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Congratulations, Sherry!
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If you haven’t heard about VTech’s InnoTab, you probably will soon. This learning app tablet brings interactive and animated reading, educational gaming, creative activities, and a rich collection of applications to children ages 4-9. And it’s now available for pre-order!
Out of the box, InnoTab comes with a full suite of pre-loaded applications including an interactive, animated e-book, motion games, creative activities, MP3 music player, photo viewer, video player, alarm clock, calculator, calendar and an address book.
InnoTab is supported by a cartridge library that features kids’ favorite characters, including Cars, Toy Story, Dora the Explorer and Disney Princesses. Best of all, you can download more interactive e-books, learning games and other content from VTech’s Learning Lodge Navigator and more than 100 downloads will be available by year end.
InnoTab features a 5” color touch screen LCD, a tilt-sensor for motion game control, USB interface, SD card slot for memory expansion, along with a stylus and a headphone jack. All of these are housed in a sleek, durable and compact design for easy portability.
Check out these videos to find out even more about the InnoTab:
· Behind the Scenes with VTech’s InnoTab
· Behind the Scenes: InnoTab’s Creative Activities
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Before I get started, I have to mention my Freshology giveaway that’s going on right now! I hope you’ll take a second to enter – the winner will receive three days’ of food from the Gold plan, a value of $169! This giveaway ends at 2pm Central on Wednesday, so be sure to enter soon!
I am running in overdrive right now, because I am going to adjunct and teach a couple of classes this semester, so I’ve been busy working on preparations for those. I’m excited about it, because I love teaching. I spent a lot of time Saturday and Sunday working on class prep, but the rest of the weekend was really nice and relaxed. Yesterday afternoon we all curled up on the couch and watched Tangled – such a fun movie and we all enjoyed it! I think some parts were a little scary for J & C, but overall it was a hit.
We’re still in the housebreaking phase with Sally (our new puppy, in case you missed the post about her). I’m sure we’ll be in this phase for a while, if she’s anything like Josie was! She will ring the bells on our back door to go out, but she still has accidents every day too. It’s funny to me because it seemed like so much bigger of an ordeal with Josie… but now that we’ve had kids and have been through diapers and potty training, this is nothing!
Alright, let’s talk food. We’ve got something going on almost every night this week, so planning is especially important. And leftovers are my friend.
Monday: Taco Night! Lean ground beef, refried black beans, medium-grain rice are our staples for this meal.
Tuesday: Chick-Fil-A – we’re eating early before C’s gymnastics class. Brian has a meeting so I’ll be on my own… wish me luck!
Wednesday: Chicken Teriyaki with carrots, onion and zucchini. We use the Veri Veri Teriyaki and love the flavor of it! Of course, Wednesday is my last day on the Gold plan and I’ll be enjoying my Freshology food – Pork Loin with green beans and squash is on my menu!
Thursday: We’re having friends over and are making whole grain pasta with a semi-homemade meat sauce. We’ll serve it with green beans and garlic bread. Simple but I figure it’s something almost anyone likes.
Friday: Pasta leftovers – yet another reason to love making pasta dishes!
Let’s catch up on my meals from this weekend… and I have to tell you, I think I’m going to hit the 10-pound mark this week! I am so happy with the success I’ve had on Freshology so far.
Saturday Breakfast: French Toast with Raspberry Compote, Turkey Bacon and Fresh Fruit (330 calories)
I’m a huge fan of compotes and will have to remember to continue using them in place of syrup in the future. I like syrup in some instances, but a lot of times it’s too sweet on its own. The fruit compote is a great balance of tart and sweet, and is a good solution for me!
Lunch: Chicken & Mushroom Pizza with a Side Caesar Salad (320 calories)
PIZZA! I have really enjoyed every pizza I’ve had on Freshology. This was no exception, mushrooms and all. I let Brian try a bite (’cause I’m all generous like that) and he said he could eat that every day. It gives the satisfaction you get from eating “regular” pizza, but none of the guilt.
Dinner: Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Steamed Cauliflower and Green Asparagus (320 calories)
The steak, as always, was awesome. The asparagus was cooked well and I am learning to like it more, although I like the tips mostly! I have never liked cauliflower, but I tried it with an open mind… and discovered I still don’t like cauliflower. Oh well!
Dessert: Marbled Cheesecake (185 calories)
Good stuff! I mix up the chocolate so it’s spread all throughout the cheesecake. Because as we all know, chocolate makes everything better!
Sunday Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar, Chicken Apple Sausage and Fresh Fruit (380 calories)
This was a nice breakfast and similar to something I would have had pre-Freshology. I did add a little salt to the eggs to give them additional flavor. The sausage and toast rounded this out for a nice, traditional breakfast.
Lunch: BBQ Pork Salad with Zucchini, Roasted Corn & Lime-Ranch Dressing (300 calories)
This salad was incredibly flavorful. I let Brian try this one too and he LOVED it – I think pork is more up his alley than mine, but I definitely appreciated all the flavor and texture in this dish coming from the marinated pork, the black beans, the zucchini and even the roasted corn.
Dinner: Pan-Roasted Flat Iron Steak with Asparagus & Saffron Quinoa (320 calories)
It was a little odd to me that I had steak and asparagus two nights in a row, but I’m definitely not complaining about the steak! I’m hooked. The quinoa was my favorite I’ve had – the saffron infused the grains and it seemed more tender than some of the other quinoa I’ve had. SO good! This felt like a meal I’d see on Top Chef.
Dessert: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (165 calories)
Talk about the ultimate comfort-food dessert… these took me back to childhood! I heated them in the microwave for about 10 seconds and OH MY WORD they were so good! I could taste cinnamon and a slight spice maybe provided by cloves… whatever the ingredients, the flavor was perfect and I loved these.
I’m excited to start the Silver plan on Thursday of this week and can’t wait to let you know about the types of meals I get to try. Hope you all have a wonderful week!
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I am SO excited about the giveaway I get to announce in this post, but first things first – let’s get caught up to speed on my meals this week. Thursday and Friday were both super busy, with things we needed to get done around the house and then with company coming over last night.
Thursday Breakfast: Muesli Granola with Non-Fat Vanilla Yogurt, Fresh Fruit and Turkey Bacon (300 calories)
I’ve never had wet granola, that seemed more like a thicker oatmeal. That being said, it was really good. It was sweeter than the oatmeal (even though I actually really liked that) and because I was so busy, I didn’t even get up to run to the microwave at work and warm it up. I guess it might be better warm, but I liked it just fine as it was! The yogurt seemed really thin to me and more like milk, so I poured it into the granola and stirred it, giving a thinner consistency to it.
Lunch: Spinach and Baby Mozzarella Salad with Marinated Cherry Tomatoes (380 calories)
This salad reminded me of one I had before – and with that salad, I didn’t enjoy having the dressing on the mozzarella. So, I learned from that experience and ate this meal deconstructed – snacking on the cheese and beans by themselves and then having the spinach, cucumber and dressing (poor tomatoes got ignored… I just haven’t learned to like them yet).
Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Roasted Celery Root Puree & Wild Mushrooms (330 calories)
This was a very monochromatic meal. I had never tasted celery root before, and the puree was surprisingly good! It had a mellow, almost buttery flavor to it. I didn’t really care for the greens but the chicken was great!
Dessert: S’mores (180 calories)
Yay! I was really happy to have this dessert again. I want to figure out how to make my own low-cal version of it once I’m finished with Freshology because it is seriously SOO good.
Friday Breakfast: Soyrizo Egg Layer Cake with Caramelized Shallots & Fresh Fruit (330 calories)
I was really impressed with this! For those of you that don’t know, soyrizo is a soy-based product that mimics chorizo but is much healthier. I couldn’t tell one bit that it wasn’t the real deal. It was flavorful and had a nice kick to it. Probably one of my favorite egg dishes I’ve had while on Freshology.
Lunch: Asian Beef Salad with Carrots, Napa Cabbage & Ginger Soy Dressing (310 calories)
This was an interesting flavor combination. The beef was tender and I really liked it a lot, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the dressing. That’s most likely because I have a sensitivity to ginger. A tiiiiiiiiiiiny bit of it in recipes is really all I can stand; any more than that and it’s pretty much a given I won’t care for the dish. I just squeezed the lemon over the salad and ate it that way.
Dinner: Turkey Breast Scaloppini with Squash, Tomato & Green Beans (340 calories)
Pretty good meal! I of course love green beans, so I just added a little bit of salt to them and thought they were delicious. The squash was buttery tasting and cooked to just the right consistency. The turkey was really tender and it felt like I got a lot of it with this meal. Once again, I ignored the tomato. It looked pretty, though, and I’m sure it was really good with the seasonings it had on it.
Dessert: Zucchini Bundt Cake with Mascarpone Cream (190 calories)
I’ve got to be honest with you – I didn’t eat this dessert. I’ve had it once before and really did enjoy it, but… Brian brought home thumbprint cookies from our favorite local bakery. I let one of our friends have this dessert, and I ate a couple of thumbprint cookies (I found out the caloric value and matched up the amount in the Freshology dessert). Those cookies are a huge weakness for me, so I felt like it was a good trade.
I know this has already been a long post, but I’ve got to share my weekly video with you. Find out where I stand with weight loss, and get a good look at just how much the winner of the giveaway will get!
One lucky winner will receive three days worth of free food (including shipping) from Freshology – that’s three breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts, a value of $169! This contest is open to all US residents. This is a QUICK giveaway – entries will be open until 2pm Central on Wednesday, August 31.
Mandatory Entry: “Like” Freshology on Facebook. Let them know Frugal Novice sent you! Comment here letting me know you’ve done so.
(Only valid after the required entry has been completed)
Please leave a comment for each extra entry – if you blog about this giveaway and get 3 entries, for example, comment 3 times.
- Follow Freshology on Twitter {1 extra entry}
- Share a link to this giveaway on your Facebook wall {2 extra entries}
- Blog about this giveaway and link it back here {3 extra entries}
- Follow me on Google Friend Connect {2 extra entries}
- Subscribe to my RSS feed {2 extra entries}
- Follow me on Twitter {1 extra entry}
- “Like” Frugal Novice on Facebook {1 extra entry}
- Tweet about this giveaway {1 extra entry per tweet; 2 tweets (not back-to-back) per day} – please use @Freshology & @FrugalNovice in your tweet!
Note: Freshology provided me with the food for review and is providing the food for the giveaway. All opinions provided in this post are honest and my own. I am not being compensated monetarily for this post.
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Karen Kane is a well-known name in women’s apparel. She launched her first collection out of her garage in 1979, and now has grown to be sold in department stores and boutiques nationwide. Karen designs with ease, luxury, and longevity in mind, as you can see in the photos of some of her clothing below:
I got the chance to review an outfit from Karen’s fall line:
I seriously wish you could reach through the computer right now and touch these clothes, because you can immediately tell their quality. The sweater is soft and has a great banding around the collar. It drapes down and I know it will be perfect for wrapping up in once cold weather finally decides to grace Texas. The shirt is a sheer faux-wrap – I wore it over a simple black tank. I’ve never owned an item of clothing with animal print before, but I think paired with the sweater it’s neutralized a bit and I really like it a lot.
The jeans fit perfectly. There’s some elastic in them, so they hug nicely without being uncomfortable at all. The legs are a skinny cut, which will make them great to wear with boots this fall and winter. And ladies, these jeans are slimming. Who doesn’t want that?
I think Karen Kane clothing provides the best of both worlds – you get stylish clothes that are figure-flattering. The line does run on the pricier side, but the quality and style definitely supports the price point – these feel like items you’d have in your closet for a long time to come.
You can find Karen Kane clothing online at their site or on Amazon, along with retailers such as Nordstrom nationwide.
Note: I received an outfit to facilitate my review, but all opinions are honest and are my own. I was not compensated monetarily.
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Welcome to Friendly Friday! Friendly Friday begins at 8pm Central Thursday nights each week. We hope you’ll come back and join us again next week – and remember, the earlier you link up, the higher up on the list you are!
Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.
Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Christi at Frugal Novice, Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.
To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect – this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.
When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it’s a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post – the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!
Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers! We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we’ll select one blog at random and will feature links and a write-up for that blog in the content of next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight one of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen blog & blogger for this week (and feel free to stop by and give her a little extra love):
Momfever is “just trying to keep cool” with five children, a husband, and housework to take care of. Her oldest is 16, a girl, plus she has three boys and another girl. Blogging is one way she retains her sanity as she shares tales of marriage, cartoons she’s written herself, and gives a look into her life as a mother of five. Check out her Wordless Wednesday category for some pictures to make you laugh. And by the way, she does product reviews too.
Now that you know about this wonderful blog, it’s time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we’ll see you back here every Friday! And don’t forget, you can get the InLinkz code to share Friendly Friday on your blog!
All three hostesses appreciate followers through GFC and Twitter, and we’ll follow you back – be sure to leave a comment with your URL and/or Twitter username. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
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Can it be Friday yet? I have been SO tired all this week and am really looking forward to getting a nap. The boys seriously don’t know how lucky they are to have nap time built in each day! I’m going to do this post and then get to bed because I’m getting up early in the morning to go walking again!
Breakfast: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Berry Compote, Fresh Fruit and Mango-Filled Chicken Sausage (370 calories)
This morning was really busy and I got so caught up in things that I completely forgot to eat breakfast! I ended up just tasting it later so that I could review it. By the time I realized I hadn’t eaten it, it was time for lunch and I had promised to meet up with my friend. We went to Jason’s Deli, and I ate a cup of tomato basil soup for 171 calories; that way I could tide myself over until I got to eat my actual lunch for the day, which ended up being way later in the afternoon. I don’t know if that was the best solution, but it worked out ok. I think it was a good experience, though – I mean, there are always going to be crazy days and I better be prepared to deal with them and not eat bad food out of convenience. That’s another reason I think Freshology is so great. It IS convenient while also being healthy, and it takes the work out of it for us.
Like I mentioned, I did taste everything so I could let you all know about it… the pancakes were really good with the berry compote – so good that I didn’t even need the syrup. The sausage was pretty good but a little too sweet for me. My favorite part of this whole meal was the berry compote. I could practically drink that stuff!
Lunch: Five-Bean Vegetarian Chili with Cornbread Sprinkle and a Side Salad (400 calories)
The chili was AMAZING. So, so, so good. I noticed a spiciness to it right off the bat, and then had a little bit of a slow heat that followed. This is a soup I want the recipe for! I let Brian taste it too, and he agreed that we needed to try and make our own version of this sometime. It was great today and would be even better once it gets cold outside. Yum!
Dinner: Roasted Chicken Breast with Ratatouille (330 calories)
I’d never had ratatouille before – my only experience with it was watching the Pixar movie! It was a nice blend of veggies with a blend of spices, which was also used on the chicken. Everything was cooked perfectly, the textures were spot-on, and it was a good introduction to the dish! I let Brian taste this one too and he loved the ratatouille.
Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake (150 calories)
I decided to take a photo of this dessert that would give you an idea of the size a little better. They’re small, but still a decent size – and they pack a rich, chocolaty punch. Who wouldn’t want to end their day with chocolate? It’ll be sweet dreams for me, I guess. :)
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I LOVE freebies, and this one is pretty cool! Use the code below and you can get up to four free tickets to an advance screening of Lion King 3D for this Saturday. If you do plan to attend, make sure to arrive early because seating is first come, first serve. I hope you’re able to take advantage of this great offer and enjoy a fun movie outing with your family!
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I am doing really well sticking to Freshology, but haven’t been as great with exercising. Until now. I, the queen of sleeping as late as possible (even if it means only 10 minutes to get ready including a shower), have committed to walking at 6:30 twice a week. A friend from work and I are going to meet at the park and walk a mile and a half. We started today, and it went really well! I admit I was a little thrown off that it was still pitch black when I left the house, but once we started walking it went by quickly, and it was SO nice having my exercise over with before my day really even began.
Breakfast: Cheddar and Broccoli Omelet with Turkey Sausage & Fresh Fruit (270 calories)
This is probably my favorite omelet I’ve had so far – the broccoli and cheese was a really nice flavor combination! I also like this sausage the best – the maple sausage and the apple chicken sausage are a little too sweet for me.
Lunch: Teriyaki Beef & Vegetable Bowl (310 calories)
Great Asian option! I avoided the cabbage/salad mixture you see on the right, but everything on the left was SO good. The teriyaki sauce they included tasted just like something I’d get from a restaurant. The broccoli and beef were both tender. The rice initially seemed a little dry to me, but once I mixed in the teriyaki sauce it was perfect.
Dinner: Herb-Crusted Turkey Breast with Roasted Potatoes and Wax Beans (435 calories)
I didn’t really get the “herb-crusted” feel from the turkey, although a herbed flavor did come through nicely. My favorite part of the whole meal was the potatoes. SO good! The green beans were great too – I enjoyed this whole meal.
Dessert: Apple and Cranberry Cobbler (140 calories)
I heated this up before eating it – it was a down home, comfort-food kind of dessert. The tartness of the apples and cranberries was really good!
Please excuse me now while I go crash! ‘Night everyone!
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Our week got off to a busy start by having to take our van in to get fixed – finally! In the meantime we’re driving a larger van – a Chrysler Town & Country. It’s not my style, but I have to admit I’m totally in love with the automated doors and hatch. The boys are too… when I picked them up they kept talking about “how cool” every aspect of it was.
J had another gymnastics class tonight and it’s been SO great to watch his progress! When he first started he was a little unsure about everything but now he’s confident and proud of what he’s accomplished. Tonight he came running up to brag about having done some flips in the suspended harness. I’m really glad he’s loving it so much! Tomorrow it’s C’s turn as he and I head to Mom & Tot class, where I get just as much exercise as he does!
I really liked all three of my meals from Freshology today, but I did have some hunger pangs and some serious chocolate cravings… those should go away in a few days, though. I know you ladies out there know what I’m talking about! I was able to resist and ended up with a pretty successful day.
Breakfast: Dark Chocolate Muffin with Turkey Maple Sausage and Fresh Fruit (400 calories)
I thought this muffin would be my favorite, but that spot is reserved for the lemon poppyseed one I had a while back. This was good, but a little drier than the other muffins I’d had. I spread the vanilla ricotta on it and then it was perfect! I just ate a little of the sausage – but I can definitely tell that having protein in the morning helps curb my hunger throughout the morning.
Lunch: Creamy Italian Chicken Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Cucumber (310 calories)
This chicken salad tasted like one I’d order at my favorite little tea shop here in town – creamy and full of texture. I missed having grapes, which is my favorite chicken salad addition, but the dried fruit provided a nice pop of tart sweetness. This felt like a light lunch, but was pretty filling.
Dinner: Blackened Flat Iron Steak with Dirty Rice, Creole Alioli and Jambalaya Vegetables (380 calories)
The steak was SO SO SO good! The beef entrees have pretty consistently been my favorite. It had a slight cajun flavor to it and was incredibly tender. The rice was flavorful albeit slightly dry. I just picked at the veggies because, well, I’m picky like that! Brian said he thought they were good.
Dessert: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake (150 calories)
So, I was a little eager to get to dessert. Obvs. This is such a nice, bright dessert with a great tartness to it countered by the sweet glaze. SO good!
And now, my friends, I’m going to CRASH. I’m getting up to go walking early in the morning so I’d better get some sleep while I have the chance. Hope you all have had a great start to your week!
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I always hear about how kids need routine… well apparently I do too. Today our church switched to two services, and we got up to go to the early service. This means we had to get out of the house TWO HOURS early than most Sundays, which also meant I got a nap in later today. On the plus side, it meant we ate lunch earlier, got home earlier, and the boys napped earlier. I’m still tired, and am about to go crash after finishing this post!
Monday: Lime chicken with black beans & rice, with German chocolate cake for dessert – for everyone but me, that is! My brother’s 20th birthday was Saturday, so we’re having him over for a little celebration with his dinner & dessert of choice.
Tuesday: Chick-Fil-A – C has gymnastics class, so we’ll go early and all eat together as a family beforehand.
Wednesday: Date night!!!
Thursday: Chicken, veggies & brown rice. Something plain and simple! I got broccoli, which is now one of C’s favorites.
Friday: We’re having friends over and will be sampling some Schwan’s food for an upcoming review – they’ve got a lot of good meal options perfect for how busy things can get at the start of the school year.
I noticed a difference in the way a pair of my pants fit today – wahoo! I think one of the hardest things for me in regard to losing weight is impatience. I want to see a difference – a payoff – for all my hard work. It’s been nice actually seeing a little bit of a change, because that provides me with motivation to continue onward. I also had a realization – if someone dangled a candy bar or a healthier lifestyle in front of me, I would choose the instant gratification of the candy bar. I’m realizing that there’s some maturing that had to take place. I had to have the willpower to hold out for the long-term goal.
Breakfast: Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, Basil & Mozzarella with Turkey Bacon and Fresh Fruit (290 calories)
I’ll be honest – I didn’t get to eat very much of this meal. We were rushing around trying to get out the door on time, so I was just able to take a taste of everything for review purposes. I’d love it if Freshology offered a couple of “on the go” breakfast options because so many people do have to rush in the mornings. I was SO hungry all through church, but I was really proud of the fact that I resisted the donuts in our class! We met some friends for lunch at their choice of location – a Mexican restaurant. I had hoped to hit up Jason’s Deli where I could get a side of fruit, but since that wasn’t an option at this place, I googled the amount of calories in tortilla chips and portioned out the number I could afford to eat calorie-wise, along with salsa. I won’t lie, this was a difficult lunch, but being able to munch a little and gulp down three glasses of water really helped. I was a little jealous of everyone’s sour cream chicken enchiladas, but I couldn’t even imagine how many calories would be involved!
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Salad Nicoise with Sherry Vinaigrette (410 calories)
I’d never had this kind of salad before, although I had heard of it. It had grilled chicken, green beans, various colors of potatoes, half of a boiled egg, red peppers, and spinach leaves. I know this is a classic salad preparation, but it was a different combination than anything I’m used to! The flavors were great, though. I don’t think I’ve ever had a blue/purple potato before. :)
Dinner: Pork Tenderloin with Baby Carrots, Dried Fruit & Nut Stuffing, & Applesauce (380 calories)
I’d always heard of the combination of pork chops and applesauce, but had never tried it before today. The sweet/tart flavor of the applesauce was SO good with the pork! The stuffing was slightly sweet and had a mixture of textures thanks to dried fruit and sliced almonds. And the carrots were awesome! See that skinny one second to the right? C totally stole it – and wanted more. Oh well, he’s cute. :) He passed up french fries for it, so that’s saying something! This was a nice, filling dinner. It felt a little like an autumn dish, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it!
Dessert: Sweet Potato Chip Cookies (160 calories)
You can find out my thoughts on these cookies here.
Hope you all have a great week!
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It’s almost 11pm here and I am feeling it. I really hope I’m just tired and not coming down with anything! We stayed up too late last night, but it was worth it for a fun evening at our friends’ house. This morning we thought it’d be fun to take another family trip to the park – at 8:15 it was only in the 80’s, so it was actually pleasant to be outside. J and Brian rode bikes, while C, me, and the dogs were going to walk around the park’s trail. Notice I said, “were going to”? That plan got dashed immediately. Josie wanted to run and was tugging incessantly at her leash. Sally had never been on a leash before, so she was completely confused. We ended up going over to the playground where both dogs were insanely restless as I let C play – kind of a stressful “Saturday morning at the park” experience. So much for good exercise! Why can’t stress burn calories?
My meals this weekend have been pretty good. I’ve run through the circuit of desserts, because I’m starting to get repeats with those. That’s fine with me, though – I like pretty much all of them!
Friday Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese, Chicken Apple Sausage & Fresh Fruit (280 calories)
Scrambled eggs have always been a favorite of mine, so having them for breakfast was nice. I have, of course, noticed that there’s a rotation of side proteins – Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, maple sausage, or chicken apple sausage. I like the bacon options a lot more, because even though the sausage is flavorful I’ve just never been a huge fan of sausage links. Overall, nice breakfast – the cheddar in the eggs made them seem a little rich, which was a treat.
Lunch: Southwest Steak Lettuce Cups with Corn & Black Bean Salsa (450 calories)
I felt like the name of this was a little misleading – it was more of a steak taco. That being said, it was a good steak taco, and I even got some sour cream (light, I’m sure) to go with it! I tried to pick around the corn a little but didn’t really notice it with it mixed in with all of the other parts of the meal – peppers, onions, black beans and the meat.
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas with Roasted Peppers and Onions, Spanish Rice & Beans (380 calories)
Wahooooo – Mexican food! This was a great meal. The rice didn’t taste like Spanish rice to me, but it was good anyway and this is right up there with one of my favorite meals I’ve had on Freshology. It’s totally something I’d order out, and it was SO flavorful that I didn’t feel like I was missing out. The chicken was super tender, too. Loved it!
Dessert: Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake (190 calories)
I’ve written about this before, so I won’t rehash it over again for you – I’ll just say it was as good as I remembered it from last time!
Saturday Breakfast: Mixed Berry Scone with Canadian Bacon & Fresh Berries (280 calories)
The scone was great! It reminded me a little of the blueberry muffin, but with a more dense consistency. The sweetness of that, the saltiness of the Canadian bacon, and the tart sweetness of the fruit was a great combination. I had a busy morning with an event for work to attend, and this meal kept me full throughout all of that.
Lunch: Wild Mushroom & Pork Tamale with Southwest Salsa (240 calories)
If this hadn’t had mushrooms in it, I would have given it 5 stars – with the mushrooms, I’ll say 4.5, because I could pretty easily pick them out and still enjoy the meal. The pork and masa was slightly spicy and SOOOO good! I also liked the added touch of the crumbled cheese, and the salsa added more great heat to the meal.
Dinner: Marinated Flat Iron Steak with Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables (460 calories)
Yet again, the steak was absolutely delicious. The marinade really added great flavor to the meet and kept it tender even when I browned it a little on the stovetop. The veggies were tender and flavorful (C kept coming up to snag some!) and quinoa is… well, it’s growing on me. I may just learn to love it!
Dessert: Dairy-Free Raspberry Cheesecake (180 calories)
I’ve also had this dessert before, and in case you don’t remember, I wasn’t a fan. In fact, I think this is the only dessert from Freshology that I didn’t just love. Well, I tried it again and it is a lot better this time around, although it’ll never be a favorite.
When we were at our friends’ house Friday night, we were playing a board game and one of our friends got out some chips for us all to snack on while we played. I reallllllly wanted some tortilla chips, but instead of eating a whole bowl like I would’ve before, I got one single chip and just nibbled on it every once in a while to get the flavor of chips. It worked really well and I didn’t feel tempted at all!
Hope you all have a great rest of the weekend!