*updated* Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships + we're registered!

had a bowl of organic rolled oats cooked in unsweetened vanilla almond milk, water, cinnamon, and vanilla before heading to my (now weekly) OB appointment this morning.   fresh blueberries, more cinnamon, more almond milk, and pure maple syrup went right on top.  i had egg whites w/ salsa on the side too. fueling up for some kickboxing a little later today.

was running late and threw on whatever (but i was comfy though!)  and we made it just in time for my group b strep test and routine check up.  if only pap smears were that quick & easy-peasy!  all is well @ 35 weeks and i thank Him for another great progress report. and yes, i smacked Chiso right after he smacked me.

on to our new hospital to registerrrrrr!

so the hospital where Chiso was born doesn't do L&D anymore. i enjoyed the experience there and was saddened after hearing that!  however, the new hospital is literally 3 minutes away, so no biggie.  AND my favorite OB in the entire universe will be there to deliver Odego this time, Lord willing.  (she was out having her twins at the time Chiso was born :'(  ) .  i went ahead and registered juuuuust in case we have to pop up there sooner than expected, but i am coming back with Sonny to take a tour so we can be cheesy and take pics and stuff.  a date i am so looking forward too, again.  i hardly EVER buy overpriced convenience store food/snacks, but i was unprepared and Chiso got restless while i filled out paper work.  so i got him this Sabra pretzel and hummus dip along with a banana.

enjoy this updated recipe of last night's dinner:

*updated* Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships

the stuff:

• 4 large, raw zucchini, halved & seeded
• 2 cups cooked and seasoned extra lean ground turkey
•  1 cup homemade marinara (add more if you'd like and the recipe is below)
• 8 turkey pepperoni, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup shredded almond or rice cheese
• 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced into coins
• 2 tsp dried italian seasoning or parsley or fresh basil
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

1. set your oven to 350 degrees and coat a large baking pan with foil and no-stick cooking spray.
2. after halving the zucchini, scoop some of the insides out using a small spoon.  they should look like empty canoes cruise ships once you're done; arrange them flat and seed-side up on your baking sheet.
3. mix the cooked ground turkey and the marinara sauce together, then spoon the mixture evenly into/onto the zucchini.
4. sprinkle the turkey pepperoni, tomato, and italian seasoning on top of the cruise ships, and bake them for about 20 minutes.
5. remove them from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. ( i used 2% colby jack cause that's all i had. to keep this recipe dairy free, use almond or rice cheese.)
6. let them bake once more for 7-10 minutes or just until the cheese melts to your liking.
7. top with fresh basil or parsley!

i thought i posted my marinara recipe in the Fit N' Crispy Chicken Parm post but maybe it didn't save like i thought?? can't explain that one.  but here it is:

homemade marinara:

the stuff:

• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 6 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend (optional)
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

1. heat a large sauce pan to medium-low heat; once hot, pour in your olive oil.
2. add onions & garlic and sauté until translucent...about 2-3 minutes.
3. add in the rest of the ingredients except sea salt and cracked black pepper, stir, cover, and let simmer for 12-15 minutes.
4. shut off heat; add mixture to your blender or food processor and blend on high until super smooth.

you can make this ahead of time and store in the fridge to be used for pizza sauce, wing dip, breadstick dip, whatever!

happy hump day! hollaaaaaaaaa

le

oatmeal chocolate chip birthday cakes!!! - bday post

this year, my birthday fell on a monday. YIPPEEEEE :?

so Sonny started celebrating early (like i had hoped).  immediately after church service, we went to get our rings cleaned.

i promise we're only in our thirties. lol.  Chiso saw us placing our hands strategically on the display case for this pic and wanted part of the action.

over time, i have come to the realization that i'm a hint thrower.  what a lucky guy Sonny is.  rarely does one go over his head though, i gotta give it to him.  i forwarded him a Ruggles Green brunch email i received a few weeks earlier, you know, randomly.  high-five, Sonny.  high-five.

so that was our next stop.  only the Heights location serves breakfast / brunch in Houston, and i had been eager to check it out for months.  i chose the delish crab & avocado omelette and Sonny played it safe with the breakfast plate (sausage, pancakes, eggs, potatoes).  Chiso handled up on his turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, and pancakes too.  we love us some eggs.

the next day, my actual birthday, Sonny got up and rushed off to work like normal, so i hit the gym early, like normal.

but not before making this gorgeous stack of oatmeal pancakes! with the start of my cooking classes, blogging took a small backseat. obvi. but i believe i have a routine going now with my schedule. *crosses fingers, toes, and eyes*.  here's that recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes 

the stuff: (source)

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup dry rolled oats
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (add more if needed- you be the thickness judge)
• 2 packets granulated stevia
• 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey (optional)
• dash of sea salt
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• handful of dark chocolate chips

do this:

1. mix all ingredients except chocolate chips together in a large mixing bowl.
2. if ya need more almond milk at this point, add it a tbsp at a time.
3. heat your griddle or cast iron / no-stick skillet to medium heat and coat with no-stick cooking spray.
4. spoon the cakes onto your cooking device as large or as small as you'd like them.  when bubbles start to form on top, check the bottom of the cake to see how brown it is first before flipping.
5. you're looking for a golden brown color (bout 2-4 minutes).
6. eat'em up. sprinkles are optional but mandatory if it's your birthday.

or, you can do blueberries instead of chocolate chips!

 back to the birthday festivities.

little did i know that Sonny went right down the street to his mom's house to hide out.

i took a Barbell Strength class and worked my back a little more on my own in addition to some steady-state cardio on the elliptical. suddenly, i got a 'lunch?' text from Sonny, so i said 'screw this!' and sped home to get cleaned up.

 i opened the door and walked right into .. Sonny!?, fit gifts, and cake.

and a birthday song serenade from my boys!

 just one small piece before lunch.

   Sonny shocked our palettes and drove us to an Indian inspired restaurant in Upper Kirby called Ponidicheri.  he didn't know it was 'meatless monday' though lol. tasty  nonetheless and i appreciate the experience.

i got the Saag Paneer Omelette, Barley Salad, a piece of gluten-free, millet Roti, and one of their fresh, housemade juices, the Hari.

 Sonny got an omelette too.  They didn't really have a kids menu, but the guy taking orders suggested this concoction.  can you guess which two Chiso ate? yep, the fries and the Elephant Cookie.

i got a birthday nap back at home (YAAAAAY for daytime sleep) and we went back out for dinner that evening.  i was actually still full from lunch but went anyway just cause it was my bday and already on the agenda.

my cups runneth over :shock: ! literally and figuratively.  we concluded the evening with Italian food and Neapolitan gelato from Sapore Ristorante, right in our own backyard.  which was awesome cause i had to be up at 4:15am  to teach my class the next day.

i feel like i'm at the age where i forget what i'm even turning and that my birthday is even coming up.  thankful to God for another year though, no doubt, and for Sonny's impeccable planning skills year after year.

THANK YOU to my family and friends for the calls, texts, cards, gifts, and birthday wishes!!!!!!

and thank you for reading.

le

fit n' crispy chicken parm

Italian food. its been on my mind lately.

i really wanted something heavy like a big pan of cheesy lasagna but this nipped that craving right in the bud.  it's lean, it's fit, it's crispy, it's savory, and it's good.

making your own bread crumbs is super simple and recommended.  pick your fave bread! for my recommendations, keep scrollin'!

perfect. no frying needed! i had planned to sear the chicken on both sides in my cast iron skillet (before putting them into the oven to finish) cause i wanted that crispy, crunchy exterior, but omitting that step still produced the same results. SCORE.

i used Classico all natural, fire roasted tomato & garlic sauce (or you can make your own marinara... uh huh, keep scrollin'),

and topped the breasts with a heaping tbsp of sauce, a few spinach leaves, and a big slice of mozzarella almond cheese.

i know chicken parm is usually paired with some variety of pasta, but i had a big, unbaked spaghetti squash sitting on my counter i needed to use.

tender, Italian juiciness.  recipe time :)

fit n' crispy chicken parm

the stuff: breadcrumbs

• 4 slices whole wheat/grain bread (see what i used below)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup light parmesan cheese (optional for a dairy-free dish)

the stuff: chicken

• 4 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts
• homemade marinara 
• 1-2 tbsp melted dairy-free buttery spread (see what i used below)
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese of your choice! (see what i used below)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
• 1 tbsp Weber Kickn' Chicken seasoning blend

do this: breadcrumbs

1. toast slices of bread until crispy, not burnt but no longer soft and chewy.
2. break them up into pieces by hand and toss them into your food processor.
3. add the onion powder, garlic powder, optional parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.
4. blend until you achieve a breadcrumb-like consistency and set to the side.

do this: chicken - preheat oven to 400 degrees now!

1. pound and flatten thawed chicken breasts (under a towel, in plastic wrap, in a plastic bag, etc) with your mallet until about 1/2 in thick.
2. MARINATE the chicken breasts (overnight for best results) in the aminos and weber seasoning in a plastic baggie.
3. make an assembly line with 3 shallow pans.  1: melted buttery spread 2: breadcrumbs 3: baking pan (coated with no stick cooking spray) that will go into the oven.
4. take each chicken breast and dip/press them into the buttery spread, then the breadcrumb mixture coating both sides evenly.
5. finally, place them neatly into your baking pan, flat.  if they are touching it's ok but don't overcrowd your pan.
6. place pan(s) into the oven and cook for 20 minutes on one side; flip, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
7. once done, remove pan from oven and set oven to HIGH broil.  spoon marinara over the center of the breasts (how much is up to you) then top with shredded cheese.
8. place pan back in oven close to the broiler heat and once the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, remove the pan from the oven for the last time and top with fresh basil.

here are a few options:

Sara Lee whole wheat 45 calories & delightful bread + mozzarella almond cheese,

Rudi's multigrain gluten-free sandwich bread + Daiya dairy-free shredded mozzarella,

 

or my fave, the 80/20 version: Rudi's multigrain sandwich bread + shredded monterey jack!

le