You may have noticed I didn’t post anything Monday.
Or you may not have noticed…
This weekend we were in Arizona playing in a softball tournament. Â By the time we got home Sunday night, we went straight to bed!
We didn’t win… but everyone played hard! Â And we brought the basics:
The sriracha jerky could have been hotter.
We also made it into an adventure, as per usual.  This Mexican extravaganza happened in Yuma, AZ at Las Herraduras.  It was incredibly good.  I loved my pork chile verde and Vegas’ carne asada burrito was as as her arm!  My only regret is that Mexican food isn’t always the prettiest thing to photograph.
On the way home we stopped in Dateland and had an obligatory date shake. Â I had not idea Dateland was a think, but their shake didn’t disappoint!
I was called out on Facebook for being corny… I checked in and commented that I was at Dateland with my favorite date. Â Whatever.
We also saw a ton of windmills coming out of the desert. It looked like an eerie video game in the light.
Or a scene from Planet of the Apes.
This WIAW we were totally out of groceries for the first half of the day.  And then Whole Foods happened.
Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!
Breakfast:
When I say we were out of groceries, we were OUT.  Vegas and I had our usual morning cocktail, sans apple cider vinegar.  It was a sad day.  I had my morning sludge.
Of course, after posting spring recipes I made my Fall-Spiced Pumpkin Protein Pancakes. Â Gotta work when you you have on hand. Â Even down to the dregs, I had a can of pumpkin!
Lunch:
This is when Whole Foods happened. Â It was actually closer to 2p because we had an acupuncture appointment. Â I pretty much ate my way through the store. Â Because I was shamelessly sampling everything and I was starving… I didn’t take a single picture. Â #sorryimnotsorry
Instead I’ll leave you with a picture of the tree seeds the acupuncturist taped in my ear.  They’re supposed to promote the body’s release of endorphins to help with pain relief.  My calves and forearms have been in pretty bad pain for a while… hence the tree seeds.  Taped in my ear.
Dinner:
Comfort food after all the fun with needles. Â Spaghetti with meat sauce. Â No real recipe… I do it the lazy girl’s way.
Makings of spaghetti
I buy fresh pasta and canned sauce.  In a pan, I sauté the beef and set it aside.
In the same pan, I sauté mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  Then I pour in the sauce and add red pepper flakes, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon.  Then the beef goes back in.  Semi-homemade deliciousness!
***
Can’t wait for a “normal” food day tomorrow. Â I use the term normal loosely.
Have you ever heard of sticking tree seeds in your ear?
What’s your go-to pasta dinner?Â
Mmm that pasta dinner looks so good! As delicious as creamy white sauces & pestos taste, marinara sauce will always be my go-to pasta sauce…especially with a little parmesan thrown in the mix :)! The last pasta dinner I had involved rice noodles, sauteed prawns, mushrooms, broccoli and marinara sauce!
That sounds like the perfect dinner! I love prawns.
Haha, Facebook called you out. I am not surprised 🙂
I did have three seeds in my ear too a few years ago, but it didn’t help. Maybe I was just being stubborn.
I can’t remember when I had Pasta the last time. I love it, but it makes my tummy upset it’s not funny 🙂
OMG tree seeds..I can’t wait to here about this! My acupuncturist made me burn this stuff underneath my feet that smelled like weed I think my neighbors think I was smoking haha but it was for energy or something! Lots of love C
Hahahaha! Well… I am in California… 😉
Ok let me get this right, there is a place called dateland?! And they do date shakes and sell all things date? OMG… I need to get a plane ticket stat! Dates are my absolute favourite thing ever!
YES! And there was date slow churn ice cream, cakes, cookies, BBQ sauces… anything and everything!
Tree seeds, eh? Interesting. 🙂 Can’t complain about a Whole Foods lunch… only that it had to wait until 2pm!
I must hear more about these seeds if they work!!
Ive never heard of it before BUT will try anything once :0
I don’t think they did anything… but it was worth a shot!
I’ve never heard of tree seeds before, or sticking them in your ear but they sound pretty cool! I may have to try adding cinnamon to my spaghetti bolegnese, sounds so good! Spaghetti bolognese is definitely my go to pasta dinner!
Let me know if you do try it! I love the little lift it gives. I also add cocoa to any tomato-based Mexican.
Yuma and Dateland! Now those are two places to hang out on! I used to drive through them weekly when I was working in Mexicali. Interesting and scary places. I have many stories.
I must hear these… Yuma seemed to be an interesting place. I wouldn’t want to love there, but their food is good!
Love prOATein pancakes…especially pumpkin! Fun at Whole Foods is always exciting haha.
never heard of sticking tree seeds in your ear…. interesting!
Let me know how those tree seeds work for ya! I could use some major pain relief for my injury! Also, that pasta dinner looks amazing.
I don’t think they did anything. Boo! Worth a shot though.
Rob would love your date corniness. In fact, he sent me this today: http://imgur.com/PIG4ryW
I laughed WAY too hard at that. 😉
Tree seeds in your ear?! I’ve never heard of that, but hopefully it’ll work. Your version of spaghetti night is pretty much the same as mine. Easy and quick!
We’re getting a whole foods this summer and I’ve been told it’s going to change my life, soooo….I have very high expectations for when it opens.
WF will totally change your life. And your wallet. LOL!
A pinch of cinnamon in the sauce- very intriguing! I want an update on how the tree seeds are working next week please, I love weird stuff like that, so interesting!
Do try the cinnamon – it’s really good!
The tree seeds… I don’t think they did anything. It could just be too little too late though.
I love pumpkin everything!! I eat it all year round….even in the summer. I’ve recently been really into quinoa pasta, and made an amazing kale pesto sauce for it a couple of weeks ago- addictive!
I love quinoa pasta too! It’s been way too long since I’ve had it. Thanks for the reminder.
Oh that is so weird with the thing in your ear, that would freak me out haha, but hey if it works! I have been having serious knee pain, I started taking a joint supplement for it. Seems to help, but maybe I should do that too. AND pancakes?! YES.
What supplement are you taking? I’m going Glutamine and turmeric right now. I think I need a really good massage too. The seeds didn’t do much.
I am taking Glucosamine Chondroitin, I get it at Costco in the huge jug and just take it in the mornings. I have noticed a significant change in my right knee after taking it. Still hurts sometimes, but it was like night and day from before.
I wish mine was working as well… maybe after I get through the second bottle. Ugh.
Whoa! I’m so interested to hear if the tree seeds helped! You’ll have to keep up updated 🙂
They didn’t do much, unfortunately. I may be too far gone. Doh.
Thanks for reminding me it’s been way too long since I’ve made meat sauce. Need to remedy this soon.
Your dinner looks like perfection to me, and what is this about pain in your calves and forearms. I’ll be curious to see if the needles help.
I don’t know what’s going on with the pain. It’s been happening for a long time. So frustrating.
Never heard of that. As a kid I stuck a macrame bead up my nose and rumor has it my husband got a hibiscus seed in his eye. You see how well we turned out 😉
LMAO! My sister got a SweetTart stuck up her nose. And a raisin. Two separate occasions.
Eating your way through Whole Foods is not a bad way to do lunch at all! I’ve never heard of tree seeds, interesting. Hopefully they help!
I am obsessed with spaghetti right now… That picture looked so good! LoL!
Also, tree seeds in your ears… I shoved an acorn in mine once when I was little. Can’t say I recommend it.
HA! I’ll avoid acorns in my ear.
tree seeds are by far the weirdest thing I’ve read today. Thanks for that.
I feel like I’ve accomplished something.
will you be sprouting cedar ears later? just kidding. Now about this spaghetti… will you share later? i need a good sauce recipe
I do like cedar trees… 😉
There really is no recipe to speak of. It depends on the sauce you start with and what you like. I’d start with the ingredients I listed and just gradually add till you go to a flavor you like. I need to do one from scratch again soon… and try measuring stuff. LOL!
I’m liking the pumpkin pancakes! Now I am hungry
I spend a lot of time in Palm Springs. The date shakes there are deadly (in the most delicious way). So don’t let the haters hate. Great trip. GREG
I have yet to go to Palm Springs… it’s on the list!
normal food day for you? Oh man, that would be a mixed cocktail of perfection.
Can we go to dateland? Hi Vegas.
Hahaha! Vegas says Hi.
Tree seeds in your ears? CA has brought out the hippie in you.
Don’t tell anyone. It’ll ruin my reputation.
Marinara is my go too! And when I make it at home, I always add red wine. DELISH!
Your pics of AZ remind me of my time in Tucson. That food was to die for!