Cookie Monster!

Yep, that’s what you can call me now. Remember those yummy chocolate chip cookies I blogged about last Friday? Well, it must be cookie season, because I’ve done it again.

Using the same Smart Balance baking sticks I used last week, I made one of my favorite holiday cookies.  Mexican wedding cookies, also known as polvorones, are cookies with very few ingredients. Because butter is one of the most prominent flavors of this cookie, using the Smart Balance sticks was a true test.

And they passed! I enjoyed these sweet, sugary cookies just as much as when I’ve used regular butter.

Mexican Wedding Cookies/Polvorones, adapted from Perfect Mexican
Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup pecan or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Directions:

Cream the butter with half the sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk together flour and salt and fold into the mixture. Stir in nuts. Preheat oven to 375*. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2-3 minutes and then roll in remaining sugar. Let cool and roll again in powdered sugar. 

Using another one of the vouchers that Smart Balance provided me, I purchased some lactose free + calcium milk.

This stuff has 75% more calcium and 20% more protein than regular milk. Cha ching! It was great to wash down one of those cookies. Or 4.

Have you entered your healthy cookie recipe in the The Healthy Holiday Cookie Spectacular contest? You should!  A year’s supply of Smart Balance products is the prize…and that’s a lot of baking you could do.

I was a true cookie monster earlier this week…but not a selfish one. I have this habit (problem?) of bringing snacks to the bar in case I get hungry. I had just made a second batch of the chocolate chip cookies and wanted to share with some friends…and have one or two of my own to, um, soak up the vodka sodas. My friend Ryan may or may not have caught this on camera.

And trust me. This wasn’t the first time. I had a banana last week!

I have little to no defense.

Do you carry around snacks in your purse?

Snacks to a bar: weird or totally logical?

Motivation.

Very true. Results are worth the wait.

Harder, better, faster, stronger.

Don’t forget to properly fuel yourself!

Good reason to work out?

You only live once. You  might as well make it awesome.

Being mentally strong is just as important as being physically strong.

Follow these rules!

My favorite model, Doutzen Kroes:

Easy workout idea:

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. I got my first Christmas card in the mail yesterday. It came from my neighbor. He mailed me a card from one building over. Hilarious. His message inside? Not so much.

2. My roommate is tech savvy and learned how to hook her laptop up to the television. When her friend came over on Saturday, we played on facebook. Big time.

3. This Dr. Seuss quote that Ashley discovered.

4. Just bought these earrings from Handpicked. I might never take them out of my ears. They were made for me, I’m sure of it. Sike. They’re copycats of a Tiffany & Co. line. Guess who doesn’t care.

5. Someone else loves mermaids as much as I do. Weird.

6. My new dress from Piperlime.

7. I made a photo collage from the video Ashley and I made on Thanksgiving. We were singing in the car and I took clips. We’re pretty expressive ladies.

8. This hummus that Katelyn recommended. YUM.

9. My coworker sent me a PDF of The Hunger Games. I may or may not be glued to my laptop and/or phone immediately after work.

10. YOU!!!!

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Quinoa

Try not to be shocked that you’re seeing a recipe on my blog. I know, it’s been a hot minute. Forgive me, for I have blog sinned. I’ve just been eating way too much Chick-fil-A.

At Trader Joe’s, the produce isn’t priced by weight, but just a set number. B-nut squash is $1.99, so naturally I picked up the largest one I could find. This monster was like a newborn baby. Lugging it up the stairs was both a bicep and a leg workout and I am not even kidding.

You know what else was a workout? Peeling the stupid thing. #firstworldproblems

I cut the squash up in 1-inch cubes and roasted it for about 35 minutes on 400*.  That evening, I used it to decorate my quinoa.

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 cups roasted cubed butternut squash
• 6 oz. bag of baby spinach
• 4  Laughing Cow blue cheese wedges (or use 2 oz. blue cheese)

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, add quinoa, chicken broth, and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until broth is absorbed.
2. Add the butternut squash  and blue cheese and mix well.
3. Stir in the spinach until wilted.

Love a colorful recipe! If only this had something purple in it, then we’d have all my favorite colors.

As I was eating this and loving it (obviously), I asked my twitter friends for help naming the recipe. I got some funny responses:

Ben, Thatrunnerchick, and Boding are amazing.

Stevie is a freakshow and I love him.

Andy and Derek aren’t allowed in my house now.

Bo, Heather, RotiRolls and Holly can walk right in the door without knocking.

Have I told you guys lately that I love twitter?

Highlights From The Weekend

I experienced two #majorlifedecisions this weekend. (Read that in a sarcastic tone, please.)

On Friday, I found myself standing inside Sally Beauty in awe of China Glaze’s holiday collections. There are so many fun, glittery colors. They were on sale for 2 for $10, so I snagged “Snow Globe” and “Some Like It Haute”:

Major life decision #1: Which color do I paint my nails first? Oh, shoot, how about both.

I don’t know why the “one nail a different color than the rest” is trending right now, but I had to try it out at least once.

On Saturday, Ashley and I went to Gwynn’s because we were both in need of new fall Longchamp totes.

Major life decision #2: Do I want a new tote in Graphite or Bilberry (dark purple)?That is one stressed out face! I’m surprised I looked so bothered, seeing as that is a mimosa in my hand. Yes, on Saturdays at Gwynn’s, they serve mimosas and cupcakes. What the truck? Sounds like a great way for me to get tipsy and credit card happy.

I walked out (tipsy) with the Bilberry. Graphite was too boring and this girl is not boring.

That afternoon, my  new tote and I went to the library. This book pretty much fell off the shelf onto my face and begged me to read it.

I do not find it a coincidence that I found this book 2 days before my 2-year anniversary of singledom. Hmmmmm.

Saturday night, Ashley and I went to Jenny’s to get ready to go out. Jenny’s shower gets really hot. Like so hot I needed a refreshment mid-shower.

Sorry I’m not sorry that I like pre-gaming. In the shower.

We took entirely too long to get ready, and by the time we were done, it was already time to go to Trio. For those of you who aren’t locals, listen up. Trio is a dance club (excuse me, “lounge”) that you should really only go to late night. The music and the dance floor get rowdy. It is my favorite place to be at, oh, midnight-ish? With that said, I jumped (maybe even leapt) for joy when I became the foursquare mayor.

As you can tell, I was really happy at 2:35 a.m. Could it have been the tequila? No. No way.

Happy Monday!

Just One Serious Question

Why do some baby carrots taste delicious and some taste like total crap?

I have got to know.

Cookie Baking With Smart Balance

As much as I love cookies, I’m always interested in ways to make them healthier. Keeping them delicious but making minor changes is key to successful healthy baking. Earlier this month, Smart Balance approached me to test swapping out butter for their spreads in some of my baking recipes.

Smart Balance products have absolutely no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils and are naturally 0g trans fat. The buttery spreads contain a unique natural blend of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats designed to help improve the ratio of good HDL cholesterol to bad LDL cholesterol. In some of their products, there is added Omega 3s, vitamins, calcium, protein and plant sterols.

Using coupons that Smart Balance provided me to use for this post, I picked up a package of their buttery sticks with added Omega-3s.

In order to test the buttery sticks, I whipped up a batch of classic chocolate chip cookies. Hey, they’re my favorite type of cookie! I couldn’t resist.

The cookies came out just as delicious as when I’ve used butter in the past. The texture and taste were exactly the same. Even this little baby approved.

Currently on the Smart Balance site, there is a Holiday Cookie Spectacular – you can win a years’ supply of Smart Balance products! Click the button below to follow the link to the contest, or visit: www.smartbalance.com/cookie-recipes

Here are the guidelines for the contest:

This holiday season, Smart Balance has put together an assortment of classic holiday cookie recipes with a heart-healthier twist. Explore our cookie recipes, find inspiration and learn substitution tips to make your favorite recipes heart-healthier too!
It's easy – lighten up your favorite holiday recipes with Smart Balance® products, and you could win free Smart Balance® products for an entire year! Simply substitute Smart Balance® products into your favorite cookie recipe (check out our substitution guidelines), then submit the recipe and a corresponding photo to be entered in a random drawing for a chance to win.

Yall should definitely consider entering the contest! Imagine free baking products for a year…woah.

For more information, see Smart Balance on

• their website
• facebook
• twitter

What’s your favorite cookie?

What are some ways you’ve made healthier cookies?

Thoughts For Thursday

Woaahhh yes, sometimes I use my brain and…think.

1. Other than magazines, I have not picked up a book in over 2 weeks. I should be ashamed. Once I finished reading The Catcher In The Rye, I was kind of put off from reading serious literature. No, Breaking Dawn doesn’t count as serious literature. Someone convince me to start this:

2. I really want to see this movie. It’s only playing in the theatre on James Island. That is like South Africa from Mt. Pleasant.

Here, watch the trailer. Then come pick me up and drive me to J.I.

3. I really dislike the cold. When it’s too cold at work, I am totally fine working like this. Yes, that is Edward on monitor 2 and yes I have 3 beverages. #beveragediva

4. On the way to the gym on Tuesday, I realized I had forgotten my water bottle. Instead of spending $2 on a water at the gym, I felt it more appropriate to get a Diet Lemonade from Chick-fil-A. It is pretty much next door to my gym, so why not?

5. Last night I went to the Avondale Mellow Mushroom for movie night. Inside the menu I found Ashley’s dream man. Musclessssssssssss.

6. My beautiful friend Mary Grace sent me a link that just made my day. Pickle ornaments!!I already have Chick-fil-A ornaments, now I just need a beet ornament. Good heavens that would be an ugly tree.

7. I am psyched it’s December because it’s now socially acceptable for me to start wearing my mistletoe headband.

Bring on the Christmas parties!