{Product Review} Get Hydrated with Crystal Light

Hello everyone,

Have I told you recently how much I am enjoying blogging and being a part of a healthy living community? 

Well I'm lovin it.  {No not McDonalds...haven't eaten there in...years?} 

I love a couple of link-ups I participate in.

I love getting comments from people and finding I have new "followers" on Twitter (weird word right, "followers"? p.s. FOLLOW ME!)

A new fun thing about having a health and fitness blog is that I received my very first sample in the mail! 

And let me tell you, I am loving getting packages in the mail!  (It's like Christmas!!)

What I got:
Three flavors of Crystal Light Pure packets.  Strawberry Kiwi, Grape and Mixed Berry.

Crystal Light Pure is sweetened with sugar and stevia. 

{WIAW #7} Bonus Recipe

Hello Friends!


WIAW (What. I. Ate. Wednesday.) is something I love to participate in with Jen at Peas and Crayons.  Bloggers share what they eat (usually in picture form) in one single day.  There is no judgement or criticism..only true reality checks with the food we consume on a daily basis.

Every week she has a link-up and I always meet new friends and get new recipes!!

This week I have a new recipe for you guys on WIAW.  Can you say *bonus*??

Behold Crispy Hot Semi-Healthy Quesadillas

But first let's start chatting about my other eats.

Thanksgiving 2011 Baking and Family Time

Hello friends!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend!  I don't know about you..but I reeealllyyyy didn't want to get up this morning.  I worked at 6am at my coffee catering job so I set three different alarms to make sure I'd make it to work on time.

I had a long and busy weekend myself!  But it's all worth it to eat delicious food and hang with family right??

Left to Right: Rachey (11), Grandma Kathy (mom's mom), Josh (19), Me and Mama Sue.

I spent Wednesday evening and Thursday morning with my littlest sister Rachey.  We watched The Adventures of Milo and Otis, baked some goodies and had a sleepover.  Fun girl time!

I made some pumpkin and banana muffins before Rachey arrived using my banana-pumpkin bread recipe with 1/2 of a cup less of pumpkin.  Turned out tasty!

I wanted to make more muffins because of the three thanksgivings I was going to PLUS going out of town to the farm to visit the BF's family.  So we made some Banana Nut Muffins with pumpkin and little chocolate chips (instructions here).

I reeeealllyyy wanted to make the Sweet Potato Biscuits from my last Friday Five Foodie Finds, but my other sis Courtney could not find the sweet potato puree....so we tried pumpkin...delish!  I will post about this recipe later because there are other things I changed and a funny *oops* moment I need to share.

Thursday we went to my Grandma Kathy's for a delicious Thanksgiving feast.  I love that feeling of tradition.  We have pretty much the same meal..side dishes...rolls...etc every year, but it doesn't get old.  It is a comfort to know what to expect, don't you think?  And to start drooling immediately upon entering the house.

Steaming hot turkey.

Banana Nut Muffins with a Fall Twist

Good Afternoon all,

I'd like to share a quick fall dessert idea with you.

I love baking from a box and adding my own twist.  Much less measuring and less mess as well.

Me and my sis made some delicious Fiber One Banana Nut Muffins and added our own flair to them.

Rachey was very helpful....

*Fall* Fiber One Banana Nut Muffins

Work that Turkey Off!! 3-2-1 Treadmill Routine {3 mile}

Hello friends!
Happy Day-After Thanksgiving! 

You are probably just finishing up Black Friday shopping and have been up for hours upon hours.  I hope you found some good deals!  I worked at my wings-n-beer job today so that was my excuse for not going out into the Black Friday madness.  One of my co-workers got up at 4am and found a 7-foot pre-lit tree for $50 bucks (normally $250).

There is no doubt there are good deals out there...but I've never been one for getting up crazy early and waiting in line and...getting into fist fights at Wal-Mart?  I feel so bad my sis had to work today!

Anywho...

I hope you all enjoyed time with family on Thanksgiving!  And time with food...but if you've over-indulged..I have a quick treadmill routine for ya!

This 3-2-1 Routine is only 33 minutes including warm-up and cool-down and you cover 3 miles!

You can change the speed but the basic idea is 3 minutes at an easy pace, 2 minutes a little quicker, and 1 minutes at a sprint.  These speeds were perfect and I was super sweaty by the end (that's a good thing folks).

{WIAW} Eating with Kiddos + Serving Others

Happy Mid-Week Day to you all!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!  Can you believe it??

I have THREE Thanksgivings to go to the day of NOT COUNTING Thanksgiving at the farm with the BF's family.  That's a lot of Turkey.  I will be in need of a big nap.

Today is Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, today is Wednesday all day long.  (We used to sing this in Kindergarten...it's funny the things that stick with you huh?)

Wednesday means WIAW time {What. I. Ate. Wednesday.}  It's fun day to reflect on one day out of the week's food intake.  It oftentimes tells me that I need to eat more fruits and vegetables, but sometimes I get to pat myself on the back too.  Today I'll be detailing you what I ate on Saturday.

Saturday was a full and fun day to say the least. 

I had the opportunity to help out delivering a couple of meals on Saturday to people for Thanksgiving and it just warmed my heart. <3 

I take SO MUCH for granted!  I have multiple Thanksgiving dinners to attend to and some go without!  How Blessed am I?  I am very grateful that the Daddio scheduled me and the BF to do the turkey drop-off.  He has such a big heart for others and I admire him greatly for that!

Source

 At first I was nervous because we got instructions on a piece of paper that said things like, "Don't go into the house." "If they ask for money, politely refuse." "If there is a problem, call 911 immediately." 

Eek.  Seriously I got knots in my stomach when the Daddio read the instructions.  Could these people hurt us?  Would they invite us in and then try to rob us?  I'm a little lady...they could just snatch me up and close the door!

These thoughts were rushing through my head as we listened to the Garmin tell us where to find the first house and my heart sank into my stomach when we got into the neighborhood.  This was not the cleanest neighborhood for sure.  The porch of the house had all sorts of trash and random holiday decorations and as we approached the front door we heard a large dog barking.  (Yes, I could tell how big it was by it's bark.)

A large man opened the door and when my dad introduced himself as a volunteer delivering "Turkey and Fixins" the man smiled.  He graciously accepted the food and a young boy in the background smiled and thanked us as well.  *Whew* I did not get snatched up into the house. 

The rest went just as beautifully.  Really I feel when you serve someone, with the right attitude, it is more of a blessing to the server than the servee (that's not a word but you get it right?).  I encourage everyone that when you get an opportunity to serve another person...take it!

Well since you may have jumped over to check out my eats from Peas and Crayons for  
WIAW {What. I. Ate. Wednesday.},
let's get into it shall we?

Semi-Healthy Pumpkin Spiced and Sprinkled Cookies

Hello Friends!  Happy Tuesday!

My Tuesday is going particularly well as I slept in until 9:30 and have been lounging in my pjs watching Gilmore Girls and drinking delish peppermint mocha coffee.  Are you totally jealous?? :-)

No, I'm not pulling a sick day...its my first week on Fall Break!  That means no classes for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!

I decided today was going to be pajama day (until I leave for the gym in a bit...but gym clothes are just as comfy so it's all good).  And then I suppose I should then shower and get dressed to get my hurr did.  But I will take half a pj day!

I also get extra time to blog surf AND to do a fun cookie post!  I shared with you on my Friday Five Foodie Finds this past Friday {Fall Food Love} these delightful looking Pumpkin Cookies I needed to try to make.  Aaaand I did! :-)

I made modifications of course so check it out!

Pumpkin Spiced and Sprinkled Cookies

Turkey Loaf...it's what's for dinner

Hello everyone,


I think the best food is made out of love.  <3

Love of baking/cooking.

Love of food.  Love of chocolate.  Love of bbq sauce.  Love of chicken.

AAaaand love of the people we're making food for.

It's a good thing that a couple of these factors were involved in the making of this delightful Turkey Loaf dish.

Me, the BF and BF roomie were going to have dinner together Thursday evening and watch the new episode of Community.

Troy and Abed in the MORNING!

Have you seen this sitcom by the way?  Basically about this study group of a variety of different people, because it's a community college, who never seem to actually study but hilarity always ensues.  I really wish my experience at community college resembled this tv show.  And I wish I had a study group with Troy and Abed.

BF's roomie said he was making mashed taters...and I thought we should probably have...some sort of a main course too?  It was chilly out so I thought "meatloaf".  Last time I made meatloaf I used lots of fresh peppers from BF's parent's garden, but alas I did not have any of these available.  I decided to get some celery instead and it turned out quite lovely.

{Friday Five Foodie Finds} #8 : Fall Food Love

It's Friday!!  Praise the Lord it's Friday!!

It has been a crazy week filled with homework and not as much sleep as I would like so Friday for me means sleeping in!  {If only till 8am}  My last two finals are Monday then I get two weeks off of school and I cannot wait.  I have grand plans of reading the magazines that have been piling up and cleaning cleaning cleaning.

I am so excited to share these yummy recipes with you because this time I am for sure making two of them.  Also since I missed out last week (uber-over-homeworked), I am adding a bonus to the regular five (making that six for you non-math majors).

1.)
(Saw it first on) Our Table For Seven: Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter (ala Betty Crocker)

I actually just baked these in a whole-wheat version and with more spices.  Delish and nutrish!  I'm gonna try to make the browned butter tomorrow before work.


2. )
The Novice Chef Blog's Cinnamon Sweet Potato Biscuits

This photo is just gorgeous.  I love every part of it.  The colors, composition, the details such as the mason jars and the white string.  The little biscuit "presents" are so sweet! (My art teacher would be proud.)  I have decided to try to make these delightful creations for Thanksgiving this year.  We have our usual rolls that we buy in a package and stick in the oven...but I think the family would enjoy some homemade rolls!

Keepin it Real

Dear friends,

Sometimes I'm not sure the real me shows through in my posts.  

It's a true challenge for me and it's something that has been brought to my attention.  Not directly...but for example, listening to the radio {KLOVE}, they were talking about how sometimes our relationships can be so shallow.

They say, "How are you?" we say, "Good."  This is fine and dandy if you are talking to the person bagging your groceries...but with friends we should be more honest and open.  Right?

I would love to make non-shallow connections on my blog...to show my true feelings and have you share with me.  I would also love to have real relationships with my friends!  {If you know me in person and you feel me being shallow or feel like I don't honestly care how you are when I ask, "How are you?" please call me out!}

Another example that jumped out at me..
I was in bible study Tuesday night and at the very end, the leader of the group was sharing how we need to show people we are Christians with our love for others.  {John 13:35}



And at the same time Keep.  It.  Real. {did you even know I was a Christian?  or that I go to bible study?  if not...this is what I'm talking about..the real Amanda!}

Bible study :-) me and the BF on the far right

Being honest and open and non-judgmental and LOVING others.  This is what it's about!  This is how we build relationships and connections.

I think I have the hardest time with this because I am naturally very shy.  I tend to keep to myself and it takes a loooong time before people see the true me.  I am sooo jealous of the BF in this area because he can become instant friends with anyone.  That grocery person I mentioned before, he would have had him/her laughing or feeling better having talked to him.  I want to be like this!

For example, in my two classes that I actually enter in a classroom, it is the end of the quarter and I am JUST NOW feeling comfortable asking questions and talking in front of everyone. 

Maybe this is why a blog feels comfortable to me?  Because I can hide behind the pretty pictures and recipes and only show you what I want?

The same goes for Twitter and Facebook.  Lord help me be true to myself there because sometimes I am just on there for self-promotion.  Which is okay...I do have a bloggity I want to show off...but really I want to be chatting with people to build relationships or to make THEIR day better and brighter...not so that I can get some new followers!

I want to Keep It Real with you guys.  So...let's be real...

{WIAW} Eating on the Go

Happy Wednesday bloggie friends!

Hope you are having a good week and if not...it's half-way over! :-)

Thanks for stopping by on W.I.A.W. (What. I. Ate. Wednesday)! 

It's time again for me to share with you all everything that fueled this body during one day's time. 

Are you ready? 

I made a fun collage (inspired by Peas and Crayons, who also inspired WIAW) of all the food I ate Monday.

Fun right?  This makes me think of my scrap-booking days.  I used to be an avid scrapper...taking up the entire living room with all of my paper, scissors, pictures, stencils...but alas I hardly ever print pictures anymore!  Can anyone relate??  It just goes on my laptop and/or on Facebook.

Nut Butter Fun

I love peanutbutter. 

On everything.

Peanutbutter on apples, peanutbutter on toast, peanutbutter on waffles, peanutbutter cupcakes...the list goes on and on. 

I was at Target the other day and saw a whole array of nutbutters and thought, well, it's good to change things up so why not try one of em?  I checked the back label of each and came upon one with less sodium and more protein than my current peanutbutter...winner!

I present to you...
Peanut Butter with  Flaxseeds

Sugar and Spice and Everything Awesome Cookie

Hello friends,

I hope you had an amazing weekend!  I had a pretty lazy one...stayed in my Pj's for most of the day Saturday.  (I needed that.)

Since all of my Halloween treats had vanished quickly, I have been craving homemade sweets.  I decided to try a new recipe...rather I decided to create a new masterpiece of a cookie. 

{We know that I heart cookies.}

There has been a trend recently for desserts made with salt or pepper, a combination of flavors to delight the tastebuds.  I decided to try to replicate the salty/sweet aspect and it turned out perfectly (if I do say so myself).   

I tweeted that I had probably eaten 10 of these guys on Saturday.  That is how awesome they turned out.  (Or that is how big my sweet tooth is?)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Awesome Cookies

Thankful Thursday #30daysofthanks

Hello Friends!
How is your week going?  It is almost Friday!  Woot!  Any plans? 

I am planning on a run date with the BF and I am SO EXCITED because he's been gone most of October and November.  Then we are heading to small town, Iowa for a childhood friend's wedding.  So many weddings this year!

Another Small Town Wedding This Year

Exclamation points!! 

I am on such a workout high (possibly similar to a runner's high) from Body Pump and a mile walk run afterward.  Gotta love the workouts that leave you feeling rejuvinated instead of dead.  To be quite honest I felt dead the first time I did Body Pump but now I am getting stronger so I don't feel like keeling over half-way through the workout. (Check out my thankful day #6)

#30daysofthanks
I have decided to take on a personal challenge of taking time each day to recognize one thing I am thankful for.  I am posting on Facebook and Twitter (you might as well follow if you aren't already ;-) ) and I am using the hashtag #30daysofthanks.

Here is my list so far: 
Day 1: I am thankful for my Chili's friends! 

I worked at Chili's for 3 years with these pretty ladies.  Four of us haven't even worked there for a couple of years but we still keep in touch!  :-)

Day 2: I am thankful for chocolate.

Need I say more?

Day 3: I am thankful for parking in a garage.  All my life until this last year I have had to get up early and scrap the windows.  How awesome is it to not have to freeze your tush off early in the morning??

WIAW {Running Food}

Hey friends!  Happy WIAW! (What. I. Ate. Wednesday.)

Time to take a look at what this Semi-Health Nut ate on Tuesday.

Breakfast {9:30 a.m.}: Kashi Blueberry Waffles, peanutbutter, "grandma jelly" bottle of water and coffee (with splenda and cinnamon vanilla creamer)

Snackaroo {11am}: Dark chocolate chips with string cheese
(Made me feel less like pulling out my hair while doing Chemistry.)

If it takes me 2 hours to do 14 problems, and I have 21 problems to do total, how long until I chuck my Chemistry book out the window?

Lasagna Tastes Best with FRIENDS :-)

The BF has been traveling A LOT! 
This means he has been dining out quite frequently so I thought it would be nice to make my guy a nice home-cooked meal.

I miss his handsome face!

I decided I'd give Lasagna a go.  It's been awhile since the last time I made it and I just couldn't seem to get it quite how I wanted it.

Maybe it was my love that did it (you like it cheesy right?), or maybe BF's help in the kitchen, but it turned out perfect!

This is pre-baking.  I never did get a final pic because our friends showed up and I got distracted!

Semi-Health Nut's Lasagna (made with LOVE):

Did that Just Happen??

Hey friends, can I share an "Amanda is a goof" moment with you?

Alternate title for this post: "What NOT To Do" "What the What?" "Oops"

Today I had this craving for hard-boiled eggs. 

I was going to make an egg salad and scoop with chips like I did on a previous WIAW (What. I. Ate. Wednesday.) Post.

I was going to add some peppers that the BF chopped for me...and even a little spinnach for some veggies.  Yum!  A made-up dish that I was hoping to share with everyone if it turned out to be as tasty as I thought it was.

As per usual, I was multi-tasking.  I was working on my art project, researching the very first ancient ball games, which was pretty fascinating.  The ancient people often put human skulls in their rubber balls and when the game was finished, the losers were sacrificed to the gods.  Neato. 

I got distracted and thought the eggs had boiled long enough so I thought I'd take em off the burner. 

False.  

They were not done and had an ewwie goey texture of an almost-boiled egg. 

Friday Five Foodie Finds #7 {You make that in a SKILLET??}

Happy Friday Friends!

It's that time again...time to show you a small sample of the awesomeness I have found searching this here world-wide-web.  I like to call it Friday Five Foodie Finds.

{Really it's an excuse to peruse many many blogs for hours and hours each week in the name of Friday Five Foodie Finds.}  ;-)

1.  The Pink and Blue Blog's Cookie Skillet

This recipe makes me drool.  I mean really check it out.  I added another sweet pic onto my Pinterest board showing all the steps.  Slight obstacle: I don't have a cast iron skillet.  I could ask for one for Christmas...but that is oh so far away!  I may just steal one from the BF's family...I think I saw one there.  Shhh don't tell!

2.   The Smitten Kitchen's Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

 I originally saw this on Iowa Girl Eat's Blog...but she got it from Smitten Kitchen so I gotta give both props. ;-) This gem combines grilled cheese with tomato soup...a soup which I have never liked...but from the looks of this, I could learn to like.  I mean come on, roasted tomatos??  Also I have never broiled anything so that will be a fun challenge...

What Do ya Do with a Pomegranate??

I am pretty sure I have used pomegranate in the form of hair wash and body wash...

but I have never even seen one in person until this Tuesday night.  The night that I first saw, and consumed, a pomegranate fruit.

My sisters came over for a (late) Halloween movie night.
{Did you know I have two sisters?  An 11-year old sister and a 21 year old sister.  Plus a 19-year old brother.  Yep, I'm the oldest!}

So my sister pulls out this fruit as I'm preparing my dinner.  It looks sort of like a grapefruit.  Hmm.  Then she started cutting into it and revealing little pink droplet..things.  I do like trying new things so I said I'd have a try!

She simply started peeling away the outside and put all of the little seeds into a bowl.  This took FOREVER.  This is one fruit that makes you work!

Post-Halloween + That's HOW MANY calories?? {WIAW}

Hello friends!  Happy November!

So Halloween is over right?  Candy binging be gone?  Kinda...  Hormones told me that I needed to have sugar today so it's not my fault. ;-)  {But let's be honest...I rarely go a day without sweets!}

Me and the BF at our Halloween Party

Fun fact about some sweets I consumed over the weekend...
Oreos are 70 calories each.  EACH!!  Not per serving (serving size is two for 140 calories).

I made oreo balls Saturday for our Halloween Party because they are one of my most requested treats.  I figured that the oreo+cream cheese+ candy coating makes 200-250 calories per ball.  But they are delightfully scrumptious!

I have never been one to restrict myself from any foods (as in "never can I ever have..."), but I do think that being informed on nutrition info helps us to realize what we are putting in our bodies and to learn to savor our treats more.  I did have a couple oreos AND a couple of oreo balls over the weekend so I am good for awhile.

And after learning this fun caloric fact I decided to take the leftovers from the party to work!  Delicious temptations be gone!

Now for WIAW.  What.  I.  Ate.  Wednesday.

This does not mean what I ate on Wednesday, this is simply the day that I link up to the blogger party where we pick one day and photograph all of the food we eat and share it with everyone.  Funness!!

When Throwing a Halloween Party... Costume Contest is Essential

Hello friends,
I hope everyone enjoyed their Halloween weekend!  

I decided to take on the task of throwing a Halloween party this year. 

The BF lives with a roomie who owns a house so the roomie's GF and I decided we should have a Halloween party at the house.  I have never thrown a Halloween party before and had really no idea how to go about this, but it sounded like fun and it was two months away so we'd have plenty of time...right?

Nutter Butters dipped in white almond bark with mini choc chips

 Well of course it was a lot of last minute planning and a little stressing because the BF has been out of town a lot.  I ended up picking him up from the airport Friday night (night before the party) and we went to Wal-Mart for a lot of our party supplies {including Halloween oreos} but NOT including the sherbet for the punch because they DIDN'T HAVE IT!?   I thought Wal-Mart had everything...?

The day of the party I spent litterally 4 hours making the delish oreo balls.  Thank heavens I had made the ghost treats the day before!  

Ya oreo balls are probably the messiest treats to make...but so worth it!!