On Monday, I revealed my inability to drive by natural food stores (or similarly monikored markets) without feeling an urgent need to stop and shop.*
*I can, however, avoid Stop & Shops.
Today, for Jenn‘s What I Ate Wednesday link-up, I will answer the burning question that must be on all of your minds: do I actually eat anything I buy?
Let’s open up the bag(s), shall we?
I wish I could say I did something incredibly fancy with the baby (locally grown!) kabocha you saw above. But, no, I simply sprayed it liberally with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkled it with Penzey’s Northwoods Seasoning plus a bit (or maybe a bunch) of cumin. [Because everything is better with cumin.]
I did this directly on the pan and then pushed the squash all around in order to make sure both sides were covered. Why dirty an extra bowl for professional grade tossing when this method works just as well? It was quite delicious–although I still prefer my kabocha cold.
.I did try to get a little fancy schmancy by putting it on top of a mix of quinoa flakes, rice flakes, and oat bran…cooked up in the microwave with some minced garlic and more Northwoods Seasoning. [The quinoa flakes were purchased with the kabocha, so I felt it only natural to involve them in the same meal.]
Naturally, I had tried the quinoa flakes before this, in a sweeter variation.
I mixed them in with my morning oatmeal, and I have to say, I didn’t like them as much. [Although I did find it highly entertaining that you could still see the little quinoa 'springs' pop out after cooking, just like with the non-flaked version.]
Although topping them with some homemade cranberry sauce and a diced Virginia Gold apple (from that same natural food run) helped, I like the savory form much better.*
*So much better that I’ve started to get “must…eat…this…every…day…” cravings.
The other half of tha particular Virginia Gold apple ended up being diced, roasted…
…and mixed into my Quin-Waldorf Salad creation of happiness.
The second apple went the way of many of his apple ancestors before him (or her…who’s to say, really?*)
*Technically the fruit is the female part of the plant, though…right?
As for the dried date pieces coated in oat flour (that I, no joke, went to three different natural food stores to find in a fit of random pregnancy-eqsue desire), some of them have just been munched out of their bag…and others went into a impromptu trail mix of peanuts, cranberries, Cascadian Farm Multigrain Squares.
And yes, Goldie’s boyfriend is back (and you’re gonna be in trouble).*
*Hey la, hey la, my her boyfriend’s back!
“Um…Miss Smart?”
“Yes, Susie?”
“Did you mention rice flakes mixed in your grain porridge awhile back?”
“Why, yes, yes I did.”
I found these Shiloh Farms organic brown rice flakes at Spring Run Natural Foods when I was home for my fake college break. 
Since they were on clearance–and promised to make instant rice pudding–I just had to buy them. [I'm a sucker for an orange clearance sticker. What can I say?]
Since they were on clearance–and promised to make instant rice pudding–I just had to buy them. [I'm a sucker for an orange clearance sticker. What can I say?]
You’ll also have notice that along with the rice flakes came some new little buds:* the quinoa in my pantry is not only flaked…but also puffed!
*They are quite friendly, aren’t they?
To be honest, I don’t like these as much as puffed rice, nor the puffed millet^ (of which they bear a striking textural resemblence).
^Is it just me, or did I sound incredibly hoity-toity saying that?*
*And will you still be my friend even though I said ‘hoity-toity’?
However, they do add a little protein punch to my almost-nightly bedtime bowl of cereal…and taste great mixed with apple pie spice and Multigrain Peanut Butter Cheerios*
*Also known as my new favorite cereal.
The only thing I didn’t eat from the natural food store? Greek yogurt I bought for Sister Smart.
Because that would have made me sick been wrong.
[Who would eat a present they bought for someone else? Who?*]
*Probably me.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
GIRL. I am jealous, I've been looking for the peanut butter cheerios – THREE times I cannot find them yet. did you see there is a new dulce de leche flavor also? Mmmm.
happy Wednesday!
going "al natural" eh? i love it! Never tried th rice flakes either. Probably cause they were never on sale. haha. Creamy though! or so i hear.
Great eats! I didn't have any doubts about your ability to creatively incorporate natural goodness into your meals.
What a fun variety of foods. I feel you on the urge to pull over at every sign of health food. Maybe there is a club we can join to help us? And crazy Richard's was my first natural peanut butter… ahh the delicious memories.
I'm a sucker for clearance stickers too. It's bad.
I've got some quinoa flakes sitting unopened in my pantry – thanks for the ideas!
it seems you were very flake-y this day
i've never tried quinoa flakes but they intrigue me. i also just bought some regular millet, not puffet, for the first time. can't wait to use it.
I've never tried quinoa flakes before, or puffed millet
I WANT THAT GOLDFISH CONTAINER! Like really.
And am I the last person in the world who hasn't had kabocha squash? Pretty sure I am. Am I looking in the wrong spot because I never see them at the grocery store!
I keep presents meant to be given to people all the time. So, I'm not judging. You just give them something else….or don't. I'm awful.
Glad to be back to blogging. I've missed your wit.
I've never tried quinoa flakes before but would love to! LOVING your bedtime bowl of cereal!!
Happy WIAW!
i've eaten presents made for other people… i just made up a story in my mind about how they were re-gifting them to me. and frankly, re-gifting a present to the person who gave the present in the first place is rude. so i have the right to eat it! how do you like that circular logic?
Look at you, gettin' all creative with your culinary creations! I love it!
Bahaha, I eat people's presents all the time. Like I'm pretty sure I've been through more of the Ghiradelli squares I got my mom for Christmas than she has.
I love how you see something, buy it, and actually MAKE something though. You have ideas and flavor profiles you know go with it. You are truly talented Sarah
I made a hot breakfast mix earlier in the week that has quinoa in it… I'm digging it. And I too have mad love for the orange clearance sticker. Ups the cool quotient of things instantly.
I love all types of squash, but kaboucha is probably my favorite. Yours looks delicious, and I agree, its yummy eaten cold!