Fig recipes & Fall thoughts

Many things come to mind when I think of fall. Apples, pears, winter squash, crisp cool air, leaves falling, the farmers cutting down the feed corn in front of our house, decorating for Halloween, more Starbucks runs for warm lattes, and of course pumpkins too!

Well we can now add fig picking to that list! I planted the fig tree 3 years ago and we would get a handful of nice ones. This year we are getting the mother load! I love to pick a few fresh from the tree and plop them in my mouth but its even more fun experimenting with them in the kitchen!

Last week we had friends over and for a app I sliced the ripe figs in half but not completely through, filled them with goat cheese, then wrapped them with half a slice of prosciutto before placing them in oven at about 400 for just a few minutes to warm them up and get gooey. Lastly I used reduced balsamic to drizzle on top. They were delish, especially with a great glass of Cabernet!

Today I was trying to use up some of my fruit in my fridge along with the figs so I sliced:

1 apple
1 Asian Pear, or aka Apple Pear
10 or so figs (mine are brown turkey figs)

Then I pulled out my mini crockpot and put 1 Tablespoon of whipped butter, 2 packets of Splenda, and sprinkling of Cinnamon. Plug in and cook till desired texture ( we like ours soft enough for the kids to eat but not applesauce either), usually 2-3 hours since these little pots take a bit to warm up.

Hope you enjoy!

Cookies and Cream and 25 grams of protein oh my!

I have been quite absent from my blog lately and it's just due to a super busy summer! Hopefully with pre k starting up soon I will get around to posting alot more often : )

Today I am posting about a new product I am using for breakfast and lunch or sometimes breakfast and dinner. It is GNC Lean Shake 25 cookies and cream flavored. It was recommended to me by my good friend Shannon, who is a college student and she swears by this stuff! Whether she is on the run to class or going to a frat party, it's an easy meal!! We are all watching the lbs and trying to look our best so this keeps you good and full and is packed with vitamins AND 25 grams of Protein!!! I don't eat a whole lot of meat, basically the occasional chicken or turkey, but being a former vegetarian it's still not too appealing to me. So this is a great way for me to get that protein in and get those 5 extra off my hips so I can get in my J Crew toothpick jeans!!

Shannon described the taste as a cookies and cream milk shake, and I have to agree with her! I used 3/4 milk and the rest water. I put it in my good ole Magic Bullet with a few cubes of ice and enjoy! It does not have a powdery taste either.

They also sell it in a premixed to go version in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Good to have for on the road so you can avoid drive throughs!!

Let me know if you like it as much as us!