Where Are We Wednesday

I remember driving down the freeway and seeing the land being cleared. Something big was coming to Scottsdale. Some huge building was being erected in the desert. I had no idea what would be put out there. There were some office buildings no too far away. On the other side of the highway there were apartments and shopping centers. So what was the plan for this big patch of desert? Imagine my surprise when they lifted a big butterfly onto the building.

I thought, "Seriously? A building that big devoted to nothing but winged creatures of terror?" Ok, they're not that bad. But they are closely related to moths. And moths are the things nightmares are made of. I've been in small butterfly enclosures before. Beautiful Monarchs at the Desert Botanical Garden flitted about and gracefully landed all around us. They respected my personal space. So I thought, how bad could this be?

It's a weekday. I'm thinking we'll have the place to ourselves. Then the school buses started rolling in. The kids weren't that bad. I hardly even noticed them. And the ones I did notice were kind of comical. Like the little boy trailing behind his class rolling his eyes and the other little boy with a look that could only be that of pure boredom. The girls seemed delighted. Are butterflies girlie? I would think the boys would have loved them. They're bugs. That fly. 

The place is really big. When you first walk in there's the gift shop. A little further in, they'll take your money and take your picture. It's $19.95 for adults, which isn't that bad. You get to stay all day. They show a 15 minute 3D movie about the migration of the Monarch butterflies that is really interesting. Then off you go to the nursery where you can witness several different types of butterflies from all over the world emerging from their chrysalis. They have to hang around and dry out before they are placed in the atrium to interact with the other butterflies and human visitors.

As you walk out the employees remind you to try not to step on the butterflies that land on the ground and try not to let them land on you as the oils from your skin can be harmful. If they do land on you, gently shake them off. Sounded easy enough. But there were a lot of people in there, and quite a few butterflies on the ground. I watched as one woman was looking around her and stepped right on a beautiful green butterfly, ripping one of his wings. Poor guy never stood a chance. There were actually several who landed and never got back up. It's hard to navigate your way through with all the people looking up and not paying attention to the ground. 

They have butterflies of all colors and sizes. They come right at you! Like that 3D movie we saw when we first came in. It can be a little unsettling. Especially for someone like me who is afraid of flying bugs. These butterflies had absolutely no sense of personal space.

There were little ones and medium sized ones and some as big as my hand. They were everywhere! The biggest ones were very beautiful. They were the prettiest blue. I tried to get a picture of them, but they flew pretty fast. When they did finally land, they would put their wings up together, and there went the blue.

The atrium is really very pretty. It resembles a rainforest and has misters that go off every now and again. So it was a little humid. I can't imagine that place in the summer. They also have a small waterfall and a nice bench nearby to rest on.

When you're ready to leave the atrium, there is an employee who will help you look for any hitch hikers. Then you enter the cafe. The cafe has a nice selection of sandwiches, chips and soft pretzels along with several variety of beverages. It's a little pricey, with the sandwiches going for almost $7. But that's to be expected I think.

After our lunch we wandered into another room which highlights other critters of the desert, like the tarantula, scorpion, vinegaroon and various beetles. There was also a bee hive display and some frogs. The volunteer in that room was Dan White. He was retired and his wife wanted him out of the house. He was very nice and had a lot of information of the creepy crawlies he oversaw. He even pointed out the baby walking sticks that had recently been born. I had to admit, they were pretty cute.

The final room was the fish room. Three walls of aquariums displaying different types of giant fish. There was even a stingray pool. I love rays. They're so soft. And if you stick your fingers in the pool they'll come right up to you. But please wash your hands first. One of the aquariums had these huge orange fish that were just about the happiest fish I had ever seen. Don't you just love their little fish lips?

All in all it was a good day. My friend and I were able to catch up on each other's lives and get out in the beautiful Arizona sun. I definitely recommend Butterfly Wonderland. We spent about 2 hours there. Right across the parking lot they're building Odysea Aquarium. And during construction, they're offering lifetime memberships (family memberships are $1,395.00). When it's complete you will be able to don a wet suit and helmet and walk along the "ocean" floor. There will be touch pools and penguins. And shark tanks in the bathrooms. All in the middle of the desert.

Go ahead and put this on your "to do" list. It's fun for all ages.

Pinterest...Fab? or Fail...

I don't remember the first time I saw Pinterest. I want to say it was about 5 years ago. I don't even remember how I came to know of it. Just that somehow, this fantastical website arose when I was going through a rough spot in my life. And it shed some light through my little rain cloud and showed me all the possibilities of a life I could lead if I were the least bit talented. I started pinning right away. Recipes, crafts, pictures of tall ships. I could make a board for everything. Like dream boards. Only, instead of one corkboard you might hang on your wall and pin your dreams to, I have 84 virtual dream boards. And every so often, I look them over and decide to actually act on one of my "pins". Recipes are the easiest. I pin yummy looking recipes and try them out on my unsuspecting family. If it's good, I keep the pin. If it doesn't work out it is easily deleted. 

Crafts are fun. There are so many DIYers out there. Some are truly talented and have such vision. (Who knew there were so many uses for those little beads in the Silica Gel packets?) I, myself, would never have thought to make a chandelier out of Mason jars. I tend to stick to the easier, do it in 5 minutes type of crafts. Like my $3 lazy susan I posted back on January 1, 2015.

Lately, my little family and I were getting way too lazy about our dinners. I was not planning out my shopping trips and it was so easy to just eat out since there was no real plan for dinner. Enter Pinterest. I was looking over my Crafts board and saw something I had pinned quite a while ago. It was a dry erase calendar of sorts. I thought it was so cute when I pinned it from http://ladies-trends.com/. 

This is so super easy. I hustled over to Walmart and bought the frame. It wasn't very expensive. It was less than $10. We have so many calendars around the house that I didn't really want to use it for that. I wanted a menu board. Something that would answer that age old question, "What's for dinner?" On Sunday I sit down and figure out a menu for the week and make my shopping list. Then I use my white board markers to write out a meal for each day. It hangs in the kitchen and helps to remind me to take meat out of the freezer if need be. And as much as I love the colorfulness of the Pinterest version, I stayed pretty neutral, using only leftover craft paper I had on hand, making this a very cheap menu board. We use it every week and it really has come in handy.

So, for me, this is fab. I really do enjoy using this. It has helped us to stay on track for eating better. And if we need to rearrange a couple of nights, that's easy to do too.

Do any of you use a menu board? How do you plan your meals?

 

Meatless Monday

I am raising meat lovers. I didn't do it intentionally. I was raised a meat lover, so I guess it just came naturally. I have nothing against veggies. I love veggies. Well, most of them. And I've heard all the arguments about meat being bad for you. Especially red meat. I'm not sure I really buy into that. I think there is something to it as far as processed meats. They pack so much sodium and nitrates into those. And I don't like the idea of meat having antibiotics or chemicals in it to make it safe for me. But I like to think that lean and organic meats are ok to eat. That being said, I still think it's fun to make a meatless meal for dinner. 

One of the reasons I enjoy Meatless Monday is it gets my family to eat more veggies. And sometimes we try vegetables that we've never had before. Maybe in the future we'll have more than one meatless meal a week. I don't ever think I'll convert my family into vegetarians. But I like knowing that they are open to trying new things. 

Now y'all know I'm all about the super easy peasy recipes. I don't want to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen. And like a lot of you, I'm not a huge fan of measuring stuff. But I found a wonderful and super easy recipe that I think you'll enjoy. It was even better as leftovers.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/06/13/one-pot-zucchini-mushroom-pasta/

One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

 

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Yield 6 servings

An incredibly creamy, hearty pasta dish that you can make in just 20 minutes. Even the pasta gets cooked right in the pot!

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
• 2/3 cup peas
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, thyme and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and heavy cream.
• Serve immediately.

 Super fast. Super easy. Super yummy.

Eggplant

I love eggplant. I think it is so pretty. Deep, rich, purple color. So pretty to look at. So good for you. And right now, it's eggplant season! You can readily find it in your store or Farmer's Market at really good prices. 

Besides that beautiful purple color, eggplant can be found in a rainbow of other colors, including lavender, green, white and orange. When choosing an eggplant, you want one that is firm and heavy for its size. The skin should be shiny and smooth. And whatever color you decide on, it should be bright. Make sure it's free from scars, discoloration and bruising.

Eggplant is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B1, and copper as well as manganese, vitamin B6, niacin, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. It also contains phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid. It is said to decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity while promoting a healthy complexion and hair.

This jewel colored vegetable contains significant amounts of chlorogenic acid, which is one of the most powerful free radical scavengers found. Chlorogenic acid has been shown to decrease LDL levels, and also serves as an antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticarcinogenic agent. Polyphenols in eggplant have been found to exhibit anti-cancer effects.

My mother used to make a fabulous Ratatouille. Even as a picky eater, I loved her recipe. Luckily, I inherited her recipe book after she passed away. You can find it below along with some other recipes that I think you'll enjoy.  

Ratatouille

1/3  cup melted butter

1  clove garlic, crushed

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each basil and thyme

1/4 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp pepper

1 large zucchini cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 large eggplant peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

4 medium tomatoes sliced

1 large green pepper sliced

1 large onion sliced

 

You may add other vegetables of your choice. I usually add yellow squash as well.

 

Pour melted butter into 3 quart casserole and add garlic.

 

Combine all seasonings. Alternate layers of vegetables, sprinkling each layer with seasoning mixture.

 

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle bread crumbs and shredded cheddar cheese. Continue baking until vegetables are almost tender.

 

Makes 8-10 servings

 

 

Eggplant Pizza

(This is a Julia Child recipe)

 

 

 

 

I am all about pizza. I found this on Pinterest. Here is the link to take you to the website...   http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/08/recipe-for-julia-childs-eggplant-pizzas.html

 

 

Eggplant Parmesan

 

 

This is so yummy. I love me some parmesan. Again, this is a Pinterest find, so here is the link... http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/eggplant-parmesan/

 

I hope you give these a try. Let me know if you do. :)

 

National Ants on a Log Day

So who's celebrating this national holiday? Personally, I think everybody should. But not just for the day. Ants on a log are good every day and should be celebrated as often as possible. People ask me all the time, "How can I get my kids to eat more fruits and vegetables?" or "I try to eat healthy, but I don't know what to eat. And I don't like to measure stuff out.". Well...here ya go...



 

Ants on a Log is the perfect snack for kids or adults. It gives us a veggie, fruit and protein, wards off hunger pains and really packs a punch with vitamins and minerals. When shopping for food, always try to buy organic. Make sure you wash your celery. Sure, it's organic, but who knows who has been touching it. So just to be safe, wash your fruits and veggies. I trim my celery at the top near the leaves and at the bottom just before the stalk gets white. Then I cut them in half. Makes it easier to put into a lunchbox.

Celery on its own doesn't have much of a taste. But it's very versatile. You can eat it alone, or chop it up to be added to stir fry or salads. It is full of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. And unlike some vegetables, it will retain its vitamins even when steamed. It's a good source of vitamin K with smaller amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, and some B vitamins. And it's a good source of potassium and fiber.

I don't normally measure out the peanut butter. But I used about a tablespoon of peanut butter for all 4 pieces. Peanut butter is high in calories, so be careful not to overdo it. However, peanut butter is a great source of potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, zinc, manganese and selenium. It also has good levels of vitamin K, niacin, vitamin B3, vitamin E, thiamin and riboflavin. 

 

The final step is to add the "ants". I like having the little snack size boxes of raisins on hand because raisins help satisfy my sweet tooth. I put a few on the celery and then put the box in my purse. That way I have a snack that is easily accessible while I'm running errands during the day.

The health benefits of raisins are amazing. They are known to help with constipation, acidosis, anemia, fever, and sexual dysfunction. These little gems have high levels of catechins. What? Catechins. Those are polyphenolic antioxidants in the blood. You know what antioxidants are right? Antioxidants scavenge on free radicals that float around the body and wreak havoc on the organ systems and cells.  Free radicals are bad. They are one of the primary, underlying factors that lead to the spontaneous growth of cancer cells. So while this all sounds promising, raisins are also a high calorie food. Again, don't overdo it. Everything in moderation. 

So Happy National Ants on a Log Day! Celebrate with your family and friends and put this power packed snack into rotation of your healthy eating habits.

No More Sody Pop

My oldest son has been after me for some time to have everyone in our family cut out soda. Compared to a lot families, I would have said we didn't drink that much. I mean, I know families that drink multiple cans of soda per day. And we usually only drink one, maybe two a day.  But then I started looking into it. And when I say we only drank one or two, I don't mean cans. No, I'm talking large sodas from fast food restaurants.

Twenty years ago, about the time I really started to drink soda, a serving was 6.5 ounces. Soda can hold 12 ounces. And now a serving is considered 20 ounces. We always get large drinks. And even with ice in the cup, the McDonald's large cup is still a 32oz cup. Wendy's and Burger King is 40oz! So my little family is consuming way too much sugar, chemicals and high fructose corn syrup.

 

Most of you know by now that drinking non-diet soda can lead to diabetes. It can also lead to an increase in cholesterol. So sure, that sugar water can cause you to gain weight. But hey, I drink diet sodas, so I'm ok.

Not so fast. Drinking diet soda can still cause your mid section to expand. Up to 500%. After being tested on mice, researchers at the University of Texas concluded it was due to aspertame. Yep. The ingredient that is supposed to keep you from gaining weight by replacing that naughty sugar.  It raised blood glucose levels and that caused weight gain. If your liver encounters too much glucose, it converts the excess to body fat.

Then there's the whole cancer thing. Apparently, making soda brown is purely cosmetic. The coloring contains 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole. Contaminents known to cause cancer in animals. Just 16 micrograms pose a cancer threat. And most brown sodas, both regular and diet, have 200 micrograms in a 20oz bottle.

So, yeah. We're going to try and go cold turkey. No soda. Only water, unsweetened tea or coffee and milk are our choices.

I'm going to miss the bubbles.

Celebrate with birthday freebies

Hopefully you haven't had your birthday yet this year. If so, you're going to have to wait a whole year to enjoy these birthday deals. But you'll have something to look forward to. Most restaurants have specials to help you celebrate your special day. In fact, play your cards right and you can eat all day...for free!

You could start your day off at Denny's for a free Grand Slam breakfast. Eggs, pancakes, sausage and bacon. All yours for free. But be sure to bring ID to prove your date of birth. Also, did you know that on Tuesdays kids eat free from 4pm to 10pm? If your birthday falls on a Tuesday you could feed the whole family on the cheap.

Maybe you didn't get enough coffee at your free breakfast. Stop by Dunkin' Donuts on your birthday and get a free beverage. For this one, you will have to sign up for their rewards program. But then you can drive through for a hot coffee, hot chocolate, iced coffee, iced latte, or my favorite, iced tea.

Come lunch time, head on over to Firehouse Subs. Never been there? Be prepared to be greeted with a loud and resounding  "Welcome to Firehouse!" given quite loudly by the employees as you walk in the door. You can get a free medium sub sandwich.

 

 It's your birthday. I hate to say it, but you're getting older. You don't have to look it though. Head over to Sephora for your free gift. Last year I got lipstick and mascara. Then stop by Ulta for another free gift of beauty. These gifts change monthly so you may not know what it is until you get there.

 Got your appetite back yet? Time for dinner.

At Black Bear Diner you can get a free meal on your birthday. And if you sign up for their coupons, you always get a free bear claw and coffee.

Having birthdays can sometimes be hard on us. But getting free stuff can soften the blow of getting older. Do your research. There are so many places that give free or discounted goodies on your birthday. Check out these websites for more birthday freebies:

 http://www.mrfreestuff.com/birthday-freebies/

http://www.freebie-depot.com/birthday-freebie-list/

And whenever your birthday is, I hope you have the best one ever!