Apparently… I Eat a lot of Green Cuisine!

Hey y’all– time for a little update, whaddya say? On Monday September 17th, I woke up early, looked at my new round of assignments for the week, headed to Peets and did school work with my packed snacks all day long. Obnoxiously large salad for dinner. Dexter in the evening. Same ole’ same ole’.

Tuesday September 18th, I woke up and immediately inhaled a buncha coffee and noshed down on a rice cake with Dannon’s vanilla yogurt, a sliced dried apricot, a couple raisins, and a chopped up walnut. Mmmm!

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I went for a nice run in the morning (I prefer long runs on Tuesdays because it’s when all the new episodes for the podcasts I listen to are released!).

There are so many fruit trees in this neighborhood. I just loved how this apricot tree was cascading over this fence. 🍑

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After making a dent in my schoolwork for the day and downing my massive salad, I decided to get creative with a dinner for DJ. I had tomato sauce, chicken, eggs, cheese, and leftover crackers.

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I crushed up our cracker crumbs to make bread crumbs, basted the chicken in some eggs and then put the cracker crumbs on top. I baked it in the tomato sauce and put cheese on top too. I told DJ I made chicken parm, since that’s what it most resembled. It felt good to use up those cracker crumbs that probably would have gone stale sitting in the pantry otherwise.

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I wasn’t home when he had it because I had already headed to SF to see A Simple Favor with my sister in Law, Amy. I was so excited when he said he loved the dish- it was definitely a shot in the dark without following any recipe.

I enjoyed a beautiful drive into the city. SF never gets old. I love the pastel colored apartments and the character on every street corner.

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The sunset was stunning too with contrast of the clouds. Hard to capture, but I gave it a go!

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I know I mentioned it in my FF post, but A Simple Favor was soo good. It’s a must see. Never have I ever seen anything quite like it.

Wednesday September 19th, I reverted back to my summer go-to of rice cake with avocado toast and hummus. And here we have green food #1.

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I had an interview in the afternoon for a new organization I’ll be volunteering with then made DJ ground turkey tacos for dinner! He’s not sick of the different takes on tacos just yet! Haha.

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I packaged them up so they would be ready for him when he got home.

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Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st included more just cranking out school work, grabbing fill in groceries from TJ’s, and of course, cranking out more Dexter episodes right before going to sleep. However, we did have a wonderful date night on Friday night. We tried for the first time ….. GEORGIAN FOOD. Yes, food from the country of Georgia!

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This restaurant is called Bevri located in downtown Palo Alto. It has a large menu- although it’s quite a challenge pronouncing anything on it!

Luckily, it has black boards across the restaurant explaining what everything means,  what the menu items are, and how to eat them.

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They also have crayons on each table so you can draw on their paper tablecloths. Unfortunately, when we sat down we didn’t have any crayons. I was so tempted to steal some from another table- but our table was kinda small and we had to have a ton of room for all our food. ha! Anyways, if I had to give an overall definition of Georgian food I would say it is combined Chinese and Mediterranean food.

We started with eggplant rolls. They were pretty good! They are stuffed with a nutty spinach combo. I felt it could use a bit more flavor, but they were still refreshing.

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And the presentation was beautiful!

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I also had to try the khinkali with mushrooms. These are a lot like dumplings- and gosh freakin’ dang- they are delish! I have craved these since I tried them. Green food #2.

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Now for the star of the show- DJ ordered their must try Adjaruli which is a boat shaped bread boat with cheese, butter, and an egg. It’s freaking phenomenal. It’s like pizza… but even better. (Which I didn’t think was possible to say, because pizza is forever one of the greatest things on earth).

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Overall, it was a fantastic meal. The only thing I would say is if you go make sure to order all items to be delivered at the same time. I ordered essentially two appetizers as my full meal, but they were brought over a half an hour before DJ’s food came. My dumplings were a bit cold (but still good) by the time DJ got his food— although he did insist I didn’t wait on him– but I insisted right back that I would be sad when my food was gone and I would have to just watch him eat, so I waited. Anyone else just sad when you finish your food before the other person? Haha.

Saturday September 22nd both DJ and I had a run in the morning, but different lengths. DJ has been running a ton lately too!

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We walked out to the starting point together, but I decided a coffee sounded better than running for the time being. I found my SB cardholder card from 2014 (yes, four years ago) and discovered it still had a $10 balance on it. I decided to make it a goal to use this up before buying anymore Peet’s, even though that’s where my loyalty lies (lays? lie?). He went off on his run and I grabbed a coffee and walked for a couple miles before starting my run.

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It was also the massive garage sale weekend in Cupertino. I had to stop by even though I wasn’t planning on grabbing anything. It was still fun to poke about though! I think I stopped by about 4 garage sales on my walk.

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In the afternoon I was having a hankerin’ for a stuffed sweet potato. I nommed on a purple one with Fage, avocado, morning star vegan crumbles, and Daiya vegan cheese. I’ve been eating this on repeat this past week.

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Sunday September 23rd DJ left for a business trip to Des Moines, Iowa. After dropping him off at 5:30 at the airport, I ran about nine miles, went to church, and then hit up Ozumo again with my friend Tammy for some yummy brunch!

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I was ready to chow down.

First, we ordered jasmine tea to share. I tried to capture mid-pour with portrait.

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But I spilled in the process, lol! Smoooooth.

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Speaking of smooth- this tea was so smooth. I am not a huge tea guy- I really gotta be in the mood. But this was just so satisfying and delicious- it didn’t require any sweetener or anything (I usually will put a touch of sugar or stevia in tea).

We started with the Ozumo roll with salmon, cucumber, jalapeno, mango, yuzu sauce, and micro shiso. Their sushi is the definition of fresh. You cannot go wrong here!

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This was followed by the Ozumo scramble with onions, bell pepper, sweet potato, kale, cauliflower, eggs and micro wasabi. I don’t know how they roasted these stinking veggies, but they were so full of flavor and complimented the eggs perfectly. I also loved the touch of green onion- this is something I’ll have to try to make at home.

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And last, but certainly not least, we had the matcha pancakes with whipped cream, red bean, raspberries and matcha powdered sugar. The red bean was a nice touch!!! Green food #3.

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I dare say they are the best pancakes I’ve ever had. It helps that I’m a matcha freak, but I also love thin pancakes that are nice and crisp. These. were. everything. I need to take DJ back to try them since he is the pancake king after all.

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I cozied up on the couch in the afternoon to get some school work done.

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The rest of the day was just the same- study, snack, dinner, blog a bit and then hit the hay!

Monday September 24th I ran on the treadmill reading a couple chapters for the week.

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I hunkered down to “go to school”, but I was craving some roasted veggies, so I whipped up roasted eggplant to munch on with hummus while watching lectures.

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I kept coming back for more pieces throughout the day and by the end of the day there were none left. Didn’t think it was possible to eat an entire eggplant in one day? I am here to tell you it is! 😂

Another snack I loved that day was a purple sweet potato with Fage and cinnamon. This is one of my favorite snacks in the autumn.

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I’ll recap the rest of the week in my next post since this is getting a bit lengthy 🙂

Oh, and for those that are curious… here is a sound bite of our upstairs neighbors. Listen about seven seconds or so in, and you will start hearing it. We’re still trying to work things out, but all parties are in communication and aware of how frustrating this issue is- so we’ll see in the next few weeks what our solution will be. Management has been attentive and helpful as they can be.

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xo <3

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Friday Favorites #15 -Autumnal Feels!

TGIF!!!! Thank goodness it’s FALL!!!!! I know it may be a bit premature to be posting full fledged Autumn posts, but every ounce of my basic-fall-loving-self is screaming like a banshee to be let out. Even though I’m desperately trying to suppress it, just kidding I’m not, it’s showing itself in all its true colors. Like a tree in Autumn. On that note, let’s jump in (and I’m not talking a pile of leaves). How far into the back of your head have your eyes rolled? Rollin’ like a pumpkin rollllllll. Okay, I’m done. For now. Anywho- hope you enjoy these faves- maybe they’ll get ya in the spirit too!

  1. Faux pumpkins. Am I slightly embarrassed I have faux pumpkins? Yes. Do I nearly cry tears of joy when it’s time to bring them out? You betcha.

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2. Apple Pie & Pumpkin Candle from Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I recently did a massive bulk purchase from BBB for necessities (TP, paper towels, cleaner, dishwasher soap, hand-soap, etc.) with a $20 off coupon & slid a candle into the cart. This candle has such a strong scent; I am living for it. Recently, we’ve had a couple candles that don’t smell like much when they burn, but this is just warming the house with all the fall aromas!

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3. Dr. Death podcast. With a background in neurosurgery, this podcast caught my attention instantly. I have to say I think I have a strong stomach when it comes to gruesome medical talk, but this is not for the faint of heart. It is pretty disturbing- but what disturbs me the most is the fact that this story is real, and these are real patients, and involves a real surgeon. It’s mind blowing, tragic, fascinating… and horrific.

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4. The Passenger. I am about halfway through this thriller and loving every second of it. It’s entirely unpredictable, and the story line is gripping. It’s not super explicit like a lot of thrillers are, which I greatly appreciate. Highly recommend this one!! I can’t wait to finish it up.

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5. Dexter. I’m pretty sure Dexter has made it on the FF list before, but he’s making a comeback! DJ and I watched this show probably about a year ago, but dropped off around season 4 when work was getting intense. We decided we both would love to pick it back up and now we’re wondering how we ever stopped. It’s soo stinkin’ gooooood.

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6. A Simple Favor. Stop what you are doing right now (wait, I guess that would be reading this)….. After reading this, buy tickets for the next showtime of A Simple Favor. This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time! I saw it this past Tuesday with my SIL, Amy and her boyfriend. The way it’s produced is just genius- the perfect blend of humor, thriller, suspense and everything else. Plus, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are just phenomenal actresses (goes without saying).

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7. 6 min. abs with Cassey Ho. This has recently become one of my favorite workout videos. You can get a better abs workout in these 6 mins than from  some of the 15 mins you’ll find on Youtube. Cassey & any of her Blogilates videos are amazing! I do this one about every other day.

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8. Murasaki Sweet Potatoes. They’re baaacccck. I literally let out a vocal “yay!” when I saw these in Trader Joe’s. I have a couple recipes for stuffed sweet potatoes I love to make with them in the fall!

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9. Miyoko’s Vegan Cheese Wheel. We used this for the first time this past summer, and it’s my new vegan cheese obsession. It’s the closest changing faux cheese to the real thing I’ve found- and the herbes de provence is remarkably delicious. You’ll need to pack this for your autumn picnics of course 😉

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10. African Botanics Revitalizing Therapy Gel. This stuff is magic! It came in my FFF box, and I am fully obsessed. I love using it on my shoulders and back especially. Funny story though- one night this past week my hamstrings were hurtin’, so I lathered it alllll over my legs. Not a good idea. They felt like they were on FIRE. I had to race into the bathroom and scrub it off once the burn set in. It was quite a scene, much to DJ’s entertainment. As you can tell, it works VERY well, meaning a tiny bit goes a long way! You’ll need this after raking all those leaves!!

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Question for you!

  • Any weekly favorites? Things you are loving?

xo <3

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Friday Favorites

Woah, woah, woah hold the phone, Mack is actually doing something semi-normal on her blog? Yes, yes. I can hardly believe it myself. I am doing a Friday Favorites post! Woot woot! I had a few things I wanted to share in the last post, but I felt like doing a friday faves would help shorten the other post a bit! Not sure if I’ll end up doing them every week; I have a problem with commitment as you know by my inability to actually post recipes when I say I will *sigh*. But nevertheless, I’ll do my best.

  1. They’re Real Mascara. My sister and I don’t splurge on hardly anything makeup wise, but when it comes to this mascara we cannot find one better. We are obsessed.

2. Banana Pancakes. This is my most recent breakfast bae. It’s so easy too- 2 large bananas//1/2 cups of oats//splash of vanilla//splash of almond milk in a food processor to get a fluffy batter, cooked like a regular pancakes, some light syrup or blueberry compote on top, and you are golden as a goose. If you are feeding more people, just double the recipe! I also like to add a bit of plain Chobani or Fage on the side to add some protein. I tell ya what, I think I could live on this stuff.

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3. These socks. DJ gave me these for my birthday. Thank ya again, sugar love.

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They are super, SUPER cozy too! Get yours here !

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4. Homesick candles. I have seen these advertised all over the doggone place and my sister-in-law actually gave me one for Christmas! It is such a thoughtful gift! And if I had to give an objective review, I’d say it really does smell like Ohio! <3

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5. Speaking of candles, this Accent Warmer will blow your “get me wine” socks off! It smells fabulous and lasts forever! I burn through candles like nobody’s business, so the length of time an accent warmer lasts is actually a great investment! The soft cashmere amber smells so yummy, and it lights up the room beautifully!

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6. Thrifty finds. I loooove thrift stores. It’s like a sport to me. Ever since middle school I have loved hunting down the best deals, finding hidden gems, and paying a fraction of the initial cost. I bet 85% of my closet is from thrift stores, TJ’s, and Marshall’s. Also, I’m about as fickle as they come, so I never have to have “Buyer’s guilt” if I buy something and don’t wear it as much as I think I will. These are a few of my faves I found last week (along with my purse that I found from the same thrift store a couple months ago). Everything was even brand new with the tags still on it. The shirts are from Banana Republic and Ann Taylor originally, the shoes from Forever 21, and the purse Kenneth Cole Reaction. If you aren’t a thrifter, I highly recommend giving it a try- it’s a blast!

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7. This planner. –  I have a new found love of Sugar Paper planners. I never usually invest in a cute planner, but I had a giftcard to Target and stumbled across this little guy. LOVE it!

8. & this Wine Cork holder. My friend Morgan (THANKS MO!), sent me this for my birthday. People must think I like wine or something….. Anywho, I love this, and I am so excited to get the corks glued down to hang it up! ** No judging I have collected corks since I’ve turned 21 , so it’s not that many 😉 **

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9. This stuffed vegan purple sweet potato. Ok- so I know it seems I always lie about actually sharing recipes, but I will be posting this one next week. It’s too good and wayyy too easy. I’ve had it for dinner almost every day this week 😋

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10. Dexter. We love our Dex.  I think it’s one of those shows that picks up over time too, each season gets better and better.

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11. Working for Postmates!!!!!!!! LOVE this company and also how easy it is to work around my schedule!

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A lot of my friends and family are curious how it works, so I figured I would describe it here:

  1. I signed up, submitted my info, and then they sent me a Postmates credit card and bag
  2. I downloaded the app and activated the card
  3. While working, I show that I am “Online” and when a delivery needs to be picked up, I will be notified and I can choose to “skip” or “accept”
  4. If I accept, I am given the shopping list of the delivery (so it could be a list for items at Target, a grocery store, a food delivery for pick up, etc.), and I go to the store and pick up the items
  5. When I check out, I use the Postmates credit card (This is not a personal card at all linked to my account- it strictly is a Postmates company card)
  6. I then enter the final amount in the app and take a picture of the receipt
  7. I say “Deliver to ____ (person’s name)”, and deliver to the address given
  8. Once I complete the delivery, I am paid instantly and they can choose to tip.

HIGHLY recommend if you need a side job. BUT don’t do it in high heels. I learned my lesson as I was running through the mall to pick up an order from Panda Express and ended up with blisters all over my feet. Lolz.

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^ yes, the pedicure from mid November is still holding on. Haha.

** Anyway, deliveries usually take less than 20 minutes, and they have “Blitz pricing” where I will be notified when rates are up! You can work literally any hour of the day, but I choose to work during the day for safety reasons. DJ is hounding me to get my bear spray for the Mountain Lions and pepper spray for the crazies that I might deliver to one day… no worries babe, Amazon Prime has my Bear and Pepper spray on the way 😉

WELP guys, I did it. I did a Friday Favorites. I have more I want to add, but I’ll wait till next time! I can hardly believe I actually did such a normal blog post that isn’t a million pages long! Wowza. Love you all and hope this weekend is extra wonderful for each of you!

xo <3

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