We love you Baachan!

Eating her fries.

You are already missed...

Couponing goodness!

Don and I had a quick couponing date tonight.  Does it count as "quality time"? We don't get out as often as we'd like...but the following cost $2.19 at Albertsons!!  You know, I feel pretty blessed to know about couponing. Retail cost, including sale prices would be $33 , and about $45 at  regular prices (don't even talk about forgetting your Albertson's club card--ugh).   I saved 93% off the sale prices and the the coolest thing about this is a dear friends' family has been underemployed for a while now and even on my tight budget I can share with them. I am grateful.


11 packages of Tuna
2 packages of Mission Tortillas
2 Chocolate Almond Zone bars
2 Honey Bunches of Oats cereal
1 Ronzoni Veggie Pasta
2 Pringles
1 Reach Floss

Kale Salad

Kale Salad

1 bunch kale (dinosaur, red or green leaf—whatever your preference) stripped off the stems and chopped very fine.

1 bunch chard (rainbow is pretty), stripped off stems and chopped fine

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup finely chopped green cabbage

1 cup finely chopped red cabbage

½ cup chopped or shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, chopped into our favorite shape-I like small strips

3 finely minced green onions (certainly optional)

A handful of additional greens:  I like thin sliced pak choi, thinly sliced fennel, chinese cabbage, arugula, cilantro, or watercress.  The arugula, cilantro and watercress are all strong flavors so I would pick just one  of these “additional greens”  to add.

This is my basic “mix” that I double and keep in a Ziploc for salad all week.  What is wonderful about this is because it is just dark greens, I can also add a handful to soups or stir-fry  it with garlic and olive oil for a side dish. 

When serving as a salad, I may add fresh tomatoes, kalamata olives, or mushrooms if I have them.

Basic Dressing

2 tablespoons lemon juice (approx.)

½ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic finely minced

1 tablespoon shoyu or to taste (I use more)

Dash salt

Blend well!  Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan or nutritional yeast .

I also have an Asian (sesame oil) style dressing I’ll use sometimes too...

Oh so Frenchy, French Chocolate Granola (aka High-antioxidants-are-good-for-your-health-granola)

This is an absolutely delicious, not too sweet (really) chocolately goodness breakfast indulgence! The picture does not do it justice.

3 cups rolled oats

½ cup raw almonds, chopped

½ cup shredded coconut

1Tbsp brown sugar

Pinch of salt

6 Tbsp mild honey or 5 Tbsp agave

Sometimes I add a teeny bit of vanilla extract (1/2 tsp)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup or more, finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (I buy bulk chips at Costco and prefer the  “Ambrosia” brand for its darker, less sweet flavor)  DO NOT ADD to dry ingredients.  This is added to the baked and cooled mixture.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, sugar and salt.  Stir well to blend.

In a small saucepan, warm the honey and oil over low heat, whisking occasionally – until blended and loose. 

Pour over dry ingredients and stir to combine well.

Spread the mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  (I bake and stir every 10minutes which helps it to bake evenly)  Cool completely. 

When cool, transfer to a bowl, or ziplocs or storage jar and add chocolate, and mix well.

Store in an airtight container.  Serve with plain milk or yogurt of choice. 

Note:  This makes about  4+ cups, which goes alarmingly fast in my house, so I always quadruple the recipe, put some in the frig and freeze the remainder in ziplocs.