Bites of My Life

Long weekends are just the best. After coming off the most relaxing few days in Broken Bow, I’m thrilled to only have a four-day week. I headed up to BB to meet some of my best friends. We rented the cutest cabin, went horseback riding, and paddleboarding, and just relaxed around the house. It has Colorado vibes near the cabins, and then feels like a cute lake town in some areas. There are a handful of good restaurants. We did pizza out one night and then made most meals at home. I went off Whole30 for some buffalo chicken dip, s’mores, and animal cracker indulgences but held relatively strong most of the trip!

-The most yum lamb kofta and chimichurri thanks to Central Market’s prepped options :).
-One of my favorite coffee shops in Dallas just went through some interior updating, but they also added this adaptogen mushroom latte to the menu. If you go to Ascension you have to try it. Tasted like a better turmeric latte.
-Eating out on Whole30 is possible, but tricky. When it came to needing to eat out for a few meals last week, I relied heavily on Cava.
-Last Thursday was a work from the couch in my robe all day kind of day. These type of days happen sporadically and I welcome them with open arms.
-Have you tried gum drop grapes? They are in most stores right now and are deliciously sweet and sour.
-Escaped to Broken Bow for the most relaxing long girls weekend. It’s 3 hours from Dallas and Oklahoma City making it the perfect meeting spot with my best friends from home.
-We played hours of Mexican Train with football in the background all day Saturday. I came in dead last but I’m now obsessed! It is such a good group game.
-Made a riff on Kit Keenan’s egg bake for the girls in Broken Bow. Minus the cheese, it was W30!
-Labor Day flattop cooking of homemade crab cakes and grilled okra, both Whole30 approved! We may have spent an arm and leg on the crab meat but they were worth it!

Annie

Fall bites: did you catch last week’s fall recipe roundup? Read up on it here!

Bites of My Life

Home after such a great Labor Day weekend in the Colorado with some really great friends. We booked this trip on a whim over the 4th of July and I’ve been looking forward to it since. We stayed in Beaver Creek, but ventured to Edwards, Minturn and Vail. This part of the mountains is an area I have such fun memories from growing up and it’s always a blast to revisit. Our weekend was the perfect mix of eating, drinking, hiking, shopping, seeing, doing and relaxing. Coming home to a short week is the perfect cure, and then I’m off again this weekend to spend time on Lake LBJ with my best college friends. Feeling very thankful for friends and family lately.

-Have you seen the Slim Aarons documentary? I recently caught wind of it, even though it came out a few years ago. It’s fascinating to learn more about his life. You can watch it here.
-A go-to meal that always hits the spot is spaghetti sauce with meat sauce. It feels indulgent like spaghetti, but is healthy and light all things considered. I bought an extra squash and froze some leftover sauce to have for a healthy meal after getting home from my trip. It was the best to come home to.
-When the tortilla chip craving HITS. These restaurant-style Beanitos are my absolute fave grain-free chips.
-This was my first plane ride since the pandemic. While our American Airlines flight was booked at full capacity, I did feel safe and healthy with zero fears.
-First night in Beaver Creek called for cozy Italian at Ti Amo. I split the chicken and sausage scallopini over angel hair.
-Traded in our Tini Tuesdays for a full weekend in the mountains!
-If you are headed to the Beaver Creek/Vail area, I highly recommend Mountain Standard in Vail for lunch or dinner. We lucked out with walking in, but a reservation is a good idea. You must get the pimento cheese with bacon jam, grilled bread, and pickled celery.
-Already missing morning coffee and evening wine and cheese hour on the beautiful patio at the house we stayed at in BC.
-We had bought produce at the farmers market and had planned on a homecooked Sunday night dinner, but after indulging on dips and crackers and cookie dough, we called that dinner and saved our ingredients to make for a healthy lunch before hopping on our plane ride home.

Annie

Byte Bites: if you missed Friday’s new post style, check it out here!

Bites of My Life

Labor Day huh? Isn't that the day you are supposed to uh, not, labor. Ya I've been up since 7:30am. I worked out, worked Gospel Brunch brunch at The Jones Assembly, meal prepped, created content for Made By Maddie, posted social media for work, updated the fall newsletter and website for OKC Kappa alum and now I'm typing as fast as a I can to get this post done so I can go to bed. No complaints, just using this as my place to hash out my day. I don't really love doing nothing, so looking back on this productive day has me pretty happy actually. Life is a labor of love I guess. 

In less than a week I'll be Colorado bound with my whole family for some serious R&R. Let's see if I can actually relax...stay tuned.

-Daily nighttime routine of Arbonne detox tea and digestion plus (pre and probiotic). Just keeping things regular, ya know. 
-This meal WINS. After a stronnnnggg craving for Chinese I cured it with The Defined Dish's Whole30 Orange Chicken recipe. The whole house loved it. Can't wait to try this and this too! 
-Post-dinner snack/dessert/sweet tooth hack = snack size pack of Lesser Evil popcorn, melted cashew butter to dip popcorn into and detox tea.
-Incredibly ideal Thursday night. Favorite new jeans, furry slippers, great dinner, great wine and 27 Dresses.
-Taqueria Tour with Dad stop 2 at Tacos Don Nacho!
-First OU gameday at Seven47 with no one other than.
-Was craving a green smoothie bowl after a gameday full of Frozen Red Bull Vodkas, nachos, chips and queso, chinese takeout and a cinnamon roll. Oh gosh, I'm craving another one just reading all of that...
-Summer feast with mom and dad to send summer out the door. Cajun Roasted Okra from The Defined Dish, skirt steak (not pictured) and chimichurri, roasted tomato caprese, fruit salad.
-Behind the scenes with Made by Maddie. You are looking at MBM's newest social media consultant, so do us a favor and give us a follow. 

Annie

Did you catch My Top 5 post last week?

Bites of My Life

Last week was minor compared to my weekend. After a flight rebook and a few delays, I made it to Miami to commence "Ta Ta Tucker" with Claire. Kathleen couldn't make it due to angel baby Elle only being 5 weeks old, but getting to spend time with oldest sis and her closest friends was more fun than I hoped. I haven't been to the beach in a hot minute. The trip was quick but I absolutely loved stuffing my face at 27 Restaurant & Bar, recovering with a latte the size of my face, napping in the sun piña colada the frozen mojito in hand, then some classic late night Miami clubbing. Miami you exceeded expectations! We are now just under 6 weeks until Claire's big day. The countdown is on as well as a sister act of "Whole 6 weeks" for the final push until the wedding. 

-Worked on perfecting my mint chip smoothie all week. It came down to nut milk, spinach, frozen cauliflower, frozen banana, hemp powder, cacao powder, cacao nibs in and on top, and a drop of peppermint essential oils.
-Working on a "Spaghetti Squash 4 Ways" post...stay tuned. 
-Been embracing my calmer schedule and spending mornings working from home spending way too long staying in my PJs. 
-#tatatucker in South Beach with big sis bride!
-Take me to the beach and all I want is a piña colada! 
-Partied in the city where they heat was on.
-"The Workout" smoothie at Uptown Grocery. I can't get enough!
-Pilates by Dallas aka pilates at Four Graces. My current obsession. Because of my multi-studio membership I have with StudioHop, I've stepped outside my normal workout routine and discovered my love for pilates! My code AnnieHop20 is still available to get $20 off your first month of SH!
-Aunt Annie makes for a great napping spot.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Today's bites post is stacked with photo bites of last week. A full camera roll of weekly images, typically means it was a great week. I suppose I was trying to squeeze as many memories possible into the last week of summer. I wore white everyday, bought a car (!!!!), finished Whole30, visited a city I've never been to, reunited with college friends, welcomed the start of college football, and sat poolside for probably the last time in 2016.

I breezed through the week quick as quick in anticipation of my trip to Houston for OU's first game of the season. Game outcome aside, the weekend was too good. Molly opened her doors for me to stay at "AirbMB" for the weekend. Unfortunately MB was Austin bound for the weekend, but we got a quick 30 minute catch up sesh to make it count! The weekend also included multiple catch up sesh's with college friends near and far who all came together for the game. Lots of memories made and too much fun had. I'm still exhausted and caught up on a high from the weekend. I'm letting it end graciously though as we say farewell summer/hello fall. Let the best season begin.  

-All white everyday last week before the fashion police say I can't. 
-Shared a few ways I knock pesky morning headaches. 
-Spaghetti squash primavera for the last bites of Whole30.
-Golden Milk. You have to try it if you haven't, perfect way to end the day.
-A somewhat celebratory lunch at Mexican Sugar after purchasing my first car!!! My car accident a few weeks back ended up being a blessing in disguise.
-CCC dough rolled into balls and frozen to save for a rainy day, unexpected guests, or those strong sweet tooth cravings.
-A matcha a week keeps the doctor away...
-A trip to Houston meant a quickie meet up with MB before she headed out of town and finally a visit to her place of work at Biscuit.
-Lunch at Local Foods was suggested on more than one account. It lived up to all the hype!
-All smiles pre OU upset. 
-If only all college football games came equipped with a bloody mary bar. Hello feta stuffed olives. 
-A diner breakfast to round out the Houston bites and to soak up Saturday night. 
-Some rude (smart) person thought it would be a good idea to put a mini Dylan's Candy Bar right next to my Southwest gate. I arrived and left Houston with a big bag of candy store candy. Sour gummies and chocolate covered everything.
-One last dip!
-Labor day steaks and veggies to send off summer!

Annie