Nuts for Baru Nuts

How are we in the 2nd to last week of August??! Some highlights from this week included…

A blackberry and soursop smoothie (with banana, plain Greek yogurt, and brown sugar).

A banana and coffee smoothie (with cinnamon roll oat milk creamer, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cold brew powder).

Whole Foods snacks. The baru nuts are fantastic! They taste like a cross between peanuts and almonds. I brought some to work and got all of my coworkers hooked as well.

Quinn pretzels with Bitchin’ sauce. A coworker recommended this dip and she did not steer me wrong. We are also both obsessed with these delicious pretzels.

Kombuchas and or matchas.

A loose interpretation of this chicken and corn stir-fry recipe. Instead of rice we paired ours with sautéed shishito peppers and mushroom.

So much Thai take-out! We had pad see ew, cashew chicken, and amazing spicy ginger eggplant.

Very fancy salads – local lettuce, black garlic vinaigrette, pistachios, dried apricots, and goat cheese.

Spicy peanut chicken pizza (a Trader Joe’s crust with spicy peanut sauce, shredded chicken breast, quick-pickled carrots, and cheese) with smashed cucumber salad.

Pesto Bow Ties

Long time no blog! I’ve actually been home since last Thursday (and back at work since last Friday and through the weekend!). Adam and I had an absolutely wonderful little trip to the Hudson Valley. We want to go back ASAP! Some of our favorite things included exploring the downtown in Hudson, pastries from Breadfolks, Fortunes ice cream at Kitty’s, dinner at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, and the Round House hotel in Beacon.

Highlights from this past week included… lots of snacks and pesto-smothered dinners.

Chameleon canned cold brew. (7.5/10)

Matcha + roasted seaweed.

These Trader Joe’s plant-based pork rinds are great. Crispy and just a bit spicy.

Fruity sour double IPAs brewed with lactose from Proclamation.

Pesto pasta salad! Homemade (extra-garlic) pesto / whole-wheat bow tie pasta / roasted extra-firm tofu / roasted zucchini / baby tomatoes / smoked mozzarella.

Toasted sandwiches with smoked turkey, sharp cheddar, and pesto on TJ’s sprouted sourdough bread. With roasted romanesco and cheesy waffle fries.

Pickle, Taro, Thai

Highlights from a tasty weekend…

Homemade boozy iced coffee shake! Iced coffee blended with amaretto, coffee liquor, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, and cold brew powder.

This iced coffee with taro cream on top was even better.

Double-fried, pickle-brined fries with freshly made dill pickles!

Soothr is our new favorite Thai spot. This cocktail had spicy mezcal and fresh tamarind.

Chicken pad ki-mao.

Salted Caramel And Black Sesame

Some highlights from the last week include…

I was 100% influenced by social media, but I did not hate the coffee + protein shake combo.

Adam and I are both smitten with the salted caramel Perfect Bars.

We had a weekday morning off together so we went on a doughnut date! Salty caramel pretzel and birthday cake.

Mushroom snacks. The jerky was good, the crispy ones were great.

Trader Joe’s snack plate dinner. Crispy okra, baby carrots, and buffalo chicken bites.

Thai take-out dinner. Drunken noodles plus spicy chicken salad with cucumber and tomato.

Paired with a black (sesame) and white milk shake – vanilla ice cream, chocolate milk, and black sesame paste.

Speaking of dessert, unsurprisingly since they came from Milk Bar, these are the best ice creams I’ve ever eaten.

Mostly Vegan

Five highlights from a low-key weekend…

A perfect snack plate.

Plant-based jerky.

These gummies were – a) delightfully mini; b) some of the best textured candy I’ve ever eaten; c) how I fueled for a longer run; d) all of the above.

x2 double IPAs.

A super quick Trader Joe’s meal – cheese tortellini, cheddar, artichoke hearts, tuna fish and dorado, balsamic fig dressing.

Black Sesame

I’m late — I worked the weekend and it knocked me out — but last week was too yummy not to post! Tons of ube, black sesame, and homemade fried shallots, oh my!

Highlights included…

Vietnamese coffee combo all week.

See also, phin-brewed coffee with sweetened condensed milk and black sesame paste.

Cookie dough Perfect Bar and a fresh peach = my new favorite breakfast combo.

Calpis filled marshmallows.

Everything new and ube from Trader Joe’s! P.S. we made epic sundaes with those items plus sliced banana, frosted flakes, sweetened condensed milk, and black sesame paste.

We have loved everything we’ve tried from Fat Orange Cat, particularly this sour double IPA.

Udon noodles / roasted zucchini, shredded rainbow carrot, green onion / ground turkey / sauce including doubangijang (spicy bean paste), chili crisp, tahini, soy sauce, and rice vinegar / fried shallots.

Roasted eggplant with shallot oil and sumac / roasted super firm tofu / sauce including tahini, black sesame paste, gojuchang, lemon, maple, and rice vinegar / green onion and fried shallots.

Baked chicken thighs / roasted green cabbage with carrots and green onion plus tons of fresh mint and cilantro / Nuoc Cham / fried shallots.

Weekend Work

Adam and I both worked (super busy!) both days this past weekend; what a way to spend your first weekend post-vacation! I was too tired for cooking so mostly we ate an obscene amount of take-out.

Other highlights included –

Eclectic snack mixes. Salmon jerky + whole-wheat matzoh + chocolate toffee candy.

Pecans + yellow raisins + chocolate chips + ruby cacao covered cherries + wasabi peanuts.

A crazy good ice cream sandwich. The cookies were just salty/savory enough.

Spinach and cheese tortellini with marina sauce, turkey pepperoni, and roasted zucchini.

Weekend Provisions

Highlights from a yummy weekend include…

Pistachio milk iced latte at Post Factum.

We popped into Daily Provisions for a cappuccino and finally got our hands on one of their famous coffee crullers. <– worth the hype!

I took my cola + coffee obsession a step further with a boozy coke coffee float.

We had our best meal of the year at Bahn. Including Vietnamese iced coffee and a housemade strawberry lime soda.

Noodle salad bowl with lemongrass butter beef. That meat was so good it literally took our breath away!

We also had it on a bahn mi on perfect bread.

We got Win Son take-out after I had a little too much to drink at Evil Twin and ordered all of the things. Fried chicken sandwich with mayo and herbs / roasted spiced peanuts / marinated cucumber salad / braised beef in a scallion pancake / fried eggplant with black vinegar, labne, and spiced cashews / sesame noodles with black sesame and trumpet purée, oyster mushrooms, snow pea leaves, and peanuts.

Have a great week!