- Author: Melissa -

Hi there! I'm Melissa & I am a firm believer in taking cookies out of the oven 2 minutes under the recommended cooking time. I also love to travel, cook, shop, craft, and live an all around positive lifestyle. Come say hi!
Breakfast, Recipe Box, Snacking, Sweet Tooth

Banana Oatmeal Muffins!

This is going to be a short, but oh so very sweet, post! This recipe is one I’ve had in my “vault” (aka a folder on my laptop) for awhile but it is so good, I cannot believe I’ve been keeping it to myself! Typically, when people say “muffins” I picture those amazing blueberry strudel muffins from Starbucks, or the amazing pumpkin spice chocolate chip ones my mom makes. Both of which, let’s be honest here, are basically cupcakes without the frosting. These are actually healthy! I pack up a few of these, keep them at work, and either eat them for breakfast or snack on them throughout the day when I need a quick pick-me-up. The fun part is you can top them with whatever you’d like! I switch mine up each time,…

Drinks, Eating Out, Recipe Box

The Perfect Coffee 80 Calorie Treat

Happy weekend! And a very Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads out there. :) I’ve been a big fan of Taralynn for over a year now. She’s full of positive energy and finds ways to treat yourself in healthy ways! I highly recommend checking out her blog if you haven’t yet! You won’t be disappointed. This Starbucks order originated from her, but I have adopted it into my own! Now that the summer weather is in full swing, I am backing away from hot coffees and lattes and moving over to iced! This play on a frappuccino is great for these humid days, and only 80 calories. Can’t beat that! I ask for a tall or grande 3 shots of espresso blended up with ice and non-fat milk. It comes out pretty foamy,…

Breakfast, Drinks, Friends & Family, JAXplore, My Life, Recipe Box, Travel Adventures

Weekend Update/ Typical Breakfast!

Happy weekend! Dj’s the cutest! While away in working in California this past week, he had my favorite flowers sent to me. :) So grateful for such a caring, sweet guy in my life! I was nervous that these 10 days that he is gone would be spent bored and making myself crazy. I know a lot of people cherish being alone, but I hate it. Luckily, I have made some great friends down here who I’ve spent all week with! Thank goodness for them! Yesterday, my friend Linsey and I went to Georgia to see her family. Her brother lives on the water and it was 90 degrees, so it was a really beautiful day. I love this stuff! Angry Orchard has an elderflower flavor that is my absolute favorite. Perfect for these…

Breakfast, Drinks, Recipe Box, Snacking, Sweet Tooth

Vanilla, Fresh Pineapple, Honey Yogurt Bowls

Last night one of Dj and my friends asked me if I wanted to join him for dinner at Crazy Sushi (my favorite sushi restaurant in Jacksonville). I couldn’t even think of declining! They have this amazing deal where if your final total comes up to $30 or more, if you check in with the app FourSquare, you’ll automatically get $6 off your bill! Dj and I typically will get an extra sushi roll or appetizer just to then have left overs to take advantage of this deal. Since learning about that, it’s been brought to my attention that many restaurants provide these types of deals once you check-in on the app. Something to definitely keep in mind! So, for day three of my #dinnerforone segment, I feel as though I should relabel this…

Dinner, Dressings & Marinades, Lunch, Recipe Box

Hawaiian Grilled Shrimp Stir Fry

Ah, day two (out of 10) of my #dinnerforone segment. I have this gigantic fresh, amazingly ripe pineapple right now. I’ve been eating off it for a few days now, but being home alone, I still have a lot to go! I’ve been putting in on yogurt, in smoothies, and eating it plain with a bit of honey (oh-my-thank-you-tastebuds-god). I looked in the pantry and saw that I had this Hawaiian marinade. Boom. What goes better with Hawaiian marinade than pineapple? That’s right- nothing. Shrimp and fresh veggies do come pretty dang close though. I thought ahead for once and marinated these shrimps over night. That rarely happens (and when I say rarely, I mean it’s happened approximately twice). The great thing about this marinade is that it’s a 30 minute marinade- score! But,…

Dinner, Friends & Family, JAXplore, Lunch, My Life, Recipe Box, Sides, Snacking, Travel Adventures

Homemade Whole Grain Mac and Cheese & a Whole Bunch of Random!

I know I’ve been so awful and neglectful lately! As you may know, I am now a “big girl” and have a real job. I’m a Marketing Specialist/ PR Rep, so 97% of the day is spent online. SO, once I get home, I’ve been sideways staring at my laptop, leaving it lonely on my living room table. That’s all changing today, though! I’m officially back. :) This past weekend, Dj brought me to the PGA Players Championship golf tour. He sometimes gets away with having golf on the tv, and it bores me to sleep. So, needless to say, my anticipations for the event were low. After making friends with the bartender, however, my feelings all changed! ;) He sure made a mean Bloody Mary! Watching golf in person is completely different, as…

Breakfast, Recipe Box

Gluten-Free, Healthy, 3 Minute Mug “Pancakes”!

I finally tried aubernutter’s Mug Pancake recipe! She’s one of my all time favorite Tumblrs, and these “Pancakes” made me even love her more! These are also super easy, versatile, and insanely filling. Lately, I’ve been making these in the mornings and bringing them to work. You Need: *1 Banana *1 Egg *1 Cup Oatmeal (any kind) *Unsweetened Applesauce *Cinnamon *1 Packet of Truvia *Chia Seeds* *if you don’t have Applesauce, you can sub it out with Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese! *The cinnamon, Truvia, and chia seeds are all optional! You can also add anything to make your own spin on these. (Raisins, nuts, fruit- Whatever!) First, microwave your banana on a plate (or in the mug) for 30 second. Mash the banana all up in the bottom of a large mug. I…

Breakfast, Recipe Box, Snacking, Sweet Tooth

Baked Chocolate Peanut Butter Cinnamon Bananas!

Let us take a moment to thank whoever invented the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Plus banana. Plus honey. Plus Cinnamon. Okay, you get where I’m going with this. My sweets cravings have been having their own sweets cravings lately. It’s madness. The trick is to trick your body into thinking the cravings are winning, while still choosing foods that are good for you and wont kill your clean eating efforts! That is exactly what this little sliver of heaven does for me. You Need: *1 Banana *Raw Honey *Cinnamon *Natural Peanut Butter *Dark Chocolate Chips *Pecans (optional)* Preheat your oven to 210 degrees!! Slice your banana in half. Sprinkle with the banana with cinnamon. Spread about a tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter inside of the banana. I like Skippy’s, but any would work!…