On The Way, Week 12

{1} Day Lilies, Goshen, NY {2} Felafels in the Making {3} Carnival, Chester, NY {4} Desktop Parfait with Raspberries, Banana, Vanilla Yogurt and Pecans {5} Beautiful Sky, Whispering Hills, NY

Veggie Burger

I once made my world famous turkey burgers for a guy on our second date. He was so impressed he had one and a half burgers! He told me later that he hated my turkey burgers. He had another because he thought it would be a dead giveaway if he said he liked them but didn't ask for "seconds" Oy. It wasn't so much that he hated MY turkey burgers as that he objected to the concept of turkey burgers. For him a burger is beef. Period. I beg to differ. I really like the entire concept of the burger: so like a sandwich - my favorite thing in THE world - yet so different. There is nothing really like that warm, dense and chewy patty with a hint of charcoal; the substantial bun that can stand up to serious toppings. Why forego the whole experience just to trim some major calories? Instead I give you the ultimate Veggie Burger. I prefer the Boca brand "Flame Grilled" variety. They do the grilling so I get that great char flavor but I only have to pan fry them, in a drop of olive oil. From there dress up your "burger" just as you would the beefy version. To keep it healthy I plop my patty on an Alvarado Street Bakery's Sprouted Wheat Burger Bun and top with red onion, a generous amount of avocado and a dollop of salsa. For just around 400 calories, you have a very satisfying meal, al fresco if you like. Try that on sliced bread!

On The Way, Week 11

{1} Fawn Season, Sugar Loaf, NY {2} Clouds+Sun+Thunder+Rain+Humidity, Mahwah, NJ {3} Cattle, Laroe Rd. {4} All Sorts of Veggie Goodness, Dinner {5} Three H's, Chester, NY {6} Chocolate Cherry Ricotta Parfait

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Parfait

Diets. Bleh! A world full of color is not - in most minds - associated with dieting. However I recently found what I like to call a meal plan that makes a pretty valiant effort at challenging that thinking. My rules to live by, when it comes to healthy eating are: #1, you better like what you're eating {or it will automatically classify as a fad diet - one you will be done with in short order} #2, it should be relatively easy to follow and fit well with your lifestyle {or you'll find yourself cheating more often than sticking to it} and #3, never start your meal plan on Monday - if you have to wait until "after the weekend" to dive into it, you probably don't want to do it badly enough! This plan is one I lived with for quite a few months last year but, as per usual, I kind of let it run it's course. I am back into it now and would like to share, just a bit, with you. I am not advocating this "diet" nor do I intend for it to make me a food blogger. I only want to show you, from time to time, what I am eating, maybe figure out how attractive I can make the dish and see how creative I can be in coming up with new "recipes." This first item is a spin on the ubiquitous yogurt parfait. It is made with one 6 ounce container of Stoneyfield Farm's Fat Free French Vanilla Yogurt layered with 1 cup Kashi Whole Grain Honey Puffs Cereal and 1 tablespoon of chopped raw Macadamia Nuts! I really like the balance of sweetness, the punch of macadamia and the cool, smooth yogurt - all for under 400 calories. This makes a really pleasant afternoon snack and it's easy to take with - just keep the crunchy parts separate from the gooey part and assemble in a cup or glass just before eating.

On The Way, Week 10

{1} Sun Field, Chester, NY {2} Wild Turkeys, Upper Saddle River, NJ {3} Vanilla-Macadamia Yogurt Parfait {4) Threatening Skies, Whispering Hills, NY {5} Shawangunks & Power Lines, Laroe Rd

On The Way, Week 9

{1} Clouds, Sloatsburg, NY {2} Farmland, Montvale, NJ {3} Shamrock Sidewalk, Suffern, NY {4} Dangerous Overpass, Suffern, NY {5} Mount Fuji, Hillburn, NY {6} Spring Sky, Whispering Hills, NY

Crafty Me: Decalmania

I am feeling the effects of a life without charm again. There have been few pretty things to capture my attention. I've not dived into my craft closet in oh so long. The daily grind, the rat race, the boredom of taking care of business each day, I admit, is getting to me. I am creatively challenged at the moment! My recent visits to Maine and Mass have tickled me a bit. I'm not quite ready to chuck it all and dedicate myself to a life in art (or craft). But I have found myself gettin' happy about some others' work. Bloggers have been all over these water decals for awhile but this post from the painted hive moved me to action! I am decaling my brains out....oh the possibilities! Get crazy along with me and download some of my pantry labels here and here.

On The Way, Week 8

{1} Sculpture, Paradise City Arts & Crafts {2} Memorial Day, Montgomery, NY {3} Country Road, Mass {4} Roses, Whispering Hills, NY {5} Deer, Tuxedo, NY {6} Respite, Airmont., NY

The New Kid On The Blog, June 2012: PurlBee

This might come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. Knitting is NOT my thing. I've tried it. I didn't like it. But I DO love artists and crafters who love what they do and do it so exceptionally well that they create works of art with style, wit and perfect execution. Check out the Purl Bee not only for beautiful knit and textile designs but lovely site design as well!