2013 Remnants

New Year's Eve was lazy and indulgent. We were in our pajamas early, and we watched Downton Abbey (almost caught up!) and The World's End (my favorite movie of 2013) and ate junk food until the ball dropped. Then I promptly went to bed!

I made arancini, risotto balls filled with gooey fontina cheese, rolled in panko and deep-fried. Dangerously good.

We dipped them in Costco-brand marinara sauce. Love that stuff.

I also sampled some Trader Joe's treats given to me by a friend. Dark chocolate caramel with black sea salt...this was one messy and decadent chocolate bar. Even better was the Sipping Chocolate. This chocolate drink is thick, almost syrupy, and not very sweet. Instead of sugar, you get true chocolate flavor. It's a great bedtime treat...I can practically feel all the tryptophan entering my system and making me sleepy.

We kicked off 2014 with lunch at Chuy's. 

Guacamole soft tacos, simple and perfect.

After the usual holiday excess, I'm trying to eat right in January. Oats for breakfast most mornings, topped with bee pollen, chia powder, maca powder, you name it.  Sometimes I'll also throw in hemp seeds or chopped Brazil nuts. Maca powder is a new experiment for me. It's an adaptogen, meaning your body uses it as needed to fight stress (not just emotional stress, but anything that's taking a toll on the cells.)  I feel like it definitely gives me added energy.

Goddess Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli, Isa Does It. The recipe actually calls for tempeh, but I subbed tofu for no reason. The more broccoli I get in me, the happier I am, so I give this dish a big thumbs-up.

Jackfruit BBQ, made with the Barbecue Saucy from Get It Ripe Around Here, topped with cole slaw and pickles, served on onion rolls. I whizzed the jackfruit in the food processor first, so there wouldn't be any big, tough chunks. Then I simmered it in the sauce for about 20 minutes and it was good to go! I love how light jackfruit is. It's great to chow down on a big, tasty BBQ sandwich and not feel totally stuffed afterwards.

A Day's Eats

Three solid meals today. Breakfast was a waffle with Greek yogurt, sliced peaches, bee pollen, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Bee pollen is a new interest of mine. Pollen from local bees is supposed to help with allergies, which have bothered all of us since we moved back to Texas. Bee pollen is also said to have a multitude of other health benefits, including increasing your energy and giving you better skin. You want to start with just a small amount on your tongue, to make sure you're not allergic to it. 

Lunch was miso soup with tofu, scallions, and wakame. Tony got in the habit of having miso soup for breakfast every day when he was in Japan. I prefer it for lunch. 

Dinner was the PPK's Smoky Tomato Lentil Soup with Spinach and Olives. A favorite of the whole family.

I picked up a special treat for dessert -- Salazon organic dark chocolate with sea salt and crushed black pepper.

I'd tried chocolate sprinkled with sea salt before. However, the black pepper/chocolate combination was new to me. Look at all those little flecks of pepper. It was awesome!

Have you tried any new foods lately?