Morning and happy humpday! How’s your week going so far? This is actually a very short week for me because of the Mother-Daughter trip. I’m also going away this coming weekend, so I’m only working two days!
It was a little rough getting back into the swing of things yesterday morning, but I got up early and practiced 20 minutes of yoga to soothe my tight hip flexors. I swam every day while we were away, and my muscles aren’t used to it!
Breakfast was a fun mix of home + vacation: Black Cherry Chobani with a homemade granola bar from one of the cafes we went to on our trip.
It was made with oats, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, raisins, apricots, maple syrup, and almond butter… and that’s just what I can remember! It was really good crumbled into the yogurt.
To snack on, I brought a few yellow plums from the CSA. Today’s Wednesday, which means I’ll go to pick up this week’s fruit and veggie share! I wonder what we’ll get?! If there’s time before the weekend, I’d love to bake something again!
The chef made me a veggie burger, bun-free, with tahini sauce and Israeli salad. It was already after 4, but it was light enough so that I wouldn’t spoil my appetite for dinner.
After work, I ran a few errands before meeting my friends Kalle and Danny in Columbus Circle for dinner. It was a gorgeous evening, so we decided to pick up sandwiches and eat outside. We went to ‘wichcraft, a high-quality soup/salad/sandwich shop that consistently churns out delicious (portable!) treats.
I chose the soup + salad combo, opting for 1/2 chopped chickpea sandwich (chickpeas, lemon, arugula, roasted peppers on multigrain) and chilled zucchini soup with ricotta. It was tasty! And I’m always looking for new sandwich ideas.
For dessert, we went to The Lite Choice for soft serve. I got a cup of cappuccino/vanilla with “party mix,” and enjoyed my sugar high.
We sat outside while we ate, goofing around.
It was one of those perfect New York summer nights: not too hot, not too humid; outdoor music playing and people out. After Danny went home, Kalle and I sat outside Central Park and talked even longer.
Goal for 2011 update: Cook One New Recipe A Week
Week 1: Lemony Spaghetti with Bitter Greens & Chickpeas
Week 2: Lentil Chili
Week 3: Chickpeas in Star Anise & Date Masala
Week 4: Thai-Style Black Beans w/ Mango & Cilantro
Week 5: Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus & Brown Rice, Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cheddar and Toasted Almonds, Warm Red Lentil Salad, Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad.
Week 6: Beets, Spiced Quinoa & Yogurt, Sesame-Cooked Eggs Over Rice
Week 7: Curried Parsnip Fries
Week 8: Curried Lentils & Sweet Potatoes
Week 9: Rutabagas with Buckwheat, Black Beans & Kale, Garlicky Mushroom Greens
Week 10: Tamarind Lentils, The Double-Shift Scramble
Week 11: Spicy Chickpea Salad, Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheeze, Spicy Red Lentil, Peanut & Pumpkin Soup
Week 12: Sunday Night Supper Salad, Peanut Butter Banana-Berry French Toast Sandwich
Week 13: Grilled Cheddar-Mushroom Sandwich
Week 14: Black Bean Soup, Sweet Pumpkin Pudding
Week 15: Green Rice
Week 16: Matzoh Buttercrunch Candy, Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew
Week 17: Truffled Turnip Soup, Nutty Lemon Brussels Sprouts, Cookie Dough Smoothie
Week 18: Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake, Spring Pasta
Week 19: Chopped Kale w/ Hot Pepper Vinegar
Week 20: Ultimate Veggie Burgers, Mmm Sauce
Week 21: Ribbed Asparagus Salad with Lemon, Spinach & Chickpeas, Chocolate-Chip Blondies, Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Pancakes, Leek Zucchini Pasta Salad
Week 22: Sesame Ginger Kale Salad, Hoisin Ginger Tofu with Smoky Tahini Slaw
Week 23: Pan-Seared Asparagus Salad with Frisée and Fried Egg, Baked Ziti, Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread, Green Bowl
Week 24: Quinoa Cookies, Chocolate Mousse
Week 26: Sweet Potato Stuffed with Caramelized Tempeh and Sautéed Kale, Shaved Fennel Salad, Summer Pesto
Week 27: Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Week 28: Choco-holic Pancakes
Week 29: Green Israeli Couscous Salad
Week 30: Swiss Chard with Currants and Pine Nuts
Week 31: Babaganoush Soup, Freekeh Risotto, Brown Butter (Plum) Cake or Cobbler
—
What do you do like to do with friends in the summertime?
I saw you guys sitting on the bench eating!– I was in a cab with my mom going to meet the rest of our family for dinner and I looked out the window and said mom, I think that’s Katie, Kalle, and Danny…now I know it actually was.
I love the sound of that sandwich, I’ll also have to try recreating that! My new found love after this weekend is now going to be attending music festivals! We had such a good time and its the perfect thing to do with friends in the summer
My friends and I go hiking a lot..summer, fall, winter, anytime really. They’re always wanting to go do something outside!
That bar looks so dense and delicious!!
Homemade granola bars from cafes like that are truly the best. Glad you are getting readjusted from a fantastic weekend away.
I want your dinner! Seriously, I just spent 10 minutes looking up ‘Wich Craft locations near my office
Whole Foods makes a similar looking/sounding granola bar. The best I’ve ever had. YUM.
i’ve never had a yellow plum!?! i love going for drinks and small plates with friends. we just chat and much away not caring about the time at all! <3 summer nights!
Have fun this weekend, my dear. Are you headed to the Great North?
What an unusual type of soup – it sounds delicious!
We’ve been having lots of barbecues with friends this summer, plus some canoeing and hiking. I love just going on long walks with friends, since it’s free and we get to be outside in this too short of a summer!
Dance, travel, dine, walk, shop, and chat with my friends.
oooh yum, i love ‘wichcraft. was just perusing their menu the other day in hopes of a return trip soon!
uh, i basically enjoy the same things – food dates with friends, workin’ it out, etc. you know the drill
LOVE the idea of a veggie burger with tahini sauce! Yummage.
I keep reading about ‘wichcraft from all the NYC blogs I read and it sounds and looks very yummy! You totally just made me want froyo by the way!
‘wichcraft sounds awesome!! i wish i had something like that near me :/
also, i wanted to thank you for the ‘must have been something i ate’ book! i finally got a chance to flip through it last night and i think i’m going to like it :]
You always have a knack for finding the best places to eat! What were your fave hidden gems in the Twin Cities to eat?