This and that

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Whole 30 ~ Second Week

Whole 30 Program ~ Second Week

Tomorrow I will have done two weeks of the Whole 30 program. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I didn't slip, because I did. But I didn't fall face first into a plate of doughnuts. So for that I am proud. The first couple of days for me were the hardest... Everything that I craved were on the no-no list and that list is large or at least it seemed to me. So what have I ate? Lots of fruits and vegetables and nuts.. Nuts are my life-saver.

During the day when I am at work, I don't have as much cravings. I pack my food, usually something with meat for lunch and then an egg to eat as snack and fruit and vegetables to eat when I feeling a little hungry and I always have some nuts. Nuts are easy to carry around and eat.

EGGS... I should let my husband become a chicken farmer as I eat eggs every day now. AND I don't even like eggs. I have eaten poached eggs between avocado halves, pretending that I have a sandwich. Eggs with sauteed vegetables, eggs with salsa... EGGS, EGGS, EGGs. I am even eating them boiled.

Poached egg and salmon in an avocado "bun"

So, the big question is do I feel better? I do think I have lost some weight.. but this program says not to step on the scale during the 30 days. My jeans are fitting better and I think my face has thinned down a bit. So that is good... But do I have more energy? I don't think so. This I am wondering if it could be because I am working days instead of nights. My routine isn't the same. I am also working more hours then normal too, but I SHOULD NOT BE THIS TIRED. Have my aches and pains decreases or are they completely gone? NO, NO, NO. Even as I type this my hands are so sore that it is painful to type. I think my pain is worse now then when I started this program.

The million dollar question is... Am I going to stay on this. Yes, I will give it a full 30 days. Although there are a few things that I won't give up like french vanilla creamer in my chai. At home I do use coconut milk and sugar free french vanilla syrup but at work I still use the creamer. I am sure that if a true "whole 30" person reads this they will tell me that I am not feeling better because of the few thing I slip up on. I ate 1 cookie in 2 weeks... I think I am doing good, before it would be a half a dozen per day.

I do still crave bread and pizza and cheese and I am not sure that I will ever give those things up. The only grain I have eaten in 2 weeks is 1 cookie and I have had no cheese.. I lived on cheese before. But I think I am eating healthier and that is the only thing I wanted to do with this program... And oh yeah! Lose WEIGHT.

Fried Egg with sauteed veggies and tomatoes

Cucumber, pepper and red onion salad.

To a healthier me...

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

Thursday, April 11, 2013

#FoodieFriendsFriday Linky Party and a Cookie Party

It is Thursday and that means...

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

This week we are having a Cookie Party!

So excited to see what you will bring to the party this week..

Last week's Host Favorites:

The Recipes That Caught our Attention

The recipes are featured at the Daily Dish Magazine
on Monday after the party.

Each week all of the Foodie Friends Friday hosts pick and the recipes are featured over at the Daily Dish Magazine. To have your recipe featured you must have a link back to Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with it.

Maybe next week your recipe will be here.

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/" title="Foodie Friends Friday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj628/busyvegetarianmom/FFFDDButtonNEW150Darker_zpse238f637.jpg" alt="Foodie Friends Friday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Meet our Co-Hosts at Foodie Friends Friday:

Last Week's Party Winners:

Sponsor Giveaway

Voted Top Three

Toddler Friendly Meal ~ Naptime Review
Spinach Wraps ~ From Calculus to Cupcakes
Cafe Du Monde Beignets ~ Your Home Based Mom

Most Clicks

Toddler Friendly Meal ~ Naptime Review
Bilby's Baubles ~ What's on the List
Garlic Balls ~ Rediscovering Lost Art from Our Mothers

Host Favorite

This week my host favorite goes to Your HomeBased Mom for her Cafe Du Monde Beignets. I love Beignets and have had them at Cafe Du Monde. My husband was in New Orleans about a month ago and the only thing I wanted from there was their Cafe Du Monde Beignets. I knew he wouldn't be able to buy them and bring them to me fresh when it is a 24 hour drive so I told him to bring me a package of the mix so that I can make them myself. He went there on the first day they were there and thought he would be returning but didn't, so I didn't get any.. But now I have the recipe, so I can make them any time I want. So excited. Thanks Leigh Anne for sharing these, you made my day.

Picture credit: Your Homebased Mom

If you need more great cookie recipes head over to

the Daily Dish Magazine

#Cookies, Cookies and more... Triple Chocolate Chip Biscoff Cookies

We are having a Cookie Party on Foodie Friends Friday starting tonight at 9pm EST.

I hope you will all join us with your favorite cookie recipes.

I can't wait to see what you will bring.

So in honour of this party I decided to make my own cookies.

I was looking for a recipe to make for a bake sale that my hubby had to bring baking for this week and found this wonderful recipe from Isabelle at Home. I love Isabelle, not only because she is Canadian but she has a wonderful blog and wonderful recipes. You have to head over there and check them out, her post will make you want to come back for more.

This recipe had biscoff and as we always have biscoff in the house, I knew we would have the ingredients. My husband goes through a jar a week. Biscoff and chocolate chips, were could a person go wrong.

I had sent the couple leftover cookies that I didn't pack for bake sale with my hubby and he sent me and email yesterday saying "So can u make some of the cookies made yesterday again? They taste very goooooood!!!". I made a second batch just for him... But remember to check the temperature of the oven. I thought I had turned it to 375 but it was closer to 400 so a few got burnt. But the cookies must be gooooood as he is even eating the burnt ones :).

Yesterday afternoon I got another email from hubby that he received from one of the guys at the bakesale ~~" Your cookies were a huge hit- we had a few people come back to buy more after getting one."

These are one good cookie. Thanks Isabelle for the recipe!

Triple Chocolate Chip Biscoff Cookies

adapted from Biscoff Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup biscoff spread
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cream
1 egg
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup white flour (King Arthur Flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (I used Mimi's Magic Apron Vanilla Extract)**
2 cups chocolate chip or broken baking chocolate ***

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cream biscoff spread, butter, brown sugar, cream,egg and vanilla together. Add flour, baking soda and salt until just mixed. Stir in chocolate. I used my pampered chef cookie scoop and dropped them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Mine didn't flatten out like Isabelle's did.
*** for the first batch of cookies I use 1 cup milk chocolate Ghirardelli, 1/2 cup semisweet Ghiradelli baking chocolate, broken in pieces and 1/2 cup Ghiradelli white chocolate broken in pieces. For the second batch I use 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup white chocolate pieces.
** I won Mimi's Magic Apron Vanilla Extract and love the flavour. It also makes me believe that my mom is baking right beside me as my mom's name was Mimmie.

I even broke down and had a cookie, although I am not supposed to have one as I am on a no sugar, no grain, no legume program right now. But they smelt so good I just had to try them.

I used my pampered chef cookie scoop and dropped them on the pan

Enjoy.

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

LINKS: Great Ideas Thursdays, Swap N Share

Friday, April 5, 2013

Spaghetti Squash Casserole and Whole 30 program

April 1st I started a new program to hopefully help me lose some weight and feel better. One of the doctors that I work with and she is also my personal doctor was telling us about this program that she started and how much better she feels and how most of her aches and pains are gone. She is the same age as I am and I have lots of aches and pains. This diet consists mainly of no grains, no dairy no legumes and no sugar. At first I wondered what I was going to eat, but decided to give it a try... It is only 30 days.

The program is called Whole 30 and you are eating real foods ~ meat, seafood, vegetables, eggs, some fruits and good fats. My biggest question when I read this statement was real foods ~ meats? I am not sure I would consider meat as real food, unless you are buying it from a local farmer, who then probably grain feeds their animals... But then again I am not a big red meat eater anymore and I love fish.

As I was reading this program, I did have to chuckle over the statement they had "Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of doughnuts, there is no “slip”." They don't know me very well, and I could possible do a face plant in a box of doughnuts, well maybe it will be on purpose but I will have slipped .... But I am going to try my hardest and stick to this. I will give you updates as I go along and bring you recipes that I make, hoping that they are ok with this program.

Here is the first recipe that I made:

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb ground chicken

2 cups spaghetti squash

1/2 cup minced onions

1 can Red Gold tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 garlic minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp fresh parsley

1/2 cup diced peppers

1/3 cup diced mushrooms

1/3 cup diced celery
Daiya cheese - small amount or you could use regular cheese.

Preheat oven to 350

Cut spaghetti squash in half, place in dish upside down with about 1 inch of water in it and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes until soft. Set aside for a few minutes to cool. Using fork scoop out squash seperating strands.

While spaghetti squash is cooking, brown chicken, remove fat. Add onions and garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes until they are tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce oregano and fresh parsley. Cook until liquid has diminished some. Add spaghetti squash, peppers, mushrooms and celery.
Place all into casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
I added a handful of Daiya cheese and placed back in oven for a few minutes until melted. You could use regular cheese if you would like. Enjoy!
** I like my spaghetti squash with a little crunch so I don't cook until completely soft. I just cook until I can get a fork through the outside of the squash.
**you could use regular spaghetti instead of spaghetti squash
** to make vegetarian exclude meat.
** any ground meat would work in this recipe.

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

Links: Ugly Duckling Party

Thursday, April 4, 2013

#FoodieFriendsFriday Linky Party and Spring break/Kid's Food

Hope you all are having a great week and the ones of you lucky enough to be on spring break are having a wonderful time and the weather is cooperating with you. Did you go anywhere or do anything special on Spring Break this year? Hubby's spring break was a couple of weeks ago and I stayed at home while he went to Louisiana to build houses with Habitat for Humanity.

But onto better things as it is time for

Foodie Friends Fridays Linky Party

This week we are having a Spring Break/Kid's Food Party

Can't wait to see what you will bring.

It was two weeks ago that we had a party and I want to first bring you

Recipes that Caught Our Attention

Each week will feature the host favorites at the Daily Dish Magazine.

To be featured you must have a link back to Foodie Friends Friday

or the host blog that you post your recipe through.

Maybe next week your recipe will be here.

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/" title="Foodie Friends Friday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj628/busyvegetarianmom/FFFDDButtonNEW150Darker_zpse238f637.jpg" alt="Foodie Friends Friday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Meet our Co-Hosts at Foodie Friends Friday:

Now Let's meet our sponsor this week!

*Giveaway Disclaimer: Facebook is in no way associated with this website or giveaway and holds no liability for this giveaway. "Liking" facebook pages is optional, not mandatory for entry. Sponsors will be responsible for shipping- if there is a delay or problem with prize, you must communicate directly with sponsor.

Julie Link is an independent stylist at Stella & Dot ~giving away one julep bangle in winner's colour choice
You can find her here: Website, Facebook and Twitter

Remember to fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Week's Party Winners:

Sponsor Giveaway

Voted Top 3

Chocolate Bakba ~ Bakewell Junction
Jour Du Macron ~ From Calculus to Cupcakes
Smokin' Manwich ~ Living Rancho Delux

Most Clicks

Lemon Curd Cheesecake Bars ~ Annie's Nom
Smokin' Manwich ~ Living Rancho Delux
Pineapple Grilled Fish ~ Amelia's Dessert

Host Favorite
Foodie Friends Friday

My host favorite goes to Annie from Annie's Nom for her Easter M&M bark.

I love candy bark, it is simple to make and wonderful to eat. You can use whatever candy you want. It is also perfect for any holiday ~ just use candy for that holiday or colours of the holiday. I made some for Easter. My plans was to give it to my nieces and nephews for the Easter gift but we didn't get together. I used white and pink candy wafers for my bark and added Easter Egg M&M's and pretzels. I always like something salty with my sweet candy.

Picture of the Easter Bark I made and candy bags.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake Bars

Last week I decided to do some baking for Easter. I had some Meyer Lemons and I had wanted to make some Lemon Shortbread cookies. If any of you follow my blog or facebook page on a regular basis, you know that I don't always read recipes and just pick what I want out of a recipe and make up the rest.

Well, to make a long story short this is what my dough looked like:

Not really the dough I had in mind when I was starting out my cookies.

I did finally get my cookies made and the recipe is here,

but my dilemma was 'What was I going to do with all the crumbs?'

So I did what any sane person would do.... I went to facebook and asked my followers...

Here are some of the suggestions I got:

Pie crust with added coconut oil... yum I am going to try that

Topping for a fruit crisp dessert... Yes, for sure with the lemon in the dough...

Using for a crustless quiche

and lastly CHEESECAKE..

SHORTBREAD, LEMON FILLING, CHEESECAKE!

Sounds like a winning combination for me and it was...

So YUMMY!

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake Bars

adapted Cheesecake Lemon Bars

Bottom Layer Shortbread Crust:

I used my Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookie recipe with only 1/2 cup margarine. This made close to 3 times the amount you really would need.

You could use any shortbread crust recipe.

Lemon Filling (Middle Layer):

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice

Cream Cheese Layer (Top Layer):

2 - 8oz cream cheese

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In 9 x 13 pan press shortbread crust on bottom and sides of pan. Bake for approx 10 - 15 minutes until lightly brown. Set aside to cool.

In mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest. Pour this mixture over crust.

Mix cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Add beaten eggs. Pour over lemon mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes until filling is set.

***These mixtures will separate once baked. I was surprised that they did.

***I used a water bath to make mine. I placed a pan filled half full of water on the rack below the bars.

*** next time I would add just a small amount more of shortbread crust. I added about 2 cups of the mixture I had, so would probably increase it to 3.

Enjoy ~ I added some canned cherry pie filling on top.

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

Links: Swap and Share, Thursday's Treasure, Food Holiday Link Party

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

At the end of last year I was participating in a Foodie Penpal program. I loved that program and need to start doing it again. Anyways, one month, my penpal sent me some lemon cookies that tasted like a lemon shortbread. For Easter I wanted to make something similar that I could cut into shapes.

I had found some Meyer Lemons at our local Walmart Superstore. I had never tried Meyer Lemons but as everyone was making recipes with them, I thought they must be great. I decided that I would combine a shortbread recipe with lemon juice and use cookie cutters to make them look Eastery (is that a word, it is today!).

I found a recipe for Lavender Shortbread Cookies from Allrecipes, that I thought would work perfect with a few minor changes. It was a perfect recipe once I got it right. I had to make the dough three times before I got them to work out. Mainly because I don't always read recipes. My first two batches ended up being just crumbs as when I finally read the recipe, I realized that I didn't put in enough butter. But I did use some of the crumbs for another recipe that I will share in the next day or two.

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

adapted from Lavender Shortbread Cookies

1 1/2 cup softened butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

2 tsp lemon zest ( zest of one Meyer lemon)

1 tbsp Meyer Lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup corn starch

In bowl, cream together sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and mix well. In separate bowl combine flour and corn starch. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture slowly until well combined. Divide dough into two balls and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Flatten the balls slightly and refrigerate for about an hour ~ until firm. (I put mine in the freezer for about 1/2 hour until firm).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut cookies with a cookie cutter (I used a flower and egg shape). Place on cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 16-20 minutes until edges just start turning brown. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy!

These cookies were delicious, very close to the cookies that my foodie penpal sent me. The only thing I think I will do different is put a little more lemon in them. The cookies that were sent had a very distinct lemon flavour to them. Maybe I will use lemons and Meyer lemons next time. That is if I have any Meyer lemons left. We loved the Meyer Lemons and my husband ate one by it self.

These cookies are great with coffee or tea..