my favorite nuts: planters pistachio blend

i absolutely LOVE nuts, but i stopped buying mixed nuts because of all the added oil. luckily i found these super tasty mixed nuts by planters that are not only dry roasted without any added oils, but they include one of my all-time favorite nuts: pistachios! love it!

lovely music: laura veirs

(photo courtesy of lauraveirs.com)

i recently asked some friends for music suggestions and thankfully my friend ryan recommended laura veirs. she has a calm, lovely voice and her folksy style is totally endearing. her music has that artsy, inspiring quality about it that makes anyone want a rainstorm and a paint brush. check her out at http://www.lauraveirs.com/

best lipbalm ever: burt's bees w/pomegranate oil

(photo courtesy of burtsbees.com)

this stuff is the best! i am incredibly picky about my lip balm and i finally found my favorite. things i love about it:
1. it's not minty (i don't like minty lips)
2. it's not waxy- it goes on smooth and penetrates my lips
3. it lasts forever
4. it is 100% natural!

quick lunch: amy's organic veg soup

today i am thankful for canned foods. i usually try to stay away from eating out of a can, but after the major flood at my apartment and the move that followed, i am glad to just have something warm to eat for lunch. i have been trying to cut back on grocery spending, which can be tough since i'm gluten-free and many gf products are so spendy. luckily someone at work mentioned amy's canned soup (which i hadn't tried until recently). i have tried a couple of different varieties, but today i had the chunky vegetable soup. it was surprisingly delicious! there were lots of different beans and veggies in there- probably the healthiest thing anyone can get from a can :) plus, there is nothing more comforting than eating something hot for lunch in the middle of an icy MN winter. thanks, amy's organics!

almost too tasty: prairie organic vodka

(photo courtesy of Prairie Organic Vodka http://tinyurl.com/prairieorganic)

so i've been itching for a good vodka martini and finally decided to buy some blue cheese stuffed olives, get out my shaker, and play bartender. i have seen Prairie Organic Vodka at the liquor store many times, but i finally decided to try it out yesterday. not many products can meet my
gluten-free/organic/vegetarian/local/not-so-expensive-i-go-broke standards, but this vodka managed to do it all with a great taste to boot! actually the taste was almost too good- even as a shot it went down smoothly. yum! this vodka will definitely be a staple in my liquor cabinet from now on.

tasty tea: zhena's gypsy tea

(photo courtesy of gypsytea.com)

i stumbled upon zhena's gypsy tea (acai berry flavor) at my local grocery store last week during my weekly tea stock-up. initially i wanted to buy it solely based on how beautiful the container would look sitting out on my countertop, but once i brought it home and brewed it i quickly found that what was inside was just as lovely as the package. it is much more flavorful than most herbal teas i have tried, and it has a light sweetness that can't be beat. i will definitely be trying as many of the other flavors as i can get my hands on!

my favorite bread: udi's whole grain

when i entered the world of gluten-free goodness i thought i would never have a good piece of toast again. for a year i went on believing that, since all my bread-baking attempts ended up crumbling between my fingers. i was so happy when my mother-in-law introduced me to udi's whole grain bread. my hope was revived! it is BY FAR the best gluten-free bread i have ever eaten & now i eat it every single day.

i love pizza: pizza luce

so i have been craving pizza for the past week but i have haven't had access to an oven due to our living in a hotel :( luckily i forgot my lunch at the hotel this morning and i was forced to order from one of the few pizzerias that offer gluten free pizza AND deliver. yay for pizza luce! i ordered the pizza athena which i always get because it is just downright tasty. maybe i should forget my lunch more often ;)

my daily cup: yogi tea

everyone who knows me knows that i am utterly addicted to tea. i would drink it constantly if that didn't interfere with my teaching, but unfortunately the law frowns upon boiling hot liquids near children. who would have thought? anyway, i drink breathe deep tea every morning and afternoon for my asthma (the licorice also helps with my heartburn). i am hooked on this stuff not only because it has a naturally sweet flavor, but it also helps keep my lungs open. try it!

for the green in me: aloft hotel

the bad news is that my apartment flooded over the weekend and my husband and i were forced to stay at a hotel for the past 2 nights. the good news is that our apartment manager put us up in aloft in downtown minneapolis. the hotel itself is a nice place, but what made me love it is that they have recycling bins in each room. that little recycling bin makes me feel a little bit more at home each time i see it :)

new winter moisturizer: avalon organics vitamin c moisture plus

i started using avalon organics moisturizer after the brand was recommended by dr. roizen and dr. oz in YOU: Being Beautiful. i quit using it over the summer as i was trying out some other brands, but this week i came upon it at target and i am so glad i did! i have combination skin so i'm always paranoid of over moisturizing and ending up with a blemishes, but this lotion is just enough rich moisture to protect me from the winter cold without overdoing it and creating a shine mess. i love it!

yum alert! ciao bella sorbet

usually i like super rich and decadent desserts but i was craving something light after a thanksgiving weekend filled with heavy foods. i spotted ciao bella sorbet at target and gave it a shot. i was in luck! i picked up the blood orange flavor and instantly fell in love. the only thing that could make it taste any better is a hot summer afternoon.