What Kat Ate #14! + My Life’s Rambles.

 

Hey My Dazzling Red Rubies!

Thanks for all of your comments on my post about my favorite body-care products. I had a lot of fun sharing with you some of the things I love and use a lot. I also enjoyed hearing about some of your favorite products – thanks for sharing the love!

Here are a few things that have been going on in my life recently!

-I participated in a 5k this last Saturday. (I wasn’t able to do much running because of my knee, but I completed it – and to me, that’s all that matters.) I also preformed in a dance festival with some of the members in my church later that evening. (My group did the “Virginia Reel” – the square dance that is in the movie Gone With The Wind.)

-I just finished the newest Nancy Drew PC Game: Nancy Drew and the Tomb of the Lost Queen. I have been DYING to play this game ever since it came out on May 8^th. My mom just bought it for me this past week and I LOVED IT! (The only reason she bought it for me was because I did some work for her and she “paid” me by buying this for me. Otherwise I would have bought it myself.) I have every single Nancy Drew game that they’ve come out with and have mastered them all – many of them I’ve done the senior level on, but I’ve completed at least the junior level on each.

-I started my new babysitting job yesterday morning. The kids are so much fun! The youngest is only seven days old and is the cutest thing EVER! (I think I have more pictures of him on my phone than I even have of my cat…. ) The 13 month old is super crazy – his nickname is “Bam-Bam” (like from the Flintstones), and let me say – it fits him perfectly. I also get to watch their older sister who’s 5 years old – and that girl can count to numbers as high as the sky! (Haha, not literally – but she is really good with numbers.) Not only is she good with numbers, but this little girl (who hasn’t even started kindergarten yet) always beats me — a high school graduate — at Chutes and Ladders and always creams me in Wii Tennis!!! She has won every single game we’ve played.

-I received a box in the mail from The Better Chip Company. (I didn’t even know they were going to send me a t-shirt and a hat, too!)

I can’t wait to try them all out! Thanks so much, BetterChip!

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Time for another What Kat Ate – #14!

Thanks, Jenn, for hosting this party!

Recently my eats have been more snacky than anything. So I’ve called them Meal #1 – Meal #5 instead of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I also listed an approximate time I would have the meal at.

MEAL #1 – 7am

Because I had some apples I wanted to use up, I made a batch of my Spiced Chocolate Chip Oat Bars, upping the amount of apples three-fold and using sliced almonds in place of the pecans. And instead of topping it with peanut butter, I topped them with vanilla soymilk for a more “cereal –like” feel.

MEAL #2 – 10am

A delicious red apple with a big handful of almonds on the side.

MEAL #3 – 1pm

I had one of the Good n’ Natural Bars I got (the almond cranberry flavor).

And I had a big plate of Kale Chips on the side!

MEAL #4 – 3:30pm

A Strawberry Coconut Yogurt with a couple spoonfuls of ground flaxseed on top.

MEAL #5 – 6pm

A big glass of my Protein Green Smoothie.

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Favorite Food pictured?? I’m loving the coconut yogurt myself. I am so grateful that companies have come out with a non-dairy alternative for yogurt. I seriously would have died without yogurt I love it so much.

What was your workout today? I’m going to do some weights before I go to bed (as I haven’t has the chance to do it earlier), but I guess all of my running around playing with kids could be considered a workout.

What’s been going on in your life recently? Right now I’m preparing a spiritual thought for my scripture study class tomorrow night. I’m thinking of using the Dear Daughter letter (I shared the link in this post) and then bearing my testimony afterwards.

xoxox,

P.S. I hope to share with you my Chocolate SoyNut Butter recipe with you later this week – keep on the lookout for that beauty!

 

My Mom’s Favorite Zucchini Bread!

Hey My Gorgeous Dandelions!

Thank you for all of your good wishes on my last post. It has meant so much to me for your love and support these past few weeks. I just got home from taking my AP English Literature Test (which I feel REALLY good about! The multiple choice wasn’t very hard, and the essays weren’t very arduous; I know it was through the Lord that I was able to come off conqueror), and we are having another Teen Game Night tonight (which we have to clean the house for). You know that early morning scripture study class I attend? My last one was this morning. It really hit me that it was the last time (as I’m graduating). The EMSSC Graduation is this weekend, and I still have a few New Testament Scripture Masteries to do (I finished all the Old Testament already). This weekend will be pretty busy for me. I know how I had said in my previous post about getting back to my regular posting schedule this week. I know it didn’t happen this week, but I KNOW I will have a TON of more time after this weekend. I still don’t have a few pictures from my HS graduation and from Prom. I’ve been DYING to tell you guys about it (the posts are all done!), but I WILL post it as soon as I get those pictures. Also, with the giveaways, the SlimKicker Company has yet to contact me, but I will announce the winner as soon as they let me know! Thank you guys SO much for your patience with me. It really means a lot to me.

In the meantime (as I’m waiting), I thought I’d share with you one of my long-promised recipes:

My Mom’s Favorite Zucchini Bread!!!

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy.

Add the applesauce, oil, Splenda, and vanilla.

Whisk them all together and set aside.

In a separate medium-sized container, add the flour, dry milk powder, flax, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Stir them all together.

Combine the flour mixture and the egg mixture. (Don’t overmix!)

Add the zucchini and raisins.

And fold them in gently.

Pour the batter into a sprayed 9×4-inch baking pan/dish and bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for an hour, or until the center is firm, bounces back, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting. SERVE!

My Mom’s Favorite Zucchini Bread!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
  
• ½ cup applesauce
  
• ½ cup oil
  
• 1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
  
• ½ dry milk powder
  
• ¼ cup ground flax
  
• 2 ½ cups shredded zucchini (2 medium zucchini)
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup raisins
  

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add the applesauce, oil, Splenda, and vanilla, and whisk them together. Set aside.

In a separate medium-sized container, add the flour, dry milk powder, flax, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir them all together. Combine the flour mixture and the egg mixture. (Don’t overmix!) Gently fold in the zucchini and raisins.

Pour the batter into a sprayed 9×4-inch baking pan/dish and bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for an hour, or until the center is firm, bounces back, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting. SERVE!

Note: If you don’t like to bake with Splenda, or are vegan, check out my Vegan Zucchini Bread Recipe — THAT recipe is my personal favorite. I make my mom this version when she wants some zucchini bread, but I make THAT version when I want some zucchini loveliness.

Print This!

My mom will share this with our neighbors and friends and they come back BEGGING me for the recipe. I know you’ll enjoy it just as much as they do!

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Are you looking forward to summer? I know I am!!!!

Do you bake with Splenda? I don’t do it very often. This is the only recipe I regularly bake with Splenda, and I can’t have it anyways because of the milk in it. But my mom really likes it this way, so I make it for her. I prefer using more natural ways to sweeten foods. (Stevia and fruit are my first choices, then honey/agave/maple syrup, and then regular sugar.)

Have you ever had a hard time memorizing something? Like lines? Parts in a play/skit? Scriptures? I’m going to have to memorize a few lines for our skit for girl’s camp coming up in the next few weeks; it shouldn’t be very difficult, as most of them are “Cross punch!”, “Uppercut!”, “Jab!”, etc. Ha-ha, yes, I get to be a boxer in the skit and punch things (and people) in the skit! (Of course I’m not really punching people – that would just be mean — but I do get to pretend to. )

xoxox,

A Day In The Life Of Kat

Hey my Darlings!

Thanks so much for all of your comments on my candy bar nut butter. I swear, this is my FAVORITE nut I have EVER made! (No offense pecan and walnut butter; I still love you.)

Here’s a Day In The Life of Kat!
(The Insider’s Look on My Life)

5am – WAKEUP to my alarm screaming at me (jk! It doesn’t scream, but it does wake me up instantly.)

5:15am – eat a SNACK

Right now I have been loving my frozen bananas with my Almond Joy Almond Butter on top. It is the perfect way to start my morning.

Drive to my early morning scripture study class. It starts at 6am and goes for about 50 minutes.

After we get home I WORKOUT for about 40-60 minutes (depending on intensity and if I’m doing either cardio, weights, both, circuit training, yoga, or dance).

Clean up, get ready for the day, and head downstairs for…

BREAKFAST! Usually around 8:30-9am.

My staple: Oatmeal, and this time with soy nuts, cocoa powder, and cinnamon, topped with a big dollop of peanut butter and paired with a glass of almond milk on the side.

Insert emails for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Now: Schoolwork! From about 9:30am to 12:30pm.

AP Literature (my brain works better in the morning for this subject), AP Physics, or New Testament study (I’m taking two years of the scripture study class this year since I’m graduating early).

LUNCH: Usually around 12:30 to 1pm

An example: This day I had a box of spinach cooked and topped with some smart balance light buttery spread; a toasted whole wheat bun frosted with nut butter and raspberry preserves; and a lovely apple on the side (the apple was really bigger than it looks in the picture – it would probably be considered a one of those 2-per-pound apples).

Continue with my schoolwork if I’m not done yet.

But if I’m done, then I get to have some time getting messy in the kitchen!

Get ordered around by this cutie. Oh, yes, I know what you want, Chip.

I may have a snack in the afternoon, depending on how busy I am and how hungry I am; some afternoons I don’t really want a snack (because I’m simply not hungry), but I do have one if my body says it’s hungry. If I have one, it’s usually something like almonds with a piece of fruit or a green smoothie or a bar of some type (or even some dark chocolate!).

Practice Piano

Chores (like dishes, laundry, grocery-coupon clipping)

DINNER: Usually around 5:30pm

An example: This night I made Wendy’s at home, with homemade potato wedges (cut them into slices, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, and then baked in the oven for 20-25 minutes), Boca Chick’n Patty, and mixed vegetables on the side.

Catch Chip sticking his nose into everything.

Dessert/Snack: UNPICTURED. I’ll have it if I’m hungry that evening;
if I do it’s something like a couple cookies or a few squares of dark chocolate (before 7pm or it will keep me up) or banana ice cream or a big spoonful of nut butter (yes, you know me).

6-8:30pm – emails / blog / prepare lesson for my sunbeams on Sunday

8:30-9:30pm – read my scriptures / read a book / do my checklist for the next day / just unwind

9:30pm (latest 10pm) – BEDTIME
I have been getting better at getting to bed earlier; I want to get it to the point where I get to bed before 9pm every night. One step at a time.

And that’s it!

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Do you plan your meals in advance? My mom got this emeals deal from Groupon today and we’re going to start planning our dinners for the week and shop accordingly. Have any tips/thoughts?

I want to start incorporating more college-friendly recipes that I will be using up in college (some of my ideas: lentil burgers, homemade pasta sauce, homemade Italian dressing, vegetarian lentil taco-meat filling substitute, healthier sloppy joes, etc.). What do you think?

Have I ever mentioned I’m homeschooled? Yep, I am – been homeschooled since the end of third grade, and I love every second of it!

xoxox,

P.S. This “schedule” really varies by day, depending on what I have going on that day (like babysitting or family activity or something), so it’s just an average. For instance, I sometimes don’t do my workout in the morning and instead do it before lunch or in the afternoon, so my day gets thrown around a bit.