Austin Road Trip: Day 1

Good morning, friends!

 

I want to thank you for the outpouring of support I’ve received via comments, twitter, and forum discussions regarding my article, when they STOP mentioning it. (Click here to read) The topic is so important to me, and I”m glad to know that it is meaningful to others too. :)

 

On to the roadtrip! :D

 

I’m in Austin this morning, at a teacher’s conference, and yesterday was the big trip! We’ve already had quite a wonderful adventure. Lindsay and Laura got to my house at 11, and we hit the road.

 

Our first notable happening (if you don’t count the 1.5 hours of rapid-fire-get-to-know-you-better conversation, is a Texas GEM that almost everyone who has ever traveled from the Metroplex the ATX knows about.

 

CZECH STOP!

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The Czech stop is a haven for kolaches and other amazing pastries. :D It is a right of passage, of sorts. If you’re going to ATX, you stop at czech stop and get a yum yum. I picked up a strawberry and cream cheese danish, and ate about half of it. Best $.99 I’ve spent in a long while. :D

We kept on trucking down the road, through a little bit of sleet, (and getting out of the way of 2 HUGE hay trucks that were raining down rubbish on my precious ride) and got to Austin in Great TIME.

 

We checked in at the hotel, picked up our conference materials, and set out to have dinner with Laura’s Bro.

We stopped at a place called, El Marcado (South) and I fell in love with Austin all over again.

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This little menu disclaimer made me REALLY happy! They had a DELISH looking vegetarian selection, allowed for items to be prepared dairy free, and use no animal products (read: LARD) in their delicious sides!!

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I ordered my standard, and my FAVORITE thing ever… 2 Verde Enchiladas (Prepared Dairy Free – meaning not smothered in Sourcream sauce and cheese- cause anyone who knows tomatillo sauce like I do, knows that tomatillo needs no other accoutrements taining its glory!) which was served with their Tex-Mex beans and rice (both animal byproduct-free! yay!)

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I didn’t love the rice, and left that, but I positively DEVOURED the enchiladas and beans. The verde sauce was literally the BEST I’ve ever had… and I’ve had a lot! I wish I could eat there every day, because it was THAT good. :D YUM. YUM. YUM.  (sorry for the excessive CAPS-for EMPHASIS, but this is serious foodgasm business, people. )

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We were there for literally 3+ hours, talking about all sorts of things. Laura’s brother was a great conversationalist, and we had a great time. :D

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The prices were great too, my plate was under $8! Laura and her brother tried a beverage, that I didn’t try, called a Mexican Martini… 1 shaker yielded each of them, 4-5 drinks! All for four bucks! that’s a good deal!

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The waitstaff was so nice too. Our waiter even photobombed us, without shame… Austin is a great time. :)

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After saying goodbye to our host, the girls went and picked up a couple of emergency items,

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and after a few more HOURS of conversation, we finally hit the sack. :)

 

All in all, a fantastic first day in austin. :D

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February 11, 2010 | Kelsey | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Battle of the New Greek Yogurts

Good evening people… Is anyone else COVETING the new Google BUZZ? I can’t wait for mine to be instated. YAY for technology! :D

Anyway, today was a GREAT day!

 

That’s a lie. It was an Okayyyy day, but I’m trying to be Positive! :D It is always hard to prepare for time away from the classroom. I’m always so anxious about leaving my babies. I’m so glad that I know they’re in good hands. :D

 

Today, I had my FAVORITE BREAKFAST OF ALL TIME!!! Yogurtoats, this time with the second new Greek yogurt candidate of the week, the Dannon Greek (strawberry). (Keep reading for my opinions of the NEW Greek yogurt candidates) Lunch was really, REALLY light, and I paid for it later, I had my very favorite green giant veggie steamer… but the whole serving is just 100 calories. Stupid. (I also had 4 cool ranch doritos, SCHWEET)

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**An ODE to Yogurtoats…

Heather asked me in my last post about yogurt oats. I’m pretty sure that what I know and love as, yogurtoats is just “overnight oats” to the rest of the blogging world, but I don’t care. Yogurtoats rules for several reasons.

1. I don’t like cooked oats.   I know! Everyone loves oatmeal! Oatmeal is the BEST thing EVER, but I can’t get past the gummy part, and I simply do not have the time/patience required to cook oats on the stove in the mornings (let alone wash out the pans)

2. More protein/FLAVA. Yogurt, especially Greek, adds a bunch of protein to the mix, and fats (assuming I’m not eating a 0% yogurt at the time) which keep me full and happy! :D Plus greek yogurt adds flavor which I love. :D

3. I’m not super into hot breakfasts. I dunno… hot breakfasts make me feel sleepy or something. The cool, brightness of tangy yogurt wakes me up (as do fresh cold berries/fruits) so, I like that a lot. :D

 

So, if you want to make yogurtoats the kelsnotchels way, here’s how I do it.

-Scoop 1/3 to 1/2 cups of thick rolled oats into a bowl (mine are almost always travel safe, cause I eat it at my desk)

-Top with yogurt of your choosing, I love Chobani 0%, Oikos, and the new Dannon Greek Yogurt best.

-Based on the “looseness” of the yogurt I’ll add some milk, just a splash (I prefer almond breeze or skim)

-Top with berries or fruit, (or nut butter, or agave, or any other crazy thing)

 

Now, I have a 10 minute commute (go ahead and hate) and that’s the perfect amount of time for mine to have the perfect consistency… the oats are still VERY MUCH RAW, and not soggy, but chewy. I’ve left it overnight before, but I prefer it this way.

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On the subject of yogurt, I wanted to weigh in on the two newest contenders in our local stores. Yoplait and Dannon have jumped on the greek yogurt bandwagons and have greek yogurt stocked in our regular market! I bought one of each, both in strawberry and have sampled them in my yogurt oats today and yesterday (with the same recipe).

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Yoplait

I thought the yoplait tasted “okay”… it wasn’t the worst yogurt I’ve tried, but it wasn’t my favorite. It was pretty stiff, and I thought it tasted a little fake. There were no pieces of fruit, it was just flavored. It wasn’t terribly smooth either. The nutrition facts were pretty good, 12g of protein, and more potassium than the Dannon… not to mention .7 more ounces of the stuff. It was okay, but if there is another kind on the shelf, I wouldn’t buy this kind again.

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Dannon

The Dannon was a “fruit on the bottom” kind, it was a strawberry, syrupy, chunky layer under the yogurt, and I liked it quite a lot! It was pretty sweet, I’m not going to lie, but the pieces of actual strawberries kept it from feeling too artificial. It was VERY creamy, almost mousse like, and was very smooth. It was a little bit of a smaller portion, came in at 10 calories less, though, and still the same 12g of protein. I would definitely buy this one again.

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Anyway, that’s enough yogurt talk for one night! I may actually write another post before bed, and set it to publish tomorrow while we’re on the road! My roadmates and I are excited and we’ll be driving to the ATX tomorrow before I know it! :D

 

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February 9, 2010 | Kelsey | Tags: , , | 7 Comments »

getting shots in your feet SUCKS

Hey gang.

I’m laid out on the couch and really don’t have the desire to write anything new, so I’m going to copy and paste from my h&F board, about what happened with the podiatrist on Friday.

Went back to the doctor today, and got steroid injections in the bottoms of both feet.

It was really bad, I don’t know if it was just a bad reaction, or what, but it burned like fire as it spread. The injection site is swollen and hurts at the touch. I can hardly walk at all because it burns and aches so badly.

During the injection, she told me to expect pain at an 8-10 on the pain scale, and she was right.

Anyway, the steroids should reduce inflammation and speed healing, but the PF was not being terribly responsive to just stretching and icing, so these shots were step two.

In 2 weeks I’ll go back and we’ll either see progress, or move onto physical therapy.

So, running hasn’t crested the horizon yet. may still be months…

So, on Friday, I couldn’t put weight on my foot, almost at all. Literally, daron carried me upstairs (so cute) and I crawled to the bathroom if I needed to go.

Not. Awesome.

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Today, we went to celebrate winter birthdays at a Mexican food restaurant… My Grams and Art both have winter birthdays, along with my baby brother!!

I CAN NOT BELIEVE HE IS 21 in just 2 days!!!!

Read the rest of this entry »

January 30, 2010 | Kelsey | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments »

Review: Buffalo Wingers + Giveaway

I want to thank you guys for your support in my dramatic heartfelt post yesterday. Squishy hugs for all of you. :D

In honor of the big game approaching in a few weeks, I’ve planned this product review + GIVEAWAY to coincide perfectly. ;)

About 2 months ago (woops!) I got a GLORIOUS bundle from the precious Katherine @ Buffalo Nickel Wingers.

She told me, and I read on their website, that Buffalo Wingers are an all natural, potato snack that is a chip substitute of sorts.

She sent three flavors for me to try, which is great because, I am a recovering CHIP-o-HOLIC. I can go to town on potato chips, (and I have) but when I started counting calories, my regular trek to the vending machine was eliminated, as were my crunchy chips.

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Buffalo Wingers are shaped like little chicken wings (legs? ;) ) and come in a variety of flavors along the “heat index”. Here are my thoughts on the ones I tried.

First, I cracked open the No Bull Barbecue (heat level 1). Have you ever tried barbecue potato chips? They make me think of summertime, and I love them. These knocked those out of the park. Their shape made them VERY crunchy, they’re totally NON greasy (unlike their potato chip counter parts) and their flavor, totally awesome. Sweet and smoky, just how I like it.

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Next was the Nacho Chilichanga (heat level 3), which, honest-to-goodness tasted like a cross between chili-cheese corn chips and nacho cheeze corn chips, but with all the crunch of potato. These were my favorite!! Doritos can bite me! These, were really good, a nice amount of flavor per piece, and of course, much less guilt.

Last (yes, I tried them in heat order because I was scared) was the Fiery Buffalo Bleu (heat level 5). These were my least favorite, but they still satisfied a snacky craving. The reason they weren’t my favorite was because there wasn’t as MUCH flavor as in the other, less spicy ones, probably so they wouldn’t over power, but I like my chips well doused in powdery-flavored goodness. So, good, but not my top pick.

Overall, I give these bad boys a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

If you’re mindful of calories, and are looking for chips that don’t pack such a caloric wallop, these could be your answer…

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Don’t get me wrong. They aren’t “health food”, and they aren’t a staple in my diet. But I like chips, (I’m mourning the end of my chili chimichanga ones, and I CANNOT FIND THEM ANYWHERE!!!) But I definitely prefer to eat something that is natural to crap.

Maybe that’s just me.

So, if you want a brimming Super Bowl Stuffed Snack Pack, here is the deal:

You may have up to 3 entries for this giveaway. (US residents only, this time, kids.)

EACH ENTRY MUST BE MADE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU WANT MULTIPLE CHANCES:

Method 1 (Required): Leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor of CHIP!! <3 <3 <3

Method 2 (optional): Tweet about my contest including a mention of me (@kelsnotchels) and wingers (@BNWingers) + link to this page and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Sample: I want those wingers! @KelsNotChels is giving away a snack prize pack packed with @BNWingers! http://bit.ly/5pukEr

Method 3 (optional): Bloggers: link to this giveaway on your blog and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Entries will close on Tuesday 1/26/10 at 9:00 CST

**For more information regarding my review/giveaway policies, check my review page. I was sent a supply of Buffalo Nickel Wingers assorted snacks, free of charge, to sample and review…as always, my opinion is NOT for sale.**

January 22, 2010 | Kelsey | Tags: , , | 26 Comments »

Doctor Kracker Review + Giveaway!

One of my bloggie besties, Nicci told me about these awesome crackers when we met for our blogger lunch/shopping trip, and I’m really excited that I was able to review them myself!

George from Dr. Kracker sent me a ton of items to try, including crisp flatbreats, culinary crisps, and snackers.

Review:

Dr. Kracker has beautiful packaging, which includes great graphics, and close up/clear shots of their chock-full-of-goodness crispies. The first item I tried was the Cherry Semolina Culinary Crisps and right away, I knew I was totally in love.

A snack lover already, I’ve eaten tons of chips, cookies, and crackers. These items are usually so stuffed with salt and sugar that my tastebuds don’t have any reason search for complex flavors or textures.

At first bite, I was taken aback by the lack of obvious salty or sugary coatings. That isn’t to say I missed it, mind you, because these boogers are REALLY tasty. I’m so excited that companies exist that are creating rich, complex, and flavorful snacks that are natural and bold in just the right ways.

I think my favorite Culinary Crisp was the Fire Roasted, because WOW. Brimming with black sesame seeds, sundried tomato, sweet potato, roasted peppers, and even a touch of cheese, these guys had my tex-mex-lovin-heart aflutter. :)

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The flat bread was surprisingly good too. The pumpkin seed cheddar is my favorite. My husband said it best.

Wow… these taste like… well… exactly what it says it should taste like. Pumpkin seed and cheddar…Isn’t THAT a novel idea!?

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Sure, the krackers were sent to me to try, free of charge, but I think you guys know me well enough to know that if I didn’t like them… I’d say so. These are great, and I’m really glad to have them in my healthy snack arsenal.

**Want to win a box containing 3 great products in 3 great flavors? Read on!!**

I won’t bog down this review with information about how these are 100% organic, or how they’re made in my own back yard (Dallas), or even that they’re made with 100% whole grain, are great sources of protein and fiber, and free of trans fats.

Just know that they are. :)

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Dr. Kracker Giveaway!

This contest is open to US residents only!

You may have up to 3 entries for this giveaway.

EACH ENTRY MUST BE MADE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU WANT MULTIPLE CHANCES:

Method 1 (Required): Leave a comment telling me about a healthy snack you love… especially one that replaced a junkfood snack!

Method 2 (optional): Tweet about my contest including a link to this page and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Method 3 (optional): Bloggers: link to this giveaway on your blog and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Entries will be accepted through midnight on December 12th. The winner will be announced sometime on December 13th!

Deadline extended! Winner to be drawn Monday afternoon, 12/14/09!

The winner will receive a box of 3 Dr. Kracker items to enjoy!

  • 1 box of Apple Crisps Culinary Crisps
  • 1 box of Seeded Spelt Snackers
  • 1 box of Sunflower Cheddar Flatbread Crisps

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Good luck! :D

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*For more information on products that I’ve reviewed or my review policies check out my review page and as always, my opinions are not for sale. Free products don’t always equal positive reviews, and I will always disclose in my post if items were given for free.

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December 5, 2009 | Kelsey | Tags: , , | 22 Comments »
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