I'm Baaaaaaa-ack!!!!

Hello friends! I am happy to say I am back and ready to blog more and improve my site. Please forgive me for my hiatus; very busy in my personal life-marriage, traveling, and work!










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I will be back this week blogging about being green- the joys of gardening, tropical/healthy delights, and some garden fresh recipes!

I hope you're happy to have me back, I'm happy to be back! :)


How was your summer?

Share a summer-ending recipe.

I will post mine this week! It's yummy!

What was the highlight of your summer?

My summer has had a number of highlights. First of all marrying the man of my dreams was pretty awesome. Following that was a sweet 2 week honeymoon where we had the time of our lives and embarked on non-stop adventures. Lastly, I am anticipating a fantastic time working somewhere new. My life is truly beginning and this summer/year has made me the happiest...EVER!

Happy Holiday Weekend!

Hey Bloggies! I hope everyone is out and about enjoying family, friends, cookouts, parties, campfires, and best of all- FIREWORKS!!!




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Here is an article which lists all of the firework events in Southern New England:

Southern New England Events

Going to see fireworks and any traditional 4th of July event is a great date idea. They are all fun. Fun moments are the best moments we can share with the one we love.

Other ideas include:

-Beach Day
-Dressing up for a parade or attending a parade
-Taking a trip (ex. Cape Cod, Block Island, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Hampton Beach, etc...)
-Sitting poolside
-OR...Just relaxing with friends and family having a good old fashioned BBQ!



Narragansett Beach-Source


Gotta love this pup- source


Bluffs Beach on "The Block"-source


Nothin' better than a backyard BBQ with my love! Mmmmmm, bacon! -source

Whatever you do this weekend, enjoy it! This weekend is the highlight of the summer for many of us! Thank goodness for being American. Now, I gotta go celebrate my independence!


What is your favorite holiday?

Share a special fourth of July moment/fun event.

Healthy Pizza Bites

Happy weekend all!

Here is a fun, healthy treat to try this weekend: Healthy Pizza Bites. These can be eaten as a dinner with a salad, a snack in-between meals, or wrapped up and taken for lunch during the work week. I used whole-wheat dough, and kept the cheese out of the mix this time. This is rare for me as cheese=my fave! You can also use regular dough, prepare pizza crusts, or naan bread for the pizza crust.






Recipe:
Healthy Pizza Bites:
(Servings Vary)

Ingredients:
-Whole Wheat Dough
-Fave Tomato Sauce
-Pesto Sauce
-Roasted Red Pepper (chopped)
-Grape Tomatoes (cut up)
-Sun-Dried Tomatoes (cut up)
-Spinach




Steps:
1. Let the dough rise and roll it out.
2. Let the dough pre-cook in an oven set to 400 for about 3 mins.
3. Top pizza with above toppings.
4. Place pizza back into oven for 6-15 mins. Crust should be hard and golden brown. Keep an eye as you do not want to burn the delish toppings!
5. Let cool a few mins, then cut into bite-sized pieces.






You can find a similar recipe @ FitFoodieFinds. Lee is great, she has the healthiest ideas! Yay to a healthy lifestyle!






Yum!!!

Happy eating!!!



What is your favorite healthy snack to cook up?

Hmmm...this is a toughy for me, I love these pizza bites, I also love oatmeal baked goods...

What is your favorite no-cook, healthy snack?

Too many! I love fruit, dried fruit, salads and smoothies!

First Ever Delights Post

Here's the thing: I make so many treats throughout the week that I want to share with you all, so I've decided to create a delights page for all the side-dishes,snacks, desserts, shakes, and other things I whip up! What do ya think???

Have no fear, I will keep on posting dinner and date ideas galore!...I knew you were worried ;)

Here are today's delights:

(I've gone BANANAS!)

Peanut Butter Banana (healthy shake idea)
(Serves 2)




Too EASY!!!!!!

All I did was combine a few tablespoons of natural PB, with a couple of bananas. Next, I added almond milk. You can use any type of milk you like.

Play with this shake recipe and you will have a delicious breakfast every morning! Perfect for a hot summer day.





Blueberry Banana Cornbread Mini-Loaves
(Serves 2-6)






Ingredients:
-1 Box of cornbread or muffin mix and the ingredients the box calls for
-1 Sliced Banana
-about 1C. of Frozen Blueberries
-Canola oil spray

Steps:
1. Begin making corn muffin batter according to box recipe (usually: mix+egg+milk).
2. Add the sliced banana to the batter.


3. Add the frozen blueberries.




4. Mix it all together.
5. Use some canola oil to grease mini-loaf pans.
6. Cook according to the temp. and time stated on the box.
[FYI- in mini-loaf pan, time may vary, just use a knife to check the center and be sure it's golden brown on the outside.]




Ding! All done!





This also makes a perfect breakfast or a snack in-between meals!





Yum!!!

Happy Eating!!!



What delights do you enjoy for breakfast?

What's your simplest delight to make?

Super Easy Entertaining

Tonight, we had my future mother-in-law over for dinner. Since it is the beginning of the work week, I opted for the easiest dinner a girl could make: pasta and salad with ice cream for dessert. Too easy, yet still delish and loved by all.

I bought the pasta sauce and meatballs at a local Italian deli, which is superb! Rarely will I buy pre-made foods. However, you can tell the deli serves fresh, homemade, authentic foods. Yum!

Here is the salad bar I set up:




I set up a main salad with scallions, carrots, cukes, and chick peas. I had additional toppings on the side as not everyone likes the same things. The other toppings were: sliced-n-diced leftover grilled chicken, cheeses, fresh cut off the cob-corn, basmati rice, avocado, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and sliced almonds.

God, I really love salads and salad toppings way too much! A little overboard and obsessed, sorry!

Here is the salad I made for myself with all the toppings - crans:







How yummy does this pipping hot dish of pasta and meatballs look?



That's amorè!


Hello carb loading!

...Oh wait, you're only supposed to do this before a long run???---Whoops!

& everyone's favorite...Ice Cream:



Natural vanilla with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Overall, not the healthiest of meals, but we had a great time and it took our thoughts off this depressing/never-ending rainy weather. I'd call it a success!

Yum!!!
Happy Eating!!!!


What easy entertaining meal would you cook?

What's your favorite food?

Get out and go!

To me, the beach is a peaceful serene place where I can clear my head and truly connect with my guy.  It is actually my favorite place to be on any given day and if I could, I would, live at the beach!  How could I not love the place that makes me forget all of my worries? 


This weekend let's get out of the house, and take a ride down to the beach.  Even if the weather isn't fantastic, it always feels great to take a ride down to the beach and breathe in that amazing, salty air!  This ride will feel especially great as I am sure everyone is getting cabin fever from the awful week of rain and dreariness...BOO! 

Fishing Boats in Galilee, RI.  


The ride down will give you and your babe some time to catch-up with this past week's happenings.  If the weather is clear, and you would like to get a little romantic, why not stay for the sunset?  

Stop at Iggy's or Port-side for a delicious, affordable dinner of clam cakes and chowdahh---So Rhode Island!  

Here is a beautiful shot of Charlestown Beach in Charlestown, RI.  To me, this has got to be the most underrated beach in R.I.---On clear days you can see Block Island across the ocean. 

 

This is Beavertail in Jamestown, RI.  If you or your lover are interested in geology or huge grassy fields, this is the place to go.  Beautiful landscapes galore!

Do you have a place where you feel at complete peace?

What is your favorite place to spend time with your babe?

 

Quick Chicken Stir-fry

Happy Tuesday!

How many bloggers are attending graduations and/or lots of parties this week/weekend???

(This one is!!!!)

It is going to be a hectic one! However, that doesn't mean that your love of food or healthy eating should suffer. Try my quick, healthy chicken stir-fry. It is sure to please.





Recipe:
Quick Chicken Stir-fry
(Serves 4-5)

Ingredients:
-1lb. Chicken breast
-1 pk. of Stir-fry veggies
-Handful of Almond Slivers
-Oil
-1T. Garlic
-Salt
-Pepper
-Trader Joe's Basmati Rice Mix








Steps:
1. Slice and dice the chicken breast.
2. Place cut chicken into a pan set to medium heat with garlic and 1-2T. Oil.


3. Sauté chicken until cooked through (while chicken is cooking, begin cooking rice according to packet instructions).
4. Add veggie mix in with the chicken: cook.
5. If the stir-fry becomes watery, drain water and continue to cook. Add salt, pepper, and almonds. Cook 1-2 more minutes.
6. Plate with the cooked rice medley and enjoy!









For extra flavor:
-cook with an Asian marinade
-add soy sauce

Yum!!!
Happy Eating!!!!

What does your week look like? Hectic, or what?

What healthy, quick, go-to meals do you cook in times like these?