hopes & dreams: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

3 little...

fall outfit makers!

Currently going craaaaazy for these 3 little items from ASOS:

Structured NAVY leather jacket! Yes, navy! I love the cut of this jacket and the quilted sleeves.

{$85}

A white peplum top to style-up plain pants and skirts

{$43}

That perfect cozy, long sweater. Layered over skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, dresses and denim shorts {it is Georgia!}.

{$60}

$188 and endless uses!
:) amc

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

How about another reason to dress in blue stripes, create spirited cocktails and serve good ole American food? If the Olympics and 4th of July celebrations kept you wanting more USA excitement- you now have another reason to raise your flag and show your spirit!

Its Election Year! Get fired up from the conventions and throw a cocktail party to celebrate!

Pick a side and let's party!

Deck the house and yourself and red, white and blue!

It's your second chance to try all of those Pinterest ideas you saw from July 4th!

Dress the part and add in a healthy dose of political style: pointy heels, dark shades, crisp shirts and tailored skirts.

Does the flag really ever go out of style? Show that American pride throughout your house!

Try out a tasty new cocktail- like these democrat and republican themed concoctions from Garden & Gun

Get a head start on fall foods with a tasty red, white & blue themed chili bar

Pick your side, catch the convention coverage and PARTY!

vote or die

:) amc

instagram

your weekly {-ish} installment of what I did last weekend in instagrammed pictures.

because life looks cooler in instagram.

Saturday morning wedding craft time with hot coffee

A little calligraphy session thrown in. This is becoming my new obsession.

In the truck and off to Chickaumaga! Enjoying my view from the passenger seat :)

Baby Jarrod's Sports themed baby shower!

The beautiful mom-to-be, Josh's cousin Tya!

baby gift to the man {and mom!} of the hour

After dinner with Tya & Dave {so fun!!!} we hopped back in the truck and got our little butts back to the big city!

But only to pass through...off to Lake Jackson!

Josh got tired of driving and passed the wheel off to Mr Mason

Gorgeous Sunday morning on the lake

a beautiful boat ride

pure bliss

an afternoon on the dock and in the sun

my summer boyfriend ;)

Cheers to Baby Tiller's 'first' beer on his 21st!

beer should be decorated with chevrons tags at all times

A wonderful weekend made for a very tired Monday. It's back to the lake this Friday for the long weekend- I am SO EXCITED!

take me back

:) amc

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Jamie Eason's Meatloaf Muffins: review & recipe

I thought cooking was exhausting. Re-living all of the cooking through this blog is more exhausting.

Jamie Eason's Meatloaf Muffins

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 lb ground chicken breast
3 egg whites
1 cup of quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray your muffin tin

3. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

4. Roll the mixture into balls & place in your muffin tin.

5. Bake for 30 minutes
Makes 12 muffins

Review:
Josh: Loves the crunch of the celery. Feels they are very dense and a bit dry. Added sriracha but likes the original flavor as well. Would eat them again.
Amanda: I HATE THESE. This is so disgusting! The only thing I like is that faint taste of the chipotle pepper spice. Other than that the texture, denseness, dryness, celery and flavor of these are nasty.

If you want someone else's opinion on these:
Jamie's How-To Video
He and She Eat Clean Recipe Post

currently throwing up
:) amc

things i think i need: rice cooker

Hmmm....this kitchen gadget is intriguing! Help- do I need one? Do you use one? What do you make with it?

This little buddy from Amazon.com is only $17!

Looks so useful!

Steamed veggies! {chicken...no way; fish...sure thing!}

It makes chili?

Ready for stir fry or as a side dish

oooh oatmeal!

So let me know- do you use a rice cooker? What do you use it for? It is worth the kitchen space?

decisions...

:) amc

slow cooker clean eating salsa chicken: review & recipe

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Clean Eating recipe from He and She Eat Clean

{Full recipe from HSEC here}

This recipe is intended to be made once a week and should make 5 lunches for 2 people. So far, so true.

Ingredients:
5-7 Chicken Breasts, Organic, Preservative Free, Perfect Chicks
1 can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, with juice
1.5 Cups Salsa {we had a yummy chipotle one on hand}
2 TB Powdered Garlic
2 TB Red Pepper Flakes {eek! this was a LOT!}
1 Tb Black Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

What To Do:
1. Put it allllll in the crock pot; make sure the chicken is covered with liquid
2. Slow cook for 7 hours on low {or 3.5 on high}
3. Shred the chicken while it is still in the pot
4. Spread between 10 to-go containers

This was easily the most simple recipe that I prepped last night. We were tight for time, so I set it on high for 3.5 hours while we worked out and prepped the other food.

Review:
By Josh: Amazing! Loved the level of spiciness and didn't even have to add any additional hot sauce or sriracha. Very tender chicken, tasted nice against the quinoa and black beans that we paired with it. Would like to have it rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla or with some chips nacho-style.
By Amanda: Holy SPICY! I like the level of moisture left in the dish and the shredded style of the chicken was nice. But this dish was just way too spicy for me...I added my quinoa and black beans into it but it didn't help much. My mouth was on fire! The flavor was nice though and it pushed me to drink a bunch of water! I agree with Josh that a tortilla or chips would be a nice addition, really anything to tone down that heat would be nice. :) Next time...half of the red pepper flakes the recipe calls for ;)

Nutrition Stats:
Macros (based on a 6 oz serving):
Calories: 160
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 2gProtein: 36g
Look at all of that protein! We paired our chicken with a super simple quinoa dish- quinoa, minced garlic and a can of drained and rinsed black beans- this made it more filling and a more complete dish.

Bam! Spicy!
:) amc

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal: review & recipe

Gelato for Breakfast!

I wish... that Talenti stuff is the bomb {pistachio!!!}!

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal

First you should know that I love oatmeal. Any kind really- Mom grew us up with Cream of Wheat or Quaker Oatmeal in the morning {and homemade egg mcmuffins, french toast, pancakes, fruit salad...I was spoiled, sooo good!}. I love that oatmeal is warm and hearty and filling, comfort food first thing in the day is simply beautiful!

Second, I am ready for fall and was excited to use a recipe that calls for my slow cooker!

Third, Steel Cut oats are a mystery that I have wanted to try

Fourth- I'm out of things to count.

The slow cooker steel cut oatmeal recipe calls for you to cook your oatmeal overnight- very interesting! This recipe was the last thing for me to prep last night, so at around 11 p.m. I was one very tired girl that couldn't handle complex instructions. {And come morning, I was very happy to have to do nothing but stir and serve!}

{Full Recipe from He & She Here}

Make It Yourself:

Ingredients

3 cups Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats

3 cups Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

10 cups water

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup Truvia for baking

3 tablespoons cinnamon

2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray
Add all of the ingredients, yes even the TEN cups of water. I was hesitant as well- but it works out.
Set the slow cooker to cook for 8 hours on low
GO TO SLEEP!

Wake up in the morning and ignite your arm muscles by stirring the hell out of your oatmeal creation.

This recipe makes at least a dozen servings so I pilled it all into one large storage container and will make single-serve cups before work each morning.

Taste Test....

Creamy, Chewy, Thick, Well Seasoned
Glad I...added in fresh blueberries, the fresh fruit juice from the popped berries was completely necessary to wake this meal up and give it some fresh life
Wish I hadn't...added in a packet of protein powder to the single-serve, the oatmeal consistency didn't take well to a new powdery ingredient. I will not do that again.

Overall- great recipe! Left me full for about 2.5 to 3 hours, energized and warm on the inside!

The nutrition stats:
Calories - 153
Fat - 3.1 g
Carbs - 30 g
Fiber - 4.4 g
Sugar - 0.8 g
Protein - 6.2 g
A great amount of protein, low on sugar and a healthy serving of fiber.

Breakfast is WARM again!
:) amc

the prep-life

I am exhausted! Yesterday I googled and googled and researched and researched eating clean. I already know a ton about it; but what I wanted was a "road map" of what to cook when, and how to be insanely efficient while doing it!

Enter "He and She Eat Clean"... a GEORGIA couple that blogs about their #EatClean lifestyle offering great shopping tips, recipes and the best part...prep suggestions!

I took their Sunday Prep Day post/Our Daily Food post to heart and had my own Monday Prep Day last night! I have always heard of #EatClean-ers prepping to help them stay focused and ready throughout the week, and for the most part I adhered to this lifestyle by prepping snacks and breakfasts and sometimes even lunches. But this! This! is was all-out prep session!

Last night I prepped:

Breakfast for 2 Weeks {me only}
Veggie Packets for 1 week {Josh and I}
Lunch + 1 Side Dish for 1 week {Josh and I}
Afternoon Snack for 1 week {Josh and I}
Dinner for 1 week {Josh and I}

Recipe reviews coming throughout the day!
{I hope...}

prepped to win
:) amc

Monday, August 27, 2012

good morning yoga

{mindbodygreen.com}

to awaken my body before an a.m. workout

preparing for change
:) amc

getting back in

Allllllriiiiiight..........Summer is about over and the wedding is just over 1 month away. I started 2012 off completely focused and energized to get fit and healthy- and I did great! I saw and felt amazing results!
Then summer came along, wedding busyness cranked up, pool parties, patio dinners and happy hours followed. I was able to Eat Clean about 75-80% of the time and my workouts became 3 or 4 rides a week at FlyWheel studio. Not too shabby, I can't beat myself up about any of that. However, my focus needs to be re-set in a major way starting NOW. NOW AMANDA! No more un-clean eating and back to the weight room I go.

To start back up---I found these resource PDF's that offer great information on the Eat Clean ~~diet~~ lifestyle and the ladies at Tone It Up emailed out this week's workout plan.

Time to get back on track- let's go!

Eat Clean Diet PDF Resources:

Tone It Up is doing a challenge right now called "Beach Week"

The girls have laid out workouts for every morning and evening. Read more on their blog here.

Sadly, I didn't do a workout this morning, but I am #EatClean prepared for the day. I will catch up on the workout tonight.

This is going to be a challenge- just about every single evening is packed with some sort of wedding meeting or giant wedding to-do list; but being healthy and feeling {and looking!} good is important to me- here's to fitting it all in!

wish me luck

:) amc