The Loot

 I know you all care so much about my grocery shopping trip, and you have been dying to see what I purchased at my two favorite stores that I live 2 hours away from, and you have been wondering what is taking me so long to show you. Or probably not. But it is my blog and it is exciting to me so you will have to endure it I guess. Or maybe not.

So here goes....

Here is the loot in all it's glory along with one little girl who really wanted to be in the pictures for some reason.

See what I mean about the little girl. When I first glanced at this picture I didn't notice her there because I was concentrating on the beautiful blood oranges and the manilla mangoes. But then I saw her sneaky little face and had to laugh. This is the Whole Foods side of the table. In addition to the oranges and mangoes we purchased the newest kind of Z Bars for kids, Iced Oatmeal Cookie, some gorgeous organic green grapes, Annie's snack mix, some fresh basil and radishes, a couple cans of black beans, aged balsamic vinegar, and a green tea I wanted to try.

But some of you know me too well and know this really is the only reason I needed to go that store. These organic raisins!!! We bought 2 pounds of them because they are heavenly and we have waited a long time to have these again. These taste like a raisin should taste, plump and juicy and not covered in sugar! Excitement!

We also purchased some more millet, whole wheat orzo, sunflower seeds, and sesame sticks, and Miles wanted to try some different kinds of La Croix which is kind of like a flavored carbonated water/pop.

We love sweet potato fries and when I saw that they had the waffle version I was super excited. I had passed on the 2 for $6 deal for the plain ones because they actually have more ingredients then I like, especially when you can make your own from a plain old sweet potato, but the waffle version sucked me in, as did the beautiful heirloom tomatoes. I love heirloom tomatoes so much! One of the other things I love about Whole Foods is the samples they have in the produce section. We picked up those apples which are called Pinata after sampling them. INCREDIBLE flavor! I grabbed the pita bread because it said it should come home with me and Faith picked out the cheese sticks which she loved from last time and of course my favorite seaside english cheddar had to come with us. The earth balance and Fage yogurt were on sale so I grabbed those too but I can get those in town.

Now on to our loot from Trader Joe's! These are apple pears. Doesn't that sound so interesting? I haven't eaten them yet but I bet they are going to be really good and then I will wish that I didn't know that they existed because I won't get anymore for a while!

Not such a great picture but we did pick up a little lunch meat that is nitrate free and some chicken sausages with sun-dried tomato. The sugar plum tomatoes also looked fabulous to me and and you can barely see it but we grabbed some whole wheat cous cous and those ginger snaps are the best! Triple ginger = completely awesome. But the real reason for our stop to Trader Joe's is those sesame almonds. I will not share.

I have said a few posts ago that I haven't really been buying salad dressing much anymore because I prefer to make it but hello! Hummus salad dressing???? I'm totally in! We cracked open the bottle yesterday just because we couldn't wait any longer. It will be on my salad at lunch today. The salsa was absolutely awesome as well. I made a cream cheese dip with it for small group Sunday night.

I served it with those veggie and flaxseed chips that I think could be my new favorite thing. Yes to carrot and tomato, spinach and garlic, and red beet and onion chips! The falafel chips were for the husband who just nodded emphatically when I showed him the bag. He has a thing for falafel.

Somebody is a total genius! This is basil perfectly portioned in one teaspoon cubes. Thank you very much to whoever thought of this!

ARE YOU SICK OF ME AND MY ENTHUSIASM FOR GOOD FOOD YET?

The last few things we grabbed from Trader Joe's were our favorite sprouted grain bread and whole wheat tortillas. Those tortillas are handmade and extra thick. Of course I also had to grab my favorite Greek olives because they are such a great deal there at only $2.99, and some tri-colored peppers, organic carrots, and already diced up kale. I grabbed some artichoke hearts and diced tomatoes because they were also a great deal. Then I decided to bring a papaya home with me too.

I almost forgot. I picked up this flavored sparkling water and while Miles was loading the groceries in the car I grabbed it from the bag to try because I was really thirsty. I opened it. I sprayed it all over the back of my husband. He didn't laugh. How did it get so shaken up just walking out to the car?

So that is my loot.

And this is my fruit bowl.

I am sure you all think I am absolutely insane to drive 2 hours to go to these stores but that fruit bowl explains much. Does your fruit bowl have a papaya, manilla mangoes, blood oranges, pinata apples, and apple pears in it? It is about variety and quality. We try to buy the things we know we can't get in Willmar and the things that have become our favorites. We also like to find new things to try. It is also about the sense of trust I have in those stores and for sure at Trader Joe's the quality for the price. I mean I can't even get those olives at Walmart for less than $4.99!

Thank you for reading this post and for putting up with my excitement. Normally I absolutely loathe grocery shopping. It is a waste of two hours of my life and you have to handle the groceries like 5 times by the time you put them all away and it costs too much money! But you could take me to these two stores for my birthday and I wouldn't complain!

Have a happy, healthy, day!

I'm Going to Mecca

We are off to the Cities for a quick overnight. The kids have birthday money burning a whole in their pockets. So we will be visiting Build-A-Bear, American Girl, and The Apple Store of course. But what I am most excited about is this...........

and this........

and this is why.....

the most beautiful produce on the planet and such a huge selection of it. Here I come kale and watercress and organic raisins and sesame almonds and perhaps some figs and more dates. Of course some good aged cheddar would be awesome and some healthy school lunch choices and whatever else I can find that I will die if I leave behind. I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Full report on what we return with later!

Enjoy your beautiful sunny and warm spring weekend if you live in Minnesota.

My First Born and Millet Stuffed Peppers

Do you remember the moment they placed your first born child into your arms? Of course you do, because it isn't something you can forget, but oh how the time flies! My son is 12 years old today! Sometimes he still looks like this to me......

Here was my precious blond haired baby the morning of March 15th 2000. After the delivery he put me through I didn't get to hold him the night he was born because he went to the NICU and I went to sleep after 46 hours of labor. He was worth it though! He was the one who made me a mother.

He was the one who made me understand unconditional love.

He was the one who made me call my parents and apologize. 

He was 6 months old in this picture. I remember feeling so content at that time in my life. I loved spending my days with him and I am still super grateful that I was/am home with him full time. He still has those beautiful blue eyes.

That little baby grew into this darling boy who captured my heart long ago. There is just something special about Momma's and their boys isn't there? He played with those trains for hours upon hours everyday. So much so that I would forget about him occasionally (oops) because he would be so quiet. Not your typical boy! Trains were his first love. I am saving those trains for my grandchildren.

This is perhaps a little more typical of a boy isn't it? Goggles, underwear, and your blankie turned into a cape!

Then that boy became a big brother and my heart melted even more. Having our kids 6 years apart was not planned. We had issues. However, this sweet brother prayed for years that God would give him a sister and he believed it would happen! He didn't want a brother. He always said sister. At the ultrasound when they told us that we were having a girl and we were stunned, he was not! He said, "I know. That's what I prayed for." He said this very matter of fact. Us stupid adults! Oh the faith of a child! He has been one incredible big brother to his baby sister. I will be really happy he is 6 years older when the boys start calling for Faith around here.

But I don't have that little boy anymore. I have this handsome young man. He is such a blessing to us. I am so honored by what he has become. Monday night his prayer during our family devotion time was this, "Thank you for the parents you have given me God and for how they have guided me into the Christian I am." I'd like to say that I must have done something right, but a wise person once told me, "Don't take credit for them when they are good and then you won't have to take the blame for them when they are bad!" I think God has special plans for Evan. He is shaping him into something very incredible.

So thank you son for the 12 most wonderful years we could have ever dreamed of! You are a priceless treasure. I will cherish everyday with you for the next year until you turn 13 and all the rest of my hair turns gray!

Actually we are very much looking forward to the teenage years with Evan and his crazy, loud, silly, wild, amazing, dear, and true friends! They were all just here Friday night destroying our basement and playing video games like this....

Benefit of your dad being the youth pastor; three XBOX's set up for 6 kids. Fried brain cells and lack of sleep ensued!

Happy 12th Birthday Evan!

Now on to some food. I have already posted a stuffed pepper recipe so for more detailed instructions you can click here.

I decided this time that I wanted them to be vegetarian plus I have a new found love for millet so I cooked up the remaining millet I had in one pot and started sauteing some peppers and onions in garlic and olive oil in another pan. Then I dumped them all together because I like one pot meals not two!

I added some salt and pepper and a bit of cumin and let that heat up.

Then I added a carton of diced tomatoes and some grated pepper jack. Heat that until the cheese is nice and melted. Give it a taste at this point and add what you feel is lacking. I ended up adding a bit more cumin.

I skipped boiling my cleaned out peppers this time and I was sorry. They get so nice and tender if you do that step. Go back to my other stuffed pepper post for how to do that. Otherwise fill your peppers generously and place a cup of water in the bottom of your pan to help them soften up in the oven.

After 20 minutes in the oven I took them out and topped them with freshly grated parmesan and put them back in for about 7-8 minutes.

We had a side salad and some fresh pineapple to go with it. It was a wonderful Meatless Monday kind of meal and another great option for stuffing the peppers. The kids do great with eating the filling but they aren't as fond of the actual pepper part. I am okay with that because I had chopped up peppers in the filling anyway!

Now I must get back to celebrating my sons birthday. The day is running out of time for me and I have things to take care of. Yikes!



Millet Stuffed Peppers

6 green peppers, tops removed and saved and seeds cleaned out

3 cups cooked millet (approximate measurement)

1 each red and yellow pepper finely diced

tops of the green peppers diced finely

1/2 a large onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 can of diced tomato undrained

1/2 cup reduced fat pepper jack cheese shredded

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

olive oil

parmesan cheese to top

Remove tops of peppers and clean out. (For softer peppers submerge in boiling water for 5 minutes and remove) Dice the tops of the green peppers up and place in pan along with the red and yellow peppers, garlic, onion, and some olive oil. Saute for about 5 minutes and add in cooked millet, cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat for about 3 more minutes and add tomato and cheese. Heat until cheese is melted. Fill peppers with mixture, add 1 cup water to 9 X 13 dish, and place peppers in dish. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and top with cheese and cook another 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

My Homemade Mustard Vinaigrette

You all know by now that I eat a lot of salad. I know you think I am crazy but it truly is one of my favorite foods. It is green. It is usually loaded up with veggies and it can be different all the time. I feel good and I feel full after I eat it. But one of the main reasons I like to eat it so much is the dressing. I suppose I should say we because I think Miles likes the dressing even more than me. He told me the other day that I could bottle this up and sell it. I know. Brownie points.

Several of you have asked about the kinds of dressing we use since we do eat leafy greens almost daily. I do have a few bottled dressings I like but I have found lately that we much prefer homemade and it is better for us anyhow. In fact I don't remember the last time I bought a bottle of dressing. (My sister just gasped and fell over in her chair. She probably has 14 bottles of dressing in her fridge right now and I am not even exaggerating.) With only 5 ingredients I can whip this up quick and feel great about it.

Here are the fab 5!

Honey, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Dijon Mustard, and White Wine Vinegar.

Now there are a couple things I must mention. Buy this light tasting olive oil for dressings. It says it is best for sauteing, baking, and frying which is true but it is also best for dressings and dipping oils. I don't like a real strong olive oil taste overpowering all the other yummy ingredients. Also, not all Dijon mustards are created equally. Some are very spicy and I don't care for that either. Walmart's brand is both cheap and good and I can pronounce everything on the ingredient list.

              

When I make dressing I almost always use a container like this and I never measure. So you have to know that it pains me to have give you an actual recipe. I want you to just take those 5 ingredients and dump them in and give it a shake or a stir. I know so many of you can't do that but my brain just wants you too!!!!

So the other day I tried to measure for you. It hurt me I will have you know! The recipe I give you will make about the amount you see pictured here. This is plenty for Miles and me to have a large salad and still have some left over. Warning: it will occasionally solidify in the fridge if you do have leftovers. I just stick it in the microwave for about 10 seconds when I need it quickly.

However it is also great tossed all together in your salad.....

And rolled up inside that wrap like this.........

I used Joseph's Lavish Bread for the wraps that night and I didn't take a picture of it for some reason and now I am out! I love Lavish bread for a wrap. It is so big and filling for only 100 calories. I rolled it up and sliced it in two and served it with some pita chips and hummus and grapes on the side. 

I could seriously feed Miles anything if it was topped with this dressing he loves it so much. I love that it is simple, I always have the ingredients, and that it tastes so yummy. You can adjust the recipe to your tastes. Go easy on the mustard and vinegar if you don't like those stronger ingredients.

Keep in mind this is approximate because it was so painful for me to measure! (I guess I haven't had enough drama today.)

Mustard Vinaigrette

 3-4oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (4 oz. is half a cup)

1/8 cup White Wine Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp. Honey

2 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced

Start with olive oil and add the rest of the ingredients in a bottle, jar, or salad dressing maker. Whisk together well and serve.

(Of course you should sample and add more mustard, honey, or vinegar according to taste. If you like it a little sweeter add more honey for sure.)

I must apologize for this relatively boring post but it was necessary to provide the info to the nagging people! Just kidding. I am happy to share. I hope you enjoy the dressing as much as we do and save yourself some dollars on the expensive salad dressings!



A New Kind of Special K Bar

I must admit that I do love me a good Special K bar! People bring them to all kinds of gatherings around here. I am not sure if it is just a Minnesota thing or not but I know I never had them in good old Spokane. However, I don't have to tell you that they aren't healthy right? Does anyone really make them with Special K anyhow? That might actually up the nutrition just a wee bit. Well, you will be so happy to know that I recently discovered a superior alternative! I finally made them this morning and have been so excited to share them with you all day!

This recipe came from Samantha at Color Wheel Meals. She has the most fun ideas on her blog. Just now when I went there to copy the link she had rainbow fruit leather! That would be one stellar idea for St. Patrick's Day don't you think? When she posted this a week or so ago I instantly thought they would be a healthy alternative to Special K Bars and I got so excited. So here is what you need.

Banana chips, sunflower seeds, and oatmeal. You will grind all 3 of these up to make your base. I accidentally bought honey roasted sunflower seeds so regular is just fine.

Then you need some sea salt, pure maple syrup, and some Sunbutter or almond butter. You also need some vanilla and I forgot to get that in the picture. I actually used half Sunbutter and half almond butter today just so I didn't drain either contain too much.

I suppose brown rice syrup would also work in place of maple syrup.

This is the ground up banana chips, sunflower seeds, and oatmeal. Get this as fine as you can in your food processor.

Then you will add the other ingredients to the processor until you get this nice crumbly mix that holds together. I pressed mine in this circular pampered chef stone ware but Samantha recommended an 8 x 8 pan. Hers turned out deliciously thick like the bars you are used to seeing but I was trying to stretch mine a little further so I could give some to someone for their birthday and still have plenty for us.

Press the mixture firmly down with the back of the spoon to get it even and smooth.

Then melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Samantha used dairy free chocolate chips because they have allergies but if you aren't vegan or don't have allergies then you must use dark chocolate so you get the actual health benefit that chocolate can have. Spread the melted chocolate on top and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set up.

Then slice into heaven and enjoy! I promise I made the rest look prettier when I cut into them. I just couldn't wait to taste it!

How many can I eat before it is considered gluttony? I shared with a friend who stopped by so that cancels out at least 3 of them right?

So we bloggers don't like you to steal our recipes and not give credit to the creator of the recipe. So please go and visit the link by clicking here on Chocolate Banana Sunbutter Bars. Color Wheel Meals has made my life better today with this absolutely awesome portion of goodness. My only changes to her recipe was to use a combination of both almond butter and Sunbutter and to use dark chocolate chips instead of a dairy free chocolate chip.

Recipe: From Samantha at Color Wheel Meals

3 cups banana chips ground into flour

1/2 cup oats ground into flour

1/3 cup sunflower seeds ground into flour

1/2 cup Sunbutter or almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Grind first 3 ingredients one at a time in a food processor. Place them all back in to the processor and add next 4 ingredients. Process until it begins to stick together. Press into a pan with the back of a spoon. (Use an 8 x 8 pan or use bigger pan for thinner bars) Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments until completely melted. Spread over mixture and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy.

Oat Bran Sesame Sticks and My Baby's Birthday

It's my baby's birthday today. The saying goes, "How can the days drag on but the years go by so quickly?" That is how I feel everytime my kids have a birthday.

Like isn't this still my little Faith? I can still remember the feeling of holding this little bundle of pink joy. I do love to hold all babies, but it isn't the same as remembering the way your own baby felt in your arms.

But then she goes looking all grown up like this and you think, "I can hardly remember that baby?" How does that happen?

Then she goes and shakes her hips and does the runway at her birthday party just a wee bit too well and you think, "Oh crud! What are we in for? Can you please be a baby again?" I am not sure I like this and I know your daddy doesn't!

Or she gets to put a little makeup on at her Glitzy Girl Party and you see her so differently. It will be just around the corner that this sweet little face actually does get to wear makeup on a regular basis. It will be strange! Now mommy and daddy both don't like it! Can you please stay little, Faith?

But then you watch her blow out her candles and know that she is making a wish and that mom thing starts to well up inside you making you want to cry because while you do want her to stay little you also can't wait to see what she will become! Us moms are so fickle aren't we?

Today is her golden birthday! She is 6 years old on the 6th of March and bonus because she was also born in 2006! Must be why she is so special. She has shown us how to laugh, be enthusiastic, fun-loving, wild and crazy, energetic, silly, giggly, extrememly funny, caring, great at sharing, kind, and yes about having a bit of drama as well. But we will take the drama for all the blessing she adds to our lives. I wish I was a bit more like her actually. She doesn't take life too seriously!

Happy Birthday my sweet baby!

Now just in case you think I forgot this blog is about healthy eating I do have a new found snack I am in love with to share with you. I found these at Walmart a long time ago and was reluctant to try them because I just didn't want a carb kind of snack hanging around the house too much. I probably should have stuck to my guns because I do have a bit of trouble exercising self control now that I do have these Oat Bran Sesame Sticks around.

Once again they are a Nature's Harvest product. I love how reasonable these products are. I can't exactly remember how much I paid for these but I want to say $2.98. I will have to do an update to this post after I check again.

They have a unique taste to them so it is hard for me to tell you what they taste like but I can taste the sesame in there and I love it. They are crunchy and awesome to just snack on but great on top of a salad as well.

And I was pretty happy with the ingredient list. I completely love that they get their color from beet powder and turmeric. They also have no sugar at all and the carb count isn't terrible at 13g per serving. I have only found these products at Walmart though so you haters of Walmart will have to suck it up and go there now won't you!

Now we are off to Culver's for dinner. That is what the birthday girl picked and I don't mind because I love their veggie burger. I just wish they still had the sweet potato fries. Thankfully I was able to run outside this afternoon and I put in some miles at the gym this morning too so I will be able to eat a few fries and perhaps a small dish of the flavor of the day!