Lunch Lately

I've recently been introduced to Greek Feta Dressing (Trader Joe's) and have since become completely addicted. Salad had always been the same sort of thing, with homemade ranch or Brianna's Raspberry Vinaigrette—and it was tired, needed a face lift, and my stomach wanted to see other people. When staying with our friends after we just got back to California, Julia made us an delicious/healthy Greek dinner and it was then I met Trader Joe's Greek Feta Dressing.

We've been seeing each other ever since (like almost everyday).

If you've talked to me at any time since the last week of February I'm sure you've heard an earful already. When I find something I love I gotta tell EVERYBODY!

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Simple Greek Style Salad

Romain, Spinach, Persion Cucumbers, Grape Tomatoes, Green Bell Pepper, Feta Cheese, Feta Dressing... a la amazing!

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup on the fluffiest Buttermilk Pancakes

I am a waster of buttermilk. I buy it, use about 1 cup to make ranch dressing, and then it sits in the fridge until it becomes highly inedible. This happens even if I do happen upon the nice baby cartons.
But not this time! I was determined to break the cycle.
So with this jug I made Buttermilk Ranch, Buttermilk Pancakes, and Buttermilk Caramel Syrup.

And there is STILL some left in that pesky jug!
According to the top of the jug I have two days until it's no good. So if you have a great buttermilky idea send it my way.

Ok anyway. This syrup. Oh my holy cow! I have had buttermilk syrups, I have had caramel syrups, I have had buttermilk caramel syrups.... but I have never had a buttermilk caramel syrup I wanted to pour into my glass and drink. Or bottle up a billion jars and give it to everyone I know. Or put it on everything else I ever eat; in fact, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure this might be what Buddy the Elf kept in his pocket for his spaghetti.

It's that amazing.

Seriously.

Please whip some up for yourself—that way I won't really have to bottle up a billon jars, cuz really, who has that kind of time?

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Buttermilk Caramel Syrup (found here)

1 1/2 c buttermilk
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter*
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan bring milk, sugar, brown sugar and butter to a boil over med heat
Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and soda
(it will bubble a lot and you'll be super pumped you did what I said and pulled out the big pot)

*if a whole cube of butter scares your waist and your little heart (like it did mine) do 1/2 cube (1/4 c) and it'll be just as delightful


I'm pretty sure this would be fantastic on French Toast or waffles or Hootenannies or crepes... or super fluffy buttermilk pancakes.

p.s. did anyone else see Africa on that pancake up there??

love juice

I had heard a few friends talking about Fat Sick and Nearly Dead. Then Sydney and Tyson watched it and wrote a rave review... so while sitting in a waiting room at the Duke Clinic I watched it and was quickly converted. My healthy eating lifestyle started rolling downhill fast through all the stress over the last year, so I knew I needed something to change and ASAP. Jason doesn't get the good nutrients he should because he's always trying to maximize calories with very limited stomach space (I have never heard a doctor ban leafy greens from anyone's diet before this year with Jas. whoa—that kind of blew my mind). In comes juicing... all of that pure goodness (way more than possible the old fashioned way) in delicious juice form? Sign us up.

No really. We ordered a great reduced price, remanufactured juicer form Amazon (Merry Christmas!) and have been feeling better ever since.

When we first got the juicer I started a ten day juice fast (it turned into nine days because of our impromptu trip to NYC). What people say about the first few days of juice fasting is true. It sucks. Pure exhaustion, a little nausea, some stomach cramping... blech. But on day four I woke up feeling reenergized and invigorated! It was fantastic!... but it was still difficult. Once I found some recipes that we loved it all got better and better. I found some real gems from The Juicing Bible and there are a million recipes online.

Through the fast I realized that my biggest vice was snacking—snacking too much and not on the right things. Juicing eliminated that snacking need or craving from my diet. There was no need for snacks when there is juice to drink and fill me up!

I'm happy I did the fast, and I'll probably be doing it again after the holidays are over—but for now we continue to drink lots of juice daily.

We love it.

We crave it.

We have been trying to convert all of our family and friends ever since.

Maybe add a juicer to your Christmas list? I dunno... I think ya should...

Here are some of our favorite recipes:

Perfectly Sweet Orange Carrot -- this one boosted energy and made me happy, one of our top faves

3 lg carrots

2 oranges

generous handful grapes

1 med apple

Holiday Orange–Cranberry

3 oranges

1 carrot

1/2 c cranberries

1 tsp ground cinnamon

-process oranges, carrot, and cranberries. whisk together w cinnamon

Pear Pineapple – Jason's fave

2 hard ripe pears

2 spears pineapple

1 c red or green grapes

1 lemon

Apple Pear Pie

2 hard ripe pears

1 lg apple (Fugi if wanting sweeter, Granny Smith if wanting tart)

1 1/2 c grapes

1/2 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1/4 tsp pure organic vanilla (if needed)

-process pears, apples, and grapes. press lemon, add cinnamon (and vanilla if needed), whisk together

Ginger Berry – made this every morning for breakfast

1/2 in cube fresh ginger root (or to taste)

1 med bunch of grapes

2 c blackberries

some strawberries

1 ripe hard pear

1/2 lemon

1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

-process ginger, grapes, berries, and pear. press lemon, add vanilla and whisk together

2 green juices that I honestly liked and could look forward to:

Cucumber Cooler

1 cucumber

2 c green (or red) grapes

1 or 2 handfuls spinach

sm bunch of mint

2 apples

1/2 lemon

- sometimes I add a kiwi too

A Good Green Juice – from Syd

2 apples

1 pear

1 lemon

1 lime

2 lg handfuls spinach

4–6 stalks kale

broccoli

a few handfuls grapes

sm bunch of mint

Drank this little lady every night:

Cashew Milk -- there will be some texture to this milk/juice so be prepared, but the cashew should be soft enough to blend up real nice (adapted from this recipe)

1 c raw cahsews

3 c water

2 Tbs raw honey (or agave... but that stuff made me PUKE. now even the smell... oh boy)

1 tsp pure organic vanilla

1/2 cinnamon

(option to make it chai: 1/2 tsp each--ground nutmeg, ginger, cardamon)

-soak cashews in water over night

-mix cashews/water and honey in blender

-add vanilla and spices, whisk together

*I'm still exploring in the recipe department. If I find another awesome one or two I probably won't be able to contain the excitement.

Over the weekend

I put on my apron and made minestrone, closely followed by a pumpkin roll. It is fall up in heeeea!!! (in here, outside it's still pretty much summer)

I just posed my minestrone-soup-that-will-rock-your-socks-off recipe here.

And for just about the tastiest pumpkin roll ever go here.

I was pleasantly surprised by how simple pumpkin rolls are to make! And WOW so delish.

So hurry up out of here and get to the store for supplies for these perfect fall dishes.

Your peeps will give you high fives I swear.

So into this song right now (You and Me—Dave Matthews Band). Been singing along all day.

a good smoothie combination

There was a minute there when I was making and drinking green smoothies all up in here..... then I got bored of them and my stomach told me it was thinking about a protest.

So what did I eat instead? Well chocolate and candy of course!!!

Then my stomach really did start to hate me and so did my face (I'm convinced that's where the recent break-outs have come from....).

Now I'm back on the smoothie train and this is what I made for my mucho-healthy lunch:
2 bananas
1 apple
some all natural apple juice
some frozen berries
like 3 cups spinach (or whatever fit in my blender)
+ 1 tsp vanilla

Delightful!

And it's seriously amazing how good my body feels. Much better than the left-over German pancakes smothered in syrup and powdered sugar I had for lunch yesterday—which was swiftly followed by what I believe may have been a mini heart-attack.

p.s. anybody have recommendations for a good protein powder??