Bites of My Life

I scooted home last Monday for a week to work from OKC. We had a week-long event, a new menu launch and various meetings and planning to do. What I intended just to be a Monday and Tuesday trip had me not leaving until Friday. I hadn’t been in Oklahoma City in two months. I know that is not long at all, but for someone who essentially splits her time between there and Dallas, it was the longest I had gone since I moved. A busy week led into a fun weekend watching football and enjoying the cool fall weather all day Saturday with friends. It’s now officially freezing in Dallas and I have chili on deck for all future meals.

-Balloon artist for hire!! Kidding, but my boss and I felt the need to start our own balloon biz after whipping up several displays. It’s not party these days without balloons.
-Love being home and having co-workers IRL. Met up for coffee before work with my work besties Ash and Bailey!
-Goes to a real office for the first time in months, and wears a blazer to really lean into it.
-My work’s annual Jonestoberfest kicked off last week and I was so glad I was home to see it in action, and to model a bratwurst, and then get to eat it…
-I saw Serena make this Smokey Chicken Stew on her IG about a week ago and new it was on the list to make. I made it for my mom and dad while staying with them and it was a hit all around.
-Found a perfect replacement for my favorite slippers that are $24.
-Friday night after a busy week meant staying on the couch all night and watching my people on the Laguna Beach reunion. Do yourself a favor and tune in to see your faves back together.
-Football Saturday with fall temps called for a round of Katy Trail Ice House chili for the table. Legit all 6 of us ordered a cup. With an order of their famous cheese fries too of course!
-Made a batch of my favorite Halloween Candy Compost Cookies on Sunday and just had to take a moment to give Almond Joys the attention they don’t get but deserve.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Let’s talk about the stages of last week. Monday was business as usual with work and part 1 of The Bachelor finale. Tuesday was normal until I got home from work, had a snack, went on a walk and then got a wave of feeling so weak and nauseous (this same thing happened two weeks ago). Friends came over for part 2 of The Bachelor finale and I got sick the second they left. Wednesday was weird trying to feel better after a long night.

Thursday I spiraled out after working from home, watching way to much news and unrealistically convincing myself that I had coronavirus. Like full on spiral, taking my temperature every hour, calling my parents bawling, it was terrible. I was already planning on driving home Friday for another shower I was hosting, but it couldn’t come soon enough. Woke up early Friday to drive home to OKC, in the pouring rain the whole time might I add), and headed straight to work to do recon on the effects of COVID-19. We had a concert planned at work Friday night and a big St. Patrick’s Day party Saturday that we had to cancel. Being in the hospitality industry right now is wild.

Saturday I attempted to go on normally with two events I had, but came home after the day and showered, rested and tried to recover after the crazy week. Needless to say life is weird and scary and uncertain right now. I’m staying with my parents for moral support to help get through the next few days of unknown. If you are anxious right now, I feel you. I keep saying it, but we are all in this together and everyone’s feelings, emotions, concerns and decisions are all valid.

I’m also working on a Self-Distance To-Do list to help get through the next few weeks, hoping to throw them all in a blog post to share this week. Here’s to utilizing the extra time we have!

-Chugged this pedialyte Wednesday after a second hit of the stomach bug Tuesday. ElectroLIT made me LOL.
-Amazon find! These little pearl huggies are only $23!
-My friend Annie, yes Annie, posted her recipe for these Vegan Blueberry Muffins last week. I’ve been craving. muffins so I had to make them. I made a few substitutions, like using GF flour and almond milk. They turned out great.
-The new Siggi’s dairy free yogurt is SO good. One of the lowest in sugar dairy free yogurts I’ve found. Bought at Whole Foods. Made a yogurt bowl for lunch last week with vanilla yogurt, this fiber cereal that I love (and found at TJs), frozen raspberries and chia seeds.
-Another weekend another shower for one of my best friends! Starting to really get this host thing down. By nature I typically get designated the food, but it’s been so fun. We did a “Sarah Brunch” theme for Sarah Beth and it was perfect. Mimosas, coffee bar, mini chicken and waffles, deviled eggs, donuts, fruit and a cheese board of course!
-Bestie since 1st grade!
-Finally tried “the cookies” as my first social distancing baking project. They were great. Hype is real. It’s like perfect CCCs and shortbread cookies had a baby. And I love shortbread. Started baking to find out my parent’s were out of vanilla so made these with almond extract and added some sliced almonds to the dough. They came out so light and good.
-Going to try really really hard to not only eat cookies and carbs during the next month, but being home so much makes me crave comfort food and cooking indulgent dishes. Here’s a salad to try and stay on track.
-Read this book cover to cover by the fire Sunday night. SB gifted the hosts of her shower this book and it is actually a really great book. I fear cooking for large groups and this book walks you through how to do it seamlessly.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week flew by. I started the week back in OKC for work and then came home Wednesday with a busy to-do list. Busy is best when it comes to work in my opinion. I work best and harder when I have more to-do, anyone else?

-Time with this little chick is my favorite. I didn’t realize how much I would miss her when I moved. Thankful for a job that lets me visit her (and her sis) so often!
-Lunch at one of my faves, Stitch. Conveniently located next to The Jones.
-Home for my company holiday party. Yes, we have our party after the holidays. #RestaurantIndustry.
-I’m hooked on green juice right now. Sounds very basic I’m aware, but the daily green juice has been so good for clearing up and keeping my skin clear.
-I’ve also been hooked on makeup tutorials lately. I’ve never had much of a makeup routine, but I’m trying. Just about everyone and their dog raves about Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer. Considering mine just ran out, it seemed like time to try it. Only a few uses in, but the coverage is pretty impressive.
-Big ol’ bowl of shaved rainbow cauliflower for a crazy good recipe coming this week.
-First un-official cookbook club meeting with non-other than a recipe from The Defined Dish. We made her Cajun Chicken with Oven Frites and it was so good.
-Stove-top popped popcorn is one of my favorite snack (and sometimes dinner). I developed the trick to dip my popcorn in something from my roommates my senior year of college. We would make a little dish of yellow mustard and sriracha, and I’ve been dipping my popcorn ever since. I popped a few tablespoons of kernels in coconut oil on the stove, then sprinkled cinnamon over 1/2 and dipped in melty almond butter, and did nutritional yeast and salt over the other half to dip in mustard.
-Venison taco bowls a la my best guy friends here in Dallas. I love making new friends in this city, but treasure the older friendships I can rely on.

Bites of My Life

I mentioned it a little in my last bites post, but I was a little apprehensive of getting back into the swing of things. Not going to lie I had a small case of the January blues getting back to Dallas and into my routine here. After a week of fun evening plans, a busy work week and catching up with friends here, I’m feeling better. Writing this I’m mentally telling myself that I don’t need to get right back into the swing right away. Also writing this is making me sound kind of weepy and depressed when I’m not! January is just a weird month, and I know some of you can agree!

-Serena Wolf IRL at her Dude Diet Dinnertime cookbook tour at my new found favorite place, The Adolphus hotel in downtown Dallas. It was gorgeous.
-Post book signing at Americano, the restaurant at the bottom of The Joule hotel. I have dreamt of this shaved cauliflower salad since and have plans to recreate later this week.
-I got pretty into Melissa Wood Health’s workouts last spring then canceled my membership when I moved to Dallas knowing I wanted to spend my money trying out new studios here. I’ve recently fallen back into MWH’s flows and lifestyle and genuinely loving them so much. I feel great during and after the workouts. At only $9.99 a month, I quantify them as #worthit.
-First timer alert at Neighborhood Services. A big check off my Dallas restaurant list.
-I finished my first book in 2020. 2018 I was a reading machine and then fell off the wagon in 2019. Hoping to read 1 a month this year. I love anything by Emily Giffin and thinking one of hers is going to be next on my list.
-Woke up Saturday to SNOW and a morning with nothing to do (which hasn’t happened in forever). I watched Father of the Bride part II and had breakfast in bed.
-Paella night turned wine night turned game night turned sing-a-longs until midnight. Saturday was a good night in Dallas.
-Packed precious cargo Sunday morning to travel home with for a quick work trip.
-The benefit of my work trips is that work is at home in Oklahoma City, which means time with this little one.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Fall has finally made it’s way to Texas. I’m soaking up the cozy days, but still trying to get outside as much as possible. After a decent work week, I got to celebrate one of my best friends birthday, then headed up to OKC for a wedding shower. Leeeeeetle bump in the road when my tire pressure light came on and I found out I needed 3 new tires after only being on the road for 30 minutes. But kudos to Pep Boys for getting me home safely. Now it’s time for Halloweek!! Halloween gets some hate, but I’ve loved it since I was little. If you need some last minute costume inspo, take a bite of my food themed costumes the past few years.

-I’ve had this recipe saved to make for forever. Y’all know I love an egg baked into something. Shakshuka, a sweet potato, and now an acorn squash! Just cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Cut a little off the bottom so the squash halves stands up straight. Roast with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little cinnamon for 45 minutes. Crack two eggs into the well of the squash and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Top with hot sauce and enjoy.
-Kombucha and a dish of chocolate chips. The ultimate dessert when I’m trying not to ruin a day of healthy eating.
-Turmeric Chicken Zoodle Soup hit the blog with a refresh last week and I loved having it to eat on all week. Wifi was out at my co-working space, so my make-shift standing desk (kitchen counter) at home, yummy soup and Gilmore Girls in the background made for a cozy work from home day.
-The new CB2 opened just a stone’s throw away from me and it. is. gorgeous. I now want to redo my entire apartment with the money I don’t have.
-Wasabi peas are nostalgic for me. Where are my KKG 7-girl roommates at? We used to have wasabi peas stocked in our room in the sorority house. I got a bag to snack on while I was shopping at Central Market and it immediately took me back to sophomore year!
-My good friend in Dallas, Caroline has started a monthly supper club, getting together all the girls from different groups she knows together for dinner. It was the perfect way to meet more people in this city and honestly just so fun. We did a salad bar style meal and each brought a different topping. Despite lettuce being the main event I still somehow managed to devour 5 cookies and copious amounts of cheese.
-Had a hankering to bake something late Thursday night. I needed it to include ingredients I already had and I wanted it to be relatively healthy. I found Pey’s snickerdoodle muffin recipe from @choosingbalance. They were paleo, GF and had just enough sweetness. They also only made 6 which was perfect for me and few to share.
-A sleepover themed birthday party for princess Olivia. Honestly the most ideal cozy Friday night in our PJ’s with pizza, wine and junk food.
-Quick trip home to celebrate Trinian and Carson!

Annie