tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30795784739975585322024-02-06T20:47:53.027-08:00Banana Boats and Cabbage Patchesa food and health journey...Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-62525892759841612052014-04-25T21:01:00.001-07:002014-04-25T21:01:17.691-07:00No Soda and Other Stuff...
So this past Monday, I gave up all soda...at least while I'm withdrawing. I make no promises that when my monthly aunt visit comes around, that I will not break down and have a real coca cola, but I need to get off of as much sugar as I can... and all the artificial stuff if possible. I feel like the little engine that could: " I think I can, I think I can..." Let me say after 5 days, I Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-33523160150684446912014-04-14T19:47:00.001-07:002014-04-14T19:47:25.975-07:00Almost Emeril's Split Pea SoupI found a basic recipe for Emeril's Split Pea Soup that I wanted to try Here is the original recipe. I, of course, decided to change it up just a bit by omitting the salt,adding diced carrots and ham, and using a lot less oil. I also kept some texture to my soup and did not puree it all the way like Emeril did. I don't care for pureed soups. Instead, I need more texture. I also used Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-6648797718766231562014-03-31T21:09:00.000-07:002014-03-31T21:10:08.678-07:00Black Bean PattiesEven though I am vegetarian, sometimes I just get the hankering for a good "burger." I haven't eaten a real burger in several years, but I have tried many black bean burger recipes. Some have been better than others, but none have been terrible. I decided to give it another go last week, and while my creation was not a "burger," it was a bean patty to be proud Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-39509714538262562992014-03-18T19:53:00.002-07:002014-03-18T19:54:24.756-07:00Vegetable Soup Yum YumLast week I made a big pot of vegetarian vegetable soup. I say vegetarian because it had no meat in it. I don't have a problem with chicken and beef flavored broths, but if you do just use the vegetable broth and it will still be delicious.
I eat soups all year round, even in the summer. As long as I'm cool, soup is good for me. I don't always like cooking it in the summer though. Turning the Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-27302619397839308092014-02-26T18:30:00.001-08:002014-02-27T06:29:51.219-08:00Bubble Up Cheeseburger CasseroleI had been looking for a recipe that all the kids would eat, that was a casserole, and that was relatively inexpensive. Bubble up pizza recipes kept coming up when I was searching the web, and I was intrigued. What do all my kids love, I thought? Cheeseburgers. So, I searched cheeseburger casserole recipes, but most used a tomato base as a sauce with ketchup and mustard involved, Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-29725969777117915352014-02-26T09:15:00.001-08:002014-02-26T18:31:46.774-08:00McDonald's Egg White Delite Copycat Recipe
What McDonald's wants their
Egg White Delite sandwiches to look like.
It is actually half this size.
I rarely eat fast food, but sometimes when I have to, I like to get the McDonald's Egg White Delite sandwich minus the Canadian Bacon. So I decided to try to make one at home this morning. It worked really well. It was also super easy.
It fit on the bun Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-88746717006430061922014-01-26T20:01:00.002-08:002014-01-26T23:50:49.108-08:00Recipe Reviews and Links from Last WeekLast week, I tried 4 new recipes.
My own stir fry with HHLL Pad Thai Sauce
My favorite was the Pad Thai Sauce from Happy Herbivore Light and Lean. I followed the sauce recipe exactly adding my own Udon Noodles (found at my local Fry's) and stir fry vegetables, some frozen and some fresh. I will use more fresh veggies when I make it again this week, especially more Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-72474307127787526982014-01-24T18:09:00.000-08:002014-01-24T18:09:05.396-08:00Friday Favorites
The past 2 weeks I returned to myfitnesspal.com to log all my food choices. With the exception of a time or two (Internet problems), I have been posting regularly. I had not been on myfitnesspal for awhile but now, I am loving it more than I ever did for two reasons: the bar code scanner (quick and easy) and the nutrition circle graph. The bar code scanner is great when adding foods to Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-21322084495882000122014-01-14T12:53:00.001-08:002014-01-14T19:09:43.815-08:00Yummy Tropical Green SmoothieI had this delicious green smoothie today. Since I didn't have any protein powder to put in it, I paired it with some peanut butter crackers. Yum.
Yummy Tropical Green Smoothie
1 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 c spinach
1 c frozen tropical fruit (I freeze fresh fruit salad leftovers all the time and pop them into smoothies. This homemade blend was tropical)
A drizzle of honey
Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-39245278972028206222014-01-13T18:31:00.001-08:002014-01-14T19:15:48.430-08:00Baked Power Oatmeal Squares
Fresh out of the oven
I tried something new this morning. After searching the web and looking at many many baked oatmeal recipes, I decided to try to make my Power Oatmeal into baked bars. Through myfitnesspal each serving has 203 calories in it. I have decided it is best served warm (10 seconds in the microwave should do it).
When I first tastedShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-69859759312981783132014-01-08T09:54:00.000-08:002014-01-14T19:16:33.496-08:00Cooking Now...Angela Liddon's Roasted Spiced Chickpeas.
Today as I wait for the workers to come and put in my new heating and air-conditioning system I'm feeling like I want to try something new in the kitchen. So today, I am reviewing Angela Liddon's Roasted Spiced Chickpeas. I am starting off by draining my chickpeas and rinsing them in a colander. I did this to get rid of any excess sodium that was on them because these were Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-11281943546650361132014-01-07T07:40:00.000-08:002014-01-23T23:31:07.751-08:00Soft PretzelsBefore winter break from school, my oldest son's German class had an assignment to make and share food from Germany ( or German related food). My son made these hot pretzels below. He found a recipe from the web and we cut it in half to make 8 soft pretzels . Cut in half, the recipe was very similar to a recipe I got from a friend years ago. I don't have a stand mixer so the dough was mixedShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-64911939972824869522013-12-31T10:48:00.000-08:002013-12-31T10:48:34.705-08:00Dear Me Letter Revisited and Goals for the New YearLast year, about this time, I wrote a "Dear Me"letter positively forecasting my goals for 2012 that I would have reached by the end of 2013. I met some of my goals ...and others not so much. Still, I don't view the things I didn't get done as failures, just things I still need to keep on my to do list. I may not have done everything in the time frame I wanted, but I didn't fail.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-59659578079977911942013-11-02T18:53:00.001-07:002014-01-23T23:32:02.370-08:00Halloween Cake Pops
My version of Halloween Cake Pops
Every year, my good friend has a Halloween party for her son and daughter and their friends, and every year, I make a special Halloweenie treat to send over. This year, after seeing these photos on Pinterest, I decided to make my own.
Eyeball Cake Pops
Evil Eye Cake Pops
I read a lot about making cake pops because even though I like to bakeShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-55697567347587084962013-10-18T21:21:00.001-07:002014-01-14T19:19:20.240-08:00Tortilla "Chips"I love tortilla chips, but unfortunately making my own out of corn tortillas has never worked because quite frankly, I'm not wild about homemade corn tortillas. I love corn and I love tortillas, but never the twain shall meet in my kitchen, at least not ones that are homemade. Instead, I have always used whole wheat flour tortillas to make wraps, Mexican dishes, and my beloved tortilla Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-79059969332373107772013-10-17T14:35:00.000-07:002014-01-14T19:19:50.905-08:00Red Beans and Rice.Dh really enjoyed this dish. I have been making it for awhile now, but usually I make it vegetarian. This week I happened to have some Jennie-o turkey kielbasa so I decided to use it. Either way, it's a great dish.
It's unfortunate for me that because of the green peppers, I cannot enjoy this dish. Leave them out you say? It wouldn't be the same. I do love to smell it though because the Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-57675339538991036412013-10-07T18:37:00.000-07:002013-10-07T18:37:28.606-07:00Vegan Kickstart, Day 1
I had overnight oatmeal today for breakfast. Basically, I added 1/2 c oatmeal and 1 c almond milk, 1 tsp chia seeds, and 1 Tbsp ground flax in a bowl. Then I put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I simply added 1 spoonful of the apple butter I made yesterday for flavor and sweetness. Lastly, I warmed it up on the microwave because I cannot eat cold oatmeal. I'm not Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-61436980746027667142013-10-06T19:47:00.002-07:002014-01-14T19:21:12.866-08:00Just Checking In....and Apple ButterAfter reintroducing some meat back into my diet, I have ditched it once again.
Originally, my doctor thought it might be good for me to add a little meat for the extra protein. I ditched that advice, however, because I didn't feel any better eating more meat, and I gained 7 pounds. I don't blame that only on eating more meat, but it didn't help. I only added chicken and a Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-34601925681928329842013-07-24T20:29:00.003-07:002013-07-24T20:29:52.701-07:00What I've Been Up To LatelyLife has been crazy lately, and so my blog has taken a backseat.
Due to some health issues (nothing serious), I have reintroduced a little lean meat and fish back into my diet. I am eating more Nutritarian like I was in the very beginning, but still plant strong. I also have been collecting some new food ideas and recipes to try since I've really been in a food rut lately. I am avoiding Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-7095466731000653272013-07-01T09:05:00.000-07:002013-07-01T09:05:54.673-07:00As Seen On Pinterest...So, this week I tried to get rust off of my knives by using lemon juice. I only soaked mine for about 3 minutes and as you can see from my pictures below, it worked pretty well. Next time I'll soak a little longer, but how cool was this? Here is the pin from The Colorless Cottage.
Before
After
I also tried to make #Mountain Dew glow following this instructional video Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-81398613249656037032013-06-29T20:37:00.000-07:002014-01-23T23:33:09.750-08:00Steph's Chicken Enchiladas
Tonight I made the best chicken enchilada! This is not a new recipe for us, but one I don't often make. I don't make it often because it involves canned cream of mushroom soup and we try to stay away from prepared or packaged foods whenever possible. But, the kids asked, and I obliged. Once in awhile will be okay. It's a great dinner especially if you're having company because itShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-84569296877202460672013-06-25T20:57:00.000-07:002014-01-14T19:23:25.173-08:00Vegetarian Stuffed PeppersI am allergic to Peppers, but DH loves them...so this one's for him. They smelled great! I made them with 1 green pepper cut in half since I was only making them for 1 person.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
1 green pepper, cut in half from top to bottom and de-seeded
a little less than 1/3 c cooked Trader Joe's 10 minute faro
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 c or less vegetarian crumbles
leftover Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-3278063166232931722013-06-14T20:29:00.002-07:002013-06-14T21:05:07.777-07:00As Seen On Pinterest....Cleaning Dirty Pans and a Stromboli RecipeMy mother has a very cool board on her Pinterest site called " I saw it, I pinned it, I did it." I think it's a great idea (Thanks, Mom!), so I'm starting my own board on my Pinterest account complete with reviews, and this is my first one.
My before and after picture...virtually no difference
When I saw this idea on Facebook last week (via Pinterest), I thought I'd hit the Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-11954071703392093702013-06-07T17:01:00.000-07:002013-06-07T17:05:48.779-07:00National Donut Day and Ballerina Brownies
Today is National Donut Day, so I decided to make my kiddos some donuts. That was my plan anyway till I came across this recipe for Ballerina Brownies that my sister sent me some time ago. I don't know where the original recipe came from. Being a rebel, it was Ballerina Brownies for the win! I asked my beautiful sister why they were called Ballerina Brownies andShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3079578473997558532.post-44196265162523349382013-05-27T11:08:00.000-07:002014-01-14T19:25:15.536-08:00Pumpkin Muffins With Cinnamon Glaze
So, my sister sent me an email not long ago with a recipe for a vegan pumpkin muffin with cinnamon glaze along with a review from one of her friends.
"Oh, those are great!" My oldest child declared when he ate them. As we were eating them, we agreed that while the cinnamon glaze rocks, that the next time I make these muffins ( and I will make them again) that I will Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847372908077708336noreply@blogger.com0