Ass Kissers, The Secret Post Office, and A New Food Find

Word has gotten out that I got the highest grade on the exam. Now people are approaching me asking if I want to be in their study group. There's this one girl who was really weird. She went up to me in the restroom as I was washing my hands and said, "You're in my class aren't you?". "Yes", I said. She then said, "You're my role model! Please help me study for the next exam so I can get a good grade!". Role model? She asked me where I was headed and asked if she could tag along. In my mind I was like, "oh HELL no!". I said I had an important appointment and booked it out of there. WEIRDO!

Downtown was loud and thunderous today. The Blue Angels were tearing up the sky, flying in between the skyscrapers. I went to Macy's basement to look for the secret post office since I had something to mail. Born and raised in SF and never knew about the secret post office. It was pretty neat!

I also found out that Macy's basement has a small food court. And I saw that Rick Bayless has a fast food restaurant here, Frontera Fresco. The first time I fell in love with Rick Bayless was when I watched Top Chef Masters. He is an awesome chef and was responsible for giving regional Mexican cuisine street cred to the gourmet world. He won Top Chef Masters and beat French chefs like Hubert Keller (even though I love Hubert Keller too). His restaurant, Tampolobampo in Chicago, is in my top three culinary destinations. I debated trying Frontera Fresco for fear I may go crazy and blow my diet, but instantly gave in when I read the menu. I had the sweet corn and green chile tamale and a chicken chipotle taco. Man, it was good and the ingredients tasted fresh, not fast-foody at all! The chicken was hormone free and all-natural, even better! The prices are reasonable too! I am definitely coming back here and taking HopAlong with me!

Fatso Manifesto: Trader Joe's Haul #2

Yesterday was another grocery haul at Trader Joe's. I wanted to stock up on items so my trips would be less frequent during the month(the nearest TJ's is 30 minutes from my house, not exactly around the corner) which is why I bought more than I had intended. I ended up walking out with 3 full bags of groceries for $80! I was over my $50 per week limit, but still, $80 for 3 bags sounds like a good deal to me. I got my usual staple items and some new items I wanted to try.

«Check out the goodies...»


Grains and Nuts

Ak-mak crackers, corn tortillas, sprouted grain bread, and raw almonds

Sprouted grain bread I haven't tried before. I saw it on the shelf and decided to pick a loaf up and give it a go since I am trying to limit my gluten, carb, and sugar intake. I've also been reading about sprouted grains and how they are more nutritious than regular wheat bread:

[Sprouted grain bread] is a flourless bread made with grains and legumes that are sprouted before grinding into flour. Sprouted grains have increased vitamin and nutrient content because the seed is first sprouted, making it alive and active in its growth process.

Some of these sprouted grain breads take on a very sweet taste because sprouting changes some starches in grains to sugars. In addition, the bread is moist and is made without yeast. The bread can also be made with no or low salt, and it is sometimes flavored with raisin and cinnamon to make the bread almost dessert-like.

Sprouted grain breads are very healthy. For the most part, sprouted grain breads use organic ingredients and are grown without pesticides and herbicides. They have a low glycemic index of about 45 and are low in saturated fat. - Associated Content


Boxed Items

Almond milk, Corn and Red Pepper Soup, Organic Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Can I just say the organic tomato and red pepper soup is da bomb? I can never get enough of this soup which is why I was very happy that they have a low sodium version.

The Corn and Red Pepper Soup I have never tried before until today. It is REALLY good! It has the sweetness of corn and a slight kick of spice.

Almond milk I have never had before. I've been reading weight loss forums and people have been raving about Almond milk so I decided to give it a try. I'm also bored of soy milk and I've been reading mixed messages about soy milk (ie how it causes cancer because of the phytoestrogens). Not sure if this claim is scientifically proven but it's freaking me out. Anyways, I can't wait to have almond milk with my cereals and oatmeal, I'm sure the nutty flavor will enhance the yumminess!


Dairy and Other Fridge Items

Nonfat greek yogurts, mediterranean hummus, and tzatziki

I liked the nonfat greek yogurt so much, I bought a tub of the plain kind. I love thick and creamy yogurts.

Of course another tub of mediterranean hummus, the best hummus on the planet (next to Mark's and Sparks).

I was so happy when I saw tzatziki on the shelves, last time it was all sold out which sucked. Now I can make falafel burgers and top them off with the tzatziki! Yay!


Canned Goods



I plan to make turkey chili with the organic black beans and the diced tomatoes. Perfect accompaniment with the corn tortillas I bought as a substitute for corn bread.

Light coconut milk for my curry fixes. It's not as creamy and thick as regular coconut milk but whatever it's much less in calories and fat.

The peach salsa and spinach sauce I haven't tried before. On the youtube grocery hauls (I confess I'm addicted) they rave so much about it, I just had to get it. Not sure what I'm going to make with these, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Meats

Grilled Balsamic and Rosemary Chicken, Sundried Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausage

TJ meats are hormone and antibiotic free. I've never tried these before but they sound good. The Grilled Balsamic Rosemary Chicken would be perfect for salads. Chicken sausages sauteed with bell peppers and onions served over quinoa pasta. Does this sound like a weight loss diet to you?



Freezer Items

Steelcut oatmeal, meatless meatballs, soycutash, frozen chopped cilantro and basil, garlic naan

The garlic naan handsdown is the closest you can get to Indian naan served in restaurants. I like to make pizza out of it or make philly cheese steak sandwiches(instead of steak I use grilled chicken).

Frozen steelcut oatmeal is a great invention. They come in packs of two cups. You just pop it in the microwave and eat. So convenient! If you have ever cooked steelcut oats over the stove top, you already know it takes forever to cook. This will be a great grab and go breakfast for me since I will be going back to school next week.

Meatless meatballs I've never had before. 100% vegan and all natural. I figure it would be great for pasta dinners.

I was floored to see the dorot frozen herbs. These are awesome! I always by a bundle of fresh herbs, snip some off for one dish, then the rest spoils by the end of the week.

Soycutash, I've never had but looked interesting. It's a mix of soy beans(genetically unmodified I hope), carrots, and greenbeans.


Produce



I ran out of my staple greens so I dropped by Costco to pick up mixed green salad and some mini cucumbers. I like to snack on mini cucumbers and dip them with hummus. For produce, I usually go to Costco because it is cheaper to buy in bulk (and yes, I do finish it off by the end of the week.), the Asian supermarket and, of course, local farmers markets, also sell very cheap and quality produce.

Wonton Soup Shankill Stylie

Wonton soup is damn tasty!

I am happy to report the new Chinese takeaway on the Shankill serves wonton soup. Believe it or not wonton soup is hard to come by in Belfast. The only other place I know of that sells wonton soup is a Chinese restaurant on Eglantine Avenue.