WOW! Over night, the sprouts went CRAZY!

I woke up to them growing about 3 inches!

I took the cover off.  They are now yellow.  Today is greening day and tomorrow will be harvesting day!!!!

I can't get over how they are moving!  I know plants grow towards the light, but I can actually leave for 5 minutes come back and they are facing in another direction.  It is like an orchestrated dance.  My husband and I can't get over it.  

Wooo hooo My sprouts are really taking off

My Sunflower sprouts sprouted so much that they lifted the cover I had on them clean off!

When I woke up this morning, they had lifted the cover up.

As they grow in the dark, the color is actually yellow until they are exposed to the sun and "greened up"...  That is about 2 days away.  Boy, they are really packed in there!

Almond Butter -- store bought?

I know that I should make my own.  And perhaps one day I will -- Just not today!  It is just almonds in the cuisinart and a heck of a lot of time.

Almond butter can be pricey.  I use it in smoothies and for recipes mostly.  So when Costco started carrying it -- yipee.  Then about 2 weeks ago, I couldn't find it in the store.  I went on the website -- gone.  I spoke with one of the managers and she said she didn't think they were going to carry it any longer.   It was carrying the large for $7.99 -- in a glass jar.  How I mourned the loss of the almond butter.  I even found it at Walmart -- same brand.  But a small jar there was $6 (for about 1/2 the butter).

Yesterday, while getting my once (some times twice weekly) Costco fix -- I saw it.  Almond butter.  It's back! -- Sadly, it is in a plastic jar -- which I don't particularly care for -- but it is almond butter -- so I won't complain (too much) ;)  MaraNatha brand...

Here's a comparison with the old glass jar on the left.  It is hard to tell, but the glass jar seems a little larger (width wise) -- than it's plastic counterpart.  Both are the same amount of ounces.   I still like the glass jar better.

Now, there has been a lot of grumbling about Almonds and the fact that they use a lot of pesticides/ fungicides on them -- perhaps it is better to eat organic for almond butter.  MaraNatha HAS an organic version.  It is just a little harder to find.  I'm not sure why.

Perhaps this is my wake up call to "make my own".  -- Am I that lazy that I won't make it??  Only time will tell!

Black Rice & Scallops

My daughter has been talking about this black rice (seems like forever) -- I was in Costco and they had it....  So, why not try it.  I bought some.  I happened to go to a restaurant in Delray Beach.  It is a farm to table (my new favorite type of restaurant) -- What did I order.... Scallops -- what is it paired with -- you guessed it, black rice.

I've made black rice risotto and I've tried the recipe on the back of the bag -- sesame ginger black rice.  Both were very tasty.

The orange is shaved carrots

Chia pudding

Couldn't be easier.  While I was in NY, I had lunch with an old college friend.  We dined at Le Pain Quotidien.  They have a cookbook out.  On the table was a postcard with a recipe.  It looked so good, I snapped it up and promised myself I'd make it.  I forgot all about it.  Returned home.  While rummaging through my purse, I came upon the card.  It is Chia & coconut pudding with a passion fruit sauce.

Many years ago, I went to Australia.  Besides the "mud market" one of my favorite things was the passion fruit -- passion fruit is difficult to find here in Florida -- perhaps the season is very short.  When I lived in Massachusetts, I'd occasionally find it at Roche Brother's (the grocery store there).

I was sure I had seen frozen passion fruit pulp somewhere.... just where....

For the pudding, it is just chia seeds and coconut milk.  (Newsflash -- if you use organic coconut milk -- it doesn't have gar gum -- it doesn't harden to form the way the non-organic does) -- I've used both.

Tastes the same, just doesn't mold.  If you want it to mold, I guess skip the organic -- I just eat it out of the little molds and it's a bit softer (organic).

I did find the passion fruit pulp -- it was at a Walmart store!!!!!!!  Yes, it is Goya brand and it is just pure pulp no sugar or additives!  YEAH!

I add some organic sugar when I make the topping.  You can use agave or stevia for sweetening if you don't like/use sugar.

It goes in the fridge in the little glass bowls for at least 3 hours.

Then I top with the thawed passion fruit

I add a teaspoon of organic sugar.

Fish Tacos

I always admired the whole fish selection at Whole Foods, but I never considered those because I don't know how to filet them.  I just realized, they will skin, filet, cook (and as the guy joked-- even eat it for you).

Yes, they will season and cook your fish selection.  I was at the counter as some one was ordering his fish cooked.  I guess I was in the dark.  Now that I know all this....

I can boldly order my whole fresh snapper and return in a few minutes to find snapper filets wrapped and ready to go.

I made fish tacos.  Whole wheat tortillas, organic mixed lettuces, organic tomatoes, salsa and cheese.... Yum....  Only sorry I didn't throw on some avocado.

Sauted the fish with salt, pepper and chili powder. 

I've got sprouts!

I took a picture before I went to bed.

I got up this morning and checked!  The first signs of life.....

Tiny white tails have emerged.