Can’t wait to try these tomorrow with a special someone

Let me preface by saying that I can’t believe you’re reading this, especially given my shameful multi-month absence from the blogging world.

I know I haven’t posted in a LONG time, but I just wanted to pop by and make a very important announcement.

No, not the fact that my No-Bake 5 Ingredient Workout Cookie can now be found on NBC New York’s Go Healthy NY Blog. (!!!) I’m honored though, in all seriousness. Thanks for finding value in my teeny tiny blog, Michelle!

Another equally important, potentially life-changing announcement.

I did Zumba. (I went to Zumba? I Zumba’d? Seriously–how does one phrase this activity?)

And all I have to say is

Oh. My. GOODNESS.

Naturally, I had my doubts upon reading the email sent to me 4 hours before the event:

• I’ve never tried Zumba before. I can’t really dance, and I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.
• It was taught by someone who lives in my dorm. Therefore, a student. Umm…. how legit is this thing really?
• It was held in our dorm’s basement. Now mind you, no one goes down there unless they’re doing their laundry. And nobody does their laundry on a Tuesday night.

But after the hour-long session was over, I was dripping in sweat with a huge smile on my face.

ZUMBA IS AMAZING.

I don’t remember the last time I had that much fun exercising.

My doubts? Gone.

• There’s no need to be embarrassed. No one cared that I couldn’t “dance” or get the moves totally right. At the end of the day, everyone was just moving and enjoying themselves! To be honest, I was still a little self-conscious at first, but once I saw other people messing up and just laughing it out, so did I. I found it hilarious every time I was twirling in the opposite direction or moving my arm incorrectly. The good thing about mistakes is that they made me focus on my body more and try to improve my form.
• The girl who led the session is a certified instructor. Not to sound creepy, but she has an amazing body and can definitely work it. I also loved that she was always smiling and cheering us on. Many of us had never done Zumba before, so her words of encouragement were definitely comforting and reassuring.
• I actually didn’t mind that it was in the basement. The only weird parts were when we girls were shakin’ what our mommas gave us and these two random dudes popped up (oddly enough, I think they were down here to do homework). Not awkward at all haha.

Our instructor told us that this will become a weekly thing. Now I have something else to look forward to every week.

I fueled up before the sesh with carbs: a slice of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread with PB flour “peanut butter” (my stash is slowly dwindling ). After I came back and stretched some more, I enjoyed a protein bowl of plain Greek yogurt, scoop of pumpkin, crumbled up half of a Peanut Butter Larabar, and lots of cinnamon. So good!

No pictures because I was feeling lazy. I’ve been a horrible blogger lately, can’t you tell?

Before I go, I wanted to thank you all so much for your feedback on my last post. I know I kinda left with a cliffhanger regarding a certain NYC restaurant and whatnot. I promise that will be my next topic of discussion. I also promise that it will be filled with mouthwatering pictures, unlike this sad, empty post. (What? Zumba isn’t exciting enough?)

Therefore, I shall leave you with this, to throw some ugly in the mix.

What do I do with this? o.o Besides announcing on Facebook that I’ve discovered an alternative career path as a sweet potato farmer…

Time to get started on my Stats homework. Then sleep soon, I hope. YAWN. Good night!

My second version of the workout cookie turned out even better than the original! I think the crunch and slight chocolate flavor from the cacao nibs won my heart over. I am biased.

By the way, I added this cookie (along with my butternut squash fries from a while ago) to the Recipe Index. Check them out if you want to access these recipes with minimal fluff.

School has been alright. In between all the textbook reading, lecture slides reviewing, internship application sending, and other busywork, I have been enjoying all the cooking I get to do with my free time.

Cooking = lurve <3 It seriously is the best way to relax and wind down after a long day of class!

You know what else is relaxing? The spicy aroma of Indian curry.

It’s so strange that I have such an affinity for making curry at home because of my aversion to sweet ”soupy” curry.

The coconut curry entrée I ordered that night was sweet, salty, spicy, creamy, and “liquidy”–and not in a good way. All of the strong flavors conflicted with each other and resulted in a dish that was too overpowering for me. Admittedly, that experience did not leave a very good impression on me.

But I swore that one day I would find a way to like curry. I really wanted to like it.

Coming to New York City for school has definitely made me more adventurous in my curry quest. There are restaurants all up and down midtown on Lexington that offer cheap and delicious vegetarian/vegan Indian cuisine, and I’ve tried a good handful of them. Some I’ve liked, some I haven’t.

Regardless, I’ve realized that maybe sweet coconut curry from that Thai restaurant isn’t my thing, because you know what? Indian curry is pretty much ah-mazing. It is savory and spicy, and especially delicious with warm roti or brown rice. And these days, I jump on any chance I get at home or in the dorm to recreate my favorite curries.

If you are somewhat of a newbie (like me) at cooking with curry, I think you will love this simple but delicious Indian-inspired recipe.

Curried Eggplant and Chickpeas

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• ~1 Tb of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/2 eggplant, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed tomato (canned)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup chickpeas (canned or fresh)
• salt
• pepper
• crushed red pepper

Instructions:

1. On medium-high heat and in a pot with a drizzle of olive oil, add the onion, curry powder, garam masala, and garlic powder. Sauté until onions are soft.
2. Add carrot and eggplant. Pour in the crushed tomato, water, and chickpeas.
3. When almost all of the water evaporates and the carrots and eggplant begin to get tender, turn the heat on low and season to taste with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Let it simmer for a good 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
4. [OPTIONAL] Garnish with a dollop of your favorite hummus and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve over whole grains (i.e. brown rice, quinoa) and/or dark leafy greens (i.e. kale, chard, collard, spinach).

I enjoyed mine over lightly steamed rainbow chard and leftover red quinoa.

Yum yum yum.

Stay tuned: My boyfriend recently celebrated 14 months at a famous veg. restaurant in NYC. Any guesses?

Questions: Are you a curry fan? What’s your favorite curry dish? Like I said, I’ve been loving Indian curry these days. My favorite dish to order (and make) is either baingan bartha (eggplant curry). And of course, I looooove roti.

I am. Quite frequently, I must say. (Appropriate face, no?)

I feel like morning workouts happen at such an awkward time. I wake up and I haven’t eaten in at least 6 hours, so I’m low on energy. I definitely want to eat something before leaving for the gym, but not too much.

Unsure of what do to, I’ve had my share of both ends of the spectrum: eating a complete breakfast, such as oatmeal (bad idea if it isn’t fully digested!) or going on practically an empty stomach to burn the most calories (even worse idea… I do this if I eat a lot the night before, which results in very little energy when I exercise), as well as almost everything in between.

Those “in-between” pre-workout snacks have included:

• half of a banana
• a few dates
• an apple
• half of a Larabar
• anything random with some sugar/carbs

Yes, these have worked for the most part, but I just feel that they are missing that extra… specialness. I’m talking about something that’s tasty with a kick that will wake you up and make you want to just get up and dance.

(No, not caffeine… )

I played around with a few ingredients last night. My mission was to create a new snack that was quick and easy but not boring.

Friends, I have returned and I am not empty-handed.

No-Bake 5 Ingredient Workout Cookie

This is the perfect fuel for gym-goers who rush to the gym in the morning and try to squeeze in a workout before class or work. Right out of your freezer, this cookie is refreshing, chewy, and sweet, with subtle undertones of peanut butter. If you are feeling generous, split it with your gym buddy. Otherwise, go ahead–enjoy this super healthy “cookie” all for yourself. You deserve it.

Makes 1 cookie.

Ingredients:

1 very ripe medium banana
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 Tb peanut flour (I use TJ’s brand. If you don’t have this ready, you can substitute crushed almonds, pecans, or walnuts.)
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional; have fun with your own mix-ins)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
sesame seeds for garnish (optional; have fun with your own toppings)

Method:

1. Mash the banana well.

2. Stir in the rolled oats, peanut flour, sesame seeds (or your own mix-ins), cinnamon, and salt.

3. Scoop mixture onto a small plate. Flatten into a round “cookie” shape, somewhere around 6 inches in diameter. Sprinkle sesame seeds (or your choice of toppings) on top; press down slightly so they stick to the cookie.

4. Freeze overnight and enjoy in the morning before a workout.

So easy, right? And they are all items you probably already have in your pantry.

I know it’s technically 6 ingredients, but I figured salt shouldn’t really count.

The night before:

Looks gooey and way too liquidy, but don’t worry! That is the right texture.

In the morning: all firmed up and ready to eat!

Here’s a tip on how to peel the cookie off: Hold the plate vertically and run hot water down the bottom of the plate. Also allow a tiny trickle of water run “through” the cookie. This little bit of heat will help to release the cookie from the plate.

Tonight I made a workout cookie remix.

I added unsweetened coconut flakes to the “batter” and topped it off with sesame seeds and cacao nibs. It’s chilling in the freezer right now.

That will be the reason I wake up on time tomorrow morning. Who needs cell phone alarms anymore?

Anyway, let me know if you try this! If you love bananas or banana soft serve, I think you will love this cookie.

Sure, this may not be the prettiest view, but at least it got all of my classes cancelled today! (I do think the snow on the barbed wire looks cool though.)

3 days of class this week? This may never happen again in my college years. Hello 4 day weekend! It’s so nice to meet you. Please come visit whenever you want.

Recently, I’ve been waking up at 6:00 am every morning. I don’t really mind getting up that early because I’m sort of a morning person.

But what’s annoying is that I have to eat breakfast in the dark! Cameras do not like glaring desk lamp lighting.

My pictures always look like this:

Visible, but blah. The pumpkin is too yellow and the harsh lighting hurts my eyes. So does the yellow font.

But thanks to the lovely snow this morning, I was able to eat my breakfast leisurely at 7:30 am and enjoy the natural light from outside my window. Observe:

Overnight oats topped with:

• 1/2 banana
• blueberries
• raw crunchy almond butter
• pumpkin
• 2% plain Greek yogurt
• cinnamon
• unsweetened coconut
• cacao nibs

Same exact breakfast two days in a row, with different lighting.

See? It really is amazing what a difference natural light makes in a photo. I love that it makes my little Canon camera take pictures *almost* like a DSLR!

I still want my dad’s DSLR though.

And you know, I used to think lightboxes were crazy, but now I want one…

Before I go, I have a special announcement!

If you’re like me and figuring out what to do with all your free time indoors today, why not check out ecolissa.com?

Ecolissa is a cute little online store that carries a variety of women’s clothing and accessories. Not only are they fashion-forward, but they’re also eco-friendly and vegan. The site was just launched in September 2010 so more items are continuously being added!

I personally think these earrings are adorable:

The items are a little pricier than those found in your average retail store, but if you think about the quality of the materials being used, the products are definitely worth purchasing. Plus it’s always nice to support a small business whose mission aligns with your interests.

As an additional incentive, Melissa, the owner, contacted me and wanted me to share a little somethin’ somethin’ with all of you. If you enter “vegan20″ at checkout, you will receive 20% off your entire purchase! So if you’ve been eyeing a certain piece, now is the time to grab it! You may also use the code on multiple purchases in the future because there is no expiration date! Feel free to share the code with your friends and help Melissa spread the word.

My plans for the rest of today:

• catch up on reading
• work out (if the school gym isn’t closed)
• attend a career networking event (if it’s not cancelled)
• rewind and relax

With that said, I bid you goodbye! Stay warm and safe.

As I hurried to rush out the door on Sunday evening, I didn’t have a chance to post my eats from that day:

Breakfast: overnight oats with… goji berries…

I say it with some degree of reluctance because while the goji berries look pretty, I wasn’t a fan. Are they really that sweet?? They kind of tasted like hard raisins made of pure sugar. I hope I used a bad batch. I want to like goji berries because they’re so good for you!

Lunch:

Sandwich with whole grain toast, avocado hummus, tabbouleh, and 1/4 avocado sliced up.

And some leftover balsamic stir-fry random veggies and tofu. Do you stir-fry with balsamic? It’s my latest obsession!

Check out the new plate and placemat!

After a couple hours of house browsing, we got home, only to get into the car to pay a visit to Wegmans. I snacked on some steamed edamame to curb my hunger.

Dinner was a vegetable brown rice roll courtesy of Wegmans.

The sushi container was super cute! Like a little boat. I wasn’t a fan of the ingredients of the sauce packets that were included, so I just made my own dipping sauce: soy sauce and balsamic.

With some broccoli and falafel on the side.

I got these vegan falafels from Costco. The package instructions clearly discourages microwaving them, but I actually find them perfectly warmed up and cooked through (without the extra oil) if I just “defrost” it in the microwave for 3 minutes.

My boyfriend surprised me with this when I got to New York:

I’ve wanted one for so long! I love pushing the button on the top.

Probably the best part is how big it is! I no longer have to wash and spin my kale/greens in batches. YES.

(It is a little bit harder to store, especially in a small dorm kitchen, but it’s just a very minor inconvenience.)

The bottom bowl is also aesthetically pleasing enough to use as a serving bowl for the salad! Cool, right?

Breakfast yesterday was overnight oats with fresh blueberries, almond butter, pumpkin, cinnamon, coconut, and cacao nibs.

No banana because I forgot to buy them! What’s important is that I finally got my hands on fresh organic blueberries. Is it finally blueberry season? They are so plump and delicious.

Alright, I must get some reading done now.

Have a lovely day!

I PASSED EXAM P!

I took the three-hour exam yesterday around 2pm. The freaky thing is that it’s computer-based, so after three hours is up and you complete a short survey, it actually tells you right then and there if you passed or failed (actual scores are mailed out in 8 weeks, I think).

So so so happy. And relieved. After a month or so of cramming (the suggested guideline is 300 hours of studying in a span of about 6 months!) I can finally say goodbye to these:

Of course, I’m planning to take the next exam in December, so these will soon be replaced by new notebooks, sample tests, and manuals.

Anyway, I didn’t really notice during the heat of the exam, but after I was done, I was STARVING. And thirsty. You can bring a snack and put it in the locker they let you use, but they don’t allow food or drink in the actual testing room. And who would waste precious time going out to pee or eat? Not I, especially when each second is so valuable.

After the exam, I gobbled up this:

Inside the wine glass:

• 2 kale “stalks”
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tb hemp protein powder
• lots of cinnamon

Dinner was pretty boring. So boring I didn’t bother to take a picture. Actually, so boring that 24 hours later, I can’t even recall what I even ate… I think it was a tofu and veggie stir-fry with brown rice.

A few hours later I nibbled on this:

A steamed sweet potato. I’m loving these purple skin, white flesh little things! They are sooo sweet and smooth… perfect for smothering almond butter.

I must not have eaten enough yesterday, because my right arm felt weak all of last night. Either that, or I was simply too excited after all that had happened. I was tossing and turning in my bed because I simply could not fall asleep.

I decided to Hulu two episodes of Modern Family (aka my latest addiction… if you haven’t caught on to the best show on television, do it!) to help pass the time and hopefully make me drowsy.

But still nothing.

(Who falls asleep watching Modern Family anyway?)

Finally I decided to put on socks because my feet were freezing, and that did the trick!

I’m leaving for school now–first day of classes tomorrow. Luckily I only have one class on Mondays. Time to hop onto the train!

I honestly just haven’t had the time. I’ve been studying literally non-stop for my first actuarial exam, which is next Saturday (eek!).

In an effort to get in a little bit of movement, I’ve been doing some random workouts indoors. Random as in dancing to music, running in place, and various made-up moves. I feel silly talking about it, but it’s actually pretty fun. I’m sure it would be silly to watch me, too. I do it in my room because it’s awkward around my family.

I started doing planks a few days ago, and my arms and shoulders are SORE! The good type though.

I woke up this morning, did my daily planks and stretches, then had a glorious bowl of this:

It’s winter and it’s freezing cold, but I still love my overnight oats. Lately I’ve been loving the banana +frozen berries + AB + pumpkin + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + ground black sesame + unsweetened coconut combo.

It’s a lot but every ingredient contributes its own flavor to the mix! I like to switch up the berries with papaya, too.

By the way, I’ve been using plain water instead of nut milk as the liquid for the oats because the only nondairy milk we have in the house is sweetened vanilla soymilk, which I find too sweet, especially when there’s banana in there. But if I’m in the mood I’ll drizzle a little bit over the oats at the very end, and it’s quite delicious that way!

But enough breakfast talk.

Today I continue with a B word of equal importance. Can you guess?

As I thoroughly discussed in my last post, I’ve been having a major butternut squash kick. This afternoon I dabbled with more recipe ideas to use up our stash.

Enter butternut squash fries.

Butternut Squash Fries

These are definitely not your average fries. They are slightly crisp on the outside while still soft and fluffy on the inside. Compared to a sweet potato, the butternut squash makes for fries with a sweeter and nuttier flavor. I experimented with two versions: half with just sea salt and the other half with a blend of sea salt, flaxseed, and herbs. You can make a single serving or a big batch for a crowd. I’ve omitted measurements because almost everything is based on your own flavor preferences.

Ingredients:

• butternut squash
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt

For the seasoned version:

• ground flaxseed
• your choice of dried herbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Chop your butternut squash into matchsticks about 1/2 inch thick all around. I recommend cutting them thicker than thinner, because they do shrink in the oven.
3. In a mixing bowl, drizzle olive oil over the butternut squash and sprinkle the salt. If you are also using seasoning, add the mix now. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to incorporate everything together. Make sure you coat the butternut squash well to prevent sticking to the foil or burning.
4. Arrange the matchsticks onto a foil covered baking sheet. I lightly greased it just to ensure no sticking.
5. Bake for 20-45 minutes. It really depends how big your batch is and how thick each fry is. Just remember to flip each fry midway through.

Chop chop chop and arrange.

Just plain sea salt:

With seasoning (I use a special Greek blend of milled flaxseed and various herbs):

After 30 minutes in the oven and one flip midway through…

I prefer the herb seasoned fries, partially because they are so photogenic.

I can’t wait to try other toppings. I bet they would be delicious with a cinnamon coating as well. Or perhaps with chili powder and paprika for a spicy kick. Or maybe nutritional yeast for a cheesy take on these butternut squash fries?

Next time I won’t be afraid to make the fries thicker. I’ll also make more than one serving, too. These do not last long, trust me!

With the winter cold, it’s really hard to find produce I love that is also in season. (It has been way too long since I’ve seen organic blueberries at Trader Joe’s. Summer, where art thou? )

Remember all the butternut squash that we “harvested” from the backyard garden in the summer? I used it to make Butternut Fig Soup, “Pumpkin Pie Carrot Cake” Overnight Oats, and of course, scrumptious Butternut Banana Pancakes (have you tried them yet? ). Recently if you’ll recall, it was also an ingredient in my Curried Tofu dish, which I whipped up for New Year’s Eve.

Fast-forward a few months and you can still find me cooking with them. They’ve been keeping beautifully in the giant refrigerator/freezer that is our garage (yes, that’s how cold it is). I’ve read that squash can be “stored” for several months, which is great because that means they are ready for me to enjoy even in the dead of winter!

Today’s post is therefore a tribute to one of the most versatile foods on Earth. And I’m not being biased.

Roasted butternut squash stuffed with lentils, apples, dried cranberries, and walnuts

I used the bottom of a b-nut squash, hollowed out the center, and filled it with an aromatic sauté of cooked green lentils, red onions, chopped gala apple, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts. Oh, and lots of my favorite Greek flax + herb seasoning was used, too.

I topped it off with half of a piece of whole grain toast, torn into shreds. Then into the oven it went; I believe it was 45 minutes at 450.

Another take on the b-nut and lentil combo: Curried lentil soup with butternut squash and apples.

Can you tell that I can’t get enough of b-nut and apples? They are so good together!

Secret ingredient that you’ll never guess was in here? Broccoli. Not that I have to hide broccoli in my food or sneak it in or anything like that… I love my green florets but sometimes they just need to be blended up for texture reasons, that’s all.

And a new-to-me creation: b-nut pizza!

I started with an Ezekiel wrap as my “crust” and smothered it with a tomato sauce made from canned organic tomato, avocado hummus, and more mashed avocado. About a 3:1:1 ratio. Call me weird, but that combination makes for a really tasty and moist sauce! Plus all that avocado action is packed with healthy fats. Always yum in my book.

Toppings:

• tempeh (cubed and coated with a little BBQ sauce–so good this way)
• broccoli (see, I <3 broccoli)
• goat cheese

Speaking of goat cheese, this was my first time trying it! I try to stay away from eggs and dairy, but I figured I would give goat’s milk products a chance. I really liked the salty, slightly tangy taste of it. It’s also lower in fat that cow’s milk cheese but still provides lots of protein. I think I’m going to roll with it.  (Sidenote: Call me odd, but all my life, even before my vegetarian days, I have refused to eat goat/lamb, for no reason other than that in the Chinese zodiac my “animal,” aka astrological sign, is the sheep. Also because sheep are so cute…)

• red onions (I almost forgot them so I added them on halfway through–hence the “uncaramelized” look)
• butternut squash (pre-steamed)
• generous shake of flaxseed + herb seasoning <– considering how much is on there, why yes, that’s a topping, too.

It’s done in 15 minutes at 350–that’s it. So easy to put together and oh so good! If you haven’t tried it yet, you should. Two days ago I also made another one with eggplant and scrambled tofu. That combo was delish as well

I’ll just go ahead and warn you now: it was a little difficult to cut and eat with a fork and knife. I ended up using my hands and face (yes, face) and that’s okay. It was a tad bit messy but let’s face it, who has time for utensils during times like this?

How do you like your butternut squash? That is, assuming you do. Otherwise we can’t be friends. Kidding

Thank you all for making my blogging experience so inspiring, engaging, and eye-opening. I created VEGeneration in July 2010 to simply put up some pictures of my day-to-day eats, and since then, it has grown to so much more. This blog played a big role in my life during the summer but has unfortunately assumed a more back burner position since school started in September. I know I haven’t been around much lately in terms of posting and commenting, but please note that I keep up with my Google Reader religiously so I haven’t stopped reading and learning. I just wanted to take the time to express my appreciation for this community of bloggers and readers–YOU included!

Anyway, I hope everyone has enjoyed an amazing holiday season. I will miss all of the holiday cheer, but I for one am glad to get back into the swing of things. Before I move on, let’s back track a little, shall we?

I love parties but I’ve never really rung in the New Year with huge festivities. This time around was no different. My New Year’s Eve was pretty laid-back, spent at home with family and friends–complete with lots of laughs, chatter, and of course, good eats.

I’ll admit that the food arrangements that night were pretty nontraditional. The dishes were a mix of:

Homemade:

• Chinese-style meat, seafood, and veggie dishes (by Mom)
• Indian-inspired curries and salad (by me!)
• rice (the rice cooker never fails to deliver)

Store-bought:

• seaweed salad, sushi, etc. (from H-Mart, a Korean chain supermarket)
• various spicy meat dishes and complimentary rice (from a local Chinese restaurant)
• orange mango juice (thanks, Costco)

We celebrated at our house, which made it easy for me to whip up some meat-free dishes before everyone arrived.

Spinach salad with carrots and apples. Orange-balsamic dressing and raw nuts (walnuts, pecans, and almonds) on the side. I figured people could sort of build their own salad this way.

Curried tofu with onions, zucchini, and butternut squash. My secret ingredient to making a flavorful curry? Aside from canned tomato and Greek yogurt, I added hummus. Sounds out of place, but trust me, it works.

Alongside the vegetarian curry tofu was my veganized version of Aloo Baingan (potato and eggplant curry). I subbed in sweet potato and two long Japanese eggplants (both are what we have around the house) for the typical white Russet potatoes and big round eggplant.

If you noticed, I also didn’t have any cilantro so I faked it with chiffonaded baby spinach (additional for garnish). Not a problem. I pumped up the other spices. Flavor, flavor, flavor!

Besides, spinach is delicious. Cilantro tastes like soap.

My plate: a bit of everything I made, plus some brown rice. I went back for seconds and thirds on the salad, tofu, and eggplant.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that food you make yourself tastes the best. Am I right or what?

I don’t recall anyone touching the salad. A few people tried my curries (with hesitation, might I add) but it turns out it wasn’t their thing.

I think the thought of trying these “strange foods” freaks them out a little. The adults are so accustomed to traditional Chinese fare that they are reluctant to step outside of their comfort zones. The kids are just plain picky.

Indian food? *eyes wide open with horror* Vegan indian food? *painful cringe*

Sigh.

At least that meant I had plenty of leftovers, which I’ve been happily munching my way through.

Question: Have you ever made something that people were unwilling to try, due to their unfamiliarity with or their fear/strong disinclination towards “that kind of food,” etc?