Lowe's Build & Grow - FREE fun!

Don't forget that every other Saturday Lowe's offers FREE make it and take it clinics for children (recommended age 5 and up).  Your child(ren) will build a wooden project and get a free apron, goggles, patch and more!

Saturday, October 13th they can make a ghoul bus!

Saturday, October 27 they can make a creeper keeper!

Head over here to register for either of these great FREE events!

lowesbuildandgrow.com

Simple Easy Fixes for Everyday Problem

You've got to check out the below video for quick and easy solutions to everyday problems!
Special thanks to my cousin Alex for sharing this with me!

FREE Carvel Ice Cream - Today Only!!! 9/20

Wow - who doesn't love FREE ice cream?  Well head over to your local Carvel Ice Cream shop for this great deal!!!
Today only, Carvel is offering up FREE Classic Carvel soft serve ice cream cone dipped in a variety of flavors, including cotton candy, peanut butter and cake mix!  YUM!

What the heck is quinoa? Here's a recipe to start you out!

Photo credit fitfoodiefinds.com quinoa caprese salad.
To get this recipe, check out this great blog.

What's all the fuss about quinoa?  Below is some more information about this high-protein, gluten-free super food.  It's a great substitute for pasta and rice, and it is extremely versatile.

What is quinoa?

While quinoa is usually considered to be a while grain, it is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barely. Quinoa is a wonderful whole grain for three reasons: First, it takes less time to cook than other whole grains – just 10 to 15 minutes. Second, quinoa tastes great on its own, unlike other grains such as millet or teff.  Add a bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and - yum! Finally, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain, is Kosher for Passover, and is almost always organic.

Culinary ethnologists will be interested to know that quinoa was a staple food for thousands of years in the Andes region of South America as one of just a few crops the ancient Incas cultivated at such high altitude.

Cooking quinoa: 

Prepare quinoa as you would prepare rice. Cover it with water or vegetable broth and boil, then reduce flame to low and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Or, place 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water in your rice cooker.  Make sure to cook your quinoa on LOW - very important!!!  If you let it simmer on a hotter flame, the water will absorb too quickly and the quinoa will turn out hard.

Nutritional content of quinoa: 

According to CalorieCount, 1/3 cup of cooked quinoa has 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

Below is a great recipe that includes quinoa (special thanks to about.com for this great recipes):

 

Quinoa pesto with spinach

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

• 2 cups water or vegetable broth

• large handful fresh spinach

• 1/4 cup prepared vegetarian pesto

• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast (optional)

Preparation:

Simmer quinoa in vegetable broth or water, covered, for 10-12 minutes, until quinoa is almost cooked.  Fold in fresh spinach and heat for 3-4 more minutes, until spinach has wilted and quinoa is cooked through.  Remove from heat. Stir in pesto, drizzle with lime juice and season well with salt and pepper to taste. Sea salt or kosher salt is always best!  Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or stir in a bit of nutritional yeast for extra flavor (and a B12 boost for vegans!).

Never Forget September 11th

It is on this day that I remember every year that my problems are not as bad as I think they are.  People lost so many loved ones that day - mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers.  And unfortunately there are people who are still suffering today with diseases and illnesses due to the conditions at Ground Zero and the  willingness to drop everything and help out with the rescue and recovery efforts in NYC.  

I will never forget it started out as a beautiful day with clear skies, listening to Howard Stern on my way to work in Weehawken, NJ, when he interrupted his own show to say that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.  Then seeing the smoke rise as I got there and witnessing the 2nd plane hit is an image that I can never erase from my mind.  The panic and fear that set into my heart and the yearning to just get home and see my family.  It was a scene out of a movie, people along the river just stopping and staring, me one of them - and then the horror of actually watching the towers collapse....that was such an unspeakable act of terrorism and one that changed our world forever.  I am so grateful for men and women who choose to defend our country and freedom and risk their lives to make sure we uphold our beliefs as a country.  GOD BLESS AMERICA LAND THAT I LOVE!

Wildberry Spinach Orzo Salad

This delicious pasta salad is made with orzo pasta, feta cheese, chopped fresh spinach, craisins and Wildtree's Wildberry Dressing and Wildtree's Zesty Lemon Grapeseed oil.  Not only is it super easy to make and super yummy, it is all natural and good for you too! 

Wildtree's Wildberry Dressing is a seasonal item and will only be available until the end of the year so stock up while you can! 

Grapeseed oil's health benefits are amazing and actually surpass the benefits of Olive Oil!  

Food Network Chef Robert Irvine even thinks that Grapeseed Oil is the best one to use - check out the video clip below from 1:40 min. into the clip to hear about the benefits of Grapeseed Oil and how is even better for you than olive oil!
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/48354566

Wildtree sells a TON of different flavored Grapeseed Oils, as well as natural Grapeseed Oil which has no flavor, but all the great benefits!

To order or for more info., please visit my website:
http://www.mywildtree.com/sherritaliercio/

Monstrous Munchies Snack Cup

Turn a simple snack cup into a fun-loving Frankenstein's monster with a bit of green paint, self-adhesive vinyl, and two peanut butter cups. 

To make, remove the yellow lid (but not the silver liner) from a snack cup (we used Nabisco Go-Paks). Paint the snack cup with two coats of green acrylic paint, letting the paint dry between coats. 

Cut a 10-1/2x1-1/4-inch strip of black self-adhesive vinyl to make the monster's hair, cutting it into points along the bottom edge. 

Remove the backing from the black vinyl and attach the hair around the top of the cup. 

Punch two 5/8-inch-diameter circles from black and two 1-inch-diameter circles from white self-adhesive vinyl to make the eyes; set aside. 

Cut 1/16-inch wide strips from black vinyl for the mouth. 

Remove the backing from the circles and mouth strips; adhere them to the painted cup. 

Use adhesive dots to attach a peanut butter cup to each side of the snack cup as neck bolts. 

How cute this would be for a classroom goodie or Halloween party favor- and these are usually priced at about 99 cents each.

Thanks so much to Better Homes & Gardens for this wonderful idea!