Foodipedia ™ - Tea!

Welcome to what I hope will become one of my regular, monthly, themed-posts! I'm calling it "Foodipedia™ " (aptly named after Wikipedia), because I'm planning to provide you with something that goes beyond my typical food pictures and recipes.

However, I'll be the first to admit that these entries certainly won't rise to the level of being encyclopedic. My goal is simply to provide you with some interesting facts and in-depth information about whatever food or beverage I've decided to feature.

The reason that I decided to start something like this that I often find myself wondering about the things that we eat/drink every day. I have questions such as: Are there any little-known tricks for determining whether certain kinds of fruit are ripe? What specific health benefits stem from the foods that we eat? How does one variety of a particular fruit/veggie differ from another? What are the truths behind some of the most commonly held myths about foods/beverages? And more...

There's a Hummus Among Us!

I'll tell you one thing: hummus doesn't survive for very long at our apartment. CH and I are completely and utterly obsessed with it. (We don't even flinch at the nearly 30 minutes it takes drive to our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant just to achieve hummus nirvana!)

And although we often buy big tubs of it from Costco, I also like to make my own whenever the mood strikes. That's why I was so excited to discover all of ED&BV's hummus recipes when I first got my copy several months ago. (FYI: The cookbook's hummus ingredients involve everything from sun-dried tomatoes to roasted red peppers and almonds. Cool.)

Zucchini + Tomato Pizza

Ah, zucchini. It's one of those vegetables that my subconscious constantly tries to convince me that I don't like...

You see, I'm a really big "texture" person when it comes to food. As a result, certain types of veggies freak me out if they're too mushy (ex: zucchini and tomatoes), while overly-ripe fruits (like brown bananas) make me want to run into the corner and cry.

An Obama Breeze

Something weird happened today.

I arrived home early from work this afternoon, and have been walking around in pajamas ever since. (No, that's not the weird part.) My PJ's currently consist of a t-shirt, a long-sleeved flannel shirt, long "sleeping pants," and a pair of socks. And I've been wearing all of these clothes despite the fact that the heat is on, and despite the fact that I've been wrapped up in a blanket for hours.

Notwithstanding all of these warming efforts, I wasn't quite able to shake my chilliness. So, I decided to settle in for a bit of TV watching (AKA homework procrastination) and to make a conscious effort to stop worrying about it. After all, it is like -5 degrees outside!

Thus, it wasn't until CH called that I made a discovery.

Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup

If there's one thing in life that I know for sure, it's that a warm bowl of lentil soup will cheer just about anyone up.

Personally, I've witnessed cold weather, pessimism, and even a general disdain for lentils be overcome by this simple, yet delectable, soup. Honestly, it's pretty amazing what can be done with just under an hour and only a few basic ingredients...

¡Tacos Muy Guapos!

Tacos are, without question, one of my absolute most favorite foods. I especially love how versatile (even if "inauthentic") they can be. And obviously, as a result of their flexibility, almost everyone has his/her own spin on tacos. There's the rice v. no rice rule; the refried beans v. whole beans policy; and even the taco "meat" v. just veggies maxim.