Post-Free Weekend

And thus concludes my first weekend of not blogging. Not only was it my first weekend not blogging, the past two days were the first days at all in over 730 days (that’s two years, people) when I didn’t post–or have something pre-written and scheduled to post.

But if you thought that meant I just lounged around in bed and actually read some of my numerous library books all weekend, you obviously don’t know me as well as you think.

So what did I do on this post-free weekend?

Well, if a girl can’t blog…she might as well shop.

First, I went a little overboard on the Sperry purchasing, after discovering a $10 off coupon and a pair on clearance. [Perhaps it was not the wisest use of my money, but I have been missing my beloved Sperrys since they were stolen from my gym locker in Austin.]Then, Rachel and I found ourselves at the Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts liquidation sale……where I couldn’t resist the Wilton baking section and its offerings of Madagascar vanilla for $4.00; Butter, Lemon, and Almond Extracts……and these AMAZING “scooper” dry and liquid measuring cups (marked down 33%)!There was also a pineapple purchased spontaneously because it was the only one left in the entire Kroger produce section and I felt a strange emotional tug-of-war between panic that I wouldn’t be able to buy one should I randomly decide to come back later and sadness that it was all alone without its Costa Rican compatriots.After nearly purchasing a $16.00 or so bag of maca powder online—influenced somewhat by Candy’s post on Friday that educated me on its benefits (stress-relief and improved sleep/relaxation, which, as you can tell I clearly need)–I found it in the bulk section of a local natural food store! Saving money by testing it out first…which I haven’t yet actually found time to do.

I went to Whole Foods, not once, but twice.

First, I went to “shop” for dinner with Lizzy, where I attempted to limit myself by using the small box, but still managed to squash a whole lot of random–including shredded beets, delicious ratatouille, and curried cauliflower (which I incomprehensibly covered with newly discovered Carolina-style vinegary BBQ sauce–inside.The second trip was to stock up on supplies for my very first cooking class at Whole Foods Mondy night. Obviously, after I purchased supplies I had to use every glass pan I could find to make mass quantities of the Herbed Seitan I’d be using.And then I had to do a test-run, just to make sure I had the correct proportions for my Sweet Apple Seitan ‘Saute.’

As you can see, no blogging doesn’t mean no cooking.

After all, I had to tinker with my N.C. Sweet Potato Commission Blogger Contest recipe. And it was very important that I make not one, but three kinds of nut butter to send to Heather, my March Foodie Pen Pal.Then I baked some cookies, too, just for good measure…and packed them all up to be mailed by Wednesday.If I’m not blogging…and I’m not cooking…well, then you can probably find me eating.

Somewhere in the midst of the Saturday morning shopping extravangza I had my first Kind Bar, sent to me by my Valentine Blogger Exchange “pal.” Um. Wow. I have been kind of missing out, haven’t I?*

*Please note, even when I’m not blogging, I am still punning.Thanks to Rachel, I discovered the incredible goodness of Newman’s Own Mild Salsa. It’s less acidic than other salsas, with an incredible depth of tomato and pepper flavor that pretty much makes me want to eat it up like pasta sauce. Between the two of us, it was gone in about 20 minutes (and I’m being generous on the time).I experienced a restaurant redux with Mr. Mason Jar and his mama at Hamilton’s, where I ordered the same (and still) delicious Vegetarian Blue Plate Special.And lucky me, I also had some delicious Nana’s Cookie Company cookies to eat!Nana’s had mailed me three cookie prototypes for new gluten-free cookies: Snickerdoodle, Lemon, and Chocolate.I munched on all three, and determined that the chocolate was the epitome of chewy, dark chocolate decadance; the lemon tasted like a lemon bar in crispy cookie form; and the snickerdoodle smelled like cinnamon heaven, but was too hard to break with my hands and thus, for this soft cookie fan, not a winner (in its current form).I did not despair, though, as crumbling (or crushing, in the case of the snickerdoodle) the two non-fudgy cookies on top of a random fruit salad, then covering the whole thing in soymilk seemed to solve any potential tooth-chipping issues. [You can put your cookies in milk...or your can put the milk in* the cookies.]

*Fine. On. It sounds better this way, though.

Just re-reading this post is making me tired. Maybe now I’ll finally stop moving.

Maybe.