eating | little sarah Big World

San Pedro de Atacama

~OR~

Back to South America

Not literally, of course. Who knows when I’ll go back? Maybe never. I’ve fully submitted myself to the whims of chance. Mostly out of laziness, but still.

The point is, I will now be writing about my adventures in the past tense (and damn glad of it, but more on that later).

* * *

When we last left off, I was on top of Macchu F***ing Pichu! What?! YES. And before that I was in La Serena. But we’ve skipped a part, Friends! Lots of parts, actually, so don’t get too set on more Macchu Pichu photos right this instant. You’ll have to wait for those. Patience, Friends.

Anyways, in addition to sunbathing and reading, Brett and I enjoyed other activities in La Serena. Namely, getting sick. Brett spent most of the time in La Serena sleeping and grumbling, while I went for runs and read outside and took photos. Then I woke up with a sore throat, the day that we left, and followed that with the most miserable overnight bus-ride of my life. Only to arrive in San Pedro de Atacama (pictured above), with aches and chills.

Let me tell you, the Chilean desert is not a great place to nurse a sore throat.

But there were kitties!

And there was an overpriced barbecue which I signed up for mainly for the 3 glasses of wine. Because drinking when I’m sick eases my symptoms, although Brett’s friend Josh unkindly informed me that it’s “really bad for you.” Whatever. He also said that your lymph nodes under your neck are tonsils, so…

The hostel we stayed at (pictured above) was actually not too bad a place to be sick–plenty of sunshine, hammocks, hot water for up to 3 minutes, etc. They organized all sorts of excursions and events, like the barbecue, and we met friendly and interesting people from all over the world–a Chilean astrophysicist/musician, an English couple who’d saved up for years and then quit their jobs to travel together for a year, some pleasant girls from Iceland…lots of stories there.

The astrophysicist was named Sebastian, and he gave me my first charango lesson then cancelled plans with his friends to have dinner with me. I wrote in my journal that I was pretty sure he was into me, but that I just wanted a change of company and a solid, vegan meal.

You see, it was in San Pedro that I began to seriously reconsider traveling with Brett and Josh. But that’s another story…

* * *

To be continued!

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June 17, 2012

So Fresh and So Clean

~OR~

Good Morning, Sunshine!

I pulled up this little beauty in the library garden this morning. Already we are seeing the “fruits of our labor,” and it thrills me to no end. Garden work is satisfying, says I.

I did not eat the little guy, however, as I am fasting. Yep. That’s a thing, and I am doing it.

I did a week of clean eating–absolutely no meat or dairy (I’d been cheating, especially when it was invisible, like in a cookie), no gluten, and no refined sugar (although exceptions were made for beer and french fries at the Mad Men series finale…). Then I did 3 days of raw food, which I was actually pretty good at. My only cheat was a honey delight at work–honey, seeds, and dried fruit. So I feel like if that’s the worst cheat, then I’m in good shape.

And today I commenced with the juicing.

So breakfast was beets, carrots, apple and a bit of fig. Then I went and worked in the garden. Then I came home SO HUNGRY and made lunch:

Beets, beet greens, apple, orange, and carrot. Not too bad, but I was still incredibly hungry after. With the raw food, I was only super ravenous the first day, and then I seemed to get used to it. So hopefully this will be the same.

However, it’s all leading up to a 10-day Master Cleanse (judge me, go ahead), which means I’d probably better get used to feeling hungry. I know this is hard for people to understand, but I am actually excited to be doing this. Even the first day of raw food, when I was hungry and cranky and light-headed, I just kept thinking about how I was about to go on an amazing journey, and that I didn’t know what would come next. I’ve been fascinated with fasting for years now, and leading up to this I’ve been researching like crazy, so it’s really very fulfilling to me to be finally doing it.

Call me crazy.

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May 14, 2012

Family Dinner

-OR-

The Absolute Best of What CouchSurfing is and Can Be

Valparaíso (or “Valpo,” as the locals call it), is a crazy place. Chaotic, bohemian, grungy. And our CS stay here is like a microcosm of the city itself, with 3 hosts/inhabitants and SEVEN surfers–a german couple, an Italian, a Brasilian, a French girl, and then me and Brett.

When we first got here, I was feeling quite overwhelmed, unsure of what we should do (turns out: relax) or where we would sleep (turns out: the couch). People who’d been surfing for a while were making dinner, and seemed so at home. I wasn’t sure which would be more rude–assuming that we could eat some of their meal, or going out to eat, even though they were cooking.

Giuseppe’s dad (in Santiago) said that the world is supposed to end May 20th. Even though I don’t believe that, I had a low moment, thinking that I could be potentially spending my last few days on earth traveling somewhat aimlessly, spending money on trifles like food and buses, surrounded by strangers.

Then I remembered that, if I can’t be content and peaceful in the here and now, then life has no meaning for me. So I immersed myself in the present, opened up my heart to our hosts and fellow couch surfers, and had an amazing time. With fajitas.

This is what we call communal living, and it is equal parts chaos and beauty.

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May 10, 2012

Early Morning, Hostel

Hello, Mendoza!

After a long and very fancy bus ride…

…I arrived at my hostel in Mendoza!

…with grotesquely swollen feet and ankles:

Ah, well. You can’t have it all. Fingers crossed that this is from my non-vegan meat-fest yesterday (I was so hungry, and so tired of snacking. Argentina is the worst place not to eat meat or dairy), or maybe from too much running? I would hate to have to go to any sort of doctor here.

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May 5, 2012

Psych!

~OR~

Catchphrases of the 90s: Where Are They Now?

Aw, Friends, you didn’t really think I’d abandon you for 3 whole weeks, did you? Now, I can’t promise daily posts (as though that were the standard that I’ve set…), but I will do my best to treat you to enough catch-up posts and guest blogs to keep you coming back for more.

Because the “more” will be pictures of South America. Argentina, Chile, and Peru, specifically.

In the meantime…here’s a March Round-Up! March was fun, Friends. Or did you not see the two bottles of wine above? That happened! We took two bottles of wine to a dinner for three. This was that dinner:

That was at Pago. For Stephanie Red’s birthday. Also for Stephanie’s birthday, we had cake. In a bar. Because of this movie. It was cheesecake:

Ah, birthdays. We basically celebrated for a week, which is how everyone should birthday.

Also in March, Salt Lake got a new mall! What? YES.

Lindsey Friend works there. We ate Subway about it.

Anyways, that was March! How was YOUR March? I wanna know. No, really.

Also: stay tuned.

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May 1, 2012

Guess What?

~OR~

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!

Guess what, Friends?

I love chia! Who knew, right?

I could drink it probably forever; it is just that texturally pleasing.

Guess what else, Friends?!

I am working harder than ever! Blogging for my Garden City committee and for GNZAP and doing outreach at 7am with Bonnie (pictured above, sunny as always), Rachel (not pictured), and Dees (pictured NOW):

Guess what’s more, Friends?!?!

I’m going to South America on Friday. For 3 1/2 weeks.

Yup. Busy, busy, busy.

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April 28, 2012

Last Night -vs- This Morning

~OR~

Life These Days

Last night was: Bikram yoga, groceries (fresh fruit, chocolate chips, coconut water), liquor store, stuffed bell peppers, gin and tonics with a side of Mad Men.

Which means this morning is : chard sauteed in soy sauce with sesame seeds, and fresh squeezed orange-lime juice. Detox.

Plus: a fried egg. Hangover.

Very proud of the stuffed peppers, though, so here’s a (vague) recipe:

Stuffed Bell Peppers (for 2)

-2 bell peppers

-1 cup cooked rice or some other whole grain (quinoa, etc.)

-1/3 c fake cream cheese

-2 tbsp olive tapenade

-some chard, cut into small strips

-1 fake sausage link (I like Field Roast or Tofurky), cut into slices, then slices cut into fourths

-nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut the tops off of your bell peppers and scrape or cut out the white parts inside. Microwave the cream cheese until it’s soft, then mix together with rice, olive tapenade, chard and fake sausage. Dollop/scoop/whatever rice mixture into bell peppers, then top with nutritional yeast. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until peppers become wrinkly and soft. Enjoy!

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April 22, 2012

How to Sundee, Part 2

~OR~

“Oh, you’re still watching Mad Men at home? I’m sorry.”

This is a beer. A pitcher of beer. A pitcher of locally-brewed, hoppy goodness served foamy and cold at Brewvies Cinema Pub.

Where I watch Mad Men. Every Sunday. On the big screen.

There truly is nothing better in life. Except Brewvies’s steak fries. Those are thick and salty and delicious. Plus they come with fry sauce.

Because this is Utah, damnit. And we now how to do things right of a Sundee afternoon. Like this:

Except that these photos are from LAST Sunday. This Sunday looked a bit more like this:

Not pictured is the ice cube I was sucking on. Seriously, though, it felt like my body was on fire from the inside out.

But Sundays still rule, especially in Utah, if not in the same way for everyone. Basically I’m saying that I worship Don Draper, while others worship….anyways, different strokes for different folks, am I right?

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April 22, 2012

How to Sundee (Part 1)

~OR~

Sunday is for Brunches

(and Family)

Oh, it is rare that I take a day to just relax, Friends. A day without non-stop obligations and to-do lists and accomplishments. But today was one of those rare days, where I don’t have “back-to-back plans” (as Kevin said). Mostly because I am not feeling well, but STILL. I’ll take my lessons where I can get them.

So today I rose early, and prepared scones

Then I went to a family brunch at Sister Natalie’s house, because Dad’s back in town, and because the weather’s nice, and also just because.

The weather truly has been amazing this week–in the 80s and sunny, with a pleasant breeze. Sunshine for days.

So of course there was trampoline jumping with the kiddos. Because there is no resisting kiddos and a trampoline, and because Kevin and I are the youngest and most-childish of the “grown-ups.” And also just because.

Later we napped, did laundry, went for a walk. We stopped by a going-away party (of sorts) to deliver some cookies, but I was feverish enough that all I wanted was to dive head-first into the ice-filled beer bucket. So we went home. Easy does it.

Sad that it takes a fever to remind me to slow down, but I think I’m getting it. Well done, Sunday.