Restaurant Review: Sabrinas

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Jenny

Mondays are typically when most people post “back on track” days or “detoxing” recipes. I on the other hand, would like to start to frame up Mondays as a glorification day for some of the amazing food that I had over the weekend.

I have no shame.

This weekend, was no exception. On Sunday AM, me and the main philly guy in my life (we can call him PG “philly guy” moving forward – he is typically my partner in crime at most restaurants I go to so odds are he’ll be popping up quite frequently) took a leisurely stroll to Sabrina’s in the Italian Market. I’ve been to Sabrina’s once before with a girlfriend back in the fall, and had really enjoyed it. I haven’t been back since it’s a little off of the beaten path, and there is typically a wait, but I figured on a lazy Sunday when neither of us was about to eat our own stomachs, this might be the perfect fit.

Pros:

  • Right near Italian Market which is an awesome place to check out if you are in the Philly area
  • High quality food that is really different but tastes awesome
  • Huge portions
  • Friendly staff
  • Family friendly

Cons:

  • Huge portions (can be a bit much – literally the french toast looked like a half loaf of challah)
  • Family friendly (depends on whether you want babies near you at breakfast)
  • No alcohol (depends on your feelings around having a boozy brunch – but at least good to know ahead of time)
  • No reservations & typically a wait (we waited 30 minutes)

I was not all that starving so I opted for the Tofu Veggie scramble. It was a little different than I thought as it was entirely vegan, all tofu / no eggs, but still delicious. PG got some monstrocity that included banana bread french toast topped with eggs, sausage and gravy.

I don’t understand how he was functioning afterwards but to each their own right?!

Overall recommendation: 4/5 forks!

Definitely a restaurant to take family / friends out to if you don’t mind waiting a bit and want a delicious breakfast that will suite just about anyones taste buds

 

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What’s the Deal with…Juice?

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Jenny

Juice Cleanses.

I’m sure you’ve heard of them. the good. the bad. and perhaps the ugly.

I’m not entirely sure of where I stand regarding their nutritional value – all I know is that sometimes a gal just needs a fresh (get it? fruit. fresh. ya.) start.

As of last monday, I am exactly 56 days until the sunny beaches of St. John. Needless to say, I cannot wait!! But, my body could probably tell you differently. For the past few months I feel like I haven’t been sticking to my guns the way I usually am, and have definitely been sneaking in the additional sweets or glassES of wine. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with enjoying yourself, however, if you start to feel yourself slipping from the goal you set in the morning, or feeling guilty about what you’re eating, then it is time to re-evaluate.

8 weeks out and I’m fully dedicated to taking care of my body and revitalizing it with veggies, healthy grains, lean proteins and much lower amounts of processed sugar. So – what else! I decided to kick start with a juice cleanse.

juice2

Moving from NY to Philadelphia, there are definitely less options for fresh juice cleanses available. However, I still opted to find a local vendor who was recommended to me by a friend; Pangea Earth Foods. Erika owns Pangea Earth Foods and makes the juices right before you pick them up. I’m all for supporting local vendors, so I figured what the heck.

The 3 day menu was the same each day and consisted of the following:

  1. Green Earth Smoothie (spinach, apple, lemon, ginger, banana, spirulina)
  2. Pear Love (pear, apple, cucumber, fennel, lemon)
  3. Miracle Tonic (carrot, apple, celery, lime, ginger)
  4. Spicy Lemonade (lemon, water, hot pepper, agave)
  5. Almond Lover (almond, date, cinnamon, agave, vanilla)

juice

I loved all of the juices, especially the thicker ones. Considering there were only 5 juices a day, vs. 6 as in most juice cleanses, the smoothie-esque drinks definitely held me over longer, which helped. However, look at the ingredients. So much fruit/agave! Each drink had a large amount of sugar in it, which I could literally feel on my teeth after the first day.

You aren’t allowed to choose which juices you get from the website, but I honestly wish I could have. While I don’t consider myself a hardcore “juicer” persay – I could have dealt with some more veggie-based ones.

Overall – I felt good once the juice cleanse was over – and also maintained my same workout routine throughout. As long as I had a tooth brush and mouthwash on hand, I was ok. Winking smile

Have you ever done a juice cleanse? Which one? Did you like it?

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Jenny

I’m pretty sure that the last time I posted on this blog I posted a recipe for Cauliflower fried rice.

I must have an addiction. Either that, or cauliflower really is the best veggie out there Smile

The other day I saw this recipe for Cauliflower Pizza Crust, and since I’ve been a pizza fiend for the past few weeks (Stella officially knows my go-to order – sausage with hot pesto pleeease) I decided to give this a try and be “healthier” while still getting in my pizza craving.

Shockingly – the cauliflower actually fakes a crust super well – you can even pick it up with your hands!

pizza

Ingredients:

4 cups raw cauliflower rice
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup soft goat cheese (chevre)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Make your cauliflower rice. This is pretty simple. Pulse the raw cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble rice. (I used 1 head of cauliflower and did this in two batches)

3. Boil an inch of water on the stove and when bubbling, add in “rice” for 3-4 minutes.

4. Strain rice in a fine-mesh strainer.

5. SECRET TIP ** put “rice“ in a thin dish towel and squeeze out all the remaining water. This is the secret tip in order to ensure that the rice sticks together and is able to resemble pizza at the end

6. In a large bowl mix together rice, egg, goat cheese, and herbs.

7. Press the dough onto a baking tray which is covered in parchment paper (I used a Silpat if you have one). You definitely want use parchment paper at least so that the pizza easily comes off.

8. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

9. Take out the crust and load with your toppings! I used organic pizza sauce, goat cheese, and artichoke hearts on mine.

10. Put in for another 10 minutes until sauce is bubbling.

pizza

**adapted from detoxinista.com**

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2013 is here

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jenny

It’s a new year, and while I’m not a big fan of resolutions, this time of the year always feels as though there is a chance for natural rejuventation. A chance to start fresh, start new, and leave anything from the past 12 months behind.

This past year has been absolutely CRAZY. I knew my 25th year would be that way, I could just feel it. And within the last 6 months I have quit my first job, moved cities, started living alone, ended a serious relationship, and made more new friends and new serious relationships than I thought was possible. Without getting sentimental, life really is amazing sometimes…how up and down it can be and how each day you really don’t know what lies ahead.

Take today. Today, I had plans to go to spin class, relax, and walk around the city. Instead, I had a silly brunch with some close friends and baked some chocolate chip cookies.

I was inspired to restart up this blog (and it has definitely been a while) and try to contain my excitement while getting ready for Season 3 of Downton Abbey to start(!!)

I signed up for Tone It Up! 6 week challenge to get “hot hot hot” by Valentines Day and am fully committed to making that happen – thus another reason why this blog has been reenacted. I need to be accountable and committed to things I want and not let all the other distractions or obligations around work/school/budgets/etc interrupt the things that I like to do in my spare time that help me to relax and put things in perspective.

Life is short, but that doesn’t mean that my patience needs to be.

And it doesn’t hurt to have some warm chocolate chip cookies and milk to calm my nerves either. :)

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from My Little Gourmet)

  • 3/4 cup/170 g butter, unsalted and softened (I used Earth Balance)
  • 3/4 cup/160 g light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup/50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups/260 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used Kosher)
  • 6 oz./150 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350℉

2. Cream together butter and sugars.

3. Add egg and almond and blend together.

4. Add the flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined at medium speed. Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

5. If you have a silpat use that – otherwise line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll dough balls about the size of 1 Tablespoon onto sheet and place onto baking sheet. These really won’t spread so they can be close together.

6. Bake for about 10 – 15 minutes.  They should be barely golden brown around the edges and still somewhat soft in the center.

7. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

8. Serve warm and with a cold glass of milk!


 

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End of an Era!

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Jenny

Okay well  not an era per say…but 8 weeks of paleo eating is officially coming to a program end come Saturday!

It’s crazy that I have followed this [pretty] strict diet for 56 days, cut out all chocolate after meals (minus this past week – lady issues – nuff said), touched not a single grain – not even my beloved quinoa, and followed a predetailed workout plan to the T (even during the hurricane…and on Saturdays…)

Overall, I’m ready for this to be done. I feel good, but I’m ready to get back to having a little more flexibility with my choices when I go out to eat, or just feel like switching up my workout days. I do, however, think I will remain almost 80% paleo eating throughout the week. Stay tuned!

This Saturday we have a team Paleo Potluck as a final send off for a job well done. Since I’ve clearly been missing my chocolate (see above comment), I opted for dessert! I thought a healthified Reese’s PB cup would be the perrrrfect treat.

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups (adapted from Detoxinista)

  •  3 T almond butter (I used unsalted TJ brand)
  • 2 t coconut oil
  • sea salt
  • 1/2 C dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat up 1/2 Cup of chocolate chips in oven safe container for 5 minutes each. Take out and place a thin later in each cupcake tin with a liner. Try to make a little “cup” shape by pushing the chocolate up the sides a little, this should help to hold the filling.

2. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes

3. While freezing, mix together the coconut oil, a pinch of sea salt (or to taste) and almond butter*

4. With 5 minutes to go in the freezer, melt some more chocolate in the oven. Take out of the oven after 5 minutes.

5. Take frozen bottoms and place a spoonful of the filling mixture into each. Be careful to try and leave some room on the sides so that the chocolate can cover it well.

6. Spoon another later of the melted chocolate on top of the filling and refreeze for at least 2 hours.

*I followed the recipe for the filling which included coconut oil, however I think that this may have made it too liquidy. In hindsight, I might even just try this without any oil, but perhaps the oil will make it freeze better? Still unsure.

 

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Seesaw Workout

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Jenny

I’m nearing the end of my 8 week paleo challenge and things have been slightly tapering off for me – and honestly, I’m not sure entirely how I feel about it all. By my 4 week checkpoint, I had lost inches in all of my measurements,  as well as 10 lbs (!!) Needless to say, I was siked, and ready for the last 4 weeks.

Over the past 2 weeks though, I’ve been feeling increasingly tired, hungry ALL THE TIME, and having some major digestive issues (tmi – sorry). My trainer said I need to actually eat more, just make sure it’s the right things. I”m thinking that maybe nuts may be the culprit since I seem to be eating them by the handful since I”m so hungry all the time…any other suggestions? Sweet potatoes? Coconut oil? What else could it be?!

For dinner tonight, I sauteed some Italian Sausage from Whole Foods (which is outrageously delicious btw) with snap green peas. The sausage is so friggin juicy that the peas had an extra delicious taste even though I only used olive oil. Amazing. I then topped it all off with a sweet potato and some leftover Paleo cranberry sauce from my Thanksgiving meal I made last week (more to come on that).

I’m feeling good so far tonight – fingers crossed!

**One other suggestion my trainer had was to up my healthy fat content. Today, I had 1.5 avocados. Healthy fat – check.

Seesaw Workout

Today’s workout kind of reminded me of a seesaw. While that might remind you of childhood, and mosying along with ease, don’t be fooled. This was killer.

  • Warm up with at least 10 straight minutes of cardio
  • 100 jumprope
  • 15 chinups at a level 8
  • 20 walking lunges (10 lbs in each hand)
  • 25 hand release pushups (all the way down and lift hands up)
  • 30 goblet squats (hold 25 lbs)
  • 25 full squat overhead presses (hold 10 lbs in each hands)
  • 20 dips
  • 15 burpees
  • 100 jumprope
  • hold 1 max plank

Let me know how it goes!

 

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Fall Foliage Wedding!!

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Jenny

This weekend I headed to Boston to celebrate my the wedding of my college roommate Claudia and her boyfriend of 4 years, Pete. She is my first friend to get married, and the first wedding that all of my college friends have attended together. Needless to say, it was beautiful, romantic, hilarious, loving, and overall and epic epic day.

Can’t wait to get some more photos back! Congratulations Pete & Claudia!!! xxoxoxo

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Cauliflower??

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Jenny

This new Paleo diet that I’ve been on for 4 weeks has been great – but I’m not going to lie that I miss some staples from my previous diet. Especially things like brown rice, quinoa, millet, and all these other grains that I had previously eaten every day.

Enter “faux” rice.

I’ve been hearing about cauliflower as a substitute for rice for a while now, but I’ve just never attempted to make it. Until the other night.

Honestly this dish kicked my craving for chinese food and was so so good! And not at all as scary a feat as I originally anticipated Winking smile

Cauliflower + Chicken Fried Rice (inspired by Deliciously Organic)

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 T tamari sauce (I didn’t have this on hand so I just used balsamic vinegar. If you aren’t following paleo – regular soy sauce would work)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 carrots (cubed)
  • 3 T coconut oil
  • 4 T tamari sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 green onions
  1. Marinate chicken in tamari sauce and garlic for 30 minutes
  2. Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces, place in food processor and pulse for 15 – 20 seconds (should look like the consistency of rice)
  3. Place rice in a side bowl
  4. Put peas and carrots in a saucepan, covered with water and boil for until tender (8 – 10 minutes). Drain
  5. Head skillet over medium heat with 1 T coconut oil. Cook chicken and break up with wooden spoon. When done, move to a side dish and drain pan.
  6. In same pan, add 2 T coconut oil. Add cauliflower and tamari and let it soak up (about 2 minutes).
  7. Make a well in the center of the pan and crack in 2 eggs. Scramble until pretty well cooked and then mix in cauliflower. Add in peas, carrots, chicken, and green onions.
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Paleo Beef & Broccoli Creation

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Jenny

When is the last time you’ve had Chinese food?

I remember getting it all.the.time in high school (nights when my mom was at book club and dad was in charge of dinner, movie nights with friends, cheap date nights…) but since then, I rarely ever order Chinese food.

So when I stumbled upon this recipe for Paleo Beef & Broccoli, my initial instinct was no way. What kind of spices, sauces, tools would I need to make this anyway!? But then fond memories of ordering Beef & Broccoli with brown rice and egg roles, followed up with a witty fortune cookie where something always referred to having good (or bad) luck “in bed” came flooding into my head and I just had to check out the recipe.

What? It was super simple and I had all of the ingredients on hand, minus the steak and a few vegetables. Done deal.

I’ve been wanting to experiment with cooking steak at home since I’ve started on this Paleo path, and since I typically don’t cook meat at home, this was definitely an adventure. I ordered 1 lb of grassfed lean sirloin steak on Sunday and proceeded to call my mom to figure out how long it could stay in the fridge until it should be frozen.

This turned into another call last night when I opened up the package and noticed that it had turned a little bit gray-ish color on the outside….cooking with meat honestly does make me nervous but the package said “sell by 10/12″ so I think I should be okay…if I die in the next 48 hours, I purchased this from Whole Foods in Philadelphia (you’ll know the culprit).

Does anyone have any tips for making steak at home? What is kind of the rule of thumb for refrigerating / defrosting / etc? 

Paleo Beef + Broccoli

  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 lb grassfed sirloin steak, cut into very thin strips
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbs flax meal
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups broccoli, cut into flowerets
  • 2 green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Heat the 1 Tbs coconut oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the sliced beef and 1/4 tsp sea salt, and brown. Remove beef from pan to a side dish, and get rid of excess juice left in pan.
  3. In a small bowl mix lemon juice, flax meal, grated ginger, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes with 1/4 cup broth.
  4. Heat pan again over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil when pan is hot.
  5. Add broccoli to pan. Pour liquid ingredients on top and toss to coat.
  6. Cook over medium heat until broccoli is tender.
  7. Return the beef to the pan and add the green onions. Add the extra 1/4 C chicken broth.
  8. Stir beef in until it’s coated with sauce, and let simmer for a few minutes until liquid has cooked down a bit.

 

I’m serving mine over a bed of spinach, but I think with brown rice this would be delicious!

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Sore for days

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Jenny

Yesterday, Roger took me through a kick butt workout, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to be sore for days.

I’m officially having trouble walking/moving/reaching/sitting today. It’s pretty awesome.

There are 5 sections to this workout so take each separately. In section 1, do each of the three activities for 1 minute, working on form and taking it easy. Then repeat the 3 exercises for 30 seconds each, at a sprint pace. You should be working really hard for those 30 seconds. Move on to section 2 and repeat all the way through section 5.

Hopefully I’ll be scheduled for some long walks in the next few days…yeesh

*********************************

Currently curled up on the couch watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind nursing my wounds :)

Any tips for sore muscles out there? How was your Monday night?

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