Amazing Aardvark Kafe

Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog!

So a few weeks ago one of my best friends Lydia (I've briefly mentioned her in some of my past posts) recommended I try a cafe that, according to her was, "Out of this world, yo." With that glowing review how could I not check it out?

I met Lydia at the all organic restaurant I work at in my home town called Emma's Food for Life. Emma's caters to a multitude of food allergies, including a range of dishes that are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan (these are not the only options we have, many dishes have meat, dairy and gluten). She started working there because she has a gluten allergy along with being lactose intolerant. While she went to school in State College she found this off-the-beaten-path Kafe because it also catered to her dietary needs. 

The Aardvark Kafe actually has two separate menus. The first one is your typical cafe fair including sandwiches, subs, fries, pizzas, and cheese-stakes. On the other hand, the second menu has exclusively vegan items ranging from cold and hot sandwiches to salads and vegan pizza. It also indicates when something is gluten free! (I do realize I'm nerding out right now, just bear with me.)

So today I decided to make the trek down West College Ave., past Atherton St., to the Aardvark Kafe. I'm not going to lie to you guys, it's kind of a hike. At first I was starting to doubt Lydia's wisdom while I was walking there, but please trust my word when I tell you it's worth it!

When I first made it to the location I wasn't sure if I was in the right place. The exterior is unassuming, but if you're interested in going there it's right across the street from the second Sunoco on West College Ave. 

The yellow building the Kafe

Walking in there, it was safe to say I've never been in a restaurant like this before. Picture it as a cross between a rustic cabin and your grandma's house: small, cozy, and full of eclectic furniture. I walked up to the counter, and was first confused as to where the staff was, but it turns out the guy that owns it only has one person working at a time. After a minute he came out of the kitchen and served his waiting patrons after he showed me where the menus were. Because their niche was the vegan menu I ordered off of there. 

I chose the Red, Black, Orange, and Green Wrap that has hummus, black beans, strawberries, carrots, cucumbers, romaine lettuce with your choice of cilantro lime or mustard dressing. I chose the cilantro lime along with an order of Seasoned Hand-Cut Sweet Potato Fries. 

After reasonable wait the owner delivered my order with a flourish. Making sure I didn't need anything else, he left me to my meal. 

To start, I sampled the fries. Although not as crunchy as I usually like, the flavor was phenomenal. It was salty and delicious with other spices that burst across my tongue.

After polishing off half of those, I moved onto my wrap. With the myriad of flavors it was fantastic. My favorite part was the creamy hummus. In addition, the strawberries add a sweet pop of flavor, while the cilantro lime incorporates a tangy zest. 

Because of the amazing food and friendly service I highly recommend that everyone, not just vegans or vegetarians, try out the Aardvark Kafe!

Thanks for reading!

Cracker Craziness! Delicious Dorm Snacks #3

Well hello again everyone!

This week I will be writing my third installment of Delicious Dorm Snacks! I've been craving bread lately, but as I'm sure you all know, eating too much bread can make you gain a bunch of weight! Well I'm not having any of that, so I have a better alternative for my gluten desire: crackers!

When eating crackers, there is less of an intake of carbs compared to bread (as long as you don't eat too many) and because they are more dense you'll be filled up faster! Here are some fantastically easy cracker snacks if I do say so myself. 

The ingredients you'll need that you can't get in the commons are crackers, peanut-butter, and jelly.

PBJ Crackers

As I have said in my previous posts peanut-butter is a MUST for your dorm, so if you don't have any I implore you to go buy a jar. Its versatility is amazing!

This was probably the easiest and most self-explanatory of the three snacks this week. 

What you need:

• crackers
• peanut-butter
• jelly 
• knife

You simply spread on the peanut-butter and then jelly and voila! An easy PB and J without as many carbs and calories!

Pizza Bites 

So this was by far my favorite snack this week, and maybe even my favorite out of all the ones I've posted. Almost everyone thinks pizza is delicious, but we all know that it's not good for us in all of its greasy goodness. Well, I've come up with a great alternative to grabbing a slice, and you don't have to buy a whole box for a bite!

What you'll need:

• crackers
• cheese
• tomato sauce (pasta sauce is close enough)
• spoon

The great thing about this recipe is that you only need to get the crackers from the store. You can procure the cheese and tomato sauce from Pollock Commons (warning: you will get weird looks when you just ask for pasta sauce from where they serve pasta or slices of cheese from the sandwich counter).

To make these tasty morsels you first rip up slices of cheese and place them on the crackers. Then you stick that in the microwave for 20-25 seconds (keep an eye on it! It WILL start to bubble quickly). Then, after you take that out, just ladle the pasta sauce on top and you'll have some bomb pizza bites. When I offered some to my roommates they were begging me to make more!

Fruit and Crackers

For my last creation I didn't want to go with boring cheese and crackers (although you can still try that out) so I changed it up a bit! 

What you need:

• crackers
• apples
• grapes
• peanut-butter (I told you it was useful)
• yogurt (I love the strawberry kind)

So for this one I did three separate kinds of fruit and crackers, one using peanut-butter and the other two using yogurt. 

Peanut-butter and apples were my first of three. You just spread out the peanut-butter and plop on the apples!

Second, also using apples, you brake the pieces up, placed them on the cracker, and spoon the yogurt on top. 

Lastly, I used my favorite fruit: grapes! You cut the grapes in half hot-dog style (throwback to kindergarten) and placed them middle down on the cracker. You want to cut them in half so that they don't roll off. To finish it off just ladle the yogurt on top. 

Thank you for reading this week and I hope these cracker ideas help you beat the Freshman Fifteen!

State College's Very Own Locust Lane Farmers' Market!

Hello everyone, and thanks for checking out my blog this week!

So I'm really pumped about this blog post because its topic has sentimental value to me. Don't worry I'm not going to get all teary eyed on you, so you can put away the tissues!

If you read a previous post of mine about Irving's Cafe, you'll know that in my hometown I work at a small farm-to-table restaurant as a waitress. At the restaurant we primarily use meat from the animals my boss, Emma, raises at her farm. What I didn't say in the post is that I also run a stand at the local farmers' market for her during the summer selling the eggs and pork products we didn't need to use in the restaurant. In addition to that, the year before I was working for Emma I helped my mom manage a stand, where we sold the vegetables and plants she grew. Over those two years I became part of the family the vendors had. This relationship has made me feel a kinship towards vendors of all farmers' markets, ensuring that the second I heard State College had one I wanted to check it out.

The thing I love most about farmers' markets is that you never know what you'll find! Typically there are a few produce stands, a handful of people selling plants and seedlings, usually baked goods, hopefully meat and eggs (that was me!), and a variety of other items. I know that in my hometown there was even a man who sold his handmade furniture!

It's the most beneficial to customers when there are multiple stands that sell similar goods. That way there are competitive prices, meaning we receive less expensive merchandise. Also, it means more of a variety: if one vendor doesn't have what you're looking for, another probably will!

Fortunately for us, State College's market has a great assortment of vendors.

 To start, there are two produce stalls. One of them is your typical stand with everything from peppers and apples to nuts and pumpkins. The other one is run by the Amish, and besides produce they also have a bunch of other items including raw milk, yogurt and ICE CREAM!!!! Yes, I'm aware this is a blog about eating healthy, but I can't help myself, it's ice cream.






















There is also a man who sells some delectable salsa. I even bought a delicious raspberry salsa for my mom's birthday earlier this week, although I don't know I will be able to stop myself from devouring it before the next time I see her.

In addition to those vendors, there is also a woman who sells house plants and bouquets from a hippy van. Great for college students, she has a wide variety of succulents that need very little maintenance. The only thing you have to worry about is watering them too much.

Next was my favorite stand, but I love things that smell good so that would be why. The man was selling handmade, organic, aromatic items. His repertoire includes soaps, chap-stick, lotions, shampoos, oils, body sprays, a plethora of candles, and much more. I live in the dorms so no candles for me, but I did get a lavender vanilla soap bar and a lavender body spray that I use regularly, and they are fantastic! Not too overwhelming, the subtle scent of lavender is calming, while the soap does a great job cleaning and moisturizing!

One of the last stands I scoped out made me really excited. They sell a myriad of baked goods along with scrumptious looking macaroons. What inspired my excitement the most though was that everything was gluten free. If you can't eat gluten, like my friend Lydia (who is going to be receiving a gift soon), this is the spot for you!


The Market is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every Friday on the corner of College Ave. and Locust Lane, so I encourage everyone to at least go and see if there's something you like. The fresh, local ingredients would be a great addition to the recipes I've previously mentioned in my blog or anything you can think of on your own. If you are interested though, you need to hurry! The last day the Market is open is Tuesday, November 3, which is only two weeks away.

Thank you for reading, and I hope I convinced you to visit State College's very own farmers' market!

Paninis, Soup, and Sandwiches, Oh My!

Hi everyone!

I'm currently writing to you from a warm window seat at the Fraser Street Deli, which is a great little place around the corner from the Dunkin' Donuts on College Ave.

I was following my usual routine where I get a much needed iced coffee from Dunkin' after my Italian class. Mama mia é delizioso! I might be addicted to coffee, but anywho, back to my story. It was around lunch time so I decided to find a new place to write about for my blog.

I'm still not familiar with all of the eateries around town, so I did a quick google search on healthy restaurants in State College. After I waded through the all of chains and fast-food places (how are those considered healthy??) I came across a small deli that claimed the title of Happy Valley's most famous sandwiches. When I realized I could literally see it from where I was sitting I was sold!

One second, my food just came out, so I'm going to dig in and I'll continue writing after I'm done!

...
...

Alright, I'm back.

If I hadn't already known what I was looking for before I went there, I would have walked right past the unassuming facade without thinking twice. Inside, the atmosphere is really laid back, and when the smiling waitress seated me I immediately felt at ease.

I know that when I do a restaurant review I usually don't do an in-depth analysis of the atmosphere, but I feel like this place deserves it. I could tell the staff knew what they were doing, and didn't put on any pomp and circumstance. At the same time they were quite friendly and greeted a few of the customers by name just while I was there. The establishment is a Penn State deli through and through: not only are there jerseys hanging on the wall, but all of the menu options are named after PSU athletes.

Okay, so now that I'm done gushing about the place, let's get onto the most important thing: FOOD! Their menu is huge, encompassing items such as breakfast, soups, paninis, sandwiches, more sandwiches, wraps, salads, and even more sandwiches.

Did I mention I'm Italian? Well I am, and growing up eating authentic Italian food has made me very particular about my paninis. I like to try out different ones whenever I can, so I put theirs to the test. I couldn't decide which one I wanted though, so after asking what their most popular was, I went for the Everett Shuman. It's a chicken pesto sandwich that has chicken breast, mozzarella, basil pesto, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic spice on it. It comes with a pickle and a choice of side or upgrade (other options you have to pay extra for). While I was reading reviews for the Deli, I came across one saying she is a regular and highly recommends that you do the potato salad upgrade, and I've got to say she was 100% right.

I was pleasantly surprised when my order came out in about five minutes. After snapping a few pics, I dug in.

Everything was absolutely delicious! The potato salad was definitely a good choice: perfectly seasoned and slightly tangy, it was just how I like it. Even though I loved the potato salad, ultimately it was the panini that made the meal a real winner. The ciabatta bread it was on was out of this world with the crust nice and crunchy while the inside was warm and chewy. All of the ingredients flawlessly complemented each other, and no one flavor was too overwhelming.

Not wanting my experience to end just yet, I ordered a cup of their creamy broccoli and cheese soup to go. I honestly think this was the best decision I've ever made. The soup was freaking fantastic, and I fully plan to go there tomorrow so that I can get a bowl of it.

The only downside I found while I was at the Fraser Street Deli was that it was a little pricey, but it was worth every penny! I absolutely loved my experience there, so if you're looking for some delicious sandwiches and a great atmosphere I would check it out!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next week!

Delicious Dorm Snacks #2

Hey everyone, and welcome back! If you haven't been to my blog before, thanks for checking it out! This is my second delicious dorm snack installment, and I've got to say, it's been quite an experience...

So this week, after scouring Pinterest obviously, I came across some recipe ideas that looked quite promising. I have to tell you, don't always believe everything you read (except my blog of course).

After a debacle involving egg, milk, and bread, I settled on three different choices: apples and peanut butter, cucumber sandwiches, and last but certainly not least, scrambled eggs. For all of these recipes the only things you need to have on hand are peanut butter and eggs, everything else can be found in your food commons!

Now, what's this debacle I mentioned? Well I'll tell you. One of the recipes I came across that immediately interested me was french toast that you could make in the microwave. Sounds awesome right? Yeah, I thought so too. Turns out it's either too good to be true, or I just can't work a microwave correctly. Either way, it was just a sticky disaster that was edible but looked quite unappealing.

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
The first successful snack I completed was simple and delicious! It's not something I think of very often, but apple slices with peanut butter is always a favorite. I'm sure almost everyone has heard the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well it's true! Apples are high in antioxidant and fiber, which boosts your immune system and helps regulate your digestive system. It has also been statistically proven that eating apples helps reduce the risk of getting serious diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type two diabetes, and different kinds of cancers.

Cucumber Sandwiches
Next, I was super classy (don't laugh at me, it's the truth) and made cucumber sandwiches. This was also incredible easy. The original source I got it from just used cucumbers and cheese slices, but I spruced it up a bit.

What you'll need:

• Sliced cucumbers
• yogurt 
• sliced cheese
• lunch meat
• shredded carrots
• salt (optional, although cucumbers and salt is to die for)

It's quite simple really, you just make sure each cucumber has a match and then you either dollop on some yogurt or pile the ingredients up whichever way you want. I left the yogurt sandwiches alone, but for the other ones I mixed and matched as you can see above! I've got to say, the yogurt sandwiches were definitely my favorite. They reminded me of a delicious tzatziki sauce! For anyone who doesn't know, tzatziki is a Greek sauce that typically has cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and a mixture of herbs like dill and parsley (it's out of this world). 

Microwaved Scrambled Eggs

So this was a really great find. Although I typically don't like eating eggs, on occasion I'll indulge in ones of the scrabbled variety. The only way I'll eat them though is if they have a bunch of different ingredients mixed in, otherwise it's no fun!

What you'll need:

• eggs
• cheese
• milk
• lunch meat
• microwave
• microwave safe dish
• fork

All I did was crack two eggs into my mug, whisk it up with a fork, sprinkle in pieces of cheese and turkey, and then stick it in the microwave. It's important to stir the eggs up every thirty seconds so that they don't stick to the sides. Before the last thirty seconds I let it cook, I added a splash of milk for creaminess. 

All of these recipes were extremely delicious and easy to make. I'll hope you can enjoy them as much as I did! 

Thanks for reading!

Irving's: Scrumptiously Organic

Alright guys, so I know you're going to be ecstatic about this, because I know I am. I found a delicious, relatively inexpensive cafe smack dab in the middle of College Ave! How could this possibly get any better you ask? Well, I'll tell you... THEY'RE ORGANIC!

Before I delve into the deliciousness that is Irving's Cafe, please allow me to provide some background on my organic experiences, and the health benefits of organic food. 

Organic eating is very important to me, which is why I was so excited when I was introduced to Irving's. For the past seven or so years, my mom managed a few different organic gardens that sold their vegetables through CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). Through a CSA you either pay up front for a weekly share of produce for the season, or you work in the garden to cut the price of the share down. Early on my mom ingrained in my family eating fresh, local food was important, so it was not a surprise when I got a job as a waitress in a local, farm-to-table restaurant called Emma's Food for Life. Both of these experiences have taught me some very valuable information on what's good for you to eat and what isn't: hence my blog about eating healthy.

Throughout my life, I've come across a lot of misconceptions about organic food that I want to clear up right now. I remember in my freshman bio class when the teacher asked if anyone knew what organic meant, and one of my classmates shouted out "gross." That could not be further from the truth! Organic simply means that the produce is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms), and that the meat/dairy products aren't pumped full of growth hormones or antibiotics. ORGANIC=ALL NATURAL.

There are a myriad of health benefits associated with eating organic food opposed to your "conventional" food. Organic produce has a higher antioxidant capacity, most likely due to less foreign chemicals interfering with the vitamins, minerals and organic compounds in the plant. Another advantage is that there are a reduced number of pesticides, meaning you are limiting your intake of harmful chemicals like organophosphorus (which is also used in nerve gases, just saying). The last benefit I'm going to touch on is antibiotic resistance. We take antibiotics to combat infection, but if we eat meat, dairy, or eggs that are pumped full of them, we will build up a resistance, rendering them ineffective when we need them the most. I don't want to ramble on, so if you want to learn more about the benefits of organic food, please visit this informative website I found! www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits-of-organic-food

Now, back to Irving's! So the other Sunday after the Penn State vs. Rutgers game, I went on a date with a guy named Jacob (yes, he was exceptionally cute), and requested he choose a breakfast place for us to go to, even though it was 1 pm. He obviously knew some good eateries around town having lived here longer, and I was on the hunt for my next blog topic. So when he let me know of a delicious cafe, I was completely down for the new experience. 

Walking into Irving's, the thing that I noticed first was its modern, bustling atmosphere. It was a promising sign that the line almost stretched out the door! After Jacob assured me it would move swiftly, I took a closer look around. They had a "Taste the Difference" theme that immediately sparked my interest. I only included one of these pictures from their campaign, so you'll have to take a trip downtown to see the rest of them. I also want to give a quick shout out to all the people who hurriedly ducked out of my way as a took these pictures. 

What captured my attention the most though was the large chalk board hanging from the ceiling that outlined Irving's winning features. 

As we approached the extensive menu near the register, I asked Jacob what his favorite item was. He told me that the homemade bagels were some of the best he's ever had, which was an impressive complement coming from a native New York-er. Taking his word for it, I ordered a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and for an energy booster I got a Laguna Peach smoothie, which was a, "creamy combination of peaches, strawberries and apple juice." Jacob ordered what he apparently got almost every time he went there: their breakfast special, "a State College Legend! Your choice of bagel with egg, American cheese, and bacon, sausage, tomato or Canadian bacon." Understandably going with the bacon, we settled in for our wait. 

I completely forgive the wait time considering how many people were packed in there, and most importantly, because of the deliciousness that ensued once we received our food. The bagel, warm and chewy on the inside and perfectly browned and crunchy on the outside, was as promised, one of the best one's I've ever had. Obviously stealing some of his breakfast special, I almost forgot that it wasn't mine when I went for a second bite. Oddly enough, I'm not a big fan of eggs, but the ones on the sandwich practically melted in my mouth, adding to the food-gasm I was experiencing. Once he wrestled back his brunch, I sipped my smoothie, and if the bagel and sandwich didn't ensure I was coming back for seconds, the smoothie did. Perfectly blended and balanced, it complemented my simple bagel perfectly! 

Since I went to Irving's with Jacob, I've already been back once (they have great iced coffee by the way), and plan on going many more times! In fact, after writing this post I'm starving for another taste of that sandwich, so after class today I'm probably going to head down there again.

Thank you for reading, and I hope I convinced some people out there that organic eating isn't gross, but healthier and more delicious than "conventional" cuisine. 

The Pollock Guide

Hi everyone!

So in the last two weeks I reviewed a delicious restaurant and I showed you some healthy dorm snacks, so this week I'm going to highlight some great tips and strategies for using the dining commons! Specifically, I'm going to be focusing on the Pollock Dining Commons.

Out of all of the commons I've checked out, Pollock is my favorite (and not just because it's right outside of my dorm, although that does help)! Disclosure: I still haven't been to Redifer (South) yet, so I can't say Pollock is the best.

One of my favorite aspects of Pollock is that it has a smoothie bar called swirl. Each day they'll have a different fruity flavor for you to try that's a great energy booster! For example, they had an out of this world blueberry banana smoothie today that was made with frozen yogurt. Be careful though! If you're trying to avoid sweets and desserts, the smoothie bar is right next to where they keep the freshly baked cookies. I know I've broken down a couple of times and sampled some of those warm, chocolaty morsels. 

 My wrap was too stuffed
with veggies for them to cut it!

Something else that everyone should take advantage of (unless you're eating gluten free of course) is the sub/wrap counter. If you want a sub there are either white or wheat rolls, and if you're in the mood for a wrap you can choose from a myriad of flavors including my favorite, honey wheat. Toasted or cold, you can select your meat, cheese and toppings, creating a healthy alternative to pizza or a burger.

This salmon and salad are
good alternative options!

So to understand the sheer coincidence of my next topic, you're going to need a little background. If you read my first post, you'll know that the ex-husband of one of my mom's friends, also the father of my little sister's best friend, is an amazing sushi chef (the wife was the one that recommended I go to the Japanese restaurant I reviewed). For a reason unbeknownst to me, he currently works in the Pollock Dining Commons (how bizarre is that??). So, occasionally there will be either delectable rolls or scrumptious sushi made-to-order by him. I highly recommend that everyone partakes in this delicacy, especially if you've never had sushi before. Who knows? Maybe you'll discover a new favorite food!

My last point is on self-control and healthy eating strategies. I know that the desserts, pizza, burgers, and fries are always tempting and hard to resist, but if you want to beat the freshman fifteen, resist you must! A good strategy is to peruse your options and plan your meal before you grab anything. This way, you can check out what's available to you besides these aforementioned treats, and stay on track with eating healthy. Also, it's a good idea to set a limit on how many portions you put on your plate. Too much of a good thing and all that! I have a rule that when I go to the commons I'm only allowed one "unhealthy" item each meal. Trust me, you will thank yourself for using these tips when you can still button your pants in a few months!

Thank you for reading, and I hope you found my tips and strategies helpful in defeating the freshman fifteen!