Food + Wellness

Birthday Dinner at Back Bay Social on Boylston Street

by 4 Comments

Birthday cake with a candle.

This post has been a long time coming. Especially since my birthday was in September. But I wanted to make sure that I blogged this dinner and restaurant.

Two friends and one of my cousins met me after work for dinner at Back Bay Social in Boston. We had a really nice time and loved the food. A million times I passed this place and assumed it was a private club, so I ignored it.

For some reason, in my head, I added the word “club” to the end of the name. Or maybe it was there before? I have no idea. I’ve spoken to others who thought the same though, so it’s not just me.

When I was planning our dinner and I looking for places near the Prudential Center, I started looking more closely. After researching, I found that Back Bay Social is a regular restaurant and not a club. Plus, they are famous for their chicken and waffles! Who knew?

In all my years on this earth, I had never had chicken and waffles and was starting to feel it was a deficit that needed to be remedied.

My birthday dinner of chicken and waffles.

Ta da! I tried it!

Chicken and waffles do go together. The first time I heard about it, decades ago, it seemed a bit odd, but I was intrigued. This combination has lasted and only seems to become more popular with time.

I was also treated to slice of birthday cake — their orange blossom cake. Yum!

The restaurant has outdoor seating during the warm weather months and we were seated outside. It was one of those warm end of the summer nights. Celebrating with some of my favorite people. It was a really good birthday.

Self-care With Virtual Therapy Dogs On Instagram

by

Self-care with virtual therapy dogs on Instagram.

How are you doing? I mean really.

I’ve been feeling stressed. Yoga and meditation help, but sometimes they’re not enough.

Between the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the wildfires in California, Trump’s constant online and offline bullying, ignorance and cruelty, and the recent news of Harvey Weinstein’s decades long brutality towards women, it gets to be too much.

There have been several posts that I planned to do over the past few weeks, but didn’t have the time and emotional energy to do them. But I do have a tried and true method of self-care.

In health care, self-care is any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control, deliberate and self-initiated.

I don’t have a pet, but find myself drawn towards cute little dogs.

Emotional support animals are used by people who have a diagnosed medical disability. Therapy dogs aren’t usually service animals, but are often brought to people in stressful situations for comfort.

There are three dogs on Instagram that I go to for comfort when I find myself feeling overwrought. If you follow me on twitter, you can probably guess the timing!

Just looking at these cute little dogs calms me down. Anyway, my personal virtual therapy dogs are: Norbert, Bibi Shasha and Popeye the Foodie. You’re welcome!

What are you doing for self-care?

+ + +
Image: Collage made from Instagram pictures.

Lunch at VERTS Mediterranean Grill in Copley Square

by 2 Comments

Lunch to go from VERTS Mediterranean Grill.

This was my lunch today! I had a chicken quinoa bowl from VERTS Mediterranean Grill. It was quite good and I have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow too.

I took my food to go and brought it back to my office, but took the picture while I was still in the restaurant. While I didn’t eat inside, the space is open and airy, plus there is outdoor seating as well.

VERTS is similar to other places like b.good, where you get a bowl and decide what you want in it. They have a menu that you can choose from or you can build your own bowl.

I love this concept, because it’s a really healthy way to eat. You get a lot of vegetables, protein and a healthy carb.

The only off thing was the utensils. They only have forks — no knives or spoons. A bit odd, but maybe it’s an oversight that they’re working on correcting.

Outdoor seating for lunch outside at VERTS.

VERTS has greatly expanded in Boston over the past year and they now have three locations — this one on Boylston Street, one on Summer Street and one on Washington Street too. If there is one close to you, definitely check them out!

As I wrote about VERTS before, they are based out of Texas, with several locations in Austin, Dallas and a Houston location as well.

With all the devastating news we’re hearing about Hurricane Harvey, my heart goes out to everyone impacted. The stories are unimaginable. I hope that everyone in all their Texas locations are safe and weathering the storm.

*Updated 7/30/2020* It appears that VERTS may have closed and is possibly under new management.

+ + +
Disclosure: Food was compliments of VERTS. Thank you!

News Antidote ~ A Hike In The Woods

by
Antidote to the news, a hike in the woods.
Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts.

The news over the past few days has battered me. Heck. Who am I kidding? The news over the past few weeks and months. It just seems to get worse and worse. Compounding and expanding all previous worseness.

Between the hurricane in Texas and our ruthlessly cruel administration in Washington, it’s just too much.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent time with extended family and friends that has really lifted me up. But also I’m an introvert, so even though I love being with my family and friends, I need to retreat a bit after that, so I don’t get too overwhelmed.

There are some posts that I really wanted to write. But I just don’t have it in me to write them at this point. I don’t want to angry rant and I don’t want to write things that feel frivolous right now.

This post is middle ground, because I wanted to check in here for a bit. This blog acts a diary of sorts, so in the future I can look back and get and idea of what I was doing and how I was feeling about things. After eleven years of blogging, there are a lot of memories here.

Yesterday, I went for a hike in the woods. A friend and I usually do our annual hike in the fall, but last year, she wasn’t feeling well so we didn’t go.

My friend and I met and were deciding on our route, when someone called my name. It was a woman that I had met at a dinner party a year or so ago. She had planned to hike in the morning, but her friend wasn’t able to make it, so she decided to go later. I guess we were all meant to hike together, because the timing could not have been planned better. We had a wonderful time.

Instead of walking around the pond several times, we took a path was a bit more rocky, twisty, uphill and downhill, plus deeper in the woods. It was challenging, but we felt great after and appreciated the serendipity.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and take some time to take care of yourself. Get away from the news and out into the beauty that still exists in the world.

Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage vs MorningStar Farms Sausage Patties

by

Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage

My go to product for veggie sausage, veggie burgers and other veggie based foods is usually MorningStar Farms. I’ve tried so many different veggie products and always come back to them.

But I like mixing things up a bit sometimes and trying new products. I noticed Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage on sale this past week and decided to buy it. This morning I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised.

It’s a teeny bit more work making Gimme Lean sausages than MorningStar. It comes in a package where you scoop out the mixture, form patties, then cook it on the top of the stove. The cooking time was pretty quick though – about five minutes. The flavor and texture are quite good.

I imagine that I could cook it up without forming patties and using the sausage in a stir fry, sauce, frittata, quiche and more.

During the week, it’s much easier and faster to use MorningStar Farms sausages, because I microwave them for a minute and they’re done. But for other times, I can see using Gimme Lean. The company that makes them is Lightlife Foods and they have a wide array of foods, from pasta, to bowls and other snacks.

Have you tried any of their foods?

+ + +
Photo Credit: Lightlife Foods