Quick & Easy

Hey y'all! If you're reading this, I'm currently relaxing on the beach or by a pool or in a condo or participating in some other beach vacation activity. Ian and I decided to vacation with friends pretty much the minute I got out of school so I wrote this blog in advance. So, I've lost nearly three more pounds. Now, obviously, I'm pleased with this, but I also have an understanding that this does not include my brother's graduation celebration, nor does it count the beach cocktails and yummy vacation meals I will consume. I don't anticipate losing weight over the next couple weeks (because it will also be my birthday on the 13th), but I do plan to maintain…or at least not splurge to the point of completely blowing my progress. I actually feel that I can do this. I want to enjoy with moderation. Wish me luck.

I'd like to wish my brother yet another congratulations for graduating from the University of Alabama on Cinco de Mayo! I am so proud of who you are and what you've accomplished. Your future is so bright and all that.

Happy Early Birthday to me! I am turning 34 on the 13th and I think that means I'm officially in my mid-30s. Other than crippling financial anxiety, life is pretty solid. Also, I don't plan on changing my traveling ways any time soon.

Happy Early Mother's Day as well! I love you, Mom! You're the only person I'm willing to share my birthday with! I can't wait to celebrate with a yummy brunch and then dinner. You deserve it!

I'm the type of person who craves fast and easy recipes. If I click on a recipe and it's got 50 ingredients or more than a few steps, I usually skip it. I especially like meals that take less than 15 minutes. So, I've included some fast recipes that I've made before  that you can always count on to be quick and easy. The first is a fast chicken sausage breakfast. They are making a ton of yummy flavors in chicken sausage these days. I bought some from Target that had cheese inside. It's less than 200 calories and only 3 points on the new Weight Watchers. I removed the casing and sautéed it in a pan for less than five minutes. Then, I used the fat from that to make eggs. I added toast and sprinkled fat free feta over the top. This was a borderline decadent breakfast that was super healthy and low in calories, especially compared to a restaurant breakfast.

Recently, I came back to one of my faves: tuna steak. I marinade the tuna steak in some type of Asian dressing or sauce. This time I used P.F. Chang's. It doesn't take much. I also season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder. I spray a skillet with non-stick spray and then add the tuna steak once the pan is super hot. While it sears, I steam some edamame. It only take a minute or two on each side. You definitely don't want to overcook tuna steak. When you can see the white creeping up, it's time to flip. Once it was done, I added it to a plate and topped with edamame, fat free feta (obviously a staple for me) and low sodium soy sauce. There's tons of protein and flavor in this dish and it takes almost no time to prepare. Also, it's pretty.

Lastly, I present to you an old "recipe" I've used 100 times, but it's always good for a quick, flavorful meal. It's a fajita bowl. When Ian and I do this, we prepare ours in separate pans because we like different veggies. In both, we cook chicken and onions with taco seasoning until it's cooked through. I spray the pan with non-stick spray first. In my pan, I add mushrooms. If the mixture is dry,  you can add a bit of chicken broth. I take the mix and add it to steamed cauliflower. Obviously, you can add whatever toppings you want. Ian and I eat this all the time. You can also use ground beef, turkey or chicken as well.

I hope you all have a wonderful month!

Until next time!