Alton Brown’s granola bars are seriously too good, y’all. I made my second batch in three weeks this past Wednesday, and I don’t expect those bad boys to very long at all. After experimenting a little with the recipe,  I think I’ve perfected it by replacing half of the almonds with unsalted peanuts and halving the amount of brown sugar.

Feelin’ snacky? Maybe you should give them a try as well. : )

This weekend is going to be so fun-filled! I can only hope yours is too.

1. I have been sweating like a man.
2. Walking to class is now a chore.
3. I need a refreshing beverage (or four) in my life.

I can’t do much about numbers 1 and 2, but I’m well on my way to remedying the third (with the help of my good pal Pinterest):

Sources: Strawberry Basil Sangria, Peach Limeade, Spicy Grapefruit Margarita, Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie.

Don’t they all look like dreams come true? Maybe I can make one of these bad boys happen this weekend.

]]> http://turbyandjohn.com/2012/05/11/foody-friday-warm-weather-cold-drinks/feed/ 0 http://turbyandjohn.com/2012/05/04/foody-friday-purse-snackin/ http://turbyandjohn.com/2012/05/04/foody-friday-purse-snackin/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 14:00:34 +0000 Dawn http://dawnandkirby.porchswingmedia.com/?p=4296 There are very few things I cherish more than a midday purse snack.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been fond of these three in particular:

Goji berries have fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and pretty much everything awesome. Some folks aren’t crazy about the taste, but they remind me of green tea (which just so happens to be my hot beverage of choice).

Raw almonds are full of fiber, protein, and vitamin E! Oh, and bonus: They taste like cherries.

When selecting dark chocolate, I generally shoot for 80% cocoa at least. I’ve been told it’s the healthier option, and (on a good day) I honestly prefer the flavor to super sweet/milky chocolates.

How about you? Are you an avid snacker too?

Image Sources: One, Two, Three.

I’ve been known to unintentionally mutilate an egg or three (in a row) in the process of frying, but Kirby recently taught me how to fry the perfect egg every single time! Wanna know his secret?

First, use a non-stick pan/skillet. He bought one that doesn’t release harmful chemicals because he’s a gem. Next, if you’ll be eating two eggs or more, crack them into a bowl. Turn the stove on high and let the skillet get hot; once you can feel the heat by putting your hand a few inches above the skillet, turn the stove on low. Either crack your single egg into the pan or pour your multiple eggs into it. Put a pot lid over the egg and check the progress every minute or so. When it looks as done as you’d like for it to, put it on a plate and take a picture (because it will look awesome). Easy peasy! I was shocked when he told me I didn’t need to use oil or butter, but he was right (a first).

WEEKEND.

Appetizer

Side

Main Course

Dessert

Annnd a midday/late night snack…just for fun.

Sources: Salad, Eggplant, Pizza, Ice Cream, Snack Bars.

Oh, and if you’re interested in following me on Pinterest: Here I am!

Enjoy your weekend. I have a good feeling about mine.

I am of the opinion that any tea is worth trying, but I’ve also learned over time that all teas are not created equally.  Some brands are consistently impressive, and others cost much more than they’re worth.  Lately I’ve been reading about the pros and cons of buying loose tea instead of bagged tea (and vice versa), and, for the most part, what I’ve read is very much in line with my own observations. Loose tea is often praised for its superior flavor, while bagged tea is a popular choice simply because of its convenience.

I definitely enjoy the convenience of bagged tea, but I can’t deny that most of the best teas I’ve had have been loose (like the Teavana Youthberry Wild Orange Blossom Blend Danielle gave me for Christmas).

So which do you prefer? Have you ever noticed a difference between the two?

In case you’re interested, here are a few of the articles/posts I came across:

• The Tea Bag: Let it Loose
• Bagged Tea vs Loose Leaf
• Loose Leaf Tea VS. Tea Bags

Happy Friday!

Get the recipes: French Bread Pizza, Potato Soup, Casserole/Home Fries.

Modifications and Comments:

• For the pizza, I made my own sauce, used entirely different toppings and minimal cheese. These pizzas were too fly.
• I substituted the chicken base with Not-Chick’n Broth and added a good bit of hot sauce/extra seasoning to the soup to make it just right.
• I could’ve done without the casserole, but those potatoes were all kinds of tasty. I used extra butter instead of vegetable oil when cooking them. It’s the south, y’all.

Weekend!

I’ve heard so many positive things about Conscious Box in the past that I decided to see what all the fuss was about. After emailing the company and requesting a box to review, I received a quick response telling me that my very own Conscious Box for the month of March would be on its way soon! Today I’ll be discussing the contents of and sharing my experience with the lovely package I received.

Contents:

• Olivella Nourishment Cream Sample- I’ve been using this as a day and nighttime eye cream. It has a nice, lightweight feel, and it’s cruelty-free. Extensive review coming soon!
• Minteas Ginger Pear Mints- Sometimes it’s hard for me to chew things politely, so I’ve always preferred mints to gum. These are the best! They’re delicious, they freshen my breath, and I will definitely be buying another tin when I run out.
• Olbas Lozenge-These have such a good flavor, and they’re sugar free so I wouldn’t feel quite as bad about eating a garbage bag full of them if I were sick (just kidding, sort of).
• Acai Natural Energy Boost Packet- These would be great to keep in my purse, since the water fountain water at school tastes like a hotel swimming pool.
• E Boost Pink Lemondade Natural Energy Booster Packet- See above, but I’m also a sucker for anything that even resembles lemonade.
• Teraswhey Pomegranate Cranberry Goat Whey Protein Packet- Holy smokes, you guys! This stuff is delicious. I mixed mine with whole, organic milk.
• Java Juice Organic Liquid Coffee Extract- Great for people who are on the go, or for someone who wants to throw together a makeshift celebratory White Russian (this girl).
• Good Kind Natural Coffee Creamer- I like my coffee like my eyeliner (black), but my mom would love this stuff. The best part? It’s GMO and rBST-free!
• RW Garcia Mixt Bag Yellow & Blue Corn Tortilla Chips- Again with the non-GMO! I could’ve eaten this bag twice.
• Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Sea Salt Crackers- They’re made with flax and quinoa seeds. That’s how you know they’re fancy.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Tokyo Long White Bunching Onion Seeds- These will make a lovely addition to our upcoming garden.
• $5.00 Gift Card to Hip Mountain Mama- Most items are really reasonably priced, so I could do some damage with this!
• $15.oo Gift Certificate to Mineral Hygienics- Hey there, brow gel.
• Coupon for one free cookie from Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie-I can’t wait to receive mine!

The box also came with two cards: one describing the contents and another with suggestions for reusing my Conscious Box. Nifty!

Overall Experience: The whole point of Conscious Box is to help us discover new, ethical brands that we might not have otherwise been exposed to, and I have certainly been exposed to some brands that I love and will continue to support when making future purchases. The environmentally-friendly packaging and goals of the company are also significant selling points for me. I am entirely satisfied. Good job, Conscious Box!

Get your Conscious Box today!

In other news, I recently discovered that mixing the cheapest green tea bags in the entire grocery store with the cheapest spearmint tea bags in the entire grocery store results in something almost identical to one of my favorite teas of all time:

Just call me Master Tea.

…actually, please don’t.

*We’ll see if this lazybones is singing the same tune a month from now. : /

I had PB&J and Coconut Cream Pie Lärabars this past weekend, and they were so delicious that I acquired three more flavors to try in the days following. Go big or go home, right?

P.S. Have you guys been following Walmart’s burgeoning relationship with Monsanto? It’s interesting and scary and gross.

P.S.S. Would you believe me if I said those weren’t my Cheetos in the first picture? They really weren’t.

Enjoy the holiday weekend, and wear something green if you dislike being pinched.

Does anyone like being pinched?