Black Bean Brownies

In my quest for healthier foods, I have been adding veggies to as many foods as I can. So, our spaghetti contains carrots (finely ground), mushrooms (also finely ground) and shredded zucchini. In fact, yesterday we had spaghetti squash instead of noodles. I love this, C likes it, S tolerates it and the Hubster eats it. That's a keeper in my book.
But, my favorite 'hidden' veggie so far? My black bean brownies. I use my favorite brownie mix, puree up a can of black beans and combine the two together (no eggs, no oils, just the brownie mix and black beans). Then I rinse the can and put it out in recycling before I get caught, er, I mean to show my commitment to the environment. Ahem....
Bake brownies as directed on the box.
The brownies taste good and are quite fudge-y. Is that a word? Well, it is now in my book. As is fudgalicious, fudgocity and fudge-0-mania. But I digress.
Sprinkle brownies with a dusting of powdered sugar. The kids LOVE these.
They've had a brownie in their lunch every day this week. And I love the idea that they're getting more vitamins and fiber along with the numminess.

Best Snack of 2011....So Far

As always, my children are ravenous when they open the door to come in after school. "What's for snack?" is asked at approximately 0.5 seconds after walking in the house.  I have come to dread this time 'cause I don't like having to come up with more food options. I already plan 3 meals every day, snacks just about push me over the edge.
I know, I know, I can list all the options out, the kids can pick, and get it themselves, they can always have fruit (but with C's lack of teeth, I still have to cut the hard stuff up for her), I can do a lot of things to make it easier. But, frankly, I just don't do that.
But, I have stumbled upon the best snack ever..well, so far this year anyway.
Get out your blender, chop up a frozen banana (you might need to add a bit of milk so it doesn't freeze up the blades, no I didn't measure the amount, just eyeball it, you know you want to anyway) and blend away. It comes out like banana ice cream and it's really, really creamy. I added a bit of chocolate syrup 'cause everything's better with chocolate on it.
Sooooooo tasty.
Next time I'm gonna try peanut butter. Oh, then maybe peanut butter and chocolate together!
Guess I need to plan more of these kind of snacks.
Oh, and the kids? They totally thought I had made ice cream. Score!!

Ride 'Em Cowgirl

I walked into the Den to find this:

Barbies riding the Dogs. I mean, why ride horses when you have big old' hairy puppies to transport you across the room??

If you look closely, you can find the girl's other modes of transportation behind the pet pups.

I mean, don't you have a pink & purple sparkly carriage and a hot pink convertible?

Just what every girl needs.

The Biggest Loser

Oh joy of joys, a new season of Biggest Loser has started! I am, well, slightly obsessed with this show. But I really enjoy watching it. Especially the 'where are they now' ones. Anyway, back to last night. The show was starting and C came downstairs after putting on her jammies. "Ooooo, Mama, The Biggest Loser, I love that show!" Now, she only watches the first 10-15 minutes of this show but I guess she likes it.
"Really? Are you sure you like it or do you just watch it cause I have it on?" I asked.
"Oh, I really like it. Say, hey, would you like to lose weight?" C said.
"Well, yes, I'd like to lose some weight and be healthier" I replied, thinking Little Girl, you are treading into some shaky territory, watch it. You may only be 6, but I can take you down!
"Oh, is that why you go to the Weight Watcher meetings?" C asked.
"Yes," I was really wondering where this conversation was going.
"Well, I heard you tell Daddy" (this is where my heart drops, crap, what conversation did she overhear now?) "and you said that you didn't want to make separate food for us kids then what you eat. Well, I have a great idea, maybe you could make all those healthier things for me & S and we'll all eat the same things, cause we need to be healthy too!" C was quite proud of herself.
"That's a good idea, but it's what I already do" I said.
"Oh, you mean we eat healthy stuff?" C asked.
"All the time" I replied.
"Hmmmmm...." C said, "I guess that's not so bad then. And some of your food even tastes pretty good."
I just said "Thank you."
Some of my food, not all, but just some, mind you.
Somedays I just can't win.

Mystery Shopper

In my nightly perusal of the kitchen, looking for snacks, I mean, making sure everything was in order, I opened the refrigerator. There, in the front, right next to the milk, were a brand new carton of sour cream and one of ricotta cheese, both low fat.
"Hmmm, wonder where these came from? I don't remember buying them." I thought back to my last shopping trip before we went up North. "Nope, I didn't buy them. Hubster must have gotten them when he stopped to get milk last night. Weird things to buy, maybe he wants to cook something."  Visions of creamy, yummy Italian dishes started swimming through my head. Mmmmmmm.....Italian...mmmmm.. (whoops, I digress!)
When Hubster got home, I asked, "When you bought milk the other night, did you buy sour cream and ricotta cheese?"
"No, why would I? Besides, you only asked for milk" he defended.
"Well, they didn't just walk into the frig by themselves and the kids aren't old enough nor would they want to buy those items themselves, how did they get there?" I asked back.
I was totally perplexed. The cartons were unopened and the expiration date was Feb 8, 2011. So, they were bought recently.
I truly, truly do not remember buying these on my last shopping trip. Then I started to wonder if I had some sort of shopping amnesia. You know, how you get in the car and suddenly you get to your destination and don't really remember driving there? Not that that EVER happens to me or anything, ahem.  Maybe that's what happened on my last shopping trip. Or maybe I just have a general shopping disfocus problem. Do those really exist? Cause if they do, I totally blame them for the package of Christmas peeps up in the cupboard too.
But, unless someone 'fesses up to putting the sour cream and ricotta cheese in my frig, I'll have to chalk it up to Mr. Nobody getting them for me.
Maybe next time he'll bring cheesecake.

Hitting the Y

Things seen at the Y today:
-2 woman walking the track in full everyday clothes (think jean, turtleneck sweater, lots of jewelry), winter big a** boots, and very large purses flung over their shoulders (which somehow miraculously manage to fall off said shoulders when I try to pass them and then hang dangerously into the path I am walking, errrgh). And those stinkers managed to almost outwalk me!
-Seeing a woman working out on a treadmill, dripping sweat, white t-shirt and then I noticed the pants. The heavy fleece, skiing snowman pajama bottoms. I kid you not. They were on sale today for $9 at Shopko, (right next to the rack with the workout pants which were also on sale for $9) and I didn't even want the fleece pants for pjs because they'd be too hot to sleep in. I never once considered them for working out in. All I can say is, interesting choice.
-Every single piece of equipment had someone working out on it. I have never, NEVER seen it this busy.

Ahhh, my faith is restored. My Y is getting back to it's normal, somewhat-freaky self. Welcome Back!!

Resolving the 2010 Resolutions

I tried to go back and find my 2010 resolutions. I checked January, Feb and finally in March, there they are. I guess being timely was not the top of my list. But, here they are:


1) Start and finish a 5K (hopefully, that will be the same race)
I did this! My sister, niece and I ran one (unofficially) at our quilt retreat. I didn't run the whole way and next time it will be much better without a big ass breakfast beforehand. (Must admit, I had a few 'oh no, she might blow' scares  but I held it in). Woohoo! I did it!
2) Lose 30 lbs (I'm hopeful for more but we'll see)
Let's just say, Next!
3) Clean the outside windows of the house.
Nope, maybe next year
4) Repaint the trim on the shed.
Nope, not done but I hear the shabby chic looks is still good. Yeah, that's the ticket, it just looks rather shabby chic.
5) Repaint the trim and around the garage door and on the porch (along with the railings of the porch).
Same as #4, shabby chic it is.
6) Plant a garden.
Oh yeah! And I planted pumpkins and zucchini next to the house where we took out the shrubs. Booyah!
7) Shop the farmer's market as often as possible.
As often as I could get there. But I did incorporate a lot more fresh veggies in our diet.
8) Clean the window screens. (I'm noticing that I have a lot of repair/cleaning issues)
Done, but did you know that those buggers still managed to get dirty again? What a pain in the butt, I need self cleaning windows & screens.
9) Plan a fun trip to Chicago with friends (Friends, don't let me down!)
Nope, no Chicago trip, but lots of fun with friends. I'll take it.
10) Have people over to my house more often.
Not so good on this one either but I was more social in general this year. Even when I didn't always feel like it.

Well, my average was only about 50%. Probably would have helped if I remembered the list before Jan 3, 2011. But, it is what it is. And I still like me. Just not that stupid list so much.