Handwriting Fun: (or, avoiding things that need to be done...)

Borrowed this idea from Kaitlin: the activity fit well in the moment. 
Do it too and then post a link!
Here are the questions:
1. What is your name / blogger name?
2. What is your blog URL?
3. Write: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
4. Favorite quote?
5. Favorite song?
6. Favorite band / singers?
7. Anything else you want to say?
8. Tag 3-5 other people.

  Do it!!!
Happy Sunday!

Banana Bread: Tweaking the Master

I love my old-school Betty Crocker cookbook.  It's fallen apart, but we have fond memories together. 
Today was the first time I took a recipe from this tome and tweaked it. I was nervous, but it turned out AWESOME! I just wish I would have gone with my gut and only used 1/4 C sugar to help with pts value.

I had two bananas that I feared L would give me the stink eye for not eating prior to over-ripening, so I went to a recipe that brings me fond memories of home and my mom and sister and mornings with yummy warm banana nut bread (but I would pick out all the nuts).

Mushed Banana

 This bread is sweet, moist, and best served warm.  If you are a nut fan (get mind out of gutter dear readers!), go ahead and add some nuts!

"Nut" Bread (BANANA)
2 giant ripe bananas mushed with a fork
1 1/4 C bread flour
1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 C sugar (I'd only use 1/4 C next time!)
3 TBSP canola oil
3/4 C skim milk
1 egg

Pretty

Heat oven to 350.
Grease and flour a bread loaf pan.
Measure all ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix until fully combine--be sure to scrape sides and spoon!
Pour into loaf pan.
Bake 55-65 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.
12 slices

Yum. Tastes like home!!

I like fattier slices, but you could tweak your cuts accordingly!
11 slices = 5 pts+
12-15 slices = 4 pts+
16 slices = 3pts+






Have a blog? Want to win a $100? Check out the Swanson Health Blog.

Review #1: Protein Powder of Magic.

Mondays and Wednesdays I have practice from 6-8:30.  I get home after 9, and eating that late is just not good for me.  I thought that for my first review I could try to make myself a shake with the Vanilla Bean Protein Powder that I got from my box of goodies from Swanson Health Products before I went to practice (I could drink it on the 30 minute drive).

I won't lie, I am not a meat-head, but I have been bragging to L about my developing GUN SHOW (which he makes fun of).  But I never thought I would ever drink protein powder. 

I am a convert. 

1 scoop. (I had to dig for the scoop the first time, hence the powdery fingers!

I got the blender out, opened the container of mix (which smells AWESOME--vanilla-y and creamy if creamy could be a smell--by the way), I mixed my full scoop of powder with a full bag of frozen smoothie fruit (strawberries, mango, and pineapple), and about 1/4 C of water and a Trader Joe's 0% Greek Honey yogurt.

It was really thick.  And it made a LARGE amount of shake.  And it was thick.  

Yum. First time trying this too.  YUM.

The combination of vanilla bean, honey yogurt, and fruit was AWESOME.  It also made over 32 ounces.  I drank most of it before practice (from about 5:15-5:50), but had about 8 ounces left in the car for me to drink after practice was over (got in the car at 8:40). 

I wasn't hungry AT ALL during practice, and while I'd like to have a warm meal in my tummy as I type this, I think my need to eat comes mentally (habits/comfort) rather than actual hunger.  

Thick, blender-y goodness.

I can't wait to try making other flavors of shakes with this powder--I am going to do milk, ice, and powder for next week's practice.  I am PUMPED!!!

Maybe my GUN SHOW will develop exponentially now that I am protein-ing it up!!!  :)

A girl can dream right?

One of TWO containers I needed to contain the giant amount I made.

**Note**I got products for free--I am not being paid in any way for what I say about these products. I am being honest, and seriously, have no reason to lie!

• Are you interested in getting some free Swanson Health Products goodies to review on your own blog? Then check out the Swanson Health Blog for all the details.

It was like Christmas!!!

I am not a wealthy person.  Right now, L and I, while not totally destitute (as L would say), we are not in the best financial situation.  My unemployment is the main problem, and it weighs heavily on me on a daily basis.
I am not good at finding bargains--my sister can easily find $2 shirts at Target, but I don't have the same senses that people who find sales do.

Therefore, free stuff is one of the greatest things on the planet right now.  Especially free GOOD stuff.  I saw a blog where the author was reviewing a Swanson product, and followed the link she included.  I contacted Swanson (who are amazingly prompt and kind in their responses), and got an email detailing all the goodies I was going to get to try and then review.  I nearly fell over I was so excited!!!

Last night, I was talking to L about this, and who should ring the doorbell? Yep! UPS!!!! And I have my awesome goodies to start to try!!!

I can't believe how lucky I am to be able to do this!!

Here is what was in my box:
Tom’s of Maine toothpaste
Alfalfa Leaf
B Complex 100
Syntol AMD
CLA
Soyjoy Fruit Bars
Natural Calm Plus Calcium
Vanilla Bean Protein Powder

All these awesome products and MANY more can be found here:
Swanson Health Products
Check them out!!!

**Note**I got these for free--I am not being paid in any way for what I say about these products. I am being honest, and seriously, have no reason to lie!

• Are you interested in getting some free Swanson Health Products goodies to review on your own blog? Then check out the Swanson Health Blog for all the details.

I am not sure what I will start with, but believe me, I am SUPER excited to try these products!!!

WI Wednesday!

220.0

-3.1!!!


I am pretty pleased. Thank you working out.  

What I ate Wednesday (or, while on Grand Jury Duty on Monday)...

I am going to try to do this alongside Peas and Crayons and hopefully get some other readers/tips from those who participate.  Play along! It will be fun!!

Breakfast:

No sugar needed! Yes, there are oats in there!!

1/2 C oats
1/2 C skim milk
cinnamon--plentiful amount!
1 full apple cut up
blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. (the last of my haul from the last Farmer's market that was in my freezer from last year)

This is my new favorite way to eat oatmeal.  It is funny that a year ago I wouldn't have been able to stomach the texture of this dish, but the hearty and satisfying mouthfeel has grown on me and I LOVE that I don't need sugar anymore either!



Lunch:

L's brother drew my name for Christmas last year, and he got me a bento box that I finally got to use on Monday for my lunch.  Let me tell you, filling it with good foods I made was super fun, and eating from it was even MORE fun!

Calzone (wrapped in saran wrap in the mesh area)
In the box clockwise starting with the dish in the back left:
Spiced Citrus Salad
Homemade Crackers
baby carrots and almonds
Stuffed Corn Muffin
Glazed Pear Muffin (dessert)
On the side of the box:
hummus
Homemade granola bar
Ranch dressing (OMG YUM)

YAY!
I'm not going to lie, I am pretty proud of myself and the fact that of the food in my bento box, I made 7/10 items that I packed.  I couldn't say this a year ago.  My lunch would have consisted of processed, fatty foods.

(If you like fun meals check out all these awesome bentos!!)

Snack on the way to practice:
1 cut up apple
3 small slices of cheddar cheese
10 almonds

Dinner:
I didn't get home from practice until 9:20, which kills me to eat that late, so I really try hard not to.
I had 1/2 a Chobani strawberry yogurt and went to bed.


Your turn!  What did YOU eat?!?!?!?!

Oatmeal Pies? Heck. YES!

OMG. Don't walk, RUN to the kitchen and make these NOW.
The cookies are AMAZING, the filling is AMAZING. OMGOMGOMG. YUMMMMMMMM!!!!
Thanks again to Jenna for this amazingly awesome recipe!

Yes, this is in the LARGE size. Do you see the cinnaminny awesomeness?

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (I added MORE--YUMMY!)

for cream filling:
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and mix until smooth, then add the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Bake 1 tbsp-sized balls of dough on a lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool while preparing the filling.
For the filling, cream together the powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk and whip on high speed for five minute until very light and fluffy.
To prepare cream pies, pipe (using a pastry bag or plastic bag) small dollops of frosting on a cookie and sandwich another cookie on top. Cookies will stay fresh in a sealed tupperware container for three days but they are best eaten the same day they are baked--NO KIDDING.  A-MAZING!!!

**UPDATE**
I got 20 mini-pies/sandwich.  Based on this, each is 7pts+
This might not be 100% accurate, I didn't use all of the frosting, so it might be safe to consider these 6/5 pts+
Either way--big points, but totally yummy and worth it as a little special treat.

These are dangerous! I might have to send them ALL with L to work tomorrow. 

March's Goals

Goals from February!

I can't believe two months of '11 are complete already.  Getting older is by far my least favorite thing. Time seems to pass super fast, and in my world today, there are a good amount of stressors that I am allowing to get in the way of enjoying moments.  That might be a goal for next month, I think I have enough on my plate as it is for March.  Some of my goals are the same, some have just been slightly upped, but I am trying out "slow and steady win the race" in order to not burn myself out.  I like that my goals fit on one side of a notecard that I can easily record when I meet each goal. 

March's Goals:

Personal
-Call home 1x week. 
-Watch at least 2 movies with L. 
-Try risotto (making and eating).
 

Mental
-Read 3 books.
-Do not miss practice unless absolutely VITAL.  

This comes because I don't want to give in to pouty mental state which sometimes happens when I feel sorry for myself.  The only excuse that is acceptable for missing practice is illness or emergency.  Feeling down does not constitute for illness either. 

Physical
-Yoga at least 5 times this month.
This will require an additional session outside of class if I go that route.  
-Body Pump 1X a week. (=5X)

Social
-Hang out at least two times with someone outside of L.


WW/Eating/Weight Loss
-Be On Plan (OP) at least ONE week.  (Track everything I eat/drink; do not go over points. Do not dip in to weekly extras--earn enough activity points that I won't need to).

Planning for March!

I know that I need to push myself more, so that is where this final goal comes from.  I notice more and more that I allow too much of my work to be overshadowed by terrible choices on the weekends.  If I start small with the one week OP goal, I can build on that.  I really need to stop overindulging and overeating on the weekends.