What I Ate Wednesday {WIAW}

It's WIAW --> What I Ate Wednesday hosted by the gorgeous Jennifer over at Peas and Crayons. She gives us all something to talk about on Wednesdays and that makes me love her mucho mucho!! If you haven't joined the party yet go to her blog and link up!

Last night I made the best stuffed chicken for dinner. You are going to want to copy cat this recipe because it was delish and made my boyfriends mouth drool! Okay, maybe not the last part but I heard lots of "mmmm's" come out of his mouth!

I am a seasoning packet lover. I never use a full packet of seasoning when cooking tacos or fajitas so I always have plenty of leftovers to help flavor my dishes.

Tomato, Basil and Feta Stuffed Chicken

2 chicken breasts

1/4 cup diced tomatoes (canned works better)

8 leaves of fresh basil, shredded

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

2 tablespoons tomato basil grilling seasoning

1 tablespoon butter/earth balances butter

Directions:

1. Take each chicken breast and act as if you are butterflying it - i.e. take a sharp knife to the center of breast's thickness and slice until there is about a cm left. Be sure not to slice all the way through, you want to make a pocket for your stuffing. 

 2. Within the center add half of your diced tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh basil. Rub 1 tablespoon of seasoning on top of your chicken {if you don't have tomato basil salt and pepper would work just fine!}

3. Place both chicken breasts in an oven safe dish and top with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Bake at 350 for 30-35  minutes, or until chicken is cooked fully. Baking your chicken in the oven helps to make it juicier and tender! You could also grill your chicken on top of foil, using toothpicks to keep the pocket closed!

I paired my chicken with some fresh asparagus cooked in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. And of course some Sangria after a long day of work! You could stuff your chicken with other ingredients too like spinach and bleu cheese, mozzarella and mushroom or goat cheese and chorizo. The possibilities are endless!

I am trying to detox from all of my weekend eats with huge bowls of fruit for a snack throughout the day. Watermelon, strawberries and blueberries. Fruit, especially watermelon always keeps me full!

Happy Hump Day!

How Does Your Garden Grow Tuesdays

how does your garden grow?! if you are new to my blog, every tuesday (i try!) i show you how the fruits/veggies/herbs that i have planted this season are coming along. i answer the questions i ask and give tips to how you can keep your garden healthy and thriving!

so what is growing in my garden?

spinach
cantaloupe
strawberries
roma tomatoes
yellow bell pepper
cilantro
basil

but that's not all! have a new or old post on your garden (flowers or veggie/herbs/fruits) that you want to share? link your post below! i love seeing what others are growing and seeing your tips! together, we can all grow our own food (which makes you feel pretty amazing and accomplished!)

my strawberry plants are still going strong! since i have moved them to my table i have had no problem with bugs and have new berries each week.

my basil is still kicking. make sure you water your basil daily! they love water (at least mine sure does) and if you see the leaves starting to wilt and dry up, give it some extra hydration!

if your basil plants are getting crazy big freeze the leaves immediately after you pick them. you could also grab a couple hand fulls and make homemade pesto. don't be araid to pick them! i have all season long (as you can tell) and they keep coming back!

wow is all i can say. my cantaloupe has grown extra vines, has grown extra long to where it can no longer stand up and has sprouted flowers!

yes, i totally need to weed my garden this week and buy some mulch so its prettier.

spinach is nice and big now! see how something or someone loves to nibble on the leaves? that's okay. there are plenty to go around! chance loves when i rinse a few off and give them to him.

my roma tomato plants are starting to get tall! instead of forming the cage around them, this year i am just going to twisty tie (or you could use string) them onto a stake. let's hope it works!

how tall does a roma tomato plant grow?

Under good growing conditions, you can expect your Roma tomato plant to reach about 4 feet in height. It might grow a little taller or stay a bit under this height, but determinate varieties such as the Roma typically grow to this approximate height.

source

how long before my roma tomatoes start to grow?

once you see flowers on your plants (my mom already has some and i gave her the same plants!) you should start to see tomatoes forming.

should i keep the cantaloupe vines off of the ground? how much should i water them?
Unlike most other plants, after the fruit begins to grow, you should actually cut back on the water. This helps to concentrate the sugars in the fruit, making for sweeter melons. Let your plants dry out just until you can detect a bit of wilt, or when the soil is dry to the touch. Fertilize regularly, with monthly applications of standard fertilizer mix.

Fruit that is growing down on the ground can be protected from early rot or other pests if you place something solid under them to keep them off the soil. Coffee can lids work well, and it keeps your fruit cleaner too.

source

Eat Local - WIAW

Good Morning Wednesday!

If you haven't noticed a trend... Wednesdays = WIAW {What I ate Wednesday} started by Jen at Peas and Crayons. Here is what I have been eating lately!

a big mug full of strawberries and blueberries for todays breakfast. which came from Whole Foods via a huge 4 pound bin of strawberries... i told you they were like my chocolate! 

i also made oatmeal with blueberries and chia seeds for breakfast on Monday and a big batch of protein waffles to freeze for quick breakfasts on the go!

Sunday me and CL slept in {which I rarely get to do} then headed over to Downtown Annapolis because it was finally sunny out!! 

We love Pussers... maybe a little bit too much. These nachos are always how we start off a meal. Followed by sharing some fish tacos ... because I never lie and I really always order them everywhere we go. Make your own with my recipe here {mine are better}!

We also discussed our game plan of buying a house on the water. I would work 39452 jobs to wake up to this every morning.

Next, we headed over to Whole Foods where I finally picked up some Kombucha, chia seeds and another $100 dollars worth of groceries.

Which leads me to my next point.

buy local!!!!

No, really. I used to never think twice about where my food came. Where the meat I was putting into my body used to live. Were they happy and healthy and not crowded or fed chemicals and steroids?

The great thing about stores like Whole Foods is they really support local farmers. Buy the local ground beef and roast from the butcher. Pay the extra 2 dollars for the local milk ... you get the deposit back when you return the glass container. Stop at your local farmer's market to pick up some fresh veggies and go pick your own strawberries if you have time on the weekend.

It all adds up.

Doesn't it make you feel better about what you are putting in your belly? To know you are helping a farmer and his family keep his job by giving you healthy and fresh food for your family.

Fresh really does taste better!

Did you know? {source}

• Hawaii imports 90% of its food.
• In 1866, 1,186 varieties of fruits and vegetables were produced in California. Today, California's farms produce only 350 commercial crops.
• Communities reap more economic benefits from the presence of small farms than they do from large ones. Studies have shown that small farms re-invest more money into local economies by purchasing feed, seed and other materials from local businesses, whereas large farms often order in bulk from distant companies. 
• Large factory livestock farms also degrade local property values because of the intense odors they emit and other environmental problems they cause.
• A typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table.
• In the U.S., a wheat farmer can expect to receive about six cents of each dollar spent on a loaf of bread—approximately the cost of the wrapping.
• Farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
• About 1/3 of all U.S. farms are located within metropolitan areas, comprising 18% of total U.S. farmland.

Freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter. mmmmm :-)

After our Whole Foods stop, I accidentally shook my Kombucha a little too hard and it spilt all over my crotch. Right before we were going to get Menchies Frozen Yogurt. REALLY?!

Thankfully my prince charming had a huge jacket in the car that I threw on and looked like i was wearing no shorts. Just so I could get some of this.

Heaven in a cup.

BTW, have you entered my TheraPearl giveaway yet?

You have until Thursday night so leave a comment for every entry and you could win!

How Does Your Garden Grow Tuesdays

This could quite possibly be my favorite day of the week! Last week I started my weekly "How Does Your Garden Grow Tuesdays". If you have a garden or are growing your own veggies/fruits/herbs be sure to link up a new or old post to share!

I've said it before, but growing your own doesn't mean you need lots of land. You could live in an apartment and still grow healthy food as long as you have a window or patio! Every week I will try to give my advice on things I have wondered myself about growing plants! You'll see what's in my garden from start to in my belly!

Look who made their first appearance in my garden! My spinach! 

I was sooo excited, especially since it has only been a week and this is the first plant I have actually grown starting from a seed!

 hello, you are going to be so delicious with some strawberries and pecans one day. it is meant to be <3

 thank you rainy weekend for making sure they popped up! all three rows!

I also ran to Home Depot last weekend and bought two more strawberry plants and another cantaloupe plant. I couldn't resist! I have had 3 strawberries so far from my first pot!

How do I pick my strawberries? Where should I break the stem? Should I wash them before I store them in the fridge?

• I read you should grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.
• Don't wash your strawberries until right before eating, or they are more likely to spoil.
• Strawberries do not continue to ripen after picking, so make sure they are really ready before you pick!

After how many days will I be able to harvest my spinach?

• After 40-50 days you can pick your spinach!
• Make sure to start picking leaves on the outside of the plant. Leaving the inner leaves to continue to grow and produce new spinach!
•  It is best to eat the spinach the same day after picking. Soak in cold water. If you want to store, only keep it in there for 3-4 days. The longer you leave it, the more nutrients are lost.

Want to grow spinach but live in an apartment? You're in luck!

• One of the best things about spinach is that it doesn’t have to grow fruit so it doesn’t need a large container to live in. It loves the cool weather and will appreciate not being out in the hot summer days!

It's your turn! Show everyone what is growing in your garden and link up! I'd love to see what you planted this season! 



BTW, have you entered my TheraPearl giveaway yet? You have until Thursday night so leave a comment for every entry and you could win!

How Does Your Garden Grow Tuesdays

Introducing: How Does Your Garden Grow Tuesdays!! 

Every Spring I have such a fun time planning what new fruits/veggies/herbs I want to grow this season so I decided to start HDYGG Tuesdays! What better way to watch your garden grow and get tips on growing your own garden then reading and seeing it weekly!

I grew up with both sides of my family growing their own gardens. Picking my own strawberries from local farms and running through my grandfather's corn field. I've been asking questions from my family and today finally starting this years garden!

Think you can't grow your own veggies/fruits/herbs because you live in an apartment? Think again! I'll tell you which plants you can grow on your balcony or window sill.

What's in my garden so far this year???

cantaloupe

strawberries

roma tomatoes

yellow bell peppers

basil

cilantro

baby spinach

I'd love to see and hear what you guys are planting this year so link up every Tuesday to give the readers tips and an update on how your garden grows!

Tip #1: Growing spinach or lettuce?? Buy seeds! You will be able to see your salad mixes pop up in about 2-3 weeks! Nothing says organic like making your salad from what's growing in your own garden!

Tip #2: Have an apartment? Buy herbs and pot them. Cilantro and mint love to be in spring weather so they do especially well indoors on your window sill in the hot summer months! Make mojitos all summer long with your mint!

Tip #3: Cantaloupe and strawberries grow vines. Strawberries can be potted, but let the vines hang off the ends! For cantaloupe vines running on the ground, keep fruit from direct contact with soil to prevent rot and protect fruit from pests. Place ripening fruit on mulch, upturned coffee cans, or flower pots. 

Ka-Bob-Less

It's almost Friday!! Lately I have been contemplating doing my first vlog. Don't you ever wonder how your favorite blog authors sound? So I am asking all of you if you think a vlog is a good idea, and if so what would you like to know/see??

I love nights where I make veggie burgers because the next day I get to have the leftovers for lunch. And speaking of today's eats - for breakfast I had a big glorious bowl of my peanut butter puffins with 1/2 skim 1/2 soy milk for breakfast. Why half and half? Welp, I haven't had soy milk in awhile and I wanted to make sure I still loved it. Plus my skim milk has less fat and the same amount of calories per serving but the soy milk has slightly less carbs. Does anyone know the benefits of soy milk over skim?

I haven't had cereal for a few months and this was just what I needed to turn me into an addict! When I was younger and my mom would buy the reese's cereal I would always eat around the chocolate ones (not a fan of chocolate) so this cereal is like a gift from God! Can you tell I was too tired to wash my hair this morning? Whoops!

I did a 2.6 mile run, 1 mile on the eliptical, seated dips and leg lifts at the gym tonight. I was trying to keep it light since I was a little sore from cardio kickboxing last night.

I was feeling like salmon kabobs for dinner and my george foreman helped me out :-)

Sorry for the horrible pics! If you can't tell I "grilled" some marinated salmon, mushrooms and pineapple and served along side brown rice and an edamame/pepper mixture. Super tasty and took a total of 10 minutes to cook! Not bad.

I am planning a ladies brunch for some of my girlfriends to come over and catch up on our busy lives! It is so hard getting a group of girls together at the same time now that we all have careers (still weird to say) and live in different areas. I can't wait to cook for all of them and serve up some cake balls. I'm thinking carrot cake sounds like a brunch dessert. Right?

Here is my wedding finds update for the day...

Living in Maryland (home of the crab and old bay seasoning) this gave me a great idea for wedding favors. I think when you personalize your favors to your own style and loves, it gives your guests something extra to remember your special day. I'm already thinking up my own "crab bag" favors for when the day comes!

do you think a vlog is a good idea? what questions would you want answered?
does the spring make you obsessed with weddings too? 
what are the benefits of soy milk compared to skim milk (from a non vegan approach)?

xoxo,
Cara

Sweet Tooth Fix

Hopefully this rainy weather isn't putting you in a bad mood... tomorrow is Friday! That should help cheer you up a bit :) I have been dying to make my own frozen yogurt. I live with a guy who has an extremely large sweet tooth who loves to come home with donuts and ice cream on occasion. Yup, I just totally called my boyfriend out! You bet I went there.

As many of you know my mom had an ice cream maker in the basement that had my name all over it once I spotted that bad boy! Too bad I am completely clueless when it comes to making ice cream/frozen yogurt and didn't know you had to have an army of ice cubes in your freezer to complete the task! What's a girl to do? Make some stuffed oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies! I stuffed reese's peanut cups inside of my cookie dough and let me tell you they lasted approx. .342243 seconds at work this morning!

warning: these cookies are not low in fat but they are high in deliciousness!!!

Reese's Peanut Butter Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of steel cut oats
Couple dashes of cinnamin
Reese's miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:

Prepare your cookie dough as follows... Cream together your butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Combine the rest of your dry ingredients. Next take a spoonful of your cookie dough and flatten it out in your hand. Place the peanut butter cup in the center of the flattened dough, cover the entire candy with the surrounding dough and form into a ball. Repeat until your cookie sheet is full of deliciousness! Cook in a 375 degree oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. I like my cookies soft in the center so I take out as soon as they are brown around the edges. Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!

If that isn't eye candy I don't know what is. Even a chocolate hater like me couldn't resist these bad boys!

Fat Free Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt:

8 ounces of chopped strawberries
1 medium sized ripe banana
2 cups fat free yogurt or fat free greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
8 ounces fat free cream cheese

Directions:

Chop your strawberries and bananas. Combine all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Follow your ice cream machine's directions. Add in chopped walnuts if you'd like :-) For 4 portions this recipe is about 150 calories.

I can't decide what to do with all these cookies and leftover frozen yogurt. Oh, wait. Fro yo cookie sandwiches. My cube is going to be the most popular cube on the block tomorrow at work!

Wrapping these babies in some plastic wrap and freezing over night! I'm off to the gym so my pants still fit tomorrow!

Chic Meets Healthy is now on Facebook!! Check out the latest happenings and find updates on my blog here. <3

What's your favorite frozen yogurt flavor and toppings?

xoxo,
Cara