What's In Your Noms? | Ceviche la comida de Peru

Ceviche is one of the best known and most delicious dishes of Peru. As I have only started eating fish again for almost 2 years now, I tired it for the first time last May. And let me let you, it is quite superb. Although there are different styles of ceviche here are the most common ingredients:

"Raw" fish / Pescado

Onion / cebolla

Lime juice / jugo de lima

Potato / patata

Corn / choclo (maiz)

 

Although sweet potatos, onions, fish, and lime juice might not seem like a savory combination, trust me, you've got to try it. It is my experience that Peruvians have a healthy appetite; my family of five orders plate loads of ceviche family platters, arroz con marisocs (rice with seafood), and pescado frito (fried fish), and by the end of the meal those plates are wiped clean. Interesting fact: although the fish is raw; it soaked in lime juice, which is one way to "cook" fish. The acid makes the fish firm and you can trust the fish is fresh as the Peru is so close to the coast of the Pacific ocean. I've travel quite a bit for my age, alone and with peers, and I know travelers can be hesitant to try new, strange, foods. I understand, believe me. But trying new things is part of escaping your comfort zone and a risk well worth taking. It also shows respect towards your hosts and their country. Peruvian are very proud of their cuisine.

Being a Veggie

Although I do not eat red meat (I haven't for about 7 years) for this trip I have made a rule for myself: If I am served a plate (with or without meat) I will eat it. For strict vegetarians, this may be a shock. However, this is what works for me. I don't buy or order anything with meat in it, but if someone serves me food, I believe it the most polite way for me to handle it. Now, I don't eat all the meat; as I am not used to it, I only eat a portion so my stomach doesn't react ...negatively. lol. I am also not worried about being a strict veggie because  here I am not eating meat from a fast food chain where the source of the meat and treatment of the animal is problematic. As my health was one reason I started eating fish again, a little more protein won't hurt me as someone with anemia. It is something I have question as I gotten older; whether I should continue being veggie, but one this trip I am content with my rule. Any veggies out there with a similar rule or opinions?

Chicha Morada

 

Corn Juice. Yup, I said it. Corn. Juice. PURPLE corn juice. And yes, it is also delicious. The typical ingredients include:

Purple corn / maiz morado

 

Fruits / frutas

Cinnamon / calena

Cloves / clavo de olor

 

Sugar / azúcar

 

Lime juice / jugo de lima

 

Besides tasting wonderful, chica morada is also very healthy. It contains high amount of anothocyanins and antioxidants, meaning the health of your skin and your regenerative tissues are improved in addition to other benefits.

 

My tios are visiting the US at the moment, so I am living here alone, sorta. My cousin is here, but he works a lot. I'll be cooking and eating out on my own now, but I'm excited. I have lots more family here in any case, and there will be plenty more traditional foods to try.

 

Chao for now,

 

Ginny

Dear Kayla: Tea, inspiration, and brain food

Dear Kayla,

Four weeks from now, I'll be leaving for Peru to. I'm nervous-excited :D:

Anyway I figure that once I'm there I want to get into a routine. While I haven't have the perfect routine post-graduation, I did set some guidelines for myself. I made this:

I had a 2 part time jobs, a temp job for an online magazine, and an online class to focus on, but tons of other projects I wanted to work on as well: our two blogs, yoga, writing,  reading books, reading the news, learning about the publishing field, being healthy, having fun, finding inspiration, etc. It was pretty overwhelming at first. Organizing it all to fit my ever-fluctuating schedule helped so much. Even if I didn't stick to this all the time, I could keep track of what I needed to do, my priorities, my hobbies, my goals. I put a big tea cup in the middle because anytime is a good time for some warm hydration; it cools me down when I feel stressed or tired. I figure I'll have to make another one of these schedules in Peru.

And if this schedule was made to organize the things I wanted and need to do, here is the opposite of a 'to-do list'; here are my acomplishments::

-Bought a plane ticket for Lima, Peru
-Finished my online Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) class
-Received recommendations from my college professors
-Read 17 books/comics
-Joined a book club
-Made YouTube/BookTube videos
-Filed my taxes
-Took bike rides
-published some poems

Yay:) I hope it doesn't seem like I'm showing off. But I think everyone should try it. I get anxious
about all the deadlines and future things I need to finish or start or practice everyday. Every once and awhile it's good to recognize our mini accomplishments.

Hoookay. Bye for now,

<3Ginny

What's in Your Noms? | A chart and updates

So here is something handy:

Thank you Pinterest for this lovely chart about vitamins!

I plan on operating 'What's in Your Noms' a little differently. Instead of writing about each vitamin, I'm going to look specifically at what I eat and drink for breakfast, lunch, etc. and learn about its nutritional benefits. I'll also research information about health issues for women and young adults in general--people like me and Kayla, or maybe you! Here’s a sneak peek.

 

 ♥♥♥ Ginny  ♥ ♥♥