Sunday, Lazy Sunday

How was everyone's Sunday? Good, I hope!

Mine was pretty relaxing - sometimes it's nice to not be rushing around! hah.

After my glorious breakfast and cleaning up, I went about some general "house keeping" chores before finishing up a short paper and then getting to work on some collages for a potential photo customer. This may or may not have involved a banana and some handfuls of those awesome garden veggie chips I picked up yesterday before breaking for lunch:

Seriously love these wraps. I can put all my veggies inside and still put it on a panini press without making the veggies lose their crunchy freshness! The wraps have a great crunchy-meets-chewy when you do it that way, too :)

In La Tortilla: Cedar's Sundried Tomato Hummus, red pepper, Cedar's Chipotle Salsa, romaine, kosher dill pickle, dijonnaise, kidney beans, and garlic salt. And a carrot. It was a whole carrot. I kinda ate it as I made it, though, and that's all that made the shot!

Was just going to go for a hummus and veggie wrap, but then realized I had the last of that can of kidney beans to finish up. I'd already spread the hummus and wasn't sure how two different kinds of beans would jive, but just decided to go for it :P It was great! Totally in love with Cedar's. Hummus is a pretty picky subject, though. What's your favorite brand and flavor of hummus?

Played online for a little while, and then decided I should get some quick sandwich-y salad-y eats ready for lunches and/or dinners throughout the week for myself and the parentals. This project included a can of garbanzo beans!

Exhibit A:

1/2 of a 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, 1/2 medium red onion, 1 de-seeded Roma Plum tomato, 1/2 c. + red pepper, dried oregano & basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.

Exhibit B was less than photogenic. I blame the loss of daylight:

Falafel. Recipe to come.

I was on my own for dinner even though everyone was home - they were making corned beef.

I hate corned beef.

I opted for a Chik'n Quesedilla! (make sure you say that like napoleon.) and broccoli. Loving broccoli lately.

In La Tortilla spread with 1 Laughing Cow Wedge: sauteed 1/2 c. Quorn Chik'n Tenders, red pepper, red onion, 1 Roma Plum Tomato, mesquite BBQ sauce, Franks, minced garlic, and sour cream. Stuffed it all in the tortilla and pressed on the georgie.

For the Broccoli: "fried" with minced garlic, honey mustard, and balsamic vinegar. 

I'm not really sure the best way to describe my "frying" method for broccoli. It is, by no means, fried. But it's not just sauteed, because it is intentionally burnt in some places. I am no chef. I have no idea. I just make tasty food.

Does anyone else get a kick out of nomming down a bunch of food that is seemingly unhealthy upon first glance, when it's really not?

Has anyone else tried those Quorn tenders? I am a fan. So good. They even fooled my mom! She helped herself to some of last night's curried chik'n and noodles, so I decided to prod a little by saying "yeah, those noodles and chicken were kind of weird though, weren't they?" (she is always honest about my cooking.) Her response was along the lines of "I didn't taste anything wrong with it...why do you say that?" hah! score! Fake chik'n and tofu noodles, and she was none the wiser. I wish everyone could realize that it's so easy to make healthy substitutions but not miss out on flavor. Not that real chicken is bad for you; I mean, I eat real chicken - I'm more just speaking in a general sense.

Do you like "tricking" people into eating healthy things?

I don't consider that tricking because my family knows I try to eat relatively healthy, and realize it's just what I enjoy. They tend to enjoy it as well, especially when I make it for them :P

Dessert was lovely, as always:

The best of both worlds: lime-poppyseed quick cookie & fro-yo. And that's definitely a mug of pudding hot cocoa. No shame.

I decided to zest in the dark,and kind of overdid it. No more zesting in the dark.

What were the highlights of your Sundays?!

Confessions

I have a confession to make to you all.

"Oh, great. What now?" You're surely thinking.

Oh, it's nothing bad. But you see, I've been holding out on you all this time. Nothing serious, of course. It's just that...if I may sound conceited for a moment...I can make a mean pancake. The other part of my confession? I can't make a pretty pancake to save my soul. You know those pictures of beautiful, golden pancakes with the perfect edges, all smooth and...well...flawless? Nope. Not I, said the cat. Granted, part of it has to do with the fact that I use a mixture of flours, and ll-purpose or cake isn't one of them - I'll probably never see those golden tops with the pancakes I make. But you know what? When they taste this good, I'm okay with that.

And yet, I haven't made pancakes once since I've started this blog.

Maybe because I got on a little bit of a french toast kick. But I think it had moreso to do with the fact that "my" pancake recipe involves buttermilk. I haven't had anything else to do with buttermilk lately, and was afraid to try "my" recipe without real buttermilk.

But, today was the morning for substitutions. Because I also wanted to incorporate Buckwheat flour, and "my" pancake recipe doesn't [didn't] call for buckwheat flour.

I was going big, or going home. Or, at least retreating in shame to my bedroom, would be the better way to say it...

Lets Start, Shall We?

Multi-Grain Blueberry Citrus Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

-1/3 c. Whole Wheat Flour

-1/3 c. Buckwheat Flour

-2 T. Wheat Bran

-2 T. Rolled Oats

-1 T. Cornmeal

-1 T. Stevia [alternatively, you could use raw sugar, brown sugar, turbinado...your call.]

--1.5 t. Baking Powder

-1/4 t. Baking Soda

-1/4 t. Salt

-Cinnamon and Nutmeg, to taste [honestly, who measures cinnamon and nutmeg?]

-approx. 3/4 c. Plain 0% Fat Greek Yogurt (I used one 8 oz. cup) [flavored would most likely taste quite good, as well.]

-1/2 c. soy milk [I used regular, Vanilla would be great.]

-1.5 t. Vanilla

-Blueberries [I used "two handfuls" haha]

-zest of half of one lime

-2 eggs, separated

-2 T. unsweetened applesauce

-nonstick cooking spray

Destructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flours, whet bran, oats, cornmeal, stevia, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lime zest.

In a separate, smaller bowl, combine your yogurt, milk, vanilla, egg yolks, and applesauce.

2. In another mixing  bowl, beat your egg whites until you have stiff peaks. I promise you, this is the key for perfect pancakes. This is worth the effort and dishes. Anyways, it's winter. That warm water feels good on your hands.

3. Add your wet ingredients to the dry, excluding your egg whites. Add your blueberries at this time, as well.

Stir until just combined. Lumps are okay, it's a part of life.

Get a little concerned that these may be the ugliest pancakes ever due to the color of Buckwheat, but bravely march forward. You might like to start preheating your pan at this time, as well - nonstick pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Gently fold in your egg whites.

Oogle at the pretty clouds. Don't overfold, please.

5. When your skillet is hot, spoon with a 1/4 c. measuring cup onto pan. The batter is thick, not "pourable," so it is beneficial to spread it out a bit.

Think about how awesome it would be if you bought that gigantic griddle you saw at Big Lots yesterday.

5. Pancakes are ready to flip once they start to bubble and are firm when you slide your spatula underneath. I am a paranoid cook, and lightly spray the tops a bit to prevent any sticking. It's probably not necessary, but remember there is no oil in the batter, also.

Begin to think your modifications won't be so bad after all.

Pass first batch off to taste testers. Cross your fingers for the same rave reviews you usually get. Become ecstatic upon hearing that this version is preferred. Mourn a little bit when you realize you have ten more to cook before you get to dig in.

6. Make your plate prettier than everyone else's. Because you can.

Yields: 12 pancakes. Plus the little baby shown on top. Does anyone else get a kick out of making a little baby pancake out of the last of the batter, rather than making one monster one? I do.

Stack with strawberry preserves (blueberry would probably make more sense. my college-ness is kicking in at this point) in between, and garnish with some coconut and lime zest. Coconut just because you almost put some in the batter, but then weren't sure if it was just your "throw every flavor known to man in the same bowl" voice speaking.

Dig in!

Someday I'm sure I'll post the original recipe - I'm bound to have some leftover buttermilk since I prefer it for mashed taters - but I'm glad I now know I don't need it.

See you guys for lunch and dinner!

Could Have Been, Should Have Been

Let's play a game, shall we?

Lets call it "How Your Day Should Have Gone, Vs. How It Actually Went".

1. Should have: Woken up around 7:30-8, make delicious breakfast before going into Rutland to clean the office and have the Jeep's oil changed and brakes looked at.

Actually Went: Successfully!

Maybe this doesn't look successful, but I made some Breakfast TVP/Bulgur "Oatmeal".

In the Bowl: 2 T. TVP, 2 T. Bulgur Wheat, 1 T. Wheat Bran, brought to a boil with 1/4 c. Soy Milk, 1/4 c. Water, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, poppyseeds, and orange zest. Topped with strawberry preserves and served with 1 orange  and Green Mountain Gingerbread Coffee.

2. Should Have: Run into Hannaford's while in Rutland to see if they have Chia Seeds, if time between cleaning and car appointment. Save "real" grocery shopping for the way home.

What Actually Happened: Don't find Chia seeds, but buy a million other goodies that remind you how much you love Hannaford's. Remember mother's complaints of not having a single potato chip for months, and scope out the naturals munchie section, too.

Totally hopped on the Justin's Nut Butter single-serve packet boat, and have been really wanting to try the SoyJoy bars. P.Chop carries neither of these products. Also picked up Oikos, because it's my fave Greek yogurt, and P.Chop only carries Chobs and Brown Cow. Scoped out Better'n'Peanut Butter and snatched it up in a heartbeat upon realization that the ingredients are legit. Baked potato chips and amazing Snyder's Oat Bran Pretzels, along with even more amazing bulk-section Veggie chips. If you think these will last until this time tomorrow, I believe you are sadly mistaken. Jumped with joy upon seeing pears for 99 cents a pound, and bananas on sale as well. And Quorn chik'n tenders - to make an appearance shortly.

Um, did I mention I love Hannaford? This was me exercising self control, too.

3. Should Have: Gotten in and out of shop by 1:00 at the latest - noon appointment, and only getting an oil change and a quote for brake rotor and pad repair.

Actually Happened: Watch as multiple other customers come and go for simple oil changes. Finally get an update at 1:15, and am shown a torn apart Jeep and brake pads that have fallen apart. Learn that brakes need to be replaced today. Should be ready in an hour, though!

4. Should Have: Been leaving shop and heading home, stopping at Price Chopper because I failed to get anything I needed to get at Hannaford's.

What Happened: Due to delay, walk down the street to Big Lots. Maybe they'll have a cute bowl or mug or something. And hey! Sometimes they get random, neat organic food products!

Consequence of What Actually Happened:

Nearly have a heart attack upon seeing bulk Kashi products for next to nothing. Um, hello two boxes of H2H for $5, two boxes of GoLen for $5, and all those granola bars for $7. And some yummy plum preserves from Switzerland. There was even some Kashi Honey Sunshine that I almost got, but exercised moderate self control and said no. I've never had Honey Sunshine...

I guess I did a little emotional shopping.

The hilarity of this?

Walking back down the road and into the shop carrying a huge big-lots bag full of these Kashi boxes. I was seriously doing all I could to not laugh ridiculously. I think I just had this stupid smile/laugh going on. haha.

5. Should Have: Been about ready to leave the shop after successfully killing a tad over an hour at BigLots.

Instead, I: waited another hour. Debated gnawing my arm off. Debated asking if I could get some food out of Jeep. Walked to Dunkin' to get a coffee, debated an egg white flat bread. Decided against it, and resorted to breaking into a giant box of cereal right in the shop lobby. Finally, see Jeep go on Test Drive.

6. Should Have: Been told Jeep is now a picture of good health. Go home.

Instead, I: am told I have a leaking rear axle seal, and the E-brakes will probably need replacing too. Get keys. Start heading back home. It's 4:00. Start thinking about dinner, and get idea for Curried Pumpkin & Black-Bean Chik'n with Noodles. Stop at P.Chop for veggies and remaining items on list.

7. Should Have: Gotten in and out of P.Chop. I knew what I needed. And dang, was dinner ever calling my name.

Instead, I: was relatively successful, even if a meal switch took place:

8.Should Have: Made pumpkin-black bean curry with chik'n tenders and shirataki noodles.

Instead, I: Resorted to a store-bought [yet all-natural! and awesome!] coconut-curry sauce. Abandoned original "game plan" and just threw every leftover veggie in the fridge in said dish. I guess I combine ten different cuisines when I'm hungry. Stuck to chik'n, black bean, and noodle idea.

9. Should Have: Enjoyed an amazing dinner.

Mission Accomplished.

Simmered broccoli and green pepper in Good Housekeeping Good FoodCoconut-Chili Curry Sauce. Season with s&p, chili powder, and garlic powder. Add 1 c. Quorn Chik'n Tenders, 1/4 c. Kidney Beans, and 1 pkg. Tofu Shirataki Fettucine Noodles. Continued to simmer, and then added 1 Roma Plum Tomato. Serve!

Quorn Chik'n = amazing. If I was told it was chicken, I would believe it.

10.

words not required, but a chocolate p.b. coooooookie is involved.

So that's my day. How were your days?! Hopefully they went as planned :)

It's All Textural...

Guess who's alarm didn't go off this morning...

Yep. That'd be me. Only by about 40 minutes or so; I was actually up for maybe 15 of those thinking "Wow, I wonder why it's so light out..." hah. Luckily I leave myself  lot of time to be able to take my time in the mornings so I ended up right on schedule, but I was rushing around the kitchen to get breakfast before realizing it wsn't necessary!

However, it did cause me to resort to the usual breakfast!

I didn't have much Greek yogurt left though, so I relied on some fried egg whites to make up for the protein! Does anyone else like to burn their eggs? I love my eggs to be all crispy, crunchy, and golden! I think that's why I hate yolks so much - by the time the whites are perfect, the yolks are so dry and blah.

Also got to try the new Spelt bread I picked up! It's good! However, I don't feel like I really got to enjoy this breakfast since I felt like I had to scarf it down. I hate having to eat in a hurry. It makes me feel like I never ate at all regardless of how full I really am! I prefer eating slow and enjoying meals, by far.

That being said, this held off any signs of hunger well into the day! Before I knew it, it was noon and was just starting to want a snack. I don't usually eat my lunch until 2:00, but get hungry for a small snack around 10-11.  When it was lunch time, however, I got to enjoy delicious leftover tilapia that I packed with some leftover  fried bulghur from Wednesday. Just as good the second time around!

I actually was debating between having this for lunch or dinner, but the deciding factor came down to lunch because I didn't want to show you guys a repeat meal! I am so enjoying blogging, because it encourages me to eat balanced, healthy, and new meals. Love that! I became so lazy last semester, and even started missing way too many meals. This was moreso due to a horrendous living situation though, which I obviously have, luckily, resolved by moving back home for the time-being.

For those of you with your own foodblogs, do you feel it encourages you to keep trying new things?

I'm not saying I'm breaking new ground with this bulghur and bean burrito:

...but lets remember that I could eat the same hummus and veggie sandwich day after day and be thrilled :P

This delicious dinner involved 1 high-fiber whole-wheat La Tortilla Factory wrap spread with 1/3 Laughing Cow Wedge, remaining bulghur, and 2 fried egg whites, to bulk it up a bit. Thrown on the George Foreman, and paired it with a small side of romaine and a lovely dill pickle. And don't think that measly amount of Frank's was enough...I was just getting too frustrated at how long it was taking to get it out of the bottle and really wanted to manja! So I took the picture and dug in :P

I know I say this all the time, but this was so good! Definitely a fan of these wraps. At first I was disappointed, thinking they were way too small, but apparently I just have eyes way bigger than my stomach. I was stuffed after this! They have a great texture, especially when on a panini press - it's a great combintion of chewy and crunchy. I love crunchy and chewy together! The texture of food definitely plays a huge role in how much I like it.

Will a food's texture determine how much you like it, too?

The fried eggs were definitely key.

Check out the day's dessert!

Okay, so I never said these cookies were the prettiest things, but I certainly love them! I think cookie my be the wrong term, now that I've solidified my method to making them, too. I prefer them more crispy-crunchy and bran-flavored than any normal cookie would be!

For the poppyseed citrus oat-bran cookie, I mixed 1 T. rolled oats, 1 T. wheat bran, stevia, cinnamon, 1/8 t. baking powder, lime zest, vanilla, and ~1 T. egg substitute. Formed into a cookie shape and nuked for about 1 minute.

For the almond butter bran cookie, I mixed 1 t. smooth, unsweetened almond butter, ~1 t. wheat bran, stevia, splash of egg substitute, and a "splash" of unsweetened applesauce. Nuked for about 1 minute.

I'm probably wierd, but I much prefer them this way - but they may be too dry for a "normal" person, haha. I'm also the one who likes burnt food and loves the smell of toast, especially when it's almost burnt. Just a random little Jess Fact, for your entertainment! What's one of your quirks?!

In almond butter news, I am a little disappointed! While I love it when made like above, I don't when it's just plain and I was imagining it was something I could enjoy regardless of its' preparation :(

However! I think it may just be because it's the unsweetend kind, and thanks to the heads up from Karla at Foodologie, I learned that Barney Butter will send you free samples! I hopped on that train as fast as you can say almond butter! Thanks, Karla! And if you haven't already, be sure to check her blog out - I mean, just look at all of these delicious eats!

And lastly, speaking of challenges and blogging encouraging me to expand my tastes, does anyone want to start a "new food product" challenge with me? There's so many food items I have yet to experiment with, such as the TVP I picked up yesterday. I would like to begin picking up a new ingredient every week/every other week and figuring out what to do with it. Anyone game?

Whew! I can talk a lot. Hopefully I don't bore you all too much!

Have a good night :) The weekend's here! Unfortunately I have to spend half of my day tomorrow waiting in Midas...this Jeep will be the death of me!

Better Taste!

So much exciting stuff today; fasten your seatbelts!

Okay, maybe not super exciting by any means; I just feel like it was a good day. I love the feeling of being healthy! Sort of ironic I feel that way today, since I am still fending off a cold, but I guess I just love the feeling of knowing you've eaten fairly well all day; not only healthily, but deliciously.

Started my day with the usual:

Blueberries, instant oats, greek yogurt, all-natural apricot-mango preserves, 1/2 banana, 1/2 slice WW toast, and Kashi H2H Warm Cinnamon. And GMCR Gingerbread coffee, of course!

Have you noticed I haven't been using so much maple syrup?! I am officially cutting back on artificial sweeteners like splenda/aspartame. Not cutting myself off completely, but I think it's fair to say when I douse everything in s.f. maple syrup that is obviously loaded with the stuff, it's a little ridiculous ;)

These blueberries, however, were largely disappointing. My mom bought me some frozen organic blueberries (Thanks mom!) but they just don't compare to the ones we picked ourselves over the summer. Sad realization this was. And they are tiny. I will admit the ones we picked were sort of monstrous, though.

In other news, this marks a whole month free of oat bran. I just haven't been craving something hot like oatmeal in the morning! This is another sad realization. My love will return, I am sure. Especially after peeping THIS amazing recipe from Family Fresh Cooking! Coconut. Chocolate. Oats. Parfait. What could go wrong with that?! Definitely give Marla's blog a peep for more great ideas, too.

Moving on, would you like to meet SaBaay?

While SaBaay warmed herself over the heater while birdwatching, I packed lunch and snacks for the day.

Egg salad, cleverly made last night to include all the veggies I would normally take the time to intricately place on a sandwich, to save both time and the frustration that can sometimes occur when carefully trying to balance oddly-shaped veggies on a sandwich :) Also, cleverly made by sandwiching between lettuce before sandwiching between bread to prevent sogginess of any sort. Hehe...

Also included: the sad last carrot, remaining banana, Total cereal (yes - still have this box. told you I wasn't a fan, but it actually does make a good snack. I like snacking on cereal...) Kashi GoLean crunch bar (that went uneaten) and a Kashi TLC Chewy Pumpkin Pie Bar.

Not very interesting snackage. I also need to go grocery shopping for snacks like crackers and such.

What do you like to bring for snacks, and what is your favorite thing to snack on?

I can too easily fall into the rut of just eating fruit and veggies all day!

Egg Salad consisting of: hardboiled eggs, red pepper, tomato, dill pickle, carrot, chili powder, s&p, and dijonaise. Enjoyed on a WW Sandwich thin with French Onion Laughing Cow & romaine.

Morning classes were good! World regions was a bit of a drag but not too bad, I guess. I've never been a fan of geography and that sort of thing.

What subject(s) have you always/did you always hate?

love?

After Intro to C.J. which ends at 12:15, I had until 2 to run into town ("town" meaning the same I work in - Rutland.Not to be confused with Granville, "town" neighboring where I live that also has Price Chopper) and get some groceries. I guess the good thing about Vermont winters is that you can go grocery shopping, purchase frozen goods, and not worry too much that they'll go bad while they sit in your car for three more hours while you're in class.

Anyways, I mainly wanted to pick up some more frozen salmon and tilapia from WalMart. They have the best deal on frozen, WILD salmon and tilapia - $3.50 for a package of 4-5 filets! Ridic. I'm never in the mood to deal with the ridiculousness that is WalMart shoppers after work, and don't really go into Rutland otherwise. So, it was the perfect opportunity!
Since I was in the plaza I decided to bop into Price Chopper to pick up some goods, too! Check the new finds:

Cannot wait to try this Spelt bread!

I also picked up some WW La Tortilla wraps and a new kind of Sandwich Thins. They didn't have the Ezekiel wraps at this P.Chop.

Also cannot wait to try this! I'm afraid to try the Almond Butter for fear I won't like it but will have to et it anyway - it did cost me $12. Also been eyeing TVP for a while. Anyone wanna give me an idea as to what to do with it?!
Other than that I just grabbed some carrots & red peppers, and applesauce. I'll go grocery shopping this weekend for "real" grocery shopping, haha.
The sweetest little old lady came up to me while I was in checkout and handed me a massive amount of coupons. I was so appreciative! Love saving money...isn't that so sweet? I looked through them, too - none of them are expired and the majority of them are actually for stuff I'll use! Score! She said she just likes to cut them out, haha. It's a good samaritan act I'll have to keep in mind...not a bad idea, right?

I scurried my little booty back to school just in time for my first Photo II class. I'm not sure what to expect out of it, to be honest! I guess I'll find out, though.
We got out early, and I brainstormed all the while home about dinner! I wasn't hungry exactly - it was early yet - but I was psyched to be able to cook a "real" dinner for the first time this week. I decided on a cornmeal-parm-paprika crusted tilapia!

It definitely didn't end this pretty, but did taste this pretty.
Turned out great!

For the Tilapia: Combine equal parts cornmeal, parmesan, and crushed bran/fiber cereal (I used Total) and season to taste with salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Spread out on a paper plate. Take filet and brush both sides with dijonaise. Press into breading mixture, again on both sides. Heat a pan with EVOO, minced garlic, and fresh parsley. Place filets in pan and cook until done.
For the Side: Sautee 1/4c. kidney beans and sugar snap peas - season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. Add in 1/2 French Onion Laughing Cow wedge.

Viola! It was delicious! However next time I will either (a)be more careful flipping it or (b) bake or broil it.
You'll notice I lost most of the coating on that first one on my plate, haha. I pieced it back on while eating and it was outstanding. The peas and beans were good too! I was going back and forth between that and some leftover bulghur from last night but opted for just the peas and beans :) I love kidney beans, so easy to make delicious with anything.
Just enough leftovers for lunch or dinner tomorrow!

Currently nomming on some delicious vanilla-apricot greek fro-yo and a lime-poppyseed quick cookie. Seriously addicted. Aspartame free, I'm allowed! haha. But seriously: if you haven't tried this quick throw-together for greek fro-yo, it's time you did! I'm not sure if the dash of pudding mix is what makes it so creamy or delicious, or if it's just like that naturally...but dang! is it good.

Have a good night, everyone!
Don't forget to leave me your snack and TVP suggestions!

Whirlwind

Whew! Blogging early tonight because I don't know how long I'm going to be able to stay up for! I think I'm fighting off a cold - I've been a little stuffy and tired all day, and want to keep it at bay so may call it a night early. Not very exciting - I'm sorry!

We'll rewind to the beginning, though...

Breakfast was a slight change of pace but not too unusual - toasted WW english muffin with blueberry "jam", greek yogurt, orange, and wheat germ. This is the last of our blueberries and I accidentally nuked them for too long, so they turned to soup, since they had some frost stuck to them. It was the consistency of jelly or preserves and it just clicked that I might as well top my english muffin with that rather than the apricot preserves I'd pulled out! haha.

Nothing exciting, but I was craving an english muffin. I really want to try the Ezekiel kind, though! Next time I'm at Price Chopper :)

Green Mountain Coffee = Love

This is the best coffee ever! Green Moountain is handsdown my favorite :) I'm so glad I was given a converter k-cup thing so I can still used bagged coffee for my Keurig, because I was given two bags of this! What's your favorite kind of coffee?

Work was kind of slow today, but I'm not complaining. I was pooped! Of course, that probably helped to make me more tired :\ I did try a new Clif Z-Bar flavor today; Chocolate Brownie. It's good as a dessert bar, but I'm not a big chocolate fan to begin with [which, begs the question, why did I buy chocolate brownie flavor anyway?] and it was just too chocolatey for me. I can't fault them though, since they are geared towards kids; I can see it being  hit with them, but reassuring to parents since they're actually giving their kids a healthy snack that just tastes like they're giving them a candy bar! I may see if my boss wants them for his kids. I much prefer their other flavors, like Blueberry, Honey-Graham, or Apple Cinnamon. So yummy! Don't get me wrong - choco brownie is still good, and if you're a dark chocolate lover you'd probably love it as a healthy sub for a chocolate bar.

While I was driving home I decided I'd do a vegetarian style dinner! Bulgur was calling my name and fried "rice" with black beans, a bunch of veggies, and of course fried egg would be perfect!

While preparing 1/4 c. bulghur wheat, I sauteed garlic, onion, cilantro, red and green pepper, carrots, sugar peas, and black kidney beans. Then I added the bulgur and cooked it over medium heat for a few more minutes before adding two eggs and a laughing cow cheese wedge. I also seasoned it with chili powder, country-style garlic dijon mustard, and montreal steak seasoning. Delish!

Okay, if I'm being honest I actually sauteed the veggies too long so they lost some of their crunch. BUT! Only because I was so caught up in making frozen greek yogurt! hehehe...
I also had a corn vita-top. The last one! I do like them but they do have added sugar alcohols so I do limit them, especially since I can make healthy treats like that myself! (okay, maybe with not so many vitamins as they say...) I enjoy them as a treat though, and the corn is a good flavor when it's got some frank's on it! It escaped the pictures because I forgot about it in the toaster until halfway through my meal!
Do you let ingredients such as sugar alcohols and HFCS, etc, change your decision as to whether you purchase a product? I know HFCS is in the news a lot again for not being so bad.

Well, I've got a hot shower calling my name, followed by some Frozen Yogurt. mmm! can't wait :)