CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

Paleta Day 3: The Hump Day!

When I got my food delivery this morning, and unloaded the contents, I was the MOST excited I've been so far...!

Every meal today was just delicious. And a lot of my favorite foods were involved. They can't do that on purpose - it just turned out that way - but it was a great menu.

I decided to et my breakfast a little later than I usually do so I wouldn't be so hungry for a snack and starving by lunch. I'm not sure it was  good idea -- I actually skipped my morning snack because I wasn't hungry. And not knowing what to do, I ate it in the afternoon during a phone call (and forgot to take a picture). 

Lesson learned! Eat breakfast early. :)  Today's was - as I said - my favorite so far. It was a big meal! 

 

Coconut pancakes with tropical salsa, syrup, scrambled egg whites with parsley and canadian bacon

 

FYI, I have decided I do not like parsley. It's okay -- but I'd rather keep it for Passover, when I get to dip it in saltwater. 

I was busy at work today - aggravated by a number of mini-dramas - and since I'm on the subject, I was also suffering from major aggravtion because my desk chair is broken. It makes me crazy. But I am stubborn and have an unnatural attachment to it (mostly because it's wide enough for me to sit comfortably). 

Wanna feel motivated to drop weight? get yourself a broken desk chair that sinks down after you've been sitting on it for an hour. {{sigh}}

Lunch was - hands down - the best Paleta meal I've had so far. Because, frankly, I love a burger. I'm ghetto like that. And today I got FRIES with it. Well, kind of...

 

Grilled grass fed bison burger (AMAZING!) with gruyere cheese, cumin scented potato wedges, spicy ketchup (I dropped the spicy mustard) AND a Paleta Pressed "Magic" Chocolate Hazelnut Millkshake

 

In my hurry to make lunch, I dropped the package and had to use a big girl plate! It made the portion look smaller but it was still a lot. 

My AM snack turned into my PM snack - fresh apple slices and a "raw super fods truffle." I wanna buy a bag of these truffles. (Are you reading this, Chef Kelly? Hint, hint!)

Of course, my PM snack was, well, my second PM snack. Because I knew I wasn't having dinner until late tonight. So I got to enjoy more green beans -- a citrus green bean salad. It was oddly refreshing.

On Wednesday nights, I am typically with my youth group teens until 8:30 or so, so when I got home, I was too tired to be that hungry. I nuked my food quickly and ate it in bed. Mind you, it was STILL DELICIOUS, but I probably should have sat at the table or something.

Also, this could be why the picture is a little fuzzy. 

 

Fresh corn grits with shrimp, snap peas, okra

 

I had to google "okra."

And I know what you're thinking: "GRITS?!"

I KNOW! They were SO good, though! I mean, REALLY good! I was so surprised. And I wonder if I could make them. I don't even know WHAT grits are. Go have them, though. Imediately. 

Oh dear, it is after midnight. It took me two hours to write this because I kept stopping to watch some VERY gripping episodes of The Golden Girls. 

But before I drift off to la-la-land, wanted to thank Chef Kelly one more time for this special opportunity and encourage all of you to follow her on Twitter. 

 

https://twitter.com/eatpaleta

 

GOOD NIGHT! Happy eating! 

The Second Day Done

I always like to get the bad news out of the way first.

No Gerber Daisy today. :(

But that's okay -- the one I got yesterday still makes me smile every time I look at it! 

And onto the good news: I GOT TO ET MORE YUMMY FOOD.

Today I decided to do something different. I photographed all of the food before I warmed it up because I felt like you should all see how lovely it looks fresh out of the package. And I'm gonna apologize in advance for the blurry photos. I don't know WHAT I did to my camera but it just did not like me today. ((le sigh))

So breakfast was yummy. And they left off the mushrooms, which was AWESOME. Of course, I forgot to list that I don't like zucchinni... so I ate it anyway and it was not bad at all. Of course, EVERYTHING is better when you add cheese -- in this case, the flatbread with eggs had RICOTTA on it. So genius - I never think to use ricotta on anything and it's a lighter cheese. 

See how fresh and lovely it looks? None of that frozen crap residue that leaves your food soggy and watery after you microwave it. So nice. 

For lunch I ate ASPARAGUS (If I hadn't already completed my "new foods" goal in "33 in 2012," I'd totally be claiming this one). I've never really eaten it like this before -- only in the odd sushi roll. It was not bad at all and the remoulade was tasty. The salmon was REALLY delicious (one of those foods I'd REALLY hate to get frozen so the freshness is doubly appreciated here) and it was a pretty thick piece. The white bean salad I could take or leave -- but I was mostly full by the time I got to it anyway.

Dinner brought more zucchini but I liked it even more this time. Maybe I am developing a taste for it or maybe I was just HUNGRY. That's an interesting note, actually -- I found that on Day 2, I was GENUINELY hungry for my meals. Not just eating cause it was time to or cause I had an urge. I felt hungry and I ate. I suppose that's how it SHOULD be but for someone who chroniclly eats when she is bored, this was a rare feeling. 

So for dinner, it was mediterranean chicken with the zucchini/squash mix (and with feta - again, big props to cheese) along with an artichoke and kalmata wheatberry salad which I LOVED.

Incidentally, artichoke - like green beans - is another food I am new to and LOVE. 

And, let's not forget the snacks -- they were SO yummy today!

No, they did NOT give me half an egg. I was just SO excited for deviled eggs that I immediately popped half in my mouth and then realized I hadn't taken a picture yet. Whoops! The bit with the strawberries is a "vegan superfoods truffle" that was weird -- but not bad at all. And I'm sure it's the healthiest truffle I've ever eaten. ;) 

My bag is at the door, Paleta! Bring me Day 3!!! 

Day 1 with Paleta - Pretty Yummy!

Well, here I go... 

I know already that this is going to a far cry - in a good direction - from BistroMD. I certainly don't want to knock it, cause we all know I enjoyed it, but this is just a different branch on the same tree. 

The thing I think I love most about Paleta is that it's fresh. It is delivered daily so I'm not cluttering up my fridge or freezer with a week's worth of meals and the prep is minimal. You can see the difference as soon as the containers come out of the bag and you can certainly taste the difference.

And there was also a lovely little surprise when I opened my front door for the first bag today:

Now I don't now if they knew Gerbera Daisies are my FAVORITE, but it was sure a nice way to start the day! Everyone should start their day with daisies. They are the friendliest flower. 

I hope I get another one each day so I can have myself a little Paletta bouquet on Friday (this is assuming I don't kill day 1 flower -- because I could kill a fake plant in a greenhouse without trying.)

They pack a lot into that little bag:

And the bag is SUPER awesome cause it just came right to work with me (well, I left the dinner in the fridge at home). 

So here is what I got to eat today:

Breakfast was: "New potato, scallion and goat cheese frittata, fresh marinara, mint citrus salad." 

I loved the frittata. How hard could that be to make? I have to look that one up. I didn't really use the marinara - maybe I should have - but I devoured the frittata and I didn't think it would go well with the citrus salad....

I also cracked this puppy open:

I'm going to post seperately about the merits of boxed water later in the week. I will say, for now, I didn't care for it. I drank the whole thing because I need the water in my life, but I felt like I could taste the cardboard in it. It was weird. And I'm sure I've also been drinking bottled water too long.

Lunch:

Whenever I try something for my blog, I have to genuinely try it (I eat all or most of it) but I also get to be honest. So this, which was "Lentil brown rice burgers, fiery salsa, herb roasted carrots," did not do it for me. To be fair, I did LOVE the carrots but they forgot my salsa (I wish I'd saved the breakfast marinara!) and the lentil patties were just too dry on their own (I even got one of my co-workers to take a bite for validation). I'm sure with a little sauce they would have been totally fine, but I didn't have anything to use in the office. 

But that's ok! You have to know it's a big deal I even ate any of this at all.

OH! And I got snacks! 

My AM snack was mixed grapes with spiced pecans. The PM snack was celery sticks with raw almond butter. And I've never had almond butter before. I REALLY liked it. You'd better believe I was licking what I didn't use off my finger (I'm a lady). 

Dinner was pretty good, too!

"Roasted vegetable lasagna, blue lake green beans with toasted almonds." Keep in mind I just realized I liked green beans about 11 months ago. And they were DELICIOUS. And there were a LOT of them, which was fine with me. The lasagna ws good, but I liked the green beans best. (My mother is so amused right now!)

So day one is over and I don't feel cranky or hungry or anything! In fact, I find I am in a GREAT mood! Which is especially important to note since my ex just decided to text message me to say "hey" (Seriously, guys, we have to talk - "hey" is not an amicable greeting). But I was giddy as a school girl putting my bag outside and I kind of can't wait to see what arrives for day 2! 

OMG, it's like Paleta is the food Santa. 

I Love Jimmy Kimmel, Italian Stuff, and Cheese

As I love Jimmy Kimmel, I wanted to put the word out about this event, which he hosts and promotes annually. I've been before - it's a TON of fun. And if you are in Los Angeles, it's really worth checking out. 

Incidentally, if you have not seen Jimmy's latest video to go viral, go watch IMMEDIATELY - he's a wicked little genius!

The 11^th Annual Galbani^® Cheese Italian Feast of San Gennaro - September 28–30, 2012, includes some of my FAVORITE things: music, food, wine, rides and games! But that's not all -- since 2002, the San Gennaro Foundation has donated over $750,000 to local charities that benefit Los Angeles shelters for children and families, food banks for the homeless, and school programs for underprivileged youth, among others. Hosted by event co-founder Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, the Feast will once again take over Hawthorn Ave. (between Highland and Orange) in Hollywood. 

The fun-filled weekend commences Thursday, September 27^th with the opening night fundraising gala, “Prima Notte 2012”, which will pay tribute to Italian Americans in Sports, including Tommy Lasorda, Dodger’s former manager and current advisor to the Chairman, as well as Lou Cordileone, former NFL offensive lineman for the Giants, 49ers, Steelers and Saints.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, Mark DeCarlo serves as Master of Ceremonies, Louis Prima Jr. is set for a Big Band “swinging” performance and Italian American comedians finish out the evening with a special “Comedy under the Stars” show, courtesy of Meatballs of Comedy and the legendary LA Improv. 

The festival venue is conveniently located across the street from the Hollywood and Highland complex and Metro Red Line, directly behind the Jimmy Kimmel Live Theater at 1651 N. Highland Ave. The Feast will be held September 28-30, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. General admission is $5 and kids under 12 are free. All proceeds benefit the San Gennaro Foundation, established to provide aid to children and families in need in Los Angeles. 

For all the info., check out the website: www.feastofla.org  -- the press release was massive and I'm sure I left out a couple moresels of information. 

 

Co-host, Jimmy Kimmel. And now I totally want pizza for lunch.

Andy Garcia and Jimmy

 

 

"And NOW... GIRLS ON TRAMPOLINES!" (I miss The Man Show)

 

The Week Ahead: Trying Something New

Over the summer, I attended a really ovely soiree to sample and learn more bout Paleta, a home-delivery service that offers healthy twists on haute cuisine with ingredients sourced from local farms, cruelty-free ranches, and responsible fisheries. I was totally blown away by it -- all the vivrancy and flavors, the variety, and especially by the Chef, Kelly, who has survived terminal cancer and has an amazing spirit. 

All of the photos I took at the event are on my Facebook page, but here are a couple so you can see how magnetic it is:

 

100% Organic & Raw Pressed Juice Cleanses

I promise you - it tastes as good as it looks!

So anyway, cut to all these weeks later, and I am SUPER excited that Chef Kelly took an interest in me and my blog and GRACIOUSLY has offered to let me try Paleta for a week and share it with all of you. 

That means I got to input my own personal preferences for customizable meal options (I was sure to mention my personal loathing of broccoli and mushrooms), daily delivery, minimal meal prep, three meals a day, two snacks  day... 

I'm totally pumped for this. I cannot wait to tell you about it. I start tomorrow!

Quote of the Day

Why I may move to Paris

With thanks to my friend Vicky for sending -- she knew I'd like this one! 

 

Adopt-A-Guy: Parisian Pop-Up Shop Sells Men

The French dating website AdopteUnMec.com (Adopt-A-Guy) is set up like a man boutique where women peruse the virtual racks looking for their perfect match. "Special on Carrot-Tops" advertises one online banner. Another alerts "buyers" to a "Total Liquidation of Men with Curly Hair: Everything Must Go." Now, the company has taken their wares to the streets with a pop-up store in Paris where women can window-shop for a mate. Some critics are saying the concept is exploitative and there would be a public outcry if women were similarly put up for sale.

(Yes, it’s true. But don’t care. Sell me a man. I’m in.)

The Daily Mail reports that gawkers flocked to the grand opening on September 11 to check out the real dudes being displayed in glass containers that resemble boxes of Ken dolls. These toy boys have names like "Mr. Muscle" and "The Rocker." The traveling boutique will be open for 10 days before moving on to other cities. Reportedly, the men in the displays are male models being used for promotional purposes and not, in fact, eligible bachelors.

(Other cities?! Let me give you my address…)

Adopt-A-Guy was launched in 2010 and is free for women. Men "sell themselves" with online profiles and women initiate communication and do the "purchasing" in what the site calls a "market of love." The theory is that women will feel less threatened and more empowered if they control the dating process. Presumably, the shopping aspect is supposed to make the whole experience fun and playful. Women look through a "catalogue" of men and pop potential mates into their "shopping cart." Reportedly, business is booming, and the website gets about 300 million page views per month.

To American "customers," the men on display in the Adopt-A-Guy pop-up shop might bring up memories of old-fashioned kissing booths (wait, is there such a thing or is that a figment of 'Archie' comics?). For Europeans, the set-up may appear less innocent. In Amsterdam's red light district, female prostitutes advertise themselves in luridly illuminated windows. One Daily Mail reader commented, "Doing this to men is just as bad as doing it to women and they have been doing this to women for years. Putting them in boxes like a commodity, a pair of shoes or a new phone is wrong. Men nor women are commodities and they are not hotties, they are people." Another reader asked for a "sense of humor, please."

(Why can’t we be people AND hotties?)

 

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/adopt-guy-parisian-pop-shop-sells-men-181500255.html

Quote of the Day

A little AWESOME 80s nostalgia for everyone on this quiet, Sunday evening...

 

Me: This is a great song to do the robot to.

Her: ...Every song is a great song to do the robot to.

 

P.S. (We then did The Robot. It was awesome.)