Review: Zico Coconut Water

I just finished my last long run of my 10k training for the Great Pumpkin Challenge.  It was difficult but worth it--a day later than I had planned to run it, but I still made it out of bed and ran it.  The air is much crisper than a few weeks ago which makes it easier to run but I definitely need to remember my inhaler the next time I go (I better make sure to pack it for this weekend!)

I had found ZICO products in Wegmans last year and then later found them on campus and decided to splurge and test them out.  Last week I picked up another one thinking that it would be a great post-workout replenisher especially for days that reach above 5 miles. 

Was it right? Well it sure tastes great!  However, I am not sure that it is all it is hyped up to be.  20grams of sugar in one bottle and the third main ingredient is cane sugar--hmmm, skeptical?  I am thinking I need to investigate the natural flavor and then maybe look into VitaCoca as well.  The rest of it is made from cocnut cream, conconut water, natural flavor etc.  The good thing is that it contains 600mg potassium and 140mg sodium, which you actually need a bit of after a long workout.  it also contains iron and magnesium but not in the same quatities as some other brands.

all in all? 

Zico makes a great tasting product though I am not sure how great it actually is for you post-workout.  Any takers? Any suggestions? For now I think I will have this once in a while but mainy stick to water and my usual dose of eggs/ protein afterwards :)

more on the 10k and an exciting travel/ service update later on!

Reviews: Feasting in Rochester

Talk about eating out much? When the nutritionist asked me last thursday if I eat out frequently I responded with a quick, "No! I love cooking and baking for myself!"  The following does not actually depict me eating in very much at all and in fact I even had dinner out tonight for my Dad's birthday!

So last year I was really into going to different coffee shops, cafes and restaurants and giving them my amateur review...it was fun and kept me busy as I acclimated to my new school.  Now, busier than ever, I still enjoy it however rarely post anything about my restaurant findings.  I have found some great ones and some that are a bit um, how shall we put it gently....not for me?  I am picky, picky, picky and I hate to admit it sometimes but I am a HUGE internal food critic. Not quite sure what that means in the real world but to me that means I literally scrutinize almost any restaurant I go into (not always sharing it with whomever joined me) and determine if it is a quality establishment.

I'll let you in on a few gems I found in the past week (though I have been to all before!)

1. Rio Tomatlan

Enchiladas Verdes with Chicken and Rice

The best Mexican you will find in the Rochester/ Canandaigua area. By far.  I have tried a bunch including Salena's and none even come close.  They offer amazing dishes that aren't your average tex-mex and serve up some amazing cocktails--fresh squeezed sangria? Yes Please!  They are also extremely accommodating for food allergies and dietary restrictions including vegan/ vegetarian options, dairy-free and gluten free! 

Dishes to try: Enchiladas Verdes (of course) Burro Raffael, Enciladas Mole and of course their house Margs & Sangria

2. Open Face

Flaked Albacore atop Field Greens and Ginger Carrots

Special: Turkey Reuben and Moxie Soda

I lived right down the street from Open Face last year and never stopped in to have a sandwich.  I walked by and peered in wondering where their menu was (it is by the door when you first enter) but never took the time to really investigate.  Now I can tell you that this is the place to go for lunch.  In my personal opinion it is better than Mise En Place down the way a bit but in a different way.  The atmosphere is what I would describe as hipster but a bit "posh" with their apothecary teas and natural healing tonics. Sounds crazy? Don't let me deter you one bit. My second time I had to go with the flaked albacore again and yet again I left full and happy.  I absolutely adore small restaurants such as open face that really bring you to a different world--admire the tin cups and Moxie (an older soda resembling Root Beer but with hints of Licorice).  Brendan ordered the Turkey Reuben and agreed that it was a hit though the "reuben" was more of a turkey sandwich with gingered carrots and 1000 island dressing he still said it was great!

They offer a soup and sandwich combo for lunch or you can choose to mix and match two different sandwiches.  They also carry several vegetarian dishes and gluten free baked goods!

 3. Sugar Mountain/ La Tea Da!

Tea Sampling anyone? They bring this lovely tray of teas over to your table for you to smell and pick out.  And no they don't take your tea from these samples! 

They also encourage dress up...just saying!

Clockwise from bottom left: Apple Cobbler, PB&J, Maple, Twixie

yet again, more dress up! Rob you're a champ...

La Tea Da is the perfect place to go if you'd like to step back in time and into your childhood.  That sounds rather cliche but if you stop in you'll quickly realize that the majority of diners are sporting some crazy hats, fairy wings and frequently some boas.  The walls are covered with Alice in Wonderland decorations and each table is adorned with a hand selected tea pot.  You can choose from numerous teas and either a personal pot or one for the table to share.

There is a menu but we chose to just pick out our cupcakes from Sugar Mountain which is connected and enjoy our great choices.  I went with the Twixie which was filled with caramel inside a rich chocolate cake.   Another winner was definitely the Apple Cobbler--spiced apple cake which had me eager for the first of fall (which is today!)

Go here if you want cupcakes, tea, tea parties or a girly lunch.  Rob was definitely a great sport but I wouldn't consider this a first date sort of place!

Aja Noodle & I Forgot WIAW!

I seem to be forgetting (for the second week in a row) to take photos of my WIAW.  I will try desperately to remember throughout the rest of the day today and let you know how it goes tomorrow but I already skipped my breakfast photo.

Oatmeal with chia/flax, raisins, almond milk and cinnamon with a cup of chai tea. What a great way to start the morning after a hot shower and some yoga stretches (I may have thrown some abs in there as well).

Last night, a friend and I went out to dinner at Aja Noodle, a "newish" noodle restaurant that has adopted this new craze of asian noodle eateries.  I had never been to such a place and I cannot say that I will or will not go back.  Upon entering the restaurant I was excited and intrigued by the clean and bright atmosphere though taken aback as to how the whole thing worked.  It was a restaurant but a bit more "fast foody" than I am typically used to.  Not saying that it is necessarily a bad thing but all the same, I was a bit skeptical.

I ordered the Pad Thai (again no photo) which tasted quite good actually, for the first few minutes but then gave me wrenching stomach pains for the rest of the night--not something I was looking forward to. 

I began thinking about it and of course did some research into what exactly goes into Thai and Asian dishes.  The answer, lots of salt and sauce (soy sauce).  I also had chicken added to my entree. MSG central. Thanks for the hint Clare!

I never really pay attention to MSG but focus more on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and other attitudes and preservatives.  The reasoning behind this? The types of foods my body is used to (a) do not typically have MSG and (b) labels do not always put down MSG.  One major culprit of this three letter awfulness is high-sodium based sauces, soups, meats etc.

Ah Hah! I may have found the culprit to my nighttime demise. 

I love researching and learning about the natural (or not so natural) aspects of food and what they can do to your body.  Did you know that MSG can actually affect many areas including digestion, vision, heart rate, blood pressure etc.

All the more reason to eat whole, natural and non-processed foods on a daily basis to thank and replenish your body for all that it gives you on a day to day basis!

Happy Hump Day :)

Forerunner 405

Hey, I'm creepy and take pictures of myself but I don't hate it. Thats what a blog is for, right? So for all you runners out there that are without a GPS Garmin watch, go out and get one this holiday season (or at least put it on your wish list).

I finally made the decision to get one after seeing it pop up in numerous posts by Clare @ Fitting It All In.  After commenting and asking a few brief questions about the Forerunner 405 I decided to send a subtle hint to my mom in an email entitled: I WANT THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY.  Sure enough, it was my big present this year and I am so happy to have it!

This watch is much smaller than some of the other GPS watches I have seen on the market including the Garmin Forerunner 305 and 310xt which seemed to be a bit much in both size and price.

Maybe there isn't a huge difference besides the fact that mine was $180 and the 305 goes past the $200 mark which was definitely not in my budget nor my parents.

The great thing about the Garmin Forerunner and other similar products is the Connect feature that links you to an internet based sort of "Map My Training" website created by Garmin.  Basically, I start my watch and run then come home and click connect and volia, my run is charted, split, and mapped all on the computer!  Its a great way to see progress and keep track of your pace, speed, elevations and the like.

My watch will definitely come in handy as I up my milage for the half marathon.  I really just hope the Jeff Galloway book comes in soon.  I am literally itchy to start training but can do the work on my own for now.

Here's a sample of what some of the features include.  I kept my run light and easy today since it was my first time back in a week.  I also got to about a half mile and realized that I forgot my inhaler, yet again.

I'm sure that there are plenty more features to be discovered with this and I will be more than willing to share as I discover them.  Do you have any tips for using a GPS watch? 

Siggi's Skyr

Good morning! Today I thought I'd start November 1st off with something new, Siggi's Icelandic style skyr yogurt to be exact. A little back story on this rather expensive yogurt, I tried it back when "greek yogurt" was just becoming a "thing" and absolutely hated it.

Lets think back to a year or two ago.  You went to Wegmans (or your local grocery store, sorry to be so biased) and made your way to the dairy section. You'd find your yoplait, generic brand, Stoneyfield farms, Fruit on the Bottom, Oreo topped yogurt.  These babies were packed full of great ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and other additives that I cannot, for the life of me, pronounce.

Today you or I walk into that same grocery store, preferably Wegmans still, make your way to the dairy aisle and something is different.  Now many stores have separate sections for both greek and regular yogurt selections. You still have your "Banana Fosters" or "Key Lime Pie" flavored yogurts but now there are healthier options.  Stay clear of those packed with HFCS. Most of the low-fat options are supplemented with fake sugars that trick your bodies, leaving them still craving the sugar!

So, now instead of my yoplait "Boston Cream Pie" (which I still indulge in every so often), I go straight for the Greek.  Greek yogurt is packed full of protein.  The real ones have around 12-14g of protein--you want to make sure you check this prior to purchase!  Their still creamy but typically a bit more sour tasting.  Yes it does take some getting used to.

I've been meaning to try Siggi's again for its healthy ingredients and 14g of protein, not to mention its fat free.  It is made up of organic ingredients such as Skim Milk, Organic Agave Nectar (Sweetener), Bourbon Vanilla, Live active cultures and vegetable rennet. So far I have tried the vanilla flavor and have fallen in love with the dense texture of it.  While still creamy, there is a bit more to it than your Oikino's Greek.

If you can fork out the 1.99 for 5.3oz give it a shot, I highly recommend it!

Review: parlo francese a italiano

Parlo francese a italiano? I speak French in Italian? If you're wondering the purpose of this title, get excited. It basically explains the variety of foods I had from breakfast to lunch yesterday, starting with crepes and finishing with pasta and then a little Americano dessert. What an amazing saturday with both my family and Maureen.

The morning began with a delightful breakfast at Simply Crepes in Pittsford.

I was especially hungry and craving something sweet so it was the right place to be.  Of course I ordered my usual Simply Strawberry Crepe but also decided to try some of their Creme Brulee Oatmeal.

This is my amazing oatmeal yesterday morning:

Simply Crepes really did it this time with the amazing flavor explosion I experienced. I HIGHLY suggest this little cup for a cold winters morning.

My mom had the "Crepes Benedict" but I can't for the life of me remember what she said about it nor did I indulge in testing it out.  I am not much of a fan for eggs benedict and steer clear of the cream sauces, most of the time.

Afterwards we did some shopping at Eastview mall for fall clothes, computer accessories and she even surprised me with Hunter boots (I'll post later!)

We met my Dad for dinner in East Rochester at Lemoncello, an Italian Bistro type cafe & lounge.  The building itself was an old main street building completely redone to a "old italy" style.  My Dad, a very critical restaurant goer, oo-ed and ahh-ed his way through the lounge area until we made it to a glass enclosed outdoor area which was heated. Quaint and friendly.

The menu ranged from basic pasta dishes to veal and seafood along with an assortment of pizzas. The Lemoncello Artichoke caught my eye and I was hooked.  They serve bread with olive oil and pepper along with a great side salad (included with entree). 

The portion was a bit larger than I'm used to but this is expected with pasta dishes.  There was a lemocello deglaze atop a pairing of egg battered artichokes, sundried tomatoes and pancetta. I had never tried pancetta before but it complimented everything with a hint of salt  which was necessary.

Simply Crepes is always a must and I have been a returning customer for quite some time.

Lemocello is a new favorite because of both its atmosphere and great food, an overall great dining experience.

Simply Crepes

7 Schoen Place                                                                 Pittsford, NY 14534                                                                     (585) 383-8310

Lemoncello Cafe & Lounge

137 West Commercial Street

East Rochester, New York 14445

T: (585) 385-8565

Review: The Distillery

Tonights dinner was themed "orphan night" for BPG.  Luckily none of us are actually orphans but its nice for a few girls to get together during parents weekend when they're feeling lonely.  After transferring to UR I realized how big a deal parents/ alumni weekend is.  To make it more clear to you, Bill Clinton is the keynote speaker. Talk about amazing..  However, I was unable to get tickets along with half the rest of the UR population.

This weekend for me consists of catching up with mom and dad, going shopping and a dinner at a new restaurant that we used a Groupon for! I will also be meeting up with a few friends from home/ other schools to catch up and have a good time.

As for tonight, we went to The Distillery on Mt. Hope Avenue.  The wait was a bit long but granted we did have a party of nine.  We crammed ourselves into a booth built for 4-6 to make sure we didn't starve and had a great time!  I ordered the "Chicken Speidie" atop a greek salad which I gobbled right up.  I have to say it was really good.  Usually sports bar food is sub par and mostly fried or somehow bad for you but I think I found a winner in the somewhat healthy category--of course ordering the dressing on the side.  I finished my meal with a dessert of an onion ring that I stole of another girls plate (I am a huge mooch). 

I decided to dress up for the event by adding some pearls to a rather dreary dark outfit.  It was necessary today since the weather has been so rainy and sad.  I rocked the whole tight skirt with tights, black riding boots, a quilted vest & plum sweater along with my infamous J.Crew Pearls.  I really think that pearls can totally change the look of an outfit and make even the most casual, dressy. I have even gone as far as to pair them with a vintage Sabres shirt.

Review: JonJohns Bakery

I have found it quite difficult in living off campus to have dinners with friends, unless of course I am eating dining hall food.  Not to say that all of the dining services at UR are detrimental to my health but, for the most part, I have noticed a pattern of bad eating habits surrounding both school food and dining out more often.  How I decided to fix this problem was by inviting friends to my house for dinner.  Last night I had Rachel over and we cooked up some bowtie pasta with garlic, tomatoes, spinach and fresh basil with a side of sweet potato. It was a great way to unwind from a busy day.

Afterwards we had some time to kill before returning to campus so I dragged her to the South Wedge Market.  Not to say that I actually dragged her, she was quite willing to tag along.  My mission was to find JonJohns Bakery since I had recently bought a groupon for their desserts. I believe it was spend $10 and get $20 desserts--who can go wrong?

Well, by the time we arrived there it was getting very dark and most of the booths were beginning to pack up for the night (and season since it was the last day of the season). JonJohns was easily located on the corner and after quickly getting oriented to the dark marketplace we were ready to dive in.  Jon, co-owner of JonJohns Bakery, kindly greeted us with a welcoming greeting and proceeded to explain they were out of many desserts but there were of course a few left for us.  We chose to get all three types of cookies available, chocolate chip, double chocolate and oatmeal raisin. Rachel and I also kept eying the infamous peanut butter balls so we of course asked for a few of those.

As Jon stuffed our paper bag full of desserts I talked away at how much I love farmers markets and his business.  I love love love local businesses. When all was said and done I believe we were given way more than our $20 worth of baked goods and I promised to visit at the Brighton Farmers Market in the coming weeks (I need to try the sweet potato pastries and carrot cake!).

The peanut butter balls were to die for. Literally. I split one with Rachel on the car ride home and we kept raving about them all night long.  Nothing compares to a good peanut butter treat! The chocolate chips in the filling definitely gave them a thumbs up in my book and stood out from other variations I have had in the past. 

I tried a bit of the double chocolate cookie which surprisingly did not turn out to be my favorite due to a bit of dryness, however, the chocolate chip and oatmeal far surpassed any expectations I previously had. First of all they were HUGE portions and they had great 'home baking' flavor!

JonJohns Bakery

WestSide Market

Brighton Farmers Market

or place orders by phone and email:

585.750.4244

contact@jonjohnsbakery.com

Spoiler?

While I saw Water for Elephants over Easter Break with my Mom, I thought I would take a swing at giving you a little blurb on what is now easily one of my favorite films.  While I originally thought I would have time to read the book prior to watching this in theaters, I was sadly too busy with the rest of my life and will have to make it a summer-lake read.

Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon take the lead as main characters of Marlena and Jacob.  While Jacob leaves his hometown due to an untimely accident, Marlena is the wife of the Benzini Brothers Circus owner.  The two meet in quite interesting circumstances and fall madly in love.  While the story takes place right after the Great Depression, I find myself in love with both societal times and the overall feel of the movie.  What was it like to go to the circus back then?  Did the audience really think it was so spectacular?  Ah I wish I was there.

If you have the chance, I highly suggest adding this to an evening or even an afternoon of yours in the near future.  It is perfect for the big screen and a box of popcorn.  While the theater prices seem to be rising steadily, I would say this one is worth your $10 plus a $5 bucket of buttery salty popcorn (and a Coke-a-Cola of course).