Project 'Get it Together': Smoothies

One of the things we've done to "up" the nutritional value of our daily diet is making smoothies.

Zack and I have a smoothie almost every weekday. Typically, right after our morning workout.

It's really not complicated. All you need is a blender, along with some veggies and/or fruits. Pick a blend of things you like.

Our smoothies almost always include kale, spinach, banana, flaxseed, chia, ginger, turmeric and milk.

In addition, we can mix in apple, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, yogurt, and coconut - all dependent on what's in the fridge and what kind of mood we're in!

Chop it all up, throw it in the blender, and let it whirl!

Do you make smoothies? What is your favorite flavor?

Project 'Get it Together': Smart Apps

Ah, technology. Plenty of things that you can say against it. But when it comes to our quest for a healthier life, we've made good use of technology.

There are a number of smart phone apps that we use to help us keep track of things.

My Fitness Pal (MFP): This app and website work great for setting goals and keeping track of calories burned and consumed. You enter your basic info (age, height, weight, etc.) and create a goal based on whether you'd like to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain. Each day, I can input what I eat, and any activities I complete (outside of routine things like walking to the store or cleaning the house). The activities actually come from the next app on the list, Runtastic.

MFP has probably been the most helpful app for us. I have a daily calorie goal. Thousands of foods are already in the database, so it's easy to find the foods you eat and add them to your daily food diary. You can also connect with friends, so that you can encourage each other. It's a great app for keeping track of your progress.

SIDE NOTE: I recently read an article that listed the 'skinny rules' from The Biggest Loser. One of those rules is "Stop Guessing About Portion Size." So in order to really utilize the app and get a better understanding of what we were putting in our bodies, we also invested in a food scale. It was really inexpensive. I'm not obsessive about it, but it really does help to see what an actual portion of something looks like. Bonus: we can use it for measuring out coffee!

Runtastic: We use this app to track our physical activities. Like walking, running, hiking, biking, cardio. The cool thing is that this app works with MFP, so once linked, whatever is input here goes right into MFP. Just like MFP, you can add friends and cheer each other on. You can also set goals for yourself. You can manually enter activity, or track activity live.

iDrated: an app for monitoring water intake. Zack uses this one and really likes it. Water goal is based on gender, age, height, etc.

FitBit: I just started using this app, connected to my FitBit band. I'll be doing a separate post about our fitness bands soon. But I really like this app. I can keep track of everything from MFP, plus water intake, steps, and heart rate.

Do you have any apps you use to help with your activities and health? What keeps you motivated?

Project 'Get it Together': My friend, Pinterest

My eating habits are really not bad. But in the summer they tend to slip. And of course around Thanksgiving and Christmas as well - I mean, seriously. Too many temptations!

So after a summer filled with a lot of travel - and a lot of restaurants - and a lot of bakeries - and a good bit of unhealthy eating - we had to do something to jumpstart ourselves back to a healthier diet.

Now when I say diet, I don't mean the dreaded D word where you deprive yourself and are absolutely miserable. No, I am talking about diet as an overall, everyday way of eating.

Southern veggie plate - this is comfort food!

And another thing. Jumpstart is a key word here. For us, it's all or nothing at the beginning. If I want something to stick, I have to be on the verge of overboard, or it will not last.

So here we are. Five+ weeks into the vegetarian diet. And I am feeling really good. REALLY good.

Avocado Toast. One of my new favorites for breakfast. Or lunch.
Okay, anytime.

I'm sure it's a combination of diet and exercise, but it's so nice to have more energy and just feel well overall.

And like I've said before, I am not a vegetarian. This is not an all-in, never eat meat again, total change of lifestyle. No, if the right meal with meat comes along, I will cave. I will eat it. And I will enjoy it.

But for now, it's working. And I think I'll at least attempt continue to stick with meatless meals when possible... as long as I don't get bored.

Yeah, boredom is a dangerous thing for me. If I get bored with something, it won't stick. This has been our experience in the past.

So in order to try and fend that off, I turned to Pinterest.

I really like Pinterest. Now don't get me wrong. I am not crafty. I can't turn mason jars into chandeliers. And I don't collect empty toilet paper rolls and create intricate wall art (and to my sweet friends C&L, I am NOT making fun!).

But when it comes to recipes, I've found some great ones.

I also wrote out a list of more than 60 different vegetarian meal ideas and put it on the refrigerator. It helps to be able to see some options right in front of me. And I think it helps Zack, too.

We haven't repeated meals too often. Well, no more than we did in the past. We still have pizza most Friday nights. My new favorite is Greek pizza, topped with sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, peppers, onions, and olives.

We like to make some type of curry or stir-fry about once a week. It changes based on what vegetables are in the fridge, as well as which spices I choose to use.

And at the boys' requests, we also do Taco Tuesday. But while they typically eat regular taco meat each week, I try to make something a bit different for Zack and me each week. Sometimes it's homemade refried beans. Last week was black beans. Tonight we tried a sweet potato dish that was really good. Some weeks we make a taco meat substitute that includes a mix of diced cauliflower, peppers, garlic, and onions, along with some beans or corn.


If you'd like to check out my Pinterest boards, you can find me as UkieMommy.

And here are a couple of boards that I'm using a lot right now:
Meatless Recipes - some of these we've tried, some we have not
Pinterest Success - this is a variety of recipes (not just vegetarian) and other things that we've tried and really liked

Project 'Get it Together': sweet potato goodness

One of these days, I need to share a little about the sweet girl here in Sandefjord who was our inspiration to try a vegetarian diet. Yeah, I'll put that on my To Do list!

Anyway, skipping meat means seeking out new recipes and new menu ideas. I've been finding some cool - and sometimes outlandish - ideas on Pinterest. And I wanted to share one that Zack and I really enjoyed.

We made these black bean sweet potato nachos for dinner tonight, and they were awesome! I used a low fat white cheese instead of cheddar (after two & a half years, I've learned to substitute and use what I can get!). And I added a little diced onion along with the black beans.

Photo: www.holajalapeno.com 

Here is the link to the recipe from Hola Jalapeño:
http://www.holajalapeno.com/2014/05/sweet-potato-nachos-with-smoked-cheddar.html

Project 'Get it Together'

What motivates you? What gets you up and moving? What pushes you towards change?

For me, it's a number of things.

Sometimes it's simply a change of seasons. That typically means swapping out clothes - which usually leads to a bit of cleaning as well.

Sometimes it's the prompting of a friend. Or a book. Or a documentary. Or some other outside source.

Sometimes it's a number. The bathroom scale. A statistic. A birthday. (40 is just around the corner... and I am not sure how that is even possible.)

When it comes to motivation for change, Zack and I generally have to start big if we want it to really stick.

Right now we find ourselves in a phase of change - or at least an attempt! I've decided to call it Project 'Get It Together'. It is touching on a number of areas of life. The way we eat. Our level of physical activity. My focus on writing. Gearing up for a couple of months in the states late this year. And other things.

So I thought I'd share with you some of the things we are working on, some of the tools we are using, and some of the reasons we feel motivated to 'get it together'...

... Okay, not that we are falling apart or anything like that. But sometimes when I reflect, I see that things have slipped in certain areas of my life, and I want to get back on track...

And that is where we are now.

So here we go - 'Project Get It Together'!

On the Table: Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Taste.com.au

It's a vicious cycle, I'll admit it. We eat healthy most of the year. But then summer arrives, and our food choices aren't quite what they should be.

So as we often do after the summer, we are getting back on track with our more typical eating habits and exercise routine.

Zack and I have also decided to take a break from meat, as we do once or twice a year. NOTE: I am not a vegetarian! And I know myself well enough to know this is not a permanent change. But I have found that reducing my meat intake works really well for me and my health.

The thing I've experienced in the past when cutting out meat is that I get bored with the same old recipes over and over. And that's typically what ends it for me.

So this time around, I'm really trying to branch out and try some new things. Ten days in, and I'm feeling pretty positive! So far I've made lasagna, spaghetti, sweet potato & chickpea curry, tacos, spinach paneer, greek pizza, and kung pao cauliflower.

Last night, I tried a new soup. I used a few different recipes as inspiration and came up with this curried sweet potato & lentil soup. Everyone liked it, so we'll definitely be adding it to the vegetarian rotation.

If you have meatless meal ideas you'd like to share, I'm all ears!

Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup
1.5 lbs sweet potatoes, baked & skins removed, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 apple, peeled, cored & diced
Ginger (dried, or finely sliced, to taste)
1/2 cup dried lentils, cooked well and drained
1 can light coconut milk
3 cups water or broth
Curry powder (1 tbsp or more, to taste)
Salt & pepper, to taste

Place onion, carrots, apple and ginger in a pot with a bit of water. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Drain. Place all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender/stick mixer, blend the soup until smooth. Serve hot. If desired, you could top it with coconut milk, sour cream, or quark/kesam.

Here are some other recipes you might want to check out:
The Gracious Pantry's Curried Sweet Potato Soup
BBC Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup
She Likes Food Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup
Taste.com's Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Memorable Eats: Pastéis de nata / Pastéis de Belém

If you'd told me two weeks ago that my knees would go weak over an egg tart pastry, I would have laughed.

But after trying Portugal's signature sweet, I think it was probably a good thing we chose to take a seat at a table instead of ordering from the outdoor counter service.

Pastéis de Belém - the volume of pastries was almost unbelievable!

I wasn't sure what to expect when our Lisbon friend took us to try them. But a pastel de nata packs a lot of yum in a cute little package: a sweet, flaky pastry cup, filled with egg custard, and baked to perfection.

Pastéis de nata have been around since the 18th century. They were created by Portuguese monks, looking for a use for all of the egg yolks left over after they'd used egg whites to starch their laundry. And thus a Portuguese tradition was born. In 1837 the recipe was sold to a family whose descendants continue to run Lisbon's Pastéis de Belém to this day.

A little cinnamon and powdered sugar on top, a light-roasted baca (a Portuguese espresso) on the side, and you have yourself the perfect afternoon treat.

We really enjoyed the fresh-made pastries at their original home, Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon, as well as those we had at local pastry shops in Porto.

Pastéis de Belém

http://www.pasteisdebelem.pt

R. Belém 84-92

1300-085 Lisboa, Portugal

Cross-Cultural Living: lessons from a pack of Pop-Tarts

Somewhere in the skies between our sleepy little town of Sandefjord and the bustling capital of the Netherlands, we sat side by side. Trays down, awaiting whatever culinary masterpiece the Dutch airline had carefully selected as the snack for coach.

I watched as my 13-year-old seated next to me opened the cheese and yogurt sandwich, and ate it rather quickly. While it's not so odd for him to devour food, this did not seek like something he would consume with such haste.

But in a matter of a couple of minutes, the tiny paper box was emptied of its contents. And then he began rummaging through his backpack. Soon, he produced on his tray table a rectangular silver package.

I looked at his face and saw a look of pure happiness. He carefully opened the wrapper and withdrew its contents: two frosted cherry-filled pastries.

Most American teenagers would recognize these without a second thought. And most would probably not understand the gravity of this moment (okay, a bit melodramatic, but humor me...). But for my boy, this was a rare treat: a delicacy in its time and place. A gift from recent American visitors, my blonde-headed man-child sat and relished every last bite of his beloved Pop-Tarts.

As I watched, I was first reminded that often the simple things are the best. Big vacations we've taken are punctuated in our children's minds by the night we stayed up late eating junk food and watching movies. Or the time they got to 'skate' in their shoes across a frozen parking lot. Or the fun of taking a bath in a garden tub (we only have a shower).

I also thought about the fact that you often don't realize your desires or affections until they're removed from you. Or maybe you don't realize the things you really could do without until they aren't right under foot. Not that my boy is driven by a love of Pop-Tarts. But the metaphor is there. Something that was once inexpensive and readily available has now become rare, and a highly-prized indulgence.

This non-event reminded me of how we need to take time to enjoy the things we love. Again, it was only Pop-Tarts. But how many times do I zip through moments of significance, and instead live in constant anticipation, continually waiting for whatever is next? While there is always a danger of letting the small joys of life become big distractions, there is also a balance.

We all have certain interests, passions. So long as they don't distract from who we were created to be, we should take the time to enjoy them.

All this from a pack of Pop-Tarts. Who knew what a twin-pack of toaster pastries could hold?



For those who've followed along for awhile, you might remember that we also make our own, healthier version of Pop-Tarts from time to time (read about that here).

Memorable Eats: Dutch Herring

Anytime we travel, we want to try at least one or two local foods. When we were in Amsterdam this year, we had a taste of several new things.

The most memorable was probably the herring.

And not only was the fish memorable, but the photos we took are some I will likely never forget!

Here is the herring stand. They are very easy to find all over the city.

Here is the fish.

And while three of us really enjoyed it, I think you can see from this photo that it was not something Daniel cares to try again.

But he was a champ. Even though I thought he was possibly going to throw up, he managed to chew it up and swallow it!

Memorable Eats: The Familiar

It's funny, the things that we get excited about when living overseas. Often it comes in the form of things we did not really indulge in when we lived in the states. But there is just something comforting about the familiar.

Over the past couple of years, we've had several chances to enjoy some foods that gave us just a taste of our home country.

And sometimes that can provide just what you need to combat a bit of homesickness.

Norwegian food: Kebab

Yeah, yeah. It's really more of a mediterranean or Middle Eastern food. But I don't think it is possible to drive through a city in Norway - regardless of the size - and not find at least one kebab restaurant. It is like the national fast food of this country.

It is also one of the cheaper restaurant options. It's usually available fairly quickly (prepared to order, but doesn't take long), and typically at a counter service establishment. It isn't the healthiest food, but from time to time I find I must indulge! The meat is typically lamb, but many restaurants offer a chicken option, as well as some beef or blend options.


The lamb is often cooked on a large upright spit. In that case, the meat is shaved from the spit. At other restaurants it is chopped.

Daniel prefers kebab i pita: a warm pita filled with lettuce, meat, and other toppings like onions, corn, tomatoes, cucumber and sauce. We all like kebab tallerken as well. It has all the stuff you would find in a pita, but spread over a bed of French fries.

Kebab
(noun) Kebab.

Used in a sentence
Det er min mening at man ikke har vært i Norge før man har prøvd kebab.
(It is my opinion that you haven't been to Norway until you've tried kebab.)


Related Words 
kjøtt - meat
tallerken - plate/platter
salat - lettuce
løk - onion
agurk - cucumber
sterk - spicy 

Norwegian food: Gulrot (healthy food #1)

The Five Healthiest Foods in Norway (original post here) - carrots came in at number one.

Carrots are fairly inexpensive here. And very common, as are most root vegetables. I often have a big bag of carrots in the fridge. I use them in soups and stir fry, and last week I made carrot apple bread (it was really good! - I found the recipe HERE via Pinterest).

I've had a lot of Pinterest success stories lately - I really should start sharing them more often! In the meantime, feel free to visit and follow my Pinterest board "Pinterest Success."

The NRK article stated that everyone likes carrots, both raw and cooked. I am afraid I must disagree. I can handle them cooked in things, but I have a difficult time eating raw carrots (unless they're covered in dip or humus!).  I really want to find more ways to prepare them since they are so good for you. So if you have any favorite recipes involving carrots, I would love to hear about them!

Gulrot
(noun) Carrot.

Used in a sentence
Jeg trenger to gulrøtter for suppe.
(I need two carrots for the soup.)

Related Words
grønnsaker - vegetables 
fiber - fiber
vitaminer - vitamins
rot grønnsaker - root vegetables

Norwegian food: Makrell i Tomat (healthy food #2)

The Five Healthiest Foods in Norway (original post here) - at number two was mackerel in tomato sauce. (And hooray - Zack is writing today!...)

Would you eat a food if the nickname for it was "plane crash"?  Yeah, me neither.  I grew up seeing my dad eat sardines from time to time when we were fishing or hunting, but I think mostly his reason for doing it was to try and gross me out.  Probably the same reason why he would eat raw chicken liver when we were fishing for catfish.

Anyway.  Plane Crash or mackerel in tomato sauce.  Sounds delightful.  And with a shelf life of just over a decade, why not??

I was not much of a fish eater when we lived in the US.  I ate some fresh water fish that dad caught and then salmon and tuna from time to time.  I had to make some adjustments to my diet when we moved here because people (most people) eat a lot of fish.  Beef and chicken are crazy expensive, and  we found cod and salmon to be quite reasonable.

The day after our first Norwegian constitution day here, we went on a weekend cabin trip with some friends.  We stopped on the way and bought some food to share over the long weekend.  My friend K bought some mackerel in tomato sauce and brought it along.

Let me set the stage.  It was hot by Norwegian standards, probably low 80's and we had been hiking most of the day.  We are in an awesome cabin that was very rustic in many ways.  It did have a toilet, but the toilet (poop, bæsj, crap- whatever you want to call it) basically went through the floor and into the woods outside.  To help cover the odor, you put bark and soil over the top of it to "flush".  It worked great and we had no problems at all, IF the rules were followed.

The first - and possibly most important - rule was to keep the door closed.  Well, D and W apparently did not really remember that rule too well and we had just sat down to lunch.  My friend K opened the can of "plane crash" and smeared some on a piece of whole wheat bread.  He offered some to the boys and to Jenn and me as well.  The boys loved it and asked for more.  Jenn declined politely refused, and I took a piece.

Just before I put the piece of bread with the fishy tomato sauce smeared on top, a gentle breeze blew outside, coming up through the toilet and through the door that one of my little guys had left open. It went right up my nose and felt like it punched me in the face.

I went ahead and put the bread in my mouth and took a bite.  My first thought was, I'm gonna hurl!  I silently asked Jesus to help me swallow this food and he did.  I am not very good at hiding what I am feeling or thinking, so they knew I didn't like it.  After some good natured teasing and ripping, it died down and I was able to finish eating.  K did however send D to shut the bathroom door, for which we were all thankful.

Fast forward about 1.5 years later with some small intervals of teasing from my friends about mackerel in tomato sauce and I am now eating it.  I eat it once or twice a week.  How did this happen?  I will explain.

I was at a leadership conference in Kristiansand (south of Norway) last year and I saw a guy whom I consider to be in really good health and in good shape eating "plane crash" for breakfast.  Mental note number one.

I heard a commercial on the radio where the mom was talking about healthy food and she was talking about mackerel in tomato sauce, but she had to speak English because she didn't want the daughter to understand and know that she was eating something so delicious and was so good for her.  She then switches to German when the older son comes in (because he's school age so he would of course already be learning English!). Mental note number two.

My family has a history of heart problems and strokes.  I know taking care of myself is very important.  Fatty fish is good for your heart, memory, skin and also helps with seasonal affective disorder.  I decided to give it another try.  I bought a can of mackerel in tomato sauce and brought it home.  I opened it up and put it on a slice of bread and it wasn't bad at all.  I continued to eat it, but just out of the can with no bread and I REALLY liked it.

So now, at least 2-3 times a week I eat a can of makrell i tomat (Norwegian).  I like it a lot and it is great to take with you on a hike, in the car, to a meeting, when your wife has surgery and you are at the hospital all day and just for a snack before going skiing or something when you need some quick energy.

(Here are a few TV commercials about mackerel in tomato sauce, based on a song 'tre små fisk')

Makrell i tomat
(noun) Mackerel in tomato sauce.

Related Words
fettsyrer - fatty acids
fisk - fish
sunn/sunt - healthy
tre små fisk - three small fish

Norwegian food: Havregryn (healthy food #3)

The Five Healthiest Foods in Norway (original post here) - at number three was oatmeal.

The nutritionists that participated in the study encouraged the importance of whole grains. Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, vitamin B, iron and other important minerals. (I also like the way it leaves you feeling full for quite a while.)

We eat quite a bit of oatmeal. I probably cook it an average of three times every week for breakfast. I use it when making multigrain bread. And it is a major component of the granola I make as well. The boys love it, especially with a bit of jam mixed in.

It seems the majority of people eat oatmeal with something sweet added, whether it be fruit, jam, or cinnamon and sugar. I am a bit odd in that I prefer mine with butter, a splash of milk, and a little salt. I blame it on my mom; that's how she gave it to me when I was growing up. So sweet oatmeal is really weird to me!

Havregryn
(noun) Oatmeal.

Used in a sentence
Vi spiser havregryn omtrent tre ganger hver uke.
(We eat oatmeal about three times each week.)


Related Words
havre - oats 
fullkorn - wholegrain
grøt - porridge
jern - iron

Norwegian Food: Blåbær (healthy food #4)

The Five Healthiest Foods in Norway (original post here) - at number four was blueberries.

Homemade blueberry muffins, made
from the berries the boys picked in
the mountains on a hiking trip

Berries are quite popular here. And berry-picking trips are popular in the summertime. Last summer, the boys enjoyed picking lots of blueberries while we were hiking in the mountains.

We all like blueberries. Sometime alone, other times in a fruit salad or smoothie, and occasionally in a treat like muffins.

The NRK article's nutritionists appreciated the antioxidants in blueberries. They were concerned that people do not eat enough berries, and also focused on the importance of 'five a day.' Furthermore, they liked that picking the berries yourself means additional physical activity!


Blåbær
(noun) Blueberry.

Used in a sentence
Guttene plukket blåbær og vi laget muffins.
(The boys picked blueberries and we made muffins.)

Related Words
bær - berry/berries
antioksidanter - antioxidants

Norwegian Food: Melk (healthy food #5)

The Five Healthiest Foods in Norway (original post here) - at number five was milk.

The article explained that is the best source of calcium in Norway, and also a good source of iodine. We typically buy Ekstra Lett Melk because it has added Vitamin D - especially important in the dark winter months! (Eskstra Lett also has less saturated fat.)

We really like the milk in Norway. It is refrigerated! Sounds strange to some of you maybe, but in  Ukraine we learned that this is not always the case. Yeah, unrefrigerated milk was kind of strange to me!


Price
There are two brands we can choose from: Tine Melk or Q-Melk. Most of the time we buy Tine, mainly because I have better luck finding the kind I prefer in the 1.75 liter carton instead of the 1 liter that seems to vanish as soon as it is opened.

The 1.75 liter costs a minimum of 21.90 Norwegian kroner. Our current conversion rate is quite favorable for us (not for Norwegians traveling to America!), so that is currently around $2.90 for 1.75 liters. That is the equivalent of about $6.24 per gallon (about double the price of a gallon in Georgia!)

We are occasionally able to find it marked down for as much as 50% off due to only a couple of days left on the expiration date. But the boys love milk, and we use it in a lot of recipes, so a short date is no problem!


Packaging

Tine Easter Milk

Tine changes their packaging at Christmas and Easter. For the majority of the year, the photos on the cartons show scenes from the dairies located in your region. But at Christmas the nisser (the little trolls/elves) show up. And at Easter, Tine pays homage to the Norwegian tradition of Påskekrim - Easter crime novels* - by including mystery-based comic strips on the boxes. 

Tine Christmas Milk

Variety
Like in the states, there are plenty of varieties: whole milk, low fat, lower fat (with the added Vitamin D), skim milk, as well as chocolate milk, culture milks, and kefir.

[Okay, I just have to say that this may be the most boring post I've ever written!]

Melk
(noun) Milk.

Used in a sentence
Kan du kjøpe inn en melk for meg?
(Will you buy a carton of milk for me?)

Related Words
hel melk - whole milk

lett melk - low fat milkekstra lett melk - lower fat milk
skummet melk - skim milk

sjokolademelk - chocolate milk

geit melk - goat milk

økologisk melk - organic milk

laktosefri melk - lactose free milk

kulturmelk - culture milk/soured milk (similar to buttermilk)

*You read that correctly - Easter crime novels - I should probably revisit this in a couple of months!

[Not] Norwegian food: Pop Tarts

Our boys love Pop Tarts. And I have to admit, they are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me as well.

Growing up, you could almost always find them in our pantry. Okay, not really. What we typically had were generic 'Toaster Pastries'. You know, the store brand knock-off that came without frosting, and often with at least one major fracture, if not totally crumbled. Yeah yeah, I gripe, but we certainly ate them!

I know the boys enjoy them, but a couple of things keep us from having many on hand. First is the artificial stuff. I am really trying to reduce the amount of artificial stuff we eat. I won't totally eliminate it, but less is better, right?

But the bigger reason is the price. I've only found one store in Norway that carries them. And since they are an import item, they come with the hefty price tag of around $10-11 per 8-count box. So I won't be picking them up anytime soon. Yeah, there are some things you will pay a high price for to have a taste of home. [Like white cheese jalapeño dip - which I have yet to find anywhere.] But Pop Tarts are not on that list!

We are grateful to friends and family who've brought Pop Tarts to the boys when they've visited us. The boys always ration them out, saving them for weekends and special days. But I now have a solution that keeps my boys happy, saves me money, and keeps the artificial stuff and preservatives out of their tummies!

I attempted homemade strawberry Pop Tarts yesterday. And while I still need to perfect the process, I am quite pleased with how the first batch turned out. Like the generic wannabes, they lack frosting. But unlike any of the boxed treats, they have nothing fake and I can feel a little better about them!

The boys each had one with their breakfast this morning. No mention of no frosting, only "wow, these taste like Pop Tarts!"

Thanks to the Smitten Kitchen - fantastic recipe that does not call for any ingredients that are unavailable in Norway!! You can find the recipe HERE.