AT TIMES!

There is a reason this blog is called Healthy At Times and this week definitely qualifies as at times.  Overall, I try to eat healthy and have balance each day such as including grains, vegetables, dairy, and fruit into my diet.  It is really hard for me to do while traveling so basically I am trying to be okay with it and go with the flow!  I have had a big breakfast almost every day of this break...check it out:

 Cliff's Uncle made us humongo pancakes with turkey bacon.

 Grammer bought me an McMuffin

  Brent made us hashbrowns, sausage, eggs, and toasty english muffins.

If you have been reading the blog, you have seen several other big breakfasts throughout the week.  I believe I had about 6 straight big breakfasts in a row.  My stomach needs a break.  Don't get me wrong, I love eating breakfast like this-but I am not used to so many in a row.  This morning I had a bowl of my home-made instant oatmeal (felt good to eat a lighter b-fast).  I love this stuff and I will post the recipe when we get home.  For some reason, it seemed a little salty, but I can fix that easily!

Remember how I said Cliff's B-day was the day after Christmas?  Well, you should know that we went to Cracker Barrel and had the most amazing breakfast (I have to try and make it at home).  

 

This picture is from Cracker Barrel

Um, yes it tasted like a cinnamon roll-you have to try it if you go there (it is seasonal).

After breakfast we decided to build a snowman!  The snow was perfect so it did not take long.  While we were building the snowman I asked Cliff if he would like me to make him Queso....his face lit up and he said really?  I went to the store to get the goods and came home to make that for him.  He pretty much ate it all afternoon and didn't bother eating dinner...ha!

 

Peppermint eyes, cookies for buttons ha!

This is the queso in the background on the spoon Cliff is holding.  Did I mention I made a home-made Chocolate-chip Cheesecake?

The cheesecake is so so so good.  We ate it three nights in a row and sadly it is gone.  I'm posting the recipe!

 SO GOOD!

 You bake it in a spring-form pan.  You also have to put it on a cookie sheet with water around it.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake I

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup white sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup butter, melted 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cocoa. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Set crust aside.
2.	Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk; beat well. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until smooth. Toss 1/3 of the miniature chocolate chips with the 1 teaspoon flour to coat (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Mix into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.  Put spring form pan on a cookie sheet and put water on the cookie sheet (this helps with the appearance and texture of the cheesecake).
3.	Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 1 hour.  Turn off oven (do not open oven door) and leave the cake in the oven to cool in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate before removing sides of pan. Keep cake refrigerated until time to serve.

 *Adapted from: Allrecipes

Last night I kind of got back to healthy!  I made dinner for Cliff's family.  Shake and bake pork-chops (Cliff made), home-made mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies.  It  is nice to have a balanced meal in my belly:)  

Hope everyone is having a great week!  I am hoping to get back to some normal blogging in the new year.  I will be making some goals for the blog and myself!  I am excited.  Tomorrow Cliff and me head to Austin to hang with his Aunt and Uncle.  We are excited.  Now we are headed to have lunch with his Mom and do a little shopping.  Have a great day.