HipMamaB San Diego: THIS Sunday September 9th: Eat Your Greens to Give Some Green at Whole Foods #WFMSaladDay

"Wow Mom, I just want to buy all these vegetables and take them home and eat them all!" - Lucas, age 8

So, that was a total brag. But when Lucas said that to me while walking though a local farmer's market last Saturday, my pride SWELLED. Yay! I'm doing something right! I'm lucky, I know it. Not a lot of parents have kids that love arugula and broccolini. 

I'm also very lucky that our public school district, San Marcos Unified, has made healthy eating in our schools a priority and has instituted the USDA's new guidelines that requires meals to be healthier and served in smaller portions, with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and with less sodium and no trans fat. Additionally, in order to encourage kids learn to eat healthier all the time, all students MUST have one serving of vegetable or fruit on their tray.

But doing this is not cheap. Many California districts are strapped for cash and sometimes just being able to offer free or reduced price meals is better than nothing. 

That's where Salad Bars 2 Schools comes in. One of the major programs of the Whole Kids Foundation (in partnership with the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative), is Whole Foods Market's ‘buy a salad, give a salad’ program that supports putting salad bars and other healthy eating programs in schools.  

This Sunday, September 9th, you can help support this program with the "Eat Your Greens to Give Some Greens" donation drive at your local Whole Foods in the Southern Pacific region (Southern California, Hawaii, Arizona & Las Vegas). 

It's easy to participate. Simply buy a salad or hot food item from the bar at Whole Foods this Sunday and a $1 per pound donation will be made based on total salad and hot food bar sales.

Hitting even closer to home, the donations will be tallied up and made for each metropolitan area - meaning the money raised locally will go to bring salad bars to schools in San Diego County. Schools such as the ones in the Encinitas Union and Oceanside districts or any other local schools/districts that apply for a grant online at www.SaladBars2Schools.com. 

So this Sunday take the day off cooking, at hit up a local Whole Foods salad/hot food bar for a delicious lunch or dinner. Locally, Whole Food locations include, Hillcrest, La Jolla and the new(ish) location in Encinitas. 

So, let's recap: 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market.

New Addiction: Starbucks Refreshers

It's been awhile since a {non-alcoholic} drink called my name at various times of the day. Not to say I'm a raging alcoholic, but it's summer and the kids are home and I will admit that a nice, cool chardonnay starts sounding real good about 1 PM.

My go-to summer Starbucks drink for the past 5 years has always been an iced skinny vanilla latte. This is SO my usual that when I recently ordered a Cool Lime Refresher, Jason actually gave me an inquisitive look and noted "But Beth never has a Starbucks refresher at home!" Well, now he can't say that anymore. 

The new Refreshers have "green coffee extract" - before a coffee bean is roasted to make it dark, the bean is green. According to Starbucks, this gives you the caffeine, without the flavor. Regardless, both the Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus flavors are delicious. 

Starbucks canned versions as well as the "VIA" (single serving, make at home) versions. While not cheap at $6 a 5/pack, the VIAs are still a cheaper way to feed the addiction than daily trips the Green Mermaid.

Over the weekend I experimented with the VIA flavor packs and my other favorite indulgence, Le Croix flavored sparkling waters. I say "indulgence" because those too are not as cheap as other canned soda waters, but for some reason there is something infinitely better tasting about them. 

While it's not exactly what you will find from your local barista, here is how I've been making myself an afternoon treat. 

- 16 oz Bottled water (or plastic bottle with refilled water or a cocktail shaker with water - whatever you choose)

- Le Croix Sparkling Water (lime or lemon flavored)

- Ice

- Refresher VIA of your choice

1) Drink about a quarter of the bottle of water (or pour it into a cup if you are making this for someone else). Pour the VIA mix into the water and shake very, very well. The mix will not dissolve if not shaken very well)

2) Pour it over ice into a big cup, then fill the rest of it with the sparkling water. 

3) Drink

Yup - rocket science, I know. 

But if you just use the bottled water it's missing a little something. If you just use sparkling water, then it's just flavored sparkling water. Mixing the two is the key. 

And hey, if it's been a particularly rough day with the kids, I won't fault you for adding a shot of vodka. 

HipMamaB NOMS: Trader Joe's No-Bake Peanut Butter Rice Cereal Treats

I love the Trader Joe's "snack counter." That little corner where they are always sampling tasty treats... It's pure marketing genius also since I've almost NEVER have walked out without the goods they were sampling in my cart. The other day my local TJ's was sampling this treat and Zoe and I went nuts for it. So much so that we bought all the ingredients and came home and made it that very afternoon.

Since not all of you are blessed with the wonder food of a Trader Joe's on your corner, I thought I'd share this recipe. Perfect for any occasion, easy to make and OMG good.

Whatcha' Need:

(Trader Joe's brand recommended if possible)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup Blue Agave Syrup

1 cup Salted Creamy Peanut Butter

7 cups Crispy Rice Cereal

Chocolate Chips (optional but go ahead - add them)

1) Combine the brown sugar and blue agave syrup in a saucepan and bring to a near boil. Stir often and until the brown sugar dissolves and then remove from heat (this takes all of about 3 minutes to achieve)

2) Add the peanut butter to the mixture above and mix well. Transfer to large bowl and add rice cereal and chocolate chips. Mix it all up.

3) Press mixture into a greased baking pan. Refrigerate for a few hours to cool and harden

4) Enjoy in a few hours

5) Send me a thank you note for telling you about this amazingly easy treat.