Trader Joe vs. Mr. T

Sorry I've been off of here a while, I was on a trip out of state with no wi-fi!  I know, I thought my life was over, turns out it was just postponed.  Anyway, I have lots to say about the food I had on that trip, but my camera hates me and I am still trying to retrieve some of the photos I took of my dining experiences.  So, to tide you all over until then, I've decided to talk about this awesome cereal that I found at Trader Joe's!

Isn't it beautiful?  I bought it on a whim while visiting Kansas City, just as something to fill my belly in the mornings while I was there.  Turns out, it is now my favorite cereal EVER!  (Well, except for maybe Mr. T cereal that I was scarfing down in 1984, and would probably still be if Quaker still made it.)  No high fructose corn syrup, 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, crunchy pomegranate-granola clusters, dried blueberries, and flakes that stay relatively crispy in milk!   And only about 4 bucks a box!

I ran out very quickly back in April and I've been super hungry for it ever since.  Luckily for me, my friend Cindy brought me a box for my birthday.  Wasn't that thoughtful?  So, if you're anywhere near a Trader Joe's (which I'm really not, but if you have a friend willing to snag you some the next time they visit, bonus!) and you consider yourself a breakfast person, you should try a box...sooo good!  Check out the link at Trader Joe's for more info.

Remember, a new post about restaurants from my home town is on it's way (as soon as I can get the stupid camera to work).  Oh, and remind me to buy a new camera.

Bagels & Brunch

Today's post is going to be about breakfast.  Now, I've never been much of a breakfast eater, unless it was in the afternoon or evening.  Meaning - biscuits & gravy with fried eggs and bacon feels a whole lot different on my belly at 5pm, than it does at 8am.  However, I have been trying to work out different types of breakfasts for the AM, especially in the hot months of summer in the south (heavy food is a bad way to start a day in the heat - I found this out the hard way).

This past weekend I made a light and simple breakfast, based on a brunch that a friend of mine prepared once upon a time for me.  The main filler is bagel (I do love my breads).  I usually get my begals at places that make them fresh daily, like Old School Bagel Cafe or Panera Bread.  I honestly think that Old School Bagel Cafe has the best selection and the best quality in the area I'm in, however, the ones I got this time were from Panera because it was closer to where I was at the time.  Either place is good though.

Ok, so I got blueberry, cinnamon-raisin swirl, and sesame seed.  They will generally ask you at the shop if you would like them sliced, I always say yes, but not toasted.  If I'm making this breakfast for more than just myself, I also like to cut the bagels in half vertically when I get them home, that way everyone can have different flavors without filling up too much one the same thing- it adds an option for variety.

I then take a block of cream cheese, softened, and add 1 Tbls. of sugar and 1 Tbls. of vanilla extract (remember: not the imitation crap).  Beat it all together on med-high until the ingredients are mixed and the mixture is a light whipped texture - about 20 seconds or so.  I use this to spread on the bagels, it's simple and yet jazzes up the plain cream cheese a little.  Now you can get creative here, depending on what you like and what flavors of bagels you have.  For instance, you can add cinnamon, honey, nuts, fruit, etc.

Then I usually get either whatever fruit is in season, or if I just feel like something not in season, I'll get that.  This time I got some pineapple and organic blueberries and mixed them together.  I usually like to cut up a garden veggie like cucumber with this breakfast, but I didn't have any available at the time.  And then, just to add another element of zing, I usually slice up some Vermont sharp white cheddar on the side!  This goes better with the cucumber as a combo flavor, but even that didn't matter today because I just used what I had on hand, which was Colby...good enough!  Sometimes adding some scrabbled eggs is a tasty bonus for me as well.  As I said, it depends of my mood that day.

RECAP:

• Bagels, sliced both horizontally and vertically - variety is the key
• Cream cheese + sugar + vanilla = awesome
• Fruit bowl
• Sliced cucumber (not pictured) and cheese
• Scramble up some eggs for a bit of protein (optional) 

As far as drinks go, I always brew a pot of coffee, and I like to mix lemonade and orange juice together (you can also mix O.J., pomegranate juice, and champagne together too, if you wanna get fancy).

So that's it kids, a nice and filling breakfast without the crappy feeling of morning in your belly!  Be creative and enjoy.

Crispy Bits of Awesome!

Okay peeps, today I'm going to talk about salads.  And by salads, I mean toppings.  And by toppings, I mean one kind in particular... Crispy Red Peppers by Fresh Gourmet.

Before I discovered these crunchy little pieces of heaven, I didn't really care for salad...any salad.  Sure I like lettuce, even different kinds of lettuce.  I enjoy fresh cucumbers, spinach, carrots, broccoli, hard-boiled eggs, red and green bell peppers, even alfalfa sprouts!  But I have never ever liked dressing...ever.  And it's not that I haven't found one that I like yet (which I hear all the time), I just don't think the textures mix, not for me anyway.  I don't want soggy veggies on my crisp salad.  Now, my not liking dressing also has a lot to do with the dressing bases like vinegar and/or mayonnaise.  If you've been keeping up with my posts, you'll know that I don't like either of those things.  I know, I'm a weirdy.  Does it stop me from making them for other people?  Nope.  I know what certain foods/dips.etc. should taste like.  Just because I don't care for it, doesn't mean everyone else has to suffer. Plus, I get honest feedback from tasters who do like dips and dressings and other vinegar/mayo-based things, good or bad, believe me it's honest!

Okay, so I ate salads semi-regularly that I had made, trying all different combinations, and they were good, but I just wished that salad could have a certain something that made me crave it.  I found these Crispy Red Peppers in a local Homeland Grocery store and I thought I'd give them a go.  Man, I was sooo hooked!  These things are great!  I thought maybe they would have too much breading on them and that would distract from the sweet red pepper flavor, but no, they are very lightly breaded and very lightly salted.  The package says that it adds "a burst of flavor & crunch to Salads, Casseroles, Burgers & More!"   It totally does.

I haven't used them on Casseroles or Burgers, but I have used them on More.  I've dumped, sprinkled them over turkey sandwiches, pizza, and even dipped them in chocolate!  That last one is a lie, but I've thought about it.  The point is, there's no limit to what you can garnish with them.  I used the last of this bag to add a bit of kick to an eggplant, spinach, wrap that I had for lunch.  Mmmmm, tasty!  See, the bag is empty...all gone :(

Bottom line, whether you like salads or don't, try these out on (or in) some boring ol' dishes for something new.  (That is, if you're feeling adventurous!)  If you don't like 'em, you can give them to me.  I'll gladly take them off your hands!

...because I'm out.  See the above picture?

Seriously though, if you don't like these, maybe you would enjoy something else from Fresh Gourmet's line of Crunchy Toppings.  There's Garlic Pepper Crispy Onions, Lightly Salted Crispy Jalapenos, Lightly Salted Tortilla Strips, Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips, Tri-Color Tortilla Strips, Wonton Strips, Wasabi Ranch Wonton Strips, and Garlic Ginger Wonton Strips. 

You can even use the Store Locator on Fresh Gourmet's website, to find out which stores around you carry the flavor that you want.  (And no, Fresh Gourmet is not paying me to advocate for them, however, I may send them an invoice anyway).  So, check them out and have fun spicing up old recipes, or creating new ones to share (or keep to yourself, if you make something too good to part with)!