Good morning! How are you today? Did you get Labor Day off of work or school?
I took the holiday at its word and spent almost the entire weekend spread out on the dining room table like this, studying. (Yes, that is a container of plain chickpeas sitting on my notebook… it’s my new favorite study snack. I’m a little weird, I know!)
You know what helps studying? Grilled peaches! (Although, to save time, you can halve the fruit and throw them in the microwave for 90 seconds.)
I did get out a few times, though… my friend and I sat in the park for a couple hours on Sunday. We couldn’t figure out how we possibly didn’t hear this car explode, but all of a sudden we heard sirens and saw people running over. We didn’t see any ambulances and saw two guys standing by the car a little later, so I don’t think anyone got hurt.
My dad and I shared a surprisingly satisfying meal at Hummus Place, which opened a location in our neighborhood relatively recently. Because Monday was a holiday they were still serving brunch, so we split the Mediterranean Eggs: two eggs cooked over easy in a spicy tomato sauce, served over toasted whole wheat pita bread. We also ordered two appetizers: babaganush and zaatar pizza with spices, tomato, olive tapenade, and yogurt sauce. A+ Hummus Place!
This weekend, I also realized how much to sweat. Not the kind of sweating you do when you’re pressed up against five other people on a crowded subway train, but the kind that comes from physical exertion. After being cooped up all day trying to memorize the formulas of polyatomic compounds, it felt amazing to just go outside and burn off steam. I had three good runs, and proudly came home to take a picture of my sweaty self to show it off for you 
.
In my never-ending cure to find dairy that doesn’t hurt the **** out of my stomach, I tried this sheep’s milk Greek yogurt my parents got upstate. It’s made locally in Little Falls, NY, and unlike goat milk yogurt, doesn’t have a really strong taste. The texture is great- very thick, as it’s made with whole milk- and really creamy. I did feel a little bit of a twinge after I ate it, but nothing major.
Speaking of cool kids, I finally joined them by hopping on the Nut Butter Crusted Fry train.
I used the cute little carrots that showed up at my CSA last week. Seriously, how adorable are they? I didn’t even bother peeling them because there would have been nothing left… just chopped off the heads and tails.
And as for matters of the heart, sometimes things actually are more “okay” than we think they are. As human beings we are amazingly resilient, and I’m appreciating that more and more each day.
—
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
Week 32: (Modified) Tomato Salad on a Roll
Week 33: None 
Week 34: None
Week 35: Pappardelle with Spiced Butter
Week 36: Cucumber Peanut Salad, Grilled Peach and Avocado Salad
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What did you do this weekend? Did you learn any life lessons?
Avocados are my favorite salad addition, but never even thought to do peaches
You may have just perked my interests 
you are so disciplined in your studies, katie! can you teach me how to be like that?
LOVE the hummus place. i’ve been to the st. mark’s location once before and am definitely gonna hit up the one up here ’cause it was that good. mmm, fresh pita and hummus.
oooh, band aids and heart-related things. glad you bring up resiliency. i never really thought about this until i went to social work school, but it’s so so true – we really have no choice but to bounce back when life brings us down, especially if we really want to LIVE to the fullest extent. and this i know you want to do. so yay for being resilient. it takes us all very far, despite the muck that gets us stuck temporarily.
I love chickpeas straight up too!! The greek food looks fantastic. Glad you were able to escape for a bit. I contnued to learn what foods upset kaylins tummy
that’s it, i vow to try nut butter fries (:
xo.
“Sweat a lot” = drenched clothes. Guess you don’t qualify, after all!
This weekend was exciting because I ran ten miles by myself!
And chickpeas?… I loved them that way before I even realized it was supposed to be weird. Not that I would have cared if I did!
<3 <3
I remember eating at Hummus Place with you! It was just what I needed.
This weekend I… sailed a lot with my dad, which was lovely.
I am very glad you are feeling more “okay.” Hugs for you.
Definitely. This weekend I learned that it’s okay if my future is unclear – just need to take it all a step at a time and a day at a time.
xoxo
yay for a good schweaty run! i always find that after being cramped up inside or in the brain are always the best workouts
those fries look LIFE CHANGING and i am heading over to see that recipe like RIGHT THIS MINUTE. hope you’re having a great day lady <3
My dear friend Katie, I loved the last sentence of this post. Thank you.
Crazy! I just had microwave peaches this morning before I even read your post. I love it.
thanks for the grilled peaches on salads reminder. such a great addition…add in avo and its heaven on a plate.
oh hummus place – i wish they would open a location in ca.
glad your heart is doing ok. muah! i cant wait to see you
did you get my email about friday afternoon?
I love chickpeas! I’ll have to try snacking on them raw, that’s new to me
Also, glad you’re doing okay, and SUCH a cute little band aid heart <3