I started with these:

Tasty Bite Bombay Potatoes:

Ingredients: Water, Potatoes, Chickpeas, Tomatoes, Onions, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Ginger, Garlic, Corn Starch, Coriander, Chilies, Cumin, Spices.
(VEGAN, KOSHER, GLUTEN-FREE, MSG-FREE & NO PRESERVATIVES!!!)
Nutrition per half box: 100 calories, fat 4g, carbohydrates 13g, fiber 3g, protein 5g

I was actually quite impressed with the nutrition! An entire box provides 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber! Pretty awesome! I was lazy and just microwaved the the contents of the package for 3 minutes. It was kind of a watery dish, so I used it as a sauce for some veggies, as you will see below!

Step 1: Saute lots of beautiful delicious veggies with spices! (ginger powder, garlic powder, coriander, chili powder, cumin, onion powder)

veggies include carrot, celery, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes

Step 2: Spiralize zucchini

Step 3: Pan-fry spiralized zucchini

Let me tell you, this was the best idea I ever had! TRY IT!!

Step 4: Microwave Tasty Bite contents and combine veggies and zuke spiralz in a bowl and top with heated the, in this case, bombay potatoes!
(this was only my FIRST bowl of goodness!)

Indian Life Samosas: Mixed Vegetable

I LOVE samosas! And these truly did not dissapoint for being frozen. They are a great snack for whenever, but I figured if I was going to have an Indian boxed/frozen feast I might as well go all out!

Ingredients: Peas, potatoes, carrots, corn, enriched flour, filtered water, onions, salt, ginger, green chilies, lemon juice, cilantro, canola oil, herbs and spices and citric acid.
VEGAN
Nutrition per Samosa w/ Tamarind sauce: calories 130, fat 6g, carbs 17g, fiber 1g, protein 2g

I was not exactly impressed with this nutrition info… but it is a yummy snack wrapped in a pastry shell! A good way to get in some fat at least! But at least I can feel good because of this from their website…”Majority of our products are 100% NATURAL with newer ORGANIC ingredients with NO PRESERVATIVES to minimum. Most of our extensive line of products have NO Added Flavor, NO Color, NO Eggs, NO MSG, NO Lard or NO Hydrogenated oils (Trans).” Not bad!

Directions: dipped warm and soft naan in bombay potato contents while consuming! Dip samosa in TAMARIND sauce

Indian Life Garlic Naan:

Ingredients: Organic Unbleached Enriched Flour, water, garlic, canola oil, salt, sugar, yeast, baking powder, vinegar and calcium propionate

Nutrition per half Naan: 150 calories, fat 4g, carbs 24g, fiber 2g, protein 4g

This Naan is unbelievably good for buying it prepackaged. All you do is wrap it in foil and put in the oven for a few minutes!

Of course, enjoy any type of cuisine with a side of Kabocha with ketchup and tobasco
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Overall, I was extremly happy with my Indian feast! The veggies with pan fried zukes + the bombay potatoes was absolutly delicious! With the addition of the soft doughy warm naan and crispy samaosa, I was in boxed meal Indian heaven. I could not have been happier…

note: if you try the Tasty Bite bombay potatoes, I highly suggest serving them with veggies as the base. It makes for a delicious, yet hearty (from the taters and chickpeas) sauce for the veggies.

The beauty of weekends seems to be the lack of structure. Structure guides our lives monday through friday (or at least my life!), and I do enjoy it from a productive stand point. The weekends, however, provide a nice change of pace. Rather than having to eat what I find time to pack in the morning for my busy days, I have the luxury of eating the food I crave WHEN I crave it. There is also more time for food presentation fun:)

“didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with your food…?” ummmm…yeah.

Kabocha Squash Fries (yes, I eat ALOT of kabocha!) w/ Ketchup + Tobasco dip

I sliced the leftovers from a whole roasted kabocha squash into “fries” and roasted them at 350 while broiling until crispy (20 min?)

Roasted brussel sprouts + tofu (400 for 20 minutes) seasoned w/ginger powder, garlic powder, tamari, chili powder, onion powder and soy

of course ketchup + tobasco dip

Ak-maks + parm slices

Protein power snack: Sun Warrior Protein Powder + PB + almond milk and water, all topped with dark choc chips (looks like a cookie!)

Plus a plain greek yogurt and dark chocolate chips

Plus pumpkin puree

All eaten together and used as a dip for a Honey Crisp apple

Next up: MORE kabocha fries! + raw broccoli, cauliflower, a carrot, celery, cherry toms, and nori

Dipping sauces= peanut butter sauce + pumpkin butter + pumpkin and of course ketchup + tobasco for the fries

Apple + carrot + celery dipped in almond butter + PB2 (yes dark chocolate chips managed to make their way into this snack)

Another delish veggie snack plate

Dipping sauces= pumpkin butter + peanut butter

How do you eat on the weekends? Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner, or all day grazing….

If I had my choice, I would opt for snacking consistently throughout the day as opposed to meals everyday. For me, large meals (especially during the day) weight me down, make me sleepy, and lower my level of productivity. I tend to eat my largest meal at dinner time for this reason.

I hope you enjoyed this snacky-post!! What is your “go-to” or favorite snack??

Although, nothing can truly beat roasting an entire Kabocha squash until the entire house smells of its goodness, at least in my books.

Oven: 450
Procudre: Roast whole kabocha (I like to poke a whole or two into it)
Time: 15-45 minutes (depends on on the size of your squash) or until just soft enough to safely cut.
LET COOL 5-10 mintues before slicing in half
Slice: Remove stringy insides and seeds and slice Kabocha into half moons and top with any seasonings you like
Seasoning: I left 1/2 of the slices plain; 1/4 seasoned with pumpking spice and coconut oil; the last 1/4 of slices I seasoned with braggs liquid aminos, ginger, garlic, seseme oil, red pepper flakes, and maybe a few others. I figured an asian spice mix was appropriate as Kabocha is a Japanese Pumpkin!
Roast: Roast the the half moons until it reaches your desired crispiness/softness/gooeyness (20-45 mintues longer, flipping half way through)
NOTE: I prefer to roast my veggies on parchment paper with canola oil spray, but when I run out, I opt for foil + spray

I roasted a few trays of kabocha, as you can never have too much! One of the trays also included extra firm tofu, brussel sprouts and broccoli trunks.

Tofu: Extra Firm patted dry & sliced
Seasoning: (another Japanese insipriation) Red pepper flakes, braggs, garlic powder, onion powder, seseme oil, ginger powder, agave, onion granules, and I think that is all (?) I also enjoyed my tofu with some nori!
*The broccoli trunks and sprouts were included in this seasoning mix to simplify things

I loved the half moon style of roasting kabocha. It was carmelized in parts and absolutly delicious (of course). I will defintly rotate my Kabocha prep methods with the half moon style.

Kabocha dinner #1 (there were many “seconds”):

Reheating for Kabocha dinner #2 (although Kabocha is delicious cold!):

squash + maple brussel sprouts + roasted mushrooms + spinach + leftover black beans stir fried with veggies + spices

ps: spinach leaves make awesome little mini “wraps” for the beans or squash

Kabocha dinner #3

tortilla veggie&cheese pizza + shrooms + leftover black beans + bell pepper halves stuffed with black beans and parmesan + Kabocha squash

I am slighly addicted to dipping Kabocha into ketchup + tobasco, but it is excellent on it’s own as well!!

How do YOU enjoy Kabocha if you have tried it? What is your favorite winter squash and way of preparing it?

These are my absolute favorite raw food bars! (This flavor too!) …product review soon!

Sorry for the terrible photo! I was running late this morning for school. My snacks include an Oikos yogurt + My Moja Mix + Grapes + 1 orange bell pepper (which I ate like an apple at work, I didn’t have slicing time this morning!) The Oikos + granola filled me up SO well! Must be the carb/protein mix!

One of my classes moved buildings today, and now I have to walk CLEAR across campus (about a mile) with my super heavy backpack! It was TERRIBLE! The new building we are in is awesome, but my car is so so so far away:( I wouldn’t mind if my backpack didnt hurt me:( So I am doing Pilates tomorrow morning before school in the hopes of stretching out my back and shoulders.

Dinner tonight included leftover Kabocha squash + leftover tortilla pizza from dinner Sunday + a HUGE salad!

My salad started with a layer of spinach, then a layer of mushrooms, tomatoes from our garden, 1/4 of an avocado, raw broccoli, DULSE per VeggieGirl’s suggestion! + flax oil and lemon. It twas refreshing!

Look what I found on one of my Dulse pieces!!

See the little shell guy?? It was STUCK on there! I use to call them sombrero’s or something as a kid when I found them on the beach:)

VeggieGirl, have you ever tried the little sweet/salty seaweed snacks that come in those small little packages??

After dinner palate cleanser included an not-pictured small shard of Theo 70% dark chocolate and then this:

Traditional Healing Peppermint Tea + 1 Lucy’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Thin! (Product Review on these manana)

I never showed you all my eats from dinner at my parents Sunday (which is where my leftover tortilla pizza came from). My mom made corned beef which I passed on. I have not been consuming red meat for a few months so I avoid it most of the time because I know that it will upset my stomach. And why would I want to feel sick when socializing with the fam! My mom DID make a TWO BEAUTIFUL veggie plates!! Yes, I attacked them!

Dipped them into the yogurt/dill dip she made!

The boyfriend made a smoked salmon spread:

Here is my veggie pizza with lots of veggies and 1/4 cup of cheese:

My dinner plate: sweet potato, Caesar salad, cabbage, tortilla pizza!

Hasta Manana Bloggies!!

Dinner last night was that amazing Kabocha squash from the farmer’s market(!!) which you can see in my previous post + spinach and red bell pepper. As well as a Whole Foods Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon burger for some protein and fat.

I piereced the squash and put it in a 400 degree preheated oven. After about 20 minutes I sliced the squash into quarters, added water to the oven tray and cooked flesh side up for another 20 to 30 minutes. I only added salt + pepper. It was DIVINE! How I love the autumn season and all the delicious squash it brings!!! It would of course be delicious with additions of coconut oil, cinnamon, coconut butter, ect! The sky is the limit! It is also very filling considering how low in calories it is.

Soo I just wanted to share my love of Kabocha, and squash in general with you all if you dont mind
Nutrition info per 1 cup of cooked squash:
Calories = 40
Fat/Sodium/Cholesterol = 0
Carbs = 7 grams
Fiber = 1 gram
Vitamin A = 70%
Vitamin C = 15%
There is also some iron, folic acid, calcium and trace B vitamins present in Kabocha.

As you can see however, Vitamin A is the PRIME nutrient in Kabocha. What is Vitamin A good for you ask?? Well…

Vitamin A promotes healthy:
vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation.

Vitamin A helps regulate the immuse system and helps lymphocytes (a white blood cell) fight infections more effectively!

Not convinced???

Well, when Vitamin A is found in brightly colored orange veggies (carrots, KABOCHA, bell peppers, ect) it is called a provitamin A carotenoid. In the body, this type of vitamin A is made into retinol which helps fight free radical damage (wrinkles!)

So there you have it, eat your Kabocha today!

See you later for school eats + tonights dinner!

PS: Kabocha is probably one of the sweetest squashes out there. It is kind of a cross between a sweet potato and pumpkin!