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Evenin’!

This has been the strangest day! It looked gorgeous outside, but on my lunch time walk, I was freeeezing in a light jacket and no gloves. :? Now it’s overcast and windy. Oh Spring, I’m looking…where are you?!

To cheer myself up, and to squish my angry sweet tooth that had me aimlessly  wandering around the kitchen looking for something to eat after work, I whipped up some Frozen Banana Custard! It’s been faaaar too long!

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This gold star recipe comes from Gena and is comprised of, wait for it, one ingredient. One. Frozen bananas!

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To make sure I’m always prepared to whip some up, I buy a bunch of bananas, cut them in half and freeze them. When I want to make custard, I take out two halves, slice them up, pop them in my food processor, and start whirrin’. :)

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First your banana will look like dippin’ dots.

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Then it will start to clump together.

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Then, with angels singing in the background, it will turn into frozen banana custard!

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Better than any custard you’ve ever had! No sugar, no fat, no nothin’. Just bananas. That’s it!

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You’d be surprised how much custard one banana makes, too. Almost a full cup, I’d say! :D

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Thick, luscious and decadent. Perfect for a guilt-free dessert…

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Or an after school work snack. ;) Bliss. Make some, won’t you?

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While I was enjoying my bowl of creamy goodness, I heated up dinner – which I made yesterday afternoon – a big pot of Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup!

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Perhaps my subconscious was telling me that yesterday’s warm weather was just a teaser, and tonight I’d really need a big, warm bowl of chicken soup. ;) I made this batch the same as always – starting with a big pile of fresh veggies.

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Tip: I rarely use an entire onion in one recipe, so I go ahead, chop the whole thing up and store the rest in the freezer. The next time I need chopped onion for a recipe, it’s all ready to go! :D

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For the “noodle” part of my chicken noodle soup, I used a mixture of Reames Frozen Flat Dumplings and Egg Noodles. You can find these in the frozen foods aisle – they are SO good!

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All I had to do tonight was pop the soup pot on the stove to reheat, and dinner was as good as done! :D

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Comfort in a cup.

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Served with some Parmesan Garlic Bread.

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That’s one slice of EarthGrains Honey Wheatberry bread, spread with some butter, garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Popped under the broiler until golden brown. The best!

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Sooo…while you’re whipping up some of that banana custard, do yourself a favor and whip some of this soup up too. Hurry, while the cool weather lasts! :D

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I have no shame in admitting that tonight is a “butt-firmly-planted-on-the-couch-because-oh-my-gosh-there’s-some-reeeeally-good-tv-on!!” kind of night. ;) First we’ve got 20/20 Behind the Bachelor, Gossip Girl (eek!) and Jessica Simpson’s new show, The Price of Beauty. I think that one’s going to be REALLY good!!

Dessert war too: duck or truffle? I can’t decide! Maybe both… muwahaha!

Take care! :)

~~~~~

What do you think makes someone beautiful?

I think a genuine interest and concern for other people’s wellbeing makes someone very beautiful on the inside. And this may sound cliche, but I think confidence is a very beautiful thing too. NOT to be confused with cockiness!!

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How To Cut a Pineapple

Oh, daylight saving time, I could kiss you! I know we’re only on day 2, but the effects are already measurable. I swear it was light out until 8:00 last night, and it makes me feel.so.happy! :D

In other news, my calves are screamin’ today! Second day soreness from the jumping jacks and jump roping in my 8 minute at-home cardio circuit has definitely settled in. Want killer calves? Jump rope. ;)

As I mentioned last night, I used some unsweetened vanilla almond breeze in this morning’s breakfast of a Banana Almond Protein Smoothie!

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In the mix:

  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze
  • 1 Tablespoon almond butter
  • 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds

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I’ve been meaning to tell you about whey protein powder since I got it from my iherb.com shopping spree awhile ago. Whey protein is a by-product of turning milk into cheese, although it is lactose free.

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It’s also high in amino acids, great for muscle building, low in fat and high in protein. I like it because this particular brand/flavor tastes great and really gives me a lasting, full feeling without adding a ton of extra calories.

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So into the smoothie it went! Blend, blend, blend and out comes a delicious, frothy, smoothie! It tasted like a banana milkshake, MMMMM! I stuck mine in the freezer last night and am letting it thaw right now so I can eat it with a spoon this morning. I like my smoothies best that way, because they last a long time!

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For lunch today, I packed a big, Mixed Salad. 

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In the mix:

  • Mixed greens
  • Spinach
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Dried cranberries
  • Low-sodium deli turkey
  • Almonds

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Have I ever told you that I have low iron levels? I do, so eating things like spinach really helps to keep my energy levels up. A multivitamin (and chia seeds) helps with the rest.

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To be tossed in some Annie’s Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette. :D

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Oh and some fresh pineapple that I cut up this weekend

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Speaking of… The last time I cut up a fresh pineapple, several of you said you didn’t know how to cut one up. Trust me, I’ve been there. I remember the first time I brought one home, I was like – mmmkay, what now?! Fear not, I’ll show you. :)

How to cut a pineapple:

1. I’ve found that selecting a pineapple which is light green/yellow in overall color yields the sweetest fruit. You also know it’s ripe when you pull a green “frond” from the top and it plucks out easily.

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2. Lay the pineapple on it’s side on a big cutting surface. With a sharp knife, cut the bottom and top ends off.

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Note: I like to keep a trash bag next to the pineapple so I can just throw all the scraps in there easily.

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3. Place the pineapple right side up on one of the newly cut sides.

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4. Using a sharp knife, cut the rind off the fruit, following the natural curve of the pineapple.

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5. Once you have all the rind off, go back over the fruit to remove any of the hard “eyes” that remain.

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6. Cut your pineapple in half length wise.

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7. Cut each half in half, so you now have 4 quarters.

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8. Place a quarter flat side down and, placing your knife at an angle, cut out the tough core.

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9. Cut the cored quarter into slices lengthwise, and chop!

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See? It’s not so hard! It truly gets easier every time you do it too, so get to practicing! ;)

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With that, I’m out like a trout. Have a wonderful Monday and enjoy the suuuuunshiiiiine!

PS In case you missed it, check out my quick & easy St. Patrick’s Day Chocolate Mint Pie recipe. It’s a tasty dessert, perfect for any festivities this week!

~~~~~

What’s your heritage?

I have Czechoslovakian on my Mom’s side, and Welsch on my Dad’s!

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I did it!

4 miles in 37 minutes down the ol’ hatch – in my new shoes! They are very lightweight and breathable. I knew as soon as I felt the whoosh of cold air hit my tootsies through the top of the shoe as I started running! ;)

Weather.com said it was 54 degrees out, but I’m going to go ahead and say that it was more like 47-48. Nevertheless, I donned some shorts and short sleeves, (!) then hit the trail! My ears got a little bit cold on the way back running into the wind, but all in all, it was just a peach of a run. :D

I wasn’t too hungry after my run – lunch was pretty heavy – so I kept it simple with BFD, aka breakfast for dinner (coined by Lauren!) ;) Cheerios, almonds & dried cranberries with a side of toast.

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I’m telling you – best bowl of cereal EVER! Oh, and for some weird reason, whenever I smell or taste unsweetened vanilla almond breeze, I crave Cheerios…? I was using some of it to make tomorrow’s breakfast and immediately knew what I wanted for dinner. So strange. So good.

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I used some of my EarthGrains Wheatberry Honey Bread for my toast. Look at those chewy wheatberries!

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Topped with a smear of raspberry jam.

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Whenever I eat Cheerios I think of this Family Guy clip…HA!

Cheerios sound bite

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Ben and are I off to go hang with his parents…it’s all about family today! :D

Goodnight!

~~~~~

Do you ever watch cartoons or animated shows?

I’ve been known to watch an occasional episode of Family Guy. I used to HATE it – thought it was tacky and gross – but Stuie got to me. That little, foul-mouthed baby got to me, I tell ya’!

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THE SUN IS OUT! 8)

I think we’ve gone six straight days in dreary darkness, so this day couldn’t come quick enough. It’s absolutely gorgeous outside – it least 50 degrees too!

I celebrated by cutting up a fresh pineapple this morning and snacking on it for a light breakfast while I prepared some dinners for the upcoming week. :)

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the world would be a much happier place if we could all have fresh pineapple every morning! 

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Around noon, Ben and I went over to my parent’s house for lunch – my Aunt’s Italian Sausages, Coleslaw and Fresh Fruit were on the menu!

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My Mom made this simple coleslaw salad by combining a bag of pre-cut coleslaw with dressing made with a little sugar, vinegar, olive oil and other spices – including dry mustard, which tasted really, really good!

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Like mother like daughter – she had fresh pineapple and strawberries for us too! Us Iowans know that when pineapple goes on sale at the grocery store – you snatch it UP! :D

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And those unforgettable Italian Sausages…omg… Local, spicy Italian sausage links, simmered in homemade marinara sauce. Unreal! Usually I eat them with a nice, crusty roll and some melted provolone cheese, but I was saving my carbs for…

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Chocolate Mint Pie!!!!

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Seeing as how St. Patrick’s Day is this week, I thought a fun, minty and greeeeen dessert would be fun to bring. ;)

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St. Patrick’s Day Chocolate Mint Pie

Ingredients:

1 package sugar-free, fat-free instant chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 teaspoon mint extract, divided

1 1/2 cup whip cream, divided

green food coloring

12 mint Oreo cookies

1 pre-made Oreo cookie pie crust

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Directions:

1. Place Oreos in a plastic bag and crush until the cookies pieces are the size of marbles.

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2. In a medium sized bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Whisk for 2 minutes, or until it is soft set. Fold in 3/4 cup cool whip and 1/4 teaspoon mint extract. Gently fold in 1 cup of crushed Oreos.

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3. Pour filling into pre-made pie shell and spread until even.

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(spatula licking is mandatory!)

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4. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup cool whip, 1/4 teaspoon mint extract and green food coloring. Pour on top of the pudding and spread until even.

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5. Top with remaining Oreo cookie pieces and chill for it least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

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Sweet, crunchy, chocolaty and minty – what more could you ask for?!

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This tasted just like a big, Thin Mint – oh.yum! The best part is that it came together in mere minutes and is perfect for a quick & easy St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Give it a try!

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Well, it is too gorgeous a day to be stuck inside – so I’m heading outdoors. I’m taking my new kicks out for a run! 8)

See you!

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I got some new kicks! :D

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I’ve always had good luck with Nike’s, and after asking for some advice on Twitter, someone pointed me to the Nike Pegasus shoes. 

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They are so comfy! Super squishy, yet sturdy. The guy at the store told me they’ll hold up for a long time and are good for longer runs. Done and done. I can’t wait to take them for a spin run. :)

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While we were shopping, Ben and I pondered what to have for dinner. We decided on something warm and cheesy. :D Turkey Apricot Melts it was!

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I started with some fresh ciabatta rolls that I picked up from the deli section at the grocery store today. Two for $.99 – can’t beat it!

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To the rolls, I added low-sodium deli turkey,

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and cheddar cheese.

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The top of the buns were slathered with some apricot preserves – oh.yum!

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Onto a foil-lined baking sheet…

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and placed under the broiler until they reached crusty, melty perfection!

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Oh yeah, baby. :)

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What an easy and satisfying Saturday night dinner! The outsides of the rolls got nice and crunchy from the broiler, while the cheddar cheese oozed down over the insides. Un-be-liev-able!

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The apricot jam was nice and sweet against the savory cheese and turkey.

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On the side, for some crunch, some Kettle Cooked Sharp Cheddar Chips.

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Normally, we’re a Poore Brothers Parmesan Garlic (now “Border Canyon” – don’t get me started) kind of couple, but the store was out! :( It ended up being kind of a good thing though, because these were awesome! Soooooo crunchy and flavorful.

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Enjoyed with our feet up on the coffee table, college basketball playing in the background. :)

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Oh yeah, with a Sam’l Smith Organic Raspberry Ale!

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I haven’t had one of these since a happy hour I went to a loooooong time ago – I am dying to drink it! Do you like fruity beers?

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Tonight is a battle of NCAA conference tournaments vs The Hurt Locker. Guess who wants what? ;)

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward tonight! We lose an hour :( but it’ll be light out for so.much.longer. now – wheeee!!! I can’t wait!

Have a great night!

~~~~~

Do you drink alcohol? What’s your favorite drink?

I don’t drink alcohol all that much anymore – maybe twice a month?  But my favorite drinks are Lindemans Framboise and Mojitos. Mojito, mojito, mojito!

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