NJ – Enlightened Nourishment

Rosebud

This afternoon I am introducing my taste buds to sweet rosebud tea. I was given a small sample of this lovely organic tea by my friend Figen at Fig Botanicals in Somerville, NJ. First of all, can I just say, WOW?! The entire first floor of my house smells like I just got a surprise delivery of fresh roses and it’s not even my birthday! Secondly, how did I wait this long to drink rosebud tea?!! I feel like a pretty, pretty princess lounging in her boudoir or a fine lady enjoying a lavish high tea with her high society chums. In reality, I’m listening to ‘Dinosaur Train’ playing in the next room while typing a blog post. Hey, at least I’ve got some awesome tea to drink! I’m actually enjoying it iced today, since it’s so warm and humid.

Not only is sweet rosebud tea sensationally aromatic, it is said to aid in mental clarity. I could sure use that right now with everything I’ve got going on in my life. Couldn’t you?

And the winner is…

Congratulations to Alyson Jacko, for winning the Pamper Yourself Basket!! Thanks so much to all of my readers for entering my second big giveaway. I truly appreciate all of your comments, questions and support. Of course, a big thank you and shout out to Fig Botanicals for putting together such an amazing prize. I hope that you all find some simple ways of pampering yourselves this week. Xoxo

Yay, another giveaway!!

In honor of reaching (and now passing) 100 “likes” on Facebook, I am running another fantastic giveaway! I love my readers and I want to show it with this lovely basket of goodies from Fig Bontanicals in Somerville, NJ. The owner, Figen, has put together a basket of tea, soap, bath tea and salts, body oil, a candle and some dried jasmine flowers to relax and rejuvenate you. The giveaway will start this evening and end at the end of the day Sunday, May 4th.

So, if you like Enlightened Nourishment and relaxation, go to my Facebook page or click on the link below,for a chance to win this awesome gift from me to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Not Your Average Jersey Diner

Here’s another post I’ve been meaning to write for a while, but never seemed to have the time. Well, with Spring Break here and no new module to work on, now is the time.

A little while back I was invited to join my friend, her mom and sister for a late lunch. They decided to give me my first (and certainly not last) taste of a unique Jersey diner that they had fallen in love with. I know, unique and diner don’t really seem to go together do they? The Americana Diner in East Windsor, NJ however is just that. Most diners are so cookie cutter with their burgers, salads, soups and huge shiny desserts when you walk in the door. Instead of that over the top dessert case, this is what you see when you are waiting to be seated.

Yep, that’s a display case of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not kidding. I all but rubbed my eyes in disbelief. It is the perfect introduction to this amazing eatery. The menu boasts grass-fed beef, free range chicken and locally sourced produce when available. There are so many healthy options to add to your meal that if there wasn’t a sign outside saying it was a diner, you’d never believe it. From roasted beet salad to cauliflower mac and cheese for the kids. I had a the Napa Valley Burger without a bun and a side of Garlic Mushrooms in Truffle Oil. Though I only had water with my meal, there are fresh squeezed juices available. Oh yes, for the non-gluten intolerant, there is a fresh baked loaf of bread and real butter delivered to the table to start the meal. It’s really quite lovely.

The bottom line is that this is definitely a place that I would recommend to my clients as a healthy dining out option. So please, if you are from New Jersey or planning a trip here in the future, make time to enjoy a refreshingly unique meal at The Americana Diner. You won’t regret it.

The Attention They Deserve

I am always happy to promote praise worthy businesses in my area. One such business is a brand new restaurant that just opened in the past month called, The Farmer and the Chickpea. They are located at 404 S. Main Street in Manville, NJ. It’s a tiny place set inside of a nondescript brick building, but the food and personal warmth they serve up is anything but tiny.

When you open the door to this humble little place, you are immediately welcomed with a “Hey, how are ya?” and the gorgeous aromas of the day’s specials. It definitely has the feel of a rustic Italian nook of a cafe. There’s a menu you can order from, as well a full case of display dishes to show all of their made to order options of the day. Hot dishes such as chicken chili, quiche with quinoa crust and mac and cheese. Bright green and fresh as can be salads, to which you can add their signature baked chickpeas or grilled chicken. The potato wedges and baked kale chips are To. Die. For.

The two women that own the place are sweet, funny and completely delightful. All of the ingredients are gathered from local sources (when possible) and many are organic. The cook is Italian and studied at an Italian cooking school, so you know what that means. Lots of garlic, olive oil and love go in to this food. The servings are tremendous. I mean, they make Jersey diner servings look like those of a fru fru french restaurant. You can easily serve a family of four with a main dish and 2 sides. In fact this past Saturday, I stopped in to pick up dinner for my family of 4 and a friend. I chose the chicken chili, tomato basil quinoa fritters and potato wedges with kale chips. The entire meal cost me $24 and was enough to feed us all for dinner and then have leftovers for my lunch on Sunday and again for my breakfast this morning! You can’t beat the economic and health benefits of dining here or taking it to go. First, everything is bought and cooked fresh. That seems to be incredibly rare nowadays. Plus, there are loads of vegetarian options as well as enough gluten free options to keep me as a repeat customer.

I will definitely be recommending The Farmer and the Chickpea to my clients and friends. This is certainly one of the healthiest options for a night out or a take home meal for your family. I am so glad that there is another go-to place for those nights that I don’t want to cook, but don’t want the same old pizza or Chinese. You can also catch them at various farmer’s markets around the state during the warmer months. Please visit their website http://www.thefarmerandthechickpea.com/index.html, like them on facebook and if you are in the area and hungry, have one of the best meals you’ve had in a long time.