Tonight I thought it would be fun to mention some of my favorite things in my kitchen. 

Maybe once you see my list you might be able to share with me some of your favorites too.

Here we go.

First up my favorite cookbook:

So love Giada!  Pretty much everything she makes is easy and no fail.  And everything I have tried either from her show or from this cookbook has been great.

Hummus-really any kind will do:

At our house, we pretty much put this on EVERYTHING!  So far the only thing I have not paired it with is chocolate.

Awwww Almond Milk:

So delicious in shakes, cereal, baking and even coffee (though not as thick as soy creamer).

Awwwwww Almond butter (swoon):

If I could jump in the jar I would!

Of course this super star cannot be missed:

And last but not least………….

My all time favorite tea:

I was reading a blog this morning that mentioned now they have Tazo in loose-leaf form? 

Darn it I can’t remember whose blog it was!

Hope you had a great Tuesday!

And hope to hear about your favorites too.

Yes, I’m home in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. Seminar was canceled again, so I have a long enough break to escape from campus for a while. Even though it’s a drive, I don’t mind so much because I feel nice and refreshed by the time I get to Trends tonight, instead of “I’ve been here for 7.5 hours and have almost 3 more hours to go”.

I love Kashi Go Lean cereal for breakfast. It keeps me full for a lot longer than other cold cereals (must be all that fiber and protein!).

I have about 3 hours left before I head back to campus, so I better get started on my studying and do a super quick strength workout!

~Meredith

One of my clients, asked an outstanding question regarding the post entitled:  ”What Else is in that Bowl of Milk and Cereal?”  It was such a great question that I wanted to address it in an article.

Crystal writes…

Dear Diary of a Nutritionist,

“… I’m switching to almond milk! I was wondering what you’d suggest for young children… the AAP recommends whole milk for children after 1 year of age for healthy development (bone and brain)… my guess would be almond milk, etc. lacks the needed fat content that whole cow’s milk has, so would using organic cow’s milk be the compromise until the fat content wasn’t an issue and children could be switched over to less horrific alternatives, like almond milk?”

Crystal, you are a wonderful and intuitive mother, I can tell this already.

As I addressed in the Multi-Post Series about Milk, Cows milks, is fit for a calf… Not a grown cow, not an infant, not an adolescent and most certainly not for an adult. While organic milk is lacking chemicals and hormones, it is still pasteurized, killing off healthy bacteria, and any vitamins and minerals.  It is also important to note that it still contains the slow-digesting, and mucous-forming, protein– casein.

Children that consume milk, organic or not, generally suffer from chronic sinus infections, painful ear infections, and even hyperactivity disorders, such as ADHD.

It is entirely correct to point out that almond milk would not be sufficient nourishment for a growing child.  Fat is necessary for all humans, especially infants, when healthy bone and brain development is crucial. All fats are not created equal of course, and therefore it is important to choose the right fats.

Lets take a look at two different fats.  Milk fat and Avocado Fat.

1 cup of Whole Milk contains approximately 8 grams of pasteurized milk fat, and 8 grams of the slow-digesting protein, casein.  1 cup of pureed avocado, provides 35 grams of digestible, nutrient dense, raw fat, and 5 grams of easily digestible plant protein.  Look at the nutrition facts below for further comparison.

Information was taken from NutritionData.com and commented on by author of this publication.

So… if infants should not have cow milk, how do they receive the proper nutrition necessary for healthy bone and brain development?

Natalia Rose, mentor, renown Clinical Nutritionist, author, and mother of two, beautiful and radiant children (both of which, I have had the pleasure of meeting), suggests combining different variations of fruit, greens and raw fats.

My personal favorite drinks, formulated for optimal growth and development, consist of the following combinations:

1. Freshly-pressed Organic Carrot Juice +  Organic Romaine Juice  + Organic Romaine leaves + Avocado
2. Freshly-pressed Organic Carrot Juice + Banana + Avocado + Organic Romaine Leaves
3. Organic Peaches + Banana + Organic Romaine Juice and leaves
4. Freshly-pressed Orange juice + Banana + Avocado
5. Freshly-pressed Organic Pear juice + Avocado + Organic Romaine Leaves
6. Freshly-pressed Apple juice + Avocado + Organic Romaine Leaves + 1 stalk celery

Most of these recipes rely on avocado as their main source of fat.  It is recommended, and entirely possible to interchange “avocado” for other fats such as:

1.  A raw, cold-pressed flax oil.

I recommend organic, cold-pressed oils by Barleans.

2.  A tbsp, or two, of raw almond butter.

Make sure that the nut butter is raw and without additives.  If you have a high speed blender, you can make this nut butter yourself.

Always make sure the shake is blended until it entirely without lumps.  There should be no pointy romaine leaves, or lumps of almond butter.  Add water if needed.

Important Note:  Do not feed infants raw honey, strawberries, peanut or soy products.

Play around with the combinations.  I personally like using Organic Romaine leaves, as they rich in enzymes, and their water is nutrient rich.  Organic cucumbers are great for building volume, as they are a very watery vegetable.  I do not suggest juicing spinach.  A perfect combination is one that contains something green, something sweet, and is balanced with a raw fat (avocado, flax oil, or almond butter).  A mother’s milk contains a plethora of nutrients, natural sugar and fat.  With the right combination, your baby will love these sweet and nourishing drinks.  These nutrient dense, milk alternatives are derived from nature, and raw, just as Mother Nature intended.

——————

Disclaimer:  I am not a Dr.  All information printed here is based on my own research and from discussions with other holistic nutritionists.  As always, it is important to consult your child’s pediatrician before implementing any diet program.

So my friends and I decided it would be safer not to drive out to Charlottesville for the weekend. I’m glad we didn’t go because they predicted 3 ft of snow for that area. I’m not sure how much they ended up getting though.

Winning combination!

I have never tried any of the PB&Co flavors but I’d imagine it would taste similar to this. In the bowl I cooked some oatmeal with the last of my chocolate protein powder + cinnamon + coconut oil. Then I added in some diced apples, white chocolate chips, and crunchy peanut butter. So delicious!

Look at the snow!

My friend was looking pretty in the snow and then we were on mission to drive through it.

So beautiful!

BFD

I made a bowl of chocolate oats with a banana bruleed in + coconut oil + peanut butter + white chocolate chips. Obviously I loved the peanut butter and white chocolate chip combo from earlier that day.

A yummy platter.

Steamed kale later massaged in olive oil; To go with the brie I made a caramelized onion-cranberry compote + pine nuts for crunch and earthiness, then I baked some leftover Italian semolina bread. Even the kale with the brie and compote tasted delicious together.

When a friend of mine slept over, we opened up my box of Kashi GoLean Crunch that had been sitting in my pantry for ages--this became part of my snack pictured above.

This snack bowl consisted of Kashi GoLean Crunch + a crumbled Cinnamon Raisin gnufoods bars + almond milk + coconut oil (all warmed up).

Then it was crafting time for me!

I tried another flavor of the 3400 Phinney bars.

It had a delicious bold bitterness to it at the end and a nice crunch from the nibs.

Another new flavor I tried!

I tried the breakfast Sunshine burger. It was yummy but I don’t think I’ll be buying it again. It’s not horrible by any means, there are just other flavors I prefer; like the Southwest and Original (m’mm good). In the bowl is a recipe I got from a Mambo Sprouts newsletter: sweet and tangy mashed butternut squash. I just realized that I forgot the chives! Oh well.

While I was snowed in I took a detox bath and quenched my thirst with something I spotted at the store--mango flavored coconut water!

A recipe I wrote down ages ago and found the other day--smudges and all.

This was suppose to be a Jamaican inspired oatmeal recipe actually, but since I ran out of oats the day before (GASP) I did the next best thing–granola! I opted for Udi’s Au Naturel flavor over yogurt. They were topped with pineapple bits, a sliced banana, coconut shreds, almonds, and maple syrup (the one my friend got for me on her trip to Canada–peeking in on the left side). I loved every tropical bite of this; especially because I am ready for warm weather!

On that same page I wrote down some other recipes and decided to make another one for lunch.

Chickpeas in coconut milk + steamed kale + coconut & cinnamon rice (with coconut oil)

Chickpeas in Coconut Milk: serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup water

10 oz potato, cubed

14 oz cooked chickpeas

1 generous cup coconut milk

1 tsp salt

2 tbl sunflower oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2-1 tsp chili

lemon juice

Suggestions for serving: naan or rice

1. Pour water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cubed potatoes, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 6-7 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes. Add coconut milk and salt and slow simmer.

2. Heat oil, low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently. Add coriander, turmeric, chili, and cook 25-30 seconds.

3. Mix into chickpea mixture. Stir in lemon juice.

Quick dinner after a long day of errands.

After spending the afternoon with my roommate stocking up on goods at Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods I was ready for dinner despite my snacks and yummy sampling! I bought some buns so I could enjoy Angharad’s spicy black bean burgers in burger form. These keep getting better and better! I topped it with vegan mayo, pepper jelly, melted manchego, yellow onions, cilantro, and ketchup. Holy delcious. I also had some steamed kale massaged in olive oil + cashews for crunch. I highly recommend making these burgers. Not only are they delicious, but they are so convenient for when you’re in a time crunch or don’t have the energy to prepare something. Actually, they’re wonderful for any occassion!

Comfort food with a twist...

This was such a great nighttime snack! Now what exactly was this snack? Well I cooked some cream of wheat in almond milk (I used Almond Breeze Original), and topped it with chopped dates, Artisana’s Cacao Bliss, and my favorite peanut butter. All of this melted together. So soothing and perfect for a Sunday night and some reading.

If all Mondays started like this... well then no one would be complaining!

Liz sent me a recipe that I knew I had to make ASAP! I had some leftover coconut milk from the soup I made the day before; Purrrfect for Indian spiced oats with coconut milk. Early classes on Monday = quick breakfasts so I used a packet of Uncle Sam Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal + Soymilk. I threw in a handful more of oats in there + extra spices. For the finishing touches I swirled in some coconut oil + raisins + sliced almonds + coconut milk.

Creamy deliciousness

Can't get enough of the spicy black bean burgers!

I prepped it the same way as Sunday night only this time I had it with barbeque Popchips (better the second time around), and a Bugs Bunny carrot + my favorite peanut butter. Once again, this was quick enough for me to put together without eating my own arm off. For some reason I didn’t realize that my Seminar on Hinduism class ended at 6:40–not 5:40. It didn’t help that my afternoon snack sadly only held me over about an hour and I hadn’t anticipated being hungry that quickly. Apparently today was one of those bottomless pit days and the only thing I had packed was the 3400 Phinney Nib Brittle bar and that didn’t do much except please my tastebuds. Note to self: always keep something substantial packed. I’m usually good about this is if I know I’m going to be on the go, but today I had the leisure of snacking at home. Oh well, lesson learned.

Last but not least... in my next post I'll be revealing a muffin recipe I concocted while I was snowed in.

Anybody want to take any guesses? How was everyone else’s weekend; any exciting plans for the week?

p.s. check out the Glass Dharma straw giveaway Audrey is having! Also, Averie is having an amazing giveaway as well (hint: the prize is one of my favorite add-ins)

2 bananas, frozen

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

2 tbsp peanut butter

1/4 cup Super Sun Smoothie (see post on Simplexity Health products)

1 – 2 cups almond milk

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust the amount of almond milk to make desired consistency.

This is one of our favorite smoothies inspired by our one and only raw food restaurant here in Denver. Phillip asks me to make it for him every morning. To make your own almond milk, see my recipe for almond milk and don’t forget to check out my link to the Soyabella, automated nut milk maker. It is the best.

1 banana

Handful of fresh spinach, washed

1 – 2 cups of nut milk (raw almond milk is great.)

1 date, soaked

1 tbsp of your favorite green powder (I use Synergy and blue manna in this)

Sprinkling of raw cacao powder (optional)

Sprinkling of maca powder (optional)

Ice cubes

Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. You can adjust the amount of nut milk to your desired consistency. (Optional ingredients: raw cacao, nut butter, avocado, ground flax, chia seeds)

Looking down the barrel of a glass of smoothie.

The texture of this smoothie… this is the reason blenders exist. This may be one of the creamiest things I’ve ever eaten, including actual whipped cream. It’s a bit high in calories, but they come from nutrient-rich foods, so enjoy and just swap in a lighter lunch or dinner if this is your breakfast.

Ingredients

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

1 tbsp soaked cashew puree (or substitute 2 tsp cashew butter)

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup frozen peach slices

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Just blend, of course. But do let me suggest that you run the blender for a full minute if you can stand the sound and don’t have cats that will begin to tear psychotically around the living room if you do so. Even if you do, it’s worth it to let this hit the maximum possible level of creaminess that prolonged blending produces.

The Soyabella and Fresh Hemp Milk

After that whole carrageenan scare about store bought soymilk, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start making milks at home. Crazy you say? No, it’s actually really easy (and saves a ton of money).

Enter the Soyabella—it effortlessly makes soymilk, raw nutmilks, soups, grinds spices, and even makes tofu. (Yes tofu!). It’s quite a powerhouse actually, and has been put through the ringer at the Grow Indie Test Kitchen, and hasn’t let us down once.

I first intended to just make soymilk, but the Soyabella makes it really easy to make raw nutmilks, so we gave those a try and were amazed (it’s kind of magical).

Check out our video to see the Soyabella in action:

There are two types of milks you can make—soy or all the rest. For soymilk, the Soyabella actually cooks the beans, and then grinds them (taking a total of 15 minutes). For raw nut milks, you simply soak the nuts overnight, put them in the Soyabella, and grind them up (this is pretty instant). I’ve even made Hemp milk without pre-soaking and they work just fine. The Soyabella’s filter makes a really smooth milk, so you get much better results than just, say, using a blender.  You can also make a thicker milk by adding less water, and vice versa, depending on what you like. Then,  just add vanilla extract, stevia, cacao powder, maple syrup, or nothing at all, and store in the fridge.

Tip: You can use the leftover almond pulp to make these tasty chocolate truffles. Leftover soy bean pulp can be thrown into veggie burgers.  Nothing goes to waste with the Soyabella.

Cost: The Soyabella Soymilk Maker with Tofu Kit costs about $125, including shipping, and can easily pay for itself the first year.

I did the math, and you can have fresh organic soymilk for about .75 cents a liter, and fresh hemp and almond milk for about $1. Oh yeah, and you actually know exactly what’s going into your food, you can’t really put price on that.

Benefits: Making your own milk is also so much better for the environment, since there are no transport fuels or containers to throw away. That stuff really adds up over a year if you think about how much you drink every week.

Deal:

Use the code Grow Indie and receive a free One Pot Wonder recipe book by Elysa Markowitz with the purchase of a Soyabella Deluxe Soymilk Maker with Tofu Kit and Lid (model SB-132). Just add the book to your cart and use the code to get it for free through March 31, 2010.

Let’s get something straight: I’m running the 5K, not the mini marathon!  Aw hell naw!  I’d be carried out on a stretcher, fo sho.

Seriously, guys…a runner, I am not.  In fact, I’ve only recently stopped despising it.  I used to try to push myself way too hard (shocking), and the “I’m gonna die” feeling kept me from experiencing the “this feels awesome” feeling.

Anywho, I’ve already decided that even if I walk a lot and come in dead last, I’ll be happy just to participate in this race.  I’m excited to start training!!!  I’ve even decided to keep the heart rate monitor I got for Christmas (I was going to return it for the extra cash flow).

Oh, aaand Ann and her sister are running this race with me (and I will totally eat their dust because they’re excellent runners).

AND my brother and couster both go to IU, so I’ll get to hang with them before and after the race (and I’ve already told them they have no choice but the get their butts out of bed and come cheer me on ).

To sum it up: Yay!  Go races!  I’m excited!

*******

Food time.

I took a break from blogland last night…just wasn’t feelin’ it.  You understand.

Lunch yesterday was great.

Whole wheat tortilla, slice of Galaxy Nutritional Food Veggie Slices Pepper Jack Flavor (vegetarian cheese…IDK???  It just looked good so I picked it up.), turkey, broccoli slaw, honey mustard, grape tomatoes, and avocado.

[I had just read one of Shelley’s posts and saw her turkey and cheese wrap – had to make one.]

I also had a leftover veg salad with a homemade dressing comprised of balsamic vinegar, sweet hot mustard, and creamy tomato soup.  Great stuff!  This will be a repeat dressing fo shiz.

La comida buena:

An unpictured yogurt mess was dessert.

For an afternoon snack,  I made the best cookies I’ve made so far!

Ingredients:

I started by melting some AB…

…then added steel cut oats…

…then protein powder…

…then yogs…

…then chopped chocolate chips (the Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips are effing huge!  I chopped them for better cookie dispersal.).

At this point I like to mix things up to see what kind of batter consistency I’m working with.  Makes it easier to decide how much flour to add.

Add a little oat flour…

After stirring, I decided it needed more flour.

Stirred, plopped on a plate, and ready to be microwaved for 4 min:

Post ‘wave:

[Did you just lick your screen?  That’s gross.]

I popped these in the freezer for 2 or 3 minutes.  After, I crumbled one up and put it in the remaining yogs, and left the other one to be eaten straight up.

Bomb.

I was Snacky McSnackerson the rest of the day (nothing that could really be considered “dinner”, just enough snacks to fill me up), and to accompany my brief break my blogworld, I also took a break from photographing my food.

This morning, however, I was back in action.

The usual.  This morning’s mix:

• ~ 1/2 c oats
• ~ 1 c water
• big scoop crunchy PB
• ~ 3/4 scoop protein powder
• chunks o’ canned pear
• cinnamonmononomonnomon
• Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs
• Nature’s Path Organic Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch (That might be wrong…too lazy to go look at the box right now.)

Another FULL BOWL:

Breakfast with the Cats:

Nomtastic:

Oooo and look what I found at Kroger:

A carton of Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk!  I have this stuff in my coffee every morning, but usually, I can only find it in jinxy little boxes.  I was pumped to find a whole carton!

[If you would have told me I would be drinking almond milk on a regular basis a year ago, I would have told you you were stupid.  I can just hear me now.  ‘Almond milk?  That’s hippie shit.’  Hehehehe.  Goooooooo Bayside hippie living!]

Good-for-you stuff:

Protein is the only thing “missing” compared to cow’s milk, but I think I do a pretty good job of getting that in elsewhere.  And look at those vitamins!  Especially the D and E percentages – holy cow almond!

*******

Pretty sure I’m forgoing my workout today and tackling my To Do List instead.  I am SUCH a procrastinator sometimes!  I tend to think of something I need to do, and instead of doing it, I add it to my list. 

Ever heard of the tip suggesting you only handle a piece of paper/email/what have you once?  As in, you complete the task right away (if possible) instead of adding it to a list?  I really want to try to start implementing that rule in my life.

First, though, I need to cross some thangs off my list!  TODAY!  (Super Bowl isn’t on till tonight, yo, it’s cool.)

Today’s Tip (obvious): If possible, handle tasks/emails/chores/phone calls/etc. as soon as you become aware of them.  (Gah!  This will be hard for me!)

*******

Jersey Shore Marathon today!!!  Perfect background for a To Do List Tackle.  I mean, what?  I don’t watch Jersey Shore.

Since Valentine’s Day is only a week away, I decided to have a pink breakfast this morning.

strawberry oatmeal

Fresh strawberries can be quite expensive this time a year, so I prefer to use frozen. It adds a bit of time to the cooking process, but not much!

I am looking forward to meeting up with other South Florida bloggers later today. In the meantime, it’s going to be a productive morning!

~Meredith

Hello there blog readers! Hope you all have had a good start to your weekend. My Saturday has been jam packed with all sorts of interesting events. I’m fading fast here though, so hopefully this doesn’t take too long to type out

I had somewhat of a sleep in this morning, but not my usual late weekend wake up call. I had somewhere I needed to be. But not before getting in a hearty breakfast.

These oats were oatmeal raisin cookie inspired. Which, when you think about it, isn’t exactly a stretch for oatmeal.

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup Earth’s Own Almond Milk
• 1/3 block Mori-Nu Silken Firm Tofu
• raisins
• cinnamon
• pecans
• maple syrup

I whipped the ‘fu in there as good as I could, but since I had cooked the raisins with the oats, I didn’t really want to blend the whole thing up, ya know?

With a glass of jewel-toned cranberry juice.

Breakfast basking in the morning sun.

So, what was a fuelling up for? I was off to a Zumba class! My gym is starting to offer Zumba classes, and they were having some free trial sessions this week, so my mom signed myself and my sister up to go with her. It was pretty fun – although, let’s be honest; I have no Latin rhythm whatsoever. I wanted to sign up for the 6 week package, but since I’m volunteering at the Olympics, I would end up missing half of the classes, which hardly makes it worthwhile. They said they were planning on doing consecutive 6 week sessions though, so hopefully I’ll be able to sign up next go round.

We got home just in time so I could watch the end of the Canucks game (serious – who schedules hockey to start at 10 am? Sure, it was 1 pm in Boston, but damnit, that’s still too early!). We ended up coming from behind and winning in a shootout, so that just made this Saturday a little bit better

I made use of some leftovers at lunch – the dinner I wasn’t home for last night.

The family BBQ’d (yes, outside – our weather has been that good lately) some hamburgers, so I reheated one with some Swiss cheese.

Served up in a whole wheat kaiser, with avocado, lettuce, onion, and mustard.

My sister wanted me to share her lunch creation as well – she was also on the leftover train, and used up the black beans and millet I’d cooked up, and made her own Tex-Mex mix with some tomato, green onion, spices, and cheese.

She’s not exactly one to cook that often, but she was pretty proud of her lunch. I had a bite, and it was tasty. In her words: “It’s a keeper!”

We then shared a persimmon for lunch dessert.

Yes, it was that sunny today. Loved it!

Eventually I made myself presentable, and grabbed a wee bite to eat before heading out the door again.

The last little bits of the container of Liberté Greek Yogurt with some peanut butter, raspberry jam, Kashi GoLean Crunch, coconut, and chocolate chips. Random, but good.

Where was I off to? My final training session for the Olympics! I got myself suited up in my official gear, and made my way down to Canada Hockey Place. Of course, I made sure to get down there a little early, to take in some of the sights.

Sochi House – the Russian pavilion for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games (located at Science World).

View over False Creek of BC Place, Canada Hockey Place, and the province pavilions (the one with the big Q is Quebec House, or La Maison du Québec en français).

Looking back over False Creek at Sochi House and the Vancouver Olympic Village.

Training wasn’t overly exciting. A lot of basic stuff, just specified to the venue. The best part was getting to tour around Canada Hockey Place, to orient ourselves in the building. Sure, I’ve been there plenty of times before, and even been behind the scenes, in the media centre, skated on the ice, etc, but things are pretty different now. Getting to the building, finding the right entry/exit, all the changes to the concourses – it’s like a different place. They had just put in the hockey ice surface today, so we were able to see it.

I would give anything to get to go out there and skate on it

After all our touring and whatnot was done, I made my way back to the train, but not before I took a couple more pictures – everything is lit up at night!

The Canada Hockey Place sign. It cycles through different shades of blue and green – the colours of the Games. I believe all the venues have these signs.

And looking back out over False Creek at Sochi House and the Vancouver Olympic Village again.

You could also see the light show from English Bay – Vectorial Elevation – over the stadiums. So cool!

Needless to say – I’m totally spending all of my free time downtown over the course of the Games. I want to check out all the free events going on – there is so much to do! I’m already planning on some adventures on Thursday after my last midterm, and have a friend coming over to visit near the end of the Games.

By the time I was done training, it was 9 pm. I was what you might call hungry. We can’t bring food into any of the venues, and the only thing they had for snacks were these cookies.

Yes, I took the gimpy looking one – but it was the only dark & white chocolate one left. Let’s just say, it doesn’t exactly rank high on the nutritional scale, but when it’s the only food item available to you over the span of 6 hours, well, you take it.

I finally got home around 10 pm, and stood around in a foul mood as I tried to figure out what to have for dinner. The family had chilli, which just isn’t my thing. Although the fridge has lots of food in it, nothing was appealing to me. Finally, I just decided on an old standby – soup & sandwich.

I made a grilled ham, white cheddar, and red pepper jelly sammy.

And some cream of mushroom soup.

To be quite honest, the whole thing was pretty meh. I really wanted some sort of fancy, filling salad, but we just didn’t have the makings of one in the fridge. Plus, it was after 10 pm. I was more concerned with the food entering my belly than satisfying my taste buds. So I guess it did it’s job.

For all the things I did do today, I did not accomplish anything related to school – like studying for those 3 midterms coming up. Hence why I should find myself in bed, so I can wake up and hit the books (and maybe the gym) tomorrow. Night!

Today I’ve done nothing but study. and play on facebook. and study. I’m bored out of my mind, and I’m getting antsy sitting here. I’m also starving, so I’ll post the recent eats, then get some fuel and continue studying.

Dinner(2/05/2010)

I made rosemary chicken on top of ww spaghetti with marinara last night. Also had an oversized portion of broccoli. I went back for seconds on that stuff…Load me up with the A, babbaayy!

Made some sweet tea, drank it fast, and went to see Dear John with Casey, Britt, and Jordan. Also almost got into my 5th car accident on the way…(Thank you Tallahassee drivers who fail to yield to the right of way and fail to stop at stop signs)

BREAKFAST (2/5/2010)

Cheerios, with a mix of frozen berries (thawed) on top… ground flax seed as well.

Also used almond milk!!! YES! I’m thinking I want to try to plan almond milk, though. The vanilla is a little too sweet for my liking, but I do admire the taste of it in coffee. So for those of you using those awful creamers loaded with nonsense, check out almond milk!

Lunch(02/05/2010)

delicious green apple; sliced and with peanut butter.

Also had a roast beef sandwich with a slice of American cheese, tomato, sprouts, and wasabi horseradish on top of a ww bagel thin. (not pictured)

DINNER (2/04/2010)

Salmon- broiled with seasonings, and a quarter of lemon for topping. My roomie hates the smell of fish. It encourages me to cook it more- since she cooks this nasty boca burger crumbles stuff that smells like a mix between BO and cat pee. I kid you not. I am kidding, however, about it encouraging me…I love little Christy dear!

Broccoli- I’m an addict.

Spanish rice- (not pictured-the feta cheese I put on top. Addicted to that stuff, as well!)

My friend Joe just sent me a link to his Aunt’s blog page with tons of cool recipes. I’m really wanting to try these Mint Patty Cakes. Check it out, dudes!

I’m off to continue roasting my brain with organic chemistry and economics, be back later with tonights eats!

Only thirty minutes until my coffee date with Claudia! We seem doomed to never see each other on campus this semester, so it’s nice to meet up on the weekends . . . even if we do use the ruse of studying! This year, most of my socializing needs to be combined with another activity (typically working out or studying) . . . but in only three more months that will change! I can’t wait

1/2 c oatmeal, 1/2 c almond milk, 1 banana, 1 TBSP pb, cinnamon

I used to always feel like I needed to add maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar to my oatmeal, but I haven’t felt the need to do so in months! I’m glad I got over that one — one less thing to buy at the supermarket!

In case you really missed seeing dinner last night:

ww penne, pasta sauce, veggie crumbles, mixed veggies, nutritional yeast

I got sucked into watching What Not to Wear last night and was too tired to post by the time it finished (yes, at 10PM!). Did anyone else catch it? I thought it was quite interesting, with a 26-year-old single female priest. I think she and I have similar face shapes, so I was eagerly waiting until the end to see what they did with her hair. Here’s what I learned: layers = good. Apparently so is dyeing it, but I’m not a fan of all the chemicals (or the work) involved.

I better pack up my school stuff and get a move on! Have a great Saturday everyone!

~Meredith

Thank Goodness it’s Yoga Friday!!!!!

Started the morning off with some yoga and a bowl of cereal before heading to school for a meeting with my major professor.

I thought I would hit the gym after my meeting, but ended up feeling more like being alone than anything so I just came home instead.

I spent the afternoon editing my tables even more, adding to my Minerals concept paper (since she changed the spacing to single space), and searching for articles for my Trends project. All in all, very productive!

Salads are so refreshing! Spinach, tomato, apple, cucumber, dried cranberries, hummus, and guacamole. Perfection!

I’m loving reading about all of your Aha Moments in my last post! Keep ‘em coming!

Here’s a little aha moment I had myself yesterday: I was feeling majorly stressed out about school stuff, and suddenly I realized: I don’t have to feel this way! So after hours of work, I decided to just close my computer and take a break!

• I wrote in my journal about all of the things I have to be grateful for.
• I went for a walk.
• I started reading a new book.

And I felt so much better after this! Opening my computer didn’t seem so overwhelming anymore. Seriously, taking a break can be just as important to being productive as doing the work itself!

~Meredith

Weekend 4 of Yoga Teacher Training begins tonight, and I’m all set for another yoga-filled weekend!

I started out today with a fabulous breakfast…

In the bowl:

• 1 organic sliced banana
• 1 cup frozen organic cherries
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup organic granola

SO good!

And now I have two lucky winners to announce from my Horizon Organic Giveaway! 

Congratulations to Cellabella and Tina.

    
Cellabella said:

Regular and chocolate, of course Banana isn’t bad either….does nesquick still make that?

  
Tina said:

I am most looking forward to it getting closer to spring! I’m over the cold. What a cool giveaway.

Congratulations Ladies!!!  Send your contact information over to healthhaphope@gmail.com and I’ll let Horizon Organic know you won!

Weekend 4 Full Speed Ahead!

Heather

***Updates:

• I rewrote my “Cassie” and “About” pages today.  I’ve been thinking about it for the past few days, and I realized I have some different things to say now than I did when I started the blog.
• I’ve added a new page entitled “Comments.” ***

I’m finding I’m incapable of writing short posts when I’m actually trying to, but I really am going to attempt to make this one quick because I’m tired.

For lunch today, I whipped up another homemade dressing to add to my meal with the following ingredients:

No measurements, per usual.  It’s more fun that way.

Half of my lunch plate featured a protein wrap.

Whole wheat tortilla, spicy hummus, cottage chez, chickpeas, dry roasted edamame, and zesty italiian dressing.

The other half was a leftover veggie salad drizzled (no, drenched) in the homemade dressing.

All together:

Good stuff.

Dessert was, you guessed it, cookies!

Perhaps you can estimate measurements from the pictures???

I used multigrain cereal instead of oats in this experiment.

Then I added vanilla greek yogurt and peachies.

Then a bit of fruit & nut granola.

After mixing, I decided it needed more cereal.

Pre-microwave:

I checked these after three minutes, and after smelling them, I thought they could use some cinnamon.

With a small glass of unsweetened vanilla almond milk:

These were just eh.  Not gross or anything, but not awesome.

My afternoon snack was a yogurt mess that included a new product.

Nature’s Path Organic Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch.

The deets:

Ooooo.  It’s in an EnviroBox.  Toldja.  I’m goin’ hippie.

With Blueberry Oikos Greek Yogurt and my beloved Puffins.

Honestly, I can’t really give ya a review because I don’t think I added enough to really taste it.  Perhaps I’ll add it to my oats in the morn.

After this I went and got my nails did (I’m such a girly girl sometimes), then hit the gym.

Ugh.  Not an awesome workout.  First, I forgot how friggin packed the gym is in the evenings.  Second, I got a major side cramp.  Third, it was hot as hell in there, likely due to all the extra body heat.  Forth, I just didn’t feel I was on my A game tonight.  Boo.  Ah well, at least I went!

Dinner was delish, but photographed in inexplicable bad lighting.

Three egg whites, black beans, spinach leaves, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots, american chez, and loads of salsa, with a piece of toast on the side.

A Mexican inspired breakfast dinner.

Dessert was no surprise.

Two piles of shit chocolate peanut butter cookies!

Tonight’s version:

• oats
• peanut butter
• honey flavored greek yogurt
• vanilla whey protein powder
• cocoa powder

Topped with remaining yogs:

I decided to forgo the baby spoon tonight and just ate these puppies like real cookies!

They needed a little less cocoa powder (I always add too much), but otherwise, mighty tasty!

[Still don’t think I’m going to be able to top the Chocolate Chip version, though.]

*******

Today was a veeeeery productive day.  Let’s hope tomorrow is the same!

Question for ya: Do you notice a difference in your workouts when you exercise at a different time of day than your normal? 

In general, I usually find my morning workouts are far more efficient.  I’d really like to embrace evening workouts, though, because it was awesome getting so much done today and not breaking up the day with a gym trip.  (Obviously, I should just get my ass to the gym for an early workout instead of mid-morning…but I’ve been unsuccessful with that goal post-college.  Maybe I should try it again???)

Night, blogsters!

There are several signs that indicate the re-birth of a knight.  They are so prominent and so specific that I find it very hard to fathom my own achievement of one of these said signs:

1. Find, face, and slay the green  ’dragon’.

As many valiant and noble men (bloggers) have attested to, the green ‘dragon’ could quite possibly be the epitome of a knight’s strength and ability. Mastering the art of green monster making/dragon slaying is difficult, indeed. But when done right, it is the taste of victory.

You might have already noticed, I’m feeling a tad better… hence, my feeble attempt to create any lick of humor in relating the blogosphere’s favorite smoothie, The Green Monster, to dragon slaying… but that’s beside the point.

I awoke this morning, feeling pretty spiffy. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day, for how could one go wrong with such a breakfast? I mean, I met nearly no fuss when choosing my English muffin spreads, it felt like no compromise! I had one with real butter, and the other with raw almond butter. Normally, I’d feel as if I were missing something… but the planets seemed to be aligned. And to make up for my vegetable consumption (or lack there of, as a result of my stomach virus and complete aversion to anything fibrous), I was CRAVING green this morning. So in the blender went a frozen banana, 2 rather large handfuls of spinach, a few chunks of pineapple, Silk Almond milk, water, and ice! Voila! Veggies for breaky. Delicious, indeed.

While I’m near the topic of Silk Almond Milk, I spose it’s the perfect time for a little review. First, the texture is DEFINITELY new, for almond milk, that is. It’s much much creamier than any I’ve tried. I usually purchase unsweetened almond milk, so this was a tad sweeter than I fancy, but delicious none the less. To put it simply, it tastes like Vanilla Silk, but with a stronger almond than soy taste… if you catch my drift. I’d recommend it if you’re in the market for something new!

TO further affirm my new found health, tonight I’m actually cooking! It has been ONE WHOLE WEEK, and I have not cooked a single meal. I actually had to tell myself NOT to think about food, I was making myself nauseous. Thank god those days are over. KITCHEN HERE I COME!!!!

Almond Milk Hot Chocolate

Don’t have shame in drinking your calories. Didn’t you hear? Hot chocolate and wine(once you’re 21) have been scientifically proven not to have calories. Joke’s aside, you probably won’t find a healthier hot chocolate than this.

• 1 cup warmed vanilla unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder
• stevia to taste

Did I just de-carbify the hot chocolate? I think I did. And no shame here making up words.

I have no shame admitting I do not care for LOST one bit. If it’s your thing, go right on ahead. I’ll take Idol, and The Biggest Loser, please.

I also have no shame turning off my computer at 9:40, with things still in the Google Reader, at a time when other students are just getting back to their room to start homework. I need my sleep–no lie.

Oatmeal With Mighty Maple And Chocolate Chips

I feel no shame in turning my oatmeal into a candy bar with Trader Joe chocolate chips. Holly’s amazing oat-creations have reminded me how much I used to adore these things, and now that I’m back to high milage, I’m pretty sure candy is encouraged, unshamefully.

Morning Dusting

I have no shame in admitting how much I love snow. Are you maybe a Virginian or D.C.er who’s been getting pummeled and hates it? Well here’s me admitting I’m totally jealous of you and would trade in an instant. Pretty please?

Peanut Butter And Jelly Larabar

Larabar has no shame in throwing some salt in to their peanut butter and jelly bar–thank God! A lot of the flavors of Larabars I just don’t care for, and they coud probably be improved tenfold with a touch of salt for sweetness. Dates and nuts need salt!

Who turned Pokemon on at the gym? Shamelessy–me! I needed something to get me through 8 miles in 71:53. And you know what? It worked!

Bicycle Stats

Do you know what else I shamelessly love? The Today Show with sound, which I wouldn’t have gotten if I went straight back to my dorm. So I stayed around for 30 minutes with my friend, Mr. Stationary Bike.

Bike Riding

And no shame here admitting I was peddling as hard as this little tyke would be at resistance level 3.

Whoever left their soap in the shower clearly has no shame or germaphobia because that’s not something I’d do.

Trader Joe's Organic Avocado

I have no shame admitting I don’t eat as much organic vegetables as I’d like. Hell, I’d like to be able to say I grew this and everything, but that’s just not the case and buying organic isn’t always wallet friendly. This avocado, however, was a) organic and b) cheaper than the non-organic ones from Stop & Shop. Score.

Justin's Chocolate Almond Butter

It’s a shame that I haven’t shown my nut butter collection in a while; it’s just too big to fit into a photo! And it keeps growing.

Normally, I like to review new products and post them here. I have to say, though, that I don’t have time this morning, and I don’t feel shame in skipping this review right now because all these Justin’s Nut Butters I bought with my Christmas money and wasn’t sent for review(and they were worth every penny).

Oatmeal With Chocolate Almond Butter

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Clearly, I don’t feel shame piling on the fat for breakfast. And the way I shamelessly poured the sea salt on the oatmeal after this picture, you’d think I missed the ocean.

I’d feel no shame plugging any company who sends me avocadoes, cocoa powder, or coconut beverage every time I eat one of these pudding, but sadly that’s not the case(yet). Anybody? Please?

I have no shame plugging my own Coconut Oil Contest, but I also want to tell you about this coconut oil giveaway, this cookbook giveaway, this maple syrup giveaway, this giveaway for Zevia, and this freebie from Kashi.

That’s right, for breakfast I had sweet potato bread and it was wonderful. Yesterday, I came across the recipe over on Nicole’s blog, and just happened to have a couple of sweet potatoes waiting to be used up. What a great breakfast bread! I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose, and the bread still came out light and moist. I had it with a large cup of coffee with almond milk and stevia in it.

I ended up eating more of this bread for a snack with some chocolate peanut butter on top. Awesome flavor combo.

Lunch was a quick tofu scramble and some roasted potatoes. I guess I am on a potato kick lately.

Dinner was another yummy salad with the fresh veggies I got in this week’s CSA box. I made the dressing my mixing vegan mayo, water, hot sauce, and a couple drops of liquid smoke. I topped the salad with a crumbled Amy’s quarter pound burger to get my protein in. Yum!

Tomorrow is my birthday, so there will probably be lots of good eats in store. I’m still not sure what I going to do, but it will probably involve going to a restaurant for dinner. See you then!

This morning I braved the balcony for the first time in more than a week to take a pretty photo of my breakfast.

Bad idea. Turns out, there are still fleas out there And then they hopped right in my door.

Good thing I got up extra early today so I had enough time to pick up some Raid flea spray for my apartment. I didn’t do outdoors because I was running late to school and just wanted to make sure I’d be able to sleep in my own bed when I got home.

I was a bit overzealous in spraying though . . . things got very slippery and I fell on my back . . . on top of my glass coffee table.

I felt bruised all day, but it wasn’t until I got home that I actually checked out the damage.

I know I should spray outside guys, but I don’t want to step out onto the balcony and let more fleas in during the process . . . so I think you’re going to be stuck with indoor photos until April 30th. Sorry!!!!

Today was a loooong day at school: Food Science, 35 minutes on the stationary bike, Healthy University Task Force meeting, Seminar, Trends in Therapeutic Nutrition. I brought my lunch and snacks (pb&banana, apple, Clif Bar).

Dinner tonight was (surprise, surprise) a salad!

I’m going to stop typing and start studying for my Minerals quiz tomorrow. Have a good night!

~Meredith

In case you’ve feared that, during my loco hiatus, my foodidentity (foodie + identity = foodidentity, right?) underwent any changes, Monday’s eats should assure you that I’m exactly as I left you.

While I do my best to embrace creativity en la cocina, I’m undeniably a creature of habit. When I find something I love to eat, I eat it. Often.

That said, I present to you: A Foodie Groundhog’s Day.

Because, if you’ve read The Foodie Diaries for a while, you are about to experience a post-long déjà vu deluge.

Por ejemplo, I am still consuming the world’s biggest bowls of Honey Sunshine for breakfast.

If I were una foodie inteligente, I’d have learned by now  that cereal is not an ideal breakfast para mi because it takes me two to three refills of that grande bowl to achieve my desired level of fullness.

Alas, I still cannot resist the allure of knowing exactly what I want upon waking. So, when it’s cereal, I eat cereal. And add as many peanut butter chips and raisins as I can fit into my grubby little manos.

I’m still quite partial to manzanas as mid-morning snacks.

Despite the fact that an apple is an apple, any way you slice it, I still attempt to prettify my food.

I still maintain that I hate pizza. Still, I regularly crave and consume pita pizzas.

On this baked beauty: hummus, Laughing Cow, roasted eggplant and roasted red peppers.

I still have not acquired the will power, nor the desire, to use hummus as an ingredient and not dip into it for some on-the-side snackage.

I’m still a freak of nature and thoroughly enjoy dipping grahams in hummus.

I’m still defying the laws of portion control and consuming nuts by the bowl. Opposed to blogland’s ever-so-popular nuts by the handful.

Lo siento, but a handful of nuts has never been enough for me. (Insert far-too-obvious TWSS.) I know those who suffer from snackface syndrome agree.

I do still try to abide by my principles of balance. And so, I countered my abundant snackage with some abundant saladage.

Sí, I am still all about the ensalada enorme for dinner.

In the mix: bag of baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, shrooms, onion, cucumber, celery, avocado, strawberries, balls and shredded ched. Still into dressing my veggies with honey and balsamic.

I continued on my quest to get some more greens with something you know you’ve seen before.

Still a full-fledged addiction.

I’m also still really into ensuring that carbs are included in every meal.

Lastly, here’s a sprinkle of déjà vu that’s included every post.

Never. Gets. Old.

What’s your eating estilo? Are you a creature of habit? Or do you an anti-meal repeater? I’m definitely a creature of habit. But I love experimenting with and tweaking my favorites—in part so I don’t bore you all, and in part so I keep my beloved tastebuds feliz.

Enjoy what’s left of your Groundhog’s Día!

Amor,

Sarah

After a flight cancellation and multiple delays, I finally made it back to Miami late last night. Although I had a great time playing in the snow and getting to wear a scarf and gloves, I am glad to be home.

Here is a food recap of my last couple of days in North Carolina:

Oatmeal with almonds and apricots.

Hearty vegetarian chili with salad and cornbread. The perfect winter meal in my opinion.

Lunch at the Mediterranean deli. There was so much selection, but I eventually settled on a delicious falafel and eggplant pita.

No trip to Chapel Hill is complete without a visit to the best foodie store ever, A Southern Season. Sorry no pics of the inside, I was too busy experiencing major sensory overload in there.

I had lots of fun and so much good food on my trip! Now that I’m home, I have decided to make more of an effort to post what I eat everyday for the month of February. I chose to do it this month since it is my birthday month (and the shortest). In keeping with my new goal, here is what I ate today:

A bagel with We Can’t Say It’s Cheese vegan spread (review coming soon) and a soy misto from Starbucks.

Organic blueberries to snack on. I cannot be trusted around these, I could literally eat the entire pint in one sitting.

Grilled cheese (using the cheese spread again) with a salad for lunch. So tasty!

I also had a chocolate shake made with Amazing Grass, chocolate protein powder, and almond milk for dinner, and snacked on some Stacy’s pita chips as well. It is going to be quite a challenge for me to remember to take photos of everything I eat, so please bear with me!

Do you prefer blogs that are more like a food journal, or do you like to just see random meals from time to time? I am still trying to figure out which format works best for me, but I would really like to try to post more often. Any input would be appreciated.

Aloe – Fresh
When your eyes or sinuses get that heavy feeling, snip a four inch piece of Aloe from a medium sized leaf. Stuff a cotton swab down inside to coat with gel. Now use the swab to spread the gel under and around eyes, and anywhere your face feels dry. Use a fresh swab and gel inside each nostril to moisten and soothe nasal passages that feel irritated from dry winter air and blowing heaters. For your skin, seal it in with your favorite face lotion or eye cream. Ahhhhh. Don’t have a plant? Buy the drinkable gel and keep it in your refrigerator!

Carob
For those who can’t have chocolate due to reflux or allergies, carob is a wonderful substitute. To make a wonderful hot cocoa-like drink this winter, place carob, fructose, and unsweetened almond milk in the steaming pitcher for your cappuccino machine and steam away like you would the milk for your latte. Carob is a little harder to dissolve than chocolate, so this technique produces a smooth and creamy cup of yummy! Now you don’t have to feel left out when your friends are all drinking hot chocolate. Carob has many health benefits too, including fiber.

Celestial Seasonings Roastaroma Herbal Tea
A nice, caffeine free, hot beverage for winter evenings. Add Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk and a touch of agave nectar for a rich, cozy treat.

Community Coffee with Chicory
Out of Louisiana, Community Coffee comes on strong and keeps you going. Chicory helps round out the flavor and has added health benefits. It’s a perfect winter pick me up. I make mine latte style. Due to the chicory, don’t bother with an espresso grind. Keep it course or the water won’t make it past the grounds!

Garnier Fructis Nutrient Spray – Triple Nutrition
I have very fine, very curly hair that dries out at the click of a heater. Garnier’s new product has won me over. It’s super light weight so it doesn’t feel greasy or heavy. It does however, provide great moisture between shampoo’s. I use it daily and no more static or frizz! And it cost’s a lot less than many of the other hair serums on the market. If you have dry or damaged hair, give it a try!!

Natures Gate Organics Fruit Blend Mango Body Lotion
A friend gave me a bottle at solstice and I’ve been in love with it ever since. It smells totally edible (just ask my dog, Zoe) and you can see an immediate differene in your skin when you use it. Smooth over feet and legs and cover right away with socks or leg warmers to hold moisture in. Use all over. Hands love it too. Put your gloves on top. If you use a keyboard and want to keep your hands warm, cut the finger tips out of an inexpensive pair of knit gloves (the kind they sell at Walgreen’s 2 for $3 early in the season) and slide them on after you lotion up. Your skin will thank you!!!

Pumpkin – Canned
I have found canned pumpkin to be an excellent substitute for tomato pastes or sauces when making Italian or Hispanic dishes. For folks who can’t eat tomatoes due to reflux or allergies, it can re-open a world of cuisine. Once seasoned properly you won’t be able to tell the difference. I recently used it in chili – FANTASTIC!! (By the way, the reason tomatoes cause a problem with reflux is not their acid value, but the fact that they contain an ingredient that relaxes the valve that allows acid to travel back up the esophagus, instead of staying in the stomach where it belongs.)

Rice Epicurean – Delivery
Houstonians know time really is money. While it may cost a whopping $10.00 for delivery, (sarcasm intended) the headache and time savings by ordering your groceries from Rice Epicurean more than makes up for the fee. They do an excellent job of selecting the items you choose online, and you can customize your shopping experience. If you shop the sales, the prices are competitive with other local grocer’s and they will even take your coupons and apply them to your next order; just hand them to the delivery person. Payment is easy too. You can use PayPal or choose to pay with your credit card when they arrive. Now you don’t have to make that extra stop after work in the ugly winter weather, AND you can use your time for something more pleasant than grocery shopping!

Vaseline
My favorite hands down year after year for protecting and moistening lips is that good ole standby, Vaseline. You already know how to use it. Free of perfume it doesn’t irritate my throat or sinuses like many lip balms do.

Walgreen’s Paper Plates
For your Super Bowl parties or other winter festivities, I discovered that Walgreen’s carries their own brand of Chinet style paper plates and bowls. They are just as sturdy at a fraction of the cost.

Walmart Generics
For many of us, party equals pain! Walmart has the best prices hands down for Omeprazole (generic Prilosec), and Ranitidine there (generic Zantac) is only $4.00. You can’t beat it.

Stay safe and warm!
Sena

Last night was all about recovery for my husband. So I thought I would make a delicious pasta dish (meaning use up the remnants of our refrigerator and see what happens!).

I sautéed garlic in olive oil:

Chopped up various veggies:

Tossed them in with the garlic/olive oil mixture:

Added some chopped kalamata olives:

and these-I know kind of weird but they added much-needed flavor to the recipe (remember I was cleaning out the fridge):

All together now:

Served it over pasta and added some more green-avocado for a super green feast!

I was worried that it would taste weird but it was very good and satisfying.  I am convinced you can not add anything to pasta that would not taste good.

Anyone else feel the love for pasta like I do?

We finished off the night a bit naughty…….

Hee! Hee! By eating cookies dipped in almond milk!

This morning I tried a new product in my shake:

I ran out of Bovine Colostrum.  When I was at the doctor the other day, the nutritionist on staff recommended this to me.  I like how it made my shake creamy and slightly thicker.  I am also happy to add a bit of protein to my morning meal.  This is whey protein but has no added flavors or sugars.  It goes really well with the Amazing Grass.

Hope you had a great Sunday!