Living lowcarb (day 23 & 24!)

This morning I got up at the butt crack of dawn and prepared my husband and myself a heart breakfast of turkey sausage and eggs. Oh, and of course that was washed down with a big ol' cup of cold brew. :)

After our good hearty breakfast I helped load both our dogs into the truck. Today is doggie grooming day! This will be Bella's first grooming experience and she is scared of pretty much everything so I was so worried about her all day. Rascal is kind of a "go with the flow" dog now. He used to act up awful, but they tell me he is much better. Well, he is unless he gets out of the pen on accident and I have to chase him to the ends of the earth waving a puppy pepperoni at him. Even then he sometimes just looks at me and goes his own way. That does happen more than it needs to. I also must insert here that I have very helpful neighbors who are always willing to help me by screaming their lungs out and shaking treats as well. Anyway, they both did pretty good and they seriously look like brand new doggies! Rascal can finally see beyond his eyebrows. ;)

I forgot to post a picture of the salmon that we had the other night so I will do so now while I'm thinking of it. It was very tasty.

 

Back to today, it was a whirlwind of a day! No joke! By 2pm I had cleaned the church, been to Walmart twice, Hobby Lobby twice, the Dollar General twice, the Dollar Tree, the Family Dollar, Zaxby's, Sonic, filled the car up with gas, made a wreath, and decorated the church for Easter. I actually collapsed for an hour while Chris went to workout. Dad is back in town so he took care of feeding mom for me. That really makes her sound like a pet. :) She said this week has given her insight and a little hope that when she is old and in a nursing home one day, that she will at least get see Chris as he brings her the food I make. Since I didn't actually have to cook tonight, I didn't. I really wasn't even hungry after my huge salad I had for lunch. Chris gave me the night off and fixed himself a sandwich. He got muenster cheese from the deli for us to try. It was really good. it has a different taste, but I really like it. I'm sire I will create something really cool using it soon.


Well folks, my eyelids are starting to droop, so I'm signing off for today. Hope y'all enjoyed the randomness tonight. ;)

Lacey 

Living lowcarb (day 22!)

Another wonder low carb day draws to an end. I started out my day with cold brew and my new strawberry chia pudding. Both were super delish! 

I actually lost track of time and before I knew it, it was time for supper. I hadn't had lunch yet so snacked on a string cheese and some porkrinds while created my supper dishes.

I have always wanted to cook stuffed chicken, but have never taken the time to do it. I still am not quiet sure I prepared it the right way, but I just did my own thing and thankfully it turned out pretty tasty. We had "green" chicken, as my family called it. The "green" part consisted of kale, spinach, and chives all whipped up together in a block of cream cheese, garlic and butter. I cut the chicken breasts in thin halves, spread a layer of "green" on them, rolled them up, and secured the rolls with a toothpick. I popped them in the oven and let the rolls bake for nearly a hour on 250. The last 15 minutes, I turned the heat up to 350.    

I also prepared a broccoli salad that consisted of broccoli and cauliflower puree, mayo, olive oil, and seasoning. I mixed it all together and then topped shredded cheese. It was more the consistency of cornbread casserole that broccoli casserole, but the taste was good, and for that I am thankful. You just never know with me and my creations. ;)  

I needed just one more side, so I combined some chopped tomatoes and avocados with fresh dill and basil. I tossed it all together with some olive oil and it was a very pretty and also tasty dish.

My first plate. It was so good I just had to have seconds. :)

Another great day of great foodies. That's just how I like it!

Thanks for tuning in!
Lacey

Strawberry Chia Pudding

This morning I had a very nice breakfast treat. I was getting tires of my usual eggs so this was a nice way to mix things up a bit. My new breakfast treat I enjoyed this morning was strawberry chia pudding. I must say, I was quiet impressed with this dish. After looking up several recipes, I finally zoned in on one, and added my own flair to it.

I hooked up my blender and started with one cup unsweetened vanilla almond coconut milk poured into the blender.

Then I added five strawberries to the milk and blended them together until the strawberries were mixed well. Just look at those gorgeous berries!

Next I added one teaspoon vanilla extract, and one packet of sweetener. Some people eat chia pudding unsweetened, or add honey. Then I blended the mixture together for a few seconds.

Once the mix is blended, pour into a pint jar or cup and add two tablespoons chia seeds. Stir in the chia seeds with a spoon until they are spread throughout.

Cover and let the pudding refrigerate two or more hours. Stir occasionally so the chia seeds don't settle in the bottom. I actually left mine in the fridge overnight and it was perfect this morning!

I topped my chia pudding with organic unsweetened coconut flakes. You can also top the pudding with berries, coco powder, or even almond slivers. The possibilities with chia pudding are almost endless. Isn't it a gorgeous pudding?

Chia seeds contain lots of fiber and is a great low carb breakfast alternative to oatmeal or cereal.


Hope y'all enjoyed the post!

Lacey

Living Lowcarb (days 20 & 21!)

Another low carb day is drawing to a close. I have to say that today has been a good food day around here. I had my cold brew for breakfast and got started on my day. My morning was filled with lots of errands. I honestly think I left the house 4 separate times do accomplish different errands. Thankfully I live in town and can swing by the house to drop-off, pick-up, grab lunch, and pee when I need to. :)

Since we were away last week and I couldn't be too choosy about my foods, this week I am trying to eat lots of green leafy items. I do love my spinach and I incorporated into lunch and dinner.

For lunch I had a huge green salad. Seriously, it was humongous! I know I used at least a half a bag of fresh spinach. I also chopped up some fresh dill and chives to toss along with the spinach. I topped the goodly greens with some feta crumbles, grated parmesan cheese, and real bacon bits. I'm trying to cut out my regular salad dressing, and opted for dijon mustard instead. It was definitely a tangy twist from my usual ranch flavor.

For a healthy twist on a modern snack food, I took some mozzarella string cheese, rolled them in egg, battered them in pecan flour and lightly pan fried them in olive oil. They were so tasty! 

The remainder of my day I worked on my new business adventure. I whipped up a batch of sweet orange salt scrub. I tried it and was immediately in love with the softness of my hands. Please check out our FizzEz etsy shop, FB page, and IG page for more info!

For supper I created a spinach stuffed pork loin. Like I said, I'm getting my greens in this week if it kills me! ;) I paired the pork with seasoned asparagus, (more green!) and basil cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes were a huge hit with the hubs! The basil gives them a unique fresh flavor. Actually, everything was a hit with Chris. The only complaint I had from him was when he walked in and I had his supper on floor (let me clarify...the food was on a plate, and the plate was on a huge piece of paper, and the paper was the only thing touching the floor. I promise!) for optimal photo shots. Haha! Y'all should've seen the look on his face. :o 

There ya have it folks! Another low carb day complete. Hope y'all enjoyed the post.

Till next time,
Lacey

Living lowcarb (day 19!)

It's been another wonderful low carb day around here. After our ball playing and late night rambling, I slept in until nearly 11am. Once I put the first bit of weight on my knees and legs I was immediately regretting all the running around I did last night. My everything was SORE! I'm certainly showing my age. It's a good thing we only do that once a month. I think I need a full month just to recuperate! 

I started my day off with a blackberry smoothie. I just love the pretty purple color. I can't remember what all I put in it, but I do know I used chia seeds. Tosha had ask me if I used them and I actually hadn't in a long time. I forgot how good they are for the body. I will be incorporating them into my foods more often. 

Chris was wanting sloppy joes for supper, but I knew the canned version would be full of carbs and sugars. I went on a Pinterest hunt to find something similar to cook from scratch. I found a recipe I had the ingredients for and that I thought sounded good. 

I ate mine on a bed of spinach. It was superb! Chris loved it! 

I had also made some low carb bread. It's more like a egg muffin, but would make a great cornbread substitution. It was actually pretty good. 

Then I cut the muffin in half and made an open face sloppy joe with it. It was not bad. Not bad at all. 

I was really craving something creamy for dessert, like maybe ice cream. I love chocolate mint shakes and right now everyone is enjoying the shamrock shakes so I made my healthy version. It was scrumptious! 

The recipe included avocodo, cottage cheese, coconut milk, heavy cream, 70% chocolate, peppermint extract, and ice. It was the perfect alternative to Arby's famous mint chocolate shake. :) 

Hopefully you have all enjoyed your Saturday. I have enjoyed it mostly as a day of rest.  ;) 

Till tomorrow,

Lacey 

Living lowcarb (day 18!)

Happy Friday!!! I love the weekends soooo very much!!! My hubby gets to be home with me and we always have such a great time together. 

My day consisted of grocery shopping, baking for church, and walking my Bella girl. 

I'm going to share another recipe  with y'all that I made for us for tonight's supper. 

You need: 

Olive oil

Shredded mozzarella

Shredded cheddar

Fresh spinach

Pepperoni

Minced onions

Italian seasoning blend

And any other topping you want! 

Start with a olive oil greased nonstick pan on medium heat. 

Once the pan has heated up, add a good handful of shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Use a spatula to scrap in the edges to form a circle. This is your crust. 

I flipped the cheese crust on the above picture. On the next pizza I just left it without flipping it and it worked just as good. 

Add your onions, seasoning, and chopped spinach to the crust. 

Add your pepperoni or other toppings that you like. 

Top with shredded cheddar and cover with a lid for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted and the pepperoni is cooked. 

I think my total time was around 10 min. This is a great easy and quick meal that is just like thin crust pizza you get at a regular pizzeria. 

Flop it on your plate and enjoy while it's hot and fresh! 

Delish! 

Oh and also, I weighed this morning and I had lost the 2lbs! So I'm thinking I either walked them off or pooed them out. 

Look at my Bella girl! She's my walking buddy. This picture was taken after our 5 mile walk yesterday. We were both exhausted!!! 

Hope y'all have enjoyed the post and this beautiful day! 

Lacey

Living lowcarb (days 14,15,16, & 17!)

Oh my! I have not blogged in a while. Oooops! It's so much harder to keep track of things when I am away from home. 

We got home last night around 2:30am. When I got up this morning I climbed on the ol' dreaded scales. I was so worried about the damage done while we were away. Thankfully I had only gained 2lbs. I hate that I gained any, but I'm thankful it was only 2, and not 5. 

Rather than posting about all the things I've eaten today, I'm going to post my new grilled salmon recipe. I hope y'all will try it. It's truly delicious! 

What you need:

Salmon filets 

Fresh spinach

Lemon (sliced)

Lemon pepper

Paprika

Basil flakes

Reynolds wrap

Thaw your selected amount of salmon fillets (if frozen.)

Heat your grill to high or medium high. 

Tear off one square foot of Reynolds wrap for each piece of fish. 

Add one handful of fresh spinach to the middle of your Reynolds wrap square.

 

Lay your thawed piece of salmon on top of the spinach mound. Sprinkle lemon pepper, paprika, and basil flakes on the fish to suit your own taste. 

Add two slices of lemon 

Bring the Reynolds wrap sides up to form a boat and roll together. 

Place foil packs on the grill. 

Grill for 15 min or until salmon flakes when touched with a fork. 

Pair with your choice of sides and enjoy! 

I think if you will try it, you will enjoy it as much as we did! 

I also have a fresh pitcher of cold brew seeping in the fridge tonight, and a fresh pitcher of orange infused water. I think tomorrow will be a great day!  :) 

Lacey

Living lowcarb (day 13!)

Bless the Lord! It's His day and I love being in his presence! 

We had wonderful services today. There's such a spirit of revival in the air. Chris has been preaching outstandingly better than he really can. God's anointing has been so evident. I'm so glad for God's presence that draws us near and holds us close to his heart. 

After service we ate at the fellowship hall with the church people. I'm glad there was some low carb options. 

It was a wonderful meal! After our evening service we ate again and I stocked up on lunch meat, cheese, and lots of veggies. I'm going to bed with a full belly, a happy heart, and Jesus. What more could I need? 

Hope you all have had a great Lord's day as well! 

Lacey

Living kinda lowcarb (days 10,11, & 12!)

Ohno! Someone had carbs today. :(  I'm not going to hate on myself too much. I went 11 days without any bread, pasta, or sweets. I'm also really proud that I didn't go overboard and do too much damage. 

We woke up this morning and had to get packed to travel to Indiana. We are such last minute packer people. I had my cup of cold brew, a hot shower, and prayers to get me going. I'm really really really going to miss my cold brew the next few days. :o By the time we had packed and loaded up to go, it was lunch time. We made it to Lexington and stopped at Copper River Grill. They have a fabulous salad. The ham in it is just heavenly! This my dear followers is where my carbs came from that I partook of. There on the plate, pictured below, is a fresh flaky croissant roll with honey butter. Just sitting there begging me to take its pure sweetness into my carb deprived mouth. I could hear the crispy outer layer crinkle when my fork accidentally hit it while forking up leafy greens. I imagined the chewy doughy inner layer just waiting to be tasted. I tried to say no. I tried to not look at it. I almost asked the waiter to take it from me, but like Jesus, the cup didn't pass from me. So I lifted my hand and just gently caressed it. It even felt scrumptious to my carb deprived hands. I gently took it in my hands and brought to my nose and took a big whiff. It smelled like I had just walked into a French bakery in Paris. I lowered it slightly to my lip and ran my tongue out to taste the sweet honey butter. That was all it took. I'm being honest here. The next thing I knew was that I had half of the croissant shoved in my mouth and was slightly moaning at the pure awesomeness of this sugary carb filled treat. When I came to my senses I saw my husband looking at me, a rather startled expression on his face. I guess I was being a little too intimate with my carb laden friend. I quickly bit half of it off and dropped the other half back onto my salad bowl. The waiter came by and grabbed it just in the nick of time. Whew! I don't know what might've happened had I gotten my hands back on the other half. :o

Chris rather aggressively got me out of that place quick! Next stop was Starbucks. I ordered us both a low carb frappé and we hit the road again. 

I did all the driving so a certain someone could nap. Although this certain someone actually plays on his phone instead of napping. **insert rolled eyes here** 

We made it to Ohio and surprised Latasha and her family with a quick visit. Jonah ask if I wanted to see his toys and that's where we stayed until time to go. :) He's such a ham! I made Latasha some Vicks shower cubes to help her cold. Hopefully they help. They smell stout enough that she should be able to open the jar and just snort and huff the aroma, if nothing else. I also added glitter to make them pretty. (So don't snort that, Tosh!) 

When we left Latasha's house I decided I wanted to just go look at a chocolate donut at Dunkin Donuts. Believe it or not, I just looked this time and didn't partake! I did however get myself a plain coffee. Like I really needed another coffee, huh? I will be peeing all night. 

We made it to Indiana and stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings for supper. I'm sure I had carbs here as well, due to the sauces, but hopefully not too many. 

We tried the mild, parmesan, lemon pepper, and carribian jerk. They were all wonderful, but the carribian jerk tingled my whole face! They were hot hot hot!!! 

We have now made it safely to the church and are pretty much settled in for the night. Pray for us and the services here this week. Chris will be preaching here through Wednesday night. Hopefully we can be a help to someone. 

That's a post and a half! Hope y'all enjoyed. 

Till later,

Lacey