Doctor Up Your Boring, Plain Yogurt Into Something Extraordinary

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

I am a yogurt junkie. I can barely go a day without eating the stuff. After many years of eating every flavor that I could get my hands on, I decided to actually look at the label more carefully. Low in calories, check. Low fat, check. Low in sugar… NO??? I quickly realized that I would need to eat boring plain yogurt if I wanted to continue to load up on granola, nuts, dried fruit, and fresh fruit (which are all not conservative when it comes to sugar). Luckily, this discovery happened at the same time that Greek yogurt became the new “it” yogurt in the dairy section. Greek yogurt’s thick, rich, and creamy consistency definitely made the transition from flavored to plain much more bearable. However, sometimes, there are still moments where I want a little bit of a kick to my yogurt. On days when I want to indulge, I mix in a tablespoon of peanut butter or a drizzle of honey. The other day, I tried mixing in a little bit of blood orange juice and the results were absolutely divine. Here’s a recipe that I hope inspires you to give a little pizazz to your plain yogurt.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 of non-fat or low fat Greek yogurt (I like Fage and Chobani the best)
1-2 tbs. of blood orange juice
1/8 cup of roasted, unsalted almonds
1/8 cup of dried cherries
1/2 a banana

DIRECTIONS:

Place your yogurt into a dish.
Add 1-2 tbs. (or more) of blood orange juice. Add less if you like your yogurt on the thick side and add more if you like it on the thinner side.
Garnish with almonds, dried cherries, and slices of banana.

Turning 27 and the 6 Course Meal at Pumpkin Restaurant that I Will Never Forget

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

I just turned 27 on April 19th (eek?). I treat my birthday a lot like I treat New Year’s Day. I try to do some physical activity to cleanse my mind and body, eat a lot of food that is usually not so cleansing for the body (but who can refuse birthday cake?), and I do some type of introspective ritual in which I reflect on the past year and make plans for the year ahead.

This year I started my day off right by taking a vinyasa class at Anjali Power Yoga. I have never taken any classes there before and I decided to try it out because they had a great new student special ($20 for 10 days of unlimited classes) and it was close to my new house. I really enjoyed the fact that they crank the temperatures up to 90 degrees. I definitely sweat it out while I flowed in and out of poses and I felt really refreshed and detoxed by the end of class. I also felt that I had worked hard enough to eat my birthday dinner and dessert without any guilt.

Although my boyfriend, Travis, is usually horrible at keeping secrets (as am I), he managed to not reveal where he was going to take me for my birthday dinner. I’m really glad that he ended up taking me to the one place where I really wanted to go: Pumpkin Restaurant. We went there only once before for Valentine’s Day and I have often caught myself daydreaming about some of the dishes that I had there over the past couple of months. Travis and I have been to a lot of amazing and upscale restaurants in the city (like Vetri, Le Bec Fin, Buddakan, etc) and I think Pumpkin has become our new favorite.

What makes Pumpkin Restaurant so special, you ask? The farm fresh ingredients, their ever changing menu, their creative combination of ingredients, the way in which they take many cooking cues from molecular gastronomy, and their beautiful plating. The reason why I bolded, “their beautiful plating,” is because that is the key component that I think makes them stand out from the rest. The way in which they plate their food causes every bite to be a completely new and different experience. The flavors and textures that marry together and tickle the taste buds with every bite creates an interesting narrative that involves all of the senses. If these pictures below don’t make your mouth water, you are either vegan or need a pair of glasses (no offense).

Green pea soup: This green pea soup was beyond amazing. I love how the servers at Pumpkin always come to the table with an empty cup or soup bowl with all of the fixings artfully pre-assembled. The tasty treats somehow become more inviting once they are covered up by the soup. I was able to scrape off a bit of the rye bread crumbs from the bottom of the cup with every spoonful of soup. Mmmm-mmm!

Escargot with creamy polenta, pesto sauce, fiddlehead ferns, and a coddled egg: This escargot dish was unlike anything that I’ve ever had. The coddled egg and creamy polenta were cooked to perfection and I thought that they were the two highlights of the dish. I also liked how the snails were already out of their shells. Their meaty, briny presence complimented the dish very well.

Foie gras with pesto sauce, crushed almonds, beets, and passionfruit chamomile jelly: I’m not really the type of person who would be compelled to order foie gras off a menu. The whole idea of it kinda of disgusts me. However, I figured that since everything at Pumpkin is ridiculously good, I should probably try it and not miss out on a good thing. I’m glad I took the plunge, because the foie gras was to die for! It was so smooth and rich that it tasted like butter. I smeared every last bit of it (as well as all of the condiments and garnishes) on lots of crunchy bread.

Beet sorbet: This itsy bitsy spoonful was so refreshing and a perfect palette cleanser. I would seriously eat a pint of this stuff.

Scallops with asparagus puree, black truffle, squid ink rice cake, and rhubarb: These scallops melted in my mouth. If I wasn’t so full, I could’ve imagined myself eating ten of them. The asparagus puree was out of this world and the squid ink rice cake added a crunchy and salty element to the dish. I also really enjoyed the powdered coconut that was sprinkled on top of stacked slices of radish.

Duck served two ways: Duck breast with carrots, ginger, and chamomile (top) and braised duck leg with farrow and potato cream (bottom). I was already pretty stuffed to the gills by this point, so I was pretty shocked to see not one — but TWO — plates served in front of me. It was very cool to eat two different cuts of duck meat that were prepared completely differently. The breast was light and refreshing while the braised duck leg was pure heavy comfort food.

The big finale – dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with mint ice cream (top) and chocolate whiskey banana mousse (bottom). After eating the braised duck leg, I really thought I couldn’t eat anymore. When the two beautiful desserts came out, I knew I had to mentally find a place in my stomach for them — since it was my birthday, after all! Both of the desserts were amazing, but I really only had a bite or two of each of them before I had to hang up the white flag and surrender. I definitely will need to come back to Pumpkin Restaurant just for dessert sometime so that I can really enjoy them without feeling so uncomfortably full.

The six course dinner at Pumpkin will truly be one that I will remember and talk about for a long time. Thank you Travis, for making my 27th birthday extra special!

Sustainable Fiber Art at 3rd St Gallery’s “Strings + Things” Exhibit

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

“i cannot go on like this” by Melissa Maddonni Haims (left) & “Rest” by Carol Wisker (right)

Last First Friday I had the pleasure of attending the opening reception for “Strings + Things” at the 3rd Street Gallery in Old City. This show, which is being held in conjunction with FiberPhiladelphia 2012, features work by Melissa Maddonni Haims and Carol Wisker. Like many fibers artists, both of these talented women incorporate a variety of sustainable, reused, repurposed, and recycled materials in their artwork. For instance, Melissa Maddonni Haims used vintage cloth scraps in all of her art pieces for “String + Things” and busily knit handmade plarn (yarn that she pieced together out of old plastic trash bags) while she mingled with people at the show. Carol Wisker incorporated shoddy (a material made out of ripped up recycled fibers), bamboo, silk cocoons, metal, bones, and many other interesting and eco-friendly materials in her eclectic body of work for the show. Please take a look at the pictures below to get an idea of how they used sustainable materials in their innovative and highly creative artwork. Please also read the Side Arts article that I wrote for more information about the show.

“Are you kidding me?” by Melissa Maddonni Haims

“Sage” by Carol Wisker

“You repulse me” by Melissa Maddonni Haims

“Fall” by Carol Wisker

Melissa Maddonni Haims’ knitted plarn creation

“Ecophagy” by Carol Wisker

“and i thought i was a HOT Mess” by Melissa Maddonni Haims

“Density” by Carol Wisker

Eco-Friendly Fiber/Textile Art at FiberPhiladelphia 2012

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

Last First Friday I went to the Crane Arts Building to check out some of FiberPhiladelphia 2012‘s exhibitions. All of the artwork that I saw was absolutely amazing. Many of the artists used repurposed, reused, or recycled materials in their work, which I believe is a positive attribute and trend in fiber/textile art. If you would like to learn more about the shows that I saw at the Crane Arts Building, please read the articles that I wrote for Side Arts: FiberPhiladelphia 2012 Opening Night with Amy Orr and Bruce Hoffman, “Distinguished Educators” and “Outside/Inside the Box” are Two Extraordinary FiberPhiladelphia 2012 Exhibitions, and “Modified Familiarities” and “Into the Woods” at the Crane Arts Building. I have complied together a collection of my favorite eco-friendly art pieces from “Outside/Inside the Box” and “Into the Woods.” Enjoy!

“OUTSIDE/INSIDE THE BOX” EXHIBITION

Presented by FiberPhiladelphia 2012

“Formal Argument” by Diane Savona

Diane Savona’s artwork is primarily made with salvaged linens that she finds at garage sales. Since her artwork is so detailed and intricate, I have a good hunch that her garage sale treasure hunts are just as heartfelt and dedicated.

“Eye of the Beholder” by Emily Dvorin

Emily Dvorin weaved together oxygen tubing, plastic lids, gutter clips, bottle tops, med-testers, florist card holders, and cable ties to make this fun creation. In her artistic statement she writes how she likes to use re-purposed and re-contextualized materials in her work to comment on excessive consumerism.

“Basket” by Amber Cowan

This photograph is a close-up image of Amber Cowan’s large and ambitious dome shaped creation, “Basket.” Amber Cowan mainly uses recycled and up-cycled glass (usually pressed glass from the 1940′s – 1970′s) for all of her work. For this particular piece, she used Easter candy dishes that had bunny rabbit and chicken lids. The artist told me via email that if you look closely enough, you can actually see little bunnies and chickens.

“Humanoids” by Brigitte Amarger

“Humanoids” is constructed from x-rays of bones, organs, and prostheses that have been sewn together to create interesting patterns.

“Hope” by Riccardo Berlingeri

This startlingly beautiful and symbolic piece was made out of old recycled newspapers. In Riccardo Berlingeri’s artstic statement, he says that his sculptures ”pay tribute to the valuable role that for years printed news has played not just in forming our perception of the world but also in defining our society’s cultural models.”

“INTO THE WOODS” EXHIBITION

Presented by InLiquid Art + Design (in conjunction with FiberPhiladelphia 2012)

“Still Life/Daisies” by Joan Dreyer“Still Life/Hydrangeas” by Joan Dreyer

Both of Joan Dreyer’s artworks are primarily made out of dental x-rays. I love how she was able to use dental x-rays to change and manipulate the connotation of flowers.

If you would like to see other examples of eco-friendly fiber/textile artwork, please refer to my article: Philadelphia Art Alliance’s “A Sense of Place” Exhibit Will Inspire You to Make Your Artwork Sustainable.

Go Red at the Bellevue

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

When it comes to food quality and diet, the United States and Westernized civilizations have a bad reputation. We eat lots of processed foods, food that’s traveled long distances, and portions that are much too large. Therefore, I was quite happily surprised to discover that the Bellevue in Center City, Philadelphia teamed up with the American Heart Association for the fun and proactive event, “Go Red at the Bellevue,” yesterday afternoon. This event is tied into the Philadelphia Goes Red For Women movement.

During the lunch hour rush, the food court at the Bellevue was a lot more lively than usual and festively decorated with red balloons. Friendly representatives strategically handed out informational American Heart Association pamphlets in front of the escalators. Each restaurant at the food court provided one meal on their menus that was “heart healthy.” Williams and Sonoma gave away free green smoothies and provided a demo on how people can make the delicious drink themselves. There was even a raffle for a free 2 month membership at the swanky The Sporting Club at the Bellevue.

I really enjoyed the green smoothie and was given permission from Williams and Sonoma to share the recipe. The shake is really refreshing and delicious. I hope you give it a try!

Going Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup green grapes
1/2 cup pineapple
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 ripe banana (peeled)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender in the order listed above and secure lid.
Start with a low blender speed and then slowly increase the until it is at a high speed.
Blend for 60 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.
Yields about 3 1/2 cups. Serve immediately.

Courtesy of Vitamix and Williams and Sonoma

Art Supplies that are Good for the Environment

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

Art is meant to enrich and inspire people’s lives and add more beauty to the world. Unfortunately, there are so many art supplies, products, and tools out there that are really harmful to the environment and people’s health. I picked out some really cool eco-friendly and people friendly art supplies and products from Dick Blick and made a really fun collage “set” on Polyvore.

I just found out about Polyvore yesterday and I’m already hooked. I found the site to be super user-friendly — it’s like Photoshop for dummies. I created this “set” in under two hours and I had an absolute blast doing it. Since Polyvore is mainly a website geared for fashionistas that want to create their favorite looks of the moment, this is probably the only geeky art supply “set” on the whole site. Please follow me on Polyvore at: http://search4root101.polyvore.com

Eco-Friendly Art Supplies by search4root101 on polyvore.com

Philadelphia Art Alliance’s “A Sense of Place” Exhibit Will Inspire You to Make Your Artwork Sustainable

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

Are you a struggling artist that is having a hard time trying to pool together enough money to pay the bills, feed yourself, and buy the expensive materials that you need to make your artwork? One of the simplest ways to cut down on your costs is to make your artwork out of materials that you don’t have to buy or that you can buy cheaply. You can easily do this by collecting trash (preferably non decaying matter like bottles, plastic bags, newspaper, etc.), gathering items found in nature, and finding cool odds and ends at thrift stores. To get some inspiration for such an endeavor, I highly suggest that you go see the Philadelphia Art Alliance’s newest exhibition, “A Sense of Place.” The exhibit features artwork by eight talented female textile artists. Many of the pieces of artwork are made from natural objects, old clothing, and post-consumer waste. If you would like to learn more about the exhibit, please read the blog article that I wrote for Side Arts.

Amy Orr’s “House of Cards” (top picture) is made out of various expired plastic cards and “Oh Beautiful…” (bottom picture) is made of Your Name Here American Express cards. Her artwork is a perfect example of how your can make post-consumer waste look beautiful and convey a strong message.

Pat Hickman ambitiously assembled wooden river teeth covered with hog casings to create “Circumambulate.”

Ke-Sook Lee used US Nurse uniforms from the Vietnam War to construct “Green Hammock.”

Wendeanne Ke’aka Stitt stitched together Hawaiian kapa cloth scraps to create “Huli’au.”

Keep Your New Year’s Resolution On Track

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Seachingforroot101

Happy 2012 everyone!

I always find the first several weeks of every new year very interesting. Everyone seems to be on their best behavior… or at least attempting to. Gym classes are always packed beyond capacity and everyone seems to be slightly on edge as they try to rid themselves of some bad habit, like overeating, nail biting, hoarding, or collecting too many pairs of shoes. However, by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, vigorous workout rituals at the gym are the thing of the past, eating chocolate becomes an acceptable ritual again, and old bad habits return. Why do so many of us lapse on our New Year’s resolutions? I personally think that there are two main reasons: We set goals that are too high and we don’t get rid of the underlying baggage that created our bad habits in the first place.

I decided do something different to prepare for my New Year’s resolution. On New Year’s Eve, I took Simon Park and DJ Hyfi’s “Sweat is Sacred” New Year’s Pre-Fiesta Party at Dhyana Yoga. The all-levels plus two hour workshop lived up to its name. By the end of class, the sweaty condensation that had collected on the super high ceilings started to rain down on me — and all of my fellow yogis — during shavasana. At that point, the sweat that intermittently pelted down on me mid-meditation didn’t feel all that sacred; just plain gross. However, all of the sweat that poured out of me and my fellow yogi’s during the class was very sacred and healing indeed. As I moved through the challenging and physically taxing series of asanas, I tried to let go of all of the excess baggage, insecurities, pain, and fears that I felt was holding me back from pursuing my deepest desires with every exhale of my breath. With every inhale of breath, I tried to imagine positivity, strength, power, and success. The class literally stripped me of all of the negative thoughts that no longer served me. When I stepped outside and let the chilly air hit my face after class, I felt lighter, more powerful, and ready to take on 2012.

: This is Simon Park doing a handstand in the streets after class. The true definition of being funky and free.

If you want to be a warrior in 2012 and feel that your New Year’s resolution is already slipping through your fingers, I highly suggest that you get proactive as soon as possible. You can use my series of tips before, during, and after your yoga routine or any other sweaty workout of choice.

Before you start your work out, write down the following on a piece of paper:

ONE goal that you want to set for yourself for 2012. Try to pick a goal that you know will be attainable (i.e. “I want to be nicer to people” vs. “I want to rule the world.”)
List any insecurities, fears, and negativity that you feel is holding you back.
List all of the positive things that you have going on in your life and all of your positive attributes.
Read over everything that you wrote down and try to remember it to the best of your ability.

During your workout:

After you’ve warmed up and stretched, take in some deep, calm, and cleansing breaths to focus and center your mind. Set your intention (your New Year’s resolution) for your practice. This intention will be the mantra that you will continue to repeat silently to yourself during your workout.
Really try to challenge yourself during your workout. Make yourself sweaty and uncomfortable.
With each inhale, try to think about all of your positive qualities and the good things that you have in your life.
With each exhale, try to let go of all of your negative thoughts and emotions.
During the most physically exhausting and painful moments of your workout, silently yell your mantra in your head and push through the pain.

After your workout:

Cool down, stretch, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
Find a quiet place your you to sit or lie down comfortably.
Meditate and center your mind. Focus only on the positive and not the negative.
Repeat your mantra several times to yourself and truly believe that you can achieve it.
Let your mind go silent and relax. Soak up the afterglow of your practice. Be proud to be you.

My 2011 Winter Holiday Celebration

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Seachingforroot101

This is the one time of year when I stop being obsessive about working out and counting calories. The winter holidays are meant to be filled with foods that taste like years of memories and family traditions. I’m really healthy for the majority of the year, so it is fun to indulge in every possible variation of flour, sugar, eggs, cream, butter, and chocolate every once and a while. So what if all of those cookies, cakes, bonbons, cheese plates, and rich foods go to my hips and thighs? That’s what spandex and long sweaters are for.

This year my Mom, Dad, and I took a plane to Kansas to visit my beloved older sister, Jadian. She and her husband, Matt, bought a beautiful home last year and it was so much fun to stay in such a comfortable and inviting place. The entire house was filled with snowmen, gingerbread men, snowflakes, red and green decorations, and holiday cheer. My sister also went a little bit overboard with baking and buying yummy treats, so her coffee table and kitchen counters were always stocked with an array of chocolates, cookies, nuts, dried fruits, and so much more. I truly savored all of the meals that I ate during my vacation and tried to live each day as if it was my last.

Here are some pictures of all of my good eats:

: Matzah Ball Soup

My sister thoughtfully made a huge batch of matzah ball soup in a crock pot before she picked us up at the airport. We were able to eat it the minute after we got to her house. We always celebrated both Chanukah and Christmas growing up, so this flavorful but simple soup was a festive reminder of all of our “eight crazy nights” of Chanukah celebrations.

: Veggie Tray with Creamy Cheese and Pimiento Pepper Spread

: Cheese and Dried Fruit Plate

: Dangerous Melted Cheese Dip

These three picture above show just a few of the many appetizers that I inhaled over the course of the evening. The melted cheese dip that Matt’s father made was a huge hit. I think I ate a quarter of it.

: The Elegant Table Setting

: The Feast: Traditional Chinese Roast Chicken; Spinach, Pomegranate Seeds, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Salad; and Brown Rice with Carrots

: Chocolate Platter (The large white and dark chocolate balls in the center and upper lefthand corner are homemade mint Oreo cake balls.)

: Handcrafted Cinnamon and Dark Chocolate Fudge

: Homemade Nutella Expresso Mousse

Did you notice how there is a larger ratio of sweet treat pictures than nutritious food pictures? That wasn’t an accident. Those pictures represent the same ratio of sugar to healthy nutrients that were in my body by the end of each day of my vacation. The Nutella expresso mousse, mint Oreo balls (my sister used Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s and organic Newman-O’s), and cinnamon chocolate fudge were like crack.

I hope everyone had an equally delicious and wonderful winter holiday!

Festive Winter Peppermint Epsom Salts

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Seachingforroot101

This busy time of year can be very stressful. The cold winter chill, heavy and bulky extra layers of clothing, and the cacophony of sniffles, sneezes, and coughs from passersby can be burdensome. Add epsom salts to your daily or weekly pampering/maintenance routine to promote physical and mental health and combat the dreary cold.

Epsom salt is mainly comprised of magnesium and sulfates. Magnesium can reduce muscle pain and inflammation, diminish stress by increasing the body’s levels of serotonin, lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and flush heavy metals and toxins out of the body. Sulfates help the body flush toxins out of the body and improve the absorption of nutrients. Epsom salts are relatively easy to find, inexpensive, and super fun to use. Epsom salts are are great addition to any bath or foot soak and they can truly turn a bad day into a fantastic evening.

I made a batch of festive peppermint scented epsom salts for my friends this year. My recipe is super simple, easy on the wallet, and fun to make.

Ingredients:

One 8 ounce Ball jar
8 ounces of epsom salt*
20-25 drops of organic peppermint essential oil*
5-10 drops of organic lavender essential oil*
1 tablespoon of organic dried lavender (optional)**

*I order my epsom salt and essential oils from www.mountainroseherbs.com

**I order my dried lavender from www.carouselfarmlavender.com

Directions:

Wash your jar and lid with soap and hot water. Let the jar and lid completely air dry. Wipe the jar and lid with rubbing alcohol and then let the jar air dry again.
Fill your jar with epsom salts.
Carefully add one drop of peppermint essential oil at a time. Close the jar with the lid tightly and shake until the essential oil is completely combined. If you or the person you are giving the epsom salts to has a sensitive nose, I recommend that you only add 1/2 or 2/3’s or the suggested essential oil amount first. Then shake, sniff, evaluate, and decide if you want to add more.
Add 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil. Please use your best judgement on what ratio of peppermint to lavender you want your epsom salts to be.
Add a tablespoon of dried lavender, close the lid, and then shake, shake, shake until the lavender is completely combined.
Wipe off any lingering epsom salts off of your jar. Decorate your jar with a festive ribbon or fun label if you are giving this as a gift. Open and enjoy immediately if you made it for yourself.

Recommended Usage:

Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of epsom salts to your next foot soak or 1-2 cups of epsom salts to your next bath.
Turn some good music on, take in some deep and calming breaths, let go of your day and to do-list, and just relax.

Searching for Root 101

Dig Deeply Towards Eco-Friendly Living