Great Grillin'

You know...handling a grill isn't really all that hard! I dunno why I didn't start doing this sooner - gives your food that great smoky flavor and can be a healthier option since you're not frying things up in a bunch of oil or butter...

I bought baby bok choy at the Davis Flea on Sunday and decided I wanted to grill it. I had some sweet potatoes that I needed to use up and stopped by the grocery store to grab some shrimp and I had me a little grillin' party:

The setup

Prep - I marinated the shrimp in lime juice, rice oil, and chili flakes before skewering them; I boiled the sweet potato circles in water (a trick I learned from my dad) first so they wouldn't take so long on the grill, then drizzled some honey over them; I mixed bean paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, rice oil, fish sauce, and chili flakes and coated the bok choy. 

I then proceeded to grill everything (NOMS)

Doesn't that just look spectacular???

Finished product (and lunch for this week!)

Now...while I can be a grown up and handle a grill, my inner child still comes out. I couldn't resist picking up a box of one of my childhood favorites - chocolate graham crackers - and dunking them in cold milk :)

Any suggestions of other things I should try grilling? I'll definitely be using it more this summer!

Cheers,

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Sunday Stroll, June 2nd

There's just something about Sunday mornings that I love - they're so refreshing! Like...the workweek is the workweek and Saturday mornings are for being lazy and sleeping in, but when a sunny Sunday morning hits, I feel energized and want to tackle the world and get my life in order!

I woke up at 8 am to sunlight streaming into my bedroom windows and decided that I'd throw on a sundress and head out to see what I could find...

Today marked the first Sunday of The Davis Flea

Vendors were all set up - lots of great furniture (I was reeeeeeeeally tempted by an easel and a table I saw), a few antiques, vintage clothes and jewelry, and some local produce and foodstuffs 

Tempting furniture

Had my eye on this shelving unit

I *wish* I had a space big enough for this handmade table - I can just picture it in my living room with a mint green couch and white accent pillows and yellow walls...

Dad - I thought of you! It's a Cobra record player - the little needle-thingy that plays the records looks like an actual snake head!

I then went on an excursion to 3 Little Figs, a cheerful coffee shop on Highland Ave.

NOMS - tasty-looking baked goodies

I loved the interior - bright pops of color, lots of white, and plenty of windows to let the sunshine in

I felt like I walked into an ad for Etsy

Gonna place my order...

I opted for the Egg Breakfast Sandwich (the only savory breakfast option) and the Apple Cider Donut Muffin along with an iced mocha

The sandwich was tasty, but I have to be honest - I was more in love with the colorful plate it was served on than the sandwich itself. Won't be ordering it again, but I'm glad I tried it...

Sugar to the max - I wasn't too impressed with the donut muffin either. It was really really dry and nothing to write home about. The one thing I *loved* was the iced mocha - not too sweet. I don't think it's worth going out of your way to try 3 Little Figs, but if you're in the area, you should definitely stop in for some great coffee (I'll be going back for more!).

Trying to get my tan on...I don't think it's working...

Successful Sunday - purchased some *freshly picked* (as in THAT MORNING) bok choy (no pesticides either!) from Dick's Market Garden at the flea market. I think I'll try grilling it! 

Soon I'll be writing up a Restaurant Rundown of Hana Sushi!

Cheers,

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Creamy Avocado Fettuccine with Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes

The finished product - YUM

What You'll Need:

(click for larger image)

First - start out with layering several Campari tomatoes (I got a carton at the grocery store) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

(don't they look like polka dots?)

Quarter the tomatoes and cover with just enough olive oil to coat them lightly

Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for about an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how dried you want the tomatoes) 

~

While the tomatoes are baking, in a food processor add avocado (peeled, seeded, and halved), 2 tbsp. olive oil, dash of salt, juice from one lemon, and 2 peeled cloves of garlic. Pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy (taste and add in more lemon/garlic/salt as desired)

In a large pot, bring 4-5 quarts of water to a boil (add a splash of olive oil and a dash of salt); once water is boiling, add in fettuccine noodles and cook for 9-11 minutes, until desired tenderness is reached.

In strainer add in frozen cooked shrimp; when fettuccine is done, strain over shrimp (to thaw)

~

To finish - combine all ingredients back in the pasta pot (shrimp and pasta, tomatoes from the oven, and avocado cream)

Serve warm and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. 

Cheers!

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Emily's Juicing Journey, El Fin

First attempt at a vlog - let me know what you think!

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Emily's Juicing Journey, Day 4

You know...I thought it'd get easier as I went along...but it doesn't.

Last night I had Community Group and Hope made (FROM SCRATCH) chicken pot pie (with a Gordon Ramsey recipe for the crust) and a cobbler...I got there early for discipleship and got to watch her make it all...with my stomach gurgling the entire time. I have a bottle of juice that I brought with me in the fridge. Do I stay true to the plan? Do I give in a little? Is one bite really gonna hurt all that much??

I sat through the entire meal watching all 9 other women eat this delicious food while sipping my juice. And...I'm going to admit it - I finally couldn't take it anymore. I caved. And I had 2 bites of chicken pot pie. Everyone asked why I was juicing, what was the reason, what my plan was...and you know, unlike some of my other friends who have had negative responses when I said I'm still eating lunch (and not juicing 24/7) these women were really supportive of me and saying 'you know what? it's ok that you had 2 bites of pot pie.' I didn't eat any cobbler, though it was offered - NO SUGAR!

I still feel like I've failed, to a degree. I've always struggled when it comes to food - portion control, eating the right things, eating out of boredom vs. eating out of hunger...and it feels like I caved last night. But you know what? I woke up this morning and went on a run. I came home and I juiced my breakfast (some variation of the fruit/veggie medley I've been using), brought in juice for lunch, and have my lunch in the fridge. Here's what I'm eating for lunch:

Smoked Salmon, Whole Grain, Seeded Bread, Sharp Cheddar, Olives, Mustard

(protein, grain, dairy, sodium)

Spinach, Kale, Celery, Apple, Kiwi, Strawberry, Rhubarb, Lime, Ginger

Throughout this process, I'm not only going to work on eating better/getting healthier, but try to also work on my relationship with food. Any suggestions?

Cheers,

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Emily's Juicing Journey, Day 3

Ahhhhhhhhhh - feeling so much better!

I went to my first pole dancing class in MONTHS last night - I forgot how much hard work it is! I stretched muscles I'd forgotten I had...then I went to Trader Joe's to pick up some more produce and other essentials and walked back home (1.5 miles!)...then I woke up this morning and went on a nice jog annnnnnnnnnd....I did sprints and suicides! Haven't done those since soccer training in...high school...yeesh :)

I made an excellent juice for breakfast:

Apple, grapefruit, rhubarb, strawberry, carrot, tomato, radish, nectarine, spinach, ginger, lime

(sounds like a crazy combo and doesn't look amazing, but it's delish)

I also grabbed food for my light lunches (for me, still eating something for this first go-round is essential). For lunch this week I'm having:

• More juice (leftover from whatever I make in the morning)
• 2 oz smoked salmon (I *finally* found one I like that's not too fishy)
• 1 oz sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 slices whole wheat/seeded bread
• Olives
• Mustard

After work I'll run home and make a more veggie-based juice before church group. WAHOO!!!!!

Cheers,

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Emily's Juicing Journey, Day 2

So....I went back and forth in my head for a good 24 hours - do I stick to the original plan I outlined:

• 14 Day Detox
• Two fresh juices a day (one in the morning, one in the evening)
• Fresh veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains for my mid-day meal
• No sweets

Versus complete and utter 24/7 JUICE. I made it a full 24 hours on just juice...and then I realized that come on - this is ME we're talking about here. Emily? Emily who LOVES food and LOVES to cook and LOVES to eat surviving for 2 full weeks on nothing but juice??? Without biting anyone's head off??? 

No no, I think that's a bit too ambitious. I've got to stop setting unrealistic goals for myself and just assess where I'm at and what I can feasibly handle. So today, I had juice for breakfast (apple, nectarine, rhubarb,  grapefruit, ginger, celery, strawberries) which was really tasty, and I made juice for lunch...I don't know what I was thinking with the lunch one - it was AWFUL. Cabbage, celery, radishes, carrots, tomato, apple, broccoli. No no no no no...never again. And then I had the bright idea to add in protein powder. Nope - way worse. I drank about 14 oz of that before I couldn't anymore and then went to Clover and got an Egg & Eggplant - Pita, hummus (tahini, lemon juice, garlic, chickpeas, tiny bit of baking soda, salt), eggplant, cucumber tomato salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, spices), hard boiled Chip In Farm egg, tahini (tahini, lemon juice, salt, water). Calories 418 kcal, Carbohydrates 43 g, Fat 19 g, Protein 17 g, Fiber 11 g, Cholesterol 212 mg. I think I can handle that :)

So lessons learned: 

• For the sanity of Emily and all who surround her, she needs to eat at least a little bit every day
• Don't make juice completely of veg (cause it's probably pretty gross)
• Don't add protein powder to juice
• Don't set unrealistic goals or judge yourself too harshly when you have to modify the plan 

(Today's breakfast)

Cheers,

Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Emily's Juicing Journey, Day 1

It has arrived!!!! And so....my journey begins - 2 weeks of JUICING!!! I couldn't wait to get started, so even though I had originally planned to have a 'last meal' I went ahead and made my first batch of juice for dinner...

It's like Christmas!

I went and bought out the produce section of Shaw's...

Gotta wash all the veggies

Look at it go! This thing is *awesome* - I got so much juice and the pulp was really dry

Nom nom nom

Welcome to my meals for the next 2 weeks...

Not sure how I feel about this...

That's not half bad!

Grocery bill for the week (at least, I think everything should last me a week) - I saved $15 and it cost me less than $60 for everything

I'm excited to see how this goes....

Emily's Juicing Journey, Part 1

Ok folks...I'm doing it! I finally bit the bullet and bought a juicer. Now that I've done the research and invested the money, I'm just waiting (impatiently) for my beautiful Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain 700-Watt Juice Extractor to arrive...

The Juicer To Be

(*not my image*)

My mom has been on to me for years to eat more fruits and veggies, and (more specifically) to eat less meat, and when I do eat meat, make sure it's free range/grass fed/organic/straight-off-the-farm. It's always been something at the back of my brain (and I always try to incorporate fresh fruits/veggies into my cooking), but not something I made a priority. Over the course of the year, I've started watching more documentaries, reading more articles and books, and talking to more people about plant-based diets/juicing. Here are some of the resources I'm talking about:

• Hungry for Change
• Fork Over Knives
• Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
• Vegucated
• Food Matters

Now, I'm not saying I could EVER completely give up meat and dairy, but I will fully own up to the fact that I eat too much of these things and not enough produce. Lately I've been feeling really tired, sleepy, and lethargic...so you know what? I'm gonna try something new - something other than just my normal bursts of health and fitness, where I"ll exercise a bit more, eat a bit better, but ultimately fall off the bandwagon. 

I'm going to go on a veggie cleanse. Not a full-on juice cleanse (because we ALL know how grumpy Emily gets without some sort of food in her system), but something that's radically different enough from the norm to shock my system. So once my juicer arrives, I'm committing to the following:

• 14 Day Detox
• Two fresh juices a day (one in the morning, one in the evening)
• Fresh veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains for my mid-day meal
• No sweets

For any experience juicers out there - any tips? Recipes? Advice? I'm really excited to get going!

Emily's Eats: Tangy Sausage Soba Noodles

Om nom nom - just looking at this picture makes me salivate!

What You'll Need:

(Click for larger image)

Ingredients

5 links of Sweet Italian Sausage

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

One head Green Cabbage (or a bag of already shredded cabbage)

3-4 TBSP White Wine Vinegar

Soba Noodles 

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

1. In saucepan, bring roughly 3 quarts of water to a boil (add a bit of olive oil); add in soba noodles, boil for 4 minutes, take off heat and let steam for 1 minute, then drain and rinse with cold water (set aside)
2. While noodles are boiling, cut onion and shred cabbage (set aside)
3. Heat wok and add in a splash of olive oil; remove sausages from casings into the hot oil and break up with a spoon; fry up until fully cooked (4-6 minutes)
4. Once sausage is cooked, use a slotted spoon to put sausage on a plate (set aside)
5. To the rendered sausage fat, add the chopped onion and cabbage and season with salt and pepper; let cook down (8-10 minutes)
6. Once veggies are tender, add back in the sausage and the soba noodles and use two large wooden spoons to toss together; add in white wine vinegar (to taste - I like mine more vinegary), toss again
7. Serve up!

This dish is the perfect combination of noodles, spicy sausage, tangy vinegar, and flavorful cabbage and onion...Next time I make this, I'm going to experiment a bit and try adding in garlic, peppers, and possibly radishes. This meal is a great one to make-ahead (I'm having it for lunch all week) and is pretty good for you (a serving - roughly 2 cups of the finished mixture) is under 500 calories - score!! 

If you can think of any other ways to add to this recipe, please email me or comment on this post!

Cheers,

-Em

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start

Name: Em(ily)
Age: 25 1/2
Current Location: My Kitchen (in Somerville, MA)
Last Meal Eaten: Soba noodles with cabbage, red onion, and Italian sausage
Last visit to the Grandmother Land: 3/27/13-4/8/13


Those are the vitally important details because

1. Generally, introducing oneself is considered polite 
2. What I've eaten and where I've traveled are hugely essential components of what this blog is all about

I love food. I love to travel. I love food and I love to travel. Right now, I'm trying to find a way to accomplish my goal of seeing the world, eating every weird and delicious food I can get my hands on, and [and this is crucial] making a living while doing both. 

How else can you get what you want but to ask for it? So, Dear Internet, I'm writing to you. I'm asking that any of you - no matter the country, the job, the language, the food, the climate, the ANYTHING - write me an email letting me know about the opportunities available where you are. You can email me at:

em.in.europe.2013@gmail.com

Because not every post can be about imploring you to let me know of opportunities in your town, I will be doing what so many friends and family members have told me to do - I'm going to write a food blog. I'll be reviewing restaurants. I'll share recipes that I cook. I'll ask you to send me your favorite recipes and restaurant recommendation to try. And I'll see what happens next (that's the exciting part!)...

Cheers,

-Em