Dejeuner de la Semaine: Ruby's Veggie Burger and Oreo Shake

Despite my love for my new Native Foods cookbook, my schedule this week simply did not lend itself to grocery shopping or cooking an elaborate meal. So, this week's Dejeuner de la Semaine is about (shh don't tell the French) a lunch out! (at a very American style restaurant nonetheless...) 

Monday was Ruby's Birthday Celebration and they celebrated by offering their classic RubyBurger and Fries for only $2.80! Surprisingly, my whole department at my internship was free to go to lunch together! So we all helped Ruby's celebrate and indulged in burgers (some veggie), fries, and milk shakes and shared stories about our weekends and our childhoods and anything else on our mind at the time. It was the perfect way to break up the day and enjoy laughing and relaxing with the people I work with every day. Definitely a lunch break worth blogging about :) 

<3 Lyssa

Dejeuner de la Semaine: Thai Spice Stir Fry

As promised, this lunch of the week includes my new favorite spice: the Thai Spice blend from Cost Plus World Market! I took a recipe from the Native Foods Restaurant Cook Book (which I just received in the mail and am so excited about!!) for Thai marinade, which calls for 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup lime juice, and 1/4 cup maple syrup (weird right?!) and added the Thai Spice for an extra kick. I marinaded my tofu in this very interestingly scented concoction while grilling up a plethora of veggies (onion, yellow squash, zucchini, broccoli, and carrots to be exact). I threw in some peanuts  for the special Thai touch and then added the tofu and remaining marinade to the mix. About 5 minutes later I plated this sizzling stir fry with Trader Joes Harvest Grain Blend and enjoyed a very unique and colorful Thai Spice meal. The verdict: while my veggie selection kind of eliminated the traditional Thai taste, I still cannot wait to make this meal again! And bonus...it makes great leftovers for work lunches :) Next week promises to be a full recipe from my new cookbook, so check in next Tuesday!

<3 Lyssa

The Breath of Summer

Today I stepped outside at 8:45pm and my bare feet were pleasantly surprised to encounter concrete still warm from the heat of the day. I was bombarded by that heavy summer air, which I have decided to call the breath of summer, that just envelops you body and soul and reminds you to value the slower pace of summer and the heat of the sun on your back during the day and the perfection of summer nights under the stars. I was drawn in and decided to leave the comfort of my PJs and pillow on the couch and venture outside for a walk around a campus and town that I am so familiar with, but for some reason seemed so different on this first true summer night. It was the best decision I have made in a while, and I just thought I'd share in the hopes that some of you seize the opportunity to be outside these next few days and give yourselves time to really appreciate the breath of summer. You won't regret it.

<3 Lyssa

Dejeuner de la Semaine: Courgette Quiche (with a twist)

With my extra time this summer I've decided to indulge in a personal passion that is rarely realized due to busy schedules and limited funds: cooking! A french lunch break is nothing without the time and energy that goes into creating a meal that truly deserves the praise: "Magnifique!" At the ripe age of 21 I think it's about time to branch out of my 5-6 safe dinner options and develop my own recipe book and kitchen skill set. So I began this weekend with an indulgent afternoon at one of my favorite stores: Cost Plus World Market.  For some reason this store has a way of enveloping me in its unique and eclectic atmosphere and making hours fly by without notice. This time, I strayed into the food corner and found myself lost amongst the colorful arrays of spices on aisle three. After filling my basket to the brim with every spice I had come across in my Vegetarian cookbook I decided I probably shouldn't spend my entire pay check on spices I will rarely use, so I more strategically selected some spices I don't think my kitchen would be complete without. The bright orange Thai Spice is definitely my favorite! 

With spices in hand and cooking inspiration at heart, I went straight to work the next morning and created the Dejeuner de la Semaine (or Lunch of the Week): My very own "Courgette Quiche With a Twist." I drew from a recipe in my Vegetarian Cookbook and added my own twist by substituting a more Italian crust made with olive oil and adding tomatoes and crimini mushrooms to the veggie selection while removing the cheese (for all you new readers, despite my love for France, I must admit that I strongly despise cheese). The result...a delicious meal to start a Sunday with and watch Spain's victory in the World Cup over! And it only took about 2 hours total including prep time, cook time, and clean-up time! One recipe conquered, now on to incorporating that amazing Thai Spice next week!

Cheers!

<3 Lyssa

The Vegan Variety

I had a lunch break today that would make anyone from France proud and felt it was worth sharing. My boss took me to this great mall called The Camp in Costa Mesa, which can only be described as fantastic. The ambience begins the minute you pull into the parking space labeled "simplify" instead of "33" or "14." From there, you are led towards the stores and restuarants with vintage signage remniscent of a camp gound or ranch that has seen many generations of campers come and go. The stores all match the earthy, warm atmosphere and include plant shops, artisan boutiques, a yoga studio, and (my new personal favorite) Native Foods. Native Foods, located in a yurt with tables surrounding the inside and outside curves, has a well-stocked menu of any vegan dish you could ask for. I indulged in the Rockin' Moroccan bowl and was blown away by the flavorful "Native Chicken" and variety of veggies. My boss and I sat outside in the sun and soaked in the peaceful atmosphere of The Camp, and I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the afternoon napping in the hammock just outside the restaurant under the trees. I returned to the office feeling calmed and ready to take on the rest of the day with a much more positive attitude. That is the beauty of a great french lunch break!

People Watching

Today as I ate lunch at 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica I was reminded of how much I love to people watch! There are so many unique characters out there, especially in LA, and I think it's important to be observant and appreciative of the people around us and what their stories are. I saw everything from a man painted silver dancing robot-style for a little extra money to a guy with this great dog called a South African Mastiff to adorable little kids running around the dinosaur-shaped topiaries. I could pass hours on end just making up stories as to why people are where they are at any given time--it's a great way to spend a lunch break!

So next time you're out and about, people watch! And share some of the stories you make up, I'm interested :)

<3 Lyssa

Gold in the Air of Summer

Not only is this a good Kings of Convenience song, it is my mantra for these next couple weeks. I recently did a colors personality exercise at a retreat and learned that I embody the color GOLD, meaning that I live by to-do lists, thrive in organized environments, love shopping for planners, feel most comfortable when things are planned out, and am extremely detail-oriented. For those of you who know me, this description fits me to a T. In addition to the golds, there are the Oranges: the energetic, competitive, constantly up-beat people who always have their hands raised in class and have a random idea for what to do on a Friday night, the Blues: the calm, caring, compassionate people who will always be there to listen with great advice and a shoulder to cry on, and the Greens: the analytical, logical people who weigh every option before making a decision and are great in leadership positions. I think it's so important to remember that there are these differences amongst people: they determine the way we learn, the way we think, the way we handle problems, and the way we see the world. Too often we are tempted to mold ourselves to fit whatever group of friends or social environment we are in, and although this is important to a certain degree we still have to know the kind of person we are inherently and embrace that.

Yes, I am a bit of a nerd. Yes I LOVE school supply shopping and getting a new planner is like Christmas for me. Yes the idea of doing something completely out of the blue kind of freaks me out. But these qualities make me a responsible person and a loyal friend, two things I value highly. So my advice: know your color and embrace your color, because it takes a little bit of every color to make anything work and luckily, we all go together quite nicely :)

Another thing I learned during this exercise was that when you are stressed your second most prominent color comes out--mine is blue. With the end of the school year rapidly approaching and deadlines piling up I have been beyond stressed and very emotional, which is where the "air of summer" comes in... It helps so much to remember that in a couple weeks everything will be finished and I will embark on my last real summer break, which is already filled with promise and opportunity.

I have plans to share an apartment with a great friend, work full time in the Marketing Department at Fairmont and really be able to feel more integrated in the department, experience new places in Orange County and LA, take a trip to San Francisco, celebrate one of my best friend's wedding, and, most importantly, RELAX! Summer is truly a magical time of year, and the promise of the coming months is a great motivation to keep you going. What are your summer plans? Let your Gold side shine through and make a list :)

<3 Lyssa