Shaunessy in Charge

So today I really needed to go get some produce for me to eat.  Otherwise it would be back to the old processed food in my pantry that the rest of the guys can't seem to live without.  I am cringing that I promised Lancer I would make him "Hamburger Helper" tonight for dinner.

Here are a few photos of what we bought that I did not realize I purchased until we got home.  The cashier was helping Shaun unload his little cart while I was unloading mine.  So really it was my fault for not paying attention.

His major score was this:

Chocolate covered bananas.  I had no clue they even existed.  He must have put this box in his cart while I was looking for my LaLoo's.  Whole Foods is no longer carrying them (at least not my store, so I got to figure out how I am going to get my LaLoo's fix!!!)

Rose Lemonade by Fentimans.  The packaging is actually what caught my eye because it looked antique/vintage in a sort of weird way.  This was my want to try it purchase.   I always try something new every time I go to Whole Foods.  This intrigued me.  

The Xochitl chips in the background were a Shaun pick me up.  He recognized the packaging and picked them up on his own when we went down the snack aisle.  I wasn't planning to purchase any but since he did choose my favorite, how could I say no? LOL  Also pictured are a big bag of red grapes (the boys favorite) as well as an avocado, big bag of oranges and a fresh pineapple for juicing and smoothies this week.  Have I posted about my Pineapple Cilantro smoothie yet?  I will have to check.  Not pictured are the bag of onions, bok choi, cilantro, and various cucumbers plus many other veggies.

This is also my big spontaneous purchase of the month.  I have been watching Forks over Knives and out of all the interviews conducted, Kris Carr really resonated with me.  Today when I seen her book on the bookshelf at Whole Foods I knew I had to have it.  It's been on my wish list to check out at my local library which is what I normally do because I don't have alot of money to spend on books and I want to know if they are "worth" my money purchasing.  The reading begins tonight when the boys are in bed.


As I am uploading photos from my Ipod, I have noticed that Shaun took over my ipod today as well.
Here are a few photos from his point of view!

Yes my dining room table is currently under fire.  It's a mess.  His block toy with the shapes is on the table but I have yet to see where he and Leia have hidden the pieces.  You can also see that batman still adorns our table after so many years (it was Lancer's first placemat he chose) and Shaun's taking a liking to it.  You can also see my Time Life Music Big Band cd in that stack tower as well.

To keep Shaun occupied while I prepped my produce, I quickly put grapes on the table.  These were the last of the previous batch we purchased last week.  They did not last long.

The proof that "someone" was using Mommy's Ipod. Well actually there are about 100+ photos similar to this one!

This must be the photo when I caught him playing with my Ipod.

And more physical proof he was using it....he found the record button. LOL

Now back to trying to clean my kitchen and also my dining room table.

Sincerely,
Crystal T.

Meatless Monday - Pasta & Pesto

I found this photo from an old sd card that I took with my camera.  I can't remember if I posted this or not, so sorry if its a duplication.

One night for dinner I decided I wanted pasta.  So while I was making traditional spaghetti for the boys I decided to make myself a meatless version of pasta.  I was in the mood for a pesto.  I had a lot of the normal things that goes into a pesto...basil, olive oil, pine nuts but wanted something more than just that.  I added about a cup of spinach to the mix with extra two cloves of garlic (yes I love garlic!).  I had some marinated kale from earlier in the day that was still soaking in the lemon juice.  I put the extra lemon juice into the pesto sauce and blended it into my Vitamix.  I kept the kale out for added texture to the dish.

After the pasta was cooked, I mixed in the pesto and stirred it up until well coated.  Then added the Kale and also some Whole Foods 365 line of their Vegetarian Shredded Parmesan Cheese.  Topped with Fresh cracked black pepper and dinner was served with a side of hot crusty garlic bread.

I love it when a plan comes together.  I have made this several times as pasta is a staple with the boys and kale is one of mine!

Sincerely,
Crystal

Preparing for Cooler Months - Menu Planning

I know its only just barely into August, but this is the time when I begin my yearly DEEP cleaning up until snow hits the ground.  I will be opening up the windows as much as possible to let the fresh air in and the old out.  I will also begin to dwindle my pantry to use what goods are in it now so that nothing expires and goes to waste. 

One of the things I like to do is to prepare a monthly menu so it takes the hassle out of planning and preparing meals in the last minute and not having all the items I need to make the meal I plan to.
With the colder months coming one thing I look forward to each and every year is utilizing my slow cooker. 

Last year when I began the shift going Vegetarian, one of the first books I picked up was this one.

So I decided to try one of the soup recipes....

Potatoes

Corn

Yellow pepper

Diced Tomato

Salt and Pepper to taste

I used the whole box, but think it only called for a few cups.

Green onion on top.

I really liked this soup.  Think next time I will take out the yellow pepper.  The one I used seemed to be really spicy instead of sweet.  There was so much soup left over that I decided to blend it and put it into the containers that I normally use for my Gumbo when my sister or mother make it for me.  They freeze into single servings for later use. 

I plan to make more recipes from this in the future this fall...Its going to be one of my go to books this year.

Blessed Be,
Crystal T.

Trial and Error - Pineapple Starfruit Salsa

So I had these items on hand.  I needed to use them relatively soon because I did not want them to go to waste or spoil.    I had been craving Salsa so I thought about the Salsa at Whole Foods.  Not wanting to spend around $5 for a very small container, I decided to attempt to reverse engineer it and then add a few extra things in it for my own taste.

So first I chopped/processed a few of the veggies and the fruit.  I manually chopped the Starfruit, Pineapple, Green Onion and lime for its juice.

Don't forget to remove any seeds from the fruit.  They can be bitter if large.

I sliced the Starfruit as I found on YouTube.  I have never eaten it before but heard wonderful things about it.   I processed the Vidalia Onion by itself because I am planning on making a traditional salsa today as well.  I also like onion in my salsa but not a whole one.  Then I processed the  Jalapeno, Garlic,  and about 1/4 of an orange bell pepper that I had leftovers of from my raw coleslaw I made the other night (will post about that probably next time).  The Cilantro I processed last.  Next time I plan on doing the cilantro first because it kind of stuck to the sides from the moisture of everything elsse. 

After everything was chopped/processed including the tomatoes for my traditional salsa I then folded the ingridients into two separate bowls.  One with the Fruit, Jalapeno Mixture, White Onion, Green Onion, Cilantro and lime juice.  The other with the Tomatoes, Jalapeno Mix, White Onion, Cilantro and Lime Juice with a bit a Himalayan Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.  This is what it looks like.

As you can see I have a small jar of Pineapple Salsa for my friend Pilar because she was the first to speak and say, Hey I want to try some!  Now her challange should she chose to accept it, is to pick it up before I eat thru the other two jars before hitting that little jar last!  LOL (well seriously, I will wait to break that one open last Pilar).

This is what I plan on eating for lunch today....What do I use to scoop the salsa with?  Celery Sticks!

I am sure I will be having tacos for the guys in the near future as well, so maybe I can use any leftovers (yeah like that is gonna happen, LOL) for a Tropical Style Salad possibly?  Or maybe on a bed of Basmati Rice and top with the Pineapple Salsa and possibly some marinated Kale with lemon juice and sliced strawberries?  I still have alot of those that need to be eaten as well.  Now that I think about it, the possibilites are endless!

I hope you have a get lunch today, I know I will be!

Sincerely,
Crystal

Your Nourished Body - Class on Raw Italian

This past Saturday, I attended another Raw Food Class.  This one was presented by Deb Klungle.  This was a very interesting and informational class.  I knew I was in for a treat whenever I seen all the chairs that Whole Foods set up for and also put a divider between the regular dining area and the Lifestyle Center to separate the class from the "outside" world.  This was my first time seeing the divider put up as my past classes I attended were low in attendance.  (Not taking away from the other teachers because both Cindy and Beth were absolutely wonderful and I am actually hoping that either Beth or Deb will be able to counsel me should I be able to afford it!!!)  However, because of the large attendance, it is definitely a validation to Deb's knowledge, personality, and passion for Raw Food that I think her class was extremely popular!

This is the description from Deb's website on the class I attended:

RAW FOODS FOR REGULAR PEOPLE: LA CUCINA ITALIANA
Saturday, 8/27/2011, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., $10
Whole Foods Market - Rochester HillsWho does not LOVE Italian food? That big, heavy pasta dinner takes so long to digest though & puts you right into a food coma. Join Deb & see how to prepare Italian dishes that won't weigh you down & actually energize you for that Bocce tournament! But how do you serve traditional Italian food without processed pasta made from grain flour? Well, there are a number of delicious options for a raw diet & you'll get to taste a few of them. In this class, you'll learn to make capellini pomodoro as well as a creamy Alfredo sauce. And to help cool off in the August heat, we will whip up a batch of strawberry gelato as a classic finish to your Italian meal.

I have to admit I was a bit mortified and scared to try Kelp Noodles that were in the Alfredo.  I LOVED THEM!  I even bought a package from Deb after class because Whole Foods does not currently carry them....they should!! 

If you are interested in Raw Food and are in Oakland County (or willing to drive) you should check out one of Deb's future classes.  I know I am definitely going to be attending more of hers as much as my schedule allows!

There are two ways to get to her website.  Well actually three.
1.  Click on the Title link of this blog post.  It should take you there unless I wrote it wrong.
2.  Incase I did write it wrong, you can go to http://www.yournourishedbody.com/
3.  She has a second domain name that will take you to the site by going to http://www.rawfoodteacher.com

Deb, by chance if you are reading this, THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL EXPERIANCE!

Sincerely,
Crystal