Milo (Pronounced Mee-low) ;)

Okay, so this stuff isn't the greatest chocolate drink mix ever.  My love of Milo is not really about the Milo.  It's about the memories. 

Memories of sitting at the kitchen table at 7229-B Rybicki Road in Cardenas with Brad and Christina.  Memories of our glasses of Milo set before us (probably the first time we ever tried the stuff).  Memories of our -- I don't know: shock?  annoyance?  laughter? -- that the stuff didn't mix in at all.  Like, at all.

And most definitely memories of Brad (ever the comedian), lifting his spoonful of Milo, proffering it to me and saying, "Hila, would you like a bite of my Milo?" 

And memories of the laughter that followed. 

It's why I buy this stuff for him (and myself) every time I go home to Alabama (I can't find it in regular grocery stores up here).  Because, trust me, it's not about the Milo (seriously, the stuff doesn't mix in!  Hence the lovely layer in the pictures above!  And hence Brad's burning question!) ;).


What are you grateful for today?

Fruity Pebbles

Judge me if you will, but I have a category of things in life I like to call guilty pleasures.  They are things I know I probably shouldn't enjoy...  But I do.  And so, on occasion, I allow myself the guilty pleasure of enjoying them.

Well, Fruity Pebbles is one of them.  I am fully aware they are packed-full of food colors and dyes.  And sugar.  And I am fully aware that is not healthy for me. 

But there's just something about those Fruity Pebbles that, to me, is oh-so-yummy.  (My husband thinks I'm crazy.  He thinks they leave a waxy coating in his mouth, so he doesn't enjoy them.  But I do!)

So, because I know they aren't the best option for me, I don't buy them.  But sometimes you just have awesome friends who know you like certain things.  And sometimes those awesome friends bring you those very things you like as a "hey, you just pushed a huge baby out of your body!  You should enjoy something you like!" gift. 

And so I've been doing just that with these -- in those very very very very rare quiet moments when it's just me.  So I'm grateful for Fruity Pebbles to enjoy.  And the awesome friend who brought them for me to enjoy :).

What are you grateful for today?

Annie's Mac & Cheese

I have shared my love of macaroni and cheese in a previous post.

Seriously, I could live off the stuff. 

Home-made or boxed.  I don't care.  It's good.  Just plain ol' good. 

And the truth is, I haven't worried myself about ingesting the blue box stuff.  But then I had my kiddo.  And after reading up on some stuff...  I wasn't so keen on giving her the blue box stuff with all its food dyes. 

And so I felt kind of mean when I'd eat it for lunch and not share it with her (since she's used to me sharing...).

And then one day, I discovered Annie's Mac & Cheese.  I'm not usually all about organic.  But this stuff tastes good and lacks the food dye!  It's a little more expensive, though, so I usually buy a box here and there and just go without mac and cheese at other times. 

But last week there was an awesome sale on this brand.  $1 a box!  Unfortunately, by the time I got there, there were only 3 left -- all Arthur.  Ah well.  That'll teach me to wait until Thursday.  But even so...  I can now give my girl some macaroni and cheese out of the box and not feel guilty or worried about her getting a bunch of artificial color stuff.  And I can eat some too :).  (This was lunch today :) -- with some THRIVE Asparagus!)

What are you grateful for today?

A Lunch Date with My Husband... and Sprouts!

So it was a rare day indeed.  I ate lunch with my husband.  And the munchkin.  But yes, my husband...  Ever since we have known each other, we have never eaten lunch together on a work day.

This is because he only takes a 30 minute lunch break most days.  And is on a military facility.  And he walks to work.  And where he works is not super convenient to leave and enter in a 30 minute time-frame.

But today he had training.  And a longer lunch.  Closer to a convenient base exit.  And so we had lunch.

At Jimmy John's.

And our location finally has the sprouts back (after they were gone due to an e. coli scare somewhere a while back).

So lunch was delicious.  And nice.  Just a change in the routine.  Something special that almost never happens.  A treat.  For all of us :).

What are you grateful for today?

Getting My Veggies Via Yummy Green Smoothie!

This morning my munchkin and I went over to hang out with a friend and her kiddos.  Somewhere around mid-morning, my friend made everyone green smoothies. 

This was my first ever green smoothie! 

Not because I was opposed to having one.  Frankly, the thought of getting my veggies disguised in a delicious smoothie was very appealing to me.  But I still have an old-school blender, and I simply don't think it would be quite as nice an experience as with one of those super-awesome-high-power-motor blenders...

So today, since my friend Janet has one of those nifty blenders, I had my first green smoothie.  And so did my munchkin.  And she sucked down her share of it out of my glass, so I'm pretty positive I can speak for her and say she loved it too!

So I got zucchini, kale, spinach, beet tops, and crookneck squash disguised by banana, pineapple, 3 berries, and a couple other ingredients that weren't produce (like a milk and protein thing).

It was really good.  And I got a lot of veggies.  By 11:00 this morning.  Which is gangbusters in my book!  And so is Janet.

I need to get one of those blenders...

What are you grateful for today?

A Day Full of Awesome Friends and Delicious Food!

For me, there are few things finer in life than great friends and great food.  Today was packed full with both.

Munchkin and I started out the day by meeting up with Lea and Chuck for some breakfast at Denny's and a whole lot of fun conversation.  My munchkin loves hanging with (Auntie) Lea and (Uncle) Chuck, because she knows they think she's so stinkin' cute (but, hey, who doesn't ;)?).  And what can't be great about some blueberry pancakes, bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns with orange juice?  Absolutely nothing.

Then we met up with the awesome Megan and her cutie Jack.  We started out our play date by going to a Reading Up program where someone read our two cuties The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and then they each got to pick a book to take home -- for free!  We got Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?  Because we needed to rectify the fact that we didn't previously have any Dr. Seuss books in our library...  After that, we went to their house and enjoyed lunch and play-time!  Let's just say that someone else's toys are always cooler than your own.  And let's just say that Megan is amazing.  Her house is always gorgeous, she is always beautiful, and she is super sweet and inviting -- always.  And she makes really great food.  Today it was ham and cheese pockets and Asian Chicken Salad.  Play dates are awesome.  Both for kiddos and for mommies.

Then this evening, I enjoyed a Girls' Night Out, thanks to the wonderful Mariah.  Mariah is always so generous with opening her lovely home to a bunch of crazy ladies to come hang out.  And she always provides yummy (and in tonight's case, healthy) food!  Tonight we had a red lentil chili and a really yummy salad (because she takes the time to slice up a ton of yummy veggies to put on it) along with some grapes and a creamy (which I love) pasta dish.  And pineapple upside down cake (sort of -- my cake didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped due to baker error) for dessert.  It's nice to sit and chat with other ladies.  Share stories of whatever...  Maybe climb up on a soapbox...  And never get around to actually playing the games that were brought, because -- hey -- visiting is just more fun!

And my sweetheart took care of getting Munchkin to bed so I could go enjoy some grown-up mommy time solo :). 

So today was just an awesome day.  The best kind, if you're a Nilla ;).

What are you grateful for today?

THRIVE Host Benefits

In July, I hosted my "launch party" for my THRIVE Consultant thing.  It was fun and exciting for me.

And today, my host benefit order came in.  It was like Christmas.  Seriously. I got a lot of new stuff to try, and I got a whole bunch of it for free!  (The stuff that wasn't free was half-price).  I'm uber-excited about building my home store and having our food storage full of variety. 

Today was a pretty good day -- but the UPS dude showing up with all this...  Yep, it just made my day.

What are you grateful for today?

Olive Garden Lunch with Lea

Today was an all-around awesome day.  Productive too.  Although I did learn a lesson about how it's not exactly wise to go shopping on the 1st of the month when it's a Friday.  I think everyone got paid today.  Because they were all out at the grocery stores!

Ah well.  I'm sure I'll forget that lesson the next time the first of the month falls on a Friday. 

As part of the fun, Munchkin and I went to Olive Garden with Lea.  Then we hit Costco.  And it was all 100% awesome good times.  But there's just something about that soup, salad, and breadstick lunch that make that the absolute highlight :). 

It was a good day.  And this pretty much makes me grateful in a lot of categories!  Because it's only fun when it's fun.

What are you grateful for today?

Shared Fresh Green Beans!

A friend of mine is out of town and invited us to pick green beans from their garden so they wouldn't go to waste (or get overly ripe). 

I had a mental image of, you know, maybe a jar's worth of green beans.

Wowzers!  Let's just say I was pleasantly overwhelmed! 

I could have continued picking, but having a toddler who is past nap-time sometimes cuts time short.  But we definitely have a lot of lovely fresh green beans!  And now I can look forward to using these lovely fresh beans in some yummy meals!

Some people are the awesomest.... :).

What are you grateful for today?

THRIVE Seasoned Chicken Strips

I have tried to keep my enthusiasm for THRIVE to a minimum on my "regular" blogs, simply because I don't want to drown everyone in it.  (I have another blog for that...  Feel free to visit there -- or join my facebook group "THRIVEing with Nilla" if you are interested in more THRIVE stuff like recipes and my experiences with the products).  The truth is, I think the stuff is awesome.  I'm loving doing the consultant thing.  I'd love to help you out if you're interested.  But I don't want anyone to feel like I'm shoving it down their throats.  It's not the Nilla way ;).

Even so, I am totally uber-grateful for the THRIVE Seasoned Chicken Strips.  So I'm going to be grateful for them here today.  Because they helped make dinner yummy -- and easier and quicker.  In the last couple of weeks, I've made 3 different dishes which call for cubed chicken.  I have a whole lot of frozen raw chicken breasts in my chest freezer.  And yet, in each instance I have turned to the THRIVE strips. Here's why:

1.  I can wait until the last minute to decide I want to make a chicken dish and not have to worry about the meat thawing (which I did today).  All I have to do is measure out my strips and either add warm water to them or throw them into the pot I'm cooking stuff in (which I did today).

2.  I don't have to mess with raw chicken.  I always clean my chicken well (leaving the fat on there grosses me out), so this takes time.  And gets (or at least has the potential to get) my kitchen counter all germy.  Which takes more time for me to disinfect (I just assume there are germs when I'm playing with raw chicken).

3.  I don't have to cut the chicken (whether before or after cooking, depending on the recipe).  These strips are, well... strips.  Again a time saver.

4.  I think they blend well and taste good in the dishes in which I've used them.  The seasoning isn't over-powering (in fact, I barely notice it).  So these strips work for a variety of things!

5.  They have a great shelf-life.  Even opened, they will last a year.  So they are a great way to have chicken in my food storage.

As we were eating dinner tonight, my husband turned to me and said, "You really like these THRIVE chicken strips, don't you?"  Hahaha.  YEP!  And I plan to buy more :)!

Seriously, these chicken strips have just made my dinner-making easier.  I'm sure I'll use my frozen fresh chicken breasts at times...  But I'm loving these strips for pasta salads and, after tonight, in my broccoli, chicken, cheese skillet (recipe to be posted on my foodie blog shortly).  They are just so convenient.

What are you grateful for today?

Ice Cream

Because it's just good stuff!  Especially on hot days.  Like today.  I could seriously eat the whole pint by myself.  But I didn't.  It wouldn't be wise :).

Even so, I enjoyed every. single. delicious. bite.

What are you grateful for today?

Dollar Store Cayenne Pepper

Let me preface this post with this statement:  we don't hate animals.  We aren't really inclined toward having our own pets...  But we don't hate animals.

So we have a wooden front walkway out front of our apartment.  And it's elevated above the ground.  And the neighbor's cat (not in the same complex -- the complex next door) has decided that under our walkway is a great place to poop. 

We do not like the smell of fresh cat poop.  We don't like it.  We think it's not healthy.  We aren't happy about it.

So my sweetie did some research and found that cayenne pepper is a great deterrent to cats -- since, when they scratch the ground, the pepper is flung into the air and they breathe it in and it irritates them.  So, we got some cayenne pepper and tried it.  And it worked.  For like a month or two.  No more cat poop under the walkway for us to breathe in every time we go out front. 

But today, we noticed the smell was back.  We think the leaf blower guy disturbed our last cayenne pepper layer.  So...  Since I was near the Dollar Store (because who wants to pay a lot of money for cayenne pepper for this project?) today, I stopped in and got two bottles of it.  There may not be a happy cat tomorrow...  But we'll be happier.  And we're hoping eventually the cat will get the clue and never come back (we were hoping that had happened already, but I guess not...)

So I'm grateful for Dollar Store Cayenne Pepper.  And yeah, it may not seem nice.  Sorry if this offends anyone.  But we aren't going to have the cat using our area as its litter box -- there are toxins in that poop, and it smells bad.

What are you grateful for today?

Nice Cold Root Beer

I guess, during the summer, I'm grateful for a lot of yummy cold things :).  This evening, I was looking forward to drinking this refreshing soda after I finished working on another batch of jelly.  I don't drink soda often, but when I do...  Lately root beer is my soda of choice :).

I have always enjoyed a good root beer.  It's pretty much the only soda my mom will ever drink, and she really prefers A&W brand.  So I have grown up liking it.  But then, while I was pregnant and about 2/3 of the way through the pregnancy, I suddenly started having this serious hankering for a root beer.  So much so that I splurged on one at Walgreen's (making a special stop there, just for the soda).

And ever since then, I've had a craving for one every now and again, so I decided, when there was a seriously awesome sale once (buy 2 12-packs get 3 free!)...  Well, I decided to stock up for those cravings :).  And now I have a year's supply of root beer under the bed (because I don't go through them that fast) :).

Anyway, sometimes you just need something you're craving.  And tonight is a root beer kind of night.

What are you grateful for today?

Watermelon

It's true, I may not look forward to summer for many reasons.  But there is one thing I do look forward to about summer...  all. year. long.

Watermelon.  Ripe, red, juicy, sweet watermelon.


I actually spend a lot of the rest of the year craving it.  Being that we live in the times we do, I'm pretty sure I could manage to get a watermelon most of the year.  But somehow, the knowledge that they aren't "in season" ruins it for me.  And I pretty much assume they wouldn't be delicious enough to justify the cost.

So I wait.  For summer.  And then I buy watermelon.  A lot.  Because it's just so darn good.

You can ask my munchkin.  She pretty much devours an entire quarter of a slice (bigger than that pictured) all by herself.  And then she smiles with a red, sticky face.  And it's pretty much the greatest.

What are you grateful for today?

Squash... In Abundance

Harvest time is already here for our squash plants.  The crookneck are looking a little puny, but I think my husband picked these to encourage the other 8 on the plants to get bigger.

But our zucchini (both yellow and green) are producing like gangbusters!  Today I shredded 4 yellows and 5 greens.  And these were on my counter when I got home from Young Women's activity tonight (hubby went to the garden without me, because I ran out of time).

I am grateful, though, for this huge abundance.  The zucchini lasts me all year in the freezer, and I make zucchini bread and zucchini brownies year-round.  I'll need to try to find some other baked-goods using zucchini, just to change up the routine this year... 

Of course, we also eat stuff fresh.  For example, we had a yellow zucchini pasta in a cream sauce tonight.  I thought it was pretty good -- and I'll make it again before summer is out, I'm sure :).

Anyway, I love having a garden.  The harvest time is such a boost -- and such a blessing.  Even when you end up with zucchini coming out your ears ;)!

(We're happy to share, by the way, if there's anyone interested.)

What are you grateful for today?

THRIVE Golden Cornbread Mix

Today we had a linger longer at church.  Basically, what this means, is after all the regular meetings were over (at 4), everyone who wanted to could hang around and eat and visit.  It was a potluck sort of thing, so we were supposed to bring something to share.

I remembered a week ago I needed decide what to make for it and put stuff on my grocery list for this.  But I forgot.  And then my friend Leslie reminded me yesterday morning on our hike.  And then I forgot about it, again.  Until after I'd gone to the grocery store.  Until after I'd attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor -- with a toddler.  Until after I was beyond finished having to do stuff.  Especially anything requiring much effort (or ingredients, for that matter).

And then, like a light bulb flicking on, I remembered the box of THRIVE goodies I'd just gotten on Friday (since I decided to try my hand at being a consultant).  And, though what has drawn me to these products is really the vegetables and fruits and things like whole egg powder (I love that I can have eggs in my long-term food storage!), I remembered that also in those goodies was a can (or two) of golden cornbread mix.  With all the ingredients already in the mix.  And all I'd have to do was add water and pop it in the oven.  No measuring of many ingredients (just water), no softening of butter...  And for a Sunday morning last-minute dish, that was perfect. 

I suppose this may seem a shameless plug.  I don't intend it to be.  Because, seriously, this saved my bacon today...  or should I say 'my cornbread.'

What are you grateful for today?/

Arroz con Pollo (Panamanian Chicken and Rice)

I grew up on this stuff.  And so it holds a special place in my heart. 

As with many things, there's not a whole lot I can say about it.  My mom makes it way better than I do (even though I follow the same recipe).  And I guess, for me, it's just sort of like comfort food.  And it's pretty healthy.  (Especially if you cut down on the salt...)

Tonight was Baby Girl's first time trying it out.  And based on the results, I think there will be another generation loving this yummy deliciousness. :).

So here's the recipe my mom gave me (and which I follow, except I've cut the salt back to 1 1/4 teaspoons and usually use a little less chicken).

2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery (about 3 sticks) chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 8-ounce (or 1 15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 can chopped pimiento (optional)
1 8-ounce can tiny green peas (optional)
1/2 cup chopped stuffed olives (optional)
6 cups water
5 tablespoons oil, divided
2 tablespoons capers (optional)
2 1/2 cups raw rice
1 tablespoon salt

In 3 tablespoons oil, cook chicken breasts until browned on both sides. Remove chicken and saute onion, garlic, green pepper, cilantro, and celery until onion is soft. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, oregano, and water. Cook chicken in this same sauce until tender (about 45 minutes at a low boil). Remove chicken from sauce and allow to cool until able to be handled. Shred chicken. Fry rice in 2 tablespoons oil until golden. Add 2 ladles of sauce to the rice, stir to mix, and then add all that back into the original pot of sauce. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed; add chicken. Cover. Continue cooking over low heat until rice is flaky and dry. Add olives, chopped pimiento, capers, and peas if desired. Serve hot.

 

What are you grateful for today?

Fresh-Picked Raspberries

So the yield isn't hugely phenomenal, but even so...  These are among the first raspberries we've picked off our raspberry plants!!! 

These raspberry plants were planted in 2011.  They were among the first things my husband brought me when we were first dating.  (Here's a fun little factoid for you:  on our first date, he offered to bring me cow manure!!  Haha...  Surely he knows the way to a girl's heart ;)...  But in all seriousness, he offered for my garden.  But still a great story!)

Anyway, the first year you plant the starts, they don't produce any berries.  But, ideally, the next year they are supposed to.  Well...  I don't think we got more than 2 or 3.  And I don't think we got more than 10 last year, either.  We didn't really tend these very well... 

But this year, I've made a point of watering the raspberries every time I'm over at the garden.  Plus, they've spread nicely too.  And the result is that we already have some lovely plump, juicy raspberries!  And they are delicious!  Baby Girl loves them too.  Like, immediately off the plant.

And seeing them sitting on the bushes all ripe and ready for the pickin'...  Well, it makes me happy :).

What are you grateful for today?

Unflavored Gelatin

So several months ago, when I did the Halloween Party, I bought a bunch of unflavored gelatin for a recipe.  It was for Jell-O worms.  Let me say that the result was pretty awesome.  But, for me at least, not worth the effort and cost it took to make them. 

What I ended up with was 20-some-odd leftover packets of unflavored gelatin.  And they'd just been hanging out in my cabinet for several months.  And I didn't really give a whole lot of thought to what I would do with them.  I mean, if not for those worms, I'd have never even considered buying unflavored gelatin.  What would I ever use it for?

But then my munchkin got big enough to start eating "real" food.  And I made her Jell-O jigglers.  And she loved them. 

But I got to thinking about all the dye in the Jell-O.  And all the sugar.  And while I have no problem ingesting the stuff...  I kind of care a whole lot more about what my baby girl is consuming.  (Funny how that works...) 

And then I had a light-bulb moment.  What if I just used all those unflavored gelatin packets with fruit juice (like apple and grape) and made healthy jigglers!  (We like to call them jell-os in our household...)

And so I gave it a go.  And voilà!  It worked!  And she loves them.  And I love that they are made with 100% juice and no artificial colors.  So that's what I made today:  apple juice jellos. 

What are you grateful for today?

Mint & Chocolate (Together)

I love mint and chocolate together in all of its forms...  The picture above is the form in which it happened to happify my day today:  a mint oreo trifle.  Ummm... YUM.  (That was Monday Meals dessert tonight.)

I don't know when, exactly, I began to love the combination of mint and chocolate.  But it was a very long time ago.  I have loved mint chocolate chip ice cream for decades (preferably the green kind, even though the flavor doesn't change without the food coloring... but mint is green :)).  I have no idea who first paired these two wonderful flavors together, but I dare say that person was a genius. 

And my tastebuds thank him or her profusely.

And there really isn't all that much more to say about that, really :).

What are you grateful for today?