taste: YoS

(from the past two weeks, because I forgot to post last week!)

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I concocted a great (IMHO) recipe for garlicky kale this week, so (as you can see), I ate a lot of kale. Which is good, because that was one of my resolutions. I also made a point to eat spinach, although it isn't usually one of my go-to greens. Let's see if I can keep it up!

taste: Mount Gay & Tonic

Mount Gay Rum (from Barbados, where I used to vacation as a child) + White Rock Tonic (no corn syrup, real quinine)


+ freshly sliced lime


= the perfect beach cocktail (regardless of the temperature outside).

taste: Whole Foods Garlicky Kale

My Year of Salad resolution for this week was to eat more raw non-lettuce greens, which has finally gotten me motivated to try and recreate my favorite Whole Foods Salad Bar food of all time, Garlicky Kate.

First I started with the ingredient list off the salad bar:
Kale, Garlic, Tahini, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Liquid Aminos, Nutritional Yeast, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Water.

Then I played around a little bit with proportions, until I got to this:
1 bunch Kale
3 cloves of garlic, pressed (or chopped really small)
4 T Tahini
2 T EVOO
1 T Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 T Nutritional Yeast
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Lemon (juiced)
Water (to adjust for consistency)

Last summer, my friend's partner let me in on little secret to eating raw kale: you have to massage the kale. No, seriously. So, after mixing together all the other ingredients, and having T wash and de-stem the delicious locally grown kale, I pushed up my sleeves and set to work massaging some leafy greens.

Then I massaged in the dressing:


Then I (washed my hands) and enjoyed the best garlicky kale to be had in Kitty Hawk, NC.


Note: we really like garlic and lemon and tahini and kale and, well, all of these ingredients. If you have plans for a hot date later on, you could decrease the garlic a little bit. This stuff isn't called Garlicky Kale for nothing.

taste: YoS

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As you can see, I did a little overtime at work this week (thus all the black Styrofoam bowls!). That sort of limits my veggie selection to what they have on the cafeteria salad bowl, but inspired by Jenny's random thoughts on salad, I've been bringing in my own salad dressing to replace the high fructose corn syrup stuff they have at work. It certainly added a little variety into my week!

On days I wasn't working, I fought the cold my assembling a salad...and then sauteing it and tossing it with some brown rice. Add a little curry sauce...yum!

taste: YoS

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taste: YoS

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taste: YoS

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taste: Santa Fe (Part 2)

Aside from everything else New Mexico has to offer, it's worth making a trip just for the food!


Annapurna Chai House
2201 Silver Avenue Southeast
Albuquerque, NM
(505) 262-2424

Delicious Ayeurvedic food. Lovely atmosphere. Amazing chai. I have to find it's equal.



Cowgirl BBQ
319 South Guadalupe Street
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 982-2565

You have to try the green chile fries. Mmmm.



El Farol Restaurant & Cantina
808 Canyon Road
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 983-9912
Santa Fe's oldest restaurant and cantina. Romantic and cozy; go here for I-feel-like-I'm-back-in-Spain tapas.



Tree House Pastry Shop and Cafe
1600 Lena Street, A2,
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 474-5543
Our new favorite breakfast spot! Lovingly made local, organic, healthful food. I promise, you will leave feeling amazing!



La Montanita Co-Op Food Market
913 West Alameda Street,
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 984-2852
We can't ever visit Santa Fe without stopping by the Co-op for a hummus-guacamole-green chile-tofu sandwich. T was a member when we lived in Santa Fe, and used to work the register for his membership. He looked so cute in that apron (and the discount was great, too!). This is the city with two Whole Foods, remember? And still the Co-op is going strong. It's that good. Buy local and organic here!


I received no compensation for writing these reviews. However, if any of these companies would like to offer me a discount/green chile something/chai, that would be fine by me!

taste: YoS

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taste: YoS

Before I get started with the Santa Fe recaps, I wanted to let you know about a little something I've been up to. It's not quite a new year's resolution, but I did happen to start it on January 1st. Inspired by the lovely Jenny (seen below with her little koala baby), I've joined the Year of Salad Challenge. This is how it works:

• Eat a leafy green salad every day.
• Take a picture of it.
• Accomplish an awesome, healthy, life-changing goal!

There's a little group of us trying it, posting pictures on flickr of our salad successes. I'm usually terrible at these kinds of things, but this one is particularly yummy! If you want to find out more, check out Jenny's blog, Year of Salad.

Exhibit 1: Jenny & her koala baby


Exhibit 2: My salads so far


Check out the flickr pool, too!

taste!

Vegan comfort food:

(whole wheat pasta + nutritional yeast "cheese" sauce)