1. Last week pink, this week red. 1 coat, 2 minutes, 3 days of not fussing. Win all around! This has seriously become my new favorite nail polish.
Revlon Colorstay in Red Carpet.
2. I’ve recently discovered a delicious new use for overripe bananas. As much as I love using them to bake up a loaf of banana bread, lately I’ve had nothing but cookies on the brain. Nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that last week I bought a few too many bunches of already ripe bananas that have recently turned overripe. Solution? Freeze them Dunk them in cocoa powder, obviously…
I have no idea what possessed me, but there you have it. The overly sweet banana gets balanced out by the bitter cocoa for a strangely satisfying snack.
3. I’ve come to the conclusion that I cannot work out first thing in the morning. I just can’t. Why? Because my appetite basically becomes uncontrollable for the rest of the day. I woke up the other day with another hefty dose of early morning energy and decided to hit up the treadmill for another early morning walk. After that, I proceeded to spend the rest of the day eating everything in sight. Woof. Then again… maybe that’s not such a bad thing? It can get expensive though…
4. You know you might have a slight coffee addiction when you need a fix so bad that you don’t even care that they take shortcuts with your name…
Hi, my name is Amy and you can call me whatever you like as long as you give me coffee. Apparently Amanda just takes too long to spell out when there’s a lineup of people waiting to be served…
5. And speaking of coffee addiction, I need this in my life…
6. I also need to acknowledge that my mom is pretty darn awesome (Hi Mom!). Promise not to laugh when I tell you that despite being all of 28 and living out on my own, I still beg bribe my mom to bring me food, which, bless her kind heart, she occasionally agrees to do…
You’re laughing, but hear me out! I love eating chicken, but I can’t stand working with it when it’s raw (hello fear of food poisoning!). I’ll do it if I have to, but I’ll also jump on any opportunity I can to avoid it. I’d consider our arrangement a fair one, though – she bakes me chicken, I bake her cookies.
7. Speaking of baking, I recently got a new kitchen toy to play with…
That would be a new spatula from GIR, and I’m kind of smitten. I used to think that all spatulas were created equal, but after taking this one through a couple of test runs, consider my mind changed. What makes it so special? How about that it’s super sturdy yet flexible enough to make mixing even the thickest and toughest of cookie doughs a breeze? Or that it’s one solid piece so you don’t have to worry about it breaking or gunk getting in any cracks? … Or the fact that it’s apparently indesctrictible. I really have no idea why you’d need an indestructible spatula, but I guess it doesn’t hurt? Either way, I’m a fan.
8. Taking a trip down memory lane with this week’s song obsession…
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBHmcORu4og&w=560&h=315″]
9. The book I’m currently reading (The Wise Man’s Fear) has 1000 pages. One. Zero. Zero. Zero. That in itself is no big deal – it’s an amazing book and I would read it even if it were 2000 or 3000 pages. The problem is that the dratted thing is heavy, and trying to hold it up with one hand while I’m laying in bed exhausted after a long day does not make for a pleasant reading experience. And no, I still refuse to get a Kindle or Nook – begone you crazy kids and your crazy technology!
10. Did you notice that this was the first post in a long while that hasn’t included any mention of breakfast? Well we can’t have that now, can we?…
Happy Thursday, my beautiful people!
. – . – . – .
Anyone else feel ravenous for the rest of the day after a morning workout?
Do you use a Nook/Kindle?
What was breakfast this morning?
Haha just when I though “no breakfast pics?” 😉
Heehee! Yeah, I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I have a rep to maintain!
Well Amanda…..breakfast this morning was your eggy oats and I LOVED them!! I’m glad I’m not the only one obsessed with breakfast foods. Great nail color too!!
I don’t have a Nook or Kindle either – I prefer reading books the old fashioned way! I just hate how technology is taking over everything and I refuse to let it take over my precious books. 😛
My breakfast this morning was banana egg white oatmeal with blueberries, blackberries, granola, and soy nut butter. So good!
I promised myself I’d never go the Kindle route and stay old school forever. But then my mom got me one for Christmas last year and I’ve been hooked ever since. I just love the portability and instant gratification of being able to order a book whenever I want it. I do feel guilty for helping to put bookstores out of business though 🙁
I can’t deny that they’re super convenient, but I’ve been avoiding them mostly because I don’t want another electronic screen to look at – computers, iPhones, and iPads are enough!
I need to try that nail polish! Mine chips so fast it’s slightly ridiculous.
I can’t workout first thing in the morning either! I always work out before lunch!
How sweet your mom is 😉
Hope your week is great <3
Those candles look pretty awesome. I’ve become a coffee addict recently. It’s crazy!
Crazy is what I get without coffee 😉
I totally do that with frozen bananas too!! So decadent! Frozen bananas are such a versatile food, gotta love ’em!
I love that nail polish color! It looks so good. I also love those coffee candles. I have a coffee scented candle that sounds like a fire crackling when it burns.
that snack looks AWESOME. i have some frozen bananas in my freezer to use for smoothies but i don’t actually like them in smoothies that much (not sure why – the overripe flavor doesn’t work for me in a smoothie) so i’ve been trying to figure out what to do with them. i think i’m going to roll them around in cocoa powder when i get home today. yum. also i agree with you on the morning workout thing – i literally eat a house when i work out during the morning. not that i have a problem with it really but it just gets unnecessary and i often make really bad snacking choices because i’ll literally just eat everything in front of me to try to satiate it.
Haha. I have a confession post tomorrow with my nail polish changes. I seriously have been changing them twice a week and get new addictions each time. Oops! The only way I’ll eat bananas ever are when they are super duper ripe. Like almost black. I like the idea of dipping them into cocoa powder. Yum. It would be even better with some almond butter too. Oh gosh…I do use a kindle, but honestly I don’t like it. I prefer having the books because I treasure those wonderful pages and I don’t feel like you get the same experience from a computerized book. Yep, I’m lame like that;)
That’s totally not lame! Why do you think I refuse to get a Kindle? 😛
Nothing like red nail polish or lips to make you feel feminine and glamorous!
I am hungry all of the time so IDK if it matters when I work out. I do know that since I lift heavy weights, it spikes my metabolism after a workout, so it makes sense I’m hungrier post workout (my HR moniter proved this theory). But I’ve been working out at night, and waking up hungrier, than if I got up, worked out, and then ate after. It all evens out though I think. You gotta find what works best for your body. But finding the motivation to work out at 8pm when the gym isn’t packed after work is roughhhh. I’d much rather go home and veg, but I got goal to reach! Hunger = growing muscles! 🙂
You lift heavy at 8 PM? Girl, you’re kind of a rock star. There are days where I can barely lift my butt off the couch by 8 PM 😆
YES morning workouts cause me to be a ravenous beast, although Ive been ravenous nonstop it feels like no matter what I do!
And I totally have a fear of working with raw meat. IT GROSSES ME OUT. My mom once bought me a raw chicken and told me all I had to do was rip out the insides and cook it. I almost threw up in her face. GROSS. Never ever ever!
Since you got me obsessed, OBSESSED, with yogurt bowls containing bananas, strawberries, & dumping cocoa powder on top, i just knooow I’d be all over dipping ripe bananas in cocoa :).
It’s not even just the yummmy taste- it’s the texture that really gets me, with its amazingness.
Hurumph. I wish my mum brung me tupperware with freshly cooked chicken…you’re spoiled :p. It looks super enticing to me for some reason…do you know how she cooks it, & is it like a whole chicken or just breasts or something?
Xxx
She uses the whole chicken, sticks it in a dutch oven, and throws that in the oven for… eek… I don’t even know how long. I could ask her more specifically if you’re interested!
I’m a ravenous beast if I ever work out in the morning too. But it’s so, SO rare for me to have morning energy that it’s not usually a problem. I used to totally agree with the “who wants to read a book from a computer” aspect of Kindles and was a “real” book enthusiast forever until…I bought a Kindle. For the exact reason you described, books getting annoyingly heavy when you’re trying to read in bed. Also for trips when you think you might need 2 or 3 books but don’t want to carry all that extra weight, Kindles are great. Anddd you can decide on a whim in pajamas that you feel like reading such-and-such book and then BAM. You’re reading it. I love mine, but I still read real books too sometimes just because I love them too.
Stop trying to be a bad influence 😛
I have a Kindle Fire and absolutely LOVE it. There is no problem in bribing your mom with cookies for chicken lol! It’s an equal trade! And I cannot believe you’ve never dunked banana slices in cocoa powder! It’s even better if you stab the fork in nut butter first, then banana, then cocoa powder. Orrrr put nut butter on the banana, freeze it a little, then proceed with cocoa powder. 🙂
Frozen nut butter and banana? Omigosh totally trying it… even though it’s freezing outside and eating something that cold will probably leave me shaking in my booties 😆
Like I said in the previous post, working out in the morning sets me up for the rest of the day. My body knows the schedule so I’m pretty okay with not eating before hand. However, if I overeat the night before, I wake up STARVING! I usually chug a glass of water, eat a scoop of peanut butter, lace up my shoes, run like a speed demon, and come back home to chow down. Food motivates me. I use a Kindle, and I LOVE it! It’s nice for being at the beach/outside because there’s no glare and the pages don’t get all nasty from humidity or anything. Breakfast this morning was oatmeal with chopped bananas, a scoop of Natural Jif Peanut Butter, and slivered almonds. YUM!
Seriously though, you make cereal look sexy.
I actually prefer working out first thing because it feels like a chore if I wait. But I totally see the other side of it too. That banana idea is really cool!!! They look so yummy too 🙂
I just painted my toes red too! It’s a red kind of week. I love that idea for overripe bananas.
I hate cooking raw chicken too! Absolutely despise it. Maybe I need to start begging my mom to cook some for me too 😉 I need to try that nail polish. I am the queen of chipping and usually only get one good day when I do mine.
I haven’t had breakfast yet..oops! I just finished my coffee, time to go get some grub! My mom bought me a Nook three years ago for Christmas and I have used it for maybe..3 books. These books were free downloads because I refuse to pay for one. Something about a real book in hand is just hard to beat, so I haven’t used it much :/. I feel ravenous all the time. HAHA. It just comes in waves. Have a great Thursday Amy! 😉
Hey now… if you wanna be callin’ me that, you better be bringin’ me some coffee 😛
I’m obsessed with the coffee bean candle decorations. however, don’t let the coffee beans get too close to the flame…baby Madi thought it would be a good idea to put coffee beans in fire….they explode a little bit…kind of like jumping beans…yea needless to say, I’m not allowed around fire very much anymore.
😆 Thank you for the warning. I’ll be careful 🙂
I totally agree with the banana and cocoa powder…anything with chocolate or cocoa is good with me! And I am ok with you posting your cereal 🙂
bananas in cocoa powder? I’m thinking I may have to look into that.
And I am completely with you on using books over a Nook/Kindle. I look at a computer/tv screen all day, I really don’t want to be doing that while I’m reading, too.
hey some people just don’t do well with the morning workout, it happens! whatever works for you. i keep becoming your worst commenter because first I hate nut butter and now I just can’t stand bananas. the texture, uck can’t do it.
But that’s what makes your comments so great – your honesty <3
hahaha I love the cup lol Amy, Amanda, same thing right? :p I need to find some of that nail polish. Lately mine has been staying on for almost a week– been using Essie lol and I finally invested in a base coat which I think made all the difference in the world lol!
I wish I could try eating bananas like that!!! Sadly I’m allergic to naners :/ maybe I’ll try a ripe pear!
Ooo what base coat are you using? And I’ve tried cocoa powder with blueberries too and found it to be quite good.
OPI– I spurged haha but it works amazingly!
OMG i feel the same way about working out in the morning! My hunger throughout the day is uncontrollable and nonstop and I end up eating the food I planned to cook with for the rest of the week….so it gets expensive on my end, too!
Hey Amanda! Love that you’re posting about your book… maybe a review when you’re finished? I would love your take on it (I’m hesitant to jump into a 1000 pager myself!). Oh and BTW I love your blog and I read it all the time I just never comment :p
I’ll definitely be writing my thoughts on it! This is actually the second book in a great series, and I’ll be reviewing the first book in tomorrow’s post 🙂 Great to hear from you, girlie!
Right now, as I’m reading this I’m eating a delicious bowl of greek yogurt and puffins inspired by your breakfast posts!
I don’t like using ereaders either, I just love books too much! reading a good one now, The Book Thief, but it is also a bit heavy, not nearly as bad as 1000 pages though!
I was anti kindle at first. Then I bought one over a year ago, and only buy kindle books now. It’s so much more convenient and easy to buy books. Now I loathe lugging a book around if I have to. Trust me, this is from an avid reader and former hard copy book lover!
I can’t deny that they’re convenient as heck, but it’s just hard to justify having another screen to look at, ya know? Computer, phone, iPad… it’s just nice to be able to get away from electronics once in a while.
I feel ravenous in general 😉 But I notice that on days where I run 6 miles or less I’m starving all freakin day…days when I run longer than that, however, I’m usually not too hungry (don’t even get me started on how annoying and frustrating that is since I know I need to be refueling like crazy…and I do…but it’s not quite as enjoyable 🙁 )…the next day, though, no amount of food keeps me full…so I prepare and just constantly have something in arms reach haha. I do use a kindle but only because Joe got it for me for Christmas last year…I love actual books and still make sure to read them often, but the convenience of the Kindle for vacations is pretty amazing…as is the fact that with the touch of a screen I have as many new books as I want without having to leave my apartment (I love bookstores, working at barnes and noble was amazing, but sometimes i just want a book now without having to go somewhere!)…although my bank account doesn’t always think so…and I have a veggie omelette with buttered toast for breakfast!
The most difference I can tell in my appetite is actually if I lift in the evening, I wake up hungry no matter what I eat for dinner!
I do use a Kindle. I still LOVE books, and I still buy them, but my Kindle allows me to have many choices when I can’t decide what I want to read, they’re all at my fingertips!
Breakfast this morning was oatmeal with almond butter, agave nectar, cinnamon, and bananas. YUM. 🙂
also, you have inspired me to buy Revlon Colorstay and so far, I’m impressed!
Glad to hear that you’re enjoying it! Which color did you pick out?
I picked the midnight blue, but now that I see the red in your picture, I think I want that one too!
A couple of days last year I attempted to get up at 5:30am and go to the gym (may I mention that I don’t naturally get up even close to that early). Although I felt dehydrated and probably didn’t plan well it felt pretty good to get a work out in. But then…. I felt tired the rest of the day AND man was I insatiable! I can totally relate. I think that if I trained my body to go in the mornings and plan accordingly it would be okay but my experience so far is that working out in the afternoon or evening works a bit better for me 🙂
What a good idea banana in cocoa powder! I will definitely be trying that! Thank you 🙂
Please don’t hate me but … I got a Kindle for my birthday. Sooorrry (but not really)! I’ll never give up reading “real” books because, let’s face it, the smell, the sound when turning pages … It’s irreplaceable. But I like the idea of being able to take as many books with me as I like when traveling. Or just at any time I’m indecisive about which book to read and don’t want to worry about the additional weight. The fact I haven’t yet purchased a single e-book but thrown a book into my already overstuffed bag for the train ride to university today is proof enough, I guess :).
Blueberry Vanilla baked oats were on the menu for breakfast today – topped with almond butter, obviously. Can I please blame you for my blueberry cravings? It’s going to be an expensive addiction … But then again I’m glad I’m finally starting to try new breakfasts – I’ve been so afraid before when in reality it’s the best thing ever! Thanks for inspiring me!
… and here I was thinking I was the one weird person being ravenous all day after morning workouts. Glad to hear it’s apparently normal but I’ll still stick to my late afternoon/evening workouts whenever possible.
Could never hate you, Miss <3 I'm not saying they're not convenient, but I just don't want another electronic screen to look at, ya know? Between the computer, iPad, iPhone, and TV, I think I spend enough time with technology... and there's nothing quite as comforting as a book in hand.
That is an interesting idea about the bananas and cocoa powder. Have you ever had those things you can buy at supermarkets to dunk bananas in chocolate? It somewhat reminds me of that. I used to love them back in the day.
I’ve never seen those before, but I’ve dipped them in melted chocolate and stuck em in the freezer before, if that’s the same thing…
Nope. No Nook/Kindle here. Though I’m sure they’re much better than a computer screen, I still just use books to unwind and unplug. I don’t want anything electronic interfering with my reading. (wow… I sound like such an old fart)
Breakfast = protein oats with raspberries
Noooo, you sound wise 😛 That’s exactly my reasoning for sticking to books – I don’t want another screen to look at.
Haha your posts always leave me wanting to comment so much- excuse me if this all over the place :)! I’m with you about the coffee addiction, especially Starbucks! Before I had a chance to say my order yesterday, the server asked me if I wanted a soy cappuccino- smart man! As for the raw chicken, touching it really icks me out. I bit the bullet on Tuesday and as slimy as it felt, I feel that much more legit as a cook (somewhat at least ha)! And finally I’m trying out your eggy oatmeal recipe tomorrow. I’m giving up yogurt for a week due to constant bloating- given my consumption, I have a feeling that yogurt may be the cause…time will tell. Till then, I need to find non-dairy breakfast replacements. Fortunately I do love egg whites in my oatmeal but I think your recipe will compensate for my yogurt bowl!
They pretty much start getting my cappuccino ready for me before I have to say anything too 🙂 I think I may need to switch it up though because one time the barista almost wrote my name as “Cappuccino.” I hope you get some answers to your stomach probs, but I really hope that it’s not yogurt that’s causing ’em 😕
I know that hunger feeling after a morning workout. I realize when I slow down while eating (which is pretty hard when you are starving) I am more satisfied.
Oh Gosh, AMY?? No. I can’t believe they write a shortcut of your name on the cup! What would they write with my name? Lu?
I had pancakes this morning with pomegranate seeds. What else.
I cant get enough of your breakfast!! It looks so darn good!