Bites of My Life

So I'm seeing a lot of granola topped breakfasts, multiple sunset lake pictures, a few too many fair food indulgences, two different pumpkin concoctions and I even left out my second picture of an ice cream cone to help myself feel a little better and deny how much ice cream I ate last week. Tuesday was National Ice Cream Cone day so yolo. Whatever, my blog isn't called Take A Bite for nothing.

Have you ever done highs and lows or peaks and pits of your day? My friends and I used to go around the table and say our high of the day and our low of the day. It was always nice to reflect back and see what got you down, but what good thing brought you back up. Looking back on this week I think about the little things that knocked me down, but then I get to see all the great things that built me up. It makes those pit instances insignificant compared to the peaks of the week!

-First pumpkin smoothie of the season! Pumpkin puree, frozen banana, almond butter, almond milk and cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
-A grab and go breakfast and a guest post from sis. 
-I'm always eager to try the limited edition Chobani. This cinnamon pear is one of the better flavors they have concocted.
-A trip to the state fair called for a three course meal. First course were spiraled fried potato chips.
-After searching high and low for it, we struck gold with this brisket and mashed potato sundae. 
-We were convinced we were too full but ended up in line to get an oreo ice cream cone, chocolate covered strawberries and a massive ice cream sandwich. I wish I could say we rode some rides to burn off all the cals, be we came for the food and the food only. 
-Started Friday with a slow morning cooking this pumpkin oatmeal c/o Purely Elizabeth.
-My old navy s'well has taken quite the beating, but I'm obsessed with it's replacement.
-Acai bowl on the back porch was soon ruined with a swarm of flies. Ready for the summer bugs to go into hiding!
-Headed out of town for one last lake weekend. Arrived and quickly jumped on the boat to squeeze a sunset cruise in before the day ended. 
-Quiet, calm and chilly morning enjoyed outside.
-And one more sunset lake picture because you really can't beat those Oklahoma skies.

Annie

Guest Post: Almond Butter Balls

Hi all, Annie’s sister, Kathleen here! I am excited to be back guest blogging today on Take A Bite, especially because I get to blog about one of my favorite food groups—snacks!

I am not sure what doctors recommend as the daily serving of snacks (well, yes I do, but I ignore that) but I get a healthy four servings of snacks a day. Like yesterday, for example, I had granola at 9:45 A.M., pretzels at 1:00 P.M., pumpkin spice popcorn at 1:15 P.M., and wasabi peas at 4:00 P.M.

I never met a snack I didn’t like and I could medal in the Grazing Olympics. A handful here, a handful there, cheese, graham crackers, chips and dip, raisins, apples and almond butter… the list goes on and on of all my favorites.

Speaking of almond butter—it is one of my favorite snacks and also one of the main ingredients in one of my new favorite snacks. I made these snack balls about two weeks ago and have made them twice since. They are the perfect two-bite snack that will tide you over for hours. Plus, they only have five ingredients (most of which you will already have in your pantry!

Almond Butter Oatmeal Balls adapted from  Purely Elizabeth
yields about 8 balls

Ingredients:
½ cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
3 Tbsps. maple syrup
1 tsp. coconut oil
A pinch of salt
1 cup oats

Directions:
Prepare a sheet pan or large plate by placing parchment paper to cover the surface.

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and combine the first four ingredients, stirring until fully combined. Take the mixture off of the heat and stir in the oats, mixing until fully combined. (A thick mixture should form that should not be wet but easy to work with using your hands.)

Using a small cookie scoop or your hands, form balls (or scoops) with about two tablespoons of mixture, forming compact balls of dough. Place each ball on the sheet pan or plate, continuing to forms the balls until all the mixture has been used. Place the sheet pan or plate in the freezer to chill and set for at least an hour. After an hour you can store the balls in a sealed container until you eat them all!

Until next time,

Kathleen

On a Tuesday

image via Camille Styles

After many failed attempts, finally a guide on how to recreate my favorite breakfast (the goodie featured in my Facebook picture).

The mini wheats are as good as they look.

How I'm using my paycheck.

Want to live till you're 100?

This is gold.

Tips on physiological interaction, invest in some gloves.

How big, how blue is Florence's new album?

Best d*** pumpkin soup.

My favorite part of getting sushi.

A conservative bachelorette party based off my one of my favorite rom coms.

A beautiful way to stay informed, have you updated yet?

Happy last day of summer!

Annie

Bites of My Life

I'll be honest, I'm putting together this post as fast as I can so I can get my eyes off the computer. It's currently Sunday night, I'm laying on my couch with my computer on my stomach, the Emmy's in the background and a raging migraine in my head. This little sucker arrived around lunchtime and has yet to leave. What a way to end a week. 

On the brighter side, it was a great week. Two new restaurants crossed off my list, a little birthday celebration for my Lindz, and lots of feelings of fall. Not pictured is the incredible new yoga classes I got to try, a softball win for the work crew and the much needed rainy Sunday we had.

-Just one part of our amazing meal at OKC's newest spot.

-Everything A Good Egg Dining touches is gold.

-Late night appetizer dinner.

-Latte a day keeps the doctor away.

-I really wish I wasn't that person, but I am.

-Checked another new spot off my list. Must try the cubans from Cafe Condesa.

-No monkeying around. Tucking this recipe away to save for another day.

-Breakfast tailgates FTW.

-Sunday supper in front of the TV to wind down before a new week.

Annie

Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Hi! Say hello to my lunch I've had all week! Spach the Spatula's Instagram of this fig and tomato orzo salad popped up on my feed a few weeks ago and I was sold. Rachel is fueling my fig frenzy and totally on the same page about this fab fall fruit. This fig quesadilla, nutty fig smoothie, like OMG.

I made a big bowl of this salad Sunday and have been enjoying it all week in my lunch. Such a good change of pace from my lamo spinach salads.  Components include fresh figs, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil and a balsamic reduction poured all over it. Rachel used blue cheese instead of goat cheese which I'm kicking myself for because I am so pro-blue cheese I just read the recipe wrong. The goat cheese was great it sort of melts over the warm pasta, but next time it's blue cheese for sure! I also used basil for my herb because I'm pretty proud of  baby basil plant in my backyard. I try and sneak it into whatever I can.

Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Adapted from Spache the Spatula

 

Ingredients:

1 cup dry orzo pasta

2 Tbsp. good-quality olive oil

1 cup halved cherry or plum tomatoes

1 cup quartered black mission figs

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or goat if you don't like blue)

2 Tbsp. fresh basil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to your package directions. Drain and put into a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil.

Over medium heat reduce your balsamic vinegar by about half to create the glaze.

Add in the tomatoes, figs, cheese, and basil to the orzo, and toss to combine. Season, to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with the balsamic glaze.

 

 

Makes a great lunch, perfect side dish or for a bite here and then straight from the bowl in the fridge... Take a bite amiright? Oh also good heated up a bit, just a tip.

Annie