Peace, Love and Carbs.

Yes, carbs... Kazakhstan = carbs.  Noooooooooo!  Whyyyyyyy?  Save me!

I've read several blogs and tourist sites about Kazakhstan, especially their food.  Besides meat (lamb, beef, horse... sick), they serve TONS of carbs.  I'm talking noodles (as white as can be), rice and BREAD.... a lot of bread.  Kazakhstan is a melting pot in its own.  Because of its location, the country itself is influenced by many different cultures and cuisine.  Dishes range with influences from Asia, Russia and the Middle East.  

Heath has been there for almost two weeks now, and his meals are similar throughout: salad, soup, noodles, meat and bread.  He said that the area he's in serves more Russian-inspired dishes.  Here are pictures of his typical lunch:

Their version of a salad served before every meal.  Fresh tomatoes (Heath swears they taste like they just came off the vine), cucumbers and onions.

This was similar to chicken vegetable soup.

Look at those noodles!!  This is chicken with noodles and some kind of sauce.  Heath said they put ketchup on their noodles and rice (hence the random red on the bottom right).  Obviously, that plate looks like the serving size of a hungry man.

Last but not least, the bread.  Ohhhh, the bread.  Heath said they serve this with EVERYTHING.  No matter what.  AND he said it tastes fresh out of the oven every time. 

Oh, great.  I'm going to teach myself that Kazakhstan bread is forbidden bread. 

I grew up eating steamed or sticky rice with everything.  Obviously, I'm Asian.  However, I've stopped eating rice with everything since college.  I can have dinner with my family with no rice at all now.  My parents still think I'm weird for that.  So, I hope I can build up that kind of self-control when it comes to that fresh, hot and soft Kazakhstan bread....

Carbs.  Calories.  Love handles.  Hey, I heard new marriages do affect weight gain!  

Until next time,