Ferris Bueller's Arianna's Day Off

Oh, vacation days. I can never get enough of them. Today I took my last vacation day of the year, outside of my three day Thanksgiving break and two week Christmas break. Thank youuu, teaching! I had to be downtown early this morning for a doctor's appointment. I made the mistake of following internet directions instead of using my common sense. This means I took the long way around to access the building. Nothing like lake front air first thing in the morning! On the upside, this was my glorious view on my chilly walk:

I only ate an apple and some tea before heading out the door this morning so I made a brunch snack as soon as I got home! I love being at home. I have the freedom to cook up whatever I'm craving at the moment. 

I made a light salad for lunch after working out. It wasn't too filling so I followed up with this delicious combo of greek yogurt, raspberries, almond butter, and chocolate chips. So good. 

I did some online shopping for Christmas presents and purchased some vitamins as well. My hair has already started to become very dry due to the cold. Hopefully, some hair, skin, and nails vitamins will help! Now, I am catching up on my favorite Investigation Discovery shows and trying to muster up the focus to make it through the rest of the week! Thanksgiving break is so close!

Holiday Shopping...On A Wedding Budget

I adore the holidays. I always have, and I really adore the shopping. This year, I am trying to do things a bit differently and abide by my list. I have to stay focused! I always disliked getting or giving random gifts no one really needs. I have a nice pair of gloves, I don't need fifteen other pair with coordinating hats and scarves. Who has the space? These are some items on my list for others this Christmas:

Fiance:

Our presents to each other this year? Wedding bands. The gift that keeps on giving, right? I'm also going to make him a delicious meatloaf dinner. His favorite meal.

Mom:

My mom wanted a new perfume. This one is sultry without being overpowering.

We have this set of Christmas dishes, and last year it was not so subtly hinted we needed a serving platter to go with it.

Brother:

A true Colt's fan, I am looking into a jersey for my brother. Hopefully I can find one for less than $100! And, of course, I will get him a six pack. To him, that is always the perfect gift.

Grandmother:

My grandmother has been collecting cute perfume bottles for years. This one is from Anthro but I am going to keep an eye out for different ones as well.

Friends:

DSW gift cards for my bridesmaids, they have to have something towards their wedding shoes!

Coworkers:

Ahh yes. The dreaded work gift exchange. I will be including this delectable gift set along side a gift card to Target or Starbucks. My skin gets dried out this time of year so I love festive lotions!

Each picture is linked to where you can purchase it if you're interested! What are you getting for your family and friends this year? 

Hot Cocoa on a Dreary Day

While I had a productive morning today; meeting with the DJ, grocery shopping, cleaning, ect, my energy crashed post workout. Thanks, rainy weather. As temperatures drop I long to reach for something warm and rich. Tea doesn't always cut it! However, lattes, mochas, and flavored drinks aren't always the best for you. Even your typical coffee house hot chocolate is about 300 calories... More importantly, they add up financially! To warm you up with an extra caliente kick, or clear your sinuses, drink this instead.

Ingredients:
-1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

- 3 packets truvia

- Cinnamon and cayenne pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cayenne)

- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- Reddi Whip on top!

Calories: 70

 

Before heating mine on the stove, I mixed the cocoa powder, milk, and truvia in a blender. Otherwise my cocoa gets very clumpy... Heat for a few minutes and add cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and vanilla. Taste test it as you go along, here's a picture of how much I added. It was spicy without being overpowering.

Garnish with a little whipped cream and cinnamon on top. Drink up!

A Wedding Filled Weekend

We are just over nine months from our wedding and while we are actually ahead of schedule, (thank you long engagement!) I catch myself panicking we are falling behind. For no good reason. Thankfully, this weekend eased my unnecessary planning anxiety. Most importantly, I found and ordered my wedding band! 

I tried on a few, then fell in love with one that complimented my ring perfectly, very similar to the one pictured above, minus the eternity style. Too bad I have to wait nine months to wear it! Our save the dates also came in, they look classy and elegant. I almost had invites figured out enough to order samples...then The Walking Dead came on and I lost my fiance's attention. Damn. We are meeting with a DJ next Saturday so I need to just calm down.

Wedding hysteria can so easily become just that, hysteria. I always wanted a long engagement to be able to simply enjoy the moment. My fiance and I have been together over seven years and I cannot wait to finally marry him. Spending the rest of our lives together should be the priority and focus in all this. Not stressing out over minuscule details no one but me will ever notice. This is fine and easy to say now, but in a few more months I am sure I will be over reacting and over analyzing everything regardless. It's what I do. What got you through wedding planning stress? I foresee a lot of working out and deep breathing in my future.

Mini Meatloaves from Heaven

Meatloaf gets a bad rap. It's one of those everything-but-the-kitchen-sink dumping ground meals and meatloaf is not particularly healthy nor tasty. Until now. 

You'll need:

- 3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

- 1/2 cup oats

- 1 egg

- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef

- 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce for topping

Makes six mini meatloaves. Calories per loaf (if made with almond milk): 168

Mix egg, oatmeal, milk, and cheese. Stir in salt.

Add in ground beef.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Divide into six mini meatloaves. Top with barbecue sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I top ours with half a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. Place the slice on top with a couple of minutes left for a delicious, even melt. One meatloaf is enough for me. Male counterparts tend to prefer two. :) Easy sides are garlic green beans, potatoes, or a salad. All of which you can throw together while your dish is cooking. The meatloaf saves for amazing leftovers. Chop it up, reheat, and add to pasta. Or make a sandwich to eat at work. Not to brag, but you will be shocked by it's amazingness.

Five Ways to Make Your Week Better

Nothing is as gratifying a feeling as knowing you are prepared for the week ahead. I don't often have time during the week to meal prep and cook and do laundry. Putting in some extra effort over the weekend makes the rest of my week easier.

1. Make lunches for the work week. Usually, I compile a large salad for lunch with a veggie burger, lettuce, some quinoa, and whatever vegetables I have on hand. I will also use whatever leftovers I have from the previous week, like my tilapia, quinoa, vegetable combo above.

2. Make a weekly to do list. If I have extra time, a list of all I need to accomplish that week makes it easier to narrow down a task I can do quickly. Such as paying bills, reading a book or article, or sending a card. I also love my planner from Paper Source. I can view things by the week and attach my current to do list to the page. Productivity at it's finest.

3. Stock your cabinets, fridge, and fruit bowl. I love grocery shopping on weekend mornings. Outside of being able to avoid crowds, I am always prepared for the week ahead.

4. Get in a solid weekend workout. My goal is to get in six workouts a week. Lately, it's been more like five. If you come home from work exhausted, hungry, and not feeling well, you don't want to work out. Squeezing in at least one weekend work out makes it possible to take an extra day off to relax and recharge.

5. Know where you can get a {healthy} last minute meal when things get too crazy. Some days, you don't have time to pack a lunch. In the evening, you may not want to cook. No big deal. Keep a good for you place in mind (aka not fast food) for when you'd rather someone else prepare dinner.

What To Do With An Extra Hour???

Weekends fly by way too quickly, especially since I had to attend a fundraising event for work Friday evening. Good thing I have those additional sixty minutes, huh? Daylight savings time is one of the many reasons I enjoy Fall. Normally, I would be asleep by now but I decided to live a little and watch a movie (The Help) while sipping on tea in celebration of such time travel. Today, I've been in a bit of a funk, but I did get in a nap, a workout, and I made a huge batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for my fiance to munch on this week. 

They are now overflowing from a bowl on the kitchen counter. So good. I'm about 3/4 of the way through my current read The English Girl, and I am torn between finishing it or simply going to bed. I should probably opt for the beauty sleep. Damn my love for books... 

This week I am going to post one of my all time favorite recipes. Seriously, even the pickiest of eaters rave over this dish I created. Stay tuned!