No-bakes

Call them cookies, gorilla poops, or a waste of good ingredients (to each their own, Grandpa B!), these gooey messes of chocolate are near and dear to my heart. Around our little Hoyt household, we simply call them no-bakes, because, quite honestly, they never make it to the "cookie" stage. Pete and I have whittled the recipe down to a perfect 2 servings---1/4 pinch of salt and all---and we simply mix 'em up and sit on the couch eating them out of the pan, with spoons. I associate these cookies with Peter because I don't think I've eaten them alone since being married. They go great with with pajamas, either laughter or tears, and always good chats.

I once calculated the cals on these things, but I'll save you from that information. My advice: use low-fat milk and reduced fat peanut butter if you like, but don't lighten up anything else. I've found if you focus on the gobs of oats you dump in, rather than all the sugar and fat, you can almost convince yourself that these are heart-healthy. Goodluck :)

No-bakes for Two
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 pinch of salt (whatever that is)
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
3/4 cup oats

Mix first four ingredients over medium heat in saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt, and peanut butter. Mix in oats. Ingest. (Or you can drop them by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let them sit for a bit).

8 months

Dear Emery,

Today you are 8 months old! The past two months have gone by fast, and it seems you are learning and changing everyday. At 7-1/2 months, your dad noticed that you were getting a tooth! Since then, another one popped up and you are now working on your third. You gnaw on everything and drool everywhere. I'm amazed at how much drool comes out of your tiny little mouth. As far as your temperament goes, you've been a champ. I really haven't noticed a change in your fussiness or irritability level. Mainly, you continue to be a happy, fairly easy-going baby.

It's funny to think back to the days when you weren't eating well, because now you love to nurse and are making good progress on solids. You eat oatmeal every morning and in the evening have squash, green beans, or your new favorite: black beans. Sometimes I give you cold apple slices to gnaw and suck on and you really like that as well.

In the past two months, we've been two busy girls. Here's some of what we've been up to:

Running! You didn't like the new jogger stroller for a while, but now you do just fine in it on our daily runs. The picture below is you and your buddy, Ryker. He's about twice your age and seems twice your size. You guys are pretty cute together. We go running with him and his mom, Lindsay, nearly everyday. Having a running buddy has been very effective for me. On those days that I just don't feel like running, I usually get a text message like this from Lindsay: "How does a run sound?" and I usually say something like, "Terrible. I'll meet you outside in 10 minutes?" Thus we push each other...out of bed and out the door...up the hills and down the hills...all the while pushing you and Ryker. It's a good system we've got going.

City Adventures! We went to the world of Coca-Cola when your Uncle Tim was here. This was something I wasn't too excited about, since we don't drink Coke and I'm not too interested in soda in general. However, it was really fun to learn about how coke was invented (by a pharmacist in Atlanta) and see and taste all their many different soda and juice products from around the world. We also went to the Georgia Aquarium with Lindsay and Ryker and had a great time. You were really excited about the penguins (forgive the blurry penguin picture...I was holding you in one arm and trying to take pictures with the other).

Friends! Clara came over to play one day. She's exactly one week older than you and as the youngest baby in her family with three older brothers, she wasn't phased a bit by your poking and prodding of her. You had a fun time playing together.  Another day, we made dee-licious caramel apples with some of your dad's classmates: Jenny and Jackie. They had fun playing with you (and the caramel apples were to die for. I might have to make more before this autumn is over...just in the off chance that I don't live to see another caramel apple season. Because they were just that good. Recipe here).

At 8 months, you're trying really hard to scoot/crawl and I'm wishing really hard that you slept through the night (you usually wake up twice, sometimes once if I'm lucky). You weigh a little over 16 pounds and seem pretty short to me. Your feet are the tiniest little things...still in the 0-3 month shoe size. I've started buying you 6-9 month size clothing even though you fit perfectly into your 6 month clothes still. (I know these details are probably kind of boring, but they're things I want to be able to look back on and remember). You continue to be super cute and we continue to love you more and more as time goes on. Keep growing, little one.

Love,

Mom

Good Eats

Lately I've been trying out new recipes and have found some deee-licious ones I thought I'd share. I've linked the original recipe source where applicable:

Tomato-Basil Chicken with Cashew Rice Pilaf (click to go to recipe)
*I LOVED this dish. I used light cream instead of heavy and it was still awesome! Next time I'll probably reduce the amount of butter in the rice---it was really yummy, but I don't think less will hurt much.

We've spent a fair share of Friday date nights getting out the pizza stone and creating a gigantic mess in our kitchen. However, the result---delicious pizza---is always worth it! Some of our favorite variations lately include:

Roasted Garlic Chicken Pesto Pizza
*roasted garlic. grilled chicken. pesto. cheese. enough said. I used my own pizza crust, but the one suggested on this recipe looks really yummy too.

Wild Mushroom Pizza
*When I was 8 years old, I would've rather stuck my head in a toilet than eaten a bite of this pizza. I was the world's pickiest eater. Now, I LOVE THIS PIZZA (and might stick my head in a toilet if it would make this pizza materialize in front of me). My friend Karli and her hubby made this for me and Pete shortly after we had Emery. We all ate it together at our apartment, so not only is it super yummy, for me it's connected with good friends and a sense of gratitude at having a meal made for us during our transitioning-to-baby phase. To make it, you spread a ton of hummus on a pizza crust, then add a blend of sauteed wild mushrooms mixed with diced tomatoes and fresh or dried thyme and rosemary. Top with mozzarella or provolone cheese. (if you want the complete recipe, let me know...I'm just too lazy right now to type it up from my cookbook).

BBQ Chicken Pizza
*This is a favorite of ours that never ceases to please. We spread BBQ sauce on our homemade wheat pizza crust, add some provolone and mozzarella cheese with a hint of cheddar, some grilled chicken, more cheese, and thinly sliced red onions. That's it.

Baked Zucchini Sticks
*Have you ever used Panko bread crumbs? They are a fairly recent discovery for me and I will never go back to normal bread crumbs. Panko are sooo much crunchier and yummier. Note about the recipe: when it says to make sure to rinse all the salt off of the zucchini, MAKE SURE to rinse all the salt off the zucchini.

Ooey-gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies
*These are incredible. And originally from a Cooking Light magazine? Some advice: have some friends to share with. Otherwise you may end up eating nearly the whole pan...for breakfast (not that I did that of course...) :}

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
*Mmmm. I love asparagus and this was my first time "browning" butter. I was quite pleased to say the least.

Strawberry Lemon Smoothie
*For a couple weeks, I had a wicked evening sweet tooth. Each evening I just got in this mood where I thought I was going to die if I didn't stuff some sugar down my throat. I may have saved myself a few thousand calories by blending this up on a few nights (but I guess the ooey-gooey PB chocolate brownies made up for that!). Next time I make this smoothie, however, I will either put in less Truvia or just forego it and add a tiny bit of sugar. Something about the taste of the Truvia just rubbed me the wrong way.

Thai Peanut Noodles
*This is one of my favorite meals these days. I saute small slivers of chicken in some garlic, ginger, soy sauce, etc. and add it in. It's just a fun, different tasting dish that gives some variety to our normal repertoire. Oh, and it has cilantro and lime in it. I will eat just about any dish featuring those lovely ingredients.

Let me know if you try any of them and what you think!

Chocolate Rules

The other day I went to the store to pick up one item. I came home with a plethora of sweets ingredients, including semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. This is unlike me, and we usually don't keep these things stocked up. But I got sick of craving cookies or brownies and having nothing to make them with.

When I got home, I strategically placed the chocolate chips away where they wouldn't be in plain sight. Being an oldest child and naturally a bit bossy, I told Pete in a serious tone: "Okay, Peter, now the rule about all these chocolate chips is that they can only be used in recipes. No snacking on them." Pete didn't skip a beat before replying, "I'm going to hold you to that." And then we laughed, because we both know that out of the two of us, I would be the first one to bust open the chocolate chips solely for the purpose of popping them straight into my mouth.

Fast-forward a few weeks to right now, when you can find the package of half-eaten semi-sweet chocolate chips sitting on Pete's nightstand, and the half-eaten package of milk chocolate chips sitting on my nightstand. Although Pete was the first one to start snacking on the chocolate (claiming he "forgot" the rule...which he actually probably did), I quickly followed suit. I'm not sure how it started, but sometimes at night when Emery's gone to sleep, we each pour a little cup of our preferred chocolate chips and sit in bed, reading together. 

And the only reason I'm not upset with myself for being undisciplined is I believe eating chocolate while reading to be one of life's supernal pleasures.

I guess I need to come up with a different plan for keeping chocolate chips on hand.

Chicken, Peach and Pepper Jack Quesadillas

I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine and decided it was the perfect thing to try with the first Georgia peaches we purchased.

It's really easy. Here's what you need:

-pepper jack cheese

-thinly sliced peach

-large tortillas

-grilled chicken breast, chopped

-chopped cilantro

dip:

-1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

-1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

-1 tsp honey

So first of all, mix sour cream with lime juice and honey. Put it in the fridge to chill

Assemble your quesadilla by putting a little cheese (about 3 tbsp) on half of it, followed by grilled chicken and peach slices. Sprinkle cilantro over all that. Then spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray, fold quesadilla in half, and cook over medium heat. It helps the quesadilla get nice 'n crispy and cook evenly if you have something heavy (like another pan or a cast-iron skillet) to put on top of the tortilla as it's cooking. When both sides are cooked, cut into wedges and dip in the sour cream mixture.

Okay, now let's talk about it.

First of all, the recipe asked for rotisserie chicken, but we just grilled up some chicken we had on hand and LOVED how the smoky grilled flavor mingled with the warm, slight gooey-ness of the peaches and the pungent cilantro. I also loved the subtle flavor the honey added to the sour cream; I might just start eating my sour cream like that all the time. We will definitely be cooking these up again---simple, healthy, and delicious. Perhaps next time I'll make them with my favorite easy black bean recipe.

Honey Whole Wheat Flax Bread

Well, it's clear that I'm slightly obsessed with all things wheat and carbohydrate.

I love this bread because it:
1) tastes awesome
2) is chewy, not crumbly---works great for sandwiches.
3) doesn't take forever to rise
4) is super hearty and healthy

Mix together in a large bowl:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Yeast

Add 2 1/2 cups really warm (but not bitingly hot) water and mix well. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Next, add:

• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dough enhancer
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix really well. This will form a pretty soft dough. After it's mixed, I place the kneading hook on and as it kneads for 5-10 minutes, slowly add about 1/2 cup bread flour.

Next, preheat your oven to warm and then turn it off. While oven is preheating, spray your hands with non-stick spray and divide your dough in half. Form into 2 loaves. Place loaves into well-sprayed bread pans and place the pans in the warmed oven for 15-20 minutes to rise.

Then, without removing the loaves from oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 27-30 minutes from the time you turn the oven on. After taking the loaves out of the oven, you can butter the tops slightly to keep them soft. The bread slices best once completely cooled.

I get from 32-34 slices of bread total out of this recipe (not counting the little end pieces). This is the nutrition information for 30 slices: Calories per slice: 132, Total fat: 2.4 grams, 4.0 g Dietary Fiber, 4.8 g protein

Dough after resting for 10 minutes

Kneaded dough---right before shaping it into loaves

The finished product :)

Valentine's Day, NCLEX, and Marriage

For months leading up to Valentine's Day, I'd been dreaming of pink and red crafts, red velvet cupcakes, chocolate sugar cookies...and the list could go on (like to this or this).

However, when Valentine's day finally came around, I hadn't made any of the above listed items. In fact, I felt lucky to simply snag a package of 99-cent metallic heart confetti from the grocery store. Oh well. At least I learned something: warm and fuzzy Valentine's Day type feelings don't exactly envelop you the day before you take NCLEX. So don't schedule it for February 15th.

I spent V-day day studying, trying to relax by taking walks outside, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and failing miserably to nap. But the day wasn't completely terrible! Pete and I planned and made a nice dinner together: grilled garlic chicken atop whole wheat pasta with homemade alfredo sauce, garlic rolls, salad, and green beans. We finished our V-day with a nice Family Home Evening which included video-chatting with Brian and Ashley, a nice pre-NCLEX blessing for me, and an early bed-time. 

The next morning, although he slept even worse than I did, my sweet husband not only woke up early with me, but drove me to the NCLEX testing center in Draper and back home after the test. I think it cut my anxiety in half to have him chatting with me the whole way there---encouraging me and also distracting me from my anxiety. Walking out of the testing center to him (and the post-test treats he snagged for me) was even better. I was so grateful that when he could have slept in on his morning off work, he chose to do something he probably viewed as very simple, but something that was a great service to me.

Hopefully in the years to come, Valentine's Day will be a more relaxing, fun holiday. Because of this year, I also hope it will serve as a reminder to me of what love and marriage is all about---giving to and serving each other. Perhaps this will prompt me to have more important V-day (and everyday) aspirations in addition to an extravagant mass of pink and red crafts/food :)

"Some think of happiness as a glamorous life of ease, luxury, and constant thrills; but true marriage is based on a happiness which is more than that, one which comes from giving, serving, sharing, sacrificing, and selflessness."

-Spencer W. Kimball, Oneness in Marriage, Liahona, Oct. 2002

(Oh...and I passed NCLEX:)

Whole Wheat Wraps

I can't remember where I found this recipe, but I love it! Super easy ingredients, no added fat, and so much better tasting than the store-bought whole wheat tortillas I've tried. With a Kitchenaid, these are super easy to mix up. They do take a little time to roll out (it's best to enlist the help of a husband or some other able-bodied person), but in my mind, the time is totally worth it for how healthy and yummy these are (see nutrition info at the end). These work awesome for quesadillas, tortillas, with scrambled eggs in the morning, etc.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour (home ground is best, store bought whole wheat flour works okay)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking power
• 1 cup warm water

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Pour in water; stir to combine. While mixing, add in  additional water in 1 tablespoon increments (about 1/3 cup total), until a soft pliable dough is formed.

2. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface (I just briefly knead with the dough hook in the mixer). Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Place the dough balls back in the bowl and rest a warm, damp paper towel over all of them. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

3. Heat an ungreased skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat (around 350 degrees). 

4. On a clean counter, roll one dough ball out  to desired thickness. (I like them really thin. I've never had any problems with the dough sticking on the counter top as long as I am constantly rotating the dough and flipping it over as I roll it out. If you have problems, try using a little flour or even non-stick spray.) Be sure to keep the other dough balls covered with the paper towels and plastic wrap or else they'll dry out.

5. Grill the dough as soon as you roll it out, then go back and roll another one out to cook. I like the wraps thin and pliable (rather than having them crack when you try to roll them up), so I slightly undercook them. Once the skillet is completely heated, I cook them for 30 seconds or less on one side (they get lots of little white spots, some bubbles...if you've got brown spots, you cooked it too long) and then about 15-20 seconds on the other side. 

6. Serve warm or cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to freeze 8 of them and keep 8 of them in a bag in a freezer. 

Nutritional Info*

• Servings Per Recipe: 16
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 110.0

• Total Fat: 0.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 153.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 21.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4.0 g
• Protein: 4.0 g

*I got this nutritional information from plugging in the recipe here: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

"There is more to life than increasing its speed"

So what do I do now that I'm done with school and not working?

Organizer from Staples that has eternally
 revolutionized our desk space.

I clean. Gone are the days that our laundry would sit in the dryer for a week, aching to be folded. These days I can get through 4 or more 

loads of laundry in one day---from dirty to folded and put away! I've created cleaning checklists for every room in my apartment (from a Level 1 basic clean to a Level 4 intensive clean) and have been trying to go a little more in depth each week in my cleaning. We're talking dusting, wiping baseboards, removing light fixtures and washing them, etc. What about Organizing? or De-cluttering? Foreign words indeed to a busy, stressed out student. But in the past few weeks, the amount of trash and DI bags our little apartment has seen leave the doorstep is quite astounding. 

I cook. We've been "going grain" (okay, bad joke). With my Kitchenaid and new wheat grinder as my tools, I've been mixing up whole wheat flax bread, waffles and tortillas. I've also been experimenting with other grains like oats (steel cut, oat bran, etc.), flax, and lentils.

Next up on the "grains to try" list are couscous (which I've never had much success with in the past) and quinoa. I even tried my hand (actually both hands, arms, biceps, shoulder muscles, and what core muscles aren't being stretched to oblivion) at homemade filled pasta. 

It was exhausting.

But the result was delicious. 

Now I'm yearning for one of these.

If you ever have some pent-up stress or anger, a stretch of hours on your hand, and/or want a good workout--try making pasta by hand with a rolling pin. I used this great tutorial and this delectable recipe.

At first I was more concerned about making them pretty. I used heart shaped cookie cutters and thought they were adorable. Then I cooked one and tried it---way too much pasta, not enough filling. Then I just starting cutting the dough with a knife, around the filled part, and squeezing the edges together with my fingers. They were a little more rustic in appearance, but much tastier.

The Menu

The Husband

The Food

I exercise. But today I'm trying to lay down and put my feet up a little more (hence this long blog post). My back just hasn't been the same since I hiked the Y last week and I really want it to get a little better so I can keep exercising. Usually, I go on up-hill walks with friends, or walk/run on the treadmill at Pete's work gym. Getting to see him a bit during the day is extra motivation to go work out :)

Sunset view from the Y parking lot through the pollution.
 (Thanks Ush and Ash for the phone call!)

I study. NCLEX is coming up on February 15th! I haven't been too zealous in my study habits, to be honest (it seems there are lots of other things to keep me busy). I'm trying the slow and steady approach instead. I've been doing about an hour a day since January 1st, plus a few study sessions with friends. As it is getting closer, I plan to take some more lengthy practice tests.  

I prepare.  Or at least try to. I'm probably a little bit behind in this area right now considering I only have 2 months before my due date. Making lists of baby things I need to get, slowly collecting items, and researching products is quite the task. I have also been reading baby books, parenting books, breastfeeding books, and talking to new moms. While I know nothing is really going to prepare me, the planner in me just has to try. This week Pete and I start prenatal classes. We'll see how that goes :)   

All in all, these days are wonderful. I'm busy enough to still be using my planner but oh-so-much-less stressed out than when I was a student. My daily schedule is flexible enough that when a friend calls and asks me to babysit that day or needs to be picked up from the airport, I can do it! I enjoy my church calling (Enrichment Leader--planning R.S. activities) and put forth more effort into it instead of stressing about it. 

Random tidbit: For some reason, tuna and pickles taste sooo good these days.
When all amount of carbs and chocolate have failed me, tuna saves the day!
My friend gave me this cute little present when I babysat her little boys :)

In a way, I think these 2-ish months after graduating are kind of the calm before the storm.

But a good storm. 

Lots of life transitions are ahead
First baby.

Moving away from Provo/Utah.

Pete starting school again.

Eventually finding a job.

While I'm a little nervous that everything is going to hit like a ton of bricks at the same time, for now I'm just enjoying the present.

And frankly, enjoying the present is pretty easy. 

Of course there are still hard things and bad days.

And the fact that finding a comfortable position for my back is proving impossible.

But overall, life is wonderful.

Surprise! Pete wasn't expecting a PT school phone interview on this morning (as evidenced by his attire and pokie just-got-out-of-bed hair). The school had never finalized a time for the phone interview, so Pete was a little caught off guard. I took this picture after the interview. Usually, Pete's wearing a suit and tie and prepared with questions and info. about the school, faculty, etc. We just decided to laugh about it and I had to get a picture.

While Pete is busy with jobs, church callings, and the logistics of PT school applications, we usually get to enjoy (homework free!) evenings together. 

And sometimes we go a date--on a weekday. 

Just for fun. 

When will life be like this again? 

Maybe when we're retired and all our kids are grown and gone...

if we can still walk by then. 

Basically, these days are precious; I love them. 

But I definitely don't take them for granted. 

I'm so grateful for all the blessings I have in life and the wonderful things that are ahead.

The Health Challenge

Pete and I have been doing a Health Challenge contest with some other family members. It's extremely basic, not diet-ish at all, and it feels good to know that I'm getting enough water, fruits and vegetables, exercising, and keeping at least some kind of control on the sweets.

Here's how it works...

Each participant keeps track of points awarded for the following items:

• Journal- 1 pt for writing down everything you eat daily.
• Liquid- 1 pt for each cup of liquid (except soda) that you drink (up to 8 cups/day).
• Fruits and Vegetables- 1 pt for each  serving of fruit and or vegetables you eat (up to 5 servings/day). *1/2 cup chopped veggies=1 serving; 1 cup leafy greens=1 serving
• Exercise- 1 pt for each 10 minute increment you exercise, up to 15 pts a week (30 mins/day for 5 days) 
• Sweets- 1800 calories per week, no points gained, but -2 points for every 100 calories you go over 1800

We have an excel spreadsheet that helps us keep track of daily points and weekly totals that looks like this:

It has been really fun--like a hobby--for me to come up with new ideas on incorporating veggies and fruits into our daily meals and snacks. I love finding new ways to be healthy!


Here's some recipes and tips that have helped Pete and I get our daily fruits/veggies points. I'll probably be posting more as time goes on and I make new discoveries. In the meantime, I'm open to any suggestions!


Ideas:

• Bake squash or sweet potatoes and keep them in the fridge for a microwaveable snack. Top with cottage cheese for added protein.
• Keep easy veggies on hand such as frozen peas, canned green beans, sugar snap peas, baby carrots, sliced bell peppers, etc.
• Dump a can/bottle of spaghetti sauce in the crockpot and load it up with chopped veggies (my favorite  are zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, and carrots). Let it cook until veggies are soft. You may need to cook without the lid for a 1/2 hour or so towards the end to let the steam blow off and get the sauce thickened up. Heap on top of whole wheat pasta and enjoy. (Side note: whole wheat pasta can be nasty. I recently learned that the "Barilla Plus" brand is good).     

                

Recipes:

Fruity Spinach Drink (2 half cup servings vegetables, 3 half cup servings fruit)

• 2 cups packed spinach 
• 1 cup frozen berries (I use a Costco bag of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
• 1/2 banana
• water

*these measurements are really relative, you can add more or less of just about anything.

Instructions:

Blend up the spinach and water in a blender. Then, while blending, slowly drop in the berries and banana. Blend well.

Tips:

•  Add a large spoonful of frozen orange juice concentrate to the blender (yummier, but more sugar).
• Eat it in the morning to jump start your veggies for the day! I used to put it in a bottle with a lid, stick a straw in it and take it to class.
• If you think drinkable spinach is just more than you can handle (I promise it's good!), try the next recipe instead.
• Get creative and try adding other things like oranges, mild tasting veggies, or even oatmeal for added fiber.

Fruity Spinach Smoothie (3 half cup servings fruit, 1 half cup serving vegetables)

• 6 oz light vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup spinach
• a little less than a 1/4 cup fat-free milk or water
• 1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup frozen berries (I use a Costco bag of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
• half a banana

Instructions:

Add yogurt, milk/water, spinach, and OJ concentrate to blender. Pulse and blend. Add in frozen berries and half a banana and blend well. You won't even be able to tell there's spinach in it! Seriously! Test it out on kids if you have them :)

Such pretty colors! You can use a normal blender or a magic bullet.

Yum!

Lunch Wrap (2 half cup servings vegetables)

• 1 “Flat out” wrap (or other high fiber wrap)
• 2 cups lettuce
• A bit of low-fat ranch
• Fat-free croutons
• 2 pieces of bacon (I discard fatty parts or use 50% less fat real bacon bits)
• 1/4 of an avocado, cut in thinly sliced pieces
• A few grates of fresh romano/asiago/parmesan cheese

In a bowl mix lettuce, cheese, low-fat ranch, croutons and some freshly ground black pepper. On wrap, layout bacon pieces and thin slices of avocado. Dump contents of bowl on top and wrap!

Wrapping is kind of hard/messy/impossible. You could put less lettuce on, but I like to maximize the veggies, so I keep the two cups, wrap it up the best I can, and eat the lettuce that falls out with a fork.

Tips:

• Add in chopped tomatoes
• For more protein, add some cottage cheese in with the ranch or replace the ranch with low-fat or fat free cottage cheese (you could add some garlic salt/pepper in the cottage cheese to give some added flavor)
• Add spinach to the lettuce for more nutrients

Chicken and Veggie Teriyaki Stir-fry (As many cups of veggies as you make!)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Chicken breasts/tenders (I do enough chicken to feed the two of us and then freeze the leftover sauce in tupperware for next time). 

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegars, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
2. Cut chicken into strips and brush with sauce and non-stick spray. Grill.

Oven directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Eat the chicken with stir-fried or steamed veggies atop brown rice. (Add a little sauce to the veggies when they are done cooking).

Tip: I've found that when stir-frying veggies, you only need a tbsp of oil or even less to do a substantial amount of veggies. Heat the oil, add the veggies, and cover with a lid. Take lid off every so often to stir the veggies and towards the end of cooking, take the lid off to let the water off. You want the veggies to still be crisp and brightly colored--not soggy and dull--so test with a fork to make sure they're not getting too done.

I got the original recipe from the link below and tweaked it a bit (less sugar, different vinegars, and grilling instead of baking).

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Teriyaki-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Pumpkins, a table runner, and more cookies...

For our Relief Society Opening Social, we decided to have lunch, play a game, and then do some fun Halloween/Fall Season crafting. We painted and glittered pumpkins as well as frosted spider-web cookies (sorry to post more spider-web cookies...I just love them, and these turned out much better than the ones a few posts back).

I used to think my ward calling as Relief Society Meeting Coordinator (formerly Enrichment Leader) was stressful, but lately it has turned into a great excuse to do fun creative things instead of doing homework.

(find out how to make these here. Super easy and so fun!)

We spray painted some pumpkins gold and some pumpkins white and left some natural. Then we used acrylic paints and stencils to do all kinds of fun designs on them---lettering, polka dots, etc.

(thanks again, Mom, for the cute table runner!)

We glittered tiny little pumpkins. You just paint Elmer's glue on, dump glitter on it evenly and shake off the unused glitter. Then you let it dry for a while. Some women did orange pumpkins and then glittered the stem green--so cute! I'm sad I didn't get any pictures of the little glitter pumpkins, but this pic that I found through google is what they looked like: