Taste Test

A while back in Flordia we had these smoothies as a fun afternoon treat.

They were yummy and way too easy to make, poor the pack with a cup of milk ( I used Almond) into your blender and done (after you push the button of course)
I had a coupon and they ended up being on sale, which made them under $1, can't beat that. My first choice is always fresh and local if I can, but sometimes it's hard to do (in the middle of snow) and since I just ran out of the Strawberries I picked in June, so next year I need to pick and freeze much more.
So if you need a quick yummy snack, I suggest you give them a whril.

I so get it

Today was a beautiful snowy day. Soft, thick, fluffy snow. Heavy enough to be seen, light and wet enough not to stick or make a mess. And to top it off, it was a balmy 30 degrees out. (I always love when the weather foke use that word).
Phi and I came home from a great morning of lounging in bed, the gym, a little shopping and an impromtu with lunch with our favorite people. She went down for a nap and I geared up for my first outdoor run. I have to clock the miles yet but I am pretty sure it was 2. Which is where I comfortably need to be, by the 14th when I start running with a group.
I was half way in to it and I knew. I had flashes of that seen in What women want with Mel Gibbson, where they are reviewing an ad for Nike... An odd peace, me and my breath, keeping up to the beat of my heart, talking with God and then quite.
Motivation

Keep your belly happy
Here's 1 of my favorite new recipes
Crispy "fish" tacos from Little House of Veggies

1 package of extra firm tofu
1/2 cup of white whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. creole seasoning
1/2 cup of milk of choice
1 cup Panko Japanese breadcrumbs (these are a must!! They make them really crunchy/crispy!)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray or oil a large heavy baking sheet.
Drain the tofu and gently press it between a towel to remove some of the moisture. Be careful not to smash it. Cut the tofu into 1 inch thick "sticks". You should get about 14-15 of them.
Mix the flour and creole seasoning in a bowl, Milk in another and in the crumbs in another. Dredge the tofu in the flour first, then dredge in the milk, and then into the Panko breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure it is covered well. Lay on the baking sheet. Finish this process with the rest of the tofu, and bake for 25 minutes until crispy.
Sophia loved breading them for me, it was nice a easy for her to do and so fun to get her hands dirty. The smile on her face when we were eatting them priceless.

For the Colorful Cabbage Slaw:
1/2 head of green cabbage
1/4 head of purple cabbage
1 large carrot grated
(This was the original recipe, but I used the bagged broccoli slaw at Wegmans)
1/2 cup cilantro
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt, and pinch of pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp Veganaise vegan mayo (this is so worth every penny, we think its creamier and better tasting than mayo)

Add shredded cabbage and carrots into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat well.

For the Tacos:
Crispy Tofu "fish"
Colorful Cabbage slaw
corn tortillas (look for a clean brand that contains only 3-4 ingd.)

Gently warm the tortilla. Place 1 tofu "fish" stick in to the taco. Ad a bit of the dressing over it and a good tomatillo salsa over them

_

Can't take credit but have to share

So I just love finding cute ideas to make with and for Sophia. I get just as much of a charge out of it as she does.
A friend of mine posted these on her blog. She bravely made them with her "sous chef" (her almost 4 year old).Hers came out exactly like the picture. I showed them to Sophia and imediately as loud as she could "Momma, we can bake em' and I can eat em' too". Could I even think of saying no.... I think not.
So we came home from school today and attempted them together. I have to be honest, I made 2 sets of them, as my 1st, melted just as fast as Frosty ran away when the sun came out. My 2nd set, so cute

Here's what I learned from batch to batch:
I needed to let each layer of frosting "set" before I added more
Black is a crazy hard color to make so I used a tube I had in the pantry

Have fun and for our neck of the woods, only 33 more days till Kone King opens.. Spring seems closer huh?

What do you think?

I needed a bit of a change. With the help of my "sister" Jilly I was able to tweek my page a bit... Do you like it?
Don't forget to sign in as a follwer, please... :)

Signed, Sealed, In Training

We all have to go through personal challenges from time to time. There really seems to be no exception to this rule. Whether they are financial or family problems or relationship or careers, everyone will experience their own challenge at some point and you really have to be able to overcome these challenges if you want to make sure that you are living your life at the highest level that you can.

How you react to the situations in life that are challenging will have a lot to say about you and your character and whether or not you have what it takes to persevere and weather any storm. And remember that if you want to be able to achieve success in any area of your life, you have to be able to look at these challenges as times where you are able to grow and become stronger and not a time to shrink or run away.

CHALLENGE CAN BE A GOOD THING!

The more we are challenged in our lives, the more we get to learn about ourselves. If you never had to face any kind of situation that tested you, you would never know just where you need to make improvements or where you already are strong enough. This helps to build an all around character and this is what you need if you really want to be able to experience a life that is considered to be a success.

The hard times in our lives also help us to appreciate and show gratitude when things are more easy going, so there is something to be grateful for even if the challenges make us feel the opposite sometimes.

With that I stand here before you and committ to.....

I need to do this for so many reasons. The main being as storng as I have always claimed to be, I have become worn over the past 2 years. Crossing the finish line after running 13.1 miles (I'm running the half) will provide me the chance to be in the posistion of kicking somethings fanny rather than it kicking mine..I am not in it for speed, being a first time runner my goal is simply to finish with a smile.

I'll keep my training logged here and hope to see you on the sidelines.

With all of that here is a yummy recipe made for fueling.. Its perfect timing with all the football game parties coming up. One of the things I've found in saving up calories is that you can then pick and choose where you want your fat to be. In certain dishes you can take out the meat and dairy and not even miss the taste or fat. Which allows you to make your favorite brownies or cookies and enjoy them.
To me Chili is one of them.
My Stepmom found this recipe when we came down in November and it has been in the rotation ever since

3 Bean Crock Pot Chili from Pillsbury
INGREDIENTS:
1can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1can (15.5 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1cup dried lentils (8 ounces), sorted and rinsed
1large vegetable boullion cube crumbled (If I have the standard small ones at home I use 2, If I have the good organic ones which are larger I use 1)
1envelope (1.25 ounces) chili seasoning mix
3cups water
1can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and mild green chilies, undrained
1can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients except tomatoes and tomato sauce in 3- to 4-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until heated through.

I've made this as a main dish served with homemade chips and quac. Over rice or Quinoa an as an dip the next day. There are so many ways to use this.
Perfect dish for anyone who fears they'll miss meat...

Stay warm and keep those bellies happy

sickkkkkkk

So I woke up this past Saturday with a huge and very painful "sinus head ache" Jeff headed off to the gym with Phi for her first day at "drop off" gymnastics (he stayed). She's been going to a great place that we love and will gear her into competive gymnastics if she chooses later on, since she's been about 18 months. In Dec, she took the move up test and Lil' Miss Indep. was a star. (Oh that sounds weird) Anyway, she really did great on every thing they had her do. So they reccamended her to move up. She was happier then a clam to get to run with the "big kids". She's really into it. Jeff made her (upon request) a purple balance beam for Christmas which she practices on almost nightly.
Ok I digrest here... while they were gone I slept the day away. we had plans to go sledding and I thought the fresh air would do me good to clear my head. Well by the time I got home I couldn't see straight and went back to bed. In the middle of the night a 102 fever decided to join me. Well track record with me a fever means 1 thing, Strep throat..... So after being knocked out to the world on Sunday I manged to have Jeff's mom take me to the drs. on Mon. I love my dr, she walked in took one look at me and my temp and said the same, Strep... she said my throat was covered. I've battled with Strep almost my entire life. After some perscriptions I was headed home. The fever finally broke midday yesterday after being on and off, Saturday night. Today, I was finally feeling like I could move, not sure how it affects anyone else but for me it literaly takes 2 weeks of my life away. With all of that I have not been able to eat anything but ice cold water or juice, my throat almost closes.
Being that I rejoined the world today and I was able to have some rice for lunch. I decided to make some Cheddar Biscuits or Red Lobster biscuits

if you know what I mean.
So when you make your next meal and think something is missing whip these up, I am sure you have everything in your house for them, and they are a great kid recipe too. Sophia made mostly the whole thing. I remember reading on a friends blog how she was amazed how fast it went from, her daughter helping her used to mean more time and more mess, but then all of a sudden it's really help and things get done.. Well Sophia is there and I love it.
The Recipe
In a food processor pulse 1/2 a cup butter in with 2 cups of flour and add 1tsp baking powder, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt (Sophia is a wiz at this) if you are there with your babe, don't be afraid to let them push the buttons, if I have to walk away I unplug the cord)

1 cup Cheddar cheese finely grated
3/4 cup Whole milk
2 tablespoons Butter
1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried parsley flakes
1 dash Salt

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of the flour mix (save the rest in a tight container in the fridge, use like Bisquick) with cheddar cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons of butter that has been melted in the microwave, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl. Mix until well-combined.

3. Scoop on to parchment lined sheets
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, parsley flakes and salt. Brush this mixture over the tops of each unbaked biscuit.

5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown. Serve warm.
SO NOT A FAT FREE RECIPE OR TRULY HEALTHLY I KNOW BUT AFTER THIS WEEK AND NOT EATTING, IT WAS WORHT EVERY YUMMY WARM BITE!

Jeff made Barely soup to go with them... my secret recipe.... wanna know...
a friend shared it with me, its on the back of the Quaker medium Barely box, I just spike it up a bit and no meat.

Perfect for a sick day or snowy day both of which are here. Stay Healthly and warm and keep your belly happy

Soup and Stationary

Well back to the work world again, so a crock pot soup was in order for the menu this week.
Funny thing that little pot, its like having a cook come to your home and whip up something fabulous that sends a delicious smell whirling through the air when you come home. Who doesn't love or need that?
Try this Savory Lentil Soup (via PETA)

2 cups dried lentils
8 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
3 Tbsp. snipped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano
14.5-oz. can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp. wine vinegar

Rinse the lentils and place in a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, except the tomatoes and vinegar. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Add the tomatoes and vinegar. Cook on high for 15 minutes, until hot.

You can change vinegars add other seasonings or pasta at the end as well.
And as a freind said its soup you make it with what you have or don't and embrace the warmth......

I have been finding new joy in an old love.. Stationary...
I am seriously obsessed with stationary. I love the crispness, the texture, the smell of really good stationary, if I walk into a store and find a beautiful set of note cards, it is almost impossible for me to walk away and not buy them. The good thing is that I also love to write notes, so luckily I actually use stationary for the most part. The problem is, I can't seem to use it at the rate that I buy it. To make matters worse, when I really love a particular set of cards I only use them for "special occasions" (in other words I hoard them). I know I will be writing a million thank you notes over the next weeks, I typically pride myself on the swiftness of wrtitng them. But lately, I have let it slide and feel just awful about it, I have cards that I addressed in Auguat! So I have been going through my stash and looking at what I have, and need ~ check this out...
My favorite brand
I also have found a therapeutic niche in making my own. I have just dabbled in it so far but I can so see myself stocking up on stamps, paper, ribbon and such. Finding a fun tote to store it all in and creating something so person specific that the card itself is just as much a gift as the words themselves. I think that's it, I just adore notes.. In my mind it takes so much more effort to write a note and stamp it then see it to the post box, it just makes people feel good.
Try it next time you are staring down a card lane at any store, pick a random person and treat them to a lovely little gem via the mail. You'll warm their day and your own just with a moment or 2 of your time. Nothing better then a feel good colored envelope, (big on those, they can't be white)that's not a bill or a plea for money or political ugg to save the day.
Its another one of my "work on me" thoughts for the new year, make life more people not stuff....
Have a lovely eve, I am off to pick up a rental car.... yes I was bonked again.....Actually for the 1st time in my 17 years of driving, I was the bonker. More on that later

Craving muffins

I like many other am aware, very aware how the past few weeks have decided to sub let space on my waist line.. So of course I set some food goals to be aware of for my little house.
1-Try to switch out white flour for whole grains when possible
2-Expand our veggie knowledge and tastes beoynd the norm
3-Bean it up....
So my first mission Wheat Flour in Muffins
I suddenly got a taste for chocolate chip muffins. Its not something I eat often, can't remember when honestly but they just sounded like they would be a nice treat to wake up to.
So I played around a bit and here is what I came up with.

Oatmeal, Apple Chocolate Chip Breakfast Muffin
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons quick cooking oats (Roughly)
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons Chocoalte Almond milk
1 egg
1/4 cup Homemade Applesauce
1/4 cup +packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Dark chocolate chips
About 1 T of Flax meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry flour (sifted about 6 times to bring extra air into it which cuts down on the heaviness of wheat, measure after sifting as amount will change)

Directions

Combine oats and milk and allow to stand for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees I used convection
Stir egg, apple sauce, flax meal, brown sugar, chocolate chips into the oat and milk mixture.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add oat mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Carefull with wheat over mix will add in the toughness. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with the remaining brown sugar and pecans if you'd like.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
I had one about 8 minutes after they came out of the oven. Moist, chocoaltely but not sweet, healthy taste but not "fiber like".
We'll see in the morning but as of now can't wait to try.

Out of ashes.

A very new New Year to us all. 2010 provided an up hill, in the snow, barefoot kind of year for most people I know. I can only share a bit of a conversation I had with a friend "It has to get better". This I know for sure. No matter who you are, where you are and what you are doing at the moment, you can reflect on that thought.
It is interesting to me that we wait all year for it to end only to have our proverbial life slate wiped clean at the magical tick of a clock.
I hope to approach the new year with more calm, strength, fearlessness, vigor, GOD, love, rest, service, thought, water, and homeiness then years past.
I vowed to myself to set a daily resolution that I can acheive rather then 1 huge one that I may work on for a few months and put on the shelf to collect dust and furballs. Such as smile more today, laugh more, breathe.... etc
As I step out of 2010 and leave behind a lot of rubble that is not ready to be cleaned up I am very aware of what God wanted me to see in all of it. LOVE. It was wrapped up in many different "packages" that I am so honored to call my friends, who walked with me daily and checked in often and understood that I had a hard time keeping my part of the bargin at times, sent heartfelt notes that are "band aides" over my heart, made a meal at just the right moment, held my hands and wiped tears, gave an extra smile and never once looked me strange when my words did not make sense or were just plain wrong at that moment in time.
I laughed when my blackberry was taken over by the Golden Girls theme for a day.. It just kept singing at random moments, Thank you for being a friend..... Yep that says it Thank you for being my friend!
God has shown me LOVE in the midst of a lot of hurt and pain this year and through prayer and guidence I know why....
In the year ahead I hope that I can be there for others as was done for me.
2 Timothy 4.5
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

What's your banner say this year? Post a reply, it will be fun to see where we all think we are headed....

"Out of these ashes beauty will rise"