days go by.

i am officially old.

today, my baby sister graduated high school!

love you, girl, and congrats!

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as a result of said milestone, i don't have another disgusting post for you guys today.

but i can use this one as a shameless plug for the Blogger Secret Ingredient Contest!

don't forget, your peach recipes are due by Sunday night, june 20th!

you don't have to be a cooking whiz to enter, either.

sometimes, the best things in life are the most simple!

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what was something that made you feel really old?

-rebekah

reviews, races, and remembering momma.

ok... so when did i fall off the face of the blogosphere?

i have a bit to catch up with you guys!

first, can i just say how much i love robert downey jr?

om nom nom.

if going to prison is wrong, i don't wanna be right.

ahem.

iron man 2 was really good! i liked it better than the first one.

and i'm not gonna lie, as much as i want to hate her, can i trade lives with scarlett johansson?

she's absolutely crazy in this movie.

ironic how they're posing identically.

anyways, if you liked the first iron man, go see the second one.

or if you didn't give a crap abou the first one, go watch my husband robert downey jr!

on a completely related note, i got to go to a new favorite restaurant last week!

palani drive is a cute little place in the older part of richmond. the best way i know how to describe it is... fusion? like a mix of vegetarian, mexican and asian food...

...which, coincidently, is the food that will be served in heaven.

salsa? hummus? tahini? cashews? peanut sauce?

i'll take it.

i'm little sister, she's big sister

and apparently i have a killer vein attacking my neck.

... no wonder i have such an attractive boyfriend.

Spicy Thai Peanut – rice, black beans, spinach, spicy peanut sauce, tomatoes, scallions, crumbled peanuts, chile tortilla – 5.95

la mama and i split this, and also ate this:

Palani Salad – mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, scallions – 5.95

... and yes, that is a box of currants and a bottle of hot sauce in the background.

what, you don't bring your own accessories when you go out?

what do you carry in your purse then!?

also a noteworthy nosh:

from whole paycheck's hotbar, of course.

roasted beets, yeller squash, lemon asparagus, and the best 5 bean salad that must be recreated.

... jessica, get on that!

seriously, i could eat those beans every. flippin. day.

moving right along - today was one of the best days i've ever had.

bright and early, mom and i headed downtown to run the susan b. komen race for the cure,

a 5k fundraiser to fight breast cancer and increase prevention awareness.

there was a great crowd...

a few thousand people, for sure.

god totally blessed us with a perfect spring day to race.

love that breeze!

most of the race took place on the bridges over the river, which was really cool.

new favorite picture!

this fall, mom will have been in remission for 4 years.

needless to say, we were feeling a little celebratory mid-run.

the 804, baby!

home stretch...

the view from the bridge.

sometimes, va ain't all that bad.

post-race, in all our shweaty glory.

shameless health plug:

you guys, if i can encourage you to do anything this mother's day, please lovingly encourage your mom to get a yearly mammogram!

my mom, like a lot of other incredible moms, put her health on the back-burner to raise her kids. if she had just taken the time for her mammograms, though, she might not have had to endure hell fighting breast cancer.

other things also raise your risk:

- drinking alcohol, even one drink a day

- being overweight, even a few pounds!

- not exercising consistently

these things seem like "normal" parts of life, but they're not healthy habits.

so please, please, please, nag your mom to make her health the top priority this year.

she can't be a good mom if she doesn't put herself first every once in a while, and prevention through a healthy lifestyle is the only way we can stop this monster.  

phew, you bored yet?
hopefully, tomorrow i will get the chance to post the second part of my thoughts i've been working...

and i've been really thinking about your definitions of beauty.
thanks for your thoughts, and keep 'em coming!
-r

quickie.

hey ladies!
getting ready to run out the door, literally!

just wanted to drop you a quick update.

last night, i saw this:

in about 2 hours, i will be running this:

and now i'm asking this:

what is does the word "beautiful" mean to you? 

see you soon with movie review, race recap, and part 2 to last week's post!

-r

that's how i roll.

... like my sushi joke (hah hah??).

ahem.
moving on.

i am finally gettin' my groove back in the kitchen, y'all.
thank jesus.
after fighting with a highly irritable belly for a few months, let's just say inspiration in the kitchen has been... lacking.

what got my rear in gear?
last week, my boy took me to a little place across from his house because i was craving sushi like a raging pregnant woman (of which i am not. to clarify.).

we'd been there before, but i figured i should check out the menu again to see what looked good.
low and behold, they added a new roll to the otherwise standard menu - an avocado and mango roll.
my foodie heart leapt for joy!

it was surprisingly really flavorful, but i couldn't help thinking, "you know... i could do better."

... so, i did.

ugly but tasty homemade sushi.

- package of nori (i got ten sheets/servings at whole foods for $3.99)

- cooked sushi rice (instructions below)

- your choice of main fillings - i used laughing cow wedges, smoked salmon, mango, and avocado)

- thinly julienned vegetables

optional garnishes - sesame seeds, soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger

let's do this thing.

1. make your sushi rice.

there are plenty of credible websites that teach you how to make an authentic batch of sushi rice, but here's my completely unauthorized, unqualified version:

- cook rice with equal parts rice to water.

- take off the heat, stir in a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a splash of rice vinegar.

- let cool to room temperature.

2. while your rice is cooking, chop your fillings.

- because of previously stated craving, i used thinly sliced avocados and mangos for one, and laughing cow, salmon, carrots, and cukes for another i fed to my guinea pigs family and friends.

3. lay down a sheet of nori, sprinkle a layer of sushi rice (leaving an inch uncovered at the top and bottom), and line fillings towards top.

4. hold your breath and pray fervently to the sushi gods while you roll tightly.

5. wet your fingers and seal the edge WELL. wet a sharp knife and slice into 6 pieces, wetting between each slice.

6. top with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce!

experience foodgasms.

consensus: score.

i'm not gonna lie, i can't really think of too many times recently when i didn't think i could do better after going out.

am i alone in this?

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another motivation to get back into the kitchen?

my mom pestering me to make hummus for her.
again.
for the 10,000th time.

i kinda feel dumb calling this a recipe.

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

- scoop of nut or seed butter

- juice of 1 lemon (watch those pesky seeds!)

- 1 tbsp oil

- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- spices of choice

1. combine first 5 ingredients in food processor, and pulse until smooth (or not. it's your life.). i used chunky peanut butter for my nut butter and sesame oil for my oil, fyi.

2. season according to taste. start with a teaspoon or two of each spice, and adjust as you go. i usually use black pepper, smoky paprika, chipotle chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, and onion powder.

consensus: i love it in paninis, on crackers, with carrots, on english muffins...

you guys know this.

i'm preaching to the choir.

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and p.s. - i'm finally going back to school!!!

i'll be at VCU this august for community health education, then specialize in culinary nutrition. 

after years of doctors' visits, countless blood tests, and a whole lotta tears, i'm finally moving forward again with my life.

it's been so frustrating to be home... not because i don't want to be here, but because i feel like it's just one more thing standing in between me and accomplishing my passions.

i have things to say, places to go, and people to eat with!

i know that this illness has, and will, serve a purpose in my life, and hopefully many others' lives as well.

i am actually incredibly thankful for it.

not that it's been pleasant, but because it has shown me how much i take things for granted, and after this, i will NEVER do that again.

i cannot thank god enough for giving me the strength to move on, my family for hugs when i need it, and you guys for support and encouragement!

-r

i made some food this weekend.

hey guys!

hope your weekend was as amazing as mine!

mine was awesome for many reasons, but let's focus on the food, shall we?
as usual, saturday was family dinner night.
but it was an unusually EXCITING dinner.

wanna know why? let me explain...
since i have been eating meat-free, i haven't encountered a single problem. no one thinks i'm weird, there's always food for me to eat, and i get plenty of protein (right girl?).

the cool thing?
my mom has gone mostly vegetarian now! she and i have had a few discussions about why i went veggie, and she's joined me! not only that, but my boy watched food, inc. and has really stepped up his eating habits (and totally supports me meat-free).
both of them are totally transforming their diets, and i'm so proud!

soooooooo, where was i? dinner, right?
for the last few weeks, mom and i have started making more meat-free meals for the family.
as a family that's lived off meat-starch-veggie for all of our lives, this is huge! so saturday was no exception.

and whose recipe did i consult for my veggie venture?

my future hubs, bobby flay of course.

my baked version of bobby's falafel

1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and rubbed dry with a towel 

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1/2 medium onions chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons smoky paprika
2 teaspoons hot curry powder
Scant 2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- saute garlic and onion until translucent (3 minutes over medium)
- throw everything in in the food processor and pulse until roughly combined (scraping down the bowl when needed)
- form into 4 patties, pressing tightly so they don't crumble
- spray with pam and cook on your grilltop pan (or bake at 425* until brown)
serves 4.

i'm just gonna put it out there - my dad ate one, my mom and i ate one, and my boy ate two.
slam dunk.

also on the menu?

sweet potato fries,

sliced thin, sprayed with olive oil, and sprinkled with garlic powder and steak seasoning (ironic for our veggie meal, no? they're a delicious combo of seasonings!)

i may have made my boy addicted to these :)

aaaaaaaand...

you will never see me post a meal without a kitchen sink salad.

ever.

quick bar reviews:

gnu bar orange cranberry:
not bad. orange tasted a bit fake, but i had to try these for my girl!
my mom and i got a free sample at whole foods, and can't complain.

my favorite part is the bird "it works!"

i think that means heck yes this bar will (...ahem) clear you out.

raw revolution raspberry and chocolate:

my thoughts? if you NEVER eat sugar, you will be fine with this bar (i was).

otherwise? it might be a bit too "earthy" tasting for you.

a word of caution: i think it had 300 calories in it.

that might matter to you if you're trying to lose weight.

it's kinda a "meal replacement," i guess.

do you guys have family dinner traditions?
is it hard for you vegs to eat family meals?
-r

this is not about food.

shocking, i know.

i mean, who knew i did anything else but grocery shop?

no eats today, just earth day photography (my hobby that's been on backburner).

i went to lewis ginter botanical gardens this morning with the two ladies i love most.

if you come to richmond, let me take you there! it's the most gorgeous thing in va, as you'll see :)

mrs. k - my adopted aunt. such an incredible woman.

and she reads the blog! bonus!

la mama - my rock.

ahh! don't fall in!

"if you notice a great deal of thrashing around in the lakes, fear not! tis the season for courting!"

what time is it?

oh look... they found me.

hope you guys enjoyed the spring photo shoot :)

get outside and play!

and stephanie's having an awesome giveaway! check it out!

-r