Dinner tonight was wildly colorful!
I roasted some purple cauliflower, baby carrots and kale in EVOO and sea salt, then combined it with spinach, tomato, cucumber, and hummus.
On the side, I had a multigrain Flatout wrap. I’ve seen these on several blogs, and though they’re marketed as a “diet” product, they’re surprisingly tasty!
For dessert, I had two peaches- one white, one regular- and half a bar of WF dark chocolate with almonds.
While eating, I read an article in the latest Nutrition Action about synthetic food dyes. Scary stuff. The three most popular dyes- Red 3, Red 40 and Yellow 5- have all been linked to cancer and can produce dangerous allergic reactions. Though there are several other widely used ingredients with similar side effects (aspartame and HFCS, anyone?), food dyes aren’t something most people notice when reading nutrition labels. I’m definitely making it a point to be more conscious from now on!
* * *
This afternoon, I made a batch of Super-Charge Me cookies using goji berries and chocolate chips.
Fresh from the oven. Gojis are awesome in baked goods- so flavorful and just the teensiest bit sour!
I also had a Flatout with the last of my Maranatha PB.
I debated using the remnants for OIAJ, but the sooner I got rid of it, the sooner I could replace its spot with this:
Several spoonfuls have already been consumed J
Later in the afternoon, I met up with a reader from my hometown at Starbucks, where I ordered an unsweetened iced tea.
I love making new blends! Steph and I chatted for over an hour- she’s super sweet, and we had a lot in common. Crazy to think we grew up just a few miles from each other, but actually met through blogs!
Hope you’ve had a wonderful Monday, loves!
Do you pay attention to dyes in your food?
How many jars of nut butter do you currently have open?
42 comments:
ive totally got three different jars of nut butters opened. not ashamed.
i always try to pay attention to ingredients. it's important to me to know what goes in my mouth. afterall i've only got one body. i need to learn to treat it right!
It's funny you brought this up. I haven't thought about this in a LONG time. But when I was in high school, a girl I used to baby sit was allergic to red food dye. I had to inspect all ingredient lists religiously - it would should up in the weirdest places!
I definitely don't pay attention to dyes in my food. I'm not sure I'd care to though. Shh!!
Right now, I have 3 jars of opened peanut butter. Smuckers Natural, PB Co Maple, and PB Co Cinn Raisin. :)
SO nice to meet up with you today too!
Oh, and this post reminds me of my obsession with FLATOUT wraps that I forgot to inform you of haha :)
Ahhh, I love purple cauliflower! So beautiful!
I love purple cauliflower! Brightens up any dish.
I don't really usually pay attention to dyes, but I will now- that is scary stuff!! Thanks for the info!
Chelsea
glad you had a good meet up! I can't wait to do that some day.
a whole shelf is pretty much consumed by nut butter in the fridge currently. Priorities, i tell ya!
Oooh, that purple cauliflower is so pretty! I don't really pay much attention to food dyes. I do remember when I was in high school there was a big red 40 scare and I avoided red M&Ms like crazy. Then I heard you'd have to eat a literal ton of red M&Ms per day to ingest enough dye to hurt you.
Ugh that stuff about dyes is scary...luckily I don't really eat many things that would contain them in the first place- but it's definitely something to watch out for.
As for nut butters...hmmm...I have 1 creamy pb, 1 maranatha unsalted raw almond butter, 1 DCD, 1 Cinnamon Raisin PB, and 1 chunky PB...so five? oh snap. I just must have variety :)
I share a fridge with two others so I can't have as many open as I'd like! Plus the grocery stores in the mountains don't have that much variety. Right now I've got one jar of crunchy Smuckers PB. Simple. Delicious.
Love the colorful plate! Where on earth do you get purple cauliflower?
That is a crazy colorful dinner! Looks great though.
My friend Em & I actually went to highschool together but didn't know each other then but met through the blog. So cool!
whoaaa - that purple cauliflower sure is vibrant!! i don't think i've ever seen one before.
i agree - some of the stuff in food these days is beyond scary!! i definitely pay attention - but don't eat anything that has dyes, luckily. i'd rather have gross colored food that isn't going to kill me than pretty food that will!
the bees knees pb sounds really good, being the honey roasted peanut lover i am! i've actually calmed down a lot in my nut butter addiction. whereas i used to feel the need to try alll the crazy flavors, i've finally settled on favorites: sunflower butter and plain ol' organic store-brand crunchy pb :)
I love purple cauliflower! I only have one jar of nut butter open right now, trying to cut down!
I have 4 open jars of nut butter! I love them all and they only last a couple of weeks!
Wow, the purple cauliflower really stands out! I've seen it at the grocery store but never got around to buying one.
I've been on a mission to finish all my nut butters before buying new ones. So far so good, I only have 1 jar of almond butter left in the fridge, plus coconut butter in the pantry.
I try to avoid artificial food dyes as much as possible. Who needs them when nature gives us colors as amazing as your cauliflower?
Have a great evening!
Purple cauliflower rocks!
I have 3 nut butters open..1 choc PB2, 1 regular PB2, and JIF ;)
purple cauliflower!! love it!
3 jars of nut butter open right now! mmmm. might go have a spoonful now.
oooh i'm love, love, loving that purple color!! hehe
I have none open - i'm not a huge nut butter fan! I know!
That purple cauliflower looks almost fluorescent! I've never seen anything like it. Does it taste different than white cauliflower?
i have three PBs open (crunchy, creamy, all natural) and an almond butter. sadly, i finished all my "naturally more" PB that i got in florida (cannot get in canada) or i would have it open, too! variety is the spice of life, right!
Your dinner looks gorge! Oh my goodness, nut butters... at last count I had 12 and I think about 5 open! Yikes! Also I have to say I LOVE that you have choco after meals :)
cute shirt! i prob have like 6 open...and 10 total.
Oooo purple cauliflower! Love colorful meals.
I have a Teddie's natural pb, TJ's roasted almond butter, and my homemade raw almond butter open at the moment! :)
I don't pay attention to food dyes, but mostly because I try to avoid food that would contain them in the first place.
As for jars of peanut butter...4 I think haha! But they all have differnt uses! What's your favorite of all time- regular and flavored?
And whats the recipe for those cookies??
i love the purple in there! so pretty and delicious looking!
and i have...7 jars open. hahahahaha!
purple cauli...nice!!!
the new pic of you on the left hand margin, even nicer. great hair!!!
reader meetup. I have readers all the time say they live in san dieog or are going to be here and want to meet. it's always a bit surreal b/c they are the ones that never comment, just read in stealth so they know me pretty well and i havent a clue who they are LOL.
your vitamin/calcium point with the parents, "insurance", all that yeah I gotcha!
Nut butters...at times 5 to 10, currently about 3 i think!
Purple cabbage looks quite fun!
I try to avoid foods that are OBVIOUSLY full of dyes (i.e. hot pink), but no it's not something I'm looking for on labels. But this is good info! I will make a point of paying more attention to the dye content. Thanks! ;)
3 jars of nut butter open at the moment. Quite proudly.
I have almond butter and coconut butter opened right now...debating which to have with toast each morning is a terrible dilemma!
I don't like foods with unnatural colours :/ I know, maybe I shouldn't make such extreme statements, but I just can't stand the idea of consuming something that's so obviously pumped full of chemicals and dye!
I used to only eat foods that I could pronounce (in the ingridient lists, of course) and some how or another strayed from it and havefound it difficult to go back to. I don't eat many processed foods, but in the few that I do, I know that one contains aspartame and another one has soy in it as well. I definitely am able to keep away from foods that have been dyed though and I am pretty sure that there is nothing with HFCS in my cupboards as well. Doesn't it seem so strange that for the simplest things now, we have to scrutinize their ingredient lists?
I only have one jar of nut butter open at present.....for shame!
:)
Yikes, I've never thought about food dyes before! I feel like we're constantly being bombarded with information about the dangers of various chemicals in food - it's so hard to keep track of!
I think I have... 5 jars of nut butter open right now. Soy nut, choco soy nut, AB, sunbutter, and coconut butter! I'm still adding to my collection though. ;)
I currently have like 7 open...but one almost empty Bee's Knees that is waiting for its OIAJ fate.
Hmm I've never considered dyes in my food...something to think about. Luckily I don't eat too much packaged food so I think I'm safe!
I've always wanted to try purple cauliflower. It's so purdy!
hahaha deej totally gets so angry at me when i open different flavors of the same food. i'm that way with hummus and pb! i love my variety so it's hard to stay with just ONE open.
what a fun meetup :)
I haven't actually paid attention to dyes :/ But now that I mainly eat fresh foods and organic stuff, they aren't often filled with dyes.
I currently have 4 nut butters open: peanut, almond, cashew and coconut. I just finished my sunflower seed and won't be buying another until after I move back to school. AKA a month from now :(
LOVEE that salad!!
I dont have any jars open at the moment.. i find it way easier for me to control myself when I only MAKE a small batch when I need it. I know that's no fun, but it's what a girl has to do sometimes!
awesome colors on that plate! And now you have me craving starbucks. As always.
I love all the colors AND your new picture on the left- so cute :)
I only have one jar open at the time- it's all I can handle and all I need :)
The purple cauliflower looks really fun! I thought it was broccoli for a second.
I never wait to buy/open a new jar of nut butter just because another one is open. :) It's my favorite food, full of healthy fats, protein, carbs, and good taste. I probably have four right now -- but usually 1-2 of those are basically empty and just waiting to be used for OIAJ. Yum yum yum.
Blends (including you) are the best. Period.
i am in love with that purple cauliflower!!!!!!! i just had some purple potatoes and they were so beautiful, but this purple cauliflower is def more vibrant - wow!
omg- PURPLE cauliflower! where did you find that! I need to try it haha its just so pretty :)
as for open jars of pb..uh... not gonna lie, Id say about 40. I actually have a cabinet devoted to just nut butters- and ther are still morein the fridge!
and yet.. I still buy more! I just love nut butter. :)
and glad you finally made those cookies with goji berries!! hope they came out goodd :)
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