Number Three.

Embarking on Year #4 as of yesterday. Happy Anniversary to us <3

Three Days of Pinterest...

Yes, I'm late, I know!!


[had to get that out of the way]


I decided to get a Pinterest account a few days ago after hearing so much amazingness about it. Needless to say, I've only been on 3 days and I have about 13 boards and over 100 pins. Yeah, it's that bad good.


I have found many great ideas for Christmas decor and gift-giving, some fantastic new hairstyles to try [if Pinterest has only been useful for one thing, that would be it!] and also great new ideas for mixing and matching up some new outfits with pieces I already own. Not to mention my "If I Owned a Coffee Shop" board and "Someday" board [baby & kid stuff]!!


Here's a brief conglomeration of what I've found inspiring on Pinterest so far. I even uploaded a few inspiring images of my own. Check out my pin boards: Loveandcoffee.

 So there ya have it....my latest obsession! I'm definitely having fun with this. I feel a fresh wind of inspiration every time I stop by! Even if I only end up pinning 1 or 2 things.


Happy Monday! Have a productive, creative week!

Oven-Poached Eggs in Spinach Nests

Time for a recipe! All of you Saturday morning breakfast junkies [my name is Brittany....and I'm a breakfast junkie] this would be a nice one to try for the weekend! I have made it on Sunday morning even, just make sure you assemble to Spinach mixture the night before, and refrigerate it! 

-Oven-Poached Eggs in Spinach Nests-

Ingredients

• —  Spinach Nests:

• Cooking spray

• 3  eggs

• 1/2  cup all-purpose flour

• 1  pound small-curd cottage cheese

• 4  (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained

• 1/2  teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• —  Eggs:

• 8  large eggs

• 1  cup shredded Swiss or Parmesan cheese

• 4  English muffins, split and toasted

• 1/2  cup slivered red bell pepper, optional

• 1/2  cup slivered onion, optional

• Prep Time - 15
 
• Cook Time - 40

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. To prepare the spinach nests, combine eggs, flour and cottage cheese; whisk well. Add spinach, salt and pepper; stir well. (This can be done up to 2 days ahead). Press mixture into prepared dish. Make 8 indentations with the back of a spoon (this is where the eggs will later be placed). Bake 25 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and using a spoon, hollow the nests out even more deeply. Break an egg into each indentation. Bake 15 minutes or until whites are set. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 1 minute.
4. Place 1 egg and spinach nest on English muffin half. Garnish with slivered red pepper and onion, if desired.

I did kind of "half" the recipe- I just used only one egg in the spinach mixture. I really love the addition of Red Bell Pepper, however I did not have it in the photo above. Try it! I also preferred the Parmesan over the Swiss, just my preference though!

Recipe adapted from Relish. I used to get the newspaper daily, and cut this recipe out like, 6 years ago. Glad I kept it!

I would definitely do this for a holiday brunch! If you have lots of family, or for Mother's day or Easter Brunch! 

Happy Cooking!!

Life Updates!

Wow....yesterday I walked & jogged for 4 miles straight and today I don't feel like I've been run over by a Mack truck... [I believe this means progress!!]


I did, however, have a [small] injury yesterday before I even completed my first half-mile. I've learned the hard way to NOT forget to s-t-r-e-t-c-h after I train.....thankfully the pain didn't last but 10 minutes. I think I pinched a nerve or something. Obviously, I walked 3 1/2 miles afterward without any pain, so it was nothing traumatizing. 


*IMPORTANT UPDATE*


Just some brief housekeeping! I've made some changes to the Paypal donation button to the right. It is now directed straight to Back to Life. *Don't worry* those of you who have previously donated, it still made it into my Back to Life account, but now the process will be a whole lot quicker. Instead of putting my name in the "Donation Notes", type in "BTL-020" [for tax purposes]. The code is also VERY important to ensure that it credits my BTL account. I want to thank everyone so far for partnering with me in my efforts to raise awareness to the injustice of abortion. I received a donation from the doctor that delivered me when I was born. Now that is encouraging!! 



We celebrated my husband's 26th birthday last week! We started off with a nice breakfast early in the morning, oven-poached eggs in spinach nests on English Muffins....it was divine! I *promise* to post the recipe! I would have to say this is my favorite breakfast I have ever made. I was able to assemble the spinach the night before, but it takes quite a long time to bake, so I made sure to be up and in the kitchen by 6:45am :) I also served some red grapes, and a breakfast cupcake from the Cupcakery in Downtown Fort Worth! It was my lucky day- I remembered while I was out the night before that it was their grand opening! I may or may not have picked up a few more while I was there...you know, just in case one wasn't enough :)

 The wonderful spread!!!

I also created my famous Red Velvet cake!

Later on that evening, we met up with our families and a few friends for dinner...

Proof that I'm not so talented when it comes to operating a lighter......the entire table found this humorous for some reason....not quite sure why..

Singing Happy Birthday!

 Stephen & his parents!

My brother James and his wifey Sharel :)

Me and my amazing husband- I love him so much! God gave me the best. We've been married now for almost 3 years, and I can say I've never felt like I couldn't express my dreams to him, vent my fears, or just be myself. I'm anticipating a lifetime of bliss with this man right here :) I cannot wait to see our dreams unfold even more with every life event that happens day by day. Happy Birthday Love!

Thanks for stopping in!

-B

"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it." 

~ author unknown

Training for...10 Marathons??

March 17, 2012 - April 7, 2012


Twelve miles a day. For twenty-one days. 


That's a half marathon a day. Why am I doing this? >>> Read<<<


Training.


Tonight I jogged about 2 1/2 - 3 miles (need a pedometer!) with my husband. He challenges me and keeps me going. Well, not just in training, but with many other aspects of life as well :-) Last week my training started around 6:30 am, but the past few days it happened in the evening time. Which is fine with me, because that's when he exercises. Next week I think I'll keep it that way, except for the days when we're busy in the evening. I also have some cross-training mixed in. This week I tried Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred. I'll leave that one alone. (my calf muscles are screaming bloody murder)


Food.


Tonight I had steak. It just sounded so good. Of course, my husband was the master chef on this one! Lately our meals consist of grilled chicken, salad, lots of vegetables, smoothies, grilled chicken, lentils & beans (cooked fresh), more grilled chicken, wheat berries, and lots of water. Breakfast consists of Greek yogurt, protein granola and fruit or oatmeal (nice & filling, especially since breakfast happens pretty early for us), lunch is usually a smoothie or a salad, and dinner a grilled meat with vegetables. 


Before the training started, I met with a personal trainer for a personal fitness evaluation. I was actually told that I need to eat more. That kind of surprised me, but then I got to thinking about it; I eat like a bird. I pick at a little bit of food here & there, and anytime I try to eat a full-size meal, I am waaaay to stuffed in the end. I am a snacker. Albeit, a healthy snacker. I just need more sustenance. As in, more MEAT. I am not much of a meat-eater (unless curry is involved) so this process should be quite interesting. I need to make a better habit of documenting my meals!


Spiritual Journey.


Today was one of those days. I wasn't just putting in my 2 miles for the day. Even in training, I'm beginning to feel weighed down by the burden of 54+ million lives lost to abortion, and the spirit of death that has been cultivated in our country....and in our world. As I wearily jogged, trying to properly pick my tired feet up off the ground and keep from skidding (and watching my husband run ahead of me, farther and farther, only to slow down and jog in place to wait on me....what a guy), I had a moment with God. I didn't ask Him to lift the burden, but I asked Him to help me run the race that is set before me (Hebrews 12:1-3), even carrying this burden that is dear to His heart.


This journey is shaping me in so many ways already. I'll be expounding on this matter a whole lot more in the days and weeks to come; sharing with you the prayer journey and the studies that I'm devoting my time to....such as learning to live a fasted lifestyle- not fasting from food, although that's a part of it; but living fasted in the things I devote my time and my mind to, really learning how to lay down my own comfort and ease for the preparation this journey requires......and ultimately, really learning in a deeper way how to lay down my own wants and desires for a greater cause (sounds something like marriage....hmm). I am so honored that God chose me to carry this burden. 


This is my destiny!

Photo taken at our first group training day with all of the girls from the Dallas area. Sporting our LIFE bands! (photo credit: Laura Allred)

Stay tuned for more updates on my daily life- yes, the cooking and the shopping and the decorating- as well as training updates.


(this late-night blogpost brought to you in part by Seattle's Best Coffee- without it, my brain only partially works)


For life,


Brittany