Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box December

Happy Holidays! The boxes are arriving in full swing. This month's Conscious Box is packed full of interesting goodies.

The box is technically $12/month, but they charge a hefty $7.95 shipping fee. I pay less in shipping on most things I order online, so this s&h price bugs me. Conscious Box is actually on my chopping block, mostly because of shipping, but it hasn't been consistent for me either, even though this month was pretty good. I am undecided right now on another month.

 
18 Rabbits Gracious Granola:
I received a single serving size bag in Pecan, Almond and Maple. I am going to enjoy it for breakfast with skim milk tomorrow morning. 

Conscious Ink Manifestation Tattoo:
When I think of temporary tattoos, I think of cartoons or super heroes haphazardly applied to Monkey and Peanuts wrists and forearms. But the one I got, Gratitude, got my wheels turning. I am going to save this for a special night with the hubby, and make it fun, wink wink, and let the gratitude speak for itself.

Beanfields Bean & Rice Chips:
These are corn free, gluten free, non GMO and a great source of protein. Just the right amount of flavor and crunchiness. You can taste the bean for sure. My six year old said "Mmm, tastes like hummus."  First, I love that he knows what hummus is and second, love that he loves it.




Divine Milk Chocolate Bar with Heavenly Spiced Cookies:
This limited edition flavor was certainly heavenly. The chocolate was creamy and the cookie was like a little bite of gingerbread, very appropriate for the holidays. What I like about a richer, heavier flavored chocolate bar is the fact that I eat them much slower, savoring a square at a time. The chocolate is made from fair trade cocoa beans from Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana and their story is printed on the inside of the wrapper.

The GoodOnYa Bar in Peanut Butter Chocolate: 
I am sorry to say, but this was not good at all, in my opinion. It was bitter, gooey and just not for me. 

St. Claire's Organics Ginger Pastilles:
I don't know about you, but ginger candies are spicy to me. But, I love the properties ginger has as a digestif and tummy soother, and I would actually eat one of these after a really heavy or greasy meal. I used ginger tea when I had horrible morning sickness and a lemon ginger tea when I get the flu.

7th Heaven Moroccan Clay Gentle Exfoliating Masque:
Crushed apricot seed and argan shells added to Rhassoul Clay (Moroccan lava clay) gently exfoliates away dead cells to brighten and smooth your facial skin. Just rinse, exfoliate and wash.

Nurturme Dried Organic Baby Food in Sweet Banana:
One packet of this dried baby food mix is equal to a 2.5 oz jar. For older than 6 months it is recommended  mixing 2-3 packets. I didn't know about this stuff when I had babies. It would be convenient for traveling especially.  Since I don't have babies anymore, I will mix it up and give it a taste, maybe for a mid-morning snack!

Yogi Tea:I got two packets of tea, both of which are 100% natural, organic and caffeine free. one tea was Egyptian Licorice, warming and naturally spicy-sweet, the other Ginger, to improve digestion. I don't get excited about drinking ginger tea, but I do it anyway because it really does work to help those tummy troubles. As stated in the ginger candy review, I used ginger tea for my morning sickness.

LemiShine Dishwasher Additive:
This is a detergent additive to remove hard water spots on dishes. I have a water softener, so I don't necessarily need this, but I am giving it a try, because you can never get your dishes too clean in my opinion.

Playful Wash:This little packet of baby cleanser has a cute illustration from Eric Carle of the Hungry Caterpillar. Made with organic calendula and oat extract.

E Boost Daily Health Booster in Orange:
This is a single service packet of an orange flavored drink you just add water to. This one was for energy and immunity with a huge supply of vitamins. 1667% of RDA in fact of vitamin C, 250% of vitamin D and a whopping 41,667% of the RDA of vitamin B12.  I don't know about this extreme of a vitamin intake, I would worry it would make my stomach just burn...I can't decide if I should try it, but if I do, it will be in the morning after a little bit to eat, lol.

Raspberry Chocolate Almond Truebar:
I don't always get excited about these soft, cereal type bars. I like cookie dough, don't get me wrong, but I just don't enjoy the texture and mealiness of these, if that makes sense. But I tend to like the flavor, so I don't know how to get past the other stuff. So, I tried it. It really wasn't that bad. It was more like a soft granola bar rather than a fiber bar, a pleasant surprise. The almonds were practically whole and the chocolate chips were clearly visible with a hint of raspberry that wasn't overpowering.  Pretty good!

Eden Allure Pure Argon Oil from Morocco:
Can be used on the hair and the skin. For the skin, just dab a little and gently rub in until absorbed. For the hair, apply a small amount to the palm of your hand and smooth through before styling for softness and smoothing. I have used this before, and it's nice to have on hand.

Avalon Organics Lipbalm:
I received Soothing Vanilla Rosemary made with essential oils.  I loved the scent and the flavor and i would have never put rosemary with vanilla. But it works together nicely, like summer and gardening in a little tube.



Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...by keeping tabs on your skin

Two years ago I decided it was time to go to a dermatologist for a mole check. I had never had one, and I figured I should at least have a baseline and check on some moles that I wasn't quite sure about. I am a sun worshipper, and I know it is not good for me. In recent years I have slathered the sunscreen, trying not to use anything under 15 SPF, then moving up the scale to 30 SPF. I still like to lay in the sun, but I try to be smarter about it, and sometimes still failing. I went to the appointment, she took some measurements and made some notes and sent me home with an all clear and see you in three years.

A few months ago I noticed a mole on the side of my foot that I just couldn't recall when it appeared, so to be on the safe side I made an appointment. Unfortunately I did not walk away unscathed from this one.

She wasn't worried about the one I was worried about. She noticed a black spot on a different mole that is located in between my fourth and pinky toe on my right foot. Uh oh. I instantly began to shake a little, I got a little bit nervous and started to sweat, first pooling in my hands, then slowly dripping. The foot she was going to stick a needle in for lidocaine turned really cold and sweaty and pale. Gross, huh?

She decided to take the mole and do a puncture and send it in for a biopsy. Then, she had to figure out how to do stitches between two toes that don't exactly have flexibility. OUCH!!!!  She was very kind and numbed it up well. I knew it was a tricky spot, a couple stitches had to be redone. I got bandaged up and hobbled out to make the appointment for suture removal. Let me tell you, the recovery process for this area is not fun. On top of that all, my little one accidentally stepped on that foot. OUCH!!!

I am a wreck. I just don't wait for news well, and am very impatient according to my predictive index score. So, it will take a week.  And I wait...just like I did for the mammogram.  I am starting to think I am a glutton for punishment.  But better safe than sorry right?  Be proactive and take care of yourself.

UPDATE: Got a call back today, I'm so glad I didn't have to stress about this over the weekend. They got the results early and it was indeed a mildly atypical mole, but not cancerous.  I now need to be checked yearly since I have the tendency to produce atypical moles. This popped into my head last night while i was trying to sleep: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with Cravebox Cooking Light November

Another subscription box I got interested in is the Cravebox. I went to their website and signed up, but got waitlisted. But, while I waited, I could enter a contest to win one of their specialty boxes, which happened to be sponsored by Cooking Light. And lucky me, I was notified by email that I happened to be one of the recipients!

Not too long ago, I received another email that shared news about how they were going to be changing the way they do things. So, I don't know if I am a member, not sure if they've changed things yet or what, but I have since then been notified of two more boxes I could enter for, so crossing my fingers because those sound fantastic too!

So, on to the Cooking Light box. First impression, the box was huge. And heavy.  This is a good sign. I tried not to focus too much on the spoilers that were coming out, as I wanted to be surprised..a little.

The box itself was stuffed full of what I would call "fall comfort food." On top was a sheet talking about the products, which were all advertisers in Cooking Light magazine. The biggest plus of all? They were all FULL-SIZE. The box was $13. Incredible value considering the contents:

McCormick Perfect Pinch Salt Free Garlic & Herb Seasoning:
There were 2 bottles of this, one for me and one I will share with my sister or mom. The one I received is a salt-free blend of garlic, Italian herbs (oregano rosemary, basil), red pepper onions, orange peel, celery and paprika. It smelled wonderful. I am leaning toward using this on a slow-cooked pork roast. I think it would also be tasty in a homemade vegetable soup.  Definitely thinking comfort food. Bonus - No MSG. And as I mentioned above..full sized bottles.

Nectresse 100% Natural, No Calorie Sweetener by Splenda:
This product is new, made from the extract of Monk fruit combined with other natural sweeteners (erythritol, sugar, monk fruit extract, molasses), nothing artificial. The box contains 40 individual sized packets.I opened up one of the packets and gave it a taste. I will be honest, on its own it is not for me. It has sort of an ultra sweet intense flavor. I do not normally use Splenda or artificial sweeteners, but my husband does in tea, and my dad and mother/father-in-law are diabetic. My husband will probably use it up. I personally try to avoid anything with aspartame, so this natural alternative might be worth looking into down the road.

Tully's French Roast Coffee:
A 12oz size package of ground French Roast. It's label describes it as rich, smoky, spicy. Tomorrow is Friday, and I do believe I will make myself a pot of this new stuff in the morning. I love coffee. I wake up in the morning and quite honestly it is the first thing I think about. The aroma...breathing in the steam off the top of the cup as I bring it to my lips, sipping it ever so slowly, letting it sit in my mouth for a brief moment to cool then tasting the coffee itself, mixed with just a little half and half, going down and warming my stomach.  The first sip is an experience for me...every day. I feel less than human until I get my coffee, oh what a vice to have.

Fruit Crisp from Dole:
This product is like the fruit cups they already make, but with an oatmeal topping provided. My box had a 2-pack of each flavor they make, peach, apple cinnamon and apple pear. You can enjoy these cold or heated up in the microwave. Now, I have purchased many a Dole fruit cup in my day. It was the perfect size and travel companion when my kids were babies and toddlers. Just pop one open and the kids had a healthy snack. So, the idea of a fruit crisp is intriguing to me. I enjoyed mine heated up with just a little bit of half and half added to it. The kids had theirs cold as an after school snack. To really fancy it up, I would heat it, then put a little light whipped cream or frozen vanilla yogurt on top..mmm.

Torani Syrup:
And if you didn't notice above, this is indeed another full size product, a 750mL bottle. I received sugar free Salted Caramel made with Splenda. My husband will love this.  He loves iced coffees and he actually orders his with Splenda, so I am almost certain he will be experimenting this weekend.  I love a good non-fat vanilla latte, so I am willing to try caramel.  I think this would even be good in just a steamed milk for the kids, a nice little Friday or Saturday night bedtime treat.

In addition to the products, there were recipes, a magnet with measurements, coupons and idea sheets wrapped up nicely in the Cravebox blue tissue paper.  I think this was an awesome box to receive in the mail and I love it! I will use all of these products and enjoy them.  Thanks Cravebox for choosing me!


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with a mammogram

 

I am a woman who is a third generation risk for breast cancer. My grandmother passed away from it and my mother survived it. As readers know, I turned 40 in October. Although I already had a baseline mammogram at 37, it was time for the one you get at 40. It was only appropriate I get it in October, which is well-known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I was nervous the full week before the mammogram, and even more nervous the day of. I babbled incessantly during the whole procedure, topless and cold, and asked for extra pictures just in case.

The tech who did the mammogram was very nice, but she told me a story about a 30-something young gal whose husband found something in her breast and asked her to go to the doctor. Her husband nagged her about it, but she finally went in. Her doctor didn't seem concerned about it, so gave her the all clear.

The husband, however, wasn't in agreement and made a big scene at the Dr.'s office to look into it more. The gal was extremely embarrassed by her husbands behavior and rather than risk another scene, ignored him and went about life. He continued to give her a hard time, she continued to brush him off.

The lump continued to grow, and she finally decided to get a mammogram, in the office where I was standing. The lump was indeed real, and it was indeed cancer. And three years after her husband first noticed something wasn't right, she now lies in the palliative care unit at the hospital in town.

I just stood there and thought, what a lucky woman she was. She had a husband that was so in love with her and worried about her that he made a scene.  That's what went through my head. I know mine would do the same.  So I bucked up and finished the procedure without a complaint, this could save my life.

Please, please, my dear friends and family.  Do your exams. Get your physicals. Pap's are not that bad. Really. Mammograms are not that bad. I know I may eventually get this awful cancer thing. But I am hoping if I am diligent I can at least have a fighting chance.  That's my honest thought.

The week that followed was tense for me, I just can't stand waiting for information. About anything.  So Wednesday afternoon, I went to the mailbox and the letter was there.  That was good right? It took a whole week to get the letter and nobody called me.  That's good. It means there is nothing urgent at least.

I opened the letter and got a paper cut opening it too fast. Shake it off.

We are pleased to inform you the results of your mammogram appear to be normal...

Whew.  All clear, another year.


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with Yuzen Box October

Woohoo!! The arrival of my first Yuzen box. I have been anticipating this one the most. It costs a little more but it promises an experience. "A little zen every month." I'm all about the experience and as far as I am concerned this first box has delivered.

Price: $26/month, cancel anytime or $78/3 months, Quarterly

The package arrived in an ugly old express mail bag. But, upon opening, the sensory experience begins. The box is wrapped in a lovely little bow that could easily be reused.  I take it off slowly and gently fold it.

Once the lid is opened, the package is prettily wrapped in tissue paper to match the theme of the box, which is Autumn, and the special piece of paper tucked around it called Yuzen, made by Japanese artisans. It is beautiful, and I neatly wrapped this and the tissue paper too!

You can tell immediately this box is a labor of love for this couple. You can feel it coming out of the box.

So, onto the contents. The outside of the note is a message about the box, and the inside lists the products, a description about each and why they chose that product.

Red Flower Yuzu Mimosa Sea Algae Wash:
This body wash is supposed to tighten pores, enhance elasticity and give skin a silky feel. It is the size of a hotel amenity wash. I like the smell, a citrusy orange smell that starts out strong but mellows. Definitely an aromatherapy energizer! It foamed up nice, rinsed off clean and didn't feel dry or squeaky, like soap. The scent as far as I can tell didn't stay with me all morning. I liked this product.

Red Flower Plum Blossom Silk Cream:
The lotion came in a tube the same size as the wash. It is very soft, floral and light. Reminds me of the smell of the blossoming crabapple tree we have that scents our entire yard every spring. Soft, didn't feel greasy to me. Absolutely lovely

HollyBeth Organics Rose Geranium Face Moisturizer:
For nourishing, hydrating and balancing skin. I am of the middle aged persuasion, so am in need of just a little extra help on my face, a little extra moisturizer would hopefully help with some of the wrinkles. The scent is a little overpowering for me, too much citrus something or other.

Eco-Armour Bergamot and Grapefruit Shaving Foam:
Meant for sensitive skin, the formula is supposed to help eliminate nicks, razor burn, bumps and hairs. All natural and botanical. I like the smell: clean, light, a little like fresh soap with a soft citrus scent. It didn't go on like a thick foam, though, which is what I was expecting. It was more like those foaming hand soaps. I was probably using it wrong, as I was in the shower and didn't shave dry.

Jamu Certified Organic Massage, Body & Hair Oils:
Made with blends of sunflower, coconut, jojoba and exotic essential oils. The scent I received is Coconilla. It smells like a vacation in a bottle, travel sized bottle anyway. It's scent for me was a cross of suntan lotion and pina colada. I love it. I want to go on a cruise right now. I want to lay on a beach in the Caribbean right now. Who needs Calgon when you can get massaged with this. The only thing I don't know is if these oils would stain the linens. I posted the question on their facebook page and their response came same day. "JAMU & Organic Spa Rituals wrote: "Hello Yuzen Friend! JAMU Organic Massage, Body & Hair Oils, like all massage oils, may leave residue on sheets ~ therefore, special care is suggested to soak sheets after massage use, then launder ( with some fresh lemon, Bali style, with the laundry cycle). Also, suggest to air dry, so oils do not set into linens ~ InJOY Coconilla, and consider JAMU Ginger Spice for winter wellness ~ Namaste ~."  I was lucky enough to talk my husband into giving me a back massage. I asked him what he thought about the massage oil...he said "Who cares about the oil, I got to rub my wife!" So, there you go.

Nova Monda Cacao Indio:
 This is a little jar of happiness. You can eat the ganache right out of the jar by the spoonful or you can melt it for topping. The sheet says you can even make hot chocolate with it...mmm mmm. I can't review this right now because that's what I am saving it for...a nice, hot cup of homemade cocoa on Christmas Eve.

Matt's Munchies Premium Fruit Snacks:
This package contains a 1oz serving of a fruit snack. The flavor I received is Mango, made from organic mango puree.  That's it. No other ingredients. I opened the package and thought I would see a bar type of thing, but it was more like a fruit roll-up. Except it was divided into bite size squares. I loved that! You didn't have to try and tear apart one large sheet, you just peel off a square and pop it into your mouth. At first the flavor put me off....don't eat this and then sip your coffee...nasty!  But on it's own, it was really tasty, very strong fruit flavor and I didn't notice any bad aftertaste. My 3 year old asked for more.  Pretty yummy!!

My verdict: All in all, this is a lovely little box, filled with things that were pampering, exotic and indulgent. I loved it and cannot wait for the next one. November can't come soon enough!

Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with another 5k

I knew in order to keep up the 5k momentum, I needed to register for the next one as soon as possible after signing up for the first one. I signed up for the Fargo Mini Marathon 5k with a friend from church. She is as much a newbie as I am so it was perfect. I ran into at least 6 people I knew in the first 5 minutes at the packet pickup the night before; I was in good company. I brought my kids along to the expo and they had a little obstacle course set up on the main floor that they went through at least 2 to 3 times each. Nothing wrong with burning off a little of their endless energy!

Things were a little uncertain all week. I was on the verge of backing out of my second 5k. It is definitely fall and had been raining for the last two days, and high wind warnings for the previous 24 hours. Being out in the open on the high plains with this kind of weather was not my idea of a good time. But, the rain cleared out during the early morning hours and I heard a rumor the sun was going to shine. So, I crawled out of bed at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to brave the 40 degree temperature.

The wind was calm, the sky was overcast and it was chilly. You would think growing up in Minnesota would mean you get used to the cold, but you don't. You just get through it. The race was delayed slightly for still arriving participants. The traffic was horrible, there was no traffic control on that entrance and people were all seeming to be running as behind as me, which was 45 minutes early. Learned my lesson on that one. Fortunately, my husband drove me and we picked a corner and I just jumped out of the truck and ran to the line to get there in time. I found my friend and we headed toward the back of the start line since we were going to be mostly walking.

Unfortunately, there isn't really much else to say about this one. The scenery was just wide open empty space. It was in a new developing part of town so it was mostly construction zones, new housing development and plowed over former fields and no trees. They had one 3-piece band around the half way point of the 5k and couple people cheering on various corners. It wasn't very entertaining.

On a positive note, I had great company and  a day out doing something fun for my health is what matters.

Swag Rating: Decent
We got a really soft and nice gray crewneck t-shirt with a cool logo. The 10k and half got a long sleeve shirt and an Adidas bag.  All finishers got medals.

Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box Mystery Box

Got the first Conscious Box today, which was the Mystery Box. The quote they sent with the card inside said "The unknown often scares people. It takes courage to have faith in the things you are unsure about..."

Price: $12/month plus $7.95 s/h, total: $19.95/month, cancel anytime

So with that, let's dig in!

The Mystery box claimed it would arrive jam-packed with leftover items from their stock.  It contained 11 items, not sure about jam packed.

Happy Squeeze Coco Coconut Milk:
The flavor I got was Orange Mango. It was in a cute 3.5 oz pouch.

Pure Matters Protein Powder:
The flavor of the powder is chocolate pea protein. It was one single serve packet containing 25 grams of protein per serving. You mix it with 8 oz of water (or other cold beverage). Since I am not vegan, I am going to use milk.

Simply S'mores:
I have to be honest. At first glance I thought this product looked disgusting. Located in the bottom picture, inside the box on the left, it looks like 6 cocoa coated squares of marshmallow with a few shavings of chocolate on top. My husband and I both kind of looked at each other and said "Ok, let's try it." Well, I am glad I did. While I wouldn't sit down and eat a whole package myself, they were a nice, sweet little treat. Surprisingly good and tasted so much better than those chocolate covered marshmallows you get at Easter. They tasted just like a marshmallow, just delightfully less sweet. The cocoa powder on the outside tempered the sweetness even more. The kids loved them too!

Mighty Leaf Earl Grey Tea:

I love Earl Grey, so this was right up my alley. What made me sad was their was only 1 tea bag. The bag was an organic pouch of whole leaf black tea. The description on the packet says it is black tea leaves blended with a twist of deep, first press bergamot oil. Opening the packet was a pleasant little surprise. It had an adorable little sachet that contained all the tea. So pretty I had to take a picture. I used my Keurig to give me instant hot water and let it steep for the 4 minutes suggested. It was delicious. A classic earl grey taste but richer. I was able to use the sachet for 2 refills in my 16oz tumbler.

Eco Dent Gum and Daily Care Toothpowder:
Called Between, this dental gum came in a packet of 2 pieces of sugar free Natural Cool Mint. The package says it contains baking soda and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.

The "naturally effervescent" baking soda toothpowder is in a package in Original Mint, enough for 2 brushings. It is flouride free and low abrasion, you apply a small dot to a moistened tooth brush.

Suntegrity Face Sunscreen Moisturizer and Primer:
This packet is probably enough for a single use. It has a broad spectrum SPF 30 and says it is non-greasy. The active ingredient is 20% Zinc Oxide, infused with antioxidants and astaxanthin. I don't know what that is, and I am not going to look it up right now. 

Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Itch Relief Pet Shampoo:
I won't be using this sample but am going to pass it along to a friend who has dogs and is a practicing vegetarian. I think she would love trying it.

VegaSport Pre-Workout Energizer:
Natural plant based energizer for increased energy, endurance and mental focus. The flavor I got is lemon lime. You mix it with 8 oz water 20 minutes before exercise. The package says it was formulated by Brendan Brazier, an Ironman triathlete.

Kelapo Virgin Coconut Oil:
This packet only contained 1 TBS of coconut oil, so I really don't have enough to bake the recipe I have that calls for it. I am going to look up a recipe that I can use for sauteeing a little bit, and i am going to try it as a spread on pumpkin bread. 

Go Greens Dietary Supplement:
My husband saw this and shoved it into his pocket, he's going to let me know what he thinks.

Dark Angell Organic Candy Bar:
An organic candy bar in dark chocolate (rich cocoa and almond center).  Need I say more? Not only is a decent size, it is also low sodium, no corn syrup and 0g trans fats. 

All in all, I am not sure yet what to make of this box.  In an effort to be more eco-conscious, I wanted to give it a try, and I will continue a little longer. 


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty...with Pumpkin

I'm sure this is said time and time again for the next two months, and I am going to say it too. I love fall. The smell of smoke from chimneys in the air, crunching when you walk on sidewalks, football lights at night, cheering, homecoming and pumpkin.

I love baking with pumpkin and this year is no exception. I gathered up Pick-a-Pie Pumpkins from the local CSA I am a member of. I get a family share every season and it fills our bellies with goodness, nutrient rich vegetables for 20 weeks, all the way into October. The first week of October was the start of the fall harvest where we take out tickets and pick the pumpkins, squash, potatoes, etc ourselves.

This year, I dedicated two pumpkins for the kids to decorate the front steps. I found some glow-in-the dark paint in the t-shirt decorating aisle and thought that would be kind of fun. The kids loved painting the pumpkins, and I didn't have to do any carving.

Then I took out the guts and made my delicious roasted pumpkin seeds.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
-Pumpkin seeds
-Sea salt
-Lawrey's season salt
-Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse off the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin. Soak in salt water for an hour or more (I use sea salt). I don't have a measurement for this, just shake some in until you think the water is good and salty, maybe 2 tsp. Once soaked, strain the seeds out and pat dry a little, enough to not have water dripping off the sees and put them in a mixing bowl. Melt about 3-4 Tbs of butter, depending on how many seeds you have. I like them buttery so I never lean toward the lesser side. Pour the butter into the seeds. Add 1-2 tsp of Lawrey's season salt, again dependent on the amount of seeds. And again, I like mine salty so I tend to shake on a little extra after the seeds are placed into a shallow bar or baking pan.

Put in the oven, stirring every 10 minutes or so until they are roasted to the brown you desire. The pumpkin seeds are really all about you, so make them as buttery, salty or brown as you want.  That's it. So delicious.

___________________

Pumpkin Puree

After the pumpkin seeds finished, it was time to get the rest of the pumpkin into the oven. I cut the tops off two Pick-a-Pie's and put them on a cookie sheet to bake at 350 degrees until a fork could easily scoop out the flesh.  I can't say an exact time, guess it depends on pumpkin size, but min were in for at least an hour or more. This kind of goes by instinct. You can tell when they are nice and soft. I then set the pumpkins aside to cool for a few hours.  Once cooled, you can put the scooped out flesh into a food processor or as I do, just put it into a big mixing bowl and use my hand mixer until pureed.  That's it. You have delicious, nutrient rich pumpkin that doesn't have all the good stuff boiled out of it.  There is no need to cut up chunks of pumpkin and boil it...ick.  Who wants to eat watery puree? Just bake it and make your life easier. These two pumpkins gave me enough puree for 3 loaves of bread, a dozen and a half muffins and 3 mini loaves of the pumpkin cream cheese filled bread, with 2 cups puree left over. Wow!

The other recipe I decided to try was a Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread that I found on another blog, Cookie and Kate. If you click on this link, it should take you directly to her recipe.  The only thing I changed is I used 2 tsp of pumpkin pie seasoning instead of the allspice, ginger, nutmeg etc. and instead of coconut oil or vegetable oil, I used a 1/2 cup of unsweetened natural applesauce.  It turned out delicious and moist, even without the added oil, so I think the substitution was well worth it.  I did two loaves of this, and one loaf with chocolate chips added to it.

I used the same recipe to make Honey Whole Wheat Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling. But instead of using powdered sugar in the cream cheese, I just added honey to taste (the honey is raw, and from a friend of mine who started hives out at the CSA farm we are members of, so it is DELICIOUS!) and put a little dollop of the mixture onto a layer of the bread mix, then added more to the top so the mix covered the dollop of cream cheese to 2/3 full muffin tin cups.  Baked at the same temp as the bread, for about 25-30 minutes. Enjoy. Refrigerate ones not eaten.


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.

Deleting the naughty…with 5k's

I've achieved something I didn't think would happen.  I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Mind you, it was a slow process and took almost 3 1/2 years.  By eating normal portions and moving around chasing these kids, it happened.

I want to maintain this so I decided for my own benefit to start doing 5k's.  I am by no means a runner, nor do I have the desire to run.  I need my knees. But I am a great walker, and a wannabe part-time jogger.

I decided my first 5k needed to be something simple, close to home and low pressure. I found it with my college alma mater and their homecoming 5k.  Yup, that'll work. I talked my sister-in-law into doing it with me and we signed up.

The day arrived and it was chilly but absolutely gorgeous outside. The sun was shining and the leaves were turning. There were about 100 people and at first we were the oldest people and alumni there. But people trickled in and the atmosphere picked up. It was homecoming after all.

We all lined up and we got the go. I was doing it. My first 5k.  We power walked in between mini spurts of jogging and talking while walking. While they could have chosen a more scenic route around the campus, it was nice to revisit the old stomping grounds and see the changes made since I graduated in the mid 90's. I did not trip, I did not fall.

 We finished in 53 minutes, which I considered a success. 3.1 miles in under an hour is great considering I don't walk that distance regularly. I got to chat with my sister-in-law, she is now hooked and we are planning our next one.

And I got a t-shirt, we all know it's really about the shirt and the swag. Not about how we've deleted some naughty by getting off the couch and moving it.


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.