My Fitness Journey: How I Keep At It

I think the question I am asked most frequently is, "How do you stay motivated?"

To be honest, I really don't know how I stay motivated but I know it comes from within.  With that being said, I do get inspired by outside sources to continue with my journey.

I never thought I'd feel this way, but I really like it when people ask me what I do for my exercise, what kind of meals I eat, basically what I do and how I stick to my plan.  I ask why they ask me what I am doing.  I ask what they hope to achieve and why.  I share with them what I do, but most importantly, highlighting the struggles.

Each day, I struggle to choose the right foods, even though they are already planned out and cooked.  I need to convince myself to go to the gym, even the limited 3 times a week.  I've made every excuse in the book.  I am quite the Queen of Excuses.  I had one for every reason and circumstance.  Now I have adopted a no-excuses policy.  That has helped me get myself in the gym.  Some days I am really feeling tired or down, but in the end I am glad I did what I need to do.

I find inspiration and motivation from surprising places:

• Knowing that when I complete my workout, that I will feel like I've accomplished something, and that is an amazing feeling.
• Seeing/feeling results--muscles growing, increased speed or amount of exercise.
• When friends and family compliment me, I know I am doing something right.
• Talking to others and encouraging others to begin, revive or continue their own fitness journeys helps me want to continue with mine.
• Friends encourage me.
• Facebook, blog and Instagram fitness and positive body image personalities provide daily motivation, especially ones who are still on the road to their goals.
• Seeing strangers, especially the elderly, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Little things, like maybe a fitness clothing ad, or maybe a license plate with an inspirational phrase, reminds me to keep at it.

My Fitness Journey: What Has Changed

Some things that have changed since I began my fitness journey are obvious:

• I look slimmer and the body parts are all firming up.
• I feel better: healthier.  Less heartburn, headaches and other general discomfort.
• My skin has been super clear.
• My body is getting stronger.
• I can work out longer/harder.

Other things that have changed that I didn't think would.  I am pleasantly surprised that these have changed:

• My mindset.  Changing the way I think has made all the difference.  I feel I can achieve, and I have achieved.  With every little bit of progress, it makes me want to stay with the plan even more.
• Positive body image.  I knew I was never going to be a size-2 but now I am okay with not being a size-2.  Not all my body parts are where society believes they should be, but I am okay with it.  I am okay with being "plus-sized," and having "rolls" and "stretch marks."  For the first time in a long time, I actually like what I see in the mirror!  That is a huge deal, especially I always felt like the ugly fat friend.
• Confidence.  I never really felt confident--but now that I've been strengthening my core, I can feel my posture getting better.  I look physically more confident has led me to believe that I am more confident on the inside.  I stand tall, my shoulders straight and walk proudly.  I think having confidence is more than half the battle.  If you carry yourself well, people won't say, "You'd be so much better if you lost weight."
• My priorities.  Originally I really wanted to lose weight so I'd look better.  While it has improved how I look, I am more concerned about how healthy and strong my body is.  How fast and long I can run, how heavy I can lift and so forth.

My Fitness Journey: Food Philosophy

Obviously, eating out often and choosing to eat lots of sweets and drinking sodas made me heavy so something needed to change.  I keep things simple:

• Don't skip meals!  If I starve myself, I know I will overeat later.
• Eat until I was only 70-80% full rather than stuffing myself.
• 80-20 rule.  Eat well most of the time, but allowing myself treats for special occasions.
• Meals usually include some source of protein, fat and carbohydrates--carbs mostly coming from fruits, veggies or whole grain source.
• Plan ahead.  I usually make food for all meals on Sundays and Wednesdays.  The meal we usually eat out is Saturday lunch or dinner.
• How I normally build my plate/meal: 1/2 a small dinner plate full of non-starchy vegetables/fruit, 1/4 plate protein source (usually baked, roasted or broiled lean meat or fish, sometimes eggs or tofu) and the rest of the plate a carbohydrate source, such as brown rice, quinoa, steamed/baked sweet potato (plain).
• Water is my favorite drink.  I drink 8 to 14 cups a day--I stay hydrated!
• If the food does not offer much beneficial nutritional value, that is the food I would consider for treats.
• Limit treats!  Watch portion sizes.
• Consider having several meatless meals a week.  There are plenty of protein packed foods that aren't meat.  It'll be more economical.
• If I get hungry in between meals, I tend to only go for fresh fruit or sliced veggies (without dip).  I think some people would disagree with me, that I should have some protein with my snack to stay full.  Honestly, I try to eat substantial, balanced meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and rarely ever feel the need to snack anymore.
• Maintain a regular meal schedule, but if I get hungry, I'd go for the pre-planned snack.  If I'm not hungry, then I skip the snacks.
• Do not reward yourself with food.  If you feel horrible, find another activity that helps you clear your mind and reduce your stress.  If you did well, reward yourself with something that is not related to food such as a spa treatment, a new piece of workout gear, a cosmetic product, etc.

I know eating out can be a problem, but since I mostly only eat out once a week, I pretty much allow myself to eat whatever I'd like, but a reasonable portion.  I do consider the following ways to make the treat a little damaging:

• Drink water instead of soda or other soft drinks.
• Order only an entree or a salad and an appetizer.
• Order salads with the dressing on the side.  (And likewise, sauces for meat entrees on the side as well.)
• Avoid fried, creamy, battered, crispy, etc.
• Skip fattening additions such as croutons, mayonnaise/spreads, excessive cheese and such.
• Choose a steamed vegetable side instead of fries, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and the like.
• I'd never have a cocktail, appetizer, bread basket options or dessert all in the same meal like I used to.  Either avoid all, or pick one.  Since I have a major sweet tooth, I usually pick the dessert option.  I stick to mini/single serve options, or share.

My Fitness Journey: What I Changed

So for the whole month of January I decided to try working out at least 3 times a week, about 1 hour for each workout.  At first, I could only go for 15 to 20 minutes each workout but that didn't matter.  I stuck with the plan.  As far as diet goes, I decided to sign up with MyFitnessPal to track my calories.  After filling out my information, I learned I should be eating approximately 1400 calories a day if I wanted to lose about 1/2 pound a week.  Of course, the program allowed me to eat a little more on the days I exercised.  Some of the first diet habits that changed included me replacing all the caloric drinks with water, except for 1 cup of coffee a day.  I still allowed myself 1 12-ounce soda a week, if I wanted it.  It wasn't before long before I rarely ever had a soda.  I am not much of drinker to begin with, so I really didn't consider them.  Another habit that needed to change was that I need to prepare most of my food at home, at least 75% of all meals, even if it was a bowl of cereal.  It was a two-fold situation: I was consuming way too many calories each day and it was costing me a fortune to eat out.

I was still not very motivated, I just did what I planned to do because I was set on sticking to the plan.  For too long I had been chunky and unhappy in my own skin.  So many years had I been putting myself down.  My big stomach.  My big chin.  Just feeling very doughy all over.  Within a month, I actually had lost 5 pounds and in 2 months lots of people, friends I hadn't seen very often had noticed that I was losing weight.  Most months I didn't lose any weight, but people insisted that I looked thinner and that I looked good.  I was never one to take compliments well--unless they were related to my cooking and baking skills, or other things I did well.  Learning to accept compliments on my appearance was challenging, but honestly, I think they were commenting on my efforts more than how thin I was looking.  I still have a lot of work to do...but each day of progress is one step closer to my goal.

Now, counting calories is terribly boring for me.  Luckily, I am okay with eating the same breakfast, lunch and dinner several times a week, so that made the counting a little easier.  When I shop for products, or cook dishes, since there are only two of us, I often cook several servings of a dish for meals for a couple days.  Being prepared by planning and making all my meals ahead of time really helped me stay within a reasonable amount of calories.  As the months progressed and I was able to increase the intensity and amount of exercise, I focused less on the calorie counting.  Of course, at the beginning I hadn't really paid much attention to what I was eating, just how much and how many calories.  It was tough to stay within the allocated number of calories.  I had to do something!  If I only ate as many calories I was allowed, I still felt hungry, I was never full.

The answer was to replace more of my food options with fresh fruit and vegetables.  I skipped high-fat meats such as sausage, and replaced with leaner meats and added vegetables or fruits.  That allowed me to eat more food without consuming too many calories.  Also, I don't eat as many processed bread type products as I used to.  That includes bread, tortillas and pasta.  I try to eat meals balanced in protein, carbohydrates and fats.  During this whole time I was reading articles online to see how I can eat balanced meals, and for meal ideas.  Most of the carbohydrates I eat now are complex ones: such as oats and other whole grains, quinoa and from sweet potatoes and squash.  I do still eat bread-type products but not as much or as often.  I try to avoid eating foods with excessive salt or sugar, which mostly all packaged processed foods.

My Fitness Journey: Why I Wanted to

My reasons were simple why I wanted to get in shape:

• I was unhealthy.  My blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides were not great--besides being terribly overweight for my height.
• I wanted to be given a clean bill of health in my adult life.
• One day I want to have a baby, and I want this to be a well maintained baby-making temple.
• I wanted to feel better--having a big soft body was making me feel uncomfortable, and I felt slow.
• I felt weak, and slow.  I didn't want to be the weak and slow young woman who was out-walked by a grandma!
• One of the reasons was that I wanted to look good.  Yes, it sounds shallow, I know!  I'm the girl who always looks for inner beauty rather than outer beauty when I choose people to surround myself with.
• I really want to wear a 2-piece bathing suit in public proudly once in my life.

So, it was very clear to me that something needed to be done.

My Fitness Journey: How it Began

I was born and raised in a small suburb in Los Angeles County.  As a baby and a young child, I was never particularly overweight.  Being Chinese American, it isn't very acceptable to be remotely thick or chubby in any way.  My mother and grandmother never had any qualms about pointing it out to me how fat I'd become.  When we'd go out as a family to have dimsum, ladies would stop by the table to say hello to my parents as my family knew lots of people--and often those ladies had a nasty comment to say.

They say things like, "Oh, your daughters must eat well," "How old are they?  They look so big," in Chinese.  I guess they had no idea that I could understand them.  At first I was very hurt, and it even made me cry when we'd get home.  Over the years, I learned to speak up, "It's a shame I can't be a slim and trim as you," I'd tell them back in Chinese.  They were very surprised that I understood what they said, but that never stopped from making comments.

Fast forward to high school.  My parents were rather strict on rites of passage that many teen girls go through with--wearing makeup, shaving legs, etc.  So high school, I was chubby, fresh faced and fuzzy for a good part of it.  One day I decided I didn't want to be fuzzy anymore so I used one of the disposable razors from my dad's supply and took matters into my own hands.  I was still chubby and fresh faced but at least I wasn't fuzzy any longer.  High school was such a rough time.  The actual things related to education wasn't so bad, but I just always felt so ugly, fat and generally unattractive because I hadn't dated at all in high school.  When I graduated I weighed in at 155 pounds, I am 5'4".

Through a few jobs and many years passing, I gained 20 pounds--the gain was gradual.  By 2008, I was 175, and within the next 5 years, I weighed 193 at my heaviest.  Every year for my New Year's resolutions I had the thoughts to get in the gym and get thinner.  Lose weight, but I would never last long.  I'd lose a couple pounds and it'll stay at that weight for while so naturally I gave up because I wasn't seeing the results.

193 was the starting point of my fitness journey. very late December 2012.  I hadn't really planned on it--I always thought about doing something about it.  I was heavy, round and relatively uncomfortable in my own skin.  But I was afraid to begin.  Because I knew I wouldn't succeed, that is the main reason why I didn't really ever give a new healthy lifestyle a full commitment.  A friend called me and asked if I wanted to go to the gym with her on January 2, 2013, which was a few days awhile.  The friend had been on a fitness journey of her own.  She once weighed in at 224, she is 5'1".  The lightest she had ever been was 145 but she goes back and forth depending on how much effort she puts into getting into shape.  I told her that I would check out the gym and see if it was for me.

January 2 came and we went to the gym.  A trainer showed me around and discussed my options with personal training, and how I need to incorporate my cardio and healthy diet with strength training.  It wasn't anything I didn't already know.  I think mostly every overweight person has seen him/herself in the mirror, scrutinized every fold, roll, dimple and stretch mark.  I have read about so many diets, so many exercises and otherwise, a method to "get thin."  After my consultation, I wasn't really convinced, but I joined because I saw it as a way to spend time with my friend whom I hardly ever get to see because she's busy gal, and so am I.

About Me and Why I am Blogging

About Me:

• I feel I am just an ordinary gal with some extraordinary purpose on this planet.
• I was born and raised in a tiny suburb in Los Angeles County.
• I am in my early 30s, married and have 2 cats.
• I met the love of my life when I was 14 years old but we "couldn't stand each other" then.  We started dating when we were 18, engaged at 24, married at 26.  He's an amazing guy, love him so dearly!
• People often feel compelled to ask why we don't have children yet.  It's not that we don't want them, we just haven't conceived them yet!
• I work as an accounting clerk at a custom carpet shop.
• I love to cook and bake.  I am rather intrigued by food, I can read, watch, eat, live food all day long.
• I have a fascination with all the outer beauty trappings such as makeup, nail polish and even fashion.  I wasn't always this way, but in recent years I have fallen in love with these things.
• I am a fan of chick lit, but I only admit that I don't read as much as I could.
• I really love spending time with my friends--eating, cooking, watching movies, "doing" crafts.  You'll have to know that I suck big time at crafts, although I do dabble in cake decorating.  My idea of scrapbooking involves me going to Shutterfly and "cut and pasting" my book online.
• I have a cheesy sense of humor, and I am a hopeless romantic.
• I try to maintain a positive outlook, and foster a positive environment, the kind that helps others do the same.
• I am on a journey in discovering the real me, and loving myself just as I am.

Why I Blog:

• First and foremost, I am not an expert on any topic I discuss.  I only speak from my experience, and that of what my friends and family have shared with me.  So, anything I write is not intended to cure, fix or any other expectation one might have.
• This is a place to keep my recipes: New recipes I've found and tried, things I came up with on my own in my kitchen I liked, cooking and baking adventures with friends.  I love to experiment in the kitchen, and this is the place in which I will keep the recipes that worked, and to share what didn't.
• A place to journal my thoughts throughout my fitness journey and to share my experiences.  I hope my struggles help others realize that it is not easy, and that they are not alone.  Knowing how to eat right and what exercises I can do isn't the hard part.  The hard part is making yourself think you can do something, and to keep on with it.
• Personal thoughts may be chronicled.  My family life, relationship with my husband and bonds with friends are sometimes questioned, sometimes revelations are made.  Whatever may be troubling me will be discussed, but hopefully I will be sharing in the joy more often then the pain.
• Products I love.  I do not receive things from companies, but if I purchase or receive something as a gift I really love, or something that was so horrible the whole free world should be informed of, I may review it on my blog.

Giving Thanks

20 Things I am Grateful for Thanksgiving!

I know, this is a little late.  Thanksgiving with yesterday, but I am thankful everyday.  Here are 20 things to be thankful, but in no particular order of importance.

1. Life itself.  There have been so many interesting and amazing things that has happened this year that I wouldn't change anything despite the bad.  The good definitely outweighs the good so I am going with that.
2. My husband.  He has had some personal issues to deal with on his own, but I can't deny how blessed I am to have him by my side--he means so much to me.
3. My friends.  Without them, life would be a lot less awesome!  I am glad to say that I have friends who celebrate the triumphs with and support me through the rough times.
4. Online buddies and inspiration.
5. My job and coworkers.  I am so glad to be working, especially in the rough times people are in.  I am glad I have amazing coworkers who care about me, and we actually love to sit together at lunch to share smiles and laughter.
6. My health.  I did have some concerns earlier this year, but I feel blessed to be able to wake up each morning with a purpose.
7. My home.  It is not some fancy place, but it offers me a warm place to feel safe, and that is way more important then having a lot of stuff.
8. My newfound love for myself.  I never appreciated the way I am until now.
9. My changed mindset and general outlook on life.  This is quite possibly one of the greatest feats of my life.
10. Gym membership and Pilates class.  The past 12 months have been particularly stressful, I don't think I would have made it without proper stress-reducing outlets.
11. My kitchen.  The kitchen is the hub of our home.  Meals are made, as well as memories.  Plus, I just really love to cook, bake and generally create in the kitchen.  I don't other crafts so cooking and baking is my craft.
12. My car.  Everyone and their mother made fun of it the day I bought it, but it has celebrated its 9th birthday and I couldn't be more pleased with my choice all those years ago.  It suits me, it gets me where I need to go and then some.
13. My kitties.  They are some cute, furry butterballs worthy of hugs all the time!
14. Life experiences.  With each new lesson I learn, the stronger and more informed I become.
15. Chick flicks!  I know, I know.  Since we are on a budget, I find that having lots of chick flicks to watch in the evening, it makes time pass by a little more pleasantly.
16. Netflix, same reason as #15.
17. Chocolate truffles and chocolate cake.  I don't think I need to explain this.
18. New cosmetic products!  I know, I am so girly.
19. My washer and dryer.  We've had them for over 4 years now but I still appreciate them fully.  I'm so glad I don't need to haul my stuff to the laundromat.  I love that I can be able to do the laundry whenever I want, even at 4 in the AM.
20. Disney-related anything.  I have not been to Disneyland in quite some time, but I love how I can leave my troubles behind briefly and just relax.  I love classic Disney movies and I collect Disney figurines

I'm sure there are many things worthy of my thanks, but I think these are my top 20 for now.

50 Random Facts About Me

50 Random Facts About Me

1. I am the first born of 2 Chinese people who immigrated to the US in the 70s.
2. I am frequently asked what kind of Asian person I am, and what my "real name" is.  Why can't people believe my birth certificate says, "Connie"?
3. I've lived in the same city my whole life.
4. I have a brother and a sister, and we spent a lot of time during our childhood with grandparents while our parents worked.
5. In first grade I found myself in an ESL class, which really didn't help because the teacher spoke English and Spanish and my first language is Cantonese.
6. Apparently, I loved Tom and Jerry cartoons when I was little.
7. As a young child, I was a bit of a handful for my grandma.  I liked to make mud pies in the backyard and had a penchant for emptying out shampoo bottles and baby powder containers in the bathroom.  And I especially liked to push all the buttons on the TV (when TVs had many buttons for the channels and the remote rarely was used.)
8. I started wearing glasses in fifth grade.  I like to think of myself as being an original hipster back in the day with my leggings and big glasses.  And relatively unkempt hair lol.
9. One of my favorite memories as a child is having Wednesday afternoons with grandpa—it usually meant junk food after school! He always complained that the fast coffee was the by far the grossest he’s ever had.
10. I value people’s individuality, taking into account their personality, demeanor and values before appearances.
11. Despite not caring about my friends’ appearances, I have an unnatural obsession with makeup and nail polish, all while not wearing either on a regular basis.
12. I'm willing to try just about any brand of makeup, but my typical go-tos include Shiseido for face makeup, Too Faced for eyes, and I love Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks.  I also like MAC lipsticks, they have gorgeous colors, decent wearing time (not counting matte finish ones) and have a pleasant vanilla scent.  The only thing I can honestly say I don't like about them is the price!  Especially since I love variety.
13. I've been wearing Victoria's Secret Dream Angels fragrance in Heavenly since 2001.  Of course, the cupcake-baking chick smells like cupcakes all the time!  I tend to go for vanilla based fragrances.  Most strong floral (such as rose) and citrus fragrances tend to not work well with me.
14. While I appreciate individuality in people, I prefer uniformity in my possessions, such as all the food storage containers to be of same type, and all the clothes hangers matching and the same color.
15. I think getting a manicure-pedicure or a full body massage is viable first step in problem solving.
16. I know people think that working at McDonalds as a first job is a waste of time but I do not feel that way.  I learned how people are, how indecisive and unreasonable some can be.  I learned how it is easier to catch flies with honey then vinegar.  (Being nice really helps matters.)  Most importantly, I learned to look for solutions rather than dwell on the problem (or complain).  Either figure out a way to handle it, or get used to it.
17. I get my love of cooking and entertaining from my grandma. She is an amazing cook, and so generous. No one puts out a spread like her.
18. I thought I didn't care to collect things, but that is not true. I collect the following things, but not limited to, cookbooks (old and new, but especially second hand ones with inscriptions), Jim Shore Disney figurines, pressed pennies and nail polish.
19. I didn't get my driver license until I was 22. As soon I had the card in my hand, I hit the ground running to shop for my car.
20. I've been chubby for most of my life, but only in the last several months have I learned to have a better opinion of myself and get my act together to living a healthier lifestyle.
21. I do cardio-machine workouts without listening to my own music.  Either I listen to what is playing at the gym or I zone out and just clear my head.  I realize that most people cannot exercise without their music.
22. I know black is slimming when it comes to clothes, and I do have a lot of black dresses and tops, but I do love brightly colored things, too.  Mainly bright jewel-toned things, especially in fuchsia, royal purple and emerald green.
23. I think it is funny when people tell me they've discovered an amazing healthful food, such as tofu, Swiss chard, ginseng, goji berries and such. I've been eating them since I was a kid!
24. My husband and I met when we were 14 years old. Let’s just say we weren't too fond of each other then!
25. My husband and I are 11 days apart.
26. I don’t have a middle name. Well, not a given one. When I got married, I used my husband’s name for my married name, and my maiden name became the middle…just in case I forgot to change my name somewhere.
27. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies. I’m such a crier when it comes to movies. I cry even at happy occasions!
28. I always complained that my black hair was boring. After a stint with highlighting, I decided it was not for me. Funny, because my hair color usually gets the most compliments from strangers, often while I’m out shopping.
29. I love shopping!  Most of the time I do not even buy anything, I just like looking at things, trying things on, etc.  What a weirdo, right?  I like clothes, shoes, makeup and recently developed an unnatural obsession with bra fitting and became fascinated with corsets.
30. It is difficult for me to accept compliments, especially compliments on my appearance.  Of course, I say, "Thank you," but on the inside, I still think, "That can't be true/I don't see what they see."  When people compliment my cooking, or something else I did, I am more willing to take that at face value but I'm proud of what I can do.
31. There was a time in my life that spanned early 20s to mid 20s in which I really didn't care much about my appearance--I wore lots of jeans and t-shirts, didn't really fix my hair or wear makeup.  I did care that my clothes were clean and free of holes and stains, at least.
32. I love musicals, even the movie versions.  Grease has been a favorite for quite some time, but I have seen many more that I love since.
33. I can't watch scary, gruesome bloody movies.  And the thrillers involving children--it creeps me out!
34. My husband makes fun of me because I have celebrity crushes on guys with accents. (Think: Hugh Jackman, Charlie Hunnam, Gerard Butler…)
35. I’m terrified to cut my hair short because of the bowl cut nightmares of when my mom used to cut my hair when I was a kid.
36. I fully support the act of spaying and neutering of pets, and to obtain new pets at animal shelters rather than buying them from pet shops and breeders.  There's nothing worse then to see a friend begging people to take one of their pet's babies.  How can you trust that whoever takes them home can be trusted?!
37. I didn't have my first pet until I was 24.  Well, my sister had a goldfish from a carnival that lasted a few months but I would hardly say that was like having a pet.  Anyway, Matt and I rescued a poor tuxedo cat who must have been lost and the owner didn't care to look, or was unable to find him.  He didn't have a tag or microchip.  He was very sick, extremely malnourished.  We tried to feed him and take care of him, but he didn't make it despite following the vet's suggestions.  I never thought I'd get so bent on an animal but I did.  I loved Squeaky!
38. I personally choose to not smoke (whether it be weed or otherwise), or other recreational drugs because I simply do not want to use them.  The only thing is that I occasionally have an alcoholic drink.
39. My love for R&B music runs deep.  My first CD purchase was Boyz II Men: II.  I loved Aaliyah, Janet Jackson and TLC.
40. Nowadays I listen to most genres but I tend to stay away from music where the singer sounds like he/she is screaming.
41. Back in the day when boy bands were all the rage, I preferred Backstreet Boys over NSYNC.  Now I laugh when I think about that lol
42. I have not earned a college degree yet, but I do want to go back one day.  At the time being, I still don't know what I'd want to study!
43. I work as an accounting clerk at a custom carpet place.  Our showroom is on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood but I work at the warehouse/corporate office.  Most of our clients are in the hospitality business (hotels) and interior designers to the rich and/or famous.
44. As much as I would love to cook for others by opening a restaurant, I feel that the pressure of being successful would overwhelm me and make cooking/baking for others less fun or enjoyable.
45. I didn't have an appreciation for fresh cut flowers until recently.  I told my husband (then boyfriend) that I didn't want him to waste his money on things that didn't last...but now that I like them, I don't receive them as much as I would like, but I do appreciate them whenever he does :-)  And it helps to have a friend who is a florist, she often gives me free or cheap flowers/arrangements.  Sadly, I have pretty expensive taste in them: I like various varieties of roses, lilies and orchids.  I also like hydrangea and Gerber daisies.
46. I am curious in the kitchen--always looking to try a new dish, a new ingredient or cooking method.  Various factors come into play that prevent me from doing so, sometimes sheer fear in wasting time, money and effort on something that isn't tasty, or having to spend money on equipment that I may never use again or an uncommon ingredient I may not like.  I also don't really like having equipment that is only good for one purpose.
47. I do not discuss politics or religion with others often because it is such a personal choice.  Plus, those conversations never end well.
48. This last year, I learned how open some people could be.  I've met a few new people and within minutes, they talked about topics that I felt were very private matters, things I wouldn't ever discussed with people I have just met.  I mean, talking about your significant other's sexual habits really isn't something you talk about freely to total strangers.
49. I don't have any tattoos or piercings other than my earlobes, but I respect people who have them.  Their body, none of my business.
50. As a general notion, this year I've adopted an "improve yourself and stop worrying about things that do not concern you," policy.  10 months in, I'd have to say it's working pretty good for me.  This includes not getting involved with my friends' love lives, how they choose to eat/drink/consume, things they prefer to do, unless they are causing irreparable harm to themselves (or others), then in which case I will voice my concerns.  Either way, it is up to them how they want to live their life.

Spice Rub

Spice Rub

4 tablespoons cumin
4 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons granulated garlic
4 tablespoons onion powder
4 tablespoons chili powder
4 tablespoons brown sugar or turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper

Combine all ingredients together in small bowl; mixing well.  Pour mixture into a covered jar and use according to tastes.

Oatmeal Cookies with Semisweet Chocolate Chips and Tiny Peanut Butter Cups

Oatmeal Cookies with Semisweet Chocolate Chips and Tiny Peanut Butter Cups

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats, uncooked
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 8.5 ounce package Reese's mini peanut butter cups

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Use ungreased cookies or line with parchment paper.

Place butter in large mixing bowl; beat butter with electric hand mixer until creamy.  Add granulated sugar; beat to combine.  Repeat with brown sugar.  Add vanilla and eggs; beat until smooth and creamy.  Add flour, baking soda, salt and oats; mix on medium low just until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups.  Scoop dough onto cookie sheets; bake on center rack just until edges are golden, 7 to 10 minutes, depending on size.

By 2 teaspoons, 60 to 72 cookies
By 2 tablespoons, 24 to 30 cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms

No, this is not a healthy version.  This is a treat I baked to take to a Halloween party.  I used a basic peanut butter cookie recipe.  Typically, unwrapped Hershey's Kisses are used to garnish the cookies but I found mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups and had to use them for something!  Also, many Peanut Butter Blossom cookie recipes call for the dough to be rolled in granulated sugar before baking but I feel my favorite peanut butter cookie is plenty sweet already and it is unnecessary so I skipped it.


Basic Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Use ungreased cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Combine sugars, peanut butter and butter in a large bowl.  Cream together with electric hand mixer on medium high until smooth and creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until until well combined.  Add flour and baking soda, mix on medium low speed just until combined.

Scoop dough by tablespoofuls onto cookie sheet; bake on center rack 10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.


Makes 60 cookies.



Peanut Butter Blossom variation: I used 2 1/2 cups flour in the dough, but honestly, I think 3 cups total would have made a taller cookie instead of a flat cookie to better hold the candy.  Anyway, make and bake the cookie dough as directed above, adding an extra 1 cup of flour.  Add an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup and press gently into each cookie immediately after removing the cookie sheet from the oven.  Also, I found that putting the candies in the freezer while the cookies are baking helps minimize the melting when applied to cookies.

Sausage Breakfast Tacos

Sausage Breakfast Tacos

This is probably not the healthiest meal, but it was for a weekend breakfast.  And it does contain some kind of veggie/fruit so it is acceptable in my book!  The husband added hot sauce to his burritos even though it has a bit of a kick from a jalapeno.

1 8 ounce package fresh breakfast sausage
1 onion, peeled, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced, or to taste
2 bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
salt, black pepper, to taste
6 eggs, beaten in a bowl
12 6" corn tortillas or 8 8" flour tortillas (to make burritos)
shredded cheese of your choice

Heat a large frying pan over high heat.  Add sausage; cook.  Break sausage into small chunks with wooden spoon or spatula.  When sausage is browned, add onion and peppers; cook until softened.  Add tomato and salt and pepper; heat through.  Add eggs; cook and stir until eggs are set.  Warm tortillas either in the microwave or on a hot griddle/skillet.  The mixture can be used to make tacos with the corn tortillas or burritos with flour tortillas.  Cheese is optional.


Makes 12 breakfast tacos or 8 small burritos.

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

First trial of Banana Oatmeal Pancakes -- the more desirable version, original recipe found in the link below.

Second trial, batter made in the food processor.

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Now, I haven't gone gluten-free.  I am, however, open to trying new things.  I've been following some folks on Instagram, and many of them post pictures of oatmeal pancakes, so I decided to give them a try.  The pancakes I made are loosely based on this recipe from Cookie and Kate.  Now I have made them twice.  The first time, the pancakes were very thick so I added a bit of milk.  The second time, I didn't have any lemon juice on hand, so I decided to add some acid and moisture by using plain nonfat yogurt.  Below is my version, with the yogurt.  They were good but they weren't as fluffy as the first time I made them so I will probably go with the lemon juice/milk version.  Also, the second time, I mixed the batter in the food processor which yielded a smoother batter but not a necessarily better pancake texture.

5 medium bananas, mashed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
4 eggs
2 cups oat flour (you can either buy oat flour or grind your own from 2 cups of rolled oats in the food processor)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine bananas, butter, lemon juice and honey in a small mixing bowl.  Beat in eggs.

Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredient mixture.  Stir gently to just combine and dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.  Let batter stand 10 minutes before cooking.

You can cook the pancakes in a skillet on the stove, but I cooked mine on an electric griddle heated to 275°F  Pour batter onto pan/griddle by 1/4 cup; let cook 2 minutes or until bubbles form on the top of the pancake.  Flip and cook through, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes more.


Makes about 16 pancakes, I use 2 per serving, topped with plain yogurt and fruit.  And maybe a little honey.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Yes, it says that only one bowl will be used to create this chocolate cake, but I assure you, it is far from few dishes as many measuring cups are used!  I love this recipe because it comes together quickly, you can mix it easily with a whisk and is very versatile.  It can be easily made into a sheet cake, Bundt, layer and cupcakes.  I've made them in every shape, and it comes out moist, rich and fluffy every time.  I would have to say that the results is very similar to a boxed cake mix, in terms of fluffiness and moistness.

2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (typically whole should be used in baking but I've used other varieties, even nonfat with good results)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (I warm mine up in a glass measuring cup in the microwave)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  To make cakes like the ones pictured above, grease 2 9" round cake pans and line bottom with parchment paper rounds and greased, or grease and flour (or use a baking spray with flour) a 10" fluted Bundt pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl; sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Make sure everything is mix; make a well in the center of dry ingredients.  In a 4-cup measuring cup, measure milk and oil.  Add eggs and vanilla; whisk together to combine.  (I use electric hand mixer.)  Pour milk mixture into center of the well and whisk 4 minutes or use electric mixer on medium; beat 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water gently.  Batter will be very thin.  Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan or divide between 2 round cake pans.

Baking time:
1 9x13" glass baking dish: 35 to 45 minutes (use 1/2 batch frosting)
1 10" fluted Bundt pan: 45 to 60 minutes (use ganache or dust with powdered sugar)
2 9" round cake pans: 20 to 25 minutes (use full batch frosting)
24 cup-muffin tins: 16 to 18 minutes, filled 2/3 (1/2 batch frosting to spread, full batch to pipe)

Check for doneness when cakes have puffed and tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Unmold cakes and let cool completely on wire racks before frosting.


Chocolate Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Place butter in medium mixing bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium speed.  Add sugar and cocoa powder; beat to combine.  Add vanilla; mix until smooth.  Add milk by tablespoons until it reaches spreading consistency.


Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
3/4 cup milk or heavy cream

Combine chocolate and milk in a glass bowl; heat in microwave on high 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until the milk is hot.  Let stand 4 minutes; whisk until smooth.  Let cool until room temperature; whisking every few minutes.  Drizzle over cake; let cool to set.

Cheeseburger Mac

Cheeseburger Mac!

Clearly, this is not meant to be a healthy meal.  I was feeling like I needed something cheesy and greasy, and this came to mind with the ingredients I had on hand.

Macaroni and Cheese:
1 16 ounce box elbow macaroni (other small pasta shells may be used)
salt
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend
dash Creole seasoning (I used Tony Chachere;s), to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Add elbows; stir and cook until cooked but still firm, according to package directions.  Drain macaroni well.  Add butter; stir to melt over medium low heat.  Add milk and cheese.  Cook while stirring until cheese is melted and macaroni is coated in cheese mixture.  Add Creole seasoning to taste.

Beef Mixture:
1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion, peeled, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced, without seeds for milder flavor
2 poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
splash soy sauce, probably about 1 tablespoon
splash rice wine, probably about 1 tablespoon
salt, black pepper

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat.  Add beef; cook and stirring until meat is browned.  Drain fat.  Add meat back to pan with chopped onions, jalapeno and poblano chiles.  Cook and stir until vegetables are softened.  Add tomatoes.  Add soy sauce, rice wine and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until tomatoes are a little softened.  You can serve the beef mixture over or beside the macaroni and cheese; or combine if you wish.


Makes 6 to 8 servings

Chicken Stock

Chicken Stock

By no means have I been classically trained, I learned to make this from watching my grandma, chefs on TV and the Internet.  In the particular batch, I skimped on the chicken--double the chicken would yield a more flavorful stock.

3 to 6 pounds of chicken parts (I usually use leg or leg quarters because they're more affordable)
Lawry's seasoning salt or poultry seasoning
1 to 2 white or yellow onions, peeled, cut into wedges
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 bunch celery, cut into large chunks
minced garlic or garlic cloves, depending on how potent you like the flavor

Heat a stock pot over high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with seasoning salt or poultry seasoning liberally.  Brown the chicken in batches until brown on all sides.  Add onion; stir and cook over medium high heat until onions are soft and brown.  Add carrot and celery; stir until slightly softened.  Add chicken back to the pot along with garlic and water to fill almost to the top of the pot.  Cover; bring to boil.  Once it comes to a boil; turn heat to low and simmer several hours.  I usually simmer mine 3 to 6 hours.

Strain the broth into another pot using a strainer lined with cheesecloth.  Now it is ready to be used to make a soup, or freeze for later.

Tomato Eggs

Tomato Eggs

Oh, how I love this dish.  This is a meal that my grandma and mother have cooked many times as I was growing up.  It is very warm and comforting, and that is why I love it.  Now, I have made some liberal changes to suit my more mature tastebuds, but it still has the same effect on me whenvery I make this.  It is basically stewed tomatoes with scrambled eggs.  My grandma's version is very sweet--she was not very fond of tartness so she added sugar to hers.  I've helped my grandma many times to make this.  As soon as I could figure out how to use a knife safely, she allowed me to peel, cut and seed the tomatoes.  She'd soften the skin in a pot of boiling water.  Once the tomatoes were cool enough to handle, the skins slipped off.  She would just gouge holes so the seeds could come out but I am a bit more concerned about neatness so I'd quarter, cut into sixths or eighths depending on the size of the tomatoes and the scooped out the seeds so I'd have nice clean wedges.  I don't know why it matters to me because once you cook it, the shape is not one bit recognizable.  The measurements aren't very precise, but I don't think the dish would suffer.  I make it based on what I like.

Eggs:
1 tablespoon butter
6 eggs, beaten

Heat a large frying pan or work over medium high heat.  Melt butter.  Add eggs; cook and stir with spatula until eggs are softly set.  Remove eggs from pan to a dish; set aside.

Tomatoes
8 to 10 plum tomatoes or 5 to 7 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
1 yellow or white onion, peeled, coarsely chopped or thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
dash rice wine, to taste
dash soy sauce, to taste
black pepper
heaping soup spoon's worth of cornstarch--you may need more or less depending on how juicy the tomatoes are and how thick you'd like the sauce.

Bring to boil a large pot of water over high heat.  Add tomatoes and heat until the skins split.  You may have to give them a nudge with a slotted spoon to make sure all the tomatoes are submerged.  Remove tomatoes as the skins split.  Once all of them are out of the water; let cool until you easily handle them.

Peel and seed tomatoes as you wish.  You don't have to cut them into wedges like I do, you can even coarsely crush them with your hands.  Save any juices.  Save a little on the side; dissolve the cornstarch to add later to thicken sauce.

Heat a large frying pan or work over medium high heat.  Melt butter; fry onions until translucent.  Add rice wine and soy sauce to taste.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Add tomatoes with juice; cook over low until tomatoes are softened to your liking.  Increase heat to high; bring to boil.  Add the tomato juice with cornstarch quickly and stir until mixture comes back to a boil and thickens.  The sauce will look cloudy at first, when it is cooked, it'll look kind of translucent and shiny.  Stir in scrambled eggs; stir to warm through.  Serve over cooked rice.  I use brown, but my grandma always served it with white rice.


Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Breakfast Sausage and Potato Burritos

Breakfast Sausage and Potato Burritos

1 8 ounce package breakfast sausage fresh links (no casing)
1 yellow onion, peeled, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced, or to taste
5 small baking potatoes, scrubbed, cut into cubes, steamed in the microwave or boiled until nearly cooked through, drained
6 eggs, beaten
12 soft taco sized flour tortillas
shredded cheese, your choice

Heat a large frying pan over high heat.  Add sausage, breaking up with a spoon into small chunks.  Cook until sausage is no longer pink inside and lightly browned on the outside.  Add onion and jalapeno; stir and cook until onion is slightly translucent.  Add potatoes; stir and cook until potatoes are tender inside and lightly browned on the outside.  Add eggs and scramble until desired doneness.  Warm tortillas in a hot pan or microwave.  Fill and roll tortillas with egg mixture and cheese as desired.


Makes 12 small burritos

Weekend Fun! Maybe it was a little too much...

Mr. and Mrs. W, just about to hit the road

Mrs. W after a couple too many drinks, wearing Mr. W's sunglasses.  He was not pleased!

So this past weekend, we attended a wedding.  Our friend found the love of his life and tied the knot on Saturday.  It was a beautiful ceremony and a lovely reception.  Apparently, I had a little too much to drink that afternoon/evening that resulted in a less-than-desirable feeling.

What's a girl to do?  As some of you may know, I am on a bit of a healthy journey, getting into shape and improving my health.  I usually allow room for indulgences, but perhaps, it was a bit too much this weekend.  I came to the conclusion that I will not dwell on making a bad choice one afternoon.  Instead, I am going to resume my healthy habits, which I started yesterday (Monday).  I had cooked my meals on Sunday for the majority of the week and I hit the gym as usual.  I drank lots of water to stay hydrated.

In the past, when I ate or drank horribly, I'd put myself down and thought that was the end of things, I should just not care what I ate or drank from then on.  Now, I have a new mindset.  Have your treats within reason and just move along.  One meal or one beverage bender isn't going to undo all the good you have done.  You can have a drink, but not 10.  You can have an ice cream cone or a cookie, but maybe not the whole carton and/or batch.  A friend once posted a graphic of a smashed cell phone.  It said something like, "Continuing with the cheat meals after a cheat meal is like smashing your phone when you've dropped it."

Even though I account for the treats when I plan out my meals and activities, sometimes the cravings pop up.  My cravings are usually for either sweet things like cookies and cake, or crunchy salty things such as Cheetos.  I think to myself, "I can have some when it is the designated indulgence meal," and either have some fruit or veggie sticks if I'm hungry or find another activity to do that is not food-related.  That usually stops the craving.  Come indulgence meal time, if I still want it, then I will treat myself.

How do you deal with cravings?  Do you give in?



Makeup details, for those interested.  Obviously, I am wearing a full face of makeup, but these products are the ones worthy of highlighting at the moment.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Love that Red (pretty color, smooth application, not drying but lightweight)
NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Hot Red (long lasting)
Red Cherry Lashes in #66 (first time wearing them out, bit of a lash newbie.  Liked the look, relatively easy to apply and not terribly uncomfortable.  Discomfort is probably from not being used to wearing them.  Applied with Duo Striplash Adhesive Dark Tone.  They were on for 12+ hours!)
Zoya Nail Polish in Carmen (my fave brand!)

Mushroom Frittata

Mushroom Frittata

I was having one of those days so to save on prep time, most of the vegetables were used in both breakfast and lunch this week.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small white onion, peeled, chopped
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
1 poblano chile, seeds and stem removed, chopped
salt, pepper
6 eggs, beaten
shredded mild cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend, optional

Heat the oven to 375°F.  Spray a 9" pie plate with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat.  Melt butter; add veggies and quickly stir fry until cooked to desired doneness.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer vegetable mixture to prepared pie plate.  Add eggs, gently stirring around a little so the egg evenly distributes among veggies.  Add cheese if desired.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes in preheated oven or until slightly puffed.  Cool slightly before cutting into wedges or squares.


Makes 4 servings

Beefy Brown Rice and Veggies with Steamed Acorn Squash

Beefy Brown Rice and Veggies with Steamed Acorn Squash

Rice:
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 cup beef broth
2 cups water

Combine rice, broth and water in rice cooker; cook until rice has absorbed liquid and is tender.

Beef and Veggie Mixture:
12 ounces lean ground beef
Lawry's seasoning salt, or use Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning blend
1 onion, peeled, chopped
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, minced
1 poblano chile, stem and seeds removed, chopped
1/2 cup beef broth
2 crowns broccoli, cut into small florets

Heat a large frying pan or wok; add beef and season with Lawry's seasoning salt or herb blend.  Cook until beef is browned.  Add onion; cook until translucent.  Add remaining veggies and broth; cook until veggies are cooked to desired doneness.  Mix in rice.  Divide rice among lunch box containers.

Acorn Squash:
2 acorn squash, halved, seeds scooped out

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Place squash halves cut side down in glass baking dish, add enough water to cover bottom of pan.  Cover with foil; place pan in oven on middle rack.  Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until squash is fork tender.  Cut each half into thirds.


Makes 6 servings

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie

I read somewhere that this is actually called "Cottage Pie" because it is made with beef.  Authentic shepherd's pie is usually made with lamb or mutton.  I am not much of a fan of lamb/mutton, and I happen to have all the ingredients on hand to make it with ground beef.  I think in my neck of the woods, it is widely accepted that this dish is called "Shepherd's Pie," so that is what I am calling this.  This is the last of this week's meals before I did my grocery shopping, which happened today but I had already taken out the meat to thaw.

I'd have to say that it does not look too appetizing, and it may very well be too moist/saucy.  That is not a major problem, as it can be improved next time by adding less liquid, or more thickening agent.  Also, it may help if I spread the potato mixture over the top more evenly to the edge, creating a seal.  Either way, I hope it tastes better than it looks because I have not tried it yet at the time of this posting.  The recipe as adapted from Simply Recipes: Shepherd's Pie.  Normally I probably wouldn't have put cheese on the top, but the husband requested so I obliged considering he has been wanting me to try making this for quite some time now.

Potatoes:
2 to 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1" chunks
salt, black pepper
1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Meat Mixture:
2 pounds lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
2 small white onions, peeled, chopped
Lawry's seasoning salt, pepper, to taste
2 cups (approximately) frozen mixed vegetables
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used purchased boxed)
1 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend)

Place potatoes in large saucepan with cold water to cover by 1".  Add 2 teaspoons salt; cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Cook until potatoes are tender, test with fork/knife.  Combine milk, butter and garlic in glass measuring cup; microwave on high until butter is melted.  When potatoes are done, drain them in a colander.  Add potatoes back to pot over low heat to dry out.  Mash with potato mashing tool.  Add milk mixture and black pepper to taste; stir gently just until combined.

Heat the oven to 375°F.  Grease a 13x9" glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat.  Brown beef in hot pan; add onions.  Stir and cook until meat is cooked through and the onions are softened.  Add 1 cup of the broth and vegetables; let cook until mixture is heated through.  Combine remaining broth with cornstarch in a cup or small bowl.  Add cornstarch mixture to meat mixture in pan; stir and cook over high heat until liquid is thickened.

Pour meat mixture into prepared pan.  Spread mashed potato mixture over the top of meat mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese if desired.  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.


Makes 8 to 12 servings

Apple Pie Oats

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

The "I haven't gone to the market" meals continue lol.  I had to make do with what I had left in the cabinets and refrigerator.  I noticed that I have been eating a lot of oatmeal for breakfast lately but I don't mind.  Fiber is a good thing!  I have made other overnight oats renditions before, but this is my favorite so far.

1/2 cup rolled oats, uncooked
1/2 cup milk, any
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 tablespoons turbinado sugar, or to taste
sprinkle of ground cinnamon, to taste
1 small to medium apple, variety of your choice, cored and coarsely chopped

Combine oats, milk, yogurt, flaxseed, sugar and cinnamon in a dish or jar.  Stir to combine.  Add apples; mix.  Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours.  You can add granola or other crunchy toppings if you choose, but I like this one just as it is.

Between Sizes

This Saturday, Mr. W and I will be attending our friend's wedding.  Of course, that normally means I, like most other women I know, goes scrambling to find the perfect outfit to wear to such an occasion.

Here's a history of the sizes I've been.  I know, sizes are relevant and may vary by type of clothing and store brands/designers.  For the most part, I am a casual chick, I mostly buy my clothes from American Eagle, Forever 21 and Old Navy.  For most of my adult life, I wore 10 or 12 in pants from American Eagle or Old Navy.  I know Old Navy runs a bit large, but there was a time that I wore a size 14.  To make matters worse, when I got married in 2008, my wedding gown was a size 18.  Surely, I could have gone with a 16, as it was a corset laced back, but I didn't.  Now, the wedding dress sizes tend to vary from today's most casual wear due to is fitted nature, but still, I felt huge!

Fast forward to the current situation.  At the beginning of 2013, I weighed 193, wore size 14 jeans.  They were a little loose, but I didn't like my shape, and I really don't care to rock the muffin top, or love handles, if you will.  So, I wear them looser to avoid flesh from hanging over the waistband, and the legs are definitely loose fitting on me.  After months and months of watching what I ate, and regularly exercising (as best I could), I began feeling better about myself, and have lost some inches.  I am currently wearing size 12 jeans, but I have a couple pairs of size 10s on deck for when I am ready.  I think I could zip up the 10s, but just because they zip, it does not automatically mean they look good!

Friday before last, I decided to go shopping with a friend, we're about the same size now.  We decided it was time to try on some fun dresses, as well as one for the wedding, as pictured above.  These two dresses were size 10.  I had a hard time believing that they were!  It has been ages since I wore size 10.  Some of the dresses we tried were size 10 but they were too small.

My friend asked, "Where did you get those jeans?  What size are they?  They look big on you."  Of course I told her where they're from and size, but she suggested that I get smaller jeans.  I have some but I am not comfortable wearing them yet.  What's a girl to do?  Do I wear the smaller jeans because they will fit my legs better and risk muffin top, or do I wear the larger ones so it fits my waist better but are baggy around my legs?

If you were between sizes, which would you choose?  Larger and looser for comfort?  Or smaller to encourage you to keep on track so the clothing would fit better?

Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Today we are celebrating a friend's girlfriend's birthday.  Since I do not know here very well, I figured that a gift of a bottle of wine and a batch of home baked cookies is a fitting gift.  I've met her a couple times, she likes sweets and does enjoy a drink, so this should be perfect.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chip morsels (can use milk or semisweet if preferred)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  I use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper but you can use ungreased cookie sheets if you prefer.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; stir in oats in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer until smooth.  Add granulated sugar; mix until combined.  Repeat with brown sugar, eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Add dry ingredient mixture; mix just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake in preheated oven 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.


Makes 30 to 34 large cookies or 60 to 72 small cookies.

Veggies Over Brown Rice and Quinoa

Veggies over Brown Rice and Quinoa

Yes, vegetarian meals happen in this household :-)  There's quinoa and black beans for protein in this meal.

Quinoa and Brown Rice:
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
3 cups water

Combine rice, quinoa and water in rice cooker container.  Cook until water is absorbed and rice is cooked through.


Veggies:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small white onion
1 poblano chile, stem, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
4 plum tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
salt, pepper

Melt butter in large frying pan over medium high heat.  Fry onion and chile in butter until softened.  Add zucchini and squash; cook until tender.  Add tomatoes, beans and salt and pepper to taste.  Heat through.

Divide rice mixture between 4 plates; top with veggies.


Makes 4 servings

Poblano and Onion Frittata

Poblano and Onion Frittata

I haven't been to the grocery store, but I still have some fruits and veggies.  We are headed out somewhere later so I didn't have any time to thaw meat so this week's dishes are decidedly vegetarian.  This frittata is for breakfast.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small red onion, peeled, chopped
1 poblano chile, stem, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced into 1/4" pieces
salt, pepper, to taste
1 plum tomato, chopped
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a mixture of mild cheddar and Monterey Jack, you can use any shredded cheese you like)

Heat the oven to 375°F.  Spray a 9" glass pie dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Melt butter in large frying pan over high heat.  Add red onion and chile; stir fry until softened.  Add green onion and tomato; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until all vegetables are softened.  Transfer veggie mixture to prepared pie dish.

Pour egg mixture over veggies.  Use a fork to move the veggies around a little so eggs reach the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs are set.  Let stand a couple minutes; cut into wedges to serve.


Makes 4 servings

Fancy Rice Crispy Squares

Fancy Rice Crispy Squares!

I made these to share with the my husband and his friends during a guys' afternoon in of card games and comedy on TV.  It was a last minute kind of thing, so I used what I had on hand.  The measurements are approximate as I was cleaning out the cabinet.

1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 of a 10 ounce bag of mini marshmallows
2 large spoonfuls of dark chocolate peanut butter
5 cups high fiber cereal (one with flakes and nuggets)
3 cups puffed rice cereal
Lindt chocolate bar, chopped into chunks (I used a dark chocolate coconut bar)
A few handfuls of Pretzel M&Ms

I used a 10x15" baking sheet but in reality a 13x9" baking dish would be better suited for this, as my bars came out very thin.  I lined the pan with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to make clean up easy.

Place butter and marshmallows in a large pot over medium heat.  Melt and stir butter and marshmallows together until mixture is smooth.  Stir in chocolate peanut butter.

Add cereals to marshmallow mixture; stir until cereal is coated in marshmallow mixture.  Turn mixture out onto prepared pan; press mixture to even layer on pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate chunks and M&M's; press gently into cereal mixture before it sets.  Let stand until completely cooled.  I pull the entire treat off the pan with foil and cut into bars on cutting board with a sharp knife.  Makes 24 small or 12 large bars.