To Grow a Basil

Good Grief I didn’t realize summer is here I know the temperatures say hot (95 degrees) but I am still stuck in spring; it feels as if we did not even get a spring. I really don’t even remember spring going by as fast as it did this year. Christmas is almost around the corner again! I wanted to grow basil this spring but the darn season flew by so fast I never got the time, so I guess I am going to half to grow a basil plant this summer and hope it survives the desert heat.

I have no green thumb; I am a city girl who has no clue about gardening. However if I can master one basil plant, then I know my thumb may just get green. Now that I have my dehydrator I have been drying a lot of fresh herbs that are on sale at the grocery store and use them for spices in my dishes later, but if I can grow them and dry them myself I will save a few dollars in the process.

I am always surprise on how much money I spend on herbs at the grocery store, and most of them go bad in the fridge and in the end up throw them away( what a waist). I am looking forward to seeing my basil grow and being able to pick fresh herbs when needed.

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Ramble Friday: Cameras, Recipes, and Blogs

I am so happy to finally have made it to the end of the week. I am so excited for the weekend although I do not have anything plan. I am going to try to do some things that I meant to do this spring that never got done.
I wanted to tell you guys that I am thinking about purchasing a new camera pretty soon, I have finally saved up some money that I can finally afford a dslr. I am so excited because that means more recipes that look way better. I know many people believe you can do just fine with a point and shoot camera; I completely disagree I have so many recipes with my point and shoot. I have tried every angle and lighting and nothing compares to a dslr. Maybe an iPhone would be better than a point and shoot, but I have seen some ridiculous amounts people pay for service a month just to use their iPhone. I think I will keep my plan and phone for now.
I am really excited to make more recipes I have been going back and forth should I put more recipes on the blog or should I just keep blogging the way I am right now. I really would love to become an all-out foodie blog, but I also love rambling to you guys about the things I do and how I feel. I am still torn between the two.
I guess I have ramble enough for today, I am so excited about my new purchase. Of course before I buy my camera I will show you guys a couple of cameras I am thinking of going with…
Have a good day
Love

Coconut Fudge Bites (Only 3 ingredients)

I am a sugar addict I tell ya! I always have a craving for something sweet especially at night when it is time for bed. I am happy that my cravings decided to hit in the afternoon instead of later in the day; just the excuse I needed to make one of my favorite recipes.
Coconut Fudge Bites is a very simple recipe that is easy and quite healthy for you; all you need is a blender or food processor and 3 ingredients. Let’s get cooking!

The ingredients that will make this treat delicious..

Oh boy I can eat this ball of dough right now, it is so tasty I had about two spoonfuls

Chocolate just makes everything look so much better and taste even better.

Coconut Fudge Bites Recipe(Only 3 ingredients):
6 medjool dates
½ cup dry shredded coconut (unsweetened)
4 squares of 60% dark chocolate

Directions: Add the coconut and dates to the food processor and pulse until the coconut and dates become a soft dough; add the dark chocolate to the mixture and pulse it until the chocolate turns into tiny pieces. Dump the mixture into a bowl and form bite size pieces.

300 Calorie Breakast

This morning I have been debating should I do legs; I decided that I would take it easy today if I have time I will do them later. My arms are killing me from my workout yesterday so I am trying to make sure I do not overdue it this morning. Last week I did my leg work out and I was in pain for three days. I could barely walk the next day each step was painful after the other; I pretty much stayed in bed and studied the whole weekend and didn’t leave it until Monday.
This week I am keeping my calories low in the morning and so far I have been doing a good job of it. I have not gotten to the 300 calorie mark just yet, but with lots of practice and counting I think I will be there pretty soon.

300 Calorie Breakfast:
½ cup oatmeal: 166 calories
1 cup frozen blueberries: 78 calories
3 boiled egg whites: 48 calories

Total Calories: 291 calories

Lets Talk Tuesday: Blog Addition

I decided that since it has almost been a year since I have been blogging; I wanted to talk about how blogging has shaped my life. When I first started blogging I had no clue what I was doing I did not even know that I should tag my post or what tagging was. I also had no clue that people were reading my blog. I thought the only person reading it was me and my fiancé, but then I realized he only read my blog once and that was it for him (not much of a reader).
I was so excited to have just one reader that even when I was sick I would write just for my one reader. I have a few more readers now (not that many), but I am happy someone is interested in what I half to say and eat. I never intended for blogging to become such a big part of my life, but it has become my little baby and I love it so much. Sharing my food stories, my ups and downs of my weight loss journey, and yummy recipes that I create or attempt to make.
I know most of the blogs I love to read are food blogs, I am so inspired by the creativity from these blogs; that I am looking forward to getting more into creating recipes to share with you guys. I want to dabble more into creating recipes that are healthy versions of our favorite not so healthy recipes.
I still have no clue what I am doing with my blog but I do know that I love my readers (hoping to have giveaways someday), and writing about my quirky experiences that happen in my life.

Question of the Day: If you are a blogger what do you know about blogging today that you didn’t know when you first started?

300 Calorie Breakfast

Annyeonghaseyo Everyone,

This weekend I was so busy studying for finals that I did not have any time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo; I wish it would have landed on a Saturday instead of a Sunday that way I could participate in most of the festivities. I guess there is always next year for me with bells on.

I wanted to lower calories this week so I decided that I would start with breakfast this morning; many times I have huge smoothies for breakfast that are about 400 calories or more. I have no clue how I ended up drinking 400 calorie smoothies but it is possible. This is why I have decided breakfast would be 300 calories or less, I was looking for breakfast meals that were 300 calories or less all day yesterday. I found a few but known of them were easy or simple so I am going to see what I can come up with that is easy and quick.

Monday Breakfast:
1 banana- 100 calories
3/4th cup cereal- 80 calories
1 cup soy milk- 90 calories
1 boil egg -70 calories
Total Calories for breakfast: 340

Well I did not land the 300 calorie mare for breakfast today but I will try and keep my calories at the 300 mark for breakfast tomorrow.

Pancake Toppings

I have been looking forward to coming up with a few pancake toppings, lately I have been making a lot of protein pancakes. They are so simple and since I have a lot of time in the morning I choose to make them (early wake-up call). I know I should lay off my obsession with pancakes but gosh I just cannot help it. I really would love to eat them for breakfast lunch and dinner. I think I just may do that and just photograph them so you guys can see how dedicated I am to my obsession.

My main concern with my pancakes is I have been running out of toppings. I used to use yogurt but because of my dairy allergy I decided to lay off yogurt for a while. I am using Walden syrup but it is so bland that some flavors taste like cough syrup. Besides I am all about variety.

I know I can just eat them plain but what is the fun in that, besides I love toppings on my pancakes. I know I could add fruit, but I love for my fluffy pancakes to soak up liquids and get sticky they taste so sweet that way. I am thinking about doing a pancake topping series on the blog. It will be fun and challenging but every pancake should have syrup on it…

Question of the day: What is your favorite topping to add to your pancakes?

Honey Nut Fig Bars

I am so happy to get my appetite back, that cold really did a number on me. I really wanted something sweet that had figs and nuts. I could not wait to get into the kitchen even though the weather has been pretty warm I am still looking forward to cooking.
It was time to use these figs since they have been sitting in the fridge for a while now. I did not want them to grow mold, and since I am not turning on the oven I decided to make a raw desert to kill my sweet tooth.
Honey nut fig bars are a great recipe to share, you will have more than just one.

Honey Nut Fig Bars:
1 ½ cup dried figs
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup almonds
3 tbsp. raw honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions: Place almonds and figs into the food processor; if your figs have tips cut them off (mine did) after pulse figs and almonds until you get a sticky mixture. Add the coconut and honey to the mixture and pulse it; once it is all mixed add the vanilla and mix the ingredients on high. After all the ingredients are combined take the mixture out and use a loaf pan as a mold for the mixture. Press the mixture into the loaf pan, and leave it in the fridge overnight. The next day cut in to bite size squares and enjoy.

What I Ate Wednesday

Happy Hump day! I am getting back into the grove of eating right again, it has been really difficult especially when it comes to photographing what I ate. Most of the time I am busy with school and work, that’s when I am almost finish stuffing my face that I remember that I should photography what I ate. I did have a whole bag of popcorn, banana, two cuties, and two popsicles I forgot to photograph. I guess I am still in my snacking phase I hope I can get over it pretty soon.

Odd Snack Day

Lately I have been under the weather; my dairy allergy has actually made me come down with flu like symptoms. I have been in bed for most off the week, I had no clue that certain snacks that contain milk products can get you sick worse than just eating dairy directly.
I decided to cut out all dairy from my diet including eggs (not dairy related), I miss yogurt but I really wanted to get over my cold quickly. I have finally gotten over it so I decided to include eggs back into my diet again.
The weather has been warm, so I have been drinking smoothies for breakfast and sometimes lunch, most of my calories are coming from popsicles as well. I know I should not eat so many empty calories but 102 has hit, so I gotta stay hydrated and keep cool.
Lately I have been having odd snacks instead of nuts or fruit. I will eat a boil egg and toast, tuna with lettuce, or even tortilla with a slice of meat. I love snacks so something I will usually have for breakfast or lunch I will have for a snack. My snacks have become odd for the time of the day. I am enjoying them since I have lost my appetite which I am hoping will come back soon.

Question of the day: What type of odd snacks do you enjoy?