BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir & OOTD

A few days ago, my family and I visited a nearby BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Although the Hindu temple was still under construction, the Haveli as well as the gardens around were open to the public. We even enjoyed an authentic Indian meal! I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to Indian culture, but I was extremely delighted to have this experience.

Welcome. As you drive passed the gates, you're greeted by a magnificent spectacle complete with a horse drawn carriage underneath majestic hand carved pillars, a gorgeous fountain, perfectly groomed topiaries at every turn, and a white picturesque temple of the same hand carvings straight out of a movie set.

Haveli. Open to the public at the time of our visit, we were asked to take off our shoes and a guide was able to tell us a bit more about the place. It was when he mentioned there was Indian food being served when I found myself getting antsy from excitement. Still shoeless, we entered an area where wraps were provided to cover the shoulders and legs. Fortunately for me, I anticipated this and dressed accordingly beforehand.

OOTD. I went with a long colorful skirt that covered my legs (Costco of all places haha), a black tank top, and my favorite hat (Forever 21). I also brought a long scarf (Wal-Mart) I'd use as a wrap for when I was inside the temple as I wasn't aware that the temple provided wraps for the visitors! Better prepared than sorry! :o)


Mandir. We descended a few flights of marble stairs into a long hallway filled with large posters about the contributions of Indian culture as well Hinduism to the world. At the end of the hallway was an area where we could make a wish and pour water over a golden statue, which I regret taking a pass on! Just before that, however, is another set of stairs that would take you up to the  Mandir. Lights illuminated and ricocheted off more hand carved ivory pillars creating a scene from a fairy. It was just beautiful.  If only I had photos to share as I know my description doesn't do it justice at all, but unfortunately it was prohibited.

Bhel Mix

Shayona.  Finally we made our way to the Shayona, an Indian vegetarian cafeteria/restaurant. I ordered the Bhel Mix which was quite delicious, but a little on the sweet side for me. My brother ordered the Samosas, which were too spicy for him so I devoured them. My parents ordered Thali, which was also very yummy and for dessert we all enjoyed a nice cold Lassi.

After a delicious meal we exited the back where we were pleasantly surprised by a pair of peacocks just casually roaming the property :o)

Overall, my experience at BAPS in Bartlett was amazing. I felt like I was in another country. I was even thrilled to get quick glimpses at what looked like a traditional Hindu wedding where all the men and women, whether they were part of the wedding or just guests, wore the most beautiful colorful traditional Indian dresses/suits. The people there including the volunteers were all so nice. A definite must-visit in Chicago.

Get Your Feast On!

What I've Been Eating: Key West Edition

 Key Lime Pie

 My new favorite, Cuban Bread!!

 Conch Fritters

SUPER Fresh Oysters

Cuban Sandwich

Get Your Feast On!

Bubba Gump!

Fun is probably the only word I can use to describe my  first impressions of Bubba Gump. The atmosphere, the servers, the food, the location--it was all just fun. In a last minute meet-up with my lovely Tita (Aunt) Ging from the Philippines who was here in Chicago for the night on a business trip, we decided to take her to Navy Pier where we came across this seafood place.

I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich, which came with a reasonable portion of fries (if you prefer more mountainous portion, you may be disappointed). The great thing was that the shrimp didn't taste like it was frozen. Everything was fresh. Considering many of the great seafood joints in the city are super expensive, the relatively lower prices had me a little worried about the quality. As far as service, it's difficult to judge because the place was SUPER busy that night.  The wait for our food ended up being a little longer than we'd like and the fries came not as hot as I would've preferred. I'm not making excuses, so for that I did lower my mental score for the place.

Overall, I enjoyed my food as well as the servers were all very friendly. We did end up having to change up the sign often, but they were quick to make sure they fixed what was wrong and give us whatever we needed.

Bubba Gump has 29 locations in the US and over 10 in Mexico and all across Asia. The first restaurant was opened by Viacom, which owns Paramount Pictures, which distributed the Forrest Gump movie. 

Get Your Feast On!

What I've Been Eating Mashup #1

 Dad's BBQ - a slightly secret recipe, but I can tell you that 7-Up was used in the marinade! :o) Now that I realize it. I don't have a BBQ recipe on this blog! Must get on that!

Here are some other great recipes to bring to a BBQ/Cookout!:

-Mexican Inspired Pork Empanadas

-Mango Salasa!

-Mom's Chicken Salad

-Grilled Corn Salsa

My sister recently turned me on to raw oats (rolled, whole wheat, bran) As much as I love cooked oatmeal, I have to say I'm ADDICTED to raw oats. I eat it like a cereal with some milk and fruits. I sometimes add honey and sugar if I want some sweetness. 

Obviously if you're watching what you eat, then replace the milk with a non-dairy one and omit the sugar/honey.  I'm not too focused on my sugar intake and I can never let go of my 2% milk *hangs head* :p

Check out more oaty goodness:

-Pumpkin Fever Oatmeal

-Protein Oatmeal Snackies

-Banana Protein Pancakes

Costco Sushi. Nom!

Check out some of these other Asian inspired recipes!:

-Homemade Potstickers

-Simple Crab Rolls w/ a Dijon, Ginger, and Soy Sauce

-Chicken Makhani / "Butter Chicken"

Pesto Chicken Pasta. Need I say more? :o) I used regular peanuts this time and it was delightful! I love making pesto and experimenting with different nuts. I've since tried this with hazelnuts and spanish nuts (which I still have yet to post up!).

Check out the recipe as well as my other pasta/pesto posts:

-Simple Pesto Pasta

-Avocado Pesto Pasta

-Caramelized Onion Meatballs and Spaghetti

More like Edy's Rich & Creamy Grand Ice Cream in Sex In Your Mouth. This stuff is sooo good!!! I was good though and only had this 2830989204 times this week :p Don't worry, I ran most of it off (and almost killed myself bahaha!)

Most of these photos are from my instagram: @GoFeatYourself

If you have instagram, leave your username in the comments and I'll be sure to check them out! :o)

Get Your Feast On!

TOTD: Soothing Remedies for Flu/Cold

TOTD = Tip of the Day

Last year around this time, the Chicagoland area was experiencing 80 degree temperatures and plenty of humidity. That's unbelievable! This time around, it's been cold cold cold! We've avoided the snow for most of the winter season, but February was bookmarked with PLENTY of flurries/blizzards and along with it a lot of just bitter cold. Flu season may be over, but the cold is relentless both in the air and unfortunately of the viral sort.

Here are two hot drinks I recommend for those experiencing flu and cold symptoms particularly, a sore throat, headaches, nasal congestion, etc. and just overall want to relax and feel better.

1. Green Tea Cold/Flu Fighter

Brew up some green tea (antioxidants increase immune function) 

- ginger (great for the stomach as well as headaches)

- basil (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, great taste!)

- honey (natural antibiotic, soothes the throat, sweet!).

 

2. Cayenne Pepper Water

This drink can be prepared hot or cold. I prepare the hot version because it's more soothing.  I do sometimes drink the cold version during the day as a quick cleanse, but that's neither here nor there. 

Native Americans used cayenne pepper for medicinal purposes such as the sore throat! Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which acts as a pain reliever. I find this to be pretty accurate because just from personal experience, my throat almost feels numb after drinking this. The spiciness of it also helps to clear up the sinuses albeit temporarily. It still does the job at least!

That being said, this will NOT cure your sore throat of any viral and/or bacterial infection. It can however ease the pain a whole lot, which can make healing a more bearable process. 

I hope this helps! Stay warm!

Get Your Feast On!

New Hair, Cookie Monster, & Some Blackhawks Lovin'

New Hair. Wee new haircut!! Sometimes I get a little scissor happy when I really want to do a certain style. I haven't had a blunt bangs since I was really young (like 10 years old haha), so I thought I'd bring it back for the New Year!

Blackhawks Lovin'. Anyways, it's been a few weeks or so since the NHL lockout ended and by golly, I've never been so happy.

So far we're the only undefeated team in the league at 6-0.  Woop Woop!

Cookie Monster. Although I'm quite happy with my own Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, I like trying other people's versions every now and then. Unless you burn them or something you can't really go wrong. A lot of people have their favorite recipe or their own version that no matter how similar the ingredients are, just taste different in some way.

I recently came across this scrumptious looking cookie video on the interwebs and decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, mine didn't turn out nearly as rustically chewy and amazing as his looked, which I'm not sure why. I did swap out shortening for butter, which I don't normally do..................hmm, okay so that clears things up lol.

Butter vs. Shortening. I normally swear by butter, but I've heard other people say the same about shortening. I will say though, I'm in love with the texture that shortening brings, which is chewier and fluffy. HOWEVER, I'm still missing that overall butter flavor and I quite like the golden brown affect it gives the cookies. As you can see, using shortening creates a more pale, but still slightly golden cookie.

Overall, I like this version and will make it again in the future!

Hope you're all having a lovely day!

Get Your Feast On!

PB & P - Yucky or Yummy

P is for PICKLE!!!

Intrigue. I came across an article in the New York Times where the author ponders over the sandwich's cult following and why some....most people he's encountered including well noted foodies and critics are afraid to even try it (foodie, huh? :p). Apparently back in the 1930's and 40's during the Great Depression, many restaurants had this on their menu. He also mentions that his grandfather was the one that introduced this to him as a child and grew up with it being just a normal snack. He goes on to list examples of other unlikely pairings with peanut butter that receive praise like Elvis's Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bacon Sandwich, Hemingway's Peanut Butter, Olives, and Onions sandwich (yuck!), etc. but no love for the pickle. He did come across 1 or 2 others who enjoyed the snack, he even mentioned how they "geeked" out together hehe.

Curiosity. I decided to try this myself. The article says that butter pickles are "sublime" in this sandwich. I used what I had, Vlasic Kosher Dill, a more sharp briny flavor. Now, don't judge me. I was so prepared to gag and spit it out, but I found myself scarfing it down and onto another sandwich lol.

Yummy. I say, try it for yourself whether you think you'll hate it or not. It's one of those things where you're going to always wonder lol. You can always opt for a sweeter variety of pickle to make it easier.

But I tell ya, I feel what the author is saying. I've mentioned this to my whole family and I've gotten the same reaction: the universal face for "YUCK", a flat out "NO"/"No, thanks"/"No, that's okay"/"EW", and a turn/walk away.........in that order too! :D

As Stephen King always says, 

"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back."

  *sigh*

 If you decide to try this, let me know what you think!! Yucky or yummy?

 For now I'll geek out by myself :)

#foreveralone

Get Your Feast On!

Green Leaf's and Bananas & Vitamix Giveaway Promotion :)

The folks at Green Leaf's & Bananas are giving away a Vitamix, just like them on their Facebook page to enter!

Fresh tossed salads made-to-order, delicious wraps, grilled panini sandwiches and hearty homemade soups make Green Leaf's the perfect choice for a fresh, healthy, great-tasting meal.

The refreshing fruit smoothies, cool fresh fruit frosties and delicious frozen yogurt at Bananas make for the perfect assortment of fun treats. Bananas will delight the entire family with products that offer traditional goodies and health conscious options as well.

Founded in 1976, Green Leaf's continues to offer guests a healthy meal made from the freshest, top-quality ingredients. It's the perfect healthy alternative to fast foods. Green Leaf's 'Pick & Mix' salad bar offers dozens of fresh ingredients and countless possibilities to make sure our customers get exactly what they want. A garden fresh salad made to their taste and tossed especially for them.

Get in the mix and win a Vitamix!

This sponsorship is brought to you by Green Leaf's & Bananas who we have partnered with for this promotion.

Get Your Feast On!

STROOPIE-fied & a Blog Award! :)

 STROOPIE-fied

I, unfortunately, didn't get to truly taste much of authentic Dutch cuisine while in Holland, MICHIGAN but I did come across some amazing Dutch pastry snacks. My favorite definitely had to be the Stroopies.

A Stroopwafel is basically two thin waffles glued together by a mixture of Dutch syrup, butter, brown sugar, and some cinnamon. I've always been a pancake person, but this is just TOOOO GOOD. The actual waffles are made with a stiff batter which gives them a more crispy texture than traditional "American" waffles and together with the gooey syrupy center is just.......*mouth waters*.

"The history of the Stroopwafel goes back until 1784. A baker from Gouda baked a waffle of old crumbs and spices and filled this waffle with syrup. The Stroopwafel was born. In fact the Stroopwafel was a rest product. And therefor a popular pastry among the poor. " -StroopwafelShop.com

The packaged snack version we inhaled purchased was super delicious. Apparently you can get them in some Starbucks (horribly overpriced of course. No thanks!)  I can only imagine how good they taste from scratch......hmmmm.

Memorial Day Grillin'

Yummy feast! The sweet corn didn't quite make it onto the table yet.

This weekend was quite the anomaly when an entire feast was prepared via the grill for the first time in ages and more surprising that I actually contributed. Why that's surprising? Well, if you knew me, you'd know how much the gridiron intimidates me. I can barely handle those small indoor griddles that you put over the stove-top, so an actual outdoor grill is just beyond me.................UNTIL NOW!  :)

My dad, who makes the best BBQ anything,  did most of the grilling as usual.  I was in charge of the shrimp & veggie skewers, which I drizzled with a lime infused garlic butter afterwards. You can't really go wrong with garlic butter and the lime just brightens it up - very simple and very yummy *gives self pat on the back*

Photo Credit: ArlingtonCemetery.net

Here's to remembering all the men and women who died serving our country.

Feast On!

[Insert Cool Title Here]

I don't know how I could've forgotten to share this, but for my birthday earlier this spring, I received this gorgeous set of milk glass plates/platters, and cake stand from my awesome sister. I've been wanting to get some for so long specifically for my blog, so I was very excited when I saw these in the gift bag and definitely feel more motivated to continue blogging on a more consistent basis. I'm most excited for the cake stand haha. I'm not much of a baker where cakes are concerned, but I feel more assured knowing now that even if a cake I'm responsible for comes out disgusting *knocks on wood*, it at least has something beautiful to distract you to sit on xD

And finally, since they'll be making my dishes look that much nicer, I strongly felt that my new friends deserved their own post :)

Thanks sis! 

Feast On!

What I Ate: Santa Fe Omelet

First off, I'd like to apologize for the horrible lack of blogging lately. Darn blogger's block. Anyways, it's been a while since I posted one of these, so here goes!

For my brother's birthday, he requested to have brunch at Walker Bros. The Original Pancake House, which is a favorite in our family. I usually order the crepes, but I decided to try the Santa Fe Omelet labeled with an ever so ominous red chili pepper symbol. I didn't think much of it. I can handle spicy pretty well. With that said, the first few bites were fine, but as I ventured deeper into the habanero cheesy core filled with tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeno peppers, I started to feel the heat a lot little more. That in combination with its massive size (this was definitely one of the biggest omelets I've had haha) made for one huge explosion of fiery goodness in my mouth. The pain hurt so good. 

Meek, unassuming, plain even...don't let its appearance fool you! This omelet will make you cry tears of spicy joy :D

 (me w/ my two brothers)

 (mom & the birthday boy)

Feast On,

Andrea

Road to PB & Banana Cream Pie

Preface. I don't intend for this blog to steer towards my culinary fails, but I figured and hope people out there can relate to these situations....that don't happen often btw ;p Sometimes the most fun I have in the kitchen is the journey I go through in fixing my mistakes. I always learn something new and the final, correct product always ends up that much more scrumptious.

Warning. When making pie crust of the cookie crumb sort, do not bake for too long or else it'll come out hard as a brick and you'll end up having to chisel your way just for a slice. It's a simple concept, that I just got completely wrong.(Refer to the massacre above)

Plan B. If you do end up over-baking the crust. Just serve it in a cute little teacup. It's all about presentation and they'll never know you messed up and actually meant to serve....a pie.

.......and if they do, at least it'll taste delicious!

 Stay tuned for the actual correct recipe!

Feast On,

Andrea

Whether you're celebrating...

...with a special someone or are as single as a slice of cheese like me this year for Valentine's Day, I think the most important thing is that we make sure to let everyone we love know that we in fact love them.


Nothing says I LOVE YOU quite like whipping up some nom noms!

I dug through my archives and picked out some fun V-Day foodie ideas:

Chocolate, buttery, rich, decadent, pastry goodness,
These Dirty Blondies would be a hit anytime, anywhere ♥

 Homemade Profiteroles!

Fluffy cream filled pastries drizzled with chocolate sauce are versatile enough to finish after an elegant romantic meal OR serve as a fun snack to enjoy with the kids & family  ♥

and of course, you can't go wrong with chocolate especially if it's in cupcake form! ♥

or in just old fashion cake form ♥ 

 Hot Nutella Kisses .....enough said hehe ♥ 

If you're short on time, you can always just stop by your local bakery. I particularly ADORE Pasteleria or Mexican bakeries because of the great prices and different types of desserts ♥

Happy ♥ Valentine's ♥ Day!

xoxo

Feast On,

Andrea