Cookie Troubles

What is up with my Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Every time I go to make these for Mr. B, whether it's the same recipe or a slight tweak, they come out looking different. Every. Time. Sometimes flat. Chunky. Crumbled. Perfect. A total mess. Soft and chewy. Crispy. Hmmm...maybe the cookies reflect my mood?

My old favorite chocolate chips included instant vanilla pudding as the secret ingredient, and then I tried it using mashed up bananas to replace the butter. These made them extra moist (but if left uncovered overnight, the next morning were the perfect texture), and you couldn't taste the banana unless you knew it was in there. Now I always replace the eggs with flax/chia eggs and use less sugar than called for. I've made this version with plain Greek yogurt as a butter replacement, and I like that version best.

I recently ran across this chocolate chip recipe and decided to give the secret ingredient and method a go. I replaced the full egg with a flax egg, and I divided up the dough, making one batch as soon as the dough finished chilling for an hour; the other, I covered the dough balls with plastic and stuck back in the fridge for a little over 24 hours. I sprinkled the sea salt on both batches. FYI. This was by far the fluffiest, creamiest and tastiest batter ever. Not kidding.

The cookies pretty much looked the same, yet Mr. B and I both preferred the cookies from the first batch. For some reason the 24-hour chilled cookies didn't seem to have as much flavor and were a tad too soft for our liking. However, this did not stop Mr. B from consuming either batch within 48 hours. (This is also why I don't make cookies too often; they are devoured.)

With my recent look-back and after annoyingly questioning Mr. B (who can't remember all the varieties really), I decided my favorite cookie is my old favorite with plain Greek yogurt, the sugar halved, flax eggs, sweetened vanilla almond milk, and a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flours, with the addition of chilling the dough for an hour and sprinkling sea salt on top before baking. I must try this combo next time and, of course, I'll be updating you all.

However, in the meantime I might just try this recipe, oh, and this one too. Because I like to try new things. So sorry, Mr. B. I promise to find the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. And I will stick to it.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

{Beauty Series} Oil Pulling

I'm obsessed with coconut oil. I cook and bake with it, use it in my hair, as a moisturizer, home remedies, I use it as a cleanse, eating it by tablespoon every once in a while. Back in February, when my best friend's sister-in-law mentioned she was oil pulling, I was all ears and all in. I've been doing it daily ever since. The results are fabulous. It will forever be part of my morning ritual.

Psst...It's Wear Purple for Peace Day :)

Now, these days I can't read through my blog feed without finding one or two posts about the new oil pulling trend. I've been meaning to share about my experience, and now that I found some unexpected down time I'm blogging away.

So what in the world is oil pulling? Well, every morning after I drink a glass of water, I get up and take a heaping teaspoon of coconut oil and swish it around my mouth for 15-20 minutes. During this time I'm preparing my coffee, breakfast, work lunch, chores, laundry, laying out my clothes, hop in the shower, or taking a stroll around the yard (soon with our puppy!!!!). The more distracted you are the easier it is to reach that 20-minute mark. (The first time I did it I lasted 6 minutes, and by day three I was at 20 minutes.) When I'm finished I spit it in the trash, rinse with a few sips of water, and go about my day. I feel refreshed. My teeth are whitening, and my gums have not bled once since I started (which is saying a lot because I tend to brush a little too hard). It's supposed to help with bad breath, and have anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis treatments, too. Then, after breakfast and coffee, I brush my teeth. (However, I have heard some people only oil-pull and forgo brushing...to each his own.)

So what is the point? One article states, "In India people credit oil pulling with a range of cures, from reducing all manner of aches and pains to even reversing heart disease....It’s well documented, for example, that ingesting certain kinds of oil has a [pulling effect] on other oils and fat-soluble toxins, such as heavy metals and pesticides, drawing these substances from the fatty tissues of the body." It's also rumored to relieve headaches and detoxify the body by pulling out toxins.

Points to remember: Don't eat anything before oil pulling in order to really pull the toxins out of your mouth and body. However, you want to drink a glass of water beforehand to get your saliva going. Don't swallow or the toxins will go right back into your body. Spit it in the trash. It's oil. It will clog your drain, pipes, and toilet. If the oil is grayish or yellowish then the toxins are coming out. (I don't really pay attention to the color, I just spit it out.) Spit the water you use to rinse with in the trash as well. (I heard of people rinsing with salt water as well.) Don't brush immediately after; it's good to let the oil sit on your teeth.

Some people do this at night before bed. I prefer to do it in the morning. Find the time that fits best with you. It will feel weird at first, but trust me you will easily get used to it. I look forward to oil pulling and use it as my natural morning mouthwash. I'm obsessed.

I convinced Mama to try it and, as long as I melt it down a little bit, Mr. B reaps the benefits too!

Please feel free to ask me any questions! :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

all things SUMMER

Sunshine. Thunderstorms. Muggy, sleepless nights. Bugs. Bugs. And more bugs. Batches of iced coffee. Neighbors mowing lawns. Garden bed preparations. Sun tea.

If these aren't signs summer is knocking on the door, then you probably live in Ohio I don't know what is. But they've definitely put me in the SUMMER mood. I say this as I'm looking at the week's forecast and Friday's high is a cloudy 56. Yep. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. (side note: I'm not a huge meatball fan, never have been. I'll take my spaghetti without, thank you. Actually, I'm not a spaghetti fan either. I think I'll stop there before you write me off completely.)

Of course, this calls for a list. If you know me at all you know this is a must and my blog title alone alerted you to another Sweet B's Type-A lists. So, let's hop to it. My SUMMER bucket list looks like....

• drink freshly squeezed lemonade and often
• invite friends and family over for a cookout
• get back into running with the hubby
• drink at least 60 oz of water daily
• buy a new pair of cheap, brightly colored sunglasses
• cross off some DIY projects
• hit up garage sales!
• make 1 night a week HOMEMADE PIZZA night
• take a few day trips (to some outlet malls and the West Side Market)
• make homemade gifts for friends and family
• enjoy my morning coffee on the deck
• get Mr. B to take me to more fairs and festivals
• and, of course, consume as many vinegar-soaked fair fries as possible
• go berry picking (but it has to be with Mama and my aunt because these adventures are hilarious)
• learn or try 1 new thing
• throw a themed party
• hit up the batting cages
• miniature golf!
• visit a new place
• make homemade ice cream in a coffee can
• make 1 night a week SALAD night (it's too hot to cook)
• take my yoga practice outside
• VOLLEYBALL!
• enjoy daily walks to the park
• multiple park picnics
• go to the Drive-In (Mr. B and I haven't been since our early dating days)
• put my homemade ice cream maker to more use this summer (I say this every summer and then end up only using it once or twice)
• buy a few new sun dresses (ooh and hats!)
• cross off a few 30 before 30 items
• star-gaze on the garage roof
• paint the living room
• re-design a few old T-shirts
• make 1 night a week TACO night (with plenty of avocado)
• go to the zoo
• finally buy the contraption that will allow me to make popsicles. YUM.
• read 8 more books on my Bingo Card (so far 9 spaces are complete)
• cross off a few Life Bucket items
• more date nights with Mr. B
• more family game nights on the patio
• tend my garden a little more often this year
• roast some pizzas and pies over a bonfire
•  FIREWORKS
• enjoy multiple corn-on-the-cob-and-watermelon dinners
• make weekly trips to the Farmer's Market
• fondue dinner
• dance in the rain...or a water fight sounds good too
• get in plenty of car washes
• make banana splits
• indulge in homemade peach cobbler
• possibly a theme park...

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Real Life---> Wellness & a Salad

I find it comical that I'm sitting here writing a wellness post for y'all while I'm recovering from the 24-hour stomach flu, which took me out completely this past weekend. And I mean OUT. I missed worked, fretted over program coverage, high fever, dazed and confused for sure. I don't get sick, and when I do it's usually a bout of sinuses and very rarely a head cold. Praise Jesus that I don't get nauseous because I can't handle it. I think it is the worse feeling in the world. Give me a fever. I'll take a whole week of severe allergies if it means I don't have to be nauseous. Lord, help me if and when I become pregnant someday (not that plans for that are soon, mind you.) Actually, Lord, help my husband. I'm sure that will be a definite "for worse."

But after two days of stomaching only soda crackers and a sip or two of Ginger Ale (and then spilling said Ginger ale all over the coffee table rug), I'm feeling much better. Just in time for Monday. Instead of busting out my yoga mat or the new Pilates challenge I was eager to start (just delaying it a day or two) on this dreary, albeit muggy, morning, I'm allowing myself a full day to recover, easing my way back into my routine. So I'm bundled up on the couch enjoying my protein shake, ready to share a few wellness highlights I've been participating in these past few months.

The first involves my place of employment. Over the past year, my job has formed a Wellness Committee in order to encourage its employees to make healthier lifestyle choices by providing diet and exercise motivation. I have the opportunity of serving on this committee and have found it very interesting how differently people view "wellness." Some challenges the committee has organized include:

• "Lose to Win" This was a 12-week program running from mid October through mid December. Each employee weighed themselves on a scale in the office, and whoever lost the most weight/body fat won. Also, it was a team effort, so the winning team won Walgreen's gift cards. (I'm proud to say I was on the winning side of this one.) Yet, I think most employees were discouraged with this program because of the whole weighing-in.
• "Racin' Route 66" was an 8-week program. Those participating calculated the amount of steps he/she took every day. Employees were given pedometers to count the steps. The individual who went the farthest distance received a Fit Bit Flex. Since it was a team challenge, each member of the winning team received Fit Bit Zips. (I now have an indentation on my hip from the pedometer. Ouch.) On a side note: it's actually National Odometer Day.

"Racin' Route 66" was the most recent wellness challenge, and it just ended last week. I am a very competitive person, and to say my team actually came in last(!) is upsetting. Who would have thought the Youth Librarians would end up dead last?! As another co-worker and I joked, next time we pick our own teams. A little competition and humor is good for everyone. Losing is sad, humbling, and motivational, so I keep telling my wounded pride. The goal of the whole challenge: to get people to realize how little they actually walk every day. Instead of emailing or calling, if you can, get out of your chair and walk over to the other person. Instead of playing on the computer or reading on all of your breaks, take a 20-minute walk (weather permitting, or stairs permitting, of course). And from what I overheard throughout the last eight weeks, it sounded like we accomplished just that. We brought awareness to how often we sit throughout our day. And unless I did something outside of work, on the days I worked, I wasn't very active. Unless I have a program going on, I am mostly sitting at my desk. Learning this was discouraging; however, I'm now more conscious of what I need to do outside of work to keep active. I make better use of sunny days and 20-minute breaks. I make an effort to walk around my department more, to walk to my co-worker's desk to speak with her (although she might find this annoying), to take that walk before or after dinner as often as I can. Would I be too nerdy if I told you I'm looking forward to the next challenge?

Source: Google Images

Another little personal "wellness" thing I've been doing, now that more fruits and vegetables are in season, is adding salads to my daily meals. If not adding, then I'm aiming to make one meal a day a big salad. My most recent creation is this healthy tuna salad I've been devouring. Yet, I'm limiting myself with these because I know there is all this talk about high mercury levels in tuna and you shouldn't eat it too often. Oh, but it's so good.

Healthier Tuna Salad with Arugula
Serves 1

1 pouch tuna in water (or 2-3 oz)
2 cups arugula
1/4 c cucumber, chopped
1/4 c bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c tomato, chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
splash of olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar
sprinkle of pepper

Layer ingredients in a bowl and top with oil, vinegar, and pepper. Enjoy with a few crackers. YUM-O.

Also it's National Salad Month, so eat up!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching....movies with the family. Mama came up to visit this past weekend, and we watched August: Osage County. Julia Roberts is my absolute favorite actress of all-time, and when the movie became available on Netflix, it shot straight to my #1 spot. If anything, this movie will leave you with thoughts that your crazy family is actually not that crazy. And Meryl Streep. Oh, Meryl Streep. How she did not win an Oscar for her role of Violet is beyond me. I mean that character is phenomenal. Phenomenal-ly crazy.

This morning we received the movie Out of the Furnace, with Christian Bale and Forest Whitaker, but it will have to wait. The next few days will be consumed with The 2014 NFL Draft. And, yes, it starts tonight, my friends.

Eating....strawberries and blackberries, and I am LOVING this time of year. When the berries are cheap at the markets and actually have flavor.When my baskets are full with about eight or nine containers [each]. When I can't wait to rush home and make protein smoothies or toss a handful on top of some plain Greek yogurt for a healthy dessert. The only thing better than this is peach season.YUM. Then I can make this beautiful tart. But for now I might indulge in this Strawberry Tart.

Planning....this coming week's dinner menu. I'm OCD and love to make lists, and if I don't have lists then I pretty much have no idea what I'm doing. I plan dinner menus every week, and I probably follow it four out of the seven days. Either we've run out of ingredients for the planned dish, something came up and we're unexpectedly eating out, or Mr. B decides he's hungry for something I didn't suggest. So, why do I plan a week full of meals? Because I need to know I know what's going on. Lists help me feel like I have it together when I sometimes don't. Lists make me happy. This week the menu includes my nacho tray (for consumption while Draft watching), possibly my mother-in-law's favorite must-now-have-for-every-event cake because, you know, we're celebrating our Mamas this weekend, some chicken on the grill since it's supposed to be so nice out (hitting 80s today!), stir-fry veggies over brown rice, and maybe some spinach and mushroom omelets.

Reading.... I'm working my way through a couple of this year's and last year's Newbery winners. As a Youth Services Librarian, I'm often asked a lot of reader's advisory questions. While I'm usually caught up on all of the new picture books that cross my desk, the juvenile titles take a bit more time to get through. I don't mind suggesting titles from other librarians' (or award-winning) lists, but I really like to familiarize myself with the titles I recommend to my patrons. This takes a lot of time, and I'm not as caught up on this as I'd like to be. NO, I have not read every.single.book. on my shelves. GASP.

Inspired by....today's Bible verse. "You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." --John 16:24

Excited about....our new Corgi puppy!!!!!! Mr. B and I will be picking up the little guy over Memorial Day weekend. I CANNOT WAIT. This puppy has been discussed for years because we couldn't agree on a breed, and now that day is almost here. Sixteen days to be exact. I don't think Siamese knows what she's in for :)

I promise to share photos. And quite often. You have been notified. It will be Corgi Nation over here.

For now, let's start with these cuties I found on Pinterest. (Just in case some of you are scratching your head and asking yourself, "What the heck is a Corgi?" like my father-in-law did. P.S. I'm hoping you can actually pronounce it, unlike my father-in-law.)

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.]

Shoot. I think we forgot to get something?!

I know I shared the 80-degree day spring cleaning photo a few posts ago, but I had to post again because a few days later came more snow. Cheers to Ohio living.

The never-ending task of creating more space at work.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

3. Baseball

America's favorite pastime.

Football and baseball are really big in my household, currently and while growing up. I remember watching the Cleveland Indians' 1997 heartbreak along with my Grandpa Bays. I'm still heartbroken. But we watched faithfully. Together. Together faithful. Together heartbroken. And so on it went. Ahhh, baseball.

Some of my family members have fond[er] memories. They're devoted Cincinnati Reds fans. Daddy and my brother are among these happy supporters. It can get tense during the multiple "Battle of Ohios" we experience throughout the season (and football season as well don't forget!). It's fun, competitive, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Unlike football, where our family roots for numerous teams, when baseball season rolls around, we're Ohio faithfuls. FYI, for your own safety do not bring up Pete Rose...just don't. Avoid the name unless you're of the Yes-to-Cooperstown! crowd.

Anyhoo, my family loves this sport. Daddy grew up playing catcher and heading to state. My brother and I played (yes, softball falls under this umbrella). Mama and many cousins played softball and baseball. Daddy and Mama coached pee-wee girls softball in my hometown for a season or two. I was part of my small town's first middle school-aged softball leagues. We won the very first game, and remained undefeated for three years, thank you very much. Go Red Team!

I think I was 10 here and ready to get my ball on.

Mr. B is very much a fan of the sport. He almost attended Arizona State on a nice baseball scholarship. Did I mention we love baseball? We try to attend as many games as possible each season. Unfortunately, our alternating schedules don't really allow for this so we aim for four to five games a season. We enjoy attending games as a family, both in Cleveland and Cincinnati. And, of course, don't forget the farm teams!

What I love most about baseball season are the sounds and smells that go along with it. Hitting up the batting cages. The sound of the ball against the glove. LOVE it. Pop-ups in the backyard until you can't possibly throw anymore because your arm hurts and you're running out of daylight. The sound of the cleats as you walk down the hallway. The seventh inning stretch. If you've never experienced a professional ball game, please, please add it to your bucket list. There's nothing like it. And you'll have quite the memorable experience.

Speaking of...we've had quite the memorable experiences.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane. When I was younger, Daddy created round bases out of wood so we could play baseball in the open field behind my grandparent's house. Every summer the whole family (cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and a few neighbors) would get together to play a huge game. I remember one year Grandma was up, using a 2x4 as a bat. She ended up easily making it to second base, mainly because I think my Uncle Rick was a little scared to throw out Grandma. It was quite amusing watching Grandma run the bases barefoot with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Oh, good times.

My Aunt Joann took me to my first professional ball game the summer before I started college. At an Indians game, we were chit-chatting and not paying attention when we heard the bat. If you know baseball, you know what I mean. It made the kind of sound you know ball and bat just connected and it's flying OUT OF HERE. Foul or fair. We were on the first baseline and all I remember is my aunt hollering "Oh no!" We both jumped out of our seats (of course, not quite as gracefully as we could have) to duck in the aisle as we watched the ball pretty much line-drive an older woman a couple rows back. We didn't need to get out of the way. We were safe but, you know, more than happy to entertain the fans around us. Oh, good times.

Walk-offs. Grand slams. Pie-in-the-face celebrations. Fireworks. Bobble head nights.

I have quite the collection.

Another fun story. Mama, I know you know what's coming. I apologize, but I have to. The parents, aunt, and me made our way to an Indians-Reds game in Cincinnati five to six summers back. Mama isn't the huge baseball fan the rest of us are. Mama finds it boring [big gasp]. Mama, and I have to clarify, had stayed up pretty late with my grandma for a chemo treatment the night before. We had seats a few rows back from the third baseline and Mama kept dozing off. The rest of us thought it was funny to yell "foul ball!" and watch her jump up and try to get out of the way. The first two times were hilarious. Then it, umm, wasn't funny anymore. Yeah. Mama was not a fan of our little joke. :)

Yes, very good times. Two-hour rain delays. Snow. Bugs. Extra innings. Camaraderie amongst fans. Booing the Yankees. Cheering favorite returning players. Booing a stalling pitcher. "Hang On Sloopy" in the eighth. OH-IO.

Baseball is where many a Father's Day has been celebrated.

Many an anniversary or a birthday.

It's tradition for us to stop at Steak 'n' Shake as we make our way home. Because stadium prices tend to be ridiculous, very seldom do we actually eat at the ballpark. If we do, it's usually because it's Dollar Dog Night. I look forward to my milkshake whether we win or lose. Yes, I am always a winner.

And I'm in dire need of these.

PLAY BALL!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

What I'm Reading

I found Hartman's Seraphina absolutely fascinating. As you know, in my last WIR post I could not wait to finish this book. Yes, I did choose dragons and a murder mystery and an [almost] love affair over a good night's sleep. It was well worth it. One of the best young adult fantasy novels I have read in quite some time. This book was my selection for this past month's book club. We did another one of those "choose your own and share" readings; however, you had to stay within the guidelines of young adult and fantasy/sci-fi.

FYI. Other members selected The Nightmare Affair, by Mindee Arnett (okay, but written for a really young audience), Stardust by Neil Gaiman ("not sure, have to read more of his stuff") and The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (good, but not as great as her Seventh Realm series).

When the decision to read YA fantasy was made, I was very unsure about what I wanted to read. After much perusal, I chose Seraphina because it was a 2013 Morris Winner, which is awarded to the debut book of a new YA author. It was full of mystery, romance, and fantasy. Even though I was a tad confused at the beginning because I was unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary, I quickly understood and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. (Oh, by the way, there is a glossary in the back of the book, which I did not discover until I reached the back of the book. Just a little heads up.) Hartman's writing is excellent, and her characters and scenes are well developed. I'm not usually into this sort of sci-fi/fantasy/dragon genre, but I was captured with Seraphina and her story. In a quick nutshell, there is a murder and it looks like a dragon did it, so there is now an investigation because the people and the dragons (which take human form when communicating) are supposed to be at peace with each other. Seraphina plays music at court, and she and the [illegitimate] prince team up to discover the truth. But Seraphina has her own huge secret. I found myself frustrated (in a good way!) with some of the situations, wanting some people to open their eyes and hearts a little sooner, shall I say. I might have teared up. I can't wait for the follow-up novel which comes out next year. (The author keeps pushing back the publishing date, which is causing an uproar among her fans. I fall into this category. Hurry up!)

Along with my Easter Bible study and devotional study, I chose to read through the 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue devotional by Deborah Smith Pegues as well. I gave this one 3 1/2 stars on my Goodreads account. I really liked the idea of this book; however, I feel she takes on a heavy subject very lightly. I was hoping for a deeper reading of each of the 30 different "tongues" we must tame daily. Pegues breaks each one into a short 2-3 page explanation, including scripture, with a short daily assessment test. I understand this is supposed to be taken as a daily devotional, but still I think it could have gone a little deeper. However, she does short really well, so I'd highly recommend this to someone who is interested but doesn't have much time. I was very interested in this topic and wanted more examples of taming.

To be completely honest, I found Gone Girl quite disappointing. I have no idea what all the hype was about. This book is...twisted. Not quite my cup of tea. I haven't read anything else by Gillian Flynn and I guess I don't care to. It's not that I completely disliked the book, I found it just okay. Nothing to write home about or to run out and share the details with a friend, recommending it a must-read. (I didn't even feel the need to bring it up to my book club ladies the other night.) To me, it felt quite predictable, and I think that's why I had a hard time getting through it. I already [guessed] how it ended (and my thoughts were right...unfortunately), which caused me to put it down, and reluctantly pick it back up each time. Still, with that being said, I'm very interested in seeing the movie and how it's adapted to screen.

Also, I finally made time to read the much acclaimed Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. It won almost every juvenile award possible. It's been sitting on my desk since award season last year. It was a great and easy read, and quite interesting. I thought it had a very Jim Murphy-feel to it. Definitely worth picking up if you have the slightest interest in the atomic bomb.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi