Still on the Healthy Smoothie Kick …

I’m still on the smoothie kick and I’m loving it.  I’ve been told to try Chia Seeds so I went to the bulk section and found those.  I still use flax seed and have tried the golden instead of the brown this time.

I kind of created my own version for a Berry Green Monster.

I used:

• 1 Cup Almond Milk (light)
• 1/2 Cup Greek Non-Fat Yogurt
• 1 Cup Mixed Berry (Blueberries / Blackberries)
• 6 Strawberries
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 tbs Chia Seeds
• 1 tbs Flax Seeds (Milled)
• 1 to 2 Cups Spinach

Place all items in your blender, I use a ninja and it whips it all up.  If it is too think add a 1/2  cup of water.

Second on my list was one I found on my addictive site Pinterest.  This Slammin’ Sunrise “Green” Smoothie was very tasty it was on the brownish color but I swear it was very yummy.  Just look EVEN Cole had a cup and said “Mom this is REALLY good!”.

I hope you will try one of these, I really am loving having a smoothie every morning.  And getting my greens in every day is the best part, especially since you can’t even taste it!!

Tuesday Dinner Friends Spaghetti Feed!

Another yummy meal that was a hit with all this week.  Our normal Tuesday night guest was not feeling well but my other friend was planning to come.  I made a double batch earlier in the morning so we had plenty to send home with our new guest and left overs for the next day. 

Of course I found some amazing recipes of Pinterest first off on my list was Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & Meatballs.  I’ve never cooked with bulgar wheat before so I picked it up in the bulk section and made it.  They turned out fabulous and easy to make.

I then found this amazing light bread that was easy to make with what I had on hand.  This Lighter Cheesy Garlic Bread was a no yeast bread that I mixed up and threw in the oven and served hot and yummy!

Dinner is served!

I made a yummy dessert then I remembered our guest doesn’t eat dessert. I know who doesn’t eat dessert, a smart person that is … Hmmm maybe I should have ate her and my helping … lol.  This Baked Apple Streusel was simple to make and I add a dolop of non fat whipped cream.

So there you have it another Tuesday Dinner meal .  On our menu tonight will be Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken Soup.

Another Boy Pleaser Meal

As you all know by now the boys are all about the meat and potato dishes.  My challenge is finding ways to make it healthier sider.  So I share with you another meatloaf and mashed potato dish.  Both of these were rather simple to make and both boys went back for seconds, Cole even had thirds!

First off is a Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf now I did all ground turkey since I had it on hand and no one here seems to mind it.  PLUS I was able to sneak in spinach, which in this house is not that hard except for Rick … lol.

Next on the list was Skinny Garlic Mashed Potatoes from my favorite site Skinnytaste.com.  These were simple to make and the boys of course loved them.  Another simple one but a crowd pleaser!

Hope you find this to your table soon.  Tonight is our Tuesday dinner friends plus we have another friend joining our table tonight.  So we’ll be adding a place and enjoying Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & Meatballs (Eating Healthy) and Lighter Cheesy Garlic Bread.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Vroom Vroom Biker Diaper Cake?

I had a friend from high school as me to make a diaper cake for her. I saw this one on Pinterest and have been dying to make it. It turned out very cute. It is on the spendy side to make, I went to Target and found the items and I didn’t find generic version so it was all the name brand items. PLUS most of the items come in a pack of 3 or 4 when you need 2 so you have left overs. So the cake with the extra’s did cost me $75, which was the budget given so I didn’t get paid to make it … lol. Next time I will plan better but it was a fun item to make and I’m sure if I hit Walmart I could find the items for less.

The site I found the Motorcycle Cake on has a great STEP BY STEP tutorial. I did document step by step in my photos. This was so much easier to make then the normal cake I make where I have to individual diaper wrapped taking me around 3 hours and then another 2 to make the cake. This took me around 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours to make and my little helper Caden had fun helping. At first I was a little frustrated with it but then I got the hang of it, so don’t give up! Click picture to enlarge.

Materials: 34 diapers Pampers Swaddlers Size 1 (17 for each tire), 8" cake pan, 2 rubber bands, 2 receiving blankets, 2 bibs, 1 chain link toy, a pair of socks or mittens, a baby bottle, 1 washcloth, scissors, pins, a stuffed animal, and decorative ribbon.

I made mine a little larger so I used 1 1/2 packs of diapers and 2 chain link toys.

Take half your diapers and fan out in a cake pan to fill the circle. Make sure the gab between each diaper is even. With one hand on top of the diaper, use the other hand to start pulling each diaper to the right until they all are even. Take a rubber band and wrap around your round that will become a tire. Wrap each tire with ribbon of your choice. Place a pin to secure ribbon. The pin will at be the bottom of the tire. Do the same for the other tire. Fold first receiving blanket in half...and roll it up. If you want you can secure the end of the rolled up blanket with a pin just until you place the blanket through the tire opening. Pull both ends of the blanket (following the arrows) to make sure the 2 tires are tight and the blanket too. Not too tight but firm. This will hold your entire motorcycle! Place a pin in the inside of the tire opening securing the 2 blankets against the diapers. Make sure the pin is all the way in! then tuck in the remaining of the 2 ends of the blanket in the opining of the tire. Put a bib on the front tire to look like a fender. Roll up 2nd blank put threw first tire to make handle bars. Pull up to have both ends even and put one or two link toys to secure. Put the bottle in the middle before you push tinker toys down, this will secure and look like a light. You can use a piece of card board in the ends to make them secure. Put tissue paper inside the sock or mittens to fluff them up before you put on the ends of the handle bars. Put the second bib on the back tire for the back finder. Top with a toy of your choice to be your rider.

Morning & Evening Smoothie

Who would think I’d still be on the smoothie morning kick.  Not this girl!  I really thought I’d get tired of this, but I’m starting to crave it if I don’t have it.  I love to have one in the morning and can last to or even past lunch!  Now let’s hope I see it on the scale this week, yes I’m still doing my work out’s too.

I have two new smoothie’s I’ve tried!  First one was a Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie that I added a handful of spinach too!  So mine is not the bright pink as the original but I’m trying to get in my greens everywhere I can.  I’m calling this Strawberry Oatmeal Spinach Smoothie (yup I’m creative like that).

Add in a handful (1-2 cups) Spinach

Old Fashioned Quaker Oatmeal (uncooked), scant 1/4 cup
Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt, 1/2 cup
1 % Milk, 1/4 cup (I used Light Soy)
Frozen Strawberries (unsweetened), 7 berries
Honey, 1/2 tbsp (I used Agrave)

Put the oatmeal in a blender and grind until it is all powder - this is important! It keeps your smoothie from having oat chunks in it.
Add other ingredients and blend until smooth.
This makes a smoothie that is thick, but still easy to suck through a straw. Adjust the milk to make it the thickness you like.

I’ve been having a horrible time falling to sleep for a while now, so when I saw this on Pinterest I had to try it.  It was very yummy and I think it helped.  It probably would help even more if I could find Tart Cherry Juice all I could find was Cherry Apple.  This The Sleep Doctor's Sleep Slim Smoothie was on Doctor Oz’s website.

Ingredients
1 cup tart cherry juice
1/2 banana
1/2 cup soy milk or 4-6 oz soy yogurt (if using soy yogurt, add an additional 1/2 cup fat-free milk)
5 ice cubes
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Combine the cherry juice, banana, milk or yogurt with fat-free milk, ice and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth

Yeah we’ve made it to Thursday!!  Hope you’re having a wonderful week and maybe one of these recipes find it’s way to your home!

Tuesday Dinner Twist on Spaghetti & Apple Pie

We had our Tuesday dinner friend come over tonight and I found some yummy things to try (yes on Pinterest).  I wanted to try this braided bread but the dough it called for I couldn’t find so I made my own!  I found this Italian Parmesan Bread for Bread Machine that smelled so yummy and made the recipe pop!  I put it on the dough cycle and let it do the work for me!

The recipe I needed the bread for was this Braided Spaghetti Bread that was so YUMMY!  I made a few tweaks the bread I made (was half white & half whole wheat flour), I added low fat chicken sausage and used whole wheat noodles.

Last on my list was a yummy dessert that was lower in points and so delish!  Apple Dumplings with Orange Sauce for you weight watcher people this is 5 points.  Enjoy a sweet treat, you deserve it!

Happy Wednesday!  Hope you have a fab day!

Crockpot lazy Girl (One healthy and One NOT so much … But darn it was good)

I’ve been seeing this Chicken and Dumpling for weight watchers for a while know and thought I’d try it out.  The only thing that got me was the dumplings were a little doughy for my liking but overall it was a very filling meal for 11 points!  As always I say use a slow cooker liner! I still haven’t found a replacement for my recipe card widget (if you know of one for blogger PLEASE let me know) so I’m sorry you’ll have to click the link above to get the recipe.

Then I made not so healthy but oh so yummy Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.  If your looking for a fabulous meal idea you must check out this site Chef in Training they are not super healthy but your belly would be happy .  Now I did have a collage of all the steps but I couldn’t find it for the life of me so you just get the final shot lol!

So there you go 2 easy meals to do in your crockpot that will make everyone in your house happy!

Tuesday is our dinner guest night after we return from swim class for the boys.  We have Braided Spaghetti Bread on our menu which I think is so cool since it’s spaghetti & bread all in one.  I couldn’t find the bread it called for so I’m going to make a batch in the am.

Now for you who want to (Beth don’t feel on the spot .. lol ) What is on your menu tonight?

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad’s birthday and I saw this awesome idea for the boys to do for him.  It was for like a father’s day gift but I changed the word from Dad to Bapa (what the boys call him).  This was so easy to make and I thought it was so precious and hopefully something that will be kept for years to come.  Thank you Pinterest YET AGAIN for saving the day.  I really MUST meet who created this site because it really rocks!

Now the lady painted her canvas and then cut out the hands using paper.  I traced the boys hands and upper arm and then painted them (well I painted Caden, Cole did his own). 

1. Start with a blank Canvas
2. Paint your canvas. I like my backgrounds mottled. But you can paint it nicely just one color if you like. (I skipped this part)
3. Trace your kid's arms and hands onto fun paper. (This is where I just traced kids arm and hand onto canvas)
4. Modge Podge and plaster the hands down. Make sure you leave enough room to paint your saying on. (Since I skipped paper part, I skipped this part also)
5. Print your saying using cute fonts, onto regular paper.
6. On the back of your paper, scribble with a pencil to make a transfer. Make sure you get all of the back of each letter covered.
7. Put the paper on your canvas. Trace over your saying. It will leave a light imprint for you to paint the words in.
8. Spray it with sealant or cover with some coats of Modge Podge. (Again I skipped this part)

Here is what mine turned out like:

Happy Birthday Dad, we love you!!  This would be a good gift for father’s day or like I did for a birthday.  Hope you try it, it was super easy and took very little time do!

Challenge for Best Question Money Testimony

A few weeks back I posted a couple post about a serious on “The Best question asked” that our pastor gave us along with a challenge.  I’ve taken the challenge on taking my health into top priority (thank you kettlebell work outs and Green Smoothies for breakfast).  The following week I posted about his challenge on money. I posted this on facebook and wanted to share my testimony with all my friends here. 

I'm a big believer in testimony and today I'm on my knee's thanking God! I accepting the challenge at church to move giving the top of my list instead of the bottom. I re-prioritized & set my % to higher and changed the way I view money etc. I was then blessed with a bonus that paid for both boys registration into school. I gave back more with the bonus (even though inside I thought no I should keep this). THEN TODAY I get an email from my bosses that they are SENDING MY WHOLE FAMILY TO DISNEY! I am overwhelmed with love and faith. What a gift I have been given and the reward will be something to last a life time! Thank you God!

Yes you read that correct my amazing bosses are sending my family to Disney.  My bosses are located on the East Coast and they will be taking the office to Disney in Florida.  Being the amazing people they are they knew how hard it would be for me to fly there and find arrangements for the kids and Rick.  So instead of just saying oh well they sent me a surprise email to let me know they are sending my whole family to CA.  NOT only do we get to take the kids to Disney (which I didn’t think I would ever be able to do) but they get to MEET their grandmother.  Rick’s mom lives there and they have NEVER meet her, with health conditions she hasn’t been able to come here.  This is a blessing beyond blessings.  As I’ve said that I have the most giving bosses and I can’t ever thank them enough for all they do for us!

We leave in just a few short weeks, so we’re in planning mode.  My bosses have taken care of the hotel, the flight and even the passes!  Rick has been in overdrive finding us a way to get to the hotel, our hotel doesn’t offer a shuttle.  We’ve been weighing a taxi vs renting a shuttle vs a car.  I’m thinking we may rent a car just for that night then we can go grocery shopping and then return it in the morning (just find a way back from the car place about 1 1/2 miles away).  Then we may rent it again on Saturday so we can drive to visit Rick’s mom.  I’ll leave the freak out to Rick on that part! LOL

I’m a Green Smoothie Snob! hehe

Well guys I’ve been doing very well with my weekly work out.  I’ve been doing the DVD 5 to 6 times a week and last week I did add in an 1 1/2 hours walking in a pool.  I’ll give you a weigh loss when I see one (I finally stepped on a scale last week … ugh).  On the doctor side I went yesterday it was a community clinic so I had to WAIT 2 HOURS past my appointment time to see her.  She laid into me about not taking my thyroid … I deserve it.  She gave me 6 weeks of my pills and then wants me to come take a blood test to see what level I should be at.

On the breakfast time I’ve been sticking to a smoothie every morning even on the weekends.  I’ve been trying different ones and have found 2 more (I’m still a fan of the first Green Monster I made).  Last week I made the blueberry one that was just ok so I switched in the middle of the week to this Green Monsta!  I never thought I’d be eating let alone drinking anything with Tofu in it but it was actually good.  This one cost a little bit more with the cost of OJ and the Tofu and the Avacado.  It had an ok taste to it but then I added in my raspberry Emergency C and it was good.  I probably won’t make it a lot due to the cost.

The Green Monsta

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh baby spinach (rinsed)
• 1/2 of a whole avocado (peeled and sliced)
• 1 package of silken tofu
• 1 honeycrisp apple with the skin (rinsed, cored, and sliced)
• 8 oz of orange juice (calcium fortified)
• Honey or agave nectar (to taste)
• Ice

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker until completely smooth (about 5 minutes)
2. Makes about 4 (8oz cups)
3. Enjoy!

Recipe from: http://keepyourdietreal.com/food/drinks/a-green-smoothie-and-an-update/

This week I thought I’d try one Kale Spinach and Apple Smoothie.  Another thing I didn’t think I’d be eating let alone drinking is Kale!  Now this is an OK one the Kale is prominent in the flavor even with my Emergency C you can taste it.  NOW it’s not like eating grass but it’s still not going to trick your brain into this being fruity .  I bought enough kale for the whole week so I will have to drink it until I’m out of it.

Weight Watchers Kale Spinach and Apple Smoothie (3pts)

Ingredients
1 cup lite vanilla soy milk
1 heaping cup spinach leaves
1 heaping cup chopped kale leaves
1 frozen banana (quick tip – freeze them without the peels for quicker use)
1/2 granny smith apple
1 tsp honey

Instructions
1. Blend the spinach, kale, and vanilla soy milk on high in the blender until well blended without chunks.

2. Add the frozen banana, apple, and honey and blend to your desired consistency.  Drink up!

Now to make you laugh today (Valentine’s Day) I’m laying in bed forever not wanting to open my eyes finally do to look at the clock to see I’m 1 1/2 hrs late for work … Caden turned off my volume! UGH.  Then when I clocked off to get Cole out the door I made my smoothie, went to poor it and the bottom exploded from my smoothie maker!  Oh yes I was green, the walls, the counter top and the floor!

Rick had the day off so I found a new machine printed it out and put it by his phone when he woke up.  Being the amazing guy he went and bought it for me!

YES this is a wedding present that I JUST opened almost 9 years later … lol.  So it was very nice to make smoothies in.  SADLY it lasted about a week … ugh.  Today it died a sad and messy death!

Happy Valentine’s Day to me from my hubs.  Roses and a Ninja!  Of course I had to try it out after my work out (yes I did my work on Valentine’s day, no excuses).

So there you have it two new green drinks and a funny green mess.  When they say egg on your face, I can now say no green on me !  Hope you had an amazing Valentines day!

And we wrap up Valentine’s Gifts

I had a doctor’s apt Monday after work but the doctor was running 2 HOURS behind so when I got home I didn’t get as much done as I wanted.  I baked Soft Sugar Cookies that I made for Christmas but this time we made hearts.  Then I found best frosting and tinted it red.  Cole was such a good helper.

And I found this really cute A kiss and a Squeeze on Pinterest.  So easy I had the squeeze for Cole’s lunch already made a quick sticker and printed it and stuck it on.  I picked up a few hersey kisses from the bulk section and then done!

Sadly play dough hearts didn’t get done and my woman’s group was cancelled so I didn’t make the Jell-O hearts.  I may make them next week just for the heck of it!  Cole finished up his valentine cards and think he’s actually was nicer then mine!  Yesterdays post showed you how to do those in case you want to make them .