Not much going on these days.  It feels like a breath of fresh air in January.  Just getting life into a new routine for a new year.  We started running and its been so much fun.  I laugh because we always feel like we have to force ourselves to get started but once we finish its such an awesome feeling.  We are only at 2 miles but Tyler is doing great to have just started three short weeks ago.

I gave up sugar and soft drinks.  Its been a challenge but I am really over the hump.  I can't believe I haven't had a Diet Dr Pepper in 3 weeks but I feel great.  I am sleeping better and I definitely have more energy.  I have really been focusing on CLEAN EATING.  Tyler doesn't really know what I am doing but I have been slowly reducing the amount of carbs and sugars that he eats.  I haven't had any but he has drastically cut back without even knowing.  Sneaky I know, but its all for his own good.  Of course I am getting my carbs from fruit and veggies, so don't be worried about me I am not doing the crazy Atkins thing.  So,  all this leads me to why I posted.

One of the girls at work told me that if I blogged about recipes I have tried she would totally love it.  I have become quite the experimentally little cook in our almost 15 months of marriage.  So, Amanda this is for you.  I am going to start blogging about more recipes to try.

I usually cook about four to five times a week, and here is what is on the agenda for this week.  I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest and I usually tweek it.  Sometimes I like what I try and some times its awful.  This week I am cooking things that I have tried recently and we loved.
Im excited about my first recipe because I am added oatmeal back to my diet this week :)


Baked Oatmeal


2 cups of uncooked instant oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/3 cup raisins
1 T walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 T butter melted
1 large egg beaten
cooking spray

Instructions
Preheat oven 375'

Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Combine the milk, applesauce, maple syrup, butter and egg.  Add milk mixture to the oat mixture, stir well.  Pour the mixture into an 8 in square baking dish coated with the cooking spray.  Bake at 375' for 20 mins.  Serve warm.

I don't like raisins and nuts so I don't put them in mine.  But I have put fresh blackberries in and can you say yummy!!!!!!  I also don't use syrup I use agave nectar and I use splenda brown sugar

This serves 6 servings so its awesome to pre bake and use as breakfast for the week.

Baked Italian Chicken
4 boneless chicken breast
Publix Italian salad dressing

Instructions


Preheat oven 375'

Trim fat off chicken and pour the dressing over chicken.  Let marinate at least 1 hour
Bake at 375' till chicken is cooked completely.

I serve with baked potato and salad and usually green beans


Spinach Salad


Bag of Publix baby spinach
2 boiled eggs
bacon bits (real bacon bits)
feta cheese
strawberries at least 12
Brianna's Poppyseed dressing

Instructions


Cut up strawberries and boiled eggs.  Combine all ingredients into bowl and toss lightly.  Then drizzle dressing over top.

Easy Roasted Pork Loin


Pork Loin at least 1 1/2 lbs
sea salt
pepper
bacon

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375'. Pat the roast dry with paper towels.  Season pork loin with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in skillet over medium heat.  Sear pork on all sides until browned, about 10 mins total.  Remove from heat.  Wrap the pork with bacon and roast in oven basting occassionally with cooking juices.  Cook for 45 mins.

Veggies Au Gratin


Zucchini
summer squash
tomatoes
olive oil
tomato and basil feta
salt and pepper
1 clove minced garlic

Instructions


Preheat oven to 400'.  Cut veggies into coin size slices.  Mix zucchini and squash with garlic in bowl.  Then layer the zucchini, sprinkle with feta, layer the squash, sprinkle with feta.  Top with tomatoes, sprinkle with feta, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Bake for 30 mins.  ITS DELISH

Broccoli Beef


3/4 lb flank or sirloin sliced thinly
3/4 lb broccoli florets
2 tbsp high heat oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water

Beef marinade
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sherry cooking wine
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

For the sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sherry cooking wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth

Instructions


Marinate the beef, stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add the beef slices and stir until coated.  Let stand for 10 mins.  Prep the sauce, stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Blanch the broccoli.  Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water until tender and crisp.  About 2 mins. Drain.  Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact.  Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat.  Add beef and immediately spread the beef out all over the surface of the wok or pan in a single layer.  let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 min.  flip the beef slices over and add garlic to the pan and fry for another min until no longer pink.  Pour in the sauce and broccoli and bring to a boil.  Pour in the dissolved cornstarch  and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens , 30 seconds

This was amazing, I liked it better than any chinese restaurant


Wow thats a lot of info.  Hopefully next week I'll have a whole new week of easy yet yummy foods

New Year, New ME!!!!

So this year one of my resolutions is to actually blog!!!!!!  We will see how it goes.  I really want to document our lives.  Every day is interesting with Tyler, EVERY DAY.  He makes me laugh more and more and I love him more every day too!  This year we are going to be healthier.  For Christmas one of my favorite presents that he gave me were running shoes.  but not just running shoes for me, he got running shoes for himself too!  Greatest gift ever!  He is going to run with me.  I use to run a lot and became burned out when I didn't have someone to motivate me.  So he is going to be my partner in crime.  I am going to train for a half marathon and hopefully he will get in the spirit and run with me.  He says he will never run a half or a full but time will tell.

Heres my face after opening those huge shoes.   Well thats all for now.  I promise to try to blog at least once a week.