I Heart My Secret Valentine Bloggie!
Happy LONG, 3-DAY Weekend all! Ok, well, if that doesn’t work for you, how about just Happy Friday! 
Today involved TWO fun packages and some AWESOME EATS including A CHOCOLATE BANANA CALZONE and a NEW recipe involving a fun spin on Mini Mexican Meat Loaves.
I am really looking forward to all the fun things we have planned this weekend ~ including running with my sis, seeing my family and our “surprise” Valentine’s day together on Monday.
I actually forgot to set my alarm last night, but, luckily my body woke up in time for me to squeeze in a 5K (3.1 mile) run this morning on the treadmill. It felt awesome and I felt fast ~ LOVE days like that….now hopefully it carries forward when I run with my speedy sis on Sunday.
Breakfast was a fun new creation ~ A Sausagewich!! (Yes, that’s totally a word and all sandwiches have to end with “wich” right?!)
1 Western Alternative Sweet Wheat Bagel (ONLY ONE POINT!)
1 Laughing Cow LIte Swiss Wedge (1 pt)
1 Morning Star Veggie Sausage (2 pts)
Note to self ~ add HOT SAUCE!
OMG ~ I LOVED the creamy combination for only 4 points.
I balanced my meal out with a cup of cantaloupe and blueberries.
Mid-Morning, the TJ’s Pita Puffs were calling my name again ~ I snacked on 30 of them for 2 pts.
It was sorta drizzly today and I was CRAVING soup. We headed over to Mammarella’s and had the BEST lunch.
Tomato Basil Soup (3 pts estimated)
That came with 2 delicious slices of focaccia bread.
Plus a side salad that was tossed with Balsamic Vinaigrette. I LOVED the fresh mixed greens but wish they’d toss some tomatoes, cucumber or something else on there to make it look fancy and worth the $3 they charge. I can buy a whole bag of organic mixed greens at TJ’s for less than this :/ Just sayin’
I LOVE their tables ~ don’t they look so cool?
They always save the BEST things for last ~ WE GOT A FREE GIA today!!! You just can’t turn this down…Do you all have any idea how INGENIUS this idea is….
Here is how you can make one of your own…..
Pizza Dough ~ TJ’s fresh pizza dough would be a fabulous choice!
Banana (strawberries would be awesome too)
NUTELLA!!!
Spread your pizza dough with Nutella, add fruit, fold over calzone style and bake (425-450 for 7-10 m as a guess). Sprinkle with cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
DIG in and ENJOY! I guarantee it will leave you speechless. I totally think this dessert is Valentine’s day worthy! I estimated my serving at 6 pts.
When I arrived home, I had TWO super fun packages waiting for me. My FIRST package was from my SECRET VALENTINE BLOGGIE PAULA of SALT & HUMOR!!!
Check out the goods ~ So fun!!!!
Chai Tea
Kettle Cashew Butter
Burt’s Bees
ANNIES!!!
Orbitz Bubblemint
A super cute “Gimme Some Sugar” towel
Plus, two FANCY and FUNKY Dagoba Dark Chocolates!
Thanks so much for EVERYTHING Paula ~ You are truly thoughtful! I LOVE it and cannot wait to dig in and use it all!
Thanks again to my favorite person ever ~,Janetha for coordinating such a fun Secret Valentine Bloggie Exchange! You both seriously rock!
My 2nd package, I can only show you a “SNEAK PEAK” of…..But, stay tuned for more including a product review, a delicious meal and a GIVEAWAY!!!
After all that excitement, I pretty much didn’t want to cook. But, I stuck to my plan and whipped up a new recipe for MEXICAN MINI MEATLOVES that I have been wanting to try. (5 points each estimated!!!)
The meatloaves reminded me of Tamale Casserole and were super tasty! The Husband ate 3 and I had 1 LOL. I will be posting the recipe soon, but, here is a my ‘SECRET’ ingredient!
I served them up with a side of TJ’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes (3 pts)
Plus freshly steamed French Green Beans. I LOVE these beans because they are squeaky when you eat them ~ fun!
All together with extra salsa on the side…not too bad for 8 pts!
In keeping with his LOVE theme he has going on lately, The Husband made a heart out of his potatoes ~ he is such a kid – LOVE that!
We are about to pop in Ghost of Girlfriends pasts. The Husband brought out the ChocoLOVE Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar so I am sure I’ll be having dessert #2 with him….seriously, how can a girl resist ChocoLOVE?!
Catch you all later this weekend ~ Night!
Home & Garden Show=New Gadgets ~ FUN!
Hiya all! I am soooooo SAD that my long weekend is over, but, it was definitely a FUN weekend. I think sometimes I need to just plan a break from myself – give myself ONE day of nothingness because somehow I almost always manage to fill every minute. This weekend was no different.
We had a blast on Saturday meeting my parents for lunch, then, at the Home & Garden Show then dinner. I honestly think The Husband is turning into my parents because well, he LOVES those shows, just like them. I have to admit though, it was interesting for probably the first time in my life 
Sunday was supposed to be my relaxation day, but, I managed to fill my day with grocery shopping, Home Depot trip with The Husband, NEW RUNNING SHOES for me (well, they had to be ordered, out of stock 
) and lots of food prep. I cannot wait to try out and share the WW CROCK POT recipes I whipped up today.
Now, it’s time to get down to business, catch you all up and hopefully leave myself a little bit of relaxation time
SATURDAY
I had really good intentions of actually DRINKING the Tall Latte we picked up for breakfast, but, I forgot about it as we chatted on our drive up to meet my parents ~ oops.
So, my day basically began with lunch at Dos Coyotes! I LOVE this place ~ it is probably one of the places I miss the most since moving.
I hit up the salsa bar to start……
Sipped on my Tropical Ice Tea ~ LOVED this tea!
Then, the salad I’ve been dreaming of all week long appear and it was BIGGER THAN MY HEAD! The YucaTan Chicken Salad is filled with awesomeness!
“Charbroiled chicken breast on green leaf lettuce, red onion, carrot, sweet peppers, cabbage & corn in Southwest vinaigrette served on a flour tortilla with fruit salsa and chipotle cream.”
It’s 10 pts for the salad w/o the tortilla (14 with). You could possibly save on points by not getting the chipotle cream or the tortilla strips. I managed to get through about 2/3’s of my salad with a few bites of the tortilla – SO GOOD!
This is what my Garden Box is going to look like when it’s all done and flourishing with what I grow
Crazy Magic Beans that actually grow with writing on them.
How weird is that?! They say they are edible but I’d be scared
Fun signs….I totally wanted these two for FUN!
I had total VITA-MIX envy when I saw them whip up smoothies, soup and ice cream. OMG – I TOTALLY WANT ONE NOW!!! I think I NEED to review one! LOL…ok, well, a girl can always dream….I still LOVE My Magic bullet though
I NEVER knew that you could be WHOLE FRUIT in there CORE and all.
I sampled the fruit smoothie concoction and it rocked!
Plus some Mock Pina Colada Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ I couldn’t get paste the ingredients he used (they had transfats, high fructose corn syrup, etc) so I gave it to The Husband because well he eats anything .
I bought some fun new sauces to play with and The Husband’s FAVORITE marinated mushrooms.
He paid it forward by picking me up this super cool Blogging Heros book for only $5 – SCORE!
I think this is what I am MOST excited about. These little ceramic dishes are made in Spain and imported.
This is a spice mill – you can finely ground or course grind any dried herb or fresh rosemary or time. Ohhhh they also used it for crushed red pepper flakes too!
This is probably the COOLEST grater I’ve ever seen ~ first because you can’t grate your hands up and second because it grates everything EASILY. Parmesan, chocolate, garlic, ginger, nuts….EVERYTHING!
It comes as a set with a cute little brush and a garlic clove skin remover.
After all that walking, we worked up an appetite We ended up going to the Buggy Whip for dinner. I LOVE the name ~ it makes me think it’s all old fashioned and such.
I LOVE that they put lights up all year round too!
You get a TON of food for your moolah! I started off with a slice of wheat bread.
Then, we had the second course of a delicious minestrone soup. I think I could’ve made a meal of just this soup.
Third course ~ salad with ranch on the side. I was craving Ranch so I went with it…I used my fork and dipped to eat it with each bite. By doing that I ate only 1/3 of the container.
Fourth Course ~ steak & scampi with a baked potato. I actually ordered the combo to give The Husband my steak (I just wanted the SHRIMP). I did have about 2 oz of steak too. It was all pretty tasty.
SUNDAY
I woke up today wanting something for breakfast but not really knowing what to eat. Do you all ever get like that? What is your quick goto I don’t know what to eat thing?
I finally decided to whip up a MOCK CINNAMON ROLL!!!
1 Earth Grains Whole Wheat Thin
1 Laughing Cow Lite Wedge
Freshly Ground Cinnamon Chips
ORGANIC RAW Agave Nectar
This was SO AWESOME and totally a random breakfast of everything that sounded good….Not too bad for 2 pts
I added a Perfectly Hard Boiled Egg for 2 pts of protein.
Mid morning I snacked on a 1 pt low fat Colby cheese square.
Working on my MISSION TO CLEAR THE FREEZER, I whipped up an AWESOME VEGETABLE GYOZA WITH EDAMAME SOYCATASH for 5 pts a serving! This recipe is a FAST and EASY favorite that I tried during my Vegan Adventures. It is from Vegetarian Times Mag and it only takes like 10-15 minutes from start to finish – I LOVE recipes like that. You can click HERE for the recipe.
I had a Blood Orange on the side that my mom brought us from my grandma’s tree. So fun to eat since they are so vibrant….sweet like an orange, tart like a grapefruit.
Afternoon snack was MY FAVORITE Milk Chocolate ~ DOVE Caramel filled Milk Chocolates. (4 pts)
I couldn’t wait to break out my two new sauces so dinner tonight was built around them. I used the Chipotle Apple Brandy Marinade (like a spicy Jack Daniels sauce) on Chicken.
Then, I used the Whisky Pepper Steak Sauce (like a sweet & spicy A-1) on Tri Tip Steaks.
I will be the first to admit, some things in life you just LOVE! Pasta Roni is one thing I grew up on and I LOVE it. I do not really buy it as an adult since it has transfats however, I was excited to see that they have come out with a Nature’s Way version that has REAL ingredients and isn’t all processed with NO Transfats!!.
6 pts a serving, not bad!
SO GOOD! I LOVE doughy, gooey pasta….I think i could’ve eaten the whole box
2 pts of Tri Tip Steak deliciousness!
I burned my chicken I think I should’ve used the pan method to grill it *sigh* next time! 2 pts
Southern Greens sautéed with a little EVOO, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Then, steamed in chicken broth ~ YUM! 0 pts
Dinner was awesome, but, I was STILL hungry after. I hate spending 10 pts on a meal and still being hungry.
So…I whipped up a COCONUT CARAMEL BANANA SUNDAE for 2 pts!
1 small banana sliced
1 Tbsp Mrs. Richardson’s Caramel, heated and drizzled
Sprinkle of Unsweetened Organic Coconut
FF Whipped Cream
Sprinkles
I LOVED this….I definitely need to make “banana ice cream” next time to do this with, but, it worked fantastic when you wanted something sweet. I may or may not have licked the plate clean
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend too. I am off to relax before the busy work week starts!
Night all!
Happy 3-6 TO ME
Ok, so, how many of you guessed I am THAT old? I actually think age is only a number, it definitely doesn’t tell you how OLD you are ~ it’s all about how you feel inside and out. I am totally younger than my number , how about you?! I think that is why I still LOVE celebrating my birthday or at least trying to
The Husband had such great intentions today to celebrate but the weather just didn’t cooperate. When I got up it was completely storming, pouring and windy We had planned on going to the Winchester Mystery House, but, since part of the tour is outside, we decided to wait. I had pondered putting off my 3.5 mile run, but, figured it would be better to check it off my list early and maybe THIS rain would lighten up a bit
After my run, I made a FANTASTIC BOWL of oats that involved TWO fun ingredients I wanted to use.
CINNAMON CHIPS that you grind like freshly ground pepper.
And my new TJ’s SUPER FRUIT JAM
BLUBERRY COCONUT SUPER FRUIT OATS
1/3 c Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
Big TWISTS of freshly ground cinnamon
1/2 c blueberries
1/2 c water
All micro-waved for 2 minutes, then, topped with:
Unsweetened Organic Coconut
1 dallop TJ’s SUPER FRUIT Jam
1 Tbsp crunchy almond butter
Completely delicious, warm and only 4 points!
We pondered what to do with our day as we headed out to Starbuck’s for a tall FF Chai Tea Latte.
We both LOVE driving around and looking at houses for sale so we did that for a bit while we sipped our drinks. Then, we thought, why not go bowling, we haven’t done that in forever. Um….I guess that is the thing to do a on rainy holiday. They had a freakin’ waiting list of 10 groups to get a lane….crazy.
We stopped for lunch at MS Tasty while we pondered other ideas. This is the diner that I have them make my order that isn’t on the menu. I LOVE that they cater to my requests.
FRESHLY STEAMED, CRUNCHY VEGGIES
THE BEST TERIYAKI CHICKEN
ALL TOGETHER WITH STEAMED RICE. I estimate this is about 7-8 pts and worth every bite. The Husband eats have my chicken so it’s probably less
After lunch, we did a little house remodeling research at Lowe’s and came across this AMAZING rainbow! The best part is that it ended at The Husband’s bank – IRONIC!
I was just wanting something sweet famished after shopping (seriously, men can spend HOURS in places like Home Depot and Lowe’s so I snacked on a few bunnies is the spirit of my giveaway for 1 pt
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, watching our NetFlix before deciding what to do for dinner. I had the option of going out to any place I wanted, but, honestly, I wasn’t super hungry and I wasn’t craving anything either. I figured I’d save my calories and indulgence for later in the week when I didn’t want to cook and I really had a craving for something.
I whipped up a QUICK BUFFALO CHICKEN SALADS for us.
TJ’s Organic Herb Salad Mix
Organic Persian Cucumbers
Mini Red Bell Pepper Slices
Carrot strips
Organic Cherry Tomatoes
AVOCADO
1 LF Colby Square
Toasted Almond Slices
3 Tyson’s Buffalo Chicken Bites (a chickpatty with hot sauce would be awesome too!)
Topped with Annie’s Cowgirl Ranch (8 pts) ~ AWESOME!!! Lunch, crunchy, salty, GOOD!
In the spirit of my birthday The Husband whipped up a healthy BIRTHDAY SUNDAE for me. He gave me the option of cake or ice cream and seriously who wouldn’t pick ICE CREAM!!!
1 c 1/2 the fat Turtle Tracks (OMG – so AMAZING ~ caramel & vanilla ice cream with caramel swirls with toffee and choclate covered pecans) – TOTAL LOVE!
Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel (THE BEST store bought sauce!)
Whipped cream and sprinkles
If we had banana, that would’ve been AWESOME in this!
I didn’t calc the points, but, you know, points totally shouldn’t count on your birthday
It was nice having a low key birthday especially since I feel like we have been celebrating all weekend. It was the PERFECT day to since The Husband had such great intentions – it’s all about the thought
HOP ON THE ANNIE’S FRUITY BUNNY GIVEAWAY BY CLICKING HERE!!
Thanks to everyone for all the AWESOME Birthday wishes sent on Facebook, in comments, Twitter and emailed ~ You all are incredibly thoughtful and totally know how to make a girls day! I feel SO LOVED ~ THANKS a million times over!
It’s SCANDALOUS BACHELOR TIME ~ WOOHOO!!!!
Nite all!
A Healthy Holiday Part 4: Key Lime Pie
I LOVE citrus desserts because they seem so refreshing and light after a heavy meal. Key Lime pie is one of my favorites because you get the smooth creamy filling with an awesome cinnamon graham pie crust. I have reduced the fat and sugar by using fat free milk and egg substitute without giving up the creamy texture or flavor. If you want your pie to look green vs yellow, use liquid egg whites instead of substitute.
EASY & HEALTHY KEY LIME PIE
INGREDIENTS:
1 prepared low-fat graham cracker pie crust or make your own healthy version
14 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
8 oz fat-free egg substitute or liquid egg whites**
1/4-1/2 cup fresh lime juice, from “key” or regular limes (about 2-3 limes), depending on desired tartness
1-2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
Whipped Cream for topping, optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place graham cracker crust on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. Whisk together condensed milk, egg substitute and lime juice. Add lime zest and pour mixture into crust.
3. Bake until center looks set but still slightly quivery, like gelatin, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely, about 1 to 2 hours.
Cut into 10 slices and serve with whipped cream if desired.
4 Points Per Serving (using a prepared crust and excluding whipped topping)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (using a prepared crust and excluding whipped topping):
Calories 197.1, Total Fat 2.8 g, Saturated Fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 83.2 mg, Sodium 106.2 mg, Potassium 102.2 mg, Total Carbohydrate 37.2 g, Dietary Fiber 0.4 g, Sugars 29.2 g, Protein 6.3 g
STEP-BY-STEP:
1. Did you all know it only takes 4 things to make an AMAZING and HEALTHY Key Lime Pie?
2. Combine your condensed milk with your lime juice.
3. Add in the egg substitute and whisk everything together
**NOTE ~ Use Egg whites if you want your pie to look green and add green food coloring if needed.
4. Zest your lime using the super cute mini grater that Santa gave you for Christmas
5. Add the lime zest to your lime pie filling.
6. Pour pie filling into your prepared graham cracker crust.
7. Bake at 325 for about 15-20 minutes until center is slightly firm and jiggles like gelatin.
8. Cool and resist digging in until AFTER dinner
You can find the rest of the Healthy Holiday Series below.
Part 1: Simple Glazed Ham with Pineapple
Part 2: Au Gratin Potatoes
Part 3: Green Beans with Caramelized Onions & Bacon plus Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cashews.
Do you all like the idea of the healthy holiday series? I thought it would be fun to mix things up a bit and share the fun healthy recipes I tried out over Christmas I love knowing that the holidays can be made healthy with a few things to be enjoyed (in moderation of course). I would love to hear your feedback so I know if I should bombard you all on future holidays .
No worries though, I will begin posting my eats again soon and tomorrow I will be back with some great uses for all those leftovers.
Nite all!
Healthy Pumpkin Butter
It is super easy to make your own Pumpkin Butter. If you are a fall fanatic like me, then, Pumpkin Butter, Cinnamon, and Spice are all things that show up in your house during this time of year. I have put a new spin on the traditional pumpkin butter by replacing the white sugar with Organic Agave Nectar & a little pure maple syrup. The agave makes it so rich, thick and creamy that no pectin is required at all. I think you’ll find this version better than any jar you will ever open….The best part is your house will smell just like fall as you make this sweet treat.
Ingredients:
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup agave syrup or honey
1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice*
Pinch of salt
* You can make your own pumpkin pie type spice by combining 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg. You do not need to add cinnamon since it is already included above, however, if using this spice for another recipe, you would want to add 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the mix.
Instructions:
Combine the pumpkin, agave nectar, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat, mixing until well combined. Stirring constantly, cook for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the spices and salt, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and transfer your pumpkin butter to a small bowl or jar. Let cool completely before covering and refrigerating. Pumpkin butter will keep for about 2 weeks in a covered air tight container in the refrigerator.
NOTE: Continuously stirring is really important in this recipe to keep your pumpkin butter from burning. If you have to walk away, add a few tablespoons of apple juice and turn down the stove heat to low, still continuing to stir as you can. (Add about 5-7 minutes additional cooking time if you do this.)
Makes about 2 cups ~ 32 Tablespoons
Nutritional information per 1 Tbsp serving:
Calories 26.6, Total Fat 0.1 g, Saturated Fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 1.3 mg, Potassium 1.3 mg, Total Carbohydrate 6.4 g, Dietary Fiber 1.3 g, Sugars 5.1 g, Protein 0.5 g
Here is everything you need to make your own pumpkin butter. You should always use the best ingredients (organic pumpkin) when you can for optimal flavor. Ok, well, the REAL pumpkin is just for decoration, but, you could get inventive and make your own from scratch pumpkin puree by following this Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter Recipe.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir continuously for 15 minutes ~ do not stop stirring or your pumpkin butter will burn.
Stirring….
Still stirring – it gets thicker and creamier as it cooks.
Add your spices and salt.
Tadah! After 20 minutes of continuous stirring & chatting on the phone with The Husband, it’s all done!
Transfer to a glass bowl or jar to cool.
Super thick, creamy and pumpkin-Y!!! This pumpkin butter is awesome straight off the spoon, on bread or in your favorite baked goods.
Once you make your own, you’ll never want to go back to the jarred stuff Enjoy!
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