Happy 26th!!!
I have returned from our field trip to the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC! My this place is impressive. Just a wee baby sprout of what it will become as it stands today. It will probably be one of the (the) top nutrition research centers in the world. They have a metabolic chamber, tons of fancy equipment and everything is state-of-the-art. The buildings and research going on there now are just the tip of the iceberg. (I’m dying to find out the results of a study they are currently doing to determine if ALA conversion rates are higher when infants are fed flax oil from a young age vs. being fed the DHA that is so often found in formulas and baby foods).
A few of my lovely iPhone captures…
The table you see down there is worth a MILLION dollars. Not the floor. Just the table in the middle! It’s some rare tree (that they assured us had already fallen – they didn’t chop it down 🙂 )
The ceiling in the main building took years to paint!
Sure is pretty though. So many real foods!
Our tour wrapped up around 1PM and I made the 45-minute drive back home. Since the field trip was planned during lunch hour, I didn’t know what to do about foodz. So I just decided to pack a lunch that I could eat whenever I could. Worked well because I was pretty hungry around 1:15 when I got on the road.
I ate my sandwich on my way home and just finished up my salad.
Today’s daily feature: a Samble Jamble on Flax Oat Bran with smashed avocado, Laughing Cow, mustard, and jalapenos!!
The jalapenos made my bread a little soggy in one spot, but this was delicious!
And a side salad with spinach, carrot, celery and almonds (the end so lots of crumbs) plus a drizzle of olive oil (1/2 tsp) and honey (1/2 tsp).
Filling crunch.
A Biscoff for dessert 
***
A guest post I did for Diana with Karen’s vegetarian lasagna!
***
Excited to have the afternoon to catch up on life. I believe The Baker is up taking a nap. Currently still have internet, but no sign of the AT&T tech that is scheduled to come between 12 and 4….
Friday Dance!!
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
Wow that ceiling is SO cool looking!! Sounds like a fun outing. And smashed avocado… mmmm.
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
Crikey that lunch looks good 🙂
1million for a table? I think I’ll take two please, one for spare….
How ridiculous!!!
Have a great evening 😀
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
that place is INCREDIBLE!!! i want that table…but it’s one of those things that if i had it i’d never use it b/c it’s worth too much 🙂 hope you get the internet stuff fixed today, i’m starting to get mad for you!
Quisha says
those eats look YUMMY! beautiful pics. i love ceiling pieces.
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
The tour sounds really interesting and gosh that ceiling is gorgeous!!!!!
Yummy sandwich!! Avocado and laughing cow must be awesome together!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
Wow…what an awesome painting! I love the bright colors. 😀
Your sandwich looks great! I’m so *not* a jalapeno girl (too spicy!) but I’m digging the avocado and laughing cow cheese. Yum! 😀
HAPPY FRIDAY, Kath! 😀
The Paris Food Blague says
wow what a table. i would suggest stealing it, but it looks kinda big….
a bientot
the paris food blague
Jessica @ How Sweet says
That ceiling is so amazing!!
Gabriela says
What a gorgeous ceiling!! That’s a fun “field trip”…sure beats the ones I remember in elementary school!! Happy Friday 🙂
Diana says
Wow that painting looks great!
Thanks again for doing a guest post! I think I’m going to try your recipe for dinner…tonight!
And we totally need a video of the Friday Dance. 🙂
Sydney says
How funny! I randomly had smashed avocado and laughing cow on my sandwich today too!! 🙂
Liz @ lizrunsdc says
I’ll bet the AT&T guy shows up at 3:59!
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
Oh my, a million dollar table? I suppose you’d need to serve some good stuff on it!
Lisa says
Wow that’s a lot of jalapenos!! Brave woman!
🙂
janetha says
today is national spinach day. good job celebrating 🙂
Mara @ What's For Dinner? says
That has to be one of the prettiest ceiling frescos i’ve ever seen! I love the veggies!
Lauren @ Eater not a runner says
I love a good field trip 🙂 Good luck with AT&T! Yikes!
Hannah says
Do you think you’ll get any pregnancy questions after making that baby-research statment? 😉 (Not from this gal, though!)
What I will ask, though, is what is a metabolic chamber?
Kath says
🙂
Metabolic chamber measures energy expenditure based on oxygen consumption in a very (VERY) tightly sealed room for 24 hours to determine metabolism. It’s very cool!
clay says
Hey what brand is that flax oat bread?
Kath says
Great Harvest, of course!
shannon (the daily balance) says
i have never paired avocado and laughing cow but feel like a fool that I haven’t tried! sounds like a superstar combo!
happy friday! 😉
Becky @ flybynyght says
Wow, that many jalpenos – pickled or not – is quite brave!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
I would love to take a tour of that place!!
I hope the At&T people show up soon!
Christie {Honoring Health} says
Wasn’t your mouth on fire with all those jalapeños??
Kath says
Nope! The pickled ones aren’t very hot
Foy Update - Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. says
I never considered frying an egg sandwich for lunch. Sounds like a good way to add some protien.
Opera Girl says
Wow your sandwich combo looks oddly delicious! Reminds me of a toast creation my brother used to make with nutritional yeast, avocado, and pick-a-peppa sauce . . . cheesy, avocado-y, spicy goodness is hard to beat!
Also I wanted to let you know that I made a version of your banana oats today and it was delicious! Thanks so much!
http://operagirlcooks.com/2010/03/26/banana-oats-with-cashew-ginger-cream/
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
That sounds like a great field trip. How fun to see all the fun stuff about nutrition.
amanda says
Those looks like one delicious sandwhich. I am huge fan of jalapenos!
Mama Pea says
My kids never had formula or conventional baby food. They’ve had some flax here and there since they started solids, so hopefully they’re covered!
I hope your tech shows up today so that someone doesn’t DIE.
ari says
that nutrition research center sounds awesome; i would love to go visit it. can anybody get a tour or only those affiliated with the hospital/medical field?
Kath says
I’m sure you could get a tour if you wanted to go. They are very nice! I can give you the email of the research associate who I’ve met several times if you want to email me.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Hooray for the Friday dance!!! I’m SOOOO ready for the weekend! 🙂
Lana says
A) Thanks for teaching me to appreciate beauty in things like cute cutlery and pretty bowls. 🙂
B) I tried my oats this morning with shredded zuchinni, shredded orange peel, milk, cocoa, and cinnamon. I topped it with hemp protein powder (does this count as a “real” food?) and walnuts. MMM! – It was like eating a chocolate for breakfast! 🙂
Kath says
🙂
WOW – what a combo!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
oooh jalapenos! never thought of making that a sandwich “feature.”
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
That ceiling is so beautiful! And I love that you used a chopping board as your plate!
Victoria says
What are ALA and DHA? My baby is fed breastmilk and normal (real!) food… Am I missing something?!
Kath says
If you’re breastfeeding you’re giving your baby 100% of what it needs!!
I really don’t know the details of the study – she just gave us a 30 second synopsis.
Heather @ Side of Sneakers says
So cool! I hope AT&T gets their act together this time around…
BroccoliHut says
Now that’s a ceiling any nutritionist would love! I especially like that it features pomegranate:)
Nicole, RD says
I want a ceiling painted like that in my house! How fun!
Jenny says
That cieling is my version of what the sistine chapel should look like;) i’m loving your sandiwch!
jaclyn@todays lady says
That building looks so beautiful!! I cant believe that table is worth so much, it is pretty though!!
Your sandwich looks so good. I want that bread!!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Love the art in that place! Makes me hungry!!! Nothing more beautiful than fresh fruits and vegetables!!!
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
What an amazing ceiling of fruit 🙂
Daniel says
That table and ceiling are insane! I would love to tour that place, so much going on at once!
Your lunch looks delicious (sans the jalapeno part… I just don’t think I could have a sandwich with that ratio of jalapeno to other foods)!
Do you drizzle the oil / honey on the top of the salad and leave it like that or do you toss it around?
Kath says
I drizzle on top when I pack it and it gets shuffled around during transport.
Anne @ Food Loving Polar Bear says
What a cool ceiling! 🙂 and that sandwich looks awesome.
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Wow, that ceiling is so, so pretty!!
😀
Jenn
Anne P says
What a cool place!