Royally Yours to Knit & Keep Till Death Should You Part!

Here comes the bride!

With all the talk of the royal wedding uniting Catherine Middleton & Prince William today it was only appropriate to talk about Fiona Gobel's book Knit Your Own Royal Wedding. Now you too can partake in all the holy matrimony with your own Prince William and Harry, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles & Camilla.

Hott Dogg Anthem!

The Health-Food Diner by Maya Angelou

No sprouted wheat and soya shoots

And Brussels in a cake,

Carrot straw and spinach raw,

(Today, I need a steak).

Not thick brown rice and rice pilaw

Or mushrooms creamed on toast,

Turnips mashed and parsnips hashed,

(I'm dreaming of a roast).

Health-food folks around the world

Are thinned by anxious zeal,

They look for help in seafood kelp

(I count on breaded veal).

No smoking signs, raw mustard greens,

Zucchini by the ton,

Uncooked kale and bodies frail

Are sure to make me run

to

Loins of pork and chicken thighs

And standing rib, so prime,

Pork chops brown and fresh ground round

(I crave them all the time).

Irish stews and boiled corned beef

and hot dogs by the scores,

or any place that saves a space

For smoking carnivores.

You are the Company You Coup!

Right after Easter and the beginning of Spring is a great time to think about taking on a new project. Although I currently rent, I would love to have some land to start a chicken coup. Chickens are cute and eggs just so happen to be one of my favorite foods!

This egg-shaped sculptural coup by nogg is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is also ecological, easy to clean, easy to access and portable!

Getting Into the Spirit: Dying Eggs

Who doesn't love dying eggs? You write you name in white, crayon, dip into the dye, pull it out and wah-lah! Just like magic, a secret is reveled with the dying of an Easter egg! If you're looking for something a little different this year that the store-bought PAAS dying kits,

check out these great ideas from Momtastic and Aesthetic Outburst!

Eggs dyed with natural dyes from vegetables at Momtastic!

Folk-Inspired Eggs designed by Aesthetic Outburst!

Weekly Want: Planter Necklace

This Friday marks Earth Day.

It's also Good Friday.

So why not start of spring with a festive necklace by Etsy artist, Colleen Jordan from Atlanta Georgia!

These reasonably priced, eco-friendly necklaces are not only one of the most adorable things I have ever seen, but they're a good way to get into the spirit of spring and help the planet out!

Vegetarian Sriracha Chili

What You'll Need:
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1 can of black beans
-1 can of kidney beans
-any other beans that you love!
-package of vegetarian imitation beef crumbles
-1 chili pepper
-red/green pepper
-1 small onion
-1 packet of taco seasoning
-1 tbsp of olive oil
-2 tbsp of Sriracha (if you do not want your chili to be as spicy, then limit to 1/2 or 1 tbsp.)
*green onions or chives & grated pepper jack cheese to top
What You'll Do:
-In a large frying pan on medium heat cook the chopped onion and peppers (about 5 minutes until soft)
-Add diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans & and others you've decided on and mix
-Add package of vegetarian imitation beef, taco seasoning and Sriracha
-Mix and set pan to simmer
*It is a good idea to add the vegetarian imitation beef crumbles last because unlike regular meat, it is already cooked and just needs to be heated up!
- Let chili simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until thoroughly mixed, cooked & lookin' good!
- Grab a Bowl, top with some freshly cut green onions or chives, some grated pepper jack cheese and wa-lah!

Indian Delight is Right!

When you're craving Indian, you just gotta get at it! And while the last post gave you a taste of the South, here's some delicious heart-of-it-all Mumbai cuisine for those of you who wear your heart on your tummy! I went out to Indian Delight for lunch. It's located in one of my favorite areas for up and coming eateries, Battery Park/Detroit Shoreway. I was looking for somewhere to take a work colleague who is from Mumbai out to lunch and happened upon their website. Their menu featured my favorite Mumbai street specialty (and really all around favorite Indian food)- Pani Puri. Please get to know that name and look for it wherever Indian food is served because once you've tasted what Indians call "street food" your belly will be aching with desire from this magnificent delicatessen. When we got in, the place was slow for lunch, but the owner said that business was slowly picking up. Aside from the lack of patrons, the place was bustling with tantalizing aromas, so I grabbed a plate and headed straight for the buffet! I'm not much of a buffet girl since I'm trying to watch my figure (ha!), but the food looked irresistible. Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Masala, Curries of all Kind along with Basmati rice, fresh out-of-the-oven Naan you name it! It was a feast! My colleague said the food was even better than some places in Mumbai- a true compliment to the chef! Service was good and the clean atmosphere and authentic music made the experience of gorging oneself a little more attractive. I will definitely be back for the lunch buffet, which is served 7 days a week from 11:30-3pm and would like to go for dinner to get a different feel for the restaurant other than "most amazing food coma ever". I highly recommend this restaurant and hope you all get the opportunity to try it! This inexpensive, quaint restaurant boosts a well versed menu for meat lovers and vegetarians alike and it is Halal friendly! A must-eat little Indian Gem right in the Heart of Cleveland!

Indian Buffet featuring Lamb, Chicken Masala & Chicken & Vegetable Curries

Tandoori Chicken & Chicken with Basmati Rice

Naan, Fried Vegetables, Roti Bread

Sauces

Last, but certainly not least, Pani Puri

5507 Detroit Avenue

Cleveland, Ohio 44102

216.651.4007

Udupi South Indian Cuisine

It's not often that I have the opportunity to make it out to the Parma area, perhaps some of you are thinking "why would you?", but with as much criticism that comes with Parma, one also has to account for the great local flavor it has to offer. I love Indian cuisine! So you can imagine my excitement when I came across Udupi Cafe tucked in a small strip mall along the likes of a Goodwill and Indian Grocery Store. When I initially pulled in I was craving Tandoori Chicken, but to my surprise Udupi only offers vegetarian dishes. Tandoori, although found throughout India, is traditionally more or a Northwestern dish, Udupi offers Southern traditional flavors. I must say that if you do decide to treat yourself to Udupi, you need to keep in mind that the place is nothing marvel. The exterior along with the interior is pretty much lackluster aside from the banquet seating and Ganesh shrine at the entrance. But if you came to eat, then keep your opinions to that! I suggest ordering an appetizer to start. You can get an appetizer combo plate, which will allow you to get a feel for the different kinds of street-like food. Might I suggest Medhu Vada, which are like spicy Indian donuts- delish! For the main course I got Uthappam and Masala Dosai. As you can see, they're huge portions- spicy and delectable! The Uthappam is comparable to a blown up potato pancake with vegetables inside. The Masala Dosai has a crunchy outside that is folded over and contains potatoes (like this one) or whatever the description says- lentils, veggies, etc. Both come with a yogurt like sauce and a spicy broth for dipping. The overall experience is good. You won't pay more than $10 for a meal, the appetizers and cheap, and if you know a vegetarian it is a real treat to take them somewhere they will have no problem finding something on the menu they will like. Like I said, the appearance is a little drab, so I don't suggest it for a first date or if you're trying to impress someone, but if you're in the mood for some good Indian cuisine, great service and perhaps a Bollywood music channel playing on one of the t.v.'s then this if your ultimate low-key stop to great South Indian cuisine.

Uthappam (above)

Masala Dosai (below)

hungry

Photo via lacysue

Smart Buy: How to Build a Fire

So it's kinda a weekly want and it's kinda something that I thought was nifty and wanted to share!

I love The Dangerous Book for Boys & The Daring Book for Girls, but when I came across this neat book I knew I wanted it!

I feel in today's world most of us have no idea how to do simple things like build a fire, tie a bow line knot, hang drywall, etc. We have people to do these things for us, so why learn, right? But these things that should be so obviously known have now become a lost art- a lost art that I would like to have the skills and know-how if I so desire to provide for myself!

How to Build a Fire and Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew is not only a smart buy at about $10 but will give you the smarts to take care of everyday business!

Weekly Want: Organic Mortar & Pestle

Sexy, Chic, Practical & Useful

Marble & Oak

I LOVE these. These organic mortar and pestle sets from Designgroup on Etsy are hott! This Tel Aviv Company not only makes these, but adorable toys made from recycled wood and cloth along with recycled vases that are not only helping the planet but also helping you out in the kitchen!

Glass & Oak

#1 Pho Sho!

Number One Pho

3120 Superior Ave E

Cleveland, OH 44114-4343
(216) 781-1176

On these cold fall days we've been having lately, what's better than soup? Pho-tastic noodle soup in delicious beef or chicken broth, filled to the brim of the bowl, steaming hot, accompanied by fresh basil leaves, lime wedges, jalepenos and of course, bean sprouts!!! Ahhh, need I say more?!

Number One Pho, located on Cleveland's east side in its Asian hub, is a Vietnamese restaurant that boasts an amazingly expansive menu with lots to chose from (though mostly meat or fish dishes).

Images via Google Image search

My first dining experience was with a pho-aficionado, so naturally I let her chose a few things off the menu she thought I would be interested in. I narrowed it down to the Chicken Pho in Beef Broth, which was unbelievably divine! She had a beef-stew inspired Pho dish which I believed to be a little more heavy, but just as good. I do have to admit that when I initially glanced at the menu I had no idea what to order. I am not really knowledgeable on Vietnamese cuisine, but even if I had gone alone, the staff is extraordinarily friendly and will help narrow down your options based on what you like! The service was great- fast, attentive and polite, the atmosphere- relaxing, good ambiance, and the prices were unbeatable- I got two meals out of my $10 tab, tip included!

Definitely a goer for a first date, a lunch with mom or a great way to warm up on a cold day!

Pho-netics: {pho bo= beef} {pho ga= chicken}

Gotcha! April Fool's Day!

Sooo I happened upon these darling joke eggs at little food junction and they are an egg-celent early spring gag!

They look like soft boiled eggs, but wait! They're not!!!

They're custard filled sweet treats!

Check out the recipe here!