Hey guys!

I hope you are all having a GREAT week!

After a wild and crazy week at the hospital, I am absolutely beat and in much need of some “me time” today so I thought it would be the perfect day to let someone else step in…

Like Amanda from Diary of a Semi-Health Nut!

Please excuse the super cheesy expression. If there is one thing that gets me overly excited, it’s spending the night hanging out with one of my best Blends…and well, I guess the tequila shots didn’t hurt either! 😉

I seriously LOVE this girl…so sweet, so funny, and, unlike me, a complete natural when it comes to baking. I’ve been drooling over her muffin tops for WEEKS!

#thingsyouthoughtyoudneversay

It really amazes me how she finds the time in her busy schedule (working AND going to school full-time for her degree in Dietetics) to post such delicious creations! And of course even the most sinful-looking treats are always…

SEMI-HEALTHY!

So how about it…ready to get to know the girl behind the nut?
It’s time to “meet” Amanda!

Where are you from and how long have you lived there?
I’m from Omaha, Nebraska and have lived here my whole life!  I go to school in Lincoln (an hour away) and drive there three, sometimes four days a week now so I might be moving there soon-ish.

Also, just fyi…Nebraska is not all cornfields!  But my BF’s family owns a farm a couple hours west so I do enjoy hanging out there on occasion. In the cornfields. 🙂

Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have three! I am the oldest (can’t you tell?  super organized, has it all together, etc?? kidding) at 25 with a sister who is 22 and expecting her first baby (my first nephew!), a brother who is turning 20 and is a rockstar student that makes us all look bad, and a younger sister who is my baby at 12 years old and a complete fireball.

We’re a bit silly!

How long have you and the BF been together and how did you meet? (c’mon, you know I had to put THAT one in there!)
Haha well Dave and I have been together over four years!  We joke that he “picked me up at Chilis” but really he had a friend that worked with me there and that’s how we met.  He stole a pen from me, I made fun of his “neat” vest he was wearing after coming in from work and it was all history from there. 😉 Also apparently he came in for over a year before I noticed him so we also joke that he “stalked me” for a year.

What is/has been your favorite class in school?
My favorite class so far has actually not been a requirement for my degree…it’s my cardio fitness class!  I’m kind of a fitness nerd so it’s fun to have a class that actually is working on improving our cardiovascular fitness in two months.  I’m also not used to running with people and we run in a group about once a week.  I am usually grinning like a goober at the end of our group runs.  (See?…nerd!)

How long have you been blogging? And how often do you post?
I’ve been blogging a couple of years.  I went from posting once a month to maybe 3-5 times a week.  I really try not to pressure myself with posting a certain number of times a week since I really need to focus on school right now, but inevitably I will get an idea for a post and write it up when I should be studying.

What is your favorite post AND recipe you’ve shared on your blog?
Well I love blogging about semi-healthy baking and my Whole Wheat Lemon Doodle cookies made a lot of people drool…including me.

I also like posts where I open up about things because those seems to help people, like my I am a Christian post.

What was your most memorable moment from the Blend Retreat?
Maybe seeing Lindsay drunk? Errr tipsy? (She hadn’t had a drink in YEARS!)  I also think this is when I found out Heather is awesome AND Christine bought me tequila…that was a fun night! 🙂

What is something about yourself that has changed since starting the blog?
Probably my confidence in both my ideas and my writing abilities.  I’ve also met some really amazing people through blogging and I am so so happy that I randomly decided to start a blog. 🙂

Currently, what is your favorite breakfast?
I usually do some form of nutbutter on toast or on a toasted waffle.  This week it’s been creamy peanut butter on a toasted Kashi wholegrain blueberry waffle topped with mini chocolate chips and sliced almonds.

Do you have any special food requests on your birthday?
I really have gotten addicted to sushi and it feels like a treat so that is where Dave and I have gone for my past couple of birthdays.  Growing up my favorite food was beef stroganauf so that’s what my mom would make me.

What is one thing you’ve discovered (food related) from the blog world that you feel you couldn’t live without?
I think since blogging I’ve switched to whole grain flour in baking and I really enjoy the taste as well as the satisfying feeling of a “semi-healthy” dessert.

Pick one: fruity desserts or chocolate?
CHOCOLATE!!!!!

What is your foodie “kryptonite”?
Peanut butter.  Or maybe cereal with chocolate chips.  I think I eat them every day now!

I know you’re pretty big into running. What do you love MOST about it?
I love putting on my ipod and listening to my worship tunes running outside.  Those are the BEST runs!

Recognize the shirt?

Favorite post run snack?
I usually do a small protein shake.  If I’m feeling fancy, I turn it into a berry yummy shake. 😉

Berry Banana Creme Protein Smoothie

Mmm, that smoothie looks fantastic! I may just have to dig out my stash of summer berries from the freezer at some point today! 😉

Thank you so much Amanda for a fantastic guest post!

Now it’s your turn: What is one thing you’ve discovered (food related) from the blog world that you feel you couldn’t live without?
Nutritional yeast and peanut flour!