5.16.2012

Athens, GA

My husband and I recently visited Athens, Georgia and loved our time there! What's to do there? Eat GREAT food and enjoy walking around this charming town. I personally love food and some great food is found all over Athens. Since this was a quick trip, we only ate at one restaurant, but I loved all that I ate! The Last Resort on is a great place with a small town feel with big flavors delivered. My favorite dish? The Chicken in Parchment. This is a chicken breast cooked in a parchment bag with veggies and pasta and an awesome mustard sauce.We also had The Gaucho, a steak with chimichurri sauce over it and chili-parmesan dusted corn on the cobb(yum!!)and the New Struggleville, a pasta dish with shrimp and lima beans and wonderfully large noodles with another fantasic sauce. I also had a salad with the Homemade Vidalia Bacon dressing, can you say awesome?!  Another great dish is the Last Resort Praline, which is chicken encrusted with parline and stuffed with cheese on top of grits!!!!They also had cakes and cheesecakes from several bakeries in Athens, but after all the main dish food, we decided we couldn't fit in another bite! All in all, I would recommend eating here to anyone and I personally cannot wait to go back!

http://www.lastresortgrill.com/


Signature bird 3

No Carbs Fajitas

We've decided to do the first 2 weeks of the South Beach Diet! We're almost done (Sunday!), but I wanted to share some the twists we've put on it for our liking and to fit us. For those of you who don't know, the first 2 weeks of South Beach requires you to give up all breads and all sugar, including fruits! Sugar substitute may be used, so that has really saved my morning coffee!!! This 'diet' is more a way of life than it is a diet, once you get out of the first 2 weeks. I personally have noticed a change in my food habits and schedule. I don't crave food when I'm not hungry and I don't overeat...when I'm full,I'm done!
We LOVE fajitas so I've been prepping for making them tonight. All you need is all your favorite fajita fixings : bell peppers, onions, lean steak or chicken, fresh salsa, lettuce, fat-free sour cream....and anything else healthy you want to add. I found the secret to making wonderful fajitas to cook the meat first, then the veggies and add them all back to the pan with the fresh salsa at the end! YUM!!!! And although there is no bread allowed for us for tortillas, this dish is very filling with out them :)

No carbs Fajitas

1-2 bell peppers, cut into strips (any color, all though I like to brighten it with yellow and red)
1.5 lbs of meat (lean meat- steak, chicken, turkey); cut into strips
1 tablespoon salt; pepper
1 tablespoon cumin (optional)
1 Lg onion, cut into strips
2 cups fresh salsa (store bought or homemade)
-------
Lettuce
Fat-free sour cream
Guacamole
Black beans
Salsa

1. Season meat with salt, pepper, and cumin. Brown the meat in a cast iron skillet on med-high for 4 minutes each side. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add bell peppers and onions to pan; cook until soft, about 8-10 mins.
3. Add meat back to pan.
4. Pour fresh salsa in pan and cook for 5 mins, stirring frequently.
5. Serve in bowls or large plates, to keep it all together.

Garnish with any of the above fixings!!!!!


Hope you enjoy!
Signature bird 3

3.13.2012

Verde Chicken

I enjoy cooking and love the challenge of taking dishes and making them healthier. So, when I came across this recipie that is quick and I knew I could tweak, I was really excited to try it out.

Meaghan's Verde Chicken

3 Large Chicken Breast cut into 7-8 chicken cutlets
2 Tablespons oil
1 cup of Salsa verde (which can be found in the Mexican food aisle of almost any grocery store)
1/4 cup of Fat-Free Sour Cream* (here's where I subsitutied : The recipie called for creme fraiche, which is a thick and smooth 'sour cream'. It is also ridiculously expensive! So I just used my good 'ole sour cream.)


1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over Med-High heat. Add chicken and cook 3-4 mins per side.
2. Take chicken out and set aside.
3. Turn heat to Med-Low and add Salsa Verde. Cook about 3-4 mins(Just enough to reduce it some).
4. Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream.
5. Add chicken back to pan and cover and simmer for 3 mins.
6. Add any Mexican side dishes you love(rice, black beans, guac, etc.). Enjoy! 



If you try it out, let me know what you think!
Signature bird 3

3.05.2012

Christmas Craftiness

For Christmas this year I got some fabulous stuff that I love displaying in our home. One of my favorites is this wonderful book wreath I got from my sister.


I myself LOVE the wreath, but my favorite part is when people come over and love it too!

They always want to know where they can get one and I really enjoy referring them to Lauren. ;) If you like it also, you can visit Lauren's website and order one for yourself! http://hickoryhillinteriors.com/



Signature bird 3


Bobby Pin Discovery


So, last week I discovered that I have been putting bobby pins in the wrong way all this time! They should go in wavy side down, with the flat back out. It really does work better!! Don't believe me? Check out my new favorite blog : http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/ by Kate. ;)


Signature bird 3