FridayAYayAY
I’m gonna fly through the AM stuff because the PM is SOOOO much bettah!
Attempt #1 at making my own pumpkin butter. Good, but not great. This contains (unmeasured amounts of) WF canned pumpkin, NuNatural’s vanilla extract, cinnamon, and NuNatural’s liquid sweetener. It was weird at first, but like most other fetus obsessions, it grew into a full blown baby food crush in a matter of spoonfuls. YUM!!
I had it with apples and carrots (unpictured), while chatting via BBM with my lovah.
I decided to go to the gym before my sugar high crashed, and pumped out a solid 7 miles, followed by ab work. Then I got home to prepared a mini Indian-meets-Mediterranean feast.
Quinoa, chickpeas, and coconut curry tempeh (I may have added in some nooch when the camera wasn’t looking…)
Basically tempeh is a hit and miss with me, and this was a HIT. I have yet to marinate my own tempeh successfully, so for now, I will just resign to the store bought kind (or WF hot-bar).
I was in the mood for a fruity dessert, but (as usual) couldn’t make up my mind. I opted for the most photogenic item I could find, because, well, I do it for you guys…ok, not really. This baby has been sitting around the apartment for WAY too long, so I had to give it a shot.
My opinion? Pomegranates are too much work. I’ll save the hours of de-seeding for the wonderful people at POM, and drink it instead. Does anyone else find this to be way too time consuming of a fruit?
After spending WAY too much time on such a low yield food item, I decided enough was enough. I had to get ready for the BLOGGER DINNER after all…
Reason #503,618 that I don’t do my hair: I blew a fuse in my apartment while getting my blow dry on. Obviously using so much simultaneous wattage in the bathroom was a foreign concept to my poor outlet.
BOOM. Lights out. Oops!
I called the doormen and they had it fixed in 5 seconds. Phew! You know you’re a foodie when…you are more concerned about the contents of your fridge going bad than actually being able to see in the dark. Don’t worry guys, there was no hummus harmed in the flat ironing of my hair!!
I hit the road an hour early to allow for the necessary amount of time wandering in the Village (I only had to do 2 mini-direction switches thanks to my Blackberry Google maps app).
I hate to sound unimpressed…but the meal didn’t exactly rock my world. Good thing I was surrounded by some exceptional company. The most tragic part about the meal was that our dear dinner coordinator, Ellie, was absent due to a hip re-injury. You were VERY missed!!
When dining out, I often feel obligated to order something "special" – you know? Something I couldn’t wouldn’t normally make at home on my own…but I was really craving a veggie burger (aka the lamest veg option for a vegan friendly restaurant). What to do, what to do. SUCH a dilemma…
I ended up recruiting the assistance of Olga, who showed me the light. I ordered the grilled vegan burger.
Unfortunately, my preconceived notion of what this burger would look like was radically different from what appeared before me. I hate to be the foodie who acts like a dish isn’t not good enough for my refined palate, but it was pretty weak. The "multi-grain bun” tasted like fluffy (not in a good way) wonder bread. It was a far cry from what I was expecting, and even made Ezekiel seem like a limp noodle (as opposed to the cardboard we all know it to be). I’m not asking for a chew toy, but something a BIT more nutritious than McD’s Happy Meal buns for toddlers to teeth on wouldn’t hurt right?
On top of the burger was a sauce eerily reminiscent of the "secret sauce" thousand island dressing (c’mon we all know that’s what it is). AND. THAT. WAS. ALL!!! No lettuce, no tomato, no onion, no sprouts. Zip, zilch, NADA. I didn’t want to be rude, but what the heck?! I’ve never gotten a burger so plain in my life. Even 4th of July picnics have better (read: more topping-i-fied) vegan burgers.
The redeeming part of the dish (because there really was one – I don’t wanna tear the whole meal apart) was the carrot ginger salad dressing. I wanted to ask them for a bottle of it to-go…and I’m pretty sure Ada was right on board with me. In the end, the great company made up for it all. It’s so fun how bloggers can find common ground over food and then conversation just flows from there so naturally. It was great to meet everyone (and see Katie for longer than 5 minutes in the darkness of a loud concert). I hope we keep setting up dinners in the future.
L to R: Marina, Missy, Megan, Katie, me, Olga, and Ada
Sadly, I had to ditch while the night was still young(ish) because it’s my weekend to work.
I got home just in time to make a quick dessert before packing my lunch and getting to bed.
I decided to make a vanilla shake with my brand new Whole Foods protein powder. Since it was a new product, I didn’t wanna rock the boat too much.
I went with the famil:
- 1 tbsp soymilk (plain)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup ice cold H20
- 3 drops NuNaturals liquid sweetener
- 1/2 frozen banana **please note what happens when you don’t specify to your fiancé HOW to freeze a banana (peeling this was a b!tch)
I threw it all in the bullet…and…
OMG. This tasted JUST like uncooked banana bread batter. It was too thick to drink with a straw, so I just ate it with a spoon. It had the EXACT consistency of banana bread batter. Goopy and delish. It seriously brought back the memories (licking bowls and spoons clean after baking sessions with my mom).
The perfect end to a great Friday.
It was great meeting you too! Ellie and I are going to meet up sometime early this week to go to Wild Ginger. I forget when you’re leaving for CA, but I’ll let you know as soon as we have something planned and maybe you can join us.
And I can help you navigate the village anytime! 🙂
1. why are we not bbm friends. weird? maybe creepstat? whatev. haha
2. I think of allllrighty then everytime I see a dolphins helm oh and also how the stole my first true love Chad P. (yes sadly enough he’s the reason I became a jets fan)
3. Your blogger meet up most DEF saved the day that the food bit the big one. My best friend used to live around the block from QL and we always talked about going there and then she moved home so we never went. I’m slightly glad. About both. haha selfish? yes.
4. booo for working weekends.
“Does anyone else find this to be way too time consuming of a fruit?”
YES!! I refuse to eat pomegranates for that reason, hahaha 😀
Fun meet-up!!
Not only are pomegranates time consuming, but by the time you chew through the seed that is IN EVERY BIT OF FRUIT, they don’t taste like anything. Bleeeh. And, they’re expensive, to boot. End rant.
I am super jealous of all the bloggers that actually live near other bloggers, it always looks like so much fun! (lame-o burgers aside) 🙂
-Eve
hi!! so i just spread some love to you on miss pb&j’s blogg, hope it makes you smile 🙂
Pomegrantes are a total bitch and yeah, i wont eat them either for that reason. The only thing they are good for is entertaining a restless child. But only if you dont care about permanent stains from the p’juice. So alas, really they arent good in any book.
Your comment on my contest entry may potentially just have won you the goodies. Thank you for the praise and the humor. JUST what I was looking for and I loved every word!!!
Next your girls nite out….damn. Why couldnt I have come. You guys look hot, awesome and like you had a ball. I need some of that.
Happy Sat nite my dear 🙂
xoxo
Next your banana bread batter shake. Yum and I will try that with rice protein vanilla and a half a nanna. Simple and good. I love it!
It’s TRUE abt poms – which sucks bc they are so glorious after the 45 min it takes to get the bastards de-seeded!
Your outing looks gorgeous my dear. I’m so glad you got to kick it with the laydeeesssss!
P.S. If you freeze the naner in the peel (or yo mang does), let it sit out for about ten minutes – it’s easier. But then it might also be softer, thereby ruining the thick effect. So, ignore my advice 😉
Smooch smooch!
Hey girlie! I really enjoyed meeting you last night at the dinner!!! That carrot ginger dressing was mighty fine:) I thought of you today because I went to the UWS Whole Foods yet again, I’m seriously addicted. Whenever you want to hit up Peacefood just give me a holler:)
I hope work went well this weekend!!!
I feel the same way about tempeh–I have yet to successfully make it flavorful on my own, so I love those lovely pre-marinated suckers. Try the sesame garlic flavor!
It seems to be hard for most restaurants to create or serve an APPETIZING veggie burger…what gives? I have got to try your shake combo! I love banana bread batter. Not that I ever eat uncooked batter 😉
ooooooooooo dang! i wana a nilla nana shakey!
Pomegranates are so much work. Plus after you are done it looks like you commited murder because your hands are dyed red! I loved getting to lick the bowl and beaters when my mom made banana muffins or any baked good for that matter!
I don’t eat pomegranates for that reason- ditto oranges. By the time I get all the gross white stuff off, chances are I’ve chowed down an apple.
Sorry the burger was a flop- I never understand why VEGGIE restaaurants go wrong with a burger… 🙁 Isn’t that the first thing they learn in cooking school for veggies? When are you off to Cali- I still have your pretzels!
I buy pom seeds by themselves from trader joes. Poms are just too annoying to cut up myself!
The trick is to cut it in half or quarters and then dunk it in a big bowl of water…voila, the seeds will come out.
Don’t give up on pomegranates! They are easy to deal with if you do this–cut it into quarters (or whatever) and put them in a BIG bowl of water. Use your hands (in the water) to pull the seeds out, and then the seeds will sink to the bottom and the white pith will float to the top–voila! Just skim off the white pith and strain out the seeds and you are good to go! Pomegranates are SO delish!
Courtney
Mmmm…your “banana bread batter” looks so yummy! I use that protein powder and I absolutely love it.
Speaking of baby food… is it bad that I’ve actually debated buying the organic baby food when it’s on sale? The mashed banana just sounds so good! And it’s really really cheap when it’s on sale. I don’t even know why I look at the baby food aisle… usually I just wander through every aisle to make sure I’m not forgetting anything.
Your pumpkin baby food looks amazing – I’ll eat that soon. Also – I have had the frozen banana peel situation at my house too. It freezes your fingers and all those little strings don’t come off! Grrr. I’ve now trained the husband to freeze bananas properly. 🙂 I kind of make him sound like a monkey…no?
It was great to meet you 🙂
Sorry the burger wasn’t impressive…but from reading Katie’s and Ada’s reviews, it seems like the salad wasn’t too great either.
I didn’t realize there wasn’t anything on that burger! That is really weird.
Hope to meet up with you again soon!
i NEED to find that coconut curry tempeh. for reals.
ummmm uncooked banana bread batter? YES PLEASE
pomegranites are tastey.. but yes, too time consuming!! haha i will stick with the pom juice 😉
i want that coconut curry tempeh!! looks SO awesome!
haha I am just like you – when I go out to eat I always want to order something I can’t make at home. I always get bummed when its not good too :
glad to know the tempeh is a hit!! I’ll have to pick some up!
I eat pomegranates exactly once a year. And every year, I say the same thing: too much work!!
Sorry your burger didn’t meet your expectations, but I do have to say that your “review” of it had me laughing. How mean of me. :p
<3 <3
great! i leave on wed morning (althou it may as well be tues night bc the sun wont even be close to rising when i leave)…still keep me in the loop via email so i can hopefully join you when i get back before ellie leaves. FUN!!
email me your bbm thing…im ok with being a stalker 🙂
your motivation for become a jets fan is ridic. i knew you were as cookoo as i am! no wonder i love ya!
QL = meh. nothing special.
right!?!? so glad its not just me 🙂
thanks emily!!! jenny is so smart, bc now ive discovered your blog 🙂 we were food twins recently since i just had a chocolate clif bar the other day.
dude, i just tweeted! haha.
i can only imagine how many pomegranate stained shirts i would have if i had tried to eat these when i was young (ok, im still not old enough…)
haha. he was so presh to do something so sweet for me, i didnt wanna criticize. but maybe ill gently hint to him the right way (errr…less time consuming way) for the future.
banana skin smoothies are NOT my fave.
email me yo digits. that way i can send you textual messages about when we can peacefood it up. happy monday
haha. me either….riiiight
i agree. i leave wed super early…when do you head back?
can you imagine if i ate them on my lunch break at work? my patients would take ONE look at my hands and say “no thanks” – haha
well, it certainly isnt “normal” to browse baby food after the age of…well…old enough to browse a grocery store!! but now that you mention it, i bet those jarred bananas would be a great addition to smoothies!!
ive heard of that trick…but im still not sure the minimal amount of juice in each pod is worth it…the seed takes up 75% of it!! hmmph.
thanks for the trick. you and courtney were both right on with the fruity hints. 🙂
we should def meet up again. holler when you are making your way back to NY.
oh yeah, it was all that it looks like and MORE!
i know right? theres nothing more frustrating than debating between 2 things on the menu forever and then ordering one and not being too pleased with it…meh.
haha pomegranates are your vegas! once a year is ENOUGH!!
the juice is almost better anyways…
yeah, it was BEYOND time consuming. what was with my fruit issues today? arent they supposed to be the most simple food to eat? first the POM, then the nanners. grrrr…
i hate to say it, but sometimes boys are a bit like monkeys…at least they are train-able right? haha
Pingback: Sunday « hungry hungry hippie
dang girl that quinoa chickpea business looks banging! i agree with the poms being too much work. if someone else does the work i am happy to eat the fruits of their labor 🙂 looked like a way fun meetup!!!
My love, one word: Bonobo’s.
LOL with the frozen banana! That has happened with me with my hubby and I made him peel it. Total pain in the ass to have near-frozen fingers.
I always think of the food first when the power goes out, too! And yes, pomegranate is seriously time consuming. I can sometimes find just the seeds in the fresh fruit section, which is really convenient!
🙂 BBM chat = best thing about Friday!! Poms are WAY too much work. I need instant gratification (hello cooking via microwave) and that would just piss me off!
Mmmm banana bread batter? Get me a spoon STAT! Sorry your dinner wasn’t that great but check out all the bloggies – LOVES!!