3.29.2009

Say hello to my little friend

I'd like to introduce everyone to my new best friend, kale. I never thought I'd like kale. In fact, I was pretty sure I'd hate it. It just looks like it'd be bitter and nasty. But you know what? Kale is AWESOME!



Kale can be made into scrumptious chips, as demonstrated above. The taste is similar to potato chips but they're much healthier. All you do is rinse, dry, and pull apart the kale, drizzle some EVOO, sprinkle some sea salt and maybe some cracked black pepper, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges start turning brown. Yummm. They're very fragile when you take them out, so be careful when you're storing them. They have such a surprisingly good taste to them!

My second experiment with kale was an even bigger success:



This is wilted kale cooked with onions, half a granny smith apple, some dried cranberries, and sprinkled with some slivered almonds. Oh. My. Goodness. I was in love once I tasted this. The cranberries and the apples take over the taste of the kale, so that instead of bitterness, you're left with a pleasant sweetness. I ate about 1/3 of this and saved the rest for later in the week, but I'm really tempted to eat all of it now for dessert! Imagine that - kale for dessert! No joke, though - this was incredible!

I spent the rest of my afternoon making a half batch of homemade bagels:


(gettin chubby)


Boiled, baked and beautiful!

My bagel shaping skills really need to be sharpened, but who really cares as long as they taste awesome? Actually, I shaped them a lot better this time than in previous attempts, but they stuck to my counter when it was time to boil them, thus rendering them nearly shapeless. Still, they're awesome and I can't wait until later in the week to have one!

Now to backtrack...
When I got home Friday afternoon I was excited to see a FedEx package waiting for me by my door. What could it be?





After seeing these lovelies on several peoples' blogs, I decided to write to the company (One Natural Experience, or O.N.E.) to see if I could possibly score some coupons or maybe a free sample. I certainly wasn't expecting 12 samples!! Lucy was kind enough to send me three samples of each flavor, to make a full case!

It's time for their close-ups:


Amazon Acai - according to the O.N.E. website, this drink:
May help combat premature aging
May help increase energy levels
May improve mental clarity


Cashew Juice - the site says it could:
soothe the throat
calm the stomach
promote healthy skin


Coffee Berry Juice - O.N.E. states the antioxidants in this might help:
Fight the buildup of free radicals
Protect against oxidative stress

And finally...

The ever-popular Coconut Water, about which it is said:
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is excellent for replacing lost
electrolytes from exercise or illness
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is an all-natural sports/energy drink
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is a natural isotonic beverage – contains a similar level of electrolytes found in human blood.
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water may help promote smoother,
more hydrated skin
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is non-allergenic
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is rich in potassium. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and heart function
O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is an effective oral rehydration medium and keeps the body cool.

I'm beyond excited to try all these flavors out, especially the Coffee Berry! I'd never heard of such a thing until I started seeing this stuff on other blogs. A HUGE thank you to Lucy and the O.N.E. crew for sending that over to me! Product reviews to come as I try em!

It's been quite the busy weekend, what with baking, cooking, the excitement of new products, and a visit to my parents! I even managed to squeeze in a MUCH-needed haircut! (Dude, $2.99 at a place called Great Clips! It was their Grand Opening, so I literally got a haircut for $2.99 (plus a generous tip, of course!)... How sweet is that?!) Since Desperate Housewives is a) on late and b) a repeat, I'm heading off to read the 4th Twilight book and rest up for our competitive volleyball game tomorrow! Hooray for Mondays!! :)

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