Tikka tikka tikka.
The sound of little legs on your arm.
Compared to our house in Charlotte, this house has VERY VERY FEW bugs. Except for these guys:
For some reason I’ve been calling them “potato bugs” my whole life, but after some Tweeting this morning, I’m pretty sure that’s a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.
Regardless, I am not very afraid of them (except when they fly – and perhaps I now should be since I found out they are stink and not food bugs!?)
But I did not like waking up to feel one on my arm and had to capture him and take him downstairs in the middle of the night because I kept thinking I could feel him on my arms from the whisps of the fan on my arm hairs!
Break the fast
The Mix
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp Bob’s hot cereal
- Milk, water, vanilla, salt, chia, cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese, stirred in at end
- Justin’s AMAZING Hazelnut butter (I love this stuff not because of any Nutella connection [I didn't grow up eating Nutella] but because it 1) Tastes like that hazelnut butter I LOVED last year and 2) IT MELTS!)
- Tsp coconut butter
- Hail Merry Lemon Agave Grawnola!
Introducing….Hail Merry Treats!!
There are two “granolas” that are 100% raw real food ingredients made with nuts, seeds, flavorings. I am completely torn which of these two are my favorite:
Lemon Blue Agave or Cranberry Orange
The Lemon Blue Agave is chewy and only slightly lemony – it’s more of a lemon essence than a sour lemon flavor. So it’s still sweet! There are bits of buckwheat groats, almonds, sunflower seeds and little blue agave fruit balls.
The Cranberry Orange has a slightest hint of cinnamon that I have determined is what makes it so hearty – like a baked good. It’s also chewy, with a slight maple-orange flavor and has bits of dried fruit, pecans, walnuts and flax.
The Facts [click to enlarge]. One serving is about half a cup for 180/190 calories, 5 grams protein, 3/4 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar.
And then the sweets…
Blonde and Choco Macaroons are the best I’ve ever tasted. Because they are moist like a truffle and not dry at all. The coconut bits are small enough that they melt in your mouth. I really can’t decide which one I like more, but I think the secret is the Mexican vanilla. We used to have some of it in our pantry and it’s my very favorite vanilla on the earth. A single ball of these makes the perfect dessert! Keep them refrigerated so that they are cool to eat.
The Facts [click to enlarge] – each ball is about 65/70 calories with 1/1.5 grams fiber, 2/2.5 grams of sugar.
There are four flavors to taste. And the best part is I have worked out a sample pack so you can try them all instead of having to buy them in big sizes!
Choices
Hail Merry – Starter Kit
Try just the Cranberry Orange Grawnola and both macaroons for $20
OR
Hail Merry – Grawnola & Macaroon Bundle + Hat
Try all FOUR flavors [and get a women's Hail Merry hat for free] for $37
As you can probably guess, I love them all as oatmeal toppings!!
Spot on coffee day #2!
Matt would like me to share that the kale and collards that he replanted in cups have sprouted!!
To quote me: “I can’t wait to juice all these plants when they’re big enough!”
Plans:
- AM Blog Work
- Run
- Lunch
- Look at space for Karen to rent (she might have rented her condo, which means she’s movin’ on up!)
- Meeting for Great Harvest location – eeks!!
- Burgers!
{ 89 comments… read them below or add one }
I hate stink bugs!!!
That’s so cool that Karen following you guys up there!
Best of luck with the GH meeting!
Mmm, raw macaroons are the best and those look delicious!
Looks like a great new product!
Looks like a great new product!
I can’t wait to try my own stash of that Justin’s chocolate stuff!! I’ve read soo many blogs that have been raving about it
Good luck in the meeting!
I would freak if I woke up tp a bug crawling on me!!
Hope your location meeting goes well!
I just saw a segment on bed bugs on the today show, so I feel especially creepy-crawly looking at those bug pics!
Those macaroons look fantastic! I hear they’re the new cupcake.
I used to get those little guys at my house, but only in the Fall and in the weirdest places. And in the spring, a similar one, but it’s green! Thankfully they are harmless (but noisy in flight!).
Nice garden work – very impressive!
Laura
Yep, definitely a stink bug- my parents have an old house and it’s FULL of them! They’re gross but harmless.
Those macaroons sound absolutely incredible!!
Hope you have a great run! Oh, and it looks like you have the perfect consistency for your coffee now
Yay!
When we did the blogger brunch (forever ago), you made the best coffee I had ever tasted!!! I still talk about it, and I keep telling Jason “We need to get a french press ASAP”…it wasn’t watery like usual coffee, it was thick and delicious…ok, that’s enough for now! Enjoy your day
I HATE bugs! I woke up with one on my pillow this morning and it totally grossed me out! we spray for bugs all the time. I wish they would go away!
Yummers! That stuff looks delicious! I sometimes like raw food and sometimes don’t, but this stuff looks awesome!
the macaroons looks delicious! might have to snag a few of those!
I have a chia question for KERF, RD. Chia has a decent bit of iron, but I’m wondering how easily we can absorb that iron. I know the basics, that heme iron (in meats) is the kind that our bodies most easily absorb, and it’s a lot harder to absorb non-heme iron (the kind in plants, including chia, I’m assuming), but that absorption can be enhanced somewhat by eating vitamin C rich foods with iron. Anyway, have you read any research papers that specifically address absorbing the iron in chia seeds? And what about some of the other non-meat sources of iron (I think there’s something algae based)?
Oh I’d love to hear this one! My sister keeps telling me that I need heme iron too (basically telling me I need to eat meat) so I’d love a few facts to shoot her down (nicely of course, she is my sister!)
Other than all the information you cited, I haven’t read anything about chia’s iron being particularly more absorbable than other plants.
In fact, a quick visit to Nutrition Data seems to suggest there is not iron in chia?
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2
I checked a handful of other sites and they did not have iron levels documented either, although when you Google chia seeds, many of the sites claim it’s high in iron among other minerals.
Navitas Naturals says it contains 8% of DV:
http://www.navitasnaturals.com/products/chia/chia-seeds.html
Whereas Nutrition Data says lean ground beef has 15% of DV AND it’s heme iron:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/6194/2
So that’s my research and I’m not sure I answered your question!
Thanks for the additional info. I am not anemic, but after doing blood work, my doctor thought I might feel better (i.e., more energy) with a higher iron level. Finding a non-supplement way to increase my iron on a vegetarian diet seems tricky. There is a lot of conflicting information out there!
We used to have a bunch of those stink bugs when I lived in the dorms at college. *Shudder* I am so glad I live in an apartment that does not have them!!
Those granolas look so cute! I might just have to buy them…Kath, your blog is not good for my wallet
I agree with you about Kaths blog and wallet= not happy hubby!
But I love new finds and recommendations!
Kath, thanks for answering my question (overindulging early in the day) . I thought that’s what the answer would be. It’s tough because sometime you feel hungry–and still stuffed from at the same time! Does anyone else feel this way?
I also wanted to say that I love your new fav icon!
It hasn’t updated on my google reader, but I see it every time I visit! From one google nerd to another….what do you think of the new gcal/greader icons? I am not sure I love the new gcal one yet. Maybe it will grow on me….
Thanks!!
OH – and I HATE THE NEW G-CAL ONE!!!!!!!
Oh my, those macaroons look divine!!!
KATH! Don’t wait too long to do your run today. It’s going to get reeeeal toasty!
OH yes, those are stink bugs. Welcome to “up north”. Haha! They are everywhere and try hard to keep them out of the house b/c they multiply like crazy. My parents hired an exterminator and he said their from japan originally and VERY hard to get rid of.
Stink bugs are pretty harmless and they don’t stink unless you squish them. And even then they just smell like grass to me. Good luck with the garden! Our growing season is winding down
, but luckily I was able to put up lots of food for the winter!
I was honestly attacked by a stink bug the other day. I had only my lunch cooler to fend off his THREE attacks by flight. Not fun!!!! TX stink bugs are the size of roaches which are LARGE!
((shudder))
You didn’t kill it?
B
I didn’t – he didn’t look guilty enough
Your oats always look so delicious
Those bugs are EVERYwhere around here! They don’t bother me much either. But the caterpillars on the other hand? *Shivers*
Good luck with the Great Harvest meeting!
Gosh I hate bugs, specially when they keep crashing into me.
HAzelnut butter sounds amazing!
Love that you’re doing a bear page! My kidlets will have a new reason to love KERF besides the kale chips! (yes, a little obsessed!)
Ick I hate bugs – I would have struggled to get back to sleep after finding a bug on my arm!!
That bug is gross looking – I don’t think I have ever seen one like that.
Good luck with your Great Harvest meeting!
Yuck! Stink bugs are really prevalent in PA and we have recently began seeing them in NJ. I never even saw one before going to school in Philly! Apparently they are new to the US and were brought over with imported goods.
Mmmmacaroons!
I hate feeling bugs on my arms – then when the hair gets blown by wind it feels like something’s there. I hate feeling anything unwanted on my arms, actually – and hair, too! D:
The whole bugs crawling on you in the middle of the night thing really freaks me out… Being in Texas we have cockroaches, doesn’t matter how clean your house is, they are there… We get our house sprayed every couple of months and that seems to keep them at bay. Until the cats bring something in.
The other night my boyfriend came home from work and is getting to bed (which I’ve been sleeping in for at least 4 hours) and jumps up really quick… There was a bug IN his pillow! Luckily it was only a grasshopper (and not a cockroach!). I think the cat brought it there as a present for him, however we didn’t appreciate it at all! I was jumpy for the rest of the night.
Welcome to Virginia! Yep, those are our stink bugs and they come and go in phases. The last month or so we haven’t had many, but sometimes they are EVERYWHERE!
So cool to have you just up the road now (wife and I live in Lynchburg, just down 29). Looking forward to having the Great Harvest bakery in Charlottesville. It’ll be one more reason to make the trip to C’ville.
And we love your bears; we have a herd of cows in our house (and one Serta sheep) and they do the most interesting things (my wife has a very active imagination!).
Fun Paul! Can’t wait for you to come visit our store
I kept having that paranoia last night, too, with my fan blowing! Those goodies all look amazing – and your breakfast looks fabulous!
I don’t know about lemon granola, but man oh man, I’ll take a few of the cocnutty macaroons please – mmmm!
Once I accidentally ate a stink bug. Well, I spit it out but I bit down on it! It was in fresh blueberries that I put on my cereal.
OMG…
So lucky that you get to try all of those granolas! Bfast looks hearty and amazing, per usual. Enjoy your busy day!
i too am in love with that nut butter…i buy a ton of the packets at the local whole foods and keep ‘em in my desk for a snack! soooooooo good!
Ha, ha- sounds like a good day! Today I plan on making my own granola for the first time. yay!
Love Hail Merry’s stuff and they are from Dallas where I’m from!
Stink bugs? I’m sorry, but bugs creep me out and I have yet been able to carefully take a bug out of my house and put him outside. I end up freaking out and squishing them, so I don’t know how you do it!
Hail Merry’s is such a cute name and I’m sure it tastes great. I’m not a coconut fan, so those macaroons are out, but the granola sounds interesting!
Yeah, the bugs are no good creeping on you at night! Breakfast looks yummy! Good luck today! I am making burgers too. Looks like you have a good full day! Enjoy it!
Woohoo for very few bugs!!! This house has cockroaches..almost daily and it’s SO gross. Everytim I see one, I think of you and the ones in your old house. Blech!!
Awesome granola bars and dessert bites! The blue agave stuff sounds so delicious. Oh, and it’s got an awesome name, too!
haha
Kath, I am so excited about this Hail Merry discovery! Thanks for sharing
~Alyssa
Have a great day! Looks like a good one.
And I would be all over that lemon blue granola. Yum!
My parents get stink bugs all the time, they are horrible!!
“GRAWnola.”
Ha! I love it!
I want to replant some veggies and herbs, but I’m scared.
The weather here in the West Texas panhandle is too insane. It will most definitely still be warm weather up until Thanksgiving, but at night the temps could (and often) drastically drop to below freezing by mid-October.
Those Hail Merry products look absolutely GREAT! The grawnola especially…mmm.
Well at least those guys are just stinkbugs; I am NOT loving the proliferation of COCKROACHES roaming around this city (yuck yuck yuck yuck!). They’re just way too big to handle.
Is that the granola you found in Chicago or is this an entirely new company? I think I remember that you had seen raw granola there, if not, I’m making it up (excuse me
)
Wow! Matt is such a green thumb. I love gardening things you can EAT, but I always feel sad when I take the food away and the plant is 90% gone, hehe. Such as basil.
I detest stink bugs! I suggest you carry them outside whenever you find them (their rampant in this area) and avoid killing them at all costs. Otherwise they’ll leave a stinky residue on your hands, no matter how many paper towel layers you use.
I don’t remember a granola from Chicago? But it’s not the same
mmm those macaroons look tasty! Good luck with the meeting for your Great Harvest location. I can’t wait until you open up the bakery!
Ooops I didn’t even write down the correct link to my blog! I feel so silly.
Those macaroons look perfect. Those granola selections look worth giving a whirl, for their nutrition stats alone. Glad you’ve gotten into the groove of your new coffee maker!
Ooo those macaroons look so good. Good luck with the GH meeting!
yeah what i grew up calling potato bugs look different – rolly polly grey things?
eeek – I’m not a fan of bugs swarming the room either. I havea packet of that Justin’s hazlenut butter in the pantry. I haven’t decided if I want to use it over night oats or hot oatmeal yet… or on toast!
Good luck at the GH meeting:D
Yummmm the Grawnola sounds delicious. Congrats to Matt on his gardening progress!
Yeah cookies! I love the idea of raw granola, as well! Looks like a delicious morning.
I would FREAK if I woke up to that bug on me!!!! I’m not a fan of bugs… whether they are “dangerous” or not!
Yeaa they definitely are stink bugs. I get them in my apartment sometimes too. They like the the sunlight and are drawn to warm surfaces. They should be leaving soon with the fall coming!
Those macaroons look delicious! The perfect treat! And the granola flavors sound lovely as well!
Good luck at your meeting!
I seem to have a problem trying to add the $20 package to my cart. It seems like it is also pointed at the $37 package…or am I just doing something wrong?
They look so yummy…can’t wait to try them!
Sorry !! My mistake – I fixed it
Thank you!
I love watching your little garden grow. You may have shared this already but how are you fertilizing and keeping away the bugs without chemicals?
By crossing our fingers!? I think we’re just going forward with “well cross that bridge when we get there”
Eww bugs! I hate them.
You oatmeal looks as good as ever and the granola and macaroons look great.
Why do all yummy looking granolas have to contain nuts that I’m allergic to?
Good luck with your meeting!!
why does your oatmeal always look so much prettier than mine?
I was going to order the table in a bag for a wedding present for my niece, but I thought there was free shipping through August 31? I must be wrong? Does it come with tablecloths? I think it’s a great wedding gift idea.
Juli,
I just checked on this and free shipping ended on August 9. I’m sorry! But it is a great table
Sorry to read about the free shipping. But here are some tips if you are looking for an alternative wedding present. http://blog.sidestreetstudio.com/wood/9-tips-for-finding-the-perfect-wedding-gift/
kath, thanks for checking! i don’t go a day without reading your site!! love it! well i’m going to go for a walk now and it’s 88 degrees outside!wow!
I love the raw granola and especially the raw macaroons.
Your beautiful photos make me want to eat oatmeal all the day long!! The only problem is, when I try to incorporate every single topping I want, the bowl ends up being 400 calories or more. And the sweets on top don’t keep me full any longer. I’m considering switching oatmeal into a dessert in my head. We could do worse than giant bowls of oatmeal desserts.
Oh, those macarons look amazing! I wish I could find things like that in Australia, or at least a recipe for how to make something similar!
MMM, those macaroons look heavenly.
Oh those macaroons look SO GOOD. I wish you would ship overseas!
We have “squash bugs” that look like that bug…have you noticed them in your garden?