A Week Of Super Bowls

by Emily

I was a bit under the weather last week, nothing too bad, mostly a lot of coughing and headaches, but I just didn’t have it in me on Thursday to blog a recap. I was not too sick, however, to eat a bunch of yummy stuff that’s worth sharing. Last Monday through Sunday, here are the highlights*…

*highlights within the highlights, I obviously drank more coffee than this

coffee

Caramel-flavored Chameleon Cold Brew! With half & half. I adore CCB, it’s so smooth.

Served one day with citrus seltzer and a sumo mandarin.

This wins for my all-time preferred citrus, it is sweet and firm, and there are seeds but they are big enough to pop out easily.

oatmeal

In homemade instant bowls for work (just add hot water!).

Rolled oats, chia seeds, dry milk powder, freeze-dried raspberries, and toasted walnuts.

And smoothies.

Vanilla almond milk + chia seeds + oats + frozen banana + brown sugar + cocoa powder.

old-school-style cafeteria lunches

Sliced turkey and cheese with a less than healthy “veggie” side.

My school didn’t actually have a cafeteria (I graduated in a class of <40 and we had iguanas running the halls) but this is how I imagined the lunches would have been.

pepperoni-ish pizza

Oh. My. God. We sliced up a TJ’s turkey summer sausage and put it on the best homemade pizza we’ve ever had.

Usually I try to overdo it with pizza – lots of veggies, too much cheese – and the crust ends up soggy, but this was a crispy masterpiece. With a simple side salad.

sugar

Haribo salty licorice.

Cake pop flavored gum. There are sprinkles in it!

We finished this month’s Skoshbox the day it came.

Tj’s dark chocolate mini cookies.

These hearts were way better than I was expecting; usually I don’t buy boxed cookies because I’m a pretty great cookie baker myself but there is no way I could make chocolate shortbread this crunchy.

fancy booze in Brooklyn

Adam met me after work for a fantastic Friday night date in Boerum Hill. We started at Grand Army for cocktail hour.

My Alabaster Cavern – blended scotch, Lustau East India Solera, cinnamon, lime, coconut, pineapple, and bitters – tasted like a fancy painkiller. We liked the space and the vibe (they have a penciled drawing of ET as Mr. T on the wall) and will definitely be back.

The drink menu at Colonie was no slouch either. My Empire State Sour was American whiskey, NY apples, lemon, egg white, baked apple bitters, and cinnamon.

Best drink of 2016. That line of cinnamon stayed in place on top of the egg foam and made every sip smell delectable.

We shared two wonderful, duck-based dishes. Cavatelli with duck ham, béchamel, and soldier beans.

And wheatberries, mushrooms, and arugula with a duck egg on top.

I know the pictures are hard to see, but those black bits? Were crispy mushrooms. I don’t know how to describe the flavor (truffle? earthy?) but they were the single best thing I’ve ever tasted.

dinner bowls

I did not watch the game yesterday, but I have been eating some delicious bowls of dinner. All but one include broccoli because apparently it’s our favorite.

We made a variation of our black-eyed pea mix. Roasted broccoli, edamame, gochujang, smoked almonds, and cheddar.

A super bowl on Sunday. Orecchiette with roasted mushroom and baby zucchini, tossed with browned butter and Italian four cheese blend, topped with a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Served on a bed of roasted green beans.

Best bowl of the week – farro with ginger, garlic, lemon, gochujang, evoo, and salt and pepper / mackerel with stone ground mustard and a bit of mayo / roasted broccoli / toasted walnuts.

This was technically a lunch bowl. The cafeteria had a baked potato bar.

I swear there was a potato underneath all of that cheese and broccoli.

dog love

I feel like Webster’s adorable mug hasn’t been on the blog much lately, but I have been snapping pictures of him for Instagram. These are some of the best ones:

Related – a girlfriend surprised me with this darling dachshund scarf.

Here’s to a great week!

4Feb2014

Weekend Wrap-Up; Beers In Brooklyn

by Emily

‘Twas a super weekend, even if I didn’t watch a single second of a certain football game. We don’t have a cable hook-up! I would like to see if I can find the commercials somewhere online though.

My meals this weekend were the like Seahawks, unparalleled winners. Here’s some of what we ate…

lunch at work on Friday

A Tart Cherry Noosa.

An Asian pear.

And a flourless chocolate chip almond butter cookie.

I made the cookies for Adam but they were so good that I ended up stealing another one when I got home that afternoon! This recipe, but with Vanilla Bean + Espresso Barney Butter and half as many chocolate chips.

sweets and snacks

Cosmos.

With Cascade Ice Cocktail Mixer, a splash of oj, and vodka.

The fancy one was actually Adam’s, mine had ice and a straw.

But mine ended up being his too in the end; I am just not a cranberry person.

A serving of Red Velvet M&M’s (new flavor!).

They are very chocolate-y and also very headache-inducing.

A kid’s double scoop at Ample Hills Creamery on our date night. I had Sweet as Honey on the bottom – Homemade honeycomb candy (made with honey from bees at Queens County Farm) in a sweet cream ice cream – and Gather ‘Round the Campfire on top – Toasted marshmallow ice cream with chocolate-covered graham cracker.

I love this place! The flavors were perfect. I also tried a taste of the Peppermint Pattie and pretty much died.

cereal and milk {cereal and milk}

It’s back!

I know the box says “new!” but the raisin Frosted Mini Wheats were my number one favorite as a child. Also the only “sugar cereal” I can recall ever having in the house growing up.

With Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk and blueberries.

a recipe revisit

I wanted to remake my Berry Better Than Spaghetti recipe so I could reshoot the photos (not that the new ones are all that great!).

I ended up making a few tweaks to the recipe too. It turned out fantastic!

coffee love

Medium non-fat cinnamon brown sugar latte at Dunkin Donuts.

I have been loving these lately but this one was too sweet. Speaking of… has anyone tried the cookie dough or brownie batter donuts at DD yet? I am seriously debating buying one.

Short nonfat caramel macchiato from Starbucks on errands.

Our Trader Joe’s is always a madhouse and I love it when the husband is available to wrangle the cart for me because it means I can have coffee while I shop.

Iced coffee with almond milk from Café Dada.

Love, love, love, love, love. There is just no beating Blue Bottle.

brunch in SoHo

A girlfriend and I met up at Penelope on Sunday.

I had the Andrey’s Egg Sandwich – Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and peppers, topped with ~~grilled chorizo~~ fakin’ bacon and sun-dried tomato pesto on a fresh-baked croissant. It was a strange order for me – I usually go with sunny side up eggs or something sweet – but very good.

beers in Brooklyn

Adam had the best date on Saturday, and I’m not just saying that because he got me tipsy! I managed to find my top 2 favorite beers! For reference, here’s my list –

Emily’s All-Time Favorite Beers Ranking

{1} Genesee Cream Ale

{2} Left Hand Milk Stout

{3} Heineken Light

{4} Red Stripe

{5} Abita Strawberry

{6} 21st Amendment Brewery Hell or High Watermelon

We started at Bierkraft, where I tried a Joe Mama’s Milk from Keegan Ales.

I couldn’t taste the coffee at all, but this was nice and smooth.

Then we headed down to Dinosaur BBQ,

where we found ($3) cans of GCA!

I also had a Left Hand Milk Stout with my dinner.

So much beer – for me – but it was all so good!

Dinosaur BBQ is actually from Upstate. They make our favorite bbq sauce but we never had a chance to visit the restaurant while we were in Buffalo. I was thrilled that a location popped up in our old Brooklyn neighborhood.

Adam and I split a sampler platter to start.

Shrimp boil, chicken wing, deviled egg, and a fried green tomato.

I got a pulled chicken melt as my meal. BBQ, caramelized onion, poblano peppers, and melted cheddar.

I skipped my bun and cheese but quite enjoyed the chicken. This definitely wasn’t the best barbecue we’ve ever had, but it wasn’t bad either. And we would go back for the beer menu alone.

What are your top favorite beers? Do you tend towards high or low ABV?

27Feb2012

What Do Vegan Zombies Eat?

by Emily

Graaaaaaaaaaaaains!

<– I heard that joke at Jekyll and Hyde when Adam and I went there our first year in NYC. The food wasn’t very good and the drinks were overpriced, but that joke has stuck in my repertoire.

After a week of eating takeout (crap) I am more than ready to get back to healthier living. I’ve got my kitchen mojo back and was ready to bang out two healthy home-cooked meals today.

Lunch was an old recipe that got some needed updates.

Berry Better Than Spaghetti, serves 5

1 cup hard red winter wheat berries
2 tsp evoo
2 heaping cups frozen turnip greens
half a large red onion, roughly chopped
14 oz package ground beef style veggie protein
24 oz jar marinara sauce

In a covered pot, soak the wheat berries overnight in 4 cups of cold water.
Place the pot over high heat and set a timer for 50 minutes. When the wheat berries have come to a boil reduce the heat and simmer for the remaining time. After 50 minutes, remove from heat and drain any remaining water.
While the wheat berries are cooking, heat 1 tsp evoo in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Place turnip greens in pan and cook 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper.
Add remaining tsp evoo and onions to pan and cook 2 minutes.
Add veggie protein to pan and cook 4 minutes, using the side of your spatula to break up the “meat” into smaller pieces.
Reduce heat to low, and add cooked wheat berries and marinara sauce to pan for a final 3 minutes.

The amalgam of textures and flavors was just perfect, wheat berries give great chew.

And this dish freezes well so I’ve got two servings in the freezer for the next week when we don’t feel like cooking.

I walked to school this afternoon and slowly sipped a soda through my two-hour class. It’s been 12 hours and I’m still overjoyed about not having to wear my retainers during the day.

After class I stayed at school to work on a group project with my friend Kim. Among other things, we made this –

We’re doing a nutrition lesson at a pre-school in a few weeks and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

When I got home I had a dapple plucot.

And a toasted bagel with strawberry jam and SmartBalance Light.

I made it to-go because I multitasked and ate while I walked the dog.

Dinner was similar to lunch – grain, veg, sauce – but fabulous in its own way.

Tempeh Brown Rice Casserole, serves 4

1 cup (raw) brown rice, prepared according to package directions
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1.5 heaping cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
12 oz tempeh, chopped
3/4 cup nayonaise
1 cup green salsa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place nuts in skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly. When the nuts are just starting to smell toasty they’re done.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to incorporate. Pour into a greased 8×8 casserole dish.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Plus a side of roasted zucchini.

This green meal was also great.

My plans for the rest of the evening include a trip to the gym; no ifs, ands, or buts!

Off the top of your head – grain + veg + sauce; what would you combine?

29Jul2009

Alliteration, Always Awesome

by Emily

Ick, ack, yetch! My plan for last night was snack, mini-workout, early bed time and the heat put a crimp in all three. I was too hot for food or movement (and I guess those two sort of cancel out) and I ended up not falling asleep until after 3:30am! Not only do we not have AC but it is actually hotter in our apartment than it is outside. I don’t even want to think about what moving day will feel like! My late night pushed everything back this morning but the day is starting to turn around.

I enjoyed my breakfast bowl yesterday and when I saw bbbbbBlack Cherry yogurt in the fridge I knew I’d have to make it again!

HPIM3997

Black, Blue, Berry, Banana Breakfast Bowl

Stoneyfield Fat Free Black Cherry Yogurt
1 medium banana
~1/4C blueberries
1T wheatberries

I made today’s bowl a little smaller because I am actually meeting Adam for lunch soon! He is out doing laundry and I am going to try to get some studying done. We are planning on packing up our kitchen and bookshelves today and we have to finish all of our business online because we have no internet as of tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can sneak some fun in too!

Do you prefer blueberries, blackberries, or black cherry? I am a blackberry fan.

28Jul2009

Eat Up the Fridge

by Emily

I was very productive on the business-front (although registration for classes does not look promising) but my split study schedule might have been a bad idea. By the time I got back to Starbucks in the afternoon it was packed. I roamed all the coffee bars in the area and it took me until 4:45 to find one that wasn’t sardined with Park Slope stay-at-home-mommies.

I drank a Fizzy Lizzy Tangerine while I worked and did manage to get some good studying in until Adam came to meet me at 6.

HPIM3987

This drink was real juice with fizzy water and had 100% daily dose of vitamin C for 100calories.

Our fun plan was to hit up a beer tasting at a place on 5th Avenue but that fell through. When we got there we learned that 1. the tasting was an hour later than listed online, and 2. they don’t have a full liquor license so we couldn’t sit and drink beers while we waited. Our make-up plans were much better though 🙂

We took the looong walk (3miles total) to 7-11 for my version of heaven.

HPIM3989

HPIM3990

I got a Big Gulp of diet coke and it made me smile the whole walk home. And, we stopped in at a local playground so I could do what I’ve been dreaming of for the past two years…

HPIM3988

…climb the mini rock wall! It was everything I had hoped for. We also tried to do the monkey bars but I was way too weak, children’s game are good workouts.

I was very hungry by the time we got home so I ate 5 of Adam’s Saltines,

HPIM3991

and another kiwi bowl.

HPIM3992

Dinner was a ‘use up the fridge’ effort that ended up being amazing.

HPIM3993

My plate had –

1/3C cooked wheatberries
~2/3C sauteed peas and artichoke hearts
1/2 can of tuna
the last jalopeno chicken sausage
and tasty sauce (for 2 servings I shook together 2T red wine vinegar, 1T lemon juice, 1T evoo, 1shake oregano and paprika)

HPIM3994

This was so yummy! It was a great mix of textures and the flavors blended together really nicely.

Tonight I would like to do a mini workout (seriously mini, like 20 sit-ups) and I will probably have a small snack/dessert if fullness doesn’t kick in after 20minutes. I am also determined to go to bed early!

Have you had any recent ‘eat up the fridge’ successes?

28Jul2009

Blue, Berry, Banana, Breakfast Bowl

by Emily

My alliteration obsession was the driving force behind this morning’s breakfast. Brought to you by the letter B –

HPIM3980

led to –

HPIM3981

led to –

HPIM3982

Yum. This bowl contained

1/2 C blueberries
1/4 C wheatberries
Stoneyfield Fat Free Strawberry Yogurt
small banana

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Some facts –

*Blueberries seem to be out of season now but I was still able to have fresh ones for this bowl. A month or so ago, when they were super cheap, I bought a few pints, washed them carefully, put them back in the fridge for a day to dry and then poured them into baggies and put them in the freezer. Last night I just poured from the baggie into my measuring cup, put the cup in the fridge, and this morning I had thawed fresh blueberries.

*Camile asked a question about wheatberries and they are pretty new to me too so I did some research

A wheatberry is a wheat grain stripped of its outer hull to leave just the whole kernel
They can be ground up to make wheat flour or you can cook them whole for use in dishes
Nutrition is equivalent to that of whole wheat
A cup of wheatberries has about 300 calories and is packed with protein, fiber, and iron

I think they are chewy and tasty, here are a few spots you can order them –

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today is one of the last low-key days before we have to actually start packing for the move. I am headed down the street to do some studying, I have to mail a box to my parents, we need to update our filing system and file our CPR certification, and we are planning on heading over to the Meat Packing District for lunch.

What is the best thing on your agenda today?

26Jul2009

Thunder, Turkey, Too Much

by Emily

I am so hungry! I’ve eaten so much, as you will see in this post, and I am still starving! I finally just stopped eating because it was getting ridiculous.

We didn’t have much to get at the grocery store for this week – milk, bread – but we stocked up on some snacks for our upcoming road-trip. Due to some plan changes I just found out that I will be driving from the city to Buffalo alone by myself in the car. It’s a little scary – moving vehicles put me to sleep in minutes – but my plan of attack is to do a lot of snacking and chug some sugar free energy drinks. By the way, for obvious reasons, I won’t be blogging during the move. We lose our internet this Wednesday and it won’t be set up in Buffalo for about a week so I will be taking a quick hiatus.

The errand took a little longer than planned because we got caught in a massive thunderstorm –

HPIM3965

I looked like a drowned rat. By the time we got home I was (wet) starving so I grabbed my emergency candy from when I thought the CPR class was running until 6.

HPIM3966

Limited Edition Coconut M&Ms. These were really good, the coconut flavor was very present without being too strong. Plus some had cute little palm trees stamped on them.

HPIM3968

I also love these “what’s inside” nutrition stat bubbles.

HPIM3967

What a clear, colorful way to make sure important information does not go overlooked. My only complaint is that they do not list trans fat in the bubble – that is by far the most important thing I look for when I read nutritional labels. Even when I am totally pigging out I never eat trans fat. With the disagreements over how trans fat effects fertility it is disgusting to me that this [added] ingredient is still in products. It’s one thing to say that Big Brother shouldn’t put laws on how much fat products can have or restrict supersizing, it is up to consumers to be informed. But when it comes to trans fat there is a real glut of information, even many informed consumers aren’t informed and they deserve to have risk-free food.

While we were cooking I also lopped off the top of a kiwi and ate his brains out with a spoon.

HPIM3969

This was the best method at maximizing flesh eaten and minimizing mess I’ve found so far.

HPIM3970

For dinner we sauteed extra lean ground turkey with frozen collard greens and some peas and then added Newman’s Own Cabernet Marinara. We ate that on top of some wheatberries Adam cooked in bulk the other day.

HPIM3972

I ate a ton of toppings over 1/3C of wheatberries.

HPIM3973

Tasty, and quick.

Of course I was still hungry after dinner, so I dipped into our car snacks stash and at a small large bowl of cheddar goldfish

HPIM3974

And finally a mini strawberry rice krispies treat.

HPIM3975

As I said before, I’m still hungry, but it was time to stop.

Unfortunately I never got in even a mini workout, but I am just so wet! I need to go shower so I can snuggle up in bed. I’ll leave you with some interesting happenings online –

1. Surprising Secrets of Celebrity Chefs from MSN. My favorite tip was from Ming Tsai, there are so many wonderful, easy applications for store bought wonton wraps.

2. Kath and Caitlin both blogged about free samples in bloggerland. I don’t get many samples (although I’d like to get more!) because my blog is pretty teensy and I don’t ask for them. However, when I do get freebies I think I do a good job of mentioning that the item is a sample. I will always be completely honest about how I feel about a product – if it’s bad it’s bad, my blog isn’t big enough to be worth compromising my integrity. While I don’t get a lot of free samples, I do do a fair amount of product reviews on here. I know sometimes it seems like I gush about everything but honestly, I’m just really excited about food!

What is a non-negotiable for you on nutritional labels?

What do you think about blogger freebies?

Eating Chalk

Tag Archives: wheatberries

A Week Of Super Bowls

Weekend Wrap-Up; Beers In Brooklyn

What Do Vegan Zombies Eat?

Graaaaaaaaaaaaains!

Alliteration, Always Awesome

Eat Up the Fridge

Blue, Berry, Banana, Breakfast Bowl

Thunder, Turkey, Too Much