We enjoyed a lovely lunch out today with Linda and her husband BJ.  Linda has a yummy blog called One Scoop At A Time.  If you are not yet a reader, you should be, but I must warn you:  it will make you hungry

Together we visited Gordon Biersch Brewery for some burgers and salads, and then headed next door for the best frozen yogurt of all time.

I forgot my camera’s SD card, but luckily Linda and BJ snapped some photos and were kind enough to share them. 

Linda and I both ordered the Seafood Cobb Salad…which looked something like this:

I ordered a lemon-olive vinaigrette on the side, which I thought was a very original salad dressing.  I may try to re-create it at home.  The salad was delicious but quite large, even for me!  I took half of it home and had the rest at dinner tonight.

The boys ordered burgers…here is a shot of Matthew digging into his BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger (with delicious garlic fries).

After lunch we walked next door to Fraiche, a local, organic frozen yogurt joint.  Linda raved about this place, and I was not disappointed.  I ordered a soy frozen yogurt, which I thought was delicious because I love the taste of soy, and you could really taste it in this.  Topped with strawberries and blueberries, it was the perfect lunch dessert!  

Fraiche uses local milk and produce, all organically produced.  Their frozen yogurts are made with REAL milk and yogurt, not powder like nearly all of the other popular frozen yogurt chains.  Linda, thank you for educating me on these matters and for bringing Fraiche into my life!  Frozen yogurt will never be the same again.

Inspired by Heather, yesterday I went for a veggie-full lunch:

• 2 medium carrots
• 1 small zucchini
• A bunch of spinach
• ~4 ounces tofu
• 2T canned corn (I love canned corn.  There, I said it!)
• Red onion and fresh garlic
• A little Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce

Note to self:  Eat meals like this more often.

It was delicious, but a little light on the calories for me.  A couple hours later, I broke into this baby:

Ever since getting a sample at The Fancy Food Show, I am totally hooked on these things.  It really does taste like cookie dough!

After lunch I went to my little gym and walked a 5K.  I wasn’t feeling up for running, because I am still recovering from a body sculpting class I took on Wednesday night.  I decided to take this class because I haven’t used the “big gym,” since I got my trial guest pass, so I forced myself to go.  I am glad I went, but it totally kicked my ass.  Even today, two days later, I am not sure if I should go back to the class, or do more walking or yoga to loosen things up.  I am not used to being sore for more than a day! 

For dinner, we had Ellie Krieger’s Tuscan Vegetable Soup. 

According to my meal plan, this was supposed to be Wednesday’s dinner, but Matthew worked late and ate at the office, so instead I had frozen sweet potato fries and fish sticks with a salad.  What can I say, sometimes things don’t go according to plan.  Luckily, according to Janetha, Thursday was actually National Homemade Soup Day, so it all worked out perfectly! 

The soup was very tasty.  This was the second time I have tried making homemade chicken stock, and it turned out much better than the first time.  To round out the meal I had a sandwich thin spread with Laughing Cow and a big green salad. 

Oh, and thanks to Elina, I discovered that all of Ellie’s recipes are online.  So, for those of you who liked the look of the fried rice and do not own her cookbook, here is the recipe for her Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu.

Pantry Storage Space – “Before”

One of the downsides of our new little apartment is a glaring lack of storage space.  This is also true in the kitchen.  In our UK flat, we had tons of cupboard space.  This place, not so much.

There is not a formal “pantry,” so I have had to make one, using two different cupboards for room-temperature food.

This has been a huge exercise is minimalism!  The content of our pantry now have to be very simple.  I’m already running out of space and I haven’t even stocked up on baking supplies yet!

Shelf 1:  Cereal, oats, nut butters (I keep nuts in the freezer), dried fruit

I spy some of Deb’s homemade nut butters on that shelf! 

Shelf 2:  This one is tiny!  I can only fit my teas and our many “bars”: granola, protein, etc.

Shelf 3:  AKA Matthew’s shelf.  He likes chips and snacky things for work.  Note the British biscuits that he is rationing, which were also a gift from Deb!

The second cabinet needs some organizational help!  I am waiting for my kitchen storage containers being shipped from the UK, so until then it’s random and slightly barren. 

The top shelf will be baking supplies, and the rest is grains (hidden in the back I have rice, quinoa, couscous, and pasta), dried beans, canned and jarred goods, and bottles (oils, sauces, etc). 

Stay tuned for the “After” of my pantry space!  It takes a while to stock a kitchen when you are starting from Square One after moving.  I can’t wait for our stuff from our old place to arrive at the end of the month!  It’s on a slow-boat right now, somewhere across the Atlantic.

One last thing that I am unsure about where to store…

Thanks to Mara’s giveaway, I won a pound of organic flax seeds from Tropical Traditions!  Thank you, Mara! 

Question:  Where should I store the flax?  In the past I have had ground flax, which I stored in the fridge.  These are the whole seeds, and it doesn’t say anything about storage on the container.

What are your pantry essentials?  Mine have to be whole grains and pastas, canned beans, canned tomatoes, nut butters, and tea!

For a chance to stock your pantry, enter Michelle’s giveaway for a $50 Safeway gift card!

My meal planning resolution is going well so far!  On Monday night, I picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner.  I had plenty leftover and put some on a salad the next day for lunch, made Matthew a chicken sandwich for work, and made a large batch of homemade chicken stock for soup later in the week.  I still have chicken leftover, which I hadn’t planned on!  I am not sure what to do with it, but I’ll have to use it up soon.

On Tuesday night, I tried a recipe from my new Ellie Krieger cookbook, which was a gift from my lovely friend Michelle.

The recipe can be found on page 176: Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu.

I was drawn to this recipe for several reasons:  it is vegetarian; I had all of the ingredients on hand; and it seemed much healthier than my Family Fried Rice.

It was a great decision!  It helped me turn this…

…Into a real meal:

Fried (Brown) Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu

Served with baby bok choy stir-fried in garlic, salt, and cooking spray

I don’t think I can share the exact recipe on the blog since it is from a cookbook, however, I hope the photo quality is good enough that perhaps you can try to emulate it at home   However, I really do recommend buying the book.  I chose two other recipes from it to try this week!

Wednesday

Tuscan Vegetable Soup (page 85)

I am serving this with some wholegrain bread and a salad for me, and maybe bread and the leftover chicken for Matthew?

Thursday

Macaroni and Four Cheeses ( page 168)

Again, I’ll serve with salad or steamed vegetables to round it out.  I am excited about a couple modifications I am making to this recipe to lighten it up a little more.

Friday

I haven’t planned Friday’s dinner yet.  I think Matthew has a work dinner so I may go out with a friend. 

Clearly I am still working on my technique with meal planning, but already this week I am trying new recipes and shaking things up a little!  Eventually I’d love to have it down to an art like so many other bloggers do (like this lady, she is a pro!).  For example, right now I am mainly planning dinners, but it would be neat to be able to sit down on Sunday and map out an entire week of meals!

Do you plan your meals in advance?  Do you have any tips for effective meal planning?  One thing that really got me excited to plan meals this week was my new cookbook!  Also, I love making lists, so it was fun for me to make a massive grocery list at the beginning of the week.

Hello and Happy Monday!  We spent this past weekend in my hometown with my family.  It was a very special occasion:  my adorable little niece was turning two! 

She’s cute and she knows it!

Since it was my family, there was plenty of food at this gathering.  However it was mostly a kids party, so the primary nosh was sandwiches.  I was the Official Birthday Sandwich Maker.

It’s a real job.  I swear.

The key component to doing the job right is bread.  Lots of carby, delicious, fresh bread.

I assembled three giant sandwiches before delegating the rest of my duties to my mom.  I guess I demoted myself to Junior Sandwich Maker.

The first was a roast beef sandwich with horseradish cheese, red onion, and home-grown arugula.

The second was my favorite of the selection: a vegetarian roast vegetable (eggplant and zucchini) sandwich on multi-grain bread with roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and goat cheese.

Or perhaps I should just take the title of Sandwich Eater?

The third was a classic turkey cranberry mix.

I think there were one or two other kinds of sandwiches.  There were also veggies, fruit, and plenty of other nibbles, too!  And of course, CAKE!  I had a veggie sandwich and a little of everything else, here and there throughout the afternoon.  It was a good exercise in moderate grazing!

But the best part was the company.

Hanging out with my mom and sister.

The Birthday Girl and Uncle Matthew

…Remember my nephew’s Christmas love affair?  Well, it would appear that the little guy has moved on to other fish in the sea.

Five years old and he’s already giving George Clooney a run for his money.

Fresh Start February

I never quite got around to making any resolutions at the beginning of 2010.  With the start of a new month, and a new week, I’d like to set a few goals for the months ahead.

The biggest thing I want to work on this year it to truly stop worrying about judgment and criticism from other people.  This is a constant chore for me, but I really believe that my incessant worry about what other people think actually deters from my productivity and happiness.  My mother recently said to me, “What other people think of you is really none of your business.”  I think this is immensely wise and I will try to remember that, starting today!

On a less serious note, I want to start planning the week’s meals (or at least the week’s dinners).  I know it saves money, time, and makes it easier for me to eat healthier.  Why don’t I do this every week again? 

As far as specific food/weight goals, I don’t think I want to set any right now.  I am trying to settle into this moderation thing without meticulously counting calories, emotional eating, or any other extreme behavior.  I will, however,  make a more conscious effort to stick to what I know works for me, i.e. three to four substantial meals a day, as much produce as possible, and a balance of the three macronutrients.  I should probably start weighing myself more regularly again, but probably not daily.  That lends itself to the extreme behavior tendencies.  

Of course, my most immediate goal is gainful employment, as well as the purchase of a car.  I don’t really consider those “goals” though, because they are non-negotiable! 

Did you set any New Year Resolutions?  How are you doing with them?  It’s never too late for a fresh start!

Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.

— Michael Pollan

If you are familiar with the words above, then you will fully appreciate how cool it was for me to watch Michael Pollan on Oprah yesterday, then turn off the TV and drive down the road to watch him fill an interview seat in person.

Through blogger friend (real friend, former blogger) Michelle, I learned that Michael Pollan was coming to The Bay Area to speak and promote his new book, Food Rules.

Together with the sweet Andrea of Andrea’s Wellness Notes, we waited in line for an hour and a half to get a seat!  (Actually, Andrea waited for that long, Michelle and I were both late!)

Andrea, Me, and Michelle

The event didn’t start until 7:30, so I packed a couple of snacks to hold me over until it was through at 9.  I hated to snack when I should have been eating dinner, but I tried to look at it as splitting dinner into two parts.

I’m not sure Part I would have pleased Mr. Pollan:

Cookie Dough Balance Bar and a lowfat string cheese

Michael Pollan was interviewed by San Jose Mercury News Columnist Mike Cassidy.  When they first came out to be seated, they shook hands and Cassidy gave him a McDonald’s cheeseburger!

Michael Pollan (right) with journalist Mike Cassidy (left).

The interview was very interesting to witness.  I was prepared that it might be repetitive after watching the Oprah segment, but Cassidy was a great interviewer and Pollan had so much to say!

Some highlights from the interview:

• The big question was finding out what Michael Pollan actually eats!  I was dying to know, for example, what he had eaten that day.  He said he had eggs and toast for breakfast, and a deli sandwich (grass-fed beef) and matzo ball soup at lunch.
• When asked about why doctor’s do not stress nutrition enough to their patients, Pollan replied that doctors nowadays have very minimal training in nutrition.  He said that it’s a field which has been largely delegated to dieticians, because doctors just don’t have the time or budget to dedicate to it.  Many doctors have had only one or two hour’s worth of schooling in nutrition!
• This is a shame because doctors hold so much cultural authority that they have the power to make a real difference.
• He stressed gardening as a vital practice to connect us to our food, and also said that it’s how he began writing about nutrition.  Through gardening he saw a connection between nature, culture, and food.
• He cited the massive consumption of meat as damaging to both our health as well as the environment.  Americans consume 200 lbs of meat, per person, per year!  That is 9 ounces a day!  Even if we reduced this by just 20%, it would make a huge difference (the equivalent of trading in a gas-guzzling SUV for a Prius!). 

• He also discussed the phenomenon about how much money is poured into pharmaceuticals and surgeries to cure diseases, while teaching prevention is almost completely ignored.  Prevention does not generate as much money as treatment.
• US healthcare spends $2.3 trillion dollars on treating diseases, 3/4 of that on preventable, chronic diseases.
• When asked by a member of the audience about how to bring more interest in fruits and vegetables to under-privileged areas, he rejected the premise that there is no interest.  He believes there is a great demand, just not the access.
• He also commented that, despite society’s complaints about the high cost of healthy food, America actually pays the least for it.  American’s pay only 9.5% of their income toward groceries, while many European countries pay 11% or more.  He observed that Americans feel entitled to cheap food, rather than viewing the expenditure as an investment toward good health and sustainability.
• Lastly, he discussed the importance of cooking, and that it is a misconception that cooking a healthy meal is expensive and time-consuming.  In the time it takes to heat a frozen entree, you could have some pasta and a salad on the table instead of watching the digital numbers count down on your microwave.  He stated that he has more sympathy for the argument about the cost of produce rather than the claim that preparing healthy food takes too much time.

He was a great speaker:  funny, engaging, modest, and approachable.  Afterward we waited to meet him and get our books signed.

I had plans to shake his hand, be composed, and ask him some thought-provoking question, but instead I freaked out and just gushed at what a big fan I was. 

Hanging out with Michael Pollan

I told him about this blog and asked if he would pose for a photo with us, which he allowed despite the long line and the late hour.  He was gracious and kind and wished me good luck.  We were all star-struck!

Hmm, looking at that photo, I think I might pull a Deb and doctor it up a bit.

Michael & Me

Hehe

The three of us were starving by the time we got out of there.  Where else could we go after seeing Michael Pollan but Whole Foods?!

I got a salad from the bar, and tried my hardest to make it modest since I had already had something to eat.  I stuck to greens, beans, and grilled tofu:

Dinner Part II

Andrea did a great recap of the evening on her blog here.  If you haven’t read any of Michael Pollan’s books, I highly recommend them!  I have now read Food Rules as well as In Defense of Food.  My next read will be The Omnivore’s Dilemma. 

What are some of your “food rules”?  In researching for his new book, Pollan said he heard some funny responses to that question, the funniest being “Only one meat per pizza.”  Haha!