Housewarming Party

I recently moved into my new apartment, which of course calls for a housewarming party! Friends came over to help me break in my new abode, and celebrate with Tacos and homemade Watermelon Margaritas.

My new home

Time for food 

I can't wait to host many more parties in my new place!

Shrimp Ceviche

For my Mexican themed Housewarming party, I decided to try making homemade shrimp ceviche. I have only recently started liking ceviche myself, and only with shrimp. So, I decided to document the recipe! I followed this recipe, but made some of my own modifications. 

First, the ingredients you will need:

• 2 serrano chiles
• 2 limes 
• cucumber 
• raw peeled and deveined shrimp
• red onion
• cilantro
• avocado 

First, add salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. 

Once the water is boiling, add the raw peeled shrimp, and turn off heat immediately. 

Remove the shrimp after about 3 minutes, and allow the shrimp to cool.

While the shrimp is cooling, begin chopping the other ingredients. 

Cut the shrimp into small 1/2 inch pieces. Put the shrimp in a bowl, and add the juice of 2 limes. Mix in the chopped cucumber, serrano chiles, and red onion. The recipe calls for juice of a fresh orange, however I didn't have that, so I added a splash of grapefruit juice!

Put the marinating shrimp in the fridge for at least 1-4 hours. 

Afterwards, add the avocado and cilantro to the mixture, and continue refrigerating until ready to serve.

Serve and enjoy!

Shopping Spree

This is my first of my weekly "shopping spree" posts. Each week, I will highlight an item of the moment that I love, and where you can get it for even less!

This week, in the spirit of spring, I highlight a pair of adorable sandals.

Snack Wrap

I am a huge fan of avocados. Living in CA, I am lucky, because I am constantly surrounded by fresh ones. A delicious way I have found to eat them are by making a lettuce-taco. All you need are 3 simple ingredients: romaine lettuce, an avocado, and Spike. I've recently been introduced to Spike, which is this delicious spice that adds some delicious flavor to just about anything.

1. Take a full leaf of washed romaine lettuce 

2. Fill this lettuce "shell" with sliced avocado

3. Top with a bit of Spike

4. Eat and enjoy!

Simple, quick, easy - delicious.

Restaurant Review

IL CIELO
Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Website 

Il Cielo has been voted the "most romantic restaurant" in Los Angeles. Although I didn't go there for the romance, but rather with family, I did witness another couple in quite the date - with a large candle stick and rose petals covering the table.

The restaurant has the feeling of eating outside under the stars, when in reality you are in a small enclosed space with a clear ceiling and numerous twinkle lights. The ambiance is quiet and beautiful. The staff is friendly and incredibly attentive.

The bread is fresh and warm, with a hint of cheese and tomato cooked into it - yum. 

My order:
Vellutata Di Piselli Frescai - Sweet pea soup with shallots, onions, and leeks
Spaghetti Latini - Imported drum wheat spaghetti with spicy italian peppers and cherry tomatos

The food was so delicious! I would go back in a heartbeat, and definitely recommend it. It is the kind of place to celebrate a special occasion, or go on a romantic date.

Overall out of 10, I would rate it:
Food: 9
Ambiance: 10

Diet: Revised

Last week, I received some great news! After going in to my doctor and asking if he could re-test each and every thing in my no-no list, to see if perhaps I could bring something back into my diet...I was completely surprised with what I am now able to eat again - almost everything!

My restricted list is so short now; I am thrilled. I apologize for not having posted in a while, I have been extremely busy stuffing my face.

1. Sugar (regular and brown)

2. Corn

3. Grapefruit and Orange

4. Dried Fruit 

Don't worry - that doesn't mean the healthy recipes will stop! They just will involve some great new ingredients. 

Chopped

I spend a great deal of time with my older sister and 11-year-old twin niece and nephew. However, in this day and age, apart from watching Disney, it can sometimes be a challenge to find something to watch on TV that we all enjoy. Recently, I have turned them on to watching the Food Network, as we all share a passion for food and find joy in cooking. 

The show we have been obsessed with most recently is Chopped. We all love watching these expert chefs come up with mind-blowing creative dishes out of the most repulsive ingredients (ex: dessert from Bone Marrow, Kale, Cottage Cheese). After watching an episode, my niece suggested we have a competition of our own.

We paired into two teams: my sister and niece were one team, my nephew and I the other. We picked four ingredients to make our "appetizer" with. Our ingredients were a bit more user-friendly, but hey, we aren't trained chefs. 

It was required to use all of these ingredients, however you could also help yourself to anything else in the kitchen.

{my teammate}

{opposing team food prep}

{scrambling to plate their dish}

Even though we used the exact same starting ingredients, both teams came up with completely different recipes.

{my team}

 CHOPPED SALAD

Finely chopped butter lettuce, apples and chicken, with a minced carrot, ginger and rice vinegar mixture. Topped with a fresh squeeze of lemon, and crumbled nut thin crackers.

{opposing team}

LETTUCE WRAPS

Thin sliced carrot, cucumber and chicken, with fresh mint, in a rice-vinegar and honey reduction. Topped with nut thin flakes. 

You be the judge - which recipe is most creative, best presented, and looks most delicious, and which team should be chopped?

Skimming

How informed do you feel about current events? Although I try to check the headlines on a daily basis and register for AP Mobile alerts on my cellphone, I constantly feel out of the loop on what is going on in the world. I'm sure many of you feel the same. At times, it can be overwhelming to try to read the news - there are so many sections, where do I even begin? That's why I was thrilled to learn about The Skimm.

After signing up, you are delivered a daily e-mail first thing each morning, highlighting what is going on in the news. It breaks down the most relevant and important stories, and puts them in to simple terms. They make it easy to read, and even add humor. Now, I can feel caught-up on my world news and feel ready for any conversation - all before leaving bed in the morning!

Sign up here!

Once A Cheater, Always A Cheater?

This week has been chaotic, to say the least. Monday was an incredibly saddening day, and things just continued to pile on. First, the horrible news of what happened in Boston, where all of my best friends from College reside, threw me for a spin. My heart goes out to all of those in the area, and the victims are in my thoughts and prayers. From there, I was dealing with other shocking news in my personal life. To put it short - it was a bad day.

So, how does one recover from a no good, very bad day? Let me clarify - without having at least a cocktail or dessert? Well...they don't. For 3 months, I have been incredibly strict in sticking to this eating regime. I haven't let so much as honey cross my lips. However, with my Aunt's temptation and overwhelming feeling that life is just too short, we headed to the Hotel Bel Air - probably one of my top favorite places in the whole world - and splurged.

{www.dorchestercollection.com}

Sitting in the gorgeous bar area, watching the fireplace roar and listening to an incredible piano player, I ordered a dirty martini with stuffed blue cheese olives - my favorite. That was my splurge, I thought. Things went downhill from there. Okay, so I ordered a pizza. It was small - miniature even. With fresh mozzarella and an incredible sauce. Well, heck, I was already on a downward spiral. I ordered a hazelnut crunch bar dessert - a delicious chocolate hazelnut homemade-version of a candy bar, complete with fresh whipped cream and homemade double-chocolate ice cream. Really, can you ever go wrong with Wolfgang Puck?

I'm here to admit it. I take full responsibility. I cheated...and it felt incredible. Now back to my normal routine. I have come to the realization that people should just do what makes them happy. Whether that is following my recipes, eating healthy or  eliminating certain items, do it because it makes you feel good. But don't forget - everyone deserves a splurge now and then too.

Book Review: Cook Book Edition

IT'S ALL GOOD

I always love cook books, cooking blogs, and all things cooking. However, it has been tricky to find something that is really pertinent to my diet. Gluten-free recipes usually use a lot of corn, vegetarian may use a lot of fruits and vegetables I can't have, and vegan doesn't avoid the gluten. Throughout my frustrations of recipe-hunting, I stumbled across Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook: It's All Good. I had no idea what to expect, and though I was aware it had come out, I had no intentions of buying it. One fateful day in Target, I picked it up and started thumbing through it. The recipes were amazing. Everything is so natural, adaptable, and delicious. Although some of the things I still can't have (she uses raw honey and maple syrup as sugar substitues, but I still can't have those), I have earmarked multiple recipes I am anxious to try both now and once I am bringing more foods back into my diet.

I loved the book so much, I sent one to my sister. I highly recommend it to everyone - only $17.39 on Amazon, while marked at $32 on the book. 

What are you waiting for?? Go pick up your copy!! 

My recipes I am most excited to try:

Chinese Chicken Salad

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Chipotle Coriander

Chicken Burgers, Thai Style

Bummer Bars 

Once you've purchased the book, let me know which ones are your favorites!

Snack Time

A delicious snack I have quite a bit is an apple. Sometimes, an apple just doesn't cut it. To make the snack a little bit heartier, as well as tastier, I did the following:

-Chop up 1 organic Fuji apple (or apple of your choice)

-Add to bowl

-Sprinkle a generous amount of Organic Cinnamon* into the bowl 

-Drizzle Cultured Coconut Milk over the mixture 

I really enjoy this because it is crunchy, sweet, and the coconut milk makes it feel a bit more like I'm having yogurt, which I really miss. Eating the apple chopped up makes it feel like I am eating more, and therefore feels more filling to me. 

*Organic Cinnamon (not just plain regular store-bought cinnamon) is incredibly good for your pancreas. Since that has been a source of my problems, I try to incorporate it into my diet as much as possible.

Restaurant Review

BLOSSOM

Neighborhood: Silver Lake 

Cuisine: Vietnamese 

Price: $$

Website

When meeting friends for dinner, I'm usually asked to pick the restaurant (or at least type of food), since I am the one that can't eat most things. When meeting my Aunt and Uncle for dinner, I suggested what has become one of my major food groups and a staple in my diet: pho. 

You may not know the incredible deliciousness that is pho (pronounced FUH). I didn't before I moved to LA, so let me describe it for you. It is a large bowl of delicious broth, rice noodles, chicken (or your choice of meat/tofu), and onions. On the side, they serve you a plate of fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalepenos, and a lime wedge, for you to add in as you please. Obviously, I add in everything - and request extra jalepenos. As I'm not supposed to be eating peppers, I merely float them in the broth to add a litte kick. 

{photo courtesy of Google Images}

I would consider myself almost a pho expert, as I have tried various places all over LA, from trendy to total authentic hole in the walls. My aunt suggested this place called Blossom in Silver Lake. She said it was hip and trendy, and the food was good. She was right! 

I ordered the Vegetarian Spring Rolls (rice paper rolls with tofu, rice vermicelli, and fresh herbs), and of course, a large bowl of chicken pho. It was delicious. The spring rolls weren't my favorite that I have had, but the pho was incredible. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. It was a very cool vibe, wooden booths (which were a tad uncomfortable, but cool looking). 

{photo courtesy of Google Images]

Overall out of 10, I would rate it:

Food: 8.5

Ambiance: 7

Smooth Moves

One thing I have been missing greatly is a smoothie. With so many fruit and dairy limitations, it makes it incredibly difficult to ever order one at a smoothie bar. So I did one better - I created a delicious smoothie of my own!

-1 cup cultured Coconut Milk
-1/2 sliced Mango
-1/2 cup frozen Sweet Dark Cherries
-2 Tbsp Organic Cinnamon

Add to blender, blend, and enjoy! The great part about using frozen cherries is there is no need to add ice; the mixture is already nice and cold. The smoothie is delicious and creamy, completely fulfilling any sweet, icy cravings.

Blind Taste Test

Today at work, we happened to have something very few people have. It is rare, and almost unheard of. We had both Pellegrino and Perrier in our fridge. So, I could not just sit back and watch people drink these rival sparkling waters (and only watching, as I can't have carbonation, remember?). Instead, I decided to host a blind taste test!

Personally, Pellegrino is my favorite sparkling water. Of course, that comes with many rolled eyes from people, and lots of, "can you even tell the difference?" Today - I put this to rest once and for all.

I took out a bottle of each water. 

I wrote on the bottom of white cups, marking which is Pellegrino and which is Perrier. I filled each cup equally.

Four coworkers participated in the tasting. Might I add, none of them even like sparkling water. 

Jordan, who cannot get over how bland sparkling water is, and wishes it were sweeter.

Christina, smelling the odorless bubble water.

Kimi, sampling the waters.

Adam, the pro, quickly distinguishing which water is which.

The one quote that kept being repeated: "I keep waiting for it to taste like Sprite...and then it doesn't." 

I'll admit, I was envious. I love Pellegrino, and wish I could have added a squeeze of lemon and lime, a splash of fresh lemonade, and downed the whole bottle. 

In the end, the winner of the blind taste testing was:

My favorite, Pellegrino! Now I can say, I told you so. There is a difference, and I was right. After my in-depth scientific blind taste testing, it is proven. 

Let's Not Go Hungry

You may be asking, so what the heck do you eat? I've learned a few very important things so far.

1. Keep hydrated. I have always been a big water drinker, and it turns out I was still dehydrated. Now I know better! My headaches have disappeared, and I am not constantly so hungry.

How do you know if you are drinking enough water? Take your body weight and divide it in half. That is the amount of water you should be drinking daily. For example, if you weigh 120lb, you should be drinking 60oz of water per day, at the very least.

I'm also a very hangry person (hangry: whiney, angry, and difficult when not fed for long periods of time). That has made me realize the importance of always having things on hand that I am able to eat. It is incredibly frustrating to be hungry, and feel as though I am unable to eat anything due to my limitations.

So - I've created a guide to what is in my kitchen. These are things I try to always have on hand, as things can be easily mixed and matched to make delicious meals, and great for my constant snacking.

They are a lot of the basics for my recipes to come!

Solving the Stomach

My whole life, I have had issues with my stomach. I've had everything from stomach aches and pains to actually getting sick after eating. However, though I have seen numerous doctors, no one could pin down what it was, and said I was fine. 

When I moved to LA, I began seeing an amazing doctor who through muscle testing was able to easily diagnose my problem, and set me on the path to a happier stomach. I have a fungus in my stomach and a thrown-off pancreas, both of which need to be fixed. The solution? An incredibly strict eating regime...for 6-9 months. 

Well, I am 2 months in, and it is sometimes incredibly tough. So, rather than have a total melt down and stuff my face with all of the pizza, Mexican and dirty martinis I can get my hands on, I am going to channel my energy here. I have found some great new foods I never would have tried otherwise, as well as some delicious, easy, and healthy recipes. 

The breakdown of what I can't eat:

1. Coffee

2. Chocolate 

3. Alcohol

4. Nuts 

5. Citrus 

6. Carbonated Beverages 

7. Dried Fruit 

8. Berries

9. Potatoes 

10. Eggplant 

11. Sugar (including honey, agave, and any other sweetener)

12. Peppers (including bell peppers)

13. Tomatoes 

14. Dairy 

15. Bananas 

16. Rice Cakes

17. Corn

18. Sprouts

19. Wheat 

20. Grapes 

Style Me

I realize I haven't blogged in quite a while. I have been meaning to and constantly contemplating different places to go with my blog. Numerous people have suggested to me that I blog my outfits each day, so I think I'll give it a try!

Dress: Zara
Blazer: Zara
Necklace: Bar III
Tights: J.Crew
Shoes: Target