Food-Centric Friday

Some might argue that all my days are food-centric, but today was particularly so in that Allie and I spent the evening tasting our way through Chapel Hill. We’ve been meaning to organize a joint grocery shopping trip for months, and we finally decided that tonight we would venture out to Trader Joe’s…but we got a little sidetracked with some other foodie distractions before we made it there. First, we noticed that Great Harvest Bread Company was open, so we obviously had to stop in. Neither of us ended up purchasing anything, but we did manage to score some free samples:

Next up on the agenda was an impromptu trip to A Southern Season, a store that sells a unique combination of gourmet foods, dishware, cookbooks, prepared entrees….and Vera Bradley products. Yeah, I thought that last one was pretty random too.  Allie and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing the aisles, ogling at items like cinnamon sugar sweet potato chips, honey-roasted pumpkin seeds, and cactus salsa. Again, both of us controlled ourselves. We both left empty-handed but nonetheless quite satisfied with the enjoyment that the store provided:)

Whole Foods was the next stop, where we sampled some rockin’ apple cider, and I found a lovely wall of broccoli. I did purchase some exciting items this time, including Eden Rye Flakes, more Rachel’s Cottage Cheese, and a package of seitan.

At last, we did make it to Trader Joe’s, where some broccoli slaw and kefir made their way into my basket.

Whew. Quite a foodie marathon. How did you spend your Friday?

Project Runway now demands my attention, so let’s get onto the day’s nibbles.

Thursday

One of my purchases last weekend was some chocolate syrup, which I purchased due to the growing research showing that chocolate milk is the ideal recovery drink. Well, I haven’t managed to gulp down any chocolate milk yet, but the syrup made for lovely shake decoration.

Friday

When I began preparing my breakfast, I had intended to make a pumpkin banana smoothie…but then soon realized that I didn’t have a cup that would be the right size. Hence, it became a Smoothie in a Bowl or breakfast soup, if you will.

Today was cold and gray in Durham, so I decided it was a perfect excuse to take a nap. When I woke up, I heated up a can of Health Valley Vegetarian Chili.

Despite all my free sample snacking, I returned from my evening’s activities hungry. Curry is one of my favorite go-to quick dinners.

Yet another monster post comes to a close. Have a Happy Halloween!

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30 Responses to “Food-Centric Friday”

  1. I love grocery shopping too, Whole Foods and TJ’s being my favorite stores!
    Southern Season is an awesome place, I can easily spend hours inside that store just looking around all the different things they have. I wish it was a little closer to my house though… or maybe not, that would be quite dangerous!
    Ana

  2. The photo of you by the broccoli is priceless :-D

  3. Caroline!
    I bought Nike Pegasus shoes the other day for FIFTY BUCKS!!! If that ever happens again, I’m getting you a pair too! So serious. What’s your size? :) :)

  4. The syrup on the shake looks delish :)
    I’v also heard that chocolate milk is a great recovery drink. I would feel so weird drinking it after a good workout though lol

  5. I love little foodie stores like those , cinnamon sugar sweet potato chips – mmm!

  6. I’m with VeggieGirl — awesome photo :)

  7. We MUST do that again!! Grocery shopping is definitely more fun with a partner in crime! LOVE the broc + Broc (you) photo! TJ Maxx and Costco next time!!

  8. Breakfast soup sound delicious! I love some chocolate milk or chocolate soymilk… Ideal recovery drink , eh? Sounds like a plan to me!

  9. Awww, I would have loved to food shopped with you and Allie! I’ve never had seitan – what’s your favorite way to prepare it? Love the broccoli pic :) BTW, the chocolate syrup looked like silver sitting on top of your shake. What a pretty pic! And I love curry! Can you make me some for dinner?!

  10. 1. prettiest smoothie ever.
    2.you are so gorgeous. expecially next your broccoli. priceless<3
    3.i sampled apple cider at whole foods today too!!
    4.enjoy project runway!!
    5.happy halloween <3

  11. you and Allie are having so much fun together :) I wish I had a blogger closer to me

  12. Wow, you showed a lot of willpower not buying tons of stuff! That cactus salsa + tons of other random items definitely would have made their way into my basket ;)

    Love that pic of you next to the broc!

  13. Hi.

    I have been reading your blog for ages, and think it is fantastic. :)

    I just wondered if you could please post the recipe for the Chickpea-Cauliflower Curry that you mentioned on your feature post about Chickpeas on your recipe page? It sounds really nice. :)

  14. love free samples! i should hit up whole foods today for some.. yum

  15. hahah LOVING the pic of you in front of the brocolli!!! amazing face :)

    Great harvest bread co is aweeeeesome!!!

    your breakfast soup sounds amazing!

    happy halloweeeeenieeee xox

  16. I love how Great Harvest gives you big samples! Yum!

    I just bought Rachel’s cottage cheese yesterday for the first time! I’m excited to try it!

  17. I wish we had Bread Harvest Co. here. It sounds great.
    I need to check out the Weekender sales at WF on friday always

  18. Neverending wall of chocolate?! Alright I’m coming down there!

    My friday was spent watching scary movies with my best friends. So much fun!

  19. I am loving that chocolate aisle. Heaven :)

    Happy Halloween!

  20. Love your foodie friday! My cousin and aunt live in N.C. and they always bring treats up from A Southern Season at Christmas time, it was fun to see it on here since I have never been for a visit myself. And your shake with the chocolate syrup, awesome!

  21. What a great looking day! I am visiting my parents for Thanksgiving (they live in Cary) and my mom has been telling me that we have to go to Southern Season – I can’t wait to go now!

  22. What a fabulous food tour! I don’t think we have Great Harvest around here, and I’m always very envious of their bread when I read blogs!

    I spent Friday catching up with my best friend.

  23. ooo loving the curry!

    i need to visit a great harvest but the nearest one is across the bay for me!

  24. What an awesome foodie day! I would LOVE to visit a TJs! I don’t know if I could have resisted cinnamon sugar sweet potatoes though! Those are my weaknesses.

  25. Oh man, free samples! I’m there! You and the broc are way too cute! I hope you’ve been having a wonderful weekend :)

  26. I love ridiculously long grocery trips :) Looks like you hit all the good spots. I love the broccoli wall pic!

  27. that vegetarian jambalaya looks absolutely delish! do you have approximate measures of the ingredients you used that i could maybe have to try it? it looks SO good i just can’t wait!

  28. Smoothie in a bowl sounds like a dream come true. I really really need to try that soon. *drool* I love that you topped it off with almonds…makes it look more soup-like. hehehe

    Have a fabulous Sunday girl! And stop by if you’d like to win some flax crackers!

  29. Sounds like the perfect Friday evening to me. If only we had Trader Joe’s up north, I could have a similar evening :)

    The chocolate syrup on top of that smoothie looks pretty fantastic.

  30. [...] (which happened to center around favorite activity: grocery shopping!), Allie and I set out on another culinary adventure. First, we hit up Whole Foods for some free samples (gingersnaps!), then decided [...]

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