Hi guys!
Thank you all so much for the sweet comments earlier! I did actually attempt the neti pot this afternoon! However, I don’t really think it worked or maybe I am just TOO congested for it because nothing came out the other nostril (too much information?!) when I poured the water through. Afterwards, I felt like I was more congested than before and was pretty miserable. Maybe it takes a few times to get working??! After my attempt, I rewarded myself with this little gem—
I FINALLY found a Luna Cookie!!! I have searched everywhere for one of these babies and finally found this at the tiny health food store near my house. Whole Foods doesn’t even have them! I loved this….the chocolate peanut butter flavor was awesome and so was the chew. I like these so much better than actual Luna Bars themselves (although I am still on the hunt for the coveted white chocolate macadamia…can’t find it anywhere!) because they taste more like a z-bar and are so darn chewy and dense!
I worked for a little while on a project, caught up on some emails, and then attempted a 45 minute Yoga for Runners class. However, hanging my head low to the ground and breathing out of my nose just was NOT happening today and I cut the class only five minutes into it. The whole point was defeated by the fact that I was breathing loudly through my mouth and felt very uncomfortable with a head that felt like it weighed 1,000 pounds. Yuck. At least I got one good downward facing dog in!
As for dinner, it was all about comfort tonight. I had a can of this split pea soup with texas pete —
a toasted Arnold’s Sandwich Thin with raspberry preserves—
and a delicious acorn squash half with butter and brown sugar (cooked in microwave for 6 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap)—
Every bite was heavenly
Because I used not just any butter in it………..
I was lucky enough to asked to sample this imported Kerrygold Irish butter. All I can say is mmmmmmmmmmmmm. And I’m not even a big butter girl! I rarely use butter for anything but this stuff was so sweet, creamy, and unlike anything I have ever tasted before. It melted perfectly into my acorn squash and a little went a long way in terms of sweet buttery goodness. I can already see that this stuff would be amazing in baked goods, especially chocolate chip cookies! As we learned in culinary school, good quality butter really DOES make a huge difference between a good dessert and a fantastic dessert. I also have Kerrygold reduced fat aged cheddar cheese sitting in the fridge that I will be tasting and reviewing hopefully tomorrow! I can’t wait! Those Irish cows sure are sweet 
This really was the perfect dinner tonight. Afterwards, I took Mikan for a walk than collapsed into a chair and finished up Oprah with my mom. I wanted some red wine but knew my sinuses would not like that very much, so my mommy made me a cup of tea instead 
.
I thought my sweet tooth would kick in tonight but it never did so no dessert for me! Honestly, I think a lot of the time (cough cough most of the time) my sweet tooth after dinner is totally a mental thing. Right now I cannot taste or smell ANYTHING so I think that sends a message to my brain that I’m not hungry anymore! What would be the point of eating a macaroon or vitabrownie if you can’t taste or enjoy it?! I’ll save the macaroon for an oatmeal topper tomorrow morning when hopefully I can breathe again.
I’m headed to bed with my book, a box of Kleenex, tea, benadryl and Cuppy—
ps–
I was just reminded that my mushroom recipe from last month is now LIVE on the Mushroom Channel! Check it out I am currently working on this month’s recipe (its gonna be a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!) and should have it done in about two weeks.
Night!
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Aw Cuppy…cute! Sorry your allergies are so bad. The pollen is INSANE! I bet the people at Grassroots tomorrow will have some good tips for you though! Can’t hurt to ask. Can’t wait to see ya!
I did the Yoga for Runners on yogadownload.com..amazing. I hope that you feel better….
The luna cookie and soup look good!
Yum, the butter sounds great! Can’t wait for your review of the cheddar cheese!
Cute bunny! I have been looking high and low for the Luna Cookies (I’m exaggerating a little), and can’t find them! Hmm. On the subject of Luna, I have tried the white chocolate macadamia flavor, and was actually quite disappointed–it is very, very sweet. I know that a lot of other people love it, though!
Hang in there with the congestion!!
Just ate a cranberry orange Pure bar
Hope you feel better soon…I’d love to try a Luna Cookie too, I will have to look out for them here…the chewier the better.
That mushroom recipe looks amazing, I will have to try it out.
Hope you feel better soon!
Those Luna Cookies sound awesome!
I hope you feel better!
Must find those Luna Cookies!!
Be really careful doing a neti pot if you are congested. If either side is completely blocked then you shouldn’t try at all as it can cause more damage then good. Wait till you clear up and then use it everyday (even twice a day!) and you shouldn’t close up again! Feel Better!
The worst thing about congestion to me is lack of taste. I once had such a bad sinus problem I couldn’t even taste peanut butter. I was eating it right from the jar….NOTHING. What a nightmare! I hope your buds WAKE UP soon!
Aw Cuppy is so cute!! I still sleep with a little special something and I have NO SHAME about it
I wanted to get that butter with the Kerrygold coupons but my grocery store doesn’t have it! They did have two cheeses though so I got those instead…
My local grocery store has the white chocolate macadamia luna. I’d be happy to send you a couple.
Aww, cuppy is so cute!
I still have my blankie from when I was a baby. It’s torn and tattered but I love it =)
Publix in Orlando has the White Chocolate Macademia Lunabar — PURE HEAVEN! Tastes more like a candy bar than something vaguely healthy.
Sorry about the congestion, hope it goes away soon! I always rub a little peppermint oil under my nose and that eases it a little bit.
I really need to find those luna cookies!
Hope you feel better.
Allergy season is my least favorite time of year!
I really need to try those Luna cookies!!
Yum.. acorn squash is so good
mmm that acorn squash!!
i had a sample of irish soda bread with kerrygold butter last week at WF — omg, it was sooo delicious. i never crave butter or even think of it really, but that taste sure changed things!
hope you feel better soon! i wish i could find the luna cookies around, they look great. and how weird- i remember in the parent trap one of the girls’ stuffed animals was named cuppy. haha
Hi Jenna!
I too have been suffering from congestion and the oncoming head cold..(I teach preschool..it is inevitable). But..since I can’t miss school right now, I tried a homemade version…
Instead of a netti pot, I mixed a solution of salt and warm-ish water. Then I used an eye dropper and tipped my head back and squirted it into one nostril..when I felt it start to drip down the back of my throat (also good for killing anything lurking down there) I tipped my head back up and over the sink. Generally, it came out of the other nostril. I did this as many times as I could stand…it worked??
If that doesn’t work, I tried some over the counter nasal spray..that helped too! Good luck!
Yuck–sorry you’re feeling so bad!! Normally if I’m trying to neti and nothing comes out, I’ll blow my nose, wait a couple of minutes, then try again. I feel like even if it doesn’t come out the other side it helps move things along a little. I also keep a bottle of eucalyptus essential oil around and take big whiffs when I’m stuffed up…it does wonders for me to clear out congestion, make me feel more awake, and help with allergy discomfort. I hope you wake up feeling at least a little better tomorrow!
hope you feel better!
i haven’t seen those luna cookies anywhere!
ahh I love acorn squash!
Seriously what worked for me when I was congested was getting this Afrin nighttime 12 hour nose spray. It made me feel SO MUCH BETTER! I went from having a headache because I was so congested to being able to breathe! magic!
Jenna- I hope you don’t feel so head-heavy… grr, that isn’t a good feeling! I ALSO wanted to pass this along to you. I thought of you as soon as I read it, from Vegetarian Times (if you haven’t heard about it yet):
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/vegetariantimes.com/features/710
A cook-off/contest!!! I hope you consider it, especially with your vegetarian month!
Goat’s milk butter is extremely good, too!
Have a great week! Feel better
~Sloane
OH MAN- I just re-read it:
“The contest is open to culinary students who have graduated or will graduate in 2009.”
I’m sorry, but maybe you can pass it along to someone you might know?
Which split-pea soup is your fave? I can’t find a perfect canned one, but I’m growing to LOVE split pea! You should try the V8 broccoli! WOW!
That has happened with the netti pot for me before, keep giving it a try.
That butter sounds great!
Yuck, I have terrible allergies, I’m so sorry you are stuck in the fog! Congrats on the mushroom channel.
My allergies are nutters too – I have a prescript. nosespray I use as a LAST resort – definitely been having to use it the past couple days.
Your mushroom channel recipe looks great!
I definitely prefer the white chocolate macademia CLIF bar to the LUNA one… lately though as I’ve been eating more lara and clif bars, I’m not liking the “crispy” qualities of the luna bars. I am keeping my eyes peeled for the cookies!
I’m determined to hunt down that cookie at WF this weekend! Haha, thanks for the review! Sorry about the allergy/sinus issues. They really throw off my day too; it’s hard to not let it affect other aspects of life, but you’re doing quite fine! Yoga with congestion sounds icky! Haha have a good night!
glad you found those luna tea cookies, and I really hope you feel better!
Haha there was a guy next to me in yoga last night with a stuffy nose and he kept SNIFFLING during his deep breathing, and then he would stop to blow his nose. Glad you knew when to call it quits, and I wish this guy did too
Aw feel better! I hear ya on the sweet tooth thing…I think my need for an after-dinner treat is more habit than anything else. Plus I see the BF get a big glass of chocolate milk and I think, well if he gets dessert I can too! But that’s so silly, really.
What do you think of that split pea soup in comparison to the other brands you buy? I’ve tried the Health Valley kind and like it a lot, but I am always looking to expand my options!
Irish butter truly is AMAZING. My family and I spent a couple of weeks in Ireland 10 years ago and the one thing that stuck out to me the most about the food was the butter. And the brown bread.
i see everyone eating arnold’s sandwich thins! im so sad they dont sell them around me :\ i hope you feel better soon!!
I am also in the I can find white chocolate macademia luna bars but not the same flavor of clif or luna cookies. I do like those luna bars but they are on the candy side.
My sunharvest has the white chocolate macademia luna bars and all flavors of the luna cookies. I have searched high and low for the vitabrownies. I’ve only been able to find the vitatops and muffins. I want to order the brownies but they only have the option of ordering 4 boxes at a time. I’ve never had the brownie before so I don’t want to order so many. Want to trade lunas for brownies?
Sorry you aren’t feeling good! Hope it passes soon.
One of the things I hate most about congestion is not being able to taste food. Last time my doc told me to take both a decongestant and Mucinex.
speaking of the white chocolate macadamia luna bar…o my holy lord it’s amazing; i just had it for the first time on tuesday night! i literally almost ran back out to my lil market on the corner for another one…it was divine! you musstttt find them…if you cannot, let me know and I’ll try to send some to you…check out your whole foods and ask the managers at whole foods to stock them in your store…if you request a product they are usually pretty good about ordering it for the store…good luck and feel better jenna….
LOVE that soup!!!!! YUM!
Bad news on the Vanilla Macadamia Luna cookies (my personal fav): I checked with Luna cuz I couldn’t find them anymore either. They discontinued them when they changed to “cookies”!