Get Chocomized

If you follow me anywhere else on the Internet (hello and thanks!) you've probably seen me yammering on this week about a chocolate contest.  Unlike running for office, a chocolate contest comes with zero responsibility and maximum enjoyability.  And, thanks to your help, I'm a winner!

This particular contest was run by the fine folks over at Chocomize, a website that lets you build a chocolate bar to suit your every taste whim.  You start by choosing either dark, milk, or white chocolate as your base and then add up to five additional ingredients.  Like candy in your candy?  Cram it full of gummi bears, nerds, or even jelly beans.  Fancy yourself a gourmand?  Sprinkle your chocolate with lavender or sea salt.  There are over 100 filler options, including the more traditional nuts and fruits.

If you can't decide what to include they have a Favorites page with pre-built bars ready to shove in your face.  Part of my prize is a featured spot on this page for my chocolate creation "Fresh Face Forward."

This is a dark chocolate bar with blueberries, gogi berries, organic flax seeds, roasted sunflower seeds, and cantaloupe pieces.  I assembled these ingredients (and the name) because they are all packed with the antioxidants and Vitamins A & E necessary to give your skin a healthy glow.  They are also all packed with deliciousness.  I'll be receiving a free bar for the win, and if you happen to be around on the day it arrives I'll be happy to share.  I don't anticipate it surviving long once in my hands though, so if you're keen on trying it I suggest you order one for yourself.  At $6.95 I think it's a pretty affordable indulgence.

If you prefer your candy involves more sugar, I still would recommend you give the site a try and design your own bar.  The company is run by a few college friends who made the most of this crappy economy by being inventive and industrious.  Still jobless after graduating from grad school last summer (come on ad industry, give me a call), I really identify with their plight and admire their determination.

In fact, Chocomize guys, if you're reading this and are looking to hire a writer/advertiser/chocolate fan/hilarious lady you should drop me a line.  I dig what you do.

The Diet Diaries: #1

While I've never been a fan of the word "diet," I think I've spent a good deal of my life attempting one or another.  Part of it is genetics, part food love, part sheer laziness.  In the past I've done a reasonable job of getting the process of getting fit going well, but somehow I always end up off track and right back where I started.  I've said it before, but it can't hurt to say again that I'm determined to see it through to the finish this time.  I'm not going to turn this blog into a whiny fitness journal where I lament my cravings for fried chicken, but along the way I want to share a few insights and experiences.  Today, it's Lean Cuisine.

In the past, I've found their food to be a bit bland, found their portions small, and found myself hungry again an hour later.  However, after being bombarded with all of their ads about new recipes and "spa menus" and satisfaction, I thought I would give it another try.  Today's attempt was the tortilla crusted fish, served with rice, poblano peppers, and corn in a sour cream sauce.  After plating my entree (I make it a point to never eat directly from the microwave tray, and apparently the people at Stouffer's agree), I was pleasantly surprised to find that my meal fairly closely resembled the photo on the box.

The fish was not as crunchy as I would have hoped, and had a slightly mealy texture from the composition of the breading.  However, it was crispy along the edges, so I suspect that my confusion over the heating instruction may be to blame for that.  There was only one film sheet on the top of the tray, so I'm not exactly sure how you're supposed to completely remove the film from the fish only.  In any case, aside from the texture it was actually quite a tasty lunch.  The fish was flavorful, the rice still had some bite to it (meaning it wasn't mushy), and the peppers and corn were crisp and surprisingly fresh.

I ate it with a spinach salad topped with cucumber, feta, chickpeas and a homemade dressing.  If you still buy your dressing from the store, you're really missing out.  It's so simple and delicious and fresh (yes, I use that word a lot) to make dressing at home and you should definitely give it a try.  Today, I had a lovely mustard dressing, made by whisking together the following:

1 Tb grainy mustard
2 Tb white wine vinegar
1 Tb honey
5 Tb extra virgin olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
(makes about 6 servings, depending on how much you like to dress your salad)

It's been about two hours since I ate lunch, and so far there are no hunger pangs.  All in all, I would call this a comeback for Lean Cuisine.