It’s the irony of eating healthy: Eating healthy = pretty, but healthy eating is not always pretty.

Behold the Gray Monster:This is my new favorite breakfast shake:

• 8 oz local Kombucha
• 4 oz Vitamin Zero water (this one was pink)
• 3-4 Coconut Kefir ice cubes
• 1 scoop Jay Robb vanilla whey powder
• 1 scoop BeeSure drink mix (yes, our honeybees are doing great. Thanks for asking!)
• 1/2 c. frozen berries
• 1 splash of the BFC forbidden Torani’s sugar-free raspberry syrup
• 1 gigantic handful of spinach
• pinch of Guar and Xanthan gums

I may have told you that my favorite tart fro-yo place went out of business. Well, I’m happy to say that the combination of Kombucha and kefir alllllmost satisfies that tart craving.

I’ll try to get Raw Chips giveaway up by the end of the week. It’s been super EXTRA crazy here in Carbzillaville, and I’m behind on my grad school assignments (I’m pretty sure we all are – the workload is insane this quarter). But, of course, you all had to see what I had for breakfast! I do have my priorities!

Grey or gray? Discuss.

I could get used to this sun thing.

Hopefully this post won’t need an org chart.

We just got back from beautiful, sunny Phoenix where my aunt and uncle live. My dad, his girlfriend of 17 years, and my brother also joined us. Just to confuse things, my mom also happened to be in town (obviously she’s not still married to my dad – that would be awkward).

Speaking of awkward, I’ll just focus less on family dynamics and more on the food.

My Aunt Bettie, one of my favorite people on the whole planet, is an incredible cook and can single-handedly keep the pork and egg industries in business. I didn’t bother her with any BFC details before we got there because I knew there’d be plenty of protein.

For dinner the first night she made choucroute garni (similar recipe found here) which was very exciting because not only was there a plethora of meats, but I’d really been in the mood for sauerkraut lately. She served it with a dish of baked apples, fennel and onions.Mornings at my Aunt and Uncle’s always include a long walk before breakfast. My uncle’s been doing it for decades. He does have high cholesterol, but it’s probably how he’s kept off the pounds. Morning walks in the desert are especially nice, and I’m thrilled to say there were no snake sitings (Chris did have a cactus incident on our last visit but that’s a story for another day).

Best view of a hot air balloon - from the ground. Would you get up there?

So the routine is we go walking while Bettie prepares breakfast. I think breakfast is really her specialty, though I can tell you I’ve never had a bad meal when she’s around. We had homemade quiche and I had to fight off one of these:

OMG carrot muffin. Ok, I had a half.

But the best, most amazing breakfast offering was this little puppy:This, my friends, is a homemade crepe cup filled with egg mixed with mayo, spinach, and bacon, and then baked to a golden perfection. Bettie said she’d made the crepes over the weekend and then froze them so she could use them when needed. I can’t even describe the deliciousness. I’m sure I’m going to try making them – sans crepe because I’m lazy and time-challenged – just in a muffin tin pretty soon.

I’ll leave you with that gloriousness and save the second half of the AZ story for later.

The good news is I lost .2 lbs on this vacation. Every little bit counts. I’ll take it!

They say “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” but lemonade for breakfast, on top of coffee, is a bad idea in my book. Acid much?

I was happier than a kid at Christmas that I realized, due to my current situation, I could have pancakes on a Tuesday morning! Could it be true? Yes, Virginia, there is Kodiak mix in the pantry!

Because I believe in all the good juju I can get, I made…drumroll please…Silver Dollar Prosperity Pancakes!Carbzilla’s Prosperity Pancakes:

• 1/2 cup Kodiak Pancake Mix
• 1/2 scoop Jay Robb Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
• Scant 1/2 c. water (I use the same scoop that I used for the Kodiak mix)
• Heaps of cinnamon

Heat skillet and use lubricant of choice (I used coconut oil and a touch of Earth Balance). Drop by 1/4 cupfuls to make 8 (lucky number) adorable little pancakes. Watch for the bubbles to gauge best time for flippage. Cook on other side about another minute. Top with melted Almond Butter and sugar-free syrup.

I feel like a million bucks already!

*Prosperity not guaranteed. Individual luck may vary.

There are just some mornings when you need an extra little ooomph. Some comfort in a glass. This is one of those mornings.

Behold….VitaminZero, spinach, chocolate Jay Robb whey protein, chocolate Amazing Grass SuperFood, guar/xanthan gums, Coconut Kefir ice cubes, and the essential ingredient, Torani’s Sugar-free Kahlúa syrup.

Ahhhhhhh. I’m feeling a bit better already.

This afternoon I get to interview Melinda from One Green Generation. Not only am I a big fan of her blog, but she’s a founder of a very cool company here in Seattle that I’m profiling for my Social Justice class.

Wednesday, I’ll be attending the Go Green Seattle conference. Though I’m really looking forward to hearing the speakers, it will be very hard to not “see” it through my event logistics lens. I’m going to work very hard to enjoy it as “just” an attendee.

Tomorrow night is super exciting! Chris and I are seeing Joel Salatin speak. The principles of his Polyface Farms can be found here, and they rock! Of course, Joel and Polyface were brought to national attention by Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Is there anyone who hasn’t read that yet? Be prepared to read a LOT about corn!

Happy Monday!