A Day With A Peel
I can’t leave you hanging on the pumpkin situation. Despite my protest desperate excuse that it was still too early and our pumpkins would turn into blue furry mushballs before Halloween, we did in fact get a carvin’.
We had a fool proof system.
Lulu gutted.
Gigi and I drew.
Did you know that having your tongue out increases your concentration by 40%? Uh…yeah…and you are also a winner in the British National Lottery…please just leave your bank account and social security numbers in the comments section.
How do you like my Sue Sylvester costume?
Velma‘s getting a run for her money.
Daddy carved.
He’ll do anything for a laugh.
Lulu wanted to for one moment feel the warmth of the spotlight and the roaring laughs from the crowd embracing her.
Yeah, that didn’t pan out.
The end results:
Mine was the white/ghost-like pumpkin which either means that I am extremely racist or just like to be different.
By the time we went to bed, it was clear that Gigi was sick and staying home from school today.
Doesn’t she look miserable?
While Daddy was still home, I managed to get a great and PAIN FREE workout in. My doctor called this morning and I’ve been cleared to return to my normal activity, though cautioned not to run long distances or do heavy lifting. That’s okay, all in all today, I did a 20 minute run, 30 minutes of upper body weights and 30 minutes of Pilates. Somebody stop me!
For breakfast, I had apple crisp.
I cut up a Honeycrisp apple, topped it with cinnamon and about 1/3 c. each of Kashi Go Lean and Kashi Go Lean Crunch. I’ll never get sick of this.
The weather was miserable today, starting out dark, rainy and cold.
But then just a few hours later, it was sunny and dry.
Gotta love the Northwest.
After breakfast, we played veterinarian and dentist, and then Gigi informed me that she had found a way to stop her nose from running.
.
Forget the H1N1 vaccine, my brilliant daughter has cured the Swine Flu. Just ignore the pounding headache after ten minutes and the floaters in front of your eyes.
After solving the pet, orthodontic and world health crisises of the day, it was time for lunch.
I made a tasting plate.
- carrots
- pickle
- kabocha fries
- broccoli
- Smart Dog
- organic ketchup
- tahini dressing for dipping
Ahh, the unattractive Smart Dog. It doesn’t matter how you dress it up, like Jon Gosselin, it’s still a weiner.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the pickles or a good share of the carrots.
They are both chewing pickles and Gigi is making an orange/carrot sandwich. I’ll get you the recipe.
After lunch I had a tea party with a ballerina…
…and a fairy.
Then the dancing started.
I’m praying their prom doesn’t end the same way.
We had pizza for dinner tonight, and in the Quest for Protein (coming soon to a Sony Playstation near you), I made a quinoa crust.
- 1/4 c. dry quinoa, prepared (~3/4 c. cooked)
- 2 tsps. ground flax, mixed with 3 T. water
- 1/2 t. dried basil
- 1/2 t. dried oregano
- 2 t. nutritional yeast
- 1/4 t. salt
Combine flax and water and set aside. Combine cooked quinoa, nooch and spices, and then add flax mixture. Press “dough” onto a greased cookie sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Top as desired.
I baked my crust a little too long, or as my grandpa says, “When it’s brown, it’s cooking. When it’s black, it’s done.”
This is a really light, crispy crust and would double well as a tostada or even crackers. I topped mine with organic pizza sauce, sauteed onions, mushrooms and red pepper.
On the side I had some Brussels sprouts that I pan fried with salt and lime juice.
Lulu’s Halloween costume came in the mail today. Problem is, she wanted NOTHING to do with it.
Luckily it was too big anyway and someone else was really interested. Remember Banana Phone?
Of course, it’s organic.
Then Gigi spied her witch costume and you could see her little brain trying to figure out what to do.
Problem solved.
OH I love your quinoa crust…brilliant! and pumpkin carving days are the best. Do you roast the seeds??? my favorite part!
Lots of fun those gals are!
good for you mama pea!
xo
Soo much good stuff…
Love the costume. Skylar is going to be a Pink Fairy Princess. She’s 2.75 so I figure it’s a great age to dress her as sweet as I can while I still can. Next year she’ll probably wanna be a vampire.
Your quinoa crust looks good and I love Grandpa’s slogan LOL
But of course the B.S. are where it’s at for me, Miss Cruciferous myself indeed.
Seeing your girls dance together is soooo sweet. But my uterus is permanently closed for biz. One-n-done over herrre.
Sooooo glad you’re able to workout and that your back is bettter!!!!!!!
And also glad the brock de-stinking tip worked for ya. It’s good to keep our husband’s around and stinky brocky house just wasnt working for mine so years ago I had to remedy that. Stat.
xoxo
Ooo I love Glee. And Smart Dogs. I had forgotten about them.
Gigi is adorable in that banana
Happy almost Tuesday!
What a beautiful day! I definitely like your lunch partners, the fairy and the ballerina, they look like a lot of fun. And smart too, solving swine flu so quickly like that!
I LOVE that quinoa crust, I just have to try that. Thank you for the recipe!
Hey lovey lovey. I’ve been so darn busy I haven’t been able to post about it, but your quinoa crust reminded me! I made chickpea fries the other day based on this recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chickpea-fries. It is basically a polenta-like mush made with chickpea flour and water and then you let it chill and solidify overnight. The next day, you cut up the firmed chickpea polenta into fries and fry/bake them until crispy. They’re delicious!! I want to make a version with cumin and coriander that tastes like falafel fries BUT I think if you tweaked it, you could make it into a pizza crust! Something like make the chickpea polenta, press it into a pie pan, let it chill overnight and then bake in the oven the next day sprayed with a little olive oil. You could probably even add some protein powder to the mush mixture too. I’m wondering how adding flax/chia/hempseed would work. Love ya!
haha i’ve never been a fan of smart dogs or any sort of hot dog for that matter. But give me a veggie sausage and i’m all over that!
Hope Gigi is feeling better? All ready to go back to school?!
Aw, that organic banana costume is so cute!
Your quinoa crust is so creative. I love all of your pumpkins together. Reminds me of when I was little and we carved ‘em! I am still going to carve some this year with my husband, I can’t wait!
Love the pumpkins!
Haha, SUPER Cute costume. Oh my, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more adorable nanner in my life. Love it!
Have a great day hun!
that banana costume is precious!!!! love the quinoa idea
sorry, lame-o comments today…
Could you ask Dr Gigi if the upside down head solution would work for me when I run in the cold
Thanks for the quinoa crust recipe – it looks great.
Your daughters are adorable! It looks like you all had a fun day together.
That quinoa crust looks really tasty too
Ok, just caught up on your last pumpkin-patch blogpost. How can my pics compete with such adorableness???
And look at your girls eatin their veggies. You must be one proud Mama!
Cutest. Banana. EVER!
What a great post, as always. The pumpkins looked great, everyone did an awesome job.
Your girls have such a wonderful life. The tea party looked like lots of fun and I’m anxiously waiting to see the halloween pics. Did you not get Lulu’s approval before ordering the banana? LOL.
Oh yeah, how do you prepare your quinoa? I have a box from Trader Joes and I know that I’m suppose to rinse it before cooking, but I’m not sure how to do that with such small grains. Thanks!
Lydia, I’ve read that with most commercial quinoa, it’s pre-rinsed, but I always rinse mine anyway, using a fine mesh strainer. You still lose a few grains, but it’s not like the stuff is pure gold or something
I then just cook it on the stove or sometimes in my rice cooker. If I have time, I toast it in a dry pan first. It takes on a really fabulous nutty flavor.
LOVE SUE! That reference is hi-larious!
The pumpkin carving pics are so cute, and that banana costume is adorable!
Oh SUE! How I love her
That banana costume makes me think of “Peanut butta jelly time, peanut butta jelly time!” I love that song.
Is the pumpkin with the heart eyes Chris’s work? What a doll.
You brought the first smile to my face today…I don’t know whether that’s sad or great. Fortunately enough it’s still fairly early and I haven’t really seen anyone today so maybe it’s not too pathetic!
I love the pumpkins and Chris had me cracking up. He seems like such a great husband and dad.
Cracking up over Jon-the-weiner-Gosselin…
LOVE Gigi as a banana witch…and Lulu’s little face when she discovers what her costume is.
I think your girls are bringing tutus back…
Quinoa crust – BRILLIANT!
as always, the girls are super presh.
awesome looking pizza crust!
Looks like another fun day. Of course you had me having to cough to cover a giggle whilst on the tube again! Your quinoa crust sounds pretty tasty. I plan on making lentil burgers somewhat inspired by yours on thursday night – good hearty Fall food. Thanks for sharing!
Girls are adorable as always!! Interesting pizza crust there. I will have to try that one out.
~Justine
I am so happy I bought quinoa over the weekend. This crust looks FAB! You smartie.
Bahaha I like your Sue costume! I never would have thought you were wearing something similar, though.
If it’s any compensation/hope, none of the three proms I attended went like that picture.
AHHH Banana phone witch costume! Love it! xoxo
Gigi needs to be a banana witch for Halloween. Hell, I want to be a banana witch.
Have I mentioned that I am SOOOOOOOOO happy you are back!
Just wanted to say I am glad you are back. I love your food choices and pictures. They give me great ideas–they really do. And I love your postings about your health and fitness routine. I currently am dealing with some injuries (serious knee problems), and I may never be able to do hard-core cardio again. But you show me that a person can be in shape and healthy even if it means she has to do less. I don’t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Oh–and you are such an attractive woman! Love your style and your new hair cut.
Aw, love the banana costume!
i really hope gigi is an organic banana witch for halloween.
you know, she could add the princess dress and be an organic princess banana witch. which is probably this years hottest costume.
I love all the costumes : ) I remember dressing up all the time, too – we had a costume trunk that held all of our tutus and everything.
LOVE the witch banana!!! Too funny
I love glee and I love all the inappropriate things that sue says…and that’s how i …see it.
the quinoa crust is such a great idea! it would totally be a great tostada crust.. mm!
(don’t tell the pilot! haha)
loved the glee reference, the organic banana, the comment about jon being a weiner..
your posts always crack me up and secretly make me want kids
have a great day <3
Dude! Quinoa crust? Amazing. You are quite the creative chef, m’dear. I’ll have to try it — tis the season for grains
Your blog cracks me up. You really should write a book. Your hilarious. I love how you are so into getting your daughters to eat healthy. Thats something that I’m trying to do with my daughter, but she is VERY picky! Frustrating! I will get there though
Tricksey banana! Love the quinoa crust idea! I have some that I wasn’t sure what to do with but crackers? I am totally trying that out!
Oh that banana incident brings me way, way back to the Halloween of 2008 with a certain 2 year old who refused to wear the top part of her dragon costume on Halloween night.
Freaking quinoa pizza looks AMAZING. B-squared has some great looking recipes in Thrive but I’ve been too chicken (harhar) to try them.
Now I totally want to be an organic banana for Halloween.
That banana witch costume is AWESOME!
I love reading your blog. So much fun!
I reallllly want to be that banana for Halloween.
Oh no you didn’t! Banana phone is stuck in my head again… and this time I didn’t even watch the video! That costume is pretty darn cute though
Sue Sylvester costume? Please. That’s just the way you [pause for hands making P-shape] peas it.
You are the best mom ever for getting that costume. Now I want one
Quinoa is a miracle food, I swear. Never thought to make a pizza crust tho. Hubz would not be down, methinks.
LOVE that the nanner is organic, lol!
Ohhh, thanks for the pizza crust recipe. That sounds awesome!
Hahahah, I LOVE the banana costume…perfection.
Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring….Genius!
“You sunk my battleship, Rod. And you sunk it hard.”
Quinoa crust!?! Oooh, I can’t wait to try that. Good call!
Also looking forward to the orange/carrot sandwich recipe.
Jealous of your pumpkin patch!
orange carrot sammies? someone get that girl a cookbook deal.
for the record: that quinoa crust looks awesome, and makes up for the smart dog.
The pumpkins turned out great!
love the pumpkins! super cute, looks like you had the perfect assembly line going on there. hmm or would it be disassembly.. since you were taking things away from the pumpkin? either way, cute pumpkins! and i love the banana costume!
Yum! Make me some of that pizza please! If my girls (because I WILL have girls, no boys please) eat half as well as yours I will be one happy mama. WHERE DID YOU ORDER THAT COSTUME?! And does it come in adult sizes!? I must know!!! Lol!
I am in love with the photo of Gracie being “sick.” What an angelface. And the one of her drawing on the pumpkin
That is too cute.
Very intrigued by the quinoa crust! I have finally been hooked up with some nooch so I am excited to use it. I’ve been looking through your old archives trying to get creative. So far I have popcorn, salads (or is that Erin?), and quinoa crust
haha i love reading your posts! hilarious
i think i need that recipe for the orange/carrot sandwich….. 
i spent the first half of grade school w/ my tongue stuck out each and every time my pencil hit my paper. i did great in school, so i actually believe that fact
disregarding it lead to my having an orthodontic appliance on the roof of my mouth…w/ 3 metal prongs hanging down like fangs to control my ‘tongue thrust.’ yeah…
Your quinoa crust is really smart. And I love the cooking philosophy. Sounds like Hunni.
The banana costume is great. I love the combo with the witches hat
Omg, that banana costume is a crack up… your daughter’s costume obsession totally reminds me of one of my cousins when he was around 4. Every week he would have a new costume and job that he was obsessed with- fireman, soldier, etc. So cute.
http://www.joelygolightly.wordpress.com
quinoa crust, love it!!
your kids are toooo precious and so healthy! even down to their costumes hahah
Cutest pumpkin fam ever! You’re making me reconsider my decision to not get a pumpkin to carve…
LOVE the looks of that tasting plate. Sometimes a good veggie dog is just the thing.
i don’t even know where to begin. this post is glorious. i am glad to know somebody else sticks out their tongue while concentrating, has dressed up as a banana (that was my first job) and dances around. made me laugh and wish i was as witty as you.
have a wondrous night mama!
I think you’re okay with the white pumpkin
We didn’t carve this year since Snuffy is so young. Plus, I had no time…ugh school. I sometimes have lunch with a ballerina too!
i hope my kids are as cute as yours
I just watched Glee for the first time last night… I love being in on pop culture! Lordy lord, I sound like my mother.
I love Miss Banana Witch! I love when Lulu & Gigi hug each other, too. What sweet girls!
Such a great idea about the quinoa!!!! So going to try this
Thanks for the awesome recipe.