I also am an apple slice peanut butter dipper. It is my favorite way to eat peanut butter. If you have a Winco near you, most have a little machine that will grind fresh peanut butter fresh for you. It usually is in the bulk foods section.
Years ago, my inlaws moved on to cloth gift bags that my MIL made herself. They are made of scraps of all kinds of fancy fabrics and are each unique and beautiful.
I copied her and made Christmas bags to use for gifting close family members. I bought Christmas fabrics on sale after the holidays (really cheap!) and made bags with ribbons sewn on to tie shut. The first few years was a bit of sewing- and then occasionally still for an odd shape- but now we have just about any shape or size could be accomodated by bags we already have.
Santa still wraps for kids at our house- but when the kids are older, its going to be bags all around.
You caught me! I'm the queen of having a spoonful for lunch, and we LOVE peanut butter and banana / skim milk smoothies. Another favorite? Grilled peanut butter and jelly (do it like a grilled cheese).
Years ago on Guam, one of the teachers used to bring a great vegetable noodle salad with linguini. The sauce / dressing was a peanut butter sauce, but I have no idea how she made it.
I'm not sure I really consider my love of fitness a hobby as much as a survival mechanism but I have found many ways to make it pay for itself. I recently learned that by accepting a part time position with my local YMCA I'm eligible for a free personal gym membership. I only work there 8 hours a week as a fitness trainer. This "work" consists of showing people how to adjust and use the equiptment. The rest of the time I can surf the web, leave comments on friends blogs or even work out myself.
Of course I also get paid about 8 bucks an hour which generally goes to the purchase of clothes, shoes, and other workout gear. Pretty cool huh?
You can make peanut butter without the peanut oil too if you don't have it. Just put your peanuts in alone with a little salt in the processor and viola! Takes a little longer, but still turns out great.
I love peanut butter! I always buy organic peanut butter since peanuts are typically grown in rotation with cotton which is heavily sprayed.
One of my favorite ways to eat PB & banana is on a whole wheat tortilla. It's very portable and you don't even have to cut up the banana.
On another note, Humans are omnivores not carnivores. Plus, our brains need carbohydrates to function as well as protein. Just a thought, but since we are "highest" on the food chain isn't it okay to eat in an enlightened fashion and eat the way our values lead us? Especially since we can have a varied fully nutritious diet with or without meat. In fact, quite a few of the diseases that afflict modern society are caused by over consumption of meat. I'm not vegan, but I eat very little meat and I believe we should not be judgmental towards other peoples lifestyles (or eating habits.)
You might think me weird - my 8yr old daughter does - but I can't stand the stuff. Must be the texture because I like peanuts. But can't eat peanut butter or even smell it. That's too bad because it's such a convenient food!
As to the Vegan diet people - we humans are carnivores. Top of the entire freaking food chain of meat eaters. Don't know if you noticed but our eyes face forward, a trait shared by most carnivores. Also we have these funny teeth called canine teeth, good for ripping & tearing meat. Without protein from meat, mankind would've never left the stone age. The human brain needs large quantities of protein to operate properly.
I'm another who had an epiphany when I had to have an angioplasty. It made me realize that I didn't want to die at that job. I retired early and now live on little, but I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK EVERYDAY. That's living like royalty, without having to go to all the ribbon cuttings. I shop the dollar stores and do all the rest of the money saving games. It is such a small sacrifice for the trade-off. Reading "Your Money Or Your Life" made it all clear.
"We won't compromise and you shouldn't either... All of our natural products are made with the highest quality ingredients - 70-95% certified organic."
I've gotta second you on the peanut butter and banana sandwiches...
My hubby can't live with out them. They are his out-the-door-late-for-work favorite breakfast choice.
I personally love apple slices with my peanut butter.
That's why I used the phrase "seems to get a free ride..." Living with an illness, even when I am faced with insurance claim denials and such, I am still thankful that I have the choices I do, even if I pay for them. Thanks for your thoughts.
As a lazy, cheap college student, I fondly remember one evening a few months ago where for dinner I had peanut butter on a spoon and a coors light. Not a meal I'd necessarily recommend, but a good "I did it once" thing, and that's what college is for, right? : D
Thanks for clearing that up! I guess that is just one of many popular misconceptions. As a parent, I am always hearing how hard it may be to be sure that your child gets enough protein on a vegan/vegetarian diet. Alot of this is coming from articles and a few physicians. It's good to hear that it's not as challenging as I thought.
Also, I LOVE black beans! So now I can rest easy if I skip the regular meal my family is having in favor of a nice black bean soup or a salad with black beans.
My favorite way to eat peanut butter is with fruit. Blend a spoonful into a smoothie. Dip apple or pear slices in it. Slice a banana in half the long way, put some peanut butter in the middle, and close it back up to create a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Yum!
It is a myth that vegans and vegetarians have a hard time getting adequate protein. Plant foods are, in fact, loaded with protein--a cup of black beans has 15 grams protein (and about the same number of calories as a serving of peanut butter, incidentally); heck, protein makes up a third of the calories in broccoli! Even the USDA says adults need only 0.8 grams protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 55 grams for a 150-pound adult. It is not difficult to meet this requirement without eating meat.
Depending on your retirement plan, it also pays to have a higher income. For PERS/STRS (public) retirement systems in CA, your retirement income is calculated based on your highest paid income over the last 18 months, 3 years, or whatever it is based on. Therefore, having a higher income now translates into having more money paid out in retirement.
Your income is taxed at the margin, or each bracket is calculated separately so only your marginal income above your current rate is calculated at the new rate so you don't lose money per se by going into a new bracket.
There are some deduction rules but it has to do more with what is your TAXABLE income rather than just overall gross. If you have qualifying retirement accounts, 125 plans, etc., and you increase the pre-tax deductions, your TAXABLE income may actually be less than your pre-raise income.
A "free ride on health care" is a bit misleading. What Michael Moore and his "sickos" fail to address is who will pay for this so called free health care. Remember nothing is free, the question yet to be answered is who will pay for it? If your willing to live with even higher taxes and higher prices for goods and services then go ahead and support this so called free health care. What it will lead to is less for everyone. Who ever controls this free health care (most likely the govt) will be able to decide what you need for you and your family. One more way the Govt will be involved in our lives, one less freedom. Wake up! This is just like social security, Medicare, and welfare. Look how those people supported by those systems live. Look how much we all pay even if we are not nor never will be supported by those systems. Free health care is not for me nor my family nor my country.
-Just a concerned, free, voting, citizen in the US of A.
I also am an apple slice peanut butter dipper. It is my favorite way to eat peanut butter. If you have a Winco near you, most have a little machine that will grind fresh peanut butter fresh for you. It usually is in the bulk foods section.
Years ago, my inlaws moved on to cloth gift bags that my MIL made herself. They are made of scraps of all kinds of fancy fabrics and are each unique and beautiful.
I copied her and made Christmas bags to use for gifting close family members. I bought Christmas fabrics on sale after the holidays (really cheap!) and made bags with ribbons sewn on to tie shut. The first few years was a bit of sewing- and then occasionally still for an odd shape- but now we have just about any shape or size could be accomodated by bags we already have.
Santa still wraps for kids at our house- but when the kids are older, its going to be bags all around.
You caught me! I'm the queen of having a spoonful for lunch, and we LOVE peanut butter and banana / skim milk smoothies. Another favorite? Grilled peanut butter and jelly (do it like a grilled cheese).
Years ago on Guam, one of the teachers used to bring a great vegetable noodle salad with linguini. The sauce / dressing was a peanut butter sauce, but I have no idea how she made it.
Great piece!
I especially like the intellectual property ideas related to hobby promoting.
This recipe is very good:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tofu-and-Veggies-in-Peanut-Sauce/Detail.aspx
I'm not sure I really consider my love of fitness a hobby as much as a survival mechanism but I have found many ways to make it pay for itself. I recently learned that by accepting a part time position with my local YMCA I'm eligible for a free personal gym membership. I only work there 8 hours a week as a fitness trainer. This "work" consists of showing people how to adjust and use the equiptment. The rest of the time I can surf the web, leave comments on friends blogs or even work out myself.
Of course I also get paid about 8 bucks an hour which generally goes to the purchase of clothes, shoes, and other workout gear. Pretty cool huh?
"The best peanut butter varieties are those that contain no added sugars"
I have to admit that my favourite peanut butter is skippy, second ingrediant sugar, third transfat laden oils!
You can make peanut butter without the peanut oil too if you don't have it. Just put your peanuts in alone with a little salt in the processor and viola! Takes a little longer, but still turns out great.
I love peanut butter! I always buy organic peanut butter since peanuts are typically grown in rotation with cotton which is heavily sprayed.
One of my favorite ways to eat PB & banana is on a whole wheat tortilla. It's very portable and you don't even have to cut up the banana.
On another note, Humans are omnivores not carnivores. Plus, our brains need carbohydrates to function as well as protein. Just a thought, but since we are "highest" on the food chain isn't it okay to eat in an enlightened fashion and eat the way our values lead us? Especially since we can have a varied fully nutritious diet with or without meat. In fact, quite a few of the diseases that afflict modern society are caused by over consumption of meat. I'm not vegan, but I eat very little meat and I believe we should not be judgmental towards other peoples lifestyles (or eating habits.)
So, um, peanut butter, Yummy!
Good luck! I hope you come home as healthy as can be!
You might think me weird - my 8yr old daughter does - but I can't stand the stuff. Must be the texture because I like peanuts. But can't eat peanut butter or even smell it. That's too bad because it's such a convenient food!
As to the Vegan diet people - we humans are carnivores. Top of the entire freaking food chain of meat eaters. Don't know if you noticed but our eyes face forward, a trait shared by most carnivores. Also we have these funny teeth called canine teeth, good for ripping & tearing meat. Without protein from meat, mankind would've never left the stone age. The human brain needs large quantities of protein to operate properly.
Just nature at work.
I'm another who had an epiphany when I had to have an angioplasty. It made me realize that I didn't want to die at that job. I retired early and now live on little, but I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK EVERYDAY. That's living like royalty, without having to go to all the ribbon cuttings. I shop the dollar stores and do all the rest of the money saving games. It is such a small sacrifice for the trade-off. Reading "Your Money Or Your Life" made it all clear.
From their website:
"We won't compromise and you shouldn't either... All of our natural products are made with the highest quality ingredients - 70-95% certified organic."
I've gotta second you on the peanut butter and banana sandwiches...
My hubby can't live with out them. They are his out-the-door-late-for-work favorite breakfast choice.
I personally love apple slices with my peanut butter.
That's why I used the phrase "seems to get a free ride..." Living with an illness, even when I am faced with insurance claim denials and such, I am still thankful that I have the choices I do, even if I pay for them. Thanks for your thoughts.
You can't go wrong with that one. Celery, peanut butter and golden raisins. Good stuff.
As a lazy, cheap college student, I fondly remember one evening a few months ago where for dinner I had peanut butter on a spoon and a coors light. Not a meal I'd necessarily recommend, but a good "I did it once" thing, and that's what college is for, right? : D
Thanks for clearing that up! I guess that is just one of many popular misconceptions. As a parent, I am always hearing how hard it may be to be sure that your child gets enough protein on a vegan/vegetarian diet. Alot of this is coming from articles and a few physicians. It's good to hear that it's not as challenging as I thought.
Also, I LOVE black beans! So now I can rest easy if I skip the regular meal my family is having in favor of a nice black bean soup or a salad with black beans.
Thanks for the comments!
My favorite way to eat peanut butter is with fruit. Blend a spoonful into a smoothie. Dip apple or pear slices in it. Slice a banana in half the long way, put some peanut butter in the middle, and close it back up to create a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Yum!
It is a myth that vegans and vegetarians have a hard time getting adequate protein. Plant foods are, in fact, loaded with protein--a cup of black beans has 15 grams protein (and about the same number of calories as a serving of peanut butter, incidentally); heck, protein makes up a third of the calories in broccoli! Even the USDA says adults need only 0.8 grams protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 55 grams for a 150-pound adult. It is not difficult to meet this requirement without eating meat.
My employer doesn't believe in perks.
Depending on your retirement plan, it also pays to have a higher income. For PERS/STRS (public) retirement systems in CA, your retirement income is calculated based on your highest paid income over the last 18 months, 3 years, or whatever it is based on. Therefore, having a higher income now translates into having more money paid out in retirement.
Your income is taxed at the margin, or each bracket is calculated separately so only your marginal income above your current rate is calculated at the new rate so you don't lose money per se by going into a new bracket.
There are some deduction rules but it has to do more with what is your TAXABLE income rather than just overall gross. If you have qualifying retirement accounts, 125 plans, etc., and you increase the pre-tax deductions, your TAXABLE income may actually be less than your pre-raise income.
A "free ride on health care" is a bit misleading. What Michael Moore and his "sickos" fail to address is who will pay for this so called free health care. Remember nothing is free, the question yet to be answered is who will pay for it? If your willing to live with even higher taxes and higher prices for goods and services then go ahead and support this so called free health care. What it will lead to is less for everyone. Who ever controls this free health care (most likely the govt) will be able to decide what you need for you and your family. One more way the Govt will be involved in our lives, one less freedom. Wake up! This is just like social security, Medicare, and welfare. Look how those people supported by those systems live. Look how much we all pay even if we are not nor never will be supported by those systems. Free health care is not for me nor my family nor my country.
-Just a concerned, free, voting, citizen in the US of A.
Good luck on your trip!