Hogwarts Express

IMG_1096aOrlando, Florida

As we waited for our turn on the Hogwarts Express, at Universal Orlando, we passed piles of suitcases, waiting for those traveling far and wide.

Universal Orlando

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Orlando, Florida

Harry Potter attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Universal Studios has built it, making it into a very fun ride.  I  was hesitant to go on it at first, because I don’t like roller coasters, but it isn’t like that, it is more of a simulator type of ride.  Thanks to my daughters who were texting me and encouraging me to go on it, knowing my fears, I did and I loved it!  I am amazed at how they, (the creators of these rides) can make you feel like you are right there, flying on a broomstick above & around Hogwarts!  This is a ride I highly recommend, it was so fun.  We did get to go on it a number of times, though the wait was long at times, it was worth it!

Hogwart Express

IMG_1003.90Orlando, Florida

At Universal Studios, if you want to go from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade (which is in Islands of Adventure) at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you take the Hogwart Express.  It is a short ride, but it is a ride, a train ride with scenes out the window of London and ‘Harry Potter’ type things and it is fun.  If you ever go on the Hogwart Express, make sure you ride both directions because even though the background scene of London is the same, the foreground changes.  We enjoyed the trip from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley a little bit better.  This was the perfect place to put my feet up and RELAX!!

Waiting For Pizza

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Lucca, Italy

After a fun day of seeing the sights in and around Lucca we went to Francesco and Paola’s for homemade pizza.  I put my feet up and RELAXED as I waited for the fire to get hot enough.  By the way, the pizza was DELISH!

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Granddaughter’s Tea Party

FODR2b-0217.(IMG_0718).80Ogden, Utah

We had so much fun at our granddaughter’s birthday Tea Party!  Then when she went to drink her ‘tea’ her cup was nearly as big as she was!  ENJOYING LIFE!!

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Tea Party

IMG_0722abefgOgden, Utah

We went to our granddaughter’s birthday party and it was so fun, there were all these little 9 year old girls there for a TEA PARTY.  They were so cute, as they held up their saucer, the cup and their pinky fingers in the air as they drank their tea (herbal tea or hot chocolate)!  ENJOYING LIFE!

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Stir-Fried Green Beans

FOV3a-0217.(IMG_0629).80Last year while on a trip, we went to a restaurant and they served these green beans.  They were so yummy, so when we returned home I tried them.  They are quick, easy and healthy! ENJOY!

STIR-FRIED GREEN BEANS

1 bag pre-washed green beans

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 Cloves Garlic thinly sliced

Sea Salt

Lightly cover the bottom of a large frying pan with Olive Oil. Add green beans, garlic and sea salt to taste. Stir-fry on medium heat, mixing occasionally, until beans are tender.

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Roasted Eggplant

FOV2b-0217.(IMG_0502)80This is a very delicious dish.  I recently served it to company and they thought the eggplant were potatoes.  It is also a very easy dish.  I served it with roasted asparagus, you can see the asparagus cooking at the same time, below the roasted eggplant.  A very easy, delicious and healthy meal!  ENJOY!!

ROASTED EGGPLANT

2 Eggplants

Sea salt

1/2 Red Onion

5 Cloves of Garlic

4 Tomatoes

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

3 tablespoons Fresh Parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the eggplants and cut them lengthwise into four pieces each. Lay them on a cookie tray and sprinkle both sides of the eggplant with sea salt. Set them aside while the salt draws out the moisture.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion and garlic. Halve the tomatoes.  When the eggplant is weeping- about 10 to 15 minutes- blot with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture. Cut up the slices a bit and place in a large bowl.  Add the onion pieces, garlic and tomatoes. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian Seasoning and the parsley.  Stir with a wooden spoon to coat.  Place back on the cookie sheet with the tomatoes cut side up.  Roast in the oven for an hour. The eggplant should be very tender. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool a bit.

You can serve as is or over Quinoa.

Coconut Curried Tofu

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This is a very yummy dish!  I used tofu, but you can use chicken if you prefer.  I added a tomato corn salad and broccoli.

Coconut Curried Tofu (Chicken)

1 lb. extra firm tofu diced or 2 lbs. chicken breasts diced

2 – 14 oz. can coconut milk

2 cups broccoli

1 – 5 oz. can water chestnuts

1 white onion

2 Tbsp. curry powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ginger, minced

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the tofu or chicken.  Add coconut milk, broccoli and onion.

Cook for 15 minutes

Add water chestnuts, curry powder, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and sea salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes more.

Option

Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Serves 6

CHIA BLUEBERRY CEREAL

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I’ve mentioned this yummy breakfast before. Today I didn’t add the banana, but instead I added blueberries, it was so good!

CHIA BLUEBERRY (BANANA) CEREAL

4 Tablespoons Chia Seeds

2 cups dairy-free milk

1 cup blueberries

2 Tablespoons raw, unsweetened, coconut

4 Tablespoons dried Goji Berries

2 teaspoon Hemp Seed Hearts

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

OPTIONAL

Top with fresh fruit

1 heaping teaspoon raw cacao

Stevia (to taste)

The night before you want your Chia Cereal, place all ingredients in a Mason Quart Jar, put lid on and mix by shaking. Place in refrigerator, then the next morning eat cold and ENJOY!

WARM OPTION: If you would like to enjoy the cereal warm, warm up some milk in the morning (warm, not boiling) and add it to the bowl of Chia Blueberry Cereal and ENJOY! (The original recipe is from Motiv8 America, I have adjusted it to my liking, now you do the same.)

Serves 4

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Southwest Spaghetti Squash

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This is a GREAT dish, easy and delicious! I added steamed broccoli and some stir fried mushrooms and it was a complete meal. For those who eat meat you can add some roasted chicken or just have a vegetarian night.

 SOUTHWEST SPAGHETTI SQUASH

 1 spaghetti squash

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tbs oregano

1 tbs chili powder

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro

1 lime

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Roast squash on a cookie sheet for 50 minutes. Let cool another 30 minutes. Scrape out the seeds and discard then scrape out the spaghetti.

 Heat oil in medium skillet. Add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper.

Saute 2 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, chili powder and good pinch of salt and pepper.

Saute another minute.

Add the beans, corn and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Squeeze in the lime juice and give one last stir.

Add spaghetti to the bean mixture and stir to combine.

Taste and season accordingly.

Switch oven to broil.

Stuff each squash half with the mixture and place under broiler for 5 minutes, to heat.

Garnish with cilantro.

ENJOY!!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

fw1c-0705-slc-ut80-copySalt Lake City, Utah

Fireworks are fun to take photos of and a nice challenge! I hope you have a WONDERFUL New Year’s Celebration! HAPPY NEW YEAR and may 2017 be a GREAT year for you!

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Disneyland Does Good

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Anaheim, California 

 We had settled down for the night in our hotel and heard the fireworks begin, so I ran out and was able to get a few good photos. Disneyland always does such a good show!!

Fireworks or Night Sky

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Anaheim, California

It’s always fun taking photos of fireworks as well as the night sky and with this photo I’ll ask, is it fireworks or the night sky?

Breakfast

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Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii

We ended up getting to a much earlier church meeting than planned, so we didn’t eat until after.  Tom’s a great cook, so he made brunch, this yummy Spinach, Mushroom Omelet with Cantaloupe.  It was delish!

Bananas

img_0472-60Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii

Just outside our room are banana trees, they look so yummy and we are tempted to pick them!

Red Lentil Restaurant

Craig, Chelsea and I went to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant tonight.

THE RED LENTIL VEGETARIAN & VEGAN RESTAURANT

We got some different dishes so we could each try them.img_0307

We decided to try their Red Lentil Soup, because it’s the name of their restaurant, so we figured it must be good and it was, DELICIOUS!!  We got a bowl each.  Red lentils, organic seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs and spices.img_0312We then got this dinner salad, which was really big, it was perfect to share it with the 3 of us and very yummy.img_0314Rustic Paella; Orzo pasta, green peas, cauliflower florets, onions, bell peppers, Kashmiri saffron, roasted butternut squash, and soy sausage simmered in a seasoned tomato broth and topped with fresh scallions.  Another good dish!img_0313Shepherd’s Pie; Layered mashed Yukon gold potato and sweet potato, soy sausage, corn kernels, onions, seasonal vegetables and spinach, baked and topped with vegan cashew gravy.  Drizzled with maple balsamic and cilantro sunflower pesto.  Absolutely delicious!img_0315Butternut Squash Polenta; Grilled plant, oyster mushroom ragout and warmed sesame asparagus, drizzled with cilantro sunflower see pesto and maple balsamic.  A very nice dish.

I highly recommend this restaurant!  There were a few other dishes that looked really good, but this was just perfect for the 3 of us!

The Red Lentil Vegetarian and Vegan Restuarant                                         600 Mount Auburn St – Watertown – Massachusetts – 1-617-972-9188

Yummy Dinner with Friends

img_0176Middle River, Maryland

We met some friends, from years ago, Bruce & Kathy and their daughter Sheri and we went to a fun restaurant, Carson’s Creekside Restaurant & Lounge, it was delicious!  For appetizers we had their Succulent Steamed Shrimp and…img_0181…Seafood Pizza with jumbo shrimp, crabmeat, tomato, mixed cheeses & white sauce, DELISH!!

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For my entree I had Mahi-Mahi with broccoli & asparagus yummy, too!

I highly recommend Carson’s Creekside if you are in Middle River or the Baltimore area!!

http://www.carsonscreekside.com