Failed.
Yesterday I really wanted to run and go to yoga. But I simply couldn’t do it.
It’s not that I’m stressed out.. but I’m so overwhelmed. Literally every minute is planned out until I leave for Florence and it’s just so exhausting. I walk fast because I know that saves a few minutes. Sigh.
I know it’s my “fault” and I simply shouldn’t do that much. The only problem is that I like being busy because there are so many great things that I want to do. Anyway, I really don’t want to complain here 
.
Actually I only wanted to “explain” why I had time to cook a proper (and great) dinner. And since I skipped any sort of activity I decided to organize my DVDs and clean the living room a bit. 
A friend of mine gave me some pasta ages ago and I decided to try it for dinner.
They always seemed too cute to cook
I ended up making them with a bit of olive oil and garlic and I also added some carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the party. Simple and delish.
Before I made dinner I got to work on some plantains. You know, as a lover of bananas (TWSS ) it’s almost embarrassing to say that I’ve never tried plantains before!
But I was prepping snacks for our Italy trip and so I thought that making plantain chips would be fun.
So I bought some at the groceries store….
…peeled them…
…cut them into bite-size pieces…
…added salt and 1 tsp of olive oil…
…put them on trays…
…and let my lame dehydrator do it’s job during the night…
This morning I had a bite and spat it right out. God was that awful! It still tasted.. well so.. not ripe. Could anyone tell me what I did wrong?? (Though I’m still hoping that they maybe –through some magic hand- got better during the day).
Oh boy, what a failure.
But I won’t give up. I will make perfect dehydrated plantains in the future. In the mean-time I think I’ll stick to dehydrating fruits or something like that .
Ps: Of course I’ll take photos in Florence! I would never never NEVER forget my camera for such a precious trip *knock on wood* .
Q: Have you ever made plantains?
Q2: What are your favourite snacks to pack for a trip? I think I always have some snacks on hand (I get cranky when I’m hungry ) and my favourites are nuts, fruits, bars, rice cakes, baked goods… what else? Well, basically everything that doesn’t need to be refrigerated and that doesn’t go bad super quickly.
ITALY! HOW EXCITING! I love the pasta too, it’s cute and very easterish. Sorry your plantains didn’t work out, I’ve fried them before and they were delicious that way!
Well that sucks. I’ve never made anything with plantains either. Maybe they weren’t ripe enough yet?
My favorite trip snacks are granola bars, fruit, dried fruits, nuts and pretzels.
It a trip involves a long car ride I also need coffee. LOTS AND LOTS OF COFFEE in my portable mug. I get crazy without it.
This of course translates into lots of annoying stops for bathroom breaks but oh well. It’s good to stretch your legs anyways.
That pasta is so beautiful!!!! Love it!
Just keep breathing and remember that in a few days, you’ll be in one of the most magical cities in the world
I love the colors of the pasta.
I so want a dehydrator.. maybe I added to my christmas list this year
Gorgeous pasta, I wouldn’t want to eat either!
Hard to say on the plantains, it’s been awhile since I’ve had them, usually at restaurants, and they’ve been fried to mush with plenty of salt – a true guilty pleasure. I guess like bananas, the riper they are, the better they taste.
holy crud! that pasta is AMAZING! hang in there with the overwhelmingness
Ahh no! Plantains need to be REALLY ripe! Literally turned black! That is if you want to have them baked or fried for what are called maduros in Spanish. I know some South Asian cuisines use green plantains but I don’t know how to make that.
Next time, wait for the plaintains to be black! Those looks like they need another week or two!
I like to keep myself busy too but sometimes its good to catch your breath once in a while! Otherwise, I find I get scatterbrained (and anxious, and stressed, but thats a different issue…and I agree that this gets better when you are generally happy in life.)
I’ve never made plantains myself, but I had the most delicious plantains at this restaurant in Florida once. They were caramelized and sweet, not savoury like plantains usually are. I think they were also extremely ripe. Try waiting a bit longer to make them, even if you are making them savoury you will probably have better results.
That pasta is too cute; I’d feel bad for eating it too!
I’ve been pretty satisfied with bananas, so I’ve never gone out of my way to try a plantain. Maybe yours just needed to be riper? That being said, my favorite snacks to take on the go are a homemade trail mix with oats, chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit… or something simple like a banana or apple. Juice does a decent job of satisfying cravings sometimes too
The plantains were definitely too unripe. You need to wait for at least a few brown spots, NEVER when it’s green.
haha, you remind of me just a week ago…and uh, now, too. I’m so busy, I can’t think and walk right. I’m always in a hurry it seems like. But busy is good! I like busy, too.
Things are busy, don’t beat yourself up over the workout!
I always pack nuts and Larabars….they seem to travel well.
I’ve made fried plantains…those always turn out good
I’m such a good RD 
Aww, that pasta is so cute!
I think your plantains were maybe unripe? Don’t give up on them! They are sweetest when they are turning black, which is when I usually make them. I love them baked with cinnamon and topped with pb
My favorite travel food is dried fruit and bars. It seems like your list has everything covered!
the pasta is beautiful!
plantains…they are a really starchy food and I think they need to have some of that starch cooked out of them, first. It would be like trying to dehydrate a potato. It “could” work but probably better to actually cook them somehow first a bit to cook off that starch.
Just my ramblings…
that pasta bowl is so pretty! and you’re right, simple and delish~ I love meals like these!
I’ve never tried plantains, not the fresh one nor in chips form. so I can’t help you on this on
have a great trip dear!!!
Ah that sucks about the plantains! I usually wait until mine are brown before I cook them! I thought green meant they’re underripe?
Try not to stress over running/yoga. It sounds like you’ve got a lot to do
i do not know anyting about plaintains or dehydrating them!
your pasta looks so pretty-what kind is it?
have a wonderful time in florence
I love that pasta its so pretty! I always take fruit and nuts/seeds on any trip I need me some snacks wherever I am!
Maybe the plaintains themselves werent ripe? I love how fun that pasta was! Woo hoo for Italy. The sites and food are amazing!
I know the feeling of always being on the go!! I love being busy too but sometimes its a bit…. much….
I’ve always wanted to try plantains!!! I have no idea what they’d taste like but with my love of bananas I feel like it’d be wrong if I didnt like them
What beautiful pasta!
I always feel guilty when I skip workouts to relax too… but I think we need it!
I love being busy as well. It’s hard not to be!