A lot of people, myself included, tend to start Monday with a case of the ho-hums. The weekend is over, we had to wake up early again today, we have lists of things to do, and Friday is so far away. We focus on all the negative and that can really bring down your week and just put you in a grumpy mood. 
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One Good Thing
Today, we’re going to play a game. I mean that in the least creepy Jigsaw/Saw movie way. 
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My Weekend In Cubs Heaven
Don’t worry, I’m not going to get all touchy-feely about the Cubs in this post. I just thought it would be fun to share some of the fun things that are going on around here lately. If you do crave the touchy-feely, you can read this Cubs post here.
Theo Epstein with the trophy
Happy New Year!!
Most of you are probably still sleeping and with good reason. You stayed up late celebrating the New Year in fun ways I’m sure.
Our New Year’s Eve was a little different this year, both of us were in bed by 10 pm. Yup, we kind of missed ringing in 2016. But with good reason, Adam has a nasty virus and I’m doing my best to ward it off. We still celebrated a little. I made a ton of dip (see Wednesday’s post) and we watched Netflix until Adam decided it was time to pass out.
I hope that you had a little bit more lively celebration, but whatever you did I hope that 2016 is a great year!
I’ll be back on Monday and I’ll share my word for the year as well as get back to my regular posts full of delicious food and simple ways to be healthy. For now, I’m going to watch the parade and maybe a few bowl games and just relax!
Happy New Year friends!
Last Minute Christmas
Two more sleeps! Two more sleeps! We are almost to the big day and I hope you are as excited as I am!
I do have to admit, though, I was a little grinchy earlier. I know, I know but I was getting bogged down under my Christmas to-do list on top of my regular to-do list and it felt like they were both growing no matter how hard I was working. Everything was starting to make me grouchy and less than Christmas-y. 
Then I took these pictures for last minute Christmas recipes, and I started to feel that Christmas spirit again. I may have also been watching Elf and other Christmas movies to help put me in the mood. Either way, I’m glad I snapped myself out of it. I know this time of year can be stressful, especially if you’re the one planning everything. You want everyone else to feel the cheer of the season while you’re slowly going crazy with baking cookies, planning feasts, wrapping presents, and making hot chocolate.
While I can’t do everything on your list, I can help out with a few last minute recipes. Both these recipes take minimal effort and can be made beforehand and then brought out when your guests arrive. One is sweet and one is savory and both are delicious. So if you need a quick dessert or appetizer, try one of these out.
And remember, Christmas comes without ribbons, it comes without tags. It comes without packages, boxes or bags. Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Christmas means just a little bit more….
Creamy Cranberry Dip
- 1 batch of my spicy cranberry sauce
- 1 batch of my no mozzarella, mozzarella
- crackers, chips, bread chunks, or vegetables for dipping
- Make both the cranberry sauce and no mozzarella, mozzarella. You can do this a few days before you plan on serving the dip. Just store them in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Oil a small glass casserole dish or another oven safe dish with a little olive oil. Pour in the mozzarella and bake for 10 minutes.
- Pull out the mozzarella and pour the cranberry sauce on top. Place the dish back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve warm with whatever dipping device you have.
Christmas Blondies
- 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and skins removed (don’t skip this last step!)
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 2/3 cup date sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 and oil a brownie pan with a little coconut oil.
- Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the dish, scooping out the last bits with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Pull out the pan and check the middle. If it is still gooey, bake for another 10 minutes.
- Let the blondies cool on a rack completely before cutting and serving. You can also sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. It is Christmas after all!
Life Healthfully Lived 