Boysenberry preserve from Trader Joe's

My only association with boysenberries BC, was the boysenberry syrup at IHOP. I'd make DH take me there at least a couple of times a month to order two pancakes and go through 3 or 4 bottles of boysenberry syrup. In my defense they were really small bottles. I think I actually emailed IHOP asking about how I can get my hands on a vat of it.

This boysenberry preserve from Trader Joe's is a bit tart and very grainy - not like a fig but just larger and more prominent like a raspberry. I was a bit apprehensive but the kids ate it up with yogurt.

Graham crackers

Whenever I want to introduce something new to the twins and Iam not really sure if they will like it, this is my secret ingredient - anything I roll in graham cracker dust, the twins will at least try.

A funny/weird thing with my daughter and graham crackers - she will not take a bite, she always tries to shove the whole cracker in. Most other things though she will take manageable bites.

Accepting my awards

Iam sorry for the extended break. I did not realize what it would take to move, with twin toddlers that is. Now that I have checked out a couple of grocery stores AND the kids are eating more real food I have much to share.

Now regarding my two awards, thank you again Sara.

10 things about my self:

1) I was a fat kid

2) and I was a fat teenager. Hence my obsession with food

3) I went to a boarding school

4) an all girls catholic boarding school. I like to think I turned out alright

5) I collect old hand embroidered handkerchiefs

6) I always wanted to have twins. Now that I do, I wouldn't have it any other way

7) I used to dream of being a female Indiana Jones! I majored in geography and then accepted a job that described itself as a 'very sedentary position' (serious! not kidding)

8) We live 15 minutes from the Robert Frost Farm - one of my favorite poets

9) We have to haul our own trash to the dump. for now. I (and the kids) think it's fun, DH not so much

10) More than 5 years at one location and I start getting fidgety. I am a nomad.

Red fig jam from Les Comtes de Provence

The difference between a red fig and the common fig, for me at least, are the seeds. Red fig seeds are not as 'grainy' and textured as the common fig ones. This red fig jam from Les Comtes de Provence also has pieces of fig which the twins don't like.

A teaspoon mixed into yogurt and yummy-yummy dessert is ready.

Tilapia fillets from Sam's Club

The twins and fish have a love-hate thing going on. Some days it's yummy-yummy and some days it's gag inducing. They eat it poached (in a soup or rasam) or baked (idea from MandyE) with a little salt.

Tilapia is a 'best choice' according to the Monterey Bay aquarium seafood watch. BUT only if farmed in the United States. These Tilapia fillets from Sam's Club come from China apparently. I am trying to find out if that is still the case, and if so I will not be buying them from Sam's Club anymore.

Wild berry preserve from Mediterranean Organic

One more wild berry item. This wild berry preserve from Mediterranean Organic does list it's wild berries though - blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. It has 10 grams of sugar per tablespoon, so I make sure I use just enough.

I swirl a teaspoon into yogurt and the twins are happy with their dessert.

Yogurt stars from Trader Joe's

I am a big fan of the good stomach bugs - so if there is yogurt in it then it gets extra points. These yogurt covered cookies from Trader Joe's were a big hit with the kids. They are a little too big for one bite and too hard to take a bite from for the twins so I had to break them up.

The internet is really really slow out here (we are officially a 'rural' USPS customer!) Posting may be sporadic till it gets fixed.

Superfruit spread from Trader Joe's

One more super fruit spread. This one from Trader Joe's has morello cherry (is it a super-fruit? It's in all three) red grape (again in all three of them), blueberry and pomegranate. I think they used the boreal blueberries in this one.

The big difference between this and the two from Crofter's are the fruit bits in them. In the Trader Joe's version the fruit pieces were soft and did not bother the twins. Also, Trader Joe's was more tart than the other two - it did not bother the twins though. I mixed it into yogurt and they enjoyed their dessert.

Mango conserve from Crofter's

If it has mango and looks even halfway safe I will try it. This mango conserve has more mango than sugar. Even though it had a bit higher sugar content (8 grams per serving) than I liked, it has a natural mango taste. Not the super sweet, fake flavor but the real thing and there are even bits of ripe mango in there.

The kids got it mixed with yogurt and my daughter gave it a yummy-yummy.

5-grain puffs from Beechnut

This 5-grain puffs cereal from Beechnut looked promising - something beyond muesli. They didn't turn to mush once they sat in the bowl of milk which is usually a good thing. But the twins gagged on it.

However when I tried it as a snack they had great fun playing with the puffs. They both figured out very quickly that they could blow on them and make them move. In the process some of the puffs got stuck to their lips and fingers and got eaten AND they were entertained for half an hour. I stopped after half an hour because I didn't want the novelty to wear off. One more activity for cranky or rainy days.

Frozen mixed fruit from K-mart

This frozen mixed fruit bag from Market Pantry, a Target store brand, contains strawberries, peaches, pineapple, melon and grapes. After thawing, I took out the grapes (chocking hazard) and cut the rest into bite size pieces. The twins really didn't care for the pineapple but ate the rest.

We are moving today - no internet till Friday or Saturday. How will I survive?!

Frozen raspberries from Trader Joe's

Happy Birthday America!

Since summer is here I decided not to buy frozen berries anymore. But the kids like some sort of fruit sauce in the morning with banana and cereal. So they get fresh fruits as a snack anytime during the day, and fruit sauce for breakfast.

These raspberries from Trader Joe's are a miss - they were just too tart to use straight. So now I have a bag of cubed tart raspberry sauce that I am trying to sneak into the kids.

I won! Two awards!! Sarah at Mommy Lite found my blog worthy - Thank you Sarah very very much.

To accept and be able to brag about my awards I have to share 10 things about myself and pass the award onto 10 other awesome bloggers. I will as soon as we move - we are leaving monday morning and driving through 5 states - so help me God. The moving trucks will get there when they get there. I will fully accept my award next weekend.

Thanks again Sarah.

Wild boreal blueberries from Trader Joe's

These wild boreal blueberries from Trader Joe's are tiny. I subscribe to the school of the bigger the blueberry, the sweeter it will be. So when I opened the packet I winced at the size of them. After letting them thaw I popped a few and was pleasantly surprised. They were not tart - not sweet either - but a bit watery and very blueberry-ey.

They were too tiny and shriveled up for the kids to pick up and eat so I added them to their yogurt. My daughter who does not like blueberries made a face but then kept on eating.

Frozen spinach from Cascadian Farm

It's frustrating with fresh spinach - no matter how much I wash it I always end up with some sand after cooking - that dreadful grating noise at the bottom of the dish. Of course, a few grains of sand didn't kill anyone (at least not that I know of) but we are talking about my kids here. Besides, frozen spinach is just so much easier to get on to a plate (the real reason I confess.)

I mix it with lentils or a carb and they eat it up.

Almond butter from Blue Diamond

And I discovered another world - that of nut butters. Everyone knows about peanut butter, but I found out that I have also been consuming sesame seed butter, i.e. tahini.

I liked that this almond butter from Blue Diamond is sweetened with honey. I swirled a teaspoon into lowfat yogurt and they really liked their dessert.