{Brunch: Scrambled Eggs With Onion, Grape Tomatoes, Peppers and Smoked Gouda}

Sometimes the simplest and most ordinary recipes are my favorite, and for as long as I can remember I have been making some version of these delicious scrambled eggs with vegetables for breakfast, sometimes lunch and even dinner!

These eggs were always my contribution to a weekend family brunch.  I loved the addition of the bright colored peppers and the nice pop of red provided by the grape tomatoes. The addition of the shredded Gouda gives these simple eggs a refined taste.  I was always proud of my contribution to the meal, as I would place my finished dish on the brunch table along with my dads famous pancakes.   These eggs have always been a crowd pleaser in my family and have continued to be a brunch staple on weekends when the entire family is gathered around! 

Add these eggs to your weekend brunch line up or prepare it for a quick and easy week night dinner.  Top your eggs with avocado, salsa or roll into a whole wheat tortilla for a delicious "breakfast" burrito filling! 

Scrambled Eggs with Onions, Grape Tomatoes, Peppers and Smoked Gouda

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

6 Eggs

1/2 of a Red Pepper Chopped 

1/2 of a Yellow Pepper Chopped 

1 Cup Chopped Grape Tomatoes 

1/2 Onion Chopped 

1/3 Cup Shredded Smoked Gouda (I love Trader Joe's Smoked Gouda and I shred it myself)

1 Tablespoon Milk 

2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions:

1- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add onions, pepper, and tomatoes to skillet.  Saute until vegetables are tender. 

2- Crack eggs into a bowl and beat with milk and garlic powder.  Once veggies are tender add egg mixture to skillet. 

3- Cook eggs with your vegetables until your eggs have reached the consistency you prefer.  I prefer my eggs on the dryer side.  

4- Sprinkle eggs with shredded smoked Gouda cheese.  Allow cheese to melt a bit before serving.  Serve immediately with avocado, salsa or egg toppings of choice! 

Enjoy! 

{2014 - The Resolutions}

I spent a fair amount of time on New Years Eve and New Year’s day looking at my past resolutions posts on the blog, and thinking about what I wanted to accomplish in 2014.  And as I looked at the past resolutions I had set for myself I felt a sense of excitement for all the possibilities that 2014 holds!  2014 is a New Year with endless possibilities.  Do I dare say that the sky is the limit? 

However, this year I thought I would take a different approach to my annual resolutions!  I have always liked the idea of having a few big New Year’s resolutions.  You know the resolutions that are going to push you out of your comfort zone and make you a better person.  Because don’t we all want to grow and become the best version of ourselves?  I know I do!  With that being said here are my “Big” New Year’s Resolutions!

"The Big Ones":

One -  Run another Half Marathon (or two) and a Full Marathon.  I am thinking!  Grandmas Half Marathon, Get In Gear Half Marathon, and The TC Full Marathon.

Two - Take a photography class.  I really want to improve my photo taking skills and now that I have the equipment I better learn to use it, and use it well!
Three - Volunteer More!  I need to devote more time to giving back to my community.  Volunteering makes me happy, why wouldn’t I want to do more of something that makes me happy?

Four - Join a small group or a bible study at church!  I tackled praying more last year, time to take my faith to the next level.

Five  - Spend 30 minutes a day praying/thinking/reflecting!  I think I could use more of this in my life!

Six - Find my unfaltering happiness!  Don’t we all want to find happiness?  This resolution might make me sound like I am not a happy person or that I am unhappy with my life both of which are untrue statements.  I simply want to learn to be more happy with the things I have been given and not take my life for granted.  This resolution might take more than a year but at least I will be thinking about it!

So, now that I have gotten the “Big” ones out of the way here is how I am switching up my resolutions this year.  As I mentioned I love having “big” resolutions to tackle  throughout the year but I also want to have smaller resolutions that I can implement in my life as a daily “Gut Check” I guess you could say.  I got this idea after attending a networking event at work on the topic of happiness stemming from the book The Happiness Project By­­ Gretchen Rubin.  During this women’s networking event one of the guest speakers talked about how she disliked new year’s resolutions and how instead she had daily resolutions or guiding principles in her life.  At the end of each day this women would check in and see if she met all of her daily resolutions/guiding principles that day.  See, a mini gut check.  This women’s guiding principles for her life were based on her beliefs, what was important to her and how she wanted to be perceived as a person, and as I left this networking event I began to think of what would be my guiding life principles, my daily resolutions, my daily gut check.  So, here they are I am going to call them my 2014 Daily Gut Check! 

"Daily Gut Check" –

Am I living each day the way I feel I should?  Today was I...
Grateful/Thankful/Faithful

Understanding

Present in the here and now (not half listening)

 Genuine

Thoughtful

 Giving my All

Those 6 points tie back into my beliefs and who I am as a person.  In 2014 I strive to live by those guiding principles and am ready to implement my 2014 Daily Gut Check.  The daily gut check ties in nicely to one of the 2014 “Big” Ones, spending 30 minutes a day thinking/praying/reflecting!

And finally… I know bear with me, I told you my resolutions were taking a new form this year!  Finally, I want to tackle a few smaller things in my life.  Things like drinking more water, eating clean once a week, improving my mile time.  These smaller goals/tasks I frequently find scribbled down in my notebook among my upcoming weeks to do list.  The lists is usually titled “weekly goals” followed by a date.  Well my friends, this year those “weekly goals” are going to be called my “Weekly Feel Goods” my gut check for health!  Here they are:

“Weekly Feel Good”

Drink 64 oz. of Water Daily
Eat clean one day a week
Appreciate my body
No put downs
Treat myself with respect

Well there you have it folks, my 2014 resolutions.  From the big to the small they are all important.  Here is to pushing the limits,  and making 2014 the best it can be! 

Happy New Year everyone!  

{Welcome 2014}

Another year has come and gone!  2014 is here, a new year full of new possibilities, new adventures, new trials and new excitements. 

(Ringing in 2014) 

With 2013 behind me, I look back on everything I was blessed with over the past year.

(Mimosa Breakfast to ring in the New Year)

Good health, a job, a stronger faith, a supportive family and a caring guy by my side!  2013 brought challenges, new achievements, growth both professionally and personally and new opportunities that I will be carrying forward with in 2014. 

(some 2013 favorites!)

So with that, Happy New Year everyone! 

 May your New Year be filled with endless possibilities!

{Holiday Tradition -The Lucky Foods }

Traditions, what would the holiday season be without them?  A tradition is a tradition no matter how big or small. Christmas Eve without my mom's Chicken Wild Rice soup after the evening church service just wouldn't be the same.   And even though my sister and I are fully grown we still insist on my dad reading The Night Before Christmas before bed on Christmas eve.  Yes, some traditions we will never out grow.  

  Traditions make the holiday season extra special. 

And just because Christmas is over doesn't mean that the Holiday traditions stop!  Ever since I can remember my mom and dad have prepared the same New Years day feast.  So what do we feast on New Years Day?  Well my parents make pork, black eyed peas, and purple cabbage!    Why these foods?  Well, because these 3 simple foods were believed to bring you good fortune in the upcoming New Year!  I guess you could call them "Lucky" foods!  Cabbage represents financial prosperity, pork  represent progress and the moving forward into the new year, and black eyed peas represent luck and prosperity (source, source). 

I can remember being small and rolling my eyes at the thought of eating purple cabbage on New Years day!  The sight of the vegetable made me wrinkle my nose.  I may have also thought my parents were crazy for this "Lucky" food tradition that we would partake in every New Years Day!  But a tradition is a tradition and as I got older I began to love our New Years Day feast (minus the pork now).  And if you ask me, New Years Day wouldn't be the same without these three "Lucky" foods!  

Caraway Seed Purple Cabbage with Apples and Onions

Recipe from my Mom 

Serves 6 

Ingredients:

1 Large Head Purple Cabbage - Finely Shredded

1 Spanish Onion - Thinly Sliced 

2 Apples Peeled and Thinly Sliced (Granny Smith are delicious) 

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar 

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter 

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth 

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar 

1/2 Tsp. Salt

2 Tsp. Caraway Seed

1/2 Tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper 

Directions:

1- In a large bowl combine shredded cabbage, salt, and red wine vinegar.  Mix and let stand for 5 minutes. 

2- In a large skillet melt butter.  Add cabbage and turn 2-3 times.  

3- Stir in Onions, Apple, Caraway Seed, Chicken Broth, Brown Sugar and Pepper. 

4- Reduce heat to low and cover skillet.  Cook cabbage on low for an hour until cabbage is tender.  Best served warm! 

Best of luck in the upcoming New Year!  Enjoy

Merry and Bright

The Holiday season is by far one of my most favorite times of the year! What I love most is the emphasis on good quality family time, the joy of making new memories, spending time with loved ones, the hustle and bustle of the kitchen but most of all I love the spirit of the Holidays!  I feel so blessed this year to be surrounded by so many amazing people and for the many blessings I have been given in my life! 

(love this crazy bunch of people)

So, as the business begins I simply want to say...

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Holidays!  May your Holiday season be filled with joy, loved ones and new memories! 

{Banana Oatmeal with Lemon Blackberry Compote}

I seem to have an "on again, off again" relationship with oatmeal.  And my oatmeal relationship is "on again" in full force!

However, this time around my oatmeal isn't overloaded with peanut butter and bananas.  No,  I am taking a much simpler approach to how I top my morning oatmeal now.  A simple drizzle of honey with cinnamon and bananas, fresh berries with cinnamon and brown sugar or my new favorite a delicious fruit compote like the one I am about to share with you.   

Banana Oatmeal with Lemon Blackberry Compote for One

** This recipe could easily be doubled! 

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Rolled Oates ** Not quick cooking oats.  I liked Trader Joe's Brand

1/2 Cup Milk of Choice (I used unsweetened Almond Milk) 

1/2 Banana Sliced Thin

1/3 Cup Blackberries 

1/2-1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar - Depending on how sweet you want your compote

1 Tbs Lemon Juice

4 Tbs Water 

1- Cook oats in milk on the stove top per package instructions.  Add in your thinly sliced banana towards the end when there is just a little milk left. 

2- While oats are cooking (they take about 20 minutes) add your blackberries, lemon juice, water and brown sugar to a small saucepan.  As the blackberries begin to cook lightly mash them to release more of their juice.  Bring your blackberry mixture to boil stirring constantly.  Once your blackberry mixture is boiling reduce to a simmer and continue cooking/stirring until you have reduced the liquid by half. 

3- Place oats in a bowl and top with your fresh blackberry compote. 

4- Serve with additional milk and sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.  

Check out these other delicious oatmeal recipes! 

Hearty Oats and Grains - Cooking Light 
Apple Pie Oatmeal - Oh She Glows 
Loaded PB&J Oatmeal - The Oatmeal Artist 

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!  

{Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars}

That name is a mouthful but I promise that these bars are the bees knees!  These bars show off my love for the classic food combination, Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Bananas!  Can you ever go wrong with that combination?  I don't think you can!  I remember eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches as a little kid, and still one of my go to snacks is peanut butter covered banana with mini chocolate chips!  Perfection, oh its the little things in life that make me happy!

Do you want to know another great thing about these bars?  You only need 6 simple ingredients, many of which I bet you already have on hand!  They take little to no time to bake, and they leave your home smelling of fresh baked goodness!

Have I sold you yet on making these bars?   You better walk no run to your kitchen to make these bars pronto!  Do it now, please!

Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

16 Bars or more depending on how you cut them! 

Ingredients 

2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Ripe Bananas mashed with a fork
1 Egg
1 Cup Peanut Butter (I used Natural Jiff)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Directions 

 1- Combine peanut butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat ingredients together.
2- Add in your mashed banana and egg and beat once more with hand mixer until well combined.
3- In a seperate bowl stir together your oats and baking soda.
4- Slowly add oat mixture to banana mixture and stir with wooden spoon till well combined.
5- Mix in your chocolate chips.
6- Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 min or until bars are golden brown and middle is not jiggly!

Enjoy!