Author Archives: Alexa

WFDD 1

I feel as though you may all be getting the sense that Jenny is WAY more put-together than I am. I don’t always have the time to put delicious meals together (well, not AS delicious as Jen’s…but not bad!) and when I do I feel as if they just aren’t as grandiose or full of fresh farm ingredients. Not to say I don’t like eating healthy! I am also still living with my parents – so that sometimes makes the refrigerator situation a bit hectic. What I do know is that I enjoy cooking, but right now it’s just on a lower scale. As I was making my dinner (or “Din-Din” as the title would suggest) tonight I noticed that 99% of it came from Trader Joe’s, which just happens to be my favorite grocery store! They have great frozen food options, low prices, and I’m not worried about where the food is coming from. Their meats have a guarantee that they were free range and cruelty free throughout their lives (even though I am not buying meat anymore it is definitely something that I took note of) and they have a ton of vegan and vegetarian options around the store. I figured now would be as good a time as ever to start reviewing some of the food/products that I purchase from TJ’s all the time and spread the word of the great grocery deity.

Dinner: Trader Joe’s Tofu Nuggets with a Spring Mix salad (including mushrooms, english cucumber, shredded carrots and yellow papper).

Sauces: Trader Joe’s Chipotle Mango Ginger sauce, Trader Joe’s Balsamic Vinaigrette, Sriracha

Living the childhood dream of eating nothing but nuggets.

Living the childhood dream of eating nothing but nuggets.

The Nuggets: I picked these up on a whim one day as I was going through the frozen food section. I figured it was worth a shot and it looked as if they were easy to prepare and would be good to bring to work. Turns out – they’re pretty delicious! Even Mr. Ian likes them! I put them into my toaster oven for about 10 minutes and they get a nice crispy outer layer but are still soft on the inside, which includes tofu, carrots and edamame. These tofu nuggets are also great because they are really reasonably priced, I think the bag only cost me $3 or $4? I checked the bag for ingredients and noticed that it was certified vegetarian, not vegan though. As much as I wanted this to be a super simple vegan meal for MOFO … I failed. I tried guys I promise!

You may not believe it... but there is DEFINITELY some lettuce under there!

You may not believe it… but there is DEFINITELY some lettuce under there!

The Salad: I want to start this off by saying that I wish I had a CSA near me or was able to go to more farmer’s markets. I love the idea of buying local produce and being able to use it all in my meals…but unfortunately I have to settle for now. When I go to TJ’s I usually end up getting a few different bagged lettuces (I know..it’s never really something I thought I would do!!) and they tend to be pretty solid for what they are. I like to get some darker and leafier greens because of their health value and mix it up with just a little bit of butter lettuce to make it a little crispier. This salad only contains mixed greens though! I also LOVE cucumber – so I accidentally cut up more than I originally planned on…woops!
Note: While I normally don’t buy much produce from Trader Joe’s (I find that it’s just not that great in quality and not very extensive so I go to the supermarket closer to my house for all of that) I will say that their cucumbers, yellow/red/green peppers, mushrooms and carrots are all good and delicious. I have never had any weird problems with them in the past and can feel comfortable that it won’t go bad in a day or so (I haven’t had great luck with their apples…).

Sweet & Spicy...the perfect combo!

Sweet & Spicy…the perfect combo!

The Sauces: I love sriracha. I am surprised that this bottle has lasted me this long. I’m pretty sure that I use it for almost everything, and tonight was no exception! The mango ginger chutney sauce seems to be a fairly new product at Trader Joe’s, they has it EVERYWHERE the first time I picked it up. I love all of those flavors so I figured they would be 1) delicious together and 2) delicious on other things. It’s already a little bit spicy on its own, but I wanted more so I added the sriracha for that extra kick. Turns out it was a good choice! 

dressing

When I was younger I was never really a fan of any other dressing besides ranch…or any other creamy dressing. I think the flavors may have just been slightly too strong for me? Not too sure…but I haven’t had ranch in years because I found out that putting it on a salad is defeating the purpose of a salad! Trader Joe’s (Giotto’s??) balsamic is perfectly tart and savory, and it doesn’t have random floaty bits in it like some other balsamic dressings. Whenever I run out of it I go into panic mode because all of the other salad dressings in the house are mediocre at best.

So I guess it seems that it’s pretty obvious that I enjoy Trader Joe’s…if anyone else who reads loves it too let me know in the comments! If you have a favorite item I might go pick it up and review it here :). Life is too short to not try new things.


apple-ginger-text

Every once in a while I find myself pining for the next season to start up. Since we are currently in Summer, even if it is winding down, I cannot wait for fall to start. The weather is crisp, the colors of everything are yellows, reds and oranges, and the fashion is fun. Not to mention all of the delicious foods that get brought back to the table. 

When it comes to break time during my work day it is usually the time of day when I need a pick-me-up, and that’s when I head over to Booskerdoo to grab a tea or coffee! While it has been warm I am definitely ready to celebrate the beginning of sweater weather and fall flavors, so I mixed the best of both worlds and got this delicious iced Apple Ginger Tea. 

This tea smells almost exactly like an apple pie! It brought on a huge wave of nostalgia for cooler weather and more apple/cinnamon flavored drinks. It also tastes just like an apple pie, only slightly more bitter without all the added sugar. I am sure if you try this tea with milk and sugar in it the taste would change slightly, but not in a bad way. Having it iced was great because it was the sweetness of the apple almost made it taste like a desert while still being cold. 

I also adored the color of this tea. The picture might not do it justice because the cup was beginning to get all fogged up from the heat and cold all at once. It was the perfect orangey red that just screams “FALL” (the season, not the action)! 

I am definitely excited to drink this when the weather cools down more, I might even do another review or at least post more pictures while talking about it. That’s how much I enjoyed it! Thanks again Booskerdoo!

Drink me! I'm delicious!

Drink me! I’m delicious!


smackdown I had the pleasure of going to another live wrestling event a few weeks ago and it was just as amazing as the first few times I’ve been. I know I’ve said this before guys…but…man oh man do I love wrestling.  We saw on TV that WWE was advertising a taping of their Friday night show “SmackDown” in Newark NJ, and since it’s so easy to get to we decided that we probably had to go. Sadly – I didn’t get a group selfie this time, I’ll have to make that a tradition from now on.  We hit a bump in the road on our way to the Prudential Center this time, the train heading that way which we had planned on taking was CANCELLED. At first it had been delayed and we figured it wasn’t a huge deal but once the announcement came over the loud speaker we knew it was too late. Mr. Ian and I couldn’t just hop into my truck and go – mostly because we were meeting Billy on the train and we would have to find parking for either us or him until after the show. The next train ended up coming on time, thankfully, we met up with Billy on said train and got to Prudential in one piece. It was then that we also met up with my friend Vinny! I got to know Vinny through working at Old Navy a year or so ago – and it wasn’t until after we both stopped working there that I found out he also loved wrestling. We both happened to be going to the same live event (also at the Prudential Center) and met up briefly during the intermission. I was just super happy that he could make it to SmackDown with us this time!  The trouble with being late to a taping though is that you miss some of the “dark matches” that may or may not happen before the show officially starts. We missed out on a match between two really awesome tag teams – The Ascension, who they seem to be bringing up from the developmental program and show NXT, and Goldust and Stardust. Mr. Ian was pretty bummed, he wore his brand new Ascension shirt and everything! I felt so bad but let’s be real, we were all just happy that the second train wasn’t cancelled too. 

Left: Goldust & Stardust Right: The Ascension

Left: Goldust & Stardust Right: The Ascension

 If I could just gush about the two men in black and yellow (urm…gold) for a moment. They are definitely two of my favorite wrestlers on the current roster – Cody Rhodes (Stardust) is a chameleon when it comes to wrestling in the ring. He’s had several different gimmicks within the last few years, and his newest one does not disappoint. He changed his move set slightly to mirror that of his (real life!) brother’s, Goldust (aka Dustin Rhodes). I don’t want to rant on and on…but I love them SO much. They are both very talented and I love watching them work!
Highlights of the Night!

Damien “Bruce Springsteen” Sandow

damien-springsteen

Damien Sandow’s regular gimmick has been known as the “Intellectual Savior of the Masses”, he would come out in a blue robe and hold the microphone as if it were a snifter while telling everyone in the audience about how much smarter he was. It was a great character! He has currently been coming out as different people to try and confuse his opponent…part of me thinks it can be clever and funny, while the other part is just frustrated that they seem to be dropping his original persona. I don’t want Damien Sandow to turn into one of the wrestlers who just wears black trunks and gear and has almost no personality. I will admit though, this was hilarious! It was the week before 4th of July (…I told you this was a little while ago!) and WWE was in New Jersey – what better way to get a reaction out of the crowd than to have Damien come out as The Boss?

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Head On! and mug

I visited Asbury Fresh again recently, and while I was there I got to take more time walking around the tents and noticed a lovely place named “Smiling Earth Elixirs” and the owner of the company, Stefanie was manning the table. 

 Stefanie had a bunch of home brews lining the table in little cardboard packaging, everything looked so nice that I couldn’t help but inquire! She had a bunch of different teas to try, and of course I chose the blueberry one. Blueberry has been very ‘in’ in many ways for the last few years and it hadn’t really hit me until I was of drinking age (but when was that? The mystery of my age continues…) when I had a blueberry beer in the Summer time. 

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Kiba Header

 

I recently had the pleasure of watching over my friends adorable little dog, Kiba. He is simply one of the sweetest little dogs I have ever met. I have known Kiba since he was just a pup, and I consider myself lucky for being able to say so! 

Morgan brought him home when we were in high school, just around the same time that I got my cat Miso. He was the cutest little nugget I ever did see! He is a white Shiba-Inu and he loves chicken. “Chicken” could mean any sort of treat though so be sure that you are giving him something extra delicious when using that word!

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As you all know – I have been trying to shape my diet to have more veggies and fruits to replace meat. One of the harder things that I have run into while changing my eating around is my snacking. 

Now, I didn’t snack on meats but I do have smaller meals or meals that will leave me slightly less full. I keep drinking water but sometimes you just need to nosh. I mentioned in my post about Asbury Fresh that I had met Shelly at her booth titled “She’s Got Balls”. I saw her again this past weekend and we got to chatting a bit! She is super nice and had even more to offer this time around, so I picked up the *Coco Mint Treat. 

A picture with the ingredients listed on the back - just for everyone who is curious.

A picture with the ingredients listed on the back – just for everyone who is curious.

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Jenny happened to do one of these posts a little while back – so I thought I would do the same! Seeing as I am a Cartoonist, my list will definitely be more on the Comics end of things, which is great! I am excited to share all of these new stories and artists with you all. 

These will be in no particular order as far as which I liked most or least, it’s just a list of some of the things that have been standing out to me when I read them.

1. “Saga” by Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

Saga cover

Unfortunately I couldn’t take a physical photo of my copy of “Saga”…it is packed away in a box right now. And volume 2 is waiting to be read!

I had been told many times to pick up this series – and holy cow. Everyone who was recommending it to me was 100% correct. I love it. After the first three pages I was completely enthralled. The art is beautiful and the writing is solid. I am new to Fiona Staples’ artwork, but it is breathtaking! I have been a fan of Vaughn’s writing for a little while, so it’s no surprise to me that I am enjoying this story.

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 Dress: Jack by BB Dakota via Modcloth | Necklace: TBD | Shoes: Payless

New outfit post! 

I originally bought this dress from Modcloth in a size too big and was SO disappointed! It was definitely a bummer because I had seen it on their website and found it adorable and perfect for the summer time. When I finally received it all previous problems had vanished. 

This is my first Jack by BB Dakota dress, but I have noticed from their other dresses on Modcloth that I probably just really like the brand itself. A lot of black and white dress styles, which fit perfectly with pretty much everything I wear. This dress is perfect for Spring and Summer, it is very light-weight and has great little details added onto it. The only complaint I have about this dress is the slip underneath. I feel as though the center is never truly “centered” when I have it on unless I adjust it several times throughout the day, and whenever I do go to adjust it it shifts awkwardly. I’ll pull on the left side and I feel the right side move. Weird! 

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asbury-fresh

This weekend I had the pleasure of going to Asbury Fresh, the farmer’s market located in Asbury Park, NJ. There are so many vendors who offer various things ranging from hand made or vintage clothing to different baked goods! My main reason for going today was definitely to support my good friends over at … 

That Sounds Delicious

whoopie-pie-cards

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Rose Petal Green Tea

Hurray for Tea! Hurray for Tuesday! At least it’s  not Monday, right?

I am still (always will be) on my Green Tea kick, and now that it’s hot outside it is the PERFECT time to enjoy Green Tea over ice! I have only ever gotten tea from Booskerdoo once before and it was quite delicious. If memory serves, it was called “French Lavendar” and was unlike any sort of tea that I have ever tasted. So I figured it was worth a shot to try one of their green tea options. 

The Rose Petal has a very floral and earthy scent and flavor – go figure! But it isn’t heavy like some other floral teas that I’ve tried. Sometimes that kind of flavor can make or break a tea for me. I am sure this would taste great on a winter or fall day as a warm tea as well but it was extremely refreshing on my walk during my break. I love the fact that I can also still taste the “green” in the tea. I thought the rose petal portion might be too over-powering, but fortunately all the flavors combine to make one delicious summer drink.