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Where IS My Gold Star?!

Posted on February 24, 2014 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! And I really REALLY hope you got to share in the amazing weather that we had here over the last few days…I still can’t believe it got up to 70°F (21°C) on Saturday! With the days getting longer too, I couldn’t help but forget there’s still another few weeks of winter left. You can imagine my grumbling when I stepped outside this morning and it was a “balmy” of 26°F (-3°C) outside. Wtf?!

Moving on!

Without much of a plan going into this weekend, I decided it was time I got some stuff DONE. So Friday morning, after I polished off an Apple Cinnamon Waffle, I poured myself a cup of coffee, channeled my inner OCD list-maker, aka, Meghan, and scribbled out my to-do’s! 😉

And I surprised the heck out of myself when, only a few short hours after making this list, HALF of it was crossed off! I’ll have you know that I not only cleaned BOTH bathrooms (tubs/showers included), but I also washed AND FOLDED all my laundry!

Excuse me, but where IS my gold star?!

Knowing that the rest of my to-do’s were of the out-and-about variety, I set out with the most important item first. After running by my mom’s clinic and seeing one of the doctors there, I got a trial medication that will HOPEFULLY help me sleep. I’m not a huge fan of taking prescription medication, but after averaging no more than 5 hours each day last week, I was at my wit’s end. Fingers crossed this does the trick!

A couple more “have-to’s” later, and I decided it was time to reward myself for a job well done…since I had still YET to find that gold star! 😉

So instead, I got a brand new SILVER iPhone!*

*Not that you would be able to tell since I will never EVER (ever, ever, ever) get it out of this case without losing a fingernail! 😯

Omg, you guys…I’m in LOVE!!! I’ve seriously been attached to this thing 24/7…it’s SO FAST! And for someone who never downloaded the latest iOS update for fear of “change”, I have to say, I’m digging the new look! Also, I have a newfound appreciation for talk-to-text, Spotify or iTunes radio has been running nonstop, and I am officially addicted to Snapchat thanks to Melissa!

Then I got new shoes!

I may have tried on EVERY SINGLE PAIR of sneakers in Clarksville, but I only bought the ones on the left…though I have to say, I’m considering going back for another pair since the ones I got I scored at a whopping 40% OFF! 😀

Then I got some makeup!

I found a coupon in the mail for our new Ulta store which just opened a few months ago, so I decided to take advantage and venture in for the first time. All I had to do was spend $19.50 or more in Ulta products and….

Then I got ALL THIS FREE SHIT!!

I’ll confess, I am a SUCKER for samples…but not just when it comes to having “lunch” at Sam’s Club! Part of the reason why I love Amanda so much for turning me on to Sephora is that they always load you up with freebies on your way out the door! I just love being able to try a bunch of new products without having to spend much (if any) on them! Hey, who says I can’t like spending money on myself but still be cheap? 😉

But the fun didn’t stop there because I still had one more stop to make…I mean, I was already on the side of town where my favorite store is located…and I was just SURE that gold star would be there!

No gold star, but I did get FOUR thumbs up! 😉

And wait, doesn’t this look a bit familiar?? Lol

On Saturday night, I got an invitation (that I made for myself) to my parent’s house for dinner! When I was at my mom’s clinic on Friday, she mentioned that she was making her homemade enchiladas…which I haven’t had in basically forever, so I mean, how could I NOT jump on that!

Mmmmm, freeeeeeee FOOOOOOOD!!

Beef and bean enchiladas (with HOMEMADE red sauce), served with sour cream, avocado, and salsa, chips and cheese dip, and some spicy rice that I did NOT partake in since I watched my dad’s cheeks flush red after his first bite! Ha! #imaweenie

And finally…FINALLY, at the end of the night, I found my gold star!

Ok, so maybe it was a gold beer, but hey, close enough, right? And I’d say my first ever Corona was pretty damn marvelous! 😉

Hop on over to Clean Eats Fast Feets and Healthy Diva Eats (ha, it rhymes!) to check out the link ups on this find (though blistering cold) Monday!

What did you accomplish this weekend?

Did YOU find your gold star??

Posted in MIMM, Week in Review | Tagged Asics, makeup, samples, shopping, sleep, TJ Maxx, weekend | 40 Comments

Apple Cinnamon Waffle for One!

Posted on February 21, 2014 by kissmybroccoli

A soft and chewy single-serving waffle topped with toasted walnuts and warm cinnamon apples.

I know, I’ve teased you guys LONG enough! But I’ll tell you, this is a bittersweet moment for me. The time has finally come where I’ve run out of things to tell you about my trip to Atlanta…plus, if I wait much longer, it would make more sense to hold on to this recipe until fall and well, I just couldn’t do that to ya! So, here we have it, a waffle to warm up your weekend! 🙂

While I know a lot of people associate warm apple pie spices with the cozily cooling temperatures of fall, I know I’m not the only one BEGGING for some warmth any which way I can get it during this seemingly never-ending dark-pitted hell of winter.

But please, allow me no further waffling…

You’ve come here today for a recipe!

This waffle is definitely one of my favorites and I could easily eat it sans toppings, but really, a waffle without toppings is like a cake without frosting…a book without an ending…a MONKEY without a vest, amiright?! And well, I just couldn’t stand the guilty conscience of tilting the Earth’s balance like that so please, load it up, but load it up right! This breakfast has it all…apples with some fiber for your gut, walnuts with some fats for your mind, and pure maple syrup with some sweetness for your soul!

Right out of the iron, this waffle is tender and chewy, perfect for soaking up the juice from the warm apples and the little puddles of syrup, but if you prefer your waffle to be on the crunchy side, just pop it in the toaster or under low broil for a few minutes!

Apple Cinnamon Waffle for ONE!

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Keywords: breakfast dairy-free no sugar added vegetarian high fiber apple whole wheat pastry flour fall winter

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 large egg white
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1/4 teaspoon butter flavor (or vanilla extract)
1 small apple, diced (I’m really loving Galas right now!)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons chopped dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Plug in your waffle iron and coat thoroughly with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and spice and stir with a wire whisk to break up any lumps.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together egg white, milk, applesauce, and extracts.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour is incorporated.
5. Once waffle iron has come to temperature, pour batter into the center of the iron’s surface (do not try to spread).
6. Close lid and cook according to manufacturer’s suggestions.
7. Meanwhile, sprinkle diced apple with cinnamon and place in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to vent, and steam on high for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
8. To toast walnuts, either cook over medium heat in a dry skillet (7-8 minutes, stirring frequently) or microwave (2-3 minutes, checking every minute) until fragrant.
9. Once waffle has finished cooking, hold your breath, count to ten, say a little prayer, and then open the waffle iron to reveal your beauty! 😉
10. Transfer to a plate and top with cinnamon apples, toasted walnuts, cranberries, and a drizzle with pure maple syrup.

If you REALLY want to out-do yourself, you could always spread it with a spoonful of Caramel Apple Cashew Butter!

Oh yeah, NOW we’re talking! Excuse me while I run to the kitchen! 😉

How do you like your waffles, crunchy or chewy?

What is your favorite kind of apple?

Posted in Breakfast, Recipe | Tagged apples, cinnamon, fall, recipe, waffles, winter | 34 Comments

Birthday Cake, Booty Burnin’, and Other Randomness!

Posted on February 20, 2014 by kissmybroccoli

Happy…day that still ain’t Friday? 😕

It’s true, not many people out there care for Thursdays…which is probably why Amanda came up with a genius way of making it through the day. Without rhyme or reason, allow me to throw a bit of randomness your way!

1. Birthday Cake M&M’s…have you SEEN these?! If and when you do, you are to pick up a package, slap a mailing label on it, and send it to me like YESTERDAY! Omg, why don’t we have CVS stores in Clarksville?!!

2. Luckily, we DO have GNC stores…where I picked up a box EACH of cookies & cream and cookie dough (what can I say, I’m a cookie-lovin’ gal). I decided to throw a C&C in the oven the other day annnnnnd I’m not a fan! I think it dries out the white chocolate/cream bits, but I WILL say that 10 seconds in the microwave turns it into one gooey melty mess of goodness! 😉

3. So while I did mention that I literally got my ASS handed to me while I was in Atlanta this weekend, I failed to elaborate on the fact that it was a group fitness sort of thang…”Glute Camp” to be exact! Since coming home and hitting the gym all of ONE time by myself this week, I have to say, I’m missing the motivation of group fitness. There’s just something about the energy of a group working out together. I mean, it might even make you crazy enough to bust out a whole other workout afterwards…

4. Annnnd ok, this is shamelesss, BAA-ut c’mon, I never get any action shot selfies when I’m at home! 😉 So after Laura texted me these pics the other day, I knew I had to work this one into a post! Ha! After we burned our booties, we went over to the other side of the gym and sizzled our shoulders! And I have to say, it was one of the BEST workouts I’ve ever done! Plus, I loved learning new moves that I can incorporate into my circuits at home!

5. WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!

I love Greatist. They have some of the best articles/compilations out there, but this video in particular, really stuck with me. I know I’m not alone when I say that I’m guilty of having the “wish I had’s” when it comes to paging through a magazine. You know, “I wish I had her abs…I wish I had her clear complexion…etc” But this video shows how four average women respond to having photos of them professionally photoshopped. Just a little “friendly” smack in the face if you need it! 😉

6. Anyone know of any foods to cure insomnia? Because while this bowl of cereal topped with peanut flour and persimmons, was pretty AND delicious, it did NOT do the trick. Even when I washed it down with a “glass” of wine…that may or may not have been drunk straight from the bottle! 😉 But seriously, I’ve been averaging 4-5 hours every night since I made it back from Atlanta and I’m hurrrrrrrtin!

7. Ok, so I’ve known this for a while now, but it wasn’t until Laura mentioned it on her blog last week that I remembered that tea tree oil is really good for breakouts. How about I picked up a bottle the other day and after only THREE applications (night, morning, night), my skin is perfectly CLEAR!

8. I’M GETTING A NEW IPHONE THIS WEEKEND! Yup, I’m lonnnnng overdue for an upgrade and after hanging with Laura this weekend and seeing how flippin’ FAST her new iPhone 5s is, I’ve decided I MUST have one…now the hard part, which color do I get??

9. I PROMISE I haven’t forgotten how I teased you last week with those waffles…and ha, well, I guess I’m doing it again, aren’t I? I just couldn’t help but play around with one of my photo apps last night and decided to show you guys my pretty picture! 😉 Recipe will be up tomorrow!

10. Annnnd…since you’ve scrolled all the way down this far…
How about taking a look over there –>

See my tag cloud? Notice how it’s GREEN?! How about I finally figured out how to change the HTML code for my ALL my hyperlinks! I used the code that I found here, copied and pasted it into the “CSS Stylesheet Editor” (Appearance > Edit CSS), and then changed it from black (#000) to green (#800)! Yay me!

Now after you get done joining me in a little shimmy-shake victory dance, hop on over to Spoons and see what everyone else is THINKING about this week! 😀

What was your last tiny (or BIG) victory?

Do you prefer to workout solo or in a group?