Spicy Homemade Hummus

First let me start by saying that I love hummus. I used think it was weird and then one day I tried it and WOWZA! However, I am very cheap when it comes to buying my food. For the most part I buy good, clean, healthy food but my store of choice is Kroger and occasionally Publix depending on their deals. One day I hope to have enough money to shop at Whole Foods on the reg but until that day I will continue with my bargain shopping. Now with that being said, hummus is relatively pricey to me especially considering a little tub won't even last me a week. I did a little googling and decided that I will just make my own hummus since I can get chick peas for something like 3 for $2 at Kroger. So here is what I have just thrown together. I will add that I don't use exact measurements in my cooking. Once I learn how to make something, I basically just add until it is satisfactory.

Ingredients:
1 16oz can of chickpeas
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP Red Pepper Seasoning
1 TBSP chili powder 
1 lemon squeezed
1/4 cup water or juice from chickpeas
1 TBSP of All-Natural Peanut Butter or tahini 
Tabasco sauce (roughly 10 to 12 shakes to your liking)

Note: You can substitute the garlic powder, red pepper seasoning, and chili powder for the real thing, I just didn't have any on hand, plus this is quicker. Also if you have tahini great, I never buy it and I've found that Peanut Butter does just as great and you can't really taste it.

Directions:

First, drain the chick peas. You can either keep the juice or dump it and substitute water later. Add them into a food processor. Add your juice or water. Depending on the size of your food processor, you can add the rest of the ingredients now or wait and just hand stir them in. I had a small food processor available so I did it in 2 parts. Blend the chick peas until they are in a paste-y  consistency. Now add the seasonings, saving the peanut butter and Tabasco for last. I like to save them so the seasonings are well-blended first. Add the peanut butter or tahini, make sure you mix it in well, you don't want to find a chunk folded up somewhere. Lastly add as much Tabasco as you would like, making sure to stir it and check half-way through to make sure it isn't too spicy for you!

Obviously I chose to make a spicy hummus, but you can make whatever variety you want. Just make sure to keep the core ingredients: chick peas, lemon juice, PB/tahini, sea salt, and ground pepper.

I hope you enjoy and thanks for checking out my blog! Please let me know how you make your hummus and if I should try anything different!

Love you food, love your body, love your life!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Hello hello,

I know it has been awhile, but I really wanted to share this recipe that I found and revised for a healthier, happier belly. I have been making lots of banana breads in the past couple months trying to figure out which one I like the best, while eliminating the bad for you ingredients. This is what I have stumbled upon. First off, I used Rachel Ray's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe as a guideline. If you make her version with no revisions, it is delicious as well!

Here is what you are going to need to make my banana bread.

1/2 to 3/4 cup of all-natural applesauce [until desired consistency]
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of oats
1 scoop Perfect Fit Protein [any rice protein]
1/2 cup of Stevia [OR 1/4 cup Stevia & 2 TBSP organic honey]
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten [OR 1/3 cup egg whites]
3 bananas, mashed (1 cup of mashed bananas)
1 cup of dark chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Grease a 8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or use baking spray)

In a large bowl whisk flour, oats, protein powder, Stevia, baking soda, and salt together. Mix in the applesauce, bananas, and eggs. Stir in the chocolate chips (do not overmix) and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the loaf for 10 to 15 minutes, then flip it out of the pan, and cool completely, right side up! Viola!

Please note that I did use flour and chocolate chips which obviously are not "healthy" choices but dark chocolate is good for you in moderation and you are welcome to use any oat flour or flour substitute if you desire. Also I am not an "exact-ingredient-chef" I just use guidelines and then go as I please. I hope you enjoy and share this recipe.

Thank you for reading and I hope to have more over the holidays!

Love your food, love your body, love your life!

DIY: Laundry Bag

I may be the only woman with this problem but my boyfriend will RUIN my clothes. Of course it is not intentional, he really is trying to help, but the poor man only knows one way to wash clothes. Granted the majority of his clothes are shorts, boxers, and t-shirts but even his few nice shirts he just throws in with everything. Unfortunately, I have had to learn the hard way; some of my dresses have now become shirts and a few sweaters have made the ultimate sacrifice. I know even pointing out specifically what needs to be washed separately will not make a difference so instead of multiple fatalities in my closet, I have simply started making a separate pile for these specific clothing items. I have recently been investing in my closet, which means more items that I have to guard closely so I have decided to create a special "hamper" for them. Instead of going out and buying a basket that will just take up more space or a laundry bag that is too big and overpriced, I decided to make one on my own. Seriously took me 5 minutes!! I know we all have random pillow cases laying around so go grab one that you will not miss using along with:

a pair of scissors
medium sized yarn or cord
a safety pin

That's it!

Okay first, you will need to cut 4 holes roughly the size of a dime. The hole size is not crucial. You just need to be able to get your safety pin and yarn in. The holes should be located on the top part of your pillow case on the inner piece of fabric. Make sure that you don't cut through both layers. There will be a hole on each side of the seam, (they will mirror each other). [This picture was taken after the yarn had been threaded.]

Next, tie the loose end of your yard or cord to the closed safety pin. The bigger the safety pin the easier it will be to thread through.

Now we will thread the yarn. This is the hardest part. Stick your safety pin and yarn as far into the hole as you can. Then hold the safety pin and scrunch up the material. Once you have a few inches scrunched together, re-grab the safety pin and pull the scrunched material to the other side of the pin. Continue to do this all the way around the pillow case. Keep in mind that your pin will come out of one of the holes and you will have to move it across the seam into the next hole.

Once you have made a complete circle, untie the yarn from the safety pin and then cut the end attached to the ball of yarn at the desired length. I made mine longer so I could carry it easier if I wanted but if you want your bag to cinch automatically, cut the string so that both ends are barely showing out of the holes. Then tie a double-knot so it won't come undone. Now you can hang those delicates on a hook or shelf out of harm's reach a.k.a boyfriend's destructive but good intentioned actions =)

Yes, that is a pillow pet sitting on my shelf. No judging! His name is Pegasus and he is my travel buddy!

This bag can be used for anything! As long as you chose a pillow case with durable fabric you can put anything from clothes to toys to books in there! This project is kid friendly as well so kids can each make their own just for "their stuff."

Let me know how your project turns out! Any other requests? Just let me know in the comments below and I will be sure to help out!

Hope you enjoy!

National Coffee Day

Apparently I did not pick the best time to start a blog, because as soon as I made that decision, literally the same day as my first post, my life got a little crazy. I decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Public Health with a focus in Health Behavior & Education. AND the baby that I currently nanny started teething and I just got super stressed out. SOOOO I am trying to refocus by making time for myself, this blog, and to just enjoy life! I take the GRE on Thursday and after that my application process begins. I really really want to go to the University of North Carolina, I don't have a back-up school, so I am really freaking out about that. I realized this whole process consists of a lot of waiting. I have to take my GRE and then wait for the scores. I have to apply to the Public Health program and then wait to apply to UNC and then wait for their answer and wait and wait. Ahhhh, you see why I am stressed. Plus last night I wanted to do a little baking to relieve some of that stress so I chose to make a Pumpkin Bread from my ToneItUp! sister @KristynJoRuns. Well because I was so exhausted I added baking powder instead of baking soda! Ugh! My bread looks like mushy meatloaf now instead of a perfectly rising bread. So depressing. I will try for round 2 later in the week.

But for today, I just finished filming my first vlog ever! I did a Fall Haul video, which I will post the YouTube link later. Today is National Coffee Day which I consider a close runner-up to Christmas for the best day of the year. The best way I can think to celebrate is drinking coffee ALL DAY! I already had my Tone It Up! Perfect Fit Mocha Latte this morning and I plan on making a Starbucks run later for a Salted Caramel latte. All the more motivation to study right??  Besides my video and studying that will occur later today, I wanted to continue on my baking spree of venting and relaxing.

I chose to make/use for inspiration Baked Oatmeal Banana Bites from SarahFit. As I started making these delicious snacks, I realized that she used a mini-muffin pan and I only had a regular which meant I would have half as much and because I like to make as much as possible at a time, I made 4 of Sarah's version and then the other 8 are my concoction. IF you want to mix and match follow Sarah's recipe exactly! Make sure you do that first, then scoop out 4 servings into your muffin tin. I used muffin liners because my tin is older and not trustworthy. Remember to only fill them around half way so they don't get too crazy! Now with the mix that you have left in your bowl add:

1/2 unsweetened natural applesauce
1/4 tsp of vanilla extra
1/4 cup of oats [I used quick oats]
1 scoop Perfect Fit Protein powder [optional or any protein powder]
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 TBSP slivered almonds [use 1 TBSP to start & add the 2nd to my section]
splash of chocolate almond milk [literally just enough to make it not so thick]

                                                            Here are all my ingredients!

     

Bake at 375 for 13 - 15 minutes and voila! A little breakfast, midafternoon, or after dinner delicious treat! And best of all they are healthy! All natural ingredients makes a body happy!

                                                       

                                                                 Finished product!

I love finding great, good-for-you recipes and adding my own spin to it! Make sure you check out SarahFit's  other delicious food ideas HERE as I am sure I will referencing her a ton! Next time I will most definitely be adding some pumpkin puree, perfect for this Fall season!

Goodbye for now. Happy Saturday and make sure you enjoy AT LEAST one delicious cup of coffee today!

A New Chapter of My LIFE

Hey Everyone!

For awhile now I have wanted to created my own blog but I always made an excuses [I am not interesting enough. I am not an excellent writer. I don't have enough energy and focus. etc.] but I realized as much as I want you to read this and enjoy it and reach out to other people, I really just want a place where I can be held accountable and where I can essentially talk to myself as much as I want =) So here is a quick speal about me: I am 21 years old, soon to be 22 in October. I have a boyfriend, Sam, who I have been with for 2 years today and a cute Pitador/Labrabull [whichever you prefer] name Slider who is about a year and a half. I graduated from Kennesaw State University in July with a BA in Marketing and I currently nanny an almost 5 month old little girl name Claudia. I don't really have any idea what I want to do with my life just yet; there are a lot of ideas floating around in my head.

I am a Christian. I love to read and I love crafts, which will also become main edition on my page. I wish I had the elegance and style of Princess Kate [she is amazing]. I wish I was a fantastic runner/health food nut/yoga master but I am learning through an amazing program that is a huge, incredibly important lifestyle change that I am embarking on. I have recently joined the Tone It Up! Community and we just started day 1 of #BeachWeek. Most of my blog will be about TIU, how it changed/changes my life and what my daily routines are! Also I will be including some secret cheats for TIU girls. We have a great community and the best trainers who are quite stunning and motivational.

That is all for now but my goal is to have at least one post a day! I hope you enjoy my sparatic ramblings!

Ashley