Creamy White Mess: Coleslaw

It is now July and to me, July is synonymous with BBQ.  What better to serve at your BBQ than coleslaw!  It is delicious with so many main courses. 
As a kid growing up, I did not like coleslaw.  To me, it always just looked like a creamy white mess on a plate.  Plus it had cabbage and carrots.  No thanks.  But I have a new found love for the stuff.  I have determined I just didn't like that store bought mess.  Homemade is so much better than the store bought kind!  Sure it still kind of looks like a creamy mess, but it has cabbage AND carrots.  Two things I LOVE.  Plus it adds a great splash of color to any plate of food. 

One of the big problems I see with coleslaw is that that said creamy mess is not so pretty on your waistline.  Built on a base of mayo and often oil, it not a friendly side dish.  So I set out to healthify it.  And that is just what I did!  I hope you enjoy it at your next BBQ and don't even hesitate to have a second helping  :)

Healthified Coleslaw
inspired by allrecipes.com

1 bag coleslaw mix
1/3 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup reduced fat mayo ( I just buy the olive oil based)
1/3 cup sugar
1 TBSP white vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

With a fork or whisk, mix everything except the coleslaw.  When it is blended thoroughly, pour over the coleslaw mix and toss to coat evenly.  Cover in the refrigerator and chill a couple hours.  It is key to allow it to chill for a bit so that it has a chance for the flavors to really marry.

Coconut Cream Filled Macaroons

You didn't think I would leave you hanging did you???

Of course not! Salivate no more! Now you can enjoy these decadent little treats anytime.

Something about the name "macaroon" automatically induces "oohs" "awws" and "You made THESE?" by those that choose to have these meet their mouth! I personally am not a fan of coconut (just the texture; the flavor I love!), but I have received countless complements on these macaroons every time I have made them. These reactions and compliments have lead me to continue making them! If you are looking for a quick, easy, impressive, and scrumptious dessert - search no more!

Coconut Cream-Filled Macaroons
by Martha Stewart COOKIES

Cookies:
3 cups unsweetened shredded (finely if possible) coconut - I usually use sweetened cause it is all I can find!
3/4 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tsp coconut extract
1/8 tsp salt

Cream Filling:
4 TBSP unsalted butter (in two 2TBSP slices), room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp coconut extract

To Make Cookies:
Stir together cocnut, sugar, egg white, coconut extract, and salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate, covered until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Form heaping teapoons of dough into balls; space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Gently flatten to about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake cookies, until edges begin to turn golden, 9 to 10 minutes (you may need to rotate the baking sheets halfway through). Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Make the filling!
Put butter and shortening in mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and coconut extract; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Assemble cookies:
Place heaping teaspoon of filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich it together with another cookie! Repeat with all of the remaining cookies. Transfer to platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the filling is firm, around 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

DONE!

Fire it up!

There is something about the taste of grilled meat the just makes me happy. I have visions of summertime's past, and dream of the weekend barbecues in the future. When we go on walks and smell backyard BBQ's it makes me want to go home and grill too! With the warm weather that has been spoiling us, I have been itching to get our grill on! Monday Jay spoiled me by firing up our grill for the first time! I love preparing the food, and letting Jay fire it on the grill. It is perfect teamwork. Plus, Gator and Maister LOVE to run around outside with their Daddy.

When I made the fresh hamburger buns, I wanted something delicious to rest on the top. I am big grilled chicken fan, so that is what I settle on. I began throwing things together, and this was the end result of my grilled chicken sandwich experiment:

I marinated our chicken with Lawry's Szechuan Sweet n Sour Barbecue marinade. Then once it was grilled we added 1 piece of lowfat Jarlsburg (similar to swiss) cheese and let it get melty.

THEN:

Sauteed 1/2 an onion, half a red bell pepper in 1 1/2 tsp olive oil.

Once they were almost tender, I added 2 (diced) mushrooms.

Once the mushrooms have reduced I added 1-2 cloves grated/minced garlic and 2 handfuls of spinach. I allowed the garlic to get fragrent - about 30 seconds - and then removed it from the heat.

Add this the the top of your chicken breast, followed by a few slices of avocado and ENJOY!

HOT {Hamburger} BUNS!

There is something I have wanted to do for a long time. This is of course besides my secret wish to go to culinary school, or become a nurse. Wouldn't it be fun to cook all day, and be critiqued and receive pointers by a professional! Anyways... on to the point:

I am all about making as much as I can from scratch for our family. Even if it has more calories or a little more fat than the ones you buy at the store, I am OK with that because my food isn't stuffed with preservatives or chemicals! I like to try and keep our diet as natural as possible. Not that I didn't down several handfuls of the Easter Jubilee mix our grocery store had in the bulk section....but my obsession with fruity candy can be saved for another day.
For a long time I have wanted to bake my own hamburger buns. When I woke up this morning I wasn't planning on baking these, but as the day went on it just came together perfectly. I looked at a couple recipes, but couldn't pass on the recipe that told me I could be done in less than an hour from start to finish - including baking and rising! I was SOLD!

I was a little nervous, but I was thrilled with the way they turned out, even with the changes I made. * I have a hard time sticking to a recipe 100%. I love to add my own flare to things. *

Here is one of the trays of buns.
Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns:
Adapted from allrecipes.com
16 buns

2 cups warm milk (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup warm water - almost hot, but still warm
1/4 cup sugar
2 packets or 4 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 TBSP water

1. In a saucepan warm milk until 110 degrees Faranheit
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the warmed milk, melted butter, warm water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until it gets foamy.
3. Mix in the salt, and gradually stir in the whole wheat flour, let it mix a minute or two.
   
4. Add the all-purpose flour until you have a soft dough. Divide into 16 pieces, and form into balls. Place on greased baking sheets so they are 2 to 3 inches apart. Let rise for about 20 minutes, or until they have grown a little bigger - not necessarily doubled but close to.
5. Lightly whisk the egg and water together, and then brush the tops and sides of the buns with the egg wash.
   
6. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until golden on top. Cool slightly, then split them in half horizontally. Serve with a juicy burger!

Variety

Things have been, well, BUSY around here. Fortunately the weather has been fantastic, so running has been wonderful this week! I even busted out the ol' jogging stroller a couple of times. I think the kids enjoyed the fresh air as much as I did.

Random Fact:
I am a person that needs variety. In everything in my life I need variety: changing up my workouts, clothes, styles, etc... And as far as food, I crave different things all the time and I feel it my duty to fulfill my crazy cravings...After all, my body has treated me well in holding together while running, so I think I owe it a reward or two :)
There is one exception to my need of variety, and it is THIS:
Baked Oatmeal. I have been known to eat this stuff for multiple meals a day (2 usually)...several days in a row. My favorite fruit additions lately are strawberries, blueberries, and frozen (thawed) blackberries. I have been tweaking the recipe, so I need to update it with all my new changes - only a few - and it is better than ever. I LOVE THIS STUFF. And it is good for you, real good. I have been eating a whole lot of this stuff lately. I can't help it. It makes me excited to wake up in the morning.

For my workouts this week I added plenty of variety! I ran with and without the double jogger, got my groove on with Turbo Jam, and finally I got reacquainted with Jillian Michaels and my abs. They have been screaming at me and burning good ever since. I love working out with Jillian, my only complaint is that the DVD I have is a little longer than I always have time for unless I get up way before the kiddos.

Overall, I am feeling pretty good this week. My knee and calf are both slowly starting to feel better. The only thing I would change from the week is I would knock out a few of the sweets I have eaten this weekend. Really, I have eaten less sweets than usual (I like to think) but they have been calling me by name and I hate to be rude and not respond with a bite or ten :)

How has your week been?

Do you need variety in your life?

Chicken Salsa Tacos

As promised, here is yummy, simple, recipe #1 for the week. This is one of my "go to," always have ingredients on hand, recipes. It is quick, flavorful, and healthy!

Chicken Salsa Tacos

1 chicken breast

1/2 cup salsa (I prefer mango)

Put chicken breast in 2 qt. crockpot (I use a smaller crockpot when I do just one breast to prevent burning), and pour salsa over the top. Cook on low for about 4 hours. About an hour before you want to serve, shred the chicken and allow it to really soak up the juices.

We serve in a tortilla with rice, pinto beans, little cheese and more salsa!

I even like to add some of the leftover chicken into my lunch time veggie wraps. Adds great taste!

Hope you like it!

Pulled Pork Salad

One of my most favorite restaurants is Costa Vida. I LOVE to get their Mango Chicken, Sweet Pulled Pork, OR Fajita Steak Salad (new fave). They are all to die for. After my 10 miler on Saturday I ate the WHOLE thing, whole wheat tortilla and all and was still hungry. And this is a BIG salad!

I have tried several recipes to mimic their amazing salad. I have never been able to find a recipe as delicious as theirs, last night may not have been identical to theirs, BUT last night was FAB-U-LOUS.

Do yourself a favor and eat it soon!

Pulled Pork Salad

Pork Roast 3-5lbs
16 oz Pace salsa
1 cup brown sugar

Mix salsa and brown sugar together. Set crockpot on low and stick roast in and pour the salsa mixture over the top. Let cook on LOW for 18 hours.. YES you read that right! 18HOURS! If you can't let it go that long, just let it go as long as you can. It makes it super tender. Make sure to check it is not burning. If it seems to be, add in some water to get things moist again.

For the salad put a whole wheat tortilla in the bottom ( I like la tortilla factory) and put some cilantro lime rice on the bottom (or even just cook your rice with some taco seasoning) then add black beans or pinto beans on top - as many as you want! Top with romaine lettuce, pork, mango salsa and cilantro! Mix the mango salsa around all over the salad to soak in the flavors.

Eat this soon....PLEASE. Then freeze the leftovers for another meal. That is one of my favorite parts :)

Here is what Jay thought about my meal choice...

Does his reaction make you want to make it, or run screaming?

Saturday Out n About

Saturday came, and since I had decided the night before not to run the race I decided I NEEDED to run. I left in the early afternoon while Gator napped.
RUN:
10.4 miles
8:38 pace
Fastest Mile: 7:11 SCORE!
<-insert biggest smile. I would have taken a pic but I get embarrassed asking people to photograph me>

WOOT! I felt good about this. Though I want my total pace to be 8:00, but I think my Nike+ was off on the last mile cause it said is was WAY slow...like 20 minute mile SLOW. And I KNOW for sure that is not the case....I wasn't walking!

So about half way through my run I had to go to the bathroom REAL bad... How do I emphasize this without being gross?....I will just stick with real bad!
But I didn't want to stop anywhere. I just kept running, and hoping that the time would go by faster. I thought about stopping at a friends house but that just sounded awkward to me. I thought about stopping at the gas station, but by the time I would arrive at the gas station I would only have 2 miles left...so I figured I may as well just keep running and wait for the comforts of my own home... Good decision? I don't know! It definitely made for a difficult last 5 miles to say the least!
*
What do you do while you run for potty breaks? Do you push through it, or do you just stop?
*
This was my first run EVER I have 'fueled' mid-run. But I am trying to do better at fueling my body properly so I tried Jelly Belly Sports beans. I am not sure whether they helped or not. But they definitely tasted good.

Candy+running= AWESOME

I will probably try them a few more times to decide whether they help or not...

What do you use to stay fueled during a run?

I got home and ate a bowl of cottage cheese and blueberries. I knew cottage cheese had a lot of protein, but I had no idea how much! 15g per 1/2 cup... YES, PLEASE!

I used to hate cottage cheese. Something about the curdled texture totally turned me off as a kid... ok, just the word 'curdled' makes me want to vomit. So moving on..

After my protein packed snacked I moved on to my favorite; Nutella Bread:
Have I shared with you yet my love for nutella bread? It is an obsession gone way to far, I think. My day is incomplete without my piece of nutella bread.

I usually have a slice as soon as my kids go down for bed at night. I don't drink alcohol, so I unwind with hazelnuts and chocolate :)

I love going for long runs, cause I feel like that justifies more than one slice of nutella bread in a day. And anything that can help me to eat more delicious things like this are totally welcome in my life.

How was your weekend? Any yummy treats? Any awesome runs?

ps Thursday was 20 minutes elliptical, and 3 miles on the treadmill---boring

Too Many Sweets

Maister's birthday is on the 15th, and with Valentine's Day just the day before, and two birthday parties we are on sugar overload! I am craving some crisp vegetables like never before! Unfortunately we don't have many left after all the events from these past 5 days. I ran a little over 5 miles on Monday, and haven't run since...WOOPS! I did manage to get in some turbo jam and ab work (tiny bit) today though! Hopefully things will get back to normal tomorrow...
*
On the lack of running, I have been preoccupied making goodies like these:

YUM! I love these little things...

the inside of the southern coconut cake I made for the actual birthday. I know it isn't the most kid friendly, but it was also for our friend who shares the same birthday and she isn't eating chocolate - which is Maister's favorite flavor! I don't like coconut much, but this cake I liked! I was hoping I wouldn't like it...that way I wouldn't go back for another piece tonight! cocoNUT is really good for you right? I imagine it will make me faster or something... At least that is what I am trying to tell myself.

*
I still haven't decided on the race on Saturday. I know it is getting a little late, huh?! I wish I could make up my mind... Jay is feeling stressed at work, and is having to work this weekend (just from home) so I don't want to add any extra stress to his already hectic schedule. Of course he says he will support me if I want to race, I just don't know!
*
Every time I think about signing up, I get pre-pre-race jitters. Anyone else get these? It isn't a matter of finishing the race as I know I can run 8 miles just fine, but I just get really nervous!
*
Do you get pre-pre-race jitters? If so, what do you do to calm them?

Thanksgiving in February

Monday Workout: 5.02 miles at 8:05 pace
Tueday: 2800+ step including about 20 minutes of weights
*
I am taking it easy this week as I am gearing up for a 10 miler on Saturday! I am sso looking forward to it! Jay might even tag along again :)
__ __ __ __ __ ___ ___ __ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Is this picture bringing back fond memories of November?
Every Thanksgiving, one of the things I look forward to the most is the leftovers. I get excited to have dinner already "made" for about a week afterwards, and to have turkey sandwiches day after day. This year we went to my bro in-laws house, and that meant we didn't have any leftovers! I was pretty bummed, and I recenly announced to Jay that I would need to make us a turkey dinner so we could have leftovers galore!
Today was the DAY! Our house smelled soo good all day. I could hardly wait for Jay to get home from work so we could start eating! Here is a little of what we enjoyed:

Homemade rolls

Potatoes and Gravy...mmm

Spinach salad with Creamy basalmic dressing (not exactly tradition, just yummy)

More Peanut Butter Please...

For about the past 25 years I have been craving chocolate and peanut butter. Yes, I am only 25 year old, so you can take take that to mean I have always loved peanut butter :) But lately, I have been on peanut butter & chocolate craving overload. A few of our friends have been feeling under the weather (one feeling the nausea that comes with having a baby on the way, and one with some laryngytis) so I jumped at the chance to make them something scrumptious! I wasn't necessarily planning on posting this recipe, but that was before I tasted these bitesize guys:

I got rave reviews from everyone that tasted them. And have been asked for the recipe by both friends. And since I can't help but share something delicious with YOU too, here is the yummy recipe for you to enjoy! Let me know if you try it. I would love to hear how you liked it!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

from allrecipes.com

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBSP milk

40 miniature peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and milk. Slowly addd the flour mixture, and mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each ball into an lightly greased mini muffin pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool for about 5-10 minutes, and then place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes longer. Carefully remove from the pan.

*

Do you eat peanut butter any chance you can?

YES!

Week 5 menu

Here is what we will be cooking up at our house this week:

Monday: Chicken and Beans (frozen from a couple weeks ago) over rice
Tuesday: Two Mustard Chicken with rice and steamed broc
Wednesday: Taquitos! I can't wait.
Thursday: Spicey Orange Chicken Stirfry (didn't get to make it on Sunday as we got an invitation to sister in-laws house)
Friday: Homemade pizza - duh!
Saturday: Leftovers

*
What is cooking at your house this week?

Less than perfect day = Baking Cookies

To say the least, today was not the best one I have ever had. I just wanted to go back to bed and wake up, ready for the day to be better! Unfortunately, my attemps to take an afternoon catnap failed, and I had to trudge through the remainder of the day wollowing in my sadness. Ok, I am being dramatic, but you get the idea. I decided cookies would make it better, so I told Maister if she ate some of her asparagus at dinner I would make cookies. I figured this would give me a better excuse to make cookies, and I can get Maister to do almost anything for a promise of dessert! She ate her asparagus (can I get a WOOT WOOT!), and I began baking.

I chose my favorite "healthy" cookie recipe. Isn't that kind of an oxi-moron...healthy and cookie? Well in this case I think it almost fits! You see, about a year ago, after we moved into our house I was enjoying the new space in my kitchen a little too much. I was baking a little too much, if that is even possible. I decided that I needed a healthier dessert option that still tasted delish, and would fulfill my need for sugar at night. So I pulled a ton of ingredients out of my cupboards and just starting adding a little of this and a lot of that, and before I knew it I had these beauties sitting on my counter. And I was never more proud, don't worry it was the good kind of proud :)

I like to call them "Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Cookies"

I used a mix of extra dark chips and semisweets for tonights batch

Tonight we baked these with out the pecans as I didn't have any left...dang. I love the extra crunch of the nuts in the cookies. I love having a cookie recipe where I can enjoy eating several cookies and not worry about how I shouldn't be grabbing another one. Try them, your mind and body will thank you. And let me know what you think! I would be totally embarassed if they were awful and I have been feeding them to people. I know sometimes I can get in my own little world, and maybe my taste buds are just trying to boost my confidence by telling me they are good. Although, the chocolate smeared on my kids faces should say it all. I can trust the opinions of a 1 and 2 year old right? Right. Now that we have that settled...

-

Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

makes about 3 1/2 dozen

-

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temperature (almost warm)

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup dried cranberries

1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips or coursely chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix butter, applesauce, and sugars until combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and mix well. In a separate bowl whisk baking soda, quick oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Then slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients. Mix well. Add the pecans, chocolate and craisins until just combined. Drop by the tablespoon full onto greased baking sheet (I recommend pamper chef baking stone). Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, just until the edges are slightly golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing.

*

Now if you will excuse me, I have about 30 cookies left to eat...

Busy Tuesday

Today was a busy one in our household. We spent the morning at the library, early afternoon at a preschool meeting (ok, Mom's just chatting and kids playing :) ), and the afternoon baking! I was feeling ambitious today and decided to whip up some delicious carbs.

On a whim I decided I was in the mood for some homemade bread. So I whipped up two loaves:SO soft. SO delicious.

We also needed french bread with our veggie soup for dinner. So I tackled two loaves of that as well. I put one in the freezer so I can use it at a later date. I love feeling a little prepared with food in the freezer for those lazy nights.

The night ended with some of the bread and strawberry jam. OOOH. Heaven on Earth, right here people. I could seriously eat AT LEAST half a loaf like this. I wonder how long this bread will last in our kitchen...

Unfortunately, I didn't get out for a run. Instead I did Turbo Jam 20 minute work out, 30 minutes of step (2800+) where I did curls for 15 minutes of the step, and 10 minutes of "wii" jogging...that is weird. Have you tried it? Weird. I also added some leg lifts and crunches in there. Hopefully tomorrow I can get in a nice run. I need to breathe in some of that cool, crisp air. Plus, I just got a couple new songs that I have been listening to on my runs. I am not sick of them yet, so I look forward to dancing and singing as I cruise down the sidewalk.

*
What did you do today?

Friday Night Pizza

I was able to squeeze in a quick 5 mile run before some friends joined us for our weekly pizza night! I ran while the pizza dough was rising, came home and added toppings, then stuck it in the oven, and the timing couldn't have been better. I make the same pizza crust every night. I love it! I am kind of a pizza dough snob, and I never try new recipes. Maybe I should sometime, but I like me own enough that I feel no need to. I love that it doesn't have any oil in it, and it is SO quick and simple. I got this recipe from a friend we met when we lived in Georgia. Quick shout out to Nate. Thank you for making Friday Pizza Night possible for our family!

Here is what it looks like rolled out:

Pizza Crust
(makes 2)

1 cup warm water
1 TBSP honey
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp yeast)
3 cups flour (can do 1 cup whole what, 2 cups all-purpose)
1/2 tsp salt

Mix water, honey, and yeast together trying to work out the lumps. Just use the back of a spoon to work with it. Then add flour and salt, and knead for 10-15 minutes. Cover and let rise for an hour. Add any toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. ENJOY!

Tonight we had BBQ Chicken as it is Gator's favorite

My friend Emylee brought toppings to make a pizza too. She put pesto as the sauce, with goat cheese, bacon (the bottled kind that is 50% less fat. NOT bacon bits!), and carmelized red onion. It was DELICIOUS. I definitely want to make this again! I may have snuck an extra piece after they left...

She also brought these hot chocolate cupcakes. Aren't they cute? No, they did not have liquid hot chocolate inside to sip through the straw. But they did have hot chocolate baked into the cake. YUM.

Hungry now? Do you have any weekly food traditions?

I like having something during the week that I can count on and know we will always do. Plus, it is fun to make and come up with new kinds of pizza. And it isn't very hard to get the kids to eat!

Open Face Enchiladas

I switched our menu up because I had forgotten I bought everything to make these Black Bean, Cheese, and Lime Chicken Enchiladas. So last night I threw it all together and enjoyed these with mango salsa:

YUM! I really enjoyed them and so did the kiddos. Not to mention they are pretty healthy. SCORE! I gave Maister a taste of the lime chicken before I put it in the enchilada mix and all she said was "yum!" That put a smile on my face.

Here is the recipe so you can enjoy it too:

Black bean and Chicken Open Face Enchiladas
adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

10 corn tortillas
1 big can of red enchilada sauce
1 15oz can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 4 or 7 oz can diced green chilies
1 small onion
1 tsp cumin
1 Chicken breast
Olive oil
1 lime
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic
Mix of monterey and cheddar cheese - as much as you want!

I don't measure thesee ingredients. I just mix until it looks and smells good. Mix olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, and 1 clove garlic. brush it over a chicken breast and allow to marinate for about 15 minutes. Grill and dice in small pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

In a small bowl mix the chicken, beans, chilies, onion, cilantro, cumin, and s&p.

In a small casserole dish spread some of the enchilada sauce and dip the tortillas before you roll them to keep them moist so they won't crack. Mine totally cracked anyways, so I just didn't roll them and kind of folded the tops over as much as I could. But they were more "open face enchiladas."

Spread the filling in each tortilla, sprinkle a little cheese inside. Then just place them side by side in the pan. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top. Then sprinkle with more cheese and cilantro. Bake for aboug 20mins. It should start bubbling and smell divine.
Chopped fresh cilantro

Delicious!

I am loving this cereal, as of late. I don't normally buy Kashi cereal, because I bought it once a couple years ago and the taste resembled that of cardboard. But Kashi sent me a free sample of their new GoLEAN Crisp in the mail. Plus they included some awesome coupons for future purchases. I was skeptical when I poured my first bowl. But seriously, this stuff is SO good. Kashi has come a really long way in these past few years. I am back on the Kashi boat now. This stuff has 9g of protein in one serving. So it is perfect for breakfast after my morning runs.
My kids even like it. And I am happy to let them. With the coupons they sent me I was even able to get a full size box for free too! And my grocery store has them on sale right now, so with the other coupons, I can still get a box for $2. Not a great deal for cereal in general, but for a healthy one I think that is a great deal. I am going to stock up with the rest of my coupons this month. This is definitely my greatest cereal find in a long while! If you haven't tried it, DO!

**If anyone that works at Kashi is reading this, I wouldn't mind if you sent me another free box or two. I promise they will be thoroughly enjoyed, and devoured quickly. Plus, I did just give your company a plug...just sayin' :)

Totally Addicted

Tonight I whipped up some mean lasagna, french bread, spinach salad, and most importantly, these scrumptious Pumpkin Chocolate chip cookies. It is safe to say that I am totally addicted to these little bites of pure joy. I like to throw them in the microwave for 10 seconds to get the chocolate a little melty, and then drink a big glass of milk along side them. The best part is they are nearly guilt free! I got the recipe from my cousin, but I know many people make these same treats! Here is the recipe so you can whip up a batch too. It takes literally no time at all!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 spice cake mix
1 can (15oz) Pumpkin puree
chocolate chips (however many you want!)

Mix these 3 ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Just use a toothpick to determine when they are done.

VOILA! I love to take these to friends when I am in a pinch and don't have time to make anything fancy. Plus, I am happy when there are leftovers :) My kids love them too. And that makes me happy!

Tuesday Schmoosday

I started off the day with a brisk 5 mile run. I left the house around 7:25am and boy was it cold. It may be California, but OH! I should have worn my Nike skull cap (aka my du-rag). It was probably only in the high 30's or low 40's but it was cold. The run felt good, but I felt a little sick this morning afterwards. I may have pushed it a little. I shouldn't have skipped so many runs while I was gone for Christmas. I did exercise, but not 5 miles a day. I suppose it will just take some adjusting. Especially the early morning runs.

I got home and took a HOT shower that I did not want to get out of. I figured when my bathroom was too foggy to see, it was probably time to get out. I let Maister pick what we had for breakfast, and she requested my favorite Baked Oatmeal. I was more than happy to grant her request, as I had been craving it myself.
I mixed it up a little this time and threw in some cameo apple and raisins. That was definitely a good idea, and one I will do again, and soon!

Maister, Gator, and I enjoyed this before our long morning of the library and playground.
I have been craving another bowl all day, but will resist until tomorrow morning. I won't deny that I have been known to eat this for multiple meals in a day. I LOVE having breakfast for dinner. It just feels right to me. I eat enormous amounts of this in the summer when strawberries are floating around our house! Have I mentioned how excited I am for all the summer produce. I am excited! Let the 3 month (or so) countdown begin! I hear costco has blueberries already. Maybe I should scoot my way over there. I need to renew my membership. I need their produce!

Anyways, here is the recipe to my favorite breakfast ever. That is right. E.V.E.R.

Baked Oatmeal
adapted from My Sisters' Cucina

6 cups oats (quick or rolled. I like to do half and half for texture)
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups low fat milk (I drink 1%)
4 eggs (2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites) beaten
1 TBSP baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2-3/4 tsp cinnamon (I just usually sprinkle a bunch in, I don't measure)
**optional ingredients
Diced Apples
Raisins
Dried Cranberries
Other dry fruit
Nuts (walnuts are a SUPER food!)
any fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with fresh fruit and a little milk.

This morning I threw in half of a granny smith apple and half a banana on top of the apple and raisins that were already baked into the oatmeal. The oatmeal will keep you full for longer and it tastes spectacular! Enjoy.

What is your favorite breakfast food?

What keeps you full for longer in the morning?