A little about Kait and reduced fat peanut butter

Happy Monday!
Well since it is monday, I should tell you that it is starting of that way. Once again my computer has failed me and I only got two pictures up for you today. The weather is jacked up here and my computer just cannot stand inclement weather I guess...Touchy thing! I am seriously thinking of buying a faster newer version of my Dell...(do you hear that computer? That's right, I will replace you....you better work for me!!!!)
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This morning I got up and made my youngest daughter Kaiti a smoothie for her breakfast!
I used 1/2 cup of orange, 1 banana, 1 large handful of spinach (remember, I have large hands) and 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1 cup of ice and 1/2 cup water, I whipped it up in the Ninja. She drank about half before she had to head off to school.
In her haste to leave she left her water bottle...sigh...she always leaves something behind.
Kaiti is going to have to be coaxed into this way of eating, because she has always been a junk food vegan and then she went back to eating chicken, then vegan again..
Please send some good vibes this way that she will be able to stick to it!
Did I tell you my entire family have decided to Eat To Live? Yes, they have and I am thrilled. I was especially thrilled when my husband, whom I nagged incessantly finally agreed to try it!!!!
Even Emma, my junk food baby (she is 20) is going to start ETL as soon as she can!
She will be joining us for dinner every night until she can grocery shop again to get her goodies. Her main question was "Is it expensive?" I told her in my opinion, it is the cheapest way to eat.
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So back to Kaiti. I didn't want to scare her to death with anything she would consider funky. I have already sprung an oil free salad dressing on my family last night to see how they would react. Chris was less than thrilled but he ate it, and both the girls liked it. I will post the salad dressing tomorrow! I packed a spinach and carrot salad with the leftover dijon herb dressing from last night, 2 sliced pears rubbed with lemon and a water. Kaiti is not a big school eater, she would rather talk to her friends at lunch, but she promised me she would eat her lunch for me and I trust she will.
Kaiti is very open to veganism, her main problem, in my opinion is she is a teenager in a school filled with cow and wheat farmer children. All these kids eat meat and potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner and if you go against the grain so to speak, you are a freak.
Sadly, my daughter already thinks she is a freak. She is an avid reader and a brilliant artist, she wears funky clothes and listens to Swedish and Japanese rock. I told her she is exceptional and that someday she will be ok with other people thinking she is a freak, because she will know who she is...She is wonderful and perfectly made!
She thinks I am a freak too....LOL, and a hippy. But she loves me anyway, so that is all that matters to me.
I am a hippy and a freak too!
I will proudly wave my freak flag!!
I listen to african and french music! Ha Ha!
Ok enough about us, lets get to the peanut butter, shall we?
Ever since I read from Alicia that you can make All Natural Organic peanut butter reduced fat, I have wanted to try. If you would like to see where I got this idea go here Here is what I did.
I dumped off all the nasty oil on the top of my peanut butter jar, be careful not to lose about a 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the trash can like me, then scoop out all the peanut butter into the food processor. I washed the glass jar so the reduced fat PB wouldn't get any oil residue back into it. Honestly, I wouldn't try this in a blender, even a vitamix. It is thick!
I started by adding about 1/2 cup of water into the food processor and then processed it with the peanut butter. It turned into a huge lump, so I added more water until I had added roughly
1 1/4 cups of water total to get a really a nice smooth peanut butter. That is 1 1/4 total including the 1/2 cup previously. It turned a really light tan color and is light and smooth. I tasted it and was surprised how airy it was. I am pretty sure this is the best peanut butter I have ever had. I wish I had known about this years ago, as I have never been a peanut butter fan.

I really think this is the way to go with peanut butter and I have no plans to ever go back to the stirred in oil type. I might even eat this on an apple...maybe.
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I did alot of cleaning yesterday and I mopped and dusted, did laundry and moved around the dining room getting ready for the cabinet. It takes up one whole wall, so I turned my table the opposite way of how it usually sits. I like it this way and I wonder why I hadn't thought of it before?
Well I am off to take out Coco and then start some beans soaking.
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Since tomorrow is February, I am gearing up for the soup competition!
I am going to start off with Vegan Heartlands Minestrone soup! I am excited to see who's soup will win!
The winner will be named February 23rd!
Good Luck!

XOXO
Viv~