My Beautiful Month

In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]

Having a little fun with a co-worker's office :)

Daddy and I on our coffee date, about to get our GARTH BROOKS on.

Homemade apple butter season.

Not quite the morning person dog.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching.... baseball. BASEBALL. America's favorite pastime.Oh, and the CAVS. In THE FINALS. :)

Eating Drinking.... I've been crazy about my ginger sodas from my local Seven Grains. These are just fabulous and satisfying. My favorite is Reed's Cherry Ginger Brew. My other favorite is their Extra Ginger Brew. Sipping on gingers. All day. I can't get enough.

Planning.... our camping trip this holiday weekend. My parents have rented a space for their camper at a local campsite about 10 minutes from our house. I can't wait! I'm packing and planning snacks and food. Even though it's only a few minutes from the house, Mr. Darcy and I are staying and relaxing and vacationing camping-style. Mr. B will join us when he gets off work on those days, but I plan on staying there. I love camping, and am thrilled Mama and Daddy will be so close. Here's to hoping the skies are clear with no hail, and preferably above 60-degree temperatures, unlike the last time we went camping back in October.

Yep, last time we had hail, rain, a few flurries, and 38 degrees.

Reading.... I'm re-reading the first book in the Outlander series. Actually, I'm listening to the audio book.

Inspired by.... my spa day. It was my first time ever getting a massage, facial, pedicure, and manicure, and it may sound petty, but I'm convinced this is something every woman needs at least once a year. My husband has no idea what he just got himself into with that gift certificate.

Honestly, as I was lying there during my massage, I found my mind kept wandering to things...things I need to do, things I need to add to my to-do list, things at work, things at home, stressful things...and the list goes on. But then I caught myself. I need to shut down and stop every once in awhile. Immediately, I started thanking God for the money for this experience, that we could afford to treat myself and my friend to a much needed day of relaxation. I let go. I gave everything worrying me to God, refusing to take it back from Him as the day went on. I was in a funk these last few weeks and now I feel a thousand times better. And while it was nice, it's not something we can afford often. (Or I should say shouldn't afford often.) But it opened my eyes to how important it is to shut down for a bit and fully relax in His peace and presence. And it shouldn't have to cost a lot of money to do it. I'm inspired to make time for me every week by setting aside an hour to either meditate in His presence on my yoga mat or hide in the bathroom and paint my nails. Maybe a nap will suffice.... Who knows, but I'm committing to this!

Excited about....our mini vacation to Hocking Hills next week!!!! Eeekkk! I have been asking Mr. B to rent a cabin there for years. And we're taking the pup. Eeekkk! :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

A Thanksgiving {Smoothie} Breakfast

I get it. We're all super busy on Turkey Day. But, I promise, you have time to mix up one of these in between basting the turkey, catching the Rockettes in the parade, and mashing the potatoes. Bonus: it requires one hand only.

Y'all I do have to mention this smoothie was inspired by my latest Yogi Kids program at work. A co-worker and I teamed up for a "Thankful" yoga program at my branch; I brought the yoga, games, and crafts while she supplied the smoothies. I wanted to stay with a Thanksgiving-ish smoothie and I had mentioned my latest pumpkin yogurt obsession. (If you haven't tried it yet, stop what you're doing, drive to your nearest Target, fill your cart before the season is over and it's no longer available, and finish reading this post with yummy yogurt in hand.)

In lieu of the pumpkin yogurt, my co-worker opted for a vanilla yogurt and plain canned pumpkin---going for a more flavorful smoothie where the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice would stand out. The kiddos did not like it one bit. Out of the eight, only one kid drank it, and another decided to take it to-go because he would add some honey to it at home. The kids were expecting a sugary, milkshake-like smoothie and what they got was a healthy smoothie instead. However, the parents and I gobbled it up, quickly beating each other to small refills. My co-worker mentioned the honey option and I suggested using pumpkin-flavored yogurt. Even though there were 19 grams of sugar(!) in just one serving of the vanilla yogurt, the kids didn't find it sweet enough. This makes my heart sad. Too much sugar in every thing these days.

I, on the other hand, was quickly calculating the ingredients in my fridge and pantry because, yes, I was having this tomorrow morning. And the morning after. And the morning after. I have a lot of pumpkin in my pantry.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Serves 1

3-5 ice cubes
1 c unsweetened almond milk
1 small banana (frozen, if possible)
1 heaping T canned pumpkin
1 heaping T cottage cheese
1 T coconut oil
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 scoop protein powder
1 T chia seeds

Combine all ingredients in a blender (put your ice in first!), and mix until smooth. Drink up!

Nutritional Information:
378 Calories, 22 Fat, 35 Carbs, 10 Fiber, 16 Protein, 15 Sugar

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching.... football, and a lot of it. But I'm also gearing up for the plethora of TV Christmas specials, plus the huge selection on Netflix. This right here is why I'm never behind on my wrapping. You must multi-task, people! It's the only way to get things done, allowing the last few days before Christmas to be relaxing, peaceful, and fun instead of stressed, exhausting, and busy.

Eating.... PUMPKIN. This is odd for me. I guess I'm a new woman. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin oatmeal, and an amazing pumpkin smoothie I've been devouring every morning as of late. I will share with y'all this tasty breakfast-to-go soon. It pretty much consists of every healthy thing I have in my fridge.

Planning.... my huge Polar Express interactive movie program at work.There's going to be games, hot chocolate, train tracks, presents, snowballs, and popcorn. And many, many more things if only I can get everything accomplished. I'm starting to slightly panic because with Thanksgiving approaching, I realize I only have eight (eekk!) working days to finish. It looks like I'll be cutting props out through my turkey dinner.

Reading....a couple of things, per usual, but I have picked up Scarlett again. I first read this Gone with the Wind inspired "sequel" years ago and never finished it actually, which I find funny because I always thought I had. Apparently, I became distracted with Rhett Butler's People, which I did finish, by the way. Margaret Mitchell's novel is my second favorite book (right behind Pride and Prejudice), but considering it's length, I return to it every five years. After excitingly experiencing the movie in actual theaters this year for it's 75th anniversary, I realized it had been a while since I last picked it up. I checked and discovered I was due to read it again. (Thank goodness for GoodReads!) However, I'm opting to turn through Scarlett instead...since I, regretfully, forgot about it.

Inspired by.... my puppy. I'm a huge lover of snow and I enjoy the colder weather, but after watching Mr. Darcy's first experience with snow, I am falling in love with it all over again! Too bad we had this heat wave (hovering around the 50-degree mark) because it melted all the snow. Mr. Darcy is very confused when he heads outside. I keep promising him more will be on its way. I must show him the snow dance.

Excited about....THANKSGIVING!!!! For the food, family, games, football, pumpkin cookies, the PARADE! I love it all. My husband and I are both off the few days after; the BIG GAME is this weekend, and Turkey Day opens the door to the best holiday of them all :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Double Coconut Strawberry Smoothie

It was quite chilly here a week or so ago. Like low of 40 at night chilly. Thoughts of fall, boots, football, festivals, and all things pumpkin were filling my brain. I even started preparations for my seasonal wardrobe swap (more on that later). But, alas, it's nearing 90 degrees today. Summer is sticking it out. This means I'm still on my cold smoothie kick and not ready yet for my warm bowl of oatmeal in the mornings.


This smoothie was my go-to breakfast a few weeks ago. I couldn't get enough. I'm that kind of person. When I find something new and tasty, I eat nothing else until I'm sick of it. Which, by the way, usually lasts about two weeks. Afterwards (read: a month or so later), I come back to it occasionally, rotating it through my weekly meal menus.

This is the perfect smoothie for fresh and beautiful strawberries. (Or if out of season, the frozen berries work just as well, usually adding more flavor and color.) The perfect smoothie to satisfy your coconut oil addiction. Oh, wait. Is that just me? I am addicted. I want coconut oil EVERYTHING. In my cooking, baking, health and beauty care. You name it, I will find a way to use coconut oil for it. (FYI, it works wonders on mosquito bites and burns. Trust me, I know.) However, Mr. B cringed the other night when he saw me using it as lotion. Yet I'm the one with amazingly soft skin, not him. I'm pretty sure this is a great addiction. I'm buying the jars in surplus now (or at least begging my friend to because Trader Joe's is too far away!!!! <--- adult tantrum). I digress. Back to this yummy smoothie. Tons of flavor. Try it, please!

As I always say, everything in moderation, right? Well, once the [short] initial obsession wears thin. YUM.


Double Coconut Strawberry Smoothie

Serves 1

1 c coconut water
1 c strawberries, chopped (fresh or frozen, if using frozen ice is optional)
1 T flaxseed or chia seeds
1 T coconut oil
1 T plain Greek yogurt
Handful of ice
Optional: 1 scoop soy vanilla protein powder (when I have it on hand)

Place all ingredients in a blender; mix until smooth consistency. Devour!

Nutritional information (with protein powder): 378 Calories, 18 Fat, 30 Protein, 5 Fiber, 19 Sugar

Pssttt....IT'S GAME DAY. Go Bucks! Go Flashes!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Nutty Chocolate Breakfast Shake

I know it's been a little shake/smoothie/beverage overload on here lately this summer, but I am not at all sorry. As the months get warmer, the more I crave something fast and cold to jump start my mornings. Today I'm sharing my new morning obsession favorite, and a heads up(!) I'll be sharing another smoothie favorite next week. I.cannot.stop.drinking.this. It's the perfect shake for me. It's all about the peanut butter taste with half the calories, made possible by PB2. I love PB2, and you can read/purchase more about it here, but basically it's powdered peanut butter. Regular PB2 has 23 calories, 1 fat, 1 sugar. Compared to one of my favorites, Trader Joe's raw almond butter, which has 95 calories, 9 fat, 1 sugar.

The product recommends mixing a tablespoon of PB2 with water, but ewwww. Yuck. Instead, I throw it into my shakes. I know a few people who have used it in baked goods, which is next on my list, but for now I'm inhaling it by the glassful. I kid you not, my friends. I've been enjoying this Nutty Shake every morning for days now. Even when I ran out of protein powder, I blended on. Alas, I ran out of PB2. This has made for a very sad Brindi.

While at work, Mr. B called to let me know he was heading to the store and asked if I needed anything. I squealed "YES!" and began to describe my PB2, what it looked like and where in the store it was located. "Umm, yeah. Anything normal?"

I did not get my PB2.

The day after I purchased my first PB2, I received a message from my co-worker telling me about this awesome product she stumbled upon at Target (love Target), and knowing I enjoy smoothies and peanut butter, needed to tell me about it. It was PB2. Seriously. This stuff is awesome.

Mixed with vanilla protein powder and coconut oil, this makes for one satisfying breakfast shake. I drink half when I get up, and place the other half in the freezer to chill while I get ready for the day.  I grab it as I head out the door, and finish it on my way to work. It keeps me full and energized until lunch. Love it. Love it. Love it. Obsessed? Definitely. In need of purchasing the bulk size for sure.

Nutty Chocolate Breakfast Shake

Serves 1

1 c unsweetened almond milk
1 T chia seeds
2 heaping T PB2 (with cocoa)
1 heaping T raw coconut oil
1 heaping T cottage cheese (<--- makes it delightfully creamy)
Pinch of xanthan gum
5-7 ice cubes
Optional: when I have it on hand, 1/2 frozen banana, sliced (for a little added sweetness)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until desired consistency is reached, adding more ice or water if needed.

Nutritional information (without banana): 283 Calories, 24 Fat, 11 Protein, 8 Fiber, 4 Sugar


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

My Beautiful Month

In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]

Love discovering my favorite athletes in my favorite magazines :)

Looking at my Instagram account, it's easy to see I like my beverages. I usually occupy all of the cup holders. Mr. B does not understand.

Finally! A BINGO!

One day it was so hot in our house my coconut oil melted.....

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Berry Elvis Protein Smoothie

IT.IS.HOT. I'm sweating just thinking about the humidity. Ugh. Add in the crazy amount of bugs.... I can't even take Mr. Darcy outside without making sure every inch of my body is covered. I have the kind of blood mosquitoes love. Yep, I'm that sweet. I appreciate your recognition of my irresistible self, but when the biting is causing bruising...KNOCK.IT.OFF.

I am not cool, calm, and collected. I'm hot, irritable, and a sweaty mess.

After a 6 am bout outside with Mr. Darcy, shooing away the bugs from me and him (poor thing), I'm in need of something quick and cooling to start my day. Lately, I've been downing this yummy, rockin' concoction. It's full of protein, fiber, natural sugar, and taste. Just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess to kick off any summer morning. I like to mix mine up, throw it in the freezer while I finish getting ready for work, and then grab it as I head out the door. (Along with my iced morning coffee, of course.)

Is it too early to say I can't wait for fall?

Berry Elvis Protein Smoothie

Serves 1 (or 2 as a snack)

1 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2-1 c water
1/2 c sliced strawberries (frozen works well here)
1/2 frozen banana
1 heaping T raw peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter)
1 heaping T cottage cheese
1 T chia seeds
1 scoop soy vanilla protein powder
handful of ice, if needed (depends on desired consistency)
Pinch of xanthan gum (optional ---> used to thicken smoothie)

Place all ingredients in a blender; puree until desired consistency. Pour into chilled glass(es) and enjoy!

Nutritional information for one smoothie: 410 Calories, 17 Fat, 15 Sugar, 35 Protein, 11 Fiber

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Choice Beverages Lately

My beverage consumption of late has been quite frequent and very, very cold. This humidity never agrees with me. My hair is in a constant state of a frizzy mess atop my head.

Making huge batches of ice tea (unsweetened only, please!), and black coffee to have on hand in the fridge for immediate consumption is a must during these hot, irritable, and muggy months. And I cannot seem to get enough water! Good thing I'm in the midst of a water wellness program at work. I'm drinking it on the rocks infused with whatever fruit I have on hand that day...lemons, berries, cucumbers, mint, limes, peaches, Granny Smith apples...

It's National Iced Tea Month

Among these must-have beverages, I'm also enjoying my morning smoothies. These are a great perk to my early (and hot) mornings. My latest obsession includes peaches and cottage cheese. When I was little I loved to eat sliced tomatoes or peaches in a bowl of cottage cheese as an after-school snack. But not together. Hmmm, I do enjoy Peach Caprese, though. I'm going to have to think about this one....

Side note: Mama preferred her cottage cheese with pickles.

I got the cottage-cheese-in-your-smoothie-idea from Katie over at Dashing Dish. (You have to visit her site and try out her tasty protein shakes.)

I like to use frozen fruit because then I don't have to add ice, which gives me a richer flavor. The addition of cottage cheese gives it the perfect milkshake consistency. Indulgent, for sure.

Peachy Keen Protein Shake

Serves 1 generously, or perfect for sharing with a friend as an afternoon snack

1 c unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened refrigerated coconut milk would work well, too)
1/4 c cottage cheese
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
1 c frozen sliced peaches
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
(Optional: add honey to taste if you like it a little sweeter. For me, the fruit sweetens it enough.)

Place all ingredients in a blender; combine until desired consistency. Enjoy in a chilled glass!

To quote my Grandma Bays, "It's so humidity outside!" God bless her.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Breakfast Lately

This handsome boy barely gives me time to pour a cup of coffee in the morning, let alone to actually make breakfast. And I love breakfast. It's my favorite meal of the day. (...unless there is ice cream in my near future, then that, yes that is my favorite meal of the day. It may be for breakfast; I am not above that. Or it may be a mid-day snack, or a late night treat. Whenever. It's my favorite.) These days I'm scrambling around just to throw random items in my lunch bag in hopes I'll have enough for some sort of breakfast dish at my desk. Errr...I mean at the table in the break room.

Lately, I've been relying on my Greek yogurt bowls. I mix together a scoop of plain yogurt, a handful of berries, a spoonful of natural almond butter, and a little sprinkle of granola or nuts, and TA DA! Breakfast. It's to the point where now I'm just keeping containers of yogurt and berries in the fridge at work, along with my jar of almond butter, of course. Which, by the way, I'm running a little too low on for comfort.

I need my morning protein, and if I'm not getting it from my yogurt than I'm tossing it into my favorite Via Shakes. However, the blender is so loud Mr. Darcy starts barking while Siamese just glares at me because all of this unnecessary ruckus is disturbing her beauty sleep.

Of late, I'm just happy to make it out the door with enough time to run into my favorite place and grab an iced coffee because it's so dagum muggy I can't even think let alone do anything because the actual act of doing something makes me want to not wear clothing because when I open the fridge to find a container of Fruit Punch Kool-Aid where once was my homemade iced coffee stock for the week, and it's only Wednesday, I don't have time to brew a fresh pot because...well, see above.

And now the house is empty of our beloved protein powder.

And I was doing the happy dance all last week because when I stopped at Starbucks for a GIANT iced green tea (because it's so dagum muggy....) I saw they were having a buy one Via box, get one free deal. Jackpot. What a beautiful moment in the middle of a busy week. Glorious. Until this Monday rolled around and I ran out of protein. Now my Via packets just sit there and taunt me every morning.... However, I'm sure by the time we get around to buying more protein, I'll be out of my almond milk, or I'll pull out two empty ice cube trays because Mr. Darcy is just loving his ice cubes right now. You wanna know why? Because it's so dagum muggy....

Hold on a sec while I run to the fridge and add almond milk and more ice cube trays right next to the triple underlined protein powder. Oh, and I should probably get more yogurt and almond butter...and berries, yes need those.

Anyhoo, now that I've taken up the better half of the short moment you set aside to read this post this morning, let me get to the main point. In all my rushing around, toy-throwing, and random-ingredients-grabbing glory, I stumbled upon this tasty protein-filled breakfast. In the mornings, I enjoy making random egg scrambles, and lately I've been tossing together leftover ground turkey with some eggs and whatever vegetables I have on hand. It's quite filling, tasty, and quick. My most recent three favorite words, aside from Mr. Darcy, potty, and sit.

Double Protein Egg Scram-lette
serves 1

1 egg
1 egg white
couple drizzles of vegetable or chicken stock
couple spoonfuls of cooked ground turkey
1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
a handful of kale
sprinkle of nutritional yeast (or cheese, if you prefer)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Splash in some stock and saute the kale. When kale is almost wilted, add in ground turkey, stirring until warmed through. Meanwhile, lightly beat egg, egg white, and yogurt in a separate bowl. Lower heat, if needed coat pan with cooking spray, and pour in the egg mixture. Now I always start out with an omelet intention, but it usually ends up less pretty and more of an egg scramble (hence my new word, scram-lette). Do whatever works for you. Mix it together, flip it over, pour it on top, whatever floats your boat. When the egg is cooked and everything is warmed through, sprinkle on the nutritional yeast (or cheese, if you have it). I think tomatoes would work well with this dish but, alas, I was out. So if you have 'em, and you like 'em, add 'em. Serve on a plate and dig in. (Or, as I may have to revert to soon, throw in a wrap and head out the door.)

Of course, don't forget the drizzle of hot sauce. Enjoy!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi