The Day I Roasted a Grapefruit

I know you are waiting on pins and needles for my Paula Deen post but you'll just have to wait a little bit longer, sorry kids! (see also I am procrastinating and this was an easy blog post)

So some of you probably already know I love to roast things. My love of roasting started about 2 years ago. I never knew I could actually learn to love vegetables but it happened. I stumbled across a you tube video showing me how and it was love ever since.

This weekend I went a little crazy though. I saw on Pinterest (don't ever take my search button away again, Pinterest!) where someone had roasted a grapefruit. I hate grapefruit, so I decided to try it. I must say - it's pretty good! Who knew hot fruit could be so tasty? Here's what I did:

Cut your grapefruit in half and then cut a small part of each bottom off so the grapefruit sits evenly on the pan.
Take a knife and cut the grapefruit away from the membranes and away from the outer peel
Drizzle a tsp of honey and some cinnamon to taste.
Broil for about 5-10 minutes (my oven cooks slow so just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.) Basically cook it until the top starts to carmelize.

I also roasted some asparagus this weekend. Next on my list? Brussel sprouts. *insert horror music here* If it makes the "Mikey..he likes it!" list, I'll let y'all know!

My thoughts on Paula Deen

Sorry if y'all saw this pop up in your google reader. I hit "send" too soon and I had not typed a word yet. haha! Silly me. So bare with me. Post coming soon! =)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Last night I decided to make one of my favorite winter recipes: Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili. Something about this recipes just works. The ingredients just melt together in a big ole pot of goodness. Yesterday was so gross and dreary here, so last night about 8:00 I made the decision to fire up the slow cooker. This is a slightly different version than one I've used before.

This recipe can be made in the Dutch Oven or a slow cooker. Just hold off on the lime juice and cilantro and add that at the end. 

Sadly, I forgot to take a photo. So this lovely image is from http://thegreenbite.wordpress.com/. 

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sweet_potato_black_bean_chili.html
From EatingWell:  January/February 2011 Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.
4 servings, about 2 cups each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile (see Note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Nutrition

Per serving : 307 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 51 g Carbohydrates; 12 g Protein; 14 g Fiber; 494 mg Sodium; 947 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Note: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. Ground chipotle chile pepper can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets or online at penzeys.com. *My note: If you don't have chipolte chili pepper, GET SOME. I put it on everything!

Monday update

I spent this past week at the beach with my family - specifically my mom and my 2 aunts. We had a great time, and although the weather was a little chilly/rainy at times we made the best of it. No more vacations for me for a looooong while though. Sadz.

I got home Friday night, unpacked and immediately packed again to spend the weekend in Charleston with some girlfriends.  We stayed at the adorable Elliott House Inn. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a quaint spot to spend a few nights in Charleston. And it's right next door to the famous Husk. It POURED rain Saturday night but finally let up enough so that we could brave the streets. And brave it we did! Woof is all I can say about how we felt on Sunday.

Have a great week everyone!

PS Thanks for the eyeliner suggestions!

Bad, L'Oreal, BAD

Just recently, I put 2 and 2 together on something and I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner.

Last March, I borrowed a friend of mine's liquid eyeliner (not something I normally condone of course) for a night out on the town and I fell in love. It took some practice with it of course, but ever since then I've been just enamored with how much better my eyes look when using liquid liner. Most of the time I would use the L'Oreal liner that you can buy anywhere - Target, Walgreens, etc. Occasionally, I would switch it up and use something that I'd get from Sephora or if a sample would come in. But for the most part, I used L'Oreal.

Also, around this time I started having awful problems with my eyes. I recently had switched to a different brand of contacts and they were SO comfortable. But then here I was having problems again. I'd wake up every morning with itchy, crusty (gross, I know) eyes. My eyes would be red a LOT. I started buying eye drops by the gallons. I chalked all of this up to allergies. I even bought an air purifier for my bedroom thinking it would help. Nope. The problem continued. Until recently...

I decided to take a break from liquid eyeliner for a week or so and guess what? NO ITCHY EYES. No redness! No crusty gross morning eyes! My eyes feel GREAT. So I started googling and this is what I found:

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 10/01/2012

"disssaappoinnted"

I used this eyeliner ever since I can remember, it was the best! The brush was perfect easy to put on and it looked perfect afterwards but recently I had to buy new one and my eyes got red itchy burning also I'm really upset been trying to find something that compares to this bc I love me some eyeliner, but I can't. Come on loreal fix your product then let us know !!!!! I miss it :( it should really be taken off the market if something isn't changed .. if its happening to everyone who wears it something is wrong. Should not just keep selling a crappy product.

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 13/05/2011

Wow this was the first and only eyeliner I use to wear. It was the best. Last year aprox July 2010 I bought another one and much to my surprise I started getting really bad swollen eyes and my eyes started burning. I never thought it would be the eyeliner since I had been using this for 12 years. I switched everything else mascara ..eyeshadow and brushes 7 months later I finally figured out it was the damn eyeliner. Very disappointed. I will never buy another loreal product they screwed up a good...

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 15/10/2010

What Happened??? I've used this product for as long as I can remember. Two months (July 2010) I bought the eyeliner and the next day my eyes became red, swollen, crusty. It took a whole week for the problem to go away. I suspect L'oreal might have changed the product's consistency to save money. It is too bad they lost another customer. DO NOT AT ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!...

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 29/07/2010

OMG! I thought it was me! I have also used Loreal liner for years and years and would use no other because I loved it and then one day I got the red, swollen, crusty eyes as others and had to go to the eye doctor. It took weeks to heal and I didn't want to think it was my liner so I bought another new liner and used it and the same thing happened again. Shame on Loreal for changing a good thing!!...

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 23/04/2010

I have used Loreal Liquid Eyeliner for over 10 years. I bought a new eyeliner about a month ago and when I used it, under my eyes got red, swollen, crusty, itchy and unbearably sore. I thought I had pink eye or something. The doctor said no and gave me eye allergy eye drops and ointment to put on them. It took almost 3 weeks to get better. I used the eyeliner again and it happened again, this time it looked like I had a red liner on, they looked burned. I finally realized it was the eyeliner. I...

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 10/01/2010

I too used this eyeliner for 20 years with no problem. They ruined the product by changing the formula. I get swollen blistered eyelids from the new one. tossed it out bought another one same thing, waited a few months, bought another one. same problem. I would LOVE to talk with a company rep to see what the change in ingredients is so I dont waste money buying another product that will irritate my eyes. Has anyone found a good replacement for this eyeliner? Pencil dosent work for me....

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★☆☆☆☆

Written on: 13/08/2009

I too have used LOreal Eyeliner for years. I always use black. In May I threw out my old bottle and bought a new one and after using it my eyelids where really sore and red around the lash area I had oozing and inflammation. I stopped using it for a month threw out that bottle and bought a new one used it once and my lash area was very red and sore and oozing, removed it and by morning my eyes were almost swollen shut they hurt so badly I could hardly stand it. It took 3 days for them to return...

Review of LOreal Eyeliner Superliner

★★☆☆☆

Written on: 02/12/2008

I have been a faithful user of Loreal Eyeliner for years. I have always used the brown/black and loved it. I recently about almost 2 weeks ago went and purchased it in black. I applied it and within two hours I notice my eyes were burning and itchy. I continued to use it and now my eyes are super puffy and where I use my eyeliner is all red and flaky. It's really sad this had to happen as I love Loreal's eyeliner, but it's not worth using if I'm going to get this sort of reaction....
Read more


These reviews went on and on and on. Wow L'Oreal....SHAME ON YOU. This product should not be on the market. I really thought I was going to have to switch contacts or either be on allergy medicine forever and now I see it's not me....it's you.

So for that, L'Oreal, we have to breakup. Pack your bags; you're outta here. Now I hope I can find a new relationship with another brand so I can renew my love of liquid liner again. Any suggestions???

P90x Update

It's not easy to fit a 60 minute workout into your day - every single day. But I'm trying. I've done it more than I haven't, so that's good right? For example, tonight I have somewhere to go after work. I will probably get home around 7:30. And all I will want to do is fall on to the couch, watch tv and then go to bed. But guess what? I have P90 to do - a core work. And I will whine in my head about it. But sitting on my couch and watching TV is why I'm so soft and pudgy. What's more important to me? Getting in shape. So tonight, I WILL be doing my workout. Oh, here's Tony doing a one arm push up. I managed to do one baby one. And I'm not sure it really counted. But I tried. Maybe next time I'll do 2 of them? Lofty goals, people.

 Happy Tuesday friends!
 

I am Southern Belle--ish

This week at work, my California coworker jokingly said "you're such a Southern Belle!" I'm not really sure what I said that made her say that, but it really cracked me up.

I suppose I do have some southern belle-ish traits. I do love the south and I love southern food. I occasionally wear pearls. Sometimes I say "bless your heart." I love SEC football and wear football colors on Fridays before a game. I have a Southern accent and I call people ma'am or sir. Oh! And I subscribe to Southern Living.

What disqualifies me as a Southern Belle? Well, sometimes I curse. I have never been a member of the Jr. League. I'm a terrible baker. I don't go to church (not bragging about that) and I don't always vote Republican. My pearl earrings? Fake. I bought my first Lilly Pulitzer dress at the age of 35. I once dated a boy from North Dakota. I prefer beer over liquor. And last? I don't have a single monogrammed thing in my house.(Although, I DID cave and buy an Erin Condren planner with my name on the front this year. Does that count?)

So there you have it. Sorry if I caused some of you Belles out there to faint on that last part...

Who's your favorite fitness blogger?

I need some motivation right now to keep with my goals for the long haul. Is there a blog or website that you read regularly that you love? Or maybe a tumblr account? Let me know so I can add it to my google reader!

Jamie at Sweaty Hugs is one that I am really loving right now. I posted about her on my tumblr account, but it's her inspirational before and after pics that really got me thinking about losing weight versus trying to become leaner and stronger through weights/strength training. It's got me really pumped!

So share with me if you know a great blogger! Or if you yourself have had awesome success. I'll post them here in a later post.

One last unrelated request: Would you mind saying a prayer for Lauren and her family over at Travel With Lauren?  Her family could really use some extra prayers right now. Thanks in advance!!

TGIF y'all! Be safe and well =)

Let's have a party!

Never before have I heard so many different reactions to a song before. Some of you love it. Some of you hate it. Me? It's no Josh Groban, but it's definitely catchy. I kinda like it. And it sticks in your head. All.Day.Long.

What say you? Red Solo Cup - Love it or Hate it? Here's my favorite version:

2012: You need to bring your A-game

Because 2011 knocked it out of the park for me. So much fun was had this year! But here were the best of the best moments for me:

• Going snowtubing in Blowing Rock, NC. (and visiting again for Thanksgiving except no snow - so we did wine tastings!)

• A trip to Charleston for my birthday in the Spring with some of my besties.

• NKOTB concert in the ATL! Have been wanting to see these guys ever since they first announced they were touring again and it finally happened. WINNING!

• My Gamecocks winning the National Championship in college baseball - AGAIN. Also, the football team having our first ever 11 win season. It was an awesome season despite a lot of setbacks. Our football team took on the motto of our baseball team: WIN ANYWAY.

• My first PR on a 5K!

• Cruising to Mexico. Hope to do this again next year. Amazing!

• Running my first ever half marathon. Still can't believe I did that. And that I'm doing it again in March. Insanity.

• Meeting Teresa Guidice from the Real Housewives of New Jersey. What a fun night! I'm really enjoying experimenting with her recipes.

• A trip to Orlando, Florida - twice! The second time we saw Breaking Dawn on premiere night. So.Much.Fun. What can we say, we love it there.

• And last...but mostly definitely not least...my trip to NYC. I love that city so much and can't wait to go back. There are rumors of a return visit in the Spring :) We'll see...(crossing fingers)

2011 thanks for being awesome. 2012, you have big shoes to fill. Let's do this!

 Happy New Year everyone!