Today was fat lab!
We did all kinds of things with these fats – determined melting points, water content, centrifuged emusions, and made mayo with different kinds of oils. Here are some of the variations:
We all started by saying “ewwww I’m not tasting those” (and I was still very full from pumpkin oats) but come 10:30 and upon the sight of delicious saltines, we all got braver. I had 3 crackers dipped in about 6 different mayos. They were actually not bad! The EVOO one was my favorite – so fruity.
I made a little later lunch at 12:45 –
Lemon Gabanzo Feta + Caper Salad
More delicious ripe cantaloupe (I think the secret to this guy was giving it a full 4 days to ripen on the counter before slicing in)
Grapes
And a Dakota bun with a smidge of pumpkin butter and Naturally More
+ Chai Tea
Guest Lunch Post: Pretty Green Girl
I had the pleasure of meeting Janet during my trip to San Francisco last summer. She has since started the Pretty Green Girl and shares this lunch with us!
I’ve been on a sandwich kick lately – usually turkey, but this morning I was all out! I had t
o improvise, and came up with this yummy vegetarian sandwich. Toasted whole wheat bread, tempeh (broiled for a few minutes on each side this morning), hummus from a local shop, roasted red bell pepper that I made this morning, red onion (sorry Kath!), sliced avocado, spinach from the Farmers Market and Pesto Jack. Like Kath, I feel like I can never taste the cheese on my sandwiches, so I’ve taken to buying fun, flavorful cheeses like Pesto, Garlic or Mediterranean Jack that really stand out. This was great – I could really taste each individual flavor in every bite! Here is is unassembled, so I could toast the bread and it wouldn’t get soggy, and being put together. Plus a goofy pic of me about to enjoy it – I have braces and haven’t quite mastered the closed-mouth smile! 🙂 I enjoyed the sandwich with the last of a tub of Wallaby yogurt with fresh Farmers Market strawberries and a sliced apple!
It is horribly dreary here today
I’m off to work on my list. Hoping to take some me time at the gym late this afternoon.
24 hours to go!
Amy says
Ugh, “garbanzo” is such an ugly word! LOL. Why not call them chickpeas? 🙂
JENNA says
Pretty Green Girls lunch looks so creative and delish!
Lisa D says
both your lunches look delicious. hmm..olive oil mayo? I usually don’t like mayo but maybe i’ll have to try that. I wonder if it will be making a reappearance on your blog at some point?
zestycook says
Cool Guest Lunch! I am really liking your Dakota Bun Kath.
Jess says
It’s horribly dreary here too, and way too cold for Texas. Come on, Spring!
sue says
both lunches look delicious!
Sophia Lee says
do ppl apply to do a lunch guest blog on your blog? or do you just randomly choose some ppl?
anyway, love your garbanzo salad! would like to try that with barley…
Weekly Bite says
great looking lunch! Have a great weekend!
VeggieGirl says
Love the chickpea salad, Dakota bun sandwich toppings, and the guest lunch!!
Kara says
Mmm I’ve been craving chickpeas for a while!
Hallie says
Perfectly ripe cantalope is the BEST thing ever…and underripe ones are so meh. Nine times out of ten the ones you get in a mixed fruit salad from a restaurant or grocery store are the “meh” kind.
Enjoy the rest of your day 🙂
Kailey (SnackFace) says
Ooo I love that garbanzo salad! I must get the fixin’s for it! Dakota bread looks chewy and delicious too Enjoy the afternoon!
Mara @ What's For Dinner? says
What a fun lab!!! I love homemade mayo!
Janet says
Thanks so much for allowing me to do the guest post, Kath!
I’m drooling over the cantaloupe and grapes – two of my favorite fruits. That garbanzo bean salad looks amazing! I’m going to have to make that soon, for sure.
Hope all the packing & planning for the trip is going well – can’t wait to hear about it!
Natalie says
Perfect springtime lunch!
Love the guest post to. 🙂
Beadie @ What I Ate Yesterday says
It is dreary here too 🙁
Lunch looks awesome!
Christin S says
How fun making your own mayonaise! Would you maybe consider posting instructions/recipe for your favorites?
Moran says
Good lookin’ lunch!
And great guest post!
brandi says
enjoy the rest of your day! that cantaloupe does look good.
K says
For some reason mayo gives me the heeby-jeebies! I don’t know why!
Love the guest post 🙂
Julie says
GAH! Now I have the Ramones stuck in my head! “Twenty twenty twenty four hours to goooo I wanna be sedated! Get me to the airport, get me on a plane hurry hurry hurry before I go insane I can’t control my fingers I can’t control my brain oh no-o-o-o-o”!! This will be you tomorrow.
I need cantaloupe now, is it “in season” or did you just luck out?
Sarah (lovINmytummy) says
Your lunch looks incredible…pretty inventive for someone that is leaving the country in less than 24.
I can’t stand mayo…I definitely couldn’t stomach that lab!
Danielle says
Ah I hate mayo, that’s one thing I would not have tasted haha.
Great guest post her lunch, (and yours) looks fantastic!
Sharon says
Chickpeas! Love it!
Kori says
Great lookin’ lunch Kath! You seem to be really relaxed about your trip- I’m envious! Whenever I travel (especially abroad) I get SO nervous and can barely eat, which actually makes nerves worse! Good luck tomorrow- I’ll be sending you positive travel vibes from the west coast!
Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter) says
You’re killing me with all this cantaloupe. I must buy some today. 🙂
Dreary here too. 🙁 All I want to do is take a nap.
Sarah (Tales of Expansion) says
yummy salad!!
for once your fat lab would not have tempted me — i can’t stand mayo!
meloncauliflower says
fat lab sounds like so much fun!
Megan says
Hi Kath!
I ran across this recipe and of course had to forward it on to you. Its an oatmeal pudding bake…similar to baked oatmeal but different!
http://inncuisine.com/scrumptious-sides/comfort-food-breakfast-style-recipe-spiced-oatmeal-pudding-bake/
Shawna says
Kath, quick question. Do you ever eat candy? Like licorice? Sours? I eat healthy all the time, grains, fruit, veg & protein. Usually all fresh and natural really but I cant resist candies!! It is my guilty pleasure!!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini) says
MMM that bean and feta salad looks WONDERFUL! I love little salads like that. They are so tasty!
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
I love cantaloupe!
Great guest post!
Mom says
That’s a lovely tablecloth in your cooking lab!
Sheila says
The mayo is actually quite easy. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it after just a few more trys.
Lisa says
Aw, tell Janet to go ahead and smile with her braces!
Marissa says
Yum! Love the chickpeas!
Brooke says
Have an amazing and safe trip.
Janet says
Thanks everyone for the comments on my lunch – it was really good!
Aww, Lisa – I will try! I feel like such a goof with them. 😀
haya (living and learning) says
what a cool lab! were all the things you made a lot better than jarred mayo? i’m not a huge mayo fan, but when it’s homemade, it’s pretty awesome.
ooooh! i love the day before a big trip! so much anticipation and excitement. for me the travel is like at least 1/4 of the fun of the trip. new airports to explore. lots of new people. i just love it.
laci says
What a flavorful, yummy, complete sandwhich! 😀
thepinkpeppercorn says
Too bad about the weather, but thanks for sharing the cool lab!
LOVE chickpeas, and especially with feta and capers – delicious!!!!!!!
Cool blog share too 🙂
Andrea [bella eats] says
Yum! I received some of Whitney’s granola today and it is SO good! 🙂
michelle says
hahah I LOVE how you called it “Fat lab”….i was still thinking “phat lab” even at the end of the post. It sounded really really cool. SO sciency!!!
How does a saltine cracker make one more brave again?!?! hehehehe
You make me curious about dakota buns. They have such an elegant name…they look kinda like english muffins bred with crumpets though. hahaha
Have a great weekend Kath!!
Kath says
Sophia Lee,
Anyone can do a guest lunch post. Just send me your photos and a description of the lunch!
Christin S,
I would share the recipe, but I’m headed out tomorrow and didn’t have time. You can probably Google “homemade mayo recipe” and find lots of them online. We just used a very basic one in our lab manual.
Kori ,
Thanks! I don’t think it’s set in because I have to travel to Europe before I go to Africa…it’s going to be so long! I’m sure I’ll be more nervous when I get to the airport. Wish I wasn’t going alone!
Megan ,
Thanks for the link – looks great!
Shawna ,
I do eat some candy – I was on a Jelly Belly kick a few weeks ago and have nibbled on Nate’s conversation hearts from Valentine’s on and off 🙂 But I don’t keep much aruond or I would eat it more.
Kath
Caroline says
Yum! Chickpeas + feta is always a great combo.