Holiday Guacamole

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, how was it? Did you have lots of food? I bet you have lots of leftovers. Make use of leftover cranberries (or cranberry sauce) with this Mexican-inspired dip. It's perfect for a light lunch. I'll post a sweet cranberry recipe soon.

HOLIDAY GUACAMOLE
Cranberries and lime juice give this chunky dip a kick. Serves 2.

• 1 avocado
• 3 heaping tablespoons fresh cranberries, chopped
• 3 heaping tablepoons raw jicama, chopped
• 3 heaping tablespoons baby carrots, finely chopped
• 1T lime juice
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. chile powder
• salt & pepper, to taste

Using a large spoon or fork, mash together the avocado, seasonings & lime juice. Stir in the jicama & carrots, adding the cranberries last. If it is too tart for your palette, reduce the cranberries or add more jicama.

A Mitzi Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving, we always spend the day as a family. Our cat, Mitzi, whom most you are already familiar with, is definitely a part of the family. She makes us laugh so hard we almost cry; this cat is crazy, random, silly, unusual & absolutely hilarious. I hope she brings half as much joy to you as she brings to me!

Gratefulness

I have realized that when you are thinking gratefully, it is difficult to be negative. I am thankful for so many things...my family & friends, my home, my healthy body, the blogosphere, my food-blogger friends. So let's toast to being grateful and enjoy this lovely Thanksgiving day!

Speaking of gratefullness, Fleur & Virginia both passed on this award to me...Thank you both so very much!!

Clif Bar & Company, for a Variety of Tastes

A big thank-you to Emily from Clif Bar & Co. for these fabulous samples! I
enjoyed every one of them. I really loved the variety of bar types...no one is
alike! These delicious samples (as well as Jenn's reviews)
convinced me that I need to get my hands on some of their seasonal flavors.


Blueberry Z-Bar: Great texture and a nice, authentic blueberry taste. Very appealing as a snack or lunchbox treat.

CLIF Cool Mint Chocolate: It's like an energy candy bar. This bar really perfects the mint-chocolate flavor combo.

MOJO Dipped Fruit & Nut: Wow! This was my 1st MOJO bar, and I loved it!

LUNA Chocolate Raspberry: Mmmm Luna Bars just make me feel good inside. This flavor is not too sweet and would be good any time of day.

CLIF Nectar Lemon Vanilla: This bar has a subtle, lemony flavor that I enjoyed a lot. The texture is great, too.

Lucky No. 7

Seven is my lucky number. Not because of the saying "lucky seven" - it's my softball number. So here are seven of my recent lunches. Some of them are alkalizing and some are just regular lunches from before I started that diet.

Also, I was recently tagged by Fleur & Paulina. Thanks, ladies. So, going with the theme of the day, here are my random seven facts...

1. I am obsessed with lotion. My skin is extremely dry, so I am always looking for a miracle lotion. If you guys have any tips or tricks, please let me know.

2. I am really, really good at keeping secrets.

3. I love warm showers, heating pads, blankets...anything that will keep me warm!

4. I think about food a LOT. Like, way too much. WAY too much :P

5. I am mastering the art of positive thinking.

6. I have never had a "best friend." I have some GREAT friends and a ton of good friends, but I've never had a bestie.

7. I like bright colors, sunny days and trying new things. I think life is quite boring without these things.

Alkalize the Sweet Way

Raw, gluten-free, alkalizing, vegan. Sounds like a winner to me.

ALMOND-DATE TRUFFLES

• ½ cup raw almonds, sprouted and dried
• 4 dried Medjool dates, pits removed
• carob powder or sesame seeds for rolling

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Roll into balls and store in the refrigerator. Let them firm up a big before rolling in the topping of your choice.

How Much is that Kitty in the Window?

These were taken a while back, before the leaves changed...

I Remember

Hello! It has been a while, hasn't it? I promise, I have not forgotten you. I have been fairly busy with school and my job. I do have some news, however. I am on a gluten-free vegan alkalizing "diet" for the next 30 days. Not a diet in the "lose weight" sense of the word, but in the attain better health sense. My acid/alkaline balance is WAY acid. This is most likely due to extremely acidic water, but I am alkalizing my body just to be safe.

This means that I am eating very few carbohydrates. Almost all of my protein comes from almonds as they are the only alkaline-producing nuts that are available to me. Foods you won't think of as acid-forming - bananas, Brazil nuts, plums - are things that I will be staying away from for a while. I'll post some of my lunches very soon. I promise. In the mean time, enjoy autumn before winter sneaks up on us.