A Raw Nut Butter And Lunch With My Favorite Girls

Hey guys. I am thrilled for the turn out of my giveaway. If you haven't already entered its OK because you have until Friday at midnight. Click here and scroll to the bottom for the rules. Some of you are commenting but not doing what the rules say. I am a by the rules chick so make sure you read it thoroughly :)

I am going to rewind to yesterday. I hit the gym for a great sweat sesh first thing in the morning. This was my breakfast and lunch...

Salad topped with leftover Black Bean Fajita Meatballs

Dinner wasn't very interesting so I will spare you. After dinner the little one insisted on going for a ride in daddy's "motor thing", aka his jeep. So we took it for a ride over to my parents house to bring in the mail and check on the cat (they are in Fl.). Here she is on the Renegade...
When I got home I decided to make some nut butter with some red skinned peanuts that had been chillin in my pantry. I used a recipe from a raw cookbook which called for

• 2 cups favorite nuts
• 1 cup coconut water, orange juice, or apple juice

*Grind nuts into a fine powder then add liquid and blend well.

I halved the recipe and used the red skinned nuts (deskined), cashews and fresh squeezed OJ. Here's the nuts before deskinning...
My final product...
Turned out pretty good. I love the texture!

I was so tired last night I hit the sack at about 9. Good thing because I got up at 4:40 am for my class at the YMCA. After getting home I had breakfast and hit the sack again for about an hour more rest. By then it was time to get ready for my lunch date with HEAB. I love her and was looking forward to our lunch because I have not seen her since before my trip to the Dominican.

Lunch was great as always and my bestie that I threw the baby shower for also meet us there. We opted not to add lettuce from the salad bar this time because I bought some spinach to use in there (didn't want to waste the extra weight). Well, I don't know if that was such a great idea.

Wanna see what an almost $20 salad looks like? HEABS girl you were hungry!!! teeeeeheee...
My salad...

Little ones lunch...

Your right she didn't brush her hair today.

Pregger girls salad...
Group pic minus the preggers friend. She wasn't feeling up to a pic and I totally understand!!...
Again don't forget about all the yummy things in my giveaway. I would hate for you to miss out.

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: This isn't really about me but I have to share it anyway. Last night I realized that my husband didn't know what a bikini was. BAAhahahaa!!!! He made a statement about a girl "in a one piece bikini". I had to explain. It was to funny!!!

Not Your Typical Baby Shower & 100th Post Giveaway!!!

This is it guys your chance to win some of my favorite things!!! But first....

I have had a crazy busy weekend preparing for my friends White Trash Baby Bash aka baby shower. The man was outta town so the little one and I had fun filled girls only weekend. We stayed up late all weekend long and hung out at my friends house down the road (the preggers one). There was lots chocolate and a little bit of wine involved pretty much all weekend long. I didn't take many pics but for the 3rd post in row I got to eat outta everybody's favorite bowl...

This bowl contained chia seeds and berries.

I have now polished off Kroger Creamy PB, Kroger Crunchy PB, and TJs Crunchy AB. MMmmm

So on to the White Trash Baby Bash. You would have to know my BFF to understand the theme behind this baby shower. There is honestly no one in this world like her. She is a very unconventional girl with a very unconventional since of humor (its almost sick). haha

I will just show some pics. Don't try to understand....
Here's some of the spread. Gotta have that Nascar!!!

My poo poo vegan cupcakes which by the way I think I found a perfect recipe!!

My dirty diaper chocolate cake.
Not pictured was a beautifully yellowed pee pee punch.

The guests all had to where tags with dirty names. I think someone slipped her an extra one...
We played 2 games. One was a dirty diaper game where guests had to sniff melted candy bar filled diapers and try and decided which brown melty chocolate was gracing the diaper they were holding. Here's some pics of the guests sniffing the dirty diapers...
We also played a game where the mommy to be picked 3 guests to race eating chocolate rocky road ice cream out of a diaper...Some of our guests (some in their finest white trash attire)...
There was also some crazy guy in a diaper...
The mommy to be had a great time. Here she is opening some gifts...
She was really feeling it after the party...
Enough of that craziness. Onto my giveaway!!! Wanna know whats up for grabs? Here ya go...
1 box of Kroger oat bran (my fav.), 1 jar of Kroger Natural Smooth Peanut Butter, 1 jar of Kroger Natural Crunchy and 1 jar of my new obsession, Artisana Coconut Butter!!!!! Don't worry you wont be getting my half eatin jar. I will have a brand new 8oz jar sent to the winners house!!!

How to enter you ask? If you have a bloggie link back to this post and then let me know in a comment below. If you don't have a blog (Kim and Liz) just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite breakfast is.

*For all you with a blog earn an extra entry by leaving a Confession Of The Day after one of your posts and let me know by email.

Contest will close Friday at midnight.

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I used to be such a stickler about going to a restaurant. As a result many of friends do not ask me out to eat anymore because they think I refuse to go. This may have been true at one point but I like to think I am no longer that person. Even if I don't eat I would never pass up good convo. with friends!!!

A Rhyming Recipe

I have been busy getting my home ready for my besties baby shower and also putting together a lot of last minute plans (this ain't your typical baby bash). In the mean time I have had some yummy concoctions and taken a few pics along way but there is not really any order to them. I had this lovely yummy mess as a snack a few days ago....

1. Lactose free cottage cheese
2. blueberries
3. raspberries
4. peanut butter
5. cinnamon
6. YUM!!!

Everyone also seems to ask "where were you when so and so died? , or when blah blah happened" so I decided to take a pic. Here's me the afternoon that MJ and Farrah passed away...

(It didn't feel right to smile)

Yes, sitting at the computer. Where else would I be? I had to know the latest.

Although the day had been sad, shocking but sad, I cheered us up with a new, easy, yummy dinner....

Black Bean Fajita Meatball Pitas
Serves 6

• 2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 egg white (I used egg substitute)
• 2 tsp lime juice, divided
• olive oil cooking spray
• 2 medium green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 ww pitas
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 tomato diced

1. Preheat oven to 425. Mash beans until smooth but chunky. In a large bowl, mix mashed beans, spices, garlic, egg white, lime juice with clean hands until blended well. Roll mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 1/2 in. diameter. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet listed with cooking spray. Bake in oven for 15 min. Before cooking...

2. While the meatballs are cooking, spray a medium saucepan with cooking spray and set over medium high heat until hot. Add peppers and onion and saute for 5 to 10 min., until crisp, tossing frequently.

If you wanna make the Yogurt Lime Cilantro Dipping Sauce you need...

• 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1. In a small bowl combine all ingredients and set aside.

To assemble pitas, place 2 meatballs in a pocket, top with 1/4 cup peppers/onions, 1 1/4 tbsp yogurt sauce, 1 tbsp avocado and 1 tbsp tomato

Nutrition Stats the above assembled pita: 340 calories, 10 grams of fat, 40 carbs, 11 grams fiber, 27 grams protein.

Here's the mans before adding the toppings...
Mine....
All mashed up over my bed of spinach and salsa...
Yum!! Super great dinner and very versatile. The little one loves plain avocado...
(I'm proud)

Yesterday morning the man left for outta town extremely early so there was no gym for this lady :(. Breakfast filled the empty gap...
Cocoa oat bran with bananas and Macadamia Nut Butter.

Lunch was left overs...
and lots of veg with some ketchup (I was having some strange cravings). Lunch dessert was an absurd amount of organic chocolate chips with about 4 different nut butters gracing my spoon. Opps!!

Skip to this morning. I woke up to everyones favorite bowl...
Peanut butter on the bottom and coconut butter on the top. The goodness never ends in this bowl!!! I also had a glass of lemon lime carbonated water with some berries...
Now its off for some last minute shopping and food prep for tomorrow. I also think there may be a slumber party in my future (my parents are also outta town, so its just me and my girls).

Hope all you lovely people are having a great weekend!! Don't forget my next post will be the 100th!! I will reveal the prizes up for grabs and also the rules for entry.

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: Its almost impossible for me to get a good nights rest without the man lying next to me. Its even hard for me to go to bed. I always hit the hay early with him here but without him I never want to lye down.

Ladies Night & A Little Celeb Run In....

Yesterday, was my day off from the gym. I posted the bowl of oats I had that morning in my last post. Well, that bowl just didn't do it for me. I wanted more!!!! So for my mid morning snack I ate the rest of my Oatgurt mixed with berries....
and then served it in everyone's favorite bowl...
...almost empty jar of PB. YUM!!! Stinky but good :)

Lunch was a quick salad and then my preggo friend came over so we could make a practice round of vegan dark chocolate cupcakes for her shower this Sunday. We tried 2 different recipes and I think we found a keeper.

After she left I started getting ready for my girls night. The plan was to go to Mad Donna's but we had a last minute change of plans. One of my friends moms told us we could have free dinner and drinks a restaurant called 1808 and there were also going to be celebrity chefs there. We didn't know the details but free anything is always good with me :).

It was a beautiful place. Here is a shot of the dining room...
Soon after being seated we were introduced to the celebrity chefs who also happen to be recently famed country music singers and winners of Nashville Star Joey and Rory. They serenaded us with a super cute song...
and then came and sat with us for pics.....
Did I mention how cute they are. Joey is super fine. Such a beautiful lady. If you are ever in or around Nashville you should drop by her restaurant that she owns with her sister in law, Marcy Joes Mealhouse. On to the food. First, they brought out these cute little breads along with some olives...
and some dipping sauces...
The one on the left was a honey mustard type sauce, next was a BBQ sauce and the one on the far right was some kind of yummy ketchup (love me some ketchup). Here's my plate (I had seconds)...
The 3 of us all ordered different appetizers and main courses so we could all share. My app. was an Heirloom Tomato Salad with fennel, corn and olive oil...
Another was a Gazpacho with scallops and shrimp....
Last was a Watermelon and Jicima Salad....
I loved how light all the starters were. For dinner I ordered the Pacific Halibut...
another was the Arctic Char....
and last was the Mushroom Ravioli...
Here's my plate with a little of each...
Since it was free, of course we got dessert are you kidding me??? hahaha This was a special of the night made by Joey. It was really rich and good. The 3 of us shared this piece...
I only had 2 bites and picked up hints of cream cheese walnuts and pineapple in the frosting. Mmmmm!!!

All of us girls at the restaurant...
After dinner...
All in all the food was great, not to heavy and I wasn't stuffed when we left. It was a great night and I meet some really sweet ladies!!

Cant wait till next ladies night at Mad Donna's!!

When I got home the perfect ending to the night was seeing this sweet face waiting for me to give her a goodnight kiss...

98 posts down 2 to go until my 100th post giveaway!!!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I absolutely love staying at home and being a "Domestic Goddess" and I really have no desire to work but not being able to buy the little things that I want is really starting to take a toll on me. I almost had a breakdown this morning with an incident at the groomers for the cat when I had to walk out because I couldn't afford a few shots in order to get my cat groomed. Job or no job that is the question???? Super tight budget or a little splurging??? Only the future holds the answers.