I have been out of sorts ever since one of my favorite healthy grocery stores shut down a few months ago and we have a limited amount of organic/health stores in my area. So I was thrilled to hear that ALDI was coming to our town in SO CAL! I have seen them all over the south and have heard great things about them, so I was excited to try it out for myself. We really try to only buy organic meats and the dirty dozen fruits and veggies. ALDI offers its SimplyNature® line of foods which includes USDA Certified organic and Non-GMO foods. They also carry liveGfree® gluten-free products, and USDA Choice meats! This I am very excited about!
If you are new to ALDI here is a few things that I learned on my trip:
#1. Carts are available for you to use, but you must deposit a quarter. When customers are done using the cart, they return it and get their money back. This is a way for them to keep prices lower!
#2. 90% of their groceries are under its own exclusive ALDI brand, which are high quality and tested to make sure it taste great!
#3. ALDI offers its SimplyNature® line which includes USDA Certified organic and Non-GMO verified items, liveGfree® gluten-free products, USDA Choice meats and NeverAny! products that are free from added antibiotics, hormones and animal by-products.
#4. ALDI is a lot smaller and made shopping quick and easy. They only have about 4-5 shopping aisles and that is my kind of grocery store.
#5. You bag your own groceries at the end of the check out. This makes the line go by super quick!
#6. You can purchase your own bags at the store for super cheap or bring your own bags in. YES!
#7. The store hours are typically from 9 AM to 9 PM, which also helps keep labor costs down.
#8. They have something called DOUBLE GUARANTEE, which I think is pretty amazing. If you see the double guarantee on any item in the store and if for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with any product, they will gladly replace the product AND refund your money.
#9. They are affordable! ALDI believes in the philosophy of keeping things simple – offer premium high-quality natural and organic food that everyone can afford. I love a store that keeps things high quality, yet affordable! Amazing right?!
#10. ALDI Finds are food and household items that are in stores for a limited time. If you like an ALDI Find, buy it. It wonâ€
t last long and will most likely sell out. I bought a couple bags of popcorn for RJ that I know she is going to love!
My haul…
I got a few organic fruits and vegetables, Happy Farms Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese, Chateau Cote Nord Chardonnay, SimplyNature® Organic 100% Grass Fed Ground Beefand Foster Farms Organic Chicken Breasts as well as a Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen 4 Meat Pizzafor dinner tonight that was only $5.99! My whole grocery haul was less than $80 and I got a lot of things that will last a couple weeks.
I am most excited about the SimplyNature® line of foods and the WINE FIND tags! You know me and my wine 
I am so glad I gave ALDI a try and I know that we will be back again soon! I hope you give ALDI a try and let me know what you think?!
Check out ALDI on the web:
ALDI website: https://www.aldi.us
ALDI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALDI.USA
ALDI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aldiusa/
ALDI Twitter: https://twitter.com/aldiusa
ALDI Blog: https://blog.aldi.us
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Here are a few ideas from our past parties for those of you hosting a Super Bowl Party!
Super Bowl 2013Â -Crazy Sexy Vegan Super Bowl Party
I leave you with one of my favorite slow cooker recipes for the Super Bowl!
Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken
-adapted from Sandra LeeÂ
Ingredients:
4 lbs. Chicken Breasts and Thighs (rinsed and patted dry)
Salt and Pepper
2 medium Onions (cut into wedges)
1 c. Dark Beer (substitute: Â 1 c. ale)
1 1/2 c. Barbecue Sauce
Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Working in batches, brown chicken on both sides.
Place browned chicken in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.
Add onions to slow cooker.
In a bowl, combine dark beer and barbecue sauce. Pour mixture over chicken and onions in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 3-4 hours or low-heat setting for 7-8 hours.
***Optional-Get rid of onions for those who think onions are the DEVIL (not me).
Strain chicken, but save broth and onions.
Let chicken cool for a bit and then shred chicken with two forks.
Return chicken and broth to crock pot and add in 1 c. of BBQ sauce.
Keep on warm setting and enjoy.
Question: What are you doing for the Super Bowl?Â
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Who else is excited about fall?! I know I sure am. Ok, the weather in Southern California is still in the 90’s, but I can pretend it’s cooling down right? Thought I would kick off this beautiful fall week with some super yummy Pumpkin muffins. Not just any pumpkin muffins, but healthier (but still taste amazing) muffins. I haven’t played enough around with coconut or gluten free flour, but I bet you could replace the all purpose flour with a GF flour. I am gonna give coconut flour a try next week! Did I mention they have NO OIL and no cane sugar?
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Serves:Â 12 or 16 in my caseÂINGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Love Grown Super oatmeal (or whatever oats you have on hand)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
- 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (or throw in the whole can I did)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened all-natural applesauce (or oil)
- 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons-I used non dairy, non soy chocolate chips
- Extra oatmeal, for sprinkling on muffins
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper cups or spray with nonstick spray. If you use muffin cups, make sure to spray the inside of the cups.
- In a large bowl mix flour, oatmeal, pumpkin pie spice baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a separate bowl combine pumpkin, mashed banana, honey, almond milk, egg whites and applesauce. Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
- Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full so that each is even. Sprinkle a tiny bit of oatmeal over each top of the muffins. Place into the oven and bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean. Muffins are best served warm. Reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds and spread with topping of your choice!
*These pair perfect with a big cup of pumpkin spice black coffee! These would also make a great gift for a friend in need
Question: What is your favorite pumpkin baking recipe? Leave the link to the recipe in the comments and I will do a round up on the blog!Â
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If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have ended my Whole30 journey early.
The Whole30 plan says if you slip up even once, you must start all over again. I completely understand why, but for me my Whole30 journey needed to come to an end.
I really love the intention of the program, which is “a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.” Cleaning out the foods in your diet that may cause some serious health issues by cutting them out and possibly gaining some added energy and a healthy gut sounds perfect!
I have always encouraged others to try out the Whole30 plan, especially if they need to really clean up their diets and/or have experienced some major gut issues. I thought it would be a great idea to try it for myself and get my own opinion about the program. Granted I didn’t finish, but I know for my phsyci 15 days was good for me.
Why I enjoyed Whole30:
1. It got me back on track with eating more whole foods.Â
I typically eat pretty clean, but now with a one-year-old and an unknown schedule most days, I started to dine out for lunch more often while running errands or meeting with clients. Not only was I spending more money than I needed, I was eating more processed foods than I should have. Whole30 helped me get back to doing true meal preps and having more healthy whole foods on hand to enjoy.
2. It help me quit my toddler snacking.Â
I try and give RJ fruits and veggies to snack on during the day, but she does enjoy the occasional Annie’s crackers which then ends up me doing the ‘one for you, one for mommy’ thing. Not that they are bad for me by any means, but I was mindless snacking with RJ. I wasn’t enjoying them for nourishment, but more out of habit.
Now I enjoy more almonds, avocados, mini carrots and almond butter on the go. Glad to be back on track.
3. It gave me back my balance.Â
I think through the summer I got in the groove of drinking wine more than normal and having more desserts than I have had all year. I don’t really have a ‘sweet tooth,’ but somehow I got sucked into having ice cream and/or chocolate almost every night of the week.
Yes, there is nothing wrong with enjoying desserts as a treat once in a while, but my waistline is not a fan This mama wants to have energy and feel great inside and out.
4. It helped me feel great while on vacation.Â
Normally when we go camping, I eat way too much sugar and junk food (but it’s vacation… I give myself a pass). However, this past camping trip I stuck to the Whole30 and left feeling lighter and less bloated. It was hard to say no to the s’mores and drinks every night, but in the end, it was what I needed at the time.
What I didn’t enjoy about Whole30:
1. I didn’t have a ton more energy.Â
I was hoping that by following the plan I would start to feel like I had more energy, but honestly I had way more energy doing the Crazy Sexy Vegan Diet.
Now, granted, I know I didn’t do it for the full 30 days, but there wasn’t a big change even for the first 15. Maybe if I would have done the full 30 days I would have noticed a big difference, but I think that because I eat pretty clean now, that it didn’t have as great of an impact on my energy levels.
2. I started to think that whole grains and legumes are bad for me.Â
When thinking about adding back things like grains and legumes to my diet, I started to think these foods were “bad” for me. I personally don’t have any issues with these foods and they are part of my healthy diet.
I know for some people they cause inflammation or an allergic reaction, but as I slowly added them back I started to have a negative connotation about them and I realized that I don’t want to label these foods as “BAD.”
3. My relationship with food began to become unhealthy.Â
I don’t believe (for me) that the Whole30 Plan is a sustainable lifestyle (and it is not meant to be), but I think it is a great reset, which IS their intention.
However, food started to take over priorities in my life and becoming an unhealthy obsession. I like to eat for nourishment and not obsess over every meal, snack and treat. I want to enjoy food and not feel like I may be making a wrong choice. I know this is not Whol30’s issue… it’s mine. I know for me sticking to clean eats and enjoying a treat once in a while, is something that I do well with and has been the best way of life for me.
4. I had more meat than I would have liked to.
During this, I heavily reduced my veggie intake. I mean, I had veggies, but because I could have bacon and other meats, I didn’t always have room for my salad.
I wasn’t ever ‘hungry’ except a few nights that I would stay up later and would crave a dessert, but I was still eating more meat than I would have liked to. I think that is what I loved about the Crazy Sexy Diet. It taught me to be more creative in the kitchen with veggies, grains and beans.
I think for me, I am more of an herbivore than a carnivore… but I do love me some BACON!
My Thoughts:
My conclusion is to TRY IT! It may not be the right way of eating for you forever, but it is a great RESET!
However, if you have struggled with eating disorders in the past (as I have), it can be difficult and may not be the best plan (in my own opinion). For now, I am glad to be back to eating oats again and enjoying the occasional adult beverage. More than anything, I am glad that I am eating for nourishment and getting back to the clean eating that I love!
For those of you who are interested in my Whole30 Meal Plan that I took on for those two weeks, I will be posting later this week.
Questions: Have you done Whole 30? What did you think?Â
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In order to make sure that I am eating kale and veggies from the garden as much as possible, Â I really make sure to make my meal plan around what is growing. I love that RJ, loves kale (well blended in smoothies) because between the two of us we have put a little dent in it. 
This week I will be making green monsters everyday, kale salads, kale chips, kale pesto, kale and white bean soup, kale omelets, and kale egg casserole.
I started the KALE KICK OFF with a yummy Kale and Quinoa Stir-Fry that I literally had everything already on hand for. I took Spicy Kale and Coconut Stir Fry from Cookie and Cake and mixed it up a bit. It was so simple and tasted amazing the only thing I regretted was not making more!
- 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 2 Eggs (beaten with a dash of salt)
- 2 cloves Garlic large (pressed or minced)
- ½ Onion
- 1 bunch kale medium (ribs removed and leaves finely shredded)
- ¼ tsp. Fine Grain Sea Salt
- 2 c. Cooked Quinoa
- 2 tsp. Reduced-Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
- 1 Lime (halved)
- Fresh Cilantro (for garnish)
- Optional:
- 1. c. Vegetables such as bell pepper, carrot, or Brussel sprouts (thinly sliced)
- 2 tsp. Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha
- Red Pepper Flakes (for garnish)
- Heat a large (12-in. or wider) wok, cast iron skillet, or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact, add 1 tsp. of oil. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are scrambled and lightly set. Take the eggs out and put aside for a moment.
- Add one tbsp. of oil to the pan and add the garlic, onions, and optional additional vegetables. Cook while stirring for 30 seconds or longer, until fragrant or until the vegetables are tender. Add the kale and ¼ tsp. salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the kale is wilted and tender, which will just take a couple of minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to the bowl of eggs.
- Add the remaining two tsp. of oil to the pan. Add the quinoa to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is hot (approx. 3 minutes).
- Pour the contents of the bowl back into the pan. Add 2 tsp. of tamari (or soy sauce) and hot sauce (chili garlic sauce or sriracha). Stir to combine, then transfer the contents to serving plates or back to the bowl. Squeeze the juice of ½ of a lime over the dish. Garnish with a sprinkling of torn cilantro leaves and wedges of lime, with jars of chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and/or red pepper flakes on the side.
I can’t wait to share more recipes with you soon!
Question: What is your favorite thing to make with kale?Â
t what I just ate today…but I love blogging about FOOD, so I thought I would share what this family of three has been grubbing on or mostly what I have been eating.
I have been making a lot of zucchini pastas (because we have a plethora in our garden) with my handy dandy Spirulizer. (You guys have to get one) One of the easiest meals I make is chicken, kale and tomato sausages (from Costco), chopped tomatoes, zucchini, and some pine nuts. I cook it all up in a skillet.
We havenâ€t been going out to eat a lot because we enjoy eating with the little at home. But when we do want a fun dinner, we order our favorite BBQ Chicken Veggie Pizza with NO CHEESE! We also enjoy a good brew. Some of our favorite date nights have been on our back porch.
I also made it out on Monday for a little GNO at a fun place in town called Brew Cakes. Itâ€s a lot like a gastro pub. On Mondays, they serve fun margaritas, like this one that I ordered, a Mango Jalapeño Margarita! I also ordered one of each of their tacos, carnitas, tilapia, and a beet veggie. They were all very delicious. I think I like the fish the best.
I have been sticking to my Ultimate Kickboxing 21 day challenge of not eating out for lunch. RJ and I have been very busy this week with Vacation Bible School and I have made sure to pack a lunch everyday and not cave into grabbing a smoothie or Chipotle while we are out (Although yesterday I came close.)
I love SUMMER SALADS! They by far are my favorite kind. To be honest, I get sick of salads and I have to mix it up. One of my favorites is this tuna one. I just put a half can of tuna, strawberries, apples, walnuts, and balsamic vinegar and enjoy.
We just got a Yogurtland in town and the Hubby and I have already been twice this month!! We may need to not drive anywhere near it for a while.
Another guilty pleasure are these Ghirardelli dark chocolate squares! I may or may not have one every day of the year.
Tuesday nights we love to go to the TACO SHACK and State Street Winery. It’s only $1 for some pretty amazing tacos and $4 for a glass of wine. That’s my kind of dinner!
For breakfast RJ and I love these easy three ingredient pancakes, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of oats, and 1 banana all mixed up and cooked on the skillet. RJ is obsessed with eggs, so I have been enjoying them a lot lately.
I am telling ya, the SEXY SALADS are out of control!
Last month was a lot of grilling out on the back patio and I am sure this month will be the same. I look forward to more smoothies, sexy salads, fresh grilled veggies, and fish. I love having a little more time to make dinner these days and I have a few recipes up my sleeve that are coming soon!
Question: What is your favorite thing to eat in the summer? Mine is FRUIT FOR SURE!
]]>This mama has had a pretty exhausting weekend but coffee and green monsters are getting me through! RJ hasnâ€t been sleeping too well this week, partly because she had her 6 month shots and they gave her a fever and she just hasnâ€t been herself. I’m treasuring these late nights and doing my best to eat clean, workout, and stay hydrated. ‘Cause letâ€s be real, when your tired the one thing you donâ€t want to do is workout and SUGAR sounds so much better than a sexy salad!
I did ride a metric century this weekend (crazy I know) and got in my last double digit run for Boston! I will be posting all about that tomorrow!
Last week I made a SHRIMP SALAD on our “Taco Tuesday†and I just could not wait to share it with you all. I got this Honey, Lime and Tequila Shrimp recipe from Pinterest. I just changed a few things to make it a bit more healthy, without losing the amazing sweet and juicy flavor. I loved it so much that I have it on our menu for next week as well. I think I am going to try it with chicken next time.
Ingredients:
For the honey lime tequila shrimp tacos
2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons raw honey
juice of 2 limes + 1 lime
1/2 cup tequila
1 medium onion, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle (optional)
2 avocados, diced
1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced
For the slaw dressing
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice [about 2-3 limes]
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup light, neutral oil, such as grapeseed
For the chipotle crema
1 cup (250 ml) fat free or low fat greek yogurt
1 to 2 pieces of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce [canned]
For assembly
a handful of cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
- Wash, peel, devein, and dry raw shrimp. Season with salt.
- In a bowl, combine honey, lime juice, tequila, onion, cumin, and chipotle powder (if using). Mix well and toss shrimp into the marinade. Chill up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Heat pan on stove.
- Cook shrimp until bright or just opaque (about 2 minutes each side). Flip the shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes or until they turn bright orange. Set cooked shrimp aside.
- Dice the avocados and squeeze juice from the remaining 1 lime.
- Thinly slice the red cabbage or green cabbage using a sharp knife or a mandolin.
- To make the dressing for the red cabbage slaw, put the lime juice, Dijon mustard, sea salt, pepper, and oil in a jar or bowl. Whisk vigorously until it emulsifies.
- Toss the red cabbage with the lime vinaigrette. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, to make the chipotle crema, place the chipotles in the bowl of the food processor and give it a good whirl until it is smooth.
- Stir in the greek yogurt, mixing well until the color is even.
Assemble:Â Put a plate down and pile on a big bed of mixed greens. Then top with the coleslaw, avocado, and shrimp. Drizzle the cream sauce on top and ENJOY!
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LOVE GROWN GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful entries, I hope you get a chance to go try them! Ok, the winner is….Heather @fitncookies!!!! Please email me your address and your prize will be shipped to you.
Question: What is your favorite way to cook shrimp?
]]>s face it, eating a salad everyday can get boring, but not any more!
Ok, first you gotta meal prep in order to have some yummy options. Set some time on Sunday to prep, about an hour is totally fine. I like to mix it up a bit and have chicken some days, beef some days, and even a veggie burger. So here is a list of three simple salads that you can make in no time!
1. Carne Asada Salad: So, everyone is enjoying the BBQ and you want to as well, what better way to spice up a salad then to add strips of carne asada (or steak), avocado, salsa, fresh tomatoes and whatever else suits your fancy.
2. BBQ Chicken and Sweet Potato Salad: This is one of those recipes that you want to prep on Sunday. Get your crock pot ready for some yummy BBQ Chicken that is perfect on a bead of lettuce, corn, and baked sweet potatoes (which you could also prep in the crock pot). I used this recipe for the BBQ Chicken.
3. Veggie Burger Salad: MY ALL TIME FAVE!!! Now you could use a homemade veggie burger (my favorite) or you could buy the ones at Costco like I do because I love them!!! I love to break the burger up into pieces and put it on a big bed of mixed greens, avocado, grilled zucchini, and drizzle it with a little BBQ sauce (a little wonâ€t kill ya). I also have made homemade sweet potato fries (new recipe coming up next week) and put them in there as well.
I have a lot more to come..this is only the beginning!
P.S. The Refresh Attire Shop RE-OPENED and this time around we are partnering with the Choose Joy Event and selling this specific Choose Joy design to raise money for an adoption raffle! The shop will be open until April 5th, so head over today and place your order!
Question: What is your favorite topping for a salad?
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Yes, I do bake the occasional “not so healthy†treat! More importantly I love to bake for others during the Holiday season. This year with the RJ here, I wanted to keep it simple, but still yummy! So I chose 5 very fun holiday treat recipes that ANYONE can make! I also put them in these cute little boxes from the $1 section from Target and added chalkboard stickers (also from Target).
1. Pretzel Delights:
Ingredients:
Small pretzels
ROLO Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate
Pecan halves
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Place one pretzel for each pretzel treat desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one unwrapped ROLO Chewy Caramel in Milk Chocolate.
- Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until caramel piece begins to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven; top with either pecan half or additional pretzel. Cool completely.
2. Christmas Crack (SO AMAZING AND EASY):
2. Chocolate Covered Pretzels White and Milk Chocolate:
Ingredients:
Bag of Pretzels
Melting White and Milk Chocolate
Instructions:
Place all pretzels on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Melt chocolate according to instructions on package. Drizzle all over pretzels and let cool.
3. Christmas Crack: from Sweet Bella Roose
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for three minutes without stirring. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the crackers into a single layer. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the crackers and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and quickly sprinkle with chocolate chips. Place back into the oven for one minute. Remove and use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly. Place in the freezer to set for one hour. Break apart and enjoy. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 10-14 days.
Â
4. Chocolate Dipped Oreos:
Chocolate Dipped Mint Oreos
Ingredients:
1 package Mint Oreos
2-3 cups chocolate chips (flavor or your choice)
wax paper
Directions:
- Pour 2-3 cups of chocolate chips into a microwave safe glass dish.
- Microwave for 1 minute and stir, microwave for 30 seconds and stir….continue that process until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you prefer you could melt chocolate using a double broiler.
- Using your hand and a spoon, place one oreo at a time in the chocolate and by dipping and spooning the chocolate onto the oreo, make sure it is completely covered. Use spoon to remove excess chocolate if you feel like it is too thick. If you run out of chocolate during this process just melt more. It usually takes about three cups of chocolate chips for me to dip an entire package of oreos.
- Place covered oreos on wax paper
- Allow to dry completely before removing from wax paper.
*I put my wax paper on a cookie sheet so I can move the oreos to the fridge where they will set up more quickly….so I can eat them more quickly. Oh, and can I just say that the mint with the milk chocolate is my favorite combination. It is Delicious.
5: Snow Balls:
Recipe fro Brown Eyed Baker
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
â…“ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar, for rolling cookies after baking
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Mix the flour, 1 cup of the chopped pecans, and the salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Place the remaining chopped nuts in a food processor and process until they are the texture of coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds; stir into the flour mixture and set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough just begins to come together but still looks scrappy, about 15 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and continue beating at low speed until the dough is cohesive, about 10 more seconds.
5. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough between the palms of your hands and place on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies will only spread a little bit, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake until the tops are pale golden and the bottoms are just beginning to brown, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time.
6. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
7. Place the powdered sugar in a large zip-top bag. Working with 3 or 4 cookies at a time, place them in the bag of sugar and gently toss to coat them thoroughly. Gently shake off any excess. Allow the cookies to sit for at least an hour, or up to overnight, and then repeat the process. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
]]>I just love the beginning of a new month! Donâ€t you? Especially when it has to do with the beginning of a HOLIDAY season! I so love Fall!
I put the fall decorations out. We have pumpkin candles burning daily. I even made some pumpkin-blueberry muffins from Trader Joe’s (I added in the blueberries to the mix and used apple sauce instead of oil).
I have set some October goals because this is going to be a very busy month. I have two races, two weddings, our baby shower, several birthdays and I HAVE TWO BIG DREAMS LAUNCHING this month!!! Although I have enjoyed all the wonderful meals that have been prepared for us, and of course all the yummy desserts, my tummy hasnâ€t. So I am getting back to CLEAN EATS and eating what my body thrives off of. Happy to get back at it!
RJ UPDATE:
We have now had RJ for 20 days and they have been the best 20 days of our lives!
She really is a HAPPY baby and we are counting our blessings for it We havenâ€t really tried to put Rylee on a ‘real’ schedule. Instead, we let her tell us when she is hungry or needs to be changed. She has stuck to eating every 2-3 hours and goes potty regularly. She has her gassy days, but never so much that she screams about it for hours.
Rylee started with Enfamil Formula before we got her so we continued using it so that we wouldnâ€t mess anything up. She is doing OK with it, but wish I could have given her breast milk.
We love watching her grow, but man, she is getting big too fast! I am so blessed to be at home soaking up every minute of her smiles!
TRI UPDATE
So I am getting excited about my Tri, but honestly, I just want my race to be finished. I want to spend more time at home with baby girl than I want to be training for this race.
I was committing to two swim days, two bike rides, three run days and five days of GPP, but I had to adjust that a little and have been running 3 times a week (4 miles, 5 miles and a long run day), biking at least once a week (20 plus miles) and swimming hasnâ€t happened since we got Rylee, but I’m trying to swim one day a week! I have been able to do five days of GPP. As soon as I get home from my workouts, I am quickly running to give my baby girl hugs (sanitized, of course)!
After my races are over (October 26th), I will go back to running once a week, biking one a week and doing GPP 5 days a week. I want to keep my fitness a priority, but if I donâ€t get in a workout… it is not the end of the world!
Thank goodness hubby is home for the majority of my training so it makes it a lot easier for me to get out, but once he is back to work, it will be a whole new ball game!
