My First Award & A BSI Recipe

Before I get started with the days events (or lack there of!), I wanted to give a great big THANKS to Cory at Zesty Cook for my very first Bloggers Excellence Award! You put a big smile on my face and brightened my day with your nice blurb about my blog. I will be sure to pass the “torch” along!

I had planned to sprinkle some of my new cranapple granola on my oats ever since I bought it last night so I was really looking forward to my bowl of breakie this morning!




It did not disappoint!

-1 cup water
-1/2 cup Quaker oats
-1 Tbsp pumpkin butter
-2 Tbsp cranapple granola
-cinnamon




I savored every single bite of my breakfast and was sad to see the end of the bowl. The “Enjoy Life Foods” granola was really good and acted as an amazing companion when mixed with the pumpkin butter and oats. It makes me happy when a meal (even as simple as oats) comes together as planned.

My night time snack last night was a toasted English muffin with cranberry sauce. Delish!



As I walked by the office candy dish I saw CHOCOLATE! There’s no way that I can walk by chocolate so I grabbed a handful.



Yummy, yummy in my tummy!

I’m happy to report that the fire has been re-ignited! My lunch run today was fantastic and it felt empowering to feel that my strength was back!

I came across some vending machine freebies in the staff lunchroom today and picked these up as they looked interesting.




These plantain snacks tasted just like chips to me. Quite disappointing actually. Mind you, I’m not quite sure what I expected them to be like. I put a few on my lunch plate along with my toasted muesli bagel and cream cheese, but I think I'll give the rest of the bag to the kids.



I just love all the seeds on these bagels and they’re really filling to boot! I left work a little early today and managed to get the grocery shopping done. As much as I like doing groceries, it’s so nice to have it done and out of the way so I can relax on Friday evenings. I also stopped by Tim Horton's and picked up a box of the Pumpkin Spice tea.



Tonight’s dinner featured the BSI of the week – lentils! Thanks to Shannon at Tri To Cook for picking such a versatile ingredient!

Lentil & Rice Pilaf Stuffed Peppers

-1 onion
-1/2 cup shredded carrots
-1 cup lentils
-3 + 1/2 cups water
-1 can fire roasted tomatoes with juice
-2 minced garlic cloves
-1 cup brown rice
-1/2 cup pepper pieces (I used the tops of the peppers to be stuffed)
-1 Tbsp basil
-salt & pepper
-6 peppers, tops cut off and inside cleaned out
-grated asiago cheese

*Pre-heat oven to 350*

*saute onion & carrots for about 5 minutes. Add water and lentils. Bring to a boil & then turn down heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

*add can of tomatoes, garlic, rice, 1/2 cup water, pepper pieces, S & P and basil. Cover & cook for another 15 minutes. Check to make sure mixture doesn't dry out. Add more water if needed.

*Put peppers in a casserole dish trimming bottom as needed so they stand straight. Fill with about 1/2 a cup of lentil/rice mixture. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of grated asiago on top.

*Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!



I am very happy with the outcome of this recipe! Traditional stuffed peppers (with meat and rice) has always been a favorite of my hubby and I alike and this version was just as tasty. The kids just ate the pilaf on it's own and the hubby and I enjoyed the stuffed pepper version. I kinda spoiled my dinner by taste testing the dish as I went so I didn't even bother putting my salad out. One of these peppers was more than enough for me (for now)!

I see a hot chocolate in my future and maybe a Lara Bar, too. I have a feeling that by 9pm or so, I'm gonna have a good hunger on! The rest of tonight is going to be devoted to finishing my magazine reading and delving into a new cookbook that my co-worker lent me. I've already scouted out a new twist on my oats that I'm hoping to try tomorrow! I hope everyone has a very good Friday night!

Bye for now!