Food(less) Journey

It is incredibly surreal to visit places that I've read about and seen on television and in movies for decades. I experienced  a very serious case of deja vu in certain places that can only be attributed to my intense visual memory.  It was wonderful to be able to go to France. I was only in  Paris  two and a half weeks but it was so packed with activity it felt like I was there much longer and I felt very much at home there by the end of my trip.  What can I say about Paris that has not already been said? It is beautiful and charming and most definitely enchanting. One visit is certainly not enough unless that visit lasts a year or so. There are so many charming corners in Paris and it is so easy to happen upon a piece of history or a hidden gem.  Literally, randomly stumbled upon a cemetery went in and one of my favorite author's sons (albeit illegitimate) grave was there. Alexandre Dumas fils , son of the famous author Alexandre Dumas. Dumas' bo...

Can you believe what is happening outside? It seems like only a few days ago I was saying goodbye to the last wave of the tomato harvest. Waving goodbye to the beautiful leaves of summer as they beautifully decayed in splendid shades of yellow, orange and red. And now it looks like this outside. Beautiful! Right? I need some coffee.... Oh there it is! Tall skinny blonde with soy milk... With one pump of vanilla. Yum! This calls for a big bowl of soup! 1/4 cup of quinoa, 1/2 zucchini chopped, 1/4 cup chopped kale and 1/4 c pepper sauce (pinjur or salsa) 1) throw it all in the pot 2) let it simmer until the quinoa is done 3) warm your insides! Look at the creepy snow outside! Now it's time for chocolate truffle bar. 1/4 c cocoa powder, 4 T sweetened vanilla coconut milk, 1t coconut oil 1) mix the ingredients in a bowl then place in baggie and pop it in the freezer 2) after a 3 or 4 hours (or overnig...

Hello Precious! Quite a few people have gone veg and gained weight. Why? Pasta is often the answer. Its an easily adaptable but completely satisfying meal with or without meat and cheese. And not that there is anything wrong with eating pasta, but everything in moderation. Also, if you're going to have pasta be smart about it and have a pasta made with Spelt flour. Spelt is a relative of wheat, but it has a good amount of protein and lower glycemic index (aka you don't get a blood sugar spike and crash) Another trick is to smother your pasta....  Smothered Pasta  If you are going to eat pasta often have it be the accent to your meal not the main component. And remember to have another source of protein with it. Protein has hunger satiating properties so eating it with something potentially naughty helps you to eat less. Another favorite sauce is white bean "cheese" sauce. Yum! Smothered Pasta 1 c frozen spinach ...

What is it about chocolate that makes things seem so much cheerier? Oh right its that phenylethylamine which mimics the feelings of love in the human body.... and the caffeine of course. Isn't science great? After a stress-filled weekend I was ready for some chocolate today, but Im all about responsible snacking so, I decided on some banana - based ice cream. Not to be confused with banana flavored ice cream. Entirely different creature. Depending on the flavors used, the mix ends up not tasting like bananas at all. And yes I hear you scoffing and murmering about how it is 20 degrees outside and with the wind chill it feels like its 0 degrees. Trust me. It's worth it. So go grab some thick socks and a blanket to wrap up in and get to it! Light some candles for some radiant heat and close the blinds so you can't see the snow. Added bonus: Shivering burns calories! Pomegranate and/or Chocolate Soft Serve . ~Take 2 frozen bananas and blend...

My second and sadly last Blissmobox came yesterday. I was so excited I hopped right into. These are the things I haven't eaten yet. They are all new to my palate except for the Flamous Falafel Chips. I purchased a bag of those on my last trip to Naturally Soergel's. untouched goodies..not for long  The theme was Vegan Snacks and it seems vegans must adore chocolate because most of the snacks are chocolate based or have chocolate in them. things ive tried so far This morning I had the chocolate Bobo Bar for breakfast. Awfully delicious! It had the flavor notes and scent of a brownie, but its made up of completely friendly co-workes and gluten-less to boot. I have been a long time fan of Bobo's Bars, but I usually get the original flavor. Yesterday, I had the  ProBar Halo in S'mores flavor. Delicious! The Eli's Earth Bar was out of this world. It was in the "celebrate bar" flavor. The outside of the package said this flavor was 'almond car...