Dining Out in the City of Brotherly Love

Over the weekend, MG and I went on our second (and my third) weekend trip in a row.  This time, we headed off to Pennsylvania for the wedding of one of MG's college friends.  We had a great time at the wedding!

Sunday morning we got up early and after a workout in the Holiday Inn Express fitness room (where apparently the circuit can't handle 2 treadmills and the TV all operating at once) we drove to Philadelphia to meet up with MG's parents, younger brother and family friends for lunch.  I had only been to Philadelphia once before (so I'm told - I think I was about 4 years old), so we arrived early and did a little sightseeing.  We toured the Old Quaker Meeting House and the Christ Church Cemetery where Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush are buried.  It was very cool, but there are so many other things I'd like to see, so we definitely have a full weekend trip planned sometime in the next year.

 

For lunch we went to the Old City neighborhood where MG's parents had made a reservation at Fork.  It was a fantastic meal with great food and great company!

We started with a roll service - I selected the whole grain and MG had the fruit and nut.  Although there were a lot of really delicious-looking options on the brunch menu, I knew immediately what I wanted when I saw butternut squash soup with toasted pepitas.  I am a sucker for all squash (it might be my favorite veggie ever.  Except for eggplant.  And avocado.  Hmmm...) and the the cooler weather has got me all excited for fall flavors.  I also had a pickled beet salad with garden vegetables, chevre and a lemony aioli dressing.  Beets - another favorite of mine (I'm going to just take it all back and not pick a favorite veggie).

 

Tastes of fall and summer, all in one meal!

MG had fruit salad and a frittata with potatoes, green olives, tomato sauce and almonds.

 

After lunch we stopped for coffees at a local shop and then walked over to Reading Terminal Market.  I was really excited to visit, because I am a big fan of big indoor markets, but unfortunately about 1/3 of the booths were closed on Sundays.  We did find an awesome little shop that sold lots of fun kitchen items and bought some cookie cutters and two mini-springform pans!  I am a sucker for mini-baking items.  I can't wait to make a mini-cheesecake or two.  They are just so cute :)

We spotted this storefront next to the coffeeshop.  I have no idea what it is. 

Possibly something from a Stephen King novel? Obviously I had to take a picture.

We got a little lost on our way here.

Trotters.

 

Why don't we have this in D.C.? I love Eastern Market, but this is way better...

Finally we headed back to the car for the return trip to D.C.  It was a great weekend, although I have to be honest - I'm really excited about the next three weekends at home before we kick off our October of crazy travel.  Despite all the busy-ness though, we have found time to cook here and there, so I promise there will be some recipes in the near future!

The Lunch Box: DIY Microwaveable Veggie Burritos

Happy Friday everyone! This week ended up a good one, lunch-wise:

We got back LATE on Monday night, so all my hopes of preparing something yummy to take to work on Tuesday were dashed. I had to resort to my emergency stash of frozen lunches, which are an emergency stash precisely because they don't taste great, so I only eat them if there isn't any other option.

My original plan was to pick up a salad from Au Bon Pain to have with my Lean Cuisine, but as I sat at my desk thinking about lunch, I decided I just wasn't feeling that. The problem though, was that I couldn't decide what I was in the mood for!  There are plenty of options by my office, but none of them sounded spectacular. Then, I remembered to check Food Truck Fiesta to see if any food trucks were in my neighborhood. I was so excited to see the Ethiopian truck nearby, since I've been wanting to check it out for a while. Fantastic! I got shiro wat (a hearty split pea stew) and collard greens. And a huge serving injera bread to scoop it all up! It was super delicious, very filling and only cost me $7, so needless to say I will be doing that again.

Mm, Ethiopian! From a truck!

Anyways, I didn't get home until 11 p.m. that night because I had choir after work, so I had pretty much resigned myself to the Lean Cuisine for lunch on Wednesday since there was no way I was going to have the energy to prepare anything before bed.

But, MG, being the awesome boyfriend that he is, surprised me with DIY microwaveable burritos! He'd seen a post about it on the Kitchn that morning, so he decided to help me out of my lunch jam. These little guys are fantastic - he used whole wheat tortillas and stuffed them with black beans, reduced fat cheddar, red onion, green chiles and rice cooked with diced tomatoes. Then wrapped them up in foil and popped them in the freezer! I brought them for lunch Wednesday and Thursday and they are super easy to reheat - just wrap them in a paper towel (remember to take off the foil first!), place on a plate, and microwave for about 3-4 minutes. Super delicious, filling, healthy, easy, cheap...kind of the perfect lunch, eh?

Getting stuffed.

 

All lined up and ready to go into the freezer (for a brief stop before I eat you!)

Again, MG's looks more appetizing. I think it's the real plate.

But don't be fooled, mine was delish! With some salsa, of course.

And, we still have 5 more in the freezer! No more emergency Lean Cuisines for me, even in a pinch I can have a home cooked meal! :)

New Months' Resolution: September

Last year, as my New Year’s resolution, I decided to lose weight and be more healthy. Like many Americans, it wasn’t the first time I’d resolved to do these things, but this past year I took a different approach - I made a serious commitment to exercise and I started tracking my calories. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, tracking calories was really just the starting point for a broader change in how I eat. By seeing what I was consuming - not just the calories, but where those calories were coming from - I started a process of eating more healthy foods. I call it a process, because I’m still trying to figure all of this out. Rather than focusing so much on the number of calories in my food, I’m thinking more about fiber, protein, processed sugar and fat content.

Recently, I started thinking about the fact that so many people wait until New Year’s to make commitments to change things about themselves. I have this suspicion that this mentality is part of why so many people break their resolutions early on. First, the momentousness of the occasion (only once a year!) makes people feel like their resolutions have to be BIG. And all-encompassing. And let’s face it, most people cannot commit to dramatically changing the way they live their lives on sheer will-power alone. Instead, it often takes small changes and patience to have lasting big results. Compounding that is the idea that we only have one chance a year to make these changes - so if we fail, we just give up and wait until next year to try again. It isn’t that people think that they can’t try again before New Year’s, it’s just that I think New Year’s provides an external pressure that might not exist for many people during the rest of the year.

I believe that of the many reasons I’ve had success this time around is that most of the changes I’ve made have been gradual. I’ve taken the time to think about what I enjoy in terms of eating and cooking and come up with ways to incorporate healthier food into what I know makes me happy. Because if I’m not happy, I’m not going to stick with it. So this got me thinking: why not have a new month’s resolution? Rather than waiting until the end of the year to look back on how I’ve been doing and make changes, why not actively try to self-evaluate on a more regular basis? Also, trying out new goals over a shorter time-frame means that if something really isn’t working for me, I don’t have to feel like I’ve given up. I can just reassess and try something new next month.

These are a few of my favorite things!

One change that I think is in order is my approach to snacking. I’m a person who likes to eat a lot of smaller meals and snacks throughout the day, rather then 3 big meals. I recognize that this is a personality thing, and it’s just what works for me. The snacks I eat are generally pretty healthy, because I recognize that I’m going to want to snack, so I am prepared with lots of good things that I enjoy eating - yogurt, nuts, trail mix and fruit. The problem that I’ve noticed is that having all these things around makes me feel like I *have* to eat them. If I bring four snacks to work, I will eat all four snacks, regardless of how hungry I am. I’ve also noticed that I’m far more inclined to do this at work, which has led me to realize that I eat to break up my workday. Not good! Eating when hungry = important. Eating as a diversion = probably not a great idea. So, this month, I’m going to make an effort to stop and think before I eat - am I really hungry? Am I really hungry enough to eat all of that? Am I eating because I’m looking for something to do, or because I’m stressed out, or thirsty? My intent is not to prevent myself from eating, it’s just to make sure that the urge to eat is actually related to hunger. Because an apple a day won’t keep the boredom away, it just leads to a bored person who feels a little sick because she ate too many apples.

What are your September resolutions? Post your answers in the comments!

Home, Sweet Home

Hey there! It's been a while, I know. We got back from Ohio much later than expected on Monday night due to the rain in D.C. and last night was my first choir rehearsal of the new season, so I haven't had time to sit down and write anything. Lots to share, though!

We had an outstanding time in Columbus. I grew up there and went to 3 of my 4 years of college at Ohio State, so I always enjoy coming back and visiting. MG had only been there once before, for a 24-hour whirlwind tour last fall, so I wanted to make sure I took him to as many of my favorite places as we could manage.

Since we left right after work on Friday, we hadn't eaten dinner when we arrived. After a quick stop at our friend's house to drop off our bags, we headed out to meet up with another friend at Dirty Frank's Hotdog Palace. Dirty Frank's is relatively new, but a big hit in Columbus. I'd been there once before and I couldn't wait to take MG. They have a very extensive list of hotdogs on the menu and are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. We had a hard time choosing from all the options, but in the end we shared a vegetarian Seoul Dog (kim chee and sriracha on a Tofurky dog), a vegetarian Sauerkraut Dog (sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and onions on a vegetarian polish sausage) and a Chili Dog with vegetarian coney sauce, onions, yellow mustard and sharp cheddar on a Tofurky dog.

Great Lakes Brewing Company Oktoberfest on tap!

 

Our selections, with an order of tater tots to share.

The fun decor - a Thin Lizzy painting.

 

Saturday morning we got up and had a quick, delicious breakfast of peanut butter toast, fruit and coffee before heading off to the game. We also had a feline visitor to keep us company as we breakfasted.

On the way to the stadium we stopped at a local coffeeshop for some coffees and a chocolate chip scone for MG (I did have a bite and it was pretty freakin' good).

 

We finally made it! I love the Horseshoe.

After an incredibly hot (95 degrees) football game (OSU - 42, Akron - zip! hehe), we met up with my dad and his wife for dinner at a favorite restaurant of theirs - Bon Vie Bistro.

I started with a nice side salad with chopped egg.

For my entree, grilled salmon with brown basmati rice, steamed veggies and a soy-ginger butter sauce on the side.

Sunday, my mom drove down from Akron and met up with us at Block's Bagels, a Columbus institution. My mom picked up a dozen assorted and a black and white cookie to take back up to Akron.

Lox on one half, whitefish salad on the other. Pickle on the side!

It rained a whole lot on Sunday, so we decided to make a nice, relaxing dinner at home with our friend that was hosting us.

We started with some Ethiopian collard green phyllo pockets, prepared by our friend's mom who is a professional caterer, artist and all around amazing person.

We grilled some lamb kebabs with a mint-rosemary marinade.

A nice bottle of red.

 

A whole mess of grilled and roasted veggies!

Parsnips, turnips, sweet potato, onion, beets, brussels sprouts and asparagus.

I was a little stuffed after this meal.

MG enjoys an after dinner tea from a traditional Argentinian matte cup.

After we digested a bit, we headed to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Which is freaking AMAZING. It's by far the best ice cream I've ever had, and I make it a point to get it whenever I'm in Columbus. I also discovered that they will ship it to you at a cost, which is dangerous information for my weight and my checking account balance.

I got a small with half a scoop each of Queen City Cayenne (chocolate with a hit of cayenne) and Salty Caramel.  MG had Queen City Cayenne and Rockmill Golden Ale and Apricots. Everything was ridiculously delicious and creamy and decadent. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

Monday we had a late afternoon flight home, so after a fantastic 6 mile run along the new Alum Creek Trail we headed up to meet our friend for lunch at Easton, a massive shopping area not too far from the airport. We had originally planned to eat at Northstar Cafe, a favorite spot of mine for vegetarian and local fare, including the best veggie burger I have ever eaten. But it was closed for the holiday! Disappointing. Luckily, there was a Turkish restaurant not too far away, so we didn't stay hungry for long.

We ate up these dolmades before I remembered to take a picture.

I went with a salad with feta, olives, tomatoes and cucumber, with lemon vinaigrette on the side.

And a falafel appetizer with tahini sauce!

Fantastic and filling.

Turkish coffee for dessert.

After lunch we shopped for a few hours and stopped at Cup of Joe for one last coffee before heading over to the airport. All in all it was a wonderful and delicious weekend. I miss Ohio already, but luckily there are too many awesome people there for me to stay away too long. :)

I Wanna Go Back to Ohio State...

If you're not a Buckeye, you probably won't get the title reference. But that's ok. It's been quiet here in Cookies and Kale land this week. Since I was gone all weekend and we're leaving again today, meals have been pretty low-key affairs. Two nights ago I tried making a grilled cheddar, granny smith apple and peanut butter sandwich. I wasn't at all sure how it would turn out, but I love apples and peanut butter and I love apples and cheddar, so I thought I'd experiment. It wasn't terrible - it's really hard to go wrong with ooey-gooey melted cheese on good bread - but it also wasn't fantastic. Last night we decided to raid the cupboard and made tuna melts on half of a delicious bagel each (imported from New Jersey the last time we went up for a visit and held in the freezer for safekeeping).

Tonight we're heading to the airport to fly to my hometown of Columbus, OH for the long weekend. We've got tickets to the first OSU football game of the season (against the University of Akron) and I'm planning on having a wonderfully relaxing weekend of seeing friends, family and just generally enjoying being home! Although Columbus (and Ohio in general) sometimes gets a bad rap, it's actually a really fun city. When I was growing up and in college there there were lots of delicious and interesting restaurants, microbreweries and food shopping opportunities, and things have only gotten even better in the years since I moved away. I'm very excited to hit up some of my favorite spots (Block's Bagels, the North Market, Jeni's Ice Cream, the Dube) and try out some of the newer additions too (Dirty Frank's, Northstar Cafe).  There will be pictures! But most importantly...

GO BUCKEYES!!

Photo source: Cleveland Scene

The Lunch Box: Rosemary Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of my favorite sandwiches to make, primarily because it's such a blank slate. We needed something quick and easy to take to work this week for lunches, so I made up a giant batch of chicken salad on Monday night. Back in July MG and I roasted the two chickens we had in the freezer and shredded up all the leftover meat. So, all I had to do was pull out a bag of shredded chicken, let it defrost, and voila! Delicious homemade roast chicken all ready to be dressed up.

I used a recipe for rosemary chicken salad from Cheap, Healthy, Good as my canvas, and added my favorite ingredients - walnuts, grapes, green apple and celery. I also omitted the mayo and upped the Dijon mustard and it was plenty moist for my liking. This made 6 good sized portions - I enjoyed mine on an English muffin with some of the last of the balcony garden arugula and a ginormous peach on the side.

MG's desk is much neater than mine. Also, apparently he gets real plates.

And again, chicken salad can be made in so many different delicious ways.  So have fun! Try out some of their other variations, play with the amounts, make it your own.

What are your favorite chicken salad add-ins? Leave your answers in the comments!

Rosemary Chicken Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light via Cheap, Healthy, Good

Makes 6 servings

8 oz roasted chicken breast, shredded (as a time saver, freeze leftovers from a chicken dinner)
3 tbsp scallions, finely chopped
3/4 cup of red grapes, halved
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, chopped
6 tbsp fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Put ingredients in a bowl. Mix. Enjoy on your favorite bread or wrap!