink tea. I know for iced tea you brew at double strength but I let it cool and then i put it in the fridge. Once it was cold I added a touch of sugar and took a sip. Its perfect! Its fruity but not too sweet. Very Refreshing and probably my newest favorite blend because I love twilight and I love this combo.

See how the tea expands???

And this is the color it was after i took out the leaves.

This morning for Breakfast i will be enjoying the usual for the week:

Greek Yogurt, 3 oz of Maple Granola, and a little bit of honey. I love my little jar of honey! I took it from room service when I was in texas.

Its reusable too!

Snack-a-lacking on some Sea Salt Krinkle Sticks. I actually ate them already… oops!

And for Lunchies I got a HUGE Tofu Caesar salad with Fat free garlic croutons and light dressing. I am staring at it right now… mmm. tofu…

And before my ride home tonight I will be enjoying my savory cottage cheese that my grocery store recently ordered! the last time I tried this cottage cheese was at the Rachel event a month or so ago where I chatted with Christo from Chez what.

Tonight is Chinese take out night.

I know…soooo exciting (NOT!)