A colorful wrap up...

Soooo....mornin, folks!  Sorry I've been a bit MIA the past couple weeks, but roll insanely busy mixed with feeling LOUSY almost all of last week and the days just get away from me.  And on top of that, I wasn't very diligent with taking photos the past couple weeks or even remembering what the hell I DID each day, let alone what I ate...hahahahahaha😉. Lately anyone asks how I'm doing and my response is "Just swingin from vines", since that's EXACTLY what it feels like day-to-day😉  I'm sure, um, ALL OF YOU understand that feeling😉  Sooooooo...instead of a weekly recap, I'll just share some of my favorites from the past couple weeks and maybe a few I'm REALLY excited to try as Summer is quickly approaching.  Which...

A.- 'scuse???  How the hell did THAT happen??

and

B.- I'm FAIRLY excited for.  Double 'scuse.  I still don't even know who I am anymore...but we've already been to visit the beach a couple times so far this spring and I. JUST. CAN'T. EVEN. DEAL with all the gorgeousness and how happy the kids are just to BE there.  

(and humidity, if you could stay away the ENTIRE time??  THAT'DBEGREAT)

Some of my fav meals:

Quickest dinner that felt 'fancy':  One-pot puttenesca

Throw everything in one pan and end up with a dish where each bite brings a new taste of ZINNNNNNGGGGGG???  Yes, yes and yes please.

The 'pardon the photo on my stove grate' meal:  BUT this picture makes me super happy because Katie was SO EXCITED to invite a couple of friends over for our first cookout of hot dogs of the season that she actually helped me clean almost our ENTIRE back porch (all while singing "I just can't wait to be King"...which was ADORABLE)...weeeeee!  Not to mention:  CLASSIC summer fare...

Pasta salad recipe from Pioneer Woman, which I made last summer and have thought about ever since.  It's THAT perfect😉

We also made THIS PIE for the cookout and um, also PERFECT...

What will probably become a staple recipe:  Lauren Conrad's Easy Enchiladas

My love for all things Lauren Conrad and her perfectly filtered life runs deep, so it was no shock that her absurdly easy enchilada recipe was not only easy but PERFECTLY DELICIOUS.  Poaching the chicken in the salsa kept it super flavorful and extremely tender.  I upped my game just a bit by finding a small loaf of premade cornbread in the freezer and stuffing it with said enchilada chicken.  My photo does NOT do it justice for how PHENOMENAL THAT was😉

My current breakfast & lunch obsession:

(photo source)

+ strawberries + chopped almonds (or peanuts) + ground flaxseed + a sprinkle of granola.  This used to be my spring-y/sunshine staple (how is that blog post from SEVEN years ago???), but haven't really had it in YEARS.  And, just like most things, I get reacquainted and then get re-obsessed and have it a million times a week😉  I've had both the nonfat & whole milk variation of the yogurt and honestly can't say I notice much difference once you add all of those toppings.

Other meal-prep lunches:

Our FAVORITE couscous salad

BBQ Chicken, roasted sweet potato & broccoli bowls

Both made on Sundays, portioned and set for the week ahead.  And BOTH were delicious!

Healthier indulgence:  Chocolate Orange Chia seed pudding

So ya'll know my LOVE of chocolate on MOST days of the week, which I obviously think is FINE...BUT here's a great way to satisfy that craving while staying a LITTLE bit more on the healthy end of things.

Favorite Workout:  Tone it up Sandy Sweat HIIT

I'm so obsessed with this one at the moment that I COULDN'T WAIT to get back to it after recovering from feeling lousy.  15 quick minutes + I'll throw in 15 minutes of dance and it feels like a full body, excellent muscle/cardio combo.

And a few things I'm excited to make with the Summer on the way!

Firecraker Cake

This picture makes me straight up giddy.  

Further making me question who I'm becoming😉  But it's just so purty!

Red, White & Blue strawberry cheesecake bites

How perfect are these??  I might just be able to get behind the whole 'fruit for dessert' thing with these adorable little babies!  Plus, I'd love giving these to the kids.

Summer Sand Pudding

I can't even DEAL with how adorable this is...PLUS we are a dirt cake lovin house and Katie will FLIP for this adorable variation, I'm sure😉

Pioneer Woman BEST Macaroni Salad

So while Googling the above recipe for Pioneer Woman's macaroni salad, I also stumbled on THIS one...and if she's saying THIS is the best??  Well, YOU KNOW it's worth trying!

Well, that's a colorful wrap!  I'm planning to DEFINITELY be back on Wednesday since I have two current 'mental weight loss' topics that I'm dying to discuss.  Here's to finding time to bang out these keys😉 (hold me...😉)

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Friday Favorites: Summer edition...

It has been WELL (x's infinity) documented on this blog that I am NOT a fan of summer.  In years past, I've been known to close my eyes, bow my head and pray for it to speed by till my beloved FALL rolls in.  And while I'm STILL not a huge fan of walking out of my house at 7pm and the temperature still reading 96 degrees (This actually happened last night) or standing in ONE PLACE and feeling like you're doused in sweat from the 100% humidity rating (ALSO yesterday), summer & I have been changing our tune about each other.  Well, we HAVE been since Katie's 2nd summer where we realized the beach was her absolute happy place, but now I am waving the white flag for making time STOP.  The kids are just at such fun ages, I don't wish one moment away anymore (ok, ok...SOME days are still a crawl-through-barbed-wire till bedtime, let's be realJ) and have really tried to EMBRACE ALL THE SUMMER THINGS and enjoying all it's perks as much as possible.  (I sure as hell ain't hatin' on the late sunsets...a fan of pitch-dark at 6pm, I am not)  

Not that I'm not compiling with Katie's wish to still listen to the $5 Kohl's Disney Christmas CD on the near-daily....and maybe or maybe not letting it play even if she's not in the car.  But, ya know, TOTALLY embracing the restJ

And with that said, we've also been (OF COURSE) embracing all of the good summer eats.  From cool lettuce wraps to bacon-stuffed smores (WHATTT??), it's all-day-everyday seasonal around here!  So I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite recipes we've been making lately and a few more I just CAN NOT WAIT to tryJ


Favorite Burgers: (yes, plural)  Cheddar & Bacon filled burger & Cream cheese & green chili burger

Friday nights have been "summer classics" in our house since Memorial Day...where we get to have ALLTHEBURGERS&HOTDOGS and side salads in the name of summer.  I tried this tradition a few years ago and it lasted...hmmmm, 3 weeks?  This year, however, we are GETTING IT DONE (#lifegoals) and here have been 2 of our favorites thus far.  (until TONIGHT'S!  Tonight's should be EPIC!  More on that later...)

Favorite way to eat the rainbow:  Couscous Salad

A long time favorite in our house for both taste and because it's SO DARN PRETTY!  This Southwestern version is ACES too.

Favorite frozen:  Easy Strawberry Marshmallow Pops

Katie & I have been making Popsicles almost weekly since summer began and these babies are still the favorites out of the bunch (especially when we used our fresh picked strawberries...swoon!)  We also made these with blueberries, but the strawberry tops the charts for me.  Other favorites include these Cappuccino pops (Scott's favs) and these secretly healthy fudge pops.

Favorite healthy breakfast (or snack):  Tone it Up Berry Bright Chia Pudding

This is such a coooooooool way to start the day on a hot morning.  I've made this in both strawberry (for me) and blueberry (for Scott), and we both LOVE it.  Especially while blueberries are at a SEASONAL $$ LOW right now.

Favorite TOOHOTTOCOOK:  Watermelon Caprese

This isn't rocket science, but you'll forgive me once it takes .4 seconds to make dinner and your oven stays O-F-F.  PERFECT for these dog days.

Favorite FAVORITE FAVORITE:  Lettuce wraps

Lettuce wraps.  Lettuce wraps ALL DAY.  I LOVEEEEEEEE em.  I truly do and could eat them 4-5 days a week.  They're light, usually fairly healthy and pretty quick.  MY FAVORITE right now is this chicken satay variation, which we've eaten 3 times in as many weeks.  We also LOVED this Jamaican Jerk Chicken variation.  And to keep your kitchen even cooler, throw all the ingredients for these Honey garlic chicken wraps in the slow cooker in the AM and have a full cooked meal ready by dinner time (sans stove!).

Favorite sneaky way to get healthy:  "The Life Changing Magic of the Veggie Box"

I'm trying my best to keep this as a permanent fixture in our fridge.  All it takes is under-15 minutes of prep to chop up a week's worth of veggies so you have em at your disposal all week.  I can't even tell you how many times in the last few weeks that I've snacked on veggies & hummus, PURELY because they were THERE.  And they make an awesome pack & go snack for your busy days (yes, I'm the gal in the parking lot eating veggies with hummus while going from gym to gym to teachJ)  Now is as good a time as any to customize it with ALL of your favorite summer fresh produce.  Last week we had cherry tomatoes, radishes & pea pods (which I don't even LOVE, but DID like them with hummus) and this week it's rainbow carrots, celery & pepper slices.  A little prep work always goes a long way in eating healthy.

Favorite dessert:  Dirt cake

I've had Oreo dirt cake probably less than a handful of times in my life, but that didn't stop me from DYING for it last night and then proceeding to leave my house at 7pm to get all the ingredients (hence, why I noticed it was still 96 degrees) and come home to whip this up for Katie lickity split.  She actually squealed when she tasted it and yelped "I LOVE THIS STUFF!" (#worthit)  I just bought some gummy worms to add to it tonight to really make her crack upJ  PS- This was all an experiment in my 'eat what you want when you want it,' and I definitely felt satisfied and complete with my small portion.

CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE:

Brazilian Lemonade

This has been on my list to make for a couple years and what better excuse than the OLYMPICS IN RIO for finally putting that recipe to use!  Weeeeeeeeeeee....  (I'm not excited at allJ)

No-churn Sugar Roasted Peach Ice Cream

Once peach season is in full swing, IT. IS. ON!  

I also want to get on board with this homemade ice cream business with this honey ricotta version for decadence & this Tone it Up Mint chip ice cream for health (that may or may not also be breakfast one dayJ)

Let me know what you guys have been LOVING cooking and, of course, ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

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Strawberry season...

Well, tis the season for these beauties...

So can I tell you something?  I always thought strawberries were all fine & dandy, wading my way through your standard supermarket strawberry all my days.  But I had no idea what I was missing until the first time I tried a strawberry nearly straight from the vine from the Collingswood Farmer's Market quite a few summers ago...

Gems, I tell ya!  Absolute GEMS!  There is absolutely NOTHING like FRESH berries.  Those bland, flavorless supermarket varieties don't even hold a candle to these sweet, juicy beauties.  And since it's the height of the season, I just HAVE to share with you one of my VERYFAVORITE sweet & savory recipes:

STRAWBERRY CHICKEN!

(and cheese grits + pepper & corn saute on the side to round out the meal if you'd likeJ)

I know, I KNOW...don't look at me like that!  This dish is allllll the sweetness of the strawberries combined with salty toppings plus a kiss from the grill.  AKA- a SUMMER 101 dish that your family & guests (this is SOOOO pretty enough for company!) will never expect.  You're gonna LOVE it.

You just heat a cup of those beautiful strawberries in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of sherry vinegar (or sherry wine) and a dash of cardamom.  Mash the berries, give everything a swirl to combine the ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil... 

Once the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally...

You know it's done once the strawberries become thick and syrupy.  You can strain the mixture, but I like to leave it as is and keep the little strawberry chunks hidden in the syrup... 

While the strawberry sauce is cooking, you can toss the chicken on the grill with a little salt & pepper until cooked through.  Meanwhile, mix the topping of gorgonzola cheese, a little thyme & some diced prosciutto (or crumbled bacon even!)  Once the chicken is cooked, plate it on top of the strawberry sauce and cap it off with the gorgonzola/prosciutto/thyme mix.

Just divine!  Get ready to be pleasantly surprised.

Strawberry Chicken with Gorgonzola

Serves 4

• 1 pound chicken, pounded flat
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar (or wine)
• Dash of cardamom
• 1 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3 slices prosciutto, diced

1. Combine strawberries, sugar & sherry in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for to until thickened (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally.
2. While the strawberry sauce is cooking, sprinkle the chicken with a little salt & pepper and cook on the grill (or stovetop) until cooked through.
3. Combine cheese, thyme & diced prosciutto in a small bowl.
4. Pour a little strawberry sauce on a plate and top with chicken and cover with cheese & prosciutto mix.

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Too hot to cook, round 1....

Morning, all!  Well, our house is finally rested and recovered after Katie 'generously' shared her cold with Scott & I.  So there wasn't too much cooking (or much activity, really) this weekend, except for Katie getting into making a crumb cake for Daddy on Sunday morning...

(she was VERY proud of her crumblesJ)

...and downing as much chicken broth & these "Vitamin C" smoothies as we could manage.

The above made with as many healthy ingredients as I could find around the house including fresh squeezed oranges, non-fat yogurt, carrots and....I actually don't even remember what elseJ  It's all a bit foggyJ

Anyways, it was back to normal for all of us come Monday morning and thus ushering us BACK to WEEK 1 of the Bikini Series after completing all 8 weeks!  (OK, OK...week 7 went a bit awry, but the rest were pretty solid!)  And in the 8 weeks, give or take due to the 'current situation', I still weigh less than I did on Easter over 2 months ago, and for THAT, I'll chalk it up as a SUCCESS at the momentJ.  

I decided to go back to the beginning of our list, but subbing in a few of our favs from the last 2 months (THOSEBREAKFASTTACOS!) and trying to work in 'our own' recipes in between a few Tone it Up-specific ones during the week just to keep it fun and seasonal with all the great produce and summer recipes lately.  As usual, it's all about PORTIONS and trying to eat as much healthy stuff over processed stuff as we can.  Anytime those scales tip towards HEALTHY=  Win.  Win, win all around.

Monday Recap:

*Still drinking coconut oil coffee and still finding it to be very 'calming' for the brain.  Almost as much so as yoga & meditation, which is WILD.  Just FYI.  I'll keep ya updated.

Workout:  2 sets arms & squats

Breakfast:  Toasted Oats with Strawberry chia jam, coconut milk + caco nibs 

...cause I am OBSESSED with putting caco nibs on as many things as I can.  Tis' a superfood, afterall!J

Snack:  Tone it Up Carrot Apple Cardamon Cupcakes Muffins with coconut frosting 

Fresh out of the oven, I just HAD to try one of these as snack.  Admittedly, I still have not mastered 'alternate flour baking' at ALL just yet.  The recipe called for brown rice flour, but I subbed in coconut flour cause I just thought WHY NOT?  Well, Why NOT is because I still can't get the ratio of flour to liquid right in coconut flour baking.  The TASTE was just fine, but the texture wasn't quite right.  (forgot I coulda used oat flour or even REGULAR flour if you wanted),  So these, PLUS the frosting (that called for SOY LECITHIN...an emulsifier which I was, ummmm, plum out ofJ) had to be pieced together a bit, but AGAIN, they were pretty tasty (and they're not being brought to a potluck!J) so who really cares??  I have since put them in the fridge in the hopes of them 'firming up' a bit.  We'll see.  I'm about to go grab one ASAP.

Lunch:  Salted caramel crunch yogurt

Snack:  Outshine Pineapple Yogurt Bar + 6 almonds

Blame this snack choice on the fact that I had just come home with them from the grocery store AND that by the time I got home, it was about 20947203952093 degrees outside (give or takeJ).  We've been LOVING these 90 calorie bars and so has Katie, which I figured was a win in the toddler department.  Between these bars & freezing some of those Stonyfield yogurt squeezers and letting her think they're like an 'ice cream treat', she's gotten plenty of her fill of yogurt lately.  I'll take it.

Dinner:  Polenta Caprese Bites + side salad

Chalk this recipe up as the first "TOO HOT TO COOK" dinner of the season, that thankfully required barely ANY 'hands on' time and came together in under 20 minutes.  Not to mention my first CAPRESE dinner of the season, which I was sooooooooooo excited about!  I had spied a log of fresh mozzarella at Whole Foods the other day and it never left my mind till I got my fill last night in this light, but cheesy dish!  I had made these as a side dish about 500 years ago (aka- 5 years & pre-KatieJ), but last night they starred as the MAIN EVENT and were completely satisfying.

First up, slice up some polenta (got mine at Trader Joe's) and toss em on a medium-heated skillet (or on the grill) for about 5 minutes before giving em a flip...

Once they were flipped, I topped em with some reheated roasted cherry tomatoes (I had roasted these a few days ago and kept em in the fridge for a quick 'reheat & eat.'  They are ALWAYS great to have on-hand.)  and a slice of fresh mozzarella & a sprinkle of sea salt.  I tented them with aluminum foil to melt the cheese and finish crisping up the bottoms. 

And then once they were off the griddle, I topped em with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a TON of diced fresh basil... 

...which I'm OH-SO-EXCITED to say came from my own little 'porch garden!'

It's been WELL documented on this blog that I have ZERO green thumbs, but after finding this nice little sun patch on my front porch (along with the added reminder to water them givin I walk by them daily), they've actually managed to thrive for about a month.  Which is BEYOND a record in my house.  ....even if it took plenty of tips from my gardener friend PLUS a youtube tutorial on how to trim basil before I actually embarked on said 'adventure.'  I mean...THIS is what we're dealin with here people:  YOUTUBE TUTORIALS ON TRIMMING BASIL, it's THAT badJ hahahahahah

ANYWAY, keeping with the theme, I topped my salad with MORE diced basil, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil & sea salt....

This whole dinner was sooooooo nice, fresh and a great way to kick off the fresh-produce/caprese season.  And, oh yeah, let me mention again how it came together in under-20 minutes and had barely any 'hands on' time.  THAT is what is VERYYYYY much needed in these WAYTOOHOT months ahead.

Alright...well, I feel like I've written my word quota for the day PLUS Katie's current activity is painting her nails while I type this blog, so I better get back and see what's goin onJ

Have a great Tuesday!J

Memorial Day Weekend Recap...

Kicking off the summer with...

Strawberry-basil chicken burgers...

For real...

Strawberry pickin'...

Girl's nights/mini-baby showers, which led to Katie's favorite gift:  ALL THE TISSUE PAPER...

(this went on for an hour)

Family weddings...<3 p="">

Parade watching... 

A too-tired to cook Memorial Day trip to The Pour House for good ole short rib cheese fries & pork nachos... 

...and a "Sweet Cheese" burgers (topped with blue cheese, cheddar & maple-mustard) ...

...and of course, ICE CREAM...

...as only the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop (now in Philadelphia) can do, with an "American Gangster" (vanilla cone coated in chocolate covered pretzels & a chocolate dip + dulce de leche)... 

In short:  I'm exhausted & ready for a salad.  Hope you guys had a fabulous long weekend and are set for the week ahead.  Have a good Tuesday!