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In an attempt to save some money I decided to make lunch for a friend and I. A co-worker told me about Thai Chicken rolls and I decided to give them a shot on my day off. They turned out pretty good!!

Before I even touched the chicken, I made the Thai vinaigrette which consisted of peanut sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, and sugar. Smelled scrumptious.


Then I sliced up some boneless chicken thighs and browned them in a frying pan.

Look at that golden crust :)

I let the chicken cool and shredded the bigger pieces by hand. Then I put it in a large bowl with a bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) and poured the vinaigrette over it. I tossed it until it was all well combined.


With that done, it was time to wrap. I bought a pack of rice wrappers. Soak each wrapper in warm water until pliable. Scoop some of the filling and wrap it like a burrito and you're just about done!

TA-DA!

Happy Father's Day! Well, my dad's not home and I woke up early, so Carmen and I decided to meet up to go explore a nearby area.


I can see the appeal of living here. Birds chirping, sound of sprinklers, Victorian houses with their green lawns (because they actually have front yards), the slow crawl of people walking their dogs. Even the drivers are nice. It's one of the rare times I didn't feel like I needed to rush across the street.

The suburban rush really hits you when you start entering the "name" streets. It's not East 1st, 2nd, 3rd Street anymore. It becomes Argyle Road, Wellington Court, and the like. The street names seem to bring out the personality of the homes more. They're no longer just a number!

It makes a perfect Sunday walk to the farmers' market on Cortelyou. The emergence of this Park Slope-esque is relatively new (few years?) but still, I can't believe I've never known until now...considering how close I live.

So it was decidedly brunch at The Farm on Adderley. I got the famed Yelp Fishermen's Eggs and Bloody Mary.


I've never had a bloody mary before so I have nothing to compare it to, but this one had all my faves. Pickle, onions, and tomato juice. The onions added a 'zing' to it, but the waiter confirmed that there was also hot sauce in it. I liked it. The fishermen's eggs were so good. It contained 2 poached eggs, smoked trout, potato latke, and mixed greens. That was not a small portion. I finished the entire. thing. Even the potatoes. I never finish the potatoes!


Then we headed next door to Qathra. I don't drink coffee, but because they're famous for it, I'll try it next time. We sat in the back outdoor area. So pretty! Both of these restaurants would without a doubt be the perfect date spot! It was cloudy at first, but by the time we left, it was sunny and picturesque. Being decor obsessed, I liked the touch of the little fountain with lots of foliage. Anyway, I ordered a regular latte with a smoked salmon sandwich. Yes, I'm aware I just had a meal before this.

Look at all the magazines we brought! Yes, we actually read them. And I took a photo of an ant communicating with another ant because I just felt that "one with nature" in the middle of a neighborhood that had to be too good to be true. Ditmas Park isn't going away anytime soon but I'm sure in a few days, I'm going to wonder why I ever took that picture...

It was a quick walk through the last of the farmers' market, then on to the Flatbush Food Coop that's like a Whole Foods alternative. I got some tea and soap, and it was a Sunday wrapped up before 4.

I've always wanted to live in the middle of the city among skyscrapers, but factoring in the late night barhopping and loud traffic, this slow and quiet kind of lifestyle is a haven when you need to escape from chaos.

I'm addicted!

I was Yelping for places to eat near work and came across Cafe Zaiya. After reading the reviews, I was intrigued and had to go try the Chocolate Mochi Donuts, and let me tell you it was delicious. My co-worker compared it to a zeppole. It wasn't as sweet and puffy as your average donut, it was a bit chewy but in a good way. After trying the chocolate mochi donuts I came across a recipe for Green Tea Mochi Cake. The recipe calls for a cup of butter which has me kind of scared...so I may try to find an alternative to make it a little healthier.I imagine the texture of this cake to be similar to that of the donuts. While I haven't had time to try this recipe out yet, I'm posting this as a little reminder to self to try it out possibly next weekend. Look out for an update next week with pictures. :) Till then, if you're in the NYC area, definitely stop by Cafe Zaiya and get yourself a Chocolate Mochi Donut. They sell out fast!

1) They're better than onions (more anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins)
2) High in Vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid; good source of calcium, iron, protein
3) Aids brain function and helps prevents Alzheimer's disease
4) Easily digested
5) Lowers blood sugar levels for those with diabetes
6) Cancer prevention: liver, stomach
7) Boosts immune system
8) Thins the blood to help prevent against cardiovascular diseases
9) Promote liver health
10) Makes skin look younger

I have a whole array of weird eating habits, but I consider myself lucky to have habits like these that keep me balanced next to the 12" pizzas that I swallowed the other day.

I always gain so much weight during hibernation season. Except this year, the weather has proved to be indecisive so my body hasn't gotten the message that it should've started preparing for summer a while ago. I always have to lose some weight before summer because most of my shorts are a size smaller than my jeans. Plus I'm semi committed to doing an 3-mile obstacle course in less than 2 months, which is not much, but I can't jog for more than 5 minutes at a time, let alone jump over fire.

I love exercising when I can commit to it, but exercise comes in spurts for me. Either I do it intensely or I slack off intensely. But these are some of my favorite fitness iPad/iPhone apps that I keep coming back to so they must be doing something right.

1) Self Magazine - free to download, costs to subscribe