Skinny Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares

Skinny Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares

 

 I have been looking at this recipe for months now.  I have read it over and over again and finally decided to whip some up for a healthy but filling breakfast.

 

I mean, look how delicious this looks! (Link)

 

 

My eyes did the talking and I just had to make this breakfast recipe!  Did my eyes deceive me??

 

 

This is what you will need: (how i made it skinny)

-1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

-1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I omitted this)
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup milk (skim)
-1 large egg, lightly beaten (egg white only)
-1 large mashed banana
-1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (any kind that is low in fat and sodium)

-1 cup roasted nuts (optional)

 

 

Directions:

 

In a large mixing bowl, add cooking oats, brown sugar, baking power, salt, and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.



 

Add vanilla extract, milk, and egg.  The give it a mix!

 

Then add in the mashed banana and the creamy peanut butter.  Mix everything well.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased baking pan, spreading everything out to make sure it cooks evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.

The end result should look like this. 

Like I always say, my Husband got into it before I could take a picture of mine. 

At the start of this post I asked if my eyes deceived me.  Well...unfortunately they did.  I may have hyped this a little too much in my head and the end taste wasn't what I expected.  I was looking forward to this and was disappointed.  I even tried to add a little Peanut Butter on top like the picture...but no cigar. Maybe it was the spoon in the picture that made it this good. Who knows...







 





For those of you who have tried this or would like to try let me know your thoughts.  If you have not tried this but are looking for a healthy breakfast and trying to get out of the cereal rut you may enjoy this.

 

 

 

Fall Eats

 

 

Its Hump Day!  So thankful that the weekend is almost upon us.  The 3 day weekend we just had spoiled me.

 

In my last post I talked about how I am ready for Fall.  I love Fall!!  The changing of leaves, the crisp mornings, bringing out my scarves and skinny jeans in boots, and of course my house being covered in camouflaged during deer season.  In my house, we live for this time of the year. 

 

I am looking forward to trying out some "new" recipes this fall.  Something warm with a lot of spices.

 

While looking online I have found these...

Spicy Ranch Chicken

 

Cheese and Chicken Shells

Monterrey Jack Cheeseburger with Special Sauce




Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes


Since coming back from vacation I have been in a huge cooking slump. I am getting tired of our
go-to meals and need to spice things up. I am headed to the store tonight to get everything for these goodies. Hopefully I will be able to post my pictures and my recipe for making all of these meals "skinny."


Hope everyone has a great Wednesday. The weekend is upon us!!

Do you have a favorite "skinny" recipe that you love? Let me know, I would love to try them out.

 



Happy 4 Day Work Week

Hi Y'all.  A girl goes on vacation and comes back to 22 followers.  So, if you are new here, welcome.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.  I for one had a blast. Friday we were able to spend time with Hub's family since I haven't seen them in a few weeks.  No matter what, I leave with my stomach and sides hurting from laughing the entire time.  They are truly a blast.

Saturday was opening day for Dove Hunting.  Needless to say, I spent the entire day c.l.e.a.n.i.n.g.  I finally got out of vacation mode and got in the cleaning mode.  That night we were able to cheer on the Clemson Tigers with friends and watch them bring home a Win. 

 



The Jones family has one of the most adorable little boys.  He is such a chill laid back baby.  We discussed that if the Hubs and I have a (one day) boy then he and Finley are going to be BFF and if we have a girl, then the wedding is already planned.  He is seriously a cute kid!

Hubs fell in love with the cutie.

 

 Sunday was a day of rest for us.  We seriously lounged all day long...it was wonderful!  Later that night we went out to Red Lobster with family.  We both like Red Lobster but for some reason we never go there for dinner.  Anyhoo, Red Lobster is having the all you can eat shrimp...it was to die for!  Everything we sampled was delicious.  We will definitely be going back.

 

Monday, oh Monday.  Monday was another day of rest for us.  We hardly ever get a weekend or a day for the matter to do absolutely nothing.  No housework, no yard work, no plans.  Nothing.  It was wonderful to do nothing except catch up on my DVR and explore pinterest. 

 

I can feel Fall in the air.  It's amazing how one long weekend can take you from the feeling of Summer right into Fall.  With that being said I have been searching Pinterest for some "skinny" fall recipes. I can't wait to find the perfect ones to share with Y'all.  Happy Tuesday!!



Anniversary Trip

Well we are back, and a day early I might add. Hurricane Isaac was on it's way and the Charleston/Myrtle Beach area were going to get hit by lots of rain.  We got home just in time to hear that downtown Charleston was flooded.  Good thing we left when we did, huh?

So, we had an amazing Anniversary vacation.  We haven't had a vacation on our own since our Honeymoon in Jamaica last year.

We started the vacation by going to Charleston to walk through downtown and go through the market since Hubs had never done it.

We called one of Luke's best friends who lives in Charleston and he gave us a bike tour around downtown and through The Battery in Charleston.

Once we finished touring and walking around Charleston, we drove to Myrtle Beach to spend the week. The weather was disappointing, however if gave us time to check out the new mall and just relax in the room. Always a silver lining right?

Once the Sun decided to show up, we went on a Historical Light House/ Beach tour in Georgetown.  This was the main thing that Hubs wants to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Midway through the tour we stopped at a private beach for about a hour.  The beach was covered with huge Conch Shells and Starfish.  

Sandy Beach for Miles

 

Isn't he a cutie!

 

One of the major reason I wanted to stay in Myrtle Beach is because it was close to Murrels Inlet.  I love Murrels Inlet and wanted to show Hubs around.  It was his new favorite place to walk about and have dinner most nights!

Notice a pattern?  I happen to always be on the left side

 

 

 

 

 

Being it was our Anniversary we were able to try out our topper from our wedding cake.  We were actually surprised how moist the cake was.  However, only a small taste was all we could handle.

 

 

We were able to enjoy the beach for 2 days thanks to the weather clearing up. Of course Hubs and I had to have a GUN SHOW before we left...I won! Of course!

 

We had a great vacation, but it is always good to come back home.  We have been home a few days now...and I am still in vacation mode.  Isn't that how it works?

 

Hopefully by next week I will be back in my normal routine and have some new skinny recipes for y'all!

 

 



 

 

Happy Anniversary!!

FYI, this is an anniversary post so it may get a little sappy...we will see. ;-)

Yep...a year has come and gone and I am more blessed each and everyday.  Today, my husband and I celebrate our One Year Wedding Anniversary. I can remember how I felt that day.  The joy that I had to be able to share such a special day with our family and closest friends.  I was so blessed to be able to marry not only my best friend, but the one who God had chosen for me.  This anniversary we celebrate a year in our life where we have struggled, compromised, and loved each other without end.

Our wedding day was everything and more.  I was always in the moment, however things seemed like they were going in slow motion and almost a blur.  I have looked back at this day so many times over the past year and every detail of that whole day comes back so vividly.

I would offer my heart to this man again, right here, right now, forever.

I am truly blessed to be with such an amazing man.  Do we have the perfect relationship?  Of course not.  We have had our moments and I know that we will have many more "moments" during our life time together, and I am Okay with that.   

I am still looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him.  I am blessed beyond belief.

We still love to dance in our living room together.  Brings out a lot of laughs.

One year down, a lifetime to go.  The Hubs gives me a run for my money sometimes, but he is worth the chase!

Happy Anniversary Babe!  Can't wait to spend my forever with you.  I love you!













Jewelry Swap

Did you know in Blogger world there are Blog Hops and Swaps to participate in?  I am new to all of this so I was very excited to be part of this jewelry swap.  My first one!  So today I am linking up with Melissa from The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife.  Thanks for hosting this swap Melissa.

I have an abundance of jewelry that I never wear and it was just laying around.  The idea of this is even though I may be over a certain item, someone else would love to have it.  I was paired with someone and they sent me an item, under $10, that they no longer wanted.  I did the same for someone different. 

So, this is what I got. I was able to give hints of what items I particularly liked as well as style.

I love what I got!  I love larger rings as staple pieces and I have already been wearing it!!

This being my first swap, I was very happy with the outcome.  Thank you so much for the great item!

 I look forward to doing more of these soon!

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

In West Philadelphia, born and raised on the B Ball court is where I spent most of my days......(betcha you can't not finished this...Fresh Prince of Bel Air....anyone?  I was such a 90's kid!
Every time I think of Philadelphia I sing the theme song of Fresh Prince in my head.

Anyhoo, this past weekend I made a trip to Philly to see one of the sweetest faces...my nephew Declan.

 

This little guy is 8 months old and one of the most content babies I have ever been around.  I know I am partial...but isn't he adorable?

 

Silly time with Grammie

 

Giggles with Pappy

 

 

Meeting Great Aunt Alice for the first time

 

Declan loves seeing himself in the camera, so we took lots and lots of pictures (per his request)

 

Mommy & Declan

 

He loves his bathies.  Plays and splashes until his heart is content.  He would stay in the bath all day if you let him.

 

 

Getting ready to go on a train ride through Amish country.

Such a joyful little man.

Train ride with Daddy

Miles and miles of open land.

 

 

 

Of course you can't go to Philly without going through downtown.  So, here's your Philly pic!

Declan with his Momma and Daddy

 

Car Ride, Train Ride, Bathies, Knocked Out!

 

It was a long drive for such a quick trip but so so worth it.  Can't wait to see this little man again in December.

 

 

Daily Tidbits:

 

-sorry for such a quick post (with lots of pictures) I am in between unpacking from this vacation so I can get everything washed and repacked for my anniversary vacation.  Happy 1st Anniversary to Us!!