Girl Vs. Food

Day 13: Beer Chicken Torta & Sweet Jalapeno Fries

Although Corona, CA is not known as a foodie town, there are still foodie gems to be discovered. That’s why my friends and I have started this tradition called “Tour of Corona” on the Fridays we have off from work. Basically, we hop on Yelp and pick places that are highly rated in the area. Today we found Luna Modern Mexican Kitchen. The interior design of this restaurant is elegant, yet inviting. I would describe the food as inexpensive gourmet. The torta was on point. I could have done without the bun and eaten a bucket of the beer chicken drenched in mole. The sweet jalapeno fries made for a great pairing, providing the perfect amount of sweet to counteract the spiciness of the mole. I would give this place a 4.5 star Yelp rating. I recommend you check this place out too!

Day 12: Sugar & Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Today was a really, really, REALLY tough day at work. After spending 9 hours staring and working on the same project, at the end of the day I was able to complete it. But instead of feeling enlightened by the fact that I accomplished such a tough task, I felt physically and mentally exhausted. What’s worse is that I still had an hour commute home. But sometimes, on the worst days, food can be the perfect pick me up. Thanks to my friend, Cindy, the day ended pretty sweet. Before dropping me off at the train station, she handed me these – a bag of Mission tortilla chips, sweet sugar and cinnamon flavor. A smile from a friend and a bag of sweet chips is all it took to make me forget about this truly exhausting work day.

Day 11: Quinoa & Whole Grain Brown Rice

About a year ago, when I was trying to better my eating habits, I actually debated turning vegetarian. After one week of no meat, I realized the lifestyle wasn’t for me. However, I did discover many vegetarian eats that I enjoyed. One of which was quinoa. Quinoa is an amazing substitute for meat, as it packs just as much protein as meat and the textures are pretty similar. I found this easy to make package of quinoa and whole grain brown rice at Costco. All you have to do is pop this puppy into the microwave for 90 seconds, wait a few seconds for it to cool, then serve. Not only is it easy to prepare, but the quinoa and whole grain brown rice packs a lot of garlic flavor and guess what? It’s good for you!

Day 10: Sweet Potato Chips

After a stressful day at work, I found myself lounging around at home, checking out TWiT’s live stream of the world’s largest consumer technology trade show, CES. What better way to enhance this experience than with Terra’s Sweet Potato Chips. Terra chips are made with 100% natural ingredients and boast that for every ounce you eat, you get a full serving of vegetables. So whoever said that snacking couldn’t be healthy? I recommend picking up a bag to enjoy while lounging. Not only are Terra Sweet Potato Chips crispy, but they provide the perfect balance between sweet and salty. Best of all, you can munch, minus the guilt.

Day 9: Monday Morning Breakfast

Every Monday morning, someone at the office volunteers to bring in breakfast for the group. Some time between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., our little department will gather in the conference room to share the breakfast and chat about how eventful or uneventful our weekends were. The routine seems like something out of Office Space, but I tend to enjoy them. It’s a great way to ease into the work week. Today was my day to bring in breakfast and as you can see, I tried to plate my offering artistically. Just this past year, I discovered the deliciousness of quiche; so that is what I served, along with a variety of muffins for those that were in the mood for something sweet over savory. Gotta love Mondays!

Day 8: Panko Breaded Tilapia

I have to admit that I do most of my grocery shopping at Costco, which may amaze some of you since I am only shopping for a family of two. But in the past year or so, Costco has really stepped up their game. So what if they sell 5 pounds of butter or 50 cans of Vienna sausages?! Costco has some very high quality products and a few gems that you would probably pass over if it wasn’t for word of mouth. I would like to recommend that my readers pick up a package of the Panko breaded tilapia. It will cost you about $11 for 5 healthy sized pieces. It takes about 4 minutes to lightly fry each fillet, for a total preparation time of under 30 minutes. The fish is flaky, stays juicy, and when fried correctly presents a marvelous tasting crust. It’s best served with rice pilaf and some greens. Bon appétit!

Day 7: Stacked Burger

With all the advances we have made in technology, it’s by no surprise that these advancements have trickled into the restaurant industry as well. This past Saturday, I was treated to an amazing experience while visiting my friend Cynthia in San Diego. She took me to a place called Stacked. The concept is in the name, where restaurant goers can create or “stack” their own burgers, pizzas, and even ice cream sandwiches. All orders and transactions are made on an iPad. The only time you interact with the staff is to be seated, grab a drink from the bar, or get your food brought out to you. The concept and experience was mind blowing. I truly believe we will be seeing a lot more of these technology driven restaurants this year. I can’t wait to see what innovations are in store for us in the foodiverse.

Day 6: Orange Julius

As a child, I remember going to the mall with my parents and insisting that we pick up Orange Julius for dessert. This drink is a classic. Fortunate for me, after most of the locations have closed down over the years, an Orange Julius still exists walking distance from my work. Made from a delightfully charming mix of orange juice, sweetener AND magic awesome powder, this drink is the perfect refreshment following a hard day’s work. Make sure to get out and enjoy the classics, while they’re still around. Cheers!

Day 5: Double Chocolate Ganache Cake

It’s tough to say goodbye to people who have impacted your life. Today I had to wish three of them farewell and good luck. One was moving across country, the other heading north, and the third transitioning to a new job and stage in her life. Goodbyes are hard. Sometimes cake can provide the comfort we need to overcome emotional moments like this. The double chocolate ganache cake we ate today, in celebration of my good friend Michelle’s accomplishments, was rich, luxurious, and decadent. It was the perfect send off for a very well deserving person. We wish you the best, Michelle!

Day 4: Tangerines

Last month, following a week of what Southern Californians would call “heavy rainfall,” I was in my backyard playing fetch with the dogs when a hint of orange caught my eye. In the corner of my backyard, I found a tree that was once bare sprouting what looked to be mini oranges. At the time, I was unsure of the type of fruit since the tag on the tree had washed off and I am by no means a fruit expert. I decided to cut a few off the branches and taste them. To my surprise, they were the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Since the discovery, I have been inspired to plant more things.  I think it is so cool to be able to brag about how these mini oranges, or what my friend Mike kindly pointed out today are tangerines, were grown in my own backyard.