Being healthier in 2013!

Well first off, Happy New Year!  I definitely slacked on blogging towards the second half of 2012 but I want to get back more into it this year.  One thing I want to write about is my goal of getting healthier this year.  Ideally I would like to lose some weight as a result, but at the very least I want to feel better about myself and know that I am treating my body better.  So, I am going to do my best to post weekly about what I am doing in my life to achieve this goal.

The easiest way, I think, to start getting healthier is to change what you eat.  You don't even have to completely change your diet- just make small changes towards foods that are better for you.  Any little bit helps.  My post today will address some ideas for making your lunch healthier.

1) Swap out bread for vegetables.  Maybe you're thinking, 'how do you make a sandwich without bread?'  There are plenty of ways!  You can make a lettuce wrap.  Practically any cold cut tastes good in lettuce; simply use it instead of bread and make your sandwich the exact same way otherwise.  Another vegetable that you can use as a substitute for bread is cucumber.  Cut a section of cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut out some of the inside, creating a well (like in celery) but leaving enough around the edges so that the cucumber is still sturdy.  Then pile on your favorite cold cuts and toppings into each half.

2) Use better condiments.  Mayonnaise may taste great (believe me, it's my favorite sandwich spread!), but there are plenty of other condiments that pack a lot of flavor with a lot less calories and fat.  Mustard is one option, but there are also plenty of others that may not immediately come to mind.  Balsamic vinegar is one great alternative, and you can sometimes find flavored balsamic vinegars if you want a little bit different flavor.  You could also use other vinegars, like rice wine vinegar, depending on the taste you're going for.  Stay away from salad dressings or oil-based sauces.

3) Pick healthier sides.  Chips are easy, but other things are better for you.  If you want to stay with something salty, nuts are a great option.  They have protein that chips don't have.  Fruits and vegetables seem like an obvious side, but it still takes a conscious effort to pick those over less nutritious options.  If you pick applesauce, look for one with no added sugar or sweeteners.  And if you really can't give up your chips, go for a baked option instead of fried.

These are some of the tips I'm incorporating into my routine to get healthier this year.  Hopefully they can help you, too!  Let me know if you have any ideas you'd like me to share that have worked in your life.

McCormick Grill Mates review

My family and I recently sampled a number of products from McCormick Grill Mates.  These are all great seasonings, marinades, and sauces to use during the summer grilling season!  Here are my thoughts on three of the products that my family and I had the strongest opinions about.

Grill Mates® Slow and Low Memphis Pit BBQ Rub:  This was spicy, but those of us who liked spicy foods enjoyed it!  We tried it on steak, and later on, I also mixed this rub into a burger.  Both were delicious (I love spicy foods)!  I could definitely taste the rub more on the steak, though; the burger had a lot of other flavors on it that masked some of the tanginess.

Steak (sandwich) with Memphis BBQ Pit Rub & Pineapple rings w/ Molasses Bacon Seasoning

Grill Mates® Molasses Bacon Seasoning Blend:  This was a surprising hit with my family- especially with my little sister, who puts bacon on everything!  She thought it was cool that there was bacon in the shaker :)  I tried this on chicken wings, and it was a delightfully sweet taste.

Chicken Wings with Molasses Bacon Seasoning

Grill Mates® Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Sauce:  This sauce had a very strong alcohol taste from the bourbon.  We don't really drink in my house, and so this sauce was definitely not one of our favorite products.  We use a lot of barbecue sauce on a regular basis, so any new barbecue sauce has a lot to stand up to, and this did not make the cut.

Enjoying the food!

 There are many more than just these three products available from McCormick Grill Mates, so if none of these fit your grilling fancy, just check out your local grocery store to see what else is available.  There's something for everyone!

You can also visit GrillMates on Facebook and find tons of grilling tips for the summer.

FTC Disclaimer:  I was provided free samples of McCormick products by Crowdtap in exchange for hosting a Grill Mates party with family and friends.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Coffee Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Caramel Buttercream Icing

I was inspired by all the Coffee-mate stuff I got last week and decided to use the idea of coffee and some of my free creamer to make these delicious cupcakes.  According to one of my friends who tried one, "It tastes like you're eating a latte!"  Yum!  I think that's a perfect description of these delicious cupcakes- and I don't even drink coffee!

Coffee Cupcakes


1 c white sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp coffee extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk


Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Combine flour and baking powder, add to sugar mixture and combine until wet.  Add milk, stir until large lumps are gone.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until cake feels springy.


*For plain (white) cupcakes, increase vanilla to 2 tsp and remove coffee extract.

Buttercream Icing


1/2 c butter, softened
3 1/2 c confectioners sugar
4 tbsp vanilla caramel Coffee-mate
5 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla


Beat all ingredients together with mixer until smooth.  Add additional sugar if too thin; add additional milk (NOT Coffee-mate) if too thick.


*You can substitute in any flavor Coffee-mate you want into this icing to make a variety of flavors!


So even if you don't drink coffee, you can still enjoy these cupcakes!  And don't forget to enter to win yourself some FREE Coffee-mate until TONIGHT!

Food!

Dishes that I've made recently and enjoyed:

Ravioli Lasagna
(This is a dish I've been making for a while.  It's essentially the same thing as lasagna except using ravioli instead of lasagna noodles.  Doing this allows you to eliminate the ricotta cheese between the layers and just use mozzarella (and in this case, parmesan too).  It's just as gooey and delicious as a traditional lasagna.  You can use frozen or cooked ravioli; it takes about 50 minutes to cook if the pasta was frozen, and about 20 if it was cooked first- just long enough for the cheese to melt and start to brown.)

Peaches and Bananas in Cinnamon Chocolate Sauce
(Intended as a dessert; also works as a side dish.  This one was a big experiment on my part, since I just added things to the pot until it tasted good.  A little corn starch thickens the sauce, but the main ingredients in it are cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, and cinnamon.  You can use whatever fruits you want- I just happened to have peaches and bananas handy when I made it.)

Meatloaf on Garlic Bread w/ Red Sauce
(This one I even got my cousin to eat, and she ate nearly half of the dish before my aunt got to try some. That never happens when she tries new foods!  The meat used here is just ground beef, which I seasoned and added BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, and a few other secret ingredients.  I added some bacon to the meatloaf, too, which adds an extra level of flavor to the dish.  Another secret to making this dish taste good is using regular garlic bread and topping it with your own shredded cheese instead of buying cheesy garlic bread- it's much gooier if you do it yourself!)

Tangy BBQ Sloppy Joes

(These started out as Tangy BBQ Sliders, but progressed in idea to Sloppy Joes by the end of Memorial Day Weekend.  A spicy BBQ sauce is the key component to this dish, as are grilled onions and sharp cheddar cheese.  Make sure to drain the meat and then add some extra BBQ sauce before plating.)

Awesome Peanut Butter cookies!

2 c. creamy peanut butter

1 1/4 c. white sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. flour

1/2 bag white chocolate chips

Cream together first 3 ingredients. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then add next 3 ingredients and mix until completely blended. Fold in white chocolate chips. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in extra granulated sugar. Flatten into circles, making sure not to crack the dough. Bake 10-13 min. on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees. Let cool on baking sheet 5-7 min. before moving to cooling rack.

Tortellini Salad :)

1-16. oz bag of tortellini, any flavor

1 plum tomato

1 clove of garlic, cut in half

2 tsp. EVOO

1/4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

grated parmesan cheese

shredded parmesan cheese

garlic salt, pepper, italian seasoning to taste

Cook tortellini according to package directions. (If desired, add salt to water.) While cooking, cut tomato into cubes and put in a small bowl. Rub halves of garlic on inside of a medium bowl, then slice very thin and add to tomatoes. Add 1/2 tsp. EVOO and mix. Strain tortellini and rinse under cold water to chill. Dry on paper towel and add to medium bowl. Stir in tomato mixture. Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp. EVOO and balsamic vinegar, mix to coat tortellini. Add desired amount of grated parmesan cheese (about 1/4 to 1/3 c.) and 2 handfuls of shredded parmesan cheese, stir. Season with garlic salt, pepper, and/or italian seasoning. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.