Grocery Haul

My latest grocery haul includes:

• Bananas 
• Mushrooms
• Whole grain bread
• Soy milk
• Eggs
• Carrot and broccoli shreds
• Granola

Some new items:

• Tomatillo salsa verde (amazing!!)
• Blue corn chips
• Tofurky kielbasa sausages

Mmmonday - Breakfast Time!

This past weekend I had the most glorious breakfast of all time, so far! I have mentioned Lamplighter Roasting Co before but I have never dedicated an entire post. So here it is!

Their Addison St. location not only serves Stumptown coffee brews but has an impressive food menu as well.

Iced latte and iced cold pressed coffee.

Their breakfast food items are ideal for people who want a light, healthy, and quick breakfast. I decided to try 'The Katie' - everything bagel with hummus, avocado, tomato, red onion and mixed greens with a side of a strawberry and orange slice. It was simple, fresh, and packed with flavor. I have definitely found a new favorite!

Also pictured is an egg sandwich with quilted bacon, cheddar, on a knot roll. Alongside is one of the special sides, goat cheese and cheddar grits. Overall, it was a very exciting and filling breakfast! I definitely recommend this spot to anyone who lives in Richmond or any RVA visitors! 

Sunday Evening Tea Wisdom

I'm running out of my Argo green tea and I'm also interested in trying new blends (specifically caffeine-free). Any ideas/brands?

No-Ice Kale/Banana/Pineapple Smoothie

Here's a recipe for a super easy and healthy no-ice smoothie:

• Handful of kale
• 1/2 sliced ripe banana
• 6 chunks of pineapple - cuts the earthiness of the kale and adds sweetness (no sugar here!)
• 3 splashes of soy milk

Since there is no ice, you can leave it in the fridge to chill or you can drink it room temperature. Voila!

35 Food Markets Around The World To Put On Your Travel Bucket List - A Buzzfeed Post

Buzzfeed posts like 35 Food Markets Around The World To Put On Your Travel Bucket List make me overly excited to travel, and of course to eat food. The closest one I will definitely be visiting is Eastern Market in Washington DC, however I do plan on visiting each of these (or hopefully most!). 

Which ones have you visited or plan on visiting?

Quickie - Veggie Bowl

I've decided to start a new theme - Quickie posts! These posts will outline super easy and quick meals that I put together so don't be surprised if I have vague recipe instructions - it's usually because these meals can be constructed in many different ways and don't necessarily have to follow a specific criteria.

I was recently inspired by the acai bowl that I tried, which you can view here! So why not create a veggie bowl? It's embarrassingly easy, so you can personalize it however way you prefer. The one I will be featuring is constructed with a grain and 3 veggies!

 GRAIN

• Brown rice - this takes up to 45 minutes to prepare so be patient.

PRODUCE

• Kale - I've been using kale in everything lately! 
• Mushrooms - Always a staple.
• Avocado - Adds a nice creamy texture.

SUGGESTIONS

• I cooked down the kale and mushrooms a little bit with the tiniest amount of soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and some pepper to taste.
• You can use any type of grain or vegetables - completely your preference.
• It doesn't have to look pretty!

Feel free to share your veggie bowl combos! I'm interested to know what other types of produce to use. 

Mmmonday - Chef the Movie!

Over the weekend I finally decided to check out the movie, Chef! The basic plot showcases how a creative chef is restricted by the restaurant owner and decides to start up a food truck business making Cuban sandwiches, all while trying to put together his family.

Overall it was a semi-inspiring movie for any interested chefs/cooks out there who have perhaps thought about starting their own business or restaurant. However, the plot was sort of muddled and there wasn't a distinct climax or 'wow' moment. I just thought it was a nice feel-good movie to watch, especially for any foodies out there! 

If you choose to watch, let me know what you think! By the way, amuse-douche is my new favorite culinary insult :)

Raw Vegan Scrumptiousness - South Block Co.

On a rainy day, what sounds comforting? Acai bowls, of course! South Block Cafe is located in Clarendon, Arlington, VA and it is listed under 'Best of DC' for their smoothies. However, I specifically went to try one of their fabulous Acai bowls - Warrior bowl.

An Acai bowl consists of two main parts:

BLENDED:

• Organic acai
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Pineapple juice

TOPPINGS:

• Handmade granola 
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Bananas 

The handmade granola was my favorite component in the bowl. It was absolutely delicious and I wanted more and more. As an extra, I added Chia seeds as well as organic honey. Mmmmm.

Mmmonday - Protein Punch!

Because I don't eat red meats or hardly any chicken, I sometimes lack on getting the correct amounts of protein that I need to maintain a balanced diet. So once or twice weekly, I'll put together a 'protein punch' meal. This past week I put together a meal that incorporated ingredients known for their high levels of protein and/or vitamins!

• Salmon - Known for it's outstanding protein and omega-3 benefits and yummy goodness!
• Mushrooms - A good substitute for meat/protein.
• Quinoa - The only grain served as a complete source of protein.
• Kale - Rich in vitamins!

1. Rinse and drain quinoa (I used red quinoa) and then boil. 
2. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste, and sear in pan with the tiniest amount of oil.
3. Cook down kale and mushrooms with some oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Flashback Friday - A Taste of Richmond

Last weekend I was able to explore the Carytown District of Richmond, VA. Carytown is filled with restaurants and retail stores, which is the most ideal place in downtown Richmond for all of your shopping desires. I went food crazy and tried many new food and drink places and I'm super excited to share!

ALCHEMY COFFEE 

I am so happy about this coffee shop! It is fairly new and it started off as a coffee cart/truck. They were obviously very successful because soon after a shop was opened! The overall theme involves science/alchemy and I think that is brilliant. The atmosphere is very simple and calm and I think that's a character I wish most coffee shops have. Sometimes I just need a quiet coffee shop to relax while sipping my soy latte and not have to listen to loud music OR loud people. It was very refreshing to be there! As for the coffee, my staple is either a hot or cold soy latte and this one was light and delicious. 

Love the dainty flowers in a lab flask! Coffee IS chemistry indeed.

 THE DAILY KITCHEN AND BAR

This is the second time I have eaten at The Daily and it definitely a good place to try. Health conscious and environmentally friendly, they serve many different choices and even have a vegetarian section! It has a very modern atmosphere to it and it doesn't skimp on the green. I wasn't SO impressed with the service both times... but it is a fairly busy restaurant. I ordered vegetarian tacos made with house made veggie burger, red cabbage slaw, corn, pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro lime sauce, encased with a soft tortilla. I was slightly disappointed it came with a soft tortilla and not a hard shell but it made it easier to eat. It also comes with a side of rice and beans. I was completely full by the end of the second taco and only tried the rice and beans. I was disappointed by the rice and beans because it's a massive portion and doesn't match the vibrancy and delicateness of the tacos. They were definitely not appetizing to me in any way. I probably won't go back to The Daily only because I've tried 2 of their vegetarian options and they were mediocre so I'd like to try other places in RVA.

 KING OF POPS

So I've seen King of Pops cart all over the Richmond area and I have always wanted to try it. Well finally I did! For $2.50 a pop. There are SO many options however they will usually have a list of 5-6 on their chalkboard next to their cute cart. I tried the chocolate sea salt pop and it was SCRUMPTIOUS! It is milk based, gluten free, and sweetened with organic cane sugar. I haven't tasted an authentic and homemade popsicle in a long time. I could have probably consumed 3 or 4 pops right after that. So addicting.

LAMPLIGHTER COFFEE

World of caution: Lamplighter is a hipster haven. If you are uncomfortable with that sort of scene, I suggest not going! Extremely popular in Richmond, it is a great breakfast place. Of course I had to get a soy latte..... and a breakfast sandwich - Capicola with egg, provolone, and tomato on knot roll. I do not eat ham (which is capicola apparently) so I had to ask to get that removed. Other than that, it was pretty tasty.

THE SUGAR SHACK

I have never been a donut eater... and they never really appealed to me UNTIL I tried the Sugar Shack! Another popular shop, these handmade donuts are super funky (in a good way). They are hand made, hand cut, and hand dipped! The donut selection varies from week to week so it's hard to know what donuts you'll be choosing from until you get there.

So that is it for this super long post! If you happen to be from the Richmond area, please recommend some places to try! 

Grocery Haul

I decided to start a new type of blog post - grocery hauls! I tend to be a grocery shopping snob and like to take a peek at other people's grocery carts (I know you've all done it!) and so I decided to share what I bought on my recent grocery trip.

My staples usually include:

• Mushrooms
• Dark greens - either spinach or kale
• Bananas 
• Soy milk
• Some type of fish
• Potatoes (not pictured)
• Potato bread (not pictured)
• Quinoa
• Hummus

I also purchased new things that could potentially become staples:

• Kashi dark mocha almond
• Kashi honey oats cereal
• Organic free-range chicken broth (getting ready for fall!)
• Veggie sticks

I tend to not buy fresh produce weekly, like tomatoes, unless I need it for a specific dish because otherwise I know they'll eventually go bad and I'd rather not waste. 

My grocery hauls aren't very massive because I already have most of my staples in storage and I can only eat so much! 

30 Delicious Things To Cook In September - A BuzzFeed Post!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER! The weather may not be showing any signs of change from the scorching hot temperatures, but we should still get in mood for the Fall season!

Many of you are relaxing on your day off, for Labor Day, (as you should!) and I highly suggest taking a look at BuzzFeed Food for entertaining yet informative articles on yummy foods to try. I just came across this awesome post about....... 30 Delicious Things To Cook in September!

As listed in the beginning of the article post, based on what's in season, the dishes feature the following amazing produce:

Apples
Arugula
Beans
Beets
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Fennel
Figs
Grapes
Mangoes
Melons
Okra
Pears
Peppers
Plums
Pumpkins
Raspberries
Shallots
Sorrel
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Watercress
Watermelon
Winter squash

So check it out and let me know if you attempt any of the recipes listed! I know I will definitely be trying a few. Also, I will be posting BuzzFeed posts, here and there, that I find interesting or appealing to share with all of you!