Spiced Baked Apple

Hey my Gorgeous Readers!

Thanks for all of your support these past weeks. It has really helped me get through finals and come off conqueror. I’m at my great uncle and aunt’s home right now and really enjoying the break. I’ve actually slept 8 hours a night here – I can feel the sleep deprivation I experienced from the stress at school. Stress won’t let me sleep well. I can fall asleep pretty easily, but staying asleep is the hard part. After 4 hours I am tossing the rest of the time and can’t stand myself anymore by 6 hours so I get up. But here at my extended family’s home where it’s quiet and peaceful and I have absolutely NOTHING I HAVE to do, I’ve been able to rest and have some fun. My classes don’t start again until next Monday, and since my apartment is already set up and I have my folders already organized to insert my next class assignments, I really don’t have anything to do except rest and focus on taking care of myself emotionally, physically (getting enough sleep, exercising for energy and strength, and nourishing with healthful food), and spiritually. I’m enjoying this time to focus on my scriptures, the piano, skyping and talking with my family, etc. It’s been a nice relief.

Anyways, I promised I’d be back with some deliciousness!

Here’s one of my favorite desserts – something easily made and quite good for you.

A Single-Lady Spiced Baked Apple!

Core and cut the apple in half.

Measure out the smart balance butter, cinnamon, and stevia and add them to the bottom of a large soup bowl or pasta plate (you can also use a glass baking dish).

Melt the butter mixture and spread it to cover the bottom of the bowl/pan. Place each apple half face down over the cinnamon mixture, and microwave for 4 minutes, or until soft.

Place each apple half face down over the cinnamon mixture, and microwave for 4 minutes, or until soft.

Grab a fork and dig in!

Spiced Baked Apple

Ingredients

• 1 apple, cored and cut in half
  
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp. smart balance lite buttery spread (or butter/coconut oil)
  
• 1 packet stevia (or a large pinch of sweetener of choice)
  

Directions

Melt the smart balance with the cinnamon and stevia at the bottom of a large soup bowl or pasta plate. Place each apple half face down over the cinnamon mixture and microwave for 4 minutes, or until soft. Grab a fork and DIG IN!

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I love how I can throw this in the microwave and have a dessert that tastes like it took a whole lot more effort than it actually did. I hope you enjoy this as much I as do!

With lots of hugs,

What Kat Ate# 19 – TFC edition

Hey My Colorful Autumn Leaves!

Thanks for all of your comments on my last post. You’re support really means a lot to me and always brightens up my day. I’ve been really enjoying the convenience slow cookers can bring into my life (and the deliciousness too!). It’s helped me start adapting to a college-thinking mindset and get into the groove of it.

As a part of ThisFitChick’s program, I’ve been following these guidelines, which are pretty adaptable for any kind of diet (from gluten-free to paleo to vegan to whatever!).

Thanks for hosting these WIAW parties, Jenn! They are always so much fun!

BREAKFAST:

This morning I found a bag of mushrooms that need to be used, so I sautéed them up in a little olive oil and had them with an egg w/ a few egg whites (seasoned with chili powder, garlic seasoning, and a mix of herbs), a big handful of almonds, and a large apple.

LUNCH:

A vegan burger with chickpeas, almonds, and homemade kale chips! I made the kale chips by rinsing the leaves, removing the stems, tearing the leaves into bite-size bites and laid them out on a dry baking sheet. (I use enough kale leaves to fill the sheet.) I sprayed them with oil olive and topped with ground pepper and a little garlic salt. I then baked them at 400*F for about 10 minutes until they crisp up. They don’t take long to prepare and are a delicious addition to any meal (or snack).

SNACK:

Bowl(s) of frozen strawberries.

(This picture is cropped from another picture because I always seem to eat my strawberries before I ever get the chance to take a picture.) My parents bought a HUGE 6lb bag of frozen strawberries from Costco a few days ago and I feel like I am in heaven! I am an absolute strawberry monstah! They are my favorite fruit EVER! I can seriously go through an entire 2-lb bucket of them all by myself (not that I would know… ). That’s why we buy frozen ones now — they take me longer to go through.

DINNER:

A big bowl of my Slow Cooker Quinoa with Black Beans topped with coconut oil and a little garlic salt alongside a 10oz package of frozen spinach cooked and topped with smart balance light buttery spread.

Note: There’s almost always some unsweetened vanilla almond milk in my day too cause I love it so much. Also, some mornings I have oatmeal, a smoothie, or pancakes, or what I have pictured above  – my meals just really depend on what I’m in the mood for and/or have the time for. 

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Favorite food pictured?

I’m loving strawberries right now, so I’m going to go with them. <3

Which recipe do you want next: Cake-Batter Almond Butter? Homemade Evaporated Milk? Or Copy-Cat Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat Bread?

I always love nut butter, but that’s just me.

With lots of hugs,

Week 5 + Slow Cooker Quinoa with Black Beans

Hey My Darling Doves!

Thanks for all of your comments on my last post. Last night was definitely not a best night of sleep (I got home late and tossed most of the night), but hopefully I will get to bed earlier tonight and get a good night’s rest.

I just finished my fifth week of ThisFitChick’s workout program – and the intensity has really gone up. Split days have been included and drop sets introduced. I love the definition I’ve been getting in my arms from this program (and have learned A LOT from it and discovered a lot about myself that I didn’t know before). My arms were KILLING me today as I was doing the drop-sets since I had just worked my arms the day before. (I always have Sunday as my day of rest, and so I did it today instead of tomorrow, so I didn’t have a day’s rest between…. I’ll try to figure this out for this next week so that doesn’t happen – I may have to move some of the workouts around, but I’ll get them all in.) This week I mixed up the cardio again, so Jillian and Kim’s sections on the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD for the cardio (as I can’t use a treadmill, but I pick other cardio based on the workout planned to fit in with the goal of that cardio workout – the cardio max usually fits that bill). Another one of the weight-lifting moves I had to change because I don’t have access to a leg press machine, so I did weighted squats in their place. Still got the burn.

Since I’m going up to college and will be living in a dorm in less than 8 weeks, I’ve been striving to find meals and recipes I can easily prepare at college and don’t take a lot of time to do so. One of those things is my slow cooker (who will be my BEST friend in January – he can help keep me warm! ). This is one of my favorite recipes for the slow cooker.

My Slow Cooker Quinoa with Black Beans!

Chop up an onion. Heat a little coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan, sautéing until lightly browned.

Take off the heat and set aside (remember to turn off the burner!).

Thoroughly wash the quinoa. I do this by placing my quinoa in a bowl and adding water over it (enough to thoroughly cover it).

Then I stir it around with my finger and/or spoon for a few minutes until the water gets cloudy. That cloudiness is that bitter flavor coming off of the quinoa, so don’t skip this part if you can help it! I like rinsing it a little bit longer just to make sure.

Strain the quinoa and grab your slow cooker!

Rinse the black beans and add them to the bowl.

Followed by the quinoa, carrots, and sautéed onion and garlic.

Add the cumin, chili powder, and top it off with the water.

Stir them all together.

Cook on High for 2-3 hours, until the quinoa is cooked and their little “tails” emerge from the seeds.

Fluff it up with a fork. Serve. Makes about 8 cups worth.

I like to top it with some more coconut oil and a dash of garlic salt.

Slow Cooker Quinoa with Black Beans

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  
• 1 (15-oz) sliced carrots (or 1 ¾ cup sliced raw carrots)
  
• 2 (15-oz) cans black beans (or 3 ½ cup prepared beans)
  
• 1 ½ cup water (or vegetable broth)
  
• 1 tsp cumin
  
• ½ tsp chili powder
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

Chop up an onion. Heat a little coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, sautéing until lightly browned. Take off the heat and set aside. (Remember to turn off the burner.)

Thoroughly wash the quinoa. I do this by placing my quinoa in a bowl and adding water over it (enough to thoroughly cover it). Then I stir it around with my finger and/or spoon for a few minutes until the water gets cloudy. That cloudiness is that bitter flavor coming off of the quinoa, so don’t skip this part if you can help it! I like rinsing it a little bit longer just to make sure. Strain the quinoa and grab your slow cooker!

Rinse the black beans and add them to the bowl. Followed by the quinoa, carrots, and sautéed onion and garlic. Add the cumin, chili powder, and top it off with the water. Stir them all together. Cook on High for 2-3 hours, until the quinoa is cooked (and their little “tails” emerge from the seeds). Fluff it up with a fork. Serve.

Makes about 8 cups worth.

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And not only is this Vegan, Gluten-Free, High-Protein, Veggie-filled, Sugar-Free, but it is Absolutely Delicious.

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Ever used Qunioa before?

This is my favorite way to use it. I still want to try it in baking and smoothies and for breakfast.

Do you have an exercise that you hate but love?

Planks are one of those for me. They’re hard, but absolutely worth it. One exercise I disdain is push ups. I love chest-presses (it’s my favorite exercise), but push-ups and me do not get along. I simply don’t like them. I’d rather do 3 sets of chest-presses than 2 sets of push ups.

Do you like Daylight Saving Time? Do you prefer to set the clock forward or backward?

I love gaining an hour (like in fall), but losing one is never fun (like in spring). I’m glad I have an “extra” hour tonight – hopefully I’ll get a good amount of sleep in preparation to working with my sunbeams in the morning. (Those little ones are SO worth it!)

With lots of hugs,