Groceries Make Me Happy

Hi bloggies! I hope everyone’s Monday has been goin’ well. I got everything done that I needed to and now am sort of dreading the 5:30 alarm clock tomorrow morning, which signals that vaca time has ended for good! :\

Today I did a KILLER grocery shop. And by killer, I mean I’m just excited about what I got!

Here’s the produce: 

protein/dairy:

And carbs, bars and fun:

I was so excited to see agave nectar at Publix! I have never seen it there before! I made a vow against Splenda because I really think it contributes to my migraines and since I ran out of Stevia, I have been drinking my coffee black. Good….but agave nectar in it would be so so so much better. Yay!

I also found Vitamuffins and I KNOW they are new there because every week I search for them and they have never had them before.

This tiny box was almost $5 but it was worth it because the chocolate vitamuffins are diiiivine! Now I just need to find the vitabrownies and muffin tops and I’ll be in business! I’m seriously addicted to these things….I also picked up some larabars and a big 32 oz yogurt that I can “greekify” this week in the walk-in fridge at work. Muhahaha little do they know I am turning the walk-in into a yogurt making factory.

I have never had either the Amy’s Country Cheddar bowl OR the Kashi Coconut Chicken dinners before, so if I eat them this week I will do a review for sure.

I think the most exciting thing though about my grocery shop was that I finally caved and bought Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread!!!!!!!!! WHY HAVEN’T I TRIED THIS BEFORE??!!

I think because it’s almost $5 and I wasn’t 100% sure if it would live up to expectations. Well, it far exceeded my expectations! This stuff is aaaaamazing. I toasted up a slice when I got home and topped it with a tbsp of pb&j for a snackie:

There’s not much sugar in the bread (as contained to the many grams of sugar & HFCS in other cinnamon raisin breads) and one slice equals 80 calories. It is definitely worth the $4.87 and it will now be a surefire staple in my kitchen. I have visions of breakfast already…….

For dinner tonight I was seriously contemplating more cinnamon raisin toast, but decided to make a more well rounded meal of baked tofu, a dry baked sweet potato and another multigrain Arnold’s Sandwich Thin with laughing cow and hot sauce.

I ate half the package of tofu that I bought today and used 1 tsp evoo, a dash of rice wine vinegar, a squirt of agave and a healthy dash cayenne. Baked it at 400 for about 45 minutes until golden and chewy.

Later on, I had a vanilla oikos with 1/4 cup pumpkin granola and MORE pom. seeds. I haven’t had enough of them today! haha!

And, by much request, here is Anne’s (slash Martha’s) chocolate chip pumpkin bar recipe!

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

From Martha Stewart Everyday Food

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (I used half all-purpose, half whole-wheat flour)

1 T. pumpkin-pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1 ¼ cups sugar (I used 1 cup)

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil (I actually form the foil to make it slightly smaller than 9 x 13, to make thicker bars).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Thanks, Anne! I know I will be baking these at some point as I’m sure many of you readers will be too! They are SO amazingly moist and delicious!

So, tomorrow I work and the pictures should be great this week as Adam and I work on building a gingerbread house, which will be featured at the Festival of Trees here on Saturday!!!!!! The only problem is on Friday Adam is leaving to go to Vermont for the weekend so it will just be ME doing the last finishing touches on the house as well as transporting it to the event. Eek!

Also, tomorrow I need your help!

You guys know I work out probably 6x a week……what I would really LOVE to start doing for my last month here is going to more fun classes at the gym. All the “cool classes” are around 6 or 6:30 pm and it just seems that by that time in my day, if I haven’t already worked out, I lose all motivation because I’m just so dang tired! There’s a spin class I really want to go to tomorrow night at 6 and I know the only way I will go is if I continually motivate myself….which means you need to tell me how great I will feel after and how I will be SO glad that I went! Haha! Does anyone else have this problem? I mean, I want to exercise of course, but 6:00 is usually around the time I’m eating dinner. It always happens that I will say I’m going to a later class and then when the time comes, I’ll be like, “hmm I’m so hungry!” and then I’ll just skip it. Bah!

Now that I’ve said I’m going tomorrow night you guys need to hold me accountable!! haha!

Have a great night everyone

ps—my college roommate, Peggy, got engaged over the weekend!!!!!!!! congrats peggy!!!!!!