It’s been a great day! Besides the beautiful weather… (be sure to read the bottom section of this post – good stuff there!)
Work was steady but not too hectic and hubby offered to go with me to Kabob Grill so I could enjoy my new favorite meal – the vegetarian combo.
The vegetarian combo is perfect for me because I’m a girl who likes to sample lots of different flavors in a single meal. Usually, I try to get someone (typically hubby) to split an appetizer, entree, and dessert with me. With the veggie combo, I get all the flavors I can handle!
In the vegetarian combo:
Mini spinach pie and stuffed grapeleaf
Combo comes with baba ganoush (sp?) but I subbed the foul muhammed (sp?)
Plus delish hummus and pickled veggies
Potatoes harra
Taboulleh
AND a new fave of mine – falafel!
It is all SOOOO SOOOO SOOOO GOOOOOOODDDDDD!!!! I just love enjoying all the different flavors in one meal.
Things wouldn’t be complete without dessert – pistachio baklava (apparently my new fave type of baklava)
After dinner, we hit up Barnes & Noble to browse house decorating maagazines and for me to check out a book I heard about on email. Actually, I received a coupon from B&N to get the book Clean Food by Terry Walters for 50% off. After checking out the book in the store, I was intrigued and decided to take the book home with me. I can’t wait to read through the book more!
Here are some recipes I’m looking forward to trying:
Some great stuff in the Clean Food book…need to do more exploring now!
I also scored the last copy on the stands of Martha Stewart’s special Halloween magazine. Her older version is behind the new one and it is a personal fave of mine! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I just love all the dreadfully delightful ideas Martha Stewart comes up with.
Open Your Mind, Allow Yourself to Enjoy the New
Going back to my vegetarian meal, I have to say that I cannot believe that for the last 20+ years I’ve skipped vegetarian meals because I’m not a “vegetarian“. What was I thinking?! For whatever reason, I’ve always had the mindset that dinner had to be complete with the following:
- A Meat
- A Veggie
- A Starch
- Dessert (ok, ok…this one is optional) 🙂
Now that I’ve started to educate myself more on nutrition, I’m learning that a complete meal has less to do with those 3 items above and more to do with getting a nutritionally well-balanced meal. I’ve learned that I like soysage better than sausage…That I can enjoy both traditional burgers and veggie burgers equally…That anyone can eat vegetarian/vegan/raw meals and enjoy them. That you don’t have to be a strict “vegetarian” to eat a meatless meal.
Most importantly, I’ve realized how close-minded I’ve been to such a simple concept as vegetarianism. That’s a word, right? “Vegetarianism.” Yes, a quick google search found the term on Merriam-Webster . Anywho, if I missed out the last 20+ years on the delicious meal I enjoyed so-very-much tonight, and one that is quickly becoming a (dare I say) favorite meal, because I didn’t think I was supposed to eat it…what else am I missing out on? What am I inadvertently closing out? What new joy am I missing because I’m not open to it?
Going forward, I’d like to try to be more open-minded…not just in food but in life.
Reader Question: What is something you were once close-minded to but now love…or…what is something you are currently close-minded to but would like to open up and try?
I'll be interested to read how you go with your new book! I have it marked on my Amazon wish list…
I'm not a vegetarian either, but I do eat a lot of veggie meals. I think it's good to tune in to exactly what you/your body feels like.
As for something I've been close-minded about in the past, that's going to the gym or doing classes (zumba!) as I've always been decisive on doing my exercise in the open air. Now I'm learning that mixing it up is a good way to go too 🙂
Yoga!
Oh my, that is my kind of dinner. I struggled to get my husband to go to such places and what is even more a struggle is notion that he has to have meat, starch, vegetable, fat, etc etc for dinner. I have learned its ok not to and enjoying in the change…if you can break your husband of it Id love tips! 🙂
That cookbook sounds great! Those recipes your picked are going to be so yummy!
I really want that book! Maybe I'll have to buy it on Amazon.
Question: What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are always so awesome! I am buying a camera soon and want a good one for the blog. I was going to take a photo journalism class but had to drop the class because it required a $800 Digital SLR that I just could not afford.
The dinner looks fantastic. I am not a Veggie, but definetly enjoy a good veggie meal, without a doubt. I still love my meat, but have no problem with having a number of meatless meals.
Falafel used to be my favorite too until I OD'ed on it. Now I can only handle it in moderation lol
I tried Spinach Dip the other day at Costco and discovered I like it! Shocker. I like raw spinach but did not think I would care for the cooked version. Did you get the house? Coming down anytime soon? Hugs!