A twist on Chicken fried rice

The other day my friend Rachel posted this new recipe and I figured we had to try it. I started counting calories again, I stopped when I was 5 pounds away from my goal so it's time to get those 5 pounds off. Last night, I made a delicious meal that was only 200 calories (well, it's 200 calories depending on your serving size).

How was it only 200 calories when there is rice in the mix, you ask??? The rice is replaced with cauliflower and you can't even tell a difference, really, I promise.

Check out Rachel's instructions here


Here are the ingredients I used:

1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 chicken breast, cubed
3 large eggs
3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
soy sauce
1/2 cup green onions
1 cup frozen peas
1 can water chestnuts

Chop the cauliflower into tiny pieces and set aside. Place oil, garlic and chicken in skillet on medium heat until chicken in no longer pink, then set chicken aside. Using the same skillet, scramble eggs with splashes of soy sauce, then set aside with chicken. Add a little more oil and garlic to the skillet and pour in cauliflower, onions, peas, chestnuts and more soy sauce. Cover and cook on medium for about 7 mins. Then add the chicken and eggs, turn up the heat and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Serves: 6
1 serving = about 200 calories

CSA

Jarrod and I are doing something new this year.  Since we are trying to sell our house, I'm not sure we are going to plant a garden this summer.  If we sell it before the summer starts we for sure wont have a garden so we went in with my sister and bought a CSA share.  My friend over at Foodie Rachel does this every year and always talks about the wonderful fruits and veggies she gets.  So, we thought we'd give it a try.  I love fresh food and it's actually not super expensive.  Come May, the Murdaughs will be eating really well!
To find out more, visit Millsap Farms

She melts my heart

Every night before we go to bed, Jarrod and I always go in and check on Zeda, cover her with a blanket and give her one more kiss for the night (I can't help myself).  We went in their last night and this is how we found her.  Holding her baby.  Her baby was no where near her when we put her down.  I guess she needed a little snuggle time to help her fall asleep. So. So. So. CUTE.

Zeda Update:

 
(Valentine's day 2011)

So it's been awhile since I've undated you on our little Zeda girl.  This blog started so we can keep track of our journey as parents but it has progressed into a blog about our everyday life which includes more then just Zeda.
Zeda Update:
This little girl is constantly amazing us.  I can't believe the things she does and learns on a daily basis.
Here is a small list of what Z is doing right now...
1.  She sits in the floor and "reads" her books for at least 30 minutes a day.
2.  She says anything and everything that you say.  Some of my favorites are tow (cow) tiss (kiss) Noose (Moose, the dog) and baby doll.
3.  She has a norther accent when she says certain word and it is hilarious!  Next time you see her ask her to say, chair or share.
4.  She is SUPER independent and wants to do everything herself.  It's gets frustrating for me when I'm in a hurry because she yells, NO! Zeza!  Meaning, she wants to put on her diaper, her pants, her shoes, pour her milk, brush her teeth...you name it, Zeza wants to do it.
5.  Lately, at night after she pick who she wants to put her to bed (yes she is the queen of the house) we both kiss her multiple times on the cheeks and she says, "share tisses".  It is just so stinkin' cute!
Jarrod and I had a happy home before she came and I couldn't imagine it getting any better.  We laughed a lot at each other and at the dogs.  However, we laugh double now that this girl is around.  She is so fun and brings so much joy to our world.  Most of the time we laugh at that crazy hair...do you see that mop?  I have no idea how to control it. Oh, and her Chandler Bing smile. :)

Our next adventure is potty training.  People keep telling me she is ready.  I've been putting it off, it's a huge commitment but I guess I have to do it sometime.  She's been asking to go to the potty since she was 14 months so we've been entertaining her with that for awhile.  Now, it's time to actually put panties on her.  We did for the first time in the evening last night and when she peed down her leg she freaked out about it.  This is going to be fun! Here we go...

A Sweet Little Valentine

Yesterday when I returned home from St. Louis, I had a sweet little valentine waiting for me in my kitchen. My good friend Jen at Sweet Little Details brought me this lovely little dessert. It was my first time to ever try cake pops and it made me want more. They are soooo good.
She is our guest contributor today over at Social Graces, you should check her out!

Melissa is getting married!

Saturday, I headed to Branson with the girls in Jarrod's family for a little bachlorette party for Melissa.  All I'll say for now is...we. had. so. much. fun.

Here are the girls at the begining of the night...

and this is what we brought home at the end of the night...

A trophy that said...

MAYBE I will share more pictures later.  :)

Someone buy our house please!!!! :)

I am please to say, that our house is officially on the market.  I am so proud of this home and what it has meant to us.  I still love everything about it and I know the new home owners will too.  If you are interested, please come to our open house on Saturday and Sunday anytime form 12-5pm.
Check out the details here: http://sites.google.com/site/1139redoak/

10 years today!

Today marks 10 years from when Jarrod and I started dating.  It wasn't always smooth, that's for sure, but he is the best thing that's ever happened to me.  I love him more today then I have in the last 10 years. 

We thought a big vacation was in order for the two of us to celebrate 10 years of dating and 5 years of marriage.  Yay!  We were going to do an Alaskan cruise for our "big" vacation but then we realized we needed to save our money for the new house.  At this point, I'd rather have a double oven, so, with a smaller budget, it was time to get creative and shop around.  Finally, we decided on a perfect trip for us, it's still a big vacation and it's offical because we booked it this week!

The first week in May we are hiting the road!  First stop is Nashville, then we are camping in the Smoky Mountains for a couple of days and then to Charleston, SC.  In Charleston, we are boarding a cruise ship that will be taking us to the Bahamas for 5 days!  We are super pumped about our trip but a little nervous that we will have to leave baby Z for 10 whole days!  Can we do it???

Free Ice Cream

For the last two nights, the Murdaugh's have been eating some pretty tasty ice cream.  Side note, Jarrod and I could eat ice cream anytime, anywhere.  We LOVE it and I'm afraid Zeda does too.  The best part about the ice cream we've made, is that, it is completely FREE! Yay!

Ingredients:

1 can evaporated milk (I used vitamin D)

1 cup of sugar

1 Tbs of flavoring

large bowl of snow

Mix everything in a small bowl except for the snow

Go and get snow in a large bowl

Pour the mixture over the snow and mix

Then you enjoy!




















First night: We used coconut flavoring and put chocolate fudge on top, it tasted just like a Mounds Bar. Yummy!

Second night: Peppermint flavoring with chocolate fudge on top, tasted just like a York Peppermint Patty.  Even better!

Are you curious how everything was free?  Well, let me just tell you...the evaporated milk was on sale at Dillons a couple months ago for 50 cents.  I had multiple 50 cent coupons for evaporated milk, and at Dillons those double to a dollar.  Therefore, I got paid 50 cents for each can I bought.  That 50 cent overage more then pays for the cup of sugar and the flavoring. There you go!  FREE!  Oh, are you skeptical that it doesn't covers the chocolate?  Well, that jar was a party favor from a Mother's Day bash my sister threw, which for me, was free.  Thanks sister!  So, yes, our ice cream tonight, last night and I'm sure tomorrow night is all free!

Sushi and Beyond

My good friend Bonnie, sent me a message the other day asking if her friend in Japan can use a picture of Zeda that Bonnie took in her new restautrant. 
The last part of her message said this, "So would it be okay with you if there's a picture of your baby in a Japanese cafe? Hilarious, I know. (I can't imagine going to an American restaurant and seeing only Japanese portraits.)"

So funny, she sent me a link to the restaurant.  http://www.sushi-and-beyond.com/

Snowed In 2.1.11

Chocolate Chip pancakes for breakfast! 

 

 

Morning craft time

 

Salad and spaghetti with garlic bread for lunch

Hot Chocolate for Jarrod and I during naptime

Chicken chili in a bread bowl with veggies for dinner

Snow ice cream for dessert.  Z ending up just drinking hers :)

The last couple of day have been pure blissss! I absolutely love being in my house with my little family. Zeda keeps us entertained and when she's sleeping we're able to work on the house. I've cooked every meal, kept the house clean and we even had craft time.

However, it looks like happiness is coming to an end tomorrow. Reality hits hard when morning comes and it's time for both of us to go back to work. Hope everyone has enjoyed the break like the Murdaughs!

Today is the BIG DAY!

Here it is...Social Graces has offically started.  I'm super excited to start continue this fun project with my best friend, Megan.  Please help us out by telling your friends, following us on twitter and like us on facebook.
Love you all!
-B