Open Mic: 14 Confessions

Good morning!

Is it just me, or did this week really fly by?  It's going to be a busy weekend of wedding festivities...we're having a wedding band shopping "date night" tonight, followed by printing wedding invitations tomorrow! I'm super excited for tonight because we've missed our weekly date night the last few weeks due to other things going on.

A berry blend with a protein kick!

Smoothie in a Bowl
Lately, I've jumped onto the smoothie in a bowl bandwagon. It is so cold and delicious--perfect for a summer morning breakfast! This morning's concoction included:

• 3/4 cup 1% Milk
• A handful of organic spinach
• 3/4 cup all-natural frozen berries (blackberries, raspberries + blueberries
• 1 scoop of protein powder for some staying power
• 1 frozen banana, sliced for easy-mixing
• A few ice cubes

All whirled up in the blender for a few seconds until it was fully blended. I then transferred it to a bowl and enjoyed it with a spoon! Slurp!

Confessions
Today I'd like to introduce a new feature to my blog: Confessions! On these posts, I'll fill you in on some random, quirky things that I do. Enjoy!

1. Last night I got a little too focused in my speed drills on the treadmill at the gym because after I hopped off and grabbed a disinfecting wipe to clean off the treadmill, I realized that I started wiping down the treadmill next to mine! oops!

2. I put salt on my watermelon mainly because my mom always did that. I always tend to get strange looks when I do this, but I promise you, it is delicious!

3. I rarely wash my jeans but change my socks 2-3 times per day.

4. Messy environments make it very difficult for me to concentrate. Therefore, I strive to keep my workspace as tidy as possible.

5. Dairy products, especially milk, freak me out a little. So much, that I often toss them a few days before they expire just to be on the safe side.

6. My dishwasher is run almost daily even though I'm a family of one. I blame it on all of the tupperwares that I bring to work each day.

7. I have a major pickle obsession but they have to be the sour kind--no "bread and butter" pickles for this girl.

8. In college, I never read the books for my research papers. Need to cite sources? Simply open the book, find some good quotes, and do the rest of your research online. Easy A, anyone?

9. A few months ago, I watched an entire season of Make it or Break it in one day.

10. One of my favorite shows is Full House. I also really enjoy Home Improvement reruns.

11. On that note, I still like watching Arthur even though it is meant for elementary school kids.

12. Once I worked at Express...for  3 weeks--that's all I could take. Fold clothes all day and have to ask to use the bathroom...not a chance!

13. 9 times out of 10, I'll choose a Pixar film over a chick flick.

14. Wearing glasses always makes me feel even more tired.

There you have it--it felt good to get those things off my chest!

What are some quirky things you'd like to confess?
Do we have any items above in common?
Friday night plans?
Glasses or contacts?

Back on Track

Good morning!

I arrived home from a girl's weekend at the cabin late last night and am so excited to share a recap with you! I just switched my work hours so I'l be headed in earlier each day--that being said, today's post will be up later tonight!

My goal for this week is to get back on track with blogging on a regular basis. I don't have any more weekend trips coming up this month, so expect to see more updates!

How was your weekend? 
What was the best thing you did this weekend? 
Do you have any fun trips planned this summer?

Off Holiday

Hello!

Just popping in to let you know that regular scheduled blogging will resume tomorrow morning!

Catch you when the sun rises!

Flourless Almond Butter Cookies - Guest Post

Hello Laura Likes Design readers! My name is Dana and I’m the author behind My Little Celebration - a food, fitness and lifestyle blog that I’ve been writing for about a year now and loving.



I’m 24 years old and newly-married. I love writing, food, and fitness, and I thoroughly enjoy recording glimpses of my life in the kitchen, at the gym and wherever else life takes me on my little blog.
The reason I write this post is, a while back Laura invited her readers to submit a guest post for her blog. And because I think Laura is adorable and her blog is, too - I jumped at the chance!

So, today I’m bringing you a fun and easy recipe for flourless almond butter cookies.


Yum, right? I’d never tried making these cookies before, but after doing a little research online I found a recipe that I could modify a bit in order to experiment with the flavor a bit more.

Although I haven’t always been a huge fan of almond butter, I’ve recently been trying different varieties and even making some of my own at home, and in the process I’ve developed quite a taste for it!
It’s so healthy, nutty and delicious, and extremely versatile for topping off yummy treats and mixing into baked goods. I hope to use it more in my kitchen as I (slowly) become a more adventurous cook.
Alright, enough talk. Here is my recipe along with a few photos for a better idea of what the cooking and preparation process looks like. Enjoy!

Flourless Almond Butter Cookies

Recipe adapted from Tasty Eats at Home, via Gluten Free Easily
yields about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c raw almond butter (ground from toasted almonds)
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
• sugar, chocolate chips, cocoa powder and raw almonds for coating/topping

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and either lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, scoop about 2 cups of raw almonds into a large skillet and toast them over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown (about 10 minutes).



Then pour the toasted almonds into a food processor and grind them for about 10 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally, until they form creamy almond butter.



Measure out 1 cup of almond butter and scoop it into a large mixing bowl. Place any reserve butter in a jar for other use.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Grease or moisten your hands slightly and form the dough into 1-inch balls. Try rolling a few in sugar and cocoa powder. Stuff a few with a chocolate chips. And top a few with a raw almond, if desired, for added garnish and flavor.





Place balls on cookie sheet - don’t press down. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and cookies look “set” - they won’t look done. Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove carefully and allow to finish cooling on a rack.


From left is a row of chocolate chip-stuffed, original, almond, and original again.



From left this is more chocolate chip-stuffed, cocoa dusted and sugar dusted. The cocoa cookies have a slight touch of decadence to them, and the sugar dusted cookies have just the right amount of sweetness to make them a little more irresistible.



The ones stuffed with a chocolate chip turned out ooey, gooey and melty in the middle. So good.



And the cookies with an almond on top were simple, delicious and provided an extra crunch and bit of substance. This could almost be considered a healthy protein cookie, right? : )



I served these cookies at my sister’s baby shower and they were very popular. The platter was empty by the time I left so I knew the recipe was a success.



If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the sugar-dusted version. It stole my heart! It tasted very much like a peanut butter cookie (only more almondish) and the sugar sweetened it just enough to give it a bit more of a cookie feel.



But they were all great and I’ll definitely be making them again. I’d also recommend these as a great option for those following a gluten-free diet as they are completely flour free.



Alright, back to the kitchen! I must find more uses for almond butter. This stuff is just too good!
Ciao, Dana

Housekeeping

Hello!

This post is to update you on some recent random things--some blog related, some not. It is basically a post that contains odds and ends that do not have enough to stand on their own as a post.

First up, I subscribe to a lot of emails. Some are church-related, others are magazine subscriptions, daily devos, networking e-blasts (Harvey MacKay, anyone?), and the like. Some I delete right away (why I don't unsubscribe to them is beyond me...), while others I look forward to opening and reading.

That being said, I love the Shape Magazine e-blast that finds its way into my inbox every once in awhile. Some of the reasons that I actually read this e-mail is because it contains useful information. Healthy recipes, work-out tips, and fun new products are just some of the features. After this past week's e-blast, I loved the company even more because of this:

Yeah, Minneapolis! 

You may click here to see if your city made the cut. I was actually surprised that Minneapolis was a top pick since our winter tends to last as long as 7 months. 

Next on the list, I caved and signed up with a Twitter account. I have no idea how to work it yet but figured that it would be a good blog advertising tool. This is something that I've been researching and it sounds like it is a good vehicle to get the word out about new blog posts and updates. 

If you have a Twitter, feel free to add me: 

LaurLikesDesign

...Please note that it is Laur likes design, not Laura since they only allow so many characters for a screen name. 

Many of you have been asking about my injury recovery. I am happy to report that the stitches are out and everything is healing up very nicely. I'm curious to see if the scrapes on my hands will leave a scar--hopefully not! As for my knee, it is still scraped up and a little bruised but I have almost full movement and ability with it so I'm a happy camper. Thank you for all of your concerns--you guys are the best!

Alright, time for a snack and then off to deal with this before hitting up the gym:

Filing papers, paying bills, figuring out my life, etc.

Favorite healthy snack?
Do you use Twitter? What are you thoughts on it? 
What is your favorite animated movie? Mine is a toss-up between Toy Story (all of them!) and Cinderella!

Tuesday 3's

Hello, humidity! I didn't miss you.

How was everyone's Memorial Day weekend? Mine flew by but it was great having that extra day off. In case you were out of town this weekend, you may catch up here:

• (How To) Stay True to Your Workout
• Got caught in the rain
• Shared the second half of the My Best Friend series

Here we are already at Tuesday! It's back to the grind today, but it should fly by since I have a doctor's appointment later on to have my stitches removed. Now I can hit up the pool since Summer is finally here!

Tuesday 3's

1. I love lists and make them all of the time for work and personal things. Most of the times my lists are on post-it notes since some of my best ideas seem come to me while I am at work.

Common list topics include: 

• groceries
• blog post ideas
• to-do items
• priority of deadlines for projects at work

When I am at home, however, I tend to make my lists using a program called Evernote. This free download makes it super simple to organize all kinds of lists and information to keep you organized in all different areas. This is a great program and I'll tell you more about it in an upcoming post about the tools I use for blogging.

2. Popsicles are a staple of mine in the summer and it is not uncommon for me to eat 2-3 of them in one sitting. I love how fruity and refreshing they are on a hot, summer day.

My favorite are Edy's all-natural fruit bars, but really--any popsicle will do!

3. Rollerblading is hands-down my favorite summer fitness activity. Yesterday afternoon was spent rollerblading around the lake while jamming out to my ipod and enjoying the summer day. What I love the most about rollerblading is that I always forget that I'm working out. The time flies and by the time I am done, I'm drenched in sweat so I know that I got a really good workout in.

Are you a list-maker?
Favorite popsicle flavor?
What's your favorite summer fitness activity?

A Few of My Favorite Things

Hello!

Catching up from the weekend? In short, I wiped out, hung out with Andy, and shared my healthy eating routine.

Thanks for all of your "get better" comments yesterday on my running injuries! The wounds are slowly but surely healing!

I made some updates on the blog. Click around my subpages to check out new illustrations scattered throughout, an updated blog roll featuring some of my favorite bloggers, and my recipe page's reorganization.

As I was working on the blog yesterday morning, I was thinking about what I like reading about on blogs.

That is where you come in. 
What would you like to see more of on my blog? 

• Photography? 
• Recipes? 
• Design? 
• Daily life? 
• Tutorials?
• Any other suggestions?! 

I'm new to this whole blogging thing so I'd like to improve as a blogger. Let me know what you'd like to see more of and I will do my best!

I was also thinking it would be neat to do some basic Photoshop tutorials or something. Would anyone be interested in that?

Favorite Things
Today's post contains a few of my favorite things that I wanted to share with you! These are things I enjoy and use or consume on a regular basis!

1. Starbucks in general, but more specifically: their iced coffees! As soon as warm weather hits, I switch over to iced coffee--a tall dark roast with a splash of half + half. It is just so refreshing and packs the perfect caffeine punch to get me going in the morning.

Sometimes I promise myself a Starbucks if I can get out the door by 7:35am...Friday morning was a success! I even straightened my hair for work! Who am I?!

2. Mr. Garmin is my lifesaver. My dad purchased this handy gadget as a Christmas gift awhile back and it makes driving to new places so much smoother! I also love how it allows you to scope out what stores and restaurants are in the area--perfect for when you travel to a new city. The traffic feature is great for knowing which routes are bumper-to-bumper and which are smooth sailing--talk about saving yourself a headache!

3. Speaking of straightening hair, the Conair ProShine straightener is another one of my favorite things. This little mechanism is a gem! I used to always buy the cheapie straighteners because my hair is technically pretty straight with just a slight wave. However, when I chopped off all my hair a few years ago and sported the chin-length bob, my cheapie straightener didn't work well since the wand was too thick and it never reached a high enough temp to get the short, wavy pieces straight.

Straight hair

So, I splurged on this purple beauty this past winter and wow, it does wonders! It makes straightening so much faster and the little silicone strip on the plate (is that what they are called?) leaves your hair silky smooth! It has even encouraged me to straighten my hair more often! Now that is saying something since I usually wear ponytails all the time. I would highly recommend it!

Ponytail at our friend's wedding

4. Adele! I heard her "Rolling in the Deep" son for the first time on the radio and was not a huge fan. It wasn't until I was hanging out with my sister a few weeks ago when she had it playing in the background that I really got hooked on her style. Since then I've been checking out some of her other songs, too! Are you a fan?

These "favorite things" will be a continuing thing on my blog, so be sure to check back for more in the future!

See you tomorrow morning for some Tuesday 3's!

What would you like to see more of on my blog?
What are some of your favorite things in life?

Tuesday 3's (A Colorful Version)

Thanks so much for all of your help with the wedding post! It sounds like dresses #1 and #4 were the overall favorites! I'll keep you posted with more wedding details as they arise.

...So I just realized that I have been sitting here for an hour with my headphones in and no music playing. Classy.

Next on the agenda, Tuesday 3's!

1. I'm a semi-vegetarian and have been since highschool. I'm not all "letssavetheanimals" but rather, I just don't like red meat: plain and simple. I get protein through eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and my favorite: peanut butter!

Veggie hotdog on the go

Snack plate for dinner last night...along with 2 popsicles, a cup of tea, and some crackers + cheese. Sometimes you just have to go with what you crave...

2. I love sprinkles and sometimes feel compelled to put them on random things.

For example, sometimes sprinkles sneak their way into my post-workout protein smoothies. Hey, once in awhile you have to reward your muscles for a job well done! 

Totally normal, right?

3. I'm looking for guest bloggers! Now that my blog is up full-force, I'd like to add a few new perspectives into the rotation. If you are any kind of blogger (designer, healthy-living, runner, or just someone who likes to post pictures and ramble) and are interested in guest blogging for me in the near future, please email me at lauraljr {at} gmail {dot} com! I'm also interested in swapping posts if that's more your style!

Any other semi-vegetarians out there?

What do you put sprinkles on?

How was your Monday?