How was your weekend?  Mine began here.

What? You don’t spend your Friday nights in the lab…you’re such a nerd.  Actually, I look like a nerd with my hoodie all zipped up.  But, it is always so cold in there!  I have a BIG exam Monday, so wish me luck!!

After freezing my bum off, I wanted something warm and comforting.  So, I opened my freezer…and brought out some veggie soup that I had made months ago.

I wish I could remember where I got the recipe that I based this from!  I started with organic chicken stock and added carrots, celery, cauliflower, thyme, oregeno, garlic, s and p.  Once all the veggies are tender, I puree half the cauliflower.  The reason I keep it so “light” is that I freeze it and add whatever I have on hand when I defrost it.  Sometimes, I add brown rice, lentils, beans, chick’n…

Do you freeze meals to heat and assemble as needed?

On to Saturday! 

Whole Wheat with Crofter’s Asia Superfruit Spread that I won on Julie’s Blog!   I won this weeks ago and I wish I would have opened it sooner.  It was awesome!  The Asia Superfruit Spread is made of Raspberries and Yumberries.  Crofter’s makes 4 different spreads using “super fruits” and they are all organic!

Snuffy had a cookie from Starbizzle to fuel her fro grocery shopping.

She only ate about 1/4 of this cookie because it was GINORMOUS.  But, have no fear, I stepped up to help her out

Starbucks’ baked goods are actually made with real ingredients.  So, I don’t worry about Snuffy and I treating ourselves to their delicias once in a while.

…and since I was already at Starbizzle

I brought home my favorite drink in my reusable (sp?) cup.  Notice a pattern?  Do I wear pink hoodies everyday?  Apparently, I do.  I realize as I type this that I own at least 4 that I can think of.

Grocery shopping day!  I picked up the usuals and a few new items. 

I am going to see what Snuffy thinks of these.

I will post her full review when she gets around to trying them.  (She has a very demanding schedule, you know )

Some Emergen-C for me too

My first job after moving to Ohio was at a natural food store.  Our boss would give us Emergen-C if we showed the slightest sign of illness.  I love the original flavor!

What is your first action of defense when you start to feel sick?

Of course Saturday needed more nut butter.  I have  been loving PB and Co’s Cinnamon Raisin Spread lately.

I think it has brown sugar added to it.  That’s probably why I love it.  But, it is amazing none the less.  This particular spread of Cinnamon Raisin PB had Naturally More underneath.  The crunch of the flaxseed in the Naturally More and the chewiness of the raisins made for a fantastic texture combination.  Yes, I have  a nut butter obsession.  But, I am not the only one.  In fact I know of two ladies right off-hand that share my love! Oh wait and a third!

We snacked on some fruit as well.

These obviously go with this

Which can also be eaten like this

Celery and PB was one of my childhood faves! So, AB with celery has become my “grown up version”.

Do you still enjoy any of you childhood favorites on a regular basis?

I know, I know I said giveaway…

Well, it’s not time yet!  Patience!

You may or may not know that I have been working with a fellow blogger and fantastic cook to make my blog a better place to hang out.

Well, it’s finally ready for readers! 

So, here’s where the giveaway comes in

Apple Cinnamon Kids’ Z Bar, Peanut Butter Kids’ Z Bar

Peanut Butter Crunch Pure Fit Bar

Annie’s Cheesy Lasagna…I make this with organic ground chicken but, the options are endless!

Did you think I could have a giveaway without nut butter?  NO WAY!!  PB and Co. Crunch Time!

So, how do you enter?

Well, my friends (you guys are my friends, you know)

just click on over to the new blog and leave a comment by Tuesday at midnight Eastern Time !

I will choose a winner on Wednesday. 

You will see this same post on the other blog since I have transferred all posts.  You should notice enough of a difference to see that you have made it over though.

 Thanks for reading!

 This week, I have spent a lot of time with my new best friend

Study Study Study!  Pedro helped.

It’s just hard for him to understand the A & P terms since Spanish is his first language.

I arrived 20 minutes early for class on Tuesday and I could not find a parking spot anywhere! After driving back and forth through the lots for those 20 minutes, I finally found a spot.

Too bad I didn’t know it was in a residential lot not a commuter lot

I found this when I returned to my car later.  The lot did not have a sign at the entrance stating that it was for Residential Parking.  I only had 48 hours to pay this bad boy.  So, I planned to try to get the campus police to lower it to a warning.  I have to be at work right after class on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I had to wait until before my Thursday classes to visit the campus police.  I arrived 30 minutes early just to be sure I had time to run by the police “station” today.  It was raining like crazy!  Get this:  I couldn’t even find a place to park so that I could walk to the police station to speak with them about my parking ticket!  I drove through the lots for that full half hour.  I finally found a place to park so that I could go to class and I was late!  After class, I had no time to go to the police station once again so I have to just suck it up and pay the ticket

Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? 

In other news, I cut my finger while cutting Snuffy’s banana in half on Tuesday.

I guess I was just having “one of those days”

There is some good news.  I got a 100% on my math test!

You may notice (or you may not care) that my hair is almost always pulled back these days.  This is because it’s in an in-between stage. 

 Last winter, I had my friend, Becky give me a short, textured bob

and I loved it! But, it took a lot of time to style in the mornings.  Have you noticed that short hair tends to take longer?

So, now I am growing my hair out.  I get it trimmed every 6-8 weeks.  It just had soooo many layers when it was short that it looks so boring when I leave it down.

It does go well with my college student/ baby mama look though…don’t ya think?

I swear I didn’t leave the house like this.  I have to dress up for work and I love to dress up! 

 But, sometimes when I get home, I just want to be comfortable and enjoy some comfort food!

I have seen Pumkin Oats all over the place lately!

I cooked my oats in water with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and used the infamous melted banana trick as usual. 

While the oats were hot out of the microwave, I stirred in the banana, 2 teaspoons of Grade A Maple Syrup

 and 1/3 cup pumpkin.

I sprinkled in a good amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon.  It was reminiscent of my favorite Thanksgiving dessert.  Pumkin Pie is one of the few flavors of pie that I like.  I always had to have a dollop of Cool Whip atop mine! ( Now I know what’s in Cool Whip, no thanks!)

This was my Cool Whip substitute and it was far better than any HFCS laden, partially hydrogenated Whipped Topping!

I also used this dairy-free yogurt to mix with some blueberries for a simple, satisfying sweet-tooth tamer.

Sometimes 2 ingredients is all I need.

Other times…

Ginormous Yogurt Bowl!  Two Cups of Puffins, Two Scoops of Dark Chocolate Almond Spread, 1/2 Cup Chocolate Soy Milk and  a splash of Vanilla Coconut Milk….         YUM!

I go back and forth between the above pictured yogurt and Stonyfield Organic. Of course I waver between Oikos and Fage too.

Are you brand loyal?  Are there those few select items that have to be a certain brand?

There are also times when I crave savory flavors.  I tried an Amy’s Indian Wrap on Monday night.

I promise you, this tasted 5,000,000,000 times better than it looked!

Today, I forgot to pack my lunch!  As Snuffy says, “Uh Oh!”

I obviously don’t get to spend money on manicures these days.   

Do you add things like manicures and pedicures into your budget?

Anyway, I was starving between school and work.  The healthies and least expensive option was a grocery store salad bar.  As much as I love Whole Foods, I just couldn’t justify the expense since I have plenty of food at home that I should have packed.  So, I chose Bigg’s, a grocery store around the corner from my office.  I was actually impressed.  It doesn’t look like anything special but their produce was awesome!  The tomatoes and red peppers tasted like they were just picked from someone’s garden!!

I took note from this girl and mixed up some cottage cheese and ranch for my dressing.  My conclusion is that cottage cheese + ranch = pure joy!  I know Janetha uses the ranch packets (I think), chickpeas and a few other ingredients with hers.  But, this was delish!  Thanks for the idea!

What do you do when you have to grab a quick lunch? 

Check out this big prize giveaway going on until Friday!!

Love your body, it’s the best gift you’ve ever received!

J

That’s right, this is the camera that I have wanted!!  I’ve had fun playing with it.  My birthday was Saturday and I had to work all day.  But, Mallard’s mom was sweet enough to watch Snuffy.  She also arrived with with a boatload of gifts!!

This is my favorite one!  It’s a cheese serving tray made from a recycled glass bottle!  How cool!  Mama Mallard knows how I love recycled products. 

This is where she found it

And what’s a cheese serving tray without cheeseball ?

So, I’m not a huge cheese ball fan…especially when the ingredients are a mix in a box.  But, it’s the thought that counts.  Plus, chocolate + cream cheese must taste something like chocolate cheesecake, right?  Yum.

The next one is evidence of a love Mama Mallard and I share

That would be the love for Pampered Chef!  This is a cutting board with measured indentions at the end and a “scraper” to move my chopped, sliced or minced produce from point A to point B.

This next gift was the unintentional answer to my prayers! 

I know, it’s just a lil ID holder/change purse.  But, I have no camera case and I really didn’t want to shell out the $20 to buy a camera case that I didn’t care for anyway.  So, when I discovered that my new camera would fit into this cute little case, I was elated!

I recieved cards from my family as well. They live 2 states away but, they are always sure to make me feel loved.

This was the inside of the card from my sister.

My grandma always adorns our envelopes with tons of stickers!!

And my mom has inherited this habit.

This is the envelope that held the card from my parents.  At least my mom is aware that she is steadily becoming more and more like her mother…and I am becoming more and more like her!

Does your family live near you?  How do you stay connected?

I did exactly what I wanted with my evening…nothing!  I put on my comfy clothes and played with Snuffy!

She wore me out!!  Boy, I look haggard.  I promise I felt better than I looked there!  Yes, my shirt says, “I don’t smoke” and the back says, “I hookah!”  It was for the diversity club last year.

No, I didn’t have a birthday cake.  I didn’t see a need for one.  We wouldn’t have been able to eat a whole cake!  I made my own last year.  I’m just not huge on cake, I suppose.

I did have a delicious yogurt mess!

Started with some Stonyfield Organic Vanilla

Added some Dark Chocolate Almond Spread…Oh My Goodness.

Packed in some Puffins…I love these lil guys!

And a splash of Chocolate 365 Organic Soymilk

Snuffy had a treat of her own

Snuffy Mix!  Annie’s Bunny Grahams and 365 Peanut Butter Cereal

I had Amy’s Low-Sodium Indian meal (tofu, curried peas, chickpeas…I think) for dinner

Don’t forget our fruits and veggies!

Bursting with antioxidants!

Pears. Sweet and Crisp. I would have preferred them to be juicier but, they were still mighty tasty.

Celery to be accompanied by

Pitas.

Both of the above were slathered in

Maranatha Raw Almond Butter and PB and Co Cinnamon Raisin Swirl..  My word it was good!

Mallard requested more guy food for his Sunday Football Spectating.  This time it was a pizza roll with sausage AND pepperoni!  The man loves his animals, that is evident.

Snuffy asked to try something new.  Okay, well she stood at the cupboard saying, “bite, Mama?”  So, I gave her a bite of my Primal Strip

She was a fan.

But, Peanut was not.

Then, Mallard politely asked that I remove some things fromt the freezer.  You see, before I was aware of the benefits of whole, preservative-free, chemical – free,  natural foods, I ate a lot of  processed “diet food”.  So, we have lots of frozen  crap “diet food” meals that are at least a year old.  They are still “good” according to the expiration date.  But, Mallard and I are never going to eat them and food pantries don’t take frozen food  

This is what I removed from my life freezer.

I’m so glad I I have discovered the benefits of whole, natural foods!  It felt great to get this junk out of my freezer.

Do you buy these types of “diet foods”?  What are your thoughts regarding them?

I also found some natural Oatmeal Cookies that I had frozen a few weeks ago!

Snuffy ate one right out of the freezer

    …and she loved it.

Have you ever freezed your baked goods? 

After Snuffy fueled for our day, it was time to replenish our kitchen!

I was so excited to find these!  I wil give a full report when I try them.

I also found a big English cucumber.

Snuffy was impressed.

Of course I had to replenish some of my nut butters as well

Yum. 

I also grabbed some soups.

As soon as the chilly Autumn weather descends upon us, I want the warm comfort of soup.  I realize it would be more economical for me to make my own.  I love to cook and I do make my own soups sometimes.  But, I am being bluntly honest when I tell you I just don’t have time.  I wish I did.  But, most of the time I don’t

Tonight, I am studying for my lab exam.  I have a feeling it’s going to be a late one.  That’s where this guy comes in.

 Starbizzle!  Some people like beer or wine or Doritos…I like Starbucks.

Thanks for reading my boring birthday recap!  Now, it’s time for this old lady to get to bed.

Well, I was trying to wait for my new camera to post about it…

But, I couldn’t fight the urge any longer!  I had to try it.

After one spoonful out of the jar (my phone ate the pic), I swirled it with some cashew butter and spread it on a pita.

Let me tell you, this was the most delicious chocolate experience of my life!!  This may be my new favorite food.  But, then with Maranatha and chocolate in the same jar, how could I go wrong?

It was much better than this stuff

I saw this in the grocery store yesterday.  I immediately wondered how pure Hershey’s chocolate really is.  I consulted their website but I could not find a complete list of ingredients…hmmmm…   I assume they are listed on the wrapper of the bar.  I haven’t bought one for so long that I wouldn’t know what’s in them.

The best part of my week has been all of the mail I have received!!

My sister sent me my first 24th birthday card!

She wrote the sweetest message inside!! My birthday isn’t until Saturday. I felt so bad because her birthday was on the 14th and I just put her gift in the mail!

I also got a card from a dear friend.  Then, a survey! Can you tell I  just love to get mail!  I pay most of my bills online (save a tree so I only get “good mail”

Main Grocery Shopper = me!!  Is it wierd that I had fun filling this out?  I put down that I buy organic and health food so hopefully that will get me some good coupons.

Speaking of coupons, I logged onto Kashi’s website recently to see if they posted coupons and I found that they have a sample deal going on. 

I like their fun packaging

Why yes I am , thank you

As if that didn’t excite me enough…

My sample cereal!  How cute is this tiny box?  It’s only slightly bigger than my checkbook!

I don’t know yet.  But, I will be sure to let you all know as soon as I try this.

I also got my Share package!  I signed up to swap some of my favorite things with another reader of Special K  Treatment’s  blog.

This is what I sent…

I also sent some peppermint tea and dark chocolate along with these!

This is what I recieved from Kristie!

MY PHONE ATE THE PRODUCT PICS  

But, she sent me a jar of regular PB 2 and a jar of chocolate PB 2!  I have been wanting to get my hands on some PB 2 for so long!  She also sent some Clif shot blocks and another item that I can’t find the pic of!

I tried this for the first time this week

Trader Joe’s egg white salad.  Now, I love Trader Joe’s.  I have not bought a product that I don’t like.  But, to be honest, this stuff had no flavor.  It tasted like…well, nothing.  I only ate 2 bites …snack fail as Janetha says.

Another fail

See those black spots?  Yup, that’s mold.  I called Horizon Organic to let them know.  I don’t get angry about that kind of thing.  I just wanted them to know that they have some moldy cheese floating around the ‘Nati.  So, I guess they’re sending me some coupons for a new package.  I really like their products so I don’t think this will stop me from ever buying Horizon’s products again.  Snuffy eats their American Cheese Slices and String Cheese almost every day!

Now, it’s time to get serious.  I’m kind of frustrated about a couple thing, guys.  First, I have been ready to run for a long time.  I was in the midst of training with TEAM IN TRAINING when I became pregnant with my daughter 2 years ago.  I was not anticipating the pregnancy and I was a fairly new runner.  So, my doctor suggested I call it quits until after I gave birth.  Now, many women run well into their pregnancies.  But, once again, my body was not used to long distance running.  Anyway, I really loved running.  I felt such accomplishment and pride.  I loved the time I had to myself to ponder the day to day issues as I ran.  I loved the “good sore” feeling that comes with beginning a new routine and I LOVED the great feeling that came with my post run stretches!  But, after I had Snuffy, I was pressed for time and could only spend minimal time at the gym.  So, I stuck to what I knew.  I went back to the gym 3 weeks post delivery (doctor approved) and did resistance training and eliptical intervals because they were easy and familiar.  I was so new to running when I did run that I had not even bought my first pair of running shoes.  I was still running in cross-trainers!  But, I miss it so!  I have really been itching to get back to it for the past few month.  If you have been reading my blog from the beginning, you know that I have had a few health issues lately.  My doctor suggested I not start any new routines until we figure out what’s going on with my body.  Here I am locked and loaded, ready to start training for a half marathon (how cool would that be?!) but I can’t.  I hate waiting.  Sorry for the rant. 

Some of you saw my post on my camera decision.  I had told Mallard about the two Canon’s I would prefer if he was going to purchase one for my birthday.  Well, one was significantly more expensive.  But, when he took me to Best Buy to look at them, he said he would get the more expensive one.  I was ecstatic!  Since I wasn’t sure what color I wanted , I told him I would wait to order online.  So, I decided on the color and told him what I chose.  He then got online to order and said, “Oh I didn’t remember this being so expensive”.  Apparently, he thought it was abotu $5o cheaper.  “That’s why I was so surprised you agreed to buy this one”, I said, “I’m okay with the other one.  It’s still a great camera.  I just know that I want a Canon.”   A few months ago, Mallard had expressed how much he loved his work camera which was a Sony Cyber Shot.  “That’s great,” I said, “but the Canon’s get the best reviews…I just know I want a Canon.”  After Mallards price confustion, I figured he would get me the less expensive Canon which was the 1200.  My birthday isn’t until Saturday so I still had hope for my first pick, the 780 IS.  Nope.  Tonight he comes home with the new sony cyber shot in hot pink.  He handed me the box, which shows the gray version, and I was in such shock that I was speechless.  I have to admit, I was a lil let down…  He said, “This has all the same features as the Canon 780 IS but it was the price of the 1200″….I was still speechless.  He said, ” Open it up, it’s pink”  I could tell he was proud of himself so I thanked him and tried not to act like he had just burst my balloon.  I told him thank you and that it was a nice camera.  I said, “I just wish I would have known that you were going to do this.  I wouldn’t have spent so much time researching cameras and reading reviews.”  Basically, he bought what he thought was best not what I wanted.  I had looked at the pink cyber shot and decided that I wanted to go with a Canon.  I’m sure it’s a good camera.  In fact, the battery is charging downstairs right now.  I suppose I just like to make my own decisions.  Had the whole thing been a surprise, I would have been ecstatic.  But, he asked me what I wanted and I told him specifically.  He even took me to the store and , to my surprise, offered to buy my first choice camera.  I am sure I will love the Cyber Shot though.  I don’t want to be ungrateful.  

I ended my night with the DVR’d first episode of this season’s BIGGEST LOSER.  I am such a junkie for this show!  I used to be a huge Jillian Michaels fan but with her recent “supplement” release, I’m not so sure anymore.  Anyway, I was so excited to see some girls close to my age!  Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the others.  So far, my favorite contestents are Amanda, Rebecca and Coach Mo!  Do you guys watch?  How do you feel about Jillian’s new supplement?

Would you keep the Cyber Shot?  Would you exchange it for the Canon 1200 with better reviews but less zoom and few mega pixels?  Or would you save up the difference and get your first choice camera?

Have you tried the new Maranatha Dark Chocolate Almond Spread?

Do you get as excited about mail as I do?  Seriously, you could mail me a hand-written not on the back of a receipt and I would still be happy to recieve it!

Do you prefer to be asked what you would like for your birthday or do you like to be surprised?

 We went for a walk and Snuff found her first fall leaf.

Then, a neighbor saw us walking down the sidewalk (I let Snuffy walk on the sidewalk like a “big girl” when we’re in our neighborhood) and gave Snuff a flower from her flower bed.

I checked the mail upon arriving back home and I found an early birthday “gift”

Nice but, I don’t usually buy salon products. Sweet of them to send it though.  However, this is a reminder that my birthday is quickly approaching!  What does that mean to you?  NO MORE BLURRY PHONE PIX!!

Snuffy and I took a long overdue trip to Trader Joe’s.  We went to Whole Foods and Wal-Mart (gasp!) as well.  Some of you may know by now that I tend to shop at at least three stores for the best deals.  Usually those three stores are Kroger, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart because they are all so near one another.  But, on Saturday we were going to be right accross the street from Trader Joes’s.  I got a coupon in the mail for a FREE pair of VS panties, no purchase required! Naturally, we had to go to VS.  I also got fitted for a bra while I was there.  Everyone should seriously get fitted.  I have gone twice .   The last time was right after I went back to school and I had lost a lil weight due to the new stressful schedule.  This time I measured at at 32 instead of the 34 before and I went up a cup size.  Amazing what ten pounds can do.  I do look better with the ten pounds on.  But, how did I go down in circumference and up in cup size?  I don’t know, but, I’ll take it! I will probably continue to buy 34′s though just because I don’t like the tight feeling. 

I didn’t snap pix of everything because much of it is redundant week to week.  As you know from last week, I packed Snuffy’s lunch on the days when I knew the food would be processed to the extreme and full of unhappy meats.  Well, I felt I may be taking it too far.  I didn’t want to be a crazy, overprotective mama.  So, I didn’t pack on Friday.  Yup, I let her eat beef pot pie.  The result?  She apparently ate almost half the beef pot pie and she had …errrr…major tummy issues (you know what I mean) .  So, now the overprotective mama is back.  I will be packing for her almost everyday.  So, we had to get some more Snuffy lunch goods!  The toddler room has no fridge and no microwave.  So, in order for Snuff to eat when the other kids eat, I have to make sure her food will keep well in her lunchbag with an ice pack.  I also have to pack things that don’t have to be heated.

Snuffy eats string cheese (from happy cows at least once everyday.  In fact, “cheese” was one of her first words.

Trader Joe’s has these organic fruit cups for the same price I usually pay for the regular fruit cups at other stores!  Today, I asked Snuff what she wanted for lunch and she grabbed one and said “fruit!”  

Lara Bars for kids!!! They were way less than a buck each too! Uh Oh I’m starting the LARA habit early….

Normally, I just give Snuffy her Veggie Dogs plain with some fruit and Cheddar Bunnies.  But, I thought for lunch she may want to have a bun like the other kids.  Plus, since it IS a veggie dog and she has been known to steal veggie dogs straight out of the fridge, she could eat it without it being warmed…right?

When I saw these initially, I thought, “Those are definitly NOT real peas and they are probably full of preservatives, fillers and good marketing.”  But, I was wrong

Nutrition Facts

INGREDIENTS: GREEN PEAS, CORN OIL, RICE, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C).

It’s not stellar but, it isn’t THAT bad.  I think they’re pretty darn tasty too!

I’ve seen these around the blog world and the ingredient list is great!  So, I thought if I heat one in a pan to crisp the edges, I could put it on a bun for Snuff’s lunch…I hate that they don’t have easy access to a microwave.  I know they probably could microwave her food.  But, I have this image of her sitting there, waiting, watching all the other kids chow down…

This was something that I had been meaning to pick up everytime I go to Trader Joe’s.  I always forget! I can’t wait to try it!

Obviously, a Whole Foods find.  I love that they have their own brand of organics.  To clear up confusion, I don’t need EVERYTHING WE EAT to be organic.  Most of what I buy is not organic.  I do, however, need food to be free of  “extras”.  I prefer that foods be free of chemicals, preservatives, additives, unhappy animal meat (happy animals are sometimes  okay), and non-food substances.

Anyway, the ravioli was inexpensive and Snuffy loves it!

Since Mallard was away all weekend, I wanted to bake him something to welcome him back home.  It’s true, you know:  the way to a man’s heart is most certainly through his stomach!

I settled on banana bread due to our over-abundance of over-ripe bananas. 

I modified a recipe from my most used cookbook

I used these to modify

Banana Bread

We picked some of these up for Snuffy last weekend and she loves them!  She got the strawberry +PB flavor and gives them 5 stars. 

How do I know that my 1 year old gives them 5 stars? The entire time she is chewing she says,”Nummy, nummy!”

They come in four flavors, one of which is Blueberries and Oatmeal!

Do you want to try something new?  Check out this giveaway for some new tasty treats!

In other news…

I have discovered a new delicious oat combination!

First, I cook my oats in the microwave as usual.  Then, I make ‘em a lil sweeter by using Katie’s Melted Banana Trick

Next, I add some protein

Ingredients: Organic hemp protein powder, organic fair trade evaporated cane juice, organic vanilla flavour.

Soy Free. Gluten Free. Hexane Free.
Contains no additives or preservatives

I love this protein powder!  I had never tried hemp protein until I found this at Whole Foods a few months ago.   The manager of the department it was stocked in actually gave it to me as a sample!  The entire container! 

After I mix in a scoop of that vanilla hemp love, I add 1/2 cup of blueberries

Hello, antioxidants!

But  wait , there’s more!

Gotta have some cool, creamy Vanilla Stonyfield Organic Yogurt in there!  I use a whole single serving container.

I admit it’s not so pretty all mixed up.  It is tasty though!

Hemp protein has so many nutritional benefits!  I really like that it gives omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, 10 essential amino acids and antioxidants!  So, this bowl of oats was a double whammy in the antioxidant department.

Speaking of nutrition, check out this giveaway for a free subscription to Nutrition Action!

If you have been following my blog, you have  seen that Mallard tends to request “guy food” about once every week.  (Why can’t guys like him eat healthy whole foods?)

Anyway, this weekend Mallard is going camping with the guys and he requested what we like to call “Hockey Pucks”

Since, the guys are not at all concerned with nutritional content of these treats and they are opposed to natural PB, I saved some cash by using these

These are so easy.  Just spread…

Sandwich…

And dip!

I dipped some in milk chocolate, some in white chocolate and a few in both!

Snuffy kept asking me for “bites” while I was making these.  So, I brought out her peanut butter.

and gave her a very classy snack

 Organic PB +Spoon

She was a fan.

All this peanut butter reminds me of someone…

What’s your favorite way to eat peanut butter?  Do you like to mix it into oats?  Maybe you prefer it right out of the jar as Snuffy does!

Is HEMP a part of your diet? 

While we were at Babies R Us, we found these !

Organic Lollipops!

Snuffy gave them 5 stars!  I tried the pomegranite flavor and it was awesome!  I like things really sweet and these certainly fit the bill.

Mallard asked for more carnivorous creations this weekend…another Giant Pizza Roll

I used a refridgerated pizza crust because that’s what the crazy man prefers!

I spread about 1/2 cup of sauce onto the crust and topped with mozzerella.

Then I added Mallard’s favorite pizza topping

I rolled it all together and pressed the seams of the dough tightly closed.  Then, I scored the top and sprinkled more mozzerella

I baked at 425 until it was dark golden brown (Mallard’s preference)

I couldn’t even get a pic before Mallard cut into this bad boy!

Now for the changes at hand…

First of all, Snuffy’s babysitter is due…well, today with her third child.  So, Snuffy will have to go to the daycare center near our home for a few weeks.  She has been there before for two days while our regular babysitter was on vacae.  She seemed to do fine.  But, they don’t provide the MOST nutritious meal.  Sure, there is usually a fruit or veggie involved.  But, snacks include “juice” made of non-organic fruit and who knows what else.  Sugar cookies and preservative-filled grahams are other frequent snack stars.  The meals are okay by dietetic standards.  Some of the meals I would prefer not to give my lil one:  BBQ pork because I don’t know what kind of chemicals and “crap” are in the sauce and in the meat.  The other meal that I don’t really want to give Snuff is their ravioli as I’m sure it’s generic canned …junk.  So, I wanted Snuffy to have a nutritious lunch without feeling like she is not getting what the other kids have.  Solution?  Same idea, different version!

On Ravioli Day (tomorrow) I packed Snuffy the same meal on the menu only in a junk-free version

Snuffy kept asking for bites as I was packing her lunch. So, she tried this cold (I felt like a bad mom).  But, she loved it!  I have to say, it’s not bad.  Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than Chef you-know-who.  However, she can get at least three meals out of a can since she eats it with a fruit and a vegetable!  For her lunch, I packed a Snuffy serving of ravioli, a serving of peas and a serving of oranges.  It was exactly what was on the menu for the other kids

She even got a cool , new lunch bag that she picked out!

When I bought it, I didn’t look at it closely.  I thought it was an eco-friendly BUILT lunch bag like mine.  But, looking closer, I noticed that the tag says it’s made by BUILT but I don’t think it’s made of eco-friendly materials…lunch bag fail.

Oh well! I also got Snuffy some an alternative to the unhappy pork with mystery BBQ sauce

Whole Foods had a coupon for this in The Whole Deal this month so it was an easy and inexpensive alternative!

 I also packed some junk-free snacks for Snuffy to keep at daycare.

These were another change for Snuffy.   She love them though! She was on a hunger strike on Sunday until I opened a box of Bunny Grahams!

You must know that Snuff can’t survive without Cheddar Bunnies

She’s cool like that

As I had told you in a previous post, I have been in a bit of a food rut lately. 

So, I took advantage of the Whole Deal coupon for these

I swear I have seen these on Jenna’s blog.  But, I can’t seem to find the exact post.

And now for NEW NUT BUTTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I had some samples of this from Starbucks a few months ago and I really liked it!  I didn’t want squeeze packs though due to the waste of packaging and I finally found it in a jar!! Plus, I haven’t been able to find Mighty Maple anywhere!  Does anyone know what is going on with that?  It was my fave.  But, Justin’s Maple AB may replace it.

And now for the star of the show

I didn’t even know this existed until I saw it on the shelf!  I can’t wait to try it.  Reviews to come!

If you have read my blog lately, you have seen how much I love my nut butters. 

(Dark Chocolate Dreams+Cashew Butter+Naturally More)

You may also notice that I almost always pair nut butters with fruit and veggies

Well, I have been having some major tummy aches in the mornings.  I have begun to wonder if it has anything to do with my last snack of the evening which is usually nut butter and fruit or veggies.  I know that it’s not the best thing to be eating in the evening.  But, it’s become a staple in my evening unwinding.  Digging deeper, I found some info on food combining while reading Gena’s blog.  According to food combining guidelines, fruit should be eaten by itself and on an empty stomach.  Could this be the source of my tummy troubles?  The guidelines list vegetables as “neutral” which means they can be combined with any of the other food groups.  Am I destined to eat my nut butters with celery and carrots for the rest of my life?  I sure hope not!  But, I suppose I owe it to myself to change up the routine and see if bad food combining is the issue.  I am tired of feeling bloated and crampy in the morning…and NO I AM NOT PREGNANT.  I have an IUD for those of you who are wondering.  I won’t be having any more children any time soon as it lasts up to 10 years!

Moving on…

Check out a GIVEAWAY that will help you further your nutritional knowledge!

I picked up some new bars to try.  I’m just not a bar person.  I went through a phase when I ate a Kashi Go Lean Chewy bar every day when I went back to work after maternity leave.  I don’t now if I got burnt out on bars or I just like “real” food?  Either way, my days are so long most of the time that it’s not feasable for me to pack food for that long of a time period.  Also, there are so many bars on the market that are made with natural ingredients and no “junk”.  So, I thought I would give these a go.

And I picked up this guy on a whim

Hmm..75 percent organic, 100 calories…we’ll see how it goes.

I also made an effort to reduce my risk of breast cancer

NOW FOR SOME BIG BLOG NEWS

I have been working with someone on a blog makeover!  The new and improved Whole Body Love will be up and running within a few weeks!  I will keep you updated.

Many of you have read about my anticipation of my birthday and the “birthday fairy”

It’s obvious that the camera on my phone is just NOT cutting it! I’m sure you noticed that all my pics are blurry and dark.  So, after speaking with the “birthday fairy” , I was informed that I will be getting a camera for my birthday.  I thought I may have to compromise on the camera I want.  But, since Mallard’s job is going decently well, I get the camera I want!  This means that after the nineteenth, there will be much better pictures on my blog.  In fact, once I get my new camera, I plan to photograph almost all of my eats and do more experimenting with new foods and recipes!  So, be prepared for food porn!

What color do you like?  I’m leaning toward GOLD but, RED would be easier to find in my purse.  What do you think?

Have you ever given any thought to the “food combining guidelines” or eating a high raw diet?

Today I want to touch on something that seems to come up a lot in my place of work and in the blog world.  I get lots of comments from my co-workers regarding the expense of eating healthful foods.  I have two responses to these comments:   Yes, healthful foods may cost more initially but, medical bills and poor health will cost more in the long run.  Secondly, there are SO MANY WAYS to eat a very healthful, natural diet while sticking to your budget!  I know, that’s awesome, right? 

First, I want to touch on the well-known fact that most natural and especially organic foods are more expensive. 

 I will share how I’ve made room for these expenses in my budget.

1.  As many of you know from other posts, I stopped getting my hair highlighted blonde and have gone back to my natural color.  In addition, I stay with a low-maintenence  style that I only need to have trimmed every 6-8 weeks since I am letting my hair grow.  This saves me $100 every month!  I would save even more if I didn’t have my hair trimmed.

2.  We only eat out about once every month.  This means no grabbing lunch on breaks at work.  We pack our lunches.  Sometimes Mallard’s company buys him lunch but this is the only exception.  We also pack snack for Snuffy everywhere we go so that we don’t have to frantically grab something for her if we are away from home.  When we were newly engaged, we ate out aboout 4-5 times a week! We would go to dinner 3 nights a week (that always included drinks) and to breakfast both weekend mornings!  We save around $500 a month by cutting back to one meal out each month.  Personally, I like making my own food anyway.  I love to cook and I know exactly what’s in my food and how it’s made.

3.  I no longer get manicures or pedicures.  These ceased when I had a child.  They are nice once in a while but I can never really seem to find time for once in a while either.  This saves around $50 every month.

4.  I no longer drink.  I’m not saying I will never drink.  I just don’t really have a desire to.  I may have a drink on a special occasion.  I used to visit the vineyard near our house one to two times a week.  Their wine is inexpensive but wonderful.  However, I discovered the sulfides were a source of my migraines. Plus, I didn’t really need the alcohol anyway.  Cutting out the alcohol saves me around $50 every month! 

5.  I canceled my gym membership.  I loved my gym and when I moved to Ohio I had a trainer there as well.  Yet, since I have started attending Xavier, I have free access to their student sports facility.  It’s not as convenient due to my schedule but I can make it work if I have to.  When the weather is nice, outdoor activity is a great option as well.  Granted, I take yoga classes at a studio.  But, cutting out the gym membership still saves $20 a month with the yoga factored in.

6.  I stepped down my cell phone plan.  I used to may for more minutes than I really needed.  My family has the same service company as I .  So, that made it easy to step down.  This saves me $10-$20 every month as I have the lowest plan available.

7.  We stopped using shopping as a recreational activity.  During the first year or so of our relationship, Mallard and I would hit up the mall or the outlets just for something to do on a weekend.  We spent money on things that we didn’t REALLY need.  Now, we only go shopping if we need something.  Snuffy obviously grows out of clothes and needs new ones.  When the seasons change I will get a few (very few) key items because I am all about quality versus quantity.  I tend rotate the same outfits over about 10-14 days so my clothes get lots of wear.  So, yes, I do buy quality brands especially for work clothes.  But, I do not buy things just because they are cute or I think I might wear them.  Yes, the brands that I buy may be more expensive than, say , Target or Kohl’s but, quality brands last longer and wear better for me, bottom line.  I still save about $20 every month by NOT shopping just to shop.

8.  Natural, healthy , organic foods go on sale too!  I know, how awesome!  If you have a Whole Foods, check their monthly flier.  There are sales, coupons and meal ideas in there!  Also at Whole Foods, a case of anything is 10% off!!Think frozen items, almond or soy milk, bars, yogurts, endless possibilities.  They have their own store brand, too.  Trader Joe’s has a store brand as well.  They also have great deals on produce! Both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods sell items in bulk.  These foods are MUCH cheaper in bulk.  Think oats, dried beans, raisins, nuts, dried fruit, cereals, grains and healthful flours and spices.  Bulk nuts can be used to make your own nut milks and nut butters.  Buy dried fruit, carob or dark chocolate and nuts in bulk for your personal trail mix.  Kroger has it’s own affordable, organic brand now as well.  I understand that all of you may not have these resources available.  But, there are other ways to seek out healthy food without going broke in the process.  During the summer months, buy as much local produce as you can.  It’s usually much cheaper than the store alternative.  Read your ingredient lists!  Some generic products have shorter ingredient lists and more natural ingredients than their name brand counter parts.  Make a list.  Most of you have heard this too many times to count.  But, it really does work.  It prevents you from picking up something that you may not use.  I have made a huge effort to buy only items that we will use within the week or so.  It’s made a huge difference.

9.  I got rid of any TV channels that cost extra money.  Yes, I miss True Blood but, I have no time with school, work and Snuffy anyway.  We save about $20 a month.

10.  We joined Sam’s Club through Mallard’s employer.  He gets a free membership through his employer.   So, we are able to buy things like diapers, produce and toilet paper (you know, the necessities) at a discounted price.  I have heard that Cosco is better for healthy groceries.  But, Sams is free so we take what we can get.  We save around $30 a month on what we do buy there.

I hope you have found this somewhat helpful in your quest for budget-friendly healthful living.   Sure,  I spend money on Starbucks once in a while.  But, I do make changes and set limits in many areas of my life so that I can afford whole, healthy natural foods for my family and so that I can live a healthy lifestyle.

How do you make changes to support your healthy lifestyle?

What do you do to save money?

Are you a “list maker” or a fly-by-the-seat-of -your pants type of person?

But, I felt so relaxed and grounded after!

Seriously, is it possible to have a yoga high?

I have been wanting to go more often.  But, I was concerned about the difficulty of the yoga classes that will actually coincide with my fall schedule.  However, the instructors told me that I would have no problem moving on to a more difficult class.  I’m excited!  Eventually, I want to be in the habit of attending the HOT Vinyasa and Ashtanga classes.

After yoga, I picked up a few things that I had forgotten yesterday.  I was going to buy some more pink ladies.  But, I found some Gala apples that were actually grown in the US and they taste very similar.  I have issues with buying too many items shipped from overseas.  It’s not really a patriotic thing.  It’s more of a Save The Planet thing.  More shipping = more carbon emissions.  Not that I live such a model environmentally concious lifestyle.  I mean, I buy bananas every week!  I just try to make an effort. 

I did find this

Coconut Water = natures Gatorade

I have been craving some serious chocolate lately. 

Many moons ago, I would have reached right for some Oreos and skim milk (moo). 

But, now that I now that I am aware of what keep Oreos shelf -stable, I think I’ll pass. Did you know that they also contain artificial chocolate flavor? Wha??

Ingredients: SUGAR, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL, AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORNSTARCH, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), VANILLIN – AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CHOCOLATE. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY.

So, I picked up these guys instead

INGREDIENT LIST

Organic Unbleached Flour, Organic Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Canola Oil (Expeller Pressed), Organic Cocoa, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, (an Emulsifier)

Not perfect, but better!

I have also run into a schedule issue.  I am on the run between school and work and meetings all day almost every day.  I love my eats but, I rarely have time to enjoy them.  I have never really been much of a bar fan.  For some reason, I would rather just make a small meal. But, it gets hard to pack 2 to 3 meals a day.  So, I reluctantly grabbed some bars to try.

I will let you guys know what I think about them soon.  I was looking for mine LARA Bars but, I couldn’t find them anywhere! Mini Laras and Mighty Maple PB have been wiped out of the ‘Nati!

I did get a chance to try this

It doesn’t have a definite soy taste.  But, I can tell it’s not dairy yogurt.  I really liked it!  I added it to my oats along with a serving (1 banana) of banana soft serve.

The weather in the ‘Nati has been rocking awesome today! So, we had to hit the trails!

Buckled up and ready to ride!

After the trails the puppies were still craving more outdoor excitement and so was Snuffy.  So, we hit up the dog park.

I swear there were dogs on the other side of the fence.  In the picture, it looks like Snuff is eyeballing that nasty trashcan.

We arrived home and Mallard was craving something peanut buttery.  He requested something with a granola-esque crust, a PB layer and chocolate drizzle. 

I can’t post a recipe because I just kind of eyeballed everything and made it up as I went along.

I mixed oats with about 1/2 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of this guy

and at least 1 cup of PB.  Now, if this was for me I would have used natural creamy PB…probably Naturally More or Bees Knees.  But, it was not for me so I used Mallard’s Natural Skippy Crunchy or Extra Chunky or whatever it’s called.

I baked it for maybe 10 minutes at 400

The fridge was packed so I ran a few inches of cold water in the sink and set the pan in the water so the crust could cool.  It floats so water doesn’t seep over the sides.

Once again, if this was mine I would have added dark chocolate drizzle and called it delicious.  But, it was not for me and Mallard requested a PB layer.  This meant he wanted something similar to the inside of a Reese’s cup or for you Ohioans, the inside of a buckeye.  So, kids, I did the unthinkable…

PB + confectioners sugar + oil

I spread it over the cooled crust.

Don’t forget, the man wanted chocolate drizzle!

and he got his drizzle.

Oh my sugar lovin’ boy! 

I guess I can’t talk.  He thinks my Indian food stinks

But he deals with it

I promise you it taste 5 million times better than it looks.  I can’t wait for the birthday fairy.  You know, the one that’s s’posed to bring me a decent camera?  That’s still about  3 weeks out though. 

I can’t believe it’s the second week of school already!  I had missed the regular school schedule.   But, going back made me realize how different I am from most girls my age.  I mean what 23 year old never goes to bars or clubs, rarely goes shopping or out to dinner and gets crazy excited to go to Whole Foods?  Sometimes Iwonder if I even know what’s in style anymore.  I think I do alright.  If I buy clothes, they are for work which means they’re from THE  LIMITED.  Do I dress like an old lady?  My casual stuff is from The Buckle…is that store still “cool”?  I have a few flowy, bohemian shirts that I love.  But, do they look stupid?  I don’t think I care.  I talk to one friend from high school on a regular basis.  Most of my friends did not get married or have children so young.  So, I am the odd woman out.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s absolutely worth it.   Sometimes, I feel like I have grown from my 20′s to my 40′s and missed the in-between.   It sure feels good to get back to the things I love.  Hopefully, I can start running again once my schedule gets situated.  I’m not saying that I want to go out with group of girls to the bars and clubs every weekend.  I would like a running buddy though! 

I’m also in a bit of a food rut.  I have been eating a lot of yogurt messes, oats with banana soft serve and yogurt, fruit plates with massive amounts of PB and AB, hugh jass salads and Amy’s meals.

So…

Are there any bars that you recommend (besides my Laras)?

What do you do when you realize you’re in a food rut?

Do you stick with your old stand by’s when you want a treat or do you seek out a more natural version?

I’m looking forward to your thoughts!

How many of you are students? 

  I am 23 and I am still a student. ..my path to graduation has had a few unexpected detours

‘

But, they were worth it!

Anyway, this week is my first week of Fall Semester.  The only class I’m not so keen on is my lab…I hate labs. 

I really do like all of my professors.  My Anatomy and Physiology Prof. is my fave.  He’s fair and he makes himself available for questions at any time.  In fact, he put his cell number on the board today and told the class to text him if we had questions about an upcoming exam or if it’s easier than e-mailing when we’re going to be absent.  He also told us a little about his family.  He has 3 kids and has been with his wife since high school.  (I would say he’s in his late 40′s now). 

Why am I talking so much about this professor?  Well, he told us that he has run 9 marathons including the New York City Marathon the year that P.Diddy  ran it!  The prof’s wife runs with him now, too.  I expected him to speak about how much he loves running.  Instead he said, “I hate running.  Seriously, I only do it so I don’t get huge.”

This made me wonder how many people run just to keep their weight in check.  I know that many of us just love running.  But, do we really love it?  How about you?  Do you love the way you feel while you run or do you love that feeling of accomplishment after you run?  Do you run for the “runner’s high”?  Maybe we’re fooling ourselves.  Possibly we think we love the feeling of accomplishment and endorphins.  But, what we really like is knowing we just burned x amount of calories and boosted our metabolisms.  Or it could be that we do it because we know it’s good for our bodies and we have bamboozled ourselves into thinking we just love to run.  Another possibility is that, like my professor, we love food and we run to offset our indulgences.  This reminds me of Heather’s post regarding the correlation between exercise and eating habits. 

I like the way I fell while I’m running…about half the time.  There are times when I have to use motivational self-talk to get through.  However, I LOVE the way I feel after a run EVERY TIME!  Of course I also like the health aspect of running.

WHOLE BODY EATS

Another mountain of nut butters!

White Chocolate Wonderful, Naturally More with flax and Maranatha Raw Almond Butter (creamy)

With some friends

  Two Ripe Juicy Peaches, celery, One Pear

And a Pink Lady

I have also been grabbing grapes on the go! Snuffy tried a sample of these at Kroger and I ended up buying a bunch because they kept her so happy in the cart.

and of course my favorite Amy’s Meal

Roasted Vegetable Enchilada!

I always make a mess of it before I devour it.  It’s very primal, I think. 

Like an animal who kills their prey before she eats it;) 

Before I go, I want to know whatcha think!

Do you run?

Do you do it for health?  Do you like the feeling you have while you run or after you run? 

What made you begin running?  Do you use it as a weight management tool?

I showed you mine, now you show me yours! What’s your favorite Amy’s meal?

PS Check out Kailey’s  giveaway overflowing with Veg News loot !