Review: Thai X-ing

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting some friends for dinner at Thai X-ing, an authentic (you guessed it) Thai food restaurant in Shaw.  I had been to Thai X-ing before with the BF - we enjoyed our meal there, but it wasn't as wonderful as others had proclaimed, so I didn't bother to write about it here.  However, this second visit did in fact live up to those high expectations and so I thought I should share some details on this experience.

Dining at Thai X-ing is in fact an experience.  The restaurant is located inside a row house on Florida Avenue; you could easily miss it except for the hostess who is usually standing outside the entrance.  We were ushered inside by said hostess and, as we were a slightly larger group, we were sat at the larger, low table by the front window.

I had called ahead to make my dietary preferences known, and our server checked in with all of us before the meal began for allergies and preferences.  Food arrived almost immediately, but not before we had a chance to open the wine we had brought (yup, Thai X-ing is a rare BYOB in DC).

First up: Papaya Salad and Tom Yam soup.  Two of the simplest, yet also my favorite, Thai dishes.  The salad was perfectly crunchy and just spicy enough to wake up your taste buds.  The soup also had a delicate balance of spice (from the lemongrass and ginger) and sweetness (from the rich coconut milk).  I could have been satisfied with just those two dishes, but there was much more to come.

The main dishes all came out at once:  Pumpkin Curry, Bean Sprouts with Tofu, and Drunken Noodles with Tofu, plus a fish and beef dish for the carnivorous folks in the group.  Plus a mountain of fluffy white rice.  My favorite by far was the Pumpkin Curry - slightly spicy, yet also so creamy.  I am determined to replicate this dish at home sometime soon.
 

 

And finally... Mango Sticky Rice.  While we all proclaimed to be too stuffed to continue, we ate every last bite of this amazing dessert.  Another dish I am determined to learn how to make and perfect. 

We all left too full, but also very satisfied.  I love to try new foods, and it is so much more fun to share this experience with friends and loved ones. 

Pumpkin Banana Bread - Vegan & GF

It's that time of year again folks... pumpkin season!  While I'm a summer girl and not as thrilled about the cooler weather coming our way, I am excited for all the fall foods: pumpkin, butternut squash, apples, cinnamon, etc.  For a while now I have been searching for a good breakfast bread: something vegan and gluten free, made with no-nonsense ingredients, and minimal added sugars.  Just sweet enough from the bananas and maple syrup, and made with ingredients that I normally stock in my kitchen, this recipe fit the bill.  The streusel is completely optional, but it does make this bread feel indulgent and special, not to mention beautiful, so I suggest including it.

 Pumpkin Banana Bread (vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free)

Dry:
1 + ¾ cup oat flour (you can grind rolled oats into flour using a food processor)**

1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ turmeric

Wet:
2 medium bananas 
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup almond pulp (or any other pulp from making homemade nut milk, or almond meal)
¼ cup coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon non-dairy milk

For the streusel:
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 c. rolled oats
3 tablespoons oat flour
½ tablespoon turbinado sugar
½ tablespoon maple syrup
½ tablespoon coconut oil

**If using whole oats, make sure they are certified gluten free (if gluten is an issue for you)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a loaf pan (I used 9x5). 

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl or food processor, mix the mashed bananas, pumpkin, nut pulp, oil, syrup, vanilla and milk. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scoop batter into the loaf pan.

Combine all streusel ingredients in a small bowl and stir until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle the mixture over the cake and press it lightly into the batter using your hand. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the bread springs back lightly under your finger instead of sinking in. 

Adapted from here.

This bread got eaten up in no time!

I apologize for the terrible photo, but I brought this loaf to work and half of it got eaten before I remembered to take a picture.  I took that as a sign that it was blog-worthy.  This is definitely a recipe I will be making again soon - maybe next time I will try it with sweet potato instead of pumpkin?  Yum...

What are your favorite fall foods?

A Veggie-ful DC Weekend

This past weekend was DC VegFest 2013!  I have been talking about this event since last year, so needless to say I was excited.  My mom and brother drove in from the burbs to check it out with me and we had a blast.  The afternoon was full of free, yummy samples and definitely some good people watching.  Some of the highlights were...
 

Vegan chipwich from Bakeshop - YUM-O!

Close up of chipwich delicious-ness

New tank for Mom "Kale yes!"

Treeline Treenut cheese

This stuff is legit

barefootbucha - kombucha on tap!

In addition to the Treeline nut cheese and delicious chipwich pictured above, I also scored three jars of Peanut Butter and Co peanut butter, Theo dark chocolate with coffee, some Dandies marshmallows, and a Gouter Pumpkin Spice Latte tonic (on top of all the free samples I collected throughout the day).

To top off my veggie-filled afternoon, I came home to my September Vegan Cuts Snack Box.  Because I know you all loved my first Snack Box video, (drum roll please) I decided to again film my unboxing...

And that's a wrap!

Inspiration: Breakfast Salad

Do you ever get in a breakfast rut?  Or simply have a craving for something totally out of the ordinary?  I know I do.  Sometimes my morning smoothie or scoop of granola just doesn't satisfy me.  I find this to be especially true on weekends when I usually have a little more time to make something for myself.  This past weekend was one of these times -  I was up early and ravenous!  I knew cereal or fruit was not going to cut it.  I looked in the fridge for inspiration and saw veggies, and remembered a post for a 'breakfast salad' I had pinned a while back on Choosing Raw.  Why not try it?  I thought... and then a beautiful thing was born.

This may be my new favorite breakfast (which is saying a lot, since I'm pretty addicted to green smoothies).   It's super simple to prepare, but also incredibly satisfying due to the chew factor.   Here's how to try one for yourself:

Step 1- Pick your greens.  I used baby arugula because that's what I had and what I love, but a milder green may be better suited for the AM (think baby spinach, butter lettuce, romaine).
Step 2 - Pick your fruit.  I sliced up a banana for my salad, but any fruit will work.  Take inspiration from what's in season or keep it simple with a personal favorite. Throw in whatever other veggies complement that fruit (I thought cool cucumber would add a nice contrast to the creamy banana).
Step 3 - Add some crunch. Top your salad with granola, cereal, nuts, and/or seeds.  Not only will this add a satisfying crunch to your salad, but it will also increase the protein content.
Step 4 - Dress it up!  I drizzled maple syrup and lemon juice over my salad, but the possibilities are endless.  A few ideas I will definitely try in the near future include some sort of almond butter based sauce and the chocolate avocado sauce featured on Choosing Raw (see link above).

I know salad for breakfast may sound strange, but in other places around the world this is totally normal.  In many Mediterranean countries, breakfast consists of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers with bread and olives.  Asian countries also love their veggies:  a common morning meal in Japan is miso soup, pickled vegetables, seaweed salad, and cured raw fish.

So why not switch things up and get your day off to a GREEN and HEALTHY start?  And let me know how it turns out - I'm always on the lookout for creative new eats, especially for the most important meal of the day!

Happy crunching! 

Sunday Funday - Exploring AdMo + First Yoga Class

Hello and Happy Monday!

This past weekend was my first back in the nation's capital for quite some time.  Saturday was uneventful, but Sunday was full of good times.  Sunday morning started with a long run in Rock Creek Park (another first in quite some time.. ow).  After lunch, the BF and I headed back to my old hood for the Adam's Morgan Day Festival.  We walked up 18th Street, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the festival, but didn't hang around too long - I was set to teach my first yoga class later in the evening, so I wanted some time to relax and prep beforehand.

To beat the crowd and the heat, we headed over to the newly opened Puree Juice Bar, located inside MINT gym at 18th and California (bottom of Adam's Morgan).  I had heard about Puree, but had never tried their juices as the original bar is in Bethesda (just a little too far up the Red line for me to venture).  It's super exciting the they have opened this second location - I love seeing local, health-oriented businesses like Puree thriving and expanding.

We got to sample two of the juice offerings - the "mean lemonade" and the "daily green."  Both were really good (even the not-so-crunchy BF agreed).  I ended up getting the daily green.  This juice was a mix of pineapple, kale, cucumber, apple, lemon, and ginger - definitely green tasting, but with enough sweetness to give me just the boost I needed before my yoga class.  Besides juices, Puree also offers smoothies and an assortment of raw food/snacks.  The only downside to Puree, like so many organic/vegan/raw/whateverthenewhealthcrazeis places, is the price - most juices are around $10.  That being said, and although I no longer live in the direct area, I can see myself coming back to Puree in the near future, because their juices are so dang tasty (and their logo so dang cute).

The BF didn't get a juice, but he wanted a snack before my class, so we stopped into Pleasant Pops, which is right next door to Puree and Mint.  I've been in Pleasant Pops before, but only to get a drink, so this was a first pop experience for both of us.  He got the Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate popsicle, and it was fantastic!  Super creamy (I think it's made with coconut milk) with a slight hit of heat, this pop was the perfect treat for a hot day.  Again, while I'm no longer living in the immediate area, I can see myself stopping back in Pleasant Pops again soon.

All of the sudden the afternoon was ending and it was time to head over to The Studio DC in Dupont where I would be teaching my first yoga class.  I was a little nervous, but also excited!  My nerves disappeared as my friends, co-workers, and fellow teachers-in-training arrived - I was so happy to see all these people showing up to support me.  Teaching was HARD, but I expected as much.  It wasn't physically taxing like a yoga class normally is, but emotionally exhausting.  After class, I grabbed sushi with a few of my "students," but before long had to head home to pass out.  While there are definitely things I know I can improve on, the class went as well as I could have hoped for and I am looking forward to teaching more in the future.

A good first weekend back in DC, I'd say.  Until next time, namaste.

Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

As I mentioned in my past couple posts, I have been traveling for work the past 6 weeks. Traveling means that I am eating at restaurants (or mass prepared food), unable to go to my daily yoga classes at my studio, and having to find alternatives to my normal running routes.  While I am generally a healthy person, I am not superhuman, so it is still a challenge for me to stay healthy and fit while on the go. In this post I will share some of my tips for keeping up with working out and eating well while on the go.

Many of these tips are applicable, regardless of if you are traveling or not.  Although I don't always follow my own advice, I do find that when I do, I feel worlds better and am able to enjoy exploring new places much more.

Working out:

- Know what you have to work (out) with. When possible, stay at a hotel with a gym.  As soon as you check in, check out the gym to asses the situation.  Some hotels also offer maps or information on nearby running routes.  It also helps to do some research before hand (Are there any trails or paths in the area?  Is it safe to run outside by yourself? Are there running groups you could join up with? What you can find online is amazing).
- Keep up your routine.  If you normally everyday run in the AM, try to stick with this habit while on the road.  While you may have to hit the treadmill instead of the pavement depending on your location, keeping up your normal routine will increase your chances of staying on top of your work outs on the go.
- Be flexible.  This may see to completely contradict my last suggestion, but hear me out. Odds are you won't be able to keep up your routine exactly while traveling, so sometimes you have to modify your planned works outs to adapt to the situation.  Don't throw the towel just because you can't do your weekly 10 mile run or attend your favorite yoga class - find something else you can do instead.  Here's a few ways to be flexible and creative with your work outs on the go:
     *Pal in town wants to meet for drinks or dinner?  Suggest something more active - local yoga class, long walk or run, bike ride, etc.  You will be able to catch up while working out.
     *No gym at your hotel? Work out in your hotel room.  The internet is a gold mine of quick, portable work outs.  From yoga to Crossfit, there is something out there to please everyone.
     *Want to sight see?  Try out a running tour!  I did one on a recent trip to NYC, and it was a great way to get some history of the city while getting a work out in.  Also, a lot of major cities now have public bikes you can rent for a day (or longer) - another great, active way to explore.

Eating well:

- Pack healthy snacks - I always, always, always travel with snacks.  Some of my staples are nut butters, trail mix, fresh fruit, and greens (spirulina, chlorella, mixed green powders).  Lately I have cooked up a big batch of sweet potatoes or whole grains to take with me.  Not only does this help you stay healthy, but it also helps you save money!
- Hit up the grocery store - I call ahead to make sure I have a mini fridge in my hotel room, and then I hit up the grocery store for those items I wasn't able to bring from home.  I like to pick up non-dairy milk (while many coffee shops offer soymilk, not all hotels have hopped on this trend), in addition to fresh fruits and veggies to snack on.
- Keep up your (food) routine - This is one I personally struggle with.  While traveling, I love to try new foods and seek out interesting restaurants.  And although a giant vegan blueberry muffin every once in a while is no big deal, when you are traveling consistently, those muffins add up.  Go ahead and try new things, but don't it as an excuse to go overboard everyday.


There you have it folks - my quick and dirty tips on how to stay in shape while traveling. While I'm happy that I have the opportunity to see the country with my job, travel does add stress so I am glad to be back at home for at least a few weeks before my next adventure begins. 

IM BACK + Travel Snack Reviews

HELLO!  I am back in DC from my long bout of traveling, and boy does it feel good (although I'm still living out of a suitcase...more on that later) !  While I love to see the world/country, traveling definitely adds stress and can often mess with healthy eating and work out plans.

I'm planning to do a post on how to stay healthy while traveling, but for now I will simply provide a few product reviews.  As mentioned previously, I'm not one to buy a lot of packaged foods, but being on the road had me trying out more items than usual, so I thought I would share some of my finds with you!

Perfect Fit Protein Powder

A co-worker gave me one of these single-serve packets and I loved it!  This protein power is raw, vegan, and gluten free - 15g for only 70 calories.  I especially appreciated that I knew all of the ingredients - organic sprouted brown rice protein, vanilla extract, guar gum, stevia, and sea salt.  As for the taste, its a mild vanilla with only a slightly chalky aftertaste (come on, what protein powder doesn't taste chalky?)  I absolutely prefer this to some of the stronger flavored proteins I have tried in the past (Vega, I'm looking at you!).  Best of all, the single-serve packets are perfect for travel.  Bottom line:  After trying this, I promptly ordered a whole box.  If you think your diet needs a raw, vegan protein boost, you should check out Perfect Fit!

Evolution Juices

While fresh veggie juice is becoming more and more popular, it is still not something you can find everywhere.  However, you can now find it at many Starbucks locations, thanks to Evolution juices!  I have tried a few of the green juice varieties, and have been pleasantly surprised (and we all know how picky I am when it comes to green juice).  Bottom line:  Moderately priced and conveniently located, I will be coming back for more!

GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Meals

GoPicnic makes ready-to-eat meals that are vegan and allergy friendly and are sold at many airports across the US.  Basically these are the new-age Lunchables of the health conscious population.  I tried the Hummus & Crackers meal on a recent flight, and was pleasantly surprised.  I loved that the meal had a bunch of individually packed items - I ate half of it on the plane, and half another day for a snack.  While quite expensive when purchased at the airport, you can't beat the convenience of this nutritious item.  Bottom line:  Not an item I would regularly purchase, but I like the product and will probably buy again when in a pinch for quick, healthy meal while on the go.

Organic Raw One Flax Crackers

I found these raw crackers in a health food store in Orlando, FL and decided to give them a try since they were sorta local.  I tried the Golden Nori flavor and absolutely loved it - I am a sucker for crunchy & salty snacks, throw in superfoods like nori and healthy spices, and I'm sold. My only complaint was that the flax seed were whole, and from my understanding our bodies cannot absorb all the nutrients from whole flax seed (hence why it is usually ground before use).  Bottom line:  A healthy, tasty snack I would buy again.

That's all for now!  I promise to be back to regular posting again soon!