Every month I meet with several other savvy women (hi ladies!) for a time to talk, eat good food and drink wine book club.  Every month we meet somewhere new and all bring a small dish that we can share “tapas style” while chatting about travels, jobs, relationships the book.

None of us grew-up in New England.  Yet, we’ve all found ourselves in the Boston area for similar reasons.  We have so much in common, yet also have so much to learn from one another.  I look forward to seeing these amazing women every month (as well as reading new books).  :)

For our last meeting I brought these palmiers.  I took the “short-cut” and bought pre-made pesto.  I was able to put this together in about 5 minutes before I left to work and then bake-it right before we all met.  The crisp puff pastry hugs the savory pesto, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes just the right amount.

Do you pack a morning or afternoon snack on-the-go?  I’m always looking for new ideas to keep things interesting in my lunch bag.  That’s why I was more than happy to receive this generous package from  Zone Perfect with two of their Zone Perfect Bars!  I was sent the Cashew Pretzel and Dark Chocolate Strawberry flavors.

I first tried the Cashew Pretzel.  It’s from their Sweet & Salty line, and that description couldn’t fit it more.  It has a sweetness that almost tastes like caramel along with the saltiness from the pretzels.  My husband and I have been eating these up!  They also have  other flavors that sound amazing like Cookie Dough, Fudge Graham and Dark Chocolate Carmel Pecan.

~Don’t forget to enter: Share Your Goodness to win a Whole Foods Giftcard!

~What is your favorite appetizer to make for company?

I used to be fearful of Portobello mushrooms.  Okay, all mushrooms.

I grew-up without ever seeing them on a plate and they never found their way into our kitchen.

I assumed I didn’t like them.

And then I started working at an upscale Italian restaurant during college.  Where we had to try each of the entrees that changed daily.

A college student being forced to eat well-prepared, free seafood, pastas, desserts and more.

It was rough.

Actually, it wasn’t.   At all.  I was given free soup, salad and coffee at all times, a generous discount on other meals, and most of all, the chance to try so many new foods!  I became much more adventurous in the way I ate and learned there were so many foods I always assumed I didn’t like that I really loved!

Portobello mushrooms fall in that category.  I love how versatile that are.  They can be chopped and used to enhance an appetizer.  They can be served plain, to accompany a piece of meat or seafood.  Or here, they can serve as a star, holding a medley of melted cheese and toasted breadcrumbs.

In other news, I was sent a this package from Garlic Gold that included a variety of their Garlic Nuggets!  The flavors included Southwest Blend, Sea Salt, Parmesan and Italian Herb.  We’ve tried the Southwest Blend with scrambled eggs and even sprinkled the Parmesan flavor over a bowl of air-popped popcorn.  Both flavors have been bold, flavorful and delicious! This is a great way to quickly add a lot of flavor to any dish!

~Using Random.org the winner of the Emergen-C giveaway is Cellabella!

~Don’t forget to enter my other giveaways: Mason Jar Cookie Co. & Share Your Goodness to win a Whole Foods Giftcard!

~Are there foods you assume(d) you don’t/didn’t like without trying?

It’s February.  Another month means another way to Share Your Goodness!

On Jan 1, I introduced Share Your Goodness, where I will be challenging YOU to do something good for someone else.  I was so inspired by all the thoughtful, kind and generous things you have been doing for other people and can’t wait to hear more!

This month, I’ll be giving away a $5 gift card to Whole Foods!  While it’s not much, I hope that extra snack you’ve been craving or item at the hot foods bar is enough to feel thanked for all the goodness you share!

Your February Share Your Goodness challenge?…Say Thank You

(picture source)

Yes, those 2 words we’ve been taught over and over since we first learned to talk.  They’re still important and there are a million ways to say it.   Will you write a card?  Send a small gift?  Or simply say the 2 words to someone who needs to hear it?  

You can enter as many times as you wish for every time you “say thank you” between now and Feb 5!  

Also don’t forget to enter my other giveaway to win a custom made cookie mix from Mason Jar Cookie Co!

Remember that French bread I raved about yesterday and then told you I didn’t have the recipe to share?  Yeah, sorry about that.  Because it’s back.  I made enough for 4 baguettes.  I used 2 on for these French Onion Soup Tartines and then saved the rest of the dough for this white pizza.

Once again, although the dough is amazing (next time, I promise I’ll covert and record the measurements), you can use any pizza dough you prefer.  It’s the toppings that make this pizza so unique and mouth-watering.

My husband, who is a self-professed pizza-lover, has been telling me over and over how this is one of his favorite pizzas ever (and yes, he’s comparing this to Dominos, Whole Foods and other local pizza places).  I think know you should make it.  Soon.

Speaking of delicious foods, after gushing over how good my Dark Chocolate, Pistachio Toffee Oatmeal Cookies from The Mason Jar Cookie Company, this is one treat that I do get to share with you!  They are giving away one free cookie mix of your choosing to a Simply Life reader!

To enter, do the following by Feb 3 and tell me about it in the comments (you must have a US address):

Mandatory:
1.  Visit their site and tell me what cookie you would create (base and 3 toppings).

Extra:
2.  Subscribe to Simply Life
3.  Follow Simply Life on Twitter @SimplyLifeBlog

~Happy pizza and cookie eating!

France.  We were spoiled enough to spend several dream-like days walking through its cobblestone roads and peeking inside every bakery window.

I should be feeling extremely grateful for the opportunity and the memories it provided, right?

Right.  I agree.  And I do.  Except that I want to go back.

Sure, I’d love to walk through and stare at the endless paintings inside the Lourve again.  Or watch the Eiffel Tower light-up while I cross the Siene River, holding hands with my husband.

But the reason I really want to go back.

The bread.

Everywhere I looked there were people walking with French baguettes.  In the morning with their espresso and newspaper.  In the afternoon with a few slices of meat and cheese in between.  In the evening poking out of their brief cases and designer bags while they walk home.  At least they know a good thing when they have it.

I won a giveaway several months ago.  In the mail, arrived this nearly 5 lb. book filled with bread recipes I could not wait to try.

There was only one problem.  I couldn’t follow the recipes.  Everything was written in pounds, ounces and grams.

I did what any sensible almost-30-year-old would do.  I asked my husband to tell my mom I wanted a kitchen scale for Christmas

Yes, I requested an entirely new kitchen appliance for one cookbook.  The pictures were that drool-worthy.

It was so worth it.  I have never made a bread this fluffy and close-to-form of the actual crispy and chewy baguettes we ate in France and now I have over 300 more pages to get lost in.

The only part of having delicious French bread?  Having this French Onion Soup topping to serve with it.  (I have to apologize because I planned to convert the measurements into cups and teaspoons, so that you wouldn’t have to wait until Christmas as well.  But I got distracted by the magic happening in the kitchen. Oops.)

However, what makes this dish completely stand out was the toppings.  So you could take a short-cut and buy French bread from your local bakery.  However you get the bread, you need to make this topping to eat it with.

Don’t forget to enter to win 6 boxes of Emergen-C!

~What is your favorite ethnic type of food?

This weekend we watched “Forks Over Knives.”  Have you seen this?  It’s an incredible film with irrefutable evidence of the life-changing effects a whole foods, plant-based diet.  This film follows around several individuals with varying “chronic” medical conditions and shows how following this diet can not only control, but reverse, these conditions.

It was a very powerful film and I highly recommend watching this!

In an effort of ensuring even more of the foods and meals we eat are plant-based (because who doesn’t want to live a long and healthy life, especially when we have the knowledge and choice to do this?) here is a new vegan dish I tried.  The recipe comes from Peas and Thank You, where you can find a plethora of healthy recipes!

Vegetable Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

Sauce
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup fire-roasted tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs. maple syrup

Noodle Dish
8 oz. rice noodles
2 tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 cup carrots, julienned
1 cup edamame, frozen or fresh
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1 large handful spinach, roughly chopped

Directions:

1.  Start by making the sauce.  Mix together coconut milk, tomatoes, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and syrup in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth.

2.  Prepare rice noodles according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pepper, carrots and edamame and cook about 4-5 minutes.  Mix in peanuts and spinach.

3.  Add cooked and drained noodles to vegetable mixture.  Toss with peanut sauce.  Serve and enjoy!

Don’t forget to enter to win 6 boxes of Emergen-C!

~Have you seen this film?  Do you make an effort at eating a whole foods, plant-based diet?

It’s bad.

Like step-in-a-puddle-and-get-mud-all-over-your-favorite-dress-pants-before-a-big-meeting bad.

Like stuck-in-the-airport-with-no-where-to-go-for-hours-and-hours-when-you-should-be-lying-on-the-beach bad.

Like get-your-face-stuck-between-two-railings-on-a-family-vacation-and-freak-out-because-you-think-you’ll-be-stuck-there-forever bad.

No, just me?

Eh hem.  Moving on.

Are you ready for the bad news?  Sit down. Brace yourself.

The gym I go to no longer receives The Food Network.

I know!  How am I ever going to make it past 20 minutes on the treadmill?   How am I going to know what to make after I finish my sweaty workout?  What am I spending my money on?

It’s true.  We don’t have TV and only use the gym during the winter months, during which time approximately 99% of my motivation for going to the gym is to watch Aarti Party and Giada.

Today I had to watch Friends.  While I loved this show in high school, it was a bit painful seeing Chandler back with Janice and watching Rachel wearing puffy sleeves.  Worst of all, I came home without a new recipe inspiration.

Somehow I’ll survive.  But first you can thank Claire Robinson for this recipe.

Also, in an effort to brighten my day, I’m also going to be giving away these 6 boxes from Emergen-C!

To enter to any/all of the following by Jan 31 and let me know in the comments (must have a US address)

1.  Visit their Facebook page and tell me about one recipe you learned you could use Emergen-C for!
2.  Subscribe to Simply Life
3.  Follow Simply Life on Twitter @SimplyLifeBlog

~Happy Snacking! 

1.  I received this Tea/Coffee Tumbler as a Christmas gift.  I’ve had a lot of loose leaf tea that I wasn’t able to drink “on the go”  because it required too many pieces and cleaning-up.  This solves all of those problems with a removable mesh tea infuser that you just put the loose leaf tea in, add hot water and go (or you can remove it and fill with coffee to the brim)!  I love it. (picture source)

2.  I just finished reading Bossypants.  This book made me laugh out loud more than any other book I have ever read, and I’m pretty sure I read about half of it aloud to my husband so I could share the jokes with someone else.  Warning (mom): there is a bit of (mostly good-natured) crude humor. Have you read this?

3.  The sunny 50 degree days in January are gone.  We’re back to soup weather.  You need a big bowl of this Vegetable Barley Soup to warm-up with.  Trust me.  K?

~What has been the best book you’ve read lately?

I know some people have an online shopping addiction.  Sure, there’s the appeal of no lines, being able to shop in your sweatpants and purchase a few things during your lunch-break.  Me?  When I go online, it’s either to gmail, the news or something food blog related.  I don’t have much patience for shopping around, even if involves never having to leave my house.  The most online shopping I do typically involves a registry where I can have the list completely laid-out for me and quickly go through the checkout.

This could explain why I finally just parted with my favorite high school tank-top in our last Salvation Army donation bag.  True story.

What? It still fits and I like to think plaid halter tops are the new bohemian chic look.

I wish I was joking.

Anyways, when I was given the chance to try a cookie mix from The Mason Jar Cookie Company my whole outlook on online shopping changed.  This was simple, easy and fun!

The Mason Jar Cookie Company lets you completely customize your favorite cookie mix.  All you have to do is pick your favorite mix, wait for it to arrive, add a few ingredients (like eggs and butter), bake and enjoy!

For my mix, I chose an Oatmeal Cookie Base and added Dark Chocolate Chips, Pistachios and Toffee. Mmmm.  From the moment I opened the box and saw their customized packaging, I could tell this was a company that is passionate about what they’re doing.  I also love that the ingredients come in these cute little mason jars that can be repurposed a million different ways!

I followed the instructions then tried to be patient while they baked in the oven.  These cookies were chewy, soft and perfectly sweet!  I loved the combination we chose although there are SO many fun options that I’m already thinking about!

While creating my own mix online I couldn’t help but think how these would be the perfect gift to surprise someone with!  Maybe your looking to send a special Valentine’s Day gift with a chocolate cookie base, Valentine M&Ms and Candy Hearts?  Or maybe you know your neighbor loves homemade cookies but never has the basics on-hand like flour and baking soda?  Either way, whether it’s for yourself or someone else, I can guarantee this will be a well-received delivery!

~What would your ideal cookie mix have?

Do planning meals and grocery shopping seem way too costly and time-consuming?

I know I”m a nerd and probably look forward to doing this more than the average person but while it seems planning meals may be too time-consuming, it could in fact could save you tons of time throughout the week when you’d otherwise be staring blankly at the open refrigerator and looking through take-out menus.

Plus, cooking meals from scratch is often healthier and can save you tons of money!  Although planning several meals throughout the week may seem like that grocery bill can get awfully expensive when you need a teaspoon of this, half a cup of that and a handful of something else, there are plenty of ways to stretch your hard-earned dollar a long way!

Tip #1: Plan meals that use similar ingredients!  Take the last five meals I’ve posted about, for example.  Do you see a trend?  (Yes, I am nerdy enough that I’ve color-coded them).  All of the main ingredients are repeated in at least one other meal.  The other ingredients, like couscous and parmesan cheese, I already had at home –> Tip #2: See what you already have available before planning meals!  This means I only needed 10 ingredients for 5 completely unique meals.

Arugula Parmesan Prosciutto Pizza: pizza dough, proscuitto, arugula
Chickpea Vegetable Soup:  chickpeas, carrots, onion, tomato paste, peas, broth
Moroccan Chickpea Stew: chickpeas, carrots, onion, tomato paste, broth
Chickpea Pot Pie with Gouda Biscuit Topping: chickpeas, carrots, onion, peas, gouda
Prosciutto Gouda Roll (served w/ Arugula Salad): pizza dough, prosciutto, gouda, arugula, carrots

This was a week’s worth of meals for us. I usually plan about five meals a week and the other two we leave open for nights we may go out, eat leftovers or have something quick and simple like eggs.  Each of these meals was fairly inexpensive to make and definitely never made us feel like we were “eating on a budget.”  The most expensive item we bought was the prosciutto and I have it very thinly sliced so I only need about 1/3 lb. for two meals.

Now I know that when you’re buying groceries, dinners aren’t the only thing you have to think about.  Here’s how I plan for the rest:

For breakfast, we both typically have oatmeal so other than a few toppings like frozen fruit or nut butter, we don’t need to buy much for this.  Lunches usually consist of leftovers, pb&j, salads (using leftover veggies, beans, nuts, etc. from planned meals), snacks I’ve received for blog product reviews and/or fruit.  This means making sure we always have staples like peanut butter, bread and fruit.

While our grocery list looks different each week, these are some of the tips I follow!

(Disclaimer: I know that everyone’s budget is different and I am not assuming everyone can afford these items.  This is just what works for us).

Back to that Proscuitto Roll.  Proscuitto all rolled up with warm gouda cheese and a crisp homemade pizza roll.  Need I say more?

I’m happy to continue giving my meal-planning tips and ideas if you’re interested! Please just let me know!

~Do you plan meals?  What are ways you try to save money?