SUPERFOOD SALAD (with salad base from Costco!)

I started making this salad this past summer and have continued to make it on a regular basis ever since. I used to make it with baby spinach base (which is fine and works just as well) until our little dinner party with Debbie. Debbie introduced me to the Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad from Costco. The Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Kit includes broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, chicory and comes with a packet of dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds and poppyseed dressing! I love it because it is super crunchy!

Want an idea for a super fast dinner? Buy this salad from Costco, mix it all up with the packet of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds, add some pieces of rotisserie chicken (also from Costco) and avocado, top with the packet of dressing (or any dressing) and you have dinner. I do this all the time. :)

Ok, now back to this salad. For this salad I discard the dressing and packet of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds (though you could totally add them if you want), add in a few other things and make my own dressing.

For the Salad:

- Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad from Costco (or baby spinach or mixed greens)

- Cut up Avocado

- Fresh Blueberries

- Crumbled goat cheese (just a little - you do not need a lot)

- Cashews (I use unsalted and I buy a big canister of them from Costco)

For the poppyseed dressing:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup apple vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seed
- 1/4 cup chopped onion (I used a red onion which gave it the pink color)
- 1 cup canola salad oil
Stick it all in your blender and blend!

Enjoy!

DIY BATH PAINTS KIDS GIFT

A few weeks ago I picked up a couple tubes of bath paint in the dollar section at Target and Ellis loved it! Being two, Ellis has a super short attention span, so the fact that she actually sat and painted in the bathtub for an extended period of time made me happy!

I am one of those people who looks at things and almost always thinks to myself  - I can totally make that! It is a blessing and a curse all at the same time. One 'I can totally make that' idea leads to several hours of mass producing bath paints in my kitchen. 

It is simple, cheap, super easy and fast.... unless you decide to make 24 bottles of it as presents for all your nieces and nephews. :)

When I made these, I didn't really use specific measurements. I dumped a box of corn starch in a mixing bowl, squeezed in what I thought looked like an equal amount of hand soap and mixed it with a whisk. I then added some water (one tablespoon at a time) until it was the consistency I wanted. I then added some gel food coloring. I always use gel vs. liquid b/c it gives whatever you are trying to color a more vibrant color. 

I got the soap at Costco - TWO (80 fl oz.) containers of hand soap for $8!!! I only ended up using one of the containers of soap and three boxes of corn starch (about $1 a box) to make 24 (4 oz) bottles. That's about 29 cents a bottle! You DO have to buy the bottles though. I got my 4 oz bottles off ebay for about 70 cents a bottle (after S&H) but I wouldn't recommend them. If you screw the tops on too tight, the tops bust. :( Hobby Lobby has some much better ones or you could just buy travel shampoo and conditioner bottles at Target! 

I got these fun brushes from brushes from Consumer Crafts ($5.97) 

and the Magic Grow Bath Capsules from Amazon (12 packs for $13.93). 

Gift tags (free printable) HERE.

TIPS & TRICKS:

And just b/c they are too cute not to share, I am giving my littlest niece and nephew these adorable 'career' olliblocks from Caravan Shoppe. 

Also, do not forget to enter to win $100 to Consumer Crafts. Enter HERE.