Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad AND Everything Green Smoothie

November 9, 2011 Arielle

“**Editors Note: This post was written in 2011, and the recipes in this post are the most popular recipes on my website! I deleted a lot of the old text to update this page, but if you scroll down you will find the recipes! ”

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1/2 c. dry quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
(OR 1 c. prepared/cooked quinoa)
1 c. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 diced onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 avocados, diced
1 bunch cilantro, bottom stems cut off
2 c. spinach
(dressing)
2 tsp. dijon mustard or plain mustard
zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 juicy lemon, or two not so juicy lemons :)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper

Instructions

Prepare quinoa by adding quinoa and broth to a pot. Cook on medium/high until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until quinoa has cooked fully.
Once the quinoa is cooked, set it aside to cool.
In a food processor, add cilantro and spinach. Process the greens until they are chopped up finely.
In a bowl, add the chickpeas, chopped greens, tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, and cooled quinoa.
In a bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the salad. Mix it together.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Let sit in the fridge until ready to eat! Enjoy!

Everything Green Smoothie

Everything Green Smoothie

Serves:

2-3

*This smoothie makes quite a bit and could easily serve two adults. Unless your like me and can eat for two, then you could drink it all on it's own. It could also serve 2-3 kids, one mama and 2 children...etc.. :-)

Ingredients

1 c. non dairy milk, more if needed for thinning out smoothie
handful of fresh spinach
handful of fresh kale, no stems
handful of swiss chard
2 green apple, cold and cit into slices/core removed
1/2 medium cold cucumber
1 frozen banana, sliced
1 TB. chia seeds
sweetener of choice, stevia is what I used/honey works well too (1-2 tsp.)
1 1/2 c. ice

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Drink immediately. Enjoy!

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

October 13, 2011 Arielle

My brother only eats 4 things.

He's the one on the far left.

Macaroni n' Cheese

S'mores Pop Tarts

Burgers and

Mashed Potatoes n' Gravy.

This is no joke. Last year I made him a mashed potato panini with our thanksgiving leftovers...He still talks about it to this day.

Despite being probably one of the pickiest on the planet, I love him for his weirdness. I remember at one point he would refuse to eat anything besides mashed potatoes...And I dunno about you, but mashed potatoes at every family meal got old real fast. Not to him though. Every bite was like Christmas morning.

That's what I am assuming anyway...It had to be! Why else would you eat it for every meal?!

I also have another brother who won't eat his food if you touched it, or if other food was touching it. And then there is me who won't eat meat or cheese, and prefers an abundance of spinach and hummus. Don't forget about my hubby who prefers to eat food that is still mooing, if you catch my drift.

Oh, and our daughter who refuses to eat real foods, would much rather live off of ba-ba's...

I bet you can guess how much my mom LoVeS to cook dinner for the whole family!

But sometimes there are ways around picky eaters. Ways that us mom's, family chefs, etc. will never reveal...

Until now that is..

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

*I saw a similar recipe for this in my skinny bitch cookbook, but I didn't have the cookbook with me when I made them. So I winged it! :-) And the result turned out better than I expected.*

Ingredients:(for the potatoes)

2 rutabagas

2 med/large parsnips

1 medium potato

Almond milk (or other milk of choice)

2 TB. Earth Balance vegan butter

1 head garlic

olive oil

salt, pepper

Directions:

1. First roast your garlic. Don't know how to do that, well let me share with you how! :-)

How to Roast Garlic

First take a whole head of garlic.

Cut off the top of the garlic.

Peel off some of the extra skin around the head of the garlic. You don't have to peel it all off, because your want some of it on to leave the cloves together.

Take a sheet of foil and place the garlic head on it. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fold the garlic in the foil and cook in a preheated oven of 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

When it's done it will look golden brown and smell like heaven!

I can't say the same about your breath if you eat it...buuuutt...

2. While the garlic is roasting wash, peel, cut, and dice the rutabegas, parsnips, and potato.

These are rutabagas:

They kind of look like white beets. (Before these mashed potatoes, I didn't know what a rutabaga was...I had to google it. Sad.)

These are parsnips.

Luckily I knew what these were. Only because I've made these fries. To.Die.For.

3. Add diced veggies in a pot of water and boil for about 45 minutes. Maybe longer (maybe shorter). I used a BIG (too big) pot of water, so it took longer to boil. So adjust the time to when the veggies are soft and cooked.

4. When they are cooked, drain them and put them back in the pot. Add the butter, a little bit of milk, and the whole head of garlic. The garlic will just fall out of the head simply by squeezing the bottoms and using a fork to aid them out.

5. Using a potato masher or beaters, mash the veggies together until smooth and creamy. Adding more milk will make them smoother. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I also like to add a little paprika and nutritional yeast.) You can mash them as creamy as you would like, or as chunky as you would like.

I prefer a chunky monkey!

But what about that gravy?

Vegetable Gravy

Ingredients:

Vegetable broth

3 TB + 1 tsp. whole wheat flour

2 1/2 TB. Vegan butter

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter on medium/low heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until thick. Pour in veggie broth little by little, whisking until desired thickness is reached. I used a box of veggie stock and just kept adding more and more until I was satisfied. I used about 1/3 of a 32. oz box.

2. Pour over mashed potatoes or drink straight from pot....once cooled that is.

My brother ate it.

Baby Boo ate it.

My other brother ate it, just as long as it wasn't touching his green beans.

My hubby ate it.

Oh, and I inhaled it...

Know one even knew that there were parsnips...rutabagas....really anything nutritious in them.

:-)

Story of my life with most food that I make for others...

Oh well! What they don't know, really isn't hurting them. :-)

Gumpaste 101: Beginners Basics and Cookie Cutter Flowers

October 6, 2011 Arielle

**Excuse the bad pictures :(! I was doing this project at night, and my house lighting is not sexy/flattering at all...**

Frequently my kitchen is a disaster.

I try and blame it on my small apartment kitchen, but let's be honest...

I'm freakin' messy.

I'm a 7 bowls out, 9 different spoons, dirty sticky measuring cups, and flour all over my face kinda girl.

And if you think that's bad, you should see my closet.

Well, no you shouldn't, because you might not want to be my friend.

But one of the biggest messes I make in the kitchen is when I am doing cupcake decorating. Occasionally, I have friends/family on the side that allow me to bake/make/decorate cupcakes for a special occasion.

I've done simple things like baby showers:

To big things like weddings:

I'm no fancy pants, and it's really just a hobby, but I love to do it. One of my favorite things to use is gumpaste.

Gumpaste is basically sugar, and hardens when dry unlike fondant. It doesn't taste good, like fondant, and it's really just for decorations. Primarily, gumpaste can be used for really anything, but it is most often used to make flowers.

Today, I am going to share with you the Beginners of Basic Gumpaste.

Where to start. How it works? and simple cookie cutter flowers.

To start off, you need some gumpaste.

I buy mine pre made from Wilton, because it's just easier that way. You can definitely make it home made if you would like, but it's more work.

To start off, just rip off a piece of gumpaste, and roll it into a ball. Gumpaste get's kind of sticky, so I always have corn starch or powdered sugar near by to rub on my hands.

Next you will need some cookie cutter. ANY cookie cutter will do! If you want to get more into it, you can by really cool cutters online, but they aren't necessary. These are my favorite cutters so far.

They are gerber daisies, and the cutter is called a plunger. The way it cuts, kind of reminds me of a punch card. You can find them online HERE.

Next you will need food coloring.

There are different brands of food coloring, and you can technically use any of them. BUT, I prefer the gel kinds. The ones you get in the grocery store are really watery (those are the ones with the pointy tops to the right of the picture). The gel colorings are really strong, and a little goes a long way.

When it comes to tinting your gumpaste, simple take a toothpick and insert it into the gel. Just barely dab it in, because a little goes a long way.

Then wipe the toothpick onto the gumpaste.

Roll and knead your dough until the color is fully incorporated into the gumpaste. You can add more coloring if desired.

Next, take a cutting board mat and rub down with powdered sugar. (Any mat will do, just make sure it's non stick.) Using a small roller (which you can also pick up at a craft store), roll out your gumpaste to desired thickness.

You want it thin..but not too thin.

Next, take your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes.

Don't worry about all the powdered sugar, you can just brush it off with a little paint brush! :-)

You can also layer flowers, which I think it really pretty, whether it's the same color or different color.

Now, in order for them to have more of a flower shape, instead of being perfectly flat, there are two things I like to do.

One, is using a cotton ball. I just lay the flower over it, and let it dry to that shape.

That little gadget next to the flower helps soften the edges by simply thinning it out, like so:

These tools can be found online, or at a local craft store.

I also love to use recycled egg trays. They are perfect for giving flowers shape!

Once the flowers have dried, which could take up to an hour or two, you can glitterize it!! :-) My favorite part!

I buy some edible glitter dust from a local store, but it can also be found online HERE.

So to prepare your flowers, first layer them by dabbing a bit of water on top of the bottom layer. Then place the top flower directly on top. The water will make it stick.

Then, to glitterize, simply wet the flower (lightly) with a paintbrush dipped in water.

Then dip your paintbrush in the glitter, and coat the flower until you've reached your desired glittery-ness! :-)

(Glittery-ness is now a word.)

You can also put a dot of frosting in the middle, or what I like to do is use little silver sugar balls, (I buy mine locally, but you can buy those HERE online too.).

You just wet the middle, and press them in!

After you have glitterized it, the flower will be sticky because it's wet. Leave it to dry again for a few hours or overnight. You can put it back into it's the egg carton to shape it if you would like. Not the cotton ball because it will stick to it since it's wet!

There ya have it! SO easy! Come back soon to see what these pretty diva's are going on top on! :-)

Drab to Diva Chandelier

September 6, 2011 Arielle

I hate to admit it, but I'm growing up.

Even though I'm not as old as my husband, I would consider myself a mature adult. My choice of TV shows might scream others wise..And even my wardrobe. Trust me, if I could pull off a huge pink tutu like Baby Boo, I would totally sport it. I just don't think it would do wonders for my booty.

Mature people also use the word booty...often.

But I think the biggest mature part about me is the fact that my interest have changed. Before, I would have died if my parents made me walk into home decor stores, like pottery barn. Because I swear to cheese, if Billy from my 6th grade class saw me shopping at a LAMO store such as the "barn," instead of somewhere cool like Forever 21...

Now, I go specifically to the mall knowing that I am going to walk into home decor stores, and I get beyond happy when I see cute furniture and stylish pillows..

And holy watermelon, If there are cute plates...Clear the way! Of coarse I usually have to go by myself, because Hubby starts throwing tantrums.. "Babe, if my friends see me in this store, I will never hear the end of it..." But heck, if I need a new bra from Victoria Secret...

And sometimes I like to pretend that I can decorate.

I like to think that someday I'll make friends in this city I've lived in for the past couple months, and when I do they can come hang out at my pad.

And we can watch mature shows like Bachelor Pad and ABC Family...

Drab to Diva Chandelier

This seriously was probably the easiest project I have ever done. It's super simple, and you can design it any way you would like.

To start off, I bought a cheap-o chandelier from a thrift store for $10.

It was kind of bent, and missing a lightbulb, but It worked perfectly!

First I sprayed it lightly with a primer, and then finished it off with white spray paint.

I didn't fully spray the chandelier, because like the rest of Baby Boo's room, (dresser and table), I liked the unfinished/vintage look.

If that's what you call it..maybe you call it crap, I dunno... :)

Then I hung little crystals that my mother-in-law had bought from Tai Pan..

You can still see some of the gold, but I promise..that was the look I was going for.. haha

This chandelier is for Baby Boo's room.

I promise someday I'll reveal all of Baby Boo's room, not just in little pieces.

I just have to finish the room first...and do laundry..and make dinner...

And shop at Pottery Barn.

See you tomorrow friends!! :)

Dresser Redo

June 20, 2011 Arielle

Let's talk about style.

There is different looks, different themes, different era's, different patterns, different fittings, different everything..

Yet, certain people can take those different things and combine them together to create something beautiful.

That.Is.Not.Me.

I wear sweats 99.6% of my day..the other 4% is when I am in the shower.

My house looks like a preschool/messy restaurant kitchen/a messy cluttered teenage girl bedroom.

I'm really talking myself up here huh? My husband must be super lucky? What's that? You want to be my friend?

All joking aside, everything is true :)

But that's the life of a mom right?

Wrong!

You see there are SUPER cute stylish Mom's out there, who can pull themselves together, and manage to leave their amazingly decorated house looking adorable. Why can't I? I guess I am still in that phase..what's it called..Lazyness??

But I am gradually moving forward, and doing what I have to do to make my house, and myself presentable. I have gotten a lot of inspiration from blogs, (go figure lol), giving me that extra Ummph I need to get off my tushy and put effort into things.

For example, Recently I have really focused on my house. For some reason, I just FEEL better when it LOOKS better..although I cannot argue with the preschool look..

So this past weekend when Baby Boo was away, I finished a project that I had been meaning to do for a while but never had the time.

I turned this dresser that I got at a thrift store...

Into this:

For all I know this could be the fugliest dresser anyone has ever laid eyes on..

Work in progress folks.

Want to know how I did it?

It was actually super easy..So for those for those of you with crappy furniture lying around, don't be afraid to get creative. If I can do something like this...A caveman could do it :)

Dresser Re-Do: Drab to Diva

Start with a fugly dresser:

Remove all hard wear, and wipe down any dusty/dirty surfaces.

Then sand your dresser.

This may sound difficult, but I didn't go crazy with this step. I just sanded it down a little to give the paint something to stick too..

Next prime your furniture.

I use the brand KILZ primer Spray. It's fast and effective.

Once again I just primed the furniture lightly, (see below). Just so the paint would have something to stick to, since the look I was going for was a brownish white.

Next, paint your furniture.

I only did one coat of regular white paint. I didn't want it to be solid white, because of the look I was going for.

I love how I keep saying, "the look I was going for," like I know what I am talking about..

Next step, glaze your furniture.

For this I used a Faux Glaze from BEHR, and a sample of brown paint.

I basically poured a little bit of glaze(which is white-ish in color) in a bowl, then added a little brown paint to it, until I got the color brown I wanted.

Then with that mixture I painted on my newly white dresser...

EEEEEEEKK don't worry!!

Then take a damp towel, and wipe away the brown,

And leave a little bit behind so it's looks old.

The brown paint will also stick to the cracks, holes, and indents in the furniture making it look old and rustic...slightly dirty?

After you have finished glazing and everything is dry, put back all the hard wear on and assemble the dresser back together.

I was going to spray the handles, but I thought they went well with the rest of the dresser..

I was ALSO going to re-do the inside of the drawers, but the original lining seemed to go along too..

That, and I was too lazy..

Seems to be a re-occuring problem.

Here is the final project:

Pretty cool?

For now the plan is for this to be in Baby Boo's room. I just have to paint and redecorate in there, and then I, meaning Hubby, will bring it up.

SO at this rate, her room will be done by the time she is 45..

I seriously need to stop exaggerating.

Let's be real, maybe 14 years old?

Just a rough estimate though.

You may also remember THIS drawer from a previous post back:

I did the same thing that I did with the dresser, only using green spray paint, and I tinted the glaze black.

Oh, and I know your thinking that my smart lil brain came up with this all by my self..well, sadly no.

A MUCH MORE talented lady gave me inspiration.

Brooke from All Things Thrifty does AMAZING projects, and I am always OOing and AHHing over them. You should check her out FOR SURE :)

As for now, I am going to sit and watch Bachelorette, even though I have yet to unload the dish washer from yesterday.

Maybe because I am avoided the 67 dishes in the sink that need to go in it, or maybe because I am lazy.

I don't know..

I'm just a Diva.

Sugar Coated Coma and Wedding Cupcakes!

May 15, 2011 Arielle

This post may seem a little off,

Because it's not often we talk about 24 boxes of powdered sugar.

Or the fact that I have enough vegetable oil to drive to china..

Can you drive to China?

Doubtful

Oh and there is butter...

Probably enough butter to make you as big as China.

Or about the same amount of butter Mrs. Dean adds to her mashed potatoes...

Either way, Big as China.

Which is how I feel after this weekend. No, I didn't just call it quits and say 'Forget This' when it comes to living healthy and add a stick of butter to my morning smoothie...

(Would that even taste good? I dunno, ask Mrs. Dean)

I actually had a purpose to this madness..

A purpose of about 200 cupcakes AND a wedding cake!

And for two days every time I opened my fridge I found this...

Drool..

THEN, only to shut the fridge, and have the rest of THIS bad boy screaming 'Eat Me Now you Sissy La La!'

No thank you, this carrot taste delicious!

Baby Boo was probably the hardest to contain self control. Every time I turned around , she tried to sneak a snack in here and there..

Like mama' like daughta'

And...Actually to be truthful, I wasn't the least bit tempted to eat every single cupcake..I was too sick from testing batters and frostings, that the thought of sugar made me want to..

Eat a carrot..

And I technically wasn't allowed to since the cupcakes weren't all for me..:)

Dang..

They were how ever for some really great friends of ours who got married this weekend! I was SO nervous to bake for a wedding..Not something I had ever done!

But I think everything turned out pretty good..

It was one of the most beautiful weddings I had ever seen. Every single touch was handmade and done by the family, or someone that the family was close with.

It made everything very special and very personal.

Even the hubby and I(besides making the cake) got to be apart of the wedding..

Baby Boo's dress was AlMoSt as poofy as the brides...

Almost.

But she most definitely won the Biggest Flower on the Head prize.

We even got to sit at the 'Big Kids' Table since we were apart of the wedding party...

And to think he is 5 years older than me :)

Much.Better.

It was a beautiful day despite the 4 hours of sleep and Frosting tid bits strewed about my bangs.

I am much more relaxed knowing I was able to accomplish such a great task!

As for now I am starting a two week detox tomorrow. I'll give the details more later, but what I can tell you is that Chocolate is NOT included...

I think I just shed a tear..

Also coming up is a no fail no boredom treadmill routine and some great Mama and Baby Workouts, along with a bunch of other random goodies :)

Have a great rest of your weekend my little cupca...

Wait..I am definitely not going to finish that word..

Bleh! Too soon...

Phyllo Butternut Squash Pockets

April 25, 2011 Arielle

I wouldn't necessarily say I am thrifty.

In fact, I am the complete opposite...Unless of coarse Hubby is asking me, then I am very frugal, and always shop in the bargain/clearance section.

Ya right.

I wish I could say I could walk into a thrift store and find something worth buying, but..

I.Just.Can't.

And Probably the most thrify-ish shopping you will find me doing is at Ross or Marshalls.

But since I have been married, and Hubby has been in grad school, you can only imaging we are far from high-rollers. And even though Hubby would bet his life savings that I have it in my mind we are Bazillionaires, I am learning, key word, that I need to be better at how I spend my money.

Especially on groceries. Let's just say, if one looked at my grocery bill, then you could assume I was feeding a family of 5. yikes. AND, one might also assume, since I am really only feeding a family of 2 1/2, that by the cost of my purchases, we must be hefty eaters.

Not true. Well, hefty eaters, I dunno, I really...really..like food.

So where did it all go wrong? For some time now, I have really focused on my spending, and why I would end up spending so much on groceries. I thought, maybe I should share some tips on what not to do when buying groceries, because like I said, I am still learning on what to do.

The DEFINITELY DO NOTS of Grocery Shopping

1. Don't buy EVERYTHING organic.-I assumed that because it was organic, it was better for you. And although this is definitely the case in some regards, it is not the case in others. Here is how it goes: When buying organic fruits and veggies, follow the rules of the Dirty Dozen. ONLY the items on the dirty dozen list is best to be purchased organic. Items like pineapples and avocados don't. And trust me, the price of an organic avocado to a non organic one is a great difference. I also always buy dairy and meat for my Hubby organic. No questions asked. That will not change.

2. Don't buy everything you see.-I am like this in the grocery store: "I'll take that, and that, and that, and that. Oh wait, how much is it? OK here is my leg and my arm to cover the bill.."

I have learned that going with a list is crucial. At the beginning of the week I have written everything down that I want to make and want to have in the house. That way I go with a plan, instead of using my head/stomach to decide for me.

3. Don't get sucked into labels. -I will buy something if it says "Buy me, I am Delicious!", but for others, things like low fat, no sugar, healthy, brand new, yadda yadda can grab your attention. Research products out before spending a hefty penny on something they say is worth it.

4. Don't Covet-Being a blogger, I read tons of other blogs and get SUCKED into wanting to make what they posted RIGHT.THAT.VERY.SECOND. Alot of ingredients are unheard of, have to be ordered on line, and are pretty darn expensive. RESEARCH! I am not even going to mention some of the ingredients I have in my household that I purchased that I have NO idea what to do with them. Research recipes, research what the ingredients are for and their benefits.

5. Don't always shop at natural food stores. -There is this certain store by where I live that I call hell. If I walk in there, I am gonna get hell for it when I get home :) kidding, but I really have a hard time not spending Baby Boo's college fund in there. Certain things I agree are necessary, but not everything. AND a lot of times, the natural food grocers jack up their prices JUST because they can. Rude I know. Smart, but rude.

I hope some of these tips help you like they have been helping me...and my wallet.

And my relationship :)

But buying cheap only does so much for the Hubby. It's the delicious dinners that really win him over..

What a sucker..

Squash Pockets

Ingredients:

(filling)

1/4 large onion diced

1 TB EVOO

2 TB chopped garlic

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup chopped artichoke

2 cups diced butternut squash( i used precooked frozen butternut squash)-

1/4 cup diced walnuts

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

salt and pepper

Thawed Phyllo dough

Directions:

1. In a heated pan, add EVOO, onion, and garlic and cook 4-5 minutes on med-low heat until they begin to caramelize. Stir Frequently. Then add spinach and stir every so often until spinach begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Then add artichokes & squash and stir until combined. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook about 6-7 minutes med heat. Stir frequently. Then add in walnuts. Season with more S & P to taste.

2. Prepare phyllo dough according to packages. I cut mine in half.

3. Place a couple spoon fulls of filling at the top of one side of the phyllo dough and add a few crumbles of goat cheese.

4. Fold Phyllo dough all the way down. I folded mine like you were folding up a flag.

5. Repeat steps until all the filling is used. I stuffed my pockets pretty full, so I only got about 5 or 6 pockets, so it all depends on the size. You can fold your pockets any way your want. There isn't a right way. Maybe there is, I just don't know about it :)

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until phyllo becomes golden brown.

I had never worked with phyllo dough until this. I have NO idea why I waited so long!?

Every crispy bite made me want to run out an buy more phyllo dough and make more!! hha

See what I mean. Impulse buyer anyone??

I hope Baby Boo doesn't turn out like me with the whole spending regards thing,

Because I don't know how many more arms and legs I can sell before I run out...

Grilled Lemony Dill Veggie Sandwhich

April 14, 2011 Arielle

Dear Brain-

Where are you?

How come you always seem to disappear, especially when I need you the most?

How come you can't be there to remind me to turn off the hose on our sink...

Baby Boo's face is a perfect target..

Oh, and I'm really sick of the Wet T-Shirt games.

(You don't remind me about the hose, but you sure don't have a problem reminding me wet t-shirt contest are NOT for me)

Oh, and brain, while I have your attention, can you please remind me why I am so clumsy?

Because each time I spill formula, I am slowly saying goodbye to Baby Boo's college fund.

Bye Bye Harvard...

Hello Community College.

Oh, and one more question brain..

How come you never remind me to buy Dill?

Because Dill is delicious, and for some reason I always forget.

But not this time. I think I will clearly remember!

Grilled Lemony Dill Veggie Sandwhich

Ingredients:

1 cup of assorted veggies in slices (I used eggplant, zucchini and tomato)

1 TB chopped fresh dill

zest of half a lemon

juice of half a lemon

1 TB Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Gather sliced veggies and put them in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss until everything is coated. Let marinade for 10 minutes.

Then grill veggies, 3-5 minutes on both sides.

2. Prepare sand which.

Add some Hummus and Goat Cheese:

And then some avocado and spinach:

Then assemble your veggies.

Pile those babies high!

And then if you want, sprinkle with some parsley.

Then smoosh the sand which together, like they smoosh in Jersey Shore..

And.fall.in.love.

If you want a light and refreshing lunch that feels like summer..

Then grab your Lawn Chair, Pina Colada, and this Sammy...

OH Wait!

Hey Brain?

Can you remember to bring the sunscreen?

K thanks, your a doll!

Vegan Chocolate Tart w/ Almond Crust

April 12, 2011 Arielle

It started out an early...early saturday morning.

Early enough to where I wished I was a coffee drinker.

But that's besides the point.

We were all doin' the usual thang..

Hubby sleeping...Baby Boo playing..

And me finding out what botox would feel like.

As I fixed breakfast I noticed that my 10 bananas sitting on the counter were turning a little brown.

Yes, I had ten bananas. And just like carrots turn your orange, bananas turn you into hairy monkeys.

Which is the real reason behind the green face mask.

OOoo Eehh Ahh Ahhh

I decided that I really wanted banana bread. With blueberries. Blueberries in banana bread is almost as good as chocolate chips in banana bread. And if you use your imagination, blueberries kind of taste like chocolate...

haha just kidding

I tried a new recipe for banana bread. It had no butter, minimal sugar, and tons of whole grainy goodness, and as I looked for my loaf pan in my linen closet (don't you keep bakeware in your linen closet?), I noticed one of my new pans that I have yet to use.

Could it be done.

Baked Banana Donuts? It sounds possible.

So I baked as followed, and well, I was quite disappointed.

Maybe I didn't bake them long enough since they were still a little gooey, but they looked sad...

Flat little pancakes, with a hole in the middle. Me no likey...

So I beat my chest, and scratched my head...

I knew I had to try again.

Test #2:

They look kind of like a donut.

But they tasted like sand.

I may have shed a tear, but I quickly wiped my eyes, and tried AGAIN!

3rd time a charm right?

Test #3:

Baked Banana Donut with Dark Chocolate Drizzle & Coconut...

Fail

Major Fail.

What am I doing wrong??

Too dry, too sandy, not fluffy, and airy...

Not fried??

I am totally bummed because I was hoping to have an amazing donut recipe to share, but instead I am just going to have to settle..

Disappointing, am I right? :)

You see, I made these back in December during Christmas time, and for some reason I never shared the recipe. Maybe it's because every time I look at the pictures, they give me ideas. Bad Ideas. Ideas that make me want to sit in pool full of melted dark chocolate while eating a chocolate covered chocolate bar, as I continue sipping a chocolate smoothie.

Like I said.

Bad Ideas.

Vegan Chocolate Tart w/ Maple Almond Crust

Ingredients:

(For tart)

2 cups raw almonds

3 TB maple syrup + 2 TB maple syrup

1 cup dates (pits removed)(maybe :)

1/2 tsp. salt.

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions: (for tart)

1. Set oven to 325. Take a baking sheet fitted with baking mat, and put almonds on sheet. Coat almonds with the 3 TB maple syrup. Make sure all almonds are coated.

2. Roast in oven for 15 min, stirring about ever 5 min.

3. Once almonds are done, let cool.

4. In a food processor, add all the rest of the ingredients, and process until crumbly, yet mixture sticks.

* note-I forgot about how much dates I used here, so I am kinda guessing, but If your need to add more dates then do so and please let me know!*

5. Press mixture into mini tart pans and dehydrate for about an hour @ 105. If you don't have a dehydrator, use oven at lowest temp setting, and bake for 30 minutes.

Directions:

(for chocolate filling)(Recipe from Fitnessista)

2 1/2 cups soaked raw cashews

1 1/2 cups double dutch dark cocoa powder(or reg cocoa powder)

1 cup maple Syrup

1/2 cup honey (or agave)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

Directions for chocolate filling:

*follow exactly*

1. Soak cashews in water for at least 30 min to an hour. Then in a vitamix, or high processing blender add cashews (w/o water), maple syrup, honey, vanilla, sea salt, and water. Blend all together until smooth and creamy.

2. Then add in cocoa powder and blend until creamy, with NO lumps.

3. Then add in coconut oil, and puree until smooth.

4. Pour filling into prepared tart pans, and set in freezer for at least an hour so tart will set.

Heaven Tarts. That's what they should be called..

The best thing I ever ate tarts.

If I could choose one food item to take with me on a deserted island tarts.

You get the idea.

I couldn't stop eating the filling!

Neither could baby boo..

Pig.

It's definitely a splurge dessert. It's very rich and very filling.

But hey, I have never been one to complain about rich or filling desserts.

The richer the better..

A wise saying for choice of dessert...as well as men.. :)

And with every bite..

I can assure you a moment of pure happiness.

Let me put it this way...

It doesn't even compare to a Banana Baked Donut.

Chocolate Cherry Green Drink

March 5, 2011 Arielle

Mom's don't get sick days.

There is no boss for her to call up and say "I won't be coming in today."

She can't lay in bed all day and watch Housewives of Miami, and then wish she had tan legs instead of white unshaved ones.

She most definitely couldn't take the hottest bath that only a dragon could tolerate, thus turning her white hairy legs into bright red, burnt off hairy legs...

And she is quite positive she couldn't take long long naps either...to the point where she doesn't remember where she is or what time it is.

Because, you see...

Mom's just don't get sick days...

That is unless you have a knight in shining armor. One who would much rather spend his day off relaxing and catching up on some zzzz's from his 4 in the morning internship.

Instead, this knight in shining armor teaches your Baby Boo to climb up the stairs..

And this knight in shining armor is more than a teacher, he's a cook as well.

He prepares wonderful meals of applesauce and oatmeal, and airplanes them in to a very picky Baby Boo's mouth..

And that knight in shining armor is also a pleaser.

Because he knows that your Baby Boo doesn't really like foods of any sort, so instead of making matters worse, he gives her what makes her happy..

A dishcloth.

And then the knight will wonder how his Baby Boo is related to his princess...

Because his princess is a major lover of food. In fact the day before his princess got sick she spent the afternoon baking...

...and then consuming leftovers...

Then this knight in shining armor realizes his princess is probably very regretful of her ridiculous amount of sugar consumption, do to the fact she hasn't left the bathroom floor.

But he would never remind her of this..

Because he is also smart...

And as his princess lays upstairs regretting every decision of food consumption in the past year, she thinks about the one thing that def most totally could not have made her sick...because it was too delicous..

Choco Cherry Green Drink

Blended together until smooth: 1 cup coconut milk, 2 cups spinach, 2/3 cup frozen cherries, 1 frozen banana, chocolate protein powder, and ice.

And then as the evening comes to an end, and that mom's sick day seems to have a light at the end of the tunnel, she kisses her knight in shining armor thanking him for saving her from a day of added stress and misery.

And when she looks into his eyes that knight in shining armor will no longer have a "shine" about him, but a mere "Pale" look. That mom will ask him what's wrong, and that "Pale" prince will look at his princess and say...

"Sorry my princess, but I am not going to be able to come in today...

I'm calling in sick"

Nut Butter Protein Balls

February 15, 2011 Arielle

*Update: The recipe for this post has been one of the most popular recipes on The Diva Dish. It's an older post, I only have 1 wee babe, so if you want to skip to the recipe go ahead and scroll to the bottom!

The Food Processor I own is this one HERE. (affiliate link)*

DAG-NABIT!

Thanks to Baby Boo's slight obsession over my computer, and her constant need to touch the key board...

My computer screen is now magnified enough for a 97 year old to read the monitor...

It's making me dizzy...

So this past week Baby Boo and I took a trip up to my parents house, and hubby met us there later in the week. We had alot of fun, that was until...

Baby Boo got sick...again.

This time her cold turned into something worse, and we spent many hours at the hospital/doctors...Baby Boo hated it.

So did Mama.

What Baby Boo had was pretty bad, and I was worried she was going to be miserable the whole week at my parents. But, she shined through on this one! She is such a good sport and managed to sneak a smile in here and there! =]

Such a trooper!

So, while Grandma spoiled Baby Boo, I watched the Hubby get a little Too into a game of Ping Pong.

He wanted me to take action shots of him.

Cuz he thought it would be sooo cool.

Here you go sweety!!

Look Ma NO ARMS!

I probably should redeem myself for that one...

Sexy.

I asked if I could play, but I was turned away. Geeze Loose 4 Balls and they NeVeR forget!!

Well if I can't play with their Ping Pong Balls...

Then I'll Make My Own...

Nut Butter Protein Balls

Ingredients

1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 c. pitted dates
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
3/4 c. oats
3 TB. dark chocolate or cocoa nibs
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1/3 c. peanut butter or almond butter, unsweetened
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

In a [url href="http://amzn.to/2aLjBPl"]food processor[/url], blend the ingredients one by one, starting with the walnuts. Process until small crumbs appear, don't over process or you will have a walnut butter :).
Next add dates, process until crumbs. Followed by almonds, then coconut, oats, and lastly chocolate.
Once a thick crumb texture appears, add in the syrup, nut butter, and vanilla. Process until a thick dough forms into a ball.
Roll into inch sized balls on cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. Last 1-2 weeks, balls can be frozen.

3.5.3208

These balls are totally share-worthy.

Whether or not I decided to share...

Is up to me...

They taste JUST peanut butter cookie dough,

minus the un-healthy ingredients!

Baby Boo is trying to convince me she is ALL better so she can have a Ball herself...

Nice try sweet heart.

Maybe Mama will share with you when your not all gums!

As for now...

I only share with me, myself, and I..

Huge Vegetarian Burritos

February 10, 2011 Arielle

**Note** If you haven't joined my Facebook page and would like to, do so HERE. There may just be a GiVeAwAy coming soon =]**

***********************************************************************************

There is one thing that I have always despised about the Hubby.

It's not that he can put Baby Boo to sleep in a matter of seconds, where as it takes me an hour..

And despite that pissing me off, I don't despise him for it...I simply use love him more for it.

But there is one thing...one very important thing, that makes me angrier than if someone told me there would be no more chocolate in the world.

It's simply the fact of how he eats.

You see, in college when I was overly concerned about food, and would hide behind a couch if someone showed me carbs and told me to eat them, I learned that Hubby, who was BF at the time, could stomach anything. And when we would go out to dinner, he would down a "HUGH JASS" burrito no questions asked, all the while maintaining his sexy athletic figure. I would stare him down as I picked at my dressing-less bowl of lettuce, and wished bad things. Not so evil, but that maybe his BuTt would bubble out the next day from all the meaningless fat and calories he was eating. Needless to say my wishes never came true. =]

Ever since we have been married, I have come to the terms with the fact that some people are just lucky. They can eat whatever they want, and yet look like a champ. It simply is not a struggle for them. (AKA skinny mean girls in highschool =])

But I have learned that "looking thin" means nothing, but feeling healthy means everything. I'm not saying it's not ok to eat pizza, or have dessert. I mean, I do believe in, "living a little.." =] What I am saying is that, now, I simply don't have a desire to eat a whole large pizza from little "sleezers," because I know I will most likely feel like crap after I do.

I eat what I want, and what makes me feel better about my self...

And I feel a whole lot better when I eat one of these...

Hugh Jass Burritos

Ingredients: (Bean Puree)

1 can chickpeas

1 1/2 TB Balsamic Vinegar

1 TB Tamari (or Soy Sauce)

3-4 TB water

1 medium garlic clove chopped

1 1/2 tsp. curry powder

Ingredients: (Veggies Saute)

1 TB Olive Oil

4 garlic cloves chopped

1 LG cup chopped broccoli

1 cup yellow bell pepper

2 TB Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. Tamari (soy sauce)

1 cup frozen corn

salt and pepper (dash or two)

Tortillas

Avocado

Hummus Cheese(ohsheglows)

Serving: Enough for 1 burrito

4 TB hummus

1 TB Nutritional Yeast

1 TB plain almond milk (or reg milk) to thin it out

Directions: (Bean Puree)

1. Combine all ingredients in the Bean Puree section into a food processor or high speed blender, and puree until smooth. Set aside.

(For the Veggie Saute)

1. In a frying add oil, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes. Careful not to let it burn.

**Side note....***

Do NOT drop your big glass of olive oil on tile...

You most likely, will regret this.

2. Add Broccoli and Bell Peppers, W. sauce, and tamari, and saute for 1-2 minutes.

3. Cover veggies and steam for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add corn, mix together, and remove from heat. Keep covered.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and warm tortillas over stove.

6. Build your burritos. Start with Bean Puree,

7. Then add your veggies saute.

8. Next, Fold those bad boys...

9. Then place in a baking dish. I was able to get 4 big daddy burritos.

10. Top with remaining bean puree then veggies.

11. Bake for 20 minutes.

Directions: Cheese Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together with fork, until smooth.

Assembly:

Remove burritos, and drizzle with cheese sauce, and top with avocado.

A-Freakin-Mazing!

This Burrito, seriously...better than any one I have ever...

ever...

had...

And that cheese sauce...

Holy Heck...

Beware...

Food Porn...

You want to know the best thing about these burritos??

This is now Hubby's favorite meal...

Take that you skinny buns!

Hamburger Cupcakes

February 8, 2011 Arielle

Did you watch the superbowl?

I can honestly say...I was extremely looking forward to it!

Food...

Friends...

Commercials...

More importantly...

LAST game of the season.

I like...sports?...I do. It's just that after a while..I'm over them. Especially when it feels like Hubby has a "special" connection to each football team there is..

Which means..

We MUST watch every game!

So when I heard that the superbowl was coming up, a friend and I threw a little party. The men thought it was a "Superbowl" party...

But the women knew the truth..."I can't wait to have my husband back party!"

So when the big day came..

Everyone mingled, and shouted and cheered, and us ladies were sent in the kitchen to feed our starving husbands. We tried hard to put all our little girly efforts into making the party "cute," but try and tell your husband you need to decorate and photograph his food before he can eat it.

Dipped Strawberries that were "supposed" to look like footballs...

NOT gonna happen.

That's ok, because we were able to make these AdOrAbLe hamburger cupcakes!

They were super simple to make. Just cut a vanilla cupcake in half, place a brownie(patty) in the middle, add frosting, and ViOlA!

My cousin made these cute Sugar cookie "Fries" to go along with the Hamburgers:

(Want better instructions? Click HERE)

I think all hamburgers should be made this way =]

Now I just want you to know...

I didn't just throw on an apron and cook all day. I watched some of the game.

Enough to know Christina must be embarrassed, some of the commercials were funny, Half time show..MEH, and that the team that we were all rooting for...

WON!

What's that you say..??

There's a basketball game on??

Dang.

Planned Protein Power Cookies

January 21, 2011 Arielle

Today I planned.

I planned on waking up around 730, maybe 8.

We woke up at 530.

I planned on taking Baby Boo for a walk.

Ya...didn't happen.

I planned on drinking a delicious cold busting smoothie after learning the top 3 foods to fighting colds.

And I planned on photographing and drinking that cold buster smoothie while Baby Boo took her morning nap...

But since Baby Boo has protested sleeping the past few days, a photograph and a sip was all I could get...

I think it was good..

But I don't really know because by the time I could drink it...

it was freakin' warm.

I then began to think, maybe I should throw out all my plans of Baby Boo sleeping.

Even though she seems exhausted...

How many airplane rides does MaMa have to do to make this girl tired?!?

I can't blame Baby Boo though. There has been too many sneezes...

She is snot cool with that..

Catch my drift.

I decided that if Baby Boo was snot going to sleep, then she would be my partner in crime in the kitchen.

I planned on making enchilades.

Instead, all I made was a smoothie I didn't get to enjoy.

And all I consumed through out the day was a cookie, crackers and hummus, a granola bar, and a sip of greens.

Now, since I planned on sharing an enchilada recipe...

We all know that didn't happen...

So instead, here is a cookie recipe...

Because It's the one out of 4 things I ate today.

Protein Power Cookie

Although it's called a cookie, it's actually full of healthy fiber and protein. The secret ingredient is quinoa which contains tons of protein and antioxidants.There is no unhealthy fats or ridiculous amounts of sugar. It's a great pre/post-workout snack as well.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats

1/2 plain cooked quinoa

2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/8 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp. baking powder

4 TB freshly ground flax seeds

1 TB chia seeds

3 1/2 TB almond/peanut butter

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup agave nectar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 TB canola oil

*note*

* Can use 5 TB of ground flax seeds if you can't find chia seeds.

* Buy whole flax seeds and blend in processor until fine.

Directions:

1. Combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, and chocolate chips into a bowl, then sift in baking powder.

2. In a separate bowl combine ground flax, chia seeds, syrup, agave, almond butter, and vanilla. Mix in oil.

3. Combine wet ingredients to dry ingredients, but DO NOT over mix.

4. Use a pan coated with parchment paper, scoop cookies with a ice cream scoop evenly apart and flatten tops with fingers slightly.

5. Bake in a pre heated 350 degree oven for no longer than 11-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to cooling rack.

These are amazing. You don't even miss the butter!

Did I just say that?

I planned on sharing these with everyone in the family...

So far, that hasn't happened. It probably won't either.

I'm just being honest.

Now I plan on doing something about these bad boys...

But considering the fact I've been sporting them for the past two days, tells me that it's really not a plan I'm intending on fixing anytime soon.

Chocolate Maple Almond Butter

January 16, 2011 Arielle

Sometimes people think I'm wierd.

Actually it's more than sometimes...

it's like a lot.

It might be that when it comes to picking a restaurant, everyone looks at me because I'M usually the picky one.

And then when we finally agree on a restaurant, I'm giving the waiter a run for his tip because I am practically creating my own item on the menu.

Ya...I'm one of those people.

Although...maybe it isn't those restaurant outings that make me look weird. I mean, there are lots of picky people who like their foods prepared a certain way, right??

But if it isn't about the restaurants, then what is it?

It could be that I buy Organic Vegetables and some Organic Groceries.

Because if I buy Organic...

That means I am a tree hugging organic hippy born again vegan freak right?

(**note**Been called all of the above)

But if the reason that I buy organic vegetables and groceries is because I like my foods made with out chemicals, don't want to eat foods that may be contaminated with e-coli or salmanella, enjoy supporting local farmers, think animals deserve to eat grass, and care about what I put into my body because I believe it's a temple...

Is that so bad?

But if it isn't the restaurants OR the Organic groceries than what could it be?

Well maybe it has something to do with the fact that when I am in the kitchen I am most likely cooking with "abnormal" ingredients.

Things like, "whole grains, almond/soy milk, flax seeds, and vegetables." Then to top it off, I am secretly throwing avocados into pudding, adding beans into mashed potatoes, rarely cooking with butter, licking a tub of hummus, eating tons of goat cheese, and continuing to sneak pieces of chocolate every 5 minutes.

Now, maybe, just maybe...I am starting to understand why people think I am so wierd.

Not just wierd...

A "Tree Huggin' Organic Born Again Vegan Freak" weird...

But I am here to say this...

For a freak...I eat Dang Good Food =]

Chocolate Maple Almond Butter

Ingredients:

2 Cups raw almonds

3 TB 100% pure maple syrup

2 TB 100% pure maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

Melted together: 1 TB coconut oil with 1/2 cup dark chocolate

Recipe adaped from: Edible Perspective & Ohsheglows

Directions:

1. Pre-Heat oven to 325

2. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and pour almonds on top.

3. Coat almonds with 3 TB of maple syrup.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so they don't burn.

5. Once done, remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. (You can even just eat these as a snack! =])

6. Once they are cooled, place almonds in a food processor.

7. Now this is the part that requires a lil patience =]. Start to blend the nuts together. For a while your just going to get fine crumbs, but keep blending.

8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to keep it moving smoothly.

9. Pretty soon those crumbs will start to look nice and creamy!

It will go from this,

To this,

10. Once it turns into BuTtA', THEN it is time to add the rest of the ingredients.

2 TB maple syrup, cinnamon, melted chocolate + coconut oil, and a dash of salt.

11. Combine all the ingredients into the food processor until creamy.

12. Place in a sealed container, such as an old peanut butter glass jar.

Use on top of toast, sandwhiches with jelly, on oatmeal, ice cream, on cookies, in baked goods, on top of marshmallows, on your finger...

You get the idea.

I used to be obsessed with peanut butter.

Until now...

I'm ALL about that creamy delciousness!!

(spoonful ONE of THIRTEEN)

Now if you will excuse me...

I'm going to go sit out side hugging a tree while eating a jar of Chocolate Maple Almond Butter.

And if I feel like it, you may hear me sing...

KOOMBYAAA MY LOOORDD...

KOOMBYYYAAAA!

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

November 25, 2010 Arielle

Happy Thanksgiving =]

I truly love the spirit of today. I have so much to be grateful for. God has truly blessed me.For starters;This ~~boy~~ man.

Yes, he ALWAYS looks this sexy.

He's perfect. Yes, perfect. He does so much for me, it makes me look like I'm one lazy butt.

Second of all;

I'm grateful to have gotten pregnant.

Feeling that little angel inside of me everyday was such an amazing blessing.

Of coarse, it wasn't too bad that I ate like an elephant, slept like a bear, and acted like a monkey sometimes =]

Third;

I am grateful for epidurals and amazing nurses.

All which kept me ~~sane~~ safe, and helped me bring one of the greatest blessings in the world...

My baby!

I never thought one little human being could bring so much joy and happiness into my life.

She's melted my hubby's heart.

She's been patient with me when I stick flowers, bigger than her body, on top of her head.

She let's me dress her up and buy her the latest baby fashions. All the while mommy is wearing sweat pans and maternity shirts stained with breast milk and spit up. That's pure love people, pure love.

This has been ONE of the greatest years so far. Thank you for following along with me on life's journey!

Happy Thanksgiving day!

Now go get fat

Baby's First Halloween 2010

November 2, 2010 Arielle

Name that movie? =]

Well another halloweeny came and gone, but this year it was EXTRA special! We had a very special babe-ster to share the holiday with.

This year we got serious with our pumpkin carving...

Serious enough with special carving glasses.

I know, seriously so cool.

Spooky talent? I think so =]

And then it came time to play dress up! The babe-ster went as a kitty (MeOw)

And the hubby and I went as parents...

~~We've got spirit!~~

Such a sexy family!

That's her kitty face.

And this is her "mommy hold me all day" face.

Hope everyone had a safe and Spooktacular Halloweeny!

My First Baby is here!

September 16, 2010 Arielle

So the time finally arrived...

It had been a long 9 months, and I am happy to say that my little baby girl is currently snuggled in my arms.

Hopefully this is a GOOD enough excuse as to why I have been M.I.A. on the blogger lately.

Forgive me? =]

Ok so I'm sure you want to hear the story right?...

if not, well then "THE HECK WITH YOU!"...jk

Ok so here I am a few days before my precious angel arrived. I look happy...but deep inside, I WANTED the baby OUT! =]

Ok so funny story. A couple days before I went into labor, I was walking around the mall with my husband, when we went into Barney's New York and there was a worker who kept staring at us. He had an extremely thick accent, and he looked at me and said, "your having a girl." And I said, "why yes I am!" And then he said, "I predict you will have her on thursday." All i could think of was...creeeepy..

Ok so fast forward to Wednesday and I went to the beach and walked for a hour plus (I was really determined.) Then I came home and walked on the treadmill. (did i mention i really wanted to have that baby) My due date was friday so I was hoping it would happen soon. Ok so wednesday after I had walked like a million miles, I noticed I was bleeding. It was minor so i figured it was nothing. But I must admit, I had never been so excited to be bleeding...(sorry gross)...but I knew that meant labor was near.

Ok so on Thursday my grandpa came down with my cousin to keep me company. I had been quite bored waiting around for my baby girl, and I had scrubbed the kitchen floor so much it was close to wearing off! I didn't feel so great that day, in fact I felt weird. For one I had to go to the bathroom every 5-10 minutes because there was just so much pressure. Then I started to get really crampy, and it was super uncomfortable. I started thinking, hmmm it can't be...But then they got stronger, and they got closer and closer together. So I started timing these pains, and they were exactly 4 minutes apart. All the sudden I wanted it to stop. I decided right then that I wasn't ready to give birth. Obviously too late. SO I called the hubby and he RUSHED home (he was super excited), he threw me in the car, no joke, and we were off. I told him, "you know dear, I am not going to give birth in the car. We have time." What I was really thinking is, "if you don't slow down over these darn speed bumps and turns I am going to scream!"

As soon as we got to the hospital I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. They made me walk for a half hour while they got my room ready, which by the way was my FAVORITE part of labor....NOT! As soon as that torture was over we got in our room and the nurse asked if I needed anything, and guess what I said? EPIDURAL! I am kinda a baby when it comes to pain.

Here I am, lovely as ever. Waiting for the epidural....patiently...

After the epidural, I felt great! Unfortunately I couldn't even move my feet, but HECK, I didn't care! I didn't want to feel a thing! But just my luck, I was soo numb, that they had to turn off the epidural JUST so i could push. I was very upset...very mad..and I let the nurses, doctors, hubby, family, and patients on the same floor know it!

After 19 hours of labor, and 1 1/2 hours of pushing...

The greatest blessing in my life.

I am still iffy on whether I want to go private on the blogger or not. I have TONS of cute photos, and stories, but I don't like posting stuff about my child when anyone can look at my profile. But I also LOVE to share stories about my baking adventures. I don't really know what to do. But if you read my blog, and want to continue to follow it, leave me your email in a comment JUST in case I decide to go private.

I'll be back shortly, I have a baking adventure this weekend. CUPCAKES!! WOO HOO!

p.s. Did i forget to mention the creepy guy from Barney's was right?

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Hey There!

Welcome to The Diva Dish! My name is Ari and I love Kale Salads and Chocolate Cake. I also love to blog about it...