Texas, Texas Yeehaw!

That is a University of Texas cheer, not how we really speak down here in Dallas ;)

I woke up this morning at home after a day of travel and kicking off the 2nd half of my weekend with family and some fun.

Before going to bed I whipped up a batch of overnight hot cereal but had to make some substitutions given what was in the pantry and fridge before our big Whole Foods adventure later this afternoon. In the mix:

• 1/4c Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty GF Hot cereal
• 3/4c water
• 2 spoonfuls of Greek yogurt (stirred in after cooking hot cereal)
• 1/2T chia seeds
• 1/4t vanilla rice protein powder (didn't love it but gave it a shot)
• 1/3c fresh blueberries
• 1t homemade fig jam
• 1/2T almond butter

Rewinding back to Saturday night, I snacked on my last peach and a baby Asian pear while watching Texas beat Rice. It was not our best win but it was a W none the less.

To finish project Empty the Fridge I mixed my last serving of Cuban black beans with some frozen and defrosted broccoli, spinach, and bell pepper. Plus a corn tortilla that I baked into chips.

I went out Saturday nigh to celebrate a friend's birthday but made it home at a reasonable hour to prepare for my day of travel.

Yesterday I woke up about an hour before my alarm was set to go off. Instead of wasting time around my apartment I got my butt out the door for a quick 2 mile walk / run to loosen my legs up from Saturday's 6.25 miler and before I sat all day on airplanes. The weather was perfect and I even felt a bit of a chill at first - there was 0 humidity which was great but I'm still not ready for fall.

I had an egg sandwich for breakfast with 2 egg whites, some spinach, and hot sauce and red pepper spread on 2 slices of Udi's whole grain bread.

Enter some more chores, a Super Shuttle ride and airport stuff and I was ready for lunch a few hours later. After finding success in August, I decided to revisit the restaurant where you can create your own salad. I had one made with romaine, broccoli, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and banana peppers plus a small pinch of parmesan. The woman was confused as to why I didn't want a mound of cheese on top of my salad but I was completely happy with my 3 little pieces.

I also picked up a Mango all fruit smoothie for the plane.

Enter an uneventful (those are the best kind) plane ride and 3 financial accounting-induced cat naps and I made it to St. Louis with one short plane ride to go. I picked up some 'local' all natural Wisconsin string cheese to eat with an Asian pear and the last of some Gorilla Munch cereal.

I finally arrived in Dallas a few hours later and headed to dinner with the family. We picked a place called Fireside Pies which I was at first reluctant to visit. They had GF crust but the last time I ate GF pizza out it ended very badly.

Our experience at Fireside Pies was nothing short of amazing. Both the manager and our server were informed of my dad and I eating gluten free and were extremely accommodating. They answered every question we had, were patient with modifications and clarifications regarding ingredients, and everything arrived hot and perfectly as we had ordered it. This meal was top-notch based on our wait staff experience alone!

My dad and I shared a chopped salad, sans prosciutto and dressing on the side which I dominated a good 2/3 of. We also shared the Texas Beef Sausage pizza on GF crust. My 2 slices were sans cheese. I had 1.5. Delicious - the sausage was hands down the best part.

From there my family had a hankering for self-serve fro yo and who am I to say no ;) My grandparents also met us as they were eager to see their granddaughter :) I was pretty full so I just got a drop of tangerine / orange sorbet with a few berries on top.

We got home and played rummicube and then called it a night.  Today we are doing a few of the following:

• visiting a new gluten free bakery that opened up
• 6 mile walk around White Rock Lake
• Whole Foods!! And yes, I really do have an unhealthy obsession
• Labor Day shopping
• grilling out at home

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Food for Thought

One of the things I love about my friends is our ability to engage each other in real, honest, and thought provoking conversations. Of course there's fun thrown in there too. Yet I always find myself appreciative of the opportunity to challenge my assumptions and become a better person.

After reading this Mama's post about how a movie enforced her decisions to not eat animals (among other things - it's a good read!) my wheels started spinning. Add to that a new-to-me thought about the eggs I purchased at the farmers market and have been eating this week and all of the food learning I've engaged in over the past three years. At dinner tonight I shared my thoughts and reactions with my friend and we moved on to more fun topics. Later another topic came up that prompted this thought: Is it enough to make ethical decisions solely about food or solely in interactions with colleagues in the workplace, etc.? If not (which I believe it's not),where do you put your foot down?

Without going into the conversation we had let's just say that my mind is deep in thought about letting some things slide when one takes such a strong, ethical stand on so many aspects of life. I've added a new dimension to my previous assumptions and am trying to decide how I feel.

What do you think? Can some parts of life be more ethical than others? Do your friends ever provide good food-for-thought?

On to the eats!  This morning I got to enjoy my second oats in a jar this week. Am I lucky or what?? This time the jar was crunchy almond butter with flax (~1/2T) with the standard mix with blueberries and cinnamon. Delish! I always get so sad when I finish this breakfast because I know I have a ways to go before the next one gets to be enjoyed.

The morning flew by and before I knew it, lunch time had arrived! I had a salad with roasted veggies and chicken breast with some grapes on the side.

Then things got interesting. Mid-afternoon a colleague on my floor walked through and told us we needed to evacuate the building because of a gas leak. I grabbed all of my things and headed out the door. We first stood across the street and then moved to the end of the block when emergency response blocked off the entire street and Haz Mat arrived. It was quite intense!  We camped out in another meeting and my stomach grumbled as it was snack time. I managed to pick up this salad with veggies and a few chips with hummus to hold me over.

Shortly thereafter we were given the all clear to enter our building. It turns out that someone turned on the boiler on the roof after it had been off for a while. They didn't think to warm it up first or open windows and it emitted high levels of CO2. Luckily everyone was ok and we finished out the work day.
 
I came home, snacked on an apple with cinnamon and some PB and took care of a bunch of things before meeting said friend from the start of my post for dinner.

I had a Groupon to a Greek restaurant named Zorba's that I've been excited to use. Tonight was the night. I had actually been tweeting with them about the addition of gluten free beer and Greg, one of the managers (?) had offered to buy me my 1st beer when I came in.

I met Greg who was very nice and helped guide me through the menu of what was safe to order and what was not. He made sure the cooks knew that my order was gluten free as well so that there wouldn't be any contamination issues or anything. He also stayed true to his word and served me up my first beer! I was clueless and poured it straight into the glass only to be laughed and yelled at by my friend to tilt the glass. I'm a total newbie! I had some of it over the course of the night but it's definitely a very acquired taste. I thought it was like bitter, fizzy water O:-)

Friend and I split the Fire Roasted Feta which I got with sliced veggies instead of pita bread.

My entree was the Fasolia Plakee which had white beans baked with onions, tomatoes, parsley and other herbs, served with Greek salad, a house-made roll and two dolmathes. Instead of the roll I got double salad which was a perfect substitution!

And for dessert, rice pudding which is a favorite indulgent dessert.

I ate a small portion of the feta, half of my entree, and just a few bites of the pudding and left perfectly full and happy. It was another great meal at Zorba's (it's one of my family's favorite places to go in DC) and of course, great conversation with a great friend.

It's time to get to bed - just one more day stands in between me and the weekend. I can't wait! G'night!

Dining Out - Always an Adventure

**Disclaimer: I'm really not that hard to eat out with. I swear. You just have to have an understanding that for gluten free folks (and those with other allergies) dining out at restaurants asking questions, modifying dishes, and being extremely careful is how we make sure that we stay healthy and safe. (I've bolded some of my tips for eating out at restaurants with allergies)**

Tonight I had plans with a few friends to enjoy Restaurant Week here in DC. I've actually never participated in the foodie holiday before as many of the restaurants don't allow diners to modify the special menu, I've been traveling for work, or simply didn't have time.

Tonight was different. My friends and I picked a new-ish restaurant, Zentan, because of the wide array of options on the menu. I even took a look online a few days ahead of time and was excited for the special Restaurant Week menu.

Before I ordered, I let my server know that I had some few allergies and explained what they were. No big deal. He seemed like he understood. My friends are used to it and to be honest, even if they weren't, I would still do it to ensure that I didn't go home sick which has happened before. The waiter wrote down my allergies and my order and assured me everything would be safe and delicious. So far so good.

My first course - watermelon salad with feta, mint, and black pepper vinaigrette was presented beautifully. I've never had this combination before tonight and was quite excited.

This did not disappoint. The sweetness of the watermelon balanced perfectly with the salty feta and savory vinaigrette. The sprigs of mint lightened the whole dish more that I thought possible. I ate slowly and savored each and every bite. I ate half to save room for the rest of my meal.

I got the Curry Chicken as my main dish. It was served with polenta, tomato jam, pineapple, and almonds. I double checked how the chicken was cooked and was assured it was fine.

And then after a first bite, the chicken was too crispy to not be breaded. Unfortunately, this incident was the beginning of a downward spiral of our experience. I called the waiter over and explained the situation and encouraged my friends to enjoy their meals while they were hot. One friend did not receive her wine pairing she had ordered (and it didn't come until dessert silverware was placed on the table) but everyone was loving their food. I sat and watched.

After seeing that my friends had finished their meals, I lost my appetite. I was too hungry and too annoyed and hurt that I wouldn't be able to eat with my friends. 5-7 minutes after deciding then and there to cancel the rest of my order they brought out my entree as my friends' dishes were being cleared. I sent it back.

For dessert they had arranged a bowl of berries for me which was nice. But at this point, I'd had fruit for an afternoon snack, watermelon in my appetizer, and now more berries. I was beyond disappointed, even if they were fresh and flavorful.

Luckily, things turned up when the maitre d' arrived at our table per my request. Just as I began to calmly explain the situation our waiter, who there were other issues with, began speaking on my behalf, in front of me and his boss, to explain what my problem had been. Mmmkay... Let's just say that set me over the edge.Finally I was able to speak and somehow managed to calmly explain everything that had been a problem and the maitre d' did everything a good manager should do in this situation. He heard every word, apologized (which at this point, was all I wanted to hear since I was hungry and planning my uber late dinner in my mind), and immediately worked to correct the situation.

Because of him, my experience was salvaged and I would consider going back to Zentan. The truth was that everything my friends and I ate was presented beautifully, tasted amazing, and was meant to be a true dining experience. It was unfortunately soured by our waiter who made quite a few snafus tonight, beyond my individual experience. And I felt left out because I didn't eat what I had been excited about.

The maitre d' insisted I bring dinner home and I chose the Empress Chicken Sir Fry sans soy sauce. I portioned some out when I got home but put it back in the container after just one bite. I wanted nothing to do with that experience but for it to fade. Instead I nursed my disappointment with a small mug of hot cereal with my leftover berries mixed in and topped with peanut butter.

Not quite the Restaurant Week experience I was hoping for but it was great to see my friends and enjoy time together. I would maybe go back to Zentan to try a few dishes - the management truly made sure that we all left happy. I will not be back tomorrow, but one day. For now I have to let the dining adventure fade from my memory because there's nothing worse than not enjoying a meal because you had to look out for your health because of allergies while everyone else has a tasty experience.

Other than that it was a great day, despite the rain in DC!!

Are you known as the difficult diner amongst your friends and family? Have you ever left a meal at a restaurant disappointed because you couldn't eat / had a bad allergy-related experience?

It's all about the mouth

Hey there. I hope you've had a great Saturday. I know I have! 

It started this morning with sleeping in (even if I stayed up a bit too late doing who knows what) and whipping up a quick breakfast before heading out the door. I had some strawberries plus an egg white on a piece of toast with spinach and red pepper spread. PS - have you noticed my addiction to it? There might need to be an intervention - I bought a new jar yesterday for when the current one runs out!

I then met one of my friends Toby on campus to drive out to the suburbs. On the agenda - berry picking!! Yes, I did just go at the beginning of June. Yes, the beets I cooked yesterday were the last of the ones I picked on that June trip. Clearly, I can't get enough of delicious summer goodies!

We met at our other friend Michelle's house and then headed for lunch. We went to Cheeburger where they have these amazing "Build Your Own Salad" options on the menu. I didn't snag a picture but imagine a salad with mushrooms, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, baby corn, and salsa. I enjoyed it!

Then it was off to the farm. We headed for the plum trees first. Funny story - we did a full walk of the area where the plum trees were and found nothing. Then we were told that we walked the wrong row. It turns out we went to the correct place and most of the fruit had been picked they were getting ready to open a second plum area of the farm. The only good plums we saw were off-limits for picking :( They were changing the sign as we left later on. I guess that speaks to how fresh things are! Here were my few little plums I picked:

Then it was off to tomatoes and raspberries. Since I'm leaving town later this week I didn't want to load up on too many things but also wanted to be able to freeze some of this summer tastiness to enjoy when I'm sad about winter. I found one plump, juicy, warm-from-the-sun tomato and have big plans for it this week.

Plus some red and yellow raspberries which I'm very excited about.

Blackberries were the most in-season fruit we picked today and there are not enough words to describe how delicious they are! At one point, I shared with my friends that "It is such a shame. Some of these ripe, amazing blackberries are falling off the bush and straight into my mouth."  Enter Toby with the line of the month "Sometimes your mouth just gets in the way." Well-played Toby, well-played. If she only knew :)  8 hours later and I'm still amused by the comment...

Regardless, I was super happy to bring back a couple of pounds of blackberries and I'll be darned if they go to waste! I sported purple fingers with pride.

On our drive back to the District, we stopped for Slurpees which were just what the doctor ordered. I got a small blue raspberry one and instantly felt better with a little sugar and having something cold. My mouth was happy.

I needed a small snack before dinner and craved salty. Enter a few brown rice chips plus a cracker with hummus. Again - happy mouth.

Then it was off to celebrate my friend Shelby's 25th birthday. I was excited for dinner at Casa Oaxaca (wha-ha-ca) as the last time it was amazing. Things started off with a passion fruit margarita.

I ordered the vegetable tacos that had a mix of zucchini, onion, corn, and mushrooms served on freshly made corn tortillas. There was also black beans and rice and a little corn salsa. I got the cheese on the side.

These were amazing! So flavorful and fresh. There really is nothing as delicious as handmade tortillas. Nothing. I savored each and every bite and didn't leave too stuffed. I even brought home 1 of my tacos and rice and beans.

Enjoying an amazing meal with friends is such a great experience. What a perfect Saturday. And, I know that if nothing else, my mouth agrees!

Fred and Ted's Excellent Adventure

One day while I was lifting weights, one of my favorite childhood books popped into my head. It is called Big Dog...Little Dog and features Fred who is tall and Ted who is short. I haven't yet confirmed this with my mom, but I'm pretty sure she bought it to help me deal with being heads shorter than all of my peers... Anyways, I loved this book. Fred and Ted go skiing, Ted makes Fred eat his veggies, and they form the perfect pair.

I'm telling you all of this because for my friend Lauren's birthday, I got her this book because it is our life story. She is tall and I am short. I introduce her to new vegetables like kale. And in general, we go together like peas in a pod, and have no issues spending 7+ hours together at a time.

So today, Fred and I Lauren and I embarked upon our journey to celebrate our birthdays (just a few weeks late). On our agenda: Pei Wei, which we've been counting down the days to (we grew up around the corner from one), and shopping at the outlets. Hooray for adventures into rural Virginia!

Lauren picked me up from the metro and we drove straight to lunch. Needless to say, I was quite hungry a good 4.5 hours after my light breakfast this morning. We discovered that there is a CalTort next to Pei Wei which pretty much made this the best place on earth in our book. We're easy like that.

We were starving and excited so we split the GF Vietnamese Chicken Rolls. They subbed sweet and sour sauce for the peanut sauce since it is GF and this was amazing!  We each had 1.5 and I secretly wished I had a second stomach for more.

My entree was the Sweet and Sour tofu and veggies with brown rice. I demolished this plate and only left ~1/2c of my tofu and veggies and most of the rice. I still did a fair amount of damage on it though :-)

This might have been my favorite meal of the summer. The jury's still out but I have that much love for this restaurant and miss having easy access to it in DC, especially because of their gluten-free menu.

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping. I managed to do some damage (but all were great bargains). My haul included: 2 dresses, 2 shirts, and a headband. Plus a spiralizer! Not too shabby for a day's work.

On the drive home we stopped at a Wegman's grocery store which has a great reputation in this part of the country. It's like Tom Thumb (Safeway) meets Central Market meets H-E-B. I was in LOVE. I only wish it was closer to me! They had 2 whole aisles dedicated to gluten free products plus a row of allergy-friendly frozen products (many of which Whole Foods doesn't carry) AND a huge organic store within the store. Heaven... and we all know my grocery store obsession.  Despite being full, I found room for a little treat of gummies, nuts, and dark chocolate. It was a sacrifice but someone had to do it O:-)

It was just before 7pm when I got home and I was still stuffed from lunch and my happy hour dessert. I tackled some of my to-do list and finally got hungry around 8:30pm.  I had a chopped pear, toaster waffle with Earth Balance and almond butter, and the last ~1/8c of cottage cheese.

Today was a great adventure. There's nothing like great food, shopping, and quality time with one of my long-time friends to wrap up a great weekend.

On our drive home, Lauren and I discussed some of our "vices." The list includes: shopping, food, manis and pedis, exercise / fitness equiptment, Whole Foods, and things to help one stay organized. What are some of your vices? What was the highlight of your weekend?