Foodie Pen Pals

Hi friends, we're back from the annual family camping trip on Sucia Island & it took just 30 minutes to get the photos uploaded to the Costco site-ha! That must be a clue that I took way too many photos.  I'll pick out the best ones to share with you for tomorrow's blog post.

Here's the super goodie box that I received from Deb. The Chocolate Delight Granola had dark chocolate chunks in a nicely textured and dry granola. It was delicious.

How about a tiny bowl of natural peanut butter sprinkled with 8-10 chocolate chips? Yum!

This is definantly not Mrs. Butterworths. It's the real thing!

Peanut crisp and tea for an afternoon snack

My son is a big fan of apple butter on toast.

Thank You Deb!!

Banana Soft Serve Ice Cream

Hi friends! So excited to see my sister and nieces today. They are flying in from Alaska for a week & we're looking forward to catching up with teenage girls!

I linked to this recipe a few weeks ago.  Branny Boils Over featured this ice cream on her blog.  I also saw this recipe in the Oprah magazine last month.  It's been the buzz for awhile and in case you missed it or haven't given it a go I would like to encourage you to try it (if you like bananas).  It is amazing! Really! I love that you don't need to fuss with an ice cream maker to enjoy homemade ice cream.

Here's what you need:

4 bananas
1/2 cup chocolate chips or a chocolate bar
food processor
freezer
microwave

Serves: 4 people

How to:

Peel the fresh bananas and slice into pieces.

Place the slices in the freezer for at least a few hours or up to weeks in advance. Remove from the freezer and place in the food processor for 2-4 minutes or until creamy.

This is how the bananas look after about one minute

In a mere 3 minutes the amazing soft serve ice cream is ready!

This is creamy goodness with no sugar added (yet)!

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Mircowave on high for 30 seconds. Stir.  Then place back in the microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir again then pour over your ice cream & serve!

* I had some left over as Ava and Kirc won't eat anything banana related. I discovered that it's easy to freeze the soft serve in a plastic container, however, enjoying it the second go round proved to be icy and not as creamy as the freshly made version.


           Do you make your own ice cream or yogurt?

S'mores Packages for a Group

We just began week 5 of Insanity. It's our "Recovery Week" Core Cardio and Balance. Somehow I thought that "Recovery Week" meant a lighter workout. Boy was I wrong! It wasn't what I expected at all. My hips were on fire!


 I'm thrilled to share an update on the workout/nutrition plan & results so far.  I've lost 6 1/2 pounds in a month & my blood pressure is down near normal levels again.  I feel stronger, more confident and eager to jog a few miles, go on long hikes or take 6 mile hilly bike rides with my kids. 


Beyond the Insanity buzz we're prepping for an upcoming boating & camping trip with my folks, siblings and their families.  I can already smell the salt air and campfire,taste the morning bloody mary's, imagine the football games, volleyball burn on the forearms, hikes around the island & lazy moments on the beach.  It isn't really summer until we have had our Sucia Island time.

If you camp in large groups and divide up food like we do I hope this "How to" will be helpful.  This method helps to avoid having to  "police" the s'mores consumption.  Each child receives their s'more pack on the first evening and can choose to ration their goodies for each night or *gasp* eat most in a couple evenings.


How to pack S'mores for a group camping trip:

• 18 Chocolate bars
• 10 Peanut butter chocolate bars
• 2 bags marshmallows
• 3 boxes of graham crackers
• zip lock baggies
• newspaper- I chose the funnies, crosswords & sports sections to encourage kids to read a little. 
• twine or crochet thread (anything cotton based that can be burned over the camp fire)

Yield: 4 nights camping for 6 kids plus an extra bag of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate + peanut butter bars for the adults

Place 10 marshmallows in each zip lock baggie. Portion 2 chocolate bars, 1 peanut butter bar and 1 package of graham crackers.  Place those items vertically on an opened newspaper. Using both hands roll the newspaper over the S'mores.  Using cotton based thread tie each end of the packet to mimic a candy. 

   What tradition marks the beginning of  summer for you?

Glow in the Dark Glass Jars for Camping or Patio Parties

We're gearing up for a summer camping trip and here's a fun way to add a subtle glow to the evening.  It's easy & inexpensive.

Here's what you'll need:

Glass jars. The jars that I used are a Ball canning jar (orange), Mayonnaise jar (green) & a pickle jar (blue).
Disposable gloves
Scissors
2 Glow sticks per jar

How To:


It's best to prepare this project on the ground or a paper lined table. You can expect a little spillage.

1. Snap the glow stick in multiple locations to activate it.

1. Place gloves on hands
2. Place glow stick part way into the jar.  Take scissors and snip in numerous places. Allow the glow stick pieces to fall to the bottom of the jar.

3. Place lid on the jar and shake pieces thoroughly.
4. Remove lid and discard glow stick pieces

                 The glow will last for about one hour.

         Do you have a fun camping tip? I would love

                             to hear about it!

Grilled Shrimp Jicama Salad

Day 21 of Insanity.  Tuesday's are our day off and as usual I miss the workout. The nutrition side of things is going a tad better but I'm going to flashback quickly to Christ the King Elementary School Church in the 3rd grade (no, the green plaid uniform is not included). I'm here to confess that I have eaten chocolate & unlike that 3rd grader who was so bashful and unassertive, I'm here to say that I will be eating it again. Sorry Shaun T. there are just some foods that I must eat.  I'm digging deep, alright. Digging deep into the tub of Kirkland Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Clusters! 2 clusters a day keeps me sane!

I found inspiration for this recipe at one of my favorite sites, Allrecipes.com.  Here's the link to a different version of this salad, named Shrimp, Jicama and Chile Vinegar Salad.

My version:

• 2/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup agave
• 2 tablespoons minced serrano chiles (seeded)
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 cups peeled and shredded jicama
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound shrimp
• 2 tomatoes sliced

In a medium sized bowl, mix rice vinegar, agave, serrano chiles, salt, pepper and cilantro. Remove about half of the marinate and save it for the salad.

 Mix well then add shrimp & toss. Allow the shrimp to marinate for 2-4 hours (or all day).

Soak wood skewers in water for 30 minutes.

Remove marinated shrimp and place on wood skewers. Grill on medium for 6-8 minutes.

Take shredded jicama and mix with the remaining marinate.

Slice tomato's and serve with salt and pepper

Lundberg Brown Fried Rice

My son asked me last night "Can we have that talk now". After much horsing around during the day and jokes on Mom I had my opportunity by replying with "The birds and the bees talk?"  There's nothing like a one liner that lets you unleash a belly laugh.  He's been working hard on his 5th grade math workbook and he's considering working ahead with the contingency that once he's done with his workbook he won't have to do any more math this summer. Kirc and I discussed it & agreed with the exception of brushing up on multiplication facts during idle times (driving in the car and so on).

One of his favorite meals is fried rice. I normally use white sushi rice but we're eating healthier & I love the nuttier flavor of brown rice.    I've also replaced the brown sugar with Agave nectar.

Garlic scapes are amazing!

• 6 cups uncooked Lundberg brown rice
• 3 cups chopped broccolli
• 1 cup diced or sliced red onion
• 8 egg whites (scrambled)
• 6 carrots (peeled and diced)
• 8 large mushrooms sliced
• a bunch of garlic scapes diced
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 1/2 cups diced bbq pork or other protein
• 3/4 cup  Bragg's Liquid Amino or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Agave nectar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all ingredients.  Cook brown rice according to package instructions. Place oil in the fry pan and add veggies. Fry on medium for about 8 minutes.  Add scrambled eggs, water and rice. Add Bragg's and Agave. Fry for another 5-10 minutes. 

Perfect for leftovers!

Jicama Cherry Orange Salad

We have the coolest friends. We're living and breathing Insanity for 60 days & our friends haven't divorced us, in fact, our workout group keeps growing. 4 friends woke up at the crack of dawn & drove to our house for Day 16's Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Oh, and did I mention that one person is out of town on business and Skyped in to work out with us. 7 of us! Thanks friends! We appreciate you.

Summer salads are here but green salads can get boring pretty quickly. Try this green salad variation. I LOVE it and hope you will too!

• Peeled Jicama
• Peeled Carrots
• Lettuce
• Oranges
• Cherries
• Cherry Vinaigrette (scroll below for recipe)

Using a grater, shred the jicama and carrots. Tear lettuce leaves and add to a large bowl. Peel then remove whites from the orange.  Pit cherries & slice in half.  Add all ingredients and toss.  Serve cherry vinaigrette on the side.