Hotel Food + WIAW

June 12, 2013 By Laura

This community blows me away.

That tickles my ta-tas.

All joking aside, I am so, so appreciative of everyone who stopped by and left supportive comments about yesterday’s announcement. I was fully expecting to get slammed by at least a few people, but I didn’t get the first negative comment! It is a personal choice and everyone seemed to acknowledge it.

My mom was surprised I posted about it, but I’m not going to act like I magically grew boobs overnight (wouldn’t it be cool if there was a boob fairy?) and randomly decided to take a break from working out. Keeping it real, y’all.

On top of all that, no one asked awkward questions! I guess you guys are more polite than I am. 😀

What I did love were comment from those of you who’ve had it done. I am really nervous about the recovery and you made me feel a LOT better.

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This day of WIAW is actually a day and a half-ish. I was traveling for work, and due to storms on the East coast I ended up spending 8.5 hours in the Atlanta airport. Preparation saved me.

Check out my travel eats below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see what everyone else is enjoying!

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Airport Snack 1:

I knew I’d need to eat one meal in the airport, so I’d come prepared with a crab salad. This was just crab, red bell pepper, raw zucchini, nutritional yeast, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and black pepper.

The best part is the utensil I found at a fast food place to eat it with: a spork!!!

Airport Dinner:

Having to eat this meal in the airport was a surprise. Delta delayed my flight over and over before they finally cancelled it. In total, I spent 8.5 hours in the Atlanta airport. I (finally) made it out, but on another airline.

I always travel with emergency tuna packets and random spices in my bag. The little Ms. Dash was obtained from a cafeteria on a previous work trip. The salad was purchased from Quizno’s in the airport.

Hotel Surprise:

That night when I (finally) arrived in the hotel I had a surprise waiting for me:

Hotel Zasa‘s turn-down service includes a rice krispy treat!!! It was delish, but I managed to stop at half and eat an apple taken from their gym.

Pro Tip: Hotel gyms almost always have a fruit bowl. Perfect place to grab a free snack.

Pre-Workout:

Normally I eat before liftingin the morning, but I’d gotten in and had my snack so late I wasn’t starving. I DID have my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). It turns out that you can get through security with a small container of apple cider vinegar.

Totally patted myself on the back for this one.

Despite the late night I was motivated to go after seeing it the night before. There were chandeliers in the workout room!!! I’m also motivated by the fast that today is my last workout before surgery. I’m trying to enjoy it while I can!

Side note: The women in the background was with my client. We hadn’t met in person before, so I didn’t realize it until the meeting started a few hours later.

Breakfast:

Our meeting began early in the morning, so breakfast was supplied in part by the hotel. I got berries, eggs with some onions and red pepper, and a strip of bacon. The eggs weren’t good (hotel eggs never are), so I mainly ate bacon and fruit. And my own little #strangebutgood creation: chocolate protein powder mixed with coffee. Mocha protein pudding!

Mid-Morning Snack:

We had a working snack time. The hotel brough in mixed nuts and fruit. These nut mixes are salty and have those totally unhealthy little crackers in them. I enjoyed every bite.

I stole the mint garnish for the pic. #sorryimnotsorry

Lunch:

More hotel meeting food. I took the meat out of some dried out tortillas and ate it with the pico and guac. Only ate a few bits of the dry rice. Have I mentioned I dislike meeting-food?

Afternoon Snacks:

I would normally have eaten the tuna here, but Friday’s delay threw me off. I did have this mini Recharge bar leftover from Blend schwag bags. It was pretty good!

There were also the obligatory pretzels on the (delayed) fight while I worked away. I got over the Biscoff addiction, but can never say no to pretzels.

Dinner:

I was desperation hungry by the time I finally got home. I did have some veggies on hand, so I thawed a veggie burger and used collard greens to make a “taco.” The stuff on top was parsnip rice mixed with diced cucumber, basil, nutritional yeast, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, and pepper.

Dessert:

Since I’m having surgery on Thursday, I can’t eat after midnight Wednesday. And my surgery isn’t until 1p!!! Obviously, I am already worried about being hungry. Despite a late dinner, I had a double size Carrot Cake Protein Batter… after eating a lot of unpictured Muesli Fusion (also from Blend) straight out the bag. Bam.

It topped with with cacao nibs and peanut flour fluff (I do random peanut flour mixes – this one was with almond milk, flax, cinnamon, and chocolate stevia).

***

While I’m recovering I have a few guest posts lined up… I know people sometimes ~~ignore~~ skim those, but as I got through them I’m really hoping you will take a sec to read. They are awesome! I even have a guest #strangebutgood for Friday. 🙂

Have you ever used a spork?

Honesty. Always the best policy? I sometimes wish I had a 5 second delay on my mouth…

Cauliflower & Eggplant Curry

April 15, 2013 By Laura

Curry leaves have been a mystery to me.

This only means it’s a #strangebutgood creation WAITING to happen.

This actually isn’t so strange. It’s just outside of my culinary comfort zone (yes, I do have one). I’ve always loved using Indian spiced in my dishes. Ginger is a staple – I once made this Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry every night for a week.

At restaurants, I love to order the curry; however, I’ve never tried my hand at making my own. Having seen curry leaves at my local farmer’s market, my curiosity finally got the best of me. Curry dinner = ON.

Curry leaves sort of look like bay leaves. This begs several questions: Do you eat them? Are they just for flavor? Do you decorate with them? Can you dry them?

It turns out, you can eat them. And they don’t have to be fried in oil first (a popular preparation in Indian restaurants). I also read that you can freeze them. I’ll have to report on that later.

Back to my dish. It was amazing. I know it’s wrong to brag… but seriously. I wish I had made 3 pots of this stuff. Actually, I kind of did. This is by far my most-tested recipe. ~~How come research wasn’t this much fun in college?~~

I worried about the flavors – there are a lot of spices in this! Too much of this, not enough of that… and finally… juuuuust right! I was amazed. The list is long, but it does come together quickly. Just line up your spices and dump ’em in the pot! The curry leaves add an awesome dimension, but if you can’t find it don’t worry. These spices are enough to stand alone.

I’ve made this several times now, with full-fat coconut milk and with the light stuff. It is still ok with light, but it’s 100x more flavorful with the real deal. You can also use different veggies and protein. I’m a huge cauliflower fan, so that’s been my favorite. The recipe below uses Swordfish, but I like it just as much with Escolar (fish) , chicken, and tempeh.

Like all good meals, this is best enjoyed with a good friend (who gave her stamp of approval) on a patio followed by a walk in the sunshine. Spring has sprung.

These leftovers are what’s making my Monday Marvelous.

That plus a hair cut and a clean house (a.k.a. best money I ever spent). 😉

Cauliflower & Eggplant Curry

1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/4 C red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
10 curry leaves
1/2 C tomato paste
1/2 large eggplant, diced (~1.25 cups)
8 oz Swordfish (or other protein)
1/2 C coconut milk
200 g cauliflower florets (~1 small head)

Place the dry spices in a medium-size pot and toast over medium heat until fragrant, ~2-3 mins or until they start to pop.

Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Stir to coat in spices and cook until the onion is soft. Stir in the curry leaves and tomato paste.

Add fish and eggplant to the sauce. Pour in the coconut milk and cook until the eggplant is soft and fish is cooked through (~7-8 mins).

Finally, add in the cauliflower florets. Season and cook for a few more minutes until tender.

Spoon into plates and enjoy!

Makes 2-3 servings.

Note: This could easily be made vegan by eliminating the fish, or using lentils or tempeh instead.

***

Last week is was Indian Bison Burger creations, this week curry… my sister’s in India and it apparently causes me to crave Indian food. LOL!

What recipe have you worked the hardest on to perfect?

Do you like Indian food? Have you ever had curry leaves?

Economic Woes + WIAW

April 3, 2013 By Laura

Today I am going to complain about an improving economy.

Yes, I’m finding a dark cloud despite the fact that my condo value may actually one day recover.

As the economy got worse and worse, I noticed a positive. The service at restaurants was improving! Servers were more polished and professional, and they were able to speak intelligently about the menu.

Recently this pleasant restaurant experience has come to a halt. Read more for an (extreme) example and my theory.

An Example:

Kat (my good friend and frequent guest post-er here) and I went to dinner for her birthday at the nicest restaurant in Atlanta, Bacchanalia. If my meal is going to be over $100, it damn well better be flawless.

The bartender was clueless about the wine program. To his credit, he sent another – presumably more knowledgable – employee over to speak with us. That would have been fine is the second guy had been knowledgable.

Server #2 didn’t know several of the bottles I inquired about, and then I had to correct their menu. They had listed an Amarone as being from Barolo. It’s from Valpolicella. I’ve been there. Amarones are my favorite. At first he tried to tell me I was wrong, but he did come back over to admit the mistake. Don’t challenge me on that one.

We ordered cheese; however, it took at least half an hour (and 2 inquiries) for the cart to be brought out. We were waiting to order after our cheese course, but apparently almost missed dinner service… which the bartender acted like it was OUR fault when we would have been ordering much sooner had our cheese come out in a timely manner (we told him when we first sat down we would be having dinner).

When our food began to came out, we were rushed AND I had to send a dish back (over cooked Halibut). They did replace it with a phenomenal snapper dish, and I was already done.

I realize this is a silly rant where there are starving children in Africa. But really. If I’m at a special occasion dinner and paying that much money… I expect the performance to be superior. I’ve had (much cheaper) meals at chain restaurants with better service.

My Theory:

When the downturn occurred, many educated individuals were not able to find jobs in corporate America, and turned to the service industry for employment. Their advanced capacity/skill levels resulted in a higher level of service. Now that companies are beginning to hire again, the service industry is losing that talent.

My Plea:

Restaurants, know the value of having educated, capable staff! Customers appreciate them, and will likely spend more money as a result of having a server with the knowledge and skills to sell. Consider the ROI when you talk salary and benefits with potential hires!

It’s WIAW time! I’m still trying to keep it green with my protein-filled meals.

Check out my 7 green-ish, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

I – as always – enjoyed my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). I headed to the treadmill for a quick incline walk. It’s a rest day, but I knew I’d be glued to a conference room chair all day so I wanted to get some movement in… and I like to watch GMA.

Post-walk I was starving and VERY glad to have made overnight oats. And coffee. There’s something about drinking out of a “Be the Change” mug first thing in the morning that’s motivating (thank you to The Universe Knows and FitFluential for sending this!).

My “oats” were a bit #strangebutgood. They were TVP overnight oats! The cinnamon and extracts in these make you feel like you’re eating cookie dough! I know some people dislike cold oats – overnight oats are also fantastic warmed in the microwave too. I heated these for 45 seconds before eating.

Greek TVP Overnight Oats

1/2 C Greek yogurt
1/4 C TVP
2 T raw oatmeal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp butter extract
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp freshly grate nutmeg
Stevia (or other sweetener), to taste
~1/2 C Liquid of choice (you may need to adjust amount depending to the yogurt thickness)

Mix it all together and allow to soak overnight in the fridge.

In the morning, stir, adjust liquid as needed. Add fruit if desired (I added fresh blood orange and blackberry juice).

Meal 2:

Despite being #strangebutgood, I’m also a creature of habit. I ate salmon and fruit again. It was lemon-dill salmon mixed with blueberries and pepitas… but I forgot to take a pic so you’re getting a recycled one made with grapes… but grapes kind of look like blueberries… 😉

Meal 3:

I have a new favorite veggie creation. BBQ Cauliflower Bites. It was awesome tossed with purple sweet potato! I used my healthy (no sodium or sugar) BBQ sauce and added some nooch to cheese it up.

Tangy and creamy, this sauce was meant to be used for roasted things (in the original I roasted with tempeh)! Recipe is at the end of this post.

For my protein, I enjoyed the Turbot fish I made last night – for that prep check out this FB post. Lauren introduced me to this delicious fish – it’s incredibly light and buttery.

This is also a recycled pic from last night… It’s much prettier than the Tupperware I ate out of today at work.

Meal 4:

I am back on the salt-free deli turkey this week. I love the Plainville brand from Whole Foods. Today I mixed it with red pepper, broccoli, red onion, and a quick nutritional yeast dressing (nooch + apple cider vinegar + cayenne)

Meal 5:

One of my favorite local spots is a order-at-the-counter spot called Metro Fresh. They change their menu daily based on the ingredients they have. Everything is fresh and healthy. Perfect for a non-cheat meal out with a friend! And it’s walkable from my house!

Tonight I ordered the seared salmon and a mixed greens with peaches, blackberries and goat cheese with a whole grain roll.

Unpictured was wine and a cinnamon roll. It was housemade and they gave it to us for free (I should add that the service here was fabulous)… we split it and it was divine. After that extravaganza… there was no room for meals 6 and 7.

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

2 T BBQ sauce
1 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
1 C cauliflower

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees.

Mix together BBQ sauce, nutritional yeast, and herbs. Toss with cauliflower to coat.

Place on foil-lined pan and bake for 15 mins, tossing once half way through.

Enjoy!

***

The protein count for the day: not sure with the meal out, but I’d say I probably hit 140g of fuel. 🙂

Have you noticed a decline in service at restaurants? Other services?

What is the best thing you’ve eaten this week?

Growing from Challenges + WIAW

February 27, 2013 By Laura

Challenges are necessary for growth.

Even though sometimes it hurts.

Katy’s 28 Day Blogger Challenge isn’t too painful. The painful part is find time to make blog improvements. Since reading her post, I’ve begun making some improvements.

Progress thus far:

Going through old posts to make edits and fix any broken links/pics
(Slowly) transferring all of my Recipes to my Recipage
Editing my Google Reader folders for better organization
Increased focus on growing my Facebook page
Visiting/commenting on new blogs

And the big one: I bit the bullet and created a media kit! Katy was kind enough to review it for me and then posted it on her Best Blogger Media Kits page!

Does anyone else find these tasks daunting?!

Now on to the most important business: food! A lot of my WIAW meals this week were eaten in the office. With a little planning and prep on Sunday, I can grab meals to go spending much time in the morning (which is good because I am ALWAYS late).

Check out my 7 prepared meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!