I will start with FOOD. (Hey, I'm pregnant....that is to be expected, right.)
ARTICHOKES....
steamed in lightly salted water (sometimes with a little lemon), these were a treat growing up that I still love just as much to this day. (I remember having a tough time scraping all the goodness off the leaves when I was a snaggle-toothed little kid.) Now, I am almost willing to venture all the way to Trader Joes (over 30 min. away) just to get a 4 pack of the globes for $2.99. They are little, but that way Brian and I get 2 each. Oh, and that reminds me....for those of you that have never tried a steamed artichoke....the "heart" is the best part, but watch out for the choke! (When Brian had his first artichoke ever I didn't realize he had eaten as much as he had until I saw him struggling with the little hairs or the "choke" before he got to the heart....oops...)LEAN GOURMET
frozen dinners. I like these for several reasons, but I'm not going to lie...the fact that they are typically $1 is a big factor. The calorie count is low and although I'm sure they have more salt than I need, etc., it makes a great lunch or a snack that is speedy and more healthy than a bag of chips! I try not to call these "dinner" for Brian very often, but it has happened before and they are good enough that he doesn't complain. The only ones I really don't like are those that try to be Chinese food....everything else, especially the lasagna is good stuff!CRYSTAL LIGHT
or any generic version of the same concept. I think I started drinking this stuff by the gallon when we lived in Maryland. I can only handle so much water before I get completely sick of it and this is a great way of adding flavor without too many calories. I'm sure if I drank too much of the stuff the aspartame would probably kill me, but I can almost always guarantee that there is a big pitcher of it in our fridge at all times. Hey, it beats drinking something carbonated. Oh, and although I like the "On-to-Go" packets and the bottled Crystal Light, I've been drinking mine a little more diluted for so many years now that full strength is really too strong for me. Also, I just tried out the Giant Eagle version of Crystal Light in a flavor called "Green Tea with Honey and Lemon" and it is awesome...will get more the next time I'm at the store!TAKE5.
This is my favorite candy bar....hands down. How can anyone resist the combination of pretzel, chocolate, peanut butter, etc.? Brian loves them too and whenever we catch them on sale it is a dangerous time because we tend to stock up. The only sad thing is that for some reason they are becoming more and more difficult to find in stores. Halloween is typically an excellent time to stock up on the snack-sized variety, but it is only Halloween once a year....what are we supposed to do in the meantime?! I still love gummy bears and Skittles too, but my lovely little jaw condition prevents me from eating anything too chewy, so chocolate it is!CHICK-FIL-A
Of all the foods I missed the most while we lived in Germany, chicken biscuits and chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-A were at the tippy-top of the list. I am typically a girl that likes all kinds of stuff on burgers or sandwiches...give me the works. However, with these items, I am a purist. I don't even need any honey on the chicken biscuit...as long as it is warm and fresh. I do add Chick-fil-A's "polynesian sauce" or their brand new "Chick-fil-A sauce" to the chicken sandwich, but that combination with the 2 dill pickles found on the sandwich is all I need. I appreciate McDonald's attempt at a "southern style" chicken biscuit and sandwich, and I admit that they aren't bad, but the key is the sauce....which McD's just doesn't have. Besides, who can top Chick-fil-A's waffle fries and even their awesome diet lemonade and an "Ice Dream"?! The only thing Chick-fil-A needs is a value menu...that and a location closer to my house! (I LOVED living within walking distance of Chick-fil-A when we lived in Williamsburg!!!)SKINNY PANCAKES
with PEANUT BUTTER and SUGAR-FREE SYRUP. I can at least attempt to makes these less horrible for me by using sugar-free syrup, right? :) I realize that this is an odd combination to most people, but you should try it...it's good. Although it was very long ago, I think I learned this trick from my friend, Tobie Bittle when I lived in Missouri as a little kid. The key is to make the pancakes more like thick crepes and to use peanut butter instead of regular butter...and then the syrup is key.....otherwise you'll look like a cat with peanut butter stuck on her tongue. I don't treat myself to these very often because Brian and I like different kinds of pancakes, but just thinking about it now.....sounds good to me.BISCUITS and
CHOCOLATE "GRAVY". This is much less disgusting than it sounds....in fact, it is awesome. Think chocolate sauce instead of gravy.....it reminds me of a homemade chocolate frosted donut with a little salt from the biscuit. 
This is a treat I always get to have when I visit my Granny out in west Texas. My dad grew up eating this concoction and although unique, it is fantastic. Again, not something I eat all the time (or I would weigh 200 lbs.) but I really do love it....probably partially for its uniqueness and partially because of the nostalgic association. I don't have a picture of the actual meal, but it is important to use Grands biscuits and Hershey's cocoa powder......and if you are a little kid....the biscuits have to be torn up before the "gravy" is added on top. I just started eating them in "halves" a few years ago. :)G2.
I can't believe I forgot about this yesterday! I know it is a beverage and not a "food", but neither is Crystal Light...so shoot me. :) I absolutely LOVE orange Gatorade, despite the fact that it was developed to help fuel athletes at the University of Florida. However, until discovering G2 this summer I hadn't had regular Gatorade in forever because the sugar content is so high and I'm sorry to say that if I'm going to work out hard enough to burn off all of those carbohydrates, I'd much rather get them via pasta than in a beverage. However, G2 is a low calorie version! It tastes fantastic. Right now there are only 3 flavors (to my knowledge): Orange, Grape, and Fruit Punch. Lemon-lime is my second favorite flavor so I hope that that one is in the works.Ok, that is enough food for now......I'm making myself hungry. Oh, and these are in no particular order....just as they came to me. :)
4 comments:
No...I probably won't be able to keep it a secret for that long...I could barely keep the baby a secret for 6 weeks!! haha
And, when I first moved to Colorado there was 1 Chick-fil-a (in the airport) and now they are EVERYWHERE! Hoping they head your way next!
I'll make some Chocolate "Gravy" when we get there. Dad asked me if I still remembered how to make it ... it's been so long since we've had any.
I would like to hear more about how to make this chocolate gravy. Sounds really good!
allison....I remember trying my first steamed artichoke at your house in Macon. We sat at the counter and your mom steamed it (i thought in the microwave) and then we dipped it in melted butter. It was REALLY good. I have forgotten how much I enjoyed that!! Do I just put it in a boiling pot of water and then let it steam for a few minutes? Do I just bite the leaves with my teeth? I don't remember exactly how to eat it.
Post a Comment