WIAW: Detox Day

[It's WIAW!]

Happy What I Ate Wednesday friends and foodies.

Here's the bad news: I was on call last night, so I was up late and pretty snacky. I also brought cookies to share and ate a fair few of them - suffice it to say I felt gross when I woke up. Major sugar hangover, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you what a day of super-healthy feel-better eats might look like after some overindulgence. 

Breakfast: A peach. I also had some orange juice before rounds. Okay, this doesn't look healthy [as in, not enough food], but it gets my little metabolism going without feeling like too much, considering I was still snacking at 11 pm last night. It gave me a chance to actually be hungry for lunchtime. 

We label our fruit with initials because 4 of us live here and we share a fruit bowl. There wasn't a sticker on this one, so that's the explanation of the red marks to the left of the stem. 

Morning Snack: Apple. Organic Gala post-health food store grocery shopping. Seriously like the best apple I've had in ages. 

Lunch: New-to-me meal: Amy's Kitchen Black Eyed Peas with Veggies and Brown Rice. This was really good. I really wish they didn't cost so much. 

Snack: Grapes. These were a favorite childhood snack, but I think it's been like a year since I last bought grapes.

Dinner: Homemade Curried Farm Vegetable soup. 

Dessert: Frozen [soy] yogurt. 

I'm pretty sure I got about 6 servings of fruit and 6 servings of vegetables today. I'm feeling way better - I think a high-produce day really helps turn it around when I haven't been eating well.  

What do you like to eat when you wake up [sugar] hungover?

Happy Birthday to My Man.

My Fiance turned 25 this week. Happy Birthday! For the next 2 months he's 2 years older than me. I kind of like this time - I get to act way less mature and blame it on our age difference. I have no excuse the rest of the year, not that it stops me.

We celebrated this weekend with a convening of some favorite people, and it was wonderful. I realized I hadn't seen some of them since we got engaged (and that it's been 3 months since then!)

We played in a park (or two), had a picnic lunch, and went to a movie - The Guard - heavy on the language but also on the awesome.

Typical. 

We also climbed a tree. I don't climb enough trees anymore. When I changed that evening a pinecone and leaf fell out of my dress. As it should be. 

Ryan.

Ryan in the tree. And Evan. Contemplating nature?

Joe at the very top. 

And me at the very top!

Still me. 

And that's how tall the tree was. 

We also went to dinner, saw an enormous orange balloon and the weirdest park I've ever been to (Orange County Great Park), and played a complicated card game. Mostly we got a chance to celebrate being alive - all of us, but especially John - Happy Birthday sir!

Joe and Becca. They're moving to Portland soon. (I'm jealous.)

Him plus me. 

Evan - sorting out the complicated rules like a champ.

"Okay, everyone smile."

"Okay, now have a philosophical coffee-shop discussion." I think someone said, "Neitzsche."

Sunset at the Great Park. There's a weather balloon you can ride, footballs you can borrow, a slightly ghetto carousel, a walkable timeline, a community garden, and it used to be a military base. It's kinda weird. Also kinda fun. 

John, Eric.

It's free to go up in the balloon, but the wait was too long, so we mocked it from afar.

Ryan, Evan, Eric, Arisa, Me, John, Becca, Joe

It was wonderful to see you all.

Did you have a good Labor Day weekend? What's the weirdest park you've ever been to?

Santa Barbara Vegan: Adama

This is a review I was planning to make a few days ago, but pediatric inpatient is actually pretty busy - also awesome - and I'm just now sitting down with a little time.

I was in Santa Barbara visiting last weekend and my dear friend Christina agreed to try out a new restaurant with me: Adama, Vegan Comfort Food.

Locals may remember Chamomile Cafe & Bakery in Carpinteria - a great vegan-friendly place close to the ocean, but it was closed a while ago.

Lucky for all of us, the genius behind Chamomile Cafe has opened a new restaurant called Adama. All-vegan and delicious, I only wish I lived there again so I could try everything.

The inside layout's a bit unexpected, like it used to be a house, and decorations are minimal, but I loved it - it kept the focus on the food.

Coffee for both of us.

I got the Protein Scramble - seitan, tofu and veggies with a side of quinoa served with liquid aminos and topped with pumpkin seeds. Christina was even brave enough to try the seitan: I give her honorary vegan status.

Christina picked the Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes, served with Earth Balance, maple syrup and fresh banana.

They were very different flavors, and it was great to be able to have some bites of both.

There's lots more on the menu I want to try. Road trip anyone?

 It's Labor Day weekend - what are your plans?