Brazil Nuts & Red Wine (Two Items I Never Had Growing Up)

It's Friday! Finally Friday! I had off last Monday and yet, still, Friday could not have come soon enough.

But here we are - Friday! In light of it being Friday, I figured I'd better not complain about anything, but just be thankful for the day and talk about Brazil Nuts & Red Wine.

Yes, weird, but nonetheless I am looking forward to both of these tonight!

Brazil Nuts



Growing up, my parents always had several jars of peanuts, nuts and mixed nuts in the cupboard (all salted of course - I don't eat nuts of any sort salted). To this day, every time I go home, it's guaranteed that we will have a few drinks at night and eat from their "nut" jars. There was always one nut, though, that no one ate - the Brazil Nut (or as my Mother calls them, Filberts). I avoided them for most of my life because I just automatically thought they were "gross."

And then one day I decided to try them. I have never looked back, since!

Not only do I think they taste great, but these Brazil Nuts are so good for us, too! According to one site, they are one of the Top 6 Healthiest Nuts!

These nuts are extremely nutrient-rich and contain protein, copper, niacin, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works to neutralize dangerous free radicals. A study at the University of Illinois even found that the high amounts of selenium in Brazil nuts may help prevent breast cancer.

I like eating them plain - raw. I don't like to put salt or anything else on them. But....the next time I'm in Minnesota, having drinks with my parents, you can be certain that I will be the one to finish the Brazil Nuts in the Mixed Nut jar - even if they do have salt on them!

Red Wine



Red Wine was also another item we never had growing up. Yeah, clearly I wouldn't have been allowed to actually drink it, but what I mean is that my parents never had any in the house. They don't drink it. They don't care to drink it (my Dad drinks Miller and my Mom drinks Miller Light, with the occasional "other" drinks here and there:)).

It wasn't until Ryan and I moved to the West Coast that I got into wine - and Red Wine in particular (I used to be a fruity, White Wine girl.)

I am now hooked on Red Wine. There is nothing like a good glass of Red Wine! Price doesn't matter - taste does. We're always on the hunt for our "next best Red Wine." Getting to the "next best Red Wine" is part of the fun, too. Trying several never killed anyone! As a matter of fact, Red Wine is good for our health!

1. Red Wine has antioxidants
2. Red Wine has heart protection
3. Red Wine has cancer protection

I wonder what glass of Red Wine I'll get into tonight? Whatever it is, you can be sure that I'll tell my Mom about it and she'll say, "Yeah, ya know I've just never been a Red Wine drinker (in the greatest Minnesota accent of course!)

Perhaps tomorrow I'll discuss coffee.....and did I mention ever that that's also a drink/item I never grew up with? To this day, neither parent drinks coffee. They don't like it - at all!

I guess I've ALWAYS marched to the beat of my own drum!

Happy Friday (go out and get yourself some Brazil Nuts & Red Wine)!

Layer Cake

Day 80.

My stomach has been blah again. My mouth has been blah again. My mouth was probably about a 6/7 today. I'm frustrated; won't lie. I haven't felt any tongue twitching in quite some time again. That's never a good sign. I don't feel very stressed, either, which is why it's odd to me that I don't feel so good.

I can't focus on negative today. Since I feel negative, I'm shifting my mind to think positive.

Layer Cake.

No, I'm not talking about a triple-chocolate cake with frosting and sprinkles (although that sounds great right now...of course, dairy, egg, soy, wheat, gluten and sugar free)! Ok, I digress....I have something even better - Layer Cake - the wine.



We were introduced to this wine by our friends a few weeks back. We have been hooked ever since. I was never a huge fan of red wine. Actually, until we moved to California some over two years ago, I was not a fan of wine at all. I started out drinking solely Champagnes or White Wines. Then, my palette began to have a yearning for reds over the whites.

That being said, I have a sweet tooth by nature. Naturally, then, I like port wine (in small doses). I've been looking for my perfect combination in a red wine. I wanted sweet, but not too sweet. And then I found it with Layer Cake.

Layer Cake gives a sweet taste when it hits the lips. But then it's not so sweet that you can only have a few sips (I could probably drink a bottle). Layer Cake tells my palate that it's a mix of fruits with a hint of chocolate. There are many different Layer Cakes: 2006 Layer Cake Shiraz, 2007 Layer Cake Malbe, 2006 Layer Cake Cotes du Rhone, 2006 Layer Cake Primitivo aka Zinfandel, 2007 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2007 Layer Cake Primitivo/Zinfandel, Pulgia, Italy and 2008 Layer Cake Shiraz, South Australia. I have only tried the 2006 Shiraz; perhaps I'm scared to venture out from that now!

You can learn all about Layer Cake from their press release here or via there trade tools here.

You can buy Laker Cake from Vintage Point here.

My day for food was the same as yesterday. And still I feel the same. But not to worry, I'm going to go have me a glass of Layer Cake now! Cheers!