Martica's Journey

Remember I told you that one of the ’fun’ things of this job are the freebies that customers offer?  Well, let me share one of those  with you today.  If you’re getting married, having a baby, birthday or any other event and are in need of invitations, stop by and visit the ladies at  Stylish Invitation Designs.   They were very kind and gave me these two beautiful cupcakes.   Thank you Chantal and Aledia.

 

 

I bit into one and the creamy filling just completed me!!!  Yummo!

 

I washed this baby down with my new favorite smoothie…..mango lemonade!

 

 

Add a cup of limeaid/lemonade and a mango or two to the blender and blend away!!  I’ve been adding spinach to the mango lemonade as well for extra goodness.  I’m excited to go back to my Wednesday night Bible study since I’ve missed the last couple of weeks.  Going to church in the middle of the week just makes it so much easier to finish out the week.  The encouragement and support from this group have become so important in my life. 

Well, enjoy your humpday……..eat well, live long!

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A year ago I got sick with a nasty flu that turned into a month long battle that ended with me in the E.R. coughing up a lung with bronchitis.  Now, a year later, almost to the day, I got sick again.  It completely crept up on me with no warning signs.  You know how you get that scratchy sore throat first, then the body aches, then a headache and then you wake up the next day and want to kill yourself?  Well, last Tuesday I got home from work and BAM! it all hit me all at once.

Normally, when I get the warning signs, I start popping my chinese Gan Mao Ling tablets that usually stop any cold in its tracks.  I did take a few caplets with my favorite green smoothie, but the bug was here for a good fight. 

 

So fight I did.  I brought my preferred weapon, chicken soup.  Do you believe in the old wives tale about chicken soup being good for a cold?  I do.  And studies have actually shown that the ingredients in chicken soup help to boost the immune system.  Sounds good to me.  I had a can of Campbell’s chicken soup in the pantry, added lemon juice, drank it up and prayed for quick healing.  I attempted to get some sleep but that didn’t happen so easily.  The next day I felt even worse and couldn’t go to work.   I had to eventually go to work and while I was out and about, feeling miserable and cold calling on prospects, I felt a craving for ….you guessed it, chicken soup.  This time it was from a Cuban restaurant in Cooper City, called Havana’s.  Delicious chicken soup and a great tamale.  My weekend was spent in bed trying to sleep and watching foreign films. I’m hooked on Netflix’s foreign films.  I was still feeling pretty miserable and my wonderful sis-in-love brought over some chicken soup from Romeus Cuban restaurant.  Yummmm!

 

 

 

 That was lunch and dinner on Saturday.  Then on Sunday, my mom sent over a sort of wanna-be chicken soup that was more like a stew.   So, I think I’ve had my quota of chicken soup for the rest of the year.  I must admit, I am recovering pretty quickly from this cold/flu.  So, next time you feel the yucky’s coming on, grab some Gan Mao Ling and granma’s chicken soup and you’ll be better in no time.

 

Eat well, live long!

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I’m not sure if you noticed, but I’ve been eating some a LOT of rice lately.  Ok so maybe, just maybe that’s where the six pounds came from.  I’m working on eliminating rice from my diet again, since it likes to ’stick’ to my body and not let go. 

I have to now make a VERY determined effort to stay on track with my healthy eating because when I’m out on the road and it’s lunch time, anything goes.  Lucky for me, my sales territory is near my home.  When it’s lunchtime or I’m hungry (whichever comes first) I try to run home for a quickie, healthy alternative to yucky drive thrus.  Not only is it healthier but also, better on the wallet.

 

Although one of the perks of this job are the many ‘freebies’ that clients and prospects offer us.  How do you turn down free pizza, free iced coffees, free yummy cupcakes, to name a few.  You don’t!

 

So, as challenging as it all may be, I keep chuggin’ along, praying, believing and thanking God that the a/c works great in my car.  On a very frustating, hot afternoon recently, I got this reminder…….

 

 

And on another wonderfully hot, yucky, hot humid day….God blessed me with……

 

 

I ran into Dan Marino……God is soooooo gooood!

 

Eat well, live long!

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This has been a very challenging week for me and last night’s ‘Taste of the Nation’s, food and wine event could not have come soon enough!!  Thank you Foodbuzz.com for the VIP tickets, it was amazing!  The lucky winner of the recipe contest I posted a few weeks ago was my friend Julio!  He loves preparing great meals in his beautiful kitchen and makes his own wine.  I decided to give him the other ticket so he could bring along his wife Olga.  Julio’s winning recipe will be posted here soon.

 

 

  

This is a wonderful event put on by ‘Share Our Strength’, a national organization whos mission is to end childhood hunger.  The event last night was a culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no child grows up hungry.  100% of the ticket sales and profit raised will support Share Our Strength’s – No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.  

 

 

There were approximately 50 restaurants  represented and I can tell you that I ate from about 1/2 of them.  The atmosphere was one of pure energy and fun. 

 

 

 

Our VIP tickets allowed us into a private area with lush seating arrangements.

 

The food was delicious, unusual, luxurious and the presentations were beautiful and oh so creative.  The very first thing we were handed was a jumbo glass of wine.  We immediately filled it with a smooth, excellent tasting Talbott Pinot Noir.  It was definitely my favorite wine of the evening.  We paired it with an amazing first meal.

The strawberry salad with feta was AMAZING!! and this meal was from Aruba Beach Cafe.  The lamb chops were Julio’s favorite of the evening.

 

AVOCADOS seemed to be a very popular ingredient in many of the recipes presented.

 Tuna tartare and avocado in cones…unusual mix but really  good.

 

 

 

The avocado mint shots were made by Sisters In Pink Catering and were on my top 5 list.  These antioxidant filled shots are made with avocado, agave syrup, mint and a few other ingredients the chefs wouldn’t divulge.  Good and healthy!

 

 

 

The crab cakes from the City Fish Market  MELTED in my mouth…I’m drooling just thinking of them.   3030 Ocean’s ’spicy rock shrimp with corn bisque’…mmmmm.  I really like cilantro and Island Gourmet Foods  lime cilantro chicken was yummy and I will be making some of that at home.  Ocean’s 234 made the most delicious Mascarpone Lobster ravioli in tomato basil, mushroom white truffle cream…OMG!!!

 

The snapper tiradito with ahi amarillo, orange and sweet potatoes was such a creative and tasty dish. Loved it! Steak 954

 

In between stuffing my face I actually was able to take pics of some interesting and tasty concoctions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The presentation for the Oxtail soup was great, the taste, well a bit bland.  My mom makes a really great oxtail!

 

 

 

 

The seafood gumbo from Blue Moon Fish Co. was very tasty, although I would have liked it a bit more spicy.  I know, I’m picky.

 

 

 

OK …NOW FOR MY FAVES OF THE EVENING…

BEST, MOST DELICIOUS, PERFECT  FOOD I TRIED….drummmmrolllll pleeease…

 

 

Trust me when I say this was so delish and luxurious that I inhaled it so quickly, no pic.  It’s soup created by Chef Holger Strutt from Chops Lobster Bar.  A bowl probably costs $50 but it’s worth every delicious spoonful.

 

 

 

MY FAVORITE DISPLAY…..  Anna Vincenzo’s Ristorante Italiano

 

 

 

MY FAVORITE DRINK ………Yuzu Mojito shot from Aizia

 

 

 

Here are more pics of the night….enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND who doesn’t LOVE  a great ‘goody’ bag…….

 

 

 

 

 Share Our Strength  is a national organization whos mission is to end childhood hunger.  Almost 1 out of every 4 children in America face hunger.  Yes, sadly those are the statistics in the wealthiest nation in the world.  The Taste of the Nation events held throughout the country are one way that you and I can help feed a child.  Visit their site to see ways that you can get involved.

4 Comments | In: Food, Uncategorized, avocado, charity, lifestyle | tags: avocado, charity, Food, food and wine, lifestyle, Share Our Strength, Taste of the Nation, Uncategorized. | #