And I can’t even go! 🙁
About a month ago, I received a really cool email from the Pom Wonderful people, inviting me to visit their factory in California, all expenses paid. In my mind, my bags were packed and I was already there… Until I remembered school. Darn school. My mom kept saying, “Katie, talk to your professors. I’m sure you can do your homework in the hotel.” Yeah, but did I really want to go all the way out to Cali just to sit in a hotel and do homework? No so much. Someday, though, I am going to have to go to California. (I’ve been to California once before. But at that time in my life, the highlight of the trip was a visit to the Barbie Museum!) For now: if you can’t go to the Pom, bring Pom to you… in the form of an Alm-Pom sandwich, that is.
Rounding out my lunch, I also had a spinach salad and a cup of “Magic” Soup. Finally, it’s soup weather again! Not that I don’t eat soup in the summer…
Above, my almond butter and pom sandwich. The seeds add a fun crunch to the sandwich. I adore Pom seeds and am so excited they’re back in stores!
Someone else is crazy for Pom juice:
If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be?
I would say California, but I hear they’re having crazy hot weather lately. Surprisingly enough, I might just have to stick with Texas… for now. Happy October, y’all! (Gotta love Texas; we get to say “y’all.”)
Nicole (Picky Nicky) says
I’m the oppostie, actually. I LOVE the juice and can’t stand the seeds 😛
If I could be anywhere right now I’d be wandering around Paris, or chilling on a boat in Norway, or shopping in England. Ahahaha, a girl can dream!
couchpotatoathlete says
I’m amazed you were able to turn them down — but you need to do whats best for you!
The POM sandwich looks great and I agree with you about juice — I’m just not into juice at all, too sweet and the way it coats your teeth, blech. I like to USE juice in recipes or smoothies, but on its own, no thanks.
If I could be anywhere I’d be back at home still asleep!
eatandrun says
I never thought to use pom seeds on a sandwich. I know what I’m having for lunch now!
Caitlin says
Katie, that sandwich looks fantastic! I am always at a loss as to what to do with pom seeds, but I love the crunchy little guys. Have you ever tried them with chocolate? Maybe you could even melt some of your PMS chocolate, throw some pom seeds in, and make a pom chocolate bar! Mmmmmm :).
anonymous says
was that the pom tour that fitnessista and caitlin from healthytippingpoint went on last year?
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Yeah, the Pom Harvest Tour. I really wanted to go! 😕
Maybe next year… but I have to be lucky enough to be invited again!
Namaste Gurl says
I wish you were coming to Cali, when I saw the title of this post, I was about to say “let’s meet up, yay!”. And you’re totally right, it’s SUPER vegan-friendly, which I enjoy. Especially where I live where most all produce is local and organic– Santa Cruz. I live in the place where Earthbound Farm Organic, Driscoll and many other berry and artichoke produce comes from 🙂 Love it.
Looks like one yummy sammie with the addition of pom seeds– Must try that!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I guess you’ll just have to come to Texas! LOL now how do I convince someone lucky enough to live in Cali to get on a plane and come to Tx… Hmmm…
Namaste Gurl says
Katie, that’s definitely a hard question to ask a CA girl 🙂 Maybe someday though–or who knows, maybe for a blog meet-up or the next healthy living summit! 🙂
Valerie says
I wish I were in Italy. It’s where I had my honeymoon, and we keep saying we’re going to go back. Of course, with little kids, it complicates things! 😉
Inspired says
I’ll definitely be trying that sandwich. Love the close up! And yes, if you get a chance, you should definitely come to Cali! If you think New York is a vegan mecca…
VEGirl says
I wanna go to Cali too!!! Can I use your trip??!!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I really wish you could! I thought about asking them if I could send my sister instead lol. (She couldn’t make it either, so I didn’t ask.)
Nichole says
I didn’t know you could eat the Pom seeds!?!? I feel silly asking but I normally ate the flesh and spit the seeds, is that wrong??
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
LOL I’m the opposite: you can eat the flesh??? Definitely try eating the seeds :).
Marina says
Wow, it’s amazing that you got invited. Maybe next time you’ll be able to go, I hope so.
Gosh, I am so jealous at all the stuff cool smart (and U.S) blogers get.
I’m praying for samples, any kind 😀
Right now, I would be in Zürich, with my boy :/ Only a month ’till he gets back to me, woo
abby says
i love that last pic of you, katie. it’s so pretty :).
and the sammie looks yummylicious too. i love pb sammies, and always am excited to try new combos.
love,
abby who wishes she were in cali too!
jodye @ 'scend food says
Your Alm-Palm sandwich sounds awesome, I haven’t had pomegranate in a long time so I definitely need to get back on the wagon. I love how crunchy the little seeds are! If I could be anywhere right now, I’d be out in Kentucky climbing at the red river gorge. It’s absolutely gorgeous there!
Sarahishealthy says
Alm Pom haha even the name is totally cute!
I haven’t seen pomegranates here yet. Hopefully they’re coming soon!
Faith says
I would be in Italy. Hot men, hot food, killer sights and the home of incredible couture designers…where can you go wrong?
mckella says
I’ve never had pom, but I love pomegranates.
If I could be anywhere…I don’t know. A European cruise sounds nice.
Albizia says
I love pomegranates. I have never eaten a pom sandwich but next time I buy a pomegranate, I will definitely give it a try.
Right now I want to be in New York. I have always wanted to see the city that never sleeps. But if I had to choose a place to go and stay, it would probably be Kyoto.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Ohmigosh Kyoto!! We got to go once. That place is so beautiful! If you ever do go, put me in your suitcase :).
Albizia says
I promise 😉
Dani says
Oh that sucks that you can’t go! Also, California is VERY vegan-friendly. I’m not even vegan and one of my favorite restaurants to go to is Vegan Glory in West Hollywood. AMAZINGGGG vegetable stir fry, yummm!
alex (spoonfulofsugarfree) says
You turned them down???!!! Are you crazy?!!!!! Just kidding….maybe….
I love pomegranates. They can be extremely messy, sometimes, though. I remember bringing my friends to may house last Halloween, and while they had fun eating candy, I popped out the pomegranate! They looked at me very weirdly at first, but once they tried it, they understood why I chose candy-like beads of pomegranate over the artificial stuff.
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
School just gets in the way of everything, huh?? Geez..we need like a blogger university. That way when all expense paid trips come our way, our professors would understand and give us the week off 😛
Laura says
Ahhh how gutting that you can’t go!School ruins EVERYTHING! I’m sure you’ll get another chance xx
Amy says
I would much rather be at home this weekend like I had planned, but due to unforseen circumstances I am stuck at school and, probably, will therefore be responsible and do my homework.
If I was home this weekend, I would be having a lovely mini vacation and there would be no homework involved until late Sunday night when I return to campus.
Oh well, perhaps next weekend I will buy bus tickets again to make the trip home.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
See? Darn school! Told you school gets in the way of fun!
thedelicateplace says
i feel so bad hating on POM wonderful but zomg that is not a health food at all and they try to market it as one 🙁 it is full of so much sugar! yikes!! at least they were gonna give ya a free trip 😉 at least the fruit is delicious, i’m just not a big packaged juice fan. give me fresh or none at all
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Yeah, I hear ya. I think they’re getting sued, in fact. 😕 I’d much rather have the fruit, itself, too. But my mom has to have her Pom-tinis, so she was very excited for the free juice. That stuff’s expensive!
Melissa says
Oh? Sued for health claims?
I just remember a few years back when they got outed for doing experiments on pregnant rodents. They’d give mama POM and then when the babies were born they’d induce trauma and see if mom drinking POM helped ward of brain damage? I believe. Something like that. WFM (my employer) refused to sell the product until they stopped testing. They did (yay) but I still don’t trust them.
I used to really like their POM teas, too.
Sarah @ BikingNBaking says
Eating pomegranates is a chore but SO rewarding! They are tasty and good for you! I’ve never thought to include them in a sandwich though!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Have you tried soaking them in water? Just cut the fruit in quarters, stick in a dish of water for like 5 minutes, then peel back the skin and watch the seeds easily fall off :).
VEGirl says
oohh? Really? I can’t wait to try that!
Jennifer - jcd says
Wow, that’s the best pomegranate tip anyone has ever given me! Warm or cold water, or does it matteR? I’m going to try it as soon as I see pomegranates in the stores up here.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I’ve heard warm; I usually just use room temp water.
I used to HATE seeding poms; I’d make my sister do it for me because she likes it lol. She also likes blood tests. Silly girl…
Shelby says
Love the idea for the Alm-Pom sandwich! I’ll have to keep an eye out for pom seeds!
I wouldn’t be anywhere but here, although I would love to bring my family down. It feels like I haven’t seen them in forever!
todayslady says
If I could be anywhere right now it would be here in Vancouver 🙂 I just came back from a week in California and it was soooooooo hot!!!!! I had so much fun but at the end I was homesick so right now home is what I need!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Need to email you!!!!
If I could be anywhere…i’d be right here. I am in San Diego and after leaving for 9 mos to buy real estate that I hated, I am back at “home”. Love it here, never plan to leave again! I have lived in 6 states in my life, CA is home. 25-30 moves later over the course of my life (in college and my early 20s I moved TONS.ha!)
xoxo
🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hey pretty! I’ll email you back soon’s I get a chance!! 🙂
Bianca- Vegan Crunk says
You’re so responsible Katie! I would have totally ditched school for a free trip to Cali! POM once offered to send me some juice, and I turned them down because I couldn’t put the animal testing thing behind me….even though Peta has said they’ve stopping the testing. Then another POM person wrote me a few months later and I sent this long email about how I would give them a second chance, but I that I couldn’t believe they ever thought it was okay to test freakin’ pom juice on animals…and they never responded. I think they hate me now.
Stephanie @ Off the Eaten Path says
If I could be anywhere in the world, it would be California! I wish POM would offer ME a trip! Haha!!
Vegyogini says
Noooooooooooooo! Come visit me in LA! Homework will only take up part of your time; the rest can be spent exploring our fabulous vegan options! But I admire your sense of responsibility when it comes to your schoolwork. 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I want to take you up on that offer so much it has me contemplating getting on the next plane. I’d miss a big test, but who cares?! 😉
Erika says
Wow, you’re so level-headed! I would have been there in a minute, homework or no homework. 😉 I’m not much of a juice person either but I love pomagrantes so maybe I’d like the juice. Never tried it.
BTW – How’s your Mom feeling? Better, I hope. 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Oh Erika, you are so sweet to ask. Seriously, it just made my mom smile so so much when I told her someone cared enough to ask after her. Thank you so much; you really cheered her up :). She’s doing better… she can walk without crutches now!! 🙂 It’s slow gong, but her knee is slowly healing.
ecogrrl says
i’ve gotten away from juice myself, i’d rather use those calories in a more filling way 🙂 but still i’d use the POM to mix in with some frozen rice-dream (i love the pom-chip by soy-licious!).
california can be fun (central and northern coast) but i was never impressed with SoCal living there – too much emphasis on STUFF. women wearing makeup to the gym. money, money, money.
now for a vegan goddess you should really visit oregon, little sista!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Oh my gosh, Portland is definitely on my list too. Ya know what would be fun? A vegan road trip! There are so many places I want to go.
BroccoliHut says
Wow, what a cool opportunity! I have the same dilemma though, when I receive invitations to do cool blogger things across the country. Someday I’ll be free of these academic chains.
Cynthia K says
I was just going to ask about your mom but I see someone already did. 🙂 I’m glad she’s healing well and hope it doesn’t take too much longer! Knee injuries are the worst; I cringed when I read what happened. Take care, Katie’s mom, glad you got your pom juice!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Thanks so much Cynthia. Like I told Erika, it really makes my mom feel happy to know that people are still thinking about her. That’s a huge problem with injuries/long-term illness, ya know? Everyone is thinking of you in the beginning, sending cards, etc. But then the novelty wears off and you start to just feel like a burden. So thanks for still caring. It means the world to us :).
Chris Braunmuller says
Wish you could go! If I could be anywhere in the world right now, it’d be smwhere warm… Mexico or any exotic place. California might just do it. LA to be precise where my bf lives.
Hey Katie, wanna know the weirdest thing? I haven’t been on the computer for the longest time so probably haven’t checked out the blog in like a month…yet tonight you were in my dreams!! You were writing a book and I was invited to go to your place…u lived with roomates and were still in College. Strange dream! Especially bcse I haven’t been here lately! 🙂 BUT that made me come back. I hope you do write that book and that you look as happy as u were when i saw u last night! 🙂 xxx ChrisB
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Oh wow, that’s so fun! I hope I was well-stocked with chocolate in the dream ;).
eatmovelove says
Wow. What an opportunity. I’m surprised though – why would they offer you a trip when you don’t even drink the stuff??
Not being “snarky”! – I just want to know 😉
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
LOL I wondered the same thing! In fact, I keep wondering why they send me juice so often when I said in my very first post that I don’t like it!