I solemnly swear I'm up to no good...

*This post is going to end with a little mayhem & mischief.  Stay tuned...

Thursday Recap:

9:00am:  Breakfast- Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar

NOT wise to have this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.  It was WAY too rich for me.  I had to down 1/2 a Laughing Cow cheese (for the protein), a glass of water and have a seat for about 20 minutes just to let the gross feeling pass.  I know that's not a rousing endorsementJ  It WAS tasty...just not "first thing in the morning food" for meJ

After that, Katie & I got to putting those peaches to WORK!

THIS is called "Cooking with a 2 year old:  The Reality"J

It actually seemed more messy than this picture would suggest...probably due to the mound of dishes that were in the sink behind meJ

Anyway, we 'healthified" this recipe just a littttle bit to give it an extra nutrition boost...

Spiced & Sweet Peach Cobbler Muffins

• Topping
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons flour 
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• LOTS of cinnamon (Katie poured it...so use your imaginationJ)
• 2 shakes of nutmeg
• 
  
• Batter
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 3/4 cup light sour cream
• 2 cups oat flour  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Shake of salt
• LOTS of cinnamon
• Couple shakes each of:  Nutmeg, ground ginger & cloves
• 2 cups diced peaches, coated in flour  (about 3 tablespoons, enough to coat the peaches)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cupcake liners.
2. Beat the egg in a large bowl before adding the brown sugar, apple sauce & sour cream.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt & spices to the wet ingredients & stir until just combined.  Gently fold in peaches.
4. Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix until crumbly.  (As Katie is demonstrating in the above pictureJ)
5. Spoon batter into pan and sprinkle with topping crumbs.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Mine took a little longer to bake (maybe around 35-40 minutes or so) since the peaches were VERY ripe and added a little extra moisture.  Did NOT effect the outcome, however, since these were spiced, sweet & studded with tons of fresh peaches.  Swooooooooooooon!  

And like I said, the added health 'benefits' didn't effect the taste in the slightest.  Going to try cutting the sugar even more next time AND swapping the 'flour topping' for more OATS.  I actually ran out of oats mid-flour processing and even had to add in some 'TOUGH' steel cut oats.  Shockingly enough, this didn't effect the taste or texture at all.  Just a good thing to note if you come up short making oat flourJ

12:00pm:  Lunch-  Peach & Mozzarella caprese salad

Cause, ya know, it's been a hot 3 seconds since I had anything 'caprese-related.'

And here's with this post descends into mayhem and all-out NERD HEAVEN!

And in case you need to see my membership card into nerd-central, here's how my friends & I celebrated the midnight release of the final Harry Potter book many years ago....

I'd also like to add that we all worked together at the time and SHOWED UP TO WORK in this attire...no jokeJ

And here's what an unsuspecting Scott walked home to that day....

He took it well.

ANYWAYSSSSS...so back to last night where we rallied up a fabulous team known as "That's so Ravenclaw" and met up at The British Chip Shop in Haddonfiled, NJ for an epic battle...

And any well-fought battle begins with good eats, AMIRIGHT??  And as if the night couldn't get any more adorable, I present to you:  THEME FOOD!  Weeeeeeeeeeee...

Appetizers were passed around family style, so you got to taste little bites of each.  The spicy Thai noodles (no pic) & cheese and rice balls were delish...

...and the eggs were cute & all, but ya know, I didn't try thoseJ

And everyone got their own entree all for $20!  Not a bad deal for a fun night out.  My beef stew with herbed dumplings was warm, cozy and HEARTY...

...but I also had samples of my friend's fish & chips and the AWESOME cottage pie and both were fantastic.  Me thinks I'll be back to the British Chip shop soon, even sans triviaJ

And do I even need to explain THIS cuteness?

I mean...

But besides food, it was SERIOUS business round the table...

Those questions were NO JOKE and thankfully I was surrounded by folks who were WAY more versed than I on the subject!  I think I contributed 2 answers to the entire THREE rounds.  Let's just say one round involved "Tapestries."  I'm tellin ya:  NO JOKE.  (although I believe I would have ACED decorative shirts & Harry Potter home decor back in the day, if I do say so myselfJ)

But in the end, our team actually came out VICTORIOUS!  It was crazy-fun how exciting it was when we were announced the winners after each round and then the final victors.  I imagine it's what it's like to win a gold medal...ya know, if your sport was book trivia in NJJ

Did I promise you mischief & mayhem?  I feel as though I delivered on this postJ Hahahahahaha....  Definitely not a normal night out, but a FUN one had by all.  Wish this was a weekly eventJ

Annnyyywaaayyyyssss, hope you guys have great plans for the weekend.  I can't say for certain that any are going to live up to THIS level of fun, but Lord knows I'll tryJ

Have a great weekend, all!

1 hour east...

Hey, ya'll!  Well, I told you guys I would have some FUN eats for you today and do I ever!  They come courtesy of this restaurant named "Toast" in Asbury Park...

Besides my love of the name (you guys KNOW my LOVE OF TOAST!), what made this place even more appealing was the fact that the waiting patrons are always streaming out the door on weekend mornings.  So in an attempt to skip the rush, we headed over yesterday afternoon and got seated right away (ps-they are open till 3pm every day)

We sat down and immediately started to pour over there "WAYYYY TOO MANY GOOD OPTIONS" menu...

...but thankfully they gave me one of my favorite options, as someone who loves TASTING rather than too much of one thing:  I could order a SINGLE pancake of two of their best sounding options!  Oh happy dayJ

You know I just HAD to sample their red velvet pancake, which was slightly sweet, slightly tangy and served with....are you ready??  CREAM CHEESE FROSTING!  OH YES THEY DID!

But even that pancake couldn't possibly compare to their CARROT CAKE PANCAKE, which may just be one of the BESTPANCAKESEVER!  (Clinton Street, Brownstone & Saranac Sourdough are right up there too!)

Shredded carrots, raisins and walnuts are speckled throughout this SPICED PANCAKE BATTER!  And when I say 'spiced,' I mean SPICED!  It tasted like a combo of pumpkin & Gingerbread and made my brain swirl with images of falling leaves & twinkling lightsJ  PACKED with flavor and ummm....drizzled with icing??  Can't ever hate on that.  NO, seriously:  GO GET THIS PANCAKE NOW if you're a lover of all things FALL flavored!  I think no matter what I order from "Toast" (and we already plan to go back and try some of their sandwiches!), it will be served with a side of Carrot Cake pancakeJ  JUST SOOOOOOOO GOOD!

I'd even say it was better than Scott's NUTELLA stuffed french toast...and how far off of PHENOMENAL can that be to begin with??J 

Not far, TRUST!  The french toast was tender and slightly crisp all surrounding the NUTELLA center.  This should be OK to count as breakfast EVERY dayJ hahahahahahhaa

And as if I need one more reason to give Toast a thumbs up, this happened:

You know you love itJ

After lunch, we headed a few blocks over to the beach.  Where, despite it being OHSOHOT at home, the shore was about 20 degrees cooler and WINNNNNDDDDDYYYYYYYYY!!!  We couldn't stay too long since it was SOCOLD but that didn't stop Katie from spending nearly every last moment getting her toes wet in the FREEZING oceanJ

Hopefully in AUGUST it'll be warm enough to swim...but NOT YET!  And I thought for sure yesterday was gonna be the day of a 'family swim,' given that it was 94 & HUMID over in these parts.  Crazy what driving an hour East can doJ

And since Katie PASSED OUT the moment the car moved an inch, we waited till we got home to get her requested ICE CREAM for the dayJ  Which isn't too bad, given that Swal Dairy is some of the best ice cream you can get ANYWHERE and we visit there WAY too infrequently... 

The only problem with Swal is that there are TOO MANY GOOD OPTIONS!  We thankfully arrived at a time when it was empty, so we were able to wander up & down the ice cream lane and sample a few....which actually only makes it more difficult to chooseJ

I knew I was in the mood for PEANUT BUTTER, but even I got a little over zealous once I tasted the CHOCOLATE COCONUT...

I almost NEVER order a chocolate ice cream, but the coconut texture was SO strong that it was just too perfect to pass upJ

And guess who else loved it?? 

I guess her typical' vanilla soft serve with jimmies' will get the BOOT from here on out over the chocolate ice cream that she INHALED.  It was only a matter of time, I supposeJ  HahahahahahahahaJ

Well, I better get ready to head off to yoga...OH, and I have to tell you about 2 great books I've read in the last few days (I'm on a reading kick!)...

If you love Caroline Manzo from Real Housewives of NJ, you'll love this book!  Great stories about her life and advice, Caroline-style...which is NO BS...which I lovvvvveJ 

And if you love yoga and all of the great mental transformations it enhances, GET UP and GO GET THIS BOOK NOW!  I'm actually returning it to the library today, but plan on buying a copy of it so I can underline all of the sentence that "got to me"....which was pretty much every other sentenceJ  Made me realize how much of yoga I 'understood' before I was ever taught, which is pretty darn coolJ 

Alrighty, now I've said WAY more than enoughJ  Hope you guys have a great Wednesday!

All for under $8...

Soooooo....before I start my recap, anyone want to know what Katie was busy doing while I typed yesterday's post??  The answer was:

1.- Magic Marker lipstick application...

2.- Finding and sticking many of my scrapbook stickers....aka-the stickers a craft store will charge an arm and a leg for in the name of 'adorably preserved memories.'  Yep....THOSE. 

Can't blame herJ  Thankfully today she's happily eating yogurt & strawberries as I type thisJ  Although I still have to type FAST.  "Little Einsteins" only last so longJ  (ya'll know what I'm talkin about!!J)

ANYWAY!

Tuesday recap:

Workout:  20 minute HIIT routine

9:30am:  Breakfast-  Cinnamon Vanilla English Muffin 

I sooooooooooooo got suckered into buying these when I was browsing the bread aisle and smelled the INCREDIBLE scent of cinnamon & vanilla swirling around my head.  These damn things would make an awesome air fresher, THAT'S how good they smell!  Oh yeah...and they tasted really good tooJ  

11:00am:  Snack- Plum

1:00pm:  Lunch- Pasta with butter

Yep...the hottest day of the year so far & I ate FALL pasta.  No other words needed.

3:00pm:  Snack- Skinnygirl Chocolate Peanut Butter bar 

There's the candy bar in all it's glory.  JUST. SO. GOOD!

7:00pm:  Dinner- YEP....

So, after my very-FALL lunch, I had deemed yesterday just TOO. DAMN. HOT to cook or even really eat. (who am I??)  Oh....did I mention the part where I hadn't been outside all day while Scott WORKED outside all day???  Yep.  There's something wrong with me...or I was just 'feelin his pain.'

We'll go with the laterJ

Anyway, a 'Buy one/get one free' expiring coupon to our favorite frozen yogurt place just BEGGED us to be used.  (no worries- Scott also had some leftover chicken for dinner and Katie had some beans & cheese.  I wasn't starving them in the name of my frozen yogurt dinner madness.)  

Katie approved of this venture...

...and after 'dinner,' Katie also got a trip to the zoo...otherwise known as the neighboring pet storeJ  Can't beat an entire night out for her for under $8....hahahahahahaJ

Well, that's our shenanigans of Tuesday.  That and that I also finished "The Secret Life of Bees" (LOVED!!!) and am onto my Chelsea Handler book....which may or may not have fallen on my face last night while I was trying to read in bed.  Ahem....

Have a great Wednesday!J

The Katie Whisperer...

Thursday Recap:

9:00am:  Breakfast- Dark Chocolate Chunk KIND bar

I love these all-natural bars just as much as my beloved Larabars (the Honey Coconut is TODIEFOR!) and they are great for on the run breakfasts or snacks.  I had to 'grab & go' breakfast yesterday too since Katie was grabbing my hand to go play down in our playroom before 9amJ  hahahahaha  No languishing over the stove to make pancakes for me yesterdayJ

+ACV update

Starting making it with a 1-to-1 tablespoon ration of Apple Cider Vinegar & pineapple juice.  Hey, any LESS shot to take is A-OK by me!  Followed by that juice chaser and it is a health benefit you can nail in under 30 secondsJ

11:00am:  1/2 grapefruit with 1/2 packet of Stevia 

Ummmm...that knife looks very foreboding in that picture, but I've gotten quite a bit more proficient in slicing grapefruit segments thanks to that little guyJ

12:30pm:  Lunch- 2 leftover corn lettuce wraps & sauteed zucchini

Thank God for 2 minutes in the microwave because, despite that mid-morning grapefruit, I was pretty STARVING by the time lunch rolled around.  Thankfully this lunch came together in under 5 minutes, thanks to leftovers.  After housing these, downing some water and keeping myself busy, these kept me full the rest of the afternoon.

4:00pm:  Snack- 1 Mango Coconut bite

Our last three from the recipe got divided up by Katie, Scott & myself.  I already can't wait to try a new recipe for these little bites next week!  They are a great 'sweet tooth satisfy-er" in the afternoons.

6:00pm:  Dinner- Kale salad with Maple Almond Vinaigrette 

How this salad isn't a weekly staple, I have no idea.  Well, I have one idea:  it DOES require a little more prep work than normal.  Chopping the kale, slivering the brussel sprouts, caramelizing some shallots...but oh, is it worth it.  It is SO worth it.  If you're not a fan of kale: TRY THIS SALAD.  You will be a believer in the raw, green stuff... 

Think we'll be adding more kale salads to our weekly menu, not only because they are beyond fabulous for you and blah, blah, blah...but they are HONESTLY Katie's favorite dinner.  I know.  I know! you are proclaiming me a liar at this moment, but she will just sit & slowly pick her way through this, polishing off her entire plate.  And here's the most important part:  She does so...QUIETLY.  That child didn't make ONE PEEP last night while we ate...which is...rare these daysJ  I always feed her whatever we're having, but for some nights, the (non too subtle) squeal of "DOWWWWN!" come a little more quickly than othersJ  And if kale salad is the "Katie-whisperer", well then I'll freakin take it!  More motivating for us on many levelsJ

Workout:  "Tone it up" Sandcastle Workout

I told you the weather wasn't very encouraging yesterday and I just was NOT feeling the gym yesterday (it happens).  But I knew I still wanted to do SOMETHING, but didn't feel like going too crazy and this little FIFTEEN MINUTE (yes, that's 1-5) totally hit the spot for the night.  Just enough to feel like I got some toning work in (those 4 little moves, of working double muscle groups, will wear you out FAST!) and despite the short time, was still better than NOTHING...which is what probably would have happened if I had SWORN to myself I was going to workout for an hour when I really just didn't feel like it.  SOMETHING is ALWAYS better than nothing!

Not to mention, it would have been WAY to easy to just COMPLETELY blow off ANY workout in favor of plopping myself on the couch with my latest obsession...

...at least I got in my little workout in and felt justified spending the rest of the evening with the TV OFF and plowing through this read.  If you LOVED Moriarty's "The Husband's Secret" (and if you haven't read that:  Stop reading this RIGHT NOW and GO GET IT!), you'll love this one too.  A page turner with a little hint of sinister hidden beneath the surface of each chapter. (ps-Scott works out on Monday & Thursday nights.  I wasn't forcing him to stare at me while I readingJ)

And speaking of Scott, he has lost 11 pounds in 2 weeks!  I....have NOT lost that muchJ  He's worked really hard and I'm super proud of him, but us women are just a little slower going on the scaleJ  hahahahahahaha  I'm still VERY happy of the 'healthier (and delicious!) choices' from this week and that gives us motivation going into the HOLIDAY WEEKEND!  CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT?????????????  You can just never get over how fast time flies.  So of course we have picnic food to enjoy PLUS a fun little 'Jersey foodie road trip' planned (somewhat of a Memorial weekend traditionJ) So I'm just gonna try to take my own damn advice as best I can, eat those two 'funner meals' mindfully and stay in the 'healthy' game the rest of the time.  You gotta live & love...but we just gotta be more mindful about it when you're trying to keep the scale on your sideJ hahahahaha

Have a WONDERFUL weekend and I know I'll have some goodies to show you come Monday/Tuesday (we'll see how soon I get back on hereJ)  ENJOY!