Valentines Week

I made a few e-mealz recipes and some from pinterest. This pineapple chicken was amazing! It was super quick and yummy.





This recipe was on pinterest. It was super spicy. I just added a bottle of Frank's Buffalo Sauce to 4 chicken breasts. I shredded it and did tacos. It could go with anything.



I went out to dinner with my mom at The Keg restaurant and it was super yummy. I got the salmon with vegetables and a salad. YUM!




Valentine's Day this year I made homemade pancakes and maple syrup and I also made Chicken Fajitas for dinner with a yummy sugar cookie dessert! It says I <3 U!

Superbowl Mania

Ok! I am back! So this week I wasn't super creative on the cooking side but I am getting back on track this week with my awesome E-mealz! We had turkey tacos and I get the low-carb tortillas. They are super yummy. I did make E-mealz low-carb Mediterranean Chicken with veggies and it was delicious! It was quick and easy. I did take a few pictures to share with you.



I have been craving sweets so to satisfy my sweet tooth, I have been making Strawberry Rice Cakes. I get a chocolate rice cake and add whipped topping and sliced strawberries. This is so yummy!! Not very carb friendly but helps when you get that sweet tooth.



Superbowl went well. We went to our friend's house and there was so much food. We had veggies with ranch and southwest dip, queso with sausage( really good when dipped in broccoli), brownies, 7-layer dip, and pigs in a blanket. Everything was delicious. I made a fruit pizza and brought Tyson hot wings which had 3 carbs per serving. Happiness!! I was nervous because SuperBowl food can be terrible but I think I did ok.



This week on the menu is- Chicken w/ Pineapple Corn Salsa, Shake and Bake Chicken, Cheeseburgers with Cheese and Onions, Mango Tilapia, and Sausage and Egg Casserole.

Stay tuned..

Another week has come and gone and I am getting worse with taking pictures of dinner! I am forgetful! We have been doing a combination of low-carb e-mealz and just low-carb meals we created. I love being flexible with food and giving it my special little touch. One of the best meals I made was Alabama Roast with cauliflower "mock" tatos! They were super yummy. I just boiled a head of cauliflower then added turkey bacon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some mozzarella cheese. These were so good and a great side to add! I can't wait to make these again.




I made turkey burgers twice this past week. I just love them! I get the frozen Jeannie-O burgers and they defrost fast and are super yummy. They definitely help with my burger fix.


We ended up going out to eat a little over the weekend and I am proud to say I made good choices!! Friday afternoon we went to Top Golf, which is one of our favorite places and hit some golf balls. We had a blast and really enjoyed the time together. I got a yummy hummus plate with veggies and some pita bread and Marsh got a huge cheeseburger! That was hard to watch but I felt good about my decision. We went to Blue Goose for dinner, which is a fav of ours! I ended up getting this yummy chicken dish with no rice and charro beans. Marsh and I shared it. We treated ourselves to sopapillas for dessert.. they were free what can I say? hahaha.

Saturday was a busy day but I went to a friends sip and see and was glad to see meats, cheeses, veggies and dip to munch on. They served cake but I resisted. It was hard but I filled up on the veggies LOL. It was a lovely shower and I enjoyed it.

Sunday I did the crockpot pork tacos again for some friends that we had over and as usual they were AWESOME!

Well that is all for now!

I am ready to make some yummy dishes this week so stay tuned!

Food Food Food

So the last week I did a terrible job of taking pictures. I was so hungry and by the time I had taken the 1st bite I realized oh shoot I need pictures for the blog haha. So I am sorry in advance for the lack of pics. The hubby and I have done really really well with this whole low-carb dinner situation. E-mealz is super great and makes cooking in the kitchen quick and fun. The meals last week consisted of a lot of eggs. We had a Cheesy Beefy Bake which was basically a breakfast type casserole. I added green bell peppers to it because I love bell peppers. It added a nice extra layer to the recipe. I also substituted ground beef for ground turkey. It was delish!



The next night was a Parmesan Broccoli and Sausage Frittata. This was the first time I have made frittata and let me tell you it was pretty good. Just like an egg pie really. We used turkey sausage and broccoli which was later put on top of the frittata. It was great. Even when I accidently grabbed to stupid hot handle of the skillet after it had been in the oven. OUCH!

I wasn't really in the cooking spirit come Wednesday so I skipped the Chinese Stir Fry with Pork that was supposed to be made that day, and made Thursdays dinner which was Turkey, Bacon, Cheese Paninis. They were yummy to the tummy. Simple and easy too. I wish I had a panini grill but I don't, so I did them in the skillet. A nice easy recipe I will use again for sure!

Thursday, we realize our pork was going to be out of date if we didn't use it, so we made a delicious pork taco recipe my sister forwarded to me many months ago. These were AMAZING! I will definitely be making these again. We got low-carb tortillas and dressed them to perfection. This made for an army as well. We munched on those for days!! haha.



We were naughty over the weekend. My husband decided we should treat ourselves, since we have been so good since the New Year. He decided to take me to one of our favorite restaurants called Blue Goose Cantina. I love this place! We used to go Thursdays for happy hour and just enjoy enjoy enjoy. Now I was hesitant since I have worked my butt off in trying to be better and eat good. Now I know this doesn't mean I won't ever splurge again, but I felt it was too early in the game to cheat now. I ended up getting a taco salad in one of those huge shells they come in. I got shredded chicken and it came with tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole. I poured some salsa on top and man oh man was it yummy and satisfying. We also got an order of the loaded queso to start, but I tried my best to resist it!! It was definitely hard because they make homemade tortillas and they are so good! I had 2 but I felt they were deserving. Is it bad I felt guilty about eating chips, salsa, and queso? I have worked out most days and eaten well... I had one margarita too but didn't even finish it because I just want to get in shape. Looks good. It's a constant goal but this is my year. I am not stopping til I am satisfied. I am already noticing changes and I am pleased and looking forward to more.

Saturday I had three soccer games and I had planned to do a big run that day, but that didn't happen and we ended up heading down to my moms house to let our puppy, Rosie play with my brother's dog Lola. They are the bestest of friends! It was cute really. Anyways, back to the soccer.. so after the 1st game we ended up going to Applebees. Now again I was tempted but I was super good and got the Bruschetta Chicken Salad. This salad was delicious and low carb as well. It came with tomatoes, basil, grilled chicken, roasted red bell peppers and black olives. The dish was also served with Crispy Mozzarella Strips but I passed those to a friend who was glad for the snack. I also stuck with water and was super proud of myself. I know restaurants can be tempting but there are always ways to get something healthy. After the last two games I was ready to go home and crash!

Let's fast forward to Monday. I didn't cook Sunday, because we went to a friend's and they cooked dinner for us. We had meat and rice. Yes, I had rice and it was delicious. Again, I know it's carbs but I had just played three games of soccer the night before so I thought it would be ok in moderation. So Monday I made Chicken Parmesan. My hubby LOVED this. It was super easy and yummy. It was filling too. It made a huge amount which we enjoyed for lunch the next day.


That is all for now friends. I am looking forward to sharing more delicious pictures of the recipes we make and hope you continue to enjoy them!

Just Dance..

The weekend has come and gone and I am anxiously awaiting the next! I am a weekend brat I do admit. I take full advantage of my weekends and love spending time with friends and my family. This Friday since my hubby felt housebound on our new low-carb/not going out to eat adventure I decided to plan a fun night with my girl Victoria, her hubby and our puppies of course. Victoria is a dear friend from college that moved to Texas about a year ago with her now husband, Tyler and we have really enjoyed hanging out with them. Vicky and I played soccer in college together so we have been pretty close since we met. I was so glad to hear when they moved here. Anyways, she is definitely one to eat well and work out, etc. So I knew I would have no problem seeing about doing a low-carb appetizer fiesta Friday night at their house. On the menu was fresh vegetables with veggie dip. The veggie dip was sour cream and a pack of hidden valley ranch seasoning. It was delicious and carb friendly.


We also had yummy Sausage/Cheese balls. This is a recipe she got from her wedding cookbook and boy was it yummy. It's just bisquick, sausage, and cheese. Now I know this isn't the healthiest, but the balls weren't too big and it's all in moderation.


Chicken wings were also a hit of the menu. We rubbed Frank's Hot Sauce and another Buffalo sauce and coated the boneless skinless chicken tenderloins and Tyler grilled them on the grill. They were very yummy and as always a hit.


The mock-dessert was Jalapenos with peanut butter. This might sound disgusting but trust me they balance each other really well and it is an interesting taste. Vicky introduced me to this a while back and we decided to do it again and it hit the spot.


We shouldn't feel like we can't eat with other people. It is definitely fun to cook and do these gatherings with friends who support your habits. This has been a great month thus far and I am loving the working out and eating better. I can't wait til this is my lifestyle. I can't say it yet because it's only been a few weeks but my goals are set high and I am staying motivated and in the zone for awhile. Some goals I have set for myself...

1) Signed up for The Color Run- 5K run 2/19. I am excited to run this with Victoria and her sister. It will be my first run in a LONNNNNGGGG time to do and it looks super fun! Check it out www.thecolorrun.com.

2) Sign up for another 5K in May/April.

3) June 10th I am doing a 10K. This is what I am super pumped for.

These are the goals that will be met no matter what!!

Yummy Yummy Food In My Tummy

So this week was great. I loved cooking and being in a routine. This weeks menu excited me because it was more along the lines of food I like! I got new hours at work and Mondays are my late nights so I was ready to cook and eat so I didn't take a picture :( Sorry folks but I did take pictures of everything else and it was pretty good!!

1st meal of the week was Pepper Jack Chicken. It was pretty good. I have never really used the broiler in my oven before and this recipe required it. I was hesitant at first but in the end it make the cheesy jalapeno goodness bubbly and perfect on top of the delicious chicken tenders. I was so tired we only had the chicken.

2nd meal of the week was Gyro Turkey Burgers. Let me start by saying how excited I was about this meal because I LOVE BURGERS! It was pretty good except it called for tortillas to wrap the burgers in but I had pita bread from the week before so I used them and it worked out great! The cucumber salad that went inside the burger called for mayo and let me say I DON'T CARE FOR IT! I think it's super gross so I substituted sour cream and it worked great. I wish I would have seasoned the burgers and cucumber salad better but otherwise it was delicious!



3rd meal of the week was Lemon Tilapia with broccoli and I LOVED it but the only problem was it had issues sticking to the pan. I put some olive oil in the pan and everything.. I have no idea but I couldn't flip the fish to save my life. I think next time I will try to put it in the oven in foil with the lemons. Overall it was light and refreshing.


4th meal of the week was Scrambled Eggs Fajitas.. well let's just say I did it my own way and cooked green bell peppers and 1 jalepeno in the skillet until soft and added the eggs mixed with milk and cheese then scrambled it all together and stuffed it inside pita bread since I already had it. This way I don't waste food. I feel like produce or bread can go bad pretty quick so I wanted to make sure to use it before it went bad. These were pretty good. I added avocados and salsa which just makes everything better.


Over all this weeks menu was great. The new menu for the next week is always posted on Wednesdays so it is definitely something to look forward too. I love cooking and it is one of the highlights of my week to get the next weeks recipe and tweak it to our liking. I wish they had desserts for E-mealz but having fruit or carb friendly treats are doing fine for now.

I am enjoying the whole working out and getting in shape gig thus far. I am looking forward to my first run and in all honesty I am working towards a good time but this run is just for fun. It's a 5K called The Color Run. . I am beyond excited and I am doing it with one of my really good friend's and her sister so it will be a great time either way! I will definitely post pictures. It's about a little over a month away so it gives me plenty of time :)

Here is one last picture of my homemade taco salad I made Sunday night for us. Ground turkey, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. It was divine!



Have a great weekend!

1st Week Is Over!! On to the next..

So my first week of the low-carb E-mealz food was great. I also have cut down my portions in general and I can't wait to notice differences. It really helps having my husband supporting me as well. He is wanting to make differences to himself and all the more motivation to support each other. Our last meal was a Steak and Veggie soup and holy crap it was awesome! It was the same meat from the Italian Crock Pot Roast Beef with mixed veggies, broth, and a few other things. I think it was my favorite. We were able to have that with a whole wheat pita cut up and baked with some Olive Oil and sea salt and it was yummy and crunchy to dip in my soup. I enjoyed the bit of bread lol. I am doing my best to take pictures of all the meals so here are the pita chips and soup.


I wondered once the weekend came what we would eat and what not. Friday night I had made a chicken breast with rotel and cheese for dinner. It was delicious. I have been proud of myself for not being tempted with bad food. Saturday went well, I had my high school alumni soccer game which was a hoot. It was good to see some old faces and play some soccer. I made eggs and turkey bacon that morning before the scrimmage. I added rotel to the eggs so it gave them a kick. It was yummy. We then went to the auditorium where they were serving pizza and salad.. I can't tell you how I wanted just one piece but I resisted( unlike my hubby who had 4 pieces of pizza and 3-4 cookies!!) We also took home a pizza which he has been slowly finishing since we got it! We then went to Starbucks to meet two of my bestest friends and I got almonds(no carbs) and a Skinny Peppermint Mocha with only 1 pump of mocha and 1 pump of peppermint. I looked up the stats and it had 22 carbs for a tall but I treated myself since I just played a 70 minute soccer game and resisted the pizza lol.

We then went to the mall to check out GNC. I wasn't in the mood, but my hubby did spend the whole day doing what I wanted so we went and he was looking into something that would give him energy to work out. We have both been tired and not in the mood to work out. I worked out T-TH last week and played soccer Saturday but we haven't really been motivated and to be honest I am so glad when my 30-mintes on the elliptical is over, it has kind of been hard to get motivated. It helps having all the people in my office on the band wagon but I want this to be permanent and not just another "New Years Resolution". Anyways we ended up getting this stuff called Jack'd and it is supposed to give you the energy you need to work out. I am really looking forward to using this! I also got Total Lean Chocolate and Cookies and Cream protein powder. I know what you are thinking but this will help flush the fat cells and tone me. I am supposed to mix it in my breakfast smoothies and have another one around lunch or after my workout. I got a FREE shaker bottle with the purchase of the protein PLUS it was buy 1 get one 50% off AND we got what is called a "Gold Card" which gave us 20% off our total purchase! We saved $53 bucks! Not too bad. I was pleased with what we paid for.






Before we knew it, it was 7pm and I babysat at 8:30 so I came home and showered then just packed up a hard boiled egg, turkey, avocado, and laughing cow cheese. That was my dinner. My dessert was a granny smith apple and let me tell you it hit the spot! I planned on making taco salad(ground turkey of course) and lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and salsa.. I guess I will make that tonight instead! lol. I am getting the hang of this low-carb diet and I look forward to cooking this weeks yummy menu-- for a sneak peek it includes.. Pepper Jack Chicken, Gyro Turkey Burgers, Lemon Tilapia, and last but not least Scrambled Egg Fajitas! Since we are using a holiday menu which means it provided 4 meals instead of 5, I will make Chicken Fajita salad( grilled chicken with Claude's Fajita Marinade) with bell peppers and onions. I am loving the new me and looking forward to seeing results! Happy Sunday

Food and then some

So I have made three yummy meals from the E-mealz low-carb menu. 1st night was Mustard Pork Chops with salad and broccoli. I am not the biggest fan of pork chops, but these were boneless and the only negative thing would be that they were a bit tough.. which is normal for that kind of meat. The broccoli was super yummy tossed in olive oil and parmesean cheese! I love broccoli and need to eat more of it!



The second meal I made was a crockpot recipe- Italian Roast Beef with mixed vegetables and salad- This reminded me of my mom's roast beef she would make when I was a kid. I love how once you taste something you haven't had in a long time it brings those happy memories of childhood back just in a bite of food. I didn't take a picture of this but it was pretty tasty. The only negative thing I would say is that it was a bit dry. The juices/drippings had to be saved for another recipe later on in the week. The marinade made for it was nice- onions, turkey bacon, herbs, salt and pepper. It also called for garlic and celery but I forgot the garlic and the grocery list didn't say to get celery so therefore I didn't have any :/

The third meal I have made was Mexican Shrimp with Avocado Salad. YUM! I was super excited about this meal because I love Mexican food! Even though this technically isn't mexican food I was happy to eat it because I love shrimp, jalapenos, and avocados! This meal went great except I forgot to peel the shrimp so my husband took a bite and CRUNCH! So we had to peel the skin off but then it was lovely! It was pretty too!



Tomorrow is yummy Steak and Veggie Soup then it's the weekend. My husband and I have vowed not to eat out the whole month of January. As easy as that may seem it is actually going to be hard for us because we love going to get a quick bit/drink. Especially on the weekends since it seems easier with the hectic schedules just to go through a drive-through or have a nice meal. We are both doing really well with sticking to home food and not eating out. My biggest challenge this week is not feeling full. I have a breakfast smoothie which consists of fruit, yogurt, oats, and some juice. This will usually last me til noon. Then I try to drink a cup or two of water before working out- 30 minutes on the elliptical with crunches after. I then enjoy my lunch which consists of a hard-boiled egg, 4 slices of turkey, a piece of Laughing Cow cheese, pickles, and some turkey pepperoni's. I know this is random but I am trying to get protein and stick with low-carbs. I also will enjoy an apple when I can. By the time I get home at 5 or 6 I start dinner and we eat by 7/7:30 and I treat myself to a CarbSmart ice cream on some nights then go to bed to stop thinking about food! I am sure my body is in shock because I was just stuffing it full of crap before and eating anything and everything before the "New Year Diet" started and I know it will only get easier but man it is hard right now. I look forward to the day when I am full from these meals and my stomach shrinks down and then will be used to it. I am hoping it will only take a couple weeks.

Any tips or positive motivation is great! I hope to post again soon! Enjoy the rest of your week blogging world!

New Years Resolutions...

So I have decided that I would like to start blogging again.. I only did a bit of blogging around the time of my wedding and that was fun but I would like to blog on my new exciting cooking challenge that I will be doing this year.

E-mealz is the name of the meal organizer I am using for 2012. This website is AMAZING! They make the grocery list for you and your weekly dinner menu! How great is that?! Even better- they can average prices for your weekly shops and also designate the menu to your grocery store plus you can make meals for 1-2 people or 3-6 people. You also have the option to do low-fat, gluten-free, low carb, organic, etc.. I am doing the low-carb option with my husband and I can't wait to try the yummy mouthwatering recipes that I have printed off. This seems to be such a great money saver and organizing tool I am very excited to add it to my schedule and life for 2012. You have the option to sign up for 3 months, 6 months, and a year. The longer you subscribe the cheaper the plan. I am starting off with the 3- month plan and it cost me( with a coupon) $18.90 plus it's great once I refer people I get credit as well. I really hope to keep this up in the New Year. Dave Ramsey has even sang E-mealz praises. If you are interested in learning more here is the link.


Some of the other resolutions I made were to clean up more around our place. We tend to be a bit messy ( especially with clean clothes being washed and put up). They just sit for weeks. I made a monthly schedule that is going to help us stay organized I hope. Today I did a lot of cleaning up in the kitchen. I have cleaned the fridge and thrown any expired or old things out. I also cleaned the freezer, burners, counters, and we put up ALL Christmas decorations. We woke up late today but got a lot done. I am motivated and ready to make this place great.

I also hope to continue growing with my Scentsy business. I started doing Scentsy last April when we needed some extra income. It definitely has helped with bills and this year Christmas gifts! I have a facebook page- Scentsy Consultant- Melissa Marshall and also my website is http://melissamarshall.scentsy.us. I love new customers and look forward to selling selling selling for 2012.

My husband and I are looking forward to going to England in 2012 to see his family and friends. It has been since 2008 that I have been and he last went in 2009. It is time for a visit and we can't wait!

Ok well that is all for now but I plan on posting pictures and thoughts on the E-mealz recipes and lists. Here's to a great 2012!