I'm currently listening to Beyonce's "Love on Top" from Sunday's VMAs. Youtube it while you read this-- I guarantee it will make you 10,000x more excited about life (and maybe even this blog!). Yay for B and her baby bump.
Lately I have been cooking (amazing, right?), finding fun places in Atlanta, and decorating my apartment in between working and keeping up with new big girl duties. Here is a little taste of my apartment-- still adding some things here and there. I love blue and yellow, in case you couldn't tell.
The kitchen and dining area (the most important part)
I love my love birds.
Thanks, Ikea!
There is an herb garden at the entrance to my building. I'm still planning my stealthy clipping session. A girl needs her rosemary, right?
Why yes! Yes there is an urban vegetable garden!
There are pocket gardens, each with a different theme, around the complex.
This is a poor-quality view of downtown ATL near my apartment.
Stay tuned for next week's episode of Cribs.
Products on my radar lately
Atlanta Fresh Greek Yogurt
I have started eating this local delight every day at lunch. The skim honey variety is my fave-- great with a Ginger Snap
Larabar mixed in :)
De Boles Organic Oat Bran spaghetti
Good, nutty flavored pasta. I added Summer squash, kale, veggie marinara, goat cheese and turkey meatballs for a yummy dinner.
Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes
I want to try the sweet potato kind next.
Back to Nature Apple Cinnamon Oat Grahams
These are so good spread with some honey peanut butter!!
Cilantro!
I have never used cilantro very much until now-- I can't get enough of it!
+
Varasano's
This pizzeria is awesome!! I read about it on
Tasting Table, and my friend, Callie, and I met up there the other night for some pizza pies and beer
(Ephemere Apple!). We shared the Fontina Mushroom and Chica Bella pizzas and both were fantastic.. I want to try the Dolce one next time-- rosemary, dates, walnuts and honey.
photo courtesy of Danie Zemans via pubsub.com
What I've been cooking
Summer Farro Salad
Cook this before summer runs out! The farro is healthy delish and, let's face it, fresh mozzarella and basil just make everything better.
Bruschetta with Ricotta, Honey and Lemon
and (wait for it)
Raspberry and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
You could also use strawberries in place of raspberries. I used Humboldt Fog goat cheese. For all you goat cheese haters (sorry, we will never be friends), you could always sub another creamy cheese like a soft ricotta.
Quinoa Burrito
I had a fridge-clean-out dinner the other night and sauteed some veggies into quinoa that I stuffed in a spinach tortilla. I also added a veggie burger with some melted parm. Not half bad! I made some darn good pita chips with the spinach wrap, EVOO and a sprinkling of salt, as well.
Power Juice
I never thought the day would come that I would enjoy some fresh squeezed green veggie juice. What a breakthrough.
I don't know about you, but this emerald pulpy concoction has me saying "Yes! Give me juiced veggies!" Right. Sure. Yeah. OK.
It
really was SO good (and I'm not being sarcastic this time).
Nasty Quinoa
I am an honest person. Honestly. So honest that I will fully disclose a recipe of mine that I never want you to attempt. Ever. It was nasty. Even the best chefs (such as me, of course) make mistakes. This was one of them:
What started out as harmless sweet potatoes and tempeh,
turned out to be just plain inedible. I don't even recall what I added to the mix that created this bland, colorless invention, but don't do it.
One last thing
I'm pretty sure I've been living under a rock because I am apparently the last person to know about
Pinterest. If you are like me and had not heard about it, give it a browse. Check out my food + recipe board while you are there!
Happy eats, drinks and spirits til next time.
