Good Morning from NYC!

Hello strangers!

Matthew and I accompanied Allan on his business trip to NYC. He is here for an Über fancy Target photo shoot while Matthew and I are working from the hotel and site seeing.

Before leaving Minneapolis last week, I stocked up on clean goodies at Trader Joe's for the plane and hotel room, because the closest Whole Foods is 1 mile away and I knew that I wouldn't have time to run there every day. :) So, we have organic dry roasted almonds, dried mango, unsweetened trek mix (in single serving baggies), a box of Cherry Cashew Pure bars, organic apples and organic bananas.

I absolutely LOVE these bars!

We have been visiting lots of amazing restaurants in the Meatpacking district and Chelsea - many of them organic or sustainable! Pastis, Spice Market, One Lucky Duck, Le Pain Quotidien, Swich and The Green Table to name a few!

Our first night here it rained cats and dogs, so we geared up and walked the mile from the Hotel Gansevoort, where we are staying, to the Whole Foods in Chelsea to stock up on baby items and bottled water (a necessary evil).

By the time we were back to the hotel Allan was soaked, but I managed to stay quite dry in my new North Face rain jacket and boots.

Matthew also stayed dry in the stroller and its new rain gear.

Allan has the nice camera on the photo shoot with him, but when he gets back tonight I plan to download all of my yummy food pics and post them.

Matthew and I are running out of things to do that are baby friendly and within walking distance, so I would love to know your favorite pastimes in NYC - organic clothing shops, site seeing, clean restaurants, etc.

What should we do for the next week???

Farmer's Markets

This morning I woke up to the dreary, damp, gray weather that can be common as Fall transitions to Winter in Minnesota and I was reminded of a beautiful Saturday morning that we spent at the Mill City Farmer's Market this Summer.






Unfortunately, this coming weekend marks the end to most of the regular Farmer's Markets in Minnesota. We love attending the Farmer's Market on Saturday and Sunday mornings and I am always saddened by the end of the season.

Here is a glimpse into the wonderful day that we spent as a family at our favorite Farmer's Market.

Homemade Applesauce

On Sunday after church, my parents and sister came over to watch the Vikings game, make applesauce, bake apple crisp and eat chili and cornbread. 

We peeled, cored and sliced 3 pecks of local MacIntosh, Cortland and Jonathan apples to make two big batches of applesauce and 2 pans of apple crisp.

One batch of applesauce was just apples for the apple of my eye to enjoy some day soon.

The other was spiked with apple juice concentrate and cinnamon sticks.

Do you mash up your applesauce once it has cooked or do you enjoy it chunky? We love chunky cinnamony applesauce around here.

Purple Pride Smoothie

In honor of the official start to the Vikings regular season, Matt and I made the following super simple smoothie, which I quickly gobbled up. Can you gobble up a smoothie? Anyways, I sure did. :) Even if you are not a Vikings fan, you will certainly enjoy this beautifully filling smoothie.

Purple Pride Smoothie

1/2 c cottage cheese

1/2 c milk

dash cinnamon

dash vanilla extract

1 tsp maca powder

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp guar gum

1 banana

1 c frozen blueberries

Place all ingredients in your VitaMix or other high speed blender and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into a tall glass, preferably one donning a snazzy Vikings logo, and enjoy!

Do you sip your smoothies through a straw or straight up? I know that I personally love to use a straw with cold drinks.

Minnesota State Fair

This past Sunday was my 27th birthday. Matthew, Allan and I spent it at the Great Minnesota Get Together. The Minnesota State Fair is all about the food, animals and people watching.



Here are some pics of the food that we enjoyed, the animals that we met and the crowds of people that joined us...

Lots of people

Pulled Turkey Sandwich

Roast Corn on the Cob

Enjoying my first beer since last year

Mister Matt in the Ergo

Pulled Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Organic BBQ

First time seeing a horse

In the Horticulture Building

Checking out veggies and giant pumpkins

Enjoying local honey ice cream: sunflower and chocolate flavors

It was a long day for all of us, but we had a lot of fun!

Cold Busting Smoothie

Monday morning Matt woke up with his very first cold and fever. I also woke up feeling under the weather. We toughed it out at daycare and work yesterday, but are laying low at home today. For second breakfast I made the following Cold and Fat Busting smoothie...

In the VitaMix went 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1/2 banana, a handful of strawberries, spinach, 1/2 an avocado, an orange, water and ice.

This meal in a cup is filled with Vitamin C, natural decongestants, flavonoids, enzymes, and essential minerals to not only ward off my sniffly nose but also help me in my pursuit to loose the baby weight.

In addition to eating lots of fruits and veggies, I have been loading up on clear fluids, especially water, Acai Pomegranate Coconut Water, Tazo Zen Green Tea and Traditional Medicinals Mother's Milk Tea.

Matt has been taking lots of naps with his frog cool mist humidifier, cuddling, feeding frequently to keep his fluids up and using saline nasal drops along with a bulb aspirator.

Growing up I always loved Dole Pine-Orange Banana juice. Later today I plan on making a batch of protein popsicles that are a throwback to my summer days of childhood spent sipping that beloved juice. However, my version will soothe my sore throat while being figure friendly and loaded with Vitamin C and protein.