4am wake up call!

Well technically not 4am, but 4:30am this morning I had to get up for work. Work starts at 5 so I have to get up quick, get ready and bust out the door within 15 minutos! Mondays are typically slow at my store. It's tuesdays that bring the real rush! Luckily today was not one of those days -->

As usual I had my morning mug of tummy filling oatmeal. It's filled with all sorts of heavenly goodness!

This is what it's loaded with:

• oatmeal w/ soy milk
• toasted nuts
• cinnamon
• dried fruit
• banana

I got the idea of making the oatmeal with soy milk instead of water (yummm!) from my buddy Abraham. He is our Starbucks #1 customer! He comes in every single morning, 7 days a week! As soon as we open, he is standing at the register with cup in hand ready for his decaf soy misto!

Alright so speaking of Starbucks, I have some tips for all you customers coming in for your daily java!

1. 
   
   If you get a coffee and ask for a lot of room (more than 2 inches), ask for a cup of coffee smaller in a bigger cup. Example: Can I get a grande coffee in a venti cup. You save some $$$ and you don't have to dump out coffee in the trash because they put too much in.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   If you get Chai Latte's, order then with NO WATER. A lot of people don't realize that they come with water but the reason for us doing this is because the chai syrup is concentrated and the water helps thin it out. Truthfully, all of the baristas and most customers like it much better without water. It gives the latte a richer taste and smoother texture!
   
   
   
3. 
   
   If you are in the mood for a sweet, fruity, and cold drink try this one out! Iced passion tea, raspberry syrup (I would recommend 2-4 pumps, depending on how sweet you want it), and NAKED orange mango fruit juice instead of water. This drink is refreshing and tastes like a starburst!
   
   
   

I will add Starbucks tips and suggestions every once in a while but there are a couple for you guys to have now!

Drink Up!

Pomegranate Seeds

Pomegranates are one of nature's healthiest foods available. Although they are very good for the body, they are also very messy and difficult to deal with. I wanted to show you how to remove the seeds in an easy, clean and efficient way. First off, pomegranates can stain so when you deal with them be aware of this and maybe put on a shirt that you don't mind getting stained. Fortunately I was wearing a blue, purple, and maroon tie dye shirt so it somewhat blended in.

So these are the supplies/ingredients you will need:

Pomegranate

Knife

Bowl

Cutting Board

Serving Spoon or something with a heavy handle

First, you need to cut the pomegranate in half.

Second, put the pomegranate, inside side down, in your palm and place your hand over or inside a large bowl.

Then, take the spoon end or the handle end (whatever is heaviest) and wack the pomegranate. The pressure of the spoon and force of the hitting will knock the seeds out. It's very simple and gets the seeds out quickly and without a big mess.

Your pomegranate will look murdered but you got all of your seeds out cleanly and very efficiently!

The seeds are packed with antioxidants, throw them in your breakfast, lunch or dinner!

I used them in my breakfast earlier this morning:

Breakfast with antioxidant burst

and in my lunch:

Simple Salad

Lettuce,

Black beans,

Pepperchinis,

Flax seeds,

Pomegranates,

Home made Italian dressing