fried dough, YUM!

Can't wait for the fairs or festivals to roll into town?
Can't afford the extra fat or calories around the waist line?
Here is a recipe for a lighter healthier version of a yummy guilty pleasure.

The first item is Naan, a wonderful oven baked (not deep fried) indian bread.
It can be found at specialty stores, or in the grocery in the frozen health food area.

Pop in in he toaster for a couple minutes, and them add a bit of butter.
I know butter is full of fat, but all natural butter is dairy...
and we all need our daily dairy intake!

top with cinnamon....

and then the best part...

powdered sugar.

just like the fairs and festival, but minus loads of fat, and calories!

some smoothie action....

My 25th class reunion is fast approaching.
I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I have mixed feelings about attending.
Facebook has been great tool in finding long lost friends, and high school chums.
I almost feel that Facebook is enough.
I chat with the ones I have things in common,
or mutual interests with.  I see the ones I want to see.
Do we all really need to meet and size up one another?

Hem! size up one another.....there is a lot more of me than there was in high school!
I have been telling myself....
OK, Julie time to lose some weight....lets get in shape...lets look good for the old classmates.
Well, months have gone by and I haven't lost a single pound, but I also haven't been trying.
Is it that I don't care?  Maybe not.  As I get older I care less about what others think.
I need to find reasons that affect me, and motivate me.

I love clothes and fashion. I hate not being able to shop for the cool BoHo clothes that I love.
That should be a motivation.
I am not a big fan of exercise, it bores me.
So....I am thinking lets start with healthy eating...
I bought one of these Oyster hand held blenders...
$21.99 at Target .

So far, it works great. It so much easier to clean than a  traditional blender.
It's easy to control, and it makes a great lump-less smoothie.

I use Spirulteen vanilla soy protein powder, organic soy milk,
Chobani greek yogurt, Wyman's of Maine blueberries, and nanas.
I am tracking my caloric intake here at Everyday health . com.
I am going to try 1300 calories a day. 

Am I happy about this...not overly.
I will be happy when I can shop here for fabulous dresses!
Anthropologie
like this one....

 

or this one

This is my motivation!

a good book

Ah March! It tests my soul!
I find it the hardest month to stay active, creative, and happy!
My creative juices have hit a lull....
Truly the only cure for the March Madness is to escape into a good book!

I just finished Zorro, by Isabel Allende.

I love Allende's writing.
I would describe it as historical, romantic, and full of action/adventure,
but most important engrossing.

The first Allende book I read was Daughters of Fortune.

I remember exactly when I read it. It was the end of May, nine years ago.
I was 9 months pregnant waiting so patiently(or not) for my son to arrive.
I laid in a hammock, with the sun on my face totally engrossed in the book.
It helped the long days of waiting pass quicker.

Years later (with a small child, reading is a stolen luxury) I read this book...
Portrait in Sepia

Again, it was wonderful!

I am hoping that my March Madness is close to an end.
However, just in case it is not, I am off to my local bookseller to get this...

The House Of The Spirit

No doubt, it will be wonderful!

will a flower a day keep the blues away?

I will be having my first give away ever!!!!
see below for details....

I said in my last post that I would have a corner of my house post.
Well, I didn't get the corner finished yet, but here is a sneak peak...

It's a corner in my bedroom that is awkward, and  often is unused.
It has been a bunch of different thing, but none of them ever really successful.
The space is full of doors. There are two sets of closet doors, and a half door that enters into the eaves. It's not the easiest of spaces to design.  I am going to make a sewing/art area. This is all I have for now, I hope to be finished in the next few days.

I have a few more Trader Joe's updates....
I have had this Pad Thai 3 times, and I still love it.

The Taco Dip was good...Bob gave it a C.  (I would not buy again).
I served it with Trader Joe's sour cream which is very creamy.
Trader Joe's Fresh salsa, (I would buy again)
which was good, (not as good as Sister's Salsa from Maine),
but it is around $2.00 cheaper than most fresh salsas.
Trader Joe's Organic Round Corn Chips were very good(I would buy again).

These lava cakes were good. (I probably would not buy them again).
They need fresh cream and berries.
The cake was very chocolaty,  and dense.

The Mac n Cheese was yummy. Bob gave it a B.
(I would buy this again).

And now for my first giveaway!!!! Horray!

The other day I wore one of these flowers in my hair...and I swear it, I do....
that more people smiled at me than on a normal day (and not in a creepy way). 

So, I want to spread flower power to everyone....
well not everyone,
just readers and followers of my blog.
Would you like a free silk flower hair clip?

Would you like (non-creepy) people to smile at you more!!!
Do you need a little flower power?
It's so easy....just leave a comment below!!!!!

I will choose random entries, using a handy dandy number generator.
Go on leave a message...become a follower/reader. I will draw winners on Friday!

taking one for the team...

but I will get to that in a bit!

I wore my very bold Christmas necklace today.
I was just waiting for that perfect outfit that screamed out...wear me, wear me now!
I must tell you I was a little worried that I would have a sore neck by the end of the day, but low and behold, a perfectly un-sore neck.
My friend Charlotte, ( the woman who is suppose to be a guest blogger (rock collection) Hem!!!),
told me to put more photos of people in my blog.
I couldn't disagree more, but being the the kind of blogger who doesn't disappoint....here ya go!

It took like 10 shots to get one that look ok enough to post...
here I am....but please, just focus on the outfit...

Necklace by Anthropologie from Kirsten
Turtleneck by August Silk ($5.00 on clearance - Marshalls)
Sweater by INC (on clearance $11.00 - Macys)
Skirt by j brown apparel design (hee hee) - fabric Bamboo/Modal blend
Boots - Timberland ($24.99 - Mardens)
Leggings- I don't remember
Wool socks - my husbands sock draw.

yikes...what a view.

So, I went to Trader Joe's today to continue my...
Try everything in Trader Joe's quest.
Maine is lucky we have a big Trader Joe's...

A great entrance...the smell is so amazing.
They are currently selling orchids for $7.99....they were selling like crazy!
They get a shipment everyday...a nice Valentines gift for a friend???

These were so gorgeous!

The reason why so many go to Trader Joe's!!!!!

I  Love the packaging....so sweet!

so back to taking one for the team.....
I had such high hopes for this Bento Box

However, I must report that I would give it  zero stars...BLEK!
It was close to inedible. The tofu was ok...pretty tasteless.
The rice in the middle was ok.... the other rice was dry and grainy.
The string beans were like sticks...etc..etc... don't waste your $5.99.
My dog wouldn't eat it, and he eats everything!!!!!!!

I have a corner of my house post coming tomorrow!

I'm looking for something in pink....

My step daughter told me a few months go that "I love pink".
This is what I hear..."must find pink things for Kirsten".
It's a quest. We all need quests!
People who now me, know that I have an innate ability to find things that people need.
Friends come to my house and say things like...."I love vintage potato mashers",
so I go into my magic cupboard and pull out, a few mashers for them to choose from.

I must say, I feel a bit defeated on my quest for pink.
I think Kirsten must have told everyone she knows to like pink as well.
Pink pyrex is almost impossible to find...even though I know I have seen it in the past.
You can get a set on ebay for around $100.00.  I say blek to that. It's not that Kirsten isn't worth a hundred dollar set of bowls....it's just that I know I will find them....I just know I will!
I have found these items so far, along with some lovely vintage linens...

I do have a pink planter, and butter dish that I haven't photographed yet.
Got any pink? let me know! help my quest!

I have been in a nesting mode of sorts.
I have been focusing on my large bathroom....freshening it up, making it pretty.
Storage is always an issue, so here is a solution I thought I would share.
It's just a shoe organizer(home goods $6.99) that I nailed to the wall behind the door.
It holds hand towels, face cloths, q-tips, etc.

new in the shop....water color kits.
All recycled materials (except the paint brush - new)
Cigar boxes, 50 cents each from Daddy's Cigar Shop.
vintage film canister, for carrying water.
water color paper - yard sale - cut to box size.
water colors - yard sales (yard sales are a great place to buy art supplies,
people have high expectations on their artistic abilities,
then are crushed when they realize that it takes work, and practice)

this one is a  wooden box that I decoupaged.

One more thing....a yummy, super easy salad.
I had this in Littleton.  Step one....go to salad bar for raw broccoli,  califlower,  carrots. and red onion.
Most salad bars have craisins, and sunflower seed as well, so get some of those. I had craisins at home, so I didn't buy them at the salad bar.

chop all the veggies...

add seeds and dried cranberries(craisins)

add salt, pepper, mayo, and a little balsamic vinegar.
so easy, so yummy, so good for you!

a little news

here's a bit of what's up.  It's not much,  I am still in New Hampshire mode.

I've seen 2 more of the Oscar films.
Inception was good. The cast was great!
I must admit I was sometimes confused at which dream level was happening when.
I do recommend seeing it!

I loved The kids are all right.  It was an easy, enjoyable film.
A must see.
Mark Ruffalo is yummy!

I want to be here! I want to own this!

I may make one of these birch tables....for a friend.














I love trees...especially birch trees. I LOVE these panels!

love these, from here

this tray is nice!

a little trader Joe's update....this was just ok.
the package said it serves 2, so I gave my husband half,
and then myself half. He ate it, I asked him what he thought...
He said, "it's a nice appetizer",  "What's for dinner?"
It was good comfort food.
Not overly tasty. Just food.