Happy Friday, friends! 😀
Sorry to have stood you up last night, but I was more-or-less indisposed…
Yep. I went there. I ventured into Ikea-land, and it took me a good 3 hours to find my way back out. Happens. every. single. time. Popping in for “a quick visit” quickly becomes “Omigosh look at all the neat stuff they’ve got!“, and before I know it, 3 hours gone. Just like that.
But that’s okay, because I know I’m not the only one who has an obsession with Ikea… and I came home with some pretty sweet goodies to boot. What kind of goodies? That’s a secret that I’ll share with you in exactly 20 days, which just so happens to be the amount of time left until my big move. EeeeeEEEEee!
Ahem. Aaaaanyways…
So I came home, did the dinner thing…
Roasted kabocha squash with cottage cheese and almond butter. Broccoli and hummus.
… and by that point all I wanted to do was plop myself onto the couch, watch some Gossip Girl, and read some blogs. So that’s exactly what I did. And it. was. blissful… which may or may not have been due to the fact that the wonderful Alexa and Kate tagged me with the following award…
… which requires me to share 7 facts about myself and pass it on to 7 other bloggers. But since I’ve currently got food on the brain (helloooooo crazy lifting appetite), I’ve decided to share 7 foodie facts instead. Hope you enjoy 😀
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1. Last night’s dinner was the first time that I ever tried kabocha squash. Usually, when I’m craving me a hefty dose of vitamin A and beta carotene, I go for sweet potatoes, butternut, or pumpkin; but that darned kabocha has been sitting on my counter for ages now…
… and enough was enough…
I’d had my fill of its incessant taunting, and decided it was time to snuff it out. Best. decision. ever.
Big fan.
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2. I finally found Oikos in the grocery store. I saw the sign ad that made me squeal like a little girl informed me that they were going to be bringing it to Canada exactly one week ago, but each store I went to either didn’t have it, or was out of stock. Until today…
Verdict? Big fan. Might have just climbed to the top of my list. Maybe eventually we’ll get Fage and Chobani too. Fingers crossed.
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3. After a lengthy and rigorous process of experimentation, I can say with 99.99% confidence that I prefer eating ice cream in a cone over having it out of a cup/bowl.
I’m sorry cup/bowl lovers. Toppings and spoons are fun and all, but there’s something so satisfying about the simplicity of licking ice cream off a cone. And that last bite?
Yeah. You just can’t beat that…
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4. I had my first taste of almond butter at the ripe age of 24.
Funny story. I have a severe allergy to peanuts, but I grew up thinking that I was allergic to all nuts. Apparently, my parents were worried that I would get confused as a young child and end up eating peanuts by mistake, so they made it easy on me by just raising me to believe that I was allergic to all nuts in general. Uhm. Thanks, Mom and Dad?
Two years ago, I found out from the doctor that this wasn’t the case, but why my parents never bothered to tell me the truth is beyond me. I guess maybe it was an oversight on their part. Or maybe they started believing it themselves. Heck, even I still have a hard time shaking off the idea that I’m not allergic to all nuts. I’m comfortable with almonds…
… but the rest of them? Still a little anxious when it comes to experimenting with those…
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5. I eat slowly and really like to savor my meals whenever I can.
A little taste of this…
A little taste of that…
A little time to take it all in. Note: this only works if I’m not too hungry, otherwise you can bet that I’m wolfing down my meals in 2.2. Oh, and you guys already know that I’m a plate licker 😉
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6. I have no idea why, but my appetite has been off. the. charts lately. It seems to be especially bad between the hours of 1:30 – 5 where I seem to be constantly nibbling on something…
… with “something” usually being yogurt or trail mix. I’m trying to embrace it as best as I can, but it definitely takes some getting used to.
. – . – . – .
7. I’m completely obsessed with the combination of chocolate, bananas, and almond butter.
… and I don’t see it going away any time soon 😀
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Tag! You’re it!
1. Tori @ Fresh Fruition
2. Nicky @ Kabochafasion
3. Sarah @ Feeding Brain and Body
4. Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health
5. Alexis @ Pumped for Pumpkin
6. Brittany @ Itty Bits of Balance
7. Emma @ Sweet Tooth Runner
. – . – . – .
Do we have anything in common? If not, any foodie facts you want to share?
Do you have any food allergies/intolerances?
hehe, funny read! I still doubt if this is really the fact though?
I’m glad you liked the kabocha squash!! I love them, although I’ve never tried it with almond butter. I think I need to try that soon 😉
I think the one thing I have the most trouble with is eating slowly. I literally scarf down my meals and I think it’s just become a habit. Sometimes I’ll try to eat more slowly, but I just end up eating faster and faster towards the end…
Almond butter, banana, and chocolate together are just…off the charts good! Yummm 😛
Can’t believe you didn’t try almond butter until you were 24 ! 😮
I too, didn’t try many of my favorite foods until much later in life. So strange, isn’t it?
And many of them (like steel cut oats, nutritional yeast, coconut butter, sunbutter) I learned about from blog-stalking. I love the way the blog world inspires others to try new things!
hands down that is my favorite squash!!! and i like to savor my meals,too. They are so much more satisfying that way!
Yay you tried kabocha! It’s my favorite squash. Thankfully there is a local store which stocks up on it all year long 😀 My hunger has been crazy lately too. It’s almost scary to be honest haha. Well, I never got my food intolerances tested but I’m sensitive to dairy and a tiny bit toward nuts. Dairy gives me horrible problems! I just cut it out because it left me feeling pretty crappy and I’m fine with a little amount of nuts, but I have to watch how much I have or I get skin irritations. It’s worse with peanut butter, but it still sucks because I can’t enjoy my AB fully.
That was fun 🙂 I love when bloggers do little surveys and you get to learn more about them. I was just eyeing a kabocha squash yesterday at Whole foods! I’ve never tried one and I totally should have just got it. Next time 🙂
Thankfully I am not severely allergic to anything…but sometimes I wonder if I may be sensitive to some foods. Every once in a while, after I eat I just don’t feel right. My digestion feels off and I just don’t feel well. I have tried to eliminate certain foods to see what the culprit might be and I have yet to discover it. I’m on a never ending quest to discover what foods make me feel awesome and what foods are not the best for me! It’s a learning process for sure. In yoga the other day, the instructor was talking about how we are all our own personal science experiments and we know our own bodies the best. That really stuck with me. I guess you could say I’m still experimenting and trying to get to know myself better. 🙂
Anyway…one more thing I wanted to say! I tried your Pumpkin Chili Mexican Scramble and I’m HOOKED! I’ve tried it with pureed pumpkin AND pureed sweet potato and different variations of spices and veggies. Awesome. Thanks for that recipe, love <3 Have an amazing day!
I hated soy sauce until I was 15. It wasn’t until a friend used amino acids on a stir fry that I suddenly understood the appeal. I still prefer the aminos to actual soy sauce though.
I have some mouth allergies that really stink 🙁 Eggplant, tomato, and whole almonds with skin. They give me awful mouth ulcers! So unbearable
I’m extremely allergic to all nuts (Including peanuts), but the good news is almonds aren’t actually nuts! They are a relative of the peach/apricot family. I didn’t find this out until I was in high school and didn’t even try almond butter until after college. Now I’m avid fan! It is scary though, the first time you try something after thinking you were allergic to it your whole life…be careful with anything other than almonds! (Cashews are related to the peanut/legume family so I would definitely stay away from those…)
more info on almonds: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20
Oh wow… I actually had no idea about the almonds. But yeah it IS really scary to try things that you thought you were allergic to, so maybe I’ll lay off on the other nuts for now. I’m pretty happy with almonds as it is.
EEeeeeEeee you FINALLY tried my ALL time favorite food ever ever weeeee! 🙂 🙂 So glad you love it girly! But gah, you’ve made me incredibly jealous because I STILL can’t get it!
Thanks for tagging me lovie, I will try and do this when I can after all the NYC catch up haha!
I so wish I could take my time with food but I’m always just so hungry I just scoff it down and before I know it, my plate is totally clean boo! I have a ravaging appetite recently too. Whilst I was away my parents were like ‘you’re hungry AGAIN?! where is it all going, to your legs?!’ hehe! But at the same time they were of course extremely proud to see how healthy and happy her daughter is now 🙂
As for food intolerances, mine is fish and seafood which I’m totally not bothered about because just the smell makes me gag! Bleghhh!!
Glad you finally tried Kabocha!! I know, it’s freaking awesome 😉
And Yes! OIKOs is finally in Canada. I think it’s exclusively in Safeway only, though.
Food intolerances…ha.(sigh) I’m highly suspecting dairy – which is really unfortunate for someone who loves yogurt. I also have to be careful when I eat tropical fruits; otherwise I’ll get some kind of rash all around my lips 😛
Actually, I’ve found Oikos in Save on Foods and Superstore as well. It’s getting around 😉 And I’m not sure if I have that problem with all tropical fruit, but with pineapple for sure. I can’t eat it without breaking out and getting a HUGE stomach ache.
I am right there with ya on the chocolate, bananas, almond butter combo 🙂 And I also try to eat my meals pretty slowly and savor each bite. BUT sometimes, I’m just way to hungry and it’s gone before I realize I had started eating 😉 My boyfriend eats FAST so sometimes I get irritated if we are going to eat together because he is done before I am even a quarter of the way through! Ha but ohhh well 🙂
I don’t have any food intolerances that I KNOW of, and I hope to keep it that way!!
I’m with you on ikea, you go in and never come out empty handed! As well as by bed I got a whole load of other random stuff! Luckily I don’t have any intolerances, I’m so glad of that!
I eat slowly too… sometimes. It takes me like an hour to eat lunch if I have no where to go.
I don’t think dairy likes me but I refuse to give it up.
As for Oikos, I live on East Coast…we have Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, FoodBasics…I don’t see any oikos.
Honestly, I can barely afford greek yogurt anymore (I buy the liberte plain 750 g tubs a lot cause their more for the money). I have less than 200 dollars to spend on groceries per month and am struggling bigtime.
I think I eat way way too many nuts. Yesterday 1/2 cup exactly, No joking. I eat like 20 walnuts in one sitting — c’est beaucoup des noix!
Still binging at night…chocolate..muffins…even big bowls of oatmeal…just bored and stuff. My poor tummy is not good.
almondbutter – so yum!!! I had my first with 22 (a few months ago) and I am definitely addicted. with bananes and chocolate? why not – probably as icecream *dream*… guess there needs to be some kitchen-experimenting done pretty soon.
regarding your fear of nuts: have you ever tried brazilnuts? they are so amazing – my all time favorites. drizzeled over oatmeal or morning cereal *hmmm* …
I’m confused about the Oikos yogurt… I thought Stonyfield was the manufacturer but this kind is made by Danone? Are there TWO types of Oikos yogurt?
Mmm I love kabocha squash but it’s actually really hard to find here. So I usually get acorn/pepper squash, which I love even more. Please tell me you’ve tried that one? If not, you need to get your butt out the door and buy one ASAP! 😉
I’m so jealous that you’re able to eat other nuts! That really opens a lot of doors for you now. I want to get retested for my allergies just in case there’s the tiny chance that I’ve outgrown my allergies. I know it’s a stretch though. 😛
I decided to investigate my Oikos question – it turns out Stonyfield and Danone partnered together to bring Oikos to more stores. It’s all in their FAQs: http://www.oikosyogurt.com/faq 🙂
Oo that’s interesting about the partnership, and I’m glad they did it if it means that we get to enjoy them up here in Canada 😀 And I’ve never actually tried acorn squash.. maybe I’ll pick one up when I next go shopping, but I think I’ve got kind of an obsession developing with kabocha…
I don’t know yet if I am allergic to any food yet, but I am really allergic to cats and dust! 🙂
Finally got around to trying your famous pudding with oatmeal and it ROCKS! not that I doubted you hehe…but I am confused as to how this is healthy? I know it’s made with soy or almond milk but it’s still pudding and it’s technically a desert as it’s pretty sweet, do you use the whole container on top of your oats? I guess I’m hoping you will just tell me how it’s the best thing ever for my body cos now that I started this whole pudding on oats thing I may have a new addiction LOL!!
It’s the best thing ever for your body 😉 Yes it has sugar, but a little bit of sugar isn’t going to kill us, and I’m pretty sure that stressing ourselves out over trying to eat a perfectly healthy diet is more harmful than having a bit of dessert for breakfast – I’ve been eating it for months and I feel great 😀 I don’t usually use the whole container because I find it to be a bit overpowering that way, so I usually use about 1/3 of it? Two heaping spoonfuls, anyways.
I’m glad you have finally experienced the amazing-ness that is kabocha!!
I bought two today, I had been without for a few days and had actually planned on stocking up on 3, but I couldn’t carry them all.
Its such a shame you’re allergic to peanuts, I could say I would swap bodies with you for a day just so you can try it, but then you might like it and I spose cause you have never tasted them before you don’t miss them!
I dont really have any intolerances, except of sweetener like Equal and Splenda. I can’t use them because they make me really bloated and sick.
I use to use them both in place of sugar and I was always wondering why I felt so crap all of them time. Then I changed to a stevia based sweetener and all of a sudden my sore stomach was gone, so I try and avoid aspartame sweeteners, even if I just put one in my coffee I can notice it for the rest of the day.
I’ve never tried Splenda and Equal, but my body doesn’t take well to fake sweeteners either… I can’t even chew gum! Stevia gives me problems too, so I just stick to the real sugar.
Aww cool post! Love the A.B.C (almond butter, bananas, chocolate) combo! O yes icecream cones are so much more satisfying and it doesn’t turn to milk as easily – winwin. I’m exactly the same with Ikea, the Swedes know how to do proper store layout 😉 Lovely to hear that you actually savour your meals- I should really, as eating is always fun but I’m usually listening to something someone has to say and mindlessly wolfing it down! Have a good weekend!!!!
oh yes banana, chocolate, and almond is a great combination love it! I have never tried kabocha squash, I think I will pick one up when I do see one.
Anything in common?? Well I had squash with cottage cheese for dinner last night too except I added in some cinnamon. I also savor my food now. Actually one of my doctors suggested it to me recently as a way to help me overcome binge eating. Its supposed to help me to listen to my tummy and learning to feel full again. I dont really have any allergies but I try not to overdo dairy, ever since i was a teen it hasnt digested well. Too bad I love greek yogurt soo much (Oikos is definately the best one, so glad you found it!!) Im a big decorating nerd so i cant wait to see how your new place turns out 🙂
I still have yet to try oikos!It looks as if on sunday when i go to the grocery store im going to have to try it out for myself!
MMMMMM bananas, chocolate, and peanut butter are a wonderful combination 🙂 especially with whole rolled oats mixed in! YUM!
I love to savor my meals too but like you said, it only works if my appetite cooperates! I love all kinds of squash but have never had the ‘pleasure’ of trying kabocha- looks delicious!
Oh yes, I have many thing in common with you 🙂 I am also a very slow eater who enjoys her meals mostly from bowls, but when it comes to ice-cream, I just eat it “old style” from the scone 🙂 I have discovered almond butter at the same age as you! And my apetite is crazy especially between 2.00 and 5.00 p.m.
My cousin is crazy allergic to peanuts too, (why the are called peaNUTs but are legumes is so weird to me), but she avoids other nuts too for some reason, I guess it is just easier that way and less chance of cross contamination or confusion of others? idk Have you had sunflower seed butter? I don’t think anyone can get out of Ikea in less than a few hours, serious time suck, but fun! And I always “refuel” from all the walking with their ice cream cone, yummm. Kabocha is my FAVORITE, I have missed it since it hasn’t been in season lately, so I am more than ready to devour one soon 🙂
I can understand why you would be wary of all the nuts out there, but so glad you enjoy almonds and almond butter now, yummy! If it helps your concern, peanuts aren’t related to other nuts (which would be why you’re not allergic to the others). Hope you find some new yummy nuts (and nut butters to try)!
I know what you mean about getting stuck in Ikea ooogling all their goodies. I can’t get out of there in any less than 2 hours (and hundreds of dollars)!