Hungry For Change

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Health by chicken nugget girl

A few weeks ago, my aunt asked me if I had seen the film Hungry For Change.

She was surprised when I said I hadn’t! That made me think – maybe I should start absorbing all the current commentaries on food philosophies (documentaries, books, etc.) since I ~~like to think I~~ am a food blogger.

The reason I’ve stayed away from some of these documentaries before is because I haven’t had the best experience with them.

When I watched Super Size Me (omg that was almost 10 years ago?) it actually made me want to go to McDonald’s. WTF is wrong with me.

(source)

Tuna and I watched Food Inc on Netflix about a year ago, and I was officially scarred for life. I couldn’t eat meat for weeks without cringing.

(source)

You get the picture. I don’t like any kind of media illustrations that focus on negativity surrounding food – or how stringently a particular person thinks we should consume it. Like diets swearing off carbs or fruit or something. Before, I’d rather just look the other way and eat my damn fruit.

Now I realize that the only way to be completely educated about food is to study these different philosophies and then make up my own mind how I want to eat in the way that I feel is best for me.

Anyway, here are some of the messages I took away from Hungry For Change. I’m definitely going to consider all of these things as I move forward in my healthy living journey.

Our bodies are starving for nutrition. America mostly consumes a diet based on high calories and low nutrition. This needs to be reversed! Hungry For Change says we are “overfed and starving to death.”

Our bodies are not designed for working under florescent lights in an office with absolutely no exercise. We’ve forgotten our instincts as natural human beings, and we need to go back to that version of health.

If you want good skin, you’ve got to eat healthy – it’s the last thing your body nourishes.

Stress = famine to your body. When you’re stressed, your body is trying to protect protect you by going in to fat storage mode. A good way to be less stressed is to sleep more.

We need to analyze why and how we eat. Where does the food come from? What went into the food in terms of attitude – are you eating out of boredom or because your body needs to be nourished?

You can watch Hungry For Change HERE!

Have you seen Hungry For Change or any other food related documentaries? What are your thoughts on them?

1May2013

Chocolate Protein Bars

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by chicken nugget girl

I can’t believe I haven’t shared this recipe with you yet. This was the first clean eating recipe I made last January, and it’s definitely a winner. Whenever I’m about to make these bars, and need the ingredients, I google my blog recipe page and realize – oh yeah, they’re not on here.

Well, now they are!

Jamie Eason’s recipes are the best. You can find the recipe for her pumpkin protein bars HERE.

I use an 8in x 8in glass Pyrex dish for this recipe.

Makes 16 bars.

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour
2 scoops whey protein powder (I use chocolate)
3 tbsp baking cocoa
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ cup truvia or splenda
4 egg whites
6 oz apple sauce
4 oz water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a big bowl (oat flour, protein powder, cocoa, salt, baking powder) together in a large bowl.

Stir wet ingredients (sweetener, egg whites, apple sauce, water) in with the dry.

Spray cooking dish with a non-stick spray and add batter to dish.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

*****

I love to eat these as an afternoon or evening snack, and they really keep you full. Perf with some sliced strawberries [obsessed] or a glass of milk.

I think they expand in your stomach or something.

Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

24Apr2013

Apple Sauce Bread

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by chicken nugget girl

My mom made apple sauce bread for me for breakfast when I went to go visit her in Durham a few weeks ago.

I liked it so much that I asked her to send me the recipe!

I made a loaf last week to bring on our road trip, and we (several of us, ha) ate it all – it was nice to have a healthy snack with us on the road and in the hotel/s.

Ingredients:

1 cup apple sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup oats
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix wet ingredients together in a bowl, then add oats. Stir in remaining ingredients until mixed.

Top with chopped almonds and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Bake in a greased loaf pan (over a cookie sheet in case of drips) for about 50-55 minutes.

Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

23Apr2013

Southern Wedding Weekend

Posted in Food, Travel by chicken nugget girl

I had a four-day weekend this past week when we headed down to Chattanooga on a road trip with Tuna’s fam for a wedding.

Both the road trip the wedding were pretty awesome, especially the FOOD!

Since it was a southern wedding, there was lots of southern food.

Some delicious highlights:

Weirdly good hibachi in a small country town in Virginia.

Mac and cheese filled biscuits (yes, heaven apparently exists).

Fried pickle kabobs are my favorite.

I LIKE CHEESEBURGERS NOW. This occurred late night at the wedding, served with chocolate milkshakes. The buns were biscuits. I had mine…and Tuna’s. Whoops.

Stone ground cheese grits at a country club brunch with a gorgeous view.

I did not weigh myself yesterday. I don’t think I will for a few days!

The ten hour ride home was broken up with back-to-back McDonald’s stops.

I tried to be somewhat healthy-ish at McDonald’s (I still don’t think that’s possible) and tried the new chicken and ranch McWrap with grilled chicken.

(source)

It was decent tasting for a wrap, though it still isn’t that healthy with it’s mayonnaise based dressing and white tortilla. But after my double cheeseburger incident above, I don’t think my body was complaining to see a little bit of lettuce.

I still think cheat weekends at events with yummy junk food are worth it. I may not feel so hot afterwards, but I spent my time enjoying yummy food rather than resenting it!

Do you ever find yourself stressing about food at an event/party?

What is a new food you’ve tried lately?

Have you tried the McWrap yet?

17Apr2013

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Bark

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by chicken nugget girl

We could all use a little pick-me-up lately, and dark chocolate definitely works for me.

When I saw a recipe for dark chocolate pistachio bark in this month’s edition of Women’s Health Magazine, I knew it would be a great recipe to bring to book club.

This dark chocolate pistachio bark is the perfect combination of sweet and salty, making it a great snack.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it is ridiculously easy to make. Promise.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
1/2 shelled pistachios, chopped
pinch of salt

Directions:

Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate in the microwave for about 1 minute 40 seconds (take out and stir in 20 seconds increments).

Stir in chopped pistachios.

Spread out the mixture flat onto the baking sheet.

Sprinkle salt on the top of the flat mixture.

Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

Take out, break apart as desired.

Store bark in the freezer if serving in a few days. If serving that day or night, keep cool in the fridge until ready to serve.

Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

15Apr2013

Weekend Update

Posted in Adventure, Food, Health by chicken nugget girl

This was necessary after work on Friday because my poor car got a flat tire:

After an episode of slight panic, Tuna helped me drop my car off the gas station and now I am praying to the car gods that the tire just needs to be plugged.

On Saturday morning, I went with my aunts and cousin to a nearby thrift store. I wasn’t prepared for how HUGE it was!

We founds tons of little clothes for my five year old cousin, including these adorbs “running” shorts that I insisted she get!

I ended up having some good finds too – I got a clutch, blazer, flats, and two pairs of shorts for a total of $22 bucks!

Before I threw my new clothes in the washing machine, I doubled checked the pockets to make sure there wasn’t any weird crap in them and found…..

…a $20 bill! Woo hooo! Now I can say I got all those thrift store goodies for $2! I’m totally going to do all of my x-mas shopping there next year.

Before I knew it, I found myself waiting in line at a bar with my girlfriends at midnight – eatin’ a Clif bar!

I told you I always have one in my ~~clutch~~ purse. 🙂

The Shamrock Half crew cleans up pretty well!

During the week, Tuna and I made big plans to go hiking at Great Falls on Sunday after a family b-day brunch. We ~~bragged~~ told everyone about it, and I even brought my Camelbak and my Merrells with me.

Besides my slight hungover headache, (only a few drinks does that to me now!!!) it was a perfect day for hiking.

Too bad everyone else in the D.C. metropolitan area had the same idea as us.

After 20 minutes of waiting to get into the park, we pulled a u-ie, and decided to go home and take a nap instead. #healthylivingfail

It’s the thought that counts, right?

I got some energy after a nap, and had to pull a different move than I normally do for my usual Sunday afternoon Whole Foods trip.

Walking!

Being car-less and grocery shopping for healthy foods for the week meant I had to see how many things I could shove into my backpack and still force it to zip shut.

Thank goodness I am lucky enough be able to walk to a Whole Foods/healthy grocery store.

I was definitely surprised how different grocery shopping is when you don’t have a car to plop all of your bags in.

Walking home, I couldn’t help thinking about how hard lugging healthy groceries home like this would be all the time, especially for people who have to walk way longer or carry food for multiple kids, etc. I was just carrying stuff for one person and for only half of the week, since I only have a three day work week this week (yay)!

What did you do this weekend?

Do you ever go thrift shopping?

How do you transport your groceries home? By car? Bus? Walking?

10Apr2013

Chicken and Orzo Soup (Slow Cooker)

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by chicken nugget girl

I already love my slow cooker. (Thanks, Dad!)

Crock-pots may perhaps be one of the best inventions ever. How did I not have one until now?

They are ridiculously easy to use since you just plop all of the ingredients into the pot and let it sit. Plus, when everything was cookin’ away, it made the apartment smell so good.

Here’s my first slow cooker experiment! I hope you like it as much as Tuna and I did.

We though it was delish and quite hearty. Too bad I discovered this recipe as soon as it is spring/summer!

Recipe adapted from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.

Makes 4-6 servings

Note: I used a 4 quart slow cooker size.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup celery, diced
2 tbsp red onion
1 carrot, diced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup orzo

Directions:

Dice veggies and cut up chicken breast into pieces.

Place chicken, chicken broth, celery, onion, carrot, tomato paste, tomatoes, garlic, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

Add in the orzo and cook on high for about 15-20 minutes.

*****

Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting WIAW!

4Apr2013

Watt’s Grocery

Posted in Food, Restaurants, Travel by chicken nugget girl

It seems that all of the places to eat in Durham end in “market” or “grocery.”

Maybe that’s a hint to how local and self-produced all of the food is – referencing the small distance between the farm and the table. I’m cool with that.

I liked that they show all of the farms that the food comes from on their menus.

My mom’s bf got the sazerack. I tried it and was not a fan.

I was, however, a fan of the pomegranate margarita – both my mom and I ordered one. I liked the little seeds peeking through the ice!

We split the Farmer’s Cheese Hushpuppies for an app.

1. It came with basil mayo that was insane.

2. The hushpuppies had jalapeños. I approve.

Can you guess which one I picked?

Yup, the pan roasted chicken. My mom had a bite and said, “that is the best chicken ever.” There’s those pecans again!

I’m adding sauteed mustard greens to my tried and I didn’t like, no thanks list.

If you’re ever in Durham, Watt’s Grocery is definitely a place you need to try.

3Apr2013

Foster’s Market

Posted in Food, Restaurants, Travel by chicken nugget girl

Has anyone been to Foster’s Market in Durham before?

“Foster’s Market is a gourmet food market and cafe, focusing on scratch made soups, salads, casseroles, sandwiches and more. Everything is made in house, we even roast the turkey for our sandwiches. It is nearly impossible to describe Foster’s with one set definition. We are a restaurant, coffee bar, specialty food store and catering company. We also make gift baskets and sell products on our online store.”

Cool fact: Sara Foster started her career working for my fav, Martha Stewart.

We went there for a late lunch on Saturday and it was sooo good.

I ordered the house roasted turkey breast sandwich.

I was proud of myself – I didn’t switch up anything on the menu and didn’t do a “create your own” sandwich like I normally would at a place like this. Didn’t even nix the basil mayo!

This is a huge step for my picky-meter.

We got the deviled eggs for an little appetizer while we waited for our sandwiches.

Just like pecans, deviled eggs were everywhere in Durham.

To quote Tuna, don’t these look amaze-balls?

Best deviled eggs I’ve ever had.

My mom’s bf thought that there might have been some pickle juice in them – but we didn’t think so.

Turns out he was right! It’s pretty awesome they have all of their recipes online. I know where I’m going to be getting my spring/summer recipes from!

Everything tasted ridiculously fresh.

I couldn’t help but swipe a bag of chocolate covered pecans on our way out.

I needed some more protein. Yeah.

Thanks to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

1Apr2013

Durham Farmers’ Market

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Health, Travel by chicken nugget girl

This past weekend, I trained it down to North Carolina.

My mom recently moved to Durham, so I went to visit her for Easter weekend.

Durham is an old southern city built around tobacco production and is home to Duke University.

Now, Durham is ranked the “Foodiest Small Town in America,” and is full of trendy southern restaurants and food trucks. It also has a growing local food movement.

One of the first things we did while I was there was explore the Durham Farmers’ Market.

The Durham Farmers’ Market features all-local produce and goods from farms within 70 miles of the Durham city limits. Click here to see a few reasons why buying local is the way to go.

This weekend was the week before the main spring/summer season, so I figured there wouldn’t be too many vendors with fresh goods to sell.

Boy, was I wrong.

Even though it was a preview of the bigger farmers’ market in the weeks to come, there were tons of people there! My mom kept saying that it looked like a festival. It seems as though Durham’s foodies are an enthusiastic bunch.

67 vendors were busy selling items that they produced themselves.

There were so many vegetables for sale that I didn’t know what half of them were! See mystery vegetable number 1:

Each week, a local chef cooks in the center of the market, showing how to create dishes with ingredients that are in season.

Free range eggs for me, please!

Most farmers’ markets don’t just sell food – they sell other natural and organic items too, including soap, lip balm, clothing, etc.

I was loving the free samples!

Have you ever seen such a long line FOR KALE?

Not only is the produce at local farmers’ markets really good for you, it’s cheaper than grocery stores! (A common misconception).

Before this weekend, if you asked me what a pecan looked like still in it’s shell, I couldn’t tell you.

Pecans were everywhere in Durham. I think it’s a southern thing.

That’s not all. There was a whole second section of the farmers’ market: the food truck section.

I had to stop for some shaved ice from Sweet Water.

I sampled the pistachio flavor – look how green!

But I ended up choosing watermelon. Delish.

My mom’s bf went straight for the pretzel truck. The gouda pretzel was just about the best thing ever.

I’m really glad I got to experience the Durham Farmers’ Market because it reminded me of how good the food and produce is at farmers’ markets. It was the perfect inspiration to scope out the different ones around D.C. this spring and summer!