Fantastic Doosra snack mix. Caramelized white chocolate belongs in all savory snack mixes.
Peelerz peelable gummy banana candy. These were repulsive in a delightful way; the centers were the exact consistency of mushy banana!
See also – Banana, Banana, Banana sundae — thick-sliced warmed banana bread, scoop of banana ice cream (the vegan Ben & Jerry’s one!), bruléed banana slices.
Buldak Korean black bean sauce ramen. I added an egg, sesame seeds, and scoop of peanut butter.
Roasted broccoli and super-firm tofu with a spicy peanut butter sauce (chunky peanut butter, gojuchang, gochugaru, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and water).
Saucy chickpeas. Yellow onion sauteed with grape tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, harissa, smoked paprika, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and butter.
I knew we’d been homesick after my mom left so I filled the week with Caribbean flavors to remind us of home! Highlights…
This week’s coffee combo.
Smoothie – pineapple with frozen peaches, water, and vanilla protein powder.
The last of the hibiscus iced brownies.
Tropical candies. Passionfruit marshmallows and pineapple and passionfruit gummies. Both were delicious.
Painkillers!
I also made rum and coke slushies.
We love our loose take on callaloo – chopped spinach sauteed with yellow onion, habanero pepper, and garlic, with crab meat and coconut milk. Plus I made dumb bread – with butter and cheese – that we adored.
Rice and beans (brown rice with yellow onion, ginger, habanero pepper, dark kidney beans, and coconut milk) with baked salmon cakes (canned salmon with green onion, egg, panade, mayo, smoked paprika, and Jamaican curry powder) and roasted peppers (bell, poblano, and onions).
I had a day off for a doctor’s appointment and got myself a decadent brunch at East Rock Coffee. Tres Leches French toast! And a great iced latte.
I have to eat at least one yogurt bowl per week. I have also personally taken down a pint+ of blueberries every week for the past several months. This was vanilla bean skyr with maple pecan granola, peanut butter, blueberries, and pineberries.
We adored the peppermint coffee syrup from El Guapo but sadly I was underwhelmed by their Polynesian Kiss bitters; I tried them in coffee, seltzer, and diet coke and thought the flavor wasn’t strong enough.
Meanwhile these Every Body Eat chive and garlic crackers were delightful; like a crispy scallion pancake!
We homemade baked snack mix! Crispix cereal, crispy cheese, cheddar pretzels, and peanuts. I seasoned mine with butter, onion powder, garlic powder, and gochugaru.
This week’s dinner theme (let’s be real, there is almost always a theme) was American classics — reformatted. Poutine — dip-style. Whole Foods frozen garlic and herb parmesan fries (10/10), Jack and Annie’s jackfruit nuggets, and roasted broccoli dipped in homemade chicken gravy.
Turkey reubens — as coleslaw bowls. Russian dressing coleslaw (shredded cabbage with skyr, mayo, dijon, ketchup-style chili sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and smoked paprika) topped with sauteed ground turkey and crispy cheese bites.
Deviled eggs — egg salad. <– meal win of the week. Hard-boiled egg whites and chopped cornichons dressed with deviled egg filling (hard-boiled yolks, mayo, skyr, dijon, and paprika). Plus shredded brussel sprouts sauteed with garlic and parmesan.
Chicken nachos — as salad. Shredded iceberg lettuce / roasted sweet onion and bell peppers / Cholula medium salsa / extra-sharp cheddar / garlic baked chicken / Beanitos white bean tortilla chips.
Buffalo chicken wings — turned bean burgers. We always love this recipe and it was perfect for Super Bowl dinner. Plus roasted zucchini, store-bought fried ravioli, and a chipotle honey aioli.
One week down, fifty-one to go! Here were some highlights from the start of 2025…
The best yogurt bowl of the year (haha) – plain skyr with blueberries and ube polvorons.
I also went classic with granola, peanut butter, and blueberries.
The passion fruit ice cream mochi from Bubbies are a 10/10.
We were home on the 1st for a fancy last night of Hannukah lunch – bagel latke plates. Trader Joe’s frozen potato latkes / cream cheese home-mixed with sauteed scallion and garlic / mashed avocado / cucumber / Acme smoked salmon candy.
Every year on the 1st we make sure to eat black eyed peas and collard greens for dinner. Fun fact – I also make sure to go for a run on every new year and birthday. Collard greens sauteed with garlic, duck sausage, and Crystal hot sauce. Black eyed peas sauteed with green onions, roasted poblano, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, Kewpie, and chipotle Cholula.
Ground turkey sauteed with cream cheese, gochujang, lemon juice, mustard and honey mustard served on sauteed shredded brussel sprouts with leftover laktes.
Turkey meatloaf (a buffalo version with Frank’s and blue cheese) with roasted broccoli and homemade ranch sauce.
Afghan take-out from Kandahar Grill. Mantoo dumplings, chicken tikka skewers with rice, Bolani flatbread, Banjan (fantastic fried eggplant) with Afghan bread, plus chicken kofta and lamb tikka skewers.
Fun things from the weekend so far included a long walk around Manhattan – it was super cold but super beautiful. We admired the Rockefeller tree, the tree at Union Square Park, and decorations at Chelsea Market, Hudson Yards, and Grand Central Station. Food highlights…
This was our first time trying Bluestone Lane‘s eggnog iced latte but we will definitely be back next year.
See also – Buzz’d Coffee‘s cold brew with espresso and bourbon eggnog cold foam.
Seasonal things from Supermoon Bakehouse – brûléed eggnog danish and a peppermint marshmallow brownie.
Plus a scoop of ube condensed milk ice cream that was fantastic.
Librae Bakery‘s za’atar labneh morning bun is the best baked good we’ve eaten this year. Their halvah chocolate pasty was a very close second but no photo because of the wind/cold/crumbles situation.
I’m not that excited about peanut M&M’s but these holiday toasty peanut ones were delicious.
Candy cane syrup! We’ve enjoyed it in ice coffee (good) and Diet Coke (better).
The best cocktail I’ve ever made – eggnog with Blue Bottle’s instant nola coffee, amaretto, and dark rum.
Lunch at Dante West Village so we could get their tiramisu eggnog – Seven Tales XO Vin Santo, amaretto, mascarpone, espresso, and whole eggs.
Plus I had a wonderful Harvest Bowl – maple miso tofu, picked red cabbage, kale, buckwheat, mutsu apple, crispy chickpeas, avocado, roasted butternut squash, soft-boiled egg, and garlic tahini dressing.
Leftover chilaquiles casserole with all the sauces.
The 1st week of December has been fantastically festive!
Highlights include…
Red and green yogurt bowl; plain skyr with frosted bran flakes, strawberries, and pumpkin seed butter.
One of Blue Bottle‘s winter specials is a chocolate mint Nola.
I was not a fan of either of these “winter” energy drinks.
But I loved this Target brand eggnog in iced coffees.
Also with iced matcha.
Leftover brownies from Thanksgiving. I make the Baker’s Chocolate recipe – with the addition of chocolate chips and espresso powder! – and they always get rave reviews.
White chocolate peppermint ice cream from Jeni’s; it is pink!
Malai‘s ice cream has the perfect texture and their nutmeg flavor tastes exactly like eggnog.
Taco salads. Spinach / baby bell peppers / homemade dressing with Greek yogurt, mayo, lime, and ranch seasoning / sharp cheddar / Love Corn sour cream and onion corn nuts <– 10/10 / ground turkey and sweet onion sauteed with fajita seasoning / Frontera double roasted tomato salsa.
Nachos with baby bell peppers instead of chips (plus leftover turkey, salsa, and tons of sharp cheddar). I know this sounds like a bad TikTok trend but these were delicious.
Chilaquiles casserole. A spin on this recipe with shredded chicken; roasted bell pepper, poblano pepper, zucchini, and scallion; crushed tortilla chips; sharp cheddar; salsa; and eggs and chicken broth.
We’ve been to TWO holiday pop-ups already. Both were fabulously decorated and unflatteringly lit. Sunday – Sunday in Brooklyn‘s Snowday in Brooklyn.
We thought their themed drinks were great/better than last year. Noggin’ Toboggan – Australian whiskey, allspice, eggnog soft-serve, and Thai tea soda / Yule Shoot Yer Rye Out! – NY Distilling Jaywalk rye, Japanese whiskey, pawpaw fruit, pineapple, artichoke amaro, and curry leaf.
Polar Bear Club – frozen rum, Aquavit, coconut, pineapple, banana, and coffee bean.
North Pole Dancer – Haku vodka, passionfruit, popcorn tea, saffron, and sparkling sake. This was my favorite of the night and not just because it came with caramel corn.
We also had some really wonderful food. Wood-fired pita topped with spinach, artichoke, white cheddar, and bechamel.
Roasted honeynut squash with coffee tahini, brown butter, and a watercress salad.
Wood-roasted brussel sprouts with toasted pistachio, golden raisins, and lemon gremolata. <– these were 10/10 leftover
French Dip – grilled brisket, provolone, Gold’s mustard, and beef jus.
Wood-roasted chicken with Herb De Provence, roasted garlic jus, and seasoned fries.
Wednesday – Leyenda‘s Sleyenda. I am not a talented enough photographer to deal with their low lighting but they were decked to the nines.
I also only took a single food photo even though we great drinks and dinner. We shared fried plantains and I had the Panuchos – fried corn tortillas topped with coconut habanero shrimp, refried black beans, avocado, and pickled onions. Once again the themed drinks were great and better than last year! My favorite (always) was the frozen Candy Striper – Diplomatico planas rum, cachaca, coconut, maple, vanilla, peppermint, and cardamom.
Current yogurt bowl – plain Greek, blueberries and blackberries, and frosted bran flakes.
Target’s version of Thanksgiving stuffing potato chips. I don’t think they are as good as the original Trader Joe’s version but Adam loved them (I am a kettle chip loyalist).
The Nuts Factory birthday cake bar was good but not what I was expecting (some sort of cake butter); it was literally a slice of cake enrobed in chocolate.
Butternut squash bowls. Roasted with roasted shredded brussel sprouts, dried cherries, Trader Joe’s sweet and spicy pecans, duck fennel sausage, and sauce (mayo, German mustard, honey, lemon juice, and Crystal hot sauce).
A take on our favorite broccoli salad. Roasted broccoli, red onion, and white beans with dried cherries and a fantastic sauce (food processed – cilantro, macadamia nuts, smoked sardines, gochugaru, pepper, evoo, honey, and Trader Joe’s sweet and spicy pickled jalapenos). Plus roasted delicata squash.
Leftovers on leftovers. Plus Whole Food’s buffalo chicken nuggets.
Yummy, on-theme coffees. Vanilla cardamom cold brew with salted caramel and pumpkin butter.
Phin brew with pumpkin butter and marshmallow cream.
Siggi’s pumpkin skyr with blueberries, blackberries, and Nature’s Path blueberry cinnamon flax cereal.
Plan skyr with berries, Purely Elizabeth double chocolate cookie granola, and butter mochi.
Whole Food’s prepared foods section is nice for snack options. This week I bought kimchi dumplings and their Sonoma chicken salad.
Crunchy snacks. Everything bagel protein pretzels and Korean BBQ crunchy chickpeas.
These gummy bears from Buck Naked Bears are the perfect consistency, so firm without being overly chewy.
Hummingbird High’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the best cookies – pumpkin, chocolate chip, or otherwise – you’ll ever make. They are chewy – NOT cakey or crispy – and almost taste like butterscotch.
Open face chicken sandwich melts. Toasted bread with pumpkin butter and sharp cheddar / baked chicken marinated with Greek yogurt and tons of garlic / homemade chicken gravy. Plus roasted broccoli.
Pumpkin chili. With ground turkey, pinto beans, canned pumpkin, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chicken stock, yellow onion, poblano pepper, zucchini, spices, and one tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Topped with plain skyr, extra-sharp cheddar, and Caribbean hot sauce and served with Trader Joe’s pumpkin tortilla chips.
Big salads. Kale massaged with evoo, lemon juice, and salt and pepper / homemade dressing with tahini, pumpkin butter, maple syrup, evoo, and vinegar / crispy roasted chickpeas with Sichuan pepper salt, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and sugar / extra-sharp cheddar / dried cherries. Plus roasted honeynut squash and carnival squash, both of which were delicious!
Eating Chalk 