Misc. Archives - Page 3 of 12 -

Currently I’m…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:April 3, 2014
Post category:Friends / Home Life / Lunch / Misc. / Sweet Treats
Post comments:7 Comments

It’s time for a little update on “currently I’m…” Here we go!

Currently I’m…

Enjoying hot water with lemon. I always think of Caroline now when I drink it! 🙂 It’s such a comforting way to start the day.

Onto season three of Pretty Little Liars. This show just keeps getting better and better!

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Loving these oatmeal raisin cookie bites. Go make these! They taste like oatmeal raisin cookies but they are grain free and freaking amazing! Recipe: “Fauxtmeal” Raisin Cookie Bites.

Dreaming of eating another one of these egg sandwiches. Gluten-free waffle, pepperjack cheese, mustard and a fried egg. Ummm yea.

Reminiscing about my amazing weekend with these ladies.

Looking forward to a quiet weekend! It’s time to FINALLY take the Christmas lights down. Yikes!

Now it’s your turn. Currently I’m…

I can’t wait for summer because…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:March 20, 2014
Post category:Misc.
Post comments:17 Comments

Happy first day of spring! This one is always tough for me because it never actually looks like the first day of spring around here. The 3-4 inches of snow we got two days ago really put a damper on the thought. BUT….I do know nicer weather is on the way and for that I am extremely excited.

I’m joining in on a fun link-up that I found from Running Bun who got it from Helene in Between.

The subject: I can’t wait for summer because…

1. We can grill outside and actually hang out outside while we grill.

2. We don’t need to wear ten layers when going outside.

3. Warm sunshine on my skin and Vitamin D!

4. Walks.

5. Hanging out at the lakes. I didn’t get to do much of this last summer but I think this summer will be different!

6. Summer dresses and weddings!

7. Watermelon and corn on the cob.

K, I am starting to realize that this post could be a mile long. I’m so excited for the warmer weather!!

Finish the sentence: I can’t wait for summer because…

It’s Okay to Order Take Out

Post author:Melanie
Post published:March 17, 2014
Post category:Home Life / Misc.
Post comments:6 Comments

Good day my friends and happy St. Patty’s day!

I’m not at all Irish and don’t usually celebrate this day whole lot, but someday I’d like to get more into it and make green foods and eat corned beef and cabbage! I really want to make this recipe for corned beef and cabbage soup…

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It looks SO good!

If you plan to celebrate today, be safe and have fun!

**************

This weekend was sure a lazy one for me and I loved it.

A few scenes from the weekend…

A humongo salad loaded with lots of goodies!

Cheering on Kevin and Dana as they ran the Get Lucky half-marathon. I decided to sit out the 7k this year. I signed up and everything but just wasn’t feeling ready for it or up to it so I decided just to spectate this year. I had a blast!

The boys did great!

A beautiful baby shower with tons of delicious food.

Vietnamese take-out…

And pizza…

As you can see I wasn’t really in the mood for much meal prep this weekend. We ordered more take out this weekend then we usually do in about 2-3 months! It’s definitely okay to have this kind of weekend every once in a while if you ask me.

We watched a couple of movies, and had a quiet, relaxing, and fantastic weekend. How was yours?!

How often do you order take out? What is your favorite take out food?

Our go-to is usually Chipotle, but every now and then we will go for Chinese or pizza.

On Air with Fox 9: Blueberries!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:March 11, 2014
Post category:Events / Gluten-Free / Misc. / Recipes / Snacks
Post comments:11 Comments

Back in January, I had the opportunity to go back to Fox 9 for another on-air show featuring Driscoll’s blueberries. I have put off this post for a while because I was hoping that Fox 9 would post the recipes on their site and maybe even the clip from my segment, but neither was ever posted. After that never happened, it all kind of fell to the wayside and I just forgot to share it. Until today.

To read about my last visit to Fox 9 and see my video from my last show, head on over here: On Air with Fox 9: National Oatmeal Day

I arrived nice and early to the set and felt like an old pro.

It didn’t take me long to set up which gave me time to relax, look over my notes, and chat with the Fox 9 crew.

The news anchor I worked with this time was Tom Butler. He was so kind and made me feel incredibly comfortable. I was a bit nervous, but did my best to hide it and he definitely helped put me at ease.

Once the cameras were rolling, we were live.

The segment was really great. It was all about healthy snacking and how blueberries can be a super healthy and delicious snack to add to your day.

The best part though was at the end of the segment I got to take part in the Friday Dance-Off. They put on a fun song, the whole crew dances and it is shown live just as the rest of the show is. I don’t know if all of you know this, but this is right up my alley. I love to dance! I killed it with some super corny moves and I’m pretty sure I won the dance-off. 😉

I shared three Driscoll’s recipes with the viewers. On the segment, I put together the spicy trail mix. Feel free to check out the recipes.

Blueberry Cocoa Bites: think Larabar with a sweet blueberry filling.

Recipe: http://www.driscolls.com/recipes/view/10152/Blueberry-Cocoa-Bites

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Spicy Blueberry Trail Mix: I devoured this mix. The sweet and spicy combo really got me!

Recipe: http://www.driscolls.com/recipes/view/10113/Gluten-Free-Spicy-Blueberry-Trail-Mix

photo source

Gluten-Free Blueberry Macaroons: not my fav for some reason but that’s not to say you won’t like them! You could use any flour you have on hand I am sure.

Recipe: http://www.driscolls.com/recipes/view/10099/Gluten-Free-Blueberry-Macaroons

photo source

For the most part, the whole segment went very smoothly. I had a lot of fun once again!

I was incredibly honored to have had the chance to work with Driscoll’s and Fox 9 again. These are memories that I won’t soon forget! I hope they are more of these opportunities in the future!

Now, go make yourself some spicy trail mix!

Disclaimer: Driscoll’s compensated me for the segment as well as the products needed for the show however all opinions expressed are my own.

How to Steam and Eat Artichokes

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 26, 2014
Post category:Dinners / Misc. / Recipes
Post comments:9 Comments

Artichokes. The beautiful yet intimidating vegetable. A vegetable Dana and I both thoroughly enjoy but don’t eat too often. Most of the time it’s just because we forget about them, but also because they are some work to prepare and eat.

So let’s talk about the preparation shall we?

How to Steam an Artichoke

Step 1: Fill large pot with two inches of water. Add lemon juice to flavor the water if you wish.

Step 2: Place the steaming basket on top of the water.

Step 3: Pull off some of the small bottom leaves. Use scissors to to snip off sharp ends of the leaves (optional). Use a knife to cut off the bottom stem leaving just one inch of stem as well as about 3/4 of an inch off of the top of the artichoke. Sorry this is a long step.

Step 4: Rinse the artichokes and place on top of steaming basket in the pot. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil.

Step 5: Reduce to simmer and let simmer for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the artichoke). You can test if it is done by pulling off one of the outer leaves. If it is easy to pull off, it is probably done. Remove from pot and get ready to eat!

How to Eat an Artichoke

Step 1: Pull off a leaf…

Step 2: Dip the whitish looking end in melted butter, salt or mayo (I prefer straight up salt).

Step 3: Use top or bottom teeth to pull the artichoke meat off of the leaf. Dana prefers to use his bottom teeth, I prefer my top. Probably because I have a permanent retainer in the bottom of my mouth (fun fact :smile:). Throw away the petal when done.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 until you get down to the core. Don’t eat the spiky things.

Step 5: Use a knife to cut off the spiky part of the artichoke.

And you are left with the heart! The best part of the artichoke. I realize this photo below is far from appetizing but I promise you it is delicious. It is buttery and meaty and tender. It’s worth all of the effort of eating through the artichoke leaves! I cut mine into pieces and dip in butter or salt.

So yes, they do require a bit of work, but they are worth it. Besides their delicious flavor, they are also a source of folate, fiber, vitamins C and K, and are an incredible antioxidant to boot!

Don’t be shy! The beautiful artichoke is waiting for you!!!

Eat Eggs & Recharging My Battery

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 25, 2014
Post category:Dinners / Health / Misc.
Post comments:7 Comments

Hello, hello my friends! How’s your week treating you so far?

I have a few odds and ends to catch up on today, mostly involving food (go figure) so let’s get you caught up!

Organic cage-free eggs (and if you can find it, free-range). They are worth the extra pennies. They taste awesome and your body appreciates the effort as well. They are so good for us but have gotten such a bad rap in the past.

One egg contains approximately 70 calories, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and contains essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, A, B12, phosphorus, folate, choline, etc.

Eat eggs!

I have been loving eggs in scrambles, hard-boiled, over-easy, you name it.

This particular combo was amazing: eggs, red bell pepper, onion, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and salsa. This was nearly the extent of my cooking over the past week or so.

This past weekend I enjoyed a chicken bowl from Chipotle and managed to make my leftovers last for two more meals! I just fried up an egg to go on top and called it a perfect lunch.

This next one doesn’t involve eggs, but it involves chicken, and it was really good. On Friday, I cooked up a batch of chicken, shredded it, added buffalo sauce, placed it on top of a cucumber with some feta cheese and enjoyed the simple yet delicious bites. They’re kind of cute but definitely messy. If you could eat these bites in one full swoop you would be fine but I can’t so I ended up with a mess and a fork. But they were worth it.

Of course buffalo chicken can be enjoyed many other ways: in a wrap, on a salad (we were out of lettuce or I would have done this), on whole grain bread, or in lettuce cups.

Okay so I lied…this was about the extent of my cooking for the week!

There you have it. My loose-ends are almost all tied up. That didn’t take too long.

Lastly, I’m going to say “catch you later” because I will be unplugging for a while. I will be limiting my computer and phone time, therefore may not respond to emails, texts/calls or comments for a while. I just wanted to let you know ahead of time so you don’t think I am being rude for not responding, it just means I need my brain to take a breather from the electronics for a bit and I will get back to you soon. 🙂

It’s time to recharge MY battery.

So, I am challenging you to UNPLUG!

Unplug and….

read a book
play a game
go for a walk
organize a closet or a drawer
write a letter
meet a friend for coffee or dinner
make cookies
go to a museum
do yoga

Even if you can only unplug for an hour, your mind and body will thank you!

I have some great guest posts as well as other fun posts all ready for your enjoyment for the upcoming week or so, so ENJOY!

Talk with you all later!

xoxo

Currently I’m…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 4, 2014
Post category:Home Life / Misc. / Travel
Post comments:11 Comments

Currently I’m… infusing the air with my new Young Living Essential Oil. This time it’s one called EndoFlex which helps regulate the ol’ hormones! I have a feeling there will be a lot of essential oil talk in the future. Stay tuned.

Currently I’m…sipping on the world’s ugliest smoothie which also happens to be one of my favorite smoothies. Kale, frozen banana, raw cacao powder, peanut butter.

Currently I’m… looking for a new book to read. I just finished a book I borrowed from my chiropractor called Golden Rules for Vibrant Health in Body, Mind, and Spirit, A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness by Joseph J. Sweere. It is a great book which reminds you to think about the foods and drinks that go into your body, how your environment can affect your health, handling stressors, etc.

Currently I’m…dreaming of an exciting trip coming up this month! Destination is yet to be announced!

Currently I’m...trying to stay warm. I’m in my warmest robe and have the heat cranked.

Currently I’m…very thankful that we have a treadmill in our basement. I have been using that thing like it’s my job! Plus, it helps having the iPad right along with me. I am on the final season of Gossip Girl and the suspense keeps me running and walking for miles! Check out this article about the “Netflix Fitness Effect”: Binge Watching I’m completely guilty. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing. I guess I just don’t like the word ‘binge’ because it is usually associated with a negative behavior.

‘

Currently I’m…excited about the loads of good food in my fridge. Zucchini, coconut milk, cottage cheese, cheese, organic carrots, grapes, leftover guacamole, leftover sliders, raw vegan brownie bites. So many delicious options around this place.

Questions for YOU!

Any good book recommendations?

Thoughts on holistic wellness and complementary wellness?

Favorite smoothie concoctions?

Good shows on Netflix for me to watch after Gossip Girl?

Superbowl Snack Recap, a GIVEAWAY, and Giveaway Winner!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 3, 2014
Post category:Dinners / Events / Misc. / Snacks
Post comments:24 Comments

Did you all survive the Superbowl (apparently Superbowl needs to be capitalized like it’s a holiday because spell-check keeps telling me superbowl is incorrect)?

Although the game was fairly boring, the team who I was cheering for actually won! I made sure to sport navy blue and lime green sweats for the game.

I was impressed by the half-time show and fell in love with Bruno Mars. The commercials were just so-so to me. My favorites were the Doritos ones, the Budweiser puppy and horse one, and the Full House one.

The highlight of the evening though was definitely the FOOD! Let’s be real.

A representative from Cub Foods and Essential Everyday reached out to me with some recipe inspiration for game day. I accepted his suggestions and was generously given some gift cards to spend at Cub Foods. Their store brand Essential Everyday is an affordable option and you still get the quality of name brand products.

I made Cub Food’s guacamole, chipotle slider, and chili cheese nacho recipes, but I did make a few alterations to a couple of the recipes.They all turned out SO good!

Here are the recipes and my modifications:

Guacamole recipe courtesy of Cub Foods and Essential Everyday

Asparagus wraps (this recipe is mine) 🙂

Chipotle Sliders courtesy of Cub Foods and Essential Everyday; my substitutions/alterations to the recipe are listed in red

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Essential Everyday Real Mayonnaise (1 tablespoon mayo + 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce , chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (lean ground turkey)
4 Essential Everyday Deli Style Pepper Jack Cheese Slices
1 cup Essential Everyday French Fried Onions (sautéed onions)
12 silver dollar buns

I ate mine bun-less. Delicious.

Chili Cheese Fries original recipe in black and my changes in red

INGREDIENTS

1 (32 ounce) package Essential Everyday Frozen Seasoned Fries
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef — (1/4 pound lean ground turkey)
1 (14.5 ounce) can Essential Everyday Diced Tomatoes , drained — (1 cup diced tomatoes)
1/2 (1.25 ounce) packet Essential Everyday Chili Seasoning Mix
1/2 pound Essential Everyday Super Cheezy® Processed Cheese Spread , cubed — (1 cup shredded cheddar)
1/2 cup diced onion , optional
1 cup pinto beans

Decadent and satisfying!

And of course, a little something sweet: peanut butter M & M’s. My fav!

It was an absolutely delicious spread. Everything was a total hit! Thank you to Cub Foods and Essential Everyday for helping me host an excellent Superbowl party!

The good news for you guys….

(Correction) Cub Foods wants to give away $10 grocery gift cards to two lucky winners! The applicable stores are: Albertsons, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky (not the clothing store), Shoppers, Shop ‘n Save, Cub Foods, Shaws Star, Farm Fresh, and Acme.

To enter: comment on this post telling me your favorite game day or any day “treat”. Earn an extra entry by tweeting, “I entered to win a grocery gift card from @NuttyMelanie! http://wp.me/p2J5VV-2CO”.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, February 6th! Good luck!

_______________________

The winner of last week’s Smart Balance Peanut Butter Nugget giveaway is….

Congrats, Holly! Please email me at beautifullynutty@gmail.com with your shipping address so I can get those delicious bites off to you asap!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Disclaimer: Cub Foods and Essential Everyday have provided me with gift cards to spend on groceries for game day at Cub Foods. All opinions expressed on the store and products are solely my own.

Superbowl Food

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 31, 2014
Post category:Events / Misc. / Recipes
Post comments:5 Comments

As the majority of you know, Superbowl Sunday is coming up in just a couple of days. If you ask me if I care about who wins the game I would say I certainly don’t. Although, I was listening to Sports Radio yesterday (#whoami?) and decided I’m going to cheer for the Seahawks just because I went to Seattle this year. Looks like I’ll be wearing blue on Sunday! Maybe I do care who wins. 😉 I really don’t.

I don’t get too excited for the game. I get excited for the commercials, the half-time show, puppy Superbowl, and the food.

Lots of planning goes into Super bowl munchies, and this year is no exception. I am teaming up with Cub Foods Grocery Store and their store brand Essential Everyday, to put together some seriously delicious grub that will fill our tummies, but that won’t break the bank. I am lucky enough to have a Cub Foods just down the street from me, and that is where I will be doing the majority of my Superbowl shopping this year!

I’m throwing the whole “dietitian” title to the wayside for the day and treating myself to a fun array of dishes. (The dietitian speaks): Although I do encourage you all to watch your portions and make healthy adjustments if they won’t ruin the taste or texture of the dish! 😉 I just can’t brush it off completely can I?

Cub Foods has offered some delicious ideas for game day. These are three that I am contemplating. I haven’t decided if I’m making all three or just one or two. I also am planning to switch them up just a little bit and add my Melanie touches to them.

If you are interested in viewing Cub’s recipes, clink on the image or the recipe title and it will bring you to the page!

Chili Cheese Fries: If I make these fries, I will omit the processed cheese and use natural cheese instead, and possibly make my own baked fries.

Awesome Guacamole: gahhh I love guac!

Chipotle Sliders: hubs is real excited about this one!

Thank you Cub and Essential Everyday for these party ideas! More to come on the Cub Foods and Essential Everyday next week.

Other Game Day Ideas (click on recipe title to view recipe details):

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce (you could skip the dipping sauce if you’d like–they’re good enough on their own!)

Ham and Asparagus Wraps

Cowboy Caviar: serve with bell peppers or corn tortilla chips

Four Bean Quinoa Chili

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites from Skinny Taste:

This Bean Dip from The Country Cook:

I’ve made this before and it was a crowd pleaser! I cut down the cheese a bit though. I love cheese but the amount it called for was getting ridiculous.

Clean Freedom Brownies from The Gracious Pantry:

It looks like I have some decisions to make because goodness knows I am not making all of these recipes for Sunday!

I’ll be recapping my game day eats with you next week and I’ll have yet another giveaway coming your way so keep an eye out for it!

Happy Friday!

What are your plans for Superbowl if any?

Any special game-day eats?

Disclaimer: Cub Foods and Essential Everyday have provided me with gift cards to spend on groceries for game day at Cub Foods. All opinions expressed on the store and products are solely my own.

Friday Favs: Comforts and Pampering

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 24, 2014
Post category:Dinners / Fav Products / Gluten-Free / Misc. / Product Reviews
Post comments:8 Comments

Did everyone enjoy their tropical getaway yesterday? 😉 I have to admit that I forgot all about it, darnit! I’ll be sure to try to visit the sunshine again today.

How about a little Friday Favorites link up with Katie?!

Okay!!

1. This killer salad combo. As much as I haven’t been craving cold salads these days, I decided to throw together this beauty on a whim last night. It was spinach, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, olives, broccoli, sunflower seeds, hardboiled egg, and ranch dressing. It tasted like a salad from a fancy salad bar; I think the egg really made it.

2. Appropriate warm winter gear especially my Sorel boots. I live in those things in the winter. They keep my feet so warm and dry, plus they are cute! I get compliments on them everywhere I go.

3. A cup of coffee. I have been limiting my coffee and caffeine intake (again, just trying to give my digestive system a break from stimulants), but this past week I gave in and had some coffee. I am so grateful for a warm and creamy cup of jo. It is such a comfort to me in the mornings. As much as I have been trying to replace coffee with tea in the morning, and convince myself that it is just as good, I can’t. It just doesn’t compare and never will.

4. My manicured nails and pedicured toes. I only get a manicure and a pedicure done once a year but think I may have to make it more of a habit (especially the toes) because it feels so good to have my hands, feet and nails all cleaned up!

5. My bed. We own a Tempur-Pedic and I can only begin to tell you how amazing it is. I look forward to crawling into bed at night. The bed hugs you softly yet is perfectly firm. My Tempur-Pedic pillow supports my neck and keeps my spine aligned. Awww, excuse me as I go crawl back in bed now. 😉

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Coffee or tea?

Cold salads in the winter?

Favorite winter gear?

Fun weekend plans?