California Eats: Le Pain Quotidien

I'm back at it. I'm back on my quest to find good eats in California and to prove to a certain New Yorker that it ain't that hard. I haven't written a California Eats post in quite a while, but I assure you I've been giving my taste buds a good workout. During my pregnancy and even before baby bump, I ate at some pretty noteworthy places. To start it off, I give you the restaurant where I discovered Speculoos.


The Place: Nestled in the village square of Claremont, this casual french bakery serves more than just your run-of-the-mill croissants and baguettes. Sure, that's what my stomach was expecting walking into a place like this, but I was more than pleased with the selection they have here. Whatever you order, you can enjoy your meal inside, which is rustically decorated with wood from floor to ceiling, or outside, al fresco as the french do.

The Menu: I came with a friend who highly recommended their Tartines. I've never had one before so I was game. The first thought that came to my mind when reading their menu was fresh. Their meals include locally grown and organic ingredients which is not hard to find in Southern California. There is an assortment of egg, chicken, veggie, and even a few meat dishes, something to please everyone. Of course, you can't forget the bread. Almost everything is served with a hearty slice of delicious homemade bread. "Le Pain Quotidien"  itself means "daily bread." Bread everyday? Yes, please!

The Eats: I started off with a lemonade iced tea that is sweetened with raw organic agave nectar. It was perfectly tart and refreshing. I ordered the Roast Beef Tartine and the presentation did not disappoint. The tartine is an open faced sandwich which, in my opinion, needs to be eye catching. My friend ordered the Mushroom Kale Frittata which looked delicious as well.

My tartine was perfect. The bread was firm with a deliciously crunchy crust. Perfect ratio of roast beef to mozzarella, drizzled with fresh vinegarette and tomatoes. It was completely satisfying.

And then there's this...

My first encounter with the spread that rivals Nutella. I'll keep this post about the restaurant and not this heavenly treat. The best thing about it all is that Le Pain Quotidien serves this as a condiment along with butter for your side of bread. They just bring it to you like it's a normal thing to do.

I'm a sucker for anything French, but to add a daily slice of handmade bread with a JAR of Speculoos to freely spread as you please....oh...OIU OIU! If this is how the french do it... I'm flying there tomorrow.

Ok, maybe not. Thank God for places like this.

Wandom Wednesday: Recovery

This Sunday, my little snugaboo will be one month old. WHOA Nelly Furtado! I am torn between wishing time would stand still so I can have this little newborn forever, and wishing time would fast forward to the point where he can wipe his own butt. I'm sure one day I'll miss wiping his butt... one day.

GAH! Just the other day his little belly button cord fell off. I was both excited and disgusted, then I cried because he's growing up so fast. This was a big moment for the whole family.

I have to be honest and say that these past few weeks, although filled with magical moments, has been an emotional roller coaster for me. Baby blues hit me like a freggin' hurricane and I sobbed uncontrollably EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I heard crying sounds coming from my own mouth that I've never heard before. Even Baby Joaquin was like "What the hell, Mom! Why are YOU crying?" When I am in these deep holes of emotion, I often wonder if I'm cut out for this "mom gig." Hubby really had to dig me out of some really dark moments and there were even times I pulled him right down there with me. I felt so alone even though I was surrounded by everything a woman could ever want out of life. Dammit Hormones! I really had a difficult time with breastfeeding, getting up every 2 hours, going out in public, and even interacting with friends and family. I just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for a redonkulous amount of days.

Then I remembered I AM a mom now and this little guy is counting on me. I remembered that newborns can pick up on mommy's stress and I couldn't deal with the thought of ruining my kid's life already. There will be times for that...like showing the video of his first bath at his 18th birthday party in front of all his friends and his stupid girlfriend, who I'm sure I'll hate. So in true obsessive compulsive and teacher lady form, I started a plan of action.....an IEP (for all you teacher friends out there)for myself to fight the blues.

1. Organize....in a cute organizer.

Ummm, I'm TOTALLY obsessed with my new planner. If you're into the good ol' paper organizers, check out ErinCondren.com. Her planners are so cute and functional. I am in organize heaven! I made it a point to plan out family walks, visits from friends, and simple trips to the market so I can feel productive. Those were the things that made me feel "normal."

I also love my Baby Daze tracker. Totally unnecessary but helps the OCD monster in me to keep track of every poop and pee that lil' man makes. That info will make for beautiful keepsake moments, no?



 2. Don't be a Vampire Slug

People say to sleep when baby sleeps but when I did that, I felt like a vampire slug living in a dark house with the curtains always drawn shut. I needed to get some fresh air everyday. My little family and I went on our first walk around the block days after Joaquin's birth. We all loved it, especially Sonic. This helped with my sanity and my c-section recovery.

3. Take a damn shower

Since my c-section, my incision site open once. Lovely. I had to take a trip to the ER, they drained it, and told me to sponge bath myself for a few days. Sponge baths are hard if you don't have a nurse on hand to wipe you down the correct way. Sure I have a husband, but it is too early in my life for him to wipe my butt. When I got the green light to take a full shower, I danced...carefully, with joy. Showers are your friend and you should take one...even if it lasts a whole 2 minutes.

.via.





 4. Do what's right for YOU

-cracked and bleeding nipples
-nipple shields
-Lanolin cream
-Thrush
-Plugged Ducts

If you plan on breastfeeding, make sure you do your research on these things. I really thought that breastfeeding would be as easy as slapping the baby on your teet and letting him go at it, create a magical bond, blah blah blah..... no. Nobody told me that breastfeeding can be so hard!

I am a firm believer in "Happy Wife, Happy Life." Same goes for being a mom, too. If mommy isn't happy, then all hell will break loose in the house and everyone will be miserable. One struggle I had, and continue to have on occasion is breastfeeding. I want to write a full post about my battle with this, but in short, I had to do what was right for me. It seems like right now, the push is for breastfeeding and anything else is poison apparently. I felt the pressure hardcore and had to find ways to come to terms with what works for me and what wont drive me up the wall. In a nutshell, I hate breastfeeding...yes I said it...I hate it. I decided that the best thing for me right now is to exclusively pump and supplement if I need to.

 5. Cookies

Remember when I said I'd post the recipe for the pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies...yeah well, I had a baby and I totally forgot. Mommy brain? Better late than never.
FYI- I subbed the pumpkin spice and puree for a lazy can of pumpkin pie puree and I nixed the frosting and dusted it with powdered sugar.

Yummy recipe here!

I also did a my first TIM TAM SLAM! Oh, it's a thing. Google it. It's going to be big like Gangnam style. Mark my chocolate faced words.

For all you new mommies out there.... hang in there. It does get better. Atleast that's what everyone keeps telling me.

Wandom Wednesday: Addictions

1. There needs to be an Instagram Anonymous and I need to be the president. I am on that thing way too much for someone who has a job and a LIFE! I posted 6 times yesterday and feel embarrassed about it. Like, who the hell am I for showing you what I'm eating, wearing, thinking, or pooping? Oprah?

2. I am also addicted to games on my iPhone. Brizzle, Bejewled, Temple Run, Bakery Story, Words with Friends... I'm all over that like brown on brown rice. Send help immediately.

Birzzle

3. On that note, I am finally winning at a game of Words with Friends. This never happens to me. Sadly, people think I'm going to blow them out of the water because I'm a teacher, but I actually suck at Scrabble. It's because I'm impulsive and don't think about my words before I throw 'em down.

Case in point, yesterday I threw down HOES because I thought it was funny. After I pressed SEND and laughed my head off, I realized I could've put SHOES. I is stupid.

4. I'm also addicted to these. Boston Cream Pies My friend Christine had me over for dinner and she made these for dessert. I think she's trying to sabotage my exercise plan. Thanks, Christine. Some friend you  are.

via Annie Eats

5. I want to write another Wandom, but I have to check my Instagram and lose more Words with Friends games. Toodles.  

Pork Siu Mai/Shoe My/Shoo Mie

'Ello Govnah.

I'm a bit peeved right now. My Body and I are at war. Not just, Mind says "Run a 10K", Body says "no way, Jose." Instead, my body wants to be sick but that is not on my schedule at the moment. I don't want to be hocking up loogies, blowing my nose every 5.5 seconds until the skin from my nose peels off, or having nasty mouth. I just want to be a normal girl, gaw dangit! Seems as though Body does not give a flying shit. So, I will drown my body with Green Monsters, green tea, and cough drops while acting like the biggest baby so my hubby will feel sorry for me and do all the chores, cooking, and laundry. ::crossing fingers that hubby reads this::

Besides being sick, I've been having very strong cravings for one thing... Chinese food. What the what? Now before you start speculating that I am with child, I will tell you that I am in fact, not preggos. If I am, it must be a Chinese baby because all it wants is Chow Mein and Dim Sum. Lucy.... you have some splainin' to do.


Honey Walnut Shrimp. One of the best things on earth.

Besides begging my hubby to take me to Panda Inn, I also felt the sudden urge to make some dumplings. I made them before, but to keep in line with my resolutions I decided to try a new recipe. Easy, quick, and delicious. What more can you want out of a recipe?
Project Wifey Wife- The Savory
Pork Sui Mai
adapted from The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground pork
1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
wonton wrappers

1. Mix all of the ingredients together.  See how easy that is?

2. Put about a half to a full tablespoon of the mixture into a wonton wrapper. Make a little cup and squeeze.

3. Steam for about 7-10 minutes until cooked through.



If you're feeling crazy, you can also fry some!

And isn't it funny that TODAY is Chinese New Year? Maybe that's why I've been craving it all! Really, it's a plain coincidence because I had no idea.

Gung Hei Fat Choy!

Something daring, eh? ::strokes chin::

So We Meet Again, Mr. Celery.

Today my tastebuds went for a ride. Some parts of the ride were fun and exciting, orgasmic if you will. Others were throw-up all over your shirt fun but minus the fun. The new year makes me want to try new things and now I understand that some of those things are not nice.

I started my morning off with a bang bang and by that I mean I nearly shot and killed my tastebuds and colon. I tried The Glowing Green Smoothie from The Beauty Detox Solution book.

Now, I really like this book and I feel like it has some awesome pointers and factiods. Plus, Kimberly is gorgeous and certainly has that "glow" to her. She is purdy. I would like whatever she's having. Hence, me attempting her smoothie recipe. I'm already hooked on Green Monsters so I figured this shouldn't be that bad.

Got to use my new blender. YIPEE!

 Project Wifey Wife- The Savory?
The Glowing Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped
handful or two of organic spinach
2-4 stalks of celery
1 organic apple, chopped
1 organic pear, chopped
1 organic banana
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Handful of ice for easy drinking

1. Blend into a smooth consistency

The Verdict?

If you remember my post about my food foes then you know that celery is at the tip top of that list. I hate it. I hoped that by mixing it in with the other ingredients that racid taste would just be overpowered so I can drink it and be a happy healthy bear. I hate being wrong. All I could taste was the celery and I even cheated and put just 2...small stalks! **If you like celery then you will have no problem with this. I'm sure it's good to someone who is friends with Mr. Celery.

I wanted to like it, I really did. I even put it in a fancy glass to make me feel all important and crap. Nope, my taste buds were not havin' it. Regardless, I forced my body and my mind into submission and forced down one glass . It turns out that I'm not forceful enough because I only drank a little more than half. But, let me  tell you, ::whisper voice:: just that little bit helped my stomach clear some gunk if your know what I mean. poop.

And, the celery taste lasted well into the afternoon and lingered into my burps. GROSS!

But then...HEAVEN! I went to a French cafe (California Eats post coming soon!) and had this with french bread. It makes me want to cry it's so damn good.

This was made from the tears of angels. I know it! My friend Jen and I thought this was a nutbutter of some sort but later discovered that it's crushed cookies and honey butter. HOLY MOLY! Think Biscoff Cookie. I was in another world when this was in my mouth. I want to marry this and have all the Speculoos babies....Duggar style.

But, sad sad sad news. When I went to purchase this jar of magic, the evil lady at the counter told me that they are all SOLD OUT! I should've known.
"Kind Lady, when will your next shipment arrive?"
"We only order it at Christmas and when it's out, we don't order anymore."

Foodie...Heart....Crushed.

If you can find this for me I will give you $1,000,000 cash money...or $10.95, which ever my bank account allows. Please. I will be your best friend.

The Vacation of Champions

Belated Merry Christmas, readers! I hope you had a wonderful weekend filled with family, friends, and lots of yummy food.

I am on Winter Vacation and loving every second of it. I have been busy with baking, cooking, and spending time with my family.

Blogging has always been in the back of my head, but truth be told, I really wanted to take a break and just ENJOY life. I heard a comedian once say that if Jesus Christ appeared out of the sky, we would all be on our phones trying to take a picture, or tweeting it, or Facebooking it instead of enjoying and experiencing that joyous occasion. So, instead of living through my camera, cooking with my camera, and eating through my camera, I decided that I wanted to fully enjoy my Christmas through these brown eyes of mine. And that I have been.....

However, I have been Instagraming a bit in lieu of blogging. So if you have Instagram... add me (missjoanna17). I will definitely add you because I LOVE looking at pictures of random things through different types of lenses.

So, here is my break in a nutshell thus far....

I won The Avid Appetite's blog giveaway! I received her yummy treats and just like that....everything was in my tummy!

I also cooked and baked a TON! And just like that.... everything was in my tummy!

Christmas Empanadas

And of course, there were presents. Amazing presents. My family knows me so well.

This vacation is delicious!

• How was your Christmas? Tell me what you got! I'm nosey like that.

 

My Blogiversary

One year ago I started this crazy little blog thing. I kept it private for about a month before I let the little beast run wild and free on the internets. At first, some of my family and friends questioned why I would even want to do such a thing. And in good mommy fashion, my mom was worried that someone would cook my recipes, stalk me, and find me to cut me up into pieces...or something like that. Regardless, I kept on going, starting Project Wifey Wife, continuing my Zelda quest for my "princess" named Healthy McHealthiness, and joining the fun of Bloggerworld.

Check it out!

I never revealed this, but I wanted to blog because my life was a little topsy turvy with being a newlywed, struggling with my job, and considering a career change. These changes were enough for me to throw up my arms and say "CURSES!" or something else that started with an F. This blog became my comfort. I've always been a journal person, heck, I even had a diary in 1st grade (which I forgot the combination to and haven't been able to open since 4th grade). I had a Xanga in college and continued to keep a handwritten one near my bed. Writing is a friend of mine, for sure.


My first header

This blog is my pride and joy. Even with the horrible spelling mistakes and grammar fumbles, (Did I mention I'm a teacher... I... is... so ...smarte!) and the time I let pass between each post (don't look down at the last time) I thank you, reader, for reading about my life and leaving sweet comments. To my friends and family, who now give me so much encouragement, Thank you. And of course, To The Man, The Mister, the Hubby Hub to my Wifey Wife, Thank you for always encouraging me to blog...AND you're welcome for all the food.

Here's to another year....


To celebrate I will cook my first Project Wifey Wife meal:
Boeuf Bourguignon

And just like the first time, I will forget to post the recipe.....maybe.

The Mission Inn 5K

I hate my Nike iPod thingy. But more on that later.

The Race: Mission Inn 5K Run- November 13, 2011
I signed up for this one because it was pretty local and looked harmless. I didn't think it would be that crowded. Boy, was I wrong.

The Course:
It started next to the beautiful Mission Inn in Downtown Riverside, circling Fairmount Park, going up a KILLER hill which seemed endless, and ended right back to the Mission Inn. It was a nice course but I wish I anticipated and practiced for the hill that nearly killed me.

The Preps: The night before, I made sure I ate a good amount of carbs. I was lucky that the family party I went to was loaded with a crazy and odd amount of chicken. YAY protein. I know I was only running a 5K, but any excuse to carb load is ok by me. When I get pregnant, that baby is going to be the excuse of why I gained 200 ELL BEE ESSES! It's all about finding good scapegoats and races are good ones!

And then, I needed my mantras. I have two that really keep me going during ALL of my runs. For me, it's all mind over matter and I need all the cliche quotes I could get!

Jillian's quote really put that fire under my ass. I had to remember that the feeling of my lazy muscles activating and screaming for mercy was not a reason to stop. I had to remember that sweat beading down my forehead and stinging me in the eyeball was not a reason to stop. The bugs that flew in my mouth.... not a reason to stop. YAY protein. 

This also kept me going. My ultimate goal is to feel STRONG. I want to feel good about myself for once and I know being healthy and fit will help me feel that way. When I run, I feel like that person I always wanted to be.

It's GO TIME!

I woke up at about 6:00am pumped and ready to rule the world...through a 5K. I know that sounds uber ridic, but I had that fire in me that was ready to show them who's boss. And by them, I mean my scrawny muscles. I ate a little bit of an Odwalla granola bar which was yummy and not at all heavy and also took some energy blasts. These are my FAVORITE!

They taste like candy and really give you that "blast" of energy to keep you from getting comatose on your run. Nothings worse then going lazy legs on your run and bailing out 5 minutes in. I would know...that's how I am during the week. 

Hubby woke up and was nice enough to drive me to the race while whispering sweet nothings and motivation in my ear while I freaked out in the car. When I got there, I picked up my bib, chip, and posed for some snapshots.

Yay for drain covers!

After my photo session with hubs, which was all of 2 snapshots, I searched the crowds for my buddy T! It was nice to run with her again! I miss you T!!  We wiggled our way through the sea of people and waited for the race to start. I was anxious!

And BTW, I remembered to pump my inhaler! YESS!!

It started slow because there were literally a million people...maybe more. Nonetheless, it was a good start. I paced myself, rocked out to The Black Keys, Sleigh Bells, Radiohead, and Florence + the Machine. I used my ipod Nike thing, just like I do during my training and it was nice to hear the lady in my earbuds telling me when I hit each Kilometer.

My former BFF

Let the record show that I do not use the chip like this. I do have a shoe pocket for it.

I was in pretty high spirits because the sun was out, it wasn't raining like I thought it would, the air was cool and crisp, the crowd was pumping me up, and T was running fast which made me push myself to go faster.

It wasn't until the last leg of the race when my spirits started fading. There was a hill I didn't anticipate and my last song on my 5K playlist was starting to play. My ipod told me I completed the 5K, but I wasn't near the finish line yet! I was all in a tizzy and getting sad that my training sessions were being shortchanged. I wasn't training for the right distance apparently.

I felt REALLY weak and wanted to quit, but I had to remember my original goal, which was to run a 5K without stopping. So, I paced myself and remember that I wasn't puking, fainting, or dying...so I had to keep going. I finally saw the finish line...a bug flew in my mouth for added protein....and I saw my mom, dad, and hubby all cheering me on to keep going. It made my heart happy....or was that a mild stroke... I don't know.

When I crossed the finished line, my ipod registered me at running 6.3 Kilometers in 34 minutes, which was a 9:00 pace. I knew right away that wasn't right. My time was 34:17. ::trying to be positive:: That is 4 minutes faster than my last race....I'LL TAKE IT! And I'll take my ipod Nike chip and crush it into the ground! Grrrr!!!

After the race I spent quality time with my family and stuffed my face with this....

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs and Banana Pancakes..... I rewarded myself with food... I am a dog. *Ruff Ruff*