Foodie Survey

Happy Sunday! I’m not sure how we went from the freezing Friday temperatures to temperatures in the 70’s today, but this is Houston and I suppose I should be used to it by now, right? Last night I was glad to be bundled up in a tacky Christmas sweater as I made my way over to a friend's apartment for an Ugly Sweater party, but this morning I walked outside and the weather had done a complete 180.

Throwback to 2010, in case you're wondering if I've always been this way

I have yet to motivate myself to get out and run the nine miles that I need to run, but I think I’m just bitter that it’s 70 degrees in the middle of December. DECEMBER. Especially when we’ve had a little taste of winter. But before I get too riled up about the weather, let’s start this Sunday off with a survey, shall we?

LIST 5 THINGS YOU EAT/DRINK EVERY DAY

·         Water, obviously

·         Yogurt

·         Something with chocolate (okay, multiple things)

·         Chicken

·         Fruit – right now I have an obsession with mango

WHAT ARE 3 THINGS YOU REFUSE TO EAT?

There are many things I refuse to eat – I’ve been a picky eater for as long as I can remember, but I’ll stick to the survey requirements.

·         Creamy sauce of any kind – The fact that I’m lactose intolerant makes this an easy choice.

·         Oysters – I just can’t get over the texture.

·         Doughnuts – I know this is such a weird food to refuse to eat, but something about the smell of them just makes me cringe. Even as a kid I was able to take maybe three bites before pushing it aside, and though I enjoy making donuts, I won’t eat them.

WHAT IS THE WORST THING YOU’VE EVER COOKED?

This is embarrassing to admit, but I’m really horrible at using the crock pot. How a person can be bad at using a crock pot, I really don’t know, but I can’t seem to get it right. I’m much better at the traditional pots, pans, and oven method of cooking. And I’ve butchered more than a few dessert recipes along the way, too.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LABOR OF LOVE?

Made-from-scratch baked goods. I understand that boxed cookies are much easier and much less of a mess than it is to make cookies from scratch (and I’m not hating on the pre-made stuff, as I use those often), but homemade baked goods really do taste so much better. And I think this Fourth of July layer cake was probably the most labor-intensive cake I’ve ever made, but you have to admit, it sure is pretty!

WHAT ARE YOUR 5 FAVORITE THINGS TO SPLURGE ON?

·         Hopdoddy hamburgers – Worth the hour+ wait, worth the few extra dollars, and worth the extra cals.

·         Local Foods Garden Sammie – I live about a half mile away, and my bank account is feeling this splurge.

·         Frozen yogurt – Always hits the spot, and always worth it.

·         Bacon – I rarely crave bacon, but when I do crave it, there’s no stopping me.

·         Verts Mediterranean Grill – There’s one just down the road from my parents’ house, and I go all out – the kebap and sweet potato fries – and I enjoy every bite.

SALTY OR SWEET?

Salty. I have a really hard time turning down popcorn, (healthy-ish) chips, or French fries – especially if they’re from Hungry’s.

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE DAY?

BREAKFAST. I eat the equivalent of about three breakfasts, and I would be fine eating breakfast food for every meal of the day.

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO COCKTAIL?

I’m just a big fan of wine. I used to be a white wine only kind of girl, but I’ve since learned the error of my ways and I no longer discriminate.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT GUILTY PLEASURE?

Sweet potato fries. I did a dangerous thing where I keep AlexiaWaffle-Cut Sweet Potato Fries in my freezer, and sometimes I come home from school just craving them. And nine times out of ten, I give into that craving. I also love gelato, and I’ve got an excellent gelato establish just down the street from my apartment. Dangerous.

CURRENT FAVORITE HEALTHY SNACK

My giant Oatmeal-Zucchini-Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins. They’re healthy (they contain vegetables, duh), yet they still satisfy that sweet tooth. Plus, they freeze really well, so I can whip up a bunch when I’m feeling particularly domestic and have them for a week or two.

And on that note, I'm off to run and get a jump start on my Christmas baking and card-writing. I've already created a fun (well, I think it's fun) finals review game for my students, and I've already mentioned that all I've got left to grade are final exams. I suppose I could get ahead for next semester, but I think a little downtime is necessary every once in a while. Besides, what else will I do while my students are testing? 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!