Oh, Hi! True Food Kitchen!

There's a really delicious little brunch and lunch spot at Lenox Square Mall that we haven't been able to visit in about 8 months...but TODAY we brought back our Sunday tradition!

(and it was fabulous)

True Food Kitchen - Buckhead

With a slogan like "Honest Food That Tastes Really Good" and a mission statement that begins with "You don’t have to be a die-hard Yogi to dine at True Food Kitchen. You need only a desire to give your body nutrients, and your palate something memorable...", one might start to worry that you'll be sitting down to an unpalatable menu of raw, bitter greens and flavorless tofu, despite their insistence that this isn't the case....

Although their menu is based on Dr. Andrew Weil's "Anti-Inflammatory" diet, the dishes at True Food Kitchen are not lacking anything when it comes to taste and presentation, while the decor totally supports their healthy living theme.

We do have our favorites on the menu, including what we had today, and I tried out a new yummy beverage that is getting added to the normal rotation for sure!

Our MAINSTAYS:

Edamame Dumplings

Quinoa Johnny Cakes

Shaved Turkey Wrap with Sweet Potato Hash

And my new addition to the faves menu...

Grapefruit Cinnamon Soda

Other items we've tried and really liked include the Street Tacos, Teriyaki Bowl, Chicken Chopped Salad, and the Turkey Burger.

Service is usually pretty killer, and we LOVE that you can see the entire prep and kitchen area while dining!

So happy to be back to our old Sunday True Food routine, and hope you get a chance to try it out too!

DETAILS:

http://www.truefoodkitchen.com/locations/atlanta/

Address: 3393 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone:(404) 481-2980

Oh, Hi! Gluten Free French Toast Pancake Roll-Ups!

Gluten Free French Toast Pancake Roll-Ups With Yogurt!

Growing up, anytime my parents served up pancakes at our house, syrup was never a condiment option.  We splurged on whole grain pancakes with yogurt on the side to dip them in!  I've taken the inspiration from those kid friendly breakfasts and spiced the idea up a bit, bringing in the Gluten Free side and pairing it with a delicious French Toast inspired flavor.  My pancake roll-ups were absolute perfection dipped in Liberte French Vanilla yogurt...but during non-pregnancy life I would be opting for a low fat / greek yogurt option for sure! (And yes...my Orange Juice is being sipped from a stemmed glass....give a girl a break, I can't have mimosas for four more months) Hope you enjoy this super easy, super fast breakfast / brunch!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup GF Flour (Try Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (Clabber Girl is Gluten Free)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup (organic) 1% milk
• 1 egg (organic/grain fed/ free range/ antibiotic free)
• 3 tablespoons melted Smart Balance Omega -3 butter substitute

How to Whip These Bad Boys Up:

1. Mix all dry ingredients (Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Baking Soda, Salt) in a medium sized mixing bowl.
2. Melt butter
3. Mix Butter, Milk, and 1 Egg together in small mixing bowl.
4. Whisk wet ingredients together with dry ingredients. Set aside.
5. Warm medium sized non stick pan on stove on medium / low heat.
6. You know what to do from here....pour your preferred amount of batter into the pan, cook one side until bubbling in middle and lightly cooked around edges.  Flip, wait for batter to be completely cooked and pancake to be a pretty golden brown.
7. Roll each pancake and cut in half if you'd like.
8. SERVE with your choice of yogurt to dip the Roll-Ups in!

Yum!

xo-A

Oh, Hi! Seven Lamps Restaurant Review!

Oh, Hi! Seven Lamps Restaurant Review!

Situated in a cozy little corner at the Shops Around Lenox, Seven Lamps is a warm and inviting gem, perfect for a casual to semi-casual date night, get together with girlfriends, or dinner with a small group.  With  co-owner and Chef Drew Van Leuvan (formerly of Toast, Spice, Saga, Tap, ONE.Midtown Kitchen, among others) at the helm, Seven Lamps is serving up consistently delicious fresh, original, craft food and beverages in a perfectly realized aesthetic that makes the diner want to return again and again...and not just to work your way through the menu.

Friday night we were headed out to grab a bite before going to see a movie.  While our initial intention was to find a steak/seafood/salad type meal (apparently this baby is into really manly, macho style meals right now)...parking and traffic were of course a nightmare in Buckhead at 6:30pm.  We happened to turn into the Shops Around Lenox parking lot, and the husband suggested that we pop over to Seven Lamps since it was literally right in front of us, he enjoyed the food in the past, and hello...there was parking!

So, in we went...and had a fantastic meal that's got me having mad cravings to go back already! Here's the scoop:

We opted to sit inside with the benefit of a little A/C, although they have an adorable little seating area outside and the weather is just about perfect to enjoy it.  (I had also hit the highlighter/bronzer game a little heavy and didn't want to sit in direct sunlight...a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right?)

After perusing the menu and ordering a Blackberry Citrus homemade soda, we decided to order and share the Steamed Lobster Bun, the Cottage Fries, the Scarlett Butter Lettuce salad, and the Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast.

They brought a small plate of pickled green beans and house made creme fraiche to the table to get us started, which was actually quite yummy - the pickling spices were balanced and not too heavy, leaving you with a crisp refreshing bite of green bean, accompanied by the light, cool flavor of the creme fraiche. Yum!

The Steamed Lobster Bun was ABSOLUTELY to DIE FOR.  Generous lobster pieces cooked in a decadent celery aioli, served on a steamed brioche bun (a.k.a. the carb that dreams are made of)...and just the right size.  Honestly, we could have each had one on our own, but we wouldn't have had room for the other dishes that we indulged in.  This has to be hands down the best lobster bun/lobster roll in the city right now.

The COTTAGE FRIES. So - when I asked the waitress to describe the fries, her explanation was that they were hand-cut, fried to order fresh fries.  While I would have explained them as more of a lightly friend and seasoned potato slice dish...this dish was a welcome little surprise.  The fries are served with Duke's mayo to dip in, and while I did mix it up with some ketchup...even just eating the fries sans sauce I was obsessed.  

The Scarlett Butter Lettuce salad was an easy, mixed green style salad accompanied by a light "Green Goddess" dressing that gave the dish just enough flavor without ruining the "I'm being like so so healthy and eating my greens" feeling.  Would definitely order this again, and totally think it would be perfect for lunch (maybe with a side of Cottage Fries??)

The only thing that we ordered that neither of us were in love with was the Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast.  It WAS the juiciest piece of chicked, like, ever...but it was totally lacking in flavor. Maybe we were spoiled by our other tastes of the evening, maybe they had an off night with the cook in charge of the chicken...who knows.  Maybe it just wasn't our thing.  It's not that it was BAD...just didn't leave an impression or make us want to have it again.  

We totally loved the experience from the time we walked in the door, to our fabulously friendly waitress, and of course the FOOD.  We will definitely back (probably sooner than later!) and you should swing by and give it a try too!

DETAILS:

www.sevenlampsatl.com

Address:

SHOPS AROUND LENOX
3400 AROUND LENOX RD.
NO. 217
ATLANTA GA 30326

Phone: 404 467-8950

xoxo-A

Oh, Hi! Dinner At Tiffani's! (and my inspiration to have a little more fun in the kitchen)

Oh, Hi! Dinner At Tiffani's! 

(and my inspiration to have a little more fun in the kitchen)

Before last night, if you mentioned the name "Tiffani Amber Thiessen" to me, I would have conjured up this image immediately:

(oh man....Zack Morris *hearts*)

Also, there may have been a slight blush and eye roll because my husband insists that we look SO MUCH ALIKE (HELLO! COMPLIMENTS!).

I would not, however, have thought at "Ohmygosh-I-Am-So-ADDICTED-To-Her-Cooking-Show!"

That has all changed though.

Last night, during a bout of insomnia thanks to this growing baby bump I'm rocking, and the fact that getting super comfy in bed is slightly more difficult than it used to be, the hubs suggested that I turn the TV on and let it put me to sleep.

Sounded like a great idea.

I even turned the Cooking Channel on thinking it would knock me right out, because who gets sucked in to cooking shows late at night?

Apparently, this girl RIGHT HERE does.

BUT it's because all of a sudden, right in the middle of boring late night TV, Tiffani Thiessen pops onto the screen extolling the values of her "Italian Breadsticks", "Crab Cakes", "Chopped Salad with Roasted Veggies", and ... wait for it.... "Limoncello Sorbet"!!!

Joined by two girlfriends in her kitchen (ONE BEING JULIE BENZ!!!! *fangirl moment*), Tiffani proceeded to whip up an extremely mouthwatering meal, complete with easy to follow instructions as she went, witty chatter with the ladies, and a gorgeous backdrop which appears to be her home, and completed by a perfectly appointed tablescape where the ladies dined on their amazing looking meal.

Tiffani as a host is real, sassy, sweet, and totally relatable!  Her recipes look AMAZING and I ended up staying up to watch another episode (while totally stalking her Cooking Channel page and pinning EVERY SINGLE RECIPE I COULD FIND!)

In an era of Giada's, Contessas, and Rays ... all of which are totally valid and entertaining sources of kitchen inspiration...Tiffani Thiessen is a breath of fresh air for me.

I'm totally re-inspired to get back in the kitchen with a new little pep in my step!  Although I didn't try any of the recipes yet (this will be remedied with a grocery shop this weekend!)...The husband did get to come home to a yummy, healthy meal of BBQ Salmon, Roasted Mini Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Roasted Corn.....and his FAVE....made from SCRATCH, applesauce infused, secret recipe BANANA BREAD for dessert!

Check out the link to her show page and a few of the recipes below!

Are you already a fan of "Dinner At Tiffani's"? Tried any of the recipes? 

Comment Below!

xoxo-A

Dinner At Tiffani's on The Cooking Channel

Italian Breadsticks

Basil Limoncello Sorbet

Chopped Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce

Blueberry-Lemon Scones

*Credit for all Images and Recipes goes to Dinner At Tiffani's*

P.S. Here's a couple of snaps of what happened in our kitchen today:

Oh, Hi! Springtime hair ideas....

This Spring... by alliejaffe featuring gucci handbags

Sandro see through dress
$69 - harrods.com

Summer dress
$7.43 - newchic.com

Charles by Charles David platform sandals
lastcall.com

Flat shoes
gojane.com

Gucci handbag
neimanmarcus.com




So, I was feeling pretty ok with how much my roots were coming in because in my everyday normal lighting it was just looking like my brunette roots mixed in with my balayage color....but then I spent a day outside working the Atlanta Brunch Festival (darn natural sunlight making me question my color!)...and after snapping a few selfies and getting my pic taken by one of the photogs at the event...

...I started feeling like the tone is a little off --- and MAYBE I might be in the mood to mix it up a little but for spring.

So, being the girl I am,  I put together a few pics from Pinterest, threw them on an easy Polyvore board...and will be taking them with me to Jamison Shaw Hairdressers for my appointment this month before VEGAS!

I've been so dead set on getting back to all blonde, but I'm thinking that adding some more brunette back in with balayage might be fun for spring!

Hmmm.....

Oh, Hi! L.O.Y.L. Hunger Drive 2015!

Oh, Hi! L.O.Y.L. Hunger Drive 2015!


We love this time of year....prepping for Passover and all the family time and delicious food that comes with it.  With this in mind, and being so thankful for our friends, family, and circumstances...we can't help but recognize that nothing is guaranteed in this life, and not everyone is even fortunate enough to know where their next meal is coming from.


We believe that charity begins at home, and we can make the greatest impact by starting in our immediate area.  With that in mind, our focus this year is to help support the amazing work of the Atlanta Community Food Bank.


It's a super reflective time, and we want to make sure to do our part to give back ... so we would like to announce the first annual L.O.Y.L. Hunger Drive!


Every purchase of the L.O.Y.L. Hunger Drive Flowy Tank will bring us closer to our $1,000 goal!  We will be donating 50% of all proceeds to the Atlanta Community Food Bank!


Each $1 they receive provides over $9 worth of groceries for someone in need!


Check out some basic info about what the Atlanta Community Food Bank does:

What We Do

Founded in 1979, ACFB procures over 45 million pounds of food and groceries each year and distributes it to more than 600 nonprofit partner agencies serving families and individuals in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties. 

Who We Serve

Food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters, and senior centers are among the agencies that receive product from ACFB. In turn, these partner agencies provide food and other critical resources for low-income Georgians who suffer from hunger and food insecurity.

How it Works

ACFB utilizes more than 1,000 volunteers a month, over 100 staff members, a large fleet of trucks and a 129,000 square-foot facility to procure and distribute food and grocery items received from hundreds of donors. Our donors include manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, brokers, restaurants, food drives, gardens and individuals. The product is easily accessed by our partner agencies. They place their orders online and arrange for pick up or delivery. Once the food arrives at the agency, it is provided to families and individuals in need. See our product flow infographic.

It Starts With Food, but it Doesn’t Stop There.

The mission of the Atlanta Community Food Bank is to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering our community. While our core work is food distribution, our efforts extend far beyond that.  Our mission is lived out every day through seven projects that help engage, educate and empower both people in need and those who want to help. From supporting community gardens to assisting people in finding economic security, ACFB covers a wide range of opportunities for people to learn and get involved. Our seven projects are Atlanta Prosperity Campaign, Atlanta’s Table, Community Gardens, Hunger 101, Hunger Walk/Run, Kids In Need and Product Rescue Center. 


Learn more about ACFB’s seven community projects. 
For more information on the Atlanta Community Food Bank and our projects, contact us at info@acfb.org or 404.892.9822.



Check out the tank below, and order at https://represent.com/l-o-y-l-hunger-drive-tank   Snap a pic in your tank and share with #iDonated #ACFB to help raise awareness!!!

Oh, Hi! Random Recipe Post!

Oh. Hi! - Random Recipe Post!

You may or may not know this...but the fiance and I are TOTALLY addicted to True Food Kitchen at Lenox Square Mall here in Atlanta.  Between the super cool decor and ambiance, comfy booths, waiters in full on scrubs and funky looks that make for GREAT people watching.....we can't get enough.

Like, when I say ADDICTED...we go prrreetttty much every single Sunday for brunch.

Our love affair is so serious that when we sit down our waiter asks if I'm splurging on the Quinoa Johnny cakes that Sunday or not....yes.....  That's right.  We're so far in that the waitstaff is aware of my constant internal struggle between delicious food and trying to stay fit ....

So where am I going with this?

One of our FAVE things to eat there is the Sweet Potato Hash...

It's beyond delicious and has the perfect balance between sweet and salty, and totally satisfying and indulgent tasting without being crazy and awful for you!

Being that I am NEVER home before like 6:30 between the trainer and other wedding prep, (and the fact that the main things I can make are salad, pasta, or pancakes) I pretty much never make dinner.  My sweet, wonderful fiance usually has it waiting for me the second I walk in the door!!!  I mean...come on....how much do we love him for that??

Well, last night, I had an off day where I left work and didn't have anything I HAD to go do, so I decided to surprise him with a copycat True Food Kitchen style dinner.

I whipped up our standard roasted brussel sprouts, which I do make about once a week, some shaved turkey wraps on low-card, chia seed flatbread, and the TRUE FOOD KITCHEN SWEET POTATO HASH....

When I tell you it came out better than at the restaurant...I'm not lying....like he kept talking about it ALL NIGHT!

SO, I want to share this super easy, super yummy recipe with you!  Takes about 45 mins - 60 minutes total, depending on how small you cube the sweet potato pieces.

True Food Kitchen COPYCAT Sweet Potato Hash Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Large Sweet Potatoes
3/4 cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1/4 Large Sweet Onion (or more, depending on taste)
approx 1 tbsp of Minced Garlic in Olive Oil
2 tbsp EVOO (or other oil depending on preference)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Peel sweet potatoes kind of randomly, leaving 1/2 of the skin on.  The skin contains a TON of nutrients and makes them brown up better when sauteing.
2. Chop onion into small cubes as well...I have no patience in the kitchen so just as small as you want.
3. Toss sweet potato, onion, broth, and minced garlic in a mixing bowl.  Let sit about 5 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into large glass baking dish.  Bake 25-35 minutes, until potato is soft but not mushy.
5. Warm pan on stove with about 2 tbsp of olive oil.
6. Remove sweet potato mixture from oven and toss into pan on stove.
7. Saute for about 20-25 minutes, until browned to the level you like.  I recommend letting them get a little crispy on the outside, but careful not to burn them!

And TA-DA!!! EASY EASY pretty healthy side!!

xoxo - A