Healthy PB & J Cookies

RYAN AND I ARE ON A BET TO SEE WHO CAN LOSE MORE WEIGHT FIRST. WHOEVER WINS GETS A CHUNK OF THE OTHER PERSON'S ALLOWANCE! THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, KNOW THAT I AM VERY MOTIVATED BY MONEY! SO ONCE I DECIDED TO NOT DO THE JUICE FAST LAST WEEK (IT WAS DISGUSTING + I'M A WIMP) I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO NOT EATING SUGAR OR ANY STARCHY CARBS (BESIDES OATS) WHICH IS WHAT I DID WHEN I LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT LAST YEAR. RYAN ALSO DECIDED TO CUT OUT A LOT OF SWEETS AND JUNK FOOD TOO. I HAVE TO SAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 3.5 YEARS OF OUR MARRIAGE WE HAVEN'T HAD ICE CREAM IN OUR FREEZER FOR OVER 2 WEEKS. (I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD GET AN AWARD FOR THAT!) SO BECAUSE I AM SO PROUD OF MY HUSBAND FOR GIVING UP SWEETS (FOR THE MOST PART) I DECIDED TO MAKE HIM SOME HEALTHY PB + J COOKIES. RYAN LOOOOOVES PB + J AND WHEN I SAW THIS RECIPE ON SKINNYTASTE, I KNEW IT WAS PERFECT. THERE IS NO FLOUR OR SUGAR IN THESE COOKIES AND THEY ARE STILL VERY TASTY! 

BELOW IS THE RECIPE WITH ONLY 4 INGREDIENTS! I'VE ADDED LOTS OF PICTURES FOR YOU TO ENJOY. THE JAM THAT I USED IS MADE BY JOHANNA BROWN USING NONE OTHER THAN THE AMAZING BLUEBERRIES FROM THE INGALLS BLUEBERRY HILL FARM! ALSO YOU CAN SEE MY HANDSOME MAN ENJOYING THE COOKIES AT THE VERY END. =)  SO IF YOU ARE IN THE MOOD FOR A QUICK, EASY, AND HEALTHY TREAT- HERE YOU GO! ENJOY!

NOTE: 2 COOKIES = 91 CALORIES. THEY HAVE THESE ALREADY LISTED IN THE MY FITNESS PAL APP! I GOT PRETTY EXCITED WHEN I WENT TO PUT IN MY CALORIES FOR THE DAY. 

HEALTHY PB + J COOKIES:

YIELDS 16 COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 MEDIUM RIPE BANANAS, MASHED (THE RIPER- THE SWEETER!)

- 1 CUP UNCOOK QUICK OATS (I USED HALF STEEL CUT QUICK OATS AND HALF REGULAR QUICK OATS)

- 2 TBLSP NATURAL CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER

- 3 TBLSP JAM OR JELLY OF YOUR CHOICE

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°F. EITHER SPRAY A NON-STICK COOKIE SHEET WITH COOKING SPRAY OR LINE IT WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. 

COMBINE THE MASHED BANANAS AND PEANUT BUTTER IN A BOWL. ADD THE OATS AND MIX WELL. DROP THE BATTER BY TABLESPOONS ONTO THE COOKIE SHEET, MAKING AN INDENT WITH YOUR FINGER OR THE BACK OF A MEASURING SPOON. 

BAKE FOR 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE FROM OVEN AND TOP EACH WITH 1/2 TEASPOON JELLY OR JAM AND ENJOY!

Berry Themed Bridal Shower Brunch

SO HERE IS PROOF TO SHOW I HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY TO POST ANYTHING LATELY! MY SISTER AND HER FIANCEE DECIDED TO MOVE THE WEDDING UP A BIT AND HAVE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NOVEMBER INSTEAD OF NEXT SEPTEMBER. SO THAT MEANT WE NEEDED TO PLAN A BRIDAL SHOWER FAST! 

WE HAD A BRUNCH OF SORTS WITH DELICIOUS BREAKFAST FOODS AND OUR THEME WAS BASED ON BERRIES SPECIFICALLY BLUEBERRIES. MY SISTER'S FIANCEE AND HIS FAMILY OWN A BLUEBERRY FARM (CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE) AND THEIR WEDDING HAS A BLUEBERRY THEME SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE SHOWER AS WELL. 

I CREATED THE SHOWER INVITE ABOVE BUT CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FULLY BECAUSE I MODELED IT AFTER A BEAUTIFUL SHOWER INVITE YOU CAN PURCHASE HERE THEY ENDED UP BEING A BIT TIME CONSUMING SINCE I PRETTILY HAND ADDRESSED 65 ENVELOPES BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY TIME WELL SPENT IN MY OPINION =)

ORIGINALLY I WAS THINKING I COULD BE THE PHOTOGRAPHER BUT WASN'T THINKING HOW I NEEDED TO BE A HOST TOO SO I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR MY FRIEND, HEATHER MORRIS WHO TOOK MOST OF THE PICTURES BELOW. YOU CAN CHECK OUT HER WEBSITE HERE

THE MENU 

(ALL HOMEMADE BY THE BRIDESMAIDS, FAMILY OF THE BRIDE AND OTHER FRIENDS)

 A YOGURT PARFAIT BAR WITH HOMEMADE GRANOLA 

SAUSAGE, GRAVY AND BISCUITS 

BROCCOLI QUICHE AS WELL AS QUICHE LORRAINE WITH BACON

A VARIETY OF HOMEMADE DONUT HOLES 

MINI POTATO CASSEROLES

HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH HONEY BUTTER

SUN TEA AND BERRY MINT WATER

AS WELL AS BLUEBERRY COFFEE

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A DELICIOUS LEMON BLUEBERRY CREPE CAKE (I WILL POST THE RECIPE SOON!)

THE CAKE WAS MY BABY THAT TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE AND I WILL GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL ABOUT ALL OF THAT IN A LATER POST BUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT I ROYALLY MESSED UP PUTTING THE CAKE TOGETHER AND IF IT WASN'T FOR MY BROTHER IN LAW'S, BROTHER, DAVID KROPP (PROFESSIONAL CAKE MAKER) WHO CAME TO MY RESCUE THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN SCREWED!!!

THE VENUE

I ONLY HAVE AMAZING THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE VENUE! IT WAS WONDERFUL BOOKING IT AND HOLDING THE PARTY THERE. IT WAS AT THE CANO GALLERY WHICH IS THE OLD WILBER MANSION ON FORD AVENUE IN ONEONTA, NY. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ART GALLERY THAT FORTUNATELY AT THE TIME OF OUR SHOWER, DID NOT HAVE ANY SHOWS UP SO ALL THE WALLS WERE COMPLETELY BARE AND WHITE WHICH GAVE US LOTS OF SPACE TO BE CREATIVE WITH OUR DECORATIONS. THEY EVEN REPAINTED THE WALLS BEFORE WE GOT THERE! IT REALLY WAS A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE AND FOR A GROUP OF 60 PEOPLE IT IS A PERFECT VENUE THAT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE! CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE! 

THE DECORATIONS

WELL IT WASN'T TOO HARD TO DECORATE AN ALREADY GORGEOUS SPACE! BUT WE DID HAVE TO BE CREATIVE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF MONEY TO WORK WITH. WE HAD TASSEL GARLANDS MADE FROM TISSUE PAPER BY MY AMAZING AUNT. WE HAD BEAUTIFUL PAPER TRIANGLE GARLANDS MADE BY MY SISTER, AMY AND BRIDESMAID, ABBY. ABBY, WHO I WORKED WITH AT THE FLOWER SHOP FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ALSO PUT TOGETHER OUR FOLIAGE WALL AND SUSPENDED WREATHS (WITH THE HELP OF MY NIECE, JULIA!). THEY TURNED OUT ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK THE PICTURES DO THEM JUSTICE! WE BOUGHT A VARIETY OF FOLIAGE FROM CODDINGTON'S FLORIST AND IT WORKED OUT PERFECTLY. ONE OF THE CHEAPEST DECORATIONS WAS THE BIG ENGINEER PRINTS I GOT FROM OFFICE MAX FOR ONLY $8 A PIECE! I PRINTED OUT A HUGE PICTURE OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM AS WELL AS A HAND LETTERED PIECE I MADE. BOTH WERE 3 FEET X 4 FEET WHICH TOOK UP A LOT OF SPACE AND REALLY MADE A STATEMENT AT SUCH A LOW COST!

EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER AND IT ENDED UP BEING SUCH A LOVELY TIME. ENJOY THE PICTURES BELOW AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING WILL INSPIRE YOU FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY! FEEL FREE TO COMMENT WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THE PICTURE ABOVE IS OF MY TWO SISTERS AND ME. I AM ON THE RIGHT, MY SISTER, AMY IS ON THE LEFT AND MY SISTER, BETHANY, IN THE MIDDLE, IS THE ONE GETTING MARRIED! I <3 MY SISTAS!

BELOW IS THE HAND LETTERED PIECE I DID FOR THE ENGINEER PRINT. I AM SO PUMPED FOR MY SISTER AND NATE (HER FIANCEE) I CAN'T BELIEVE THEIR WEDDING IS IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS!! I PRAY A SPECIAL BLESSING ON THEIR WEDDING DAY AND MARRIED LIFE TOGETHER! <3 <3 <3