Southwestern Burger

I made a great burger this last weekend!

In a mixing bowl dump in one pound of ground beef or ground turkey.

I used my mini food chopper to finely chop 1/2 cup oat meal. Dump it into the mixing bowl. Open a can of black beans, rinse them, and add 1/2 the beans to the mini food chopper. Chop them up roughly. Add the beans to the mixing bowl.

Cut up 1/4 cup cilantro. I got a batch of cilantro from the store, and just cut up 1/2 of it (that was 1/4 cup). Dice 1/2 a Roma tomato, 1/3 cup white onion, 1/3 cup bell pepper (any color). Add them all to the mixing bowl.


Sprinkle feta cheese in the mixing bowl. I start to mix everything at this point. I add enough feta until I can see it in the mix.


Add in an egg. This will help hold your burger together.

Start forming them in patties. Broil or cook on the grill.


Optional, slice avocado to put on your burger. It has so much flavor that no additional sauces or cheese is necessary. I used wheat buns.


I used the remainder black beans on a salad for the next day.

Power Juicer

Two of a Kind is giving away a Power Juicer Express. They come in several colors for $99.99.

I really want one of these:

Fiber Plus Cereal? Nope Homemade Cereal

I made the boy's and I some cereal this morning.
They love it! ;)

This served my two boys (ages 5 and 2) and myself.

1. Plain oatmeal (one serving). I made it on the stove. I sprinkled flaxseed in with the oatmeal. To cook oatmeal you pour in one cup of water. Bring it to a boil. Add in 1/2 cup of oatmeal. Stir while on the heat for five minutes. Make sure it doesn't boil over. Stir every once in awhile. Take off the heat, and let it set for 2 minutes.
2. Divide. It doesn't look like much, but once you add the other things it will be a full meal.
3. Added berries. The first time I made this I added blueberries and strawberries. The second time I made this I added just blueberries. You can use frozen fruit. Costco sells berries year round.
4. Add in plain yogurt.
5. Sprinkled granola on the top. It's just a sprinkle, so I don't use a lot of this. I'm trying to use up my store bought granola. Once I do this, I'm going to make my own. I will be putting up a new recipe for that. When it happens.

It is done. Very good, very healthy!

Now for the funny part:

My 5 year old son, Mica sits down and says, "Yes! I love Fiber Plus Blueberry Cereal!"
I explained how I made the cereal, and that it isn't Fiber Plus.
Too cute! I love this kid!

Apple Pork

Pour a little olive oil in a medium pan. Add in peeled, cored, sliced apples. Cook until they start to brown slightly. Add them to the Crock Pot.

Use the same pan to cook the onions. You may have to add a little more olive oil. Cook until they start to brown slightly. Add them to the Crock Pot.

Use the same pan to cook the pork. Cook through. Add them to the Crock Pot.

Next mix up the sauce. Mix all the rest of the ingredients and pour over everything in the Crock Pot. Cook on high for a few hours, or cook on low for half a day.

Alissa is Sick :(

I have no voice and I feel weak.

I went walking during lunch anyhow. I figured that I'll be sitting on my bum the whole rest of the day. I needed to get some walking done.

Three laps went by, and I felt pooped out. I still went two more. Now I'm done. I going to do some arm curls after I'm done posting this.

The question of the day is, do you still exercise when you feel like crap?

Pumpkin Bread

We grow pumpkins, so I used a pumpkin from our backyard. I cooked it, and ground it up with a mini food processor. You can use canned pumpkin.

I also peeled, sliced and ground up apple in a mini food processor. I didn't worry about cooking it because I knew it would cook when the bread cooked. You can use apple sauce like the recipe states.

I mixed everything in my mixer. If you do not have a mixer a good rule of thumb is to mix all the wet ingredients together. Mix the dry ingredients together. Slowly add the wet into the dry.

Use two bread pans. Spray the bottoms with Pam's Olive Spray. Sprinkle with flour.

Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until a tooth pick can be inserted in the thickest part of the bread, and comes out clean.

*I'm not too keen on the sugar. I'm trying to figure out how to reduce sugar. It's hard when it's in most every recipe I looked up for pumpkins. One good thing is that you do not eat the amount above in one setting.  There is no butter, which is good!

For Fall I Heart Split Pea Soup

Wash 1 bag (16 ounces) of split peas very well. I chop and put everything in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours.
Easy and healthy for you.

Alissa is a Guest

• Felicia from Go Graham Go just had a baby boy!
• She mentioned that she needed some people to write some posts, and I've written three.

• Felicia posted one of my posts today. It's about playing with your food. Yes I did say playing with your food. I included a recipe and pictures. Please go check it out.

• Please check out Go Graham Go. My posts is here.

Alissa Lost 20 Pounds

I'm on a weight mission. I've done pretty good walking with ankle weights and hand weights during lunch at work. Many days I try and walk one more lap then my body wants too. Then I've been trying to go somewhere during the weekend that requires walking. It can be hard with naps in the mix. I have two little ones.

This sounds odd, but seeing the smokers outside in the same spot day after day outside of work motivates me. I think in my mind, "I don't want to be like them." No offense to anyone that smokes. I just don't want to be unhealthy. Most people that I know that smokes wants to quit. They know the habit is bad. I want the same with eating. I don't want to quit eating; just want to eat right.

Then there is a gym on the other side of the building I walk around. I can usually hear someone in there cheering everyone on for some aerobic class, which pushes me to walk faster.

I've been eating healthier too.

I stepped on the scale yesterday, and I've lost 20 pounds since the tail end of the summer. It's hard for me to tell. I feel just the same. In fact I've felt kind of blah since allergy season started. I think I've just been losing it all over, and not just in one spot.

877 My Juicer.com

Organic Girl is hosting a giveaway for 877 My Juicer.com.
Juice's that you buy in the store are loaded with sugar. We really water ours down.

877 My Juicer.com is giving away a useful juicer that will turn any fruit or veggie into juice.

Fun Follow Friday!

• Fun Follow Friday is a chance to get to see other blogs out there, and have other blogger's see your blog.
• All you have to do is go to these great sites: My Wee View and Simple Stacie to link up your blog on Fun Follow Friday.
• Join in on the fun!

Alissa Took Two More Laps

I'm stepping it up again! I really want to be more active, and it's hard! I do laps around the school that I work for during my hour lunch break, which is more like 40 minutes by the time I eat.

I put on ankle weights, and walked around 5 laps. Today I pushed it to 7 laps. My legs tingle and my face is red and hot.

I'm going to add arm weights next.

It's hard doing this when I'm at home. After working all day, and being a full time mom, my body is pooped. All the more reason to be active I suppose. Added on to this, is allergy season. Yay I can't wait, NOT! The time of year I can barely push myself out of bed!

Alissa's Scale Review

I have my csn | stores review written and posted!

Included in the review is some info on a food scale I got from them! Please take some time to read my review here! 

Alissa Feels Good

I feel good today! I put on my pants that were tight three weeks ago, and now they fit just right!

I've also been having issues with my tummy. I have IBS, and it's been acting up since school started. Stress triggers my tummy issues! Today I'm free of the symptoms. I don't feel bloated. I feel good.

Healthier Mashed Potatoes

This is Alissa here. When I make mashed potatoes I add an ingredient to the mix. I boil cut up carrots for 10 minutes then add in the cut up potatoes.  My 5 year old Mica love this version of potatoes because they are his favorite color, orange.

Veggies are the thing that we have to eat more of in out house, so it's great to sneak in the veggies with every opportunity I get.

I often serve a green veggie too.