June 17, 2009

SUMMER LOVES


I thought I would share some of the things that I am LOVING this summer. I want you to share some of your "loves" in the comment box too. I would love helpful hints and tips too. Like did you know if you put 2 paper towels in your salad bags, they will last up to 2 weeks? Life changing huh?

So, right now I can't get enough of sweet potato chips (or fries for the American readers). I am trying to be more healthy and lose a few lbs and this is something that is just darn right DELICIOUS and good for you. All you do is peel and cut 4-5 sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle some sea salt & pepper then toss to coat evenly. Cook at 425 degrees for about a half an hour until tender. I make a spicy mayo to go with it when I am not dieting and the spicy and sweet make the perfect companionship.

I love my Pampered Chef Bar Pan. It is seriously so AWESOME. I can cook yummy pizza's using zucchini and herbs from my garden, then make cookies or brownies that are perfectly cooked. No more touch chewy sides on the brownies. It makes it all soft and delicious through out. It is life changing. I mean it too. I use it for everything.



Now my next "love" is something I can't live without now. It is a Vitamix. If you have ever been to Jamba Juice, this is what they use to blend their smoothies. Or on the Food Network, all the chefs are always using one of these blenders. I sold a few paintings and saved up for this baby and seriously, it is the best money I have EVER spent. This thing makes the best smoothies, fresh nut butters, creamy ice cream out of frozen fruit and a bit of low fat milk yet it is creamy and delicious. It can make hot soup. Yes... hot!! You leave it blending after you have put in your fresh ingredients, and it cooks it. I made some tomato soup that was to die for. I will throw a WHOLE apple, some carrots, spinach, strawberries and a few frozen bananas and a tad of apple juice and my kids think they have had the best smoothie ever, little do they know that I just fed them tons of fruit and veggies. I also add flax seeds and you can't taste it. It grinds them up so fine. You can grind up wheat and make your own flour too. LOVE it!!!
My 2 yr old has been very sick this last week and would not eat. I blended up some frozen blueberries and watermelon then added a cup of yogurt and she ate it all. It was so good. I took a picture for y'all because it was so pretty :)

My last "summer love" is my garden. I love being able to go out and use things that are freshly cut or pulled from the ground. It is one of the best decisions to research and build it. It took a little bit of hard work but the pay off is well worth it.

Every morning the kids and I are so excited to go out and see how big things have grown overnight.


We spotted our first cucumber and now they are popping up like crazy.

It is a bonding experience for our family and inspiring not only for me, but for my children who are learning where our food comes from and how to eat nutritiously and organically.


So there you go, just some of my summer loves. What are yours? What tips can you all share with me and my readers? I hope your summer is treating you right.

xo Emily xo


12 comments:

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

Thanks for the tip on Sweet Potato fries... they sound yummy!

My favorite part of the summer... reading under the shade of a tree on a cool summer evening!

Now I just need to MOVE to make that a reality!

Emily Anne Leyland said...

Hahaha- yeah- St.George not the best place for reading under a tree. You'd still feel like you were in hell :)

The sweet potatoes are the BEST.

Heather said...

Ooooh, it looks so good! Now Im hungry ;)

Anjeny said...

I ♥ your summer loves. The smoothies are yummy along with the sweet potato fries.

I don't have any real good tips to give but there's this one little thing my kids keep insisting I do.

It's soo hot here so we are constantly carrying around bottles of water with us...my kids make me freeze half of a water bottle, then pour water in the bottle so I have cold water the whole time and then this they insist I do...I have to wrap the bottle up with aluminum foil..keeps the cold in all day even in the hot blazing sun. What ya know, I'm actually learning something from my kids..lol.

Ginger said...

That is so awesome, I wish I had a yard big enough for a garden.
Go Miss. Greenthumb.

Darci said...

I'll have to make those fries soon. They look so good. I have the same bar pan and never use it. Ooops! Gardening is a new love of mine too. We're knee deep in fresh strawberries and lettuce and love it! The rest will come later with our different climate. We are big smoothie makers too and I add spinach, carrots and even kale sometimes. The kids don't even know.

* said...

Totally agree -- I'm in the Vitamix fan club as well. We've had ours close to 6 years now. We use it almost every day to make broccoli cheese soup, hummus, smoothies, you name it!
PS: love sweet potato fries, too. We got some @ Serendipity3 last weekend and they rocked!

Jami said...

Mm! Now I want a smoothie.

I am totally loving the strawberries this year. Sooooo good! Better than usual, in fact. Mmmmm!

Sarah said...

We're in Alaska and I love the long hours of daylight we get in summer. It makes up for those dark winter days and I find myself up at midnight, cleaning closets or watering the lawn. :) I love all the green, too- the birch trees, my just now sprouting garden, my perennials growing. Oh I WISH summer lasted longer here!

The Crash Test Dummy said...

YUM-O! I wish I lived at your house. We had a vitamix for a while and I loved it. But then it broke and we haven't replaced it. I need to get another one.

Man, I'm so hungry all he sudden.

boracay condo said...

so healthy delicious

Furniture movers said...

Your pizza looks so perfect :-)