Butter Cafe

Do you ever have one of those days that you are just super busy doing your normal thing and you are intent on checking things off your "to-do" list? That was me today. Nothing major, just normal "mom" stuff. 

One of those "to-do's" became an "ahhh" for me.

 LUNCH WITH A FRIEND.

Yes, there was business to be done, but just the time to stop. SIT DOWN. And be me. 

Makes me very thankful!

So today while meeting with my friend, I was thrilled to finally visit a newer, quaint restaurant right in the heart of a trendy, urban spot adjacent to a large, private university. This eatery is adorable. 

First off, it had these beautiful lamps hanging from the ceiling.

Cute pink and chocolate striped walls... just adorable!

What I was MOST impressed with was the food. They offer organic butter and cheeses. Local, range-free eggs and meat and local, homegrown veggies. Gluten-free options are also available. I was in heaven!

I ordered a Greek salad with grilled chicken and organic feta drizzled with Greek goddess dressing. Let me tell you, organic feta MELTS in your mouth. Oh my.

Then I splurged and got a gluten-free cupcake. It was great, but the pretty pink frosting won me over. 

So if you live in the Dayton area, I totally recommend The Butter Cafe on Brown Street. Wholesome Bits gives it "two-thumbs up".

What is one of your favorite restaurants and what makes it good and wholesome??

Mesclun Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

I made a mesclun salad the other day. My husband was like, "what?" after I told him the name of the salad. For some reason, I prefer difficult names when describing my food... makes it sound more legit or something. Anyways, even though I wanted to sound "professional" in my description of the salad, I had no clue what "mesclun" meant myself... so I skipped on over to wikipedia and here's what it says...

Mesclun is a salad mix of assorted small, young salad leaves which originated in Provence, France. The traditional mix includes chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces, endive, spinach, raddichio and/or other leaf vegetables.

The name mescla means "to mix" and literally means "mixture".

So there... we all know what it means now.

It kind of has a funny story behind it. My sweet hubby hardly ever goes to the grocery. I'm the crazy foodie and I sort of ummm, like control over my food shopping. Sooo, it's hard for me to hand that over and I know for the most part, he is fine with that. But he was running out for some cold medicine and he asked if I needed anything and I immediately thought of baby spinach for sandwiches and green smoothies. What did he pick up??

Spring mix... otherwise known as mesclun.


I wasn't thrilled (because I had green smoothies on the brain) when I saw the organic (yes! He did get that part right!) spring mix I had a few words... maybe like, "there go my green smoothies". But I later ate my words after we ate this salad for dinner and then lunch the next day. Boy, if it's not the closest thing to a nice restaurant salad, I don't know what is!

So thank you, hubby, for getting the wrong greens because I am officially hooked!

Hope you enjoy it too!


Mesclun Salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing:

Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown spicy mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 packet of stevia powder
fresh ground pepper

I put all the ingredients in a bottle with lid and shook. Let sit for a half hour in fridge. Shake again before pouring on salad.

Mesclun Salad:
Several cups (or desired amount) of mesclun salad or spring mix
3/4 cup of thinly sliced yellow pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup pomegrante-flavored Craisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Lightly toss salad ingredients together and add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette over and toss again.

Keep the remainder of dressing in sealed container for later use. (The next day it's even better!)

Smoothie Goodness

According to some reports, 41% of us eat no fruit at all and 82% do not eat cruciferous vegetables in a day. Only around 9-14% of people eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables per day. Those percentages are a picture of what the American diet has sadly become. But the good news is, each of us can make changes today to turn that around in our homes.

In my opinion, the best way to get our recommended fruits and veggies in a day is by drinking smoothies. You know those times you want to reach for something sweet or salty (I prefer salty) that has an outrageous amount of calories per serving... stop... get your blender out... and make a smoothie.

It's going to be more work than just ripping open a bag of chips, but the overall satisfaction and nutritional content is by far the best choice. I know people like "quick and easy" meals and snacks... well, sometimes, healthy isn't always quick and easy and will require a little bit more work. I usually keep my blender in the clean side of my sink... ready for the next round.

Just a little heads up... you will run to the grocery more often when you increase your fruits/veggies intake. There's really no way around it. You want them to be fresh and you will go through them quickly when you make smoothies especially if you have children. But that is a good thing ~ making healthy choices for your family should make you feel proud. When looking over the produce at your grocery store, check the prices of organic over regular items. Sometimes there is not much of a difference. Go for organic is possible.

My favorite smoothie ingredients are frozen strawberries, berries, mangoes and peaches, and fresh pineapple and definitely bananas. My husband loves watermelon and shredded coconut together. Go with your favorites and what is in season first and then experiment as you go.

To amp things up, I also add some greens to our smoothies... I know the thought may sound little gross, but you will really be surprised at how good it will taste... my children never complain and even ask for seconds. Among the healthiest vegetables in the world, spinach comes out on top for the most nutrient dense vegetable... full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you want to experiment with your greens, try some kale which is a great sourse of omega-3's your body needs and does not create on its own ~ only through diet. Your liver will thank you for those added detoxifiers. Try a green smoothie for breakfast for 3-4 days and see if you feel a difference in your energy and mood levels.

Here's a basic recipe for one, but there is no right or wrong way to make one...

1 frozen banana or ripe pear(s)

2 c. frozen fruits of your choice (tropical blend, strawberries, mangos, blueberries... mix or just use one kind)

1 -2 T of coconut oil

handful of fresh baby spinach or kale

filtered water... about 1 1/2 cups

1 t. agave nectar or stevia to taste (if your banana is very ripe, you may not need to add any sweetener at all)

Blend for at least 2-3 minutes