Category: Amazon

Full Day of Eating

Amazon, American Dream Nut Butter, Favorites, Food, Lifestyle, Recipe

I love it when people post pictures of what they ate in a day. I am such a weirdo. I love to look at food pictures and get food and meal ideas!

I eat a lot of the same foods day in and day out, but this changes week to week. I will eat similar foods for a week or two. Then, I get onto something else for a week or two. Then, I do something new and different and then I go back to the oldie.

It also depends on the season for me. I eat VERY seasonally! In the summer – it’s a lot of fresh foods – fresh salads, fresh fruit, smoothies, all things cool and refreshing. In the fall and winter it is all things warm and comforting. Right now I constantly have a mug of something warm on me. I am eating my veggie chili nearly every single day. I actually have yet another batch in my instapot as I am writing. It will be done for my lunch today. I will eat yet another bowl of greens, chili with some vegan queso, honey mustard dressing and some quinoa. I have eaten a variation of the greens and chili for the past week and a half. I am not kidding. It has mostly been eaten for just lunch, but in all transparency there have been a few days in which I have eaten this bowl for lunch AND dinner.

Another favorite right now is hot cereals. I have talked about some of my favorite hot cereals in previous posts, but I eat these nearly every day as well.

Of course I talk about all the warm and comforting foods that I am enjoying right now, and it just so happens that I ate not one – but TWO fluff bowls. One right after another! 🤣 I also spoke about planning and pre-logging the other day and totally just broke my own rule. I made a bowl, loved it so much, and then made a partial of a second. I have a REALLY good excuse though you guys! 🤪 I got a new protein powder, and it is SOOOO good! I made a bowl with it, fell head first in love and needed some more!

I have been trying to cut back on dairy lately. In the fall my allergies get so bad, and it gets STUCK in my sinuses. I have had a full head of fluid for months. My ears off and on feel so plugged. Anyway, I am cutting back on dairy (or trying desperately to do so). So I have been experimenting with vegan protein powders. You guys – vegan protein powders are just not good! (in my opinion). HOWEVER, I stumbled across this beauty. 🙌🏻 Hallelujah!!! A vegan protein powder, and it is good!!!

The original bowl was made with 50 grams egg whites, 1 heaping scoop of protein powder, 1/2 can of natural soda (sound weird? Try it!), 2 g “>PBFit, 1 dropper of “>Puffed Kamut and more PBFit. I also stirred in 60 grams of frozen blueberries. So yum!!! For my second bowl (it’s hard for me to type that without laughing), I blended 1/2 can soda, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 2 g xanthan gum and ice. Then, I topped with it some PBFit.

Built Bar products are for sure staples for me – for pre, during and post workout fuel, grab and go snacks, and a sweet treat to top of the night. I take a Built Boost every morning when I rise (I workout in the morning, so not only does this give me a little vitamin, energy boost, it fuels my workouts well). I then lately have been taking a Built Go for my immediate pre-workout fuel. This has been working AMAZINGLY for me. Then, if I can’t sit down to a meal after my workout, I eat a bar after my workout. For me – fueling my workouts works really well for me to recover quickly. I like to workout most days – so fueling well helps me to do that without feeling fatigue, sore and inflamed. (use fitfoodie10 to save on all Built Bar products. They run a lot of sales and promotions, and you can always use my code in conjunction with sales and promos).

So yesterday here is what my day looked like in terms of what I ate:

I had a Built Boost upon waking.

And then I had a Built Go immediately before my workout.

After my workout I had a Cream of Rice bowl made with water, cauliflower rice and 30 grams of Cream of Rice, cinnamon, extracts, stevia. I topped the bowl with All Tricks No Treats, Donut Seasoning, Espresso Granola.

About 10 a.m. I was hungry again, so I made a fluff bowl…and then another…

Typically I would eat lunch around noon-1; however, after these two bowls, I got incredibly full. Too full really. I would not recommend this. 🤣

Finally around 2:30 I decided I should probably eat some lunch. My lunch today I ate my Veggie Chili over romaine lettuce, quinoa, topped with Vegan Queso and honey mustard dressing. For something sweet I had a piece of JoJo’s Chocolate.

For dinner I made Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese, with a side of green beans (my family likes them cooked down well – so I comply…).

Typically I will eat a snack before bed, but for some reason my stomach was not cooperating. I was so full and bloated. Not sure if it was the smoothie bowls or if was…you know…Anyway, all I wanted was a warm drink and my bed. So to bed I went. 😉

What I Used For My Food and Food Prep

Friday Favorites

Amazon, Favorites, Food, Lifestyle

Happy Friday! Hope this week has been wonderful for you!

Favorite #1

As fall is underway, the temperatures are getting cooler. I am in these slippers All. The. Time. They are super warm, soft and comfy. Also, they are amazingly supportive to the feet. I can be on my feet all day long in these, and my feet are as happy at the end of the day as they would be in the most supportive of shoes. If you get sore feet being on them a lot, these are the slippers for you. They not only make your feet warm and cozy, they make them happy and supportive as well.

I got them last year from Nordstrom; however, I am planning to get myself another pair this year because I wear them so much! Gift to myself. 😉

Favorite #2

This veggie chili bowl…and cleaning out my freezer!!!

I ate it atop salad greens (sounds weird but try it) and Trader Joe’s gnocchi. I sprinkled cilantro over the chili and then drizzled some of my honey mustard salad dressing. YUM.

I have also eaten it over spinach with a Trader Joe’s Veggie Quinoa Cowboy burger, cilantro and honey mustard salad dressing.

Favorite #3

This Puppy Chow recipe. Puppy Chow might be my favorite indulgent snack of all time, but I struggle eating too much when I make it – which leads to a stomach ache. Every Time.

Well, here is the thing. I was introduced to Peanut Butter Chex cereal. You guys. This stuff is so good. I spoke about this last week. When my kids were going crazy over it, I thought – wonder what Puppy Chow would be like made with this cereal? Also, could it be made in a way that might be – ready for it – macro-friendly!?

*Squeal* I did it! I didn’t get a stomach ache from eating it (felt great actually) . AND it is delicious!!! AND kid approved! I made two batches – one with conventional powdered sugar (lightened up) and another with protein powder. Both recipes are here.

Favorite #4

Back to the cool weather. Rest and relaxation is super important to living a healthy lifestyle, and what better way to relax than to be snuggled under an amazing throw. Enter this UGG throw. You guys. I got these for the family last year for Christmas, and these throws are constantly fought over. I will be getting more this year – you can be sure! I worried about them shedding. I can’t stand it when beautiful, soft blankets shed “fur” all over your clothes. These do not shed a single bit. They are silky, soft, the perfect heaviness for a good warmth – but not too warm.

This makes a great gift, if you can’t justify buying it just because! Just saying.💁🏼‍♀️

Favorite #5

It’s getting to be that season when I can’t get enough hot drinks. In particular I crave hot chocolate for it’s chocolatey, warm comfort. I can’t believe it is snowing in some places of the country. I am certainly not ready for that crazy weather. Just seeing the snow on the news makes me want to curl up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate! This particular Reduced Calorie Swiss Miss is surprisingly really great for macro count!

It has a mere 35 calories, 5 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 3 g protein. Also, if you are on a more keto/low carb diet and count net carbs – it has 4 net carbs (with 1 gram of fiber). It’s a great option to treat yourself while not blowing a bunch of calories and macros on drinks!

Amazon Prime Favorites

Amazon, Favorites, Lifestyle

We love our Kindle readers around here. I have used one for years!!! I love to have all of my books on one small device for easy travel and by my bed. I especially love being able to lie in bed with all the lights off and read until my eyes go heavy.

It sounds silly, but reading with the lamp is kind of a deal to me. I get all cozy under the covers until my eyes get heavy, and then I have to sit up and STRETCH to turn off the lamp. Then, I have to get cozy again. 🤣 You guys it’s the little things ok?

In the past couple of years I have gotten my older kids Kindle readers as well. They like to read before bed, and I wanted them to be able to turn out the lights, get comfy and read until their eyes got heavy as well. 😍

These are things I just ordered myself and some of our favorite products!!! These Premier Protein shakes are clutch for easy grab and go protein. My husband and I take them with us a lot to the gym and will sip on the way home to get some fast hitting protein in our bodies for quick muscle recovery and growth.

Also this new Hero brand of Quest bars are YUM!!!!! They are super on sale, so take advantage!

Hearing a lot about the benefits of apple cider vinegar but wondering how in the world you would even begin to choke it down? These chews are great tasting and seem to be very quality in ingredients and integrity.

If you’re an oatmeal fan like we are, or use oats in most EVERYTHING it seems, they are on sale as well. And best of all? Delivered straight to your door. 🤣

Foam rolling is ESSENTIAL to healthy bodies. For those of who are actively exercising or just actively living, you need to be doing this on the regular. You have no idea the kinks and niggles you could be avoiding if you would just work out some of that fascia. Also, it’s a great tool for warming up the muscles. Don’t know how it works or how to use it? Most all foam rollers will come with some instructions, or you can simply Google it of course. 😉

There are compensated affiliate links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Amazon Prime Day

Amazon, Favorites, Lifestyle

I love the new Apple AirPods Pro. Some benefits to the Pro verses the original that are important to me, are that they are water resistant. I like to wear these on my Peloton and when working out. It is important to me that they can handle some sweat. Also, they have three sizes of silicone tips for the ear. My ears are oddly small, and I have a terrible time finding ear buds that fit well. So the fact that these come with small tips is super important to me! I did change out the original tips for the smallest size, and they fit great!

We got each of our kids an Echo Dot for their rooms last year for Christmas, and they have been a HIT. They love to go their rooms and listen to music with them, play games on them (Would You Rather), listen to the radio or podcasts, listen to books. This past fall Jackson got a concussion, and his Echo Dot was a LIFESAVER. He wasn’t able to read nor be on screens. For a few days he barely wanted to get out of bed. He felt best lying in the dark room, so listening to books and podcasts on his Dot was an awesome activity for him to keep him from going crazy.

The kids also use their Dot for their alarm clocks. We don’t allow them to have phones or ipads in their rooms at night, so in place of using a device as an alarm clock, the Dot wakes them to whatever they want to be awoken to – songs, sounds, various volumes, etc.

The Apple Watch Series 5 is a GREAT gift for Christmas or birthday. I was on the Series 2 watch up until about a month ago, and the battery was SHOT. So for my birthday, I decided to upgrade to the 5. I took a long hard look at the Series 6 – the latest watch to come out. However, the upgrades to the 5 didn’t seem worth the financial investment/difference for me. Also, the 5 had such good reviews on so many platforms, that I decided to save the money and go with the 5. I am so glad I did!!! I absolutely love this watch! It runs just beautifully. It does have the option to stay lit all the time rather than go dark with a screen saver. However, I have heard that this can shorten the battery life. I have it set to go dark so I have a nice long battery life, as this was my beef with my old watch.

I am big on tracking my steps, so this annoyed me when I would have to take my watch off to charge during the day. Or when I would be on a walk, and it would die. 🙄

My instant pot and air fryer ❤️😍. All the love for these two kitchen items. I love them both so much! I use my air fryer at least once a day, and my instant pot at least once a week. So to have them both as the same appliance!? I am in! This is a great deal on the instant pot/fryer if you’re in the market!

For the green thumb challenged like myself, this AeroGarden is your perfect tool to being able to grow your own herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. This baby is AWESOME! It literally does all the thinking for you! I am horrible about remembering when my plants need food or fertilizer. Or I will either overwater or underwater. I’m a mess. The irony of it all is that I am from an agricultural background. My dad is a grain farmer, and my mom came from an agricultural background as well. Both of them have amazing gardens.

How I missed the gene or gift to grow, I do not know. However, this AeroGarden has been my greatest ally. It tells me when to add food and when to add water. It has a timed light so the plants get the right amount of “sun”. It’s incredible. I highly recommend. I love to use a lot of fresh basil and herbs in my cooking, so this makes it incredibly handy to do just that.

On the screens a lot? For work and play? Who isn’t these days? I have gotten these for my husband and myself. They are on sale for a great price! 🤓

This is an AWESOME buy and a great gift for someone you love as well as yourself! I love this stuff!

Ordering the long sleeve shirt with pockets for both my daughter and me. It looks super comfy and so darn cute!

Soccer mom? Baseball mom? You need this fan!!! It is a game-changer (pun-intended 🤪)! Some days here in Indiana are SOOOO hot. I always say – once you get out on the field the weather is either 20 degrees hotter or 20 degrees cooler than it was in your driveway. So on those days when there is no breeze nor relief from the sun, the air movement that this fan provides is wonderful! And its super easy to just keep in your vehicle with your chairs and gear!

I may or may not be buying some to give as gifts. 🤫

My daughter loves doing her nails, but regular nail polish just does not last. So we invested in a gel manicure kit complete with the lamp. However, this one has a fan in it as well and the reviews are 👍🏻👍🏻. The price point is great and perfect for Christmas and/or birthday gifting.

Also check out my favorites page for more ideas and favorites of mine for fashion, fitness and the kitchen.

It’s crazy and I kind of hate to say it, but Christmas is going to be here before we know it! 😳 Get a jump on it and save yourself some $$!

There are compensated affiliate links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday Favorites

Amazon, Favorites, Lifestyle, Recipe, Trader Joe's

Yay! It’s Friday!!! The vibe of a Friday is just awesome. Let’s celebrate by looking into some of my recent favorite things!

So it’s officially fall, and here in Indiana the weather is 100% on brand with fall. In Indiana you never know – some years the weather is cool as it is “supposed to be.” Other years we can still be swimming and enjoying the steamy hot weather. I am still holding on to the fact that we might still get some warm enough days to jump in for a swim (well the kids will at least – if it’s below 90 degrees I’m probably not getting in myself 😉).

Favorite #1

Walks. The trees and leaves are changing colors and the beauty of the leaves along with the brisk temperatures makes for beautiful walks. Recently I committed to walking two miles a day, simply because I want to increase my steps. Since the kids have gone back to school I have been sitting at my computer a lot more, and my bum just gets tired of sitting! If I can get outside for a midday walk and then maybe another walk in the evening with John, Bailey and/or the kids…this is such a mind and mood booster! I had no idea when committing to walking more how much my mind and heart would benefit beyond just getting in my steps!

This has been my view this week. 🍂🍁

Favorite #2

My space heater by my desk. 🤣 Although the fall weather brings on all the happy vibes, I’m also cold now. All. The. Time. Sitting at my desk working, I’m COLD. I have my space heater on high most every minute I am sitting. It helps me feel comfortable so I’m not constantly wanting to get up to do something else. This space heater from Amazon is similar to the one I am using.

Favorite #3

Hot Tea, Hot Coffee!!! I am on a constant cup of something hot. I start with lots of coffee in my mornings. Then, around noon I start on hot tea and decaf coffee. I drink lots of water in between as well. These hot drinks though are sweet drops of liquid comfort.

This tea is the GOAT of all teas. It does have a little bit of caffeine, so if you are sensitive in the afternoons to caffeine, be aware. A decaf alternative that is nice as well is

I have super been loving this coffee for a fall change to my normal Starbucks blend. It’s a big strong on the spice for John, so I half the blends.

Favorite #4

This sweater I found on Amazon. It is SO WARM, SOFT, and COZY. It is the perfect sweater to add to your outfit. It works well with leggings, jeans, and would probably look really cute paired with a skirt or t-shirt dress as well! I’ve linked it below.

MEROKEETY Women’s Long Sleeve Soft Chunky Knit Sweater Open Front Cardigan Outwear with Pockets

Favorite #5

I had basically given up on dry shampoo. All of them left my hair feeling chalky, gritty, and basically gross. I couldn’t stand using the stuff…until a friend recommended this product. This Drybar Detox brand is awesome! It does NOT make my hair feel gross at all (unless we are on day 4 – then my hair is just getting gross period 😁). My hair still feels soft and healthy. Best of all is how good it smells! Even my kids will notice and comment on how good I smell if I have used it. If on the hunt for a dry shampoo, you must give this one a try!

Also, side note, I feel like it blends well. Depending on the color of hair you have, I can’t guarantee that it will blend with your coloring. I have a bit darker hair with some highlights, and it disappears really well with my coloring. I’m sure there are some reviews that address this if concerned. 😉

Favorites #6 and #7

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix combined with their Pumpkin Butter.

Simply replace the 1/2 cup of oil called for in the recipe with 1/2 cup of Pumpkin Butter. You’re welcome. 🥰

I made a batch of muffins and bread earlier in the week, and they were devoured. They are SUPER moist, extra sweet and simply delicious! Super easy baked good, and guaranteed deliciousness.

Top it with some https://www.americandreamnutbutter.com/ Cinnamon Toffee Crunch, and it’s next level. Save with FITFOODIE10.

Have a Happy Friday folks! ❤️

Cornbread Muffins

Amazon, Lifestyle, Recipe

Nutritious and delicious does not have to be hard!

So I shared with you how my pantry and kitchen were recently beautified and organized. Well in accomplishing this great feat 😉 I can now see all my food, and that which needs to used! I have baking mixes that have been in my pantry for some time now, that I simply forgot about! Well no longer – everything is front and center, easy to see. Watch out easy, fool-proof baking – here we come!

First off I have had this mix of Kodiak Cakes cornbread in my pantry for months now. Ask me why I haven’t used it? I frankly don’t have an answer! 🤷🏼‍♀️ I bought with good intention but then forgot about it!

I haven’t seen this mix quite as regularly as I see their pancake and other mixes, so if you can’t find them in your store, you can of course order on Amazon. 😁

Oh my goodness you guys, these cornbread muffins are SOOOO good. They are a little different than the usual crumbly cornbread. They are very dense and packed full of nutrition. But most importantly – they are SO GOOD. Did I already say that? Well, it needs repeating.

They are the perfect compliment to any soup or chili. With it being fall now and the weather getting cooler, soups are my JAM. The other day it was rainy, windy, and cool, and the day just screamed soup.

Pictured here is lentil soup with a Kodiak cornbread muffin and parmesan crisps.

How I made these muffins:

I pretty well followed the instructions on the box with a few tweaks of course 😉.

The recipe made 12 large muffins. Macros per muffin are:

174 calories, 27.4g carbs, 3.4g fat, 10.4g protein

Do yourselves (and family) a favor and make these the next time you are making soup, chili or any warm dish that calls for a side of cornbread. 😉

Kodiak Cake Cornbread Muffins

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print


Credit: Kodiak Cake

Ingredients

  • Kodiak Cornbread Mix – one full box
  • 46 grams liquid egg whites
  • 1 large egg
  • 84 grams I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light spread
  • 12.8 ounces of Carbmaster (or lower carb/higher protein milk)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins if needed (I use a silicone pan for ease)
  2. Mix all the ingredients well.
  3. Divide the batter into 12 servings or to the size of your liking.
  4. Bake for 25+/- minutes. I watched them closely because I did not want them dry.
  5. Serve warm. However, they are still amazing the next day (just saying…😉)

Nutrition


Per Serving: 174 calories; 27.4 g carbohydrates; 3.4 g fat; 10.4 g protein.

Friday Favorites

Amazon, Favorites, Lifestyle

I love these posts on other blogs. Friday’s are days of excitement for me – I get excited for the weekend to come, to take a break from the structure of the week. Appreciating the satisfaction that comes from a full week behind me, I anticipate the break from the week that the weekend brings. With that said, Friday’s are a day when I am in the mood to start the fun! What better way to start the fun with some Friday Favorites!

Salad Scissors

My favorites post could not go any further without including my most beloved, most well-used kitchen tool for my salads. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love a good salad. Not only do I love a good salad, I love a huge salad with tons of variety. Most importantly, I love a huge salad that is well-chopped!!! I used to knife and cutting board all my chopped lettuce and spinach. While it is fine to do it this way – I find it to be so messy! Enter this absolute amazing tool…salad scissors

Air Fryer

Finally my salads would not be complete without something hot on them. I love a good salad with freshly roasted veggies, a rewarmed casserole, veggie, turkey, salmon burgers…skies the limit. All these are done to perfection in my air fryer. I use this bad boy every. single. day. When I initially purchased it I made a home for it in one of our cabinets; however, it now sits on the corner of my counter simply because I use it multiple times every day. All my leftovers and roasting are done in my air fryer now. This is the one that I have. I have used it HARD and have had it for well over a year now. No complaints here.

School!🍎

Another love – off topic of kitchen gadgets and tools – is the fact that all of my children are attending school. In person!! I am so thankful for our little school. The staff has done such a wonderful job of being creative in spacing and flow so to maintain in person education. I can’t believe the difference it makes for my children and their dispositions to be able to be with their friends and be amongst their peers. This is something I would have NEVER dreamed of even being aware of let alone being thankful for; nonetheless it is 2020. 🤪

  • My LOVES ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Abigail (7th grade), Jackson (4th grade) and my baby Harrison (kindergarten).

Pumpkin Spice…Latte

Lastly, all things pumpkin spice. Now by no means am I wishing away summer. I will never want to way no to summer. Never. But pumpkin flavor and pumpkin spice…All the things. I know. I know. I hang my head. But I can’t help it!!! I LOVE pumpkin spice!!! So here is my little macro-friendly version of a killer pumpkin spice latte.