Sweet and SavoRi Recipes: Easy Guacamole and Homemade Taco Seasoning!

It's Taco Night over at my house, and what's better than homemade tacos? NOTHING, that's what!!! Well, I mean, besides teriyaki chicken, ice cream, cereal, cake, sushi, spaghetti, pizza- Oh yeah, definitely pizza.
 I love pizza.
 But we're getting off topic here.
 So... yeah, there are a lot of foods I have a deeper love for than tacos, but the tacos we make at home are some of the best I've ever tasted! So, let me rephrase: There are no tacos better than the tacos made by Ri. Why? I don't buy taco seasoning- I make it from scratch! And the unbelievably good guacamole I serve on the side adds to the whole "Ri's Family Taco Experience." So here I am to give you guys a taste, with two super-easy recipes you can make straight from home!

A Poem for Mama

Happy Mother's Day, all of you moms out there! Today's the day your kids will completely smother you in love, I hope. I mean, they should anyway. I don't know all of you reader-moms, but if you're anything like my Mama, then you totally deserve nothing but the best on this special day.

The State of School Lunches

You know what I don't understand? School lunches. I mean, I understand the main concept, obviously: Schools sell lunches to kids that don't have time to make one for themselves, or prefer not to, or have forgotten theirs at home, or whatever. That way, the walls of those kids' stomachs won't be collapsing on top of each other by the time their last period is over. That makes sense to me. But what's been bugging me is what's being served up for lunch at school lately. And by lately, I mean just this year. Cafeteria food has been changing nationwide because of the new nutritional school lunch regulations unveiled by the USDA just last year in January. The new guidelines can be summarized in these few points:

• Offer fruits and vegetables as two separate meal components
• Offer fruit daily at breakfast and lunch
• Offer vegetables daily at lunch, and a limited quantity of starchy vegetables throughout the week
• Offer whole grains
• Offer a daily meat/meat alternate at breakfast
• Offer fluid milk that is fat-free(unflavored and flavored) and low-fat(unflavored only)
• Offer meals that meet specific calorie ranges for each age/grade group;
• Reduce the sodium content of meals
• Prepare meals using food products or ingredients that contain zero grams of trans fat per serving•
• Require students to select a fruit or a vegetable as part of the reimbursable meal

Now, these are all really great ideas. Whole grains? Awesome! Fruit and vegetables? Fantastic! Fat-free and lowfat milk only? Spectacular! So what could possibly be the problem?

The problem, dear readers, is this:

This slice of pathetic pizza is one my friend had purchased from the school cafeteria this year. Last year, the pizza slices we bought were from the same company, but were worlds different. The old slices were more than twice as big and covered in cheese. But look at them now! They're practically the size of my hand, and only have the occasional blotch of cheese. It's terrible! I can't believe they're calling this a lunch!

And I suppose you're saying, "But isn't that the point, Ri? The slices kids were served last year were just too large; too high in calories- They had to reduce the size in order for the pizza to fit the nutritional guidelines."

And yes, this is true. However! Think of a slice of chocolate cake, for a second: Low in protein, low in fiber, low in vitamins, high in calories. Now, imagine some guys standing around this cake and one says, "How can we make this healthier?" So another grabs a knife and slices the cake in half. There, low in calories. Problem solved, right? Its healthy now, right? Hardly.

That slice of cake may now be "half the calories", but now its also half the amount of protein, half the amount of fiber, and half the amount of vitamins. And considering that cake had barely any of these in the first place! That slice of cake is still nutritonally-deprived in every sort of way. Kids need plenty of protein and fiber to grow up healthily and properly. Plus, let's not forget that slice is now half its original size! Hardly what I call "satisfying." With the combination of a small serving size and no belly-filling protein or fiber, kids' stomachs will be rumbling for more food in one or two hours- tops!

The school pizza is no different than the cake in the story. And I suppose some of the other options offered for lunch are better, but not by much. Breaded chicken sandwiches, cheesy garlic bread, nachos, cheeseburgers, cheese-filled breadsticks... The list goes on and on! And none of these are all that big, really. Sure, there are those fruits and vegetables for sides, but no one honestly takes those because they want to. Most kids just end up grabbing a bag of chips or a package of Pop-Tarts. Why bother trying to get kids to healthily when you just end up letting them purchase junk food anyway? If you're going to offer fruits and vegetables, offer fruits and vegetables ONLY. Because 99% of kids would rather have the sugary, salty, high calorie stuff.

And what's up with the tater tots as an option then? Sure, there are only eight to a container (There we go with the reduction of calories reducing nutrients and size...), but students are learning. They just grab two orders of tater tots and put them together. Now, why would they do that? Hmm... I don't know... BECAUSE THEY'RE HUNGRY???

In fact, even the fruits and vegetable trays are small! And they're fricken fruits and vegetables, for crying out loud! I thought about purchasing one ONCE, but when I grabbed a vegetable tray, there were like, four, tiny baby carrots, a couple slice of cucumbers, and one broccoli floret. Not even fit for topping a salad! (Oh, the salads are pretty small too. Except for ones like the Caesar, which bury the lettuce in cheese, deli meats, and hard-boiled egg yolks.)

And I don't know much about the breakfast menu, since I never get breakfast at school, but from what I've seen, it needs adjusting as well. They mostly offer baked goods in tiny square trays, honey buns, breakfast bars, and cereal. And not even healthy cereal. It's like, Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I don't know- Some days, they might offer breakfast wraps and omelettes and stuff, but not everyday, I can assure you of that! But cereal and baked goods are no way to start your day off! Those are nothing but carbs, and not the good, fiberous kinds. Those foods'll make you hungry before lunchtime is even close! Kids need protein to kick off their metabolism: Eggs, ham, greek yogurt, bacon, turkey sausage, cheese! That's what will keep them full and focused. None of this sugary, carby crud.

So, to sum it all up, I like that we as a country are trying to get our kids in school to eat healthier. It's nice we're making the effort to change. But the system... she still needs a little tweaking. Growing boys and girls need high-protein, nutrient-dense foods. We need to see more options that offer this in school lunches. We need less of these nutritient-deprived, starchy foods. Making sure kids get an adequate amount of vitamins should be the top priority, with calories coming in second.
And why keep the fatty deep-dish pizza with sausage and pepperoni if we're going to change? The only thing they're doing to it is making it so teeny-tiny that it can stay on the menu. I propose changing the pizza altogether. Offer thin crust pizza slices, and top them with fat-free or reduced-fat cheeses, and use lean meats like Canadian bacon and grilled chicken. Heck, they even have turkey sausage and turkey pepperoni now! The kids will never know the difference! A thinner crust will provide a bigger surface area for which to cover the pizza with healthy toppings. Smaller portions is NOT the answer here, people; Bigger portions of lower-calorie, nutrition-packed food IS.

I mean, certainly there are ways to give kids satisying portions without stepping over the calorie borderlines, isn't there? I mean, what's the limit here? 500? Okay, you could offer a meal of a plain grilled chicken sandwich, which is like 250. Then, how about an ounce of baked chips? Now we're at 370. A fistful of baby carrots? 405. A sugar-free, fat-free pudding cup too? 465. Maybe top your chicken sandwich with some fat-free mayonnaise, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and you'll be right around 500. I think that sounds like a decent-sized meal, no?

Also, trash the chips and Pop-Tarts already. Well, we can keep the baked chips, but not the standard, oily ones, you know? Just because you set out fruits and vegetables doesn't mean students will magically flock to them like a moths to a flame. You either need to have healthier alternatives to the chips and pastries you're handing out now, or make fresh fruits and vegetables the ONLY options. And these days, there are soooo many low-calorie, healthy alternatives to chips and Pop-Tarts. There are Soy Crisps from Glenny, and 100-calorie Pastry Crisps from Special K, to name a couple. But then, of course, these products are more expensive than regular fare. It really is quite the conundrum.
And Mama also brought up a really good point: She said that if schools offered healthy options ONLY, people would complain because they would feel that schools would be taking away our individuliaty and freedom to eat what we want. Well then, if people want junk food, then THEY can provide it for themselves. You get what you get, and you don't through a fit. If you don't like the healthy options at school, then bring your own food.

I hope I'm making some sense here. Really, I just want schools to be able to provide their students with lunches that are healthy and nutritious, but at the same time won't leave them feeling utterly deprived. Is that so impossible? Really, we're striving for change here, and that's great. I love to see that. But we need to realize their are other choices than deep-dish pizza. Forget trying to modify our preexisting foods. We need to start fresh- from the beginning! I think then we'll truly see how many options are out there for keeping our kids well-nourished, full of protein and fiber, and at a healthy weight.

What do you guys think? How do you feel about the new school lunch guidelines? What can we do to improve them, or are they fine as is? Leave your opinions down below!

300 Pageviews Cereal Giveaway Contest!

Wow! After just less than two weeks, Sweet and SavoRi has gotten more than 300 pageviews! I know I promised another special surprise recipe after we would hit 250, but the views have just been coming in so fast! I couldn't keep up! Thanks, guys! :) I love it!
You know what else I love? Cereal. Love, love, love it!!! I'll eat it anytime of the day- Breakfast, Lunch, Snacktime, for dessert... Even dinner, when the situation allows. In fact, right at this very moment as I am typing away at the computer, a cool bowl of Fiber One Honey Clusters and skim milk is sitting on the computer desk, beckoning to be devoured after a hard day's night of running with Mama. So yeah, I love cereal. My favorite as of late is Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it's no good in milk. I'm having these Honey Clusters right now primarily because my quart of skim milk expired three days ago and I ought to use it all up while I still can.
Sp, what else can I say about cereal? It's my passion, I guess. I'm one of those people who's eaten a whole entire box in one sitting. I'm proud to say that too. But yeah... I stick to measuring servings out now. Oh, and one time, when I won some money in a game of bingo, the first thing I did afterwards was run to Piggly Wiggly and buy myself a new box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Some girls got excited for Justin Beiber: Never Say Never- I got excited for Chocolate Frosted Flakes. A great amount of thought is put into which cereal I want to have for dessert each night. I tried making a T-chart of which cereals taste good in milk, and which ones don't. I attempted to create a Top 10 list. I know not only my own favorite cereals, but my friends as well. I looked on Amazon to see if they had any Chocolate Hazelnut Krave for sale (They have that in the UK). I dream of going to Cereality, a restaurant dedicated to cereal.
Are you getting the picture? Do you see how much I love cereal? I love it A LOT. Dare I say it, cereal is one of the best foods EVER .
So, after seeing that my pageviews had gone over the 300 mark, I just knew I had to do something special for my beloved readers. Then it hit me: Cereal. My friend brings a big bag of Multigrain Cheerios to school nearly everyday for lunch. Mama eats it every day for breakfast with some milk and a banana. My brother does too, only dry. He never puts milk in his cereal. Cereal, cereal, cereal! I'm not the only one who likes it. Everyone does! If you don't like one kind of cereal, there are nearly thousands of others to choose from.
So, my dear readers, I'm offering to you all a fantastic giveaway contest of mind-blowing proportions! Why? Because I like you! You're the type of readers who reach 300 in a time when I only expect 250. That shows me dedication! Effort! Enthusiam! And because of this, I'm feeling generous.
Anyway, the giveaway contest is basically this: Leave a comment down below in the comments section stating your name, email address, and your favorite kind of cereal. You don't have to go into great lengths as to why its your favorite, if you don't want to- Just the cereal's name and brand will suffice. Then, after two weeks (plenty of time for people to get their answers in), I'll randomly pick one of the names in the comments section. The one reader picked will receive a FREE box of the cereal they mentioned- courteousy of me! I'll announce the winner here on this blog when the contest giveaway is over.
Oh, but a couple of rules when naming a cereal, guys- I don't want to see any discontinued products. I don't care if Mr. T Crispy Sweet Corn and Oats Cereal was the love of your childhood. I'm not purchasing any old, dusty box of cereal off  ofsome guy on Amazon- without keeping it for myself, anyway. Same goes for cereals not sold in this region. I am NOT travelling all the way to Canada because some hoser wants his bowl of French Toast Crunch. You all know what's acceptable to put down and what's not. Other than that, have at it! It's a free contest, so dive right in! Good luck to you all, and I can't wait to see who the winner is in a couple of weeks! :) Thanks for reading!

The strong-willed Odysseus says, "May the goddess Ceres' blessings be upon you all!"

REVIEW: The Soup Depot

Hey, everyone! Today's post is another local Ri-view (Haha, get it? Ri. View. Cuz' my name is Ri. And I'm reviewing... Yeahhhh, you get it). This time, Sweet and SavoRi's spotlight is on Kenosha's very own Soup Depot, a cute little cafe that sells dozens of different sandwiches (I counted 38 cold ones, 5 hot) and a bunch of other menu items. They also have a big breakfast menu with omelettes, egg sandwiches, and sides. Best part? Breakfast can be ordered all day! (Yes!!! Does anyone else think it's awesome when restaurants do that?!) The Soup Depot also specializes in- you guessed it- soup. They make a few different batches of homemade soup fresh every day. This means that, some days, you might be able to get something like Clam Chowder, while other times, you may not. But don't get mad if you walk in and find the soup you want is unavailable- Soup Depot has a list of which soups are served which days here.