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Eggplant Sticks
I bought an eggplant on sale Sunday, so you can expect to see me trying to find new ways to eat it. It’s funny – when I was little I would not touch eggplant. I was a very picky eater and convinced myself I hated everything. Then one day I just tried it when it was doused in tomato sauce, and I fell in love!
I’ve done Eggplant Chips before, but yesterday for an odd snack I wanted something I could dunk into my Homemade Quick Sauce. This is super easy, barely a recipe, but here you are.
Ingredients:
- 1 small Italian eggplant
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic Powder
- salt
Directions
- Peel the eggplant cut in half.
- Cut into strips like French fries of your desired thickness. Keep in mind they shrink in the oven.
- Put a small amount of EVOO on a baking sheet and rub in w/ a paper towel.
- Put the Eggplant Sticks on the pan.
- Sprinkle w/ salt, cheese and garlic powder.
- Bake at 350* for about 12 – 15 minutes (be careful – they go from good to charred in an instant).
Baby Sitters Club Update
I just read Claudia’s Big Party, which is one I never read because I was like 17 when it came out.
I learned that Claudia had to go back to the 7th grade and then came back to 8th, thus making the BSC Eternal 8th grade year even more strange. This book was odd to read. I didn’t feel like I really knew the characters, like they had all aged and changed, but it was supposed to be the same school year. I loved it though – Claudia has too many friends and has a crazy par-tay when her parents go to Chicago for the weekend.
And on the food front … Claudia and Janine made pizza with American cheese slices and it was a disaster, but I would like to say my Grandma used to make the best pizza with homemade dough, American Cheese, then tomato sauce, then one single pepperoni per pizza square and it was awesome. Try again C + J, try again.
P.S. Check out this great giveaway for Soy Candles!
Ahimsa Part III
Hey Guys!
Generally my salads are a big mess of whatever is around, but tonight there was a special ingredient that screams summer – fresh corn on the cob – raw, off the cob! Woo hoo.
I also tried a new Lighter Living Apricot bar that Amie sent me.
It was like a frosted larabar. It was really sweet because of the “frosting.”
Ahimsa Part III
Ahimsa is one of my favorite things to learn about at yoga. It’s a Sanskrit term meaning “no harm.” It goes along with my favorite chant, the first one I learned 10 years ago when I began yoga, “Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu.”
I’ve heard a few slightly different translations, but one is … May all beings everywhere know happiness and freedom. And may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and that freedom.
The first time I wrote about Ahimsa I entertained the thought that inflicting no harm on all living things includes yourself.
The next time I wrote about Ahimsa I questioned whether a yogi must be a vegetarian.
This time I tell you what my yoga teacher told me last night.
My teacher was speaking about living Ahimsa in even the smallest ways. After all, Ahimsa includes actions, words and subtle thoughts.
At the end of class she listed a few things associated with Ahimsa – not eating meat, being kind to others, not yelling at the slow school bus in front of you, etc.
Then she said, “Ahimsa is what allows you to look in the mirror and say to yourself, You are beautiful on the inside and that matters more than what is on the outside. It helps us to not berate ourselves for what we’ve eaten or what we think we aren’t. Ahimsa means stopping this madness.”
Please read that again.
I love yoga for the physical practice, but I am devoted because of what I learn there. I thought it was interesting that she chose to end the class that way. This is a powerful message. It’s worth noting that with so much other human suffering, we often focus on our own. But if you really think about it, focusing on our perceived imperfections is such a waste of time and energy, especially when there are so many who need our energy more. But for many it’s easier to be nicer to others than it is to be nice to ourselves. I agree with my teacher – stop the madness!
Feels Like Summer
This week is a real summery week here in New Jersey. I celebrated with some overpriced cut watermelon.
I prefer fall, but summer has some nice things too. Let’s make a list, shall we.
- Watermelon
- Corn on the cob
- Tomato salads
- Ice cream
- Cool breezes at night
- The beach
- Skirts
- Flip Flops
- Thunderstorms
- Eating outside
- Cold drinks
- Grilled vegetables
- Birthdays
- Fireworks
What is summer for you?
My Salt Tooth
I like sweets, but I could care less about packaged or store bought baked goods. Homemade treats are another story, but a bakery cake or brownies – no thank you.
You might think, “Oh she’s so lucky. I could eat a whole sheet cake,” but before you turn green with envy you should know I could eat that whole bag of pita chips that’s been living in your cabinet for three months. I’ve never met a salty cracker or chip I didn’t like (except for Combos). Some of my favorites:
- All time favorite – Planter’s CheezBalls (and all processed cheese variations like the doodle and puff).
[Source]
- Smart Food
- Bugles
- Munchos
- Cool Ranch Doritos
- T.G.I. Friday’s Potato Skin Chips
- Salt + Vinegar Lays
- Baked BBQ Lays
- Pringles Sour Cream + Onion
- Pretzels (especially the honey wheat braids, healthy, right?)
And this doesn’t even include crackers!
The worst part is that Mark loves crackers and chips too, so I can’t even avoid buying them or having them in the house. Normally I try to get a chip flavor I can kind of resist, and even then I know myself enough to kind of avoid the bag all together. But yesterday in Target I saw something lit with the glow of a an angel’s halo and I had to have it right then.
Sun Chips! Oh how I love(d) you. When I became a sophisticated snacker in high school I turned to you, mini cheese rice cakes and pita chips.
Yesterday I just munched and enjoyed their oniony goodness.
Don’t you love the ones that are folded over themselves?
These days chips have a purpose – they have added fiber or added protein or electrolytes. But these? These are pure processed junk food.
Not in the cooking mood yesterday I also picked up pizza from Target.
I’ve never had this and don’t even really like goat cheese, but for some reason it called out to me. I am glad I picked it up because I really loved it! I kind of mushed up the cheese so it spread out over the slice. A little goat cheese goes a looooong way.
What’s your favorite salty junk food?
Lucky Snacker
You might have seen a preliminary version of this post in your reader late last night. I started typing, accidentally hit publish, and then deleted it. I never finished because I was frustrated and no one likes a frustrated blog post. To make up for my blunder I give you some Shiloh Lily pictures.
Now onward to the business of snacking! As I was saying yesterday, I’ve been enjoying some lovely snacks lately. I am not the kind of person who needs variety; I could eat the same snack or breakfast or lunch or dinner everyday for two weeks and be fine. Then I get bored and switch. Right now I am on a Greek Yogurt and Larabar kick.
Friday afternoon I received a shipment of Chobani to sample, and since then I’ve been devouring Greek yogurt like it’s my job.
There was Pineapple + Cherry Coconut Granola.
Because it’s 2% fat and not fat free it really is a thick and creamy treat!
Pomegranate + Nature’s Path Smart Bran
I do NOT like the pomegranate seeds, but the flavor of the yogurt is great.
And honey. Straight up.
Honey was awesome! I can’t believe I’ve never tried it. I think I thought it would be (1) boring; or (2) overly sweet, but it was neither.
And if the free yogurt wasn’t enough, Chandra sent me a whole box of mini Larabars. I can’t find these anywhere, so I am truly appreciative.
I had the mmm mmm good mini Cashew yesterday. This flavor is minimally sweet and fruity tasting.
And so, that’s what’s up on my snacking scene. How’s your snacking going lately?
What I Like In My Wine Glass
I am not a sophisticated person. I do not adore wine. I do, however, love plain yogurt + (homemade) granola + plum preserves + banana.
In other (world) news, I finished my yoga studio’s 20 in 30 April challenge today. I will miss putting a sticker next to my name on the poster to track my progress. What do you think it says about my personality that I only used sparkly insect stickers and refused to mess my pattern with a smiley face or star?
She Says: Pretzel PSA
This needs to be said.
The infamous Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels seen here:
Are not very good.
I’ve bought them before and shipped them off to other bloggers seeking a bit of Trader Joe’s in their own home. Tonight was my first time trying them myself. I was expecting a delicious hard pretzel oozing with peanut butter, but I got a thin, brittle pretzel covering up a dry peanut butter log.
Trader Joe’s Fail.
