Popular Pins

Happy Friday again!  This week sure flew by and, surprise!, we're already nearing the end of October.  I drove down one of our main streets at night recently, Westheimer Road, which passes by the Houston Galleria and through the popular Highland Village, and noticed that the palm trees that line both sides of the street were strung with white Christmas lights.  It got me a little excited for the holiday season, which will be here before we know it.  

I've got some popular pins to share with you today.  And I've been working on organizing my Pinterest boards better and have added some new boards Men (mostly men's fashion/style) and Wedding (just because the photos are so pretty and for those of you looking for wedding inspiration).  My food boards are getting out of control so I'm thinking of splitting them into a few categories.  Right now they are Food -Yummy and Food- Sweets. 

I'm also contributing to these Pinterest boards (Better Homes & Gardens Everything Fall, Blogger Home Decor, Home Organization, and Favorite DIY Bloggers).  You can follow all of my Pinterest boards HERE.



Now for these popular pins:

Meat & Cheese Tray via A Thoughtful Place (150+ repins)

My favorite recent pin comes from my friend Courtney and the cool thing is it's not just a photo, but a short video of how to assemble a chic meat and cheese tray.  The sprigs of rosemary are a beautiful touch.  All we need is a glass of wine and some company!

Snickers Fudge via Cook Your Food (99 repins)

I'm pretty much dying over that last photo.  This looks so easy to make - only 5 ingredients. 

Kitchen Reveal via Our House (100+ repins)

How gorgeous is this kitchen with its open natural wooden shelving contrasted against the bright white?! And this is just a peek.  You've gotta see the whole thing- the before and afters will blow you away.

Organized Office Closet via BH&G (95 repins)

When I look at this closet, I'm reminded that I really need to get my office closet in shape.  This is some good inspiration. 

How to Paint Doors the Professional Way 

via Pretty Handy Girl (114 repins)

I've been fortunate to meet Brittany in life and she's not only handy, but so friendly and down-to-earth. On her blog, she provides some of the best step-by-step tutorials I've seen with amazing results.  We're lucky she does what she does so she can be a resource for us.  For this door painting tutorial, she shows what areas to paint in the correct order and with proper technique for professional looking results.  

Free Party Fonts via Lisa Moorefield (139 repins)

Are you enamored with fonts too?  These are pretty cool and FREE!

Essie Demure Vixen (122 repins)

I need this color asap!

And finally, Oh yes I would!

Box + Crayons = Zen Activity for Two Year Old 

via Berry Sweet Baby (94 repins)

I love how the caption on the pin read, "Why have I not thought of this?" 

Have a great weekend!



On Honey We're Healthy:  My Kitchen Essentials 

Popular Pins

Happy Friday! If you're looking for some weekend reading, you can check out these super popular pins I've pinned on my Pinterest boards lately.  And for you bloggers, I also wrote a post about growing your blog with Pinterest that you can read HERE.  

Mini Tortilla Crust Pizzas via Fabulous Food Blog- 115 repins

How good and easy do these look!  I think this is something even my picky 3-year old would like.  

Tex Mex to Go via Honey We're Healthy- 493 repins

This is one thing I make all the time and don't really get tired of.  Portion out your servings for a quick, healthy meal to eat at home or take to work. 

Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies via The Skinny Fork - 177 repins

I'm anxious to try these because they look delicious and have no oil, flour, eggs or added sugar. 

Calming Entryway via Amanda Carol Interiors - 139 repins

I'm fortunate to call Amanda a personal friend and I'm so excited to see her interior design business taking off.  Isn't this entryway pretty?  Sometimes it's just a few simple things pulled together that makes a dramatic impact. 

Organized Recipes via Simply Organized as featured on It's Overflowing - 111 repins 

This looks like a perfect (pretty!) solution for how to organize all those recipes I've pulled from magazine pages or printed from the Internet. 

Long, Layered Haircut via Hairstyles & Beauty- 96 repins

Such a classic, sexy cut.  The long layers provide a lot of volume and fullness.

Vintage Fall Dining Room via Liz Marie Blog- 71 repins

Isn't this gorgeous?! The throw blanket sure cozies things up and I'm a huge fan of typography art. I also like how she mixed in the metal chairs to keep it interesting. 

How to Arrange Bed Pillows via Roost- 99 repins

Ah, Marissa- love this graphic you created, such a good visual!

Top 10 Neutral Rugs that Aren't Sisal or Jute via Kelly Market- 122 repins

I love that Kelly listed all the sites for these gorgeous rugs. 

I saved the most pinned item for last- these cute tulle/ribbon wrapped pumpkins.  5,854 repins! 

Unfortunately, when I click on the pinned picture it doesn't go anywhere!  Does anyone know the original source? *Update: I hear they are from Grandin Road (part of a kit), but I couldn't find the direct link.

Have a great weekend!  We'll be attending our son's first soccer game on Saturday- or as I've now heard it referred to: magnet ball! Should be pretty cute watching a bunch of 3-year olds huddle around that ball. :)  

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I'm new to the Polyvore site, so if you are there, let me know so I can follow you! I'll be working with Polyvore in the near future and have some fun stuff to share soon! Did you know they have  a HOME collection now? So cool!

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On Honey We're Healthy today:  Fish baked in parchment paper (Fish en Papillote).

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Popular Pins

Happy Friday to you!  Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?  I get to finally get a desperately needed haircut and we have a cute kiddo birthday to attend.  And that's it!  I'm cherishing weekends like this that aren't jam packed with errands and activities where it's go, go, go.  I'm trying to slow down and keep visiting with my parents and cook and exercise more. I'm talking about my current cardio routine on Honey We're Healthy today if you want to check it out.  I know there will be weekends in the future that are crazy busy and when that time comes, I'll have to embrace it and go with it, but for this weekend, it's time to chill.

If you're looking for some weekend reading, you can check out these super popular pins I've pinned on my Pinterest boards lately.  And for you bloggers, I also wrote a post about growing your blog with Pinterest that you can read HERE.

Vintage Postcard Calendar Journal via Design Sponge - 88 repins

(A daily calendar that can be reused each year and gets better the longer you use it.  Each day you write the year and something that happened that day like, "James started PK3 today".  How cool to look back over the years.)

Makeup Tricks to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger via MaskCara- 124 repins

(Cara's blog is a favorite of mine- she offers lots of detailed makeup/beauty tutorials that are easy to follow.)

The Weekend Organizer, Creating Personal Reference Files via Fabulously Organized Home- 175 repins

(I think most of us crave to be so organized. She writes a detailed post every Thursday about an organization project that you can tackle in a weekend.  Might be a new blog you want to follow- I am! *p.s. I've been in touch with Leah and she let me in that her site will be moving soon to www.simplyfabulousliving.com.  Be sure to bookmark it for when it goes live!

Making Life Easier via Almost Bunnies- 136 repins

(I love how she styled her Ikea Expedit bookshelf with muted tones and lots of organizational goodness.)

Marinated Greek Chicken via RecipeFavorite.com - 149 repins

(Because we all could use a new, easy chicken recipe.)

Kitchen Tool Storage via 6th Street Design School featuring Lemonade Makin' Mama- 90 repins

(Simply beautiful kitchen organization.)

Addressing Your Christmas Cards via Big Flourish- 97 repins

(Is it too early to think about Christmas?! Of course you could use this cute way of addressing cards year round with different postage.)

via Quote Diary- 95 repins

(Amen.)

Have a great weekend friends!

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Revival Market // Steel Cut Oatmeal

I don't normally post my instagram pics (@honeywerehome) on the blog, I prefer to keep them more intimate snapshots of day-to-day life, but Sunday morning's breakfast I can't stop thinking about.  If you are in Houston, Revival Market is a local spot in an area of town known as the Heights.  The Market is popular for it's fresh selection of meats and food goods, but is also a deli and breakfast cafe.  I tried it for breakfast for the first time this weekend, and was hooked after the first sip of coffee.  I love a good cup of coffee in the morning (so much so that I added a "Coffee and Tea" board on Pinterest:).

I ordered the steel cut oatmeal and it came with fresh apricots, warm milk, and brown sugar.  Pure deliciousness.

My son ordered "toast" and it was the best, flakiest biscuit I've ever tasted.  

I asked him if I could take another picture, and he said, "I gotta put butter on it first."  I will never tire of seeing his pudgy baby hands in action. 

If you're ever in Houston, this is one place I'd recommend.

Where do I need to eat in your town?  Please share! 

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Quick & Fresh Summer Dinner

Are you getting into the summer groove yet?  Our temperatures are rising and we're seeing longer days and lazier weekends.  Cooking feels lighter and I'm craving all things fresh right now.

I'm loving this easy summer dinner so much that I've had it twice in the last week!  The recipe for the chicken marinade and tomato/avocado salad is at Honey We're Healthy if you're interested.

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Ahi Tuna Salad

One of my favorite starters to order at a restaurant, aside from the cheese plate, is the tuna tartare.  To satisfy the craving at home, I make something similar once in awhile.  This recipe does call for a couple of unique ingredients you may not necessarily have on hand, but you can pick them up at most grocery stores.

Ingredients

• Ahi tuna


• Tomato


• Avocado


• Scallions


• Spicy mayo (I get it from the sushi counter at my store- it's about $1.00 for a small cup)


• Wasabi paste- comes in a tube in the Asian aisle 


• Black sesame seeds

I sear the tuna in a skillet over medium high heat for about two minutes per side and them remove and let rest while I dice the tomato and avocado.  Add in a bit of chopped scallion, the spicy mayo and wasabi paste to taste and sprinkle with the black sesame seeds.  

Are you into sushi or not so much?  I know people love it or hate it.  I'm definitely in the love category!  This is one of the recipes on my health and fitness blog, Honey We're Healthy.  Join me over there for more! :)

Chocolate Protein Brownies

I posted this protein brownie recipe on Honey We're Healthy awhile ago and it's been such a hit, that I wanted to share it here too.  I make these all the time and eat them as snacks and my son loves them too.  The consistency is actually more like a cake, but you don't have to feel guilty about eating this cake.  The recipe comes from Jamie Eason and I put in italics how I tweaked it.  

Ingredients

• 1 cup Oat Flour (I ground oats finely in a food processor)


• 2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used chocolate protein powder)


• ½ tsp Baking Soda


• ¼ tsp Salt


• 3 tbsp Baking Cocoa 


• 4 Egg Whites


• ½ cup Splenda (I leave out the sugar and add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips)


• 8oz Berry flavored Baby Food (I used 8oz applesauce)


• 4oz Water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


• Mix dry ingredients (oat flour, vanilla whey protein, baking soda, salt, baking cocoa) together in a large bowl.


• Mix wet ingredients (egg whites, applesauce, water) together in a medium sized bowl.


• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.


• Spray cooking dish (I used an 8x8 glass pan) with a non stick butter spray or olive oil spray and add batter to dish.


• Bake for about 25-30 minutes

Nutrition


2 Bars = Calories 96;  Fat 1.4 g; Carbs 12 g;  Protein 10 g



I store mine in the fridge.  Hope you like!!

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Honey We're Healthy

I wanted to take a minute here to thank you all so much for reading and supporting my health and fitness blog, Honey We're Healthy.  I'm proud of the content I've built up with the help of my friend and food contributor, Jennifer of The Chronicles of Home.  Lately, I've been sharing some of the meals we eat around here (which are quick and simple to make since I'm no gourmet chef).  And like many of you, I'm a busy mom without a lot of time to create elaborate dishes on the weekdays.  Weekend meal planning has been a life saver!  I've been utilizing the chalk wall in our kitchen for that purpose.



If you want to check out some of the recipes on Honey We're Healthy, click the links below.

Huevos Rancheros

Multigrain Buttermilk Pancakes

Fruit, Nut, and Cheese Salad

Butternut Squash & Lobster Risotto

Quick Morning Oatmeal

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Greek Pasta Salad with Chicken

Quinoa Caprese Salad

If you want to follow Honey We're Healthy, go HERE.  To subscribe, go HERE.

I noticed that Honey We're Home is just shy of 5,000 followers!  Thank you- I'm really honored that you take the time out of YOUR busy day to read my blog.  Many of you know I started this blog as a way to connect with other women when I first became a stay-at-home mom to a little baby.   I never dreamed that it would last this long and be such source of happiness in my life.  Thanks to you for reading along!  

To follow Honey We're Home, go HERE.  To subscribe, go HERE. 

Thanks so much!

Chalkboard Menu

When I first created the chalk wall in our kitchen (at the end of August!), I envisioned writing out our weekly menu on it, but I admit, this week is the first week I've actually done that.  I got inspired by my gorgeous friend Carmel at Our Fifth House.  She's and her family have recently gone Paleo and she shared a delicious cauliflower hummus recipe on my health blog, Honey We're Healthy last week.

I definitely prefer to plan our meals for the week, but that doesn't always happen.  And recently, while I was doing the Live Fit 12-Week training program, I was eating the same thing over and over.  I still do that a lot (especially for lunches), but lately I've really been in the mood to cook.  

The chalkboard menu is a great visual reminder of what's up for dinner each night.  I used a chalk marker to write out our meals, and the pens do leave some residual ink behind.  I wipe my chalk wall clean with windex and paper towels.

OMG- the fajitas last night were so good!  I used this recipe to marinate the skirt steak overnight- highly recommended!  This salmon recipe was really good too.  Is Friday your "eat out/mama's not cooking" night too?? :) 

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Super Bowl Party Recap 2013

Did you watch the game last night?! We hosted an annual Super Bowl party and had a fun, full house.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous, perfect for getting some friends together and hanging out in the backyard.  I knew we'd have a bunch of kiddos, so we rented a bounce house for the afternoon.  The kids (and some adults) loved it and bounced 'til dark.

For food, we served a slow cooked brisket and red beans.  The brisket was huge, about 8 pounds, so I was surprised there wasn't any left at the end of the party.  

We also made cream cheese stuffed jalepenos with bacon (I tried to make them a little healthier with low fat cream cheese and lower sodium bacon).  You just pop them in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  I made three batches and they all disappeared. 

Mexican 7-layer dip (refried beans, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, olives, and green onions) and caprese skewers are a party staple.

Our sweet friends brought spinach dip (that I didn't get a pic of but was absolutely delicious!), and the cutest,  tastiest cupcakes and cookies.  

The kids REALLY had a good time playing together. 

And the adults did too!  I admit I didn't catch any of the game- or the commercials . . . just the half-time show. 

What did y'all think?

P.S.  My friend Emily (Decor Chick) is hosting a sale on Joss & Main today.  I know she'd love it if you want to check it out!

You need to be a member to shop the site, but it's FREE to join, you just need an invite, which I've included for you HERE. 

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