Avacado Chocolate Pudding

I was speaking to a co-worker last week about living dairy free living and she informed me about a snack she makes for her daughter...avocado chocolate pudding!!  Weird right??  I will say, it does taste like pudding but definitely has an avocado after taste which wouldn't be totally appealing to the average person.  However, to someone who has never experienced what the real stuff is like, this is the shiznit!

Ingredients
2 ripe avacados
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk (I used rice milk)
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
splash of vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a food processor/blender and chill.

I don't own a food processor and felt too lazy to pull out my blender so I tossed everything into the Kitchenaid.  It did the trick but the pudding wasn't completely smooth.  Consider it a lesson learned for next time!

Kid approved!!

Costco Craving

Costco!  Who doesn't love Costco? Especially the hot dogs!  Ignore the fact that each dog contains 500+ calories ;)  I am convinced they put something in those things to keep bringing you back.  When I was pregnant, we made special trips to Costco just for the hot dogs!  Wrong...so wrong, especially since pregos aren't supposed to eat processed meat!  Those hot dogs were to blame for my giant baby ;)

Since becoming a family of 3, we make a Costco run at least a week.   We usually go together, stopping at each sample station in the store for a tasty treat.  If you try them all, chances are, you wont need to make lunch when you get home ;)

Seriously though, Costco is awesome for finding "different" things that out local grocery and big box stores don't carry.  Bush Beans for example!  Until recently, the husband relied on some dear family members to do a little across the border shopping for him.  Now he can just pick up a case during our weekly visit.  I tend to gravitate more towards the middle section of the store where the clothing, books and seasonal items are located.  Kids books are my weakness...aside from the hot dogs!    

The one problem with scoring lots of great deals at Costco though, is finding somewhere to store them!  As some of your know, we live in a "little house on the prairie" and storage is at a premium.  In effort to organize our purchases, the husband bought a fancy new shelf (from Costco of course!) for our storage closet!  That is how we spent our Saturday afternoon...cleaning and organizing the closet!   Now we are ready for more Costco purchases!

Any why may you ask, am I wasting my evening writing about Costco?  Because frankly, I would DIE for a hot dog right now!  Stupid diet :P

Crash and Burn

Week 2 of the diet...and I crashed and burned!  It was an extremely busy work week, leaving me with little time for meal preparation.  This is usually the root of our eating problems!  I did manage to throw together a pot of taco soup which wasn't bad!  But really,  how many days in a row do you want to eat taco soup?  The goal for next week is to get back on track because the husband and I desperately want a night away, sans child!  So here I sit, with a glass of wine in hand (its ok in moderation right?!),  making a meal plan for next week.  Along with this meal plan, goes a lengthy grocery list, color coded and everything!  More on those OCD tendencies later ;)  HAHA

I did manage to pull together a decent meal for the husband and I tonight..beef and broccoli with rice and an eggroll.  DELICIOUS!

Don't mind the "steaminess" of the picture!  I wanted to take a snap shot before it was devoured :)

MMMM Steak!

Did I ever tell you how much I HATE dieting?, If not, well...I just did!!  I think I forgot just how much it sucks.  Week 1 was challenging at times but the end result was worth it!  Down 3.4 lbs!  However, week 2 has been BRUTAL!  It doesn't take much to set me off track.  1 night out with the girls ignited my desire to eat everything in sight!  I've managed to keep things until control, minus the Big Mac and fries we binged on last night.  Tonight I really got my act together and put a decent meal on the table for the family...steak and mushroom skewers with grilled asparagus and rice.  DELICIOUS!

Michael Smith is one of my favourite chefs and he has written several fantastic cookbooks.  The great thing about his books is that the recipes are healthy and fairly easy to make.  I recently purchased his latest one, "Fast Flavours - 110 Simple Speedy Recipes".  That is where the steak and mushroom skewer recipe came from.  You need to try it!

Steak and Mushroom Skewers
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 lb sirloin steak, cubed
2 lbs mushrooms

In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, oil, soy sauce, thyme, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.  Add the beef and mushrooms to the bowl, tossing until everything is coated. Thread everything on to skewers, alternating the beef and mushrooms.

Grill the skewers, turning once or twice until they are nicely browned, juicy, and tender  Brush on the reserved marinade and remove from grill.  Serve and enjoy!