Kale Chips

Courtney told me about this healthy snack.  I made it the other day and it actually tasted really good.  Far exceeded my expectations!  


1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Wash 2 bunches of kale, remove stems, tear into small pieces
3. Toss with 2 tsp olive oil and spread on baking sheet
4. Salt lightly
5. Bake until crisp and slightly golden around edges (10 - 20 minutes). 


"These satisfying chips only have 34 calories per cup."

Roasting

One of my favorite things to cook and eat over the past few months has been roasted vegetables.  It has made me start eating vegetables I previously wasn't interested in.  Mary Alice got me started on sweet potatoes.  The Barefoot on broccoli and brussel sprouts.  And various blogs turned me on to carrots.  I never ate brussel sprouts before and wasn't a fan of cooked carrots.  So easy to do and so delicious!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut in uniform pieces.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Add salt and pepper.
Toss and bake for 35-45 minutes; tossing once or twice through.

I like to add rosemary to the sweet potatoes and thyme to the carrots.  I also do asparagus and fresh green beans as well -- they usually take less time.  Yum!

It's Official

Wednesday night I joined the church I've been attending for over a year.  I loved my church in Columbia, so it felt a bit odd leaving that church for real (two and a half years later.  ha!), but I'm excited to be an official member at St. Andrews in Mt. Pleasant.  Some things I love about St. Andrews:

Sermons/teaching.  My small group.  Friends there.

Overall, I think it is the most grace - filled church I've ever been a part of.  I feel like the church as a whole really understands people...how messy we are and how we sin and how we need Jesus.  And because they understand people, they love really well.  Part of loving people well is showing them their sins and re-directing them towards the cross (so it is not all fun and games.  ha!), but they stick with you and walk it out beside you.

Move over Bojangles

In my book, Chick-fil-A is much better than Bojangles.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Bo sometimes, but basically CFA is the greatest fast food establishment in the history of fast food.  Yet if you're in need of a biscuit on Sunday morning, Bojangles is your best bet...especially because they have a spicy chicken biscuit.  Well, we've moved into a new era.  First, Chick-fil-A came out with the spicy sandwhich.  (They'll make you a grilled spicy sandwhich if you ask for it!)  And now -- drumroll please -- they have spicy biscuits!  Oh my word, they are decilious!  I find the chicken more more delectable than Bojangles' and seriously could eat one of these about every day.  Although my waistline is hoping I don't.

Pigs Must be Flying

I like meat.  I would be satisfied to eat a hunk of meat for supper most of the time.  Red meat is my favorite.  Give me a good steak, medium rare to rare and I'm good to go.

I've never enjoyed turkey products trying to be other meats.  And I'll be honest, I've talked a lot of smack about them.  And things like veggie burgers and black bean burgers.  In an effort to eat healthier (at least for a while due to the recently added holipounds), I decided to purchase a box of non meat burgers.

I was going for black bean, yet my jippy grocery store didn't have those so I went with the all American veggie burger.  I have to say: it was delicious!  I put it on a bun and ate it like a regular burger, but it tasted good on its own as well.  It was well seasoned.  While it won't satisfy my desire for a big bite of red meat all the time, it is definitely a nice alternative.

Just Dance

Have you ever played this amazing Wii game?!  Because I have.  I played it this past Saturday with some of my favorite people.  And can I just say, that I am still sore.  My calves are killing me when I walk (and it is Monday).  My shoulders are tense.  And it is a good thing I'm not planning to go bowling any time soon...because I would probably bowl even worse than normal.  Haha.  BUT.  I loved the game!  I'm not very good, but I have a lot of fun!  Which (not so ironically) is how I am with regular dancing.  Ha.

Also.  If you ever get the opportunity to watch Mary Alice do Proud Mary, grab a Diet Coke, some popcorn, and hunker down for something truly magical and entertaining!

Goals for 2011

I'm feeling very excited and hopeful about the upcoming year...here are some things I'm looking forward to:

• Take a trip to Dallas to watch Festa and Austin exchange vows.
• Deepen my relationship with the Holy Spirit.
• Continue to fight some specific sin in my life.
• Take a risk and see what happens.
• Embrace turning 28 -- getting SO close to 30.
• Read a Bret Lott book.
• Join my church.
• Visit Southern California or somewhere else cool.