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here&there

1. The nest is coming along and baby birds have hatched. I spotted this little guy and I want to pop him back in the nest, but I know that birds will abandon their young if they smell people or some wive’s tale. I thought about putting on gloves, but I don’t want to mess up anything! If you have experience in this, please let me know what to do!

2. Water crackers with goat cheese gouda, a favored snack.

3. Another 5 pounds of organic strawberries. Can’t stop. Won’t stop!

4. Recipe testing fail. I love y’all too much to post the duds. Back to the drawing board!

*******

We haven’t been getting up to much as of late. I’ve been feeling a bit lackluster in the kitchen, hence the lack of posts. Our jobs have been keeping us quite busy and, sadly, I’ve been slacking on creating new dishes. And the ones I’ve attempted haven’t turned out like I’d hoped! We swapped our Sam’s membership for a Costco one. Costco has a larger assortment of organic items and, well, that’s what we aim to stick to around here.

We picked up some much needed groceries (the pickings were getting very slim) and used our coupon to Omaha Steaks. So now I’ve got a freezer full of assorted meats and frozen veggies and fruits. It’s so stuffed that when I close the fridge door, the freezer pops open.

All we need now is a grill!

I was leaning toward charcoal but after we searched and searched we still couldn’t find one that we liked. So now I’m considering gas. But that’s a whole new can of worms. Do you have a recommendation? Gas vs. Charcoal? Brand? Please let me know your thoughts!

Tomorrow I’m going to Jazzercise. Yep. Jazzercise! There was a Groupon for classes close to my home, so I bought one just to see how I like it. For some reason I keep imagining it will be like a Richard Simmons-”Sweating to the Oldies” type of thing.

17 June, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

summer fruit

No fruit is more quintessentially summer than watermelon. And when I saw one at the store just begging to come home with me and bursting full of summer sweetness, I was powerless to resist.
I have many a childhood memory of seed-spitting contests; watermelon juice running down both arms; mouthfuls of chilled fruit and belly laughs.

It makes me smile just seeing watermelon.

Now my summers revolve around a work schedule and BBQ-ing with friends. But I am always trying to figure out ways to create a childhood summer staple into an adult favorite! I encourage you to make this for yourself to sip slowly on a hot day with a good book, preferably with your toes dangling in a pool or your preferred body of water.

Watermelon Mango Mint Tea

-1/4 of a ripe watermelon
-3/4 cup iced mint tea (Or more if you want a stronger mint flavor)
-3/4 frozen mango
-1 tsp apple cider vinegar

In a high speed blender, combine all the ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour into a glass and refrigerate for an hour until chilled. Garnish with fresh mint and a chilled slice of watermelon, if you feel so inclined!

6 June, 2013BrittanyPermalink 1 Comment

fresh berries

I picked some gorgeous organic strawberries this week. I couldn’t find a bad box at the store, hence my leaving with 3 pounds worth. I love eating them on their own, but sometimes you need just a little something extra.

This is so simple yet decadent, it’s hardly a recipe and more common sense.

Strawberries and Fresh Whipped Cream

-1 cup heavy whipping cream
-1 tsp vanilla bean paste
-Stevia to taste
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-As many strawberries as you can eat

In a stand mixer or hand mixer add the cup of heavy whipping cream, vanilla bean paste and stevia. Blend until soft peaks form and the cream starts to thicken. Enjoy with berries or fruit of your choice.

5 June, 2013BrittanyPermalink 1 Comment

the first year

Last week I pulled the top tier of our wedding cake out of the freezer. The cake that moved with us, twice. The cake that I insisted we save, no matter the inconvenience.

The cake that has more mileage than most cars.

During each of our 2 moves this past year I dutifully packed our cake in a cooler and surrounded it with ice packs and frozen veggies. I’d book hotel rooms equipped with mini fridges and once we even had a hotel store it for us in their freezer.

This cake represents more than a simple dessert enjoyed at a wedding.

In my mind, it is a symbol of sentimentality and traditionalism that many military families don’t have the luxury of enjoying. When you are forced to move (and move often) you aren’t allowed to get overly sentimental about items. Things that most couples treasure and save, you’ll find yourself tossing out to avoid exceeding your weight allowance.

This cake was one thing I refused to give up on.

I wanted the memory of enjoying our wedding cake on our wedding anniversary. I wanted some tangible form of sentimentality. I wanted to reminisce and toast to making it through our first year of marriage.

A slice of cake was the only food we took from our wedding, a foolish mistake we had yet to realize. When we arrived at the little apartment we called home, we were starving and wished we had asked for “to-go plates” of the delicious wedding meal.

Everything was closed. Everything.

No fast food joints, no pizza shops, nothing. We lived in a small town that truly shut down at dark.

Our fridge held only 1 frozen meal. Turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce à la Lean Cuisine. We had some crackers and chips in the pantry but nothing else. We sat on our bed and ate the crackers and chips, sharing the decidedly unappetizing Lean Cuisine and laughing at our luck. Despite this setback, we were all smiles.

Our dessert was the slice of wedding cake we toted home from the reception. We savored each bite, continually remarking on how delicious it was.

And when I pulled the cake from the freezer last week, all of those memories came rushing back. Our smiles. Our laughter. The new joy of being husband and wife.

Those memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life were all wrapped up in the tinfoil and cling film of that simple cake tier.

I was more prepared for our wedding anniversary and had made a simple meal for us to enjoy. And when I cut a slice of cake for us to again share, the same joy and laughter that warmed the memories of the past were there in the present.

Poached Orange Segments in Pink Moscato
serves two lovebirds

-2 cups your favorite Pink Moscato (I used Barefoot Pink Moscato)
-Stevia to your taste
-4 small oranges, segmented

In a saucepan over medium high heat add 2 cups of Moscato and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the orange segments, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid reduces by half and becomes slightly syrupy. Pour into ramekins and chill before serving.

3 June, 2013BrittanyPermalink 2 Comments

here&there

1. Defrosted and well traveled wedding cake. I promise it looked better at our wedding.

2. Mister Boo playing with his wubba wubba. He’s adjusted to my not being home anymore and I’ve been making it up to him with extra cuddles and playtime.

3. Making meat sauce. I don’t even need noodles, I eat this solo. Cause it’s that good.

4. The green smoothie. By far the most refreshing breakfast you can have. I’ll let you in on a little trick for my smoothies next week!

*****

This weekend we are planning to do some bulk food shopping. My husband loves to be prepared and now that we live in an area where tornadoes are frequent, I’m all for having backup supplies. I’ve got some recipes in the works and I’ve been playing around making jerky.

On a completely unrelated note, yesterday on my lunch break I ended up taking a nap on an acupuncture table. It is covered with a sherpa wool heating pad and it Knocked. Me. Out. I woke up feeling so refreshed and rejuvenated. Naps are not normal for me but I’m learning to listen to my body and respect when it needs rest. I’ve got a tendency to “go go go” and sometimes I need to slow down and be present.

I hope you have a lovely weekend! Let me know what you get up to!!

31 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

paleo challenge::an honest recap

It’s taken me several weeks and several rewrites to be comfortable enough to publish my thoughts on the Paleo Challenge. What was initially a 30 day challenge turned into a 26 day trial. I mentioned in several posts that I had been lacking energy. Even when I had 8 hours of sleep, getting out of bed in the morning was a feat of monumental proportions and I always ended up needing a nap later in the day. I think this was my body’s way of saying this challenge wasn’t working for me.

I didn’t take beginning measurements but I know I lost a noticeable amount of weight. My husband and my friends could see a difference and I ended up needing some new clothes. (But losing weight isn’t always an indicator that something works for your body and can even be a warning sign.) While all this progress was encouraging, during the challenge, despite my best efforts, I felt lacking.

Meals became monotonous.

Food was no longer fun.

Toward the end of the challenge I would eat the same food for each meal, or even skip a meal because I was so unenthused by the thought of eating. My appetite diminished drastically. I became paranoid about ingredients and constantly questioned whether or not it was truly paleo.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being deprived.

On top of everything else, I felt like a failure. Quite a few of my friend’s followed a paleo diet and LOVE every minute. I tried to get excited about food, but the thought of prepping meals just made me frustrated. All I could focus on were foods I couldn’t have. Not to mention that I’d been reading loads of paleo blogs and their constant praises about the diet had me feeling so alone. Then I came across this article and felt so relieved that I was not alone in my failure to adapt to the paleo diet.

I feel compelled to mention that I know the paleo lifestyle has been beneficial for MANY people, especially those with autoimmune disorders or gluten sensitivities, however, I do not think this is a one size fits all diet. That being said, if paleo is your diet of choice, that’s wonderful! I’m not here to change your mind or make you think differently. I believe in doing what works for your body and makes you thrive!

For me that includes a life with milk and legumes. I’m not a huge fan of meat which is another reason why a paleo diet would not work for me long term. I was a vegetarian for a few years and I felt good on a plant based diet. While I am not currently a vegetarian, I do know that my body works well with beans and whole grains.

What I’m taking away from this challenge:

1. Be Mindful: I wrote a whole post about Mindful Eating and how this challenge has helped me eliminate my tendency for mindless munching.

2. Hunger vs. Thirst: As I developed a more mindful approach to eating, I was able to differentiate hunger pains from dehydration. Now I keep water with me at all times and when my tummy rumbles I reach for a beverage before I start to eat.

3. Sugar Addiction Kicked: This challenge had me eliminate most sugars from my diet and I certainly detoxed. I renewed my love for dark chocolate and have even found it to be too sweet. Fruit has become my preferred dessert. Does this mean I will never enjoy a “regular” dessert again? No. But I am no longer tempted by traditional sugary snacks. I’ve been able to eliminate my sugar cravings and satiate the taste with healthy alternatives.

4. A Focus on Whole Foods: Throughout this challenge, I appreciated the eschewing of processed “food” products. A diet based around fruits and vegetables and whole foods is a very good thing! I think most of my changes came from eliminating processed foods.

5. Making Meat More Interesting: Being that this diet focused on meat, I had to re-learn how to cook meat…and not just chicken. I tried cooking buffalo, beef and pork. I bought new spice rubs (special thanks to my girl Brittany who introduced me to the local spice shop!) and really amped up the flavor. I didn’t rely on old standbys and really branched out with flavors.

Overall, I am glad that I participated in this challenge. It made me think before I ate and it proved that my willpower was strong enough to withstand temptation. This challenge has renewed my love of healthy eating and allowed me to be present and focus on my food consumption. There are a quite a few Paleo recipes that I will continue to enjoy (from the Balanced Bites cookbook.) Though it wasn’t something I could sustain long term, I think it added greatly to my overall understanding about what foods work with my body.

30 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

sweet potato ravioli with sage brown butter sauce

I know I disappeared for awhile…as you might’ve already guessed, I got the job!! These past few weeks have been a touch chaotic. I’ve been learning to balance my time with work, home responsibilities, and spend time with my husband…and the blog has taken the backseat. I’ve finally found a happy equilibrium. In celebration of my newfound work/life/home balance I wanted to share a special recipe with you.

The weather here has been flittering between spring showers and cool, sunny days. It’s lovely but highly temperamental. The other night brought heavy storms and threats of a tornado. It left dark, ominous clouds and gusty winds. It felt far from springtime and had me yearning for something more substantial instead of light spring fare.

Pasta seemed like a welcome idea, but I didn’t want something too heavy. Cold, gloomy weather makes me want to curl up with something warming yet light.

I’ve been hoarding canned sweet potato (I’m officially addicted to sweet potato…who wants to start a group?) but I know it can be heavy when added into a dish solo. Add some ricotta cheese to lighten it up and use wonton wraps and you’ve got yourself a nifty little ravioli dish. I took much pleasure in making these petite puffs full of fall flavors. There is a soothing rhythm to repeating the same motion over and over. I encourage you to spend an afternoon assembling raviloi and letting your mind wander. (Plus you can freeze the extra and enjoy them anytime!)

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce*

-15 oz canned sweet potato

-15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese

-1/4 cup parmesan cheese

-1/4 tsp ground cloves

-1/4 tsp ground all spice

-1/2 tsp nutmeg

-2 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-stevia, salt and pepper to your taste

-1 egg (for egg wash)

-1 or 2 package wonton wraps*

Brown Butter Sauce

-2 TB butter (I recommend Kerrygold)

-A sprinkle of ground sage

*Recipe notes: This will make roughly 33-35 raviolis and you will have a tremendos amount of the sweet potato ricotta cheese mixture leftover. You can either use 2 packages of wonton wraps and use up the entire amount of filling or you can cook up your favorite pasta (I went with penne) drain the pasta and add the filling and 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce. The result is a creamy, rich pasta dish that sneaks in a vegetable. Let me know if you try it this way!*

In a large bowl mix the sweet potato, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and spices. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as necessary. In a small bowl beat the egg. Using a teaspoon, measure out the mixture on the wonton wrap. Brush with egg wash, fold and seal the ravioli. Repeat until done.

To cook the ravioli, drop them into boiling water for 3-5 minutes.

For the sauce add 2 TB of butter to a saute pan on medium high heat. Stir the butter until it’s melted and foaming. Add a sprinkle of the ground sage and watch for the butter to begin to turn brown and give off a nutty aroma. Once the butter is browned, turn down the heat and gently add the ravioli. Coat both sides then remove from the pan and plate. Enjoy immediately and let me know if you make this recipe!

29 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

here & there: vacation eats

1. My Harry Potter “Authentic English Breakfast” with pumpkin juice. I didn’t eat the ham but I devoured the farm fresh eggs and sauteed mushrooms. I just love breakfast so much more than any other meal.

2. Macarons!! Did I make my husband drive 45 minutes just so I could get authentic French macarons? Yes. Yes, I did. The owner was French and so nice. We chatted in French and he told me which ones were his favorites. I picked up a Pistachio, Belgian Chocolate, French Vanilla, Coffee, and Coconut. They were all delicious!

3. Hubby’s dinner from Fulton’s Crab House in Downtown Disney. He always gets a bowl of clam chowder and the jumbo lump blue crab cakes sitting atop fried green tomatoes and roasted corn maque choux. So delicious!

*****

Another job interview today…hopefully when Monday rolls around I will be employed!!! Hope y’all have a lovely weekend and to all the mom’s out there Happy Mother’s Day!

~Mom,

I love you. Thank you for showing me how to cook authentic southern food. Thank you for your wisdom about men and relationships and praying for my future husband. Thank you for always calming me down when I’m lost and helping me find my way, even when we’re in different states. Thank you for your support and kindness, even when I didn’t deserve it. Thank you for taking me to the Dollar Theatre and buying me pickles. Thank you for the annual trips to the water park and letting me skip school to hang out with you. Thank you for sacrificing so much to give me everything. I don’t appreciate you near enough. Thank you for always looking the other way when I’d bring home new pets. Thank you for teaching me to be kind and patient with children. Thank you for encouraging my love of reading and spending the evenings reading me to sleep. Thank you for raising me in the church and instilling solid morals.

Thank you for making memories with me that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you for being my momma. I love you so much.

Love,

Jellybean~

10 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

lawn lessons

Yesterday was a bit of a momentous occasion for me.

I purchased a lawn mower & used it.

I’m sure some of you might be rolling your eyes, hardly impressed, which I totally understand. After years of watching my dad spend Saturday mornings pushing the lawn mower back and forth across our lawn, I never really understood the effort that it took. But now I see why he often tried to pawn it off on me!
-There was a brief moment when I did attempt to mow the backyard. It took me over 45 minutes to do half and after seeing my struggle, my father came out to finish for me.

And flipped the switch that makes the mower become self propelled.-

We have a special sense of humor in our family.

Apart from that experience, I really had no idea what I was doing. And with my husband’s ACL injury, there was no one else who could mow the lawn. (I could’ve hired someone but I have a hard time spending money on something I am capable of doing.) Thankfully my awesome friend Debbie and an informative guy at Lowe’s were very helpful. I picked a lawn mower and my Lowe’s helper let me leave with the pre-assembled floor model. (Which, really, assembling the thing would’ve been half the battle.) I asked numerous questions and had him go over the lawn mower with me, showing me the various features and options.

Once at my house, I followed the directions and successfully started the mower! I might’ve jumped up and down and cheered after it roared to life…

I breezed through the front yard and it left me with an inflated sense of confidence.

Then it came time to do the backyard. Or the back 40 as I ~~fondly~~ refer to it.

The grass patches were MUCH higher. The mower couldn’t make it through in one pass without dying. At one point I tried to just pull out the grass with my hands.
I also may have grabbed scissors and tried to trim it down. Yes, scissors.

After much trial and error, restarting the lawn mower, and ample amounts of frustration, I finally finished.

There were many times I wanted to quit. The irony of my post about growth was getting to me, now that growth was the thing I loathed. I kept praying to God for the ominous clouds to start pouring rain so I could abandon the lawn and go inside.

Yet, even with a forecast of thunderstorms and dark skies, I was able to completely finish the task.

When I was done I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

My feet and shoes were indelibly stained green. The smell of fresh cut grass hung in the air. The clouds, once grey and black, turned white and the sun began to shine.

When my husband came home and surveyed my handiwork he asked me if this was something I thought I’d be able to do for the foreseeable future (as he will be having surgery soon and won’t be able to do strenuous tasks for quite awhile.) I chuckled to myself, remembering the many moments when the mower died and I tried to hack away at the grass with scissors.

If it has to be done, I can do it.
Remember? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

9 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink Leave a comment

candid moments:: growth

I was surprised to come back from vacation and find that my tomato plants had doubled in size. Obviously I knew, on some level, that growth doesn’t stop just because I am not there to witness it. Or water it.

Nevertheless, it shocked me to see their tall and leafy forms sitting higher than the window ledge. What were once two spindly seedlings have since grown into two vibrant and strong plants. Soon I’m betting there will be juicy tomatoes awaiting a sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper, quickly consumed.

I started to wonder if I had been here, would I have noticed their changes? Their growth? Certainly my absence made their growth more apparent to me. I hope I would’ve been equally impressed by their development had it been a part of my day to day routine. I honestly thought I would come back to the same two plants.

I didn’t think they would grow so much without my care and attention.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the minutia of life. I find myself hyper focusing on details or the future and never fully enjoying my time in the present. This vacation was the first time I made a decided effort to live day-to-day. We had a rough outline, but each day was flexible with gaps for spontaneity. It was one of the most relaxing vacations I’ve ever had.

Looking inward I realized that I have been carrying a big ball of stress. Stress of finances, stress of friendships, stress of achieving ambitions, stress of needing to be successful. None of these are new to anyone, I’m sure, but it was surprising to me just how one week of letting go and not trying to control anything, completely changed my mindset.

Following is not something that comes naturally to me.

From a young age I was encouraged to be independent and praised for taking care of myself. That independent streak developed into a stubbornness. While I do have a surprisingly accurate gut instinct, my independence and stubbornness has made it difficult for me to rely on others. And it’s exhausting, feeling like you have to be in control 24/7.

But the thing is, I would love to give up control and follow. I just don’t know how.

God calls us to follow him. We are instructed to give him control of our lives.

My dad has often said the phrase, “Let go and let God.” Until now, it is something I just shrugged off. Sure I can let go…kinda….and God can take care of any problem for me…sort of….but if I want quick results then I really should just do it myself.

And that thought alone makes me laugh.

There is a DIY (Do It Yourself) craze that has hit the world. It seems that everywhere I turn, people are repurposing pallets and hacking IKEA. And while I do some DIY projects, there are just as many that I’ve dismissed and would never even attempt.

Why?
Because I am not a professional.
Because I don’t have the right tools.
Because I don’t have a certain skill set.
Because I know my limitations.

I can’t craft a table from a pallet, but somehow I’ve fallen in the trap of thinking that I can navigate my life and fix all of my problems and be my own solution. Just don’t make me use a reciprocal saw.

It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to rely on others. We should place our worries in God’s hands. He is the only one who has any power. It is so easy to deceive ourselves into thinking we are just as capable as He is.

It’s funny, the things that God uses to remind us of his presence. Reflecting on the growth of two tomato plants became the realization that I need to let Him do His work. My controlling nature can’t make plants grow or seasons change. I need to “Let go and Let God.”
In a world of do-it-yourself-ers, I need to become a TGY- Trust God Yourself.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It is through His grace that I am able to achieve anything. So no more worrying about controlling things that I am not able to control. Less negative & more positive. Time to refocus on the many blessings in my life.

A friend posted this on facebook and I wanted to share it with y’all: 4 Things God Wants You to Remember When Life it Hard

8 May, 2013BrittanyPermalink 1 Comment

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!

Tell your friends!