Mid-Day (or late nite) Snack: Healthy Banana's Foster

Another of my favorites that I recently came up with is my Healthy Banana's Foster!

What you need:

1 Banana
Cinnamon
Honey
Yogurt or Ice Cream (optional) I prefer Blueberry Yogurt!

Instructions:
1. Cut banana slices and put them in a microwaveable bowl

2. Drizzle honey on top and add however much cinnamon you like. I personally love cinnamon so I pretty much cover my banana slices

3. Heat for about 20 - 30 seconds in the microwave
If slices aren't soft and mushy, put them back in to make sure they caramelize and you get that nice banana flavor

Top with some yogurt for a breakfast or mid-day snack (personally I love blueberry, for some reason it really goes well!) or ice cream for a more dessert-like snack. Or, you can just eat it plain!
P.S. If your slices are thinner, it gets mushy faster! I love that mushy banana taste that really brings out the sweetness of the banana. Mmm, delicious...

Let me know what you think! This is fast and easy to make, but gives you that dessert like banana taste and can be embellished with ice cream for a truly delightful, yet healthy snack!

Enjoy!

-Stephanie, WWT

Macy's Flower Show

I know this post is old and from a while ago, but I had to fit it in with my Philly trip before I move on to my New York posts!

There's me! lol

Sadly the Macy's Flower Show in Philadelphia ended on April 10th, but I was fortunate enough to stop in and catch it in March. I have to admit, it was very cool to have amazing floral displays surrounding you as you walked through the shoe and jewelry department in Macy's. Each day they had a different designer bouquet and the one on display when I went was this one:

As you can see, it was pretty tall.

The colors were kind of crazy, but it was beautiful.

Can you imagine if Macy's was like this everyday? It would take an enormous amount of upkeep, but think of how many customers it would attract! Having a department store that is filled to the brim with fresh flowers and plants is sort of relaxing.

Enjoy all of the photos!

Can you feel the springtime weather yet? It is so humid here in PA yet we're supposed to have thunderstorms tomorrow I think. Oh joy. One more week and I'll be back in Cali! Can't wait!

April showers bring May flowers! 3 more days until May is officially here!

-Stephanie, WWT

Capogiro Gelato Artisans

Another stop on my Philly food day was Capogiro Gelato Artisans where you can get fantastic gelato, sandwiches, and many other wonderful snacks.  Although it was chilly out and my nose was running when I stepped inside, I couldn't resist and had to get some. After much indicisiveness and 6 or 7 samples later I finally made my decision. For about $4.50 I was able to get a small cup and try two flavors.  Here is a picture of my selection:

1/2 Banana Chocolate gelato + 1/2 Dulce de Leche gelato = heaven

The gelato was simply amazing. I wanted to try all of the flavors, many of which are exotic.  I think they change their menu daily however, so certain flavors may not be available.  The people there are super nice and the guy let me sample about 6 flavors. From what I remember:

Cioccolato Banana = perfect mixture of bananas and chocolate
Bananas Foster = a little bit more banana-ey, I preferred the chocolate
Dulce De Leche = very sweet with a caramel swirl
Mint something?? = can't remember the name but it was very minty, almost like toothpaste
Coffee something?? = also don't remember, but it was okay

I looked on the website to search the names of the types of gelato that I tried, and they already changed the menu! I would suggest looking at their online menu the day you visit so you know ahead of time if they'll have the flavors you're looking for. They only have a couple that seemt to be consistent every day.

I went to the Capogiro in Rittenhouse at 117 South 20th St althought there are 3 more locations I think the others are on 13th and the other is on Walnut somewhere. The atmosphere is one where you could bring a laptop and hang out for the day, or just come with some friends. It's still pretty small, about 10 tables maybe? Overall, it was a nice snack, that I honestly didn't need, but wanted to indulge in anyway. I would definitely go back and hope to catch some more interesting flavors like their basil or avocado flavors, yum!

Have any favorite gelato spots or flavors?
Hopefully warm weather is on the way!!

-Stephanie, WWT

Termini Bros. Pasticceria

So my day in Philly ended with a stop at Termini Bros in Reading Terminal. I had to try a cannoli here, although Hershel's had filled me up. What do I do? Naturally take it to go! I asked the lady piping my cannoli shell with ricotta if it would last until later that night and she assured me it would. She also assured me I would love it! Boy did I enjoy that cannoli, I wish I had another one right now...

Honestly, this cannoli was amazing!! The shell was so crispy and crunchy while the ricotta was filled with chocolate chips, and these little jello chunks flavored with lemon. They certainly don't skimp on the filling either!

I had to add another pic of this beautiful dessert!

I hope someday to return and try some cookies, or perhaps a pecan bar at Termini Bros. They also have a wide variety of cakes and other goodies to buy. Last year at Easter, they had these cakes displayed:

Aren't they adorable? I think they have these every Easter, so they should be coming in soon!
Go enjoy a cannoli at Termini's for an amazing dessert!

-Stephanie, WWT

Herschel's East Side Deli

Here is my review, as promised, of Herschel's located in Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia, PA.
It was my first time going to Herschel's and let me tell you, it can be a little overwhelming at first.  Fortunately, i read some reviews about what to get on Yelp before going so I pretty much knew what I was going to get.

There are several clear cut favorites to order. Choosing between the pastrami, reuben, and corned beef was definitely hard as all three look equally mouthwatering. In the end, I went with the corned beef special, piled with meat topped with coleslaw and russian dressing. It also comes with a pickle spear!

My corned beef!

If you're someone who prefers to not have your stomach stuffed to the max then GET THE 1/2 SANDWICH!! As you can see in the pic below, this was plenty for me. I'll admit I finished the whole thing but it was difficult.  The carvers there are just as proud and happy to serve you a half sandwich as a whole and it is a couple bucks cheaper too.  They are so nice and will be happy to answer any questions as well.

So I order my sandwich and move down the line where I proceed to ask them to make my a NY egg cream, something which I also have never had in my life.  Egg creams are common in New York (hence the name NY egg cream) and other parts of the East Coast.  Growing up in California, I had never heard of one until I came here. I had originally planned on trying one in New York, but the one at Herschel's was only $1.95, about half the amount you would pay for one in New York. An egg cream basically consists of chocolate syrup, milk, and selzer and it has neither eggs nor cream in it. Funny huh? I think they were originally made with eggs, but restaurants had to stop making them that way because they couldn't serve people raw eggs. This makes me wonder about egg nog. Isn't that made with raw eggs?

1/2 Corned Beef Special

Anyway, my egg cream was alright I guess. Not something I'm going to be craving any time soon. It was just different. My corned beef special on the other hand was, hands down, THE BEST SANDWICH I HAVE EVER EATEN!!! No I'm not exaggerating. The corned beef melted in your mouth and literally had no fat on it whatsoever. That little piece you can see in the picture is the most fat I found on the meat. I can't speak for the pastrami, which to me, looked a bit more fattier.  My sandwich was so good, but messy too! I ended up eating the rest with a fork and knife it was that bad :)

I could have used more coleslaw, but overall, this sandwich definitely makes my top 5. Phenomenal. I think my 1/2 sanwich came out to around $5 or something. The full size was around $8 I think.
I also ordered a knish to go. This was another thing I had never ever heard of in my life, so I had to try it. I got a broccoli one and heated it up later that night. It was a nice, ball of potatoes and broccoli in a pastry dough outside. Not the best thing I've ever eaten, but I would try another kind in the future possibly.
That was around $2.75 I believe. So my sandwich, egg cream, and knish only cost me $10.75

Broccoli Knish

If you're ever in Philly, I totally recommend stopping by the market and getting a sandwich at Herschel's. They are out of this world, seriously!

Where have you eaten the best sandwich of your life?

-Stephanie, WWT

Gastronomic Delights in Philly

This past Sunday was my big day out in Philly, a city that I've come to know and love these past three years.  I have to confess that my main motivation was not to go to the art museum, like my fellow dorm members, rather, I was seeking out the tastiest treats in Philly, that I hadn't already tried of course.

This whole trip was spurned by my dorm offering a free trip to Philadelphia and back, something which is the best deal for a college student short on cash. To take the R5 train to 30th Street and back costs $10, which won't break the bank, but it does add up.  While the rest of my floormates went straight to the museum, I walked the 30 minutes down Benjamin Franklin Parkway, past the iconic statue of LOVE, and down around City Hall to make my way to Reading Terminal Market, a foodie's paradise.  Located right across from the convention center, it may be hard to spot for someone who has never been there before.  Just look for a) the huge sign that says Reading Terminal Market, b) little hanging whales, cows, and fruits, or c) a huge tunnel. Any of these signs will let you know you're in the right place.

Now I have been to this market many times, but never have I had the pleasure of eating at Herschel's East Side Deli. Let me just say, the experience was heavenly! A review is forthcoming by the way.
From there I went to Macy's, right next to City Hall.  I really wanted to see the flower show there, something that is only in its second year. It lived up to the hype as Macy's was decked out in floral arrangements that made it seem more like a tropical paradise than a huge department store.

After that I decided to take a walk to Rittenhouse Square because of the awesome weather. I was also seeking out a gelateria in the area which I did find. Called Capogiro, this is a chain that has several locations around the city. Even though it was windy and a little chilly out, I couldn't pass up on this delectable Italian treat. (Again, I will post a review and pics soon!)

On my walk back to the market I stopped in an Anthropologie 4 floors high! I didn't buy anything though, in favor of saving my money for my upcoming New York trip! I decided to head into Chinatown, somewhere I had never been before. It is relatively close to the market, off of Arch street.  Anyway, it was fun to pop in and out of some souvenir shops and bakeries, but again, I didn't buy anything, for I knew what treat I wanted to take with me.

So my journey concluded back at Reading Terminal at Termini Bros. This Italian bakery served my the best cannoli I have had to this day, which, I guess isn't really saying much cause I've had very few cannolis in my lifetime. I got a regular ricotta filled shell to go, which surprisingly lasted until later that night without getting soggy at all.

Overall, I have to say my day was filled with walking, eating, and just enjoying the city.  Now, it's back to crunch time, and the crazy mess of the last month of my junior year of college.

Do you have any favorite food spots in Philly? If so, please share!
Also, check out my post from a year ago on Reading Terminal for more reviews!

-Stephanie, WWT