Miles from Clarksville, TN to Park City, Utah.

4…

Snakes Snacks on a plane with the best travel buddy EVER!

Am I the only one skeeved out by water in a can? Oh, and they totally confiscated my dip on the way back…damn TSA hummus-haters! And yes, that is wine next to my carrots…totally needed after being bomb screened AND having a mental breakdown right as we were about to take off because I thought I lost my phone! Oops? :-/

3…

Amazing women who worked VERY HARD to pull off a fabulous fun-filled weekend!

1…

Breath-taking location at a resort that made me want to quote Pretty Woman.

“The bathroom is bigger than the Blue Banana!”

Now if only the elevators had come with sofas for two!

66…

Pics from the THREE fantastic sponsor-hosted meals…I’ll do my best to narrow them done for Wednesday’s post!

8,001…

Burpees, squats, pushups, and tricep dips…led by GPP Fitness…and about 418 sore muscles today to prove it!

Please refer to Katie’s shirt in the second pic

13…

Sexual innuendos made during our impromtu Zumba class led by the spunky, sexy, and wonderful Annette.

I am seriously in LOVE with this girl…she must’ve seduced me!

6…

Glass clinks on our night out on the town.

30…

POUNDS of swag.

Which I have NO idea where I’m going to put and thus is still sitting in my kitchen floor FOUR hours after unpacking it!

50…

Dollars to spend thanks to Bob’s Redmill and my luck during the closing ceremony raffle!

Wonder what should I get??

2…

Days that went by FAR too fast!

COUNTLESS…

 ♥ Laughs shared, hugs given, and MARVELOUS memories made! ♥

Now I have TWO loads of laundry to do and a TEN hour night shift to get ready for so I will “see” you guys later!

Be sure to head on over to Healthy Diva Life to check out the marvelousness from everyone else’s weekend!

What are your go-to travel snacks?

Have you ever been on a retreat/conference or met another blogger face-to-face?

As you are reading this, I am either STILL running around like a chicken with my head cut off …ohhh, too graphic for today’s post… how about like a crazy woman? Yeah, that’s better! OR I’ve finally managed to cram everything into the MAMMOTH of a suitcase the man-friend let me borrow and am on my way to Blender and better things!

Park City, Utah, here I come!!

BUT!! Before I go, I just HAVE to share the recipe I whipped up while scurrying to empty out the fridge before my trip! I have to tell you guys, it was SO hard not to spill the beans (teehee!) on Wednesday, but this recipe was TOO #strangebutgood not save for Friday!

After mixing up my newest yogurt combo, I couldn’t help but start daydreaming of other ways to have my “cake” and eat it too.

And then it HIT me…

I mean really, it practically BEET me up!

Oh yeah, this recipe takes the CAKE on #strangebutgood!

Ahhh, I’m just so frickin’ punny!

I’ll admit, you can still taste a bit of the earthiness at first, but after a couple of hours in the fridge, the chocolate takes over and you’ve got yourself a winner!

With a capital B! 

Wait…

Binner?…Beeter?…Beaner? <- oops?

Screw it, you’ve got DESSERT!

And for the record, I polished off this entire batch in one DAY! 

Alternative post title: How to turn your pee pink for a day!

Now head on over to Sprint to the Table and check out all the other STRANGE concoctions my fellow weird foodies are noshing on this week! I’m going to be seeing a LOT of them this weekend!

But I’ll see YOU guys Monday!

In the meantime, go make this cake DIP…

Or these pancakes…Or this parfait…OR this smoothie!

Hey, what can I say? I’m weird This veggie can’t be BEET!

I am a HUGE fan of Flatout wraps!

So when the company contacted me a few weeks ago asking if I would help in their new Flatout Flatbread Good Grilling Promotion, you can only BEGIN to imagine my excitement…for the record, lots of jazz hands were involved.

The point of this exciting promotion is to tell you guys all about Flatout’s newest line. They’re not just wrappin’ it UP these days, they’re rollin’ it OUT too…

With FLATBREADS in four tasty varieties:
Rustic White, Heritage Wheat, Rosemary & Olive Oil,  and Spicy Italian!

Last week, I received a VERY gracious package…

And again, MANY jazz hands were involved!

Armed with my giftcard and about a bajillion ideas for possible pizza creations, I headed to my local Walmart*!

*I was THISCLOSE to wearing the new snazzy apron they sent me, but opted not to be in the next upload to People of Walmart!

Flatout wraps and flatbreads can be found in the bakery department!

Click here to find them at a store near you!

Now, I’ll be honest with you guys…there was no amount of jazz hands that could save me from my sleep-deprived state last week. Seriously, the only thing I could manage to stomach was dry cereal and eggs which totally bummed me out because when I first agreed to do this promotion, I had dreams of whipping up some extravagant
veggie-loaded CHEESY goodness!

But THENNNNNN…

I had an eggpiphany…oh and I just happened to be catching up with a girl who KNOWS a thing or two about cheese…and eggs!

BAM! Huevos Rancheros PIZZA!!

Mmmm, hot sauce PIZZA!

Clooooooooose up!

Time to slice!

Nom nom nom!

In a matter of minutes I had pizza in ma’ FACE a delicious breakfast awaiting me. I loved how the flatbread crisped up in the oven and I have to say,

With the crunch of the crust…

The soft, fluffy eggs…

And ooey gooey melted cheese…

It was picture PIZZA perfect!

For even MORE ideas, click here for a list of Flatout’s pizza recipes! But before you do, how about a chance to win something pretty flippin’ amazing?

Flatout is offering a two night trip for TWO to the Taste of Chicago 2013!!!!!

ENTER NOW!! <- With one jazz hand!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The ‘Flatout Good Grilling “Sweepstakes” ends 06/21/2013 at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time). Open to US and Canadian residents only.

Disclaimer: While Flatout agreed to compensate me for this post, all of the above opinions and (borderline crazy) excitement over a flat piece of bread are all my own!

“Yay me! I’m going on a trip! Time to pack my bags and get away!”

♫ Do da do da doooo ♫

*Wanders into kitchen days before said trip*
*Opens refrigerator door*

“OH HELL!!!”

GAME ON!

See how I OWNED my refrigerator over the last few days and then head on over to
Peas & Crayons and check out all the other delicious link ups today!

So yeah, there I was…Sunday night, getting ready to pack my dinner for work when I opened the fridge and was met with the fierce competition inanimate perishables that mean me no harm…

3/4 of a head of cabbage
1/4 head of cauliflower
1/2 a bag of shredded carrots
4 green onions
1/2 red bell pepper
2 celery stalks
1/2 onion
3 beets
1 green apple
1 1/2 cups of beans
3 tomatoes (on the counter…don’t EVER put tomatoes in the fridge!)

And this is what happens when a lack of sleep has you wanting to vomit at the sight of veggies for almost two weeks straight!

Things started out relatively normal…

Cabbage salad with green beans, carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes (unpictured), and green onions

Eaten in two parts…

One with the best ranch dressing ever (BRDE) alongside some cheese and crackers (freebies nabbed from the breakroom…Mmm, Clubhouse!) and one with a mix of Island Soyaki, peanut flour, and water to thin.

The next day (after NINE HOURS of Benedryl-induced sleep…woo!), I really got down to business…

1/2 head of cabbage, the apple, onion, and celery…400F for about 30 minutes

I enjoyed half the pan (no shame) cold…because roasted veggies are just better that way…with gorgonzola cheese, some candied nuts, and a drizzle of thinned out FROG (fig, raspberry, orange, ginger) jam

OMG, SOOOOOO GOOD!

Along with the cabbage, I also threw in some beets…

Peeled, misted with olive oil, and wrapped in aluminum foil…400F for 45 minutes

One eaten straight from the fridge…with goat cheese and crackers…and one…well that’s a surprise for Friday!

But what about that THIRD beet?

Well, after getting creative with the carrots and mixing up a “carrot cake” yogurt breakfast the other day, I had an idea…

Tropical yogurt + carrots + cashews + almonds + raisins

Plain yogurt + cocoa + stevia + raw grated beets + cacao nibs 

Yep, looks like my Red Velvet Cake Pancakes have some competition!

So yeah, obviously we’ve progressed to #strangebutgood status here…so why not just go for the gold?!

Raw cauliflower, carrots, edamame, tomatoes, green onion, and aged Gouda

Enjoyed in two parts…BOTH drizzled in BRDE…omg, that stuff is addictive!

Who needs lettuce?!

And well, what would our games be without a little #strangebutgood trophy snack?

Corn chips topped with beans and BRDE!

Hello, my name is Heather and I’m addicted to ranch dressing!

What is your favorite bottled dressing?

Who else out there is attacking their fridge in prep for Blend Retreat?

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!!

]]> http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/15/wiaw-refrigerator-games/feed/ 67 http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/13/grilled-and-marvelous/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grilled-and-marvelous http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/13/grilled-and-marvelous/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 09:44:04 +0000 kissmybroccoli http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/?p=17197 Continue reading →]]> Hello there, my lovely readers!

How was your weekend? Or better yet, how was your WEEK?

Was it MARVELOUS?!

I skipped out on ya yesterday, didn’t I? Well, there’s a very good explanation for that…

It’s called…my sanity!

Yep, I don’t have much left these days so in order to keep hold of what I DO have and not go completely bonkers, sometimes I just have to step away…do a bit of unplugging, relaxing, and maybe a bit of grilling to go along with it!

But I’ll get back to THAT in just a minute!

First, a look back at the week that GRILLED ME before I got the chance to reverse the tables…

That’s right! Today I’m linking up with the Diva and my favorite OCD List-Maker for…
A MARVELOUS WEEK IN REVIEW!

Monday

I finally tackled the jungle that had become my yard over the last few months. One hour and FIVE MILLION rocks to the legs later, my grass collection of weeds was down to a manageable/safe-from-city-mandated-hate-mail level!

Tuesday

Had an appointment at 3:30 with my ortho to follow-up on my knee.

Arrived at the office at 3:20.

Walked back to the exam room at 4:10.

Doc walked in at 4:14.

I walked out of the office at 4:19?!?!? WTF?!

Luckily, things got better once I got home and checked the mail…

Some surprise goodies from my girl Melissa! Homemade Peanut Butter Blondies (omg, I die!), and two freshly made nut butters, oh and some highly coveted but not yet tried COOKIE DOUGH Pop Tarts!!

I also got a visit from the Flatout Fairy…more on that on Thursday!

Wednesday

I’ll be honest, this is where the week started getting rough pretty rough. Like I mentioned last week, my back was killing me, my knee was giving me trouble, and I hadn’t eaten anything in days that hadn’t made me feel like I was going to be sick. SO besides the benedryl that whisked me off to comaland dreamland that night, the only thing that really stood out that day were these finds on Instagram…

Hey, sometimes it’s the little things, right?

Thursday

Thankfully, after a good NINE SOLID HOURS of sleep, I woke up Thursday morning with a bit of an appetite!

Spaghetti squash + cheddar cheese + mixed berry jam = YUM

YUM + yolkporn = OMGEFFINHEAVEN!

I finished up the day with my first SWEATY gym session in what seems like forever and then a little SWEET bedtime snack a few hours later…

Two lactaids and a side of strawberry ice cream topped with the LAST of my PB Popps…or “crumblies“, if you will…I may have shed a tear or two

Friday

Before leaving to get a GLORIOUS one hour deep tissue massage (which is probably the ONLY reason I’m walking today), I whipped up a quick classic #strangebutgood combo for breakfast!

Spaghetti squash + peanut flour + BBQ seasoning + FROG jam + yolkporn

This combo will NEVER get old!

And now of course, we have finally made it to…

Saturday

After a LONG day of shopping with the man-friend looking for the perfect heels to wear with my dress for Blend this weekend…

Brown Chicken…Brown Cow!
Say it fast, then it’ll make sense!

We decided the weather was perfect for chicken and shrimp and veggies…OH MY!!

I got my drank on while manning* the grill which of course included a couple of taste tests to check for poison!

*Not to be confused with actually prepping and igniting said grill…because I still have a certain couple of fears that involve the fondness I have for my eyebrows.

But as marvelous as those bobs de deliciousness were, they didn’t hold a candle to the MOST marvelous part of the weekend…

Seeing the look on my mom’s face when my sister and I surprised her at work for Mother’s Day!

And of course, we came bearing gifts!

Spa gift certificate and an orchid to match! 

And for the record, we went halvsies so there was no competing this year!

What was the most MARVELOUS thing from your week?

How did you spend Mother’s Day?

Sorry I went MIA on you guys yesterday, but after a week and a half of averaging 5 hours of sleep, it has finally caught up to me. I actually called in sick to work Wednesday night because I just couldn’t take one more day.

Unfortunately, my stomach has decided to act in a state or rebellion in response to my zombie status and for the last few days, I’ve been an absolute MESS! All I can say is that I am SO glad it’s Friday…I have a massage scheduled this morning and after that I plan to take Benedryl veg out for the entire weekend!

And maybe…just maybe I can talk my tummy into a bowl of this!

Whenever I have a bowl of oats, I HAVE to have some sort of protein punch…otherwise I’ll be chewing my arm off in an hour or so. One serving of TVP (textured vegetable protein) provides 12 grams of protein…which is more than a whole egg! And of course vegan too…if your into that!

Of course for this recipe, you can always just add more oats instead of the TVP. It won’t be as strange, but I promise, still good! Just make sure to add the whipped banana because that is the KEY to the creamy sweet consistency!

But if you forget the honey, I’ll just cry!

C’mon…I’m already stressed to the max, do you really want that on your conscience??

Now head on over to Sprint 2 the Table and see what everyone else cooked up this week!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Anyone got a good natural recipe for a self-induced coma…that doesn’t require a mallet?

]]> http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/10/finally-friday/feed/ 50 http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/08/wiaw-just-keep-drooling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wiaw-just-keep-drooling http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2013/05/08/wiaw-just-keep-drooling/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 07:43:38 +0000 kissmybroccoli http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/?p=17121 Continue reading →]]> Hey guys!

I hope you are all having a great week!

I’ll be honest, this week is kicking my arse. Since going back to work last week, I’ve had maybe ONE day of solid sleep and I am finally starting to feel the effects. My back is in knots, my digestion is ALL kinds of messed up, and honestly, I’m having a hard time coming up with anything witty to put at the end of this sentence in true Heather-fashion.

How about I just let my famous photoshopping skills do the talking?

Get yo’ eyes off my Peanut Butter Mug Cake, Dory!

And now, let’s all take a cue from Dory…forget the world…start singing…and wait, what were we doing?

Oh yes…DROOOOOOOOLING!!

Cereal mix topped with Oikos toasted coconut vanilla yogurt, strawberries, and chocolate coconut peanut butter

Fried egg, cheddar cheese and FROG jam toaster sandwich

Spinach salad topped with cottage cheese, almonds, avocado, toasted coconut, and balsamic roasted strawberries

Trader Joe’s uncured chicken hot dogs topped with sauerkraut and mustard with a side of roasted kabocha squash and ketchup mixed with cinnamon

Banana Chobani mixed with unsweetened cocoa powder, topped with strawberries

Banana Almond Oats drizzled with honey (recipe coming soon!)

Fried egg and cheese toaster sandwich with ketchup for dipping and a side of steamed green beans

Spinach salad topped with smoked salmon, bell peppers and cucumber drizzled in Trader Joe’s Soyaki Island Marinade with a side of Avocado Cabbage Sushi

Cinnamon raisin English muffin with cottage cheese, crunchy coconut peanut butter, cinnamon, and honey

Steamed green beans and my latest obsession, ”monster” trail mix

And to end things on a bit of a sweet note…

Strawberry Arctic Zero topped with peanut butter coated popcorn!

Oh yes, such things DO exist…and they are 100% amazing! Damn THANK you Heather for introducing them to me!

Now scoot on over to Peas & Crayons and keep the drool-fest going!
Just don’t FORGET your napkin!

What’s the best thing you ate recently?

Anyone else as excited as I am about the new Finding Dory movie?

I have no recipe to post.
I have no pictures to share from the weekend.
I have no link-up parties that I will be joining.

Yesterday…

I read your comments on last Thursday’s post.
I felt the outpour of support and empathy in each and every one.
I fought back the tears in my eyes and the lump in my throat.

Today…

I realize just how much I have changed over the last two months.
I see that a journey toward one thing has actually become so much more.
I stop worrying so much about pleasing others, let go of guilt, and start focussing on myself.

Tomorrow…

I start learning what it is I want…what I don’t want…what makes me happy.
I stop stressing over the petty, the mundane, and the out of my control.
I take the advice of a very dear friend and start…

Living Intuitively.

What is one thing you can do today that will improve your tomorrow?

When is the last time you did something for YOU?

Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know…it’s MAY!

But I could never skip out on the opportunity to tell you guys about my latest and greatest obsessions! PLUS it’s Friday and I got called into work (it happens) and we’re a little slow at the moment. So here you have it, another monthly recap…five days late!

Current Book:

I FINALLY finished Intuitive Eating…now I’m just trying to decide if I want to read it again or get back to bonding with my fellow zombies! By the way, would you guys be interested in a review of the IE book?

Current Music:

I’ve been listening to the Collective Soul station on Pandora and reliving all the precious music memories from my youth all month…Bush, Hootie & the Blowfish, Incubus, Garbage, and one of my forgotten favorites…

Let’s just say it’s been downloaded to the iPod and played on repeat multiple times over the last couple of weeks!

Current Guilty Pleasure:

10 for $10, coupons, manager’s specials…bring.it.ON…we won’t talk about the fact that I no longer have ANY room in my fridge OR my pantry whatsoever!

Current Nail Color:

Oh my god, can you believe this…they’re naaaaaaaaked!

Current Drink:

Like hot buttery syrup…in a CUP!!

Current Food:

When it hasn’t been leftovers it’s been eggs, cheese, and cereal…colorful, sugary, oh-my-god-childhood-nostalgia cereal…oh yeah, and some cracktastic coconut yogurt!

Current Favorite Show:

Not a thing. I actually cancelled my Netflix subscription a few weeks ago since I wasn’t really watching anything anyway. Just means I have more money to spend on FOOD, right?

Current Wish List:

Even though I’ve been off for nearly two months, the thing I wish for the most is a warm sandy BEACH to stick my toes into AND I’m happy to say that, with the help of the man-friend, this could be happening within a MONTH!

Current Needs:

A massage (desperately), a pony (always), oh and a new lamp! Lack of sleep and my never-ending clumsiness do NOT mix! :*(

Current Triumphs:

Seriously, April was MY MONTH as far as progress in physical therapy for my knee! I went from strictly pool therapy, to the bike, to the treadmill, to my latest accomplishment…STAIRS!! I’m still not 100% but I’m definitely getting there!
Woo hoo, jumping jacks are in sight!

Current Bane of Existence:

For the ENTIRE month of April, I battled against a pair of rather loud and annoying birds hell-BENT on creating a nest on top of my porch light…

Remember mine and the man-friend’s trip to the dollar store last weekend? Well, that visit was for a very specific purpose…

Ha! Take that bitches birdies!

Current Celebrity Crush:

Hmmmm, gonna have to go with RDJ on this once since I’m SUPERFLIPPINEXCITED about and can’t wait to see the new Iron Man movie!

Current Indulgence:

I think it’s safe to say this needs no explanation.

Current Blessing:

All the endless support that I’ve gotten from you guys in my journey with Intuitive Eating. Seriously, I KNOW I would not have been able to go through all the ups and downs without you and for that, I am blessed more than words can express!

xoxox

Current Slang:

Sorry, still sailorin’ away!

Current Outfit:

 Oh my god, can you believe this…I’m naaaaaaaaked!

Ok, so maybe I’m in my scrubs, but since I don’t feel like taking a picture, I had to have something “graphic” for ya!

Current Excitement:

Blennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd in less than TWO WEEKS!!

Current Link:

Love, love, LOVIN’ me some BlogLovin’!

Current Mood:

Congratulatory…

Because Jenny was named the winner of the SlimKicker Giveaway! Be on the lookout for an email from me soon, girlie! I want to thank you guys for entering…the ideas you came up with were all SO creative! I definitely recommend checking out those comments if you’re looking for a great way to challenge yourself!

Tell me, what are a few of your “currents” from April?

♫ Spaghetti squash’s here, its raw, and cut in half… ♫

♫ Want you to cook it, babe! ♫

♫ Chillin’ by day… ♫

♫ Then at night… ♫

♫ Steamin’ up a sweat! ♫

♫ C’mon guys let’s GO… ♫

♫ Show this veg that we know how to… ♫

♫ Become super soft in a hot micro showwww… ♫

♫ Now cook it – cook it good! ♫

♫ Ah, cook it – cook it REAL good! ♫

♫ Ah, cook it – cook it good ♫

 ♫ Ah cook it – cook it REAL good! ♫

*Cue 90′s style dancing with plenty of hip thrusting and awkward elbow movements*

Bonus points for wearing spandex and gold costume jewelry.

♫ Oh baby baby…baby, baby ♫

♫ Oh baby baby…baby, baby ♫

♫ Get up on THIS! ♫

Like seriously…go to the kitchen and make this super simple, possibly strange, and oh so moist SEXY cake…NOW!

And then come back and click on over to Sprint 2 the Table to see what #strangebutgood things everyone else rapping about cookin’ up this week!

And for your viewing pleasure…

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