Bites of My Life

Happy Thanksgiving week! I’m SO excited it’s here. I’m lucky to get to be home for a whole week leading up to the big day. After a great weekend just hanging with my mom and dad, going to Norman for gameday and starting to prep and shop for Thanksgiving dishes yesterday, I’m ready for it to get here. These few days leading up will be just as fun. We have a work Thanksgiving today and a day of meetings tomorrow, so the days are sure to go by fast. Oldest sis Claire and her husband Mike get here Tuesday and then the holiday can officially begin!

-Swapped pumpkin for peppermint mocha in my bulletproof and it was everything!
-Decked the halls a little early! Love how my little apartment looks at Christmas.
-Best time of the year, is when this is back on the shelves. Best dairy-free egg nog IMO!
-Makeshift shakshuka in a saucepan lol. I had to throw away my 8in frying pan and was craving this dish. Improvise, improvise, improvise!
-Has anyone else had an opal apple? I couldn’t resist the yellow color! I sliced mine and ate with pumpkin pie spice on top.
-Kappa roots run deep, and I loved getting to spend lunch with KKG Dallas Alum including the star of the show, my friend Maegan from The Baker Mama! She was OU KKG!
-Home just in time to help put up Elle’s Christmas tree!
-Saturday’s in Norman >
-http://www.takeabiteblog.com/blog/2016/6/20/cherry-peach-pie kicked off the holiday baking. I swear by my recipe!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Hey September, I said heyyyyyy Septemberrrrrr. Beyonce reference to Hey Mrs. Carter anyone? That was so bad, OK moving on.

Labor Day how was it? I was back in Oklahoma City after my mom, middle sis and the babies came to visit me in Dallas. I wish I had video of me squeezed between two car seats with two crying babies in the pouring rain on our drive back to Oklahoma… I was home for the first OU home game, but got to sneak in good family time, good food, so many walks and prepped 150 Perfect CCCs that I’m making for my friend Chloe’s wedding this weekend! Got back in town yesterday and went into full on #SeptemberWhole30 prep mode. Let the games begin.

-A taste of fall, but also full on basic white girl move by trying the new Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Verdict it’s delicious if you like pumpkin things, but you can’t modify it so it’s a niiiice sugar dose in your morning coffee. Still worth ordering at least one this season.
-I joined a volleyball league with some friends here in Dallas. Thankfully we were friends first so they don’t drop me because of my poor athleticism and weak contribution…
-Was on a kick last week of pilates, Royal Blue and then a neighborhood stroll. These were good mornings.
-Favorite new TJ’s find is this Suja celery juice. Just celery and lemon and only $2.99. Only a little more than a stalk of organic celery that you’d juice yourself.
-PizZA with my pizza loving mini me at True Food Kitchen. Loved having them in town for a couple days.
-We picked up Bird Bakery for our lunch on the road. This was my first BB experience and the chicken salad is truly out of this world.
-Got to my parents and did what I did best, cleaned out their fridge. The results were this yummy thai inspired cauliflower fried rice with curry and turmeric seasonings in it and thai curry cashews on top!
-Another parent fridge raid meal. Chicken salad, mismatched veggies, cottage cheese (are you yay or nay?) over mixed greens.
-A true depiction of gameday, inside Seven47 and my relationship with my sis and BIL.
-Back in Dallas after a packed weekend. Had to take a breather before heading to the grocery store, so my Whole 30 Day 1 lunch was an apple and almond butter because it was legit the only food I had.
-I’m getting wildly obsessed with sharing my grocery hauls, but y’all are into them, so I’m into them to. I save them all to a highlight on my instagram.
-First official whole 30 meal was this 5-ingredient sausage and peppers with marinara that The Defined Dish did on her instagram last week!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Four blog posts in one week, who am I?? Gift guide, dinner recipe and cookie recipe all went live last week. Can you not agree that sometimes you get more done when you are busier? The rush of the holidays are real, but if that means being more active on the blog side so be it! Can't say four posts will get rolled out this week...

Feeling festive with all the Christmas decorations up, gift guide out, shopping (almost) done, cookies made etc! A festive weekend for the Sooners too, cheering on our team with my best friends in Dallas! 'Tis the season!

-The Jones Assembly decked their halls last week! Love having this festive place to work from.
-Apple nachos inspired by my insta girl crush @rachelsgoodeats.
-A few of my favorite things from my gift guide. Who else is a sucker for gift guides??
-Crock-Pot Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes was a recipe my mom would often make growing up and I've loved fixing it recently for an easy but nostalgic dinner. I used these mini purple sweet potatoes from Trader Joe's and loved them! 
-Last week's cookie recipe doubled as an OU game day treat and a festive Christmas cookie! 
-Went in, went out for a quick dinner on the road and Taylor's first In-N-Out experience! 
-Mimosas, coffee, Baileys and a Chick-Fil-A breakfast spread to get the game day started!
-12 big cheers for a winning weekend and being with my favorite crew.
-Verde Turkey Chili made whole 30 // sans beans, topped with just avo and plantain chips. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

Gilmore Girls, cookies, happy hour, work, workout, eat repeat all led up to head out of town to the big D for OU/Texas weekend. Once in Texas it was shopping, eating, friends, late nights and a not so average gameday. We won, but I lost a bit. I love a weekend away, but nothing feels better than walking in your front door after a few days out of town.  

-Protein packed Monday with this round up of protein bars I got at the store. 
-I see matcha and I'm intrigued. I tried Trader Joe's matcha mix and it is as good as it gets. Highly recommend!
-Monday's work from home included lunch al fresco instead of al desko.
-Kathleen and I thought we were the only true Gilmore Girls fans who would wake up at 7am for #HappyBirthdayGilmore. Got to our local #LukesDiner (Cuppies and Joe) and were about 250 in line...turns out we aren't the only GG freaks. Skipped the line and opted for coffee at Hank's down the street. This all while wearing flannels and backward baseball caps...
-A friendly game of kickball happens every Wednesday this fall. I may not be the best player, but I provide the halftime snacks!
-Cauliflower fried rice made authentic by being served in a leftover take out box.
-First comes the dough, then comes the best cookies ever. Recipe posted last week. 
-Double the tikka c/o TJ's. Both are take a bite approved!
-Roommates by day, college rivals on Saturdays.
-My gameday turned out a little different and I sadly had to swap my fair corny dog for crackers and ginger ale. 
-Still easing a queasy stomach with the #1 comfort food and a lazy Sunday on the couch. 
-Testing out making my own coconut milk coffee creamer, taste TBD.

Annie

Bites of my Life

Posted up in front of the TV watching the Emmy's sipping on a cup of hot chocolate. I really wanted froyo, but someone *cough Kathleen cough* wouldn't go with me, and I couldn't stoop to getting froyo by myself. Hot coco with cinnamon (try it) and a handful of butterscotch chips sufficed my sugar craving. Does anyone else like butterscotch chips? They are the super underrated in my opinion.

Last week started with pumpkin smoothies and ended with a pumpkin date consisting of PSLs and hunting Target for all of their pumpkin flavored goodies with one of my old and favorite co-workers. We have a mutual obsession with this seasonal flavor and like to capitalize on it.

My friends and I started a kickball team and had our first game on Wednesday. Let's just say I was better at providing the halftime snacks and "adult" Capri Suns than actually providing skill for the team. We celebrated Lindz's birthday with spicy cocktails and sinful snacks, and then welcomed a houseful of besties all in town for the OU game this weekend. Bon weekend!

-Looks like a healthy green smoothie, acts like a healthy green smoothie, but tastes like pumpkin pie. You're welcome. 
-My skin is going through a little bit of a situation. Big sis Claire acted as my interim dermatologist and suggested trying all natural face products. Picked up this toner, previously recommended by Molly and purchased this face wash from Claire's favorite spa in NYC.
-Take a Bite went on the tour de matcha of OKC to find the best matcha latte. Read the post to see my fav!
-Fire on the Pineapple cocktail at Guyutes is my favorite drink in OKC currently.
-Celebrated roomie Lindz turning 24 with these waffle fries I can't stop thinking about. Topped with tequila queso, pulled pork, cilantro crema, tomatoes, japs, red onions and sunny side egg. 
-The Sooners may have let us down again, but with all my friends near and far in town, the weekend still won. 
-Green juice and movie theater popcorn because it's all about balance;) Highly recommend Sully.
-After scouring the pumpkin display at Sprouts, I eyed their bottled pumpkin salad dressing. Almost pulled the plug on buying it when I realized I could make my own. I snapped a pic of the ingredient list and went home to whip it up. 
-Tossed a loaded veggie salad with my pumpkin dressing. Give or take measurements of pumpkin puree, red wine vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, water, dijon mustard, pumpkin pie spice, and s&p all got thrown in.

Annie