Skillet Cinnamon Apples

Virginia’s weather isn’t getting any warmer, and this pregnancy still has a-ways to go. Cold mornings and an apple craving led me to experimenting in the kitchen and since, skillet cinnamon apples has been a favorite go-to this holiday season.

My best friend suggested I take it up notch and try my hand at homemade apple pie.

Uhhh, no.

Lol.

Not yet at least. My husband does more of the experimenting in the kitchen, but this easy sneasy recipe is quick and simple enough to satisfy my feel-good mornings.

We usually get our apples from our Local Kroger. Specifically Honey Crisp Apples. I start with a little virgin olive oil in the skillet, and later add sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and lemon extract to the apples.

1. On low to medium heat I let the peeled and sliced apples sizzle for a few minutes.

2. Because I use the oil, I don’t add much butter. If anything I use it to aid in the apple’s moisture and softening.

3. I don’t measure anything. I just use a little of each, keeping in mind not to overdo any of the extract. There are some really good recipes to Pinterest that are more specific…but I’m telling ya’ll it’s just THAT easy.

A little this. A little that.

White sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.

Once your apples are tender to your liking, then VOILA!!!

Cold Mornings deserve warm servings, and Baby B likes them too! So here’s to a happy momma, happy holidays, and more fun in the kitchen!!!

We Got All Winter: My Fat Diary

‘Cause I hadn’t had a funnel cake all season--darn right I was happy!

“Can you get my picture? And angle it. You got to hold it up high and angle it low so I won’t look fat.”

Brandon stepped back. Snapped the picture. Another one, and then I got to see it.

“Do another one. Try it without the flash,” I instructed, handing him the phone back.

Naw.

I didn’t like it.

My face looked shiny. Cheeks were large. The black sweater wasn’t slimming me down enough, and the funnel cake that made me both happy and ashamed is super evident that Saturdays were no good for dieting, and no other days for that matter.

Crazy. 'Cause angles used to work. But these days it’s like no matter how high, or low, or flashed on, flashed off, black clothes, no clothes, I’m just bigger than I wish to be.

Yeah, I know. I lost some weight the beginning of this year. I blogged about it even.

My fault though.

I was given the tools. I had it all figured out. I was losing the weight. I told ya’ll all about it.

And then…

It just didn’t happen anymore.

The math is simple: I stopped working out + Eating whatever, whenever + Starting over like every other Monday + Everyday Inconsistencies = Me. Fat. And right back at my starting weight.

And here’s that Funnel Cake Picture…

The funnel cake wasn’t even all that. Too powdery to enjoy, and they didn’t have strawberry topping to be worth the satisfaction.

And I had the nerve to want pizza that same night.

There’s good news, and there’s the bad to go with it.

Bad: I’m starting over. Again. For the Umpteenth time I’m putting the breaks on bad habits and slowly but surely putting myself back together through self-love, motivation, and a good diet and exercise regimen.

----I knowwwwww!!!! I’ve said this before, and then a time before that, and who knows what’ll happen this time even. #LeSigh

The GOOD News Is…

I ain’t dead yet!!! So this millionth second chance is surely for ME. I can’t NOT take advantage of that.

The other GREAT thing about this is…

WE GOT ALL WINTER

And I’m sooooo serious about that!

If you’re anything like me, then these past seasons have been so discouraging as it relates to weight loss and feeling/looking your best.

Here comes Spring---When the Wedding season start. The weather feels better, and shopping sounds good too, but layering felt ok, because it hides most of it. And you ain’t hardly near to getting rid of the gut you wished away some months ago.

And Damn You Summer---Bikinis and No kinis. Too hot to be covered up, but not confident enough to let it all hang out. More weddings, and promises to your kid that you’ll go to the beach. Promises to yourself that you’ll start another juice diet on Monday, and that one time you went to the park on Wednesday, but ate like a hog on Friday and Saturday.

It’s Fall Now, but soon and very soon the last leaf will come swaying downward and bundle up season will be in full affect.

Take. ADVANTAGE!

I’m going to say this again, and know that I mean it…

WE. GOT. ALL. WINTER!!!

NOW is the time to start practicing new habits.

NOW is the time to take those before pictures!

Get on the scale NOW!---And then tuck it away. We won’t need it. We won’t rely on it. We’ll do the work. No fast dieting. No temporary weight loss, but permanent changes.

And I’m no expert, but I’ve found that what works best for me are things that come slow, and I don’t feel pressured by it.

Whoever said progress was a slow process was DEFINITELY talking about me, but I got all winter!

And with ALLLLLL of that being said, all winter is NOT my excuse to do whatever I want to do, and then try one of those rabbit quick weight loss fad come SpringTime.

I sat down, and had another one of those real moments with myself, and came up with some things that weren’t too daunting, but definitely necessary to incorporate into my day-to-day regiment.

1)     10,000 Steps A Day

2)     No Eating After 8

3)     One Gallon of Water

4)     No Burger Joints

Sounds simple enough? Really, not really, but this steady paced change actually work last year when I tried it. It’s worth another go, because my life and my health is worth EVERYTHING!

Ya’ll, one of these days this thing is REALLY going to come together, and I won’t have to strategize when and how, but be so fit in the NOW, that a jog around the park will be a thing of normalcy.

I wish you the best this season in whatever you have planned for yourself. So long as the Lord spares our lives to witness another sun we get that second chance we’ve been hoping for.

NOW is the time.

…and the pumpkin patch was nice. It was way too late to beat myself up about the things i knew that were already true about myself. We’ve got to love ourselves and time spent with our love ones now and work on what’s not working!

We Got All Winter.