Sunday, March 11, 2012

The one where I'm back on track

Today has been a exhilarating & energizing day -- & it was only a lazy Sunday! :) I started by saying in bed (with a short interim to make breakfast & return to eat it) until 2PM. My sleep deprived self appreciated this rest immensely. Once 2PM struck, I had promised myself I would be productive. I got up, got dressed & ran into Hoboken, for my 1st day at the new gym I signed up for. I've always been an avid supporter & believer in the positive impact working out properly has on your life; but today has really confirmed all of my suspicions.

The burn of feeling my muscles work within me made me feel so ALIVE! I was energized & refreshed, I felt like I could scale mountains! I can't wait to go back tomorrow!

To top off the excellent mood I was in, I decided to make a tasty-healthy meal after I got back from my 2-hour-gym-rendezvous.
I started with a very simple kale salad, with slivered almonds, extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Next time I think I'll add dried cranberries! The crunchy earthiness of kale is so tasty!
Directly after enjoying my kale salad, I remembered my idea of searing kale with olive oil & garlic over brown rice... Next time! I instead made cous cous! I love the versatility of this fluffy little grain. I decided to pair it with a touch of extra fruity olive oil & Hibachi-style zucchini & onions. The only thing I was left wanting was a touch more of a protein presence, but Cous cous does provide a good portion. My dinner was tasty & satisfying.... I'm planning on tea later with a movie -- I have no doubt that it will be a comforting end to an uplifting day! :)

I'm looking forward to continuing my gym & healthy-cooking habits in order to get back into V-mode! Andiamo!

Monday, March 5, 2012

The one where we SNACK

My younger brother, my "Buddy" visited me this weekend, & we had a blast trolling around the city. On his last day here, we spent several hours snacking our way through mid-town, down-town, & Hoboken --- Such a brilliant idea!

Starting at the Rockerfeller Center Concourse, we grabbed some Starbucks for the chilly afternoon we were facing. I enjoyed my normal tall-skim-latte, & convinced my brother to try a "Nutella". This is one of Starbucks "off-the-menu" items, which is essentially a Mocha with a pump of Hazelnut, tastes exactly like a spoonful of Nutella -- Trust me! :)
Naturally after our tummies were warm with steamed milk, and considering our proximity....we stopped by Grom for some desert before dinner. Their flavor of the month for March is "Cioccolato alla arancia" Dark Chocolate gelato with candied orange peel -- suited my taste-buds perfectly! I paired mine with Pistachio, & my brother tried the Crema-di-Grom a creamy classic!
After having desert, Dinner seemed only natural. We were checking out some shops in Greenwich village when we wandered down MacDougal street, & stumbled upon my new fav-Indian street-food hot spot. This tiny little hole-in-the-wall restaurant could double as an Ikea advertisement, they got seriously inventive with "Space-saving solutions". It has a wonderfully chill vibe, & astoundingly flavorful food! It's called Thelewala & they serve up some fantastic little Nizami Rolls! We each tried a chicken wrap, which was wildly tender, packed with bright flavors, & a fulfilling snack size. I was also thrilled to read that they only use farm-raised hormone-free chicken (Evocative of my own food theory). They lasted us all the way back to Hoboken.
Whereupon we stumbled into the TACO TRUCK -- said in an entirely glutenous voice! :) I begin salivating at the mention of this food-truck-gone-restaurant. All of the food is fresh & all-organic-natural ingredients (likewise with free-range-hormone-free-meats) authentic Mexican! We both tried the Barbacoa de Costilla Tacos, which were smokey, spicy, & scintillating in their ability to make me want more than two! Lol We finished off the evening of snack-age with "Plantanos Fritos", fried plantaines which were mildly sweet & thereby a perfect end to a drawn-out dinner.
So, while Coffee, Gelato, Indian, & Mexican may not intrinsically make an apparent menu, as snacks, they paired beautifully within my tummy. I don't know why I haven't done this more often, but you can be sure I'll be making a habit of it now!