Almond Butter Banana Waffles

Ah, good morning!

I’m sharing a super simple, super nutritious, and super delicious waffle recipe with you today. Believe me, you’ll be begging for more before you’re even done.

These waffles have LESS carbs, MORE protein, and the same amount of fat as a serving of eggo waffles!! WITHOUT the sugar either (they have 6g)!

Ingredients (makes 1 waffle):

1 ripe banana
1 egg white (3 tbsp)
1/2 tbsp almond butter + more for serving
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tbsp cinnamon (I personally like a lot)
1 tsp vanilla extract (if not on Paleo, Whole30, Sugar Free diet)

Method:

Mash your banana with a whisk. Mix in the egg white, chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Once mixed, add in your almond butter.

Grease your waffle iron and spread the mixture. Cook as you normally would. I personally like mine on a darker setting. It takes a little longer for these ingredients to form together as there isn’t any flour.

Serve with melted almond butter and sliced bananas. Serve with syrup. Serve with jam. Regardless of how you serve it, you’ll love it.

The best part is…if you want, you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make ahead and then store in your freezer. Wake up, toast a waffle, spread some almond butter on top, and breakfast is on the table in seconds!

Nutrition (per 1 serving):

223 calories
6g fat
27g net carbs
9g protein

I love that while you’re still getting carbs from the banana and chia seeds, they are low glycemic. Which is why we like those ingredients! Plus check out all the health benefits of chia seeds that I linked to above.

I’ve never known a single waffle to have 9g of protein…i’m all about it.

These waffles are high in fiber with 8g. Me oh my.

You’ll think you’re cheating with this recipe, but you’re really not. Make the waffles and let me know how they turn out!

What’s Up Wednesday: March

What’s up?!

I’m here and i’m linking up with Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer. Every last Wednesday of the month, we all blog about what’s been going on. If you missed 2015’s posts, check them out!

What I’m eating:

I post about food a lot…if you hop around here you’ll be able to find something. 😉

Yesterday I posted everything about the sugar detox I completed.

A couple weeks ago I mentioned my daily eats.

Before that I told you all about my favorite lactose free products. Later this week my favorite gluten free products are coming!

What I’m reminiscing about:

My spring break in the midwest. Oh how I miss it and my family. It was such a great vacation. Check out my recaps of this trip:

Day 1, 2, and 3
Day 4, 5, and 6
Day 7, 8, 9 and 10

What I’m loving:

Kale.

Look, I realize i’m hopped on this bandwagon super late, but I am ALL ABOUT kale right now. This salad has kept me going for the past couple weeks.

What I’ve been up to:

A little bit of everything. I like to keep busy, so that’s just what I have been doing!

What I’m dreading:

All of the schoolwork that I see coming up on my calendar. It’s just so time consuming and boring and I just want to whine okay 🙂

On another note…I love the simplified planner.

What I’ve been working on:

Something exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I don’t want to mention anything just yet in case it doesn’t pan out, but there’s the potential that I may have just gotten my degree in one thing and take a complete opposite direction.

What I’m excited about:

Baseball is back!

Last night I cheered on my brother at his baseball game…

…and in 2 weeks i’ll be cheering on the Red Sox for opening day!! YAY!

What I’ve been reading/watching:

I’ll talk about what i’m reading next Wednesday, April 6th for Bookworm Wednesday!! Link up with Katie and I for that.

As for what i’m watching…

My last Bookworm Wednesday turned into TVworm Wednesday. Check it out because I talked about all my favorite shows. But since then I found this show on Netflix…

…and i’m obsessed with it. I find it so dang hilarious. Do you watch?!

What I’m listening to:

This song on repeat for the past month!

 What I’ve been wearing:

Jeans, booties, and some kind of cute shirt. This is my go-to outfit. Always.

What I’m doing this weekend:

Work and school. Nothing exciting is on the agenda this weekend.

What I’m looking forward to next month:

The semester being over and only having 3 classes standing between me and graduation! I’ll be looking like this come last week of April!!! 🙂

 

What else is new:

I’m trying to get myself, specifically my blog out on social media.

Follow me and i’ll follow you back!!!

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01 here
Facebook: click here to like my blog
Pinterest: @mollymiddleton1 here
Bloglovin’: click here
Snapchat: I’m “mollymiddleton”

What is my favorite spring cleaning tip:

To get rid of all the winter clothes in your closet that you didn’t even wear. I like to do this after every season. My clothes get all sorts of piled up and I end up keeping it because I think i’ll wear them next season, and then I don’t, and then they sit. Just do it now!

And that’s March!

Spring Break 2016: Day 4, 5, 6

I’m still recapping my Omaha trip. If you missed Day 1, 2, 3 click here.

Tuesday started day 4 of vacation. Reese and I talked about Starbucks and he said he didn’t know what to order there, but he knew he wanted something. Helllllooooo you’re talking to the queen of coffee. So I asked what he liked…you know, hot or cold, chocolatey or vanilla, and we took a trip to Starbucks. I got my iced coffee and he enjoyed his Vanilla Latte. Now that wasn’t too hard, was it? 😉

As soon as we got back to the house, my aunt and I hit the road for my grandpa’s house in Iowa.

Around 1:00 or so, I wanted a salad. A grilled chicken salad. While we were driving my aunt mentioned something about wanting an ice-cream cone, so we ended up stopping at a dairy queen and I was pleasantly surprised by how good their salad was! And get this…Tuesday, March 15th happened to be FREE CONE DAY. What the what?! We all won!

We got to grandpa’s right around 3:00 in time for a Dr. Phil episode. I spread out on the couch eating grapes while gramps sat in his beloved chair and we watched all the crazy play out on Phil’s show.

Later that night we went to dinner at a local Tavern and while it was taco night, I ended up with a grilled tenderloin. All I got was a tiny piece of meat and I was still hungry so when we got home…

…I made some popcorn and we all munched while watching updates on the presidential race. Gramps enjoyed some leftover birthday cake.

Ohhhhhhh how I love this guy. I was so happy we got to come down and see him!

On Wednesday we woke up and were lazy all morning, so come lunch time my aunt made grandpa a lasagna and I laughed because it looked SO GROSS. Word to the wise…don’t buy Stouffer’s lasagna if you want to eat something that actually looks yummy. If you don’t care, then by all means!

Later that afternoon, we did what gramps does during the afternoon. He sat in his chair and read the paper while I continued on in Candace Cameron Bure’s book. With more of the news in the background of course.

That night my cousin Dani (who’s basically the older sister I never had) and her husband, and their little boy Tommy came to eat. So we went back to the same tavern for dinner…because when in small town Iowa, you have limited options. This time I got a grilled chicken breast and baked potato.

We came home and I got a picture with grandpa. And it’s a shame I don’t do something with my hair because ew.

I posted this picture on Instagram. FOLLOW ME @mollymiddleton01. Tommy pooped his pants right before this picture and it was hilarious. Nonetheless, I still got a picture with him (and gramps in the background) so it’s my new favorite.

I had to grab another selfie with grandpa while I could.

We hung out, chatted and then all went to bed.

Thursday morning we woke up and grandpa had his cereal. We said our goodbyes as we were going back to Omaha that day.

We stopped by my other aunt and uncle’s house to say goodbye and my aunt gave me this drink to try. I’m a fan. Have you had it before?!

And then we stopped at our Dairy Queen again. And here’s the deal with that.

My aunt did something to her knee to where she could barely walk, so she wore a knee brace down. When we went into the DQ on Tuesday the lady behind the counter asked if she could pray for her. She said yes and we left. Well, the next day my aunt woke up feeling  100% better and said we were going back to her! So we did. And she had her pray for some other stuff going on in her life. And it was so refreshing to see!

Thank goodness for people like Bev from DQ.

When we got back, I quickly showered and headed over to my uncle’s house for some corned beef and cabbage because #stpaddy’sday

And then I went out with one of my other cousin’s and her parents for happy hour.

We came back and they had this appetizer made. I found it on Pinterest and am totally going to re-create it soon! Sooooo good!

My uncle has his famous drink that he makes and when we got home he got to it!

I had one of his drinks and a drink that my cousin made. Trust me…you won’t have to worry about an alcohol deficiency when in the presence of my family!

My cousin and my aunt just cooking away and spoiling me.

Steaks, kale salad, and sautéed mushrooms and onions. DELICIOUS. I want it again!!

We sat around the table for a couple hours after dinner talking, laughing, telling stories, and all of that. I ended up going home around midnight and went straight to sleep. All of these events were wearing me out!! But it was so much fun!

Tomorrow we’ll be wrapping up and coming home. Come back to see! 🙂

Colors of Life: Daily Eats (Gluten and Lactose Friendly)

Hello!

Today, we’re talking food. Woohoo! I get quite a few questions about what I typically eat on a daily basis and as y’all know, I have an allergy to gluten and lactose. I know there are some people out there looking for healthy alternatives or who have been diagnosed with a food allergy and need some guidance. HAVE NO FEAR, MOLLY IS HERE!

I am no nutritionist (I KNOW, SHOCKER). But this is what I’ve found that’s working for me right now. I do A LOT of research any time I can, so I just want to share it with you guys. Cooking is a hobby of mine. Finding foods that I can eat, that are healthy, and that I can create is one of my favorite things to do. So it works for me.

Some things to know:

1. You have to experiment with foods/times/etc. Finding what works best for you and your schedule is going to be key. I love to get ideas from others, hence the constant research i’m doing, but ultimately it’s about me and my body.

2. I try not to eat the same thing 2 days in a row. Not that eating the same meal 2 days in a row is bad, but I think it’s important to switch it up. Moderation is key. Besides that, i’m the queen of finding something I love, eating it for weeks straight, and then burning out on it completely and I don’t want to do that!

3. I listen to my body. If I know I should eat some fish, but i’m craving a pizza, then I go with pizza. Chances are i’ll just keep thinking about the pizza and the fish won’t satisfy me. And if i’m full, I stop eating. And if i’m not hungry, I don’t eat. I know many say to eat snacks in between meals even if you’re not hungry, but I personally disagree. I think eat when you’re hungry…

4. I eat when i’m hungry. If you read my COL on eating disorders, you saw that I didn’t eat when I was hungry. I ate when the clock told me I could. I look back to that now and wonder how I ever did that.

5. I watch what I eat. I try not to cut out any particular food groups. That’s just cruel! But if I have some carbs for lunch, I don’t load up on carbs for dinner too. I like to keep a healthy balance of what goes in my body. That said, I don’t eat many packaged foods. I just don’t like them or the way they make me feel.

6. I don’t drink my calories. I was the kid that hated soda, lucky for me. I was also the kid that hated milk though (foreshadowing of lactose allergy?). I don’t drink soda, sweet tea (anymore…which is so sad), juice, or creamers/sweeteners with coffee. I like my coffee black except when I add some almond milk or soy milk to it. AND I LOVE WATER. I always have water on me and i’m always drinking it. Just check my day in the life!

7. Stock up on the freezer foods. I only cook for myself. My family doesn’t like my food so when I cook it’s usually for me and it goes bad quickly. This is why I like freezer chicken, fish, etc. It saves a lot of money too.

Alright, those are just a few tidbits on me and my diet. So here we go…

G’Mornin’!

At 6:54, it’s go time. Time to get that coffee brewing and the ice water cup filled. If necessary, i’ll grab a little trail mix to snack on before the gym.

Breakfast

For the LONGEST time, I was not a breakfast eater. From middle school through college I didn’t eat it. But after being told approximately 395873 times how important it is for you, I’ve attempted to start making it part of my routine. Now, when 10:00 hits, it’s breakfast time.

Something you may not know is that when we wake up in the morning hungry, it’s really our body telling us that it’s needs protein, fat, and carbs. This is because we broke all of these nutrients down throughout the night and it needs the fuel. Therefore, one of the best breakfasts you can have (and my personal favorite) is…

Avo-Toast

Toast up a piece of your favorite bread, smear 1/4 of an avocado on top, and spread 1/3 cup scrambled egg whites on top. I love picante on mine.

I love a good egg-white omelet…

…and an egg-white scramble.

Protein Pancakes

1 banana
1 scoop protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup egg whites (or 1 egg)
milk until you reach desired consistency (I think about 1/2 tbsp…I usually just pour)

Mix together and make like a regular pancake.

Creamy Chocolate Fudge Protein Shake

If I make this, it’s usually right before I walk out the door and I sip on it while i’m at work. I like this because it lasts longer than just eating breakfast and being done 🙂

Frittata a la Veggies

Make this on a Sunday, cut it up, and store in your fridge for a quick breakfast to heat up on the go!

4 Ingredient Pancakes

1 Banana
1 Egg
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (I like a lot, choose how much you want)
1/2 package travel size flax seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in a bowl, and cook like a pancake. Serve it up with a side of cantaloupe for your sweetness instead of syrup!

Momma’s French Toast

And sometimes you just need some good ol’ carbs on a weekend morning. If you can’t already tell…I LOVE egg whites for breakfast. They’re light, they’re nutritious, and they’re easy to make. You’ll soon learn about my love of vegetables as well!

Snack

Usually by 12:30/1:00, it’s time for a snack.

I like almonds. Scratch that, I love almonds. Almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts. I’m not picky. Just make sure you watch your portion size with nuts because although they’re healthy fats, they can be high cal if you’re not paying attention.

Other times, it’s just an iced coffee.

I get an iced doppio espresso in a grande cup. Then I fill it with my own milk and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. You  have to like your coffee black if you order this!

If i’m wanting a little bit of a heavier snack, I go with some tuna and cucumbers. And I make my own dressing on top.

Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice. Yum and refreshing.

Lunch

Around 2:30/3:00 I have lunch. I eat a lighter breakfast and a small snack so when I get home for lunch i’m usually pretty hungry. Therefore I want something delicious and satisfying.

Chicken, fish, and tofu are my go-to for lunch. I love proteins and these are my favorite sources.

I like to make chicken breasts at the beginning of the week and keep them in the fridge to put in recipes throughout the week. But when I don’t have chicken breasts we buy John Soules’ freezer grilled chicken breast strips and just keep them in the freezer. All you do is put them in a pan to heat up and then you can eat them. Sometimes i’ll sauté some peppers and make chicken fajitas.

Speaking of that chicken, I like to make it with roasted sweet potato fries and broccoli as a side. I love to make my plate colorful!

Speaking of sweet potato fries, they are the best!!! It’s simple really. Cut up a sweet potato, heat the oven to 425, drizzle some avocado oil and salt and pepper on top, and then bake them until they turn brown and roasted. It’s about 25-30 minutes.

That bowl is holding my tofu noodles and they’ve become a staple in my diet recently.

This is what they look like at the store and I get them all the time.

You can do so much with them! But I usually make them like the package says, add some chicken, some pesto, some herbs and enjoy!

Speaking of tofu…

I usually have a large block sitting in my fridge. This is great for all you meatless folks out there. This day I made Tofu Cauli Fried Rice. Deeeeelish. Right now my mom is gagging. She likes pizza for lunch every day.

In the freezer we always have a big bag of Costco’s individually wrapped cod, tilapia, salmon, mahi mahi. I love to grill some fish and serve it with some guacamole, avocado, mango, etc. It’s fun to get creative with fish! You can easily make fish tacos too.

Dinner

Unless my mom is making a new recipe for dinner, this is the least exciting meal in my opinion. I usually have commitments during the dinner hour so I eat at random times, but I still try to make it healthy and protein packed. This is when prepping, planning, and pre-cooking comes in handy for easy heat up. I’ve learned that if you have a decent sized, protein filled dinner, the less likely you are to snack late at night. So somewhere around 7:00, it’s dinnertime.

I sometimes make a burrito bowl…lettuce, beans, tomato, cheese, beef, and guac. It’s the cheaper version of Chipotle 😉

But more often than not, it’s leftovers. Whatever we have that sounds good and can be re-heated. The crockpot is my best friend when it comes time for dinner. I like to make different crockpot recipes/soups to keep in the fridge. Bison quinoa chili was delicious this night.

Vegetable soup is good for the soul.

Shay’s sweet corn chili is never a bad idea.

And I love a good salmon burger or a turkey burger. With some greens on the side of course! Check out my recipe for basil mayo.

On the nights i’m not as hungry, I just like to saute some vegetables and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.

Now i’m not going to pretend that I don’t ever eat pizza or anything like that…because I totally do when I get the craving. Sometimes I can’t decide, so I do 1/2 BBQ chicken, 1/4 Hawaiian, and 1/4 Canadian Bacon and Sauerkraut. Yup.

Dessert/Snack

I usually either have a snack between lunch and dinner or after dinner…depending on what the day holds.

I enjoy snacking on fruits. Ever since I’ve been cutting down on the amounts of sugar I eat (blog post to come), I crave fruit. Grapes are one of my absolute favorite snacks.

Other times, I need something more substantial…so i’ll toast up some bread, spread some kind of nut butter on top of that, and then slice banana on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and it’s divine!

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Pie

A protein packed chocolatey dessert? You got it dude. I made this when my sister was home from college this winter and I only had one piece…because she ate it in 3 days. “It’s healthy right?” is what she kept asking me.

Another one of my favorites is a quest bar. Heat it in the microwave for 23 seconds, then spread some nut butter on top. Ohhhhh it melts in your mouth and hits the spot without you feeling guilty!

I could go on and on about Larabars. I always keep them in my backpack for my night class.

And then at 8:00 i’m in bed. Just kidding…but I wish. It’s usually more like 11:00.

Well. That’s a day on my plate. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments!!!

For my gluten and lactose sensitive friends, later this week or next week i’m planning a blog post about all my favorite food allergy products that you can buy at the store. Seriously, after trying SO many different products, wasting a lot of money and time, I think you all will want to read that post 🙂

You can check out my most recent Day In The Life post to see how closely this correlates.

And how I stay healthy in college as a commuter.

Happy Eating!

Friday Favorites

Hellloooooo Friday. So happy to see you!

If you’re a blogger, link up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci and share your FAVORITES. If you’re a reader, so glad you’re here!!

This goes without saying…but my FAVORITE family is back in action tonight. Oh, I am pumped…as are most of you from reading everyone’s What’s Up Wednesday post this week.

I might stay up and see if it comes out at midnight (which will have passed by the time you read this) otherwise I guess I will have to watch after work sometime. Which is going to be interesting considering i’m working both my jobs today. NOOOOO I NEED MORE TIME TODAY!

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that our pastor challenged each of us to fast social media for one day.

And it was the best thing ever.

And then a couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I was going to go a whole weekend without social media.

And it was the best thing ever.

And now I do it one day every single week. It’s my FAVORITE day of the week now. I loved it so much that I could probably give up social media for an extended amount of time, but it’s also how I engage with you guys so I don’t want to! You’ll be surprised how difficult it is. I would open up Instagram multiple times, remember I wasn’t suppose to, and close it out immediately. But you’ll also be surprised with the amount of free time that you have. Communicate with your family! Get some work done! Don’t look at other people’s pictures and be like “wow she looks great why don’t I?” And in today’s world, I think a lot of us could use that every now and then.

I would seriously challenge you to do this. Just one day – no Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest, nothing. I told my girls to do it one day this week after a long conversation about comparison at our retreat.

Speaking of retreats, I want to recap this past weekend, even though I mentioned it on Wednesday. But it was just so GOOD and I don’t want to forget it!

Friday night we had to be at one of our campus for check in and I of course go in my signature outfit. Cute sweater? Check. Jeans? Check. Booties? Check. Long necklace? Check. Selfie? Check. A room that I just switched into and haven’t organized yet? Check.

Friday night they catered Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, we had worship and service, and then we went back to our host home for a Bible study and girl talk. After Bible study, the girls wanted McFlurry’s. Who are we to deny them such a glorious dessert? PS…I MISS MCFLURRY’S. They got a kick out of my wedges with socks, but I didn’t wanna wear booties and my feet were cold. So I improvised!!!

Saturday morning, we woke up and did a Bible study before going to bowl that morning. I sat at the kitchen table drinking some coffee and chatting with one of the girls.

After bowling we had free time and our first stop was to Starbucks because this was my group, remember???? Haha, total shocker but this was my first Starbucks in weeks!!

We hung out at our host home for a couple hours while the girls went swimming and took naps. Then we headed up to the Church for a cookout, service, and it was my FAVORITE night. So 15 passenger van selfie was in order.

We broke up into small groups and I had 3 girls with me who just opened up completely about stuff that’s been going on in their lives, things that were bothering them, and their relationships with Jesus. This night was the reason I started praying about volunteering with high school girls in the first place. There were tears, prayers, re-dedications to Christ, and lots of hugs. At the end of our conversation the girls said: “wow, that felt so good to talk about. We don’t have to do anything else this weekend because we’ve accomplished everything we wanted to”.

Cue the tears. Except I don’t cry…but if I did. I WOULD HAVE!

After service, we left the Church and the girls requested Braum’s. And thus #friesbeforeguys was born. BECAUSE I AM A GREAT LEADER AND KNOW WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT IN LIFE. 😉

We went back, hung out, snap chatted, and talked. Us leaders went to bed before the girls because we can’t hang! Megan and I shared a room so it was fun getting to know her a little better and realizing how much we have in common 🙂 I am so thankful that I was able to work with Jen and Megan this weekend.

We all went to sleep and woke up Sunday morning in desperate need of some coffee. Us 4 went to Starbucks again and the other girls went to Smoothie King.

And then we went to our third service and went home. I’m still trying to catch up on sleep i’m so tired. But it was SO worth it.

 

Because I have been getting so many questions about the food i’m posting lately, I decided one day next week I will post about them. If you’re one of those people, be on the look out. That means you’ve got to come back next week so I can share some of my FAVORITE recipes!!

If you have any requests for particular recipes I have talked about, for recipes you’re not sure that i’ve made, or recipes you’d like me to make…leave them in the comments or e-mail me.

As for being gone the past two weeks, it was so worth it. But coming back and seeing your comments about missing me?? Also worth it!!!! You all are my FAVORITE. I’m not sure what i’m going to do in the future, but it’s possible that I might start taking one week off a month or something like that. I could go into a lot of detail, but I learned a lot during that time. I’ll just keep you posted. But seriously thanks for your sweet words about my return. XOXOXO

Alright. That’s enough for one post. ‘Cause you know I could go on! 🙂

One more thing: Bible Study girls, I will be posting Week 8, 9, and 10 in the next couple weeks. Don’t forget about our study. Catch up beforehand by clicking HERE.

A Day In The Life

Ah, good morning!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you woke up as someone else? Well if that’s you, today’s your lucky day 😉 Here’s what a day in the life of me on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday looks like. My morning pictures are from Monday and the rest of the day is Wednesday (yesterday) since I forgot about my pictures on Monday afternoon. It worked out though because on these 3 days of the week I pretty much do the same thing.

6:54AM and my alarm goes off. Random fact: I never set my alarm on a 5 minute interval. It’s always a random number. And i’m really not sure why. At 7:00AM I finally hop out of bed.

I’m not a Keurig person, I just don’t like the taste. So i’m attempting to use our old coffee pot. This morning I had to get mom to teach me how to brew from our coffee pot.

With my brewed coffee and ice water (always), I make the long trek to my home office. AKA our dining room. I mean where else is a girl to go when she doesn’t have a desk and chair?

Time for Jesus and time for blog reading.

Yikes. Someone tell this girl to get more sleep. #bagsfordays Here I am. A college student. Doing work before 8:00AM. With my blanket, space heater, computer, and water for an hour before my day gets going. But we already knew I wasn’t normal, remember? It’s so quiet and such a great way to start the day!

At 8:05 I go upstairs to change for the gym, and at 8:10 I come down and listen to The Today Show for a little bit before I say bye to the brothers on my way out the door. We keep things healthy with Pop-tarts for breakfast…which i’m a little bitter about. When I was younger/their age I was ONLY allowed to have Cheerios for breakfast, never sugar. And now this kid eats Pop-tarts for breakfast, and lunch, and dinner, and snacks. UGH #oldestchildproblems

8:30 BodyCombat every Monday morning. I looovvveeee this class. It’s boxing, kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, and Muay Thai. I leave feeling like I could be the next Muhammad Ali or Floyd Mayweather or whoever is famous for fighting.

As soon as I get home from the gym I shower and change clothes. And then I eat a quick breakfast before work. It’s something different every day, but on this particular day it was an egg scramble.

I get into the office around 10:30 and work until about 2:00. Part time hours are great especially when you’re working a couple other jobs and going to school full-time.

Around 2:00 I hit the grocery store for the ingredients to make Andrea’s Pulled Pork for my brothers and dad to have as dinner while i’m in class tonight and mom is out of town.

Then it was time for lunch. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d actually made a sandwich and I was so shocked that I decided I needed to eat a turkey and swiss melt with a sliced tomato while I watched my PLL recording. And yes I ALWAYS have water on me at all times. Always. You’ll see.

And then I went back to the home office with a Seattle’s best frozen mocha while I worked on some schoolwork and a project for my mom.

Speaking of that project for mom, she happened to leave out the fact that I would need pictures that had to be scanned in. And since we don’t have a scanner, I had to come up with a solution. So to dad’s office it was!

Every time I go to the grocery store I get one thing that’s new. I love to try new things, so when I got home I tried this spearmint water. It’s an acquired taste…i’m still working on that one.

At 6:00, I put my future-baseball-mom skills to work and hopped in the car to pick Ry up. All I have to say is I better not have all girls *knocks on wood*. I snapped a super flattering picture of us for y’all because #itsadayinthelife.

On Monday afternoon, my mom and I made chicken salad…and can I just tell you that this is the best chicken salad you’d ever have. Ever. In your life. I became an addict at the young age of like, 10 when she first made it. I never was a picky eater growing up.

I’ve had it every single day since we’ve made it and I won’t confirm nor deny that I have eaten it for breakfast one morning. I mean, I crave this stuff. It’s pretty much all my favorite ingredients put together. Drooling.

So when I got home around 6:15, I unloaded the dishwasher while I munched on some of this infamous chicken salad. Pair this with rice crackers, or lettuce, or by itself. It doesn’t matter. Warning: You have to use some serious self-control with this stuff!

It was Wednesday. So around 7:00, I drove up to Church only to BE SURPRISED BY MY SWEET GIRLS AND CO-LEADER. I come trotting through the door and one by one they start walking up to me handing me flowers. Stop it. It was just a “thank you” for this past weekend. Y’all. It’s the little things like this that get me.

I was so confused by what was happening…I thought they were playing a joke on me but it turns out that they weren’t. Jen, my co-leader remembered me saying that I liked the flowers at our host home’s house and that my favorite color was yellow, so she planned this whole thing out! Oh. Wednesday nights rock.

Church goes until 9:00, but as soon as I got home these bad boys went in a vase and a picture was sent thanking them. Dead. Who needs a boy when you have 15 nineth grade girls to give you flowers???

By 9:30, pops and I were huddled up on the couch watching an episode of The OC. Because it’s what we do. And Ry came out for a little bit too.

Snack time consisted of blueberries and carrots. And then some other stuff that I forgot to photograph.

And after our episode was over, I came back down to my office so I could finish my blog post, get organized for today, and wind down. Last night was a late night and I didn’t hit the hay until 1:00ish. Usually I’m long gone before that, but I had some things to do.

G’night from Rachel Bilson and I. Heart of Dixie on Netflix before bed is always a good idea.

There you have it. A day in my life.

Curious of day’s past? Check out a Day In The Life (or as I used to call them #everydaymollay when I did it every month)…

After You Lose Your Job – November 2015
Summer Before Senior Year Of College – June 2015
Spring of Junior Year – First Semester @ A New School – April 2015
The Day of Thanksgiving – November 2014
As a Nanny – September 2014
The Day of Labor – August 2014
On The Farm – July 2014
My First (Most Amateur) One Ever – June 2014

What’s Up Wednesday: February

What’s up, friends?!

I’m back and i’m linking up with Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer. Every last Wednesday of the month, we all blog about what’s been going on. If you missed my 2015 posts, check them out!

What I’m eating:

I went straight to the source to get the answer for this…my iPhone pics. Lately I’ve been having so much fun in the kitchen creating, and then photographing, and of course eating. It’s become a hobby. I could probably make a post on all my pictures, so instead i’ll just show you a few.

Turkey bacon and an egg-white omelet just about every morning 😉

Pesto fish in foil for the win.

Yes ma’am, banana protein pancakes drizzled with almond butter.

I’ve been making my plate colorful with some chicken, snap peas & asparagus, and grapes.

Why and of course my FAVORITE creamy fudge protein shake.

What I’m reminiscing about:

Just this time last year. Today…but in 2015 I was blogging about our first snow day of the year.

And right now our weather is sunny and warm and 70 degrees. That’s crazy.

What I’m loving:

The relationships that i’m making with my kiddos at Church. If you follow me on Instagram (DO IT!) then you saw a picture I posted with my little Alina. This girl gives me a run for my money and the other morning she was playing around on my phone and took about 5 videos that make me smile every single time I watch them. I love Sunday mornings with my 4 and 5 year olds!

What we’ve been up to:

Speaking of Church, and kiddos, and following me on Instagram, and what i’ve been up to…this past weekend was the high school retreat. Church retreat weekends are incredible and life changing and I was so happy to be a part of this one. Students dedicating and re-dedicating their life to Christ, fellowshipping with one another, pigging out on tons of sugar (we did lots of that!), not sleeping, and just enjoying each other. Is there anything better?

STOP. Are they not the cutest?!

A little co-leader love, plus some photo-bombers. Jen (the one in the red next to me) and I co-lead a group of freshmen girls, and Megan (the one taking the picture) co-leads a separate group of freshmen girls all at the same campus. This weekend our groups were merged and it was A BLAST.

I love Wednesday nights with my 9th grade girls.

What I’m dreading:

All of the schoolwork that I see coming up on my calendar. It’s just so time consuming and boring and waahhhhh. Let me whine okay 🙂

On another note…I love the simplified planner.

What I’ve been working on:

Me.

You guys know I took close to two weeks off from blogging here. More details to possibly come at a later date.

What I’m excited about:

FULLER HOUSE COMING TO NEXTFLIX ON FRIDAY!!! Two sleeps. Two sleeps. Two sleeps. I’ve been waiting for this for what feels like forever!

What I’ve been reading/watching:

I’ll talk about what i’m reading next Wednesday, March 2nd for Bookworm Wednesday!! Link up with Katie and I for that.

As for what i’m watching…

I found a new show that I am IN LOVE with. Seriously. I watched the 2 seasons in a week. I was first intrigued when I saw Lori Loughlin starred because I’M OBSESSED WITH HER (see above “what i’m excited about”), but then when I realized it was an old western drama tv show that was it. Season 3 aired on Sunday and you all need to go watch it…this is not a drill. 🙂

And of course, i’m watching my boy. Ben is a charmer y’all. Did you watch on Monday because hometowns were awesome! I’m #teamjojo what about you??

What I’m listening to:

A fan in the background, my space heater making noise, and Pops saying goodnight. You know.

 What I’ve been wearing:

Apparently nothing of any relevance because I couldn’t find any pictures. But I will tell you it’s just been the usual workout clothes and work clothes (as usual). With some Nike shorts and fuzzy socks thrown in for good measure!

What I’m doing this weekend:

Hopefully visiting my friend who just had her baby! Other than that I work all day Friday, babysit Saturday, Church on Sunday, and then i’ll hit the gym a couple times. Nothing out of the ordinary over here!

What I’m looking forward to next month:

Oooooh, lots. February is blah to me so i’m glad it’s coming to an end. But I always look forward to March because….two words….

Spring. Break.

A week off of school, some days off of work, vacation planned. Even if it is the last Spring break i’ll ever have (sigh)…bring it on!

And then there’s baseball season starting, getting outside more, Easter, my bestie coming home from school for her birthday. So much fun to be had.

What else is new:

A LOT. But i’ve already put so much in this post, sooo that’ll have to wait.

What is my favorite Easter tradition:

When mom decorates the dining room table. Mom was an interior designer (well, still is considering that’s not something you just grow out of…lucky for me) and she makes everything look amazing all the time. I love our house around the Holidays.

Well, that’s February! Missed y’all!

Friday Favorites: What Is Colors of Life?

Whew! I’m late today…don’t worry Kylie already got on to me for it 😉 BUT I’M HERE NOW!!!!!! So in weekly Friday fashion i’m linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci!

I thought today’s FAVORITES would be for those that are newer to the blog. Since 2016 started, I have done a couple posts re-introducing myself. And today I thought i’d re-introduce the blog. Because even my long-time-reading blog friends liked my re-introduction posts! So this is what Colors of Life blog is.

BUT FIRST PAUSE….

…and read this article right here. Actually it’s a blog post (which is why I don’t have a picture) that someone shared on Facebook and I loved it. Like, it’s so much my FAVORITE that I want to print it out and hang it somewhere in my room. It’s perfect for today’s post because it ties in to things i’ll mention later.

Fashion

In all honesty, i’m really not that into fashion and that may be the phase of life i’m in now (although I doubt it) or it may just be me. I don’t post many fashion blogs because usually i’m in my FAVORITE Nike shorts or yoga pants with a t-shirt. And i’m completely happy with it. However, on occasion I will talk about clothes i’m wearing or loving. And when I do…it must be seriously great, or a seriously good deal 😉 With that said, back in November of 2014 I participated in the “November Pin-spired” link-up and that post just happens to be one of my most viewed blog posts to date.

To see other Pin-spired posts, you an click here.
To see other shopping/fashion posts, you can click here.
And when i’m done with certain things in my closet, I post them here.
And to see posts of the online boutique that I work with, click here.

Friends

I talk a lot about my friends. And I try to blog about them when I get to see them. Since we’re all growing up it’s getting harder to see one another, but I do my best to spend as much time with them as I can. Having good friends is so important and my friends mean so much to me. They just make life more fun.

I introduced you to each of them here.
And I blogged about friendships here.
And not only am I talking about my real-life friends, but I have awesome blog friends too…read their guest posts here.

Family

Ahhhhh, yes. “My people”. My family goes beyond my siblings and my parents. I mean, this guy is in as many posts as I can put him in!

My grandpa is the BEST and I am super thankful for him. I’ve got some awesome aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. I truly feel sorry for the people who don’t have good relationships with their families. My family is the most special thing in my life.

To read about grandpa, you can click here.
To read about my siblings and my cousin Reese, you can click here.
To read about our yearly trips to the farm, click here.
And our Christmas fun is all right here.

Fitness

…and with this one comes food too. Health and Fitness is something that has always been a part of my life, but took a spot on the back burner up until a couple of months ago. I explained it a little bit more in my re-introduction post when I talked about my new year’s resolutions. Health and fitness has become a huge passion of mine and I think a lot of it has to do with the struggle of an eating disorder, going to college, and a long battle with my health. This is a journey i’m traveling right now, so expect to see more where these posts came from this 2016! 😉

To read my monthly fitness goals, click here.
To read all health and fitness related posts, click here.
To see my recipes, click here.
To see my fitness routine, click here.

Faith

And most important of all….my faith. Faith is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. I am a Christian, I believe in God, and my faith is my FAVORITE part of my life. It’s something i’m always striving to make better. I think there are a lot of things I probably do right in this area, but a lot of things I know that I do wrong. And I choose to blog about all of it.

To read about my Jesus relationship, click here.
To read about my thoughts on quiet times, click here.
To read all my Jesus-related posts, click here.

Colors of Life

The reason my blog got started. These posts were a way for me to communicate and share with others the things I have gone through, experienced, and attempted to navigate. Not all of them are easy and not all of them are super serious. But they are all part of me and who I am. They are the different colors of my life. And I share them based off of this quote below. I am hoping that through being vulnerable and sharing parts of my life someone can benefit and connect with my blog through them.

Click here to read all of my Colors of Life posts…ranging from topics of depression, to crafting, to being a night owl, and even having a dad in the military!

As always, use my contact page to connect with me. E-mail me, follow me on social media, and let’s become friends! 🙂

So, this is my life. Hence, why I created a lifestyle blog back in 2014. It’s a way for me to share my life and remember everything! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading and following along with me!!! Have a great weekend!

 

Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Boo! Why am i’m just now recapping this holiday a week later? Because lots of fun stuff has been happening on the blog this week!!

Monday was all things stocking stuffers related.
Tuesday was the ULTIMATE giveaway.
Wednesday had us talking about great reads for the month.

And today is all about Thanksgiving. I love this Holiday.

You know, when you’re old and grown and have grey hair (ha, kidding) Thanksgiving break just doesn’t hold the same meaning. In grade school we got the week off to literally sit around and do nothing at all. That’s not so much the case when you have to be an adult and still make money. Therefore, I got Tuesday and Thursday off…where I did absolutely nothing productive.

This girl came home late Friday so I met up with her for dinner on Saturday night. We went back to her house afterwards to watch One Tree Hill and eat our popcorn with butter because #traditions.

Morgan came home the Thursday before Emily. She did a lot playing Mario with Rick…but I joined in too. I didn’t really know what I was doing so I kept dying at all the levels and they wouldn’t save me anymore so I wasn’t allowed to play. RUDE.

One day (I began to lose track of my days) my mom was wrapping presents in the guest room, so I took my laptop in there to work on my school stuff while Santa’s workshop was producing. We had Christmas music playing and the sun shining in on us. Life was good.

There were a couple (heated) games of Monopoly. Someone might have quit…not to name names *cough rick cough*. But it was still fun.

We usually do our Christmas cards during Thanksgiving break when everyone is home to give enough time to have them out by Christmas…we got lucky last year and used this one from our vacation last July.

But we didn’t take them last week. By the time we started planning outfits, it just got too late. So that might be happening next week when Morgan comes home again. Maybe.

 Finally it was the long anticipated time of the week. Mom always plans to eat around 4, but everyone was starving at 3….alas we waited until 4:00 and…

…Potatoes, Yams, Green Bean, Corn, Cranberry, Turkey, Ham (WHAT?! Yes, only my family…), jello (Morgan really wanted jello, so she made our family. You can kind of see them), and pumpkin pie for dessert. Oh my!

Here’s a totally unflattering picture of me. The 4 siblings went to see Mockingjay part 2 Thanksgiving night (Ryan’s hiding). I had never seen any of the series before, but Morgan briefed me a little beforehand. We got there super early and the guy that ended up sitting closest to me smelled, was chomping on his popcorn loudly, sniffling, and just about everything else that annoyed me enough to have my mom pick me up. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it for 2 hours, so her and I popped popcorn and watched Hallmark movies. And yes the siblings laughed at me when they got home, but I actually thought i’d go crazy…tell me you’ve had an experience like that before too.

I didn’t take as many pictures as usual this Thanksgiving. A lot of the time I was working, doing schoolwork, or online shopping so it was nothing glamorous. Along with looking like ^^^ most of the “break” because why wear make-up when you don’t have to, right???

We still had a good time. And a great Thanksgiving. And now as we go into the rest of the year and begin a new one, i’m really focusing on this quote…

Chia Seeds

My thing lately has been chia seeds.

When I noticed that I kept finding myself looking at health blogs/websites in my spare time, I realized that I wanted to start writing about what I was finding. I mean, if i’m already doing the research I might as well. It’ll help me and it’ll help those of you that care, too! 🙂

So…let’s start with the basic question.

What are chia seeds?

They are little black seeds from a plant called Salvia Hispanica. This plant is actually in the mint family. But they don’t taste like mint. These plants actually turn colors depending on the season, the crop, etc which is why sometimes chia seeds aren’t always a super dark black. You can see below that part of mine are more whiter. Color doesn’t matter, they have the same benefit!

(This is how I buy them at the store.)

…which leads to the second question.

What is it about chia seeds?

1. They are a superfood, naturally gluten free (of course), and the world’s best source of nutrition calorie for calorie.
2. 28 grams of chia seeds have: 11g fiber (40%), 4g protein (14%), 5g omega 3’s, and lots of vitamins!
3. Super high in antioxidants, which are molecules that help fight cancers and aging.
4. They do have 12g of carbs, but almost all are fiber (which isn’t digested by the body so it doesn’t raise blood sugar or need our bodies to release insulin) so it’s not the carbs you’re thinking about.
5. They absorb 10 to 12 x their weigh in water, so they expand in your stomach causing you to feel full and eat less. This is a good thing if you’re someone on a diet!
6. Part of a high protein diet. Chia seeds reduce appetite and as a result you’ll be 50% less likely to snack at night.
7. – 6 x more calcium than milk
   – 8 x more Omega-3 than salmon
   – 3 x more iron than spinach
   – 15 x more magnesium than broccoli
   – 6 x more protein than kidney beans
8. Aztecs and Mayans would use chia seeds back in the day for fuel. Actually, chia means “strength”!
9. They will get caught in your teeth. The first time I had them I was so annoyed because I felt like I kept finding chia seeds in my teeth. But I got over it. 🙂
10. They can be made any which way…which leads me to this next part.

How can I get chia seeds in my diet?

1. Sprinkle some seeds on toast with banana and peanut butter for breakfast.
2. Toss a tablespoon or so in your smoothie/shake for a delicious snack. I soak them for about 10 minutes before I make a protein shake and I personally like being able to taste them.
3. Pinterest recipes. I did this yesterday and printed out a chia seed overnight oats recipe (there’s A TON), chia seed energy ball recipes, and breakfast cookies. There’s so much!
4. Buy them already in products at the store. I like to buy them like the picture I showed you before, as well as purchasing some of these products below!

This is one of my favorite chia seed drinks. Kombucha is the best and this drink is filled with chia seeds. I get this at my Whole Foods. Along with…

…this packet for my water bottles.

It’s also found at Whole Foods. Beware: People will think you’re drinking glitter. (Happened this weekend! Haha) I like these drinks when i’m wanting something other than the taste of water. Especially because I really don’t drink anything other than coffee and water.

These snack bars are some of my favorite. I mean look at these health benefits. Warning: It is a pretty small bar.

But if you hit up your Target now, they’re selling 2 for $8.00. It’s like they knew I was talking about chia seeds today.

There’s also speculation that chia seeds benefit those with digestive issues. UH HEM…me. And I will say that I have been doing better. I don’t know if it’s chia seeds or something else, but they’re definitely not hurting me. Chia seeds are said to help those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and regulate bowel movements. It can’t hurt to try if that’s you!

What are the risks of chia seeds?

1. Too many chia seeds can make you feel bloated, that’s the seeds soaking up the water in your stomach and expanding.
2. I would not recommend trying to swallow them as is. There was a story about a woman doing that and choking because they expanded and she had swallowing issues? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t ever do that anyways sooo…I recommend you don’t either 😉

So that’s chia seeds! If you have any good recipes/uses with your chia seeds please share in the comments! Happy Monday!

#FoodieToosdy Week 9

 Fall food is officially in the air! Last Thursday was a total weather changer for us. All last weekend was in the 60’s and 70’s. Soooo cozy. I’m a total cold weather loving girl. I had my fan going all weekend because I was getting hot. But really there’s nothing better than cozying up in 60 and 70 degree weather with some good ol’ supper.

This week I FINALLY tried Andrea’s pulled pork recipe that Shay swears by. You guys, I finally get it. This is the most flavorful delicious pulled pork I think  know i’ve ever had.

I had everything out and I put it all (by all I mean THREE INGREDIENTS) in the crock pot at 6:30 Wednesday morning.

1 pork shoulder
1 onion, chopped
2 cans soda (I used coca-cola)

This is Shay’s picture of Andrea’s pulled pork.

How to:

In your slow cooker, place your pork and onion pieces inside.  Pour your soda on top of everything and cover and cook on high at least 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the lid after 8 to 10 hours and the meat should be falling a part at the touch of your fork.  Remove all of the meat from the slow cooker into a bowl and then drain your slow cooker of the onions and liquid.  Add your meat back to the slow cooker and shred it up with two forks.  Stir in as much of your BBQ sauce as you like.  At this point, you can serve immediately or you can turn the slow cooker to the “keep warm” setting and let it stay warm up to 4 or 5 hours until you’re ready to eat.

Here’s how mine looked.

When I was finished with classes, errands, and about to go nanny, I finished it up. Is it not beautiful?!

So by 4:30 when everyone’s rollin’ it I had it all set up, for the family to eat whenever they were hungry.

Can I please tell you that I have THE most picky brothers on the planet. One bite into his sandwich the 14 year old says “Wow, this is really good.” The next day the other brother asked for “that BBQ thing” again. My dad had two bowls that night, took it for lunch the next day, had it for dinner another night, and lunch on Saturday. We had a container of leftovers and it’s almost gone. My mom and sister didn’t even get to try it.

 

Now, my next recipe that I tried (because I was in the fall mood) was Shay’s Chicken Fajita Soup

Mmmmmm y’all. It doesn’t make you feel stuffed, it’s the easiest thing to make, and it’s very healthy and full of protein.

Here’s Shay’s…

Get:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
1 onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chopped green chiles
1 package taco seasoning (or 3 tablespoons Chili Powder) (I actually used fajita seasoning that we had)
3 cups chicken stock (or water)
1 can (10oz) nacho cheese soup (on the soup aisle)
1 cup frozen corn (I used canned corn)
1 cup prepared rice (I made minute brown rice in the microwave)
Sour cream, tortilla chips, green onions to garnish

How to:

Layer chicken, onion, beans, Rotel and green chiles in your slow cooker. Sprinkle seasoning mixture over everything. Pour chicken stock on top. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.

Remove lid, using two forks, shred chicken right inside the slow cooker. Add can of nacho soup, corn and prepared rice, stir and cover cooking another 10 to 15 minutes.

Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Here’s mine in the slow cooker yesterday.

And I added some avocado to mine and absolutely loved it!

I’d say over anything don’t forget the Nacho Cheese Soup…I would have never thought about that, but personally I think that’s what makes this soup. My dad told me he had three bowls, my sister really enjoyed it, and I did as well. I can’t wait to see what my mom says when she comes home.

So, thank you ladies for the meals this past week!

#FoodieToosdy Week 5

Yummmm…I like Tuesday’s because I like being a foodie. Earlier on my July goals post, I decided that I wanted to make 8 new recipes for the month of August, you know the 8th month of the year. So, I had already started on that. This weeks #FoodieToosdy is going to feature three of those new recipes. Yay!

Before we left for vacation, my new recipe book came in the mail, and I was so excited about it I read it on the car ride up to my grandpa’s. Total foodie nerd, I know. So my recipes this week are all three out of my new cookbook. Y’ALL. Gluten-freers, Lactose-freers, Paleo-diet. Whoever you are, PURCHASE. THIS. BOOK.

Recipe #1: Pastry Crust

First of all, I just want to say how much I loooooove Danielle Walker and her cookbook. I loved her story because I felt it resembled my health story so much. And who doesn’t love when they can relate to someone? With this cookbook you have to invest in some new ingredients but seriously it is so worth it.

Get:
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 large cold egg
5 teaspoons ice water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/2 tablespoons palm shortening

How to:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add the shortening (we used crisco) in small spoonfuls, spacing them out around the bowl. Pulse 4-5 times, just enough for the shortening to be mixed in and the dough to come together.

3. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Created fluted edges.

4. Cut a circle of parchment and fit into the bottom of the pie shell. Fill with pie weights and dried beans. Bake until the edges begin to turn gold, about 10 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake 5 more minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool.

Consensus: Buttery crust, not good used for a pinwheel, it works but came out as a crumble the first time.

 Recipe #2: French Vanilla Coffee Creamer

This recipe was not very good in my opinion. However, I would try and make my own changes next time. I thought it tasted a little burnt. I would add less coconut milk and more almond milk, because i’m not too much of a coconut milk fan. I didn’t get much vanilla flavor, so I might add a little vanilla extract because vanilla beans are pretty expensive. Maybe adding cinnamon or nutmeg the next go-around. I’ll let you know how it turns out next time.

Get:
1 cup almond milk
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 vanilla bean

How to:
1. Place first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to low boil, and remove from heat.

2. Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Place seeds and bean in milk, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

3. Strain and bring to room temperature before covering and storing in the refrigerator for later use.

Recipe #3: Fried Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower

If you hate Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower, then you won’t like this dish. If you are open with you food options, try it!

Get:
3 cups macadamia oil (use butter)
3 springs fresh rosemary
1 pound cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 1/2 teaspoons garum fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

How to:

1. Place the oil in a deep skillet and heat to 350 degrees.

2. Drop rosemary in the hot oil, add cauliflower and brussels sprouts in batches, frying each batch for 3-4 minutes or until browned and crispy.

3. Remove each batch to a pan lined with paper towels and drain while the next batch cooks.

4. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the fried rosemary and discard the stems.

5. Pour in the fish sauce (like worcestershire), lemon juice, and salt. Stir gently.

Consesus: Mom says it’s not worth the effort. Grandpa doesn’t like. Not a vegetable person. I really liked with the rosemary. The first time I used peanut oil…no! I’d use butter next time.

Danielle’s recipes don’t have a long process involved with them, and I think that is what I like so much about her. Danielle, thanks for being you!! Check out her page, y’all! And get her book for yourself! Less than $20! I can’t wait until I get her next one, too.