Pinterest Review: Green Smoothie

Like a lot of people, I made a resolution to eat better and move more in 2012.  Well.  It was after my doctor gave me a finger wag about my health and said, "With all the heart issues in your family--don't you think it's time to start taking care of yourself.  Oh.  And here's a cholesterol perscription."


Yes.
I'm on cholesterol meds at the ripe age of 4-0.
That was a wake up call for me.  A big one.


So, I'm walking at least 4 days a week before work in the school gym.
I'm keeping a food journal (I'm only writing down what I eat...not counting anything).
I'm doing what I can to eat more fruits and veggies.
You know.  The stuff we're supposed to do.


On pinterest, I found this (click the photo to visit the original blogger's post)....

Source: lindawagner.net via Kelley on Pinterest

OK.  Let me be honest.  This looks absolutely gross.  Like pea soup.  I don't like pea soup.  The idea of  drinking this made me think about how I could slip in a shot of something to ease the pain of choking this god-awful looking thing.  


But seriously?
It's really good.
Like REALLY good.


Here's my Real Deal review of the Green Smoothie.....


PRO

• Easy to make
• Directions are easy (I mean, it's a smoothie.  There's nothing hard about this)
• It is all fruit and veg:  banana, 1 cup of frozen fruit, handfull of spinach and water.  I use a smoothie packet from the grocery (in the frozen juice aisle) and it's a lot cheaper and easier for me portion wise.
• The blogger has great FAQ's like, "If you don't like bananas, try this...."

CON

• I couldn't find one!

Imagine how surprised I was that this was excellent and so easy to make.  I make up a weeks worth of smoothies, and freeze them in 1 cup containers.  I take it to work and have it for a mid morning snack.  I love good food that is easy.

I promise.  You don't even taste the spinach.

Cross my heart.

In a Month....

In a month I'll be with these people:

wearing this shirt:

sitting in this venue:

 watching these guys:

Some take spring break trips to Florida or Mexico.
I prefer to go back to my old stomping grounds--my Alma matter--and pretend for just 24 hours or so that I'm young, in college, and enjoying a hockey game with friends.

Granted, when I was young and in college, I was sneaking into frat houses and drinking cheap beer out of red keg cups.

(I make no guarantees about the frat houses this time around)

(though, the last time I was in a frat house, I passed out in the men's bathroom, while on the toilet doing my business after drinking WAY too much trash can punch)

(true story)


I've turned on the comments.  Not because I need affirmation that passing out in the opposite gender's bathroom is a common occurrence in college, but because I want to try and see if I'm pas the "stalk my own comments" phase.  We'll give it a go.....

Photos courtsey of google images.  Except the first two.  Those are mine.

Happy Birthday Big Guy...

Dear Big Guy:

Happy Birthday!  Thanks for snapping like a cracker at the humane society and adopting me.  I know I can be a pain in the rump....chewing your shoes....needing to go outside every 60 minutes....chasing the barn cats.  But I think you're a pretty neat guy.  I don't like sharing you with the lady who feeds me, though.  

Love,

Maggie

Dear Big Guy:

Happy Birthday.

Now plug in the electric blanket upstairs on your bed so I can nap in a cozy spot.

And while you're at it, get rid of that dog.  She's a pain in the neck.

Love,

Stella

Dear Big Guy:

I love you more than the dog, cat, our new coffee maker, and waffles made on our waffle iron combined.  But more importantly, I love you for letting me try my crazy ideas (like putting half our monthly income into savings), painting the rooms different colors than you remember as a child, for not making me feel SO bad for having different political views than you, and just being us.  I like us.

Love ya.

My Walkin' Buddy....

Someone is enjoying this mild winter weather.

I'll give you a dollar if you can guess who.....

(and it isn't the dog)

Pinterest Review: Cinnamon Rolls on the Waffle Iron

This has been floating around pinterest for quite some time.  The idea of using your waffle iron to make cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies, or anything else under the sun.  Rachel Ray even did waffle iron cooking as a spot light.


I mean, if Rachel Ray is doing it.....


So, I thought I'd take a stab at making cinnamon rolls on the waffle iron as seen on Pinterest.  The key to this is that you use canned cinnamon rolls.  I have not seen a recipe using "from scratch" rolls.  Therefore, this was done using canned cinnamon rolls.  


(Don't get me wrong.  I don't mind a roll from a can now and again.)
(But once you've made your own from scratch?  Well.  There's just no comparison.)


Here's my Real Deal review on making these.


Pro:

• No need to wait for the oven to preheat
• No messy pans (other than your waffle iron)
• Easy breakfast

Con:

• With Rachel Ray's Waffle Week, and other pinterest pins doing similar things, we thought that they were eaten as waffles rather than rolls (I mean, silly me....it is made on a waffle iron).  While the original poster showed a thicker end product, I just through they'd spread out thinner with our really heavy iron.  I thought if they'd do that, we'd be able to eat them like a waffle, rather than a roll.  Guess what?  Not so much. These are VERY dense and thick.  My suggestion would be to flatten them out some and then put them on the iron if you want to eat them like a waffle. If you want a "roll", then leave as is.

Otherwise, the original poster's tutorial is spot on.  Very helpful and easy to follow.

Here's how they do it:

Heat up your waffle iron.  We have a very old, and very well seasoned Sunbeam.  And as I mentioned, heavy.  The lid on this sucker isn't light (again, which is why I thought they'd spread the rolls out a bit more).   It's so old that the power cord is wrapped in fabric!  


But seriously?  It's the best damn iron.  

Put your canned rolls onto the iron.
Close and cook for about 3 minutes.

Wala!  Rolls ala Waffle Iron.

We ate ours with a little butter and syrup.  The Big Guy did try one with the frosting that came in the can, but thought that the butter and syrup was better.

Would I do it again?

Sure.  But as I mentioned earlier, I'd roll them out first and then put them on the waffle iron.  

This would be fun to do with house guests!

Who's coming to visit?

History wasn't my best subject....

Over Christmas break, the Big Guy and I invited his sister and her husband out to see a movie.  While we were driving to the theatre, we were talking about the trip to the UK that we'll be taking later this year.  


I mentioned there was a website that I found on my first trip to England where you can take your own self-guided walking tours.  They were pretty much spot on and a nice alternative to paying for a tour.  One of the tours is the Westminster Walk.  You take the tube over to Westminster Abbey & Parlament, walk over to Buckingham Palace, over to the Prime Minister's residence....it's really cool.


On this tour, the website says that you can pay to visit Westminster, or you can attend mass.  In the car I said, "I'd sit through a Catholic mass just to take in Westminster."


Everyone in the car said, "Westminster isn't Catholic."
Me:  "What?  Seriously?"
Big Guy:  "Nope.  It's the C of E " (Church of England)
Me:  "Well, I learned something today!"


During the movie I thought, "They're pulling my leg and just messing with me."  I got home after the movie and googled the Abbey and sure enough.  They're not Catholic.  But it had me wondering why.  Where did I miss THIS piece of information?  


For example:


1.  The title Westminster Abbey:  Abbey's are where nun's live.  Nun's, to my knowledge were only Catholic.  Guess what?  Nun's are in other faith's, too.  But I mean, really.  I thought that nuns were only Catholic!  I can also blame this on the Sound of Music from the song, "How do you solve a problem like Maria".  I quote: I even heard her singing in the abbey...


2.  The use of the word mass:  OK.  I know it's a stretch, but in my little part of MN....you only hear "mass" when you're talking about Catholic church services.  Every other church calls their services...well...services.  And again, from the Sound of Music... "She waltzes on her way to Mass..."  See!!


3.  Exhibit A from the Royal wedding:

Bishop. (technically the Archbishop)
Pointy hat.
I mean, really....


4.  Exhibit B from the Royal wedding:

NUNS at the head of the church.
See point #1 above.


OK.  So they're not Catholic.  I know my testimony won't change anything....but it helps me to at least feel like I wasn't asleep during every meeting of my World History 101 class in college.

Storing Christmas Cards....

One of the things I LOVE about Christmas are the cards & letters that I get from friends and family all over the world.  In the past I've simply packed them away with the other Christmas stuff and then the following year I'd have something to read again before decorating.  But then, sadly...I'd throw them out.


I mean, what do you do with them?


I was visiting Amy a few years ago she pulled out a folder that she keeps her family's holiday cards and letters.  I saw that and said, "I can do that!"  As I was putting my cards away for 2011, I thought I'd give you the details on how to do this yourself if you're wanting to save the cards, but have no idea what to do with them.  Here is my collection o f cards since 2006...

This is the box I store the cards and letters in.  I got this at Archivers, they're by Lineco.  Here's the link to the boxes so you can see a little more about it.

Basically, I take all my cards (look...here they are!).....

And sort them by type.  Folded cards, long photo cards, square photo cards, cards that came with letters....

I then use an expandable ring and paper punch (the rings came in a pack of 8.  I just keep the extra's in the box).  I punch the smaller cards first, working my way through to the cards with letters.  I keep the cards & letters that came from the same family together.   I put them on the ring and wala!  Done!  

Is anyone else sad to pack away the Christmas stuff?
*sigh*