A Healthier Breakfast Sandwich

I am trying to get back into my workout and healthy eating groove. So I decided to rope you in too by posting healthier recipes. Of course I will still post the fun and not-so-good-for-you type but I definitely want to make an effort to share some good for you stuff too. Enjoy!

 Biggest Loser Sausage Patty
1/2 pound extra lean ground pork
1 Tbsp Minced red onion
1 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Ground Sage
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp salt (if desired)

  * Chop up Onion and Garlic, if use fresh ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients. Mix well.

  * Measure out meat mixture in 2 oz increments. Form each into a ball and flatten out on parchment paper. Approx 4 inches in diameter

  * Place any patties that won't be immediately cooked stacked between small sheets of parchment paper and place in an air tight container.

   * Store in Refrigerator up to 3 days and Freezer 1 month.

   * Cook up the sausage patty

Sandwich:

1 Thomas' Bagel Thin 100% Whole Wheat

1 Egg White

1/2 oz fat free/low fat or part skim mozarella cheese (or cheese of choice)

Biggest Loser Sausage patty (from above)
1/2 Cup Red Seedless Grapes

 

* Toast the bagel thin (if desired)

* Cook up the egg white

* Place cheese on warm sausage patty

* Place sausage and egg on bagel thin to form a sanwich

* Garnish Plate with grapes

Here are the Nutrition Facts:

Meal Total:
Calories: 270

Fat: 4.5g

Cholesterol: 42mg

Sodium: 397.5mg

Fiber: 5.5g

Sugars: 14.5g
Protein: 29.5

Day 4

I am just itching to use the newest members of my kitchen staff.

Day 1, 2, 3

Instead of taking up 3 or 4 blogs, I decided to post the first 3 pictures in one and todays in another. Excited? I am ;)

Day 1:
This is Baloo. He belongs to my sweet neighbor, Heather. He part Cocker Spaniel and part something else. The guess is some kind of terrier. In any case, isn't he a doll? I love him.

Day 2:
When I was a kid, I remember my mom used to tape the Christmas Cards. I think she still does. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

Day 3:
My bestie gave these flowers to me for my birthday. Over a week later they are still going strong. Aren't they pretty?

Photo A Day?

I know quite a few people(like 6 or so) that have decided to do the "Photo A Day 2011" project. I've been toying with the idea myself. Problem is that its already 3 days into January. Therefore I am already behind! Is it too late to start? hmmm 365 photos. That seems like a big commitment.

I like the concept of it... capturing one moment of everyday of the year.

Maybe I will give it a whirl and see what happens...

Zoo Favorites

Jared and I both had the last couple of weeks off so we took the opportunity to visit a few of our favorites at the Zoo.

The Komodo Dragon that I affectionately call "Frankie". He's ungly but cute. Scary yet looks gentle.

The Meerkats. Aren't the cute? I'd own one if I could!

 "Baby its cold outside"

And we got up close and personal with the snow leoprard. here kitty kitty...

It was a fun, relaxing day.

Party Time!

The only thing I really wanted for my birthday was a party. I was turning 30 and I felt like I wanted to really celebrate that. My birthday is 2 days after Christmas. It fell on a Monday this year and let's face it, everyone is still in the post-Christmas "fog" at that point. Birthdays around Christmas are no fun. It is such a busy time of year between family events, shopping and money stress.

I wasn't expecting or wanting anything elaborate. Just an evening of friends, family, snackies, music and maybe a drink or two and have it on New Years Eve. Well, that is exactly what I got. In fact, it was more than I couldv'e hoped for.

White twinkle lights, black/silver/hot pink color scheme, shiny stars hanging from the ceiling, lots of food, tasty drinks and a room full of people that love me.

The room was breath-taking and the details were amazing. I wanted a "New York" type theme so we could do the 9pm west coast/12am east coast countdown so people didn't feel like they had to stay super late. Especially those with little tykes. Well 9pm came and went faster than anyone realized. It was a very quick "3, 2, 1, Happy New Year" that only about half of the room heard.

Every detail was perfect. There were place cards marking the "names" of the dishes offered.

A candy "bar" for party favors (and for the kids to get the ultimate sugar high)

New York style cheesecake, Tasty Cupcakes and a New York Skyline Cake. Didn't my SIL jessica do an amazing job on that skyline? I think so!! And the cupcakes Minid made were absolutely adorable!



The kids had a great time dancing! Most of the adults were too shy (or too sober) to really get out there and get their groove on but a few of us did.

 I know it kind of looks like the WWF but they really were dancing.

I had friends from all walks of life join in the fun.

My favorite decoration was the sign on the wall. It said "Happy 30th Birthday Shannon" but the 3-0 was made up of pictures of me. Pictures from when I was little, from high school (scary), college, etc. It was the coolest idea! I wish I could've brought it home with me.

It was a really fun evening and it was everything I wanted and more. I was showered with love and gifts. My only regret? Not taking more pictures!!! I didn't get a single one of me with my family or with my bestie. Slack much? Oh and I forgot to put on the "30" Tiara that my friend, Emily, sent me. Woops! I may have to just get all gussied up in my pretty black dress and take a picture in it.

Thank You to everyone that was involved. Planning, making food, setting up, chipping in money, attending etc. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! It was perfect.

Ha Ha Ha.. Got ya!

A Fresh Start

Well here we are. 2011. Another year is gone and a new one is upon us. Times like this I am thankful for this blog. It really makes it easy to look back on the year and see what's gone on. Maybe I just have a bad memory but it seems like so much happened but I remember so little of it. I've enjoyed looking over my blogs and reading. Remembering.

Altogether 2010 was a pretty good year. There are always low lows and high highs. I am thankful for all of them. The lows make us stronger and the highs keep us moving forward.

I am looking forward to what 2011 has in store.

Here are a couple of my goals:

1)Get rid of this last 25lbs.. yeah, a lot of people make the "resolution" of losing weight. Few will follow through but I will.
2) Take more pictures
3) Take a moment atleast one a week to look at all I have in my life and give thanks

There are a lot more I am sure but I want to keep it small and achieve these goals.

What about you? Any goals for the new year?

Christmas

My Bad.. I posted about my Birthday before I posted about Christmas. oopsies!

Every year I tell myself I am not going to go crazy buying gift. One year I may listen to my inner voice. But in my defense... the gifts Jared bought are also in there.

I got Jared a special gift this year. A Kindle (aka eloctronic book reader). Everyone in our families knew so I had to give it to him before he got any accessories from the family. he was pretty surprised...

 

On Christmas Eve Jared and I visited his friend, Amber, and enjoyed some delicious authentic and home made mexican food. It doesn't get better than that! Amber always spoils us with stockings. We had a great time chatting with her and a couple of his other friends.

We spent Christmas Day at Jared's Uncle Pete's house. We snacked in the early afternoon and into the evening. I left around 6pm and headed to work. Unfortunately it was a nusy night at work. We were all hoping for a easy night of Christmas movies.

The day after Christmas was spent with my family. Every year we go to my parents house. I am sure sometime someone else may host it but it never feels quite like Christmas unless it is at Mom and Dads. There's still something so special and cozy about gathering there and celebrating.

Back in October my camera had a bad run in with asphalt and never quite recovered. The latch that kept the memory card and battery secure was broken so I had to tape it shut. Can you say ghetto? In any case, I didn't have the chance to take pictures at Amber or Pete's house. Thankfully I was given a new camera on Christmas Day so I was able to capture a few moments of my youngest nephew's first Christmas.



He had fun... eating the paper.

Big sister Peyton was happy to "help" him open his gifts. (aka do it for him). And of course opening her own.

And I simply can't believe how big these two are getting;

 Where has the time gone?

Christmas was wonderful this year. It never ceases to amaze me how much time, shopping, money, preparation goes into the holiday and it is gone in a flash. The best part of the holiday is spending the time with family.