easter

can't believe that easter has come and gone. this year seems to already be flying by. my easter was spent with nate going to a new restaurant, the original pancake house. it was so delicious and a great start to our sunday. all day i was dreading having to do my long run but busted out 10 miles, which is the farthest i ever have gone in my life. i was so proud and definitely woke up today sore. half marathon is in two weeks and i can't wait! until next time….

foodie | broccoli + cheese quiche

my sundays are always spent prepping meals for the week. dinner has been prepped and i decided to make this easy quiche that nate could heat up in the morning since he's always on the go. if you don't like broccoli you can really add anything you want; from bacon to onions the possibilities are endless. 

Ingredients 

2 TBS butter

1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli

1 unbaked pie crust

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the broccoli is soft. Spoon into crust and sprinkle with cheese.

3. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until center has set.

enjoy! 

FOODIE | super green smoothie

i'm still drooling over this Super Green Smoothie i made today! so healthy and good for you. this recipe makes leftovers and lasts at least 3 days in the fridge. 

ingredients

-1-2 cups cold water

-6 cups spinach, chopped 

-5 cups lettuce, chopped 

-2 stalks of celery 

-1 apple cored and chopped 

-1 pear cored and chopped

 -1 banana 

-1-2 tbsp lemon juice 

1. Add water, spinach and chopped lettuce to the blender. 2. Mix at low speed until smooth. 3. Gradually move to higher speed, add chopped pear, apple and celery. 4. Add banana and lemon juice last. 5. Serve in a cold glass & enjoy!

FOODIE | raspberry swirl cheesecake cupcakes

i have made these cupcakes before but this time around i swapped some ingredients for healthier ones. i used stevia instead of real sugar which did make the cheesecake taste a little different but still delicious and i also used fat free cream cheese. if you want the recipe head over to Annie's Eats and check out her awesome blog and other amazing recipes. 

FOODIE | pot roast

i made a delicious pot roast earlier this week that was a hit with the boyfriend. i'm not a big meat fan but this was pretty good. i got the recipe from the Pioneer Woman. she has some awesome recipes! this recipe was easy but it was hard waiting 3 hours to wait to eat all this amazingness.

LIFE | IG fourth of july weekend

TRENDING | peonies

who doesn't love peonies? they are so romantic and oh so pretty! this beautiful flower has become very popular among brides and since it is wedding season i expect this to be the go to flower. lately i have been loving all the peony bouquets i've been seeing. peonies can be so massive in size and that is what makes them look so elegant. peony colors range from white to reds and some yellows with a mix of pinks in between. peonies are only available for a short season of time each year and brides have been known for planning their wedding around "peony season". i'm really obsessed with peonies right now. they are beautiful, colorful, simple, and sophisticated. what do you think? 

remember...

OHIO | little miami river

unfortunately there aren't many great hiking trails in cincinnati unlike washington. i've been wanting to go hiking for quite some time and bring benny along for the adventure. so when i heard that there was a trail at the little miami river i had to go and nate wasn't against it since he could go fishing. the day before we went it rained so the trail was pretty muddy and the water was higher than normal. i think out of the three of us benny enjoyed himself the most. we let him off his leash and he was splashing in the water and exploring the new sights and smells. he had himself a warm bath when we got home and was worn out for the rest of the afternoon. 

the little miami river is a great place to go hiking, kayaking and fishing so if you ever are in this part of town i would recommend going and exploring! 

FOODIE | pork chops

i've never been a steak or pork chop fan...probably got that from my mom but when I had nate's dad's steak for the first time i was hooked. the thing i liked about it was that it was thin and not this meaty slab of beef oozing with blood. well nate's parents gave us some pork chops from a pig they slaughtered (*sigh* poor pig) and nate cooked us up a delicious dinner tonight.
he marinated the pork chops in a hickory barbecue sauce for an hour then he pan cooked the pork. it took about 20 minutes to cook and get slightly crispy. he added a side of steamed broccoli and voilà! delicious, healthy and definitely a make again recipe.