Gratitude and Thankfulness-Day Eight

Happy Day Friends,

Today is a double gratitude post.  I'm thankful for yummy roast veggies!  Not only are they easy to cook up, but they are chock full of vitamin goodness and they satisfy the varying eating styles in my home.  The toddler has days of picky eating but roasted veggies are sweet and if cut up into small pieces they are perfect for little paws.  Hubby likes one pot meals with meat for his meals at work and slipping these in with some rice and ground beef fits the bill.  Me, I'm trying to eat LESS meat and up the vitamin count so it's a win-win.  I don't use a particular recipe.  I just chop, toss with some olive oil and sea salt and spread the delicious goodness evenly on a pan.  (If you are super frugal, use your clean hands to toss the veggies.  That olive oil is good for your skin).  I tend to roast at 375 until they look done but I know some recipes call for 400 or 325 degrees.  Because I tend to roast large amounts of veg with varying cooking points I find 375 works the best.  Easy!

Yummy pieces of sweet potato.

Roasting Vegetable Goodness!  (Ok, Tomato is a fruit......)

Brown rice with onion and garlic, roasted veggies and avocado.  Easy peasy and yum!

 An extra special gratitude shout out today goes to Bettina May.  I took her pinup class back in August with a group of gals and it was a ball.  Not only do you get all dolled up, but she teaches you the techniques and secrets of the perfect vintage roller set, makeup, and costuming AND you get to model for your own photo shoot.  Check it out!  I purchased this as a Christmas gift to myself and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Not only is Bettina the sweetest person on the planet but she makes you feel so comfortable and I promise you'll feel so great about yourself.  Do it! 

My pinup shoot.  What fun!

Anywhooooo......Ms. May has been working very hard behind the scenes to get her greencard and she just found out that she was approved.  She is now considered an 'alien of extraordinary ability'.  As someone who has experienced the immigration process first hand this is huge.  Congrats Bettina! 

This country certainly has it's faults (that's another blog post entirely) but I am thankful and grateful that I live here.  It really is a land of opportunity.  Americans are known for our creative and positive thinking and our desire to push ahead get things done.  To that I raise my morning cup of coffee and say hooray. 

Love, Love, Love.