organic Archives - Whitney Victoria

Food In Review

First off, let me just say I’m pretty happy the Eagles finally did it again. I heard fireworks and people hooting and hollering in the neighborhood! But….. that doesn’t mean I watched any of it. I was refreshing the score a tad obsessively near the end though…Wait, I lie! I watched this Chris Pratt commercial…twice, and I’m not apologizing. He makes me happy. Just following my bliss…hah.

It’s not news that I’m obsessed with grocery shopping. The food, the endless new products, the coffee bars, , the mini carts with cupholders to carry the coffee I just bought…The only thing I don’t love is the freezing temperature that somehow is not just in the frozen aisles. Another recent trip to Whole Foods was as delightful to be expected.

Also unsurprisingly, I love trying new healthy products and want to share whatever I learn. As much fun as it is to do some testing, it’s not great fun to spend my hard-earned money on something I don’t like and end up ditching. Thus, I’m a nerd who reads food reviews. Here are some of my own! Most of my new purchases are snacks. You know snacks are the best.

Ripple Half and Half

I’m usually into black coffee but lately I’ve been wanting just little bit of milk to smooth it out. If I ever add something to my coffee, I prefer real half and half for the richness it adds without the sweetness. There are a lot non-dairy creamers out there and I am underwhelmed by most of them. I recently discovered Califia Farms line and enjoy it but I’m not settled enough to stop trying new ones. I’ve seen Ripple milk for awhile but never saw the half and half until this weekend. Pleased to say it’s great for a creamy touch with only 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon and clean, pea protein.

Verdict: Great as a non-dairy sub for half and half. Not so great if you’re into sugary creamers.

Whole Foods Americano

Wow, I can’t believe I waited this long to get an Americano from the WF coffee bar. It was delicious just straight up, no cream. I’m still finishing it up cold because I’m weird and drink coffee any way I can get it.

Verdict: Bold. Yes, please. Trading it in for the Costa Rican blend I usually go for.

Black Sesame Rice Snaps

I love salt. I used to be a cracker addict. I could finish half a box of Cheez-Its in one sitting. The problem with that is it’s all chemicals, gluten, and artificial dyes. These rice snaps are not low sodium but they are gluten-free, crispy, and richly flavorful. The first word that comes to mind when I try to describe the taste is umami. According to Urban Dictionary, it’s definition is the pretentious way of saying the 5th human taste (salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and savory, aka “umami”) Sorry, I watch a lot of Top Chef…

Verdict: Satisfying as lunch topped with tuna and good with hummus or avocado as a snack.

Hail Merry Sea Salt Caramel Bites

I am doing a gluten detox for at least three months to get it out of my system and I really wanted something cake-like yesterday. It’s not that easy to find, even at a Whole Foods. No, this wasn’t the heavenly WF carrot cake that I was craving but these little, refrigerated cookies were good. Butttt, these were an impulse buy, fueled by hunger so I didn’t realize they were coconut macaroons. I was hoping for more of a crumbly/pastry-type cookie.

Verdict: I’d buy them again if I’m looking for a coconut taste and texture. The sweet caramel flavor was nice and I only needed one to feel like I had dessert.

P.S. This Cookie Dough Is Good Ror You

It’s edible, protein-packed, chickpea-based cookie dough. Um, duh. And, it’s in a nice little container for 190 calories. This is nice because I’ll admit I’ve bought those terrible, break-off pre-made cookie dough packs and popped them like candy…like you haven’t. I’m glad this is one serving. No need to have an endless supply of dough in my fridge.

Verdict: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough flavor was pretty amazing. If I didn’t know it was chickpeas, I don’t think I would have guessed it was conventional cookie dough.

Anyone buy any random new foods lately? Obviously, I’m always open to suggestions!

~Whitney Victoria

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February 5, 2018February 5, 2018

Whitney Victoria2 Comments

Festivities – Food and Facials

Festiveness is everywhere! In my food and self-care practices…

Festivity Part One: I had a facial today here. It was heaven. I chose the spa because they focus on natural ingredients. I didn’t want harsh products on my poor face. After my first facial I felt super red and slightly in pain and I’ve never had super bad skin so I can imagine what it’s like for other people. This time was going to be different. I had already decided that before booking an appointment.

Other than my skin looking a little lackluster lately, I didn’t have any major concerns to addresss. I mainly wanted some advice on my type of skin and some sort of cleansing relaxation. The “seasonal facial” was right up my alley.

This was the description: “A botanical experience perfect for all skin types featuring vitamin-rich holistic products that enhance your skin’s natural balance and vitality. While your skin absorbs the healing properties of our masques, we’ll delight you with a decollete, full hand & arm exfoliation and body butter application followed by a warm tower hand wrap.”

The esthetician used hot buttered rum exfoliant, peppermint oil in my scalp massage, and some amazing cocoa face mask…yes. It was like I was getting a facial in Christmas land. So many hot towels draped over my eyes and my hands wrapped up. It was so relaxing and my face was a tad red (as to be expected) but it also looked dewy and renewed.

She did tell me that I had small blocks all over and it wasn’t super noticeable to me because I have small pores. She said that it was most likely caused by something topical. I literally never wear foundation so I knew it must be my face cream. Another fact I loved about the process was that I was given a “prescription sheet” of all the products she used on me in case I loved it and wanted to use something at home. It was completely this brand, Eminence Organic Skincare, which I have never heard of before now. It’s so tough for me to find something natural that also doesn’t cause any negative reactions or clogged pores. The “calm” line was recommended since I’m pretty sensitive…of course I am.I’m not one to be talked into a ton of products but I want my skin to be something I’m proud of. Instead of just choosing say the cleanser, or just the cream, I am trying this starter set so see how I like it.

Seriously. I loved every minute of it. I’m currently working them into my schedule because this needs to happen every six weeks or so.

Festivity Part Two:

Oh man. I had the best idea yesterday morning. I had some time to actually use the stove for breakfast. Normally I prep oatmeal the night before or so I wanted good pancakes. You know, with the little crispy edges that show up when you bake something in a pan? I use coconut oil usually but there’s nothing wrong with real butter! My stomach does not do well with egg yolks and I’m always on the lookout for something gluten free. My search led me to this easy recipe. It’s actually a waffle recipe but they’re always the same and I was not dusting my waffle iron off for a batch of 2.

It was so simple yet I was almost out of my regular almond milk and didn’t think I could squeeze a 1/2 cup out of it. I thought, “Hey! Who says I can’t substitute that for my beloved Good Karma Holiday Nog?”

Let me tell you. It’s one of the best “nogs” on the market right now. I’ve tried most dairy-free kinds so that’s saying something. It’s great straight up. I can’t wait to down a glass with a little plateful of gluten-free almond cookies this season. So…it had to be a great addition to my pancakes, right?

SOOO much better than I expected! My pancakes tastes like sugar cookies! I added just a hint of coconut oil at the end and drizzled some maple syrup but next time I wouldn’t even need that! The nog added its own sweetness.

Please try this recipe out! I got my nog at Wegmans but this time of year it’s usually at Giant and Target too! You can use any kind of dairy-free nog (or any kind of milk, I think) but I think you’ll love the festive feel to this breakfast.

Holiday Nog Pancakes

(Makes 2 large pancakes)

1/2 cup gluten-free flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill gf blend.)

1/2 cup Good Karma Holiday Nog

2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together. Cook on medium heat in pan with melted coconut oil. Flip once, when you see bubbles on the surface. It will take awhile! Practice patience.

I’ll be making these all winter long. Or at least as long as I can find great dairy-free, healthy drinks.

My favorite way to drink “egg” nog of the season. Christmas Vacation will forever hold a place in my happy holiday heart.

~Whitney Victoria

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017

Whitney Victoria2 Comments

Meal With a View

Continuing my recap of Connecticut, I thought I’d focus on some amazing food we experienced. The first night we were there, we were craving lobster rolls. I googled it so see who was serving them in close proximity to our hotel since I wasn’t up for a long car ride after the drive up there. I found Sunset Grille. It was about 6 miles from where we were staying and they had a waterfront view! We lucked out and it was literally the last day of the season that the restaurant was open! It was nothing special as far as decor goes, but the ambiance was there with the yachts, sea breeze, and delicious food.

They had two kinds of lobster rolls. One was warm with butter, and the other was cold with mayo and herbs. Both were amazing. We got one of each and then split them! I couldn’t decide my favorite. The french fries were also seriously great. I didn’t leave one on the plate.

Up close and personal. We found a beach down the road that was free to walk on since it was October. It was so windy but really fun to just walk around and look out at the water. The next day was New Haven. The little shop was called Maison Mathis and had a great vibe. This was an impromptu stop for coffee and I got a wonderful brown butter chocolate chip cookie. I wish I took a picture to commemorate it and would like to make my own batch. I’m a tad OCD about researching things so I did my homework and knew about most of the cafes within 5 miles of the Yale campus. We hit Claire’s Corner Copia for a late lunch. Isn’t that such a cute name? They specialize in vegan and gluten-free food and have been open since 1975! I had some Asian noodles and veggies. It was so filling and satisfying after a day of walking around the city. But, it also tasted light and healthy. After not having real homemade bread for, basically years, this little loaf was breathtaking. I was obsessed with it, ate every crumb, and want some more. I had some unsweetened blueberry iced tea that was little tart. I actually added stevia and I hardly ever need to do that. Our third day was for traveling home. I found a cute, organic spot for brunch called Baldanza in New Canaan. I have to say, my brioche french toast was probably the best french toast I’ve ever had. Uncured bacon and fair-trade coffee were musts. I loved the diverse but clean choices there. Next time I’m in town, I’ll be back.