
Ok, I lied, that was a birthday card.

This is the real cake...lots of chocolate! I asked Nick to buy one piece, not an entire cake (for obvious reasons). This is from a local cafe called The Chocolate Cafe.

But of course before the cake we (Nick, my parents, my brother and I) went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, called Third and Hollywood. I ordered the seared tuna with a side salad. The salad had fingerling potatoes, goat cheese, hericot vert, beets, hard boiled egg, and a delicious vinaigrette dressing. I think I could easily recreate this at home.
Overall my birthday was perfect! Even though I had to work, I love my job so I can't complain.I haven't updated you on my life for a while. I'm still working on my e-book, which I hope to have finished by next year at this time, or sooner. Nick and I have been working on our house lately, and planning ahead for our Fourth of July party. We hope to have our living room and bedrooms finished, plus our exercise room (did I mention we bought a new elliptical?!).
I've been working hard in the lab (aka my kitchen) to create a granola bar worth selling at a local grocery store, and online. I have been letting my co-workers be the taste-testers and I finally created a winner!
This is like a meal in a bar, seriously. I have met many people who tell me they really have little time to eat healthy (or to eat at all). While I have a hard time believing this, I have to remind myself that my job/schedule really is more flexible than most people's. I can eat whenever I want, and nothing comes between me and a healthy meal. This is not the case for many people with whom I work, as they have scheduled breaks that are only a certain amount of time. This bar is meant for those busy people with little time to eat, but also for people like me who love healthy snacks and healthy convenient foods.
Would you pay $1.25 for a bar (or $15 for 8 bars via UPS, free shipping) with these nutrition facts;

- 15 grams whole grains (almost one full serving of whole grain!)
- 1/2 cup of fruit (most people need two cups per day)
- A day's worth of essential fatty acids
- Only 3.5 grams of added sugar (most bars have between 8 and 20)
- 6 grams of fiber (excellent source!)
- 10 grams of protein

- All Natural ingredients (meaning nothing is artificial!)
- Inherently gluten-free ingredients, but not a gluten free food (I can't guarantee the ingredients haven't been contaminated with gluten, as I do not have a gluten-free kitchen)
- Loads of delicious taste!
QUESTION: Can you think of a good name for my bar?? I can't think of one!! I came up with "Balance" only to realize that bar already exists. And obviously "Gina's Granola Bars" is way too boring.