WIAW #36 + Paleo Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Hey friends! I hope everyone had an EXCELLENT Thanksgiving! 

I'm going to apologize right off the bat - I forget to take pictures of my Thanksgiving meal for WIAW this week. So, instead, you can read what I ate on Thanksgiving below!

Gardein's Holiday Roast...and some real turkey as well :)

Green Bean Casserole - The Post Punk Kitchen

Pumpkin Tiramisu - Chloe Coscarelli

Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad - FitSugar

Mashed Cauliflower 

Here's a look at some other things I ate this week.....

{Left to right} Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Cake (recipe coming soon...)

Paleo Chocolate Chip Pancakes (recipe below)

Lunch at the Cincinnatian Hotel (items in picture: chocolate mousse cake and moscato)

Chocolate covered bacon

So....these Paleo Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

The recipe is THIS ONE, slightly modified. The recipe is good on its own, but EVERYTHING is better with chocolate. 

Paleo Chocolate Chip Pancakes

{Ingredients}

1 banana

2 eggs

Chocolate chips

Strawberries + sugar {optional}

{Directions}

1. In a small food processor, blend banana and eggs. You can mash the banana if you want, but I think the food processor is WAY easier. 

2. Allow to rest for a couple minutes (this allows the batter to thicken slightly).

3. Heat a lightly greased skillet to medium-high heat. Place one ladle of batter into pan. Sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips on top.

4. Cook until you see bubbles forming on the surface, and the bottom is slightly brown. Flip to other side. 

5. Cook for about 30 seconds and then place on a plate.

6. {optional} Slice some strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to sit for a few minutes to create a sweet syrup. Spoon strawberries on top of pancakes. 

7. Enjoy!

Pretty straightforward.... right?!

Here are some things that will soon come to Passing Daisies! Get excited!

{Advent Calendar printable}
{More holiday gift guides}
{Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Cake}
{Whirlybird Granola review/giveaway}
{PASSING DAISIES BIRTHDAY LINKUP}*
{NuNaturals Review/giveaway}

*I'm looking for bloggers to participate in a link up with me and create a fun birthday recipe! I've got the details. EMAIL ME to find out more <3

Have a lovely week and let me know what you ate for Thanksgiving!

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! 

What are you thankful for today? 

Yesterday, I went to the Last Wednesday service at Crossroads Community Church, here in Cincinnati. It's a special service they hold once a month on the last Wednesday of the month. Its never let me down. 

This month, the service focused on being thankful for what God has done in our lives. Everyone in attendance was given one of the cards you see above, that asked us to reflect on our year and think about where we have seen God in different areas of our lives. What were some unexpected blessings? When did God provide physical protection? What friends are we especially thankful for? 

There were a few things that really stood out to me during the service. First: Thanksgiving reminds us that if we don't get one more thing this year, we are already blessed beyond belief. Chuck (the pastor) even went so far as to say that Thanksgiving is the more religious day of the year because it prepares us for Christmas. Second: God calls us to give thanks regularly, but we don't. Why only be thankful on Thanksgiving? We have so much to be thankful for! And finally, third: God always provides just enough, just in time. You might be worrying right up until the last minute, but God always provides exactly what you need. 

What I've realized is that I truly have a lot to be thankful for. My friends are amazing - especially those in Navigators. I love them to death. Although I've been friends with my current friend group for a couple years now, they have become more than just my best friends this year - they have become my family. Sean, Nikhil, Jack - where would I be without you? I love you guys. Thanks for always being there for me. 

I'm also thankful for my family, my car, a strong mind, a love of music, a thirst for knowledge, a love for God, and a compassionate heart, among other things. I'm thankful for being driven and never giving up, even when I'm frustrated and want nothing more than to quit. I'm not a quitter. (Examples: Today I fixed a broken cookie scoop with pliers that was obnoxious to fix. I also didn't give up on my senior thesis paper, which I really considered doing. Like I said, I'm not a quitter!) Most recently, I'm thankful for the mental breakdown I had a couple weeks ago. It really helped me to figure out who I am and start down a journey to becoming a whole new me. I like the new path I headed down! It's scary and exciting. 

Be sure to keep your eye on the blog - I was recently contacted by Stonewall Kitchen about reviewing their seasonal holiday products, so keep an eye out for some yummy gingerbread pancakes soon! I will also have a recipe for maple bacon cupcakes and a review of Panera Bread's soups (which are delicious, by the way). Plus, the second annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap is coming up soon, and you know what that means - COOKIE RECIPES! 

So, I have a couple parting questions for you. What are you thankful for this year? And, What are some of your favorite cookie recipes? 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Orange Cranberry Sauce

This is the cranberry sauce I served for Thanksgiving this year. So delicious! I love cranberry and orange together, so this was the perfect combination for me. Plus, it's a little different than normal because of the maple flavor that the maple syrup gives it. 

Try it out for yourself!


Orange Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
3 c. fresh cranberries, washed and drained
1/2 c. maple syrup
Juice of 1 orange

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil, stirring often.
2. Cover pot with lid and allow to cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until all the cranberries have popped.
3. Remove from heat. Using a potato masher, mash cranberries until you can no longer see any whole cranberries.
4. Allow to chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Do you eat cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving? Do you make it or eat the jellied cranberry sauce in a can?
Much love,

Good morning!

Hello friends!

PD has been a little crazy recently with the amount of products I've been receiving to review - and there are TONS more to come, trust me! - that I decided to take a little break today and just have a nice, simple post!

This week has past week been really crazy for me, has anyone else had one of those weeks? Last Thursday I had all sorts of projects and assignments due, mock interviews, Chipotle plans, RA staff meeting, and a Forensics crime scene photo project to work on. It was nuts. But you know what? I plowed through it, and here I am now!

Nothing a little dancing can't fix!

I still have lots to do, so I've been spending pretty much every free moment I have working on bigger, upcoming assignments. It kinda stinks, but thankfully Thanksgiving will be here soon, and I'm really excited for that. Lots and LOTS of delicious food. Yummy! And Thanksgiving leftovers are the BEST. Right?!

Then, it's on to Christmas. I feel like Thanksgiving has been pretty much skipped this year because everyone around me already has their Christmas decorations up. This is a problem. Thanksgiving is a holiday too, people! And a good one! Has anyone else noticed this? What do you think?

However, I have been struggling a lot with one thing this week, not related to the Thanksgiving/Christmas battle, school, or the stress that comes with it: my weight. 

Pretty much every women and some men struggle with this topic. I have always struggled with it. I'm really upset with myself right now because I love to snack, even when I'm not hungry, and that snacking is leading to some unwanted weight gain.

I originally lost about 27 pounds, but now I've gained some back to where I've only lost about 15 pounds. Still a good amount to lose, but I'm frustrated. The thing is, I don't have much time to work out unless I wake up at 6:45am (and I DONT want to do that...), and when I could work out I'm extremely lazy and would rather lot. Plus it's hard to fit into my busy schedule.

Then there's the problem of my continuous snacking. I just love food so much that I constantly want to eat! It's terrible! I've been trying my best to stop this problem and take control back, but it's not easy. What to do? Has anyone else had similar problems? 


I have another struggle I've been debating: whether or not to stay "vegan." I love food, and I want to taste things... although I really enjoy being vegan and I know all of the health benefits, I want to forgo the label and just call myself a vegetarian. I would be trying to still eat as healthfully as possible and would still be eating and using many vegan products, with the occasional bit of dairy in my diet. I've already been doing it recently - been calling myself "95% vegan" and indulging in small bits of dairy-filled foods daily. I feel like just trying to eat as healthfully as possible is fine as long as I don't eat tons of dairy all the time. What do you guys think? Has anyone else been through this struggle?

How do you prevent yourself from overeating/constantly snacking? 
What do you think of the battle between Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Have struggled with the "vegan" label? 
Much love,