I Said Yes ;)

As of March 17 I am now someones fiance..!!!! And that someone is a gorgeous, God loving man who brings my heart such contentment. He is pretty much awesome at everything he does and he loves me, just the way I am :)

When this stud and I started dating 5 1/2 years ago I am not sure that I would believed you if you told me we would be getting married in 2012...I know I know, that's what they all say, or all don't say?
Either way it's the truth.                          
Mitch and I fell in love after our first date. He was Mitch Lobdell, an untouchable soccer god on the fields of Liberty High School. Every guy wanted calfs like his and every girl wanted to be kissed by his luscious lips. But I was the girl lucky enough, or should I say brave enough, to nab his number from another lassie and send a text that would lead me into the greatest love I have ever known. {besides Jesus :)} But I'm guna be real..we had some hard years there. We went to colleges miles and miles AND miles apart. Long distance was killer. {I would like to insert here that if you are contemplating long distance and need to talk to someone who has done it I would be more than happy to be that girl. I have a lot to say about it and I would love to share my heart on this topic.} In the end, it was all worth it for us.

Well anyway here we are. Engaged. In love. And in the planning process.
O, did I mention that he proposed in a helicopter overlooking Pikes Peak as the sun was setting??? Straight out of a movie... and that "movie scene" is something I always dreamed of and hoped for. Mitch FaR exceeded any and every expectation I had or could have ever had for a proposal. Needless to say it was, to this day, the most romantic night of my life. Thank you Mitch for giving that to me.. and asking me to be yours forever :)

Here a few pictures of MItch and I over the past 5 1/2 years. I love you Quinny!

I love You Mitchal Quinn Lobdell.... I can not wait to marry you :)

Skinny Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

Alright, I found another FANTASTIC recipe using my favorite substitute ingredient, plain greek yogurt. This was one was to die for! Like most people on this planet, I love me a heaping plate of pasta. But with a few substitutions, this plate is guilt-free! No fat-laden cream sauce and carb-loaded noodles.

I modified the recipe I found here.

Skinny Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

This stuff is delicious!

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
2 cups roasted broccoli florets (roast at 375 for 8-10 minutes)
8 ounces Ronzoni Garden Delight fettucine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Greek Gods)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

-In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
-While pasta is cooking, roast the broccoli.
-In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
-Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, Greek yogurt, milk, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
-Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan.
-Add cooked chicken and broccoli to sauce mixture, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss to combine and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

This recipe was also husband-approved! He asked me to keep it on the recipe rotation :) Try it out for a healthy comfort food-type meal!

California and Coconuts

In honor of my trip {last weekend} to the City of Angels {which was experiencing 80' weather!.. not to rub it in or anything} I was feeling the need to get in touch with my summer lovin' side.. which is about 97.9% of me.. and talk about a very summery topic.. Coconuts :)

Coconuts not only carry a sweet aroma, they taste yummy, AND are SO stinkin' good for you!!! Their benefits far outreach food and health but the oils in coconuts are even good for hair, skin, and nails! Now, what other food has all those benefits in one round hairy fruit!? Hmmm.. NoNe.

Here are 8 Beauty Benefits of Coconut Oil: 

1. Your dry or damaged hair will love you after you treat it with coconut oil. Rub it into your hair a half hour before you shower on dry or damaged ends, wash, and repeat each time you hop into your shower!

2.  To help give your hair a glossy shine and reduce frizz apply coconut oil to your hair after you have showered and have styled or in the process of styling your hair. Let it do its magic till the next time you wash those trestles.

3. For an exfoliating facial scrub mix together equal parts baking soda and coconut oil. Massage it on your face and rinse with warm water. Hello eskimo kisses!

4. Sick of those dark dry elbows? Well just apply straight coconut oil to those dry elbows each morning and night until you see and feel a difference.

5. For those of you who suffer from a dry scalp, coconut oil is here to help... massage oil into the roots of your hair for a few minutes before going to bed, put on a shower cap, and cover your pillow with a towel if you're worried about it getting messy. When you wake up wash your hair as usual. Repeat this until you see results you are happy with.

6. If you have severe dry spots on your body or rashes massage coconut oil onto the infected area and allow it to soak in. Do this daily until skin is silky smooth.

7. Acne spots can be zapped away by applying a light layer of coconut oil onto your face after you wash it at night. Give the oil around 15 minutes to soak in before going to bed. Those of you with sensitive skin are okay to do this but be mindful, just pay attention to how your skin reacts to it. We used it on my baby niece and she was ok, but I'm just sayin..

8. Nobody likes a case of athletes foot so asap, rub coconut oil onto the problem area two times daily until it is a goner.


---You can find pure coconut oil at your local natural grocers/ Whole Foods. Organic is best but make sure it is a pure coconut oil. It has a 2 year shelf life and is not as expensive as you may think!!


Quote for the Heart: "Dear God...Today I woke up, I am healthy, I am alive. Thank You." 

Switch this, for that

If your anything like me I try to cut corners and save calories anywhere I can. As an aspiring chief in my own kitchen I have learned new ways to make some of my favorite foods by substituting for healthier alternatives. Since I have this desire to learn everything I can about cooking I want to learn from the best, which is none better than my mom. Easter is right around the corner and I wanted to be a part of preparing the meal. I was talking over the holiday dinner plans with my mom and realized that I can’t go an Easter without having deviled eggs. But my mom always makes it with mayo which totally grosses me out! This year I am excited to bring the same family favorite side this year with a new healthier twist :)  

Healthy Deviled Eggs

12 large hard-boiled eggs , (see Tip), peeled

1/3 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1/4 cup greek yogurt

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives , or scallion greens

1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

Paprika , for garnish

1. Halve eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently remove the yolks. Place 16 yolk halves in a food processor (discard the remaining 8 yolk halves). Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), relish, mustard and salt; process until smooth.

2. Spoon about 2 teaspoons yolk mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

1. Halve eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently remove the yolks. Place 16 yolk halves in a food processor (discard the remaining 8 yolk halves). Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), relish, mustard and salt; process until smooth.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons yolk mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Switch this, for that...

When baking you can substitute a can of rinsed and drained black beans for flour. This is especially good for people who are gluten free.

Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar. This is an important switch for baking when you are trying to limit sugar intake and cut calorie. While 1 cup of applesauce has 100 calories, a single cup of sugar packs more than 770 calories! You won’t regret this switch. 

Switch out butter for avocado puree. They are both fats, but VERY different kinds of fats but have nearly the same consistency at room temperature. Because of the subtle avocado flavor, it is best used in rich baking recipes, like dark chocolate brownies. 

                                       
                                     

When making frostings substitute marshmallow fluff for sugar and butter. It makes the perfect consistency for frosting while saving you tons of fat and calories. The fluff only has 40 calories and 6 grams of sugar in 2 tablespoons (and NO FAT!) while the same amount of regular frosting can pack up to 100 calories, 14 grams of sugar and 5 grams of fat. 

Plyometrics

Plyometrics is a method of exercise also called jump training. It uses workout moves combined with height, gravity, and resistance to get your heart rate up and burn lots of calories fast. 

Try these three moves. Repeat the three as many times as you can in 1 minute three to four days a week. 

Plyo-Pushups: Drop into a pushup and from the low end of the movement shoot yourself up as high as you can, lifting your hands off the floor. Fall forward again and land back into a pushup position. Lower down. You can do this exercise in a modified pushup position on your knees.

Plié Jumps: With your legs wider than hips width apart in a plié position, turn toes out to a 45-degree angle. When bent, knees should track over the heel or shoelaces. Sink the legs down into a plié, then jump straight up into the air. Point the toes, straighten the legs, and sink right into the plié upon landing.

Squat Jacks: Jump wide into a jumping jack position, then lower into a wide-leg squat with your arms raised over your head or resting at the back of your head.