Bloob Overload

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! Boy do I have lots of good stuff for you today! yes, I watched the Bachelorette, and yes I felt uncomfortable for the weatherman during their scene shooting for that music video
Waste of time? Nah, not for me…I love this show!
Yesterday, I had to do some errands including manicure and pedicure and a trip to Trader Joes

Whilst shopping in TJs I had a hunger pang come over me. I chose to get this greek yogurt in pomegranate flavor. I have never tried it before. Verdict? LOVED IT! It tasted like Siggis Acai flavor. It was thick and flavorful and definately a duplicate buy in my future.

Amoung the usual suspects, I got some new items to me! Mahi-Mahi burgers, chicken-less strips and smoked salmon (well, I have had smoked salmon before, but I haven’t had it in a long time!)

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I grew up in a Jewish household. My father is israeli, born and raised. Falafel was mentioned and eaten in my house growing more more than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The smells, tastes, flavors, and texures bring my father back to his childhood and it will forever be his favorite food. I first tasted my REAL falafel on my first trip to Israel. THis was not pretty, people. There are falafel stands about every 10 feet on the street. You pay about 3 bucks and get all the falafel and fill in’s that you can possibly fit inside your pita pocket. It is a falafel salad bar and it is the most glorious thing ever

Summer 2008 trip to Isreal at the top of a mountain. This was a 8 hour hike

This country is surreal, but even more so is the falafel (I kid, I kid…but it is darn good)

So because of my hankering for falafels I had to make some  but not so much the deep fried type. I remembed that Mama Pea had a great recipe for them, so this is just what I followed. I mixed the spices.

Added the oat flour and nutritonal yeast

chickpeas, tofu, hummus (instead of tahini) garlic in the food processor

Added fresh lemon juice (took the seeds out!)

Pulse, pulse pulse till well combined

Add wet to dry and mix!

Fresh mint

Made 12-16 balls on a sprayed cookie sheet. 

Tah-Dah. My apartment smelled like the streets of Isreal which was such a great memory for me!

They were hot, crisp and so flavorful!


Makes 12-16 falafels
Nutrtional info per 4 falafel serving: 196 calories, 7 g. fat, 23 g. carbs, 12 g. protein
Falafels:
  • 4 oz. firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
  • 1 c. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 t. minced garlic
  • 1 T. tahini
  • 3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 T. fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 t. cumin
  • 1/2 c. oat flour (i.e. old fashioned oats ground into a flour)
  • 1 T. nutritional yeast
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine ground oats, cumin, salt and pepper and nutritional yeast in a large bowl.
  3. In a food processor or blender, combine tofu, beans, garlic, tahini and lemon juice and process until smooth.  Add wet ingredients to dry.  Moisten with a tablespoon of water or so, if necessary.
  4. Fold in Chopped herbs
  5. Form into 12-16 balls
  6. Bake 20 minutes at 350, flipping after 10
I made a simple salad dressing of olive oil, oregano, hummus and rice wine vinegar


I made an Israeli style salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and fresh mint


I added some goat cheese as well.

Fresh from Whole Foods. This is amazing!!

I was in heaven.

And on top of that, I broke into my SO Delicious ice cream minis!! Yes, whipped cream in the background of course. This was an epic dinner
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This morning, a record broke. An Insanity Record that is. Sweatiest and most calories burned, and I could feel that I worked the hardest today. I really let Shaun T be my Trainer more than just be a guy on Tv that I am following.  I was totally zoned in and KILLED it this morning!!

I had some egg whites for some protein about 20 minutes after. I couldn’t eat right away

Then protein oats about an hour later. 1/2 C oats, Sun Warrior, 1/3 banana, chia seeds,
 some fresh blueberries and tons of cinnamon

at 11:00 am, some gree yogurt and kashi twigs.

A Beautiful Pear

And my favorite almonds in the whole world

I came home, looked in my fridge for some lunch inspiration and realized I needed to use these blueberries!

I used about 1/4 of a cup, and smashed them up with a fork. I popped them in the microwave for 20 seconds

Warm bloobs


Blueberry Balsamic Dressing
  • 1/4 C blueberries (smashed)
  • 1/2 T olive oil
  • 1 T balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 T rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 T honey
  • 1 stevia packet (optional if you like it sweeter)
  • Mix together and enjoy!
This was delicious and perfect for summer time

I used my chicken-less strips

They were pretty good!  A bit chewy, but I expect that from a fake chicken product. They had good flavor though!

stats


Blueberry Balsamic Salad

With chicken-less strips!

I am going to devour this now. Peace out
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  • Is there a country that you feel a particular affinity to? For me, its Isreal and Costa Rica (where my moms side of the family lives)
  • What is the craziest fried food you have heard of? Fried sub (which was filled with chicken fingers, fries and mozz sticks!
  • Favorite type of cheese? Goat–currently
Song of the moment