Saturday Stumbles

Ok, so I just "stumbled" upon this (no pun intended) and thought it was a neat idea.  Because it's late and I don't have a ton of fitnessy stumbles, I'll just share my favorite things that I've read this week.  Check them out when you get a chance!  They are random, but great!

It's Almost Naptime - Parenting a Feral Child = Made me laugh out loud.  

$5 Dinners - Gingered Pear and Blueberry Cobbler = I have placed pears and blueberries on my shopping list because this sounded so yummy!

Once A Month Mom - Healthy Tuna and White Bean Pita = Looks so yummy and I have a ton of tuna stocked up.  This woman's site is great...her baby food section is incredible!

The Cozy House Crafter - Ballet Slippers = I thought these were so cute that I bought the tutorial Tonya listed.  In my dreams, Elizabeth would wear these!


Thanks, Simply Staci and It's Come 2 This for the idea!

Elvis Shake

So sue me for being creative here...but wasn't it Elvis who liked peanut butter and banana sandwiches?  Well...if he liked them with strawberry jelly, then he would probably LOVE this shake.

Now, my husband tells me that in order to call it a "super shake," it has to have at least three additions to protein powder...which this does.  Normally, he is the shake maker in the house.  So the fact that I did this on my own accord is saying something...and I was pretty pleased with it!

Elvis Shake

In your blender put...

3/4 of whatever glass you're going to use of water (or milk, if you're trying to gain)

A couple ice cubes or a handful of frozen strawberries, if you have them

A scoop of strawberry whey protein (I used BSN's SYNTHA-6 in Strawberry Milk Shake) - or, if you used  strawberries earlier, you could use vanilla whey here.

A spoonful of peanut butter

A whole (peeled) banana

1/2 tbsp of ground flaxseed

Blend away and enjoy!!

Our life in pictures

Because sometimes there's no better way to describe our kids!

Our little happy bath-taker.  I told Scott that she is bound to be a swimmer - because she can stay in the water and she doesn't have to wear shoes or socks!

Playing with the Elmo remote...I just crack up at Rachel's face here.  I'm pretty sure Elizabeth took it from her.

Why yes, we have a slide in our living room...don't you?

Angry that mommy is making her clean her crayon masterpiece off the floor.  If you look closely, you can see it.

In the process of "exercising!"

This day, Rachel woke up a good 30 minutes before Elizabeth did.  My baby found every single toy that Elizabeth won't let her play with.  Here she is with the crying baby doll, the princess box and the Teeny Tiny Baby book...all favorites of her older sister.  It is scary how smart this child is!

She told me that this picture on the singing Crayola pad is of Daddy, Rachel and Juno (from Juno Baby).  Nice to see where Mommy ranks, kid...

I love my sister so much...I just want to squeeze her neck...

And topple her onto the floor...

And sit back up when I realize that Mommy is watching...

 

 

 

And then take her shoes off...(not that Rachel cared!)

Why I must workout today...

Two words...GiGi's cupcakes. 

My sweet, dear, happy birthday-singing husband brought home GiGi's Cupcakes.  These are easily the most delicious and sinful cupcake you've ever seen.

Even Rachel was excited.

Of COURSE I chose the chocolate on chocolate!

When asked which one she wanted, Elizabeth said, "That one!" and pushed away the rest of her tuna melt (Exhibit A).  We let her have half of it and I swear, she didn't leave a crumb.

So today I lifted a little harder, ran a little more and have eaten a little cleaner...especially because..well, you saw that beginning picture...there are still three and a half more cupcakes in my refrigerator...

Have a great day!

Winter Fish Tacos

Ok, you are seriously going to have to just trust me on this one.  Scott and I love fish tacos and have a summer recipe with mango salsa and lime that we make about every other week.  I can't even remember where I got it.  One day, I'll find it and share it with you. 

So, I was reading a recipie for a chicken taco that called for acorn squash and I thought that might replace the sweetness the mango salsa offered for a more wintery fish taco.  

Wait!  Don't close out the window just yet!

Can I just tell you, it was amazing?  Really.  My husband even finished off all the food on the table - you know, so we wouldn't have any left-overs. 

And I haven't even told you the best part...BOTH OF MY CHILDREN ATE IT!!  100%!!  Two for two!! 

So I have to share...

Winter Fish Tacos

I used a pound of tilapia for this and it would probably feed four average eaters.  I love using tilapia because it's relatively inexpensive and doesn't have bones.  Plus, it's very mild tasting and works in most dishes.  

Take an acorn squash, split it down the middle and scrape out the seeds and pulp.  Place cut-side down in a baking dish with a little water.  Bake at 350 for about an hour.  

After the hour, take out your squash (leave your oven on) and spray a cooking sheet.  Cut your fish on the diagonal and place on the sheet.  Then (once your squash is cool enough touch) peel your squash and chop into cubes.  Divide them around your fish on the same sheet.  Sprinkle the whole thing with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt and pepper.  Throw back in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes (just watch the fish cook).

While this is cooking, chop one good sized tomato, an avocado and make some slaw with some chopped cabbage, a little mayonnaise and salt and pepper.  Throw your fixings into separate bowls.  Heat 6-8 flour tortillas between two damp paper towels in the microwave for 45 seconds.

Assemble your tacos and add salt and pepper (or hot sauce, if that flips your skirt).  We had this with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. 

Seriously, it is so yummy.  Something about the sweet of the squash with the fish...oh, stop wrinkling your nose! Try it!

mmmmm...Soup!

I love soup in the winter time.  There is just something about the warmth and the smell in the house that makes me feel all domesticated.  It also offers us a major bang for our buck in the vegetable department.  

I'm known for my "dump soups" = just throwing stuff in a pot and seeing what we get.  (And when I say "known," I mean in my house...ha!)  Sometimes my "dump" isn't too shabby, as was the case Sunday when I decided to make bean soup.

This was so random because I've never even had it before but something got me thinking on the line of beans so I bought a bag and started dumping.  I started off with a mind to use a left-over ham bone, but ended up in a more Italian direction.  If you decide to try it, let me know what you think!

Italian-y Bean Soup

Take a 1 lb bag of beans (I used white beans) and set them to boil in 12 C water.  Let them go for an hour.

Towards the end of the hour, take your Dutch oven (do you have one of these??  I LOVE mine!) and heat a little olive oil.  Throw in one chopped onion and some minced garlic (I used a clove).  Then add three chopped stalks of celery (with the leaves) and a couple chopped carrots.  Then add 1 C smashed tomatoes and 1 can of diced tomatoes (with the juice).  Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary and a bay leaf.  Then dump in your beans (with remaining water) and let cook for another hour.  Before serving, add a half bag to a bag of fresh spinach to the top.

Don't let your kids see you do this or they'll freak out.  Just give it a second...

And it'll cook right in there!  Spoon into bowls and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese over the top and you've got a supper healthy comfort meal with very little to no fat!  Of course my husband (who agrees with Emeril in the necessity of using pork fat) commented that Italian sausage would have been excellent in here and it would have.  But I didn't have any.  If you want to add that, just cook it up in your dutch oven in the very beginning...remove the cooked sausage and cook your veggies.  Then add back in your sausage with the beans.  

50% of my children enjoyed it immensely.  I'll let you guess which one...the white beans got soft enough that she could feed herself...which she obviously loves!  You could serve this with crusty bread but that's really all you would need.  It's very filling!

Enjoy!

Snow Day!!

We woke up to 6 inches this morning!  Everyone was excited...except the dogs.

Well, and except for ERS in her snowsuit.  In her defense, it is an 18 month suit and was way too big for Rachel.  So we rolled with it.  She looked like a little Maggie Simpson impersonator.  You can see her pants sticking out of the bottom.  Oh, we have no boots or gloves either.  Scott is going to stop by Target on his way home.  ha!

"Here Rachel, let me take your boots off."  You can see RLS was less than thrilled about the mittens.

I'm not really sure about this stuff mom...but it has me distracted from the snowsuit.

Rachel enjoyed the snow for a little bit.  Why yes, that is a snot rocket, thank-you-very-much.

Getting braver...

Well ok, if Rachel likes it.

Back inside, we all enjoy hot chocolate.  My two little birds drink it off the spoon.  Here is Rachel straining across my leg for another spoonful.

Elizabeth, wanting to know who ate all the marshmallows.