Sunday, November 10, 2013

This week's Share it Saturday is about packaged food. Packaged food gets a bad rap from time to time. The argument is that it's not fresh and can contain preservatives and other pesky ingredients. Although it does not compare to fresh food, I find there is a place for it in our lives! The key is to check nutrition labels (I usually look at sodium levels, sugar levels, where the fat is derived from, fiber, and ingredients).

Here's just some of my few favorite products:


1. Greens Plus Bars. I used to work at Trader Joes (the affordable hipster supermarket) and I was mildly obsessed with trying out all the energy bars they had. My friend really liked these so I decided to splurge one day and get one. There's no going back once you've had it. The stats are amazing and to me they taste delicious (it reminds me of some Japanese sweet I've had before).
2. GT's Kombucha. Another item available in America but not in Germany. It's a Kombucha drink. You can find them mixed with juices or chia seeds. They are also on the pricey side so I don't buy them too often, but I find them on sale from time to time at Whole Foods.
3. Fage Yogurt. Greek Yogurt is my favorite type of yogurt because it's super creamy and feels decadent. There's usually more calories in Greek Yogurt but there are Fat Free varieties and besides, there's a lot of protein in there!
4. Garden of Life Raw Meal. I bought this huge container and again, it's not cheap (2.5 lbs for $34?) It is however some kind of a miracle. The ingredient list is ridiculous and so are the nutrients that come from everything. I will say that it tastes absolutely disgusting and there is a grainy texture but I try to mask it with some sugar fruits (ex. pineapple, bananas, mangos, etc.) in a smoothie. Really good if you want to take a bunch of greens in one go (without actually having a bunch of greens lying around).
5. Trader Joe's Hummus. I love hummus from Trader Joe's. Much like my experience with trying all the bars, I've pretty much tried all the hummus. The Cilantro Jalapeño is one of my favorites. It has a nice kick to it.
6. Green Curry Paste. I have a tub in my fridge and all I can say is that it instantly transforms dishes into something spicy, aromatic, and tasty. It's only a few simple ingredients. The only downside is that salt is included in the paste so you have no control over that.
7. Okame Natto. Natto is fermented soybeans. People that know me know I love this stuff. It's definitely an acquired taste. Just know that although it may smell bad, it doesn't taste like how it smells, so maybe you'll like it if you give it a shot.

So there is a small list of some of the products I love. I hope you can try some of these things if you've seen them around but never picked them up. Ciao everyone and happy weekend!

Share it Saturdays No. 3 ft. Packaged Foods

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

You know what is really strange? Every time I think about dining out, I always think of Anthony Bourdain's episode of the Layover in NY, and how he wraps up the Upper East Side with the Papaya King (New York's institution of hot dogs and papaya smoothies).

First of all, I am not even going to start my ridiculous fangirling over Anthony Bourdain because he would actually disapprove and I think the whole world wants to be on Bourdain's good side. I also don't want to bore you with memories of going to school near Papaya King and knowing exactly what he's talking about. Instead I want to stress the idea behind why I mentioned this particular moment in television history: the fact that eating out never has to be glamorous for it to be good.

It all started with a train delay and a cup of coffee.


Weird start to the day considering I rarely drink coffee let alone buy it out. It was okay but I much prefer espresso--one whole cup is just too much buzz for me!

The rest of the day was a blur. I think I went to the gym. I think I ate rice cakes. I think I met up with Oli and got lost in Neukölln!


Needless to say it's not a neighborhood I know like the back of my hand.

Oli's friend Piotr was waiting at the bookstore we would be eating in.


We went in and saw a room filled with books and comfy chairs. The way it works is, there's a man at the register in the front. You pay 5 euros and get a plate. When the food is done, you pick whatever you want, buffet style. 5 euros for a huge plate of home cooked goodness. Who can say no to that?


Cheers!


I wish my library were this extensive.


Oli's Jever beer.


Here's an example of a plate. They had meat and veg options for all, along with a ton of bread and cheese. The carrot hash was yummy. The thing I really appreciated was that not only was it made by the owner of the bookstore but the food was not overly salty so people could kind of customize it themselves if they wished.

The three of us chatted about nonsensical things as always. Then another guy joined our conversation and we ended up talking about science fiction novels/films for a veeeery long time.

A few hours later, we left and parted ways with Piotr.


Oli and I heading back to our flat and camwhoring.
 
One of the greatest things about Berlin is that there are always places like this where you don't have to spend a lot of money and you don't have to be a certain type of person to enjoy yourself and make friends. It can be a Papaya King or the basement of a bookstore: just sit back and take in all what the world has to offer.

Dining Out in a Bookstore

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Hey guys and welcome to another edition of Share it Saturdays!

Let's just have a moment of silence right now to mourn the consumption of this milk.


This is Hazelnut Milk. Hazelnut Milk and I met a long time ago but we never really got to know each other until just the other day. It was like Romeo and Juliet. We both kind of noticed each other in the aisles of REWE. There were other non-dairy milks that wanted my attention but to the utterly sexy exploding hazelnuts, I just couldn't say no.
I took him home with me and I soon realized that although it had been only a day, I loved him. But with it's 2.69 euro price tag and my declining bank account, I found this to be a forbidden love affair. The next morning I found him lying there, like the end of a dream.

Okay, sorry for the drama guys, but this stuff is awesome. If I were not well educated enough, I'd say they squeezed milk from the non-existent udders of a hazelnut. I think I prefer it more than almond milk. Almond milk is more neutral but I love the nutty sweet flavor without it actually being sweetened.

Another thing I'd like to share (and I am way late on the bandwagon) is this documentary:

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

My father went to go see it when it came out. Most of you don't know that my father doesn't do movie theaters. He likes watching movies on the tv maybe 10 years after their release but theaters are just not his thing. What a shock when he came home and was raving about this documentary.
The reason why it only recently hit me to watch it is because the apprentice Nakazawa (the one who dedicated 6 months to perfecting his tamago dish) has opened up a new spot in NY called Sushi Nakazawa. It's one of the most raved about eating establishments in NY right now, due largely to his role in the film as well as the master he worked under (that and I'm sure it's just really good).
This film is not for everyone. I watched it with Oli and a flatmate and they didn't understand Jiro's mentality, which makes sense if you don't understand Japan's work ethics and ideals. Japan is comprised of extremely hard working people and also people that I find act more with their mind than with their physical being. Jiro had to join the work force at a very young age and he's constantly pushing and striving to be the best. It's a bit manic and I guess if you can't relate to it, it's hard to appreciate it. But I thought overall it was a good portrait of a man who is considered to be the best in his field but doesn't stop trying to learn new things and become better.

This week's Share it Saturday will be just those two things because they really spoke to me. Stay tuned for No. 3 next week! Ciao everyone!

Share it Saturdays No. 2

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Happy November everyone! I took a bike ride this morning and can I just say what lovely riding weather it was? Not much wind, not too cold or hot, just amazing. I hope the rest of the month is like this.

So yesterday was Halloween and as you may or may not know, Halloween is not a big thing in Berlin. In fact, it's not even a thing. Some kids go trick or treating for the candy, but their costumes are not even costumes! Maybe due to that fact, I thought it only natural to have a Halloween party and invite the coolest cats in town.

I was too poor for decorations but see what a pack of colored paper can do.


Yes, those are cats (not rats as someone mistook them for)

I also went a little nutzo in the kitchen and prepared what ended up being more food than we needed (thanks everyone for bringing the nosh!) I initially thought about making chocolate skeleton cookies but decided it would be much more fun to doodle Halloweenie things on round chocolate cookies instead (ha, weenie)<---yes I am 4 years old.




The mess is scary I know.

Here is the finished snack table, complete with garlic knobs (not exactly knots), eyeball meatballs, and the Schoko-Kekse!


Halloween Party Party

Monday, October 28, 2013

Taken from weheartit.com

For a little inspiration today ♡

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Today is my first installment of Share it Saturdays! As my readers from my old blog, Stilettos at the Dinner Table, know, I am a super spontaneous poster. I have no rhythm when it comes to posting (oh Aya, let's face it, you have no rhythm at all), but with the help of this theme, I will remember to periodically share some of my favorite bits and bobs with you guys!

My first finding is actually one I have mildly mentioned before in my Getting Sick in the Summer post. However I had to mention it again because the host, Laura Miller, is back with another season and so far so good.
Below is the premiere where she shows people how to make raw banana ice cream.


Banana Soft Serve has been around for a while and people go absolutely nuts over it because it is so easy (frozen bananas + food processor). What I really enjoy about Laura's video is her multiple takes on the basic recipe. I will definitely be giving the cake idea a go.

Another interesting find is an article from NY Mag's Grub Street: How Out-of-Town Chefs Finally Penetrated New York's Restaurant Scene.

Click Here for the Article

It's funny how I was just talking to someone about restaurant business and then I found this. It's kind of like little tips and tricks that worked for people who opened up food establishments in NY. New Yorkers are really something, I tell you. We like everything from rustic to hipster to fancy to hole in the wall-ish, and we don't mind if our food comes with cloth or paper napkins as long as it's delicious, authentic, and served with a whole lot of personality. Also can we just talk about point #7: cultivating a line? Because if you eat out in NY, you know how crazy that can get sometimes.

Finally two of my beauty faves that I am loving at the moment. I strongly believe that to live in a healthy manner, one should feel beautiful on the inside and out.

The lotion I am using right now is this one:

Victoria's Secret Body Lotion in Love Spell!

I'm a huge Victoria's Secret fan. I watch the show every year and even keep up with the models from time to time. I still remember my first Victoria's Secret anything was a body spray I got for my birthday back in grade school. Their scents are always either sweet or floral which I prefer over musk. Love Spell is one of my favorites--I initially got the lotion as a gift and then I went on to purchase the Body Butter and Body Spray in the same scent.

I'm also loving this color on my nails:

It's Kiko's Nail Lacquer in Color 343, Spring Green. I actually like it for Fall because it's somewhat of an Emerald Teal which goes great with the monochromatic pieces in my wardrobe.

So that's the round up for this week's Share it Saturdays! Let me know what you think. Also if you find anything cool that you think I might like, you can email it to me (email is on the right side). Ciao and hope you have a lovely Saturday!

Share it Saturdays No. 1

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