Keeping a Diary

For Christmas, our 7 year old desperately wanted a diary, with a lock. As much as I didn't want to get her one - because that means she's edging dangerously close to tween instead of my baby girl - I know how it is. We got her one anyway. I always kept a diary or journal of sorts. Looking back, the purpose of my journaling wasn't to devise a grand scheme against the universe or to conceal dark truths, I wrote as a way of organizing thoughts; planning; recording; reflecting. Those are all really good and constructive skills to have. Over the years, this very blog has acted as a journal of sorts and I'm thinking of adding a new (pictorial) chapter to it.


If you've been reading along with me a while now, you know I have a deep-seated struggle with using food as medication instead of nutrition. Some stress-inducing times ensued, recently, and I gained about 10lbs. I've come too far to do this and thankfully, I know how to turn this horse and buggy around. I'm not making any grandiose plans to cut dairy, gluten, wheat, fat, and all other sources of flavor. That's unreasonable for me. I do know how to eat clean and the two items below will help me do just that...

1.) Grace. The Lord is bigger than any burden I have and when I have that urge to binge, I need to conscientiously PRAY and nourish my body with scriptural truths instead of a pixie stick.

2.) Accountability. I do SO much better when I have enlisted accountability folks asking how things are going; who are positive influences; and who will encourage me to continue on the right path - even if I don't know them personally. It just helps to be part of a team. Accountability works! It's why things like Weight Watchers; Advocare; Beach Body; and My FitnessPal thrive! These apps and groups all encourage you to write what you bite and work through your diet and exercise routines with friends/coaches.

To me, eating well isn't just about being a few pounds lighter (anymore, anyways). It's about properly caring for what God gave me. When we choose to abuse our bodies with food, drugs, or alcohol, we are really just incinerating the temples that God built especially for us to do His work. I wouldn't burn a brick and mortar temple, would you? Why would we do that to our own bodies that were made for so much more than an inanimate building? We have work to do, believing friends, and we need to keep our minds and bodies healthy to do that work. 

Additionally, I'm not wasting my weaknesses. God gave me this weakness, sugar addiction; but, He also gave me a voice as a writer; I'm putting two and two together in hopes of reaching out to others. He casts light out of darkness - all. the. time.

SO, here's the next chapter. I created a Pinterest board called "food journal in pictures." I'm posting photos of every meal (I take photos of basically everything I eat anyway, ask anyone who follows me on social media). Please follow along for accountability AND for clean meal ideas. I'll be posting everything - good and bad - but hopefully there are mostly good things there and you can get some clean eating ideas as well. :) http://www.pinterest.com/dailyupsnpounds/food-journal-in-pictures/.

Wishing you all a very healthy new year!

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, - I Cor 6:19 (ESV). 

DIY Anthropologie Letters

As I mentioned in my last post, we're in the midst of a kitchen re-do; while plenty of things still wait to be done (cabinetry hardware, countertop installation, doors and trim painted, junk sorted), I could not seem to rest until that one blank space on our wall, which formerly housed a DIY chalkboard (that I accidentally trashed with paint markers) was filled. Blank walls make me nervous. Know what I mean?

I hit up TJ Maxx and, after having three children there for two hours, we came up with nada for the wall. I searched Etsy for some incredible handcrafted masterpiece aaaaaaand, nothing. Nothing in my cheapskate price range anyway. FINALLY, I remembered the oversized wall-letters I pinned some time ago. I started wondering if I could pull this project off or if it would result in an oversized mess in our kitchen... My curiosity won and we headed to the craft store, with only two littles in-tow this time.

I know you all have seen these. I know some of your are probably wondering if this super-easy craft is blog-worthy. However, I must tell you, I am a reformed non-crafter. All this crafting business is still new to me. I don't even own a glue gun yet. GASP! I'm amazed at how inexpensive and simple this was and, of course, that it actually worked without me gluing my fingers together, spilling a gallon of paint on the new floor, or catching something on fire. I'm just being honest.

Here it is.

See these? $98 for one letter? We won't be needing them.

Two of the littles and I went to Jo Ann Fabrics and picked up one of these. With a coupon, I think it was about $5. It's made of paper mache and surprisingly well-constructed.

I had some paint on hand, Martha Stewart's black metallic and then I picked up another straight metallic from Martha's collection, also from Jo Ann's.

I used a foam brush that I already had on-hand, though I'm sure you could use a regular paint brush as well. Foam brushes are nearly a dime a dozen and deposit nicely in the nearest trash receptacle when you're finished with them. I'm all about minimal craft clean-up, folks.

I painted on a nice coat of black, then did some touch ups. After that coat dried completely (or most of the way, anyway), I moved on to a coat of metallic. You can add as little or as much as you want, depending on the look you desire. I wanted this letter to look more black than metallic. So, I think that's how it ended up.

I attached velcro to the back (also picked up at JoAnn's). Look for it by the 3M hooks.

Then, I sat back and took a sigh of relief for a craft well-done, with a DIY peppermint mocha. Yum, yum, yum.

I've been desperate to paint our kitchen cabinets...

...for AT LEAST three years now. It hasn't happened because:

1.) We have no time.
2.) If we did have time, there's like 847 other things on the list before painting the cabinets.
3.) It's going to make a mess of our kitchen.
4.) A dysfunctional kitchen will send the kids and, consequently, I into meal-time hysterics.
5.) I might make a mess of the cabinets.
6.) I never have the right supplies and, based on the current number of children we have, I only have patience for one trip to Lowe's or Home Depot, per project.

Soooooo, here's the deal, I may be an artsy girl, but I make a big gigantic mess when it comes to paint. It's not that I can't paint, I'm just impatient. I rush the process. I spill crap. I attempt to use the wrong tools. And, I don't like cleaning it all up at the end. No less, the builder-grade kitchen cabinets we have (see first photo), have been talking to me.

Cabinets to Me: "We want a make over. We saw you get your bangs cut right here in this very kitchen. Now, update us!" 

Or, you know, something like that.

I said, "Ok, cabinets. Let me start with something easy so I don't ruin you. Deal?" 

And, with that, half the kids and I headed to Lowe's this morning. I didn't even know what color I was going to paint the cabinet. White? Grey? Black? I basically looked through paint chips until the smallest child was trying to stand up in the cart and the second smallest child was trying to let herself in the roped-off paint mixing area. Those indicators mean mama's time is UP. I decided to take a risk and make my own chalk paint - as seen on Pinterest, of course. Not chalkboard paint, chalk paint. It's this super paint that's supposed to be super versatile; require no sanding; put off a beautiful matte finish; and, just flat-out be lovely to work with. Sounds like what I needed, right?  I think it's mostly sold in little boutique-y stores and, from what I hear, it has a pretty steep price tag.

After lunch today, I started dismantling the icky cabinet in the kids bathroom. I figured that if I *really really* screwed it up, we'd just put an OUT OF ORDER sign on the bathroom door when company came over and lock the door and give the bathroom a total overhaul sooner than later. I know, I am a planner when I want to be.

I mixed up the paint, which went surprisingly well. It just took a cup and a half of paint; half a cup of water and half a cup of Plaster of Paris. Easy! To see the complete recipe I used, click here. Thankfully, the baby was an amazing napper today! She napped long enough for me to clean them up and sand them down. I sanded just for good measure; besides, there was some toothpaste cemented on a couple of the pieces. I was also able to put four coats on both the doors and cabinet box. She woke up right before the final waxing (or in my case, polyurethaning) stage. I had her older sisters go babysit (aka, throw some noise-making toys in her crib) while I finished the cabinet.

Everything went together really well aside from some touch-ups (I had some issues with peeling paint on the underside of one of the water-damaged drawers). It looks like one (or more) of the kids filled the drawer with water at some point. So, you know. There's that. That's a DIY for another day, though. I also got a decent amount of paint on the kitchen floor, but that came right up with some cleaning spray and a scotch bright. :)

We need to get some drawer pulls and knobs installed; over-all, though, I think it brightens up the bathroom and gives it a more current look. You think?

PS. Painting this cabinet wasn't nearly as scary or messy as I expected; however, the kitchen cabinets are still on the waiting list. Ain't no mama got time for that....right now, anyway.

Here's to not smoking up the kitchen! Broccoli Bites

I hope you guys had an awesome weekend! We sure did. Our weekend included all kinds of work, random errands, dinner at our favorite Italian place (a treat meal that ended with two awesome donuts) church, more food and of course, some football. It went by too fast, as usual. I wanted to let you know about a new recipe I tried over the weekend that I think you'll love. In fact, this would have been good, clean Super Bowl food if I had been thinking. But, when am I ever thinking?

Let me rewind a couple weeks and give you a little back story. My gluten-free, new-to-clean-eating friend Jenny berated me suggested that I make these veggie pancakes she found on Pinterest. As soon as I had the Ninja pitcher clean for half a second, I though - what the heck - let's dirty it up. So, I made the pancakes.

They were really delicious. However, I suck at at browning pretty much anything in oil without filling the house with smoke. So, while the pancakes were good, my kids were a little troubled by the limited visibility they had in our family room while I was cooking and for an hour after. I did really enjoy the veggie cakes though, so I tried to think of some alternatives that would be just as good (and clean) with less hassle. After throwing another few hours of my life away researching a little more on Pinterest, I found broccoli bites!

Of course, none of the recipes were shaking out exactly how I wanted (I basically needed them to conform to the ingredients I had on-hand), so I did a little experiement. Here's how it went:

• Broccoli florets, steamed (I used like two smaller bunches - I have no idea what that equates to...use your eyeballs on this one).
• 3 eggs
• A bunch of cheese - maybe a cup or something (here's where I went wrong. I grated some Irish Cheddar I had on hand. I think some regular cheddar or colby would have been better here - these needed a little more flavor Irish Cheddar is more sharp than flavorful).
• Seasonings - you pick! I did garlic powder, salt, basil, and that's it. They needed a little more. Next time I will add in a modest dash of cayenne pepper and a bit more salt.

Here's the hard part (insert sarcasm):

• Put your broccoli in the food processor and blast it into a million bajillion pieces (or chop it up super fine if you don't have a food processor). Transfer broccoli to a mixing bowl.
• Add eggs, cheese, seasonings. Stir until thoroughly incorporated.
• Drop, by spoonfuls, into a greased mini-muffin tin. I filled exactly 24 mini muffin cups with this recipe. No, I didn't use liners. I despise liners and dont' use them unless I have to.

I baked these adorable green muffins at 375 for about 20-25 minutes - just watch them, though. They smelled super good while cooking in the oven and - bonus - this cooking method didn't fill the house with smoke! I can't wait to make them again with the modifications I listed above. 

These are clean and husband and kid approved. Enjoy! 

It looks like poop, but...

Ok you guys, I'm not going to lie. I just can't make myself eat a plain avocado. I can't even really eat a seasoned one. If you've been reading my blog a while, you know I've tried. Darn it. I got sick to my stomach after eating some guac a few years ago (I don't know if it was the guac's fault, but that's what I'm going with) and I just can't make myself eat an avocado-y avocado. Sigh. Anywho. I do know that avocado is a super super food and, last week, I thought I'd feed some to my itty bitty six month old. To my surprise, she loved it. LOVED it. She ate a whole avocado in two days (mixed with half a banana, btw). After I mixed up a batch of her food, I decided to taste it myself. People. For baby food, it was really pretty good. Have you ever tasted the crap in the little plastic containers? Ew. Especially ham. Don't taste ham baby food. Back to my point...because I love to have LOTS of options when it comes to clean eating recipes for my family and I, I decided to give the avocado a 127th another chance.

Earlier this week, Jillian over at PaxBaby.com, posted a recipe for Chocolate Avocado Pudding on FB. I kept looking at it, kept looking, kept looking and finally picked up some more avocados last night. I whipped up half a batch this morning. Only half because, 1.) I didn't want to waste two avocados in case my non-conformist tastebuds didn't agree with it and, 2.) I didn't want to eat two avocados, by myself, in one sitting in case it was awesome. Let me just tell you something. This recipe DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. I think even the most hardcore chocoholics will agree - it's delicious! I'd liken it to a more decadent pudding. It's not just your average powdered chocolate pudding. It's really so good. It could be served as a dessert to company, or on its own. I am so pleased with this recipe and I wouldn't think twice about serving it to my kids because it's totally clean. Love it!

PS. In all of the recipes I post where blending is required, I'm using a Ninja blender. We got ours at Target (and ours must be Target exclusive because I haven't seen that model anywhere else), but if you don't have one. You should TOTALLY get one. It's the best blender we've ever had. Super powerful and easy to wash/throw in the dishwasher. Mama don't mess with hand-washing traditional blenders. What a hassle. Check out the Ninja BL660 Professional Blender with Single Serve it's very similar to the one I have.

And, one last remark. Once you've made the pudding, take a picture of this poopy looking creation and text it to some of your favorite people with no further description. Trust me. It's fun. 

Have a great day everyone! Go get your super foods!

It's Kick-Off Time...Girls Crochet Headbands GIVEAWAY Style!

You've heard this from me before, but I just can't say it enough...if you have a little girl in your life, you MUST visit my friends at Girls Crochet Headbands. These folks are SO awesome and keep my three girls totally outfitted in cuteness when it comes to fashion accessories (much more beyond headbands). I was super excited to do a giveaway with them a few months ago, review some awesome products and share the GCH love with one of my readers. Now, I'm delighted to announce that we're working together on yet another fun project!

Girls Crochet Headbands wants to bring a little girly fun to the NFL playoffs! Now through midnight January 25^th, you can pin a dream girly football outfit from Girls Crochet Headbands for a chance to win the entire outfit. Here’s how to enter:

1. Create a Pinterest board and title it “Girls Crochet Headbands Dream Football Outfit Contest” 
2. Pin an entire football-themed outfit from products on the Girls Crochet Headbands website – include any products you want; be creative!
3. Tag @Girls Crochet Headbands in the comments section of each pin. 

The contest ends on Friday, January 25^th, 2013 at midnight. The GCH staff will choose a winner from all the submitted boards, and the winner will receive their entire dream outfit in time for the Super Bowl!

To celebrate this fun contest, I’m hosting a fun Girls Crochet Headbands giveaway here on the blog as well! One lucky winner will win this adorable Football Fan Package onesie and hat! To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me who your favorite football team is. One winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, January 21^st at 6 p.m. Head on over to follow Girls Crochet Headbands on Pinterest and create your Dream Football Outfit Contest board. (Or see their example board here.) While you’re at it, you can also follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their email newsletter so you never miss a deal.

Thanks for playing, everyone! 

Cauliflower + Pizza = ???

50% of my blood is infused with olive oil, romano cheese and garlic (my dad's family boated over here from Sicily in the early 1900s). Loving Italian food is literally in my blood! Sadly, my love of thick greasy pizza crusts and rigatoni isn't exactly "clean." Nonetheless, I've been craving a pizza. Instead of starting another streak of bad eating behavior so soon after the holidays, I decided to try one of these crazy Pinterest moves...again. This time, we tried pizza with cauliflower crust. Crazy, right?

IT. WAS. DELICIOUS. The crust didn't set quite right (e.g., it wasn't bread-y, more of a ricotta cheese texture). I don't know if it was the pan I used (I used a 9x13 instead of a baking sheet) or maybe the cauliflower had too much moisture in it, but...I did cook it long enough for the smoke detector to go off four times and it was in no way burnt; so...I'm just not sure what happened. No less, it was good! The hubs (whose blood is about 25% EVOO, romano and garlic) said he'd eat pizza like that any time. 

In addition to the instructions shown on the site, I'll let you know what we topped it with.

• The seasonings I used on the crust, pre-baking, included oregano and onion powder. 
• Pizza toppings: organic pizza sauce (just a very thin layer), salami, fresh marinated mozzarella, salami, sliced black olives, and baby portabella mushrooms sauteed in garlic and EVOO. 

YUM! So, I'd love to hear your feedback on this one. Any way to make the crust actually crust-like? Any other tried and true clean pizza recipes? Hope to hear from you.

Original recipe from EatCleanDiet.com.

Clean Coffee Creamer from Pinterest

Hey look, that's me drinking
coffee with no make-up on.
We keep it real here.

So, when I started clean eating, one of the few major bummers was giving up my morning creamer with coffee (see what I did there?). Yeah, I'm one of those people who lovvvvvves flavored coffees so I get a little heavy-handed with the creamers. I drank a black coffee the first day of clean eating. To that, I say, "meh." I can do it, but why would I? It takes the fun out of it. Besides, I'm sort of spaz by nature and I don't need the caffeine to be my completely ridiculous zippy self. So, I've more or less ditched the coffee.

I saw this clean coffee creamer recipe floating around Pinterest, but brushed it off because it couldn't possibly be as good as my normal creamer. Right? I also had NO CLUE where to buy the Xanthum gum that's on the ingredients list. Then, my goofball friend Jenny from Mommin' it Up has to go try it. Of course, I can let her take risks alone, so I tried it also.

I tasted it as I was making it and decided to add almond extract and unsweetened cocoa powder to make it a little sweeter. (I know I just said sweeter and then added something unsweetened, but trust me..it's sweeter). I mixed it up in my Ninja blender and then stored it in one of the cups with a lid (but only because I forgot to buy that cute salad dressing bottle at the store). I also forgot milk (thankfully I had just enough left). ...Sigh... You know, Jenny loved the creamer (but she also adds Splenda to her coffee and I don't add any sweetener). I didn't care for it as much, though. It tasted okay from the storage container, but all kinds of yuck in my coffee.

So, if you want try it and see what you think, let me know! Maybe I just needed some added sweetener? Comment back if you switch up the ingredients and know tastes good. Let me know if you love it!

PS. I'm thinking of doing some VLOGS (that's a video blog for you non-geeks); what tutorials might you like to see? Baby wearing tutorials, makeup/beauty, and clean eating are some topics I have in mind). :)

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh coat of paint...

I always knew that if I had a little girl one day, her room would have to be pink. I was always an avid pink-lover and figured my girls would have to have everything pink, too. Well, here's the thing... we don't have "a" little girl; we have three. In the last handful of years, we've painted three bedrooms pink. I NEVER thought I'd say this, but a few days ago (after my mom suggested we paint the girl's room light pink), I told her I'd throw up if we bought one more gallon of pink paint. True story. Anyway. Here's the point. Pink room number two has been making me nauseous for some time now. It's not that the color is all that bad, it just felt like a big disorganized mess (because it was) and the louder than a dog-whistle color was just adding to the chaos. So, instead of just organizing the room like a normal person, making the beds and moving on, I figured we needed to scrap the whole thing and start over.

Step 1. I looked, and looked, and looked for matching twin beds for my two older girls who currently share the room. After coming up with a whole lot of nothing for quite some time, I posted an ISO ad and a sweet lady contacted me back the same day. She was offering a couple solid wood beds (about 75yrs old) for $135. HOLLA! If you've been furniture shopping lately, you know that the new beds sold in stores are considerably more than $135. Besides, we love old stuff. I was sold before even seeing them. So, last Saturday we picked them up got them all situated in the girls' room and then I started flying through Pinterest at about 150mph looking for a new paint color (because the red undertones in the wood were WAY clashing with the crazy pink paint and something had to be done quickly. After visiting a few paint departments and grabbing about 100 shades of dusty purple and Tiffany Blue colors, I took a chance. We painted our girls room quite the opposite of pink; it's Tiffany Blue.

Let me tell you. This lovely muted shade makes the room calmer, cozier, cleaner looking and the girls are very pleased! I'm so much a fan of this paint and I'm totally inspired to do more with the room - aside from just closing the door and walking away. As it turns out, we don't need to do a total overhaul. We can keep their comforters, curtains, and wall art (in fact, much of it goes better with this color). We've done a major toy/junk clean out and next is sorting drawers and picking up more decor when the deals arise. I'll be pairing the blue walls with purples, pinks, and yellows as seen in their comforters - with ideas from this room - making it truly a space designed with their interests in mind.

So, if your room is in chaos OR if your life is in chaos, why don't you take a closer look. Sometimes changing the smallest things (like our attitude) makes all the difference.

PinFTW: Chocolate No-Bake Energy Bites

Since I've been eating clean (well, as clean as possible) for the past few weeks, I've been pinning like it's my JOB and trying all kinds of new recipes. It seems like every time I open Pinterest, these things are taunting me. It's most likely the words "chocolate" and "no bake" that get me, because they don't look all that delicious. They actually look a little like something the dog likes to drop off in the backyard. Just saying. Alas, after seeing the pin pop up on my feed about 47 days in a row, I decided to make them them.

I liked them; my husband liked them (no, he wasn't just being nice - he willingly ate like six of them); however, I recruited two of our friends as taste-testers. They took a courtesy bite or two and gave me the stank eye. Anyway. 50% of us thought they were good little treats. And, should I ever remember to buy prunes at the store, I'll make them again. I would compare the taste to that of a LARA Bar - kind of fruit-ish with a hint of chocolate, an odd consistency and unidentified crunch. Regardless, they are good for you! So, if you're looking for a good-for-you treat and if you aren't a picky eater, I say go for it! I would dare to deem this little treat my "clean eating cookie." :) They are quick and easy to make. I recommend a food processor to get all those ingredients combined quickly. I did use 2T of coconut oil to make them stick together nicely - I think the recipe says 1-2T.

Good luck and let me know if you found anything Pinteresting this week!

Want to link up? It's SO easy! All you have to do is try out something you found on Pinterest (anything!) and then blog about it. After you've written your stellar PinFTW blog post, follow the rules below to link up! 

1. In your post, please link to your original source – the pin you got the idea from.
2. Make sure and link back to our original Pin For the Wednesdays Post here at Daily Ups & Pounds (please).
3. In the Mr. Linky below, leave a direct link to your Pin FTWednesdays post, not to your main website.

Pin FTW Blog Hop: My new favorite (clean) ice cream

So, my mom (whose birthday happens to be today - happy birthday, mom!!!) has been on my case to freeze bananas since she started doing it a year or so ago. She says frozen bananas make THE BEST smoothies. I've been ignoring her advice because I don't like frozen fruit (or ice really) and thinking about it makes my teeth hurt. Annnnyway. A week or so ago, my friend Amy was over and she said something to the effect of: Hey, I see some fruit flys eyeing your bananas. Maybe you should freeze them!? And, of course, in my head I was grumbling that someone else thinks freezing bananas is a good idea. So, in an effort not to be wasteful and let those stupid little bugs near our bananas, I bagged them up and threw them in the freezer. 

I didn't think about them again until I saw this pin. It was Sunday afternoon; a random chocolate ice cream snack sounded good, so I whipped up a batch. Oh. My. Goodness. This recipe (which takes about 60 seconds to prepare) is well worth making and I think it will be my go-to recipe when we have ice cream for dessert. The chocolate/banana/pb mixture tastes rich and it's the perfect ice cream texture. If you don't like the thought of mixing these flavors, be sure to visit the original pin. She posted links to other ideas as well. 

Now, I'm sure you have questions. Here are some answers: 

1. No, the plain cocoa powder does not taste disgusting.
2. No, it doesn't need sugar (the bananas make up for that).
3. I used 1TB of crunchy PB as opposed to the 2TB the recipe called for and it was fine (and I saved myself a bunch of calories!)
4. Yes, crunchy peanut butter is awesome - it's like having peanuts in your ice cream.
5. I mixed it in my Ninja blender.
6. Yes, I will make it again. And again and again and again.
7. No, I'm still not using frozen bananas in my smoothies. ....I don't think.

So, there you have it. I'm SO glad I got pushed into freezing bananas so I could bring you this Pin for this Wednesday. What's been Pinteresting to you this week??

Want to link up? It's SO easy! All you have to do is try out something you found on Pinterest (anything!) and then blog about it. After you've written your stellar PinFTW blog post, follow the rules below to link up! 

1. In your post, please link to your original source – the pin you got the idea from.
2. Make sure and link back to our original Pin For the Wednesdays Post here at Daily Ups & Pounds (please).
3. In the Mr. Linky below, leave a direct link to your Pin FTWednesdays post, not to your main website.

PinFTW: It's almost like making pastries...for dummies.

Ok, so, I like fancy tasting food, but I'm not such a fancy chef. I'm more like a little-of-this/little-of-that/make it up as I go, chef. I had to make a snack for our church group a few weeks ago and was fresh out of recipe ideas; sooooo, I zoned out on Pinterest for a while until I found something worthy of a snack to share. I'd been seeing these little yummies float around on my pin feed for a while, but never really had a reason to make them.

Because we go through both crescent rolls and Nutella in mass quantities in this house, I had the two main ingredients on hand. AND, luckily, powdered sugar is one of those things I buy a whole new bag of every time I need it for a recipe (because I'm just not sure if we have any), so we had about two tons of that in the pantry as well.

I was able to assemble these little treats quickly (it's basically this: unroll the crescent dough, spread each triangle with Nutella, then roll-up, bake, and sprinkle with powdered sugar when they come out of the oven). I also loved the fact that I didn't have to measure anything. It's basically a Nutella and powdered sugar free-for-all ~ use as much or as little as you like. YUM! I absolutely loved these and they may have been better the next day. Spreading the Nutella on the dough can get a little messy, but that's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I used two cans of rolls (to feed a crowd). It was more than enough. I think I ate two for breakfast the next day.

I will definitely make them again. :) Be sure to let me know if you try them and like them (or don't like them)!

Be sure to join the PinFTW blog hop by entering your info on the post below.

Want to hear something Pinteresting?

One of my favorite weekly blog hops has died and my friends over at Mommin' it Up thought maybe it could be brought back to life here at Daily Ups & Pounds. I told them up front that I'm no blog doctor, but we'll see what happens. 

If you are a loyal Daily Ups & Pounds reader, and I know you all are, you know that I have been linking up with Jenny and Emily from Mommin' it Up each Wednesday (okay, most Wednesdays), to share my FAVORITE Pinterest find of the week (or something I found on Pinterest that was supposed to be cool, but I ended up messing up somehow) for quite a while now. I am a big fan of the Pin for the Wednesdays (PinFTW) link up because it gives me real-person insight to how some of these popular pins work. It also forces me to actually do some of the things I pin. You see, if I don't have a post ready for Wednesday, I go cook, clean, or (on an extremely rare [pretty much never] occasion) craft something I found on Pinterest. That produces a post for me (and hopefully not a mess in my kitchen, though that's been known to happen).

Now, since you love this blog so much, I know you'll want to help bring this blog hop back to life by linking up with us if you have your own blog! It's SO easy! All you have to do is try out something you found on Pinterest (anything!) and then blog about it. After you've written your stellar PinFTW blog post, follow the rules below to link up! 

1. In your post, please link to your original source – the pin you got the idea from.
2. Make sure and link back to our original Pin For the Wednesdays Post here at Daily Ups & Pounds (please).
3. In the Mr. Linky below, leave a direct link to your Pin FTWednesdays post, not to your main website.
4. Totally optional – grab our cute #PinFTW button! The code box is over there in our sidebar.  I have to get the code for the button before you can do this...next week!?

That's it! I know you all weren't prepared for this today, but if you've written something Pinteresting any time this week, go ahead and link it! If not, we'll see you back here next Wednesday. Happy pinning! 

My donut substitute...

Ok, so, when I'm pregnant I let myself eat A LOT of things that I'd never consider eating when I'm not pregnant. So, basically, every other year I get to indulge in lots of donuts, those little potpies that cost like .47 in the freezer section, slushies, milkshakes, movie theater popcorn, candybars, etc. Now that I have to come back to reality, I'm finding new foods that aren't bad (but act as an acceptable bad food substitute). My new favorite: Greek Yogurt + 1TB Nutella.

You. are. welcome.

I found this little gem of an idea on Pinterest. At first I wasn't sure, because plain Greek Yogurt is a little pungent for my taste. It's kinda like eating sour cream by itself. In fact, you can substitute it for sour cream in recipes (you're welcome, again, if that info is new to you). The Nutella stirs in very easily and the finished product is reminiscent of chocolate pudding (that's good for you and has lots of protein).

Speaking of protein...I never cared much about it before, but realized a year or two ago that it's the golden ticket that keeps me away from sugar. If I consume more protein, especially in the morning, I don't have sugar cravings - which is a HUGE deal, btw. I've fought with the want to consume ridiculous amounts of sugar each day for most of my life. So, combating that has been great!

I hope you try out the Nutella/Greek Yogurt combo. If you do, be sure to let me know! While you're at it, comment below and let me know what other good recipes/combos you use that contain either Nutella or Greek Yogurt. Inquiring minds want to know! :)

Take care, friends!

PinFTW: Zucchini Brownies

Before

My inner-SAHM is at it again! This time she forced me to take a wonderfully healthy, garden-fresh zucchini and turn it into a 9x13 pan of gluttony, aka frosted chocolate brownies. I absolutely love zucchini. I love it baked, fried, sauteed, in bread, muffins and, now, in brownies! I think it's one of the most versatile veggies and if you haven't tried it - you're totes missing out!! 
If you have tried it and don't like it - try it again! Do it! I'm sure someone with a garden would love to force you to take some bless you with some, as zucchini handouts seem to be in abundance this time of year. 

After

So, given my love for zucchini, I was pretty stoked to see this zucchini brownie recipe floating around Pinterest. In fact, I may have re-pinned it on several occasions just to make sure I had it (my inner-SAHM was really persistent with this one!). Let me warn you before you get started... these brownies take a while. They are totally from scratch and you'll want to use a food processor to get your 2c of zucchini. Though my patience for baking is growing, I don't know that I'd be willing to stand and grate the required zucchini by hand (especially on the swollen ankles I'm currently sporting). You'll also want to wait for them to cool so you don't crumble them and end up making a brownie...um...trifle out of them. ...Not that anything like that has ever happened to me. None of that should deter you from making them though, their score on the choco-meter makes them worth every dirtied measuring cup, spoon, bowl, and pan included in the process.

After all your hard work is done, you'll come out with a beautiful cake-like brownie frosted with smooth, chocolatey icing much like Texas Sheet Cake. They were SO delicious. I forced one on one of our pickier friends and it was very well received. This recipe also makes enough to share with friends and neighbors. So, if you've been looking for an opportunity to suck up to someone bless someone with random baked goods, here's your chance.

So, if you're looking for a brownie that's above the norm, be sure to check this one out.

PS. I substituted coconut oil (direct equivalent) for shortening in this recipe. I think it added to the overall deliciousness.

PPS. This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's super awesome Pin for the Wednesdays blog carnival where all the cool kids hang out. Head over and check 'em out now to see all that's Pinteresting on the blogosphere this week!!

Pin FTW: Thirty-One Gifts Organizing Utility Tote (Mobile Office)

One thing I loooooooove about Thirty-One Gifts is that their products are extremely versatile! As I was setting up my Thirty-One business, I knew that I needed a central place to keep all of my business supplies (files, catalogs, mini catalogs, order forms, notepads, swatches, etc.). Because people who love and support Thirty-One are literally everywhere, I wanted a solution that I could take everywhere. I did some pinning around and found something totally Pinteresting right away. I saw some super-smart person using the Organizing Utility Tote for a mobile office. How sweet is that? I already had the tote, I just had to add the "organizing" to make it all work.

Now, I have this awesome bag filled with everything I need to do business. I have a file box (from Target) to contain all of my paperwork and catalogs; I have a resource binder in tow; and, there's tons of pockets so I can tote around my swatch sets, clips, pens, notepads, etc. I also have hostess folders set-up and ready to hand out also. This bag goes just about everywhere with me and I love the feeling of having it all in one place.

This solution would work for anyone who carries their work around. In addition to the mobile office set-up, this tote also makes a great: diaper bag, craft bag, bag for cleaning supplies, gym bag, overnight bag, knitting bag, beach bag, snack bag, sporting goods bag, etc. I love it and highly recommend this product. Black Parisian Pop is the print shown above, but you can choose from many (plus add custom embroidery!). 

PS. This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's super awesome Pin for the Wednesdays blog carnival where all the cool kids hang out. Head over and check 'em out now to see all that's Pinteresting on the blogosphere this week!!

 

PPS.   I am an independent Thirty-One Gifts Consultant and need you to know that the views expressed here at Tapestry of the Mundane are mine alone and don’t represent the views of Thirty-One Gifts.

PinFTW: Carrot Chips

Graphic from Pinterest

Sorry I missed you all yesterday! Staying on a regular blog posting schedule during the summer months is a lot harder than I thought it would be. We're staying up later, out doing more things, and have a different schedule everyday. Last night we visited with family for about four hours - enjoying dinner, dessert, and a tour of their new house. We could never pull that off during the school year. I didn't worry about bed time once and it was fabulous. Even more fabulous, the kids let us sleep until after 8. Despite the occasional chaos, this summer has been truly awesome so far. You want to know what else is awesome? Okay, it's random, but awesome no less...Carrot Chips!

This is a great recipe because it can be made for a little more than pocket-change per serving; it's easy; it's HEALTHY; it's great year-round; and, enjoyed by kids and adults alike! The recipe shown to the right is pretty simple. If you want to get all crazy with your veggies, you could try alternative seasonings. Rosemary is good on these chips and would be a nice complement to baked chicken. Garlic salt is also good. You could sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on (that pretty much negates the health-food factor, btw) And, if you're brave, dust these chips with cayenne for a little kick.

And, that's all I have to say about that. Let me know if you happen to try this recipe; if you love it; and, what variations you have. It does not disappoint, people! :)

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This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's Pin for the Wednesday blog carnival. 
Head on over to check out the other awesome pins posted by Mommin' it Up followers.

PinFTW: Cake Mix Cookies

I'm guessing these Pin for the Wednesday posts will switch over to Pinteresting health food finds after the baby gets here, but for now, this is what you get. If you read yesterday's post about grace and baking, here's the fruit (er...cookies) resulting from my last baking bonanza.

I signed-up to make cookies for our missionary friends' fundraiser that happened this past weekend. I wasn't sure how many to make, but I didn't want to hand over a wimpy amount, so I strategized to figure out how to make a bazillion or so of the most delicious cookies in the shortest amount of time. I remembered the cake mix cookie recipes I kept seeing on Pinterest and thought that sounded like the most efficient way to proceed. It totally was!

You can make these cookies with a box of your favorite cake mix flavor, two eggs, 1/3 cup of butter (I used 1/3 cup coconut oil) and any other yummies you want to mix in. I started with Funfetti cake mix (and yellow mix after the Funfetti ran out), mixed in extra sprinkles (they have some pretty ones super cheap at Home Goods, btw) and sprinkles on top. If you don't have a Home Goods nearby, you have my sympathies! After baking up about five dozen of those, I switched over to yellow cake mix with mini-chocolate chips and a whole lot of coconut. Both varieties were delicious and I really can't pick a favorite.


Here's the spark notes version of how I went about this (refer to original recipe for more info).

Here's what you need:

• 1 box of your favorite cake mix
• Two eggs
• 1/3 cup of butter (or coconut oil)
• Any stir-ins that you'd like to add

Here's what you do: 

• Throw it all in a stand-mixer
• Combine ingredients until mixed
• Use a hefty spoon to stir in extras (like sprinkles, chocolate chips, candies, etc.)
• Roll dough into balls (or cheat and use a little dough scooper like I did). Flatten with the bottom of a greased up glass (it says floured, but that wasn't happening for me). 
• Bake for about six minutes on 350 for 6-8min (watch for the sides to brown).
• Remove from oven, let cool 1 minute then for a bit longer on a while rack. Try to eat just one. That last part isn't going happen, sorry.

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This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's Pin for the Wednesday blog carnival. 

Head on over to check out the other awesome pins posted by Mommin' it Up followers.

You can also find us linked up over at Living Well Wednesdays ~ another great linky party to check out. :)