Friday, December 23, 2011

Day 30


And here we have my staple dinner, brown rice stir fry with lots o' veggies and soy saute. I seriously will never grow tired of this meal, there are so many ways to mix it up. I almost added some vegetarian chic'n meat to it, but that would have been too filling. Another great thing to add to stir fry is cubed tofu that has been browned in a sauce pan with some olive oil, it adds some texture and makes the meal a bit more complete.

On another note, I have not forgotten about the cereal and apple sauce winners from the poll on the blog! We are traveling out of town for the weekend to see family, and I will make sure to take photos of whatever goodies I eat. I will plan on tackling the cereal and apple sauce when I return! Happy Holidays!

Day 29


Oh.my.goodness. This spinach and feta cal-zone was the best lunch I have had in a while. I stopped into Unity House of Pizza and grabbed it on my way to work, it was so filling that I ate half the next day for lunch. I love feta cheese, and when mixed with spinach, you just can't go wrong. This was a bit tricky to eat with chopsticks,  and I ended up mostly twirling the cheese around them like you would do with long pasta. It worked for the most part. Yum!

Day 28


Rice crispy balls...perfect for chopsticking! Pay not attention to my slightly cross-eyed look I have going on, I was concentrating hard on not dropping the ball (so to speak!). I would be lying if I said I cut these into nice little squares and ate them at an appropriate pace...the truth of the matter is, I merely stuck my sticks into the pan and grabbed chunks. I think the pan was gone in two days...is that bad?

Day 27


And here we have a shinning example of the doughnuts available from our Amish neighbors. I added some sugar to this one, and it was good! You can only get these every Wednesday morning at the Amish store in town, and there is usually a line waiting to snag a box. If you have never experienced an Amish doughnut, you must! Oh, and you may have guessed, I used my chopsticks as sort of a pole to hook the doughnut and munch away. Again, cheating? Who knows, but it worked!

Day 26


How can you tell it's the holiday season? I start posting photos of sweet treats only! This is my apple crisp pie with orange juice. I know it sounds weird, but right before you stick it in the oven, add a bit of OJ around the edges and drizzle it over the oats, this makes it nice and moist and gives the apples some zing! I think I made about 6 of these last December alone, let's see if I can beat my own record. of course, I will have to give them away, that is just far too much crisp for two people to eat....not that we couldn't make a serious dent in them.

Day 25


This is the beginning of Meg's famous homemade bran muffins. One of my most favorite foods, and not too hard to eat with sticks! I kind of just stabbed the muffin and ate if off the stick, is that cheating? Anyway, I must apologize for falling slightly behind in my photo uploads, I recently recovered from an illness and went away for the weekend with family. So, now you are barraged with about a week's worth of food! Haha, I hope all these photos make you hungry!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Day 24


Let me just say one thing....WOW. This was one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time, it was so huge I couldn't even finish it all! Egg whites with cheddar inside a crisp tortilla, with home fries and fresh salsa on the side. Maybe I would have been able to finish it had I not drank four glasses of super pulpy orange juice while waiting...oops! Side note: the chopsticks actually worked really well for the tortilla, I kind of just smooshed it all together and scooped it up.


Day 23


SUSHI! Well, vegetarian sushi, but it still counts! My family and I went to a great restaurant in Portland, Maine called Fuji, and their rolls were to die for. I have an avocado and cucumber roll, and a mixed vegetable roll. Both well super tasty, and I was stuffed by the end of the meal. Oh, and did I mention that I'm pretty sure I singed my nose with wasabi? Yeah, here's a little hint: never inhale hard through your nose right after you have just put a piece of sushi smothered in wasabi into your mouth....it will cripple you. Also, I snapped a weird photo of my father and step mother being silly...


Day 22


Ah, there is my good ol' friend, fettuccine with vegan alfredo sauce and dried pepper seasoning. I'm sorry to repeat this, but I really can't get enough of it! I try it with different pastas, but now that I am limited to chopsticks, long pastas are really the way to go. I have always wanted to try making my own pasta, maybe I'll see about acquiring a pasta machine and try my hand at it. I bet I could make some interesting shapes, nonetheless!

Day 21


Wow, is that not a blurry photo or what?! Sorry about that, it literally took me five minutes to get one even half this good, so I had to settle for a bit blurry. If you can't tell, this is a fresh mozzarella, pesto, and tomato muffaletta on french bread, pressed on a panini grill. This is one of our favorite meals, and I used chopsticks to spread the pesto! If you have never tried one of these, I suggest giving it a whirl. This meal is very filling and inexpensive, probably around $8 for four servings. Try it!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Day 20


Can you say...TACOS?! One of my all time favorite foods, and my throat was feeling well enough to handle the spicy goodness. We did forget to pick up lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese....but heck, they were still amazing! Add a little Spanish rice on the side and you've got a meal, my friends. Onward I go through the week of finals! More foods to come...

Day 19


Soup! Again. I'm sorry this is not more exciting, but while I've been sick, I haven't been able to swallow much more than that. But, On a much happier note, this is the last week of class for this semester, which means 5 final exams and 2 more homework assignments....then I'm free! Also, starting to feel a bit better, minus the regular coughing fits that strike just as I lay down to go to sleep.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Day 18


And here we have day 2 of being sick. I woke up with no voice and a throat that feels like a cat had tried to play the harp with my vocal chords. So naturally I drank soup. I used the chopsticks for the noodles, but ended up finishing the broth the traditional Asian way, tipping the bowl to my mouth. Also, I think the flash on my camera phone has died, so I was not able to get a good shot of the soup, or yesterday's fancy-shmancy spaghetti-o's. I promise it was more delicious than it looks...really. Unless my throat returns to it's pre-kitty-played-harp self, I will likely be consuming more liquidy foods...not so fun for the photo project, but I will try to mix it up a bit.

Side note: I cannot wait to be done with my undergrad. The end.

Day 17


This is what dinner looks like when it is finals week in college and you think you're getting sick. Sadly, this is also what dinner looks like when you have not gone grocery shopping in...ohh...let's just say, "a while". It had been so long since I experienced spaghetti-o's, I had almost forgotten that they are good/bad. I said almost. I regret to say that I have nothing more exciting than this for now, but hopefully I will feel better once finals week has passed, and I can focus on some of the great challenges and recipes I have received. Cheers!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Day 16


And here it is...my first video! It isn't the quality I would like, but it will do for now. As I have received many requests over the past few weeks for some footage of me trying to eat jello with chopsticks, I didn't want to disappoint, and felt I must deliver. So here is my first ever attempt, and I think it went rather well. Tell me what you think!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Day 15


Drum roll please! This is the jello I made last night, waiting patiently in perfectly sliced little cubes, for me to destroy it with chopsticks tonight. See? I planned ahead! Did you know that it takes 4 hours for jello to set up? I'm glad I made it last night...

So, stay tuned, and hopefully when my lovely camera gal returns tonight, I can sweet talk her into filming me attempt to mow down some red jello squares!

Day 14


Artichoke! One of my favorite foods, and definitely challenging to eat with chopsticks. Unfortunately, my camera gal is out of town, so I could not get any pictures of myself actually eating it. I will try artichokes again, no worries, and I will be sure to document the full process.

Side note: I only have a week left in this semester! By next Friday, I will be recycling lots of papers, cleaning out my backpack, and kicking back with friends. Maybe I'll plan something extra special for that weekend...

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Day 13


Do you think I like green beans just a bit too much? I'm starting to think so. But I can't help it, they are so good when mixed into a brown rice and veggie stir fry! Fact: did you know that green beans contain healthy amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B6, fiber, and iron? Now you know, and you should drop what you're doing, run to your local supermarket, and grab a huge bagful of these wonder beans!

On a slightly different note, I have noticed that the traffic for the blog has slowed to a mild crawl, so I will have to see what I can do about spicing things up a bit...I'm thinking a series of videos...including bloopers....featuring all of the wacky foods that have been suggested for me to try. Thoughts?

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Day12


Would you just look at that wrap?! Tell me that doesn't look amazing! I have to hand it to the Unity College Student Center, they make a mean veggie wrap. Jalapeno-cheddar wrap with spinach, lettuce, carrots, pickles, mushrooms, red onion, red peppers and pepper-jack cheese. I have to say, I have definitely been eating better since I started this project. I haven't yet stepped on a scale to see if the numbers have changed, but I would be willing to bet that I have lost at least a pound. I'll get back to you on that.

Side note: the Unity College Climbing Competition  was last night and it was a blast! I took third in the Advanced Women's category, and scored a sweet new piece of climbing equipment.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Day 11


Vegan fettuccine alfredo with dried pepper spices, yum! I love noodles, so here is yet another photo of my favorite kind. I also received some very beautiful chopsticks from Japan, given to me by a dear friend. They are quite long, and I have yet to try them out. I will make sure to break them in this week, and provide some entertaining pictures of my experience. Also, I am feeling a craving for Mexican food creeping up on me, so stay tuned...will it be burritos? Tacos? Quesadillas?

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Day 10


My breakfast, day 10. Believe it or not, clementines are pretty easy to eat, once you get past the peeling part. I wasn't that hungry, and usually I wake up with a huge appetite. Maybe the chopsticks are causing me to slow down enough so that my tummy realizes I'm full faster? Who knows!



Salad! This was such a tasty, light dinner. I went to the Harbor View Restaurant and Grill in Bucksport, Maine tonight, and it was delicious! I was unsure whether or not a salad would fill me up, but their portions are huge, and the homemade croutons totally made it. Also, not that I am biased or anything here, but I will encourage anyone in that area to give the restaurant a try. It has only been open for about a year, and it has some of the tastiest, best portions for your dollar. Oh, and if you decide to go, make sure you say hello to the manager...she has long curly hair that is the most distinct shade of grey and wears glasses. Her name is Ann, and she is my mother. Be nice to her, and she will make sure you have a meal well worth your smile. Bon appetit!


Day 9


Well, ya'll asked for it, so here it is.....trying to eat pizza with chopsticks. I have not yet received funding for a video camera, so this is all I could post. Hopefully that will change soon! Let me tell you, trying to eat pizza with chopsticks proved to be extremely difficult. It was hot and floppy, and really wanted nothing to do with my chopsticks. The slice just kept slopping back to the plate. But, I did manage it, and now I can officially say that I have tried one of your challenge requests. Keep em' coming!

On another note, I am extremely happy to announce that my Chopsticks 365 fundraiser with Feeding America has raised nearly $400...way to go guys! You all are the ones that will help me reach my goal, and you should all feel very proud. Thank you!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Day 8


What do you think of my green beans? Aren't they lovely? I thought so, too. Day 8 brought the last of my veggie stir fry, and I'm a bit thankful for that! Not that I don't enjoy stir fry, but I need to expand my food horizons. I have had so many great comments on the project, and it's only been a week since I began! I will continue to take suggestions for fun/weird foods that people would like to see me eat with chopsticks, so keep em' coming.

Day 7



Yesterday was such a great day for this project. I was interviewed by WABI TV 5 news here in Maine, and they aired a great piece on Chopsticks 365 and Feeding America. I even got to teach the reporter how to use chopsticks and challenge him to eat some tiny raisins and peanuts. You can view the story here:
http://www.wabi.tv/news/25657/unity-college-student-using-chopsticks-to-fight-hunger

Because of the news story, I have received many more page views on the blog and nearly $350 in contributions to Feeding America. Thank you so much to all that support this project, you are what will help it grow.

Lastly, I wanted to point out my lunch photo from yesterday. This meal consisted of spaghetti and sauce, salad, homemade garlic bread, apple crisp and sweet tea. This lunch was a special at Unity College, and it cost me a grand total of $1. Now picture this meal multiplied by 8. That is what your $1 donation to Feeding America will provide. Chew on that and enjoy!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Day 6


Another day, another plate of yummy veggies! Day 6 swept in with some leftovers, which I happen to be a huge fan of. Some things just taste better the second time around. On another from, I was contacted by a local news station here in Maine, and I have an interview about the project scheduled for tomorrow. Also, there is a CNN story about Chopsticks 365, as well as a Unity College bit. I can hardly believe how quickly this has taken off. My Virtual Food Drive with Feeding America is up to $155, after only a day! I cannot thank the donors enough, for both their monetary donations and general support. Here are the links to the CNN and Unity College stories, enjoy!

CNN
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-710048

Unity College
http://www.unity.edu/NewsEvents/News/CNN1111.aspx

Also, I have reached out to prospective sponsors for the project in hopes of attaining a video camera to help improve my posts and provide a richer reader experience. If anyone wishes to contribute to the "Get Chopsticks365 A Camera Fund", please contact me directly. Thank you!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Day 5


Lunch, day 5. Cold noodle salad that proved easy to skewer with my sticks. I realize that most of my pictures have been of noodles, and I promise I'm not doing that on purpose...I just really happen to like noodly things.


Dinner was not noodles! I made brown rice veggie stir fry and it was amazing. Also, you might note that I seem to use the same bowl for each meal, that's only because it has the prefect sides for scooping. I'm heavily considering buying these stainless steel and rosewood travel chopsticks, they are dreamy as well as practical:
http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Trunk-CC-Portable-Chopsticks/dp/B002WZJ8UO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322530356&sr=8-1

Final note for the evening, I just won 2 tickets to the sold out Banff Film Festival in Seattle, Washington....for this Friday. Can I make a cross-country trip happen??

Day 4



Vegan hot dogs! Day 4 continued... Now doesn't that sounds yummy? Actually, they're pretty good. And while I clearly was not going to use chopsticks to eat them, I did use the sticks to scoop the relish from the jar, so that counts. Now, with these posts we are up to speed on the photo posting. I should be able to get each day's photo up with some commentary by the end of the day, barring any terribly exciting distractions.

Day 4


The beans, oh the beans. This was day 4, and might I say that it proved to be quite the challenge. I hadn't really thought of how difficult this might be, so toward the end of my plate I tipped it to my mouth and slurped the last little buggers from their stronghold. If I could predict the future (and as far as this challenge is concerned, I think I can) I would bet that I might lose a bit of weight doing this. Only being able to eat with chopsticks is forcing me to slow down, savor my food, and really work for every morsel. Only time will tell...

Day 3


Day 3 consisted of leftover noodles. While not very exciting, they made me feel as though I had already mastered the skill of using sticks. Clearly my facial expression translates into "Ha! Take that you slippery heathens...I will dominate you!" Or I may have just been highly unenthusiastic about consuming noodles for a second day. For those of you that care, you might notice my creepy little cat hanging out in the bottom left of the photo. His name is Scout, he enjoys long walks on the beach, salmon from a can, and photo-bombing me as often as possible.

Day 2


Mmmm, nothing says sorting benthic samples under a dissection scope like noodles. This is day 2 in the 365-day chopstick challenge. The noodles were super easy to mow, and I kinda liked how the lab looked in the background. Note the intense crazy eyes...that's what happens when you spend too much time going cross-eyed for science. You've been warned.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Day 1

And so it begins. This is the first photo in the 365-day series of eating only with chopsticks. My partner took this as we sat down with my family for our Thanksgiving meal. Eating a vegetarian's turkey-free dinner was relatively easy, minus the cranberry sauce. I prefer the canned variety, not the homemade, easy-to-chop-with-sticks kind that most mothers insist upon serving. I'm glad my mother sees eye to eye with me on the whole cranberry sauce issue. Things could have gone down hill quickly if I hadn't heard the can opener grinding into full gear...

How To Use Chopsticks---An Introduction To The Project



My name is Ari and I have decided to challenge myself to eat only using chopsticks for the next year. This idea began when I caught a news story about the chopstick capital of Japan, Obama. Oddly enough, though the capital shares its name with our current United States President, I don't think Mr. Obama uses chopsticks frequently. Back to the sticks then...I was impressed by the craftsmanship and respect surrounding the creation of a pair of chopsticks and consumption of food, and given that I have used them off and on since childhood, I thought it would be nice to challenge myself to share the same appreciation for my eating tools and food as my Asian counterparts.

Consequently, this challenge had manifested itself in my brain the day before our national food holiday, Thanksgiving. What better time to start my new routine than when millions of Americans would be shoveling turkey and stuffing mouthful after mouthful? So, after a brief stop to pick up a starter pack of chopsticks, I mentally prepared myself for a long, interesting year, "culinarily" speaking of course.

I will be uploading a photo of a meal I eat with my sticks each day, starting with one from Thanksgiving last Thursday. While I am working the kinks out of setting up the blog, I am a few days behind in uploading, so please bear with me...I promise that the photos will be worth the wait.