Tea Tips with Dani

Excellent video from the Tea Goddess herself.  Check out these tea tips from Dani!

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Best. Muffins. Ever.

Seriously.  These muffins are amazing.  For a non-dessert muffin, I am totally impressed.  Not only are they delicious, but they’re good for you.  Now I know what you’re saying… No way can muffins be good for you *and* delicious.  Well, you’re wrong.  These muffins are high protein, low carb, easy to make, and sooooooooo yummy!

The muffin recipe comes from a new-to-me site, 101 Cookbooks.  I used the recipe for Cottage Cheese Muffins that she adapted from a Rose Elliot recipe.  I only made a few modifications.  First, I bought pre-ground almonds because I was feeling lazy.  Second, I didn’t add the 1/4 cup water that she calls for because my batter looked good (my cottage cheese was very wet).  Third, the basil at the store looked gross, so instead of fresh basil, I threw in some dried basil and Pampered Chef Dill Mix.

The results, as you can see, are delicious.  My husband scarfed one down and promptly declared it to be good.  So, to reiterate… Delicious muffins, husband approved, and healthy.  All in one easy recipe.  Ah… Perfection!

In case you’re wondering, here are my hastily calculated, probably not very accurate nutritional values per muffin based on what I used.

• Calories 130
• Fat 8.5g
• Cholesterol 77mg
• Sodium 130mg
• Carbs 5g
• Fiber 1.5g
• Sugar >1g
• Protein 9g

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Menu Plan Monday – March 29, 2010

Aaaand… I’m back with MPM!  I’ve missed it deeply the last few weeks and my evenings of unplanned dinner have felt chaotic.  It’s time to get myself back on the wagon and start planning again!  (You’ll also note that my meals have taken on a different flavor.  I am trying to eat more protein and less carbs these days, for health reasons.  I am discovering a surprising new world of delicious recipes.)

Monday:

• Lunch – Frozen Amy’s Kitchen dinner that looked yummy when I went grocery shopping
• Dinner - Company dinner

Tuesday:

• Lunch – Tuna with Aoili on whole wheat
  
• Dinner – Spaghetti with ground turkey

Wednesday:

• Lunch - Lunch with Mom
• Dinner - Leftover spaghetti (I’m teaching a class at the shop)

Thursday:

• Lunch - Vegetarian quiche with cream cheese crust
• Dinner - Yarn night, dealer’s choice

Friday:

• Lunch – Leftover quiche.
• Dinner - Chicken curry with veggies

Saturday & Sunday:

The Family is coming over for Easter.  Meal planning goes out the window.  (Hoping to make homemade baked doughnuts though…)

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Sisters

I ran across this photograph the other day and just had to post it.

Sisters

My big sis and me, sometime in the ’80s, somewhere on the Oregon coast.  Love you, sis!

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Bugga!

I recently scored a skein of the much coveted and elusive Bugga! in Bronze Moth.  Check out this gorgeous yarn!

I just love how the gold tones shimmer in this skein.  I’m thinking it may end up being a shawlette.  Perhaps an Ishbel?

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Sip ‘N Stitch Club – March

It is just a week for clubs and packages, isn’t it?  I don’t think I’ve ever gotten this much awesome mail in a two week period before.  I think I’ve waited long enough to blog this that everyone has their Sip ‘N Stitch Club packages.  (So, if you haven’t gotten yours, don’t scroll down!)

This month’s Sip ‘N Stitch package featured Valle Del Santuario from Counter Culture Coffee.  You’ll note that the lovely Laura swapped mine out for decaf this month since caffeine is not currently on my menu (she’s just awesome like that).

The yarn is (as usual) absolutely stunning.  The base yarn is Foot Prints, which is 100% merino superwash wool.  The colors are so vibrant in this skein that I’ve been just picking it up to gaze at it lately.  It just screams “summer is coming!” to me.  This one may also become a little shawlette (have you noticed a theme lately?) for those chilly summer nights.  I can’t wait to see what the next shipment brings!

(Not a part of the Sip ‘N Stitch club?  The coffee version is closed, but they’re taking sign-ups for a new tea version.  Check it out!)

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Goddess Tea Club – March

Warning! SPOILER ALERT!  If you  haven’t received your Goddess Tea Club yet and want to be surprised, LOOK AWAY NOW!

Random pet picture to distract you

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Spoiled

I feel very spoiled right now.  Dani (of DaniDo Crafty and Goddess Tea fame) got a brilliant idea and arranged a Plurk Swap.  I got paired with the lovely LadyDrangonflyAJH (check out her awesome shop!) who spoiled me rotten!!

She included a beautiful card, three lovely lace patterns (Bluebird, Brandywine Shawl, and Hanging Garden Stole), two skeins of laceweight and one of sock yarn, buttons (SQUEE!), chocolate (Mountain Man Raspberry sticks… omnomnomnom), and chili mix.  Who could ask for more?

Just look at those colors.  She gets an A+ for stalking to figure out my favorite color!

Buttons!  I am so digging these buttons.  I kind of want to knit a sweater around them.  Hmm…

I’m so thrilled with my swap package.  My partner did an awesome job of finding items that would make me insanely happy.  Thank you so much LadyDragonflyAJH!!

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The Mini-Armando

A conversation between myself and Tyler (age 3).

Tyler: Auntie!  I like your hat!

Me: Thanks, Tyler.

Tyler: Your hat is beautiful!

Me: Do you want one like it?

Tyler: Yes!

Me: What color?

Tyler: Green.

And so came the mini-Armando-in-a-hurry.  I omitted the faux seam, sized the needles down to US 6, and used washable Plymouth Encore.  I think he likes it.

The top

The side and back

The funny face

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Tea Diving

I have the best husband in the world.  Don’t agree?  Let me prove it with Exhibit A.

That, my friends, is a tea submarine.  Like a tea ball, but waaaaay better.

It is available only from Israel and takes several weeks to get here.

He ordered me one for my birthday. That is *my* tea sub.  See, told you he was the greatest.

P.S.

Besides looking cute, it brews great tea, too!

P.P.S.

The tea is Inanna Rooibos from Goddess Tea.  It is an amazing chai rooibos that is caffeine free and just right.  You should definitely try it.  It’s one of my new favorites.

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