Surprises!

This weekend I had a Girl Scout campout, one where they were providing all of the food and I was not allowed to bring anything at all.  Not allowed as in strictly forbidden and clearly outlined.

They did have a vegetarian option available, which both FabPreteen and I opted for…but to be honest, I was expecting at best a meatless version of the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet). 

I then became a smuggler…couldn’t help it!  In my car I had a cooler stuffed with “just in case” fare.  Frozen aseptic packs of rice milk, coconut water, organic apples, individual packets of almond butter, and Larabars! 

Hey..I am a Girl Scout and I was prepared!   Especially if I needed a chocolate fix!  Newman’s Own organic chocolate was BOGO at Whole Foods this week and FabHubs each picked one out!  I was not going to sit out and not eat the whole weekend!

Well I wish I had remembered (DUH!) to take photos of the food before I ate…somehow the lightbulb always came on after the plate was empty!

Friday night we were responsible for our own dinner so in a huge hurry to make sure I got to the campout before the gates closed I rummaged through the fridge and threw together this:

This would be a huge salad with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms and maybe other veggies I had in the fridge that I can’t remember now.  

On top I tossed in some leftover leek lemon rice, heated up, and then a generous sprinkling of feta crumbles.  Then on a whim I opened a can of kidney beans and tossed a bunch on top.   I poured on some balsamic, slapped a lid on top of the container and threw it in the car to be eaten later…and I have to say this was one of my best concoctions!  I loved it!

I was good for the rest of the evening!  Okay…I did have a small scoop of ice cream at the ice cream social.

The next morning I walked into the dining hall to find a glorious  array of fresh cut fruits and veggies…apples, bananas, oranges, grapes…it was gorgeous!  and I was so pleased I forgot to snap a picture!  Alongside this was turkey sausage (I passed), scrambled eggs (I took), bagels, cream cheese, and coffee!

Nor did I remember to take photos of lunch, dinner, or breakfast the next day….all equally as delicious with healthy vegetarian options always available.  I was seriously and joyously surprised!

The only sneaking I did of my smuggled goods turned out to be a Larabar instead of a ‘smore at the campfire (‘smores just do not appeal to me anymore!) and I kept going back and forth to the car to fill my cup with coconut water rather than drink the lemonade or fruit punch provided.  Honestly I felt like a high school kid sneaking out to the car to spike my punch!

SURPRISE #2 came from FabHubs and the rest of the boys whom I had left home.  The conversation went something like this:

ME:  So, how much meat did you boys eat while I was gone?

FABHUBS (proudly):  NONE!!!!

ME:  NO!  You are kidding!!!!

FABHUBS:  Believe me we thought about taking advantage…but didn’t!

ME: Can you scrape me off the floor now? 

I was totally shocked…we still have chicken, Bubba Burgers, lamb, and other various meat products I have stuffed into the recesses of the freezer that I thought for sure would be eaten while I was gone! 

And secretly I was thinking some room would be freed up in that freezer for more veggies!  Not that I am disappointed at all…I guess all their grumbling has a touch of showmanship to it but they are getting the message and going along with it after all!

On the other hand…while they may not have eaten meat, they also didn’t go to town on the veggies I had left for them either.  I am not sure they even ate any!

So when I got home I had to get to work on using a bunch up to make room for the new veggies coming in today.

First on the menu was some juicing.  Carrots, ginger, beets, parsley, apples…and I decided to try some red cabbage I had that needed to go!

This month in Prevention Magazine I read an article that said you should strive to eat a Rainbow of Health every day……and this we definitely did today.

This juice was definitely a rainbow.

First of all, the colors were so brilliant…even FabHubs grabbed the camera to take a picture of the purple cabbage juice.

Isn’t that color beautiful????? 

Fun Fact About Me….PURPLE is my absolute favorite color…and not pastelly type purples…but this deep brilliant purple!  My camp chair is purple…my purse is purple (HeeHee)…even my pens are purple.  I LOVE PURPLE!!!!

And the remaining parts of the ROY G. BIV equation…all out of order:

Green Parsley

Ruby Red Beets; Orange Carrots; Cream Colored Ginger; and Pink Lady Apples!

The result….pink, healthy, and delicious!!!!

This post is getting looonnnngggg…and the computer is acting very slow…..so I will have to blog my continued colorful dinner in another post!!!!!