Tasty Tuesday: Philly Boys Cheesesteaks

As I've mentioned before, we're trying to avoid meat these days. But, sometimes you have to break your own rules--especially for something as important and delicious as sandwiches (fun fact: sandwiches are one of my top three favorite foods). Management at my company persuaded a popular Seattle-based food truck to make the two hour drive up north for a very special occasion: lunch.

Lucky for me, my wonderful (& hungry) husband grabbed a place in line before I even left my desk. If he hadn't, who knows how long we would've been standing outside! Information was leaked to the local paper, who then advertised that the Philly Boys were going to be in town today. Naturally, others wanted a taste of the goods and so what was supposed to be a little company lunch turned into a city-wide spectacle. We waited nearly an hour and a half in the rain, wind, & cold with the smell of grilled onions and cheeze wiz taunting our senses. My husband even had to refill the meter twice! But, the Phillies were worth the wait. And as it turns out, I preferred the white American cheese to that cheeze wiz (even though the wiz is supposed to be more east-coast authentic).

Special thanks to my coworker Liz for allowing me to photograph part of her sandwich. I had forgotten to take a picture of my own because I was too concerned with stuffing it into my face as fast as possible. Yum.

Read more about today's cheesesteak madness here.

Manic Monday: Posting Pictures of Kittens Doesn't Make You a Crazy Cat Person

No, having an appreciation for photos or Youtube videos of cute kittens doesn't necessarily make you a crazy cat lady/man. It might make you seem a bit silly or annoying to people who are allergic or who like dogs better, but no one cares about them. I don't even own a cat (yet ...) and I still find these things to be especially fulfilling.

Enclosed is one of my favorite videos, which I originally saw on Tosh.0 and probably revisit about once a month. It's a gem.

And, to further fill your cuteness quota for the day, enjoy some of the cutest kitten pictures this side of Google images:

You're welcome.

Tasty Tuesday: Tofu Rancheros

As a new proponent of meatless living, I've been challenging myself to try out imaginative recipes for dinner. Last week we picked up a slab of tofu, but I couldn't figure out what to do with it. A friend at work suggested that I try one of her favorites: Tofu Rancheros.

Ingredients:
oil (I used grapeseed), tofu, black beans, garlic, corn, salsa, tortillas, avocado, and grated cheese (optional)

Directions:
Scramble the tofu in oil and add 1 clove of chopped garlic. Add cooked black beans and salsa. Mix together and spread onto warm tortillas. I kept the corn on the side, but it can also be added into the tofu mixture. Top tortillas with cheese (if desired), avocado, and eat!

We had this last night, and overall, the flavor turned out pretty well. Next time I'll try cubing the tofu and frying it to improve the texture a bit. Even my husband, who usually hates tofu, was able to stomach this one. Progress!

starting anew

Friendly greetings to you, the blogosphere.

I've struggled with finding fluidity or themes in my writing, but this blog is designed to change that. As the title suggests, this outlet will focus on Health, Hype & Happiness--three things that I am excited about exploring.

Health will follow my husband and my recent attempt go Vegetarian, my love of Zumba fitness, and other healthy lifestyle tips and challenges.

Hype will focus on music, books, movies, fashion, and various elements of culture that, in my opinion, deserve recognition.

Happiness will focus on spirituality, love, home organization, building good habits, and the random things that bring contentment.

I am excited to see what this new blog, and 2012, will bring. Stay tuned!