Last night I made dried beans from a bag for the first time ever. I’d always been very intimidated by dried beans in a bag and used the canned variety for all of my cooking. But, the theme of the month is Food on a Budget, so I bought a bag of dried Pinto Beans for less than a dollar and got to work. 

 

I had no idea what to do, so I looked on the back of the bag. There I found three ways to cook these beans (1) overnight soak; (2) quick soak; or (3) simmer. 

I chose method (3) and the whole process took about an hour and a half. 

First, I rinsed about 2 cups of  beans. 

 

Second, I added about 6 cups of hot water to a pan, added the beans and simmered. I added a cover and left it off a little bit so some steam escaped.  

 

After about an hour they looked like this…

The result: these beans tasted so good! I love beans and consume them pretty much daily, but I’ve never really had a bean taste quite like this. Now I know what pinto beans actually taste like.  When you eat beans from a can, even if unsalted, they all kind of taste the same, right? Well these taste nothing like that and it didn’t take all that long to do. 

So far, I’ve used the beans to make  Veggie Pesto Soup and Cheesy Beans and Rice. 

I also used the beans to make one of my oddest snacks in awhile. 

Beans, with Greek yogurt and flaxseed. Delicious to me. 

Enjoy beans. 

In non-bean news … I was approved by the town’s school board to sub. I was fingerprinted today and should have my certification in a couple weeks so I can sub in other towns, too! My days of being a sloth are numbered. 

Also, I tried  the Cinnamon Raisin Bar that Gnu sent me and it was fabulous. I might like it even better than the Banana Walnut  Bar (which I discussed here) because it tastes like an undercooked oatmeal cookie and I don’t even recall having to eat a raisin. I hate raisins in baked goods. 

Finally, thanks Melissa! I received my winnings from the HMC challenge and can’t wait to eat/use them. There was another bar, but Mark already ate it. 

I was thinking more about the ice cream. I ate full fat ice cream just last weeked at Hannah’s birthday party and didn’t think twice. So what was making me so nervous? Maybe it’s allll the stories on the morning talk shows or all the articles in magazines about losing weight in the New Year … Oprah, Gwyneth (disappointing), everyone in the world. 

Usually, I strive for balance and think I do a pretty okay job at it, but weight loss stories have been everywhere and I think it’s been getting to me. I was feeling the need to tidy up my diet (read eating patterns, not Atkins) for no real reason. I think these stories have a sense of urgency that is too much sometimes. I don’t need a major eating overhaul, thanks very much. What do you think about all the New Year Diet Talk? Motivating or obsessive? 

Yoga, Yoga, Yoga! 

Anyway, I hope you had a great Thursday. I really did. It was fun and I learned that I enjoy Soymilk, went to the gym, did a YogaDownload. Oh, the other day I tried Yoga to the People, class number 6 I think and I could not stand it. I think it was a combination of the guy’s voice and complete lack of direction. I am not new to yoga, but c’mon, refer to a pose name once in awhile. I ended up doing my own thing and then quitting. Perhaps I picked a bad class? It could be that I am not cut out for 60 minute yoga pod casts, but I really want to like them so I can do them from home.  Any Yoga to the People suggestions?

Snacks/Dinner

Yesterday for a snack, I tried another Sunkist Natural Smoothie.

 

My one word review of Berry Cherry Bountiful is “refreshing.” It was good and tasted like a melted raspberry creamsicle. I would say, however, that I liked the Berry Blue Bountiful even better. 

For dinner I threw together a quick wheat pasta dish topped with Olive oil, zucchini, tomatoes, chickpeas, onions, garlic and Italian Seasoning. Almost all ingredients came from Mark’s mom (thanks!). I just love quick and simple pasta dishes. The pasta was Mueller’s Multigrain Rotini and it was really tasty all on its own! 

For an after dinner sweet snack, Mark and I tried two of the Gnu Bars we received in the mail (thanks Gnu Bar!). I’ve enjoyed Gnu Bars since I lived in NYC a few years ago. I really like Gnu Bars. They’re soft and chewy. Almost like a super-soft oatmeal cookie! I also love all the fiber (12 g.) each bar contains.

Peanut Butter Gnu Bar Review: I’ve eaten this flavor before and discussed it here. I maintain, and Mark agrees, this bar should just be called Peanut Bar. No peanut butter to be found! I actually like the taste of the bar and it has the moist home baked taste that I love in gnu bars. Mark said he would rather have a Clif bar and thought it tasted “medicinal.”

 

Chocolate Brownie Gnu Bar Review: I liked this flavor, too, but it might be because sometimes things can be a little too chocolatey for me. It cured my chocolate craving and I am betting it would be great in plain yogurt as a dessert treat. Mark thought it was ok and reminded him of a thin Clif Bar. He loves brownies so I think he felt misled as it really isn’t like a brownie at all.

 

My favorite Gnu Bar is the Banana Walnut Bar! It has a delicious banana taste and definitely tastes like a cross between an oatmeal cookie and banana bread. Love it! 

 

 

Friday Friends 

I’ve been living here in N.J. for a week now, and while I adore Mark, I am in need of some friends to do things with without him. Ya know? I recruited some of his girl friends to go see Bride Wars with me, so hopefully it won’t be too awkward. I tend to be quiet and shy around people at first, which is often misconstrued for snobbyness or disinterest. I will try to work on that. 

Have a fab Friday everyone!