Top 10 Foods I Could Eat for the Rest of My Life

Recently with my church, I participated in a 21 Day Daniel Fast. In short, this includes, no meats, no sweets and no breads, for the full 21 days, in conjunction with prayer, meditation and study, of course.  For the first year, in many years, this came fairly easy to me. I had very little trouble maintaining this temporary diet, and giving up meat really turned out to be not a huge struggle at all! This, coming from a self-proclaimed “Ultimate Carnivore”.  I mean, I LOVE MEAT!! Nothing makes me happier than a well-seasoned, juicy, tender delicious piece of animal. Which is also slightly ironic, considering how much I love animals (not on my plate). So I mean, this really turned out to be no issue for me at all! Towards the third week though, I began to cave, not on meats, but on the sweets! Again, a HUGE surprise to me! It was touch and go there for a while, but eventually I made it to the end. Not completely successfully, but more successful than I’d ever been, and very very proud of myself. All of this to say, those three weeks got me to thinking: What foods can I actually not live without?? What would I actually go crazy from the loss of? What foods could I eat for the rest of my life? The answer turned out to be really, incredibly hard to come to. I mean, I think I discovered my life’s biggest mystery here. Anyone that knows me, knows that I love food probably more than I should….ok, definitely more than I should. It’s quite possible that the only reason that I am not an actual glutton is because I really do have more important things to love in my life. And because it’s a huge sin, and if I’m gonna get cast out of heaven, I’m not going to let it be because I couldn’t put the bacon down!  So after much contemplation, here’s what I figure I need in my life for always. At least for now. I’m a fickle fickle lover I am.

 

10 – Broccoli

Ok, I know this is a boring one, but come on, there has to be a veggie option right?? And you can pretty much do anything you want to broccoli. You can eat it raw or cooked. Broiled or boiled. Covered in ranch, cheese, butter, or nothing at all!! It’s the ultimate veggie!! Plus is loaded in iron and vitamins stuffs. And it’s green. So you know, the green benes.

 

9 – Pasta

It was very hard to choose between rice and pasta. They’re both so amazing and versatile! But I decided that pasta was the way to go for me. I can do just about anything with pasta that I can do with rice. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will come pretty close depending on how I cook and prepare it!

 

8 – Sunflower Seeds

I could literally sit at my desk or on my couch and eat sunflower seeds ALL DAY LONG!! In the shell or out, they’re the perfect snack! And they can be seasoned every which way you can imagine. LOVE!

 

7 – Tomatoes

I know. Healthier than you thought right? But like sunflower seeds, I can eat a carton of small tomatoes all day as well!! I’m not as crazy about the roasted or sun-dried variety, but a fresh, juicy, plump little pop-in-your-mouth tomato will absolutely make my day!

 

6 – Eggs

Yea. This one is a real weakness of mine. I mean, deviled eggs, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs. Come on! Giving up eggs was the one thing I could not bring myself to bend on during the fast this year. As a matter of fact, I purposefully kept myself from asking my parents if it was ok, because I was terrified that they would say I had to give the eggs up, and then my life would be over. And I need my life.

 

5 – Cheese

Oh precious delicious miraculous thing that is cheese!! I mean really, that’s all I need to say here, right?

 

4 – Fish

Ok, this was a toughie. I LOVE seafood. All kinds of seafood. But I didn’t want this list to be so generic, so I tried really hard to consider one specific type of seafood that I would be the most upset about losing. And fish won, hands down. No, I didn’t choose a specific type of fish, because, let’s face it, that’s like asking if I want to lose my right arm or right leg. That’s just not fair. And no one with a proper sense of mind would make anyone choose. No one.

 

3 – Cookies

I knew I had to throw a sweet in here, or else I might not make it. And the decision between cake and cookies was a difficult as the decision between rice and pasta. They come neck and neck for me and choosing just one is VERY hard! But, in the end, cookies won out. Cookies are a lifetime love, and if given the choice between the two at a buffet or a party, I usually go with the cookies. They’re easy to make, and even better, easy to make just the way you like them! Soft and chewy, or crispy and buttery, or a little bit of both, cookies make me happy in so many different ways it’s hard to decide just between those!

 

2 – Bacon

You thought that’d be number one didn’t you!!! HAHA!! While bacon is the love of my life, it is not the MOST important food in my fridge. Believe me, I was just as shocked as you to discover this! I really don’t need to say much about bacon except, I mean, bacon. So there’s that. And yes, I love all kinds of bacon, I don’t discriminate! Turkey, pork, beef, whatever!! I am DOWN!

 

And the number one food I could eat for the rest of my days is……

POTATOES!!!!

I mean really. I. LOVE. POTATOES!! They make me so happy in every single form they come in. I can add potatos to any meal and will feel like it was mixed with love. I can eat potatoes with anything on this list and be in absolute heaven!! Potatoes make life worth living. They are delicious, filling, healthy(ish), versatile, and downright the perfect food!!

 

So ok. This list was super hard. I mean, I LOVE food and choosing 10 took me much longer than I anticipated. This list may change from time to time. Some things could get swapped out, or switched around or moved up or down. But in the end, all that matters is this: Food Is Life. Don’t ever forget that. I know I certainly never will.

 

--Lo

    --justagirl

An Organization System for My Organization System

I am THAT girl. You know the one. The one that has things everywhere. I mean, EVERYWHERE. The one with the scattered mess of a life that seems really calm inside in spite of it. The one that coins phrases like, “Organized mess”. Oh, that’s me. An outsider would likely get lost in my little storm that I call life. But I could find a thumbtack in it in less than 30 seconds, and not because I stepped on it. It drives my boyfriend nuts, makes my Mother crazy, and I’m probably setting a REALLY bad example for my son.
But I’m not content in this crazy world of mine. I’d love some order. Some organization. Some peace. So I try systems. I try all kinds of little ways to bring some order into my chaos. There have been apps, and PDAs and calendars.
I once went through a post it phase. Oh wasn’t that fun! I had post-its all over the place. I bought post-its of all sizes and colors. I wrote notes and reminders and to-dos, all on different types of post-its. Post-its were the key to my happiness! “I need a post-it to remind me to buy more post-its!” Eventually I realized, this was just creating more of a mess.
Then there was the notebook era. Oh, I had a notebook for my home schedule, and a notebook for my work schedule. I had a notebook for each and every project at work. I had a notebook for the kid’s projects. Soon, my life was full of notebooks. Tons and tons of half used, coffee stained notebooks that I could barely keep track of. And then I started to fill the notebooks with post-its….I think you see where I’m going here.
I needed something better. Something that could organize me, and keep me on track. Something that I could hold onto, and not create more clutter. And then a co-worker of mine introduced me to bullet-journaling. She says to me “Hey Lo, have you heard about bullet-journaling?” “No, I said, what is that?” and she explains to me this neat little system. It’s minimalist, and simple, and amaaazing. Se leads me to this website (bulletjournal.com) and I watch the video and read the site, and I think “This could possibly change my life!” Immediately I go to the store, and I buy a journal. I get just a small one, not too many pages, because this plan, after all, might just fail like the others. I set up my journal, Index, calendars, to-dos, and I fell so accomplished. I take it to work the next day and spend the first 10 minutes of my day sketching out my to-do list. By the end of the day, somehow, my desk is cleaner than it’s been in a year, and I’ve been more productive actually doing what is ON my list of things to do than… EVER! This is the start of a new era! I go home and use my to-do list to start cleaning and clearing out the junk in my house. I use it to take care of my personal errands, and lay out my housework. My bullet-journal quickly becomes as attached to me as my cell phone! Seriously, I almost took it to the bar once…it’s real guys, it’s so so real. 
 
I’ve been using this bullet-journaling method for about 3 weeks now and no, my life isn’t suddenly perfect, and I’m not suddenly a neat and organized goddess. BUT, I am happier, my mind is clearer, my junk is slowly decreasing, and I am more focused than ever before. I think I have finally found the system to rule them all. (Though I am fighting the urge to fill it with post-its…)
Have you had a similar experience? Do you have trouble finding the right system to organize your life? What are some ways that you keep your life in order? Tell me about them/ Has anyone else tried bullet-journaling? What do you think about it?

What's Up Nabisco???

 
So, am I the only person to notice the slow decline in Chips Ahoy cookies lately? Nabisco has been working really hard at these great new flavors and forms of our classic cookies, but somehow, someway, have been altering the flavor of the “original” chocolate chip cookie. My life-store, CVS (yes, life-store, to be explained in a later post), had all of the delicious Nabisco single sleeves on sale, 10 for $10. So, being that I was having a cookie attack anyway, I ransacked the place. So elated was I to have these yummy little chocolatey chip goodies that I ripped the box open and dug in. I was immediately disappointed. Not only are the cookies smaller than normal, but they are less crispy, a tiny bit softer, and have this odd, almost false-cardboardey taste to it. What happened to my cookies??? My co-worker (also concerned with the taste) googled it, and we discovered that we were in fact, NOT the only ones!! There are whole families out there missing the old crispy deliciousness of the Chips Ahoy cookie!!
What have you done Nabisco? Why have you taken away the cookie that we know and love and replaced it with this strange imposter?? Bring our cookie back!!!
Have you noticed the change in the Chips Ahoy cookie? What do you think? Should Nabisco bring back the old cookie, or do you like the taste of the new? Comment below and let me hear your voice!!

Who Says DC Bagels Can't Be Delicious??

I’ve heard the comparison for many a year: You can’t find a real bagel in DC. There are many imitators, many emulators, many that try so hard, but in the end, you’ll never find a bagel quite as good as you can get in NY. Well I’m here now to let the naysayers know, I have found that bagel!
Bullfrog Bagel is a tiny little operation in Northeast DC, right on the bustling, back on the rise, H Street. Those around them are already aware of the aroma of fresh baked daily bagels. Hand rolled, boiled and baked every morning, Bullfrog is worth every penny you’ll likely spend. You won’t be able to help but spend a penny or two, as you’ll want everything they have to offer!
Now I’m not a huge bagel fan. Never have been. Bagels are ok when they’re around. I eat them when available, especially when available for free. Like on my job, we have a Bagel Thursday. And who in their right mind is going to pass up free breakfast every week? Certainly not me! So this Bagel Thursday, we went with this fresh new bagel place on H Street. And boy was it worth it! As I said, I’m not a huge bagel fan, but I could eat these bagels all he day long! They look so fresh, smell so delicious, taste so amazingly delicious! And I’ve always felt like the right cream cheese makes the bagel. And at Bullfrog, their shmears are just as good as their bagels! A perfect compliment! Fresh and handmade, you can see real chunks of whatever flavor you’re having: salmon n the smoked salmon flavor, veggies in the veggie flavor, walnuts in the honey walnut! Big hearty chunks that you can’t miss. Mouthfuls of delicious flavors making your entire morning worth it.
Now I haven’t had the sandwiches yet, but I hear that they are just as good as the regular bagels. I can’t honestly imagine them being anything short of amazing, as it seems to me that Bullfrog is all about the fresh.
So, I conclude with this: If you’re looking for a high quality bagel, and have been disappointed time and time again, it’s time to visit the Bullfrog!
Have you ever been??? Comment below and tell me what YOU think!! Any other yummy bagels around to try?? Can’t wait to hear from you!
~~Lo aka justagirl

Love & Pizza...and Pork

Have you ever gone to &pizza? I’ve been missing out on life apparently!! And if you haven’t had it, you are also missing out on life! I have had the &pizza experience before, but I only tried a Jenny, which has delicious, fresh tasting shrimp, capers (God I love capers!) and fresh mozzarella. But my son likes to add pretty much every meat on the menu. So I broke down, and followed suite and OH BOY WOW!!! I got lots of pork products. Pepperoni, salami, sausage, bacon (oh bacon) added some fresh basil, garlic oil, spicy tomato sauce all on a multi-grain fresh made crust. When I say these meats were fresh, I was SHOCKED! I mean the meats are pretty much cooked before they go on your pizza. So you think, eh, it’s gonna taste like every other pizza. And I mean, I like pizza. But when I bit into this pizza….when I bit into THIS pizza, the meats tasted like they were prepared and made right there in that kitchen, just for my pizza, just for my tongue, to make me happy. It was a LoLo Pizza!!! It was a pizza made for Lo! My happy was found in that pizza. Absofreakinlutely delicious! The love that they declare on these boxes, are the love of true pizza-makers. #thatisall #justagirl

Brunch at Lavagna

Brunch with Mom is always great! Our usual locale is Banana Café. A yummy little place on M Street in SW DC. (Review for another post) But today my sister said, “Let’s try something different.”  And Mom said “Let’s try Lavagna!” She had me at bottomless mimosas!
Ristorante Italiano Lavagna, also located on M Street, SW, among an array of cultural delights. Lavangna’s brunch menu had me captivated with delicious treats like Marscapone Pancakes, Goat Cheese Omelets, and Italian Sausage Gravy. I was at a loss for what to decide! My first choice was the Marscapone Pancakes. It’s very hard for me to say no to anything involving marscapone, and these featured marscapone made with honey nutella!! WHAT?? I NEED!!! However, this trip I was pretty hungry and wanted something savory to go with my sweet. I decided to try something else this go round and indulge in the pancakes another day. Today I would try the Smoked Salmon Omelet! Citrus cured salmon, smoked gouda, spinach, capers (yet another thing I can’t say no to), with house made potatoes tossed in garlic oil and parmesan. They failed to mention that the omelet would be drizzled over with an aioli sauce, but I am absolutely not complaining!! The caramelized onions inside of the omelet were also a pleasant surprise! But sweet and perfectly caramelized they were the perfect addition to this amazing concoction! You get a healthy portion, I wasn’t able to finish it! The salmon was moist and flavorful, but a little cold. This may have been a purposeful, I’m afraid I’m not sure, but it wasn’t enough to make me complain or send it back and it was definitely fully cooked. This could be just the way it is meant to be served. The spinach still fresh and fairly crisp, proving Lavagna’s claim to fresh made meals, made from scratch. Overall, I was very pleased! Mom and sis both had eggs any style, and I took the liberty of sampling from both of their plates. Sis had scrambled eggs made with goat cheese, creamy, light and burst in your mouth flavor! Mom had some Italian sausage patties that I had to try! They looked like sliders, thick and hearty! Unfortunately, they tasted a bit more like burgers than sausage, but I could definitely taste the seasoning in the meat that I’m sure many would love. The highlight, I must say, was the focaccia toast! I was sad not to have any on my own plate, I think it should come with every meal! Lightly toasted and full of flavor these triangles came with honey butter that was to die for!! It took everything in us not to take it home, even once the toast was gone. There were little cups of jam as well, but unfortunately, we didn’t even notice it until the check was coming. Next time!
All in all, Lavagna was a great choice!! An enjoyable meal, pretty good service, and focaccia toast!! Made me happy! I will absolutely be back!

#justagirl

Saddlebags and Bacon

My son and I have fallen into watching a couple of different food related shows. Two of our favorites being, Man vs. Food and Bizarre Foods. You see, my son loves food as much as I do. He’s always been an eater, he’s Mikey! And I work with that to develop his palate early, and show him that there is more to the world than hamburgers and hot dogs (as delicious as they both may be). One day, while watching Bizarre Foods, we saw an episode on a restaurant in Boulder, CO called The Buff. At the Buff, they made Saddlebags….pancakes with bacon and/or sausage cooked right into them, topped with two braised eggs, and smothered in maple syrup (of course). Isaiah looked at me and I looked back at him, our faces totally identical, in awe, eyes wide, a bit of drool hanging from the sides of our lips. He says to me “Mom, I think I want that.” I say to him, “Saih, we are totally making that ASAP!!” Family Night rolled around, two days later, and with it, we were in the kitchen, whipping up some Saddlebags!! Now I have to say, as delicious of a love affair I have with bacon, this dish would have tasted even better with sausage (and perhaps a side of bacon…and angina, lol). HOWEVER, the bacon was absolutely divine!!! We cooked the bacon in the oven, something I had never done before, and DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN what have I been missing????? I thought I was obsessed with bacon before, I thought I was, I really really thought I was. But now, my love of bacon has taken on a whole new world of obsession. I want to take packs of bacon and put them in the oven and lay in bed with them and whisper sweet nothings to them as they make their ways into my mouth….but I digress. We put the bacon on the oven (mmm bacon) and added them to the griddling pancakes while we began our eggs. Now, I have never braised and egg before. I have never had a braised egg. I have no idea how to braise an egg. They were described as being similar to a poached egg…but I have never poached an egg before either, lol, so that really didn’t help. In a brave attempt at getting close to the recipe, I instead fried the eggs soft, without breaking the yolks in the pan. This way the eggs could sit on the pancake and when cut into, would still run like the braised eggs did. WE LOVED IT!!! I wasn’t sure how my son would react to the runny eggs, but he was really excited about trying them! I let his cook a little longer, so they didn’t really run, just in case he wasn’t crazy about them. He devoured it all. It was so good, in fact, that he forgot about the syrup right next to him and ate half the plate dry!! How many 8 year olds do you know who would do that?? We added a couple of strips of bacon to the sides of our plates just for the heck of it and sat together in absolute heaven for about 15 minutes. I tried my best, but I couldn’t finish my plate. Stuffed, I sat back and watched my kid inhale his last piece of pancake before laying back in his chair, hands on his belly, smile on his face. We declared this Family Night to be Different Foods night. A night where we would try something a little different as seen on our new favorite shows. This would be the start of something beautiful! Eating like this, we are DEFINITELY going to have to work out more. Healthy balances and all. But we’re ok with that. As long as there’s bacon when we get home. :-D #dontjudgeme #justagirl

I Am Woman? (Is today's American Woman confused? Or is it just me?)

I recently ran into a man who considered himself a “feminist”. Now this was on a dating website, and it’s possible that he didn’t see the word “feminist” as I did. It’s also possible that he thought he might get more female attention, or maybe a stronger minded-female’s attention to his site by using that word. When I see that word, I see bra burning, I’m better than men, who needs a man type of women. I certainly don’t see a man in that picture at all, except maybe one cowering in fear of being thrown into the bra-fire. Now, I realize that this is a pretty extreme view of a feminist. I know that I can go a bit overboard sometimes. So maybe it’s me. But I also know lots of women today, who feel very close to this vision I have. They walk around yelling “Who needs men!” and “I can do it by myself!”. And hey, I agree! I can TOTALLY do it by myself. I have been for years! (I’m a single mom for those who don’t know.) But just because I CAN do it, doesn’t mean I SHOULD do it. Just because I CAN do it, doesn’t mean I should HAVE to do it either. I would never discount a man just because I can do what he does. I don’t want to do what he does. That’s what HE is for!!
Now if a time comes that I have to step in and play both roles because of who knows what, I can do that. I feel like THAT is the beauty of a woman. The fact that she can jump up and take over if need be. That is the true strength of a woman. That is the real reason a woman should be revered and respected. We are so caught up on the “I am Woman hear me roar!” adage that we cannot see where our real power is. I believe in “I am Woman, know that I can roar, but keep me purring instead” type.
I think that women have this thing backwards now a days. This whole feminist movement started with our men going off to fight a war and us being left to handle things on our own. And we did it! And it worked. And then we got comfortable. So when the men came back home, we didn’t want to give it up. Now mind you, a lot of progress was made regarding women’s rights. And I can appreciate the rights that are now bestowed upon me because of the work that those women did. But those women didn’t stop cooking dinner for their families, or taking care of their husbands. Those women didn’t decide that they no longer wanted to be women. They wanted to be women who could be recognized for ALL that they COULD do!! They wanted the CHOICE to go to work or stay home. The CHOICE to vote or let the men decide. They didn’t become “Independent Women”. They just became LESS dependent. They wanted to work as a team with their husbands, not tell their husbands that they weren’t needed at all anymore. This, at least, is my view.
Now, understand this. A women being subject to a man is a part of the curse that God placed on Adam and Eve. The woman was not created in the submissive role. Eve was created as an equal to Adam. She was formed from his side, to be his partner. As punishment, and a part of the curse, Eve was told to submit to her husband and Adam was made the head. This could be why it is so hard for some women to play that traditional female role. We were never meant to be that way in the first place. (Now I’ve probably just fueled a whole new movement, lol). I also understand from the Word that while the serpent spoke to Eve, Adam was right there listening too. Now why Adam didn’t stand up and say, hey, stop talking that nonsense to my wife, I will never know. Maybe it was because Eve was, at that time, not subject to him. At that time, Adam was not the head, so he let Eve run that show and then joined in it with her. And that ended in disaster. (By disaster, ladies, I mean that monthly friend we all know and love so well. Thanks Eve. Thanks.) Eve was perhaps, our very first feminist. (And here comes the angry cry against me.)

I say, to each their own. If you choose to be a feminist, and be the man AND woman of your house, go forth, have fun. Do your thing. I know that you can. You won’t fail, because women CAN do anything. (Well, almost anything, but I won’t push that point.) However, I personally, believe in traditional gender roles. I can bring home the bacon, fry it in the pan, and make it into a delicious bacon-laced dip with cheese and scallions…..wait, what was I saying? Oh yes! I can bring home the bacon and fry it in the pan, but if we’re both bringing home bacon, we’re gonna end up with a LOT of bacon. And (while excess bacon isn’t necessarily a problem) I can’t cook that fast. How about I bring home some eggs, or a drink. Or I stay home and bake some bread to eat with the bacon, and we do it all again tomorrow. My Dad (also my Pastor) always says it like this: “I am the head of my household. I run this camp! BUT, my wife is the neck! And if the neck hurts or is unhappy, the head (or body) can’t do much of anything.” So be the neck ladies, there is SO MUCH MORE POWER in the neck than in the head anyway!! Guide the head. Show the head the right way to turn and the wrong way to bend. Be the support that the head needs to run a healthy body. And guys, keep your neck happy. Rub it down from time to time. Listen to it when it tells you that laying that way is wrong. Let’s work as a team. Not in a power-struggle. That’s what I say. But hey, I’m just a girl.

31!!!

I am officially 31!!!!

This is a twilight zone of young women everywhere. I mean, this is the official intro into my 30s. Sure, I started my 30s at 30 (duh), but now I’m THERE!! I’m all the way in! This is the age where everything becomes “Why?” all over again. I’m asking questions now like: Can I still shop at Forever 21? Is partying out of the question now? How young is too young of a guy to date? How old is too old? Is there a too old?? Should I start limiting my cheese intake? How much bacon can I get away with in a week? Can I officially be called a MILF?? Is skipping my multivitamin several times a week going to kill me now? These are hard hitting, real questions that deserve real answers!!! Especially the bacon one….and the cheese.
Meg Jay, an amazing psychologist I saw in a TED Talk* once said that the 20s are the years of revival. Those are the years of your rebirth. Your time to really start your adult preparation. But what happens if you didn’t learn that until you were 30?? Do those sparkly new brain cells disappear the moment you cross the threshold? Do you no longer have what it takes to be a hot 30-something on her way to the top because your 20s were spent, well, being 20? Mind you, I spent my 20s in two failed engagements and single motherhood, so I like to think “growing-up” absolutely happened for me. But what about those ladies who partied away their 20s? What about those who spent their 20s like an extension of their teens? What happens to them? Do they start a slow downward spiral towards mid-life crises and cougardom?  Is this where we get the women who sleep with the pool boys, and Moms who wear their daughter’s clothes? I don’t know. Maybe it depends on the woman. Maybe it depends on her upbringing. Maybe it depends on her 30s bacon and cheese intake. Who really knows until you get there.
In the mean time though, I plan to live my 30s as best as I can. I guess I can try this grown-up thing out for a while. See how it fits. I’m a real grown-up now. Possibly a MILF. Maybe looking weird in the Juniors department. Soaking up every time someone looks at me and says, “No waaayyy, you don’t look a day over 25!!” (Feel free to say that, Whenever you’d like. Ask for my ID too, like you need proof.) I am one year older, one year wiser (maybe) and one step closer to 40…where my Mom said she cried… because she was 40…..(**clears throat**).
I’m happy to say, I was one of the lucky ones! I found myself! Found Lo at 30, and spent the year breaking her in. I’m happy. I’m healthy. I’m probably a little bit off in the head (all a matter of perception). Most importantly, I LOVE ME!! It took me 30 years to love this chick (Thank you Lord!!). And I won’t be leaving her now. :-D
Cheers my 30 years!! #justagirl

*http://www.ted.com/talks/meg_jay_why_30_is_not_the_new_20.html