Halloween is such a great time to be creative, not take yourself too seriously and just have some fun. There are so many ideas from cute and whimsy to gruesome and scary. My taste falls somewhere in between. Approachable, maybe a little bit of scare or the unexpected but never gory or creepy. This year since we haven’t done any landscaping around our new house yet and it is rather bare, we decided to decorate part of our front lawn like a cemetery . I know it’s been done many times before, but it is a first for us. The kids loved it! They really got into the Halloween spirit and helped with everything too. Picking out the decorations and planning the design. We had the typical tombstones and skeletons coming out of the ground but added a little bit of special effects with a fog machine that we hid inside a tombstone designed to conceal it with a skeleton face and red light up eyes and a wide open mouth where the fog would expel from. Then we found light up skeleton heads that react to passers-by with various sounds and sayings. Perfect for the unexpected trick-or-treater! Overall I think it turned out great and loved to see the reaction of the trick-or-treaters when the cemetary would call out to them. This was lots of fun to do as a family and will probably add on more for next year. Read More
Sesame Candy
I apologize for the recent pause in my blog posting. It was a busy time for us packing in as much last minute activities to enjoy the end of the summer with the kids before school started up again. Then we were trying to find our daily routine as the school year began. I think I’m finally back on course and will be able to carve out time of our crazy weeks filled with school and sports to focus on my blog.
As you know, I’m constantly trying and testing recipes that will fit into my Mediterranean & Paleo diet plan. Over the summer I purchased a cookbook entitled Mediterranean Paleo Cooking. What a perfect find! It’s quite a mix of recipes and for me personally, I was only interested in about half of them but enough that I had to buy it. Especially when I came across the recipe for sesame candy. This is a childhood favorite of mine and I had to make it. This recipe is quick and easy to make. They are sweet and chewy and nutty with a hint of cinnamon and ginger. Absolutely delicious. Please consider giving them a try. Click Sesame Candy for the recipe and enjoy!
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Chocolate Cherry Biscotti
One of my favorite breakfast treats is biscotti. Actually, I can eat these for breakfast, snack, and dessert! They are so good dunked into your morning coffee, my favorite way to eat them, when they get soft, soaking up the hot coffee; such the perfect delicious bite. Or they are excellent for tossing in your bag to eat on the go. Or when they are made with a bit of sweetness, like chocolate, they are a satisfying end to the meal.
Wanting a healthier version that would fit into my diet plan, I’ve searched and created a Mediterranean and Paleo version. Please check out my Chocolate Cherry Biscotti and tell me what you think. I hope you will enjoy these crunchy yummy treats as much as I do.
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Cauliflower Tots, kid approved!
Looking for a great vegetable side dish your whole family will enjoy? Try out these delicious Cauliflower Tots. They are a healthy make-over of the traditional potato tot but with more flavor and using cauliflower. Give them a try and let me know what you think.
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Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (Paleo)
Are you rushed in the mornings and have to sacrifice breakfast or resort to a grab and go item that is not as healthy as you’d like? That’s my house during the school year and when kids are in summer camps. We are so rushed to get out the door that we end up needing something to eat in the car. I’ve searched the stores and a lot of the quick breakfast choices aren’t that healthy and don’t fit into our new diet plan. So when you have a crazy week ahead and need a quick breakfast (or snack), try baking these delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. They are moist, full of healthy goodness, and kid approved!
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Exercises That Work
Please check out my newest post on my favorite exercises that will get your heart pumping and feeling great. Perfect timing as summer is just around the corner. These exercises will help get us feeling confident in our shorts, tanks, and yes, even bathing suits!
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Baking Substitutes
Love to bake but want to make it healthier? Then please check out my new post on Baking Substitutes
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Re-upholstering Chairs
Check out my new post on Re-upholstering Chairs. Over the years, my kids did a really great job decorating mine! Stains that I couldn’t get out anymore. It was time to stop being embarrassed and cover them up once in for all. Stained chairs not required for this project, however, complete gratification is guaranteed. Enjoy!
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The Diet Plan
What is my plan of attack to win this battle with my scale? Well, I’ve been researching this for quite a while and haven’t found a single diet plan that I feel I can embrace fully and follow for the long haul. There are too many rules with many of the diets out there. When to eat, what to eat, restrictions, counting, logging, it’s all too much for me manage. Read More
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First blog post
Hello World
Hello World, it’s me, Jess. Just a girl trying to beat the endless battle with the scale all the while being creative to bring a little bit of happy into our lives. I’m a girl who loves, loves, loves, did I mention loves, food. Read More
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