Favorite Snacks

Favorite snacks come and go. I took stock this week of what I am eating as ‘mini-meals’ between the three majors. These are all very easy prep and not too high in calories…generally high in nutrition too.

Carrot chips and hummus. At one time I thought I would make my own hummus, but my grocery story has their own brand of hummus that is reasonably priced. My favorite seasonings are roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, and lemon/dill. My grocery also stocks carrot chips so I buy them when I don’t have a big supply of carrots from the CSA. This snack works very well as a component of a picnic lunch as well!

Smoothie. As the weather gets cooler this one might come off my list but on warm days it is a favorite. This morning it included some frozen watermelon, frozen lemon wedges and sweet potato leaves.

Fruit. I always try to have seasonal fresh fruit on hand. Earlier this month peaches were at the top of the list. Now I have some nectarines and oranges….and lots of apples.

Popcorn. Since I bought the Nordic Ware bowl for popping corn in the microwave, this is again on the ‘healthy’ snack list. I use pumpkinseed oil or lemon infused olive oil on it rather than butter.

Kale chips. This snack is the one that requires the most prep. I cook a lot at one time and store the chips in a plastic container. I keep thinking that they will last a week or so but I always eat them faster than I anticipate. My favorite seasoning is salt….somehow it just seems right for ‘chips.’

How will things change for when it is colder? I’ll have to decide and then stock the ingredients. Snacking wisely requires some planning ahead!

Ten Days of Little Celebrations - August 2014

Noticing something worth celebration each day is an easy thing for me to do. The habit of writing it down reminds me to be grateful for these and a myriad of other things in my life. This month has been full of ‘little celebrations;’ here are my top 10 for August 2014.

The weekly pickup at the CSA. Somehow the pickup every Wednesday afternoon become something to look forward to….a celebration of the food bounty near at hand.

Weight. I decided to take off about 8 pounds and am thrilled that my diet/exercise plan I used a year ago to take off a pound a week...still works. I am celebrating the loss of over 4 pounds so far!

Tomatoes of any varieties are abundant in the CSA shares now. I find myself drawn to the tomatoes that are a change of pace from the traditional red one. Somehow the large yellow or purplish heirloom tomatoes seem extra special….worthy of continued celebration.

Fruit beety. This was on my celebration list last month too. I had frozen a batch I couldn’t eat right away - and I enjoyed eating it this month!

 Watermelon. I discovered that watermelon, mint, and frozen cucumber smoothies are one of my favorite summer afternoon treats…and it is even better because it fits on my weight-loss diet.

Home again. Being away from home for two weeks in late July/early August caused me to appreciate returning….a homecoming celebration.

Photography class. I celebrated the online photography class from several perspectives: the learning experience, a new source of courses, and as an activity I shared with my husband.

Symmetry and tiles. The Symmetry class I am taking on Coursera has led to other activities and I am still getting more ideas!  I am enjoying the course plus the historical books about tiles I found on the Internet Archive plus I’m going to take a local class on tiling to enable some creative projects! I’m celebrating the serendipity of it all.

Centennial Lake. My husband walks around the lake on mornings when the weather is good. I went with him last weekend and celebrated the place: the natural beauty, the wide diversity of people enjoying the path and fishing….and the prospect of seeing the leaves turn over the next few months.

Robin. The robin that has become territorial about my deck may be misguided….but I appreciate the bird’s presence. She has become part of the place.