#64 - Signed Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookie Petition

This past weekend there were little Girl Scouts everywhere selling cookies as a fundraiser for their troops. I'll probably end up buying some cookies and giving them to my brother since he LOVES thin mints but recently I've began to suspect I'm wheat intolerant so I cannot eat the cookies.

Today I found a petition online while looking through LinkedIn. It's a petition for Girl Scout cookie manufacturers to offer at least one cookie free of the 8 top allergens not only so they can sell those cookies to others but so the little ones with food allergies can enjoy the cookies they are encouraged to sell.

It's so quick and easy to sign the petition. Currently they have 12,180 people who've signed and they need 100,000. Go make your voice heard!

http://www.change.org/petitions/encourage-the-girl-scouts-to-sell-an-allergen-free-cookie

#60 - Tazo Apple Tea + Cinnamon + Honey = Heaven

I'm kinda obsessed with tea. It might be an addiction. But I've had a box of Tazo Organic Red Apple Tea for a long time that I just haven't drank. I found the tea to be somewhat bland. Today I doctored it and created a taste of heaven. I can't believe I didn't do this before!!

 

I boiled a stick of cinnamon in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Then I poured that over the tea bag and let the cinnamon stick stay in the mug with while the tea seeped. The I added about a teaspoon of honey to the drink and sprinkled a little more cinnamon (this time ground) on top before stirring it up. It is delicious! It could be my new favorite chill-out-in-the-evening tea. I was relieved to find out it's caffeine free because it's getting late and I already drank it so there's nothing I could have done about it now! haha! I didn't even think to check that before I started creating heaven in the kitchen.

Not only is this drink delicious, both cinnamon and honey are so good for you. I'll do a blog about the benefits of each of these foods soon. :)

It's so yummy that I just had to make a second cup for my husband who thought about stealing mine!

There's more to this story! As I was typing up this blog, my husband apparently discovered Whole Foods' 365 Organic Wildflower Honey and I heard him eating spoonfuls straight from the jar (such a guy!)...then between bites he says "Oh my gosh! Winnie-the-Pooh had it right!" Hilarious! How can I be mad at him for eating from the jar when he says something like that?!

#59 - Antique Pewter and Tomatoes

Today while reading about genetically modified foods in a book called Mendel in the Kitchen: A Scientist's View of Genetically Modified Foods by Nina Fedoroff and Nancy Marie Brown  I learned two interesting facts.

1. In the 1700's people who could afford to ate from pewter plates.

Rare Antique Pewter Plate from the 1700 or 1800s from  tennesseehills on Etsy, $100

2. Because foods with high acid content caused lead to seep out of the pewter and cause lead poisoning, tomatoes were thought to be poisonous for about 400 years!

Hand Painted Tomato on Canvas by ThePaintedPicket on Etsy, $25

I'm so glad tomatoes aren't actually poisonous and can't wait to plant some this year! Can you imagine life without pasta sauce, pizza, ketchup, and tomatoes in your salad and on your sandwiches?!

Custom Painted Garden Markers on Wooden Spoons by CatherineLaPointe on Etsy, $5 each

#57 - Gray Sea Salt

A friend recently gave me a delicious little present from Starbucks. Salted Almond Chocolate Bites!! (The blue label in this photo).

I notice the strangest things and couldn't help but wonder why it said "gray sea salt". I mean, what's the difference in sea salt and gray sea salt. Why make the distinction on a package?

Gray sea salt is an unrefined sea salt usually found around France's Atlantic Coast. Gray sea salt is gaining fame and popularity lately in culinary preparation and is thought by many to be the best sea salt available.

So basically does that mean it's just sea salt from the French coast? Anyone else know what makes is special? Just wondering. :)

#43 - Yogi Licorice Mint Tea

Recently I've been having trouble staying asleep at night. I've cut back  my coffee and cut out the soda but still can't seem to stay asleep. Thanks to my FitBit, I know how many times I wake up a night and it's between 20-35 most nights. The average person wakes up only 5-11 times a night, apparently. So I've really been trying to track down things that might affect my sleep.

Yesterday I noticed my current favorite tea (Yogi Mint Vital Energy) has nearly as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. :( So, yeah, that tea is going to become a morning drink only.

 

I picked up a new mint tea to try. This afternoon, I had Yogi Egyptian Licorice Mint tea which is caffeine free. As soon as I opened the package I knew I was going to love this tea. It smells like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie!

It doesn't taste like a girl scout cookie but it's still pretty yummy. It's minty with a warm peppery licorice feeling afterwards. :) I have to admit it's not quite as awesome as the Mint Vital Energy but it will do for now since it won't keep me up all night!

#33 - Sahara Mediterranean Restaurant

Today I visited Sahara Mediterranean Restaurant (Lexington, KY) for the first time. It was super crowded and though that is often a sign of an awesome restaurant (and was indeed in this case) I had to overcome my introverted instinct to RUN when we stepped into the crowded space.

Last summer, my husband and I were biking through downtown Lexington and came across a little Mediterranean restaurant called King Tut. It was there that I fell in love with falafel. :) I've since tried to make falafel twice and failed miserably both times. :( (Anyone know how to make it well?!)

So for my birthday (which was back in December...insane how time flies!!) I wanted to go eat falafel somewhere. Life is so busy...and somehow it's February 2 and we finally made it to Sahara to try their falafel. :) I have to say it was everything I remembered. Also I order the chicken shawarma and it was fantastic. The chicken breast was one of the best looking meats I've seen at a local restaurant in a long time. The hummus and pita bread were also good though not fantastic. However, it should be said that I prefer roasted pepper hummus rather than plain hummus so that could be why I found the hummus to be good but not exceptional. Even with the somewhat bland hummus and pita bread,  I definitely recommend Sahara if you like Mediterranean foods. You'll be amazed with the quality of the chicken breast there. I know I was!

#32 - Chia Seeds

Chia Seeds from KatsHerbsKnitting on Etsy, $2.70

Today on our weekly adventure to Whole Foods, I want to get some Chia Seeds to add to my morning green smoothies. But first, I took the time to learn about them a little.

• Chia seeds are from the flowering Salvia hispanica plant (commonly called chia) - a plant in the mint family
• Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids
• "Research shows strong evidence that the omega-3s EPA and DHA can boost heart health and lower triglycerides. And there are studies showing that omega-3 fatty acids may help with other conditions -- rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and many more." For more info, click here.
• A serving of chia seeds (28 grams) has 9 grams of fat, 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 18% of the recommended daily allowance of calcium (click here for more nutrition facts)
• Chia seeds are supposed to be easier on sensitive tummies than flax seed because chia seeds absorb water more easily. 
• Chia seeds are both gluten-free and grain-free. 

Children of the 80s and 90s....remember chia pets?? Those are chia seeds sprouting! I had never even thought that might be what those were! I'd totally forgotten about chia pets! Chia pet seeds are a different type of chia though so don't eat them. They are a relative of the edible kind. :)

 Did you have a chia pet growing  up? We never did but I remember seeing them on TV. Tell me about your chia pet!

Do you eat Chia seeds? comment below and tell me how you like them. :)

#29 - Mini Babybel

Today my snack was wrapped in wax. So I decided I need to know why. I mean it's not everyday you find cheese with wax packaging. (I actually hat to look it up to be sure it was wax and not something I was supposed to eat instead of taking off my cheese!)

According to Babybel ... "The wax that we use for the coating of this product is made up of an appropriate mix of paraffin wax and micro crystalline. There is no Bisphenol A in the wax. Its quality as stated “for food contact “responds to very strict criteria set up by the regulations."

Apparently wax is used instead of plastic because it allows the cheese to breathe since there are live cultures of bacteria in cheese and so the cheese doesn't spoil as quickly as cheese wrapped in plastic. Babybel orginated in France in 1952 but now nearly 75% of the cheese in eaten in places other than France.

I threw away my cheese wax but apparently a lot of people make sculptures with them! Check out this site: Sculpting With Cheesewax for some cool pictures. :) 

#28 - New Coffee Shop: Third Street Stuff

Today we held our weekly knitting gathering at a coffee shop I hadn't had the pleasure of visiting.

Third Street on N Limestone is so unique and awesome. The atmosphere is very different than the other coffee shops in town. My coffee and bagel were delicious! (forgot to photograph them though).


I love the art from the outside to the inside! It's everywhere! Check out some of the art on the outside wall of the building! This type of art is all through the coffee shop and handmade items are sold there too!

Here's the lovely group I knitted with. :) That's me in the white scarf knitting away. :)

Sarah and Sara knitting away!

Jenn and Grace

Matt and Becca

   

Ali learning to knit. :)

Sara and her awesomely completed fingerless gloves!

Amanda :) 

She was the photographer today so no pictures of here today so I stole one from her facebook page so she wouldn't be left out. :)

#16 - Finding Natural Food Coupon Sites

Coupon Organizer by SewDesirable on Etsy

Every time I watch Extreme Couponing (or hear someone talking about it) I think "Hey I should start using coupons!" Then I start looking for coupons only to find coupons for highly processed foods like chips, candy, meal helpers, etc. I try to stay away from processed foods.  So today I decided to do some research to find some sites that offer coupons for organic, natural, and/or unprocessed foods.

Whole Foods

For anyone that shops at Whole Foods, they have their own coupons. I heard (though I haven't confirmed this YET that you can use their store coupon with manufacturer coupons to get big discounts on products. This is called "stacking" coupons. I'll try this at our Whole Foods next shopping trip and let you know if you can indeed stack coupons at Whole Foods.)  Here's the website for Whole Foods Store Coupons: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/whole-deal

Mambo Sprouts

If you shop at Whole Foods or other organic/natural food stores, check out this site. It has coupons for organic/natural food products.

Health-e-Savers

This website has a few coupons for organic/natural foods. The site also has a newsletter you can subscribe to in order to receive the current list of coupons in your email every Tuesday.

Applegate

Coupons for organic & natural meats. I just visited this site and signed up for their newsletter (this is a requirement to access their coupons) and they gave me a coupon for $1 off any of their meat products. 

What sites do you use for organic and natural food coupons? I'll be adding to this list as I find more of them. :) Also, feel free to post links to coupons for organic and natural foods that you've found online. 

#15 - Siggi's Skyr

One of my awesome labmates brought me something new to try! Today I tried skyr for the first time.

Skyr is an Icelandic cultured dairy product similar to greek yogurt.

 Iceland Map by ChEngel on Etsy

Some facts about skyr:

Click here for the correct pronunciation. :) 

• Thought to have originated in Norway and taken to Iceland by the Vikings. 

Viking Ship Sons of Odin by steffmetal on Etsy

•  Skyr is said to date as far back as the 9^th century.

• The main difference between Icelandic and Greek yogurts is fat content. Greek yogurt may be fat free, but skyr is only made with non-fat milk, so it’s always fat free.   

•  Unflavored skyr is roughly 12% protein, 3% carbohydrate, and 0.5% fat. 

• It is traditionally served cold with cream and sugar as a topping.

•  It is high in calcium and vitamins commonly found in milk products.

• Skyr has almost no added sugars or other unhealthy ingredients. The Siggi's skyr I tried has just a little agave. 

#13 - Homemade Ranch Dressing

Today I made my own ranch salad dressing from a recipe I found on thefresh20.com!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Buttermilk
Clove of Garlic
Few leaves of fresh chives
Handful of Flat Leaf Parsley
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt

Add to food processor and mix! Ta-dah! If you don't have a food processor you could chop everything up super tiny and mix it in a bowl. :)

The dressing was pretty good and has way less calories than store-bought ranch...not to mention it's not filled with things I can't pronounce (and I work in science!). The buttermilk we had was pretty thick so which made the dressing much thicker than store bought dressing. Next time I may add a tablespoon or two of water and see how that works. Anyhoo, it's inexpensive to make...so give it a try!

#10 - Numi Toasted Rice Green Tea

I forgot to post last night before I went to bed so here's the new thing I tried yesterday. :)

 

January is National Hot Tea Month!

My lovely labmate brought me a new tea to try. I don't generally drink green tea though I know it's so healthy! I just don't like the taste of it. I'm more of an herbal tea girl. Yesterday I tried Numi Toasted Rice Green Tea. For a green tea, it was pretty good. If you actually like green tea a lot you would probably love this tea. It was a nutty tea and definitely smelled of rice. I think I would have enjoyed the tea much more had I drank it with a meal instead of by itself. I still don't like green tea but it this one was drinkable and it was definitely worth trying. :)

#8 - Hennings Wisconsin Cranberry Cheddar Cheese

Strolling through Whole Foods (probably my favorite store in the world!), I found a new cheese in their  basket of cheeses that are just small pieces...basically the end of a big chunk that they don't want to try to slice any smaller so they just sell them as little chunks.

I'm a bit nervous when trying new cheeses because I really don't like cheeses with a strong pungent taste. This cheese is a step outside my comfort zone because it has cranberries. I've never had fruit IN cheese before...but this stuff was delicious. I ate it as a snack with some crackers. It's slightly sweet with a yummy cheddar taste. :)

What new foods have you tried lately? Any recommendations?

#7 - Weird Ice Cream Law in Lexington

Ice Cream Soap Set by bubblegenius on Etsy

Random weird fact: Did you know it's illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Lexington, KY?

Why? Because in the old days people would put an ice cream cone in their back pocket to lure a horse away from it's home. Then when they were accused of stealing they horse, they would claim the horse wasn't stolen...it simply followed them home!

How funny! I'll be sure to keep the ice cream cones out of my pockets. :) I don't think that'll be a hard law to follow. ;)

#5 - Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheeseball

I have a belated holiday gathering today and that makes for a perfect time to try a new recipe! Months ago I saved a peanut butter cheeseball dessert recipe on Pinterest and today I made it.You can make it too! The Girl Who Ate Everything posted the recipe on her blog. :)

Cream cheese, peanut butter, chocolate and brown sugar served with graham crackers and apples. This is going to be delicious! Isn't it gorgeous!! It was so easy to make!

#4 - January is National Tea Month and Numi Chocolate Tea

Why is January National Tea Month? Because it's stinking cold outside?! Actually I couldn't find the true reason January is national tea month but being so cold outside is good enough reason for me. I decided it would be more fun to try new teas rather than read about tea.

This one is a chocolate tea from Numi that happened to have a coupon next to it at Whole Foods. Chocolate plus a coupon to try it...need I say more? Here's what Numi has to say about their Chocolate pu-erh tea: "This velvety infusion combines black Pu-erh tea and organic cocoa. Accented by whole vanilla beans and sweet orange peel, this decadent blend is rounded off with nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy finish."  For more about Numi teas, click here.

This tea was pretty good even without the addition of sugar or milk. However, it wasn't as chocolatey as I was hoping. I might add some cocoa and warm milk to my cup next time I brew it. :) Anyone love this tea prepared a certain way? What's your favorite way to prepare this tea?

P.S. Check out my favorite mug above which is beginning to show some wear but has been with me for over 10 years now!...Here's a little shout out to my alma mater Berea College!) Someday when I replace my beloved Berea College mug, this would be an adorable replacement. :) I love this little leather wrapped mason jar mug from MSTRCKLN on Etsy and then of course, I love supporting other Etsy shops. (click the photo to go to the shop where it's for sale)

#3 - Black Forest Ham

 card by A Sea of Ink of Etsy (click card above to go to shop)

Yesterday we stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few things...one of which was black forest bacon. That got me thinking. What the heck does black forest mean?  I mean, I'm pretty sure the bacon I just ate wasn't from the forest!

Turns out the Black Forest is a wooded resort in Germany and this is where this type of ham/bacon gets its name. Making black forest pork can take up to 3 months. The meat is salted and seasoned and cured for two weeks. Then the salt is removed and the ham is cured for another 2 weeks. The meat is then cold smoked for several weeks.


In Europe, the name "black forest" is regulated and the product must come from the Black Forest region of Germany. However, outside Europe, the name isn't regulated and many different companies produce pork products  sold as "black forest" ham, bacon, etc. Black forest pork products here in the US are prepared to mimic the products from Germany.

Someday if I get the opportunity to travel to Germany, I'll have to try black forest ham there. :)

#2 - How to Make Soft Pretzels

I've never really thought about how soft pretzels get their chewy golden outside shell...well I hadn't thought about it until I decided to try to make some and realized that pretzels truly are just bread. There's really nothing really different (other than a slightly different ratio of water to flour but nothing drastically different) about the pretzel recipe compared to normal bread. Today I learned what makes pretzels have a different texture than bread. 

Pretzels are dipped in a baking soda dissolved in water before baking. (Lye used to be used instead of baking soda! EEK!!) This alkaline solution reacts with the dough and gelatinizes the starch on the surface. This makes the outside of the pretzel sticky which allows the salt to stick to it and it also gives the finished pretzel a nice golden outside.

Check out these awesome pretzels I learned to make using a recipe from allrecipes.com!