Treat Yourself... you should go Blonde!

Happy Treat Yourself, Tuesday! 

Now I've never been Starbucks #1 fan.  In a pinch, or with a group of 'Starbs Lovers' I'll stop in for a coffee or a latte, but it's never been my first choice.  Me, I'm a fan of my locals. You remember my beloved Nica's coffee line incident, right?  So when I have the choice, I'd rather go to my local coffee shop or deli and mix my coffee getting with a little neighborhood social interaction.

BUT, times, they are a changing. Starbucks (conveniently located next to my spinning gym) has introduced the Blonde Roast.  Burnt, smelly, bitter brunette coffee beware! The Blondes are moving in!  There are two versions of the Blonde roast- the Veranda and the Willow.  I have a slight preference for Veranda over Willow, but I drink coffee with a touch of cream so I'm not sure if Willow might be better as a black coffee. 

Either way, these two roasts blow the old Pike's Place and other Starbs blends out of the water.  I always, always find the other blends to taste burnt, old, and extremely bitter, whereas the Blondes are both really smooth, fresh tasting. 

Check them out here: http://www.starbucks.com/coffee/blonde 



We now buy a pound of this blend each week to brew at home... but have no fear, favorite locals; I still come to you for my additional cups each day!

happy tasting,
whit

Treat yourself, Tuesday!

Hi Friends,

Going to keep this one short and sweet today.

We haven't had a treat yourself Tuesday in a while and boy are WE overdue!  Once again, Trader Joe's came through with a delicious new (or new to me anyway) treat that I can't get enough of.  Enter.... Sweet Potato Gnocchi!

This wonderful sweet potato goodness with its buttery sage sauce and easy cooking instructions had me at hello. As always, my sincere apologies to those without access to Trader Joe's.  You might want to consider relocating...I kid, I kid.

I happened upon this in the freezer section near the other gnocchi and frozen snack/side item stuff.  I'm a sucker for sweet potato of any kind, and this treat did not disappoint.  For $2.99 you've got a side item for 2-3 people, or lunch for yourself for a few days.  Add a piece of grilled or baked chicken into the mix and you're a goner.  Is that a word?  Goner.?!

Anyway, I highly recommend you check this out.  I've tried both the microwave instructions and stove top instructions and they're easy and wonderful.  If you're like me, you can also jazz it up with some red pepper flakes and a touch of black pepper for some kick.  AND....to top it off, this stuff is relatively low calorie, low fat, low bad stuff.  It's not paleo, but heck, you've got to live a little, right?

Run out and treat yourself tonight.  You won't be sorry.  And, you might thank me.

yours,
whitney

And then there were 3

Today is a wonderful day.  Not only because it's a Treat Yourself Tuesday, but because last night, Mike and I treated ourselves. Big time! 

Drum roll please..................

WE ADOPTED A DOG!!!!!

Yep. It's been a bit of a whirlwind the last few weeks as we've been looking at different pups in adoption shelters and foster homes online.  I would email one to Mike and he would email one to me... we both had mostly the same thing in mind with a few slight differences.  I was scheduled to have a phone interview with an adoption center last night when Mike emailed me a listing for this sweet face:

He really liked her, so I postponed the phone interview for the other pup and we drove to West Hartford to check out this little girl, Darcy.  She's a year+ old, a little skiddish, but gives lots of love. She aims to please and looks often for your affection and approval.  We spent about an hour with her at the shelter and told her foster Mom we'd think about it and call her today.

We no sooner got 1 mile down the road and wondered why we'd left her there and why we hadn't just taken her home with us.  We answered ourselves with: 1) We don't even have food at the house, 2) We don't have a crate, 3) We're going to VT this weekend, 4)???? we ran out of excuses.  And alas, on our left was a PetCo, with their blue and red light shining bright in our direction.

We pulled in, got the necessary goods, called foster Mom back, and asked if we could come take Darcy Dog home.  She said YES!  So, in a fit of excitement and a little fear of the unknown, we packed her up and headed home for Milford.

Like anything, this will take adjusting on all our parts.  We'll have to teach her and train her, and she'll have to train us too.  Within 5 minutes of walking in the door, she broke a candle holder accidentally because she tripped on an electrical cord that was not-so-delicately placed between the candles.  It's my fault, but it scared her pretty bad.  After that, we had some treats and cuddled on the floor under blankets to settle in.  I'd say night #1 went well considering 2 hours beforehand she was tucked into her own crate in West Hartford instead.  It's clear that she's never lived in a house nor been house trained.  She doesn't even know 'Sit.' Poor girl. We'll get her all learned up. :)

We're now accepting any and all dog training tips from getting her not to beg for food, to not inhaling her own food, to getting more comfortable on the leash/harness (Amanda... I'm looking to you on this one!).  Send your thoughts, suggestions, tips my way... we sure could use 'em.  Also, what shampoo, food, supplies do you love?

And now a few more pics from Miss Darcy (Kind of like Miss Daisy, except for no opposable thumbs and a tail).

checking out the kitchen... aka.. .where's my food, lady?

skinny girl

checking out the backyard

Mike assembling her 'crate' to spend her days in

afraid of the stairs. I swear it was her first time on them. Going up was easy-ish, coming down took about 3 minutes.

Harnessed and ready for a walk

So on that note, treat yourself to a puppy! 

yours in puppy love,

whitney

Treat Yourself Tuesday

Oh yea! Treat yourself Tuesday is making a comeback.  It's been too long and I've been caught up with all of this Fall, and Paleo, and Work, and stress talk that we really haven't treated ourselves in a while. 

Often the inspiration for Treat Yourself Tuesday comes from Trader Joe's for me.  And last night did not disappoint in the inspiration department.  (I'm sure that if you are without TJ's in your area, you can still find these gems).  TJ's has put out their fall spread and the store was jam packed with sweet little knobby pumpkins and squashes for decoration.  Yes, I bought several and Mike called them 'clutter.'  They are also sampling their delicious pumpkin flavored delights- pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin bread, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie filling, and the pumpkin goes on.

One of these items nearly jumped its way right into my cart.... the Pumpkin Butter!!!

Photo courtesy of Tiny Muffins

I don't know about you, but when I was an youngin' I loved this stuff.  As a kid, I was so narrow minded in my usage of this delicious treat.  I simply spread it on toast or waffles or pancakes and called it a day.  That's not to say those uses aren't a-maz-ing, because they are. But, as a  real grown-up, I've discovered many new uses for this old stand by. 

For example, you can make a really great spread for pumpkin bread by combining pumpkin butter and some cream cheese to make a thicker, less sweet treat.  You can also combine the pumpkin butter with some cream to make a light version of pumpkin pie.  You can also mix it into Greek style yogurt, you can add it as a filling into baked goods. AND- you can roast up some fresh root veggies (sweet potatoes, carrots, etc...) and combine with a dollop of pumpkin butter as a glaze.  You could also use it as a topping for the TJ's pumpkin ice cream... mmmmm.  The list really does go on, friends.  And to my dearest 'Uncle Frank', who is an incredible cook, I'm sure you'll come up with your own concoctions so let me know what you make!

Last night, I took two pork chops, poked them with the fork, and them placed them in a Tupperware with a few tablespoons of pumpkin butter, some maple syrup and a touch of hard apple cider.  They are marinating as I type, waiting for me to come home and cook those suckers up!  I.Can't.Wait!


Photo courtesy of Eating Bird Food Blog



Photo Courtesy 'Cooking with Trader Joe's'- Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ pumpkin butter

I have really fond memories of being a kid and taking camping trips with my parents and Mema & Papa to the Smoky Mountains.  The #1 'souvenier' I always wanted to take home was pumpkin butter.  Mmmmm... there ain't a lot of pumpkins growing in Palm Harbor, FL so I needed my fix.  So, my affinity is 50% nostalgic and 50% delicious.

So go ahead, treat yourself.  You won't be sorry.  And the TJ's brand doesn't have any gross fillers or additives.  I'd also recommend stopping by a farmer's market or country store and checking out their pumpkin butter offering.  And get creative.  This stuff ain't just for spreading anymore!


Yours in pumpkin love,
Whitney

Treat Yourself, Tuesday!

I hope you all had a fabulous Labor Day weekend and were able to spend some time with friends and loved ones.  Today, on treat yourself Tuesday, CT schools are back in session.  We've reached the turning point in summer vacation and have neared the end of white pants and shoes, summer sun dresses, watermelon and sun screen.  We are preparing to welcome cooler temps, close-toed shoes, football, pumpkin flavored everything, and the changing of leaf colors.

But, back to Treat Yourself Tuesday... might I suggest you treat yourself to some Dr. Bronner's products.  Specifically, the soaps.  I've used the peppermint soap since I was a kid.  I remember reading the bottles with all of the wild and bizarre information that was written on them.  Today, I use the bars and I love them.  Their scents are refreshing but don't leave you smelling perfumy afterward.  I have super sensitive skin and these soaps are gentle enough yet smell great.

So, in short. Treat Yourself to some Dr. Bronners soaps.  You'll love them.

http://www.drbronner.com/index.html


Yours in lavender love,
Whitney

Treat Yourself Tuesday

Trader Joe's has won my heart, again.  And again, and again.

I've written a previous treat yourself tuesday post about the benefits of all things coconut: coconut oil, and the SoDelicious products.  But, this past week I was pleasantly surprised to find that my Trader Joe's (yes, I claim it as my own- I'm sure other people in Orange, CT do too) finally got the non-dairy coconut milk in.  Woohoo!!!  I love this stuff. 

Here's what TJ's has to say about the new product:

Coconut Milks (Unsweetened & Vanilla)

We've been cooking with coconut milks for a long time (mmm, curry), but pouring it into a glass and enjoying it with cookies - this is a relatively new concept. One we like a lot. That's why we worked with our supplier to create our own non-dairy beverage Coconut Milks. They're made from the finest coconut flesh that is finely grated and steeped in hot water before being strained to squeeze out the essence of the pure white pulp. The result is a lightly coconut-flavored, delicately sweet beverage that is soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and practically free. Well… almost. We're selling each 32 fluid ounce carton of Unsweetened Original or Vanilla Coconut Milks for $1.99.



I've now used both versions pictured above (in one week!) and they are great.  If you aren't a traditional 2% milk chugger and you use milk as an ingredient instead of the main course then you will love this  stuff.  It's non-dairy and gluten free for those who have some lactose troubles, and soy free for the ladies which is the way to go these days.  It's a small way that you can cut out some unnecessary fat and gunk from your diet and replace it with something a little better.  I'm not saying it's a perfect product, but it's definitely better than real milk or dairy in a lot of ways- less fatty than almond milk, and so much better for you than the bad, bad soy products out there. 

Here are a few ways I've used these:

• coconut pancakes
• in the batter for french toast
• mixed in with my eggs while I scramble them
• in coffee- I prefer the vanilla one for this
• in cereal
• in any recipe calling for milk (like cupcakes!)- you may need to experiment a bit to get the consistency you're looking for, but I've had NO problems. 
• Cold in a glass... mmmm, milk!
• In curry (I like Thai style curry)
• In homemade milk shakes and ice cream

So, have you tried it?  What are you using it for? And, if there isn't a Trader Joe's near you, go with the SoDelicious brand.  It's slightly more expensive, but still less than a gallon of milk and totally worth it. 

Dreaming of coconut,
Whitney

Treat Yourself Tuesday... I mean Wednesday.

Hey Y'all,

I wanted so much to share the Florida trip pics yesterday that I postponed Treat Yourself Tuesday to Wednesday.  So today is Treat Yourself Tuesday Wednesday.  And what better way to treat yourself than with some tasty Fro Yo from FroYo World in New Haven (or wherever you are reading from).  I like to think that I actually coined the phrase 'FroYo' many years ago and it's now spreading like wild fire!  Some people may recall that I've been using this term for quite some time.  Just saying.

If you're like my sweet friend April, you might choose Red Mango of Pinkberry out in CA.  If you're in DC on vacation or work, like my friends Amanda and Caroline were with me, you might choose one of the many, many new FroYo joints.  No matter where you decide to go, the bottom line is that this stuff is de-lish!

If you live under a rock or in some far away place that doesn't allow you to enjoy the finer things in life, such as tasty, freezy, treats, well then, I'm sorry.  But if you're reading this, I'm guessing you've come out from the rock and you're in need of a summer cool down treat that is as healthy as it is refreshing.  Ok, that's a slight stretch, but seriously.  This stuff isn't bad for you like ice cream.  It's tart yogurt with fruits and mochi and fun toppings. 

I recently went on a field trip with some fellow CrossFit New Haven friends for some lunchtime FroYo on the hottest day of the year.  Boy did we deserve this!

the yogurt selection station

oh the tasty toppings

Coach Frank and Taylor

the cup-o-goodness

http://froyoworld.com/

So like they say at FroYo World, indulge yourself.  Or like I say, Treat Yourself.  You know you want to.  You won't be sorry.  In fact, you'll probably thank me (by posting a nice comment on my bloggy blog).  Enjoy it!

Yours in frozen goodness,

Whitney