Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the past year.
Starting school and supervised practice in dietetics:
Tearing up the slopes:
Swimming the warm seas:
Judging some BBQ:
Sous-viding and Egging it up:
Traveling to China:
Cooking my dad’s favorite childhood meal out in beautiful Colorado:
Starting supervised practice again:
Watching the fur fly:
And, of course, eating:
I began The Happiness in Health one year ago for two reasons. First, I love reading food and healthy living blogs, and I wanted to be a part of this community. Second, THIH was a way to keep in touch with family and friends that I don’t see often (hi, Aunt Joyce!).
Both are important reasons. Yet, another reason drove this blog through its first year and to the moment where I can say, “Dear THIH, Happy Birthday!” The third reason? I love to write. I don’t write beautifully or poignantly or humorously or ironically … but, nonetheless, I love to tell a story. As someone who feels more comfortable with the written word rather than the spoken, I have relished every opportunity to share my thoughts (and my eccentric sense of humor) with you.
So, here’s to reason #3, and to you, dear reader:
Thank you for listening reading.
***
It wouldn’t be a blog anniversary without a giveaway! I don’t have a lot of giveaways (in fact, I’ve only had one), but I wanted to give a little something back to all of you. For THIH’s first anniversary post, I have TWO giveaways (one for being one year old, and one … to grow on. Or, something like that).
First, Barney Butter has graciously offered to give TWO jars of almond butter to one lucky THIH reader! After receiving a jar as a gift nearly three years ago, I’ve been a huge fan of Barney Butter. A few years ago, on a trip to San Francisco, I dragged poor Peter to every grocery store in the city looking for this creamy goodness. I was thrilled to learn Barney Butter is now available on the East Coast (find your local Barney Butter supplier here). This almond butter is made in an almond only facility and is perfect for people with peanut allergies.
Barney Butter is also offering 10% off to all THIH readers with any online order: click here to see all their delicious products and enter code THIH10 for 10% off your entire order until 1/24!
Now, for the contest! First of all, please note that this contest is only open to U.S. residents (sorry to my international folks!). Enter to win two free jars of Barney Butter by doing any or all of the following:
(1) Leave a comment, any comment. Easy, right?
(2) Tweet it up: ” Win TWO FREE JARS of Barney Butter at The Happiness in Health! http://bit.ly/gyXZMO @JessieHealth ” If you don’t have a Twitter account, just tell someone in person, on the phone, over email, whatever. That counts, too ;)
(3) Become a fan of The Happiness in Health on Facebook.
Leave a comment for each entry! The contest will run for one week, and I will announce the winner on Monday, January 24th.
(4) Finally, for an EXTRA entry, enter my caption contest! Longtime readers may remember the caption contest days of yore – let’s have another, shall we?
Sample:
Jessie: Maybe if I go like *this*, the waiter will bring me an extra chocolate cake!
Peter: … get me outta here.
For the SECOND giveaway: whoever comes up with the best caption to this picture will get a special personalized gift from me! No, no, I’m not giving away the identity of the prize yet … you’ll just have to enter and see :D Leave a comment with your caption for an entry in the Barney Butter contest AND the Special-Awesome-Jessie-Gift contest. Lastly, ANYONE can enter the caption contest, no matter where you live.
Thanks to all of you for making THIH what it is! Have a wonderful week, everyone :)
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Happy Friday, everyone! I’m sorry for being MIA during the past week. I’ll give you look at what I did during the past week in tomorrow’s post. In the meantime, however, I’m sure you guys are all itching to know who won the FREE Saratoga Peanut Butter!!
The winner …
Danielle @ Coffee Run! (I love your name because it’s my middle name! :D ) Danielle, shoot me an email (thehappinessinhealth [AT] gmail [DOT] com) with your address and whether you want two smooth PBs or one chunky and one smooth, and I’ll get those out to you ASAP!).
Thanks to everyone for participating! You guys sent in some fabulous captions. And, I though it was pretty funny that the first thing many of you thought of was tooting ;)
Sample: “What? You say there’s a what behind me?”
Entries:
“That dog may be huge to me but with that cute face, he ain’t scaring nobody.” (LeQuan @ luvtoeat)
“Imminent Death by Cuteness” (Tanya)
“What is that stink breath coming from! I can’t *stand* it!” (Peter – nice one, husb.)
“Ha! A giant dog? I’m not falling for that April Fools joke again!” (Ashley @ Food, Fotos, and Fun!)
“I’d pickpocket you…but it seems you don’t have any pockets!” (Samantha @ Feet in Motion)
“Hey Bugsy! I hope that’s your stomach growling!” (Speaking to his burglar accomplice friend!) (Em @ HomecookedEm)
(In Family Guy Stewie voice): “New Brian is such a tool! He’s so damn sweet and saccharine and perfect, and he’s turning the family into a bunch of douches!” (Darryn @ brio.gusto)
“What are YOU lookin’ at?” (Danielle @ Coffee Run)
“You didn’t tell Maddie about that time I borrowed her Pupperoni, did you?” (Andrea @ Can You Stay For Dinner?)
Pilot: Oh! Damn, uh! That’s a negative impact, sir! I repeat, that’s a negative impact!
Mayor Ebert: Negative impact? That’s the goddamned Chrysler Building!
(Godzilla!) :D
(Mae @ Ohh May!)
“I tooted, you mayyyy not want to stand there, bud!” (Nicole @ PreventionRD)
“Why don’t I have legs so I can run!” (Claire @ Sweet ‘N’ Nutty Life)
“Maybe if I open my mouth like this, he’ll think I’m merely an inflatable doll dressed like a thief!?!?” (Michelle @ Lucky Taste Buds)
“Toot” (Angela @ Angela Loves Food)
“You looking at ME?!” (Naomi @ One Fit Foodie)
“Hee hee. The trick to robbery is to dress up like a toy. Just act cute. Act cute…” (Sophia @ Burp and Slurp)
“Hey Maddie, I’ll distract Jessie while you make a run for the peanut butter. There’s two. Grab one back for me too.” (Linda @ One Scoop at a Time)
“I know….we both want that peanut butter….” (Lynn & Christy @ The Actor’s Diet)
“That ain’t my tumm rumbling!” (Alisha)
“What are you lookin’ at?” (Lauren @ Biochemista)
“Hand over the peanut butter or the pup gets it!” (Diana)
“Oh man, we need a pill to shrink that monster!” (Savannah @ Light Delight with TouTou)
“Oh, god, there he is again…” (Ally @ Sweet & Savory)
“Who the heck tooted? I mean WHO?” (Noelle @ An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)
“Well, I really must not detain your Magnificence any longer or keep you from much needed rest. Ponies take some catching, I believe, and so do burglars” (Dave – nice one, brother-in-law. I’ll bet no one knows where this quote is from!! :D )
“I’m so cute and so is my mommy” (Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga)
“Oh Nooo! that’s my competition behind me! I have no shot he is too cute and wayyy hairier!” (Ana @ An Active Adventure)
“Holy crap i am in trouble!” (Kalli @ Fit and Forty Something)
“I’ll say anything for some free peanut butter, as long as you don’t give it to the dog!” (Lara @ Thinspired)
Wow, you guys are clever! I can’t believe how many great captions you came up with! I’m definitely going to have another caption contest in the future :)
****
Before I leave you for the day, here’s a little recipe using not one, but TWO Saratoga Peanut Butters. Let us call it:
Banana-Sweet Saratoga Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup Saratoga Peanut Butter, any kind (I used a combination of Plain Jane Creamy and Adirondack Jack)
1 very ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp chocolate or carob chips
1 tbsp water or milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the ingredients together in any order that you wish.
Once thoroughly mixed, roll batter into balls and place on greased or Silpatted baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, or until chocolate oozes in an attractive manner.
Place your PB balls in a well-lit area and admire your handiwork.
And that’s it! :)
Edited to add: This recipe can work with any kind of nut butter, especially if you have an allergy.
If you’re wondering, “what the heck did this girl do last week instead of blog??”, you’ll find out tomorrow. Until then, aloha!
Q: The weekend cometh! What will you be doing?
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