friday five spot.

1. I got a new BFF!

I watched the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead last week and am on the juicing band wagon. I know several other families are as well, like  this one and this one. I get why after a week of drinking this yummy stuff! This is my favorite blend:

beets+carrots+lemon+apple=:)

Truly though, it is much better then the V8 I tried to make yesterday. Maybe it was too much red onion, maybe too many tomatoes, all I know is it was seriously gross. I find this much more energizing then my green smoothies. Jer and I did a 30 day juice fast about 6 years ago. And I lost 24 pounds! But I was also a psycho *bleep* to be around so I am not going to do that again.

So what are we doing? This week I have been making Jer a 20 oz. bottles of juice for breakfast and lunch and I have been *mostly* doing the same. So we are meal replacing with amazing micronutrients! I am also *trying* to not eat or drink after 7pm. Sad right? But I will be much happier when I go to Jamaica this summer, just sayin’…I am not being hard core about it. I have cheated a few times (both were so worth it!), and that brings us to #2:

2. I saw these on Tuesday afternoon and on an impulse I stopped at the store on the way home from school for the ingredients. My kids thought I was magical.

So crappy picture aside, what is this?! It is an oreo topped with peanut butter, topped with an oreo topped with peanut butter baked inside a brownie. Um. Yeah. I also did a variation using cream cheese for the layers since I have one kiddo who dislikes peanuts. Basically a sugar coma- but oh so worth it.

3. Speaking of food, I have been really into making this apple cake. I have been making it once a week or so because it stores well and the kids love it. Also- so easy with the things I have on hand. Including the dozen canned apple quarts I don’t know what to do with. Fresh apples would work too. 

In a bowl mix:

3 cups flour

1 cup any sort of sugar

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 cup apple juice or in my case the syrup from my canned apples

Then spread half the batter on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Lay apple slice (however many you have) and sprinkle with brown sugaer, nutmeg, cinnamon, whatever you have around.

Then spread the 2nd half of the batter and bake for an hour on 350*

Smells good. Tastes good. Every piece is always eaten up. I tweaked a recipe I found on cooks.com and like this more. Less sugar, no oranges. Easy breakfast for us!

4.Also on the food wagon…Lincoln turned !5! yesterday (post and pics to come after his party tomorrow) but for breakfast I made some yummy,easy donuts.

Combine:

1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Drop by teaspoonfulls into a pan of hot oil and turn when one side is brown. When cooked through and golden throw them in powder sugar or cinnamon and sugar and dig in. this recipe makes like, 40. And the whole plate will be devoured. MAke this for breakfast tomorrow!

5. I promise ONE ‘spot’ un-food related:) I turned of my facebook account, again. I know. I did the same thing last year and I realize I am not the only person with a never ending inner struggle with, well, everything. It came down, for me, the fact that last year when I was without fb I completed a novel. I want to do that again. So it is time to take a step back from that social outlet. I am hoping to continue to use this little space, but if I am here less, know that I am working hard at finding the ever precarious tight rope of a dance called Balance.

Happy Weekend Friends!

Tags: apple cake, birthday, canning, cup oil, facebook, food, juicing, large family eating, reboot, sugar coma, Writing