Bites of My Life

Looks like Tuesday bites really are becoming a thing... Last week was like the few days leading up until Christmas. I could barely sleep and couldn't count down the hours fast enough until I was going to back with all my gals. A quick trip to Tejas to all reunite and also send hugs and kisses to our girl Meg before she lets the Europeans take her for a year! 

Lots of catching up happened over copious amounts of rose' and Joe T's margaritas. The volume instantly went up 10 notches when we all got back in the same room. I'm full to the top with happiness after this weekend!

-It's funny how healthy the week always starts and how unhealthy it ends...

-Got on on a serious acai bowl kick. Topped with lots of extra fruit and granola make them totally fulfilling for a healthy dinner. Not to mention so refreshing in this scorching heat.

-Are you following me on Snapchat yet (annietucker93)? No? Then you missed my step by step snaps showing how to make a perfect poached egg! 

-Said farewell to our mermaid friend Trin as she moved to her new home in Florida! Wine and cheese softened up the sadness.

-Loved gushing about my this local product and their new almond butter bar. Did you catch the post?

-Said hello and goodbye to another bestie. London called and said you should just stay in America.

-Ulti weekend all being back together, except for that whole having to say goodbye thing again.

-Took advantage of being in Texas and being in close proximity to a Trader Joe's. Goodies on goodies  crossed the border with me!

-Quinoa fried rice from Shinsei was blowing my mind! Learned a new trick for my version at home, recipe post coming this week!

Annie

Rise and KiZe

I can't tell you how giddy I am about today's post. KiZE is a locally made energy bar created right here in Oklahoma City. It's an energy bar, meal replacement, snack, or really whatever you want it to be!  Their goal is to help others maximize their success and live a happier, healthier and more purposeful life where they passionately pursue progress in mind, body, and soul. Their passion for mission is incredible. They constantly strive to serve others as well as giving back to the community - for example their partnership with Project Orphans to build family and community style homes for orphaned children in rural Haiti. I encourage you to view their GoFundMe Page to help support this mission!

Let me start by telling you a funny story. KiZE started a few years back, actually by one of my sorority sister's brother. They used to come to the house to share samples of the products. The only problem being that all five of their flavors were made with peanut butter. Major problem for the allergic over here. 

I talked with them a random handful of times on how they need to make bars with almond butter! It's healthier and so delicious-I mean why not? After a few emails back and forth, I was even deemed the "almond butter girl" by one of the employees.

Well three years later, guess what? KiZE is about to unveil their almond butter bar! Ahhhh the heavens just opened. I expressed my almond butter obsession last week after I made my own. Then, the very next day I got to try KiZE's new AB bar! It has yet to hit the market, but I got to have a sneak peek bite at their new flavor. I may be biased, but I think it's going to be a top seller! The flavor tastes like pure almond butter. They've added in raw sage honey, organic rolled oats, whey protein and even a little shredded coconut. It doesn't taste like coconut but adds the perfect depth of flavor!

I like eating my KiZE bars for breakfast on those days when I'm rushing to work and need to grab something quick. Pictured here looks like a casual slow morning where I'm enjoying a cup of tea and blogging with my KiZE bar. Ya, so this is totally staged. Five seconds after I took this I threw my bar in my purse and bolted out the door! 

Meal on the flash! One of the fundamentals KiZE was built on. They started as a way to provide nourishment for those who are too busy to eat, or don't have the time to eat a healthy meal. No time to eat? Crazy talk, I always make time to eat. But I will admit sometimes it means scarfing something down as I speed off to work in the morning!

Packaging is still in the works, but they are hoping to roll out the new flavor by end of August! In the meantime KiZE is offering a special discount code for all Take A Bite readers who want to purchase any of their bars! Just use the discount code TAKEABITE  at checkout and you'll receive 15% off your order! This code is available through tomorrow, so get your orders in!

If you want to find out more about KiZE you can visit their website, follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram! You can find them in local Whole Foods, coffee shops and fitness studios. 

Annie

KiZE allows you to give back to your body as well as others! Here is the link again to assist their mission in building homes for young Haiti orphans!

Bites of My Life

Tuesday bites? This can be a thing I suppose. After a handful of conversations with GoDaddy and pulling a few hairs out, they got me back up and running, and now here we are a day late on bites. Just rolling with the punches over here! 

Last week consisted of fantabulous almond butter that you are missing out on if you didn't read the post, sharing my summer to-do list, taking my favorite workout outside, trying to be grown up and learning how to budget (I highly recommend this website), celebrating yet another fabulous weekend, and as always, some delicious bites. This weekend though I will be reunited with my closest friends as we say welcome home and farewell! Everyone has been scattered this summer and we are about to be scattered even farther apart. It will be bites worthy next Monday (well let's hope I can actually get it posted on it's correct day).

-Homemade AB. This recipe is a keeper for sure.

-This is me putting everything in the fridge on a grilled tortilla and pretending its pizza.

-Summer TDL. Time to get crackin'

-Sneak peek at what's coming in a post this week!

-My new favorite granola all packaged up for a freebie snack from Whole Foods after Barre3 on the Lawn!

-Weekends well spent with old and new friends! 

-Pumped to finally try Pump Bar brunch. That is maple blueberry sausage.

-Dad and I whipping up a homemade version of our favorite snack!

-Cliche #Nationalicecreamday at Roxy's.

Annie

Homemade Almond Butter

Hello there, today I want you to meet one of my favorite foods. Yes, almond butter. Almond butter is a relatively new favorite. Having been allergic to peanut butter my whole life I grew up deprived of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, reese's and just a good ole spoonful of peanut butter. Deprived no more, once almond butter became popular.

The first time I had AB was my freshman year of college. I hated it. I love every kind of nut, especially almonds, but almond butter...yuck! I gave it a couple more tries and somehow I fell in love. Now you can find flavors like vanilla, honey + flax, espresso, and chocolate. It was the fancy flavors that warmed me up to AB, but now I'm just a simple girl. 

I've made almond butter before, but this recipe is a winner. It's really more about the technique this time. My past almond butters have always come out thick and grainy.  When you roast your own almonds then process them while they are still hot, the oils release much quicker and create a super smooth butter.

Almond butter takes a while. After a few minutes it will just look like ground almonds, but just keep letting the food processor do the work. After a few more minutes the natural oils from the almonds will release and start to form the butter. Once it comes together you can then add in extra flavors! Adding coffee grounds or vanilla extract is one of my favorites! This time I added one tablespoon of coconut oil and it really helped with the smoothness of the butter!

Homemade Almond Butter
makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients: 
3 cups raw almonds
Optional add ins: coconut oil, cinnamon, coffee grounds, vanilla extract, sea salt, honey

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roast your almonds for 10 to 12 minutes making sure they don't burn. While they are still warm, move directly into your food processor. Process for 7 to 10 minutes. Stop half way through to scrape down the sides. Add in desired additions. I kept it simple with just a tablespoon of coconut oil this time! It made it extra smooth and glossy!

Almond butter enjoyed best with granny smith apples, in my perfect green smoothie, spread on rice cakes, stirred into oatmeal, on birthday toast, and sandwiched between pretzel crisps! 

I'm just a girl living in a peanut free world!

Annie

Summer TDL

Usually after the Fourth of July, it seems like summer is on the downhill slope. The good thing about working and not having to go back to school is that I can really end my summer whenever I want to. That being said, I'm instating summer all year round!!! 

I've had a little summer to-do list on my phone for a while now, but haven't gotten around to checking many things off my list. With my "never ending" summer I have all the time in the world to get my to-do list done. On a more real note, I want to start actively checking things off the list! 

1. Make a killer homemade ice cream recipe, like this one!

2. Practice my grilling skills, this one utterly failed last night so I have some work to do.

3. Rent bikes and ride around town. We have this little bike rental program in OKC and I have yet to take advantage of it!

4. Make s'mores. Fancy or classic, it's just a summer staple. 

5. Re-instate Wine Wednesday. We had all the plans in the world to do this every week during the summer. It's happened once...

6. Visit the farmer's market to pick up a week's worth of produce. 

7. Take a mini vaycay to SoCal. This one is possibly in the works! It may not happen until the fall, but then again, my summer is never ending:)

8. Make a picnic and enjoy it in the park. 

9. Take a food photography class. Brit+Co has one for $20!

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I'm a big list maker. I'm one of those people who writes something in on my TDL after I've already done it, just so I can cross it off. Productivity drives me! Writing this post was on yesterday's to-do list, check! Happy girl to get that done. Stay tuned to see if I get everything checked off my Summer TDL!

Annie