Snack Monster

My heart was warmed with the amount of support I received from yesterday’s post.  I cannot express how much all the words, emails, messages, texts, calls, tweets, & comments mean to me.  I am touched by how many of you opened up, shared success stories, and sent positive vibes, prayers, and thoughts our way.  I feel truly supported and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

*Now totally and completely switching gears… let’s talk about food.

This month’s WIAW party at Peas & Crayons is named Sensible Snacking.

This is perfect for the summer since I’m home a lot more and do not follow a strict schedule.  Itz nice to have more than twenty minutes to have lunch like during the school year.  However, I haven’t really been needing more than twenty minutes for lunch since I’ve become a snack monster!  Seriously, most days I don’t even sit down to eat a formal lunch; I merely snack my way through the day.  Most of the time, my snacks are sensible, so that’s good.  It’d probably also be good to prepare a real meal for lunch here and there.  Let’s back up and start with breakfast, eh?

Breakfast: Itz a coconut flour pancake topped with coconut oil and fresh strawberries.

coconut pancake

Note: Itz perfectly normal for bloggers to take their food outdoors to capture natural light – itz the best.  Please disregard the fact that my breakfast went straight on my patio ground sans pretty placemat. #behindthescenes

Lunch Snack Monster Time: Luckily I still have a lot of swag leftover from Blend Retreat.  I’m telling you: we got A TON!  Our sponsors were too kind.  Little did they know, they’d be feeding me in the following weeks! ;) For a complete list of our sponsors, click HERE.

blend snacks

  • Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup: Itz as good as it sounds.  Any day: Justin’s > Reese’s
  • Blue Diamond Blueberry Almonds: Oh my gosh AMAZING!  Blue Diamond recently came out with several new flavors including blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and toasted coconut.  Itz like desert at snack time!
  • Attune Probiotic Chocolate Bar: Since itz got probiotics in it, itz healthy, right??
  • Traditional Medicinals Wellness Teas: These teas came in a lovely wooden holder and the teas are separated by ailments.  There are many flavors and I’ve liked all of them except fennel.  Fennel is strong in tea! I really like dandelion root.
  • Simply Protein Chips: These are pea protein chips in the spicy chili kick flavor.  Chips + protein? Yes, I like and the flavor was spot on!

No worries: these snacks were not eaten all in the same day.  I really try not to eat more than one packaged snack a day.  Whether itz a bar of some sort or a bag of chips.  Really, I do.  Sometimes I even put a bunch of veggies together for a really pretty snack plate.

veggie + dip plate

The veggies got dipped in a new creation of mine.  I’ll be sharing the recipe tomorrow, but just to excite you I’ll tell you that itz got just FIVE ingredients in it.  That’s my kind of recipe!

I’ve tried a couple new-to-me drinks lately, also.  I received coupons for free product at Blend Retreat and was excited to give them a shot!

Drinks

  • KelVita Sparkling Probiotic Drink: The lemon cayenne flavor was very refreshing.  There wasn’t quite as big of a kick from the cayenne as I anticipated, but it was still a tasty, bubbly drink.
  • Good Belly Probiotic Juice Drink: Good Belly drinks come in a variety of flavors, and I chose the Tropical Green. It was a mildly sweet, thick juice.

I can’t say if either of the probiotic drinks “worked” because I don’t really have stomach issues and don’t regularly take probiotics, but both drinks were good to sip on the few days they lasted and I’ve heard how probiotics do such great things to your insides.

Dinner: Ground turkey meat, sautéed onions, pinto beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and corn served over fresh spinach and topped with avocado.  I made a spicy greek yogurt based creamy dressing to drizzle on top.

dinner

And then my sister surprised us with froyo last night.  It ended well. :)

What have you been snacking on?  Do you sit down for three meals a day or are you more of a grazer?

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding

Itz no secret that I have a raging sweet tooth.  I love, love, love my desserts and am not ashamed of it.  However, I do try to keep my desserts in moderation because that’s what healthy living is all about.  When healthy substitutions can be made, itz much easier (and healthier!) to satisfy a sweet tooth.  Let me introduce you… Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding!

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding

When I got word from FitFluential that I was selected to be part of BSN’s #energyigniter campaign, I was totally stoked.  I love trying new protein powders, and I quickly became a fan when my two products arrived.

BSN #energyigniter protein

Syntha-6 Isolate:

  • Lean muscle protein powder
  • Stats per scoop: 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 7 grams of crabs, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 25 grams of protein
  • Many mouth-watering flavors including Chocolate Milkshake (what I received), Chocolate Cake Batter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies and Cream, and several others

Lean Protein Dessert:

  • Creamy, delicious protein shakes for those who like to keep it lean
  • Stats per scoop: 150 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 21 grams of protein
  • 5 Flavors: Banana Cream Pudding, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Fudge Pudding (what I received), Fresh Cinnamon Roll, and Whipped Vanilla Cream

Oh my gosh I want to try all their flavors!  My mouth is watering as I type these ridiculously good sounding protein powders.  (Is that weird??)  I’ve got to get my hands on the Whipped Vanilla Cream, Banana Cream Pudding, and Chocolate Cake Batter (obviously).  For now, how about I share my Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding recipe.

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding bite

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop protein powder (I used BSN’s Chocolate Fudge Pudding Lean Dessert Protein powder)
  • 1 tablespoon shredded, unsweetened coconut (plus more to garnish*)
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • *roasted coconut chips to garnish

*optional

Directions:

  1. Mix protein powder, coconut, and chia seeds in a bowl.
  2. Add coconut milk and stir until pudding consistency is reached.
  3. Place bowl in refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes.
  4. Garnish with additional coconut and roasted coconut chips.

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding 1

The chia seeds add a delightful crunch while the coconut does not overpower the chocolate flavor at all.  Bite after bite, Jonny and I loved it.  Itz a healthy dessert, baby!

What’s your favorite pudding flavor?  Which protein flavor sounds best to you?

***FitFluential & BSN provided me with the products for review purposes only.  All opinions are my own.

Itz Friday!

Itz Friday, heeey!!!!!  Gotta love that feeling – I know I sure do.  I’ve got a post full of randomness, but itz all good stuff.  I’m proud to announce Reboot as my sponsor for Blend Retreat in May!

reboot

They sponsored me when I went to San Francisco for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon and I’m totally stoked again for this opportunity.  Itz going to be a short weekend with travel from St. Louis to Utah, so I know Reboot will come in handy and help me be full of energy.  Plus, it will be fun to share with my blends!

rebootizerlogo

Chobani sent me a case of greek yogurt just because they’re awesome.  :)   I’m especially excited to try their new flavors like banana and pear.

chobani

Last night I had a date with Melissa from Treats With A Twist.  (If you ever need ANY baking recipes or ideas, I highly recommend you go to her blog!)  She’s in town for the weekend visiting her parents, so we started off at the gym because what else do FitFluential Ambassadors do when they first meet?  Heh heh.

melissa

Workout B from Best Body Bootcamp certainly rocked both of us.  Straight from the gym, we headed to Crushed Red for dinner.  We’re a match made in heaven; we found it perfectly acceptable to dine in our workout gear with no shower in between.  Sorry we’re not sorry.  And what else would make a blend date official?

orange leaf froyo

Fro yo, of course!  Don’t mind my totally loaded bowl.  I had quite the mix of flavors: wedding cake, white chocolate strawberry, oatmeal cookie, brownie batter, and butter pecan.  Luckily, sprinkles go with everything!  Melissa and I had a great evening and it felt as though we’ve known each other for ages.  Love meeting new blog friends!

Gnu Foods sponsored my school’s Wellness Wednesday this month.  They were super generous and provided us with three boxes absolutely stuffed with their mini bars (half of the regularly sized bars).  Each of the three flavors are awesome, but Banana Walnut is definitely my favorite.

gnu bars

In other very exciting news, there is this magazine called Regale

Regale

And yours truly is featured!!! :)

Regale 1

Check out pages 42 – 46 to read answers to a bunch of questions that us STL Bloggers were asked.  So fun to be part of a feature!

Click here to find out if you were the winner of the Bestowed giveaway.  You may use the code 5OFFBSTOWED01 to receive $5 off your first Bestowed box!

Itz Friday!  Did I say that yet?  Get off the computer and go enjoy the weekend!

What are your weekend plans?  Anyone glad itz Friday?!

Foodie Pen Pals: February

innsbrook

Snow is beautiful and all, but I’m totally ready for summer.  Wishful thinking on the last day of February, I suppose.  What the last day of February does bring is Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day!  This month, Haley at The Saucy Apple sent me a package.

foodie penpals

  • Whole Foods Organic Dark Chocolate Pretzels: Such a delicious treat that did not last long at all!  Jonny and I kept going back for more.
  • Food Should Taste Good Jalapeno with Cheddar Chips: Mmm!  We love spicy and we love cheese, so this was a winning combination.
  • Sea Salted Peanut Butter Croutons from Sweet Lola Yogurt Bar: Holy cow. I may or may not have basically eaten these for dinner one night.  Seriously ridiculous.  They are like miniature peanut butter cookies and the hint of sea salt was perfect.  I want more.
  • Whole Foods Cherry & Berry Mix: Haven’t opened these yet, but I have plans to add them to my oatmeal, trail mix, and granola.

All four foodie items were awesome – thanks, Haley!  See what I sent my foodie pen pal Ashley by checking out her blog Sweetpea Lifestyle.  Another successful FPP month!

The Lean Green Bean

There’s still time for YOU to sign up for next month’s Foodie Pen Pals!

How’s the weather where you live? Best package you’ve received lately?

Cottage Pulp

Cottage Pulp – that’s an appealing title, eh?  Hehe, I promise the final product is much better than the name.  You see, I’ve been juicing (well, only on the weekends) with my awesome NutriPro, and itz been amazingly delicious.  However, it produces so.much.pulp, and I’ve needed more ways than one to use the pulp, so it doesn’t go to waste.  Pulp bread is especially awesome with carrot pulp and green pulp.  The other day I made a juice that contained grapefruit, orange, and lemon and I thought that may taste funky going into bread.  Instead, I took a couple scoops and plopped it on top of cottage cheese and sprinkled it with chia seeds.  Cottage Pulp.

cottage pulp

Itz much prettier than the name suggests, too, right?  You’ve got a great deal of fiber from the pulp, protein and calcium from the cottage cheese, and healthy fats from the chia seeds.  Awesome snack!  Add that to the list of how to use juice pulp!

Can you believe itz the last Wednesday in February?  That means itz the last WIAW for Love Your Veggies month with Peas and Crayons.

So I made sure to jam-pack this post with veggies at each meal!  First up: breakfast.  I made a post workout smoothie with Designer Whey French Vanilla protein powder.

smoothie

Usually I use milk, but we were out, so I had to suffice with water only.  The banana did a good job of making it a bit creamy.  The above recipe made about two large glasses.  A spoonful of sunflower seed butter was also consumed for breakfast.

Lunch was my last Diet-to-Go meal: beef short ribs with bordelaise sauce.

beef short rib

Very tasty like all their meals.  Dinner was an easy crockpot dish.  Into the crockpot went chicken, onions, vegetable broth, salsa, black beans, diced tomatoes, quinoa, and corn.  I served it over shredded cabbage and topped it with plain greek yogurt, avocado, and red pepper.

dinner

For the past couple of days my car has shown that one of my tires was low on air.  My tires have nitrogen in them, so I can’t just go anywhere to get air.  Long story short, I had to drive 15 minutes away to find out there was a nail in my tire.  An hour and a half later I was on my way home, cranky and hungry.  After eating dinner, I decided this definitely warranted fro yo (like I really need an excuse, ha!).  So I helped myself to a lovely bowl of cake batter and cookie dough frozen yogurt topped with a couple of cookie dough pieces and a brownie bite.

froyo

Yes, I did find it necessary to show you exactly where those bites of goodness were located in my fro yo bowl.  :)   They, of course, got eaten last since the best always gets saved for last.

Do you save the best for last or eat the best first?

Healthy Bananas Foster

Heeeey there, folks!  Let’s talk healthy foods today.  Itz only appropriate as it is What I Ate Wednesday.  This week my eats have been super clean as Monday marked the first day of the New Year New Rules program that I’m following.

Breakfast: Pancake fail.  Again!  Seriously, I don’t know what’s up with my pancakes lately.  Well, I do.  I try to make up new recipes and they don’t always work out the way I envision them.  Yesterday’s fail involved a banana, eggs, and coconut flour.  That coconut flour is so tricky, I tell ya!  Still tasted good though.

breakfast

On Sunday I made a HUGE batch of black beans and a HUGE batch of quinoa.  I knew I’d be using them as a base for my lunches and dinners this week.

Lunch: black beans, quinoa, broccoli slaw, green peppers, orange peppers, red onion, carrots, celery, and sunflower seeds.  I made my own salad dressing by squeezing the juice of half a lemon, half a lime, and some apple cider vinegar.

lunch

Colorful foods pack the most nutrition!

Snack: I had a meeting after school, and I know that I’m usually famished around the four o’clock hour.  In the morning I made oats and stirred in unsweetened, shredded coconut, blueberries, and pecans.  No shame in taking a jar full of oats to a meeting!

oats

In order to make healthy choices, you need to plan ahead.  Bottom line.  Other snacks throughout the day involved an apple, almonds, and raisins.

Dinner: Similar to lunch with a base of black beans and quinoa.  Added tomato, broccoli, avocado, sesame seeds, and cayenne pepper; served on top of a bed of fresh spinach.

dinner

Again, the more colors, the better!

One of the foods from my childhood that hold a special place in my heart is bananas foster.  It was such a good surprise whenever my dad made it, and my brothers and sister probably agree that itz always a delicious treat!  However, with the New Year New Rules program brown sugar and butter don’t really fit the picture.  So I made the old recipe waaaay healthier (and even easier!).

Dessert:  Healthy Bananas Foster

Healthy Bananas Foster

Literally, two ingredients.  Bananas and coconut oil.  Heat up a tablespoon over medium heat and throw in the banana slices.  Let brown.  Enjoy.  It seriously tastes like bananas foster even though NO sugar or butter were added.  Amazing.

That does it for today’s edition of WIAW.  Check out other great recipes and meal plans over at Peas and Crayons.  There are literally hundreds of other bloggers who link up!

One last thing for today.  You know how much I love mud runs, right?  I’ve done the Warrior Dash (four times), and the Ruckus Run.  Well, the Pretty Muddy is along the same lines, but itz just for women!  I haven’t participated in a Pretty Muddy (yet), but hopefully will soon.  Getting a group of girls to do this race together would be so much fun.

I’ve got a discount code just for YOU if you’d like to give it a shot.  Use the code GIRLTIME to receive $20 off your registration fee.  This is amazing because Pretty Muddy will not be doing any daily deals (Groupon, Living Social, etc.), so now is your chance to save some dough.  But sign up now because the code is good only through the end of January.

Pretty Muddy Women's Mud Run

What do your eats look like today?  Bananas foster fan?

Harry and David Giveaway {CLOSED}

What would YOU do if I showed up on your doorstep with a box full of Harry and David Chocolate Covered Strawberries?

Let me explain.  Julianne from Harry and David e-mailed me asking about my thoughts on chocolate covered fruit.  In return, she sent me two dozen chocolate covered strawberries!  My thoughts? AMAZING!  Truly, my initial thought was, “Wow!  This would make an unbelievable gift to send someone!”  I’m really bad at wrapping gifts, so when the strawberries arrived in a beautiful box with a bow, I immediately knew this would make a fantastic gift.  And the strawberries themselves?

Absolutely delicious!  But they’re unhealthy… surely you don’t eat them??  No, no, my friends.  While I get this comment all too often, healthy living is all about balance.  A balance of exercising, working, and eating.  While I do try to eat healthy most of the time, I definitely LOVE to indulge in sweets!  Do I eat dessert every meal of every day?  Of course not.  That would not be balance.  But a sweet treat here and there, and even sometimes everyday?  Yes.

Yes, my friends, that’s balance.  My goal is to eat healthy most of the time because that’s what makes me feel good.  Balance also means moderation.  While I could have eaten an entire box of chocolate covered strawberries, I did not.  For not would not have been balance or moderation!  So since I had 24 enormous, beautiful, delicious chocolate covered strawberries in my hands, I did what any person would do: I shared the goodness with my family!

They were mighty happy when I arrived on their doorsteps!  And now YOU can send the perfect holiday gift to your loved ones.  No more wondering what to get them or worrying about wrapping presents or baking.  Check out the rest of their chocolate dipped fruit here.  Chocolate dipped pears?!  Oh my yum!  Plus, Harry and David is giving all Itz Linz readers Free Shipping on Holiday Gifts over $99!

  • Standard delivery & processing charges will not apply on your product purchase when you spend over $99 in our holiday gifts category and enter coupon code GIFTS.  Discount will appear on payment screen when ordering online. Product purchase is exclusive of taxes and delivery & processing charges, and excludes the purchase of gift cards or products containing alcohol. Offer does not apply to express delivery charges or additional delivery charges (including, without limitation, additional charges for deliveries to Alaska, Hawaii or international destinations). Offer may not be combined with any other promotional discount or offer. Offer cannot be used in stores, on mail or fax orders, nor on previous purchases. Void where prohibited by law. Offer void if transferred, purchased, sold or bartered. No cash value. Offer valid through December 31, 2012.

Is that marvelous or what?  Oh yes!  Just in time for Diva Katie’s Marvelous Monday!

Want even more marvelous?  While buying an exclusive Harry and David treat is the perfect gift for your family or friends, enter my giveaway today for your chance to win your own box of chocolate covered strawberries!  (Itz your choice to share or not!)

Here’s how to win: Check out Harry and David’s website and leave a comment on this blog post telling us which item strikes your fancy! (We know itz hard to decide!)  For additional entries, follow the steps below and leave a comment saying you did so.

  • Follow Itz Linz and Harry and David on Twitter and tweet the following, “Oh my yum! I want to win a box of @HarryandDavid’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries through @ItzLinz’s giveaway! http://wp.me/p2WMfo-17c
  • Subscribe to Itz Linz by entering in your e-mail address and confirming your follow via e-mail.  Leave a comment telling us you did so.

This giveaway will be open until Thursday, December 13th at 8:00 pm CST.  One winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday, December 14th and will have 24 hours to contact me or another winner will be selected.  Good luck!

WINNER: #55 Laura Floss.  (Please e-mail me your shipping information within 24
hours.)  Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who entered.

*Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review beyond the two boxes of chocolate covered strawberries that Harry and David provided me.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Silk Pajamas

November 14th – do you know the significance of this day?  Itz Annette’s birthday!  Annette and I were in the same toddler class when we were two years old, and remained inseparable all throughout elementary school.  We had sleepover after sleepover, often alternating houses on consecutive nights.  And what’s a sleepover when you’re nine years old without dressing up in your beautiful silk pajamas?

Don’t even pretend like you’re not impressed by my eyebrows and teeth. ;) #awkwardyears

We parted ways for middle school, high school, and college, but remained in touch through our traditional lunch dates at St. Louis Bread Company (Panera for all you non-St. Louisians).  Annette introduced me to the blogosphere when she began her own blog: Enjoy Your Healthy Life.  She gave me the final push I needed when I mentioned I was interested in starting a blog of my own.

Annette is an incredible athlete (she even completed a half IronMan!), amazing wife/sister/friend, and an incredibly knowledgable and inspiring fitness professional (she offers coaching services).  Happy birthday, Annette!

Since it is Wednesday, let’s do some WIAW with Jenn at Peas and Crayons.

Remember last week when I mentioned the P28 crust I used to make pizza?  Well since then, I’ve dug into their bagels, and let me tell you: they are awesome!  I love how soft and chewy they are!  Plus, when you top them with cream cheese and pumpkin butter you really can’t go wrong!

P28 bagels contain 28 grams of protein!  That is an amazing stat, my friends.  I don’t usually eat bagels because I need more protein in the morning.  If I don’t get a substantial amount of protein in the morning, then I’m hungry an hour later and usually for the rest of the day. P28 bagels satisfy my hunger, keep me full, and taste good.

Lunch yesterday was leftovers.  Leftovers from what?  Sunday night dinner with the in-laws when they served lobster tail.  Oh yes, this teacher brought lobster tail for lunch and loved every bite (and stunk up the teacher’s lounge with it #sorrynotsorry).

I had roasted asparagus over the weekend and brought them for my greens.  I also burnt the heck out of a mini bag of popcorn during lunch, and stunk up the teacher’s lounge once again.  Woops!

Last night, my soccer team that I coach congregated at a local frozen yogurt joint, Red Mango, for our end of the season party.  Since we met at 5:00 pm, fro yo doubled as my dinner.

Red Mango has phenomenal flavors!  I loved every bite and obviously topped it with sprinkles.  I snacked quite a bit later in the evening since the fro yo didn’t keep me full, but it still tasted darn good while it lasted!

Are you a bagel lover?  How about lobster?  Best flavor of fro yo?

My Smoothie Voted

My smoothie voted.  What?  Yours didn’t?  Weird…

This was a Chocolate Covered Kale Protein Smoothie that I blended after standing in line at the polls for an hour.  I headed to my voting location right after my morning workout at 6:15 am thinking I’d beat the crowd.  Incorrect.  An hour isn’t so bad, and I still made it to work on time.  But I did have fun sticking my “I voted!” sticker on different things.  Like my smoothie.  And my shoes.

Those are my Mizuno Wave Creations that I was recently sent to review.  So far they are super comfy with plenty of support without feeling too heavy.  Now that I played with my stickers (gosh, my third graders are rubbing off on me!), let’s talk some WIAW for the blog party today hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons.

Click the button above to see numerous drool-worthy photos and get ideas for recipes and meals.  WIAW is a great resource and a fabulous tool in the kitchen!  So the smoothie I posted was my breakfast on Tuesday, but Monday was more standard of grapefruit slices, eggs (3 egg whites + 1 whole egg), and a handful of spinach.

The eggs were cooked in coconut oil which I’ve been totally loving that combo lately.  Lunch the past three days has been that bean, barley, veggie, and quinoa soup that I prepared on Sunday during my procrastination frenzy.

Meal prep and batch cooking make life so much easier!  Dinner last night was homemade pizza.  I used a P28 High Protein flat bread for the crust.  The flat bread has 28 grams of protein in it and is made from 100% whole wheat using oat, flax seed, sunflower seed, and millet.  I sautéed some onions and peppers for the toppings and sprinkled a bit of cheese on top.

It tasted absolutely delicious and really filled us up (despite the lack of meat, much to Jonny’s dismay).  However, I must not have cooked it correctly or put on way too many toppings because the crust got very soft.  I tried putting it in the oven at 375 and then broiling it the last few minutes. Luckily, I have three more crusts to try and perfect!

Our sweet tooth was kickin’ later at night, and Jonny volunteered to fetch us some apple slices and peanut butter.  (Ok, he may not have used the term “fetch.”)  I told him I’d come up with something better (naturally), so I decided to spruce up the ole’ apples and peanut butter combo.

I sliced two apples and threw them in a pan with coconut oil.  Cinnamon was sprinkled on top while the apples softened.  A few dashes of maple syrup was thrown in the mix.  Once I put the contents in a bowl, I drizzled peanut butter on top.  Deliciousness!  There’s just something about warm apples that are perfect for these colder temps.  And a hint of added sweetness with the maple syrup parlayed with cinnamon and peanut butter?  I think itz genius quite frankly.

How could I have made the pizza crust a bit crustier? Tips, please!  Did you vote?  How about your breakfast?  Or your shoes?  ;)

Pumpkin Muffins

So this arrived in my mailbox yesterday:

The Tara Stiles four pack of yoga DVDs.  This is perfect timing because I’m looking to incorporate a bit more yoga in my life.  Itz much needed and the benefits are endless.  I’ll be reviewing them over the next few weeks or so, and I’ll of course post about it when I do.  I’ve never done any at-home yoga before, and I think these DVDs will be perfect for my start!

I obviously immediately Instagrammed and tweeted about the DVDs, and was surprised with a lovely tweet back from Tara Stiles herself!

That just sweetened the deal and made me even more excited!

So you know how I was all proud on Sunday because at the end of my procrastination came productivity of me finishing my reading?  Well, I got to school yesterday and my co-worker informed me that along with our reading, we had a pretty lengthy assignment to complete.  Oops.  After work, I met my friend at the gym, got my sweat on with this workout, came home, ate dinner, then started my work.  No, no.  Instead, what did I do?  Googled recipes until I found one that sounded good.

Pumpkin Muffins!  CLICK HERE for the recipe.  Itz not my recipe, but it is pretty tasty.  And they are paleo for all you paleo people out there.  The recipe was very simple and all ingredients I had on hand, including coconut flour which you know I love.

The muffins were not overly sweet which was good because with all the darn Halloween candy I’ve been eating at school, I needed no added sugar!  However, I love my pumpkin butter and almond butter and couldn’t resist smothering a bit in the middle.

And now I’m off to finish my homework. I’m banning myself from the kitchen…

What’s the last thing you whipped up?