It's Dicken's Day! (and Fresh Friday :)

It's the annual Dicken's Day here in my town and we're all full of Christmas spirit!

I did a 20 min FIRM workout this morning and for breakfast I pulled out this adorable holiday cheer towel. I thought it went nicely my green smoothie . . . :P

So this afternoon was really cool! Charles Dickens' great great-grandson performed a one-man show "A Christmas Carol" free to the public at a historic church downtown.

How in the world can I describe this experience?!!! Obviously, this guy (Gerald Dickens) is related to the Charles Dickens. Maybe it's some kind of artisty/creative gene that got passed down because it was simply spectacular!

It was a really fun experience and I ran into a ton of friends and we all got to sit together which made it even more fun! 

Smiling with two of my sweet friends. :-) 

 

Tiny Tim! They have people dressed up as the main characters with Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas which makes it all come alive. One year I'm going to dress up . . . 

A nice green salad alongside Thanksgiving leftovers for supper! Someone has to get up those leftover desserts . . . right?!

And - it's the most wonderful time of the year! Sorry, guys- I'm a sucker for the oldies. :) Maybe it has something to do with fun times of riding around with my Pappy and listening to his music. 

I hope your Christmas season is off to a fantastic start! The festivities have begun!!! I'm looking forward to the caroling parties, food, family and just plain fun that this month holds. 

~

So sorry, y'all! I completely forgot it was Fresh Friday until late today! Better late than never . . .  Link-up and tell me about your week. :) Here are my top 3:

#1 - time w/ family

#2 - hearing/seeing Charles Dickens' great great grandson in person

#3 - giving thanks on turkey day! 

What are your top 3 fresh thoughts for Friday? 

Thanksgiving Feast Report

Happy Thanksgiving, peoples! Today was an amazing day with friends and family. I was so excited about today that I woke up with butterflies in my stomach. :P

I did a Kelsie Daniels workout before breakfast this morning along w/ some short interval running. Felt so good! I skimped on the stretching, though - tomorrow!

So, here are the highlights in pics. :)

Every year we have a big family get together which I absolutely love! I only get to see my cousins a couple times of year so this is a really special time.



My sister and I stayed up late last night in the kitchen cookin' away! Here's what we contributed to the feast, along with recipe links that we used for ideas:

Green beans w/ slivered almonds. I loved the lemon juice flair to these!

A new recipe! The fresh parsley made this dish. :) I lightly broiled the cauliflower so it would still have some crunch (the less you cook the more nutrients preserved). Definitely making this one again! (roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce)

Mac & cheese - the vegan version! Turned out really yummy and I was thankful because it was my first attempt. :) I didn't have all the ingredients for this recipe  (smokey mac & cheese) so I subbed. Pumpkin puree is actually an awesome replaced for butternut squash! Just sayin' . . .

But, I wouldn't recommend telling people that there is pumpkin in their mac & cheese . . . lol!

Wrapping up the food this morning getting ready to head out the door to my aunt & uncle's for the family feast. :)



A full oven!

My sweet sister and mom finishing up the roasted sweet potatoes before we rushed out the door. Getting everything hot and ready @ one time can be quite the task! 

The raw pecan bars I made yesterday. :) 

There was so much food here it was almost sinful. My uncle does the turkey and we all contribute with  the side dishes. Since there are so many of us it really adds up!

There is always something to give thanks for!

Friends & family. :)  

Let's feast! 

My plate. Well . . . the first go round, I should say. :P 

Aren't these just the cutest decorations- ever! 

I love my family. :)

A table full of handsome-ness! In my opinion, at least. :P 

Mom, you are awesome. I love you SO much! 

My dessert sampler. :) Waaaaaaaaaaaah! SO GOOD!!! I grabbed a taste of most everything: rum cake, chocolate chip pound cake, the pecan bars, my grandma Mimi's famous apple cake, & a sliver of apple pie. Should I say heavenly . . . ?

We took so many pictures it's craaaazzy .

Something about a big meal makes ya tired!



Granddaughter picture w/ Granny.

And then one w/ grandma Mimi & Mom.

Everyone in one shot. Wow, what an accomplishment!

There you have it, folks! The highlights of the day minus the evening's fun w/ kicking off the holiday season watching a Christmas movie. More to come . . .

How was your Thanksgiving?

Top 10 Thanksgiving Meal Tips

Okay, dear blog readers- here are my top 10 healthy tips for making it through the Thanksgiving meal. Let me know what you think and what your's are, too!  

 

I'll see you tomorrow with a recipe for raw pecan bars. :) 

Perfect Fit Protein Powder Winners + Pumpkin Spiced Latte Muffins

Hi, guys! It's a Monday and I hope you're having a fabulous work day! Aaah, can you believe Thanksgiving is THIS Thursday? How did that happen?! I'm so excited about it, though, and can hardly wait to spend the day with family and friends. :) 

Over the weekend, I had some sweet potatoes on hand from a local gardener and decided to make roasted sweet potatoes.

To make, all you need are a few sweet potatoes, olive oil, cinnamon, salt & pepper and a little honey to drizzle over. There are no measurements, just taste preference as your guide. :)  

Wash the potatoes, peel- slice & dice. Place your potatoes in a bowl and drizzle a little oil over, sprinkle several heavy shakes of cinnamon, crank in some fresh pepper and sprinkle a little salt. Mix everything together until thoroughly coated. 

Pop in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake until nice and crispy (about 30 minutes). If you want a little extra sweetener you can add a little honey. :) Enjoy! I'm planning to make these for Thanksgiving because they're so simple & nutritious!

I was starving by the time lunch rolled around today so I made a salad. This one had a few slices of organic tomato, mushrooms and cucumber. What did you have for lunch?

After a 40 minute workout this morning (2.25 mile + squats & lunges), I had juice and a few berries for breakfast. All I can say is fresh carrot & cabbage juice is not for the faint of heart! :P

Okay, so I'm doing my best to get in as much pumpkin as I can before Christmas rolls around next week!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte Streusel Muffins
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 tbsp ground coffee
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup honey crystals
1/4 cup sucanat
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large eggs
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee/espresso @ room temperature

Cinnamon-Coffee Streusel: 
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3 tbsp honey crystals
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coffee powder
2 tbsp olive oil

Click here for directions and recipe inspiration credit: HealthFoodforLiving.com

These were delicious and I couldn't resist helping myself to one fresh out of the oven! 

And, the winners for the Perfect Fit Protein powder giveaway are . . . 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sami, Jordan and Amber - please e-mail me your mailing addresses. :) realfoodrunner@gmail.com

Fresh Fridays - Wk 2

It's wk 2 for Fresh Fridays! Last go around was a blast so I'm really excited to see what posts you all link-up with this week. :-) 

3 Things that Made my Week Fresh & Fantastic:

#1 - singing
#2 - fine dining with fine friends :)
#3 - fresh flowers

What top 3 things made the week fresh & fantastic for you? Link-up and tell me what's on your plate!

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Last Night - Patriotic Celebration for the Veterans (1940s Style)

I had a blast last night taking a walk down memory lane with the generation of WWII.

On our way to the performance! My sister Allie with her hot lemon tea. Always a great choice to loosen up those vocal chords. :P That, plus bananas! Bananas are awesome for nerves because they have plenty of potassium which helps you to relax.

The dressing room! 

Warming up. There are always those last finishing touches!

Almost ready . . . and as the saying goes- break a leg!

Here are some clips from the night. :) It was a 1940s style program with favorite songs from WWII including, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer and We'll Meet Again.

Mingling and talking with a vet after the program. 

We're all done and pray that people were blessed. :) Any guesses where we're headed? 

Ha-ha! Yes, we are really happy!!! So, I want to know about you - do you sing/play or just have an awesome appreciation for music? Do tell!