Vitamix or Blendtec ..... THAT is the question....

Which do i go with the Vitamix or the Blendtec?

They both hold a hefty price tag, yet I have no idea which one will suit my needs more.

From what I've heard, they are both amazing at their blending abilities, but that each has it's own quirk.

Decisions, decisions......

xo

Wild for Wildbars

okay, totally cheesey post name, i realize, but don't hate on me too hard! ;)

The adorable Chocolate Covered Katie is running a little contest on her blog to win a whole slew of Wildbars. So be sure to pop on over to her blog and enter! Those suckers are pricey to any chances to win a couple is a good thing fo sho!

Oh and while your there be sure to check out the sex bomb babies! tee hee

xo

Lauren

*snort*

i admit it, it doesn't take much to make me happy. i like the little stupid silly things that make me chuckle and i'm good to go.

keep that in mind when you scroll down...

I could spend endless hours searching through the Threadless.com shop and laughing til i cry. Today i ran into the above shirt that says:

"If your pants are on fire, being a liar becomes less important."

tee hee! life is far too serious and stressful most of the time, so definately look forward to my doses or quirky humor!

go have a peek at the Threadless shop, go on, it's good for ya!

xo

Chili con Chickpeas

I'm newly addicted to my pressure cooker after hearing Lorna Sass, author of Cooking Under Pressure, on the radio. I immediately hopped on Amazon and bought both her book and a pressure cooker.

I'm slightly freaked out to venture off on my own recipes w/ the pressure cooker though, so i've clung to the book thus far. Here is what we had for dinner tonight....

Chili con Chickpeas

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp whole Cumin Seeds (all i had was cumin in powder form)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 large Onions, coarsely chopped
1 large Green Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
3 c Water
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 Carrots, cut in 3 or 4 pieces, peeled (i used 4 huge ones)
2 medium zucchini, diced (i used 3 smallish ones)
2 c dried Chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
1 Tbsp Chili powder (i was shocked to find i had NONE in the house so i dumped in a can of enchilada sauce)
1 tsp dried Oregano
Cayenne Pepper, optional (i forgot it)
1/2 cup finely minced fresh Cilantro (i HATE cilantro, so i left it out)
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in the cooker. Add the cumin and sizzle for 10 seconds, stirring constantly. Then add the garlic, onions, and green pepper, and saute until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Then mix in your water, chickpeas, carrots, & spices, then top w/ canned tomatoes (don't stir). Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Adjust heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Let the pressure drop naturally. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. If the chickpeas are not quite done, replace the lid and simmer over low heat for a few more minutes. Stir in the zucchini and salt, cook for another 10 minutes over medium heat. Adjust seasonings, and serve. (I served it over rice which was really yummy!)

--------------------
Husband Rating: C+
He said it had no flavor (and no meat!) ;) he did think it was filling though.

My Rating: B+
Yeah, I could definately tweek the flavoring a bit, but overall I really enjoyed this. It was hearty and filling.... definately comfort food! I bet it would be amazing with some diced sweet potatoes in it too! mmmmmm!

xo

Merry Christmas!

wishing you a magical christmas full of warm and fuzzy memories!



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
that song is STUCK in my head thanks to hubs.... gah! so i had to pass it along so you could go nuts w/ me! that's what friends are for right!?

xo

Dining Out

Texas and Vegan's seem like water and oil don't you think? There is definately a large population of people who will look at you like you have 10 heads if you tell them you don't eat meat, but Houston is a big city, so I'm sure there is a decent veg community. Or at least i hope so!

While i was digging around looking for local stuff, I stumbled upon the site Vegguide.com. The sites is pretty cool because it not only tells you about local restaurants, it also tells you "how veg" they are.... Vegan-Friendly, Vegetarian-Friendly, etc.

I think a roadtrip is in order! ;)

xo

they say it's my birthday!

don't you love random weird traditions that you remember from growing up?

one of my favs is one that probably was never intended to be a tradition, but alas it is. I don't recall exactly when this started but i know i was probably in upper elementary school or so and the rest is history!

it was my birthday party and my dad and stepmom came down the stairs with a birthday cake lit and they were singing "They say it's your birthday...." by the Beatles (you know that song right?!). I'm pretty sure i thought they were insane, but I loved it anyway and since then, a birthday is not complete w/o hearing that song or serenading someone w/ it!

this year my dad sent me a youtube of a version i had never seen before which i thought was pretty cool. i watched it and danced w/ my daughter and teared up! isn't it funny how those little things trigger such memories?!



the BEST bday present! *wub*

xoox