Scenes from a wonderful weekend

Friday started out like any other Friday. Me running late for work but still stopping at Starbucks nonetheless.  A sweet guy literally tripped over a chair to open the door for me! I love that Southern Gentlemen nature!  He opened the door for me, only to walk into this tall, dark haired light eyed man.  Um hello- swoon!  He me my eyes and smiled right at me- wearing his adorable sport jacket, jeans and converse! He lingered until after I got my coffee, which seemed like an eternity.  Then lingered even longer to open the door for me when I was leaving. I got in my car and he got into his(BMW BTW) haha.  So I will definitely be "running late" next Friday in hopes of seeing him again! haha (c;

After work, I hit the gym as usual.  I got in 30 minutes on the treadmill (fartlek 5k style) then 30 minutes on the elliptical.  Afterwards, I baked muffins and coffee cake for a baby shower brunch I was hosting for my dear friend Athena.

The alarm went off too early saturday morning, but I was excited for the brunch.  Here are a few pictures of my table-scape and the beautiful mom and her sister(my co-host)

Homemade cookies from Erin's Sweet Boutique

Since this was Athena's 3rd child, we decided on a simple spread.  We also didn't want to play the traditional baby shower games.  They get boring and everyone already knows the answers.  Instead we opted to play a different game- "Celebrity Mom".  It's like Guess Who.  I picked 20 women(actresses, politicians, musicians, etc).  It was fun and a few names really stumped the group! Everyone had fun.  

After the brunch, I headed home for a nap.  Nap time is mandatory for a toddler, and should be for adults also!  

After my nap, I met up with my older sister for dinner and good old girl chat.  We ate dinner at PF Changs, which was tasty.  Then did a bit of shopping, using my birthday coupons before they expired.  Lastly we capped the night with a decaf latte at Starbucks.

On Sunday I met my sister at Starbucks(yes again- and only because I left my new bag coffee in my sister's car).  We sipped and chatted more then headed to church. 

After church we headed to Galveston!  

Considering we have experienced record breaking rain storms, it was great to see the sun!

This was an extra special trip to the beach- I was being baptized!!!!  I was baptized as an infant and have always believed and known my heart belonged to Him.  But believer's baptism is an outward profession that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  This has been a long time in the making.  I attended another church prior to the church I am now.  I haven't felt at "home" until attending Clear Creek Community Church.  This church has enabled me to be at home, serve and be in community.  The women pictured here are the sweet group I get to share my Sunday evenings with as we study His word.  I am SO blessed to be a part of such an amazing group.  (My sister is the one to the right of me, she lives and attends church in another city)

After the baptism we headed to a Seawall landmark- The Spot, for a late lunch.  

After lunch, we all parted ways.  I headed home to begin meal prep and wind down for the evening.

Before church I was able to throw this roast in the the crockpot.

Well that looks digesting doesn't it! It isn't though!  The "black" part is actually coffee grounds. Coffee grounds add a great depth of flavor.  I call this pork "organic" because it is from a wild hog from the farm my sister and her family live on.  haha

Meal prep continued into the evening resulting in this:

Breakfast will be the spaghetti squash egg casserole.  My lunch will be the roast pork, with cauliflower mash with a green vegetable(I have yet to cook).  Dinner will be turkey quinoa burger with a vegetable side(I will be making these Monday night).  If you've never had roasted cauliflower(pictured above) or cauliflower mash, then you're missing out!!!  I will post all these recipes on Tuesday.

It has been a whirl wind of a weekend.  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.  Did you make any tasty creations? If so, please share!!!

A day behind . . .
With the holiday on Monday, I have my days mixed up.  On Tuesday I posted my usual Monday Motivation on Instagram.  Then I forgot to post for New Recipe Tuesday.  I am on track now!

Yesterday was my 30-something birthday.  A lady never tells her age (c;  My sweet niece and 2 nephews etched called me to sing Happy Birthday to me.  That was the best gift I could have received.

Confession- I am TERRIBLE at checking the mailbox.  I did however check it on Tuesday.  My birthday wasn't even on my mind.  I'm glad I did!! Because I received 2 birthday cards from friends.  One friend who lives 3 miles from me and another friend who lives a thousand miles away!!! I felt so special, both contained Starbucks gift cards! My friends certainly know the way to my heart!

I didn't have any big plans after work, so I hit the gym.  After the gym, I played a bit in the kitchen.  I wanted fish tacos but didn't have any salsa.  I remembered I had cilantro and a can of green chillies.  So I created this dinner

That tiny dollop of green sauce is my green chili sauce.

Green Chili Sauce

1-4 oz can of diced green chilies

1handfull cilantro

1/4 c onion, rough chop

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 lime juiced

1 jalapeño, seeded

1-2 tbsp nonfat plain greek yogurt(depending on how creamy you like it)

Throw all the ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend to desired consistency.  Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Wednesday was another low key day.  Work then gym then home.  Wow don't I lead such an exciting life?? haha

My evening did brightened when I remembered that on Wednesdays, the sailboats are on the lake all evening.  

You cannot see the 20+ boats on the lake.  Scenic. Perfect way to spend the evening, lake side with a book.

After the sun set, I headed indoors to whip up dinner.  By dinner I mean this amazing tastebud heaven of a pizza

Spaghetti Squash Crust Pizza!!!!!!

I forgot to take protein out of the freezer so I wasn't left with much options.  I then remembered I had a raw spaghetti squash in the fridge.  I've seen lots of recipes on Pinterest for this crust.  

It turned out really well!  I like a crispy pizza crust(unless I'm in Chicago) and this didn't crisp like I prefer.  However, I will tweak the recipe and it should get crispier next time.  I will post the recipe later.

After dinner I watched the Rockets game and went to bed entirely too late.  

Friends, just two more days until the weekend!!! #weekendwarrior

Scenes from the weekend- WARNING- photo bomb!!!

Hello Friends! How was your weekend? Mine was low key but really good.

Friday night I had dinner with friends from my small group and was home in bed by 10:30. #oldladystatus

On Saturday I went to a pool party/crawfish boil hosted by some friends from my church.  I was excited because this was the first time this summer I have eaten crawfish.  I was also excited at the opportunity to spend some time in the sun.

As you can see, there were plenty of spicy crawfish to go around!  After the party, I went grocery shopping and settled in for a relaxing evening at home.

After church on Sunday, I headed into the city to spend the afternoon with my dear friend Lisa.  Since it is my birthday weekend, we started off by pampering ourselves with a pedicure.

Neon pink looking good in my new J. Crew sandals(50% off- I love the outlet)

After our pampering session we headed to Highland Village for a little shopping before dinner.

I picked up these beautiful plates, again 50% off!  

I also picked up with neat little porcelain juicer, on sale.  You know you're a foodie when you are excited to go to Anthropologie for the housewares not the clothing!

After our shopping trip, we headed to True Food Kitchen for dinner.  We started with these tasty cocktails- Cucumber Martini and Acai Apricot Mojito.

 Followed by the Street Tacos(2 fish, 1 steak)

They weren't as good as I had hoped.  However, Lisa had a quinoa burger that was so tasty.  The real star of the dinner were these!!!

The Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and Flourless Chocolate Cake were to DIE for!!!  If we had known dessert was going to outshine the entrees, we wouldn't have ordered entrees!!  After we stuffed ourselves to oblivion, we headed back to Lisa's place to take her pup, Bailey for a walk.

Sadly, I often forget how beautiful my hometown is!  #houston

After the much needed walk, for both Bailey and us, we drank tea and chatted until midnight.

On Monday, Lisa, had an early training session, so I joined her at her gym to train legs.  Holiday or not- I always train!

Fit Athletic Club is a nice place!  It was a nice change of scenery, but of course, my heart belongs to The Fitness Center!

After our sweat session, we headed to the Drybar.  I had never had a blowout.  I don't usually splurge on things like this but it was SO nice.  Washing, blow drying and styling your hair is time consuming.  It's nice to be able to have someone do it for you!  MEN- you really do have it so easy!

After our blowout, I headed back home to meet up with my friend Faith to continue my weekend birthday celebration.

We ate lunch, then hit the mall to use some of my birthday coupons.  Of course the mall was packed and every store seemed to have a 20+ minute wait to check out! Grrr! So we left empty handed.  We popped in the Nordstrom Rack to see why the hype was all about.  We found WAY too many pretty dresses we wanted but weren't willing to pay $130 for them.  I did fall in love with at least 3 pairs of shoes.  But I was a good girl and didn't buy any.

Next we went to Barnes and Noble for books and coffee(woohoo for free Starbucks birthday drink).  While I LOVE my Nook and iPad, I am still a traditionalist and love tangible books.  I picked up a new cookbook, and another book.  Don't worry I plan to share the book and some recipe creations.  I ran into a friend, her hubby and daughter also.  We ALL sat down in the middle of the store, drank coffee, chatted and shared our book finds.

After a bit, we said our goodbyes and headed our own ways.  

Faith and I needed a snack, so we headed to Chuy's for some tortilla soup.  After dinner we parted and headed home.

Once home, I loved on my cat, who I think thought I left the condo to her. haha  I started meal prep and watched the Rockets clutch the 4th game to secure a 5th game!!!  GOOOO ROCKETS!!!

Memorial Day holds a special place in all our of hearts.Thank you for all the service men and women, who have served, are serving and will serve.  It is because of your dedication, commitment and selflessness that I am able to experience such freedoms and get to write this blog.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all and your families!

The weather is getting bad here.  Wind is picking up and flash flood warnings have been issued.

My prayers go out to all those that have been affected by this severe weather that has been moving through Texas and other parts of the country.  Be safe friends!

How did you all celebrate this holiday and long weekend???

TGIF
Helllloooooo Friday! What took you so long???  haha
Today my boss was feeling quite generous and let me off at 2:00.  That was nice.  I headed to the store to grab some guacamole for dinner and movies with a couple women from my small group.  Sometimes a night in is just what you need.  While at the store I saw these-

Yeah um these had to come home with me! (don't judge me) I absolutely LOVE s'mores.  Hopefully they are good. Thank goodness tomorrow is treat day!

I usually rest on Wednesdays but I trained instead to take today off.  I needed it.  I've been more sore than usual.  I need to adjust my routine or supplements.  I do plan to meet with competition nutritionist soon.  I've always wanted to compete, but I change my mind daily.  haha It would be a big step for me and pushing past my comfort zones.

Since it's supposed to rain tomorrow, I don't think I will be able to fit in an outdoor run )c:  In fact it's supposed to rain all weekend and into next week.  Yuck!  I was hoping to spend some time soaking up the sun.  I guess that will have to wait until next weekend.

I am however going to a crawfish boil hosted by a sweet friend from my church. I'm excited as this is the first time I am having crawfish this season! Shocker, I know!  After the crawfish boil I plan to spend some quality time with my couch and Netflix.  I've been on-the-go so much lately, I am looking forward to being lazy during this long weekend.

What do you all have planned for the long weekend???

What's up Wednesday??

We are half way to the weekend! A long weekend in fact!! Oh and yeah my birthday is Tuesday.  Not sure how I feel about it this year.  Just another day.  Except with cake! haha

Last night I was playing with some new recipes.  I created this delicious breakfast-

Overnight Protein French Toast Bake

2 slices Ezekiel Bread(or whole wheat/grain bread)

2 tbsp vanilla protein powder(I used Dymatize ISO 100)

1 tsp cinnamon, divided

1/2 c Unsweetened almond coconut milk(could use other varieties or cow's milk)

1 egg white

10 drops liquid Stevia

1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Cooking Spray

Spray a glass dish with cooking spray.  Place the bread in the dish.  I a small bowl mix milk, protein powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, egg white, stevia and vanilla extract.  Pour mixture over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon over bread.  Bake for 30 mins.  Then switch to broil.  Broil for approximately 3 minutes.  Checking to make sure it isn't burning.  Serve warm with spray butter or 1 tsp honey or agave.

I think this by far is one of the best recipes I've ever created.  Though I'm a bit partial to breakfast.  I could eat breakfast items for 3 meals a day! Wait what I am saying- I like all meals!! 

Here is my 10:00 snack- baked jicama chips! They are tasty.  I will post the recipe tomorrow.  Can't give you too many in one day, right?!?! haha

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friend and fellow gym buddy for lunch.  We went to Salata- one of my favorite places.  So many options- only one size bowl! haha

My pre work snack was this delicious apple!  This apple was left over from my lunch date with my mom on Monday.  This girl cannot pick a good apple to save my life!! Apple a day keeps the doctor away!

After work I hit the gym for some cardio and stretching before meeting friends at church.  After church I came home and did one load of laundry.  The laundry is piled up! It's bad!  I hope to get it all finished this weekend.

On Saturday I have the Top Gun Run benefitting the Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund. and a crawfish boil with some friends from church.  I hope to squeeze in some sunbathing- if the weather will cooperate!

What is you favorite meal? Do you have big plans for the weekend? Want to invite me?!?! haha (c;

Scenes from the weekend

Hello All! How was your weekend?? Mine was busy but good.

Friday started off well since I only worked until noon.  I threw my bags in the car and headed to Austin.  Well technically I headed to a tiny town outside Austin.  So remote that I didn't have cell signal.  Despite the high tech world we live in, yes there are still parts of the world where you cannot make a call or surf the internet.  I like to refer to this a "digital detox" and it was SO nice.  Which is also why this post is late. I arrived in Austin just in time to meet my sister and nephew before we headed out again to meet family for dinner.

We headed to a town called Winchester to eat at a little steak house.  Since I rarely eat steak, I was quite excited.

While this looks tasty- I was less than impressed.  I will admit it- I am a high maintenance when it comes to food.  If I'm spending money and eating high in calories or fat- then it better be worth it.  This wasn't.  I took 2 bites, and deferred the plate to my brother-in-law, but not before I polished off the steamed veggies.  So can someone redeem this meal and grill me a steak??? 

After dinner we headed back to my sister and brother-in-law's house for the night.

Saturday my sister, her sister-in-law, and mother-in-law drove in Austin for brunch.  We ended up here

It's a great breakfast place.  They're known for their pancakes so of course I obliged.

That is a half stack- one gingerbread pancake and one blueberry pancake.  SO delish!  Yes that is a mimosa in the back ground. Brunch isn't brunch with out a mimosa!

While dining 2 armed service men and 1 armed service woman sat next to us.  The Spirit moved me to pay for their meal to thank them for their service and sacrifice for our country.  Pay it forward friends!!!

After brunch we headed to S. Congress to do some shopping.  Our first stop was Hill Country Weavers. *NERD ALERT* I knit. And I love yarn.  I was quite responsible and didn't spend a entire paycheck on yarn.  My voice of reason(my sister) was policing me.  I did grab these two skeins

These beauties will, most likely, be a pair of socks. Short socks to be exact.

Our next stop was for a cappuccino at this great Italian place called Enoteca.  Epic fail on my part for not taking a picture of the beautiful iced coffee I got.  The weather was warm and I needed a cold caffeinnated beverage to cool down! 

After our 3:00 cup of coffee we left that part of Austin to head home.  Well not before we stopped at this monstrous Goodwill store- as recommended by my sister's friend.  This little pit stop, will require it's own post. It was that crazy! haha 

Saturday night was relaxing dinner with my family.  We sat outside on picnic table and watched the sunset over the hills in Austin. Picture perfect evening.

Sunday was a BIG day for our family.  My sister and brother-in-law were baptized.  Along with 18 other people.  What an amazing experience to be a part of!!

Sunday evening was another big event.  The finale of MAD MEN!!!!  If you haven't watched the series- YOU NEED TO!  I had mixed feelings about finale.  

Did anyone watch it? What did you think?

Today was just another day at the office. 

At the gym- that was different story.  It was leg day and really wanted to push myself to the limit today.  I ran quick warm up mile on the treadmill then started with hamstrings.  

I did decline bench DB curls.  Here is a video on how to perform this exercise.

Here is breakdown of the exercises I did today:

Hamstring Curls- 4 sets, 15 reps

Leg Extension- "    "

Split Squats- "  " per leg

Dead Lift- "   "

Walking Lunges- 3 sets, 20 reps/10 per leg - for this I held a 20lb barbell over my head, like this

Single Leg Press- 3 sets, 15 reps

Thigh Adductor- 4 sets, 15 reps

Then I stretched and used the foam roller.  The foam roller is my best friend!  It painful to use when you're sore but it really helps lessen the soreness.

I've been working on a couple recipes for you all! The house smells amazing and I cannot wait to share them- tomorrow!!

One healthy recipe and one not-so-healthy-or-clean recipe.  Look for the post tomorrow.

Goodnight Friends!

Happy Thursday Friends!!
I don't know about you but I am SOOOO ready for the weekend!  I am traveling to Austin this weekend to spend some time with my sister, brother-in-law and my nephew.  I am excited because I know I will get to eat at this amazing burger place called Roadhouse. Like seriously the BEST burger you will ever eat!! Worth every calorie! Don't judge me- it will be on my cheat meal!

I have been playing in the kitchen as usual.  Since my attempt at homemade "peanut butter" wasn't as successful as I would have liked, I wanted to repurpose the mixture toward a treat.  So threw some stuff in a bowl and came up with these

Protein Cookie Bars

According to my friend, these look like dog food.  But I promise you taste nothing like dog food. Not that I know what dog food tastes like.  This is a rough recipe so I need to adjust the measurements to make a larger batch.  I will tweak the recipe and post it on Tuesday.  #newreceipetuesday

Tonight I had a "meatless" meal.  I did "Meatless Mondays" dinners for years and I really enjoyed it.   That is what really challenged me to create new recipes.  It propelled the cookbook.

Here is what dinner looked like- helluva lotta veggies!

If you haven't roasted a portobello mushroom- you're missing out!!  I suggest marinating it.  I make a simple quick marinade with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, onion and garlic powder, black pepper, sea salt and dried parsley.  Marinate overnight or all day in the fridge.  Roast at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender.  Pure deliciousness!!!  Portobello Mushrooms can be grilled also.  You would still marinate it if you choose to grill it instead of roasting it.

Well my hometown team, The Rockets, are about to tip off. Time to root root root for the home team!  

Do you all have big weekend plans? Anyone have any suggestions for breakfast options in Austin? Other than Magnolia Cafe(one of my favorites)

Have a good Friday everyone! I have the day off haha- not bragging just saying (c;

New Recipe Tuesday!!!
Today was much like any other day.  Except that it was one of bestie's birthday!  Her hubby had to work so the two of us and her 2 daughters went out to dinner.
After I got home from dinner I decided to experiment in the kitchen.  It started out like this-

Can anyone guess what I'm making????  Homemade peanut butter.  Here is the finished project-

As you can tell it didn't come out like I intended.  I can't say it was a failure though!  My ingredients(i didn't add the protein powder) and measurements were appropriate, but my technique was off.  I used my Vitamix blender instead of a food processor.  A food processor probably works better because of the larger diameter of the bowl versus the diameter of the blender.  The "crunchy" style peanut butter tastes good, just a bit grainy in texture.  Not a complete failure as it will be good in protein shakes or maybe I can whip up some protein PB cups.

I want to rework the recipe tomorrow then I will post the recipe.

I appreciate your patience (c;

It is pouring down rain outside, so I will sleep like a baby.  Anyone else sleep heavy when it's stormy outside?

Monday Motivation
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I posted this little nugget of advice

I try to eat as clean and natural as I can.  I often say "If you cannot pronounce it, then you shouldn't be putting it into your body" By pronounce I don't mean ethnic foods. haha  When you read a nutritional label and you cannot pronounce the ingredients- then odds are- it's man made.  And you don't need it.
Here is a great article on reading nutrition labels and understanding what you should consume and shouldn't.

On my quest to run a race every month for a year, I registered for a race called Top Gun Virtual Race.  You can run a 5k or 10k anywhere from May 23rd to May 31st.  May is such a busy month this was the only race that fit into my schedule.  I am planning to run a 5k on the 23rd at the local nature trails by my condo.  I am so excited.  The proceeds from this race go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.  This is a great organization that supports the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans.  If you want more information about the race, you can check out their website, www.fallenheroesfund.org
I will be running this race to honor my cousin.  He has served in the Army for over 10 years.  We all owe our service men and women, and their families, a great many thanks!

I don't watch much tv.  I mainly have it for background noise.  However, I am SO bummed that there is only one more episode of Mad Men left!!!! Is anyone else obsessed with series????  I love the dynamic characters.  You go from loving Don Draper to hating him Don Draper all in the same episode. Same with Betty!  Betty Draper- now that is my girl crush! haha

Anyways, let me get back to my hopeless romantic movie watching- The Lucky One. haha

Good night friends!

Scenic Saturday!!
Hello friends! I hope you all had a great relaxing day!  I did! I was able to sleep in this morning(8:15am haha) then headed out the door for a run.  I ran along side these guys today

After my run my friend and I went shopping for a few birthday presents. (I had 2 birthday parties to go to today)

Since it was a really rough week at work, I treated myself to a little bling!

Apparently Kendra Scott is the new "it" jewelry.  I was clueless.  Since it's my birthday month, I received 50% off! Yes 50% off!  #Winning

Then we headed to one of my favorite stores for some "tools".

I needed a new muffin tin after I ruined mine last week.  I completely forgot to use cooking spray when I was making my breakfast mc-muffins.  Despite soaking and washing the tin- it was a goner.  Sur la Table had a 50% sale so I grabbed a muffin tin and loaf pan.  I have BIG plans for the loaf pan!! Stay tuned.  

I also grabbed these

I am looking forward to trying these "greaseproof" baking cups.  

After the shopping trip we headed to my friend's daughter's 4th birthday.  I hung out of a couple hours and headed back home to freshen up before the next birthday party.

This birthday dinner was at BJ's brewery with family and friends.  I had my usual Enlightened Asian chop salad and a glass of chardonnay.  We sang happy birthday, shared a few poozkies, then parted ways.  It was a nice low key birthday for my friend.  

It's nice to spend the evening at home, chilling out and watching tv.  I going to bed early to catch up on sleep.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!!

Happy Friday's Eve!!!
I am glad the week is winding down. I really need some chill time this weekend.  I got a deep tissue massage yesterday(if you haven't had one- you need to!!) and she really kicked my butt! I was achy today but kept moving and drinking lots of water.

On to the good news . . . .
If you've been following me on Instagram or Facebook then you know I launched my new website!!!!

www.freakinfitfoodie.com

I'm so happy to share this with you!! You can purchase my cookbook- Freakin Fit Foodie Eats- print or E-book version, AND follow my blog all in one spot.  

My cookbook has over 35 simple, clean and healthy recipes. Appetizers, side dishes, entrees, desserts, dressing and protein shakes!  I use simple ingredients that can be purchased at any grocery store or warehouse store.

If you have any questions about my cookbook or the recipes, please let me know!

Well my stomach is growling, time to feed the beast!

Does anyone have big plans for the weekend?? I would love to hear about them! 

Don't forget to honor the most important woman in your life- your mom!! I love you mom! 

Goodnight Friends!!

Hellloooooo Friends!
How was your Tuesday? Mine was pretty good!  The usual- work, lunch, work, then off to the gym.  I need to start putting in more miles than I have the past few weeks.  So I decided to just do cardio today.  I stretched and jumped on the treadmill.  Yes, the treadmill. Hamster on a wheel.  But it was a bit cloudy and I worried that I would be half way from the gym and it start to rain. BC that is just the kind of luck I have.  Anyways, I flew through 3 miles like it was nothing.  I felt so good I wanted to run 3 more, but I couldn't because I was hand delivering a cookbook to a friend.

Earlier I posted this sneak peek photo

Well I turned it into this

Chicken Tikka Masala, Curry Chickpeas and Roasted Tomatoes! OMG it was so tasty.  The tikka masala is missing a spice.  Good thing one of my fave guy friends is Indian and said his mom was willing to teach me how to cook it!!! However my new recipe is dead on for serving size.  I used 2 medium chicken breasts- which equates to 4 servings!  Same serving size for the curry chickpeas!!!  And well roasted tomatoes- super simple and quite addicting.

Since I need to tweak the chicken tikka masala recipe- I will share the Curry Chickpea Recipe:

CURRY CHICKPEAS

1- 15oz can Organic Chickpeas(garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1 tsp coconut oil(could substitute olive oil, coconut has a better flavor)

1 tsp Curry Powder

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until melted.  Then add chickpeas, curry and salt.  Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.  Cook longer until peas are tender but not mush.

Serve!

Done! Wasn't that simple?!?!?!

Well I have an ice pack with my name on it(hip flexor pain) and Astros baseball to watch!  Catch up with you all tomorrow!

Epic Weekend
How is your weekend going? I don't want to brag but mine has been pretty epic!  First I am elated to announce that I have sold ALL my cookbooks.  More specifically the first batch I had printed.  I am so humbled by the outpouring of love and support.  If you didn't purchase one and want one, please let me know.  I am heading to the print shop again this week!!

Friday I met up with some friends for dinner and a concert.

(yes I realize that is just a picture of him playing the piano haha)

The concert was great, the weather was great and great company to go with! Like seriously who can say they've been to an Elton John concert? I'm sure his touring days are coming to a close so I'm so glad I was able to see him play.

My friend and I woke up ravenous this morning!  So we headed out to a great little breakfast spot.  Since it was Saturday, it was our cheat meal day, we went all out and ordered this delicious dish!

(Italian Toast and scrambled eggs- similar to french toast but holy tastebuds it was so much better)

Later I delivered cookbooks to friends who had purchased them and then hit the gym.  It was so quiet, because everyone was either at the beach or on the water.  I wish I was.   I trained back and bi's with a  5- 30 second rounds of burpees then 5- 30 second rounds of mountain climbers.  That kicks my butt every time.

Saturday evening was laid backs. I watched a friend's grandsons for a few hours.  We took advantage of the nice weather and had a "pizza picnic" outside.  These two are a hoot.

I was up early on Sunday for church.  Then hit the grocery store and home for a few hours to read.  Becoming a contagious Christian is a good book. I highly recommend it!

Then at 5 I headed out the door to meet with my small group for discussion and potluck dinner.  My friend made pulled pork.  Her dry rub on the pork was SO good.  She got the recipe from her brother but he said she was sworn to secrecy regarding the recipe.  I'm so bummed.  However when I asked her if there were coffee grounds in the rub- she said yes.  Sooooooo I will be creating a new pork rub recipe soon!

Speaking of recipes, I like Indian food.

Can you guess what I am experimenting with this week??? Chicken Tikka Masala.  Has anyone ever made this at home?  I want to create a "clean" recipe.  I hope to post the recipe tomorrow.  #sundayfunday

What was your biggest recipe/creation failure?  Did you try it again and succeed?