Crate & Barrel appetizer spoons
I like to use these little guys to eat my breakfast, because it helps me take smaller bites. Sometimes I bring them to class to eat lunch, but I always get an, "Are you eating with a baby spoon?" response from people. Combined with my tupperbear containers, makes me wonder about it myself.
My friend Sarah got me two of these mugs for my birthday from Anthropologie. (We both love that store so much, the only difference is that she can afford to shop there). I don't know if you can tell, but the mugs are a little off-kilter and look handmade with a lot of imperfections. She also told me how to get the best foam for my lattes: the secret is getting the milk really, really hot. Then, I take my $1.99 Ikea Milk Frother and whip it up, moving from having the frother completely immersed in the milk and slowly moving it up to incorporate more air. Then I hold back the foam as I pour the milk in with a spoon, and dollop the foam on top. They taste amazing and I am getting the hang of my new french press. I just need to figure out how get fewer than 5 dishes dirty while making my coffee.
Before & After:
Our old table & chairs
Brighter table, new curtains, decorative cat
The pantry area before... and after
The stove & sink
Okay, I mostly just cleaned junk off the counter
Not bad for almost no investment besides turquoise paint. We sold our table on CraigsList and were able to buy the new table and new pantry with the money. I made the curtains with some Amy Butler fabric that I already had. I want to find some retro prints to replace the photos in the frames, so I am just keeping an eye out for now.
Best NEW thing in my life award goes to:
So what is it? Its ice cream. Well, its almost better than ice cream, actually. Its frozen bananas, blended into an ice creamish frenzy ,and topped with coconut, shaved dark chocolate and a few peanuts. This stuff is good on its own, too. I found the tutorial on In the Kitchen, so you can read the tutorial there. (Best part is, a really big banana is only 2 points).
Wheat Berries (thank you Whole Foods bulk section)
So, I bought a bag of uncooked wheatberries (labeled 'red hard winter wheat'), covered with water in a pot, and brought to a boil. Then I let them simmer for about 30 minutes and drained the extra water. You can cook them longer if you want them soft, but I like mine on the chewy side. I added them to my oatmeal this morning and plan on throwing them in my salad for lunch. They would make a great side at dinner, too. This huge pot probably only cost me $1 and will keep for 7-10 days in the fridge. (1/4 c.=1 point, like most grains). They really do add a great chewy feeling similar to dried fruit, and I eat way too much dried fruit, so I am very happy to find a substitute. Gotta satisfy my sensory needs.
Other goodies that I got at Whole Foods are these 2 little artichokes that I plan to make into a recipe I found in Body & Soul magazine. Baked Artichokes with Breadcrumbs. I'll let you know how it turns out. This is my second favorite magazine, and I think I might just have to get a subscription.
And finally, I got these orange lentils (not sure what their real name is) to make into something from this article in CE. I'm always hearing about how lentils are crazy good for you like olive oil, salmon, ground flaxseeds, etc. They are so cheap, easy, and tasty, too, but I just always forget about them.
Finally, I really recommend seeing the movie Food, Inc. I have to warn you that I haven't eaten much meat since I have watched it, but its not a vegetarian manifesto. I just want to make sure I know the animals were treated as well as Betty and Mr. Big Stuff. Eating organic/cage-free/hormone-free/ethically raised food is so expensive, but my plan is to eat more inexpensive foods like lentils, beans, bulk grains, eggs, and save the meat for once in a while. That way, I'm not actually spending more money, and I'm sure I'll be much healthier because of it.
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