I wouldn’t even know where to begin. It was such a stressful (work filled) weekend, I’m just glad it’s over and I made it through. I am far too exhausted to type, so I won’t be sharing the latest ICU happs. Instead, I’ll stick to the food.
Saturday’s pre-packed snacks/lunch included some oldies (pistachio, almond, goji, dried cranz mix), TJ’s “Go Rah” Trek Mix bar, dried fruit, yadda yadda – and some newbies. I have seen these MoJo bars throughout the blog world before, but thought they were some urban legend. Turns out, they are also in the secret garden of WF bars (along with the PB+J Larabars).
I may as well announce our engagement now. Yes, it’s true. Me + Peanut Butter Pretzels = a match made in heaven. Sweet and salty is the perfect description for these. They reminded me of the TJ’s peanut butter filled pretzels…and those babies are DAYAM fine. I had this at 9 am and it held me until my 2 pm lunch break (yeahhhhh, it was THAT kind of day).
The other new part of the work lunch family was my salad.
You all know what a creature of habit I am with my work eats, so deviating from what I know works for me is SO atypical. But, I wanted to try something new for Leng’s salad challenge, so I went with a more “meaty” topping.
Ok, I suppose it wasn’t THAT different. I still had a huge bed of spinach lettuce and broccoli slaw underneath. But on top was a mixture of quinoa, crumbles of LightLife’s “ground meat,” wheatberries, and dried cherries. I (obviously) added a Sabra mini-tub of hummus to create a feast suitable for the salad gods. It was A-MAZ-ING.
Anyways, I was SO effing tired when I got off work, I was in no mood to cook. I felt really guilty about going to WF’s AGAIN (I have got to stop spending so much $$$ there!!), but at the same time, if I don’t give myself little treats after such exhausting days, it’s hard to go on working the way I do. Is it an oxymoron to reward myself for working my a$$ off, by spending said hard earned paycheck? Hmmm…
Either way, DID the damn THANG.
Quinoa, dried cranberries, heart of palm, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and cukes.
Who knew they sold Candle’s seitan skewers at Whole Foods!?!
These were EXCELLENT! They practically flaked off the skewer they were so tender and moist. And the sauce was really flavorful without being too overpowering or too oily (which a lot of WF’s marinaded meats tend to be). I could have eaten 800 of these. Fortunately, I had the heaping plate of quinoa and veggies on the “side” to fill my tummy the rest of the way.
Portion control? What’s that?
I was hardly able to finish it all, but I’m not one to leave a soldier behind 😉
And yet, I still found room for a bowl of dessert a few hours later…
Looking back on Saturday’s food, I noticed my day time eats were very nutty.
Riddle me this: How is it possible that less than a month ago I would have chosen death over swallowing a raw nut (twss), and yet today’s eats were 90% nut-i-fied? Could my taste buds be maturing? Dare I continue to venture outside this formerly repulsive world…so far I’ve expanded my foodie repertoire to peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and almonds (either in bars or their raw form). And yet, the thought of walnuts and/or pecans still makes me a bit queasy. So for now, I’ll be happy with the progress I’ve made, rather than push myself too far outside my comfort zone.
Any foods you’ve recently discovered you actually like that repulsed you as a child (or 20 something)?
Cilantro, dudette. Used to hate it, now I love it. Like, a lot. Who knew?
baby corn 😛
Ah I’m sorry about the long hectic work weekend.. I hope you got at least a little bit of time to relaxxx! At least your salads + quinoa looks amaaazing!
i want to try wheat berries. and i would rather have been in boston. lmao at the twss! and i used to hate tomatoes, love them now. i wonder if i will ever like raisins?
Ooh a raw nut – good twss 😉
Your week sounds dreadful. Glad it’s over beebs. Makes you want to kick back West Coast style, nameen?
I used to hate avocado, but I’ve been eating it lately. I still hate it plain, though. It’s gross like that! But sooooo creamy (heh) with other stuff – love it.
Avocado!
What’s your go-to source on the broc slaw? Do you buy it prebagged somewhere? Like TJ’s perhaps? That would make it convenient and easy for me to try your go-to. I am also a food rut girl. They are different veggies (salads for dinner) and fruits (1st half of the day), but it’s always veggies and fruits, ya know. Foods I didnt know i liked (b/c my mom didnt serve them b/c she didnt like them)…yellow, orange and red peppers. I turned that around and my 2.5 yr old gobbles peppers like most kids gobble m & m’s. So that’s nice 🙂
I’m sorry work was so tiring and hectic for you! I worked in a hospital all summer so I can understand how exhausted you must be after work! You definitely deserve some Whole Foods treats for working on a weekend:)
When I was younger I also hated nuts and I hated bananas as well. Now I love both of thsoe items. Bizarre!
“Portion control? What’s that?”
My words exactly!
I ate cream cheese SO much when I was a little kid that now the thought of it makes me gag a little.
take a couple breathes girl you need it after a nutty (no pun intended or maybe intended..) weekend!
I adore that Mojo bar – sweet and salty is where it’s at!
I have a theory that after a stressful situation, WFs is your therapist. After I took a horrid physics exam last semester where did I venture to? WFs. After working your ass off, where should you go? WFs.
To answer your question (and I’m not kidding), things I used to hate: mustard, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes just to name a few 😀
Thats what she said 😉
oddly enough, i HATED nuts and anything that had to do w/ them, too. (i would actually go around and kick boys’ crotches…i keed, i keed) but yea, couldn’t even eat ’em masked in chocolate, inside brownies, whatev. i have no idea what made me try them many yrs later, but i realized almonds weren’t bad. then came cashews. then peanuts. still hate walnuts tho.
broccoli, too. now i house broc food babies daily.
Hey!!! I just found your blog and I love it!!! Great eats girl! I love your salads and the Cliff Mojo bar is my fav. I just tried it for the first time this weekend. I can’t wait to continue reading. Come stop by my blog!!
I grew into a love of brussel sprouts! Grill those babies with salt and pepper, and they are so yummy.
I have so much love for mojos right now!
I used to hate tomatos and mushrooms as a kid and now I could eat them every day! I think the only food I really hate now is olives!
Integral Yoga is on W. 13rth b/w 7th and 8th! I practically go in there every day during lunch. The Synergy Kombucha is 3.99 so that is my go-to place. They also have a juice bar and great sammies!
ARE you serious!?! haha. since you divulged, ill share a little tid-bit, too. imagine this: i hadn’t tried hummus until winter of 2008. i remember it better than i remember kyle and my anniversary date.
Ha – I just read Missy’s comment and realized I’m the same! Tomatoes and shrooms gave me the heebies for many moons, but now I dig em so hard. I’m actually a really adventurous eater, so I discover new things I like all the time (What’s up, kale!). I would encourage you on your slow and steady path to nut lovin – soooo delicious, healthy and satisfying, which is key on the vegan front. If you’re still squeamish about walnuts and pecans (2 of my faves – so good, trust!), maybe back up and just enjoy Kyle’s nuts for a while. WINK! 😉
You’ve reminded me that is has been far too long since I’ve had a rendezvous with a PB-filled pretzel. So delicious.
I HATED tomatoes as a child. I wouldn’t eat a sandwich that had even been touched by them. Now I guzzle gazpacho like it’s my job.
i hereby deem this “the best comment ever” – seriously, i am dying. btw, i too, was very anti-tomato (espesh the cherry/grape tomatoes) as a youngin’ – why were we all such haters!?!
ill keep pushing myself on the nut-front 😉
I am STILL so super impressed that you are eating so many nuts! I have lost my nut-phobic sister 🙁 I guess that means it is time for ME to step up and start liking nuts, huh?!
I think the only thing I can think of that I used to hate and now I like would be cilantro…I used to think it tasted “soapy”, but now I can’t get enough! I add fresh herbs to my salads, and that is one of my favorites!
Courtney
Hey girl! Mojos are the BEST! Love those bars 🙂 I think its cool that there are pretzels pieces in many of them. I use to HATE peas and now I love them
Brussle sprouts….. brrrrrr, I hated them. Cauliflower, bellpeppers, too… I’d taste nothing but bitterness, – ah, the joys of aging…
You know what’s sad, I can’t even remember my first time. You’d think a girl would remember that epic event!
For the record, I am talking about hummus. Just to clear that up! 😀
bomb-bitters, never thought you’d like them but you do… can we chalk that up to maturity?
Ack, I want to try those skewers!! Also I loved your lunch salad, I can never make good salads…it’s a curse.
Oh and pb pretzel?? Amazing. Have a good night!
So Saturday’s pre-packed snacks/lunch? PERFECT!
And I love quinoa mixes! Yours looks similar to what I enjoyed this weekend 🙂
guess what i FOUND!!!!!! let me just say this: roasted red pepper has been replaced as my fave sabra flavor (oh, and i ate the entire tub in one sitting)
oh and btw, i am reallllly surprised at how well im doing with the nuts…seriously, ill be your support system, you can do it, you can do it! chant with me now. (still cant fathom walnuts or pecans ever entering my mouth, but progress is progress…) try adding nuts to your salads like you did with cilantro?!
how funny, i used to ADORE peas, and now i eat them way less often – so many other veggies i’ve been intro’d to!
i never had brussles growing up bc my mom hated when her mom forced her to have them in her childhood…wouldnt you know it, me and my 2 sisters all LOVE brussel sprouts now. weird, right? maybe its a forbidden fruit kinda thing?
hahahahhaaaaaaa!!
i KNOW!!! i cant believe im eating them! no worries ethel, its a VERY recent thing, so i havent changed too much since my ca days. walnuts still have no business near my mouth, trust!
haha, yes, its a god given talent. kidding! im pretty sure hummus fixes any salad though 🙂
isnt quinoa the BEST. im going through a may-jah quinoa phase right now. mmmm
yeah, those bad boys are kinda addictive. once you open the bag, its all over. or maybe thats just me?
btw, i think WF and a therapist are on par with pricing too…so your theory makes sense.
😉
i think we must have had the same phase-in approach. im with ya on the walnuts. and pecans. blech. i love all fiber/veggie-rific food babies, and broccoli ones are the best of all!
thanks for the comment. cant wait to stop by…mojos are phenom! what other bars do you like?
mmmm…brussels are my fall/winter lovers! i agree with the prep! mmm…
exhausting, yes. but i do love it. so all my whining is really just me being lame. its so funny how our taste buds mature (and our perception of foods too)
i usually buy it from a local health foods store that makes it daily (along with the shredded carrots that i buy)…if i dont go to that store though, i sometimes find the pre-packaged taylor organics brand (usually near the bagged lettuce). not sure if they have it at TJs or not. hope that helps? glad you passed on the veggie lovin ways to your kiddos!
my mom hated brussel sprouts when she was young, so she never fed them to me and my sisters…now, all 3 of us LOVE them. weird huh?
raisins are best in mixes. i used to hate tomato too – icky goopy texture weirded me out. now im all about em. wheat berries are weird little buggers. great with quinoa.
yes, can i puhleeeez get back to the best coast. grrr. so over the east. better watch out, or ill become a hard new yorker.
girlfriend. you MUST try the mountain mix MOJO bar. MUST.
Yes! I want to go to there!
I can do it, I can do it! Haha–I will keep trying 🙂
No you DIDN’T! Ahhhh! I am SUPER DUPER (yep–you get a duper added on there!) jealous of your hummus fine! My quest continues…
I am so glad it was good! How could it not be?! Seriously…I gotta find it!
Courtney
I totally love spinach… and broccoli… two things I’m sure I never thought I would want to touch. haha. Guess this means I’m becoming a grown up? ;P