Friday with few things to talk about

Michigan is officially cold. Like get your winter jackets out cold. I know it will happen every year, but those first couple days are quite a shocker. My little sidekick will be sporting her winter jacket on Monday for school. BUURRR.

We tried these Thursday night. They were a root vegetable medley. Not bad.  (steamed in my papered chef veggie steamer, microwave style.)

Also tried come creamy potato flakes for an easy and quick side dish. I used soy milk, and they turned out AMAZING! 

This morning's breakfast was GF chex maple and brown sugar oatmeal w/ a tsp of chia seeds. This combo is just a delightful little bowl on a cold Michigan morning! 

I have a love affair with peanut butter. But the calories and fat...ugh. So I thought I would pick this little buddy up at the store today. PB2 w chocolate. I thought 1) might be fun to put in my pumpkin smoothie (because well I love chocolate and pumpkin together).  Until I read this and this is why I don't try new things.. but I get it, it makes sense:  Source Foodbabe.com

• PB2 Is Not Whole Real Food – When I talk about the foods I eat, I tell people I want to choose the most nutrient dense foods on the planet and PB2 is just not one of them. The beauty of a peanut is that it contains all of the nutrients nature intended. It has a healthy dose of fat, protein and vitamins.  PB2 extracts almost all of the essential monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, leaching the vitamin E content which is fat soluble, therefore reducing the nutritional content of the whole food. The fat is what keeps you satisfied and reduces cravings making just a tablespoon of real peanut butter so satisfying. This powdered form looks pretty clean when you review the ingredients, but it’s just another way for manufacturers to trick you into thinking less calories is better for you. They have to add a mixture of sugar and salt into the powder to make it taste better without the fat. I know I’d rather have the fat vs. the sugar and salt!

• PB2 Is Not Organic – Conventional peanuts are some of the most heavily sprayed crops ever. The amount of toxic pesticides sprayed on peanuts is suspected to have caused the increase in peanut allergies.  As you know, peanuts have a very thin and porous outer layer and shell that allows toxins in easily. These toxins are not something you can wash off. Remember increased exposure to pesticides are linked to birth defects, nerve damage and cancer. The President’s Cancer Panel has urged us not to consume food sprayed with pesticides and doesn’t believe any amount is safe. 

The tooth fairy might be heading to our house soon. But we are prepared. How cute is this seriously!?
Esty: by https://www.etsy.com/shop/Mimisartistree. Love the personalizing :)

So I left my house and headed to a Panera lunch with my sister. I left a sunny sky and drove to this. And then it started to hail while we ate. 

I am trying a new thing. We are reducing the amount of meat we eat. My husband and I talked a little (a lot) about going plant based. If you've ever watched Food Inc, like us it  might make you get on the no meat boat. I highly recommend you watch it. Another good one fork over knives. Netflix is a wonderful place to find fabulous documentaries. :) Let me know if you ever watch them what you think, I'd love to hear your input! 

Plus It shows all the stuff it doesn't have! :) 

October decorations are up. I don't have a ton because well...I need more, for like all holidays to be exact. I loved this Give Thanks. Because its the truth. We should give thanks and be thankful about all we have. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the family time minus the pressure of presents.  

This was just cute. 

I hope you are having a wonderful week and a great weekend ahead of you. 

-What are your plans for your weekend? Do you decorate for each holiday?

A little bit from Wednesday and the day's leading up to it

This was like Christmas in my mailbox. I L.O.V.E magazines! So when I get not one, not two, but three magazines....I'm a happy lady. This was after a full day on my feet, so an extra extra bonus.

When we were at the pumpkin patch we picked up a half gallon of apple cider, if you warm that up a bit in the microwave...delightful!

Wednesday I had to get some errands ran for the Halloween party I am co-organizing. :) But I did want to get a quick workout in. But it was just chilly enough and I didn't have on enough clothes (I had on more then the below picture) but I opted for the gym instead. I justified it because I do still pay a monthly fee, so I really should use it at least once a month.  I rocked purple and black! 

Empty gym! 

This was Me realizing how board I get on the TM now that I'm use to the RT. I occupied my time by texting with my sister and kicking my incline up to 6% which was kicking my butt. 

And hopefully tightening it too!! 

I ran my errands and then picked up a few household things, fall decor and a lot of paper products apparently. I needed cards, little paper for notes and a fridge magnetic for grocery stuff (so I don't forget). And a delightful smelling candle. :) yum!

I was reading another's blog (hungry runner girl ..love.) and someone posted a recipe for a pumpkin smoothie. OMG. I needed to try pronto:

• 1 c. soy milk
• 1 frozen banana ( it called for 1/2 and some yogurt but I did a whole banana because I didn't have plain yogurt).
• a dollop of pb
• 1/3 c pumpkin puree
• cinnamon
• pumpkin pie spice

Pretty darn good. Good enough to have for breakfast tomorrow...maybe :)

Enjoy your day! 

*What is your favorite pumpkin something in the fall? 

Sunday to Monday funday runday

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and ready to tackle another wonderful week!

(I have been told positive talking/thinking changes outcomes and overall attitude so that's why I try to be so cheerful, hopefully not annoying. It's just another way to be fit, mentally at least.) 

Here are some things from our weekend, or at least our Sunday. You saw what we did Saturday..baked! :) Hopefully you can try or did try those cookies, because they just make it feel more like fall.

We got up had a little breakfast and watched a few cartoons before we went to the pumpkin patch. Johnson's Giant pumpkin patch to be exact. We stopped and picked up smoothies on our way out. I got Island green, the husband got kiwi quencher and my sidekick got a jetty junior. (YUM!)

Then it was pumpkin patch time. There is so much going on there: Rides, face painting, crafts to buy, treats to eat, mazes, animals to feed and of course pumpkins to pick! 

These bumpy pumpkin's are called "specialty" pumpkins. They are one of my favorites. We got one of those, a square green pumpkin (no joke it's square..I should get a picture of it) and a HUGE pumpkin my sidekick picked out. We explained, do you want this one or a bunch of other ones, because it was $13.00...that's how big it is! But she was determined. So we only ended up with 4 because I wasn't spending over our allotted $25.00. :) 

Someone got her face painted, she was pumped!

Then the husband and her enjoyed a treat, I enjoyed watching them eat the treat....yay I'll pretend that's what was happening, LOL.

Then we came home, kinda recharged and went on a bike ride. It was about 70* out! Just gorgeous!! We take 2 bikes and one weehoo, you guys this thing is the coolest. We first used one on Mackinaw Island and just fell in love with it. So it hooks to the back of your bike, and the child can peddle or not peddle, it's totally up to them. But it's great for long rides where kids might get tired and whinny and all that stuff. Its pretty great and a lot of fun, my only negative thing is it's super pricey! 

I had my Boston Strong t-shirt on, so I needed to sport my husbands Boston hat! (sorry the garage is messy..what can I say we live in our house, it's not a shrine) 

We then spent more time outside and then had leftover's and played a family game of go fish. I had a little bit of a stomach ache after my sidekick went to bed so I curled up with a down feather blanket (I still had the window's open from earlier so the cool air was delightful) and made myself a cup of green tea. 

Got a good nights sleep. Which is so imperative for your health. :)

Good morning Monday! 

I was looking forward to starting my week out on a positive note. I did my weigh in for WW, no weight lost but nothing gained. After Saturday's baking extravaganza I am surprised!

I had 2 pieces of GF toast with coconut oil, sugar and cinnamon plus a green tea :)

After dropping my sidekick off at school, I went for about a 2.25 mile run and then about a 3 plus mile walk. I am still not totally back in love with running.

Still no sparkle with running. 

I wear compression socks when I run, I like them. I like them for post long runs or even long work days after a long run in the morning too. 

After my run, smile. 

Then I took off my socks and went for a walk. 

Beautiful scenery. 

My total:

Lunch was a chicken ceaser salad, watermelon and 1 pumpkin cookie.

For dinner we are having turkey sausage, potato's, pepper's and onions all tossed in the crockpot. Let's hope it's good!! 

Have a wonderful rest of your Monday...

*What's for dinner tonight? 

Saturday was a bake fest

We had a really wonderful family day. We went to breakfast where I had to modify my order do to weight watchers point. I guess that's a good thing because it really opens your eyes to what you are eating. I mean 8 pt's for hash browns!? No Way!! Anyway, then there was shopping and Halloween costume buying. (pinkie pie from my little pony) 

Caramel apples were first on our list. My husband was watching the Michigan game and my sidekick and I began to bake the afternoon away. I've never made caramel apples. But wanted to give it a whirl. I LOVE caramel and I can't eat the store made ones because of all the crap in them. I made our caramel apples with 4 ingredients not the 40 ingredients you'll find in store bought ones, which I find frustrating and annoying and ridiculous. 

Caramel apples:

Apples:

Butter: 8 Tbsps

Brown sugar: 2 cups

Karo syrup: 1 cup

condensed milk: 1 can

whisk, whisk, whisk! 

Yum!

Then we moved to pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. This was the first time I've tried to make these gluten free. I got this recipe before I stop eating gluten. I've given this recipe to a few people and whenever I see them made, I'm always so tempted to still eat them (but I don't of course). 

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies:

• 2 c flour (I used gluten free) 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c pumpkin 
• 1 c shortening ( 1 used 1/2 c shortening and 1/4 c coconut oil)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla  (I used 1 tsp pure maple syrup because I wan't aware i was out of vanilla)
• 1 bag of chocolate chips (I added these from the original recipe because pumpkin and chocolate are delightful). 
• This recipe makes 24 cookies. I use a scoop but not sure the actual size. They can easily be drop cookies and you can make probably 48 cookies that way. 

Cream the shortening and sugar. Then add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Mix those well. Add all the dry ingredients together (exp chocolate chips). Once mixed add wet to dry. Mix well. Then stir in chocolate chips. Drop the cookies on a cookie sheet or use a scoop, I have a 2 tbsp scoop I use but the drop cookies are equally as delicious!  350*F oven for 15 minutes. My modifications made the cookies a 6 out of 10. They are usually a 10 out of 10, huge hit, people LOVE them, I take them to a lot of holiday parties. (They are my dish to pass at a baby shower at the end of this month at work). If you don't have a gluten allergy I would suggest the original versions until I can make the appropriate changes to the GF version. 

Then it was time to make dinner. I like to make this particular dish on the weekends when I have more time. Because...well it's time consuming!   Sweet and sour chicken. Its awesome and worth the time, plus it makes 2 meals and it always way better then next day! :)

3 eggs for the egg wash (these eggs come from a co-worker chickens):

I place my cornstarch in a bag with salt and pepper seasoning: 

I use organic, cage free chicken. It really does taste better:

Cube chicken and season with a little salt and pepper. Place in seasoned cornstarch:

Then dip in the egg wash and place in pan with canola oil. Brown the chicken and place in to a greased 9x13 pan for baking:

Then top with the sauce which includes: distilled white vinegar, ketchup, garlic salt, soy sauce, sugar. (amounts will be in the recipe at the bottom) pour over the chicken and pop in the 325*F oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. See time consuming. The whole things take a good 90 mins (with the 1 hr cooking):

We had our on some cauliflower rice, but I usually make yellow rice as a side. This version was pretty tasty! 

Yum! 

I hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend. Tell me if you liked these recipes! The sweet and sour chicken is 7 ww pts/ cookies 3 pts each/ no sure about the caramel apples..sorry. 

INGREDIENTS

1. 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
2. salt and pepper
3. 1 cup cornstarch
4. 2 eggs, beaten (I do 3)
5. 1/4 cup canola oil (I usually have to ass more to my pan)
6. SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE INGREDIENTs
7. 3/4 cup sugar
8. 4 Tablespoons ketchup
9. 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
10. 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
11. 1 teaspoon garlic salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by preheating your oven to 325° degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat, then dip into the eggs.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and pan-fry chicken pieces just until slightly browned but not cooked through. Place chicken in a 9×13-inch greased baking dish.
3. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Pour evenly over the chicken. Bake chicken for one hour, uncovered. During the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.