If You're NUTTY... READ This.

Peanut Butter LOVERS listen up! Yes, I'm talking to all of you NUTTY lovers out there. Have you ever read the Sunday paper? If you don't, you really should because besides the fact that you should know what is going on around the world, you will find something that you will take with you. Whether it be an ad, your horoscope, the comic strip or one of those crazy police logs, everyone has a different flavor.

Okay, back to why I called for all the Peanut Butter lovers. Last Sunday, I stumbled upon a recipe in the 'Sunday Dessert' section. I know, that you know, that I am pretty particular on the things that I eat, but this recipe caught my attention because; A: It has peanut butter in it. B: It's Vegan. & C: It's made with natural & homemade ingredients. 

I'm pretty sure you've had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup at least once in your lifetime, and if you haven't, you should go out and buy one right now. It's the really soft middle part of the cup that gets you every time, RIGHT? Well, I have something better and healthier.

*Ahem* Say hello to... Homemade Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!

What's inside this healthy dose of sweet nostalgia? 

1/2 cup Earth Balance buttery spread

3/4 cup Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter (preferably unsweetened & unsalted, can also try almond butter/cashew butter)

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 10 squares)

1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener 

1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup chopped peanuts, pecans or almonds 

How to make this ridiculously delicious nutty treat:

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium. Stir in peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, & maple sugar; mix well. Remove from heat. Divide mixture evenly among muffin cups, about 2 Tbsp per cup. (I used an ice cream scooper to measure.) 

3. Combine chocolate and milk in another saucepan. Stir over medium until chocolate has melted. Spoon evenly over peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.  

MAKES: 12 

As you can see, I had to taste test this mouth-watering piece of heaven along with my whole family. They loved it!

And... Albeit you're wondering... what's the damage? PER CUP:  300 Calories, 24g Carbs, 5g Protein, 21g fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 120mg Sodium, 1g Fiber.

I would suggest sharing, because SHARING is CARING and you'll EAT less.

Enjoy this on your cheat day if you have one.

Are Your Eyes BIGGER Than Your Stomach!?

Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. It's true. You go out to dinner and read through the whole menu and what do you want to order? EVERYTHING! From salty to sweet, savory to hearty and of course spicy. Everything sounds delicious, your eyes are about to explode after taking all the descriptive words in. (Got Glasses?) Your mouth is watering and your stomach is growling. (Wipe the drool from your mouth, please.) So what do you do? You consult with your girlfriend or significant other that you both order something different (of course, it's what YOU want, or you make the 'other' person agree to order what they 'think' they are choosing....) and in the end, you both can share and have the BEST of BOTH taste bud WORLDS. 

Trust, I've done it. Multiple times. Even with dessert. That's the best. Only because there is ALWAYS more than one dessert that I want on the menu. By now, I'm full... up to my EYES. And of course, I'm mad at myself because I can barely move. Then, there are the Holidays. Man, those Holidays get me every time, and Easter is just around the corner! There is a plethora of dishes displayed on the dining table ready to be devoured. The cookies. Desserts. Cakes. Pies. Various kinds of rolls. So many options. You're famished. At least that is what your eyes are telling you because everything looks so mouth-watering. Before you know it, you're on your third plate. That's how good my mother's cooking is. 

So, now that we've come to the conclusion that YES, your EYES are BIGGER than your stomach... well, at least I am admitting mine are, can you fix it? Probably not. Can you change it? Who knows? The only solution I have is to keep doing what I've been doing for the past week. Write down everything I've been putting into my mouth and it seems to be working. Some days I'm more hungry than others. Some days I am not liking what I write down, but I have to do it to keep myself accountable. Sometimes, I won't even be hungry, but yet I still have the desire to open the pantry and fridge to look and ponder. Because why? Heck, I don't know. I guess I think that there may be something good hiding in the fridge somewhere or something healthy will be stashed in the pantry by the chips. Of course, there is nothing there! I must be crazy. 

Another thing I've been doing that has been helpful is planning my meals for the following day. For example, tonight I made a dish for lunch and will probably eat it for dinner too. 

I call it the, "Turk-Kale-Flower Dish" 

Ingredients: 
12 oz pkg. Tenderloin Turkey
1/2 Cauliflower 
Kale
Olive Oil
1/2 Onion 
Pepper
Garlic  

Directions:
Sautee' onions, olive oil & garlic for 5-7 minutes
Add in cut up tenderloin turkey
Grind in fresh ground pepper for taste, Mrs. Dash (no salt) works well also
Cook turkey until done
Drain juice from turkey, keep a little in the pan for the veggies
Add in cut up cauliflower & kale
Put lid on pan and let it steam on low-med temp until veggies are cooked

Dinner & Lunch is Served! Enjoy!

Side Note: Have you ever tried Raw Cauliflower with Almond Butter?  I did, and it tastes delicious. Don't be scared, give it a try. (Cashew Butter is just as good.)

You Are What You Eat... So Eat What You Are.

Ok, let's face it. I'm no Dietitian. I'm no Nutritionist. But truth be told, I stand ground by the saying, "You ARE what you EAT." 


I love food. Who doesn't? Like every woman, I crave chocolate, cake, cookies and fried foods. I grew up eating rice with every meal, eating Filipino food (Yes to Lumpia!), drinking kiwi strawberry soda's (you know the one from Albertsons from way back in the day?) laying by the pool and eating a whole bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos. (Damn, I miss those days.) I used to kill a whole bag of those mini Twix candy bars (two for me, none for you!), laying in bed, reading a magazine and it didn't do anything to me. If I did that now, I wouldn't be able to fit in my pants the following week. That's what happens when you get older... or eh... past the age of 25. 


Do I eat that junk food now? Not much. I do indulge every now and then. My weakness is: COOKIES. My mother's cookies over anything. It doesn't even matter what kind she makes, they are that GOOD. So, to keep myself in check and stay on track, I started a 'Food Journal' on my iPhone. I log the time I ate, what I ate and the portion size, including any activity that I do. I know that this can seem tedious to most of you, but it helps keep me accountable and could help you be accountable of what you are putting into your mouth. I SAY, give it a TRY! You'll be amazed of what you are putting into your BODY! 


Who wants to look at your food log and and see, "I ate 5 cookies today." (Which, I have done before.) Yes, it's good, but if I want that SIX PACK status, cookies aren't going to cut it. 


And... Go ahead, call me a Rabbit. Yes, I eat plain lettuce. I'm not a huge fan of dressings. 


On Today's Lunch Menu: 
Homemade Taco Salad with Organic black beans, onions, ground beef and red peppers. Seasoned with Cayenne Pepper. 
Slathered over PLAIN Romaine Lettuce and fresh green beans. 


If only I could eat some tortilla chips. :p 

Finally... Back In The Game! What Happened!?

Where have I been? What the hell happened!? Ok. I'll admit it. I have been slacking. Slacking for not blogging. Slacking for not keeping you updated. But hey, I'm back! And that is all that matters. So here is why I went M.I.A. 


First, I decided to drop out of the Seattle Marathon because my body was just not ready to face that kind of challenge again. When I started training, my body was not feeling right and was reacting in ways that I did not like. I was continuously dealing with side pains and I just didn't feel the passion for wanting to complete another 26.2 miles again. I wouldn't define myself as a quitter nor one to make excuses, but I knew that if my heart wasn't in it, then my mind and body weren't going to be in it either. So, I gave my spot to one of my friends. 


At the end of October, I decided to take on the responsibility of working a part-time job as a hostess at the Matador in West Seattle. Why a second job? Number one: More Money. Number two: More Money. Number three: You know the answer. My goal was to save money, pay off debts and go to Italy. Well, I accomplished earning more money and paying off debts. As for going to Italy, that didn't happen. So as for the money I've saved up? It's going towards my own place I plan to buy or possibly going back to school? I'm still weighing out my options.


Anyway, after working two jobs for 5 months, I had finally reached my breaking point. I broke down one night after work driving home. I burnt myself out completely physically, mentally and emotionally. I wanted to concentrate on just ONE job and most importantly ME. So I put in my two weeks and now I am focusing on ME, my GOALS and my CAREER. 


I can't seem to remember the last time I sat down to really focus on what I need to do for ME because I was always so busy working or worrying about how everyone else is doing or how I can help everyone, instead of myself. Have you ever taken the time to do that? 


So... for the REST of 2011...

1. Achieve a SIX PACK by July 2011. (My goal is to get this before then.)
2. Put $200 from every paycheck & Freelance Earnings into SAVINGS. 
3. Train like a WARRIOR for the WARRIOR DASH - July 16th, 2011. (The day before my 27th Birthday!)


I will commit to writing in here more often and following up on my goals. I only want to focus on a few for now and I will add more as I accomplish these ones first. 


Until the next update... 


Thanks for being patient and following along.