Recently the kind people at Kiss Me Organics sent me a bag of their organic matcha green tea powder to try: I am a huge fan of matcha but haven’t ever made anything with it (other than tea) at home. In the past I have found good quality matcha to be really expensive and I haven’t been willing to use large amounts...
I made granola today for us to have for breakfast this week and got a few requests for the recipe. This is less of a recipe and more of a formula. In other words, feel free to add or take out ingredients to your liking! Whole Grain Granola With Dried Cherries and Cacao Nibs 3 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed...
I have been doing a lot of running lately. More than usual because I am training for a St. Patrick's Day half marathon. My long run days are now 8-10 mile runs and, for that distance, I sometimes need a little energy boost in the middle. I have used gel packets (like this) in the past but I get burned out on those...
Making popcorn that doesn't come from the microwave is not supposed to be hard. The other day I put a little coconut oil in my stovetop popper and started to make popcorn like I always do. The oil, instead of just getting hot and popping the corn, started smoking like crazy and burned the corn kernels to a crisp. I do not know...
I made these muffins last month for a bake sale at my son's school. They are quintessential fall treats- spiced, mapley, apple or pear-filled awesomeness...and they will make your house smell amazing when they are baking! Can you tell that is a big thing for me? Smelling things? Yes, I'm crazy...but, if you like to cook, I bet you are quirky too. xoxo...
I am relieved to say that I finished my second half marathon on Sunday! I was so nervous before the race! All geared-up and trying not to freak out: The finisher's tee is so...YELLOW! Finisher's necklace by Tiffany: NWM = Nike Women's Marathon. The back of the necklace says "I run to be." with room for engraving so that we can add our...
It has been awhile since I've shared some favorite things and I have a few milling around in my mind right now. Here are the highlights! Sunset Magazine Sunset Magazine has always been a favorite of mine. Each and every issue gives me food ideas, travel ideas, and inspiration. I am always left craving a hole-in-the-wall restaurant experience in a remote location with...
On Saturday I stopped by the farmers' market to pick up one or two things. Because it was late in the morning, I got lucky by getting a deal on some really nice peaches- 5 pounds for $5! The peaches are great but there are so many of them so I have had to come up with ideas on how to use up...
Getting ready to go on vacation is never really easy. Packing always takes significantly longer than I ever imagine that it will. For our latest adventure, we traveled by airplane (yes, another trip right after our California RV adventure!) and that makes all of the preparing and packing and whatnot just that much harder. I can never find decent food in an airport...
Nothing says spring quite like strawberries from a roadside stand. We have managed to find a couple that are open this month and I'm amazed at how quickly we finish off pint after pint of berries! My kids' preschool had an Easter egg hunt this week and I brought these mini muffins to share. They are the perfect spring treat for kids and...
My kids are really good about eating their veggies. They definitely have their favorites but I try to keep offering the ones that they haven't liked in the past and ask only that they take one bite (unless they want more!). Zucchini is a tricky one because it can sometimes be a little bitter. I took full advantage of the spirit of St....
I love the convenience of energy bars but I can't eat any one kind very often because I get burned out on them very quickly. Besides that, they tend to be expensive. These bars are easy to make and they taste great. The ingredients are flexible too, so that really helps to minimize the burn-out factor. Feel free to customize them to your...
As the weather is warming up just a bit and the sun it staying up a little later, it is beginning to feel like spring here in Northern California. It has finally been warm enough to spend a few minutes outside in the sunshine. Sunlight and fresh air are nourishing in so many ways. Not only does spending time outside help me to...
Hello, I'm back! Sort of. I didn't actually go anywhere, but I did have sinus surgery last week and I've been resting and recovering. I had pretty bad seasonal allergies for the first 25 to 30 years of my life and I still have them now, but they have significantly improved. Between the effects of years of sniffing and sneezing and a car...
We have a local bakery that makes really good breakfast cookies. The whole idea of a cookie that is intended to be eaten for breakfast is, in my opinion, brilliant. I love cookies and I love breakfast- what could be better than a breakfast cookie? This recipe makes about 10-12 cookies that are pretty low in sugar and fat but still taste great....
I occasionally get burned out on my regular snacks and, with Christmas on its way, I'm craving spicy flavors and warm baked things. With visions of gingerbread dancing in my head, I created this granola bar recipe. These wholesome bars are rich in iron, protein, and fiber and can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free oats. Gingerbread Granola Bars Makes about 9...
With parties and gatherings stacking up on our calendar this weekend, my four year old spiked a 102+ degree fever on Friday. Deep breaths. Cancel. Reschedule. Tylenol. Apple juice. Sleep... We seem to be just about back on track today and my boy is feeling better, thankfully. I have been, in the in-between moments, working on my goals for 2011. For 2010, I...
I'm finally thawing out after a cold but fun Thanksgiving weekend. We went with family to Lake Tahoe and holed up in a little cabin for a few days. I looked around online for a Turkey Trot in the area for Thanksgiving morning but I wasn't able to find a race close enough. I am, however, thankful for that in retrospect! Thanksgiving morning...
You guys know how I feel about muffins, right? I'm just about burned out on all things pumpkin (well, maybe just one pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving...), so I have officially entered my "cranberry orange/tangerine" phase of the year. This seems to happen every November, which is fine with me- the combination is delicious! I love these muffins and so do my muffin-loving kids....
Thank you very much to everyone who voted for GetNatured in the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest! With your help I have been selected to advance to the second challenge! I will be writing more on that in the next few days. Thank you again! Speaking of challenges, I have recently become completely hooked on Larabars- the new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor....
