my abc’s of food

I was planning on having a recipe for you guys today, but I spent my afternoon yesterday painting the nursery (!) and was too exhausted to do anything after dinner.  Hopefully, I will get around to it today and have the recipe for you on Friday.  Sorry!

So, instead, I thought you guys could get to know my daily eating habits a bit more.  Tina posted this survey a month or so ago and I hung on to it just for an occasion like this.  Amazingly, my life isn’t always about ice cream and frozen custard!  I strive for a healthy balance, with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies to balance out my indulgences.

A is for Apple: What’s your favorite variety?
I’m kind of an apple snob.  After taste-testing several different varieties, Fuji is absolutely the best apple around!  A little tart and a little sweet… PERFECTION!

B is for Bread: Regardless of nutrition, what is your favorite type?

Great Harvest High 5 Fiber.  It gives me some, um, GI issues, but it tastes so incredibly good!  I do love Great Harvest’s Honey Whole Wheat also.

C is for Cereal: What is your favorite kind currently? (just one!)
Not gonna lie, I’ve been craving super sugary cereal.  Lately, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is my favorite.

[source]

D is for Donuts: You might not currently eat them, but what kind do you fancy?
I absolutely LOVE donuts but don’t eat them very often, simply because I don’t really have access to them on a regular basis.  However, my favorites are custard filled with chocolate frosting, sugar coated donut holes (you know, like the ones you get at the Chinese buffet), and Entenmann’s chocolate frosted donuts.  Mmmm…

E is for Eggs: How would you like yours prepared?
I’ve never been a huge egg person, but pregnancy has changed my opinion on that.  Unfortunately, my absolute favorite kind are poached eggs (my daddy makes THE BEST) with runny yolks, so something I can’t really eat during pregnancy.  I love omelets also, but only at brunch buffets for some reason.  They just make them better there.

F is for Fat Free: What is your favorite fat free product?

I don’t eat a lot of fat-free specific foods, but I must say, Kraft’s Light Done Right Three-Cheese Ranch has been a staple lately in my diet.  Not the best ingredient label, but it just tastes really good on salads or with raw veggies.

G is for Groceries: Where do you purchase yours?
Dierbergs or Schnucks (local grocery stores) – Schnucks is cheaper, but I think Dierbergs has better produce, I think.  And Trader Joe’s for cheaper organic food!

H: is for Hot Beverages: What is your favorite hot drink?
I’m over coffee, at least for now, so I would have to say hot chocolate.  Smoothie King used to make an amazing “Heaterz” smoothie that was absolutely amazing – like the best oatmeal you’ve ever had in drink form.  They need to make those again… just sayin’.

I is for Ice Cream: Pick a favorite flavor and add a fun topping.
My favorite flavor is actually vanilla – vanilla bean to be exact.  But, if it has to be a flavor, I guess cake batter.  And caramel and chocolate chips are the absolute best toppings in the world.  But, cereal is delicious on ice cream too.  Ah, too many to choose from!!!!!

J is for Jams or Jellies: Do you eat them? If so, what kind and flavor?
Occasionally (more now that I’m pregnant).  My grandma used to make the absolute best strawberry jelly in the world.  I need to learn how to make that!

K is for Kashi: Name your favorite Kashi product?
Kashi Go Lean Crunch!  When I first had it, I thought it was disgusting.  But, it grew on me to be one of the staples in my pantry at all times.

L is for Lunch: What was yours today?
Tuesday’s lunch was a salad with romaine, tomato, carrots, broccoli, green pepper, and hemp oil ranch dressing, and frozen blueberries with almond milk and Kashi Go Lean Crunch.  Yummy and left me freezing, which was great for the 100+ degree day!

M is for microwave: What is your favorite microwave meal/snack?
Probably veggie burgers.  They’re about the only frozen food item I buy that I need to microwave.  (Just FYI, I make oatmeal on the stove top.  Believe me, it tastes MUCH better than in the microwave!)

[source]

N is for nutrients: Do you likes carbs, fats, or proteins best?
I LOVE carbs!  I could live off bread and cereal!

O is for oil: What kind do you like to use?
EVOO all the way!  Although I do love sesame oil for stir fries.

P is for protein: How do you get yours?
I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian, meaning I don’t eat animal flesh (including fish) but I do eat dairy and eggs.  However, I don’t eat those things very frequently, except cheese (STAPLE!).  However, vegetarians can get plenty of protein from carbohydrates and vegetables, along with beans, nuts, and nut butters, which I eat plenty of!  And I LOVE tofu!

Q is for Quaker: How do you like your oats?
Like I said, I cook them on the stove top.  I mix them with flax seed, banana, and milk and then add in some sort of fruit the last few minutes of cooking (blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, pears, etc.).  Then I top with peanut butter (of course) and usually granola.  So freaking amazing!  I pretty much eat oatmeal daily.

R is for roasting: What is your favorite thing to roast?
I LOVE roasted veggies!  Asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, peppers, any type of squash, potatoes – I’m sure there are more, but those are my favorites!

S is for sandwich: What’s your favorite kind?
OK, well, I don’t eat meat, but I do love a good veggie sandwich.  A very gooey grilled cheese with tomatoes is also fabulous!

T is for travel: How do you handle eating while traveling?
I try to eat as healthy as possible, but try not to obsess over it.  It’s much harder to eat healthy on vacation when there are so many junk food options around.  But, I always try to balance junk with plenty of fruits and veggies.  If I don’t get a lot of fruits and veggies in, I will crave them like crazy towards the end of a trip!

U is for unique: What is one of your weirdest food combos?
Ha, well, we’ve all seen my pickles + ketchup invention.  Luckily, I’m past that stage.  I love carrots with peanut butter, and I think chili is 100 times better with a PB sandwich to dunk in it!

V is for vitamins: What kind do you take?
I have a prenatal that is (gasp) not vegetarian.  I’ll do anything for this baby, I’m telling ya! 

W is for wasabi: Yay or nay?
I like wasabi only with sushi, and not very much with it.  It’s great for my nasal issues, but it’s a bit too strong for me.

X is XRAY: If we xrayed your belly right now, what food would we see?
(Just keep in mind that I believe in everything in moderation, and Baby Girl is going through a major growth spurt this week.)  A stir-fry veggie bowl with tofu from CBW, homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch snack mix (CTC, M&M’s, and S’mores Goldfish), TJ’s fruit jelly candy, and a Russell Stover Strawberry Creme Egg (truffle).  The sweet tooth craving really got to me – and I was starving after painting the nursery for 4 hours.

Y is for youth: What food reminds you of your childhood?
Scrambled eggs, refrigerated biscuits, and (believe it or not) bacon.  It was a Saturday morning breakfast tradition in our household, and every time we go on vacation with my parents, it makes me think of my childhood.  Any time I smell bacon, that is what I think about.  So, I might not eat it, but bacon is a good smell to me.

Z is for zucchini: How do you prepare it?
Zucchini is amazing stir-fried or roasted.  It’s also really good in soups too!