- 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, Drinks, Recipe Box

Good Morning, World!

I love mornings when you can sip coffee and relax. Yesterday was one of those mornings! I’m a bit of a coffee addict. I love it! There’s no such thing as too much coffee in my opinion. :) Pictured above: Egg Whites Scramble: 3 egg whites, yellow bell pepper, spinach: topped with a tablespoon of medium chunky salsa *Side of fresh Roma tomato *Side of ¼ yellow bell pepper* Entire Plate: 129 Calories

Friends & Family, My Life, Recipe Box, Snacking

Weekend Festivities & Holiday Energy Bars!

This weekend the weather was beautiful! It’s been super cold and snowy in West Virginia, so on weekends like these, I embrace the outdoors. Pictured above is an overlook called Coopers Rock. My roommate, Sara, and I walked up there as the sun was starting to set on Thursday. Usually, we hike down through the mountain, but since we arrived as the sun was setting, we just sat and talked and enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful scenery. Friday and Saturday were just as beautiful! Saturday we went to the driving range. DJ is a golf lover, and while I tried (but miserably failed) at the driving range, I bought a cup of coffee and enjoyed the fresh air while watching DJ in his element. :) We had the entire range to ourselves! We…

Dinner, Lunch, Recipe Box

Italian Turkey Meatballs!

My house is covered in meatballs!!! It’s amazing how many you can make with a pound of ground turkey. Good thing these meatballs are so dang tasty! ;) Dj really loved these too… when asking him what I should call them he suggested, “uhh.. ‘Really Good Meatballs’?" I’m really picky when eating out, and generally stray away from bulky meats, such as meatloaf or meatballs. I just want to make sure there are no gross fillers, so making my own seems like the solution to my problem. :) You Need: *1 pound ground turkey (or chicken or beef) *1 egg *1 cup whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs *1 cup chopped onion *7 Tablespoons of Italian Seasoning* 2 Tablespoons black pepper * Simply mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl! Don’t be afraid…

Dinner, Lunch, Recipe Box

Lean Ground Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas! Ole!

This week we had our first real snow fall of the winter! I love the snow. It’s so beautiful! I’m not a big fan of the cold, but if it snows, I don’t think it’s that bad. :) My school is too pretty when it snows!  It also got me in the holiday cheer and I blasted Christmas music throughout my apartment… it’s never too early! :) I was having a craving for Mexican food (my all time favorite), but wasn’t craving all the fried grease that comes along with it! So, I decided to make a healthy spin off enchiladas. Yum! You need: *8 low-carb tortillas *1 can enchilada sauce *1 pound lean ground chicken breast *1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained) *1 can Rotel* 1 package low-sodium taco seasoning* Preheat…

Breakfast, Recipe Box

Power Breakfast!

I love breakfast! Especially when it’s quick, fresh, and yummy! So, quick and easy power breakfast today! *3 egg whites scrambled with *½ cup fresh spinach *1 Roma tomato * 1/3 orange bell pepper* With a side of fresh Roma tomato!  Whole plate: 157 Calories

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

Weekend in the Woods & Chicken Butternut Squash Soup

This week was hectic but oh so much fun! My friends and I are all about to graduate from WVU next month (cue tears), so we decided to rent a cabin at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland and have a weekend in the woods! I really cannot call it a “cabin” though- it was more of a mansion.. 3 stories, a pool table, hot tub, plasma flat screen.. we really roughed it! ;) It ended up being a great getaway and the weather was so nice! You really can’t beat the scenery, it’s beautiful at this time of year. Ignore my roommate Sara’s awful hat… ;) My only complaint is that we couldn’t stay longer! Now let’s get on to the best creation using fall flavors I made before our trip! I don’t know…

Recipe Box, Snacking, Sweet Tooth

Strawberry Honey Greek Yogurt Pops!

I have the biggggggest sweet tooth. After meals, or random times throughout the day, I get a craving for something sweet and usually cannot crush it! These little greek yogurt pops are the perfect solution. They are the perfect size for something quick to snack on- and they remind me of ice cream. :) All you need: *Your favorite flavor of low-fat greek yogurt (I chose Honey)* Your favorite fresh fruit (I chose strawberries)* First, add 2 tablespoons of your choice of greek yogurt into all the slots in an ice cube tray. Cut strawberries in ¼. Place a toothpick in the strawberry and stick down into the yogurt. Freeze and enjoy! Make as many as you want for a quick and easy treat. :) Per Yogurt Pop: 23 Calories

Dinner, Lunch, Recipe Box

Greek Grilled Chicken Wraps.. OPAAA!

Halloween weekend was a success! We had a bunch of old friends come in this weekend to visit, so my body is running on E today! Is going to sleep at 6:50 pm allowed for a 22 year old…? That’s my internal struggle right now ;). Being so low on energy, I whipped up something quick with things I already had in my fridge! I had left over cooked chicken breasts from a few days ago, and was being nostalgic over my trip to Greece a few summers ago, so I tried to pretend I was on the island by creating a Greek-inspired Grilled Chicken Wrap! Opa! This turned out really well and is one of my Go-To quick menu items! You need: *1 low-carb tortilla *1 grilled chicken breast (seasoned with garlic &…