Oct 31, 2012

Fall eats and treats

Happy Halloween!!! This year I did not dress up even though what I was going as this year would have been real funny but I did not get the stuff to make it and the holiday being on the week has kinda made me feel blah. I am a slacker I totally admit that not with just Halloween but my blog too(not like anyone is reading anyway) but I have been busy trying to see what I need to do about finishing my second degree in Nutrition. Speaking of nutrition, the last time I was at the bookstore (yes, I still go to the bookstore and no, I do not own a kindle or iPad) I found this food magazine called Eating well. They have a lot of healthy recipes and also different article about food that are more informative than some I have seen in other magazines. Here are some of the recipes that I am planning on making from the magazine in the next couple of weeks:

Apple Cupcake with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Frosting


Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo


Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie


Rice Pilaf with Shrimp


Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffle


Ravioli and Vegetable Soup


Chocolate-Covered Berry Marshmallows

All of these and more are on www.eatingwell.com. Until next time, Laters....


Oct 23, 2012

Food for Thought

Recently I have come to a decision: I have decided to go to Graduate School. I had originally planned on doing that after College: part one (that is what I call the time I spent getting my Communications degree). I am going to try to go get my Masters in Nutrition. There are many reasons on how I come to this decision. Hopefully, everything can workout and I can combine so many of the things I love into one career.

With that being said I though I would talk about some of my favorite food items that will not add to your waistline and are still tasty.

The Laughing Cow Cheeses
Original Swiss Semi Soft Cheese

Portion Control Snacks for a Cheese Lover's Diet
I personally like the Original and the Garlic & Herb spread (thelaughingcow.com). With it being 50 calories (original) and 35 respectively, you can eat this with feeling blah after. I put it on apples, crackers, french bread or you can be like my boyfriend and make it fried cheese out of it (not healthy but so good).

Barbara's Bakery
Snackimals, Chocolate Snackimals, Vanilla
If you are like cookies I do you will love these. They are animal crackers (for those of us like me who still like to play with there food every now and then) and they taste really good too. The two flavors I like are the Vanilla and the Chocolate Chip. You can by them online at the website (barbarasbakery.com)starting at $.99 and they also sell them at Publix and depending on where you live at Whole Foods and The Fresh Market.

Nature's Valley


Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 
Almond

I use to not be able to be eat snack bars (I am allergic to coconuts which for some reason many bars contain coconut oil) but now I eat the Nature Valley Bars (naturevalley.com). Let me rephrase that I eat the Protein Bars now but I use to eat the Granola Thins. The thins are great snack and only 90 calories but I found out they were made with coconut oil (which I figured out when my lips started to swell). The Proteins Bars are great for a snack. I usually eat them in the morning since it holds me over for a couple of hours.

Ocean Spray Juice

Light Ruby™ Red Grapefruit Juice DrinkRuby Red Grapefruit Juice Cocktail

Ever since I was little, I have been drinking Grapefruit juice. I usually by Ocean Spray (oceanspray.com) but I have tried other brands as well. However, some of those have fallen flat i.e. tasted gross. I am one of the few people who actually like it but it is a good alternative to drinking water all the time which is what I drink usually. Ocean Spray also have some other juices that are really good for every day use or for mixing to make drinks such as the Cran-Gran and the Blueberry-Pomegranate if you want to try something different.
Light Cranberry & Concord Grape flavored Juice Drink100% Juice Cranberry Concord Grape Blend


Blueberry Pomegranate Juice DrinkDiet Sparkling Pomegranate Blueberry
Those are couple of things I am eating/drinking right now beside fruit and vegetable these days. Until next time, Laters....

Oct 14, 2012

Fall DIY ideas

Since it October and Fall most of this months post are going to be about the season and the month of October. I have found some crafts that I want to make this fall from Pinterest:

Great Fall Craft
This candy corn wreath I want to try to make before Halloween. My only concern is that my boyfriend will go eat the candy corn before I get a chance to put it on the wreath.
pumpkin wreath for fall. Easy to do!
This one can be used up until Thanksgiving (I would add some more color on the wreath though).
autumn fall crafts diy acorn mirror           
Acorn mirror
DIY Decorations & Crafts for Kids to Make for Festive Fall Holidays
This wreath is a different way to do a fall wreath and all you have to buy is the later you want. You could probably use real or fake leave on this.
such a cute centerpiece for the fall! - Click image to find more DIY & Crafts Pinterest pins
Cool idea for a centerpiece for a Halloween party or get together.

Have a great start of the week and until next time, Later......

Oct 13, 2012

Weekend treats

     I was going to post this on Saturday but I got kinda busy. Ok, that is a major lie: I ate to much food at Gameday party at my friend's house and ended up following asleep. Here is what I made to take out to my friend's party: Spinach/Artichoke Dip.

Before I tell how I made it I want to put out there that I cook in what my friend Kevin likes to call it "the grandma way": that is where you do not measure ingredients, kinda like some of our grandmas. I will tell you how much of everything I put in the dip:
 - 1 bag spinach, cooked and dried
 - 1 cup of Light Hellmann's mayo
 - 1 package cream cheese, soften
 - 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
 - One packet of vegetable soup
 - 2 tablespoons garlic powder
 - 2 cups mild cheese

First thing I did was put the artichokes in my food processor since they come whole. You can cut them yourself but it easier to process them. If you do not have a food processor a blender will work will also. If the cream cheese is soft enough, I sometime go and add all the ingredients into a blender. On this day however, I could not do that since half of my things are in my sorority sister/one of my best friend's apartments in Birmingham (side note: I had planned on moving to Birmingham but still have not found a job there). I ended up mixing it by hand:
    View photo.JPG in slide show
This was after a little bit of mixing by hand. I put the dip into some rolls I bought that were shaped like footballs and a bread bowl I made. After filling the rolls and bowl with dip, I put the rest of the cheese (1 cup) on top of the 6 rolls and the bread bowl. I cooked all of it at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (depending on the oven you are using). The end results were this:
 Rolls before cheese                                         
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         Rolls after cooking
View photo.JPG in slide show
              Bread Bowl
 View photo.JPG in slide show
You can tell I have issues routing my pictures to post but y'all have the idea (if someone could tell me how to rotate them the right way that would be awesome). The dip was a big hit at the party and my friend was made at me because I forgot to bring her some of the cookies and cream cake I made a couple of days ago
 View photo.JPG in slide show               
 View photo.JPG in slide show
Until my next food project or gameday, whichever comes first. Laters.....
                                           
 

Oct 10, 2012

All in a day's work

So while I've been on the job hunt (which has been NEVER ENDING), I ended up getting a small two day job with a company that has products in Kohl's. I pretty much go paid to fix the displays for four hours and take pictures of it which I can't complain about. The only bad thing about it was that I was in Kohl's for four hours meaning that I was doing visual shopping:you know, walking around seeing all the things that I want and putting it on the shopping list in my head (yes, I am that person).

If you have not been in the store lately, they changed their store much like another store, JC Penney (which I might ad I love the why they changed their store. Here are some of the items that I saw that I need want actually:

       Babycakes Cake Pops Maker with Filling Injector  Babycakes Donut Maker  Babycakes Rotating Cake Pop Maker
These are on sale ranging from $19.99 to $39.99. For some reason all of a sudden cakepops and donuts are the in dessert. It went from cupcakes to mini desserts now to these to. They had a pie maker. I feel like if it is meant for me to have something it will still be there when I go back. I know that is a ridiculous idea but it has helped me not buy random items being my pie maker :(

                                  Hamilton Beach 6-qt. SlowcookerPresto Cool Touch Electric Griddle
If you a crock pot/slow cooker or griddle I would suggest going to Kohls. They have the 6 qt crock pot on sale for $29.99 and the griddle is $19.99. You can use both year round and if you do not want to cook just put the food in the crock pot and be done with dinner.

          Fiesta 5-pc. Place Setting     Fiesta 4-pc. Place Setting  Fiesta 3-pc. Square Place Setting

My friend from college turned me on to Fiestaware because she had been collecting it since she was in Middle School (her family would give her a little every holiday/birthday). I love it because it is colorful and would be perfect for everyday where or to collect (like come people do) and Kohl's has the Dinnerware Sets of 3,4, and 5 on sale for $28.99. Here are some other Fiesta items I like:

Fiesta Ivory Holiday Collection   Fiesta Multicolored 11-pc. Cutlery Set  Fiesta Masquerade Mediterranean 20-pc. Flatware Set

                           Fiesta 4-pc. Goblet Set              Fiesta 4-pc. Double Old-Fashioned Glass Set

Fiesta Covered Casserole Dish           Fiesta 2-pc. Prep Bowl Set     Fiesta Canisters

There were also some clothing that I like. I am the first to admit that I have a major obsession with kitchen items but we all need clothes.

LC by Lauren Conrad:

LC Lauren Conrad Lace Dress  LC Lauren Conrad Pleated Chiffon Skirt    LC Lauren Conrad Polka-Dot Peplum Blouse

Jennifer Lopez:

Jennifer Lopez Floral Lurex Circle Skirt      Jennifer Lopez Lurex Boucle Dress

Rock and Republic:

Rock and Republic Chiffon Maxi Skirt   Rock and Republic Colorblock Tuxedo Blazer  Rock and Republic Colorblock Drop-Tail Hem Top

So, I ended up getting paid to be in a store for four hours and getting paid for it in the process. I guess it's all in a days work. Everyone enjoy your hump day and as always: Laters........