No Bake Oatmeal Protein Energy Balls

I've been working hard to eat healthier meals and workout lately trying to loose the last little bit of pregnancy weight. For me the hardest part of the day to stick to healthy habits are when I'm wanting a snack. Especially that three to four o clock time when you are just tired and don't want anything that "healthy". That's where these no bake oatmeal protein energy balls have come in handy for me this week! They are super easy to make, easy to eat on the go and are delicious. 

1 1/2 cups  rolled oats
1/2 cup  vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 tsp  cinnamon
1 T  chia seeds
1/2 cup  smooth peanut butter
3 T  honey
1 tsp  vanilla extract
1/3  cup chocolate chips (or raisins, craisins, coconut flakes, etc)
2-4  T  liquid.. can use water, milk, almond milk, etc. I used water on this batch

Stir to combine oats, protein powder, cinnamon, chia seeds, peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Add chocolate chips. Mixture should be sticky but not crumbly. Slowly add liquid one tablespoon at a time. Using hands combine until it comes together in a sticky ball. If mixture is dry add more liquid but not too much that it won't stick. Roll into balls.. the size I did made about 17 balls. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Store in the fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Meal Plan

I am constantly on the hunt for new meal ideas that are easy, healthy and don't consist of a million ingredients I don't have on hand. I'm really bad about finding a food I like and eating it ALL the time until I get burnt out. I ate two scrambled eggs with a slice of whole wheat toast covered in strawberry jelly and a cup of coffee for breakfast for three years. Y'all... I need to switch it up, haha. Here are some of our go to meals that are not fancy at all and so easy to whip up in case you are in need of some new ideas! 

Breakfast

Omelet made with ham, cheese and cherry tomatoes. 

Oatmeal 

Lunch 

Salad topped with leftover grilled chicken, strawberries, feta cheese and sunflower seeds. I love to use sweet vidalia onion dressing with that combination! If I don't have any chicken on hand I'll use deli turkey and a hard boiled egg as my protein.

Grilled chicken wrap with spinach, tomato, cheese and avocado. 

Zone Perfect bar and an apple with peanut butter 

Dinner 

Grilled BBQ chicken with grilled pineapple paired with roasted squash/ zucchini and grilled corn on the cob.  (summer time favorite!) 

Baked Tilapia OR Salmon paired with roasted broccoli and brussels sprouts and a sweet potato 

Black Bean Quesadillas 

Like I said, nothing fancy AT ALL. These are our go to meals that we eat pretty much every week. I am always on the hunt for new ideas to add to the list so PLEASE let me know your favorite! 

Broccoli Cornbread

A while back my mother in law made broccoli cornbread and I immediately requested the recipe because it was so delicious! Since then I've made it several times and it never fails that someone ask me for the recipe. If you need a simple recipe to bring to an event give this a try! 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 medium onion, chopped
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli (thawed & drained)
4 eggs, beaten
6 oz. cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt
8 1/2 oz. box of Jiffy (or any corn muffin mix) 

Combine all ingredients except muffin mix. Then stir in corn muffin mix. Grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Simple right?!

5 on Friday

Happy Friday friends, I hope everyone had a great week! I was supposed to return to work on Wednesday but due to snow and freezing temperatures we have been out all week! We don't normally get snow days at the beach so I have enjoyed every extra minute off! 

One. If you haven't tried the peppermint chocolate chip milkshake at Chick-Fil-A yet I suggest you run, not walk to your nearest location before the season ends. Seriously, they are SO good!! They are only out for a limited time which is probably a good thing because I surely don't need the extra calories! 

Two. I am LOVING all of the pink, girly and monogrammed things little Anna Claire has already collected from sweet friends and family! There is no doubt this little girl is already loved! Justin's cousin gifted us the cutest bag full of goodies for Christmas. Those monogrammed burp cloths... y'all... all the heart eyes! 

Three. I know Christmas has passed but I can't help but share our cute gift bags from school this year. I teach first grade and Christmas is always such a fun time to make ornaments and crafts. We made several for students to give to their parents and they got to decorate gift bags to send them home in. I thought they turned out so cute! 

Four. Last night for dinner I made these low-carb shredded chicken tacos. They were delicious. healthy and SO easy! The recipe is here. 

Five. I love getting new product recommendations so today I wanted to share my concealer that I'm obsessed with. It is the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. It goes on kind of thick which is perfect for under my eyes. I get terrible dark circles from my allergies but this covers it up perfectly! It also smells so good which is a plus. A little goes a long way so this has lasted me a while. I love it! 

I hope everyone has a nice weekend! 

My Favorite Cookbooks

The older I have gotten I have developed a new love for cookbooks. But as I mentioned in this post, not just any cookbook. I like a functional cookbook that is easy to use. with plenty of pictures, clear steps and most importantly filled with recipes I actually would want to make. A cookbook full of things I will not cook is a waste of space! Other than functionality I also love cookbooks that are simply pretty and have hints of the south all through them. I've found several that include stories with the recipes and that just makes my heart giddy. When I get a new cookbook that I love I will seriously sit down and read it like a book. Maybe it's a problem? I like to just think I am newer to the world of cooking so it's my way of learning. Either way... I love cookbooks! Here are some of my favorites in case you are looking for a new one or a gift for someone. These are so pretty they make the best gifts! Wrap with a kitchen towel or a cookbook stand and you have the perfect gift. 

The Southern Living Community Cookbook

The Southern Living Community Cookbook is my favorite one to gift. They took all of the best recipes from local community cookbooks from all over the south and put them in one book. The pages are GORGEOUS and the food is simply delicious. Many of the recipes have a short story with them and all show what part of the south and who the recipe came from. It reminds me of a local junior league cookbook on Southern Living steroids. I probably gave 5 of these out as Christmas gifts this year!

The Southerners Cookbook

This is one of my newer cookbooks so I haven't made a ton of recipes out of it yet. The ones I have made did not disappoint. This one reads like a book. Beautiful photographs of the south are all through the book as well as stories. 

South Your Mouth

South Your Mouth is simple real home cooking. I love this cookbook because most receipes call for ingredients I already have in my pantry and there aren't a ton of steps. Meatloaf, pork chops, green beans... these are the kind of staples you can find in her cookbook. A fancy dish is nice for get together's and special occasions but this cookbook is filled with dishes that are perfect for weeknight dinners. 

Deep Run Roots 

I just posted about this cookbook here so I wont go in to too much detail. The owner and chef at Chef and the Farmer in Kinston, NC wrote this beautiful cookbook filled with local favorites. It is like a textbook it is so full of information and stories! 

Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook 15th Edition 

This was the first cookbook I received as a gift for graduation. I love this cookbook because it lays out all the basics a new cook would need. How to measure, store, prepare, produce shop, etc. It answers all the questions that may come up when cooking. Many pages also have step by step picture directions which is nice to have! This is the least "fun" cookbook out of the ones I have listed but one of the more practical ones. 

Paula Deen Celebrates!

I have been a Paula Deen fan for forever and have had this cookbook for quite some time. She lays her recipes out by celebrations. There are chapters for New Years, Fourth of July, Easter, Mardi Gras and so many more celebrations. I like to get ideas for holiday meals from this book even if I don't make everything suggested. She also gives little stories for each of the celebrations and "pearls of wisdom". This was one of my first favorite cookbooks that sparked an interest for me. 

Are there any cookbooks you just love? 

Currently

Switching things up a little today to share some current favorites.

Currently reading- I am LOVING my new devotional Savor. If you are in search of one I recommend it! It reads one page a day, starting with Jan 1st so it would be super easy to catch up. I'm also reading another book by the same author called Cold Tangerines that I really like so far! I'm not too far into either but so far so good!

Recent favorite food

I have a recipe to share that is pure pasta comfort food DELICIOUSNESS. It's definitely one to save or just try out immediately. It will be a staple in this house from here on out for sure. It is very simple since you can purchase frozen ravioli and a jar of Alfredo sauce. It would be nice to make your own pasta or Alfredo sauce but for real- after an exhausting day of work who has time for that?! 

Ravioli with Tomato- Basil Cream Sauce

1 package frozen cheese ravioli 

1 jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce (other Alfredo sauce varieties are okay also) 

2 tbsp white wine 

1 can petite diced tomatoes 

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 

shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish 

Prepare ravioli according to package directions. In a large skillet, combine Alfredo sauce, wine, tomatoes and bail. Cook over medium-low 5 minutes or until heated. Serve pasta with sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. 

-- You can also easily change this up so many ways. When I made it last I doubled the sauce, wine and ravioli so that we would have plenty of leftovers. I also added crumbled bacon but think it would also be delicious with ham, shrimp or chicken. Pasta is one of my favorite comfort foods and this is one of my top choices! Let me know if you try it! 

Currently Watching- Bachelor and The Killing on Netflix which is super addictive!! I hear Making a Murderer is pretty good also so that one is next on my list. ... and on a less morbid note I just finished all 11 seasons of Grey's Anatomy that are on Netflix and oh my goodness... DEREK?! That's all I will say for those that haven't seen it yet. 

Currently Loving- my new Eucalyptus tea, Stress Relief lotion from Bath and Body Works that I got for Christmas. It smells and feels amazinnnnggg.

Happy Wednesday friends! We are halfway through the work week!

Football, Chili-Cheese Corn Muffins and Corn Chowder

This weekend was just what the doctor ordered.. restful and productive mixed with friends, family, football and Netflix. Friday night Justin and I celebrated a friends birthday with dinner at Flying Fish. Oh my word, they have the BEST shrimp and grits on the planet. Seriously- amazing! On Saturday we ran some errands to get our house a little more ready for Fall. We picked up flowers for the front porch and even found a new rug for our living room! I have to brag on my husband for the rug. He picked it out completely by himself and convinced me that it was a good purchase. I can be so indecisive, especially with such a big purchase. He did so good!! There were tons of football games on this weekend so I decided to get busy in the kitchen and some of Justin's family came over to enjoy food and football with us! Aren't nights like that seriously the best? We had wings, corn chowder and chili cheese corn muffins. The corn muffins and chowder were a hit. I'll definitely be making them again this fall. 

Chili-Cheese Corn Muffins

via Paula Deen

Ingredients 

1 3/4 cups self rising yellow cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour 

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup seeded and chopped poblano pepper

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tins with vegetable spray. 

2. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, cheese and poblano pepper. Make a well in the center of the mixture. 

3. In another bowl combine the milk, butter and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring with a spoon until moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin filling 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned. 

This was the first time I used my new Kitchen aid Mixer so of course I had to document it!! 

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter 

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped celery 

2 white potatoes, peeled and diced 

4 cups chicken broth

4 ears of corn

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1. In a medium stockpot , melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and potatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Add the broth and boil the vegetables over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. 

2. While waiting, cut the corn from the cobs with a sharp knife. 

3. Add the corn to the soup and cook for 5 minutes. Add the half and half , salt, pepper and cream of celery soup. Stir well to combine. Simmer until hot, serve immediately.Garnish with the bell pepper.  

There really is nothing like Fall, football and good food! 

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Every now and then I get an urge to pick up a new vegetable at the grocery store that I' never tried. My latest veggie impulse buy was a butternut squash which I got home and immediately had NO idea what to do with. After a little recipe browsing I finally decided on cinnamon roasted butternut squash because it was simple and I already had all of the ingredients on hand. Win win! It turned out just delicious! I love when I find a new recipe to add to my favorites list! Does anyone else occasionally like to try something out of the ordinary? 

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Peel squash and remove the seeds. Cut your squash into small pieces. In a large bowl combine squash, olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir until all of your squash is coated with mixture. Spread out in an ungreased baking pan. I actually used 2 glass pans and a cookie tray because I didn't have a pan large enough to spread the squash out without overlapping. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Enjoy! 

Apple Pie in a Brown Paper Bag

When my mom told me you could cook an apple pie in a brown paper bag I looked at her like she way crazy. I had never heard of this method and putting a paper bag in the oven seemed like a recipe for disaster. Of course mom's are always right and she sure was. You can in fact cook an apple pie in a paper bag and it is delicious. I had to have my mom show me her ways and ever since this apple pie has become one of my favorite pies! Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and oh my word... melt in your mouth! 

I just love hand written recipe cards passed down from family! 

Ingredients 
1 unbaked 9" pie crust  
3-4 large apples, sliced 
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour 
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs lemon juice
Mix all of the ingredients and place in your unbaked pie crust. 

Topping: 
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour 
1 stick butter, chopped into sugar and flour

Sprinkle mixture on top of pie and put pie in a brown paper bag. Clip bag together with paperclips. Bake 1 hour at 350. Don't open the bag until it's done!! The last 15 minutes you can cut a whole in the top of the bag and place back in oven to brown the top. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy! 

My Favorite Vegetable and NC's as well: The Sweet Potato

I stumbled across an old Our State magazine back from 2012 that had an article, NC Sweet Potato Queen that caught my eye. You can read the article here.  Sweet potatoes have always been my favorite vegetable. I prefer a good ole sweet potato over a baked potato and sweet potato fries over normal fries any day. As long as I have adored a good sweet potato I had no idea that it was our state vegetable. Who am I kidding? I didn't even know NC HAD a state vegetable. (: When I found out we did indeed have a state vegetable and that it was the sweet potato and read the story behind how that came to be it instantly warmed my heart! We can thank a group of fourth graders in Wilson NC for persistently writing letters demanding legislators to name the sweet potato our state vegetable. After reading the sweet article it inspired me to do a little baking so I made my first attempt at a sweet potato pie. It turned out even better than I imagined and is definitely a new favorite! If you're looking for a dish to contribute to Thanksgiving meal look no further! 

Sweet Potato Pie 

1 pound sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened 
1 cup sugar 
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 9 inch unbaked pie crust 

Boil your sweet potato for 40 minutes or until done. Run cold water over the potato, remove the skin and break apart in a bowl. Add your softened butter and mix together. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth. Poor the filling in your unbaked pie crust and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. Enjoy! 

Whiskey Punch

If you have a bourbon loving crowd I can assure you this drink is sure to be a hit. Even better it's easy to make. Dump it all in a jug, chill and serve. Easy enough! We served this Whiskey Punch at our engagement party and it's safe to say there was not any left at the end of the night! 

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Whiskey Punch

1 (12 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed and undiluted 

1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted 

1 cup lemon juice

1 quart bourbon 

1 (2 liter) Sprite 

Combine all ingredients except Sprite and chill. Stir in Sprite and serve over crushed ice. Enjoy! 

Pineapple Cheese Ball

I'm always on the lookout for appetizers that are not too complicated and not over original. With the holiday season coming up I know there will be lots of opportunities for parties and small get togethers. Today I'm sharing my moms pineapple cheese ball recipe that is just perfect if you are looking for a simple but delicious appetizer! 

Pineapple Cheese Ball 

2 eight ounce packages cream cheese (softened) 

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 

1 teaspoon seasoned salt (optional) 

1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained 

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 

3/4 cup chopped pecans 

Combine all ingredients but pecans, mixing well. Shape mixture into a ball and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Rollin chopped pecans and serve with crackers. Enjoy! 

Thank You Apple Goodies

Justin and I are closing on our house today! To say I am thrilled is an understatement. I can't believe I now own a home with my fiance! Today will be spent cleaning the house from head to toe so that it is ready to move our furniture in on Friday. My mom is coming to town to help us move/ see my classroom/ and visit with some friends. I'm so happy she will be here to be a part of the big move! 

Our realtor and our loan officer have been SO helpful throughout the home buying process. I wanted to do something to express our thanks. Since we are nearing apple season in the Carolina's I decided to make each of them an apple goodie bag with homemade apple dip and a green apple. The dip turned out SO good I ended up making more for us to enjoy. Warning: it's addictive. 

Apple Dip Recipe

To make the apple dip you will need 8 oz of cream cheese softened, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup brown sugar, Carmel topping. The might be the easiest creation ever. All you have to do is mix the cream cheese, vanilla and brown sugar together. (Make sure to mix it well)  Move dip to a mason jar and top with Carmel. 

Turn the dip into a gift by adding a bow and some washi tape. I mean who doesn't love a mason jar with a bow and a colorful label?!

Oreo Layer Cake

Oreo Layer Cake 

Ingredients:

1 package family size oreos 

6 tbsp butter, melted 

8 oz cream cheese, softened 

1/4 cup sugar 

2 tbsp milk + milk needed to make pudding 

1 package chocolate pudding 

12 ounce cool whip 

Start by crushing oreos. Lay a handful to the side to garnish the cake with at the end. Layer 1: Combine the rest of the oreos with your melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Let cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Layer 2: Combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and 1 1/4 cup of the cool whip. Spread mixture over layer 1. Layer 3: Spread out prepared chocolate pudding on top of layer 2. Layer 4: Spread the rest of the cool whip over the pudding. Finish by topping off with the crushed oreos you set aside. Enjoy! 

White Wine Chicken Pasta

This is one of my moms recipes that was always a favorite. I took what I could remember and tried to recreate it this weekend. I'm not sure if it is quite as good as hers but J loved it so it's a win in my book! The best part about this dish is it calls for white wine so you have the perfect excuse to have a cocktail while you cook! That always makes it more fun doesn't it?!

Ingredients 

Boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloins- I used 7 tenderloins for this recipe & still had plenty of sauce left

white whine

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery 

2 tablespoons sour cream 

1 tablespoon cream cheese 

shredded cheese 

bow tie pasta (or any type of pasta) 

Note: The neat thing about this dish is that it can changed in so many ways. More, less sour cream/cream cheese.. or completely leave one out. You can also substitute with greek yogurt. Any type of pasta would work well. You can also use just cream of mushroom or celery if you like one better than the other. The possibilities are endless! 

Lightly brown the chicken in a skillet with white wine until the outer layer is white and not pink. While your chicken is starting to cook, in a baking dish combine cream of mushroom, cream of celery, sour cream, softened cream cheese and desired amount of white wine. Once your chicken has started to turn, place the tenderloins in the dish with your sauce. Spread the sauce evenly around the dish. Bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top the last 10 minutes. Serve over noodles and with a salad. Enjoy! 

J's Mexican Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Last weekend Justin made homemade Mexican bean burgers with sweet potato fries for dinner one night. How lucky am I to date a guy who loves to cook? I think I'll keep him around (; They turned out to be absolutely delicious and fit right into my plant based whole foods diet. He has made bean burgers in the past, but these were different in that they have a Mexican kick. I even picked up some of the supplies to make them myself this upcoming week! 

J's Mexican Bean Burger

Ingredients 

1 can drained pinto beans 

1 egg or you can substitute the egg for1 tablespoon of flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 5 mins

1/2 cup sautéed pepper 

1/2 cup sautéed onion  

Minced garlic to taste 

1 packet taco seasoning 

2 cups salsa 

1 1/2 cup bread crumbs 

Start by mushing 1 can of drained pinto beans. (You can use any type of beans. I plan on using black beans to make mine) 

Mix mushed beans, sautéed peppers and onion, garlic, bread crumbs, salsa and taco seasoning and egg (or flax seed/water) together 

Form patties and cook in skillet on medium heat until firm. Serve with whole wheat buns and your favorite burger toppings! 

 Sweet potato fries were the perfect side item to our Mexican Bean Burgers. I have always loved sweet potato fries more than normal french fries! They are also super simple. I would actually start these before the burgers as they take a while to slice/bake.

Slice 2 sweet potatoes. 

Toss sweet potatoes with just enough olive oil to lightly coat. Add paprika, salt and pepper. Align on baking dish (try to spread them out. We probably should have used a larger pan) 

Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and browned. About 30 minutes, turning occasionally. 

Enjoy!