WIAW #7

- Chicken Sausage Gravy and Biscuit
- Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
- Chipotle Veggie Bowl
- Garlic Cheddar Biscuit, Rice, Lemon Pepper Tilapia and English Peas
- Manna Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Carrots, Celery, Ranch Lite, Cereal with Strawberries



I am picky when it comes to fish. I received several free coupons as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program with Mrs. Paul’s and Van de Kamp’s for their Parchment Bake fillets. I was not sure if they would be good or not but I thought I would give them a try. So far I have only tried the Lemon Pepper Tilapia.



Mrs. Paul’s Parchment Bake Lemon Pepper Tilapia is good! I can’t wait to try the other flavors. The sauce was just right. There was no fishy taste. Each box comes with two fillets. I like that the fillets are wrapped separately so you can cook one at a time. Trey was in town so I cooked both:). He liked them too.

These opinions are my own! I would not share something with you all if I really didn’t like it!



- PB&J Sandwich
- Cypress Inn Grilled Chicken Salad
- More Pancakes
- PB&J Sandwich with Fruit
- Chicken Enchiladas

Question:

• What have you been eating?

Birchbox

Yesterday I received my first Birchbox. If you don’t already know, Birchbox is a beauty sample subscription. You get one box a month and it has 4-5 samples each time. The samples are a “deluxe” size. You pay $10 a month. You do not get to choose your samples so it is a surprise each time. I can’t remember whose blog I saw it on but I decided to try it for myself. I like it so far. (No one paid me to say this. These are my own opinions.)



They wrap everything up so it’s like you are getting a present! I love presents!

When I got home from work today I did 75 crunches and the Tone It Up Saved By the Bell Workout.My legs felt the burn!

For dinner I made a bowl of oatmeal and loaded it with pumpkin, peanut butter and pumpkin spice. It was delish! A year ago you couldn’t get me to eat any type of oatmeal unless it had dinosaurs or gummy bears in it…



This weekend I am going to Mobile! I can’t wait! There is something about Mobile that I just love.

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

This bread is my first time to taste pumpkin this Fall. I bought two cans of pumpkin at the grocery store and have been dying to use it. It did not let me down.



Pumpkin Banana Bread
Adapted from Skinny Taste
Makes 12 slices

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 1 cup whole wheat organic flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbs. margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar.
4. Add bananas, pumpkin and eggs to butter and brown sugar mixture. Mix on medium until completely blended together.
5. Add dry ingredient mixture in and mix on low to medium until completely incorporated.
6. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. fat free cream cheese
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tbs. sugar or sugar substitute

Instructions:

1. Using an electric mixer blend all ingredients together.
2. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Turkey Chili

I invited some friends over for dinner on Thursday night. They were my first dinner guests!

Turkey Chili
Makes enough for 6

Ingredients:

• oil
• 1lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 29oz tomato sauce
• 6oz tomato paste
• 16oz can reduced sodium kidney beans
• 16oz can fat free black beans
• oregano
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• cumin

Instructions:

1. In a large pot cover the bottom with oil. Not a lot just enough to coat bottom. Heat on medium.
2. Place ground turkey in pot. Season with garlic powder. Chop up pieces with a spatula or mash with a potato masher while cooking. Add onions after meat is almost done.
3. When meat is completely done add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir until mixed.
4. Add beans and seasonings to taste.
5. Cook on medium until chili begins to bubble and is thoroughly heated.
6. Simmer on low until served.

Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce or any other toppings you like.



I made Jiffy corn muffins.



For dessert Ashley brought cupcakes from Gigi’s.



These are the Italian Cream Wedding Cake cupcakes.



This morning I finally made it to the gym workout room. My apartment building has a fitness center. It has 3 treadmills, 1 elliptical, 2 bikes, 1 stair stepper and a really old full body weight type thing. Not sure what it is actually called. I think parts of it were broken or else I just didn't know how to work it.

It felt good to workout after several weeks off… Also it is pretty nice being able to walk to the fitness center instead of having to drive. Very convenient.

When I got back to my apartment I found $5 beside my patio! It was pretty windy this morning so I have no clue where it could have come from.

For breakfast I had these amazing eggs with onions, spinach, tomatoes and cheese. I had a side of turkey bacon and grapes.



I am going over to my friend/ex-roommate/new neighbor, Leigh’s apartment to watch the game. She is making a taco salad bar. I am making Pumpkin Banana Bread with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese spread to take. It’s in the oven as I type so stay tuned for the recipe. That is if it turns out good! I have already tried the Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese spread to go on it and it is really good!

Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza

Sunday morning I woke up to the smell of bacon. My wonderful boyfriend:) made me a super yummy omelet and side of bacon. He put cheese, tomatoes and chile peppers inside. I could get used to breakfast in bed…



We went to the mall to walk around for a little bit before I had to get on the road. I bought a really cute winter coat from Belk. It is a yellow/mustard color. It is more yellow than mustard. It was on sale and I had a $10 coupon! I couldn’t resist. Plus I got another 10% off at the register. So after all that it was $36. Now if the weather would cooperate so I can wear it!

Here is a picture from the drive home.



This is the scenery for almost the entire 3.5 hour drive.

After work today I headed to Target to pick up a few things. Target = Starbucks.



Our Target has a Starbucks in it. This is good/bad.Good as in convenient. Bad as in way too tempting. I ordered a grande White Mocha nonfat milk no whip 1/2 the syrup.

I decided I wanted something quick and easy to make for dinner.

BBQ Chicken Pizza! This is so easy and quick no recipe is needed. Just follow the baking directions on the pre-made dough package.



This was so good it shocked me. I was expecting just a mediocre dinner. I didn’t have much faith in the pre-made pizza dough. I had never tried it. But let me tell you this was AMAZING! I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbeque Sauce in case you can’t read the label. It was tasty!

Now time for Bachelor Pad finale!