Monthly Archives: July 2011

Foodie Friday- Primo Patio Cafe

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Hope your Friday is going well!

For lunch, I met boyfriend and we ate outside by the water and relaxed… and it was beyond nice!

We went to Primo Patio Cafe to get our orders to go and I was beyond excited. Boyfriend had been talking this place up so I couldn’t wait to finally try it! The place was packed but we miraculously got our food extremely fast!

 

Don't let the exterior fool you, this place is fantastic

The "primo patio"

Our orders? Pita pockets stuffed with grilled lamb and veggies (mine were sans veggies, I have issues with cooking veggies which we’ll get into at a later date).  And seasoned fries of course!

As we all know I’m the no-condiment queen so I opted against the yogurt sauce served with the pitas, but boyfriend took full advantage and loved it!

The lamb pitas and fries were more than enough for me… and I even left a couple fries I was so full. This never happens - maybe once in a blue moon. About as often as when Gaga dresses like a “normal” human being.

We got our food to go and walked a few blocks down to the ballpark to eat by the water and bask in the sun.

 

It was SO nice, and quite honestly I didn’t want the lunch hour to end! I would definitely go back to Primo Patio Cafe… and hopefully soon!

Only a couple more hours until the weekend officially begins!

 

Spice Up Your Life

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Not only did I own the CD, I also owned the movie. On VHS. One step further? I still have (multiple) Spice Girls songs on my running playlists. Nope, still not embarrassed.

 

 

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

The 2nd happiest day of the week (Saturday taking top-billing here), is finally upon us.

The sun even decided to show up today… it’s like it knows the significance of its presence over a weekend.

Breakfast

Would it shock any of you to hear that I inhaled a smoothie (surprise surprise) as usual today?

I swear I had good intentions to turn some leftover quinoa into “oatmeal” and add some delicious toppings. But, as usual – the promise of fruits, veggies, protein, and the general deliciousness of the smoothie, won out.

  • 1 c 1% Milk
  • Heaping scoop vanilla Elite whey protein powder
  • Handful spinach
  • Frozen strawberries
  • Frozen blueberries
  • Cinnamon
I swear the cinnamon makes all the difference.
Did you know aside from being my most favorite spice on this planet it has some surprising health benefits?
  • Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
  • Cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar
  • Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood
  • When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
  • It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

My favorite things to put cinnamon in/on? Sliced apples, oatmeal, smoothies, PB Sandwiches, cookies, breads, pancakes, french toast, waffles, and…. well ok almost anything really! :)

Including these:

Workout

Since I totally neglected to share last night’s workout… I decided that since my quads were as useless as Hugh Hefner’s Ex that a long power walk to the Golden Gate Bridge and back with my lovely friend Lexi was in order. Overall we covered ~6 miles, had some great girltalk time, and my legs feel good as new this morning!

Sometimes backing off and slowing down is just what you need.

 

With that, I’m off to meet boyfriend for lunch! Apparently lunch dates and myself are likethis these days!

 

What’s your favorite spice?

What’s on your playlist that you’re not even a little bit embarrassed about?

(I have Bieber, Glee, Taylor Swift… you name it, I have it!)

Keen-Wah Anyone?

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Quinoa.

Ahhh the beloved whole grain of the moment.

Me? I’ve been a brown rice fan for quite a while.

Then I heard about Quinoa (say keeen-wah) – a whole grain with 5g of protein and 3 f of fiber a serving?

 

 

I’m sold. :-)

Truth be told, I really like quinoa. I like it along side chicken, fish, and steak. I like it mixed with herbs, veggies, chicken broth, and lemon juice. I like it baked, I like it cooked over a stove-top like oatmeal.

But I’ve never attempted to make it myself.

Why? I’m not actually sure. I envisioned this terribly complicated cooking technique (maybe because of the name alone?) and always chose to instead microwave instant brown rice, or  order it at restaurants, at the Whole Foods hot bar, or just eat quinoa when my mom would make it and I was at my parents house for dinner.

Tonight my friends, that all changed.

Boyfriend had a late basketball game. We had a Rotisserie Chicken, but nothing to eat as a side.

There it was, that lone box of quinoa staring at me from the pantry.

Go ahead, make my day.

Honestly, what is wrong with me?

It was probably the easiest side I’ve ever made.

  • 2 parts water
  • 1 part quinoa
(Next time I’m definitely subbing water for chicken broth and more flavor!)
I doubled the serving (4 cups of water, 2 cups of quinoa) so that we’d have some leftover (and I’m really curious to try an “overnight quinoa” esque recipe for breakfast!), brought it to a boil, then covered and simmered for about 15 minutes, until all of the water was absorbed and the quinoa turned soft, translucent and a ring was visible around the grain.
Voila.
Boyfriend added some Tuna to his quinoa while I chopped up some rotisserie chicken and mixed that together in a bowl with goat cheese.
Dee-lish.
Such an easy dinner! And chock full of protein and whole grains. There’s seriously endless recipes you can make with this bad boy!
Off to relax.. have a great night!
Do you make quinoa regularly? Ever?
What’s your favorite way to cook it?

Lunch Date!

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Today, I had a special visitor for lunch!

My mom! :)

Mother's Day 2011

We decided to have a lunch date at a delicious restaurant right on the Embarcadero, Perrys.

Perrys has been in SF for over 40 years and is known for its delicious American food, friendly service, and great bar.

In 1969, Perry Butler, a 26-year-old Dartmouth College graduate, was working as an advertising executive, when he set out to follow his dream of opening his own restaurant. Freshly relocated to San Francisco, and compelled to recreate the hustle and bustle of the New York neighborhood saloons that he missed, Butler opened Perry’s on Union Street.Source

Who doesn’t love a good back story to a great restaurant? ;-)

I scanned the menu before settling on one of my favorite entrees… which just so happens to be one of my mom’s favorites as well!

Decisions, decisions

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries!

I looooove Pulled Pork, and the only thing I think I love more than that are perfectly made (read: CRISPY!) Sweet Potato Fries!

Would you believe this portion is a 1/2 order? My mom and I split the sandwich thinking it would be more than enough for each of our lunches… and we were definitely right.

I was as stuffed from our food as Renee Zellweger probably was from the 8 Green Teas she consumed the other day.

I reluctantly came back to the office where I obviously “needed” dessert… in the form of TJs Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds. Not only do I deem them “healthy” because dark chocolate has health benefits, but I’m also obsessed with them.

And just can’t stay away.

Off to give into my food coma get some work done before it’s (almost!) officially Friday! :)

Are you a go-out-to-lunch or a bring-your-own?

I’m typically (I try!) to be a bring-your-own.. but I do love going out every now and again!

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent…

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…was a Summer in San Francisco…

Apparently it’s supposed to get warmer this weekend, but I’m just not seeing how that’s possible with what we’re dealing with outside!

Woo Hoo! It’s officially Thursday and we are officially 1 day closer to the weekend!

Today I decided to switch up my smoothie a bit.

To the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie!

Into the mix:

  • 1 c 1% Milk
  • 1 (heaping) scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2 handfuls frozen strawberries
  • Handful of spinach
  • Heaping teaspoon cocoa powder
  • Agave Nectar to sweeten

The end result? It was GOOD! Chocolate, strawberry and delicious! (And as always, the spinach went completely untasted! Just how I like my greens!) ;-)

For some reason however, I’m seriously hungry this morning (stomach is already growling!), so I’m thinking a snack of Greek Yogurt and Granola is in order to hold me over until my lunch date (my mom!) arrives.

In other news this is what July 28 looks like in San Francisco… in other words summer!

Sike! (Yes, I just went there).

We get it SF- you’re edgy and urban and want to be an individual by being freezing in the summertime. But seriously, I’ve had enough. Stop messing with my summers.

This foggy, misty, cloudy, cold (there was a girl wearing boots and a peacoat on the bus this morning) is getting old.

Real quick.

And is making me wish my upcoming vacations to sand, sun, and surf come that much faster!

Apparently it’s supposed to get warmer this weekend, but I’m just not seeing how that’s possible with what we’re dealing with outside!

 

To be 72 degrees would mean the sun would actually have to appear.

 

How’s the weather where you live?

Do you find yourself wishing for more heat or cooler weather in the summer?

Do you have any vacations planned for the rest of the summer?