Friday Favorites: (Pine)apple of My Eye!

I am obsessed with all things pineapple! So delicious (tasting) and summery (looking). We buy them fresh here in the spring and summer and eat them all the time, totally inspiring me to make lots of recipes incorporating it. For my favorites this week here all my pineapple loves...

 

Straw Hat // Yellow Sunglasses // Pineapple Phone Case // Pineapple Tote

Pineapple Cup (Similar found at Wal-Mart for $5) // Pineapple Studs // Pineapple Tank

 Image source: Jelly Toast

I have fresh mint growing so not only am I loving fresh pineapple I'm loving anything I can use fresh mint in as well. I stumbled across this recipe for pineapple mojitos and I'm dying to try it. Such a fun twist on the classic mojito. I think I might serve it at girl's night that I'm hosting in a couple of weeks. I'm not using a big mojito fan but this one sounds so scrumptious! 

Pineapple Mojito Recipe

Yield: 2 cocktails
Prep Time: 10 minutes

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped

10 mint leaves

2 teaspoons sugar (or more depending on the sweetness of the pineapple)

4 ounces white rum

juice from 1/2 lime

club soda for serving

wedges of pineapple and mint leaves for garnish

 

Directions

Place pineapple, mint leaves and sugar in a cocktail shaker and muddle with a cocktail muddler or handle of a wooden spoon. Add rum, lime juice and ice. Replace lid and shake until chilled. Strain cocktail into 2 ice filled glasses and top with club soda. Garnish with mint leaves and pineapple wedges. Enjoy!
Recipe found here

I hope everyone has a very happy Friday and a great weekend! It will be a busy one for me with a 5k and a few last minute vacation errands to run and packing. All in hopes that the sunshine finally shines in Oklahoma the rain has been relentless!

Staying Under the 1,200 Mark

Today marks day eighteen of counting every calorie that goes into my mouth. A few weeks ago I realized my beach trip wasn't far away and I needed to pull it together so I started counting calories and hitting the gym extra hard. In early 2010 I began a lifestyle change and started making working out a non-negotiable part of my world and I also started using My Fitness Pal and logging all my calories I ate. I lost seventeen pounds so I knew this dieting method worked for me. So now anytime I want to cut a little weight and buckle down I start the count again. Here is what a typical day looks like for me right now...

Breakfast: Gluten free Instant Oatmeal with Flax

Calories: 180

I love starting my day off with oatmeal because it keeps me full for quite some time, gives me energy and is a quick on the go meal. I can throw this in the microwave while I'm packing up my lunch and its ready for me to grab and go on my drive to work.

Mid-Morning Snack: Plain Whole Almonds

Calories: 80 (15 almonds}

I don't always have a mid-morning snack but if I need a pick me up and something to pull me through until lunch I typically grab a few raw unsalted almonds. Almonds are high in calories but are considered "good fat" and are a fat burner.

Lunch: Half Grapefruit and Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Calories: 210 (Total)

I love this easy work lunch! I mix one can of regular tuna with half a tablespoon olive oil mayo, chopped dill pickles and a tad bit of pickle juice and black pepper. I wrap a spoonful up in a leaf of bib lettuce and have tuna lettuce wraps! Pair it with the grapefruit and I have a tasty low cal and protein packed lunch, score!

Afternoon Snack: Protein Bar

Calories: 210-245

I'm the kind of woman that will not make through a hard workout without something to power me through. My go to protein bar is the Zone Perfect- chocolate peanut butter. It doesn't have that nasty protein powder taste and fills me up giving me plenty of energy to hit the weights. It took me a bit to get over the whole 210 calories, lets be honest that's a lot when you only have 1,200! But with 14 grams of protein I know its a must! Everyone once in awhile I'll pair some fresh fruit with it.

Dinner: Sautéed Vegetables and Turkey Sausage

Calories: 310

I love this healthy and tasty dinner idea! I got the idea from an Instagram fitness post and I've made it several times since. I just cut up Brussels sprouts, broccoli and a sweet potato. Sautee all your veggies with a tad bit of EVOO and black pepper. Add in cut up smoked turkey sausage and heat through. So good and again low calorie!

Evening snack: Fresh fruit or Angie's Sea Salt Popcorn

Calories 30-70 Calories

If I am craving something and need a snack after dinner I fix fresh cut up fruit or I am absolutely LOVING Angie's Boom Chicka Pop popcorn! The lightly caramel kettled is my favorite (70 calories for one cup) and if I cant have it then I love the sea salt kind as well and only 30 calories for a cup. Perfect snack! I realize this is not the healthiest snack choice but its not terrible and just not every night...if I could remember that!

All of that totals to 1,095 calories, coming in 105 below my goal mark! Then I try to burn between 400-530 calories in cardio alone. I just ordered the Polar FT7 so I will finally be able to also know how many calories my weight lifting burns. But for now minus my cardio calories burned I net on average 580 cals for the day. If I stay on track and most of my days look like this I will lose 2-3 lbs a week. Now, if I could lose just a couple more by the end of the week. Praying to the Victoria Secret Angel body Gods for a miracle!

Please know, this is just works for me! Everyone is different so I realize not everyone will benefit from my daily routine but it might motivate just one person that needs that extra push! Go after your goals, you can do it...we can do it, together!

   

What I packed for Mexico

H&M Floral Bikini // Monogrammed Tumbler // Clutch // Pompom Cover-Up // Lilly Pulitzer Pouch

Bracelet Set // Tassel Earrings // Wedges // LipSense Lip Gloss // EOS Shaving Cream // Sunnylife Radio (sold out in teal)

I leave for Mexico for a girl’s trip on Monday y’all, and I want to share a little of what I am packing in my suitcase! I’m so ready to be on the beach that I started getting my packing list together a couple weeks ago.

Bathing suits and cover-ups are a given and I’m super excited for this floral bikini from H&M and this bright yellow pompom cover-up. This picture doesn’t do it justice at all; it’s so bright and fun! I’m pretty obsessed with the pompom look right now! These are my two favorite things I have packed for the trip.

My second favorite item- these cute tassel bracelets. Along with the pompom look I am absolutely loving the tassels too! I’ve packed several different tassel accessories and a tassel dress that I will share after the trip...assuming the dress is delivered in time!  

Other essential items I’m packing include the LipSense I posted about here, EOS coconut oil shaving cream for smooth legs for the beach…have you guys tried this yet? I’m anxious to see how soft it leaves my legs because I have very sensitive skin on my legs. I’m also making sure I keep my lips hydrated with lots of lip balm.

This is my first time to Cancun and my best friends first time out of the country so we are very excited! Anyone have any recommendations for must see, eat or do in Cancun? Also, I'm thinking about letting a few bloggers guest post for me next week. If you are interested shoot me an email!

 

Fresh Basil and Navy Bean Soup

On one of my recent flights I was flipping through a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and came across a recipe for fresh basil and navy bean soup. I'm not huge on soup so I don't make it often but this recipe looked so good I wanted to give it a try. Plus I am always looking for quick dinner recipes for weeknights.

Fresh Basil and Navy Bean Soup

Original recipe by: Better Homes and Gardens

Serves: 4

Nutrition: 293 calories, 30 mg chol, 1114 mg sodium, 39g carb, 7g fiber, 4g sugar, 23g protein

Ingredients 

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces dried medium shell pasta (1 1/3 cups)

1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (I used a can of rotel)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (Optional)

1 15 ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast

1 cup fresh arugula

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kalamata olives (Optional, I left these out cause I hate olives)

Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 4-quart Dutch oven (I still do not have a Dutch oven :( so I used a soup pot) bring broth to boil. Add the pasta, undrained tomatoes and crushed red pepper, if desired. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through. Season to taste. Top with Parmesan cheese and Kalamata olives, if desired.

Kyle was afraid the soup wouldn't be filling and his comment was that it was good and filling! It was a little spicy so next time I might leave out the crushed red pepper but it was still so tasty! I loved that I used so many fresh herbs and spices and I used no additional salt in ours to try and keep the sodium amount down. I was happy with the low calories, enjoy!

 

My Friday Favorites

Hello Friday!! Hello long four day weekend for me! I scored today and Monday off so I am already thoroughly enjoying my long weekend, work free! Did anyone else snag today off and start your weekend early too? I caught up on laundry and house cleaning last night so I could really enjoy the holiday weekend. It is suppose to rain, yet again, here in Oklahoma all weekend so as of right now we don't have a lot of plans and that is just fine with me! I do need to run to the mall and pick up a few items for my trip to Mexico coming up but that's the only plans I have. Speaking of Mexico, I can't stop thinking about it and I'm so ready to be on the beach! So, a lot of my favorites this week are items I picked up for my trip that I'm absolutely loving already.

ONE:: All Day Lips

 

 

Have you guys heard of this LipSense lip gloss yet? It is seriously amazing! I received my first tube in "Kiss for a Cause" from The Turquoise Boutique and I'm completely in LOVE! I can apply it before work in the morning and I'm having to wipe it off in the evenings before bed. I've heard with the gloss it stays on even longer but I haven't tried it out yet. Check out The Turquoise Boutique on Instagram and I promise you won't regret ordering the gloss! She has a ton of different colors in stock to choose from. This will definitely be going to Mexico with me! PS- I was not compensated for this review, I just really love it and her boutique is adorable!

TWO:: Beaded Necklace

 

 Nordstroms//Wal-Mart (not found online)

Yesterday I was eying this beaded necklace from the half off sale at Nordstroms (on the left). I was putting together my list before I went ahead and placed my order last night. I'm so glad I waited because I happened to stop by Wal-Mart on my way home from dinner last night and snagged this one for half the price and a fourth of the original price of the one from Nordstroms(on the right). Yes, at Wal-Mart ladies!!!! Follow WhoaWaitWalmart and you'll find a lot of great finds there, that's how I knew about this gem! I think it looks pretty darn similar and I can't wait to pack these beauties for my trip!

THREE:: Favorite Times

 

 

Just a few of my favorite pics from this week. Kyle and I received a thank you card "from" our nephew Brecken for his birthday gifts. Inside was a few pictures that we just love! We got his this John Deer tool-belt set and he really loves "fixing" everything. The other is us three at his party.

 

This week I met up with a few friends for dinner and a drink. It was great time and I'm so glad I got to see these girls! I've been watching every calorie in prep for my trip but it was worth having a margarita with them!

FOUR:: Calorie Count- Crunch Time

For the past few weeks I've mentioned I've really been hitting it hard at the gym and counting every calorie I eat. I'm really trying to slim up a little before I hit the beach. I can say I'm feeling really well and hoping that I wont look so much whale like in Mexico. Since I'm off today I got in a really long workout at the gym and it felt great! I LOVE going to the gym during slow times cause I love trying new things that I wouldn't normally have the confidence to do after work when it's packed. Wish me luck in the next week, praying for a miracle ya know a Victoria secret angel body ha!

FIVE: CHEERS TO A LONG WEEKEND

I hope everyone enjoys their long Memorial Day weekend if they have one!

 

 

     

Teriyaki Pork Pineapple Kebabs & Low Cal Cocktail

A couple weeks ago I got the new Rachel Ray magazine in the mail and Kyle just happened to go through it. He found a recipe for teriyaki pork pineapple kebabs and has instantly asking me to make them. Well I've been in and out of town and so busy that I guess I wasn't making them fast enough so when I got home from Idaho Sunday he had dinner all prepped and ready to grill.

Teriyaki Pork Pineapple Kebabs

Ingredients

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into twenty-four 1-inch cubes

1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 lb peeled fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 cup store-bought teriyaki sauce

Directions

Thread pork, red onion pieces and pineapple cubes on skewers.

Brush kebabs with 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce.

Cook on grill or grill pan over medium-high, turning until pork is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Using clean brush, glaze with 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce. 

Oh my word, these were delicious! Full of flavor and the red onion with a touch of the pineapple flavor was heavenly! Kyle grilled asparagus to go with our kebabs and it was the perfect and pretty light and healthy dinner. Since I had just had a twelve hour day of travel before this I was in a serious need of a cocktail.

I didn't want to blow my calorie in-take for the day so I mixed up this eighty calorie drink. That's right, eighty calories! The "recipe" goes like this a bit of raspberry vodka, splash of light cranberry juice and a tad of pineapple juice and topped up with a squeeze of fresh lime. Cheers!

   

Traveling Across Idaho

Helllloooo Monday, yay! Yay for another Monday after another weekend of working. Yay. Ah ok, rant over. So, on Thursday I traveled to Idaho for work and flew back home yesterday afternoon. I always dread my trips to Idaho because it is so hard to just get there from Oklahoma. Thursday I had to be at the airport at 3:45 AM and after 12 hours of travel and three flight legs later I made it to Boise. THEN we had a two hour drive to Twin Falls, Idaho where I spent the next two days working and doing a little sightseeing. I'm not going to lie, I thought Twin Falls was going to be a little blah looking with a couple of waterfalls. It didn't disappoint on the view we had. Friday afternoon we had lunch at Elevation 486 after Karli from September Farm recommended it. We sat on the patio that overlooked Magic Valley and the Snake River, it was pretty amazing. The view was spectacular and the food was great too, I recommend it as well if you are the Falls area.

Saturday evening we headed back to Boise so we could catch our flight home early Sunday morning. My boss and I were looking for a new place to have dinner and were recommended 10 Barrel Brewing Co. in downtown Boise. As we are sitting there waiting for a table I glanced up and saw a dad chasing his little girl around and thought oh they look familiar. SMALL world, they looked familiar cause it was Karli's "Farmer" and daughter from September Farm {same girl who had just given me a recommendation for Twin Falls} I recognized her and went over to introduce myself. I couldn't believe it, being from Oklahoma and she's from outside of Boise that I would randomly just run into a fellow blogger in a town of 215,000+. It is so fun to meet people when read about their lives forever then its like they're real! It was great meeting you Karli! And because I am a terrible blogger I didn't even think about getting a picture together, blogging fail. OH and 10 Barrel Brewing was fabulous! It would've been much better if I wasn't dieting but it was still so yummy!

Last night as soon as my flight got in I met Kyle at church and afterwards I was starving! I mentioned picking up dinner when he told me he had dinner prepped and ready to be grilled. After 12 hours of traveling I was one happy and thankful wife! While he grilled dinner I relaxed in my hammock, we ate on the patio and then finished the evening with a bike ride together.

I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend! I'm definitely looking forward to Friday already and having a weekend off plus Monday, yay!

 

Spicy Lettuce Wraps

Since I have a little less than three weeks before I leave for Mexico I am in total crunch mode. This means I've been hitting the gym hard, counting every calorie and eating clean.  Which also means Kyle is not usually a fan of dinner lately. It is SO much harder to count calories, eat clean and lose weight when you're married! When I was single I'd hit the gym and then grab an apple and peanut butter for dinner, Kyle won't go for that. A couple nights ago I made roasted sweet potatoes and he said "I don't know why I have to suffer and eat big carrots because you want to wear a bikini." Welp, I wasn't sure how he'd feel about these spicy turkey lettuce wraps and he gave it one try. He had one wrap, that's how well that went. I've made these wraps several times before but always when I'm flying solo for dinner. They're tasty, easy to throw together and only 76 calories per wrap! Sign me up!

 

Spicy Lettuce Wraps 

Recipe by: Pillsbury

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Serving: 15

Ingredients

1 cup Fiber One original bran cereal (I leave this out- with the wraps are 96 cal each)

2 tablespoons soy sauce plus water to make 1/2 cup (I use low sodium soy sauce)

1 package (20 oz) lean ground turkey

1 1/2 cups julienne carrots

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1/3 cup Thai peanut sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

15 leaves Bibb or iceberg lettuce (I use Bibb for more nutrients)

 

Directions

1. (If using cereal) Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and finely crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or finely crush in food processor). In large bowl, mix crushed cereal and soy sauce-water mixture. Let stand five minutes. 

2. Thoroughly mix turkey into cereal mixture. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add turkey mixture, carrots and onion. (Since I don't use cereal I put my soy-sauce mixture in along with these and cook); cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until turkey is no longer pink.

3. In small bowl, mix peanut sauce and lime juice until blended. Stir into turkey mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender and flavors are blended. Stir in cilantro. 

4. To serve, spoon about 1/3 cup turkey mixture into each lettuce leaf. 

Enjoy! This also makes great leftovers and super easy to take for work lunches.

Original Pillsbury recipe found here.

 

A Weekend Full of Showering!

Y’all this Monday has been great, so no complaints from me today about the weekend being over! Although it was a great weekend and I was sad to see it come to an end, God is good and today has been a wonderful day! This is how my weekend went…

Friday evening I ran a few last minute errands and Kyle and I ordered in dinner before the first of many storms hit Oklahoma this weekend. It was nice to just be home and get things done around the house. Since I had been gone the past few weekends the house was in need of some serious attention.

Saturday morning I left early to head to Oklahoma City for a good friend’s baby shower. If you saw my post on Friday, here, I was going to celebrate my friend Becca and baby Adah’s arrival soon. It was so nice to see her, I’m so excited for baby A to get here! The theme of the shower was books and it was held at a local specialty cupcake and coffee shop.  Her family did a great job putting together the shower, I loved it and I think Becca did too!

I had plans to stay in Edmond for the afternoon to shop and go to church but with another tornadic storm coming through I went ahead and headed home to avoid getting caught in it. I was pretty bummed but it gave me the chance to make a couple cakes for mother’s day. I made two “Vintage” cakes, recipe found here on my Pinterest. It was a three layered cake starting with a layer of brownie and chocolate sauce, layer of white cake, layer of cream cheese icing, layer of white cake and frosted. Basically it was sinful! 

 Us with my mother-in-law

 

Kyle with his mom and brother and sister

 

Sunday after church Kyle and I went to his parent’s house to celebrate his mom with a cookout with all of the family. Kyle bought our nephew Brecken a bug catcher gun, so they had a lot of fun catching bugs together. I asked Kyle when he bought it if it was for him for Brecken and he said “well, I figured we could do it together.” Boys never grow up!

That evening we celebrated my mom with my family at dinner. Even though all of our family lives pretty close it is still always so nice to have all of us together. I am so thankful for my mom and mother in-law, I’m so glad God has put them both in my life! 

Kyle was gifted a new bike that he has been eying in a bike shop that he recently remodeled for a customer. Every week he has been going by the shop to take the bike out for a “test ride” so he was pretty excited to receive the bike as a thank you gift from the customer. We finished out the weekend with a bike ride last night…we’ll see how long he lasts when I ask him EVERY day if he’s ready for our bike ride (hehe) since I'm pretty sure he only wanted it cause it's black and green!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and every mom felt special and loved. Happy Monday y’all!