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  • Baked Oatmeal

    Baked Oatmeal

    This recipe will surely start your morning off right. The flavors of apple and blueberry together with a hint of ginger and cinnamon will have no one leaving the table disappointed. 

    Baked Oatmeal

    Prep Time: 10 mins

    Cook Time: 40 mins

    Total Time: 50 mins

    Ingredients 

    2 cups of rolled oats

    1 tsp of baking powder

    2 tsp of cinnamon

    1 tsp of ginger

    1/4 tsp of salt

    1/3 cup of brown sugar

    2 cups of milk

    2 eggs

    1/2 Tbsp of vanilla extract

    3 Tbsp of honey

    1 1/2 Tbsp of butter, melted

    1 1/2 cups of blueberries

    1 cup of apples, diced

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

    In a medium sized bowl, mix together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and brown sugar.

    In another bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, honey, and butter.

    Layer half the blueberries and apples in prepared baking dish and top evenly with the dry oat mixture. Pour on the wet mixture, then add the rest of the blueberries and apples. 

    Bake for 35-40 mins. Serve hot or cold!

    Enjoy!  

  • DIY Easter Egg Wreath

    DIY Easter Egg Wreath

    This wreath will put anyone in the Easter spirit! It is super easy to make and the supplies cost under $6.00. I went the dollar store and purchased all supplies for the wreath. So bring that Easter festivity into your home or make it for a friend or family member.

    DIY Easter Egg Wreath

    You’ll need:

    3 – 18 packs of Easter eggs

    Ribbon

    Metal Wreath Form

    Hot Glue Gun

    Scissors

    Directions:

    Preheat hot glue gun. Beginning on outer edge, glue Easter eggs onto metal wreath form. Once you have completely gone around outer edge, continue to glue Easter eggs onto inner edge. Once complete, fill in gaps between glued eggs. Wrap desired ribbon around glued eggs and glue ribbon onto wreath. Make a decorative bow for the top of wreath and glue it on. Tada! You’re project is complete! 

    Happy Easter!

     

  • Green Berry Smoothie

    Green Berry Smoothie

    Lately, I’ve been on a smoothie kick. I’ve been using them as meal replacements and they have been working great. I’m getting in my daily fruits and vegetables as well as  calcium and probiotics. This one I threw all the greens I could find in my fridge with some berries to sweeten things up. You could add honey to sweeten the smoothie more, but I prefer it without extra sweeteners.

    Green Berry Smoothie

    1 cup of spinach

    1/2 cup of blueberries

    1/4 cup of zucchini, diced

    1/4 cup of cucumber, diced

    1/4 cup of strawberries, sliced

    1/3 cup of milk

    1/2 cup of yogurt

    Directions:

    Place all ingredients in blender. Blend and enjoy!  

  • Zucchini Noodles w/ Chicken and Avocado Cream Sauce

    Zucchini Noodles w/ Chicken and Avocado Cream Sauce

    Trying to eat low-carb? Well this should satisfy anyone’s pasta craving and if you are lactose intolerant, it’s dairy free too! It took hardly any time to throw together. It’s creamy avocado flavor really compliments the sautéed garlic herbed chicken.

    Zucchini Noodles w/ Chicken and Avocado Cream Sauce

    Prep Time: 15 mins

    Cook Time: 15 mins

    Total Time: 30 mins

    Ingredients

    2 large boneless chicken breast, cubed

    2 Tbsp of olive oil

    1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning

    2 cloves of garlic, minced 

    4 small (or 2 large) zucchini), shredded lengthwise

    Sauce:

    2 1/2 avocado

    1/2 a cucumber, chopped

    1 lime 

    4 cloves of garlic, minced

    1/2 cup of lactaid milk

    1 tsp of Italian seasoning

    salt & pepper

    1 cup of baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

    halved cherry tomatoes

    Directions

    Heat skillet to medium heat. Put olive oil in pan, add chicken. Sprinkle seasoning and minced garlic onto chicken. Toss until chicken is fully cooked.

    Place zucchini shreds in a large bowl.

    In a food processor, combine avocado, cucumber, lime, garlic, milk, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and process until smooth.

    Pour into medium saucepan on medium heat and heat until warm. While warming, toss mushrooms into sauce.

    Once sauce is warm, toss the zucchini with the avocado sauce until fully coated. 

    Serve with chicken on top and garnish with cherry tomatoes. 

    Enjoy!

  • Quick Toddler Pizza

    Quick Toddler Pizza

    My son absolutely loves cheese. I think if I would just hand him a block of cheese, he would be satisfied. He loves cheesy bread and pepperoni, but is not a fan of marinara sauce. Even with spaghetti, he would rather just eat buttered noodles. So I threw together this fun meal that includes a ton of cheese and lets him eat pizza without the marinara. 

    Toddler Pizza

    Prep Time: 10 mins

    Cook Time: 12 mins

    Total Time: 22 mins

    Yield: 6

    Ingredients

    1 roll of pizza dough

    16 oz of mozzarella cheese

    Slices of pepperoni, halved

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. 

    Unroll pizza dough, slice into 6 rectangle sections. Stretch out each section to about 1 foot length. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese all over dough. Roll dough into a long tube, so that the cheese is stuffed inside. Shape dough into a heart, circle, or pretzel. I made mine heart-shaped just because of it being Febraury. Place dough on greased baking sheet.

    Layer desired amount of pepperoni on dough on each individual pizza. Sprinkle cheese on top.

    Bake for 9-12 mins. Eat by itself or you can serve it with a side of marinara for dipping.

    Enjoy!  

  • Workout Plan: Arms

    Workout Plan: Arms

    Just getting back into the grind of working out. I figured I would start with arm exercises and progress from there. When I work out a group of muscles, I take 5 exercises, complete 4 sets of each exercise with 15 reps a piece. Between each exercise, I give myself a 30-60 sec break. I always like to end my workout sessions with a little cardio. I use either the elliptical or I run on the treadmill for at least 15 minutes. This finishes off my workout leaving me ready to jump start the rest of the day. 

    For the arms workout today, use these five exercises to help pump up those triceps, biceps, chest, and shoulders. I used 8 lb and 10 lb weights, but use what is most comfortable for you.

    Workout Plan: Arms

    Sets: 4

    Reps: 15

    1. Bicep Curls

    Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and back straight.

    Hold dumbbells in each hand with the palms facing forward and elbows straight. Bending at the elbows to lift the dumbbells from by your thighs, up towards your shoulders.

    Do not swing the weights or arching the back to help lift the weights. Slowly return the weights back to the starting position. And repeat!

    2. Tricep Kickbacks

    Stand to the right of your weight bench, holding a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in. 

    Place your left lower leg and your left hand on top of the bench. Lean forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Bend your right elbow so your upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm is perpendicular to it, and your palm faces in.

    Keep your elbow close to your waist. Keeping your upper arm still, straighten your arm behind you until your entire arm is parallel to the floor and one end of the dumbbell points toward the floor.

    Repeat until you’ve completed 15 reps, then change to work out your left arm.

    3. Overhead Press

    Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and back straight.

    Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time.

    Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.

    Push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.

    Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down. Repeat!

    4. Dumbbell Bench Press

    Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other. 

    Then, using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.

    Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle.

    Use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly. And repeat!

    5. Lateral Raises

    Grasp dumbbells in front of thighs with elbows slightly bent. Bend over slightly with hips and knees bent slightly.

    Raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. Maintain elbows’ height above or equal to wrists. Lower and repeat!

    Hope these exercises help jump start your workouts. Stay tuned, I’ll be posting more workouts for a variety of muscle groups. Good luck!

  • 3 Healthy Options for Salad Dressings

    3 Healthy Options for Salad Dressings

    Dieting is never easy. It never fails that the stuff that tastes so good is always the worst for you. So, you get a jump start on your diet by eating more salads. Great! But if you are using mayonnaise-based dressing, you are ruining your diet with empty calories and saturated fats. Ranch and 1000 Island are two of the worse you could have. There is hope for a tasty salad still. Here are three options to zest up your salad and help stay on your diet:

    1. Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

    Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E. It is good for skin and hair as well as lowers your risk for heart disease. Balsamic vinegar is good for stabilizing your blood cholesterol levels and blood glucose. It also helps normalize your blood pressure levels. You should only use about 2 Tbsp of olive oil on a salad, but feel free to use as much balsamic vinegar as you want.

    2. Cottage Cheese

    Cottage cheese is great by itself or just with a little salt and pepper. I love to have it with fruit, but you can use it in your salads as well. It’s a great source of protein and calcium. It will help you leave the table feeling full and pleased.

    3. Avocados

    Avocados do have polyunsaturated fats but don’t be afraid. Those are the “good fats.” They will help you feel satisfied longer instead of needing to scour the pantry for a snack in between meals. Avocados are also heart healthy and good for your skin. To use avocados as dressing, just mix together a 1/2 of avocado, 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, and salt and pepper for taste.

    I hope these dressing replacements will help you stay on track with your diets and help you leave the table full and happy.

  • Getting Back Into A Routine

    Getting Back Into A Routine

    Routine? Everyone has one, but to change it up to fit in everything you need to do can be difficult. Especially, if you have kids. Work, playtime with the kids, cooking dinner, and cleaning is enough to fill anyone’s day, but to fit in a time for exercise tends to be thrown to the way side. 

    I just had my second little one in October. He’s wonderful and so is my first born. They are a handful at times especially being only 18 mos apart. I was able to exercise all the time before my kids. Working out was just a normal routine when you only have your husband and two dogs to worry about. I stayed very active through my first pregnancy. Then, once my first sweet pea was born, it was slightly more difficult to fit in exercise. Yet, I was able to get back into my old habits of working out even though it was little less due to time. Through my second pregnancy, I continued to stay active. Then, once my new little one got here, it was like “Who has time to workout”? To work full time and run after two kids, by 9:30pm I’m ready for bed. I have lost some of my pregnancy weight. I have to give most of that credit to breastfeeding and cutting portions, but that is not enough to get back in shape. I recently stepped on the scales, and thought “Holy cow! It’s time! I need to lose this extra weight.” So I’ve had to plan and organize my life to get back into a routine. If you have been following my blog, you know my love for baking, which doesn’t help shed the pounds especially if there isn’t a workout routine to help lose the calories. 

    To start off on the right foot, you have to have a motivation to start. My motivation first off is my family. I want to live a long and healthy life, watching my kids grow. And I want to be able to keep up with them too. A 23 mo old is quick and keeps you on your toes. Here are a five reasons why exercising on a regular basis will help improve your life: 

    1. Better Confidence

    When you begin to workout, you feel better about yourself. You are working towards a goal and will eventually see results from all your hard work.  

    2. A Natural Destresser 

    When you work out, you begin to produce endorphins. Endorphins are a natural stress reliever and exercising also gives you a reason to take a break from the world and collect your thoughts. 

    3. Better Memory 

    Exercising regularly can help improve your memory. When you exercise, more oxygen goes to the brain which helps you to be able focus more and retain more from your daily life.

    4. You will get better sleep

    Exercising in the morning and afternoons helps you sleep better at night. Working out at night can still give you great benefits, but may keep you up.

    5.  You’ll have more energy

    Yes, an intense workout can wear you out, but regular exercise will actually give you more energy to be productive throughout the day.

    I hope these fun facts help you find your motivation if your on the fence about getting into an exercise routine. It’s never easy to start. That first week of pushing yourself out the door to go to the gym is hard. Don’t give up! It may seem like days before you start to see results but it will happen. So, join me in my journey to get back in shape. I will be posting workout trainings to help you shed the pounds as well as healthy meal recipes, snacks, and smoothies to enjoy! But, don’t worry I’m not losing my love of baking. I will continue to post tasty baked treats that will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. It’s all in moderation! Good luck to all finding their routines! If you have any tips for healthy living, please comment and share!

  • Blueberry Streussel Coffee Cake

    Blueberry Streussel Coffee Cake

    My husband has been on a blueberry kick lately. I’ve made scones, muffins, and your basic blueberry pancakes. I needed to spice my baking up to keep up with his latest craving. I put together this recipe and he was truly satisfied. The blueberry tartness with the sugary sweetness of the Streussel really compliment each other in this recipe. It is so hard to not eat the entire pan in one sitting. It goes perfect with a hot cup of coffee, which will help you jump start your morning.

    Blueberry Streussel Coffee Cake

    Prep Time: 15 mins

    Cook Time: 36 mins

    Total Time: 51 mins

    Yield: 8 Slices

    Ingredients

    Streusel

    1/2 cup of flour

    1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed

    1 tsp of cinnamon

    1 tsp of ginger

    4 Tbsp of  butter, melted

    Coffee Cake

    1/2 cup of sugar

    6 Tbsp of butter, softened

    1/4 cup of buttermilk 

    1/4 cup of milk

    1 egg

    1 tsp of vanilla extract

    1 1/2 tsp of baking powder

    1 cup of flour

    2 cups of blueberries

    Glaze

    1 cup of powdered sugar

    2 Tbsp of milk

    1 tsp of vanilla

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 in round baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

    For the streusel, in a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and melted butter until all ingredients are crumbly. Set aside.

    For coffee cake, in large bowl, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Add in buttermilk and milk and mix until well combined. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

    In a small bowl, mix flour and baking powder.Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

    Put half of the cake batter into the bottom of the cake pan. Top batter with about half of the streusel mixture, then half of the blueberries.

    Spread remaining cake batter over streusel. Sprinkle remaining streusel and blueberries over the top of the cake batter.

    Bake for 34-36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool 5 mins.

    For the glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk together. Drizzle the glaze over the coffee cake.

    Enjoy!  

  • Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops w/ Garlic Parmesean Broccoli  

    Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops w/ Garlic Parmesean Broccoli  

    Need a new idea for Poek Chops? I love a Fried Pork Chop just as much as any other southern lady but to eat those all the time would be completely unhealthy. I oven bake them,to give a slight taste of a breading. It satisfies my craving for fried food and it doesn’t feel as heavy on your stomach too. I made Garlic Parmesan Broccoli to compliment the flavor on the pork. The broccoli will be slightly al dente with cook time. If you prefer your vegetables to be softer, cook additional 10 mins. You can serve with any starch of choice. I served mine with mashed potatoes. Check this recipe out and you won’t leave the table unhappy.

    Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

    Prep Time: 10 mins

    Cook Time: 1 hour

    Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    4 Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops

    3 Tbsp of flour

    1/2 cup of bread crumbs

    1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese, grated

    1 tsp of Italian seasoning

    1/2 tsp of salt

    1/2 tsp of pepper

    1 tsp of garlic powder

    2 eggs

    2 Tbsp of milk

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

    In a medium bowl, mix flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic until well combined.

    In a seperate medium bowl, whisk eggs and milk.

    Dip pork chops in egg mixture then flour mixture. Then repeat once more. Place breaded pork chops in greased casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour.

     

    Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

    Prep Time: 10 mins

    Cook Time: 40 mins

    Total Time: 50 mins

    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    1 large head of broccoli

    3 Tbsp of olive oil

    4 cloves of garlic, minced

    1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil.

    Chop broccoli florets off of the head of broccoli. Place in large bowl, mix with olive oil, garlic, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Spread mixture onto greased baking pan. Cook for 30 mins in oven. Once removed from oven, sprinkle remainder of Parmesan cheese on broccoli.

    Enjoy!