More Muffin Love- Whole Wheat Applesauce Oatmeal Cranberry Dark Chocolate Muffins

... now that's a mouthful! The title... and this delicious picture!

I needed to use some applesauce, and I love to bake, so what better idea then...
Whole Wheat Applesauce Oatmeal Cranberry Dark Chocolate Muffins. I adapted it from the recipe below.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

(adapted from http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/muffins/r/appsaucemuffins.htm)

Ingredients:

•1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

•1 1/4 cups oats

•1 tsp baking powder

•1/2 tsp baking soda

•1/4 tsp salt

•1/2 tsp cinnamon

•1 cup unsweetened applesauce

•1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

•1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

•2 tbsp canola oil

•1 large egg, lightly beaten

•1/2 cup raisins (so instead, I used some dark chocolate and cranberries)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases or spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in raisins. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. 

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Per muffin: Calories 208, Calories from Fat 37, Total Fat 4.1g (sat 0.6g), Cholesterol 18mg, Sodium 123mg, Carbohydrate 37.4g, Fiber 3.8g, Protein 5.4g

A 1/2 cup of dried cranberries.

A half cup of dark chocolate chips.

And there you have it! Delicious muffins for the whole family.

Celebrating with our Mother- First BBQ!

Here's an awesome way to celebrate our special Mom. On my sister's new deck!  Nice eh!

Such a pretty, fancy and sunny deck ...check out the wood shutters too!

This is the sweetest 'avoiding' the sun shot... with Grand-Maman love beaming. Check out that cute little garden hat. So sweet!

Ok, but this shot just made me laugh. There's Melanie clearly not avoiding the sun, and it's right in her eyes, but look at Stephanie walking on Grand-Maman's lap and Grand-Maman looking at her feet, too funny!

Superstar shot... it's like don't bother me, I'm with ma tante.

So what do you have to have at your first summertime BBQ? All beef wieners of course.

 Julie made delicious salads... a fresh pasta salad!

... and my favourite, cucumber, watermelon, mint and lime juice dressing... the freshest salad ever.

Stephanie had a great time too eating her decomposed hamburger and cucumbers. Fun times!

Nice Nails- Hot Pink Shimmer

Don't you love new nail polish colours?

Melanie and I do! Especially when it's OPI's little sister, Nicole... and on sale!

Melanie and I got to buy one colour each.  She chose 'She's Lily Something' from the Modern Family collection.

... and I got 'Spring Break' from the Selena Gomez collection.

So here is the finished product... Hot Pink Shimmer, one on top of the other... Nice Nails!

Amazing Adventures- Sprouting Fountains and Remembering Health

In Spring, you never know what kind of weather you are going to get. This Amazing Adventure at Lakeside Park was almost a month ago... (I know, I share late!). But this is sooooo a propos at this time in our lives right now. You see, a lot has changed since we went on this adventure, Brent's foot had to be operated on which led to some blood clots in his legs and lungs and he had to be rushed to the hospital. A week later, he is still in the hospital needing oxygen... we don't know when he is coming home. It's hard for Melanie and I, we go to school/work all day and rush home, have dinner and go visit him at night until they kick us out, we are exhausted, but are leaning on each other hard to get all the house/cat/living stuff- we are having sleepovers every night to feel the comfort we miss from our Daddy/Husband. Melanie has pitched in and stepped up for a little 11 year old, and I am so proud of her.

We long for these days... splashing around, smiling, carefree, no hospital visits...

... not seeing Brent in a hospital bed in need of oxygen... but a Brent who is walking, laughing and splashing in puddles...

So my wish is for you all to send healing prayers to Brent so that he can get out and start enjoying his life... start splashing around in the water fountains of life! Amen!

Star Fruit for a Superstar!

That's me! A superstar at trying to live- everyday- this new healthy lifestyle. Trying, is a good word here, sometimes there are challenges, but if I am doing my best with what is going on my life right now... then I am doing good. Right Szos?

So how fitting that I should introduce you to the Star Fruit also know as Carambola. It looks kinda funny right... but wait...

See what happens when you cut it, it's magic! It makes a star! I love stars! One of my favourite songs is 'Just like a star' by Corrine Bailey Ra

 So your probably wondering what it tastes like? Well, it's like a watered down pear/cucumber combined, very mild tasting, and check out the health benefits below:

Health Benefits of Star Fruit (http://www.naturalfoodbenefits.com/display.asp?CAT=1&ID=29)

- Star fruit may lower cholesterol levels and add bulk and moisture to feces.

- A decoction of leaves and roots (prepared separately or in combination) can help cure headaches, ringworm, and chickenpox.

- The fruit is known to cure hangovers and prickly heat. You can also use the pickled fruit for hangover just take one piece of the pickled fruit, steam in water and serve.

- The fruit has also been used to treat sore eyes.

- The star fruit is given to nursing mothers as it is commonly believed to stimulate the flow of milk.

Toronto Flowers... such beauty!

Love is in the air... in Toronto. Our dear friends the St. Germains asked us to babysit their precious angel while they went out and about... what an awesome pleasure for Melanie and I. You see, they live in such a pretty neighbourhood in Toronto, one filed with life and beauty. There is so much greenery with splashes of colour in Toronto. Here's what we saw...

Gorgeous arrangements up the stairs....

Pretty lilac flowers...

My favourite... Muguet, what ? Ok, that's French for Lily of the Valley. They smell so awesome!

Some dripping bleeding hearts.

Best colour ever! Periwinkle blue... found on the little 'Forget me nots', the flower, not the song!

Oh, but seriously, look at these gorgeous purple tulips.

... ok, no wait, what about these, dark purple/black tulips... seriously incredible colour sent from heaven!

Serious artist at work....

...all finished up wish some awesome sock hop! What a beautiful day filled with love, flowers, laughter and dancing! Thanks for the beauty!

BOBS - helpful shoes!

Let me introduce you to the new me.... or my new feet that is!
Since loosing over 97 lbs, I have also lost weight/fat in my feet, my feet use to be a bulky 8.5 to 9 shoe. Now I am having to buy 7.5 or even 7 shoes. Crazy, but true!

I used to wear orthotics in my shoes, because my plantar fasciatis (sp?). But since losing weight, I have stopped wearing them... my legs aren't as big, so I don't walk on the side of my foot. (things you discover!). So now I am able to wear cute shoes with a little support. Here enters 'BOBS'. The shoe that gives back. See the label in the box.

They look like they might be too flat for those of us who need arch support, but let me tell you, they are AWESOME and COMFORTABLE, yes I am screaming with excitement! Really these are fantastic!

... and when you buy a pair, Skechers donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. Oh... and you get a cute rubber bracelet (that Melanie stole!).

Healthy Muffin Time- Whole wheat banana blueberry pecan muffin

Healthy Muffin Time!

Last year I posted a supermoist recipe for these muffins, here's the link http://simmerandglimmer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/super-moist-banana-blueberry-muffin.html

I mentioned that they were very big and that I could make 24 muffins instead... so this is what I did this time to revamp the recipe.

Oh yeah, gotta new Betty Crocker mixing bowl at Dollarama.

Check out how happy my ingredients are! Whole wheat flower, bananas and blueberries, all smiling in there!

This time, I added some pecans for extra crunch and nutrition. Melanie, my assistant, chopped them in the hand chopper. Merci!

This time I made 24 muffins, some in square muffin tins.

See!

... and some in round muffin tins too. All happy and nutritiously posing for the photo. I always double muffin recipes and freeze half for later- just don't forget them in your freezer for 6 months!

Nice Nails- Splash of Polka Dot

Don't you love it when your accessories match your watch?

 

Well, if you're a fashionista, you'd love this too! I took a 'tangerine' colour and put it on all my nails, but the ring finger... well, it got special treatment. I painted it a dark pink and put tangerine polka dots on top. To finish the look, just put on your matching watch! Oh, you know... I have a few of those inexpensive watches, one to suit my every mood LOL!

Happy Fallsview Anniversary Celebration

How à propos for me to share a happy celebration with you on my birthday. This wonderful surprise was secretly planned by my husband for our wedding anniversary, his birthday and my birthday and we actually went on the Sunday of Mother's day.

 Actually, it's really a wonderful way to treat a mother, take her away to a luxurious hotel suite with a view of one of the World's 7 Wonders of the World! Because we went on a Sunday, off season we got a really good deal and were able to get a room with this view... can you believe it? That's Niagara Falls right there, outside our hotel room window!

Here's my handsome husband waving and my pretty orange Mother's Day purse on the bed saying, "I have arrived"!  Loved this room!

I really loved this wallpaper. Here's a cute shot of Brent looking up at the wall, it's like water drops!

Here's my on the bed, ta da! and check out the back right- an in-room jaccuzi tub. Oh yeah baby! Make sure you close the blinds folks!

Here's the souvenirs I saved for Melanie!

Ok, another gratuitous shot of what I was seeing outside the window!

So, yes, please don't! We really enjoyed the room!

We had some delicious, over priced drinks at Brent's choice for dinner. Outback! He reminded it was his celebration too!

So I conceded... and enjoyed my margarita!

... and Brent, his too!

...warning this is not a picture of a healthy food. It was a celebration, and Brent's favourite thing in the world. A Bloomin' Onion!

I enjoyed some celebratory coconut shrimp....

don't worry we worked it off!... look a rainbow- distraction!

We worked it off by Walking... in May.... with winter coats... and an orange purse!

Seeing the sites...

Checking out the water show!

... next morning, OMG, what a beautiful view, enjoying a breakfast coffee looking over the falls. Such a wonderful place to wake up. No need for TV or entertainment... just watch the waterfalls and count your blessings and all that you are grateful for!

The next day, we drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake, walked around and saw pretty tulips.

and beautiful yellow 'somethings'... went into stores and then....

...had to so stop for a very large Venti Misto... and wait, what is that, another new purse.... well.... maybe... there was a purse store open in the Casino and it was having big sales!!!!! It's a souvenir! Thanks Brent so much for making my dreams come true! I love you!