Posh Purpose Tip: Frozen Organic Mushrooms

I'm a huge mushroom lover and I eat them any way I can get them including straight from a can (Briana is gagging right now, she can't stand mushrooms), but I find that the fresh ones, especially the shiitakes, are super expensive and organic mushrooms just cost too much for me to include in my weekly grocery budget (mushrooms should not cost as much as meat - they haven't had to be birthed, housed, or fed for many months). Luckily, I've found a great solution!  Frozen organic mushrooms!

Image Source: Woodstock Foods

I found these last winter at Wegmans for $3.29 per bag and Whole Foods also carries them for a little bit more.  $3.29 for 10 oz of mushrooms is a really great deal (fresh white button mushrooms are typically sold in smaller portions for about the same price), but when you consider you can get organic and shiitake thrown into the mix, it's awesome!  

I use these mushrooms all the time when the mushroom isn't meant to be the "star" of the dish, but just an ingredient or extra veggie boost.   Frozen mushrooms are great for throwing in pasta sauces, topping off a chicken dish, or adding a little bulk to your chili.  However, I would not use them for something like cream of mushroom soup or salads (ick!).  Anyone else tried this easy fix?

Wine Review: Cloud Break Pinot Noir

I don't know about y'all, but when I'm throwing a party or having people over for dinner I like to serve a nice bottle of wine...but wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good!  The wine store can be really overwhelming and intimidating if you don't know where to start.  Fortunately, I have a fool proof wine to suggest for y'all today!

Cloud Break Pinot Noir
California
$8.99
Image Source: Total Wine

Mr. 3 and I found Cloud Break Pinot Noir over a year ago at our local Total Wine store.  We picked it out based on the price and the fact that it was a California pinot noir which always seems to appeal to both of us.  Not only did we love it, all of our guests have as well!  We had a wine tasting party where everyone bought a bottle of pinot noir under $15 to share and we voted at the end on which one tasted best and this wine was chosen by our friends as the top pick!

Total Wine describes Cloud Break as: Elegant, Strawberry, Cherry, Medium-bodied, pairs well with salmon

I'm not fancy pants enough to identify 100% of all the notes in a wine, but I can say that it pairs well with just about everything, is very mellow, and super drinkable!

As for using it for parties or taking it as a hostess gift, the label artwork looks nice and the price is even better!  We bring this quite frequently when we are invited to dinner at other people's houses. Sooo, if you are in need of a go to wine that won't break the bank, I highly recommend Cloud Break for your next event!

***This post was not sponsored by either Total Wine or Cloud Break. We just like to share our ways to make your Posh Purpose lifestyle easier!***

Posh Purpose Recipe: Coconut Protein Shake

I've been experimenting lately with making protein smoothies for breakfast when Mr. 3 isn't in town (he usually makes me an omelet everyday when he is here...sweet man!).  I've finally come up with one that is delicious, nutritious, and keeps me from getting hungry until about 12:30 PM. 

 

Posh Purpose Coconut Protein Shake

 

1 cup whole milk (I insist on whole milk.  My doctor told me recently that if you take the fat out of dairy, you are basically left with a pile of carbs which raises your blood sugar and won't keep you full for long!)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (look for a low carb kind, you want one with around 2 carbs per scoop)

1 tbs. almond butter (look for one without sugar or any other sweetener or any other chemicals)

1 tbs. coconut oil

2 tbs chia seeds

Healthy dash of cinnamon

4 ice cubes

 

Put the milk in the blender and add the rest of the ingredients with the ice cubes going in last.  Blend.  If you like a thicker smoothie add more ice, but I like to drink mine quickly in the morning when I don't have time to stop for brain freezes.  Makes 1 serving.

 

This smoothie is high in protein, healthy fats, and loads of good for you vitamins. The total calorie count is around 550 calories depending on your choice of protein powder which may sound a bit high...but I've been able to cut out my mid-morning snack with no issue which balances everything out!  I love the taste and it reminds me a bit of horchata which is delicious! 

 

Briana is off to a wedding in Kentucky for the weekend and I plan on hanging out at the pool for at least a few hours.  Hope everyone has a fun weekend...and perhaps a coconut shake!



Posh Purpose: Styling Your Patio Garden

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day with friends and family!  Mr. 3 and I had the most relaxing and productive weekend that we have had in quite some time.  We mixed in a little bit of housework (cleaning off our patio, hanging artwork in the living room and guest bedroom, and lots of laundry) with a bunch of fun (going to the movies, taking a bicycle ride (which is more terrifying than fun for me), grabbing ice cream in Old Town Alexandria, and antiquing for me).  One of our weekend treats was going to Home Depot to pick out plants for our patio garden.  I had originally thought that I would pick up a few terracotta pots and paint them to match my green, pink, gold, and black color scheme going on out on the patio...buuuuuut then I found these cute ceramic pots at Michael's which saved me the trouble of getting them painted:

The pink pots were originally $4.99 and the white pot was $9.99, but Michael's was running a 50% off sale and I had a 10% off total purchase coupon.  Which brought the pink pots to $2.25 and the white pot to $4.50.  The pink pots had a hole for drainage and the saucers were attached to the pots.  The white pot also had a hole for drainage, but didn't come with a saucer (I had an extra one already).  Overall, I thought these were a great deal!

I decided to plant banana peppers, jalapenos, basil, and mint with the hopes of spicy salsa, caprese salad, and mojitos for the summer!  Planting the peppers and herbs was super easy.  I chose to buy the seedlings rather than the seed packets since I figured there was less chance for planting error, overwatering, and neglect if I picked out something that had already gotten a good start.  I also didn't feel like waiting 4-6 weeks for my crops to come in.  The plants cost between $3.33-$3.68 each and I picked up a really small bag of organic potting for about $5. Since my garden is very, very small, I just used a solo cup to scoop out the dirt rather than buying trowels or gloves.

Aren't they cheerful?  I love the bright pop of color that they bring to the patio and I'm going to save a good bit of money on pricey basil and mint even if I only get a few "harvests" out of them.  Pre-packaged basil and mint usually cost between $3-4 at the grocery store.  Even if I only get to use them twice this summer I will pretty much break even on the cost of the plant and pot.

Here's a few tips for styling your patio garden:

1. Check out craft stores for prettier and cheaper pots than you can find at Home Depot.  There were no pink pots to be had at Home Depot and the cheapest fancy ceramic pot I saw was $7.

2. Take your color scheme into consideration.  I love that the bits of green plants play off the pink and white outdoor rug and my outdoor entertaining servingware.  Try to find pots that bring a pop of color to your patio...it may help remind you to water them and also use the plants you've so carefully planted.

3. Buy plants that you think will last on your patio.  I have indirect sunlight pretty much all day long with a few hours of direct sun as well, which will be great for all my plants.  I decided not to buy bell pepper or squash because we have a big tree that a squirrel could very easily crawl up and jump onto our patio to grab a tasty snack.  I think it will stay away from my hot peppers...at least after the first time.

4. Go with multiple small sized pots if you don't have much space or if your available space is awkward.  If you have enough space and don't want so many containers, buy one or two large sized pots and plant multiple items in them like herbs in one and peppers in another.

Anyone else tried to make an apartment garden?  Send us pictures!

Bits from Behind the Scenes: Kombucha

Following my recent post on kombucha, my family (who are quite the loyal Posh Purpose readers!) and I have had quite the lively email chain going regarding kombucha.  Unbeknownst to me, our grandmother grew/cultivated/created kombucha in a jar she kept in the living room and my mother and aunts feared that the kombucha (which looked like a mushroom) would attack them in the night.  Here's the email chain I received (Mama = our grandmother):

Email 1 - My Mom: I wonder if you realize that that stuff you are paying money for is what Mama use to grow in a big gallon jar and keep it under a chair.  It was a giant, creepy mushroom that her friend gave her because they grow babies.  Then, they poured off the liquid and drank it.  It looked like a space alien.

Email 2 - Me: welll.....I've never seen pictures of it, but I would imagine it's quite disgusting looking.  which is why i choose to pay for it in my nice clean glass bottle with pretty labeling.  i'm also pretty sure if i left a jar under the sink i would forget about it and it would one day be the basis for a sci-fi movie based on a true story...orrrrrrr i'd convince myself it was ok to drink and spend a few days in the hospital recovering from bad kombucha (which I can only imagine how horrid bad kombucha could be).  not to be gross...but all i'm going to say about it's effects are that my colon has been extra healthy of late.  sooooo, if any of you are suffering from a less than pleasant potty experience, you might give it a go.

Email 3 - My Mom: Mama kept it under a chair in the living room.

Email 4 - Our Aunt J: When I slept at Mama' s I always made sure a lid was on it...just to be sure it stayed in the jar overnite. I got the mushroom from a friend of mine.

Email 5 - My Mom: Briana's mom said she put books on top of the jar to make sure the mushroom stayed in there.

Email 6 - Aunt J: Yes we each had our way of protecting ourselves.

Email 7 - My Mom: How life changes......what we once feared is now sold in pricey bottles.

Email 8 - Briana's Mom: Mama kept it in daddy's office under the desk when I was there. I understood that it had to be in a dark environment.  It was very very scary! Mama offered me a taste, understandably I declined the experience.  Frankly I would rather have cancer than let a man eating mushroom live in my house.

Needless to say, it looks like I will be the only one raising a glass of kombucha anytime soon (poured directly from a nice clean, fancy pants bottle...and not from a jar shoved in some dark corner of my apartment).  Hope this made you laugh!  Have a great weekend everyone!

Kombucha: A Weird & Tasty Treat

Sometimes I'm a little behind on the latest and greatest in clean living, organic, natural remedy, sure-to-kill-all-that-ails-you type of trends...and evidently Kombucha is no different.  Kombucha is a sparkling drink made from fermented (with who knows what) tea, sometimes a bit of juice, and sparkling water.  It's supposedly filled with all sorts of probiotic and vitamin goodness that is said to relieve all sorts of ailments.  I actually first read about kombucha in a hilariously funny article from the Huffington Post on "Surviving Whole Foods."  Needless to say, the article's description is not what inspired me to try kombucha nor did it send me running to the store to pick up a bottle.

Mr. 3 and I were at Whole Foods having a glass of wine and I noticed that they carried kombucha on tap.  I asked the barkeep to describe it to me and he described kombucha as "slightly vinegary fizzy drink", which reminded me of my Balsamic Vinegar Spritzer but with more bacteria...so he gave me a pour of the elderberry version and I loved it!

After googling a bit more about it, I decided to pick up two bottles to try from Safeway: Kevita Lemon Ginger and GT's Synergy Enlighted Kombucha in Cosmic Cranberry.  Both were delicious and less than 100 calories for the 16 oz. bottle.  I liked the fizziness and the flavor was really yummy, but yes a bit vinegary...which evidently I do not have a problem with and seem to enjoy.  I could definitely see this being a great car trip treat if I plan far enough in advance or as a daily drink.  I'm going to try a few more brands and see if I have any positive health effects.  I will report back once I've taken it a bit more.

Briana and I are also trying out coconut oil in a bunch of different ways (makeup remover, lotion, bug repellant, etc.) in the upcoming weeks, so look for articles on coconut oil too.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend...and perhaps a bottle of kombucha!

Posh Purpose Recipe: Vitamix Smoothie Making Formula

I've become a pretty regular smoothie maker since receiving our Vitamix as a wedding present.  I love that I can get tons of vitamins and a good portion of my daily intake of fruits and veggies in one cup.  The Vitamix is especially wonderful for many many many reasons that will make your eyes glaze over if I tell you them, but among them is that it easily handles harder fruits and veggies like apples and carrots that a regular blender (even a powerful one) can't handle.  The Vitamix comes with a cookbook of all different types of smoothie recipes, but I believe I've found an easy to remember formula that will let you keep your cookbook in the cabinet and using whatever you have on hand.

Posh Purpose Vitamix Smoothie Making Formula

1. Fill bottom third of Vitamix with squishy, juicy, room temperature fruit - this would include bananas, oranges, ripe peaches, and berries
2. Fill next third of Vitamix with hard or dense veggies and fruits - items like apples, carrots, celery, zucchini - this is also a good time to put in any sort of supplement powder, chia seeds, lime or lemon juice, or ginger
3. Fill last third with leafy veggies and top with 10-12 regular sized ice cubes - spinach and kale are packed with nutrients and you won't taste them with all the flavors from #'s 1-2 - I put a ton of leafy greens in, because the ice will pack them down.

Emerald Smoothie
Image Source: Vitamix

My favorite combo right now is: 1 orange (or 3 clementines), 1 banana, 1 apple, good sized handful of carrots, chia seeds, ginger, and 2 cups of spinach.  This formula will make enough for two large cups.  I'm able to split my smoothie with Mr. 3, but I wouldn't recommend saving it because it will start to turn brown once the fruits and veggies are exposed to air (green smoothie = yummy, brown smoothie =trash).

Although this formula is for Vitamix users, regular blender owners could probably omit the denser veggies in #2 and still use the rest of the formula.

Anyone else love their Vitamix?  Who's gotten on the smoothie band wagon?

D.C. Local Gift Sources

Two of my favorite places to buy gifts are right here in the D.C. area  - Artisan Confections and Under the Olive Tree.  Both shops are locally owned, small businesses with attention to detail and are the best in their fields.  I have given these presents as hostess gifts and thank you gifts and there has never been any disappointment!  I also like to give these as gifts to people who, er, have "way more means" than myself because I find it so hard to find presents for people who can buy anything they want for themselves.  This is a way for me to give the best quality gift I can afford that these people will enjoy.

Artisan Confections is located in the Clarendon neighborhood in Arlington and at the Mosiac shopping center in Fairfax.  They sell the-MOST-delicious-melt-in-your-mouth-decadent bon bons.  Their flavors range from traditional (vanilla bean) to exotic (apricot-cardamom).  My personal favorite is the mint, which tastes like fresh mint rather than York patty.  If chocolate bon bons ain't your thang (who are you? how do you live?), they also have crispy peanut butter bars, caramel marshmallow bar, soft caramels, and hot cocoa mix.

15 Piece Box
$27
Image Source: Artisan Confections

If you live nearby, Artisan Confections also has premium chocolate you can buy by the pound for baking; and occasionally, the shop will have made from scratch brownies using their premium chocolate.  Everything is made at the Clarendon location in small batches and there are no preservatives or fillers in these chocolates....you actually have to eat them within two weeks of their make date.  Artisan Confections will ship, but orders must be placed by 12/18 to arrive before 12/25 (703-524-0007).

My other favorite place to purchase food gifts is the Under the Olive Tree store in Tyson's Corner shopping mall.  This store is run by a wonderful family who are super friendly and really passionate about their products - mainly high end premium extra virgin olive oil and vinegars.  One of the daughters has become the second certified olive oil taster in the U.S. (similar to how a sommelier is for wine) and another is working on becoming a chef.

Image Source: Under the Olive Tree

I use their products all the time when I cook.  My favorite vinegars are the apricot and the blackberry balsamic and you can't go wrong with the blood orange olive oil.  These are so delicious!  If you need a bit more excitement with your cooking try out the coffee or chocolate vinegar.  My other go-to item at Under the Olive Tree is the black truffle sea salt.  I put it on popcorn and mashed potatoes aaaaaaaaall the time.  The product quality is higher than all the other olive oil stores and certainly better than what you will find in the supermarket.  The family takes great pride in their store and their olive oil is regularly lab-tested for freshness so you know you are getting a great product.  If you need recipe ideas, check out their Facebook page...I've been lucky enough to try several of their recipes at a tasting event at the store and they did not disappoint!  Under the Olive Tree will also ship, give them a call at 703-356-8880.

Got any local small business shops in your area?  Let us know if they have great gifts and are willing to ship!

Publix Butter

Since the holiday season is also a major baking season, I thought this was the perfect time to share my experience with Publix brand butter. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve are wonderful excuses to bake delicious treats for friends (or yourself, no judgement here) but purchasing those ingredients does add up fast.

If you have followed my series on store brand products, you already know I love Publix and have had great luck with their organic milk. I have consistently bought Publix butter as well, and I am quite satisfied with it. I used to buy Land O'Lakes butter but couldn't tell the difference when I compared it to Publix butter. Even better, Publix butter saves you $1.10 per box, which means you save 27.5 cents per stick of butter.

However, I did buy two boxes of Land O'Lakes last week because Publix had them on sale for $2.50 each. J actually pointed out the sign to me. He is often a wonderful shopping companion. Are there any store brand products you like? Which ones don't you like?

Aldi Pumpkin

My sister Kimberlee is an expert at saving money, as I have mentioned before. She encouraged me to shop at Aldi for my groceries since they are often much cheaper than Publix, and even Walmart. Kim always tells people to try Aldi three times before passing judgement because it is a very different shopping experience. You have to bring your own bags (or buy some reusable bags there) and don't forget your quarter for the shopping cart! You get the quarter back when you return the cart. Aldi isn't pretty inside and there definitely are no fancy pictures, however the food quality is often great.

In light of Autumn and Florida's first "cold snap" of the season (it is currently 80 degrees, but the past few days were in the mid to high 70s) I want to tell you about Aldi canned pumpkin. First of all - it is pure pumpkin puree. No added anything. And the flavor is definitely intense. I honestly can't find a reason to buy canned pumpkin anywhere else, considering one 15 oz can costs 89 cents. Yes, 89 cents! Just for comparison, here is a picture I snapped at Walmart. $1.68 for 15 ounces of Libby's pumpkin puree. 

That's right, Walmart is way more expensive - well 79 cents more expensive, anyway. But those 79 cents add up fast when you are baking your pies and breads. If you have an Aldi nearby, I definitely recommend you try it, and the canned pumpkin, out.

If you want to read more about Posh Purpose's take on store brand products, click here

Publix Greenwise Milk

I am very particular about my milk - whole, organic, in a paper carton, and not Horizon brand. I used to buy Organic Valley whole milk at Publix, but decided to try Publix Greenwise Organic whole milk because it typically runs about 39 cents cheaper. Good news: I can't tell the difference. Both brands taste delicious so I buy whichever is cheaper that week.

***We are not sponsored by Publix and I am pretty sure the company has no idea that this blog even exists. If you want to check out our other posts on which store brands we like and which ones were failures, check out the label Store Brand Products***

Publix Cream Cheese

I love Publix. As their motto states, shopping is truly a pleasure. However, some products are just expensive. I have started buying Publix brand items instead of the name brand options and have found a few great buys. Let's talk about cream cheese.

Normally, I buy Philadelphia cream cheese blocks, which run about $2 each. Sometimes I find them on sale for $1.50 each. Publix brand cream cheese is normally priced at 89 cents for the same amount - very tempting! I tried both on a bagel (buy one, get one bagel package free deal!) the other day and was thrilled to learn that I couldn't tell the difference between the two. Both have a delicious flavor and smooth, creamy texture. I have had some off brand cream cheeses that had a grainy texture, but Publix is definitely not on that list.

Has anyone tried using Publix cream cheese in baking or for frosting? I have not tried it yet, but I would imagine that since the flavor and texture are the same as the more expensive option, it would not produce disappointing results.

***We are not sponsored by Publix. The only communication I have with the company is when I complain on their Facebook Page, which is a very effective way to get better service in your local store.***