review: annie's homegrown mac and cheese

Earlier this month, Influenster sent me a coupon to try one of Annie's Homegrown's new frozen entrees. We have been long time fans of Annie's in our house from the fruit bunnies to snack mix to their boxed mac and cheese. I liked the idea of a natural entree that was easy to prepare and could pick up at our local Target. We're talking microwave here!

In keeping with their product line, the Classic Macaroni and Cheese delivered. It was very cheesy, rich and delicious. I took this photo after I served Jack a generous portion because he saw it cooling and could not wait any longer. Never attempt to make a toddler wait for mac and cheese! He was a huge fan but, we all enjoyed the entree and will happily purchase it again on our own.

Disclaimer: I received the above product for FREE from Annie's Homegrown and Influenster.com. All opinions are my own. I only choose to review products that are in keeping with my own values.

organic eats: point of health or pointless?

Organic food was never really on my radar.  I would shop occasionally at Whole Foods and pick up foods to try here and there because I liked to try new things, not because I was in support of a certain type of farming or food processing.  Then, I got pregnant with G.  Knowing that I would be in charge of the health and upbringing of this little person made me look at the issue a bit more.  I will be the first to tell you, we are not an organic household.  Like many of you, we have a budget and don't have a ton of expendable income to fund a complete organic kitchen.  But, as I read more about the important points, two things of importance kept coming up. 

1) Buy organic for certain fruits and veggies.  Try to avoid the "dirty dozen".  The 12 on the left are far more likely to be saturated with pesticides for either the thin skin or growing practices.

2) Organic milk is better, especially for a little one consuming 24+ ounces each day. It's higher in vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids and contains no synthetic hormones or pesticides.

So the budget issue.  Yes, organic produce and milk are more expensive but, for me, the cost is worth the benefits in these two areas.  Organic milk is about $1.00 more per gallon than regular.  Right now, it seems like a decent hit to our grocery budget but, G won't always be drinking this much milk.  This is a justifiable expense in the short term.  Organic milk also has a longer fridge life than regular so, none goes to waste. 

Starting on Christmas, G discovered his love of whole apples and now eats one apple every.single.day.  Organic apples by the pound are very pricey.  But, our grocery store also sells bags of apples.  The organic bags contain 10 apples and are only $1.00 more than the equivalent size bag of regular.  For 10 cents more a piece, it's not a huge cost factor but, could be making a difference in the health of my rapidly growing, apple-loving toddler. 

And, really, isn't this happy face worth a buck every 10 days?  I think so!  I don't know if these small changes will yield a huge benefit in the long run but, it certainly won't do any harm. 

Please share - what are your thoughts on organic eating? 

oh, we're halfway there...

20 weeks down and 20 weeks to go...

Today marks the official halfway point of my pregnancy. I can't belive how fast time is passing and I know this is something I'll repeat often as soon as this little one makes his or her appearance, grows and flourishes. The baby seemed to be commemorating this milestone with a party in my womb all day - lots of flipping and kicks (two that daddy was able to feel on the outside). We are about to countdown the hours until we are able to get another sneek peek on Tuesday morning! Today is also bringing another gift - these stormy skies and leftovers from Huricane Bill means there will finally be an end (even if brief) to the high heat and humidity that has been torturing me for the past week and a half. My sweet husband installed the a/c to get us over the worst of it but, I'm hoping we won't need it many more days this season. Bring on autumn!
One more thing: the above is proof that an excellent cupcake can fix just about anything (yesterday's flavor - PB&J). Thank you Crumbs on 87 Beaver, NYC for getting me through the municipal training blahs!

-- posted from my iPhone

all things evil...

1. Sonic (and Cablevision for running their ads):
Seriously, why must I be taunted and tempted with images of things that are nowhere within my reach? A Sonic commercial plays on our television at least once an hour yet, the closest to our home is about 2 hours away or over state lines. Don't these people know it's unfair to play on the cravings of a pregnant woman? But, HA! I have found a way around their trickery. It happens that a Sonic opened not far off the path to our mini-vacation this weekend...score! Cherry Limeade Chiller, you will soon be mine, all mine!!! Bwahahahaha ;-)Bonus! I went online in search of a coupon (hey, if I'm required to drive two hours for it, I should at least get a deal, right?) and found this one for a 99 cent regular Chiller. Click and enter your e-mail address to get yours and join in my sweet revenge!

2. Vampires: I can't help it. Ever since reading my way through the Twilight series, I've been wanting more blood-sucking action. It's bad, I know. Add to that, the torture of hearing all of the rave reviews of the show True Blood and little ol' me without access to HBO. So, what's a girl to do? Read, of course! I found the Sookie Stackhouse books online for 40% off retail but, didn't really want to wait the 10 business days for delivery. Google being my friend today, I found a coupon for 40% off any book at Borders, called to have them set aside the box set of books 1-7 and made them mine at lunchtime. Gotta love vamps for a steal! I plan to make my acquaintance with Ms. Stackhouse tonight...

Have you read these? Any thoughts or reviews you'd like to share (without spoilers, of course!)?

it's an uphill climb but, i keep trekking...

About four years ago, I decided to take charge of my health and my lifestyle. I was about to be 30 and I had let my body go...badly. Uncomfortable in my clothes, unhappy with the mirror and seriously in need of a change. Enter Weight Watchers. It's a great plan. If you follow it, it works. Period. In about 9 months, I lost 50 pounds and hadn't felt better in years. I was at my goal weight for months and was thrilled. Then, I got over confident. I started introducing trigger foods back into my diet without counting anything or acknowledging that they could sabotage my good efforts.

It's not terribly bleak but, in the past year or so, I've been 10-15 pounds over my goal weight. And, more than that, just not in good shape at all and definitely not fitting in the cuter clothes in my closet. It's been gnawing at me and so, I'm making changes. Not counting points but, being much more cognizant of what I am putting in my mouth and making an effort to move more.

Even though I'm trying to stay away from a lot of artificial sweeteners, this yogurt is SO delicious - Yoplait Light Pineapple Upside Down Cake: And, this pedometer now rests in my pocket (I couldn't find the cute and oh-so-me green one in the store so picture it in blue) counting my steps each day. I'm trying for the 10,000 recommended. Yesterday, I measured my baseline and fell way short at about 3,700. Um, yeah. I didn't think I was THAT sedentary. Swift kick, meet my rear.
As part of a knottie challenge with the other Feb 2009 newlyweds, I'll be tracking and recording my steps each day. Anyone know of a web-based app to track something like this? A spreadsheet would be great but, I want to be able to access it from anywhere. Twittering my end of days numbers might be the solution until I find something better.

-----> Check out the new feature that I'm trying out on my sidebar - meal planning for the week. I'm hoping that doing this will help lessen trips to the grocery store, save money and alleviate the dreaded last minute "What am I going to cook?" panic that inevitably happens for me at about 4:45 pm each day. I welcome any and all suggestions and tips from those experienced in this practice.

*** EARTH DAY FREEBIE!!! ***

Why not get yourself a reusable lunch bag made out of recycled plastic, compliments of Whole Foods??? Print your coupon here: http://media.oprah.com/sterm/whole-foods-coupon.pdf

a blog fast, too?

Busy being a happy newlywed, working like crazy this month and getting used to some shifting sands in life = no blogging. Unintentional but, true. I've hardly been near the computer at home in the past couple of weeks. Since that's where my photos live and where I mainly have time to reflect and type, it's made for a boring month on this site! So, an update:

1. I am in my third full week of Lent practicing Greek Orthodoxy. While neither DH nor myself are staunchly religious, we made the commitment to ourselves and the church to really learn more and to make efforts in our faith. With guidance from our priest, we've been fasting from meat on Wednesday and Fridays and will do so for the full seven weeks of Lent. While I would never strive for a meat-free life, I have been enjoying the challenge of coming up with good recipes that are vegetarian. The biggest hit in our house so far? Pan Seared Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream, served with mixed veggies and a Caesar Salad.
2. Wedding planning had me curb many of my favorite activities including reading (other than the bit of chick-lit here and there). I've been an avid and voracious reader my whole life and missed the time to do more of it in the past year. About a week after the wedding, I accepted an invitation to join a local book club and dove into this month's selection. I have just a few pages to go and would highly recommend reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen:


3. The great phone debate. DH and I consolidated our two semi-pricey cell phone plans into one, stream-lined and economical family plan about a week ago. While in the store, the iPhone called to me. I. do. not. need. it. No one needs that type of gadget, I suppose but, the want is there. Luckily AT&T gave me some more time to ponder because, my next chance for a phone upgrade is at the end of June. iPhone or not, I have been texting more and more and definitely need a phone with a keyboard...I'm hopeless with the number pad method. Until then, my pink Razor will do just fine.
4. Tomorrow, DH and I will celebrate one month of marriage...already! Married life is more than I ever could have hoped for. While on the outside there weren't so many changes - we live in the same house in the same town and have pretty much the same routines - the internal is vastly different. There is a sense of security in this new oneness that I never anticipated. Every decision and plan we make together is joint and as a team. I recall so many conversations between us that started, "Someday after we are married..." and now, here it is and the time for all of those wonderings and fulfillments has come. There is a new level of intimacy, of happiness and contentment. Yes, we have minor disagreements, still have to do the dirty laundry and clean up after our aging cat who is losing his faculties. But, the drudgery even feels different. Intangible and very, very good.

domestication of a feminist...

While growing up, my sister and I were raised to be independent, well-educated and strong women. Not surprisingly, we both chose to attend women's colleges (NOT girls schools). Might as well have tattooed "FEMINIST" on our foreheads at birth. I moved out of my parent's home at 17, when I left for college, and never returned to live with them. I have lived alone (with the exception of my cat) for the past 14 years - bringing me to present day and the ripe, young-ish age of 33. This July, FI and I merged households and I moved in to his condo.

Fast forward to 2 weeks after the move: I came home from work, brought groceries into the house, ran downstairs to switch over the laundry, returned to the kitchen to prep ingredients for dinner, went back downstairs to get the dry clothes and...stopped. When had I become so damn domesticated? It's as if some deeply buried, 50's housewife switch was flipped. My younger self marched in feminist rallies and swore she would never be slave to the stove or housework. Yet, without a thought, I automatically fell into the role. And, most puzzling? I. am. content. Holy crap!

One of the things that probably keeps me happy in all of this is simple cooking. I have found that I don't mind cooking but, elaborate meals are reserved for special occasions and dinner parties. Regular weeknights? No thanks. I work full-time and quick and easy, yet healthy, meals are the order. This one has been a huge favorite of mine for years and now, FI asks for it regularly. The best part? It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish:

Raspberry Balsamic Chicken
(adapted from Cooking Light magazine)

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Sprinkle rosemary, salt and pepper over chicken. Add chicken to pan; saute 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add preserves, vinegar and pepper to pan, stirring constantly until preserves melt. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings, 4 WW points per serving

faux pas (?) and a sugary bargain...

FI and I have set-up a fairly strict budget and saving schedule leading up to the wedding. We are each contributing as many dollars as we can, based on our income vs. expenses. While there is a little wiggle room for the occasional meal out and minor splurge, we are being very conscious of our spending. Though I thought it would be restrictive, it's really been fine and I've rarely felt my wallet being pinched. Until yesterday.

A few friends and I went out for dinner last night. This is a group of girls I know very well and have been close with for many years. We get together at least once a month to eat, laugh and chat about all things new. Keeping the budget in mind, I set myself a limit of $25.00 for dinner, including tax and tip. This way, I could still enjoy the time with friends but, would not have to stretch my weekly money. Good plan, right?

I arrived at the restaurant early (another girl's pick) and was seated at our reserved table. I settled in with the menu and a copy of the newest Martha Stewart Weddings magazine to wait for my friends. A quick glance at the menu made me wince a bit as I saw that the average entree price was over $30. One of the specials caught my eye (roast duck and black cherry ravioli with a shallot creme sauce - delish!) and was - score! - a bargain at $18.00. The waitress poured mineral water and I was content with my decision to stick with my food choice and the H2O.

My friends arrived and we had a great time. They all ordered drinks (martinis and wine), salad/appetizer and entrees. I stuck with my water and the dinner special. After an hour or so of lively chatting, comforting one friend and catching up on life, it was time to settle the bill. One of the girls took out her calculator to split the bill 4 ways. I hated doing it but, I had to say something - I just couldn't spend over $50.00 for what I had ordered. I mentioned that I was on a tight budget and would they mind if I just put in for my order and split the tip. Two of the girls were fine and I put my $25.00 on the check. The one with the calculator was visibly annoyed and gave me a very cold goodnight as we left. Clearly, in her mind, I had made a major faux pas.

If the split had been just over my budget, I would have went with it. I never fuss about splitting the bill and am always willing to pitch in an extra few dollars or, whatever to keep the math easy. But, to pay more than double my budget for food and drinks that I did not even enjoy in light of my current financial planning? Just couldn't justify it. It may be that what is burning me most is that I would never expect anyone else to put in that much over their share. I'm always the one to suggest, "Hey, that's nuts, just pay for what you ordered!"

Tell me - was I out of line? What would you have done in my shoes???

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And, not remotely related to anything other than the fact that I LOVE cheesecake...enjoy!

The Cheesecake Factory Serves Up a Delicious 30th Anniversary Celebration!
Celebrating “30 Delicious Years,” The Cheesecake Factory is serving up several sweet initiatives throughout 2008. To kick-off the anniversary celebration and in commemoration of National Cheesecake Day on July 30th, 2008, The Cheesecake Factory restaurants will offer every delicious slice of its more than 30 varieties of cheesecake with a dollop of nostalgia by featuring all cheesecakes at $1.50 per slice, limit one per guest, dine in only, on that day—as they were when the restaurant first opened in 1978.