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Friday, September 30, 2011

Fit Food Friday! Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Is everyone as excited as i am that its friday?! E and i will have a busy weekend. saturday night is our engagement party. ;-) Our families will meet for the first time! How exciting! and a little scary haha.

So we cant miss on our friday night Genghis Tradition lol but i have been on a mission to find easy healthy recipes! and if its in a crock pot...thats even better! we may not be at the house too much this weekend so i may not be able to make this BUT i found this on a website i recently discovered! SkinnyTaste

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken


Slow cooked shredded chicken with corn, tomatoes and black beans. Prepare the night before and turn your crock pot on in the morning for an easy weeknight meal. Low fat and low in points. Serve over rice with chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free sour cream and reduced fat cheddar.

Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can low sodium black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free or low sodium chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic, onion, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Lay chicken breast on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving,remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice.

So do you all have any fun plans for the weekend?!


Thursday, September 29, 2011

It's OK Thursday! Smart Start?

I am linking up here today!


Its Ok Thursdays


So I only have one "It's Ok" moment.

IT'S OK...

...to mistake Smart Start cereal when you actually needed Smart Start butter!!!!

Now to explain! I bought the book "Making the Cut" by Jillian Michaels and we have decided to try some of her recipes.



Last night was the first recipe we tried and it was Chicken Soft Tacos with Apples and Onions. It was pretty good...a very nice change of pace from stinky old fish :)

Earlier in the day...I jotted down the ingredients...I didn't know what Smart Start was so I googled it real quick. The first thing that popped up was the cereal...I thought ok...these tacos are gonna have a little crunch. It's Jillian...she knows what shes doing!

So I get home with all my ingredients...
It said to melt one tablespoon of smart start in your pan... I was thinking to myself..."this is creative...melting cereal to create a sauce...is this gonna melt?"

So I dump the small amount of cereal in my pan. A few minutes go by... The only thing happening in my pan...was that my smart start is turning crisp and looking charred! I tell myself...ok...this must be what happens right before it melts. I wait another five minutes...now it's really charred and NOT melting lol! I throw it out. I google it again...this time referencing Jillian Michaels. Ummm...it's some type of butter!!!!!!!

Can you say Blonde moment...but i blame it on Jillian ;-)

Seriously? Hey Jillian...thanks for the heads up!



Well I finished cooking the meal without the special butter and it actually turned out pretty good!

What are you OK with today?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

What I'm Loving Wednesday! Crock Pot Edition!

oh happy wednesday! the work week is half way over!
So i am linking up here today

Little Daisy May
In yesterday's post...i mentioned that E and I eat pretty darn healthy throughout the week. and on weekends we have been getting take out or whatever food place is by me on my way home from running errands.

I had an idea yesterday and who knows if i will stick to it haha. to maybe save a little money from eating out so much (which adds up and hey...i'm tryng to plan a wedding!)...i may try to use the crock pot on weekends. I never seem to have time to cook (or maybe i just dont want to!). The crock pot may be my weekend "knight in shining armour"!

So...what i love this Wednesday are awesome crock pot recipes!



ARE YOU SERIOUS?? DESSERT FROM A CROCK POT??  OH YEAH!!!!

all of these can be found on via Pinterest page.

I am sooooo looking forward to making some of these dishes.

The winner of the Simply Posh by Mel giveaway is:  Jill Hogan!

what are you loving today?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

oh how i love food!

I seriously love food! mostly desserts but if it tastes good i will eat it lol!

E and I eat so healthy during the week that it does get old. always the same old fish and chicken. but we pretty much eat whatever on the weekends. I love me some My Fit Foods! they have some very, very tasty meals ;-) if i've been pretty busy and don't feel like cooking...Fit Foods is my "go to" place!
This was my dinner last night and one of my lunches today ;-)

I was so busy yesterday...had an order of 45 cupcake jars that had to be mailed out today ;-) i love making these. These particular ones matched the invitation and was for a bridal shower!

this is a short post today becasue i have been so busy!
I hope all ofyou are having a lovely week so far!!

OH YEAH...if you know of any healthy recipes...i would love to know!



Monday, September 26, 2011

Happy Monday...I mean why so early?

Mondays seem to come way too fast! as usual i am not the happiest camper monday morning lol. I find it so diffcult to get up and work out at 4:30 am :-/ and of course i did not this morning! oh well...there are always Tuesdays!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I have to say...that Eric and I are pretty laid back on the weekends so beware! if you read any further...I may put you to sleep haha!

Our Friday night started with take out from Genghis Grill and of course wine!! one of our favorite places...becasue you get to make your own bowl (we make ours pretty healthy!).


Saturday morningsare started off with coffee from our Keurig and a biscotti from HEB...as well as Sports Center and Thundercats (why has Thundercats not been on the last couple of weeks?). I just so happened to come across these biscottis when i was down the cookie aisle a while back and now they are a must! Plus only 100 calories!


I ran errands all day Saturday and finished up a couple of orders from For Love of a Cupcake. Mustache cupcake toppers!


Saturday night we went to a friends house and watched the UFC...its so funny...normally I fall asleep before the main fight. I know...I am such an old person!


 So this Saturday...we are having an engagement party! Our familes have never met...which is crazy becasuse we've been together for three years lol!  we are catering Los Cucos Mexican (yum!) and i will be making bite sized cupcakes and truffle balls!
This is Los Cucos we had catered at work last week ;-)

Well that's all i have for today...I know...I'm so lame and have the most boring life ever lol!
OH YEAH! I had to run to the mall yesterday and um...stopped in Express! so glad I did...i found my outfit for the engagement party! along with pants that were on clearance plus an additional 20% off! woo hoo!

On Mondays...I love linking up with...


Mingle 240  and    Instagram Mondays
 
Anything exciting happen in your weekend?

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fit Food Friday!

Happy Friday my sweet friends!
this recipe is so so yummy! it is another of our favorites. and of course it's from Eating Well.

Turkey Sausage & Spinach Pasta!

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces whole-wheat short pasta, such as shells or twists
  • 8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 8 cups baby spinach
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste (i usually add more lol)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of the water left over after the noodles are done...starchy water

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, spinach and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
  3. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (starchy water); drain the pasta. Whisk the starchy water and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage mixture and an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving: 352 calories; 9 g fat ( 3 g sat , 2 g mono ); 26 mg cholesterol; 47 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 18 g protein; 6 g fiber; 382 mg sodium; 379 mg potassium.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe...it is so easy and very tasty! not to mention a little healthy ;-)
What are your plans for the weekend? Have an amazing recipe you would like to share with me? I love new receipes!!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

It's OK Thursday!

Another link up on Thursday!  I am sooo excited it's Thursday...it felt like it would never come...only one more day until friday! woo hoo!!  Linking up with It's OK Thursday! why don't you join us?!



Its Ok Thursdays
 
IT'S OK...
 
...to keep looking for the perfect pair of leopard shoes!!! i just received an email from Nine West with a cute pair ;-)
 


...to still be SO SUPER EXCITED that I am engaged to the most wonderful and handsome man ever!!!

...to keep craving Simply Posh's cake pops and don't forget to enter my giveaway!

...to be anxiously waiting this whole week for the day my SUN self tanner comes in the mail...it should arrive today...I've been hearing good things about it ;-) I will let yall know how it turns out!


...to wash clothes on a Sunday and they are still sitting in the dryer! oopsie!

...to stop at Starbucks in the morning KNOWING you will be late for work...BUT I just CAN'T start my morning without Starbucks lol! Americano Misto nonfat with 2 splenda and 1 pump sugar free vanilla! try saying that before you've had coffee haha.


I hope everyone has a lovely day!!
Hugs!
Amanda
 
 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Introducing Simply Posh & a Giveaway!

Happy Wednesday!!
I am SO excited to introduce everyone to Simply Posh by Mel!

This is Mel! Isn't she gorgeous!!   


I love that Mel is always so upbeat! I can tell that she is SO passionate about what she does...and that she puts her whole heart into everything she makes ;-)

I honestly don't know where to begin...my brain cannot function...I keep thinking about these little bitty cake balls...that are PURE BITES of HEAVEN ;-)
No wait...you don't understand...they really are!
Mel sent me 6 cake pops...3 funfetti and 3 lemon flavored.
These came in such a cute package...with pink crinkle paper...each pop was individually wrapped.

 These would make PERFECT gifts for anyone of any age for any occassion.


 
Now let me tell you a quick story. My fiance does not like anything with a lemon flavor. For the WHOLE three years we have been together...he has never eaten anything lemon. We were down to our last two cake pops...and I guess he gets a wild hair and wants to take a bite of MY lemon pop (so I took a bite of his funfetti pop just to make it even!)...he LOVED the LEMON! I give props to Mel...lol. These little bites are to die for ;-)

HERE IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MEL:
"I LOVE parties! I LOVE to plan! I LOVE to organize! I LOVE to bake! I am a pediatric oncology nurse and mother of a beautiful 2 year old girl by day and by night I am Simply Posh, baking and party planning to all hours of the night! I believe that entertaining and baking go hand-in-hand and that one should ALWAYS entertain in style!!! I believe that a party should always be an expression of you! "

Mel's daughter just had a birthday and she def entertained in style!


 
She makes pops for favors, halloween pops, marshmallow pops, oreo truffles, tailgating cake pops, paintbrush pretzel rods and so much more!!
   


    

Eric and I have actually decided to use Mel's cake pops as our wedding favors!!  The perfect soft pink with funetti and lemon flavors!

I know this was quite long but I can't say enough about Mel... ;-)

Let's get on to the giveaway!
Mel is giving away 6 cake pops like pictured below (in the color and flavor of the winner's choice).

** I will choose a winner via random.org on 9/28/11 at noon (central time).
**Available to US Residents only and you must be a public folower of my blog.

Here's how to ENTER (leave a seperate comment for each entry):
 Mandatory - 1. Vist Simply Posh by Mel and tell me your favorite item!

 Optional - 2. "Like" Simply Posh by Mel on FACEBOOK
Optional  - 3. "Like" my shop For Love of a Cupcake on FACEBOOK
Optional - 4. Follow me on Pinterest

Good luck!!
Amanda

...winner to the KE Cookies giveaway is...




Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fitness...i need motivation!

So...lately i've been finding it very difficult to get my booty into the gym!
this is where I work out...24 Hour Fitness
Did you know? that this is where Eric and I first met!
Yep! of course i had eye-balled him a few times haha! but then one day...we were side by side on the stair stepper thingy and he turned and said "It's hot in here today". yes...i promise thats what he said...but hey...it worked!!
(just fyi...he thinks i pick on him too much in this blog...i dont think so...do you?!) ;-)

Ok...back to working out and motivation...
First off...when i do work out...i get up at 4:30 in the morning...work out...come back home...and get ready for work! 4:30 in the morning is not my friend!

I have to say...Eric goes to the gym almost every day...whether he feels like it or not! i wish i had that kind of motivation...that right there motivates me to go...it's just the 4:30am that kills me!

I thought this was some cute inspiration!
and i want to look like this!! (and be this tan!)


maybe writing about fitness once a week will help me get motivated. Next week "I'll try to share some of my favorite routines or moves ;-) look at me...talking like I know what I'm doing haha!

SO...how did you and your other meet? and what motivates you to get into the gym?
Have a lovely day!
Hugs...
manda panda


Monday, September 19, 2011

Monday's...need i say more!

Good morning everyone!
Hope you guys had a wonderful weekend...as usual...the weekend went by too fast.
Eric and i watched two movies this weekend ;-) we didnt have much else to do...i just wanted to relax this past weekend. We watched Limitless (it was pretty good but didnt care for the way it ended...eric didnt really like the whole movie) and we watched Clash of the Titans (i have to say this was a pretty good movie...we both liked it...it had been DVR'd since January lol!)

This is a small gopher mound!
We think we have a GOPHER in our back yard! big mounds of dirt are everywhere...and chloe has caught wind of its scent and stalks the mounds lol. she actually tries to dig in them...geez...she is getting groomed this week! How in the world are we gonna get rid of it!

I keep forgetting to take photos for the Instagram Monday (linking up today!).

Instagram Mondays
Instagram is an app on my iPhone that i love now!!


So i took a couple this morning using instagram on my way to work lol. the sky looked so pretty and the other of ME as i was stopped at a stop light (no i was not driving!)
 


I also am linking up with Mingle Monday!!


Mingle 240
 
How was your weekend? anything exciting happen?

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for KE Cookies if you havent already done so. It ends tomorrow at noon. Click HERE to enter!



 
 

Friday, September 16, 2011

Fit Food Friday!

YAY!!! It's Friday!!
So today i am going to link up here:
#ff63e0

I can't tell you how happy I am that it's Friday! one day out of each weekend...Eric and I will have movie and wine night (and sometimes steak if we feel like cooking). TONIGHT is that night and I cant wait to relax and have a nice evening with Eric AND to have a glass of wine lol...I'll just stare at this pic until 6pm haha.
Tonight we are going to watch Limitless...has anyone seen that yet? We actually have joined a wine club...where we receive in the mail...two bottles of wine monthly...i have to say it is some of the best wine ever...and from all over the world. ;-)

I also have a great Turkey Mealoaf Muffin recipe that we LOVE! and yes it has Zucchini it!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup uncooked whole-wheat couscous
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, (optional)
  • Preparation

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.
    2. Gently mix turkey, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, couscous, egg, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and salt in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Equally divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Spread barbecue sauce on top of each loaf, if using. (I actually dont normally use this as the muffins are pretty moist)
    3. Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes. Let the loaves stand in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

    Nutrition

    Per serving: 196 calories; 8 g fat ( 2 g sat , 3 g mono ); 95 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 18 g protein; 3 g fiber; 386 mg sodium; 432 mg potassium.

I hope you guys start off your weekend great! i know i will!
Hugs!