Sweet T and a Honey B
Food, Fitness, and the Adventures That Make Life Sweet

A Little Light in the Dark – Houston Strong

I’m currently fretting about how much laundry I have to do before my husband and I set out for a much anticipated mini-vacation to Door County, Wisconsin for this Labor Day Weekend. I am still unsure what outfits I am going to bring. There are dirty dishes piled in the sink. My husband is getting over being sick. I have a lot of work to finish up at my office before we leave later this evening.

Yet, how incredibly blessed am I? 

Right now, I am over here worrying about trying to condense the amount of shoes I want to bring this weekend without Bryan’s not-so-silent judgement, yet there are 93,942 families whose homes have been destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and the surrounding areas the last few days. These residents are worrying where they are going to find food, clean water, dry clothing, or worse- their loved ones. I can’t even imagine the sadness and fear they are experiencing. It’s an understatement to say that my heart is broken for these people. However, it’s also an understatement to say how full my heart is when I hear stories of the groups of people that have rallied to help out in Houston physically and financially. Unfortunately we live in a time where it’s unusual to turn on the television or scroll through our Twitter feeds and hear about people from all different backgrounds going to distance to help each other. There has been a lot of light in a disaster so dark. 

Image result for hurricane harvey

News crews have stopped rolling in the middle of broadcasts to form human chains in order to rescue someone who may not have made it otherwise.  An entire building of people stayed behind to make sure their neighbor who was pregnant and in labor, got out safely. Countless people have rescued stray animals (I saw a man carrying a couple pigs to safety!). Celebrities and athletes are donating large sums of money and setting up their own foundations (Houston Texans JJ Watt has raised over $10 Million alone for the Harvey Relief). MillerCoors has stopped canning beer and is canning water to send down to Houston. McDonald’s donated $1 Million today. Last night, my very own Indiana Hoosiers are wearing ‘Houston Strong’ stickers on their helmets during their season opener.

If you do not live within the city limits or anywhere where it’s remotely accessible to get to a recovery shelter, it’s easy to feel helpless. With that said, there are endless ways you can help from anywhere in the world. Local hospitals are in desperate need of blood donations and you can visit the American Red Cross website to find a blood donation center near you. If you’ve turned on your television or cell phone in the last few days, you have probably noticed that there are just about a million charities you can donate to in order to aid in the relief. While driving to work earlier this week, I heard about a website called Charity Navigator. This is an easy way to search for various foundations and charities to donate to, how they use their contributions, and a real time ticker that shows where people are donating minute by minute. The website makes it easy to search for organizations you’d like to support and add them to your ‘giving basket’ so that you can easily decide how much you would like to contribute to each of your selections. I chose to donate to both the Houston Food Bank and the Houston SPCA. Even something so simple as using the hashtag #HoustonStrong on social media is a small but powerful act to show your support

I highly encourage you to support the relief aid in any way you are able, even if that’s spending some time browsing the internet for the stories of the heroes that have saved numerous lives or aided in the the relief in a big way. As I leave to spend a few days away with my husband, I will be thinking of everyone effected by Harvey. I hope that everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend. 

 

 

20 Minute HIIT Treadmill Workout

I got to the gym one night last week and knew I only had about 45 minutes total in me to get a good sweat in. I’ve been MIA from our gym this summer because I took advantage of every possible opportunity to enjoy the weather and run, but have just been getting back in to the swing of things adding some more weight lifting and cross training in to my routine. I went to the gym with the intention of spending most of the time with some weights but I’m one of those people that doesn’t feel successful after a workout if I haven’t broken much of a sweat. I hopped on the treadmill to jog a little bit but was feeling good so I decided to switch up my speeds and inclines to get my heart rate up and create just a tad more intense cardio workout for myself.  I ended up enjoying the first half of my run so I repeated the same sequence and pushed myself a little more at the end. Because I walked off the treadmill after a short 20 minutes, dripping in sweat and ready to weightlift, I wanted to share it with you!

This is great if you’ve only got a little bit of time to dedicate towards a workout and are craving a good sweat. There is some evidence that fifteen minutes of a HIIT (high intensity interval training) is more beneficial that even an hour of just jogging at the same pace/intensity. HIIT workouts ensure you burn calories/fat longer after your workout ends, can increase metabolism, and is overall really good for your heart. This was a weekend that I definitely feel like I maxed out on my “treat yourself” opportunities (note: Barbecue Brisket Nachos. Drool) so I’ll likely be hitting up this treadmill workout a couple times this week.

What are your favorite HIIT workouts? When do you feel like you get your best sweat in? Do you have any suggestions for great workouts in under 30 minutes?

 

An Ideal Summer Side

The end of summer is gathering speed and soon enough we will all be pulling our boots to the front of the closet and pulling up to the drive-thru screen at Starbucks begging for a pumpkin spice latte (I get that the latter may not appeal to everyone). While the fall is always a welcomed season, especially this year, I’m trying my best to hang onto my tank tops and the smell of sunscreen juuuusst a little longer. This need for a little more time with the sunshine includes the fresh fruit, vegetables, and lighter meals that come along with the summertime. We’ve been making it a point to grill out on the balcony a few extra times and enjoy the fresh in-season produce. 

A recent dinner at my in-laws inspired this last week’s side-dish with pretty much everything we ate. My wonderful mother-in-law had whipped up a cold quinoa salad with chopped veggies and feta cheese that was to die for. I’m fairly certain I had three helpings. If you know me, you know I love to look for an excuse to pair quinoa with any dish but very rarely find a way to eat it cold other than throwing it on top of green salads. Making it it’s own dish was something I surprisingly hadn’t tried before. I left dinner determined to replicate it at home using some of me and hub’s recent favorites from the farmer’s market.  

More than I love quinoa, I love sweet peppers. These were a must. And since I can eat avocado right out of the skin with a spoon, this had to go in too. What really made this dish extra tasty was the soft crumbled goat cheese and Kraft brand Parmesan Pesto Vinaigrette. I found these olive oil based dressings not too long ago and they are delicious and very few Weight Watcher points. The effort required in this recipe is close to none and makes enough for leftovers throughout the week. When I say we ate this with everything, I mean everything. This very colorful dish is great with grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, soup, and also just by itself.  Since we just finished up the last bite of this quinoa salad this afternoon with our shared grilled cheese, I’m already adding some more quinoa and goat cheese to the grocery list for this week. 

What are some of your favorite summertime dishes? Are there any other veggies you would add to your quinoa salad? 

Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Makes approx. 6 – 3/4 cup servings. 7 WW points per serving.

  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked (we used red because of the rich color it gives this dish)
  • 3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/2 large cucumber, diced
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
  • 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 medium avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup Kraft Parmesan Pesto Vinaigrette
  1. Mix quinoa, all vegetables, and cheese together in a large bowl.
  2. If serving right away, toss salad with the dressing. If you plan to have leftovers, add 1-2 tbs of dressing to each serving as you go to avoid the vegetables getting soggy. 

Farmers Market Finds & Cherry Almond Scones

While Mondays normally bring on some familiar blue feelings, this particular Monday I’m feeling pretty well equipped to tackle the week head on. I can probably attribute that to spending the last 48 hours doing some of my favorite things; hiking, watching Netflix with the hubs, baking, spending time with family, taking a couple naps, and visiting the local farmer’s market. As ridiculous as it may sound, my weekly visit to the market has been my saving grace this summer. When mom ended up spending most of these last couple months in and out of the hospital, I really found out the importance of making time for myself- even if it was just an hour moseying through the various vendors every Saturday morning, sampling some of the local honey or cinnamon bread, picking up sunflowers the size of my head, and gathering our produce for the week. I found myself really treasuring this time during the stressful weeks. The best part of these visits were the goodies I would bring home. I’m crazy about all of the locally grown produce, organic meat, and delicious choices for baked goods (the monkey bread from Great Harvest Bread in Naperville, IL is literally life changing). I’d be absolutely lying if I said I didn’t leave feeling really full each time. 

Last week we purchased some great burger patties to grill up from Staff of Life Farms in Dwight, IL

 

 

While all of the vendors had something wonderful to share, I would find that each week my first stop was to the Scone City tent. Holy. Cow. I became pretty addicted to their cherry almond scones and this entire summer I have been looking for ways to combine that flavor combination. My only complaint is that they’re located in the city and I can’t have one of these every single morning.

For that reason, I decided to take a crack at my own scones with cherries fresh from the market and a few healthier ingredients and now I have a jar filled with my own treats to enjoy with my morning coffee. 

 

Cherry Almond Scones

  • 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 stick very cold butter, cut in to small cubes
  • 1 tbs baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 almond milk
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1 heaping cup of fresh cherries, pitted and sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • Granulated sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 
  3. Add cubes of butter and combine with hands until well incorporated in to the dry mix. Add cherries and place bowl in fridge.
  4. Whisk together eggs, almond milk, almond extract, and apple cider vinegar.
  5. Add wet mixture to the dry and stir with a spatula until a sticky dough forms. 
  6. Place dough on a floured surface and form in to a ball. Pat dough down to form a circle about 3/4 inch thick. 
  7. Cut dough in to 10 triangles and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle each triangle generously with almonds and a little coconut sugar or granulated sugar. 
  8. Bake for 18-20 minutes and enjoy!

 

What are some of your favorite things to do to de-stress? Do you have any favorite finds at your local market?

Cream Cheese Cucumber Bites

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that my favorite part of any meal is the appetizer. Even better than appetizers, are the kinds of get-togethers where everyone in your crowd brings something to share resulting in a plate full of different creations to try. While I love experimenting and try to bring something new most times, I have a few go-to’s that are ridiculously simple to make, feed a large group, and taste REALLY good. 

At the top of the list are these precious cucumber cups. You know how when you bite into a cupcake and the frosting goes up your nose a little bit? These cups give you the exact same result but who doesn’t love a generous portion of a little cream cheese and sour cream?

Before I scooped the cream cheese mixture into the cups, I used a small vegetable peeler to make ‘stripes’ on the cucumbers. Obviously- not necessary but it dresses them up just a bit. I also used a disposable pastry bag to swirl the mixture into the cups, but you can use a ziploc bag with a tip cut out or just spoon a heaping tablespoon in. Again – as long as you’re generous with the filling, any way you make them is gold 😉 

Cream Cheese Cucumber Bites

Makes approximately 18 cucumber cups.

  • 2-3 large cucumbers
  • 1 8 oz. package/block of Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1 8 oz container of light sour cream
  • 1 package of ‘Good Seasonings’ Italian Dressings Mix
  • crumbled turkey bacon for sprinkling (This time, I used packaged turkey bacon, but I have previously cooked up a couple slices of turkey bacon over the stove for a fresher option)
  1. Combine sour cream, cream cheese, and Italian Dressing mix. Place in an air tight container in the fridge until you are ready to use.
  2. Wash cucumbers and if desired, use a vegetable peeler to peel ‘stripes’ on the cucumber.
  3. Slice each cucumber into 1 to 1.5-inch thick slices and with a small spoon or a melon baller, scoop out a good portion of the seeds/middle of each slice to form little cups.
  4. Lightly dab each of the cucumber slices with a paper towel. If there is too much moisture before adding the cream cheese mixture, it will become runny.
  5. Using the pastry bag or a spoon, fill each cup with a heaping tablespoon of the filling and top each with turkey bacon crumbles. 

One of the best parts of this appetizer is the crunch you get from the cucumbers so I would suggest making these fairly close to when you are going to serve them as the cucumbers become soft from the filling over time. 

Perfect for your next barbecue or even before a meal at home, I hope you try out and enjoy these easy-peasy cucumbers!