Pad Thai Party

I hosted a party in my kitchen tonight. It was a total rager, and everyone was invited. There was no cake, unfortunately. I have been put on a mandatory diet and exercise regimen following a gluttony-fueled week-long birthday celebration that culminated in a very sad incident with a bridesmaid dress. Long story short, a dress that fit four and a half months ago no longer fit. Mouths were left agape, zippers were tugged, guts were sucked, obscenities were uttered, tears were cried.

It was not pretty.

But, like a phoenix born from the ashes of gluttony and shame, I bucked up, started reclaiming my long-lost identity as a gym rat, and began cleaning up my eating, too. And it hasn't been too bad, really. It's amazing what you can discover about eating healthily if you just get over that fact that it won't be deep fried and smothered in chocolate or cheese.

Sigh.

Tonight, Matt and I were feeling very Asian-inspired. I wanted to make a dish that would satisfy both a man's stomach and my newly rediscovered zeal for healthier eating. Asian cuisines--unless you are eating out, generally--really are some of the healthiest choices out there. They are generally loaded with veggies, but BEWARE! There might be frying involved, and oftentimes we Americans like to slather our cashew chicken and broccoli and beef with fat- and sodium-laden sauces. So for many reasons, making it yourself is usually better. For tonight, I created what might be described as "Damn-neat-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink pad thai," but what I have come to call "Rainbow Pad Thai" because it is so colorful with its wide array of veggies.

Once I nailed down the idea that I was going to have a pad thai party, I began thinking over the guest list. I have my favorites: red bell pepper, onion, broccoli (my best bud), and carrots. Matt loves carrots (you can't be a Bakersfield, CA boy without growing up loving carrots) and red bell pepper, so there was no fight there. But he HATES onions and will only touch broccoli if it's smothered in sauce. But then, he had down a few guests that are nearly always uninvited in my book: mushrooms (you'd think people would look down at the forest ground, see fungus, and leave well enough alone) and dried Thai chiles (the taste of which is what I would imagine a fiery death to be like).

A fresh Thai chile (left) and its cousin, Satan (right).

After a few minutes of negotiation, everyone got invited to the pad thai party. (Also among the guests were green onions and cashews.)

So whether you're looking for a healthy alternative to talk yourself down from the Chinese takeout ledge, want to get you and your loved ones to eat more veggies, or simply want a fast, healthy solution for dinner, I hope you give this one a try. Don't be frightened by the long list of ingredients; they are all pantry staples. Plus, you can switch out the veggies I've listed for your favorites (baby corn and water chestnut would be nice!) to make it your own.

Rainbow Pad Thai

Prep time: 10 min.

Cook time: 15 min.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. whole wheat linguine
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks (optional) 
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced into coins
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 small package button or baby portabella mushrooms
• 1/2 c. dried Thai chiles (optional)
• 1/4 c. cashew pieces
• 1/3 c. chunky peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 3 T. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 T. rice wine vinegar
• 2 T. low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 T. Sriracha sauce
• 1 T. Sesame seeds, optional

 

Directions:

1. Prepare the pasta as per the package's directions, drain and set aside.
2. Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, if using, and cook through, about 4 minutes.
3. Add in all vegetables, cashews and Thai chiles and cook until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: whisk together ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chicken broth, Sriracha sauce and peanut butter. Set aside.
5. When veggies are crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through, add the sauce to the pan and heat through, about 2 minutes.
6. When sauce is incorporated, add pasta and toss or stir so that the sauce and veggies are mixed in with the pasta.
7. Top with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Here's to healthy dishes!

- Betsey

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Family Ties

Family is awesome, don't you think? Well, sometimes. After typing that phrase I was reminded of sharing a room with my older sister, being called "Buttsey" by my older brother, and years of sitting in the back middle car seat on long family road trips.

But let's just say that this past weekend family more than made up for all those horrendous car rides across eastern Colorado. My parents dared the nearly 9 hour drive from Grand Island, Nebraska to Springfield, Illinois, and once they got here, we didn't give them much time to put their feet up. President Lincoln sites were visited, food was eaten, drinks were enjoyed, and puppies were given toys. (Fun fact: it took Mojo only 10 minutes to completely eviscerate one of the new toys, an unfortunate plush hedgehog.)

It was great having family here. I can only watch Matt play Call of Duty, and he can only pretend to be interested in hearing about what I found today on Pinterest, for so long.

I got a fun package from my in-laws as well; Matt's mom took my request of "If you find any ethnic ingredients for cheap and send them I promise I won't be mad," as an opportunity to stuff a large box full of discoveries from China Town in San Francisco. We had so much fun opening the box and pulling out the interesting contents within.

An assortment of fun finds from China Town...plus some chipotle in adobo.

I have no idea what these are...but they look interesting.

 

Macaroni?!

Candied sweet potatoes...still too afraid to try.

She also sent a fun French-language Magnificat, which was a randomly awesome find.

My French-language Magnificat, and some people who look suspiciously super excited to be going to church.

Sometimes, it's so nice to get a reminder that family ties are stronger than the distance that separates you, and that home is only a phone call, a postage stamp...or a 9-hour drive away.

I think that I'm going to do some research on these goodies from China Town. Anybody have any idea what they are?!

Until next time!

-Betsey

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The Rise of Margarita Night

I was reminded, as Matt and I perused the streets of downtown Springfield this past Friday evening during the Taste of Downtown event, how much I love margaritas.

Like anyone ever really needs a reminder.

Taste of Downtown is an annual event where Springfield celebrates the best eats in downtown, and believe me, we sampled them all.

And yes, we were the first people in line. No judgies.

Others showed up soon after. Don't worry, we left them some food. SOME.

Behold, the Olympic torch of gluttony: Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Fries.

But, as I'm sure you might expect from the midwest in July, it was hot, and after a few rounds of jalapeno bacon cheese fries and other shameful salty treats, Matt and I found that we were parched. It was that special kind of thirst that you know only an ice-cold adult beverage can quench, and a few minutes and dollars later, we both had a frosty savior in our hands. Matt went with the "adult lemonade" (which sounds a lot dirtier than it ought to), and I snagged a mango margarita from Cafe Brio (check it out...it's one of the funkiest places in town, plus it has AWESOME food).

The mango margarita (left) and adult lemonade. Notice which one of us was thirstier.

As we strolled the streets of downtown Springfield with our drinks, I kept having to pause, mid-street, in wonder of how arrestingly good my margarita was. It tasted just like a mango margarita I had tried in Mexico, right after we'd finished zip lining up in the mountains.

Matt, me, and my adventurous father-in-law ziplining in Mexico.

We'd just finished whooshing over gulleys and rivers, racing between trees like George of Jungle, and we were thirsty. There was a little cafe at the base of the mountain, and as Matt and I waited around for the family patriarch to return from the bathroom, we were approached by a kind little old Mexican man, a waiter at the restaurant. He took two little cups filled with a pastel orange froth from his sample tray, extended them to us, smiled, and stated simply, "Mango margarita." Seemed legit enough for us.

Matt's dad, a doctor, returned just as we were finishing slurping up our sample drinks. I don't think I'll ever forget how big his eyes got, or the deep feeling of dread that filled my gut, as he went on and on--in great medical detail--about the horrible bacterial punishments that were about to ravage our bodies because of consuming the sample beverage. He and my mother-in-law had gone to Mexico on their honeymoon and had had a few drinks that included some sort of water--an inconspicuous glass of water, a Coke with ice, and an unassuming blended margarita.

Apparently Montezuma's Revenge paid them a rather lengthy visit afterward.

So, it goes without saying, that I stood there, frozen in terror, listening to Dr. Heidrick explain how bacteria was about to ruin my trip ("You have 24...48 hours, TOPS"), as my mind played over and over how awful it would be to have traveler's diarrhea in the cramped confines of the cruise ship's bathrooms, and how I didn't want to die of diarrhea on account of a sample margarita.

But apparently my horror was enough for Montezuma, and he spared me and my bowels from any such revenge.

After reflecting on this happy memory for some time at the Taste of Downtown event, I reasoned that it was only polite to thank Montezuma for his graciousness by learning how to make a legitimate margarita. So we did! You won't find any margarita mix here, thank you very much! And once you learn this recipe, you'll never reach for that icky, syrupy stuff, either! Classic margarita recipes will often include simple syrup (a water-sugar mixture), but I omitted it from this recipe because I found that the triple sec was sweet enough to balance out the bite of the tequila.

The Holy Grail of a classic margarita.

The Classic Margarita

Time from bar to mouth: 5 minutes

Serves 1 (repeat as necessary, depending on how bad your day was) 

 

Ingredients

• 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice (about 1-2 limes)
• 2 oz. tequila
• 1 oz. Triple Sec or other orange liquor
• Ice
• Rock salt for the rim and lime wedge for a garnish if you want to get fancy

Steps

1. In a shaker, combine the lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and ice. Shake until well blended and chilled.
2. Serve (with a salt-rimmed glass and garnish, if you'd like). Enjoy!

Mojo wants YOU to enjoy your margarita!

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15 Tips for Exploring a New City

Well, I have been neglectful, haven't I? Sorry about the delay in posting; I have been absolutely obsessed with the TV series Mad Men, a show that I hadn't even considered watching until about a week and a half ago. I feel like being a Mad Men junkie is sort of a requirement when you come from an advertising program. I didn't really have enough time during school to watch it (besides, I was too busy watching The Walking Dead then!), so now that I've graduated, I've decided to catch up. I've also been thinking about updating the look of my blog. So if you come back soon and Wanderlust looks way different, no worries; it just means I've been playing around.

I got to thinking the other day that I haven't explored my new hometown of Springfield, IL, as much as I really should have. Tonight, in celebration of my birthday tomorrow, we're going to Taste of Downtown, an event held in downtown Springfield that showcases all of the culinary delights the city has to offer. Rest assured, dear readers, Matt and I will be the first in line.

But other than simply gorging oneself on local delights, how is one supposed to get to know a new city? After some reflection of my own travels--albeit drawing mostly from the ones overseas--I have put together a list of 15 things every person should do in order to truly explore a new city.

Enjoy!

So. You've waited for an eternity for this trip, and it's finally here; you've landed in [insert exotic, exciting location here]. You check into your hotel, have a giddy fit about being here, and after several minutes of opening all the dresser drawers, looking out the window, and jumping on the hotel bed with delight, you realize you are now left with a big question: What now?

Well, fellow adventurers, fear not; I have a list!

15 Tips for Exploring a New City

1. Wear comfy--but stylish--shoes. It's important to be comfortable, because you'll undoubtedly be walking a lot in this new city, but you don't really want to be the one walking around in blindingly white Reeboks, do you? Choose--or buy, yay!--a pair of shoes that is breathable, somewhat stylish (so that you can feel comfortable and confident as you explore) shoes that could go with several outfits and that have plenty of support. While exploring Florence, pictured above, I relied on a pair of understated sandals from Payless Shoes. Not at all fancy, but they did the trick, and I knew that if they got torn up I could just toss them and not feel too guilty. Before you get on the plane to your destination, be sure to break in your shoes. Blisters are not conducive to happy travels.
2. Dress for success. In the same vein as #1, wear clothes that are comfortable, but please don't walk around Paris in your sweats. In Europe, for example, you'll notice that the average street wear is much nicer than that which you'll see on the average Main Street in the good old U.S. of A. No, they're not all walking around in Gucci and Chanel, but they do tend to wear nice jeans and a good shirt. I stumbled upon a great blog on Pinterest about packing for travel, and now I can't find it. I'll post it here when I can find it! To cut down on suitcases and to be as efficient a traveler as possible, I try to pack basics and then a few accents to change up outfits. You can't go wrong with a good pair of nice jeans, a few comfy knit shirts, a maxi dress, and some scarves. 
3. Learn a few phrases before you go. Trust me, the first tourist to whip out the phrase book is usually the first to get pick-pocketed. In addition, it really frustrates folks when you ask for their help but spend minutes fumbling through the book to find out how to ask a question. Learn the basics before you go. For example: "Excuse me," "My name is...", "Where is the restroom?", "I need help," "I would like." While this isn't necessarily true everywhere, most people will really appreciate the effort to learn a few bits of their language, sans the phrase book. So learn before you go. Try a podcast and learn some phrases while you work out.
4. Watch and learn. My very favorite activity while traveling is people watching. There's nothing better than watching how the locals interact with each other, and observing the ebb and flow of life in whatever place you're in. I even like to give awards to people while I people watch (only in my head, of course), like "Cutest Couple," "Most Fashionable Person," and "Most Obvious Tourist."
5. Eat the local cuisine. Go on, live a little! In Sweden, I tried reindeer. Sorry, Santa. 
6. For the love of God, don't wear a fanny pack. This one should be pretty self-explanatory, but I still see them all over the place. If you're worried about having a safe place to keep your money and other valuables, invest in a good purse that you can clamp right under your armpit. My old reliable is a canvas purse with short, thick straps that I can keep right under my armpit with the zipper facing the front. That way, I know my belongings are safe, and that no one can unzip my purse from behind me. 
7. Be patient. You'll probably run into some snags. It happens to all of us. Be patient with yourself. One of my most cringe-worthy experiences was in Lyon, France, when the rest of my group wanted to stop for lunch. I wasn't hungry, but went anyway, and when the waitress--who was also the restaurant's proprietor--took my order and learned that I only wanted an espresso because I wasn't hungry, I got a tongue lashing that has haunted me ever since. I didn't know back then that it is rude in France to go into a restaurant and not order food, but I sure do now. You'll make mistakes and maybe even step on a few toes; be patient with yourself.
8. Stay hydrated. I can't stress this enough. Stick to bottled water, since in many places tap water is not safe to drink. At every opportunity--restaurant, gas station, whatever--pick up some water. Resist the urge to reach for the Coca-Cola; it won't help you in the long run since it'll worsen dehydration.
9. Get lost. Let yourself explore this new city. Getting lost in a new place is what travel is all about. If you see an interesting avenue or street, let yourself check it out without feeling scared. If you get lost, ask for directions. If you're too scared to ask for directions, consult your map.
10. Have a map. I know, I know, this one seems to conflict with #9, but hear me out. Make sure to check out your map before you board your plane, and then again before you leave your hotel room for the day. Put it in a safe place on your person, just in case you get lost.
11. Have a plan. Before you leave your hotel for the day, come up with a plan or itinerary. It doesn't have to be super detailed, but it's good to have an idea of what you want to see, where you want to explore, and when you need to be back at a rendezvous point.
12. Have a buddy. I know everybody dreams of having an Under the Tuscan Sun sort of experience, but it's always better to travel with at least one other person. They'll watch out for you, and they'll be your lifeline in case you get lost, scared, sick, or otherwise. 
13. Take pictures, but don't be that guy. Nobody on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or otherwise really needs up-to-the-minute updates on your travels. Travel should be a time for you, so whatever photos you take, take them for yourself, not for social media. You can show the folks who are really interested in your trip the photos when you return home. 
14. Make friends. Some of my most cherished memories of traveling come not from the places I went, but from the people I met there. There was the elderly French woman who leaned out of her second story window in Orange to ask where I was from and if I was enjoying my trip, to the French man who listened to me talk for a good half-hour about Nebraska, to the Mexican cab driver who took us on his "super secret" shortcut to ensure we got back to the ship on time. So make some friends; it's really easier than you'd think! Be nice, mind your p's and q's, and you'll never know a stranger anywhere.
15. Relax. If there's one major regret I've had from my travels, it's that I didn't relax and let myself have fun. I was often worried about this or that, and those silly worries held me back from enjoying my trips to the fullest potential. So have fun, relax, be safe, and make some memories!

I hope these tips were helpful for you! If you have other tips, please leave them in the comments!

-Betsey

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What Are Your Weird Food Quirks?

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! I hope that you're all with family at the lake or pool, hot dog and sparkler in hand.

Matt and I might venture to the pool later, but I think for now it's a walk with the dogs before the firecrackers start cracking and perhaps a run to the mall to hit some sales (that one might be a solo effort). We'll be scoping out Springfield for some fun Independence Day activities, too. My guess it that they have a TON of fun things around town; it is, after all, the Land of Lincoln! Until we find an entertaining distraction, though, I'm writing this blog post celebrating Independence Day in the best way I can think of at the moment: drinking coffee in my PJ's with a homemade cherry kolache topped with whipped cream. Ahhhhhh-merica.

Homemade cherry and grape kolaches. Recipe coming soon!

I stumbled upon an interesting article the other day titled "What Are Your Weird Travel Quirks?" from the good folks over at Hello Giggles. In the article, the author talked about her strange, somewhat obsessive travel behaviors, like refusing to walk barefoot on hotel floors and abhorring the idea of touching her head to her airplane seat's head rest. It got me thinking, and try as I might I couldn't really come up with any weird travel quirks. I mean, I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to travel. I don't really have any strange quirks or habits, unless you count my strict adherence to departure times or my amazing ability to fall asleep on command in any location, land, sea, or air.

I do, however, have some pretty weird food quirks. I think we all do. For instance, Matt hates bananas. He won't even touch them. One time, when we had just started dating, he came over and was very hungry. It was mid-morning, so I thought it would be nice to fix him toast topped with peanut butter, a banana, and honey. I noticed after several minutes that it was taking him a while to eat his toast, and after he was about 85% done with it, I asked, "Are you not hungry anymore?" With the saddest, most sincerely sorry eyes, he looked at me and said very quietly, "I really hate bananas." It was the cutest thing I think I've ever seen.

So, to share the weirdness, here are some of my weird food quirks:

1. At Thanksgiving, I am that gross person that mixes all the contents of their plate up into one, nasty slop of American goodness. Yep. That's me. Matt thinks it's disgusting (as does a large chunk of my family), but my rationale is that it'll get mixed up eventually anyway. Besides, it's a flavor/texture adventure!

2. I am a snob when it comes to Mexican food. I am a stickler for Mexican food. Mexico has such a rich food tradition and culture, and I oftentimes feel like it is somewhat muted for American palates. I'm not saying that Americans have bad taste, but we have a way of taking the spice out of ethnic foods. Ladies and gentlemen, case in point, I give you: queso. No, not queso fresco, a soft Mexican cheese, but straight-up queso, which in the American vernacular is "melted nacho cheese." Not Mexican, not authentic, and frankly, not even food. I bet that "queso" is, 99% of the time, a petroleum bi-product pumped out of stadium-grade dispensers in the back of the kitchen. Can you hear me seething over here? Well now you know: I hate queso. Snobby rant over.

3. I have a deep hate for mushrooms. My superpower is that I am able to detect upon just a sniff if mushrooms are in a dish. I hate, hate, hate mushrooms: the taste, the texture, the smell. Blegh. My apologies if you love mushrooms (Matt does, too).

4. Fried food makes me sick. Literally. It's sad, too, because fried food is pretty good sometimes (who can turn down a good french fry?!), but whenever I eat fried food I get really sick a few hours later. I went through a period of time (about four years) when I didn't eat one bite of fried food, and so I think my body lost the ability to process it or something. Or it just knows that I shouldn't be eating it. Either way, a tragedy.

5. Every time I go to a restaurant, I challenge myself to go home and make whatever it is we ordered. I always like to try to recreate good dishes for less right at home. Matt and I have this fun game where, when we sit down at our dinner table, we'll calculate how much each serving of the dish cost and how it would compare with the tab for the same dish at a restaurant. If you want to feel good about staying in, always play that game. It'll pep you up really quick when you know how much you're saving!


What about you guys? Do you have any weird food quirks? Let me know in the comments!

-Betsey

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