Here’s a look at my lunch from earlier.

I have to say that I was quite disappointed at this sandwich.  It was full of things I love; avocado, smashed black beans, sprouts, spinach, seaweed flake, and a curried chickpea salad; but was just so super bland.  It really needed something juicy in it like a nice ripe tomato or a roasted red pepper.

This was excellent though…

A bright sunny orange, yum!

Well, lunch may have been lackluster, but tonights’ dinner is a real show-stopper!  Can’t wait to show you one of my very favorite meals and talk a little about my style of cooking and the kind of food that I really enjoy eating!

September 11, 2010 Alayna Discussion Comments Off on A lackluster sammich

So back on Tuesday, Jeff and I were both off work; he- because he’d just got back from a 4 day long programming conference, me- because he just wanted to spend time with me.

:::Swoon!:::

Anyway, we decided to go for a walk into town.  We live a mile from the center of Decatur so it’s pretty easy to ditch the car, which is great because there’s no where to park that doesn’t cost a few bucks.

Passed by Farm Burger.  They have a pretty decent quinoa veggie burger and amazing garlic fries!

We stopped for a shade-break about half-way into town.  Georgia summers are hot!  It was 86 degrees and climbing when we left the house.

Looks like these two needed a break as well!…

One of our very favorite restaurants: Leon’s Full Service.  Used to be a gas station, hence the name.  Everything is amazing here.  They have like 10 different dips to choose from for their awesome fries!

And now we come to the real reason for this little outing…frozen yogurt!

We were needing it by the time we got there too.  I was sweaty and yucky, the cool frozen yogurt really helped to cool me down.

Mine was a combination of Coconut, Strawberry, and Honey Orange Zest.  Topped it with a little honey and fresh strawberries.  

As you can see, Jeff has a little more restraint when it comes to sweets.  He got one flavor with fruit; that man is easy to please.

Sampling giant cup of fro-yo….

More sampling…

We ate all of it.

Just outside we met this little guy… 

His name is Boo Boo, and apparently he prefers the hot temperatures outside to the cooler art gallery which is his home.  He had a sign on his cage with a list of foods he likes and foods that make him sick.  The note also said he freaks out at cell phones, so I was nervous to come at him with a camera.  He was a good boy though.

We walked next to the square and passed another of our fave places to eat: The Iberian Pig.  They have wonderful Spanish tapas, we’ve been there several times.

An entrance to the square…(which we did not walk up to because it was blazing hot outside and the square is a huge unshaded block of concrete.)

A gazebo used for outdoor concerts…

The courthouse, which is where we got our marriage licence!

Ok, really hot now. Ready to head home.

Some cannon or other outside the courthouse…

Matching shoes!

We took one more break in the shade before shuffling home in the scorching sun.  Here’s Jeff readying himself for the journey…

We made it home and gulped down water like crazy, then crashed for nap-time.

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of our neck-o-the-woods.  We love Decatur, and even more, we love living in a walkable part of town.  Can’t wait for the temperatures to drop a little so we can do this more often!

September 10, 2010 Alayna Discussion Comments Off on A little Decatur walking tour

I’m trying really hard to nearly eliminate dairy from my diet.  I say “nearly” because I don’t ever intend to quit consuming it entirely.

You see, I love cheese.  I love stinky, oozy, molding, hard-to-pronounce cheeses smeared on crusty breads, sometimes paired with fruit preserves or stone ground mustards and even a few slivers of salty cured meats.  That is my number one favorite meal on the planet and what I would want if I were on my death bed.

I don’t, however, think that this is a meal fit for everyday consumption.  Meals like that are what put me 25 pounds overweight last year, along with all the pan-gravies and butter-whipped potatoes I was experimenting with making because of my new-found passion for cooking.

What I am willing to do, is allow myself that pleasure on occasion.  On rare occasion.  I’m trying to think of meat and dairy products as junk food, to be eaten with the same frequency as desserts.

That is why my breakfast and lunch choices for today were so unusual for me.  While there is nothing at all unhealthy about this bowl of yogurt, topped with chia seeds, granola, and a chopped peach…

(And can I just rant for a second about how I live in the frickin’ Peach State itself and can never ever get my hands on a ripe peach!?!!  Seriously, I shop primarily at farmer’s markets and still I can only find a ripe peach at a road-side fruit stand way out in the country.  Where are we sending all of our delicious peaches I ask!?!)

…but to follow it up with this awesome grilled cheese and jam sandwich with tomato soup for lunch….

…still not terribly unhealthy, but unusual for me.

Do I feel guilty about it?  Not really.  These choices were still far better than waking up to a plate of sausage, eggs, buttered toast, and cheese grits– followed by fast food for lunch.

Instead of feeling guilty I’ll just enjoy it today and skip the cheese tomorrow, that simple.

September 7, 2010 Alayna Discussion Comments Off on A dairy day