Can I get a collective “Haaaaallelujah”!?

weather

Go central Iowa!! After weeks of down pours, the coast is finally clear! At least for foreseeable future, anyways. ;) Sun, sun and more sun. This is going to be a good week, I can feel it!

I kicked it off with a fab breakfast, featuring a new recipe, Peanut Butter & Jelly Oats!

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In the mix:

  • 1/3 cup old fashioned oatmeal
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 banana (1/2 sliced in while cooking, 1/2 on top)
  • cinnamon, vanilla extract
  • almond butter
  • homemade strawberry jam!

I hit up twitter and facebook last week to see if anyone had a good, low or no-sugar jam recipe, and some helpful soul directed to me this recipe. Look at that ruby red lusciousness!

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Ummmm…best thing ever. EVER! If you would have walked in my house around 9pm last night, you may or may not have found me hunched in front of the open fridge eating this by the, ahem, spoonful. It’s just so fresh and bright tasting!

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Combined with warm oats and melty almond butter, it was a b-fast to remember. :)

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I brought a huge Veggie Salad and strawberries for a nice, summery lunch today.

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In the mix:

  • Baby spinach
  • Broccoli slaw
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Roma tomato
  • Green onion
  • Goat cheese

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I love adding broccoli slaw to salads, because it’s got such a great crunch. Half the fun of eating salads is the crunchiness, imo.

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Adding a few dallops of goat cheese will help keep me full, and, well, who ever needed an excuse to put goat cheese on anything?!

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Strawberries are still criminally cheap at the grocery store, so I made sure to stock up this weekend.

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Jewels!

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In other news…Judy’s Baked Beans got me in the paper!!!

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You know, Judy’s Baked Beans, aka my favorite food on earth!? Well, the local paper contacted me about recipes people could make for the 4th, and these baked beans were the very first thing I thought of.

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My Mom’s been making these for my family for YEARS, and I recently started whipping them up too. They’re absolutely unforgettable, and now all the people in Des Moines (and you too!) will be able to make them, whee!

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Thanks to The Register for featuring my recipe. Baked beans for all!

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In other news, can we please talk about the Toffee Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches that were on page 2?? O…M…G…

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Time to get this week started – have a great day!

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What’s your must have 4th of July dish?

In addition to the beans, I require a nice, crispy brat and an ice cold brew!

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41 Comments

  1. Anna says:

    That’s so exciting! This is so cliche but it just wouldn’t be right if the 4th passed without some sweet corn and some meat off the grill ;)
    P.S. what’s that about a stripper in the top left corner? lol!

  2. Anne @ Food Loving Polar Bear says:

    Delicious salad, just awesome! :)

  3. Cynthia says:

    Front Page, how amazing!! Congrats!! My must have 4th of July dish is grilled chicken with mango bbq sauce and an ice cold glass of “spiked” lemonade.

  4. Cynthia says:

    Front Page, how amazing!! Cograts!! My must have 4th of July dish is grilled chicken with mango bbq sauce and an ice cold glass of “spiked” lemonade.

  5. Lauren says:

    Once you have homemade jam, nothing compares!

    Wow girl you are all over Iowa! You must be famous in your hometown. If I ever visit, I’m telling everyone i know you! :) Hopefully it will get me extra perks.

    Have a fab Monday!

  6. sharon weaver says:

    I think i missed something. Is Judy’s beans your mother’s receipe?

  7. Bridget says:

    Congratulations!! 4th of July is all about sweet corn. Thank goodness we have plenty here in Iowa! I’ll be making that recipe for a potluck we’re going to this weekend. Thanks!

  8. Lindsay @ The Ketchup Diaries says:

    Totally making your recipe for my 4th of July cookout!!!!

  9. Corinne says:

    YES lets talk about those ice cream sandwiches puhlease! this 4th of july might just need to include those. i have to say everyyyy fourth must come with a side of CORN ON THE COB! :) yum. and kristin, that is such a fabulous write up and photo of you!

  10. Cynthia (It All Changes) says:

    Watermelon is a must! Hunni and I demolish one buy ourselves all day long :-)

  11. AJ says:

    Congrats on being in the paper!! That is such a cute picture of you in there. I looove Fourth of July food – brats, chips, watermelon, beans…. YUM.

    The salad you packed today looks pretty delish. I don’t recall ever eating broccoli slaw. I don’t like goat cheese very much, so I would probably use feta instead.

  12. Mikael says:

    Congrats Kristen! That is sooo cool! Ok, that oatmeal though looks so tasty… I’m not one to mix jam and oatmeal but mmmmm-mm! My eyes are salivating over here. ;)

  13. Dream Mom says:

    Congratulations on being in the paper! How fun!

    Lunch looks sooooo delicious as usual! Just love your salads!