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.]

My step father-in-law turned 61. Time to celebrate!

We're getting Easter eggs. It's so ombre.

One of my favorite childhood memories.

Fun with all things Under the Sea at work.

Enjoying a 60+ degree day with a walk through the park. Mr. Darcy was beyond excited.

My traditional gnocchi Oscars meal. (My food was much better than the Oscars....)

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.]

 Corgi Selfie!

Early evening naps.

 One of my toddler mom's and her daughter made a get-well bag for me when I was feeling under the weather. This put a huge smile on my face <3

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

A Simple Egg Hash for Dinner

To be completely honest, a breakfast hash is my secret to getting dinner on the table and getting dinner on the table FAST. Actually, come to think about it, we never really have a hash meal for breakfast. My hash dinners consist of whatever I have in the fridge or on my counter at the time, so each meal tends to be different. With that being said, the four ingredients I always toss in the pan are a meat, a potato, greens, and veggies. When finished add an egg on top (however you like your egg best), and VOILA! Dinner is served.

These meals work best on nights when I walk through the door around 6 p.m. and find Mr. B raiding the fridge because he's starving. On those evenings I know the skillet is coming out and we'll be sitting down to dinner in 30 minutes.

One thing I want to point out is I did struggle with my potatoes. Potatoes can take FOREVER and a day to cook! But last Christmas, my grandma gave each grandchild this cloth-contraption-thingy that cooks potatoes PERFECTLY, and I'm not exaggerating here, in the microwave in less than eight minutes. It's perfect for baked potatoes, and I promise, you will have the fluffiest spud ever. So on days when I'm in a hurry (like for my hash dinners), I throw a few washed potatoes in the contraption sack and under-cook them, about 5 minutes in the microwave. By the time the meat and veggies are cooked, the potatoes are ready to add to the pan for crisping.

Y'all NEED one of these! And I apologize because I have no idea where she purchased it. I think she said she bought them in Amish country. Those Amish really know their potatoes!

Egg Hash Dinner
Serves however many mouths you need to feed

*Adjust the ingredients to fit the number of servings needed and the ingredients in your fridge.

Chicken or vegetable broth
Baby red potatoes, slightly under-cooked
Sliced mushrooms
Chopped bell peppers
Chopped onion
a big container of kale
Kielbasa
Eggs, over-easy (1-2 per person)
hot sauce, for drizzling (optional)

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers in broth until desired crispness is reached (add more broth as needed). When vegetables have 2-3 minutes to go, add in kale, potatoes and kielbasa. Cook until warmed through, a bit crispy, and kale has wilted down. There are two ways to cook the eggs: Cook them in a separate pan the way you prefer, whether scrambled, poached, or sunny-side-up, etc., and then add on top once hash is plated. The other way I like to cook them with this meal is in the same skillet. I make little pockets by scooting the vegetables and meat to the side and cracking the egg over the holes in the skillet (this can also be done in a ramekin and then poured into the made holes). With the heat on low, cover the skillet and allow the eggs to cook to preferred liking. Serve on plates immediately. We like ours drizzled with a little Red Hot.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Eight Things I'm Loving Right Now

1.  Everyone is all about the Pumpkin Spice Lattes. All about the PSLs. However, I'm all about the Pumpkin Spice Americanos. I'm all about the #PSAs. I'm starting a movement. Jump on that bandwagon, people! It's delicious.

2. A bandwagon I have jumped on is Shakeology. But I don't like it. I wish I did because so many do. However, it's expensive so Mr. B is glad I don't. I'm trying my hardest to mix the protein packets with whatever fruit, coffee, nut butter, and milk I can find. A few mixtures I can tolerate, others... not so much. BUT, I am loving the CIZE workout program I signed up for with the Shakeology. It's cardio. It's moving. It's dancing. I am having a blast! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Now, I'm looking for another program I might want for Christmas....

3.This breakfast obsession has now turned into a quick dinner love affair. I ate this pear, egg, and cheese combo for five meals straight before I actually realized I'd been eating it for five meals straight. Although I'm currently not eating it for every meal, I am returning to it about every other day. I can't help it, these pears are so juicy right now!

4. Now that school is back in session, kids are overtaking the library. I can't help but love searching the stacks and asking question after question until I find a child or parent the book they're looking for. I love going on these little treasure hunts, whether it's for a school assignment or a book to share at bed time, I love finding something the patron will enjoy.

5.It's fall so that means TV shows are back in full swing. And that actually means nothing to me because we don't have cable, but we have some hi-tech bunny ears that give us access to the local channels. And that means I am loving my Hawaii Five-O and Blue Bloods. The only shows I watch. And last seasons' episodes are now on Netflix!! Woot. Woot. I am a big, huge fan of McGarrett. Mr. B is well aware ;)

6. With the weather changing and all, I'm getting back into the routine of using my doterra difuser at night. I'm obsessed with the Cassia; it's cinnamon fragrance is wonderful and calming, which actually helps Mr. Darcy relax more quickly around bed time. It's fantastic.

7. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Herbal Tea. In love. I must have a cup in the afternoon at work. I must have a cup in the evening after dinner. I must say, it is fall in a cup.

8. Oh, and do I need to mention FALL. And FOOTBALL. And chilly weather. And the BEAUTIFUL outside scenery. And APPLES, PUMPKINS, and CIDER! I am so blessed to be living in such a lovely state to experience THE best season. Gosh, I cannot tell you all how much it it my favorite.


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Eight Things I'm Loving Right Now

1. Poached eggs. Oh.My.Goodness.Oh.My.Goodness. Why did it take me almost 29 years to give these a try?! Why didn't anybody tell me about these??! (Mama, you're excused, but everybody else.... I'm looking at you.)

2. My latest guilty pleasure readings seem to be Christian Romance. I am such a sap. Such a romantic at heart. The Dandelion Field. A Marriage in Middlebury. I just finished Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter and am starting Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck. It's fluff. It's all lovey-dovey. It's fairy-tale-ish. It makes me cry. It's my current kick.

3. And speaking of... My new Vera Bradley reading glasses in Slate Blooms. And I'm not sure I even need these. But they were only $3.99. And they were cute. It's been almost a decade since I last went to the eye doctor. Mama took me and the doctor said my eyesight was fine, but with all the reading I was expected to do in college I might want some reading glasses. So we purchased some really cute, stylish red ones, which I wore mainly to coordinate with a red outfit every once in a while. Actually, I haven't wore them since unmarried life?? Maybe. I feel like my eyes are fine. Always have been. But these glasses are super cute! Maybe I should schedule an exam....

4. Polka dots and dresses. After the 70 degree-weather tease a few weeks ago, then the 40 degree-drop last week, spring seems to be poking it's head out today. We're in the 60s, people! Time to celebrate with all things spring! And let's hope it stays longer than three days. My dresses are growing impatient in the closet, and boots and tights just don't look as pretty or make them happy like sandals and heels.

5. So, through my Robeks app, I was notified about their new FITNESS SMOOTHIES made with maple water. As soon as I saw the peanut butter one I knew I had to have it. Last weekend I drove to the nearest location for a taste test. Honestly, it tastes like Teddy Grahams (the original, y'all) with a bit of peanut butter. Teddy Grahams! I loved those as a snack in my college days childhood. Yet, I could do with more peanut butter. Shocker, I know. I can always do with more peanut butter. Fitness fuel, my friends.

6. Grinding my coffee beans. Since my new coffee pot purchase a few months ago, now I wake up to the smell of coffee beans. Programmable coffee pots are the best thing since sliced bread, you know? I know. And my additional grinders are perfect for those days I want French pressed coffee. Like this past Tuesday. French pressed and Cabela's. Yep. That's my thoughts on Tuesdays in a nutshell. Time to be productive, but I'm not happy about it.

7. These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins. Made with oat flour, dark chocolate, halved sugar, fresh raspberries, protein powder, and Greek yogurt. Healthy. Tasty. Breakfast-pleasing. Snack-pleasing. Dessert-pleasing. I had more than one, definitely. Check out Katie's book for the recipe!

8. This ballet core workout on DVD I borrowed from my library. I was at another branch killing time before a program, and while walking around I spotted it. It's pretty basic, but leaves you with a great burn. I'm really, really liking it. And it's something different. (Also, something I'm in need of if I keep eating muffins.)


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Good Morning Frappe

This is my GOOD MORNING! Healthier Coffee Mocha Frappe.

And, y'all, just looking at these photos makes me want to rush into my kitchen and make one of these bad boys immediately.

It is THE most perfect way to enjoy the leftovers in the pot you didn't quite finish off yesterday. I am a die-hard iced coffee fan anyway, but sometimes I WANT more than just coffee and ice. I WANT less than a thousand-calorie beverage. I WANT the assumption I'm enjoying something I should feel guilty about. I WANT something that's not going to load my body with a ton of sugar in the early hours. I WANT creamy and caffeinated but will keep me full until an early lunch. I WANT fast... as in I should have left 10 minutes ago.

Because of these WANTS, I created this fantastic homemade frappe.

YUM-O.
PERFECTION.

It's also easy to adjust the recipe to the ingredients you have or the taste you want. I like plain protein powder, but if you want a little sweetness, use vanilla. Or better yet, chocolate. Not a fan of cottage cheese, use plain Greek yogurt instead. Out of chia seeds? Toss in a spoonful of flax seeds. Not sure about the coconut oil? Leave it out. (Or try butter. Bulletproof coffee, anyone?)

This morning frappe can also star as a mid-afternoon snack or a late night dessert. Just add a natural sweetener if you'd like it a bit more decadent, such as honey, maple syrup, or a few slices of a frozen banana. And thicken it! (Extra ice or a pinch of xanthan gum will do the trick.) So you can eat it with a spoon. It's like coffee mocha ice cream.

Some days I drink half in the morning and save the other half for an after dinner treat. When I get home I throw the rest of it back in the blender with a pinch of xanthan gum and one or two more ice cubes. What a delicious treat to come home to! :)

Good Morning Frappe

Serves 1 or 2

3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
3/4 c strongly brewed coffee, cold
1 T coconut oil
1 T chia seeds
1/4 c cottage cheese
1 scoop plain protein powder
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
handful of ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (place ice in last); blend until desired consistency. Top with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Drink up!

Nutritional Information (without whipped cream) for one serving:
344 Calories, 24 Fat, 3 Sugar, 28 Protein, 10 Fiber

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burrito

I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of the breakfast burrito.

The idea of eggs and salsa in a flour tortilla before 8 a.m. never quite appealed to me.

Definitely not the boxed or the fast food kind.

As of late though, I've seen all kinds of homemade breakfast burritos floating around the blog world and on the Pinterest boards. I'll admit, I wanted to be a fan. I wanted to love those recipes. I wanted to be able to make a batch, toss them in the freezer, and pull one out on those days I'm rushing out the door because Mr. Darcy found a stick and ran around the backyard for 15 minutes instead of doing his business. And I don't even have time to turn on the blender. I wanted to like them all. I just could not get on board.

That is until a few weeks ago when I met up with my best girlfriend and headed to Trader Joe's.

While straining to display self-control as I perused the shelves I only get to see a few times a year, I spotted these spinach flour tortillas. These looked delicious. As I threw them in my cart, my friend mentioned how she uses them for her breakfast burritos in the mornings. You, too, huh?

Hmmm.....

Needless to say, I was curious, determined to try this whole breakfast burrito thing.

I did.

And these babies are DELICIOUS! Not only are they absolutely tasty in a why-have-I-waited-so-long-to-eat-these kind of way, but like OBSESSED kind of way. I have had one for breakfast for the past six days in a row. I can't stop. Well, I guess I'll be stopping soon when my 10-tortilla supply runs out.

If you are of what my mind used to be, give the breakfast burrito a try. A homemade try. It's so good. A great way to celebrate National Egg Month ;)

But I still can't get behind putting salsa in mine.

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burrito on a Spinach Tortilla

Serves 1

1 spinach flour tortilla
1-2 eggs scrambled (with plain Greek yogurt)
1 T crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
drizzle of hot sauce
Optional: chopped tomatoes and bell peppers

Once my eggs are scrambled, I stick my tortilla in the pan to warm it up a bit. After a minute or two, remove it and add scrambled eggs, cheese, and hot sauce. If I have any leftover chopped veggies laying around, I'll sprinkle on a few. Roll up and enjoy.

It's that easy, that quick. Make a whole bunch and stick them in the freezer and pull out and heat in microwave as needed.

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

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #15

[Original post date Dec. 2011. --Updated 11/10/14: original, but separate content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

#15 September: 5-Ingredient Fix

The Menu:
          Appetizer
Homemade Apple Butter on Toast
          Side
Orzo with Parmesan and Basil
          Dessert
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm not sure who came up with this month's theme, but the stipulation was the recipe could have no more than five ingredients. Unfortunately, I missed this Cooking Club (so I don't have pictures of the other dishes), but I was able to try the recipes the next day at work. Later on, I brought the recipe I had intended to make into work for everyone to try. I made my homemade apple butter in the crockpot. The apples slow-cooked their way to a chunky mess of butter-like goodness.

Apple butter is my absolute second favorite topping on toast, right behind cinnamon-sugar. Growing up there were always jars of this stuff in our refrigerator. And we usually purchased ours from the Amish Country. But as I've grown, the apple butters I've had recently are just too sweet. The last jar I purchased back in April actually hurt my teeth. I've never had apple butter as smooth as butter. I like mine a little chunky. And I've been meaning to try my hand at it for a few months now.

So when I was given the 5-ingredient only assignment, I went to work in my kitchen to make a delicious apple butter. But my main concern was the sweetness. I did not want mine sweet. I decided to pass on adding actual sugar, and replaced it with maple syrup. Added some spices, cinnamon (well, because apples and cinnamon, duh) and nutmeg (which is my favorite spice), and juice, and a couple of hours later I had a tasty, luxuriously, chunky apple butter for my morning toast.

Homemade Apple Butter

4-5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1/2-3/4 c apple juice
1 c maple syrup
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on low 5 1/2-6 hours. During the last 2 hours, stir the mixture every half hour to break up the apples. After cooking, if apples need broken down any more, use a potato masher. Then cook on low another 1/2 hour with the lid off, stirring frequently, or until desired consistency is reached. (If you like yours sans chunks, break out the hand blender or wait until cooled and place in a blender; puree until smooth.) Store apple butter in containers in the fridge. Enjoy!

P.S. I definitely plan on canning and sharing this homemade apple butter with family and friends. It makes a great housewarming/hostess gift.


*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. I've finally caught up! I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9-12
Cooking Club #13
Cooking Club #14

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Pumpkin Butter & Spice Oatmeal

The early mornings are chilly. And very dark. It's a must to have a warm mug of coffee or tea in my hands before Mr. Darcy and I head outside. Multiple times. This morning I donned gloves, a hat and scarf as well. You know what this means, don't you?

Time to break out the oatmeal!

My favorite breakfast during these cold days. My favorite breakfast in which I will be feasting on until well into April. A perfect fall breakfast choice. Fall. Beautiful fall days.

Fall is for oatmeal. And pumpkin. Which is exactly what I've been eating these last few days, which I'm positive will turn into weeks because I went a little crazy at the store and decided, YES, yes, I did need that entire shelf of canned pumpkin. When Mr. B opens the pantry in search of his cereal I'll have to let him know it's behind the pumpkin. When Mr. B looks for his soup, he'll have to move the pumpkin. When Mr. B wants Saltines crumbled in his chili, "Yes! It's behind the pumpkin." When my sugar bowl is empty and the in-laws need some for their coffee, well you know....

And alongside the 15 cans of pumpkin is a jar of Pumpkin Butter. My wonderful-I-don't-know-what-I-would-do-without-her-because-she-shops-for-me-at-Trader-Joe's-friend found this seasonal item and knew I'd want to try it. (And it would just bring my whole pumpkin shelf together, you know? It did.) I decided to try this instead of apple butter on my bowl of oats. Two things: 1) it was a good call; and 2) oh my stars, is that sweet!

Please caution yourself to a little bit at a time because ouch (!) my teeth. Not exactly a sugar-in-the-morning kind of gal, unless I'm enjoying my once in a blue moon treat, the Double Tall Caramel Macchiato. Or my seasonal Caramel Apple Spice. Hmmm....I need to get me one of those. YUM.

Pumpkin Butter & Spice Oatmeal

Serves 1

1/3 c steel cut oats cooked in water with a splash of unsweetened almond milk and a pinch of salt
unsweetened almond milk
pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1 T chia seeds
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp coconut oil
1 heaping tsp Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter

Once your oats are cooked, place them in a bowl and top with remaining ingredients. Easy-peasy.

Nutritional Information:
308 calories, 14 fat, 38 carbs, 10 fiber, 3 sugar, 11 protein

*Knowing I'll be eating this all week, I'll make a big batch of oats and store individually in small glass containers in the fridge. This way I can grab a container, pop it in the microwave, add my toppings, and GO!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi