Holy Bats

HI Dolls… I know I’m probably thee most terrible blogger on the face of planet Earth….but I just haven’t taken the time to upload the pictures I’ve taken lately of all the baked goods that have been popping out of my oven! That is until today! HOLY BATS….. I am going to go ahead and make a pretty bold statement here. These cookies are probably the BEST cookies I have ever made, hands down! That is saying a lot for this little Betty let me tell ya! However, I’m serious. You need to stop what you’re doing and go get the following ingredients immediately.

CHOCOLATE AND OREO CHUNK COOKIES
Adapted from Bakergirl.

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
15 Oreos, roughly chopped into about 6 chunks **** I used the Golden Oreos, not the original

Preheat the oven to 350 and line baking trays with parchment paper.

Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Mix in the flour, salt and baking soda on a low speed until combined. Add the chocolate chunks and the Oreo pieces and mix until just combined (this is some of the best dough I’ve ever tasted).

Scoop tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined trays and bake for 10, until the edges are just golden.

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Seriously, these cookies are to die for. I am not one to eat cookie dough raw….unless its in ice cream… and I just couldn’t help myself from taking a few bites off the spoon I mixed with.

 

THEN… when I actually took the piping hot cookies out of the oven…. OMG….. it was bad.

I had not 1, not 2, but 3 cookies. So terrible, I know, so much for eating clean yesterday Whatever… clearly these cookies had to be tested and I was the only one around- so I did and let me tell you …making Thursday my cheat day was totally worth it!

I know this last picture doesn’t really depict the ooey gooey-ness of what’s going on inside that tiny morsel of goodness, but trust me- you want to make these and try for yourself.

Again, I had Golden Oreos on hand…from another recipe I had used this summer….so I wanted to get rid of those. However, I think using orginal Oreos would most definitely put this recipe over the top. The Oreos make such a creamy texture.

So seriously, do yourself a favor. Make these STAT

xoxo

 

 

o-H-I-o

HI Dolls…

It’s September 1st… and I’m so bummed that summer is coming to an end… that’s why I planned a little trip back home to revel in the 80 degree Ohio Skies

By the time I return to MN it will be pumpkin candles, pumpkin spiced lattes and all things Fall….. I’ll definitely be breaking out the fleece, sweats and comfy Browns gear for FoOtBall SeaSoN!

I will have several recipes to share upon my return… until then go Brownies beat da Bears! I know I know… it’s only pre season- BUT the first home game is Sept. 11th- and I’m pumped! Did I mention College Football starts Saturday? GO BUCKEYES!

Source

 

Happy Hump Day dolls…. we’re almost to the weekend

I woke up super late this morning, but I did manage to get at least one round of this workout in with Z & F ….HOLY it is no joke! I will do two more rounds tonight after work… just wanted to get my metabolism revved for the day.

For breakfast I ate:

1 whole egg, 2 egg whites

1 oz smoked salmon

2 T chopped tomatoes

onion

1 T olive oil

Iced coffee with a splash of Almond Milk

2 cups of water

 

 

This breakfast medley is a sure thang dolls…. for real- try it!

On the dock for lunch is a HUGE salad…. same as yesterday I am craving and cannot wait for the creamy avocado

My goal for today is to stay on track with my planned meals and complete two more rounds of the BODYROCKER workout!

I also wanted to share a homemade veggie burger recipe with ya’ll….

This recipe was a little time consuming but not too bad- plus you get several burgers to keep on hand in the freezer for weeks to come!

Sweet Tater Black Bean Burgers [yields 8 burgers – vegan, gf]

15oz black beans, drained + rinsed
3c cubed sweet tater, cooked + skin on [~1.5lbs]
1/2c frozen or fresh corn
2/3c finely chopped onion [1/2 medium onion]
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2c cooked quinoa
6T rolled oats, partially ground
2T sunflower seeds
1/2t salt
black pepper
1t cumin
1t oregano
1/4t coriander
1t chili powder
1/4t cayenne [optional]
1T olive oil
Preheat your oven to 375* once you finish cooking the quinoa + potato.
Mash half of the beans in a bowl until paste-like.
Add in the rest of the beans and give a very light stir/mash to combine.
In a large bowl, mash the sweet tater.  Each cube should be mashed, but you don’t want it creamy.
Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, coriander, chili powder, cayenne [if using] and olive oil, until combined.
Mix in the onion, garlic, corn, black beans, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and ground oats, until just combined.
Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Form into balls, between your hands and flatten into 1/2”-3/4” thick patties.  This should make 8 medium/large patties.
Place on a pan lined with parchment paper [or lightly greased pan] and bake on each side for 15min, flipping once, half-way through.
Remove from oven + serve!
*If you want to refrigerate or freeze them, let fully cool on a cooling rack.  Place in a sealed container for the fridge, or wrap in saran, then foil, then in a bag for the freezer.  If reheating a frozen burger, let it thaw completely.  Re-heat in a greased pan, over medium heat for ~3-5min per side, until hot throughout.

*To make the ground oats – Pulse your blender on + off, until you have the consistency about half way to flour. (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)

*Instead of ground oats, feel free to sub – millet flour, oat flour, quinoa flour, whole wheat flour, etc.

*To pan cook – Heat a pan to medium and lightly grease.  Cook on each side for 5-8min, flip + cook another 5-8min until golden brown.

*For the grill – Bake burgers for 15min on one side, flip burgers once and bake another 10min.  While baking, preheat your grill slightly above medium [~350-375*]  Grease the grates and cook burgers for ~3min per side.

YUM- seriously… these have been a life saver, at night when I am starving… just heat up the skillet, cook for 3 minutes on each side and serve on a bed of greens….mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Enjoy dolls.

Do you ever eat veggie burgers?

What’s your favorite brand or recipe?

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I try to eat veggie burgers quite often… I’ve never made a homemade batch until I made this recipe and I can honestly say… I probably won’t go back to my Morning Star brand I ate so frequently before. These are super simple and easy- plus I like that I know exactly what ingredients are going into them! I’m really pushing myself to stay away from preserved food these days!

xo

Long Time…

Long time no blog dolls…. sorry for my absence. I’ve just had a busy busy summer… not a whole lot has been happening. However, at the moment I DO have a plethora of recipes in the arsenal!

I made huge strides with Body for Life! I love love love Protein and Lifting! I cannot sing BFL praises enough! I feel so strong from lifting weights… and I also feel full due to my protein intake! I still try to keep my meals 40% Carbs, 40% Protein and 10% fat. As of late I have been cutting out carbs in the form of grain, barley, rye and wheat. I have pretty much eliminated gluten from my diet. I had a bout of swelling this summer and after some testing, I did find I don’t have an allergy, but I feel 100% better not having gluten in my diet. It was the most bizarre experience of my life, but thankfully – it’s over.

I am starting to be very conscious of my fat intake at each meal… I want to be sure and include a healthy fat with each meal I eat everyday!

For breakfast….. I ate:

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

2 T diced tomatoes

scallions

1 oz Moz cheese

2 oz smoked salmon

HOLY GOODNESS…. if ya’ll have never tried smoked salmon in your eggs before… be.my.guest. I’ll be having them for breakfast the entire week….come over!

For lunch:

2 cups greens

1/3 cup red pepper

1/3 cup mushrooms

2 T feta cheese

5 olives

1/3 cup avacado

simple dressing: 1 T EVOO, 2 t red wine vinegar, salt and pepper

My workout this morning was rocking:

5 minute cardio burst to warm up

Bicep curls, Dips (15 reps) repeat 3 x’s

Step Ups right (10) left (10) sumo squat crunch (10) repeat 2 x’s

Cardio burst 5 minutes…. elliptical intervals

Push Ups (12) dead lift into a shoulder press (12) repeat 3 x’s

ball crunch with weight (hold weight at each end) 10 lb weight

Cardio burst 5 minutes ….walking on treadmill at an incline, increase speed each minute.

cool down… stretch.

Happy Tuesday dolls <3

Mini-marvels

Hi Dollfaces… how are you today? I had a busy weekend We had birthday celebrations and a Sunday Funday to follow. I made French Bread pizza for the party- but I hated it. The pizza sauce I used was not good. at all. My favorite recipe was Betsy’s Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Look at these mini marvels. Adorable.

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Make this “Cook Yourself Thin” recipe.

Makes 12 cupcakes
Calories per serving: 212

For the cupcakes
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup raw beets, peeled and finely grated
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon red food coloring
2 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the icing
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 medium egg white
Small pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar and salt, and using a handheld or standing mixer, beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until pale and doubled in size.

3. Add the grated beets, flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder and baking powder. Stir to combine.

4. Add the buttermilk and food coloring, and beat again to make sure that all the ingredients are well-incorporated.

5. Spoon batter into the cupcake liners, taking care not to fill more than two-thirds of the way up or it will overflow when cooking.

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. While the cupcakes are cooking, make the icing: Prepare a double boiler.

8. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of the double boiler, and stir to dissolve the sugar with a clean metal spoon for exactly 4 minutes; the mixture should be warm.

9. Remove the bowl from the heat, and beat with a hand or standing mixer on high speed, until cool and the mixture has turned into a meringue, no more than 5 minutes.

10. The mixture is ready to use when it has formed stiff peaks.

11. Pipe or spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the icing over the cooled cupcakes, and take care to ice the cakes very quickly, as the icing will start to set and is best when just made.

 

In other news. I was bad this weekend. I drank too much. I ate freely. I have two weeks left of BFL and I totally cheated this weekend. I am feeling soooooo guilty. Extra Guilty. I will be hitting the gym after work tonight and planning my meals very carefully! The whole no alcohol until I get to AZ on April 14th… didn’t really apply this weekend. I am back on track though and eager to knock this challenge out!

Talk to you soon dolls.

 

Whack Wednesday

Hi Dolls.

So…. I apologize for no post yesterday. I had a Whack Wednesday… I began my morning with a lovely chime/alarm clock from my blackberry. A few hours later I had a non working blackberry

I CANNOT be without a phone. No one A.) would be able to reach me and this means personal/business. B.) I have to access work email at all times, it’s just what comes with being a boss lady… I manage someone from 50 miles away and he depends on me mostly through email when I am out of the office.

So after a few hours at Verizon… I was back in business with a new I Phone. I am semi- upset because I wanted to wait for the IPhone5 to come out in June or July. I absolutely hated my blackberry storm- but I was willing to deal with it until the newest IPhone came out. I am kind of a geeky Apple girl – I have all things Apple, so of course I wanted the newest phone. However, even with insurance I would have to pay $89.99 for a new blackberry (the phone I hated and wanted to slam against the wall most days) or pay $199 for a new phone… I chose to just get the 4 Many things have been leading up to my new upgrade. I lost my charger a few weekends ago. My screen cracked slightly on the side after being smashed somehow inside my purse on St. Pat’s Day… (no luck for this Irish girl) And then finally yesterday it just stopped working all together.

Fast forward to THURSDAY….. and now I am able to take really cool photos of my food like these here….

Spoon full of Smoothie helps the medicine go down dolls.

Delicious.

French Vanilla Cappuccino Smoothie

• frozen banana
• 3-4 cubes ice
• almond milk
• coffee 1/3 cup
• 1 T vanilla cappuccino instant mix
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein

Have a fab day dolls… I’ll be off scouring tons and tons of FOOD applications now

xoxo

ash

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Do you have a smartphone?

I can honestly say I could never go back to “just a cell phone” having a smartphone is the best! You never get bored

French Toast

Hi! How are you? Did you sleep well last night? I got to bed pretty early- I’m reading Water for Elephants and I’m just loving it. My nightly routine has been consisting of this: hop in bed around 8:30… (last night around 9) I read for a bit and then drift off to sleep I’m so energized for my morning workouts! I think disconnecting from TV, Cell Phones and all electronics really does help you sleep better. I have been trying to unwind without electronics at least one hour before bed and just partake in some old fashioned reading!

This morning’s breakfast reminds me of the Toast Song…. have you ever heard this before? It just cracks me up!

So of course I didn’t actually make french toast, but I did make a Smoothie in the form of French Toast…. it is smoothie week here on IDD so won’t you enjoy a little breakfast avec moi?!?

I promise it won’t disappoint.

I couldn’t resist adding some sugar free syrup into the mix

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 banana frozen
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 t vanilla extract (could use 1 t vanilla sugar free jello powder)
• 1 t Peanut Butter (bc I always add PB to everything)
• 4 cubes of ice

Blend and drizzle a bit of syrup on top then mix and drink.

Just look at that cinnamon french toast swirl. Yum.

Try this- it seriously tastes exactly like French Toast!

Enjoy

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Do you enjoy pancakes or french toast?

If I had to pick one over the other ….Pancakes would be my #1 choice