Food, Glorious Food!

No pics for this blog entry, just some tasty ideas to whip up in the kitchen. 

I'm pregnant and hungry. Well, I'm always hungry, but pregnancy brings out some interesting taste buds in me as I'm sure it does with most women.  Here are somethings that I'm in love with at the moment (this could change by next week, but had to share while I'm dreaming of them!)

 - - - - - - - - - 

So, this 3rd go around I can not get enough avocados to fill my belly! Holy guacamole! I'll take my avocado any which way: fried, diced in a salad, guacamole, mixed into a chicken salad, just give me more avocados, please. I found this recipe for Chicken Avocado Salad on Pinterest but I revamped it and made it a bit healthier after some side effects off the original recipe:

Chicken Avocado Salad:

2 chicken breasts, shredded

2 avocados smashed up and creamy

a wee bit of mayo (just to help with the creamy texture)

lime juice

pepper for taste

Mix it all together and volia! You have something tasty!! Put it on top of some lettuce for a healthy meal (that's what I did and Ally thoroughly enjoyed it, as did mama!) Or put it on a sandwich, roll it up in a tortilla or just eat it as is. You can't go wrong! If you don't like avocados, then this recipe isn't for you. But I could eat it everyday!!

- - - - - - - - - 

Knock Off Bucca di Beppo Antipasto Salad:

lettuce

1/2 chicken breast, diced

green and black olives, diced (use as much as you'd like)

pepperoni, diced (use as much as you'd like)

cucumber, diced (use as much as you'd like)

diced pepperoncinis (love these spicy little things!)

red onion, diced (just a bit, a little goes a long way!)

provolone, gorgonzola and feta cheeses (I didn't use any cheese because I've become lactose intolerant since being pregnant....that's a blog post on its own:)

Italian dressing

Mix and eat! 

Jeremy and I went to Bucca di Beppo last weekend (thank you, Hayley and Matt!) and I could have eaten my weight in this salad. (and that's a lot these days!!) It was SO good! Again, it's the "different" taste buds due to hormones and a growing baby inside me. But, it's relatively healthy (no dairy, gluten or carbs) and it hits the spot:)

 - - - - - - - - - - 

This one is AWESOME!!! Are you ready????

Chocolate Banana Nut Balls

(courtesy of FastPaleo.com)

1 C Cashews

1 C Pecans

1 C Dried Banana Chips

3/4 C Coconut Oil

Honey (0ptional, but go ahead and use it! It's wonderful! And natural!)

8 oz Dark Chocolate

• In the food processor, pulse nuts and banana chips to a pea size texture.
• Add in coconut oil (not melted) and honey and process until it comes together into a sticky dough.
• Using a bit more coconut oil, grease your hands and form dough into balls.
• Place balls into the freezer to set up for at least an hour. When ready to dip, melt chocolate in a double boiler.
• Remove balls from the freezer and dip into the melted chocolate. Allow to sit out in room temperate for a bit so the centers soften slightly. Enjoy!

Really, this is Paleo?!?!?! I could eat like a caveman all day long if this is what it entails!! It's hard to believe because it's such a rich, yummy, chocolatey and salty snack that we all need around 3/4pm. Heaven! Make this - you won't regret it!!!

- - - - - - - - - 

Well, that's all that I have for now. Or that's all that I'm craving at the moment. I'm sure there will be more - I have 4 months to go!! Happy eating:)

We're having a....

GIRL!!! 

Ally Elizabeth Kampen will be joining our family around May 19 and we couldn't be more thrilled!!

On Christmas Eve we opened an envelope that contained the sonogram picture of what our baby would be. It was such a fun surprise and a wonderful Christmas present!

An Organized 2012

This came for me in the mail today!!!

My Erin Condren 2012 Planner!!!!

Hello. My name is Lindsay and I love school supplies, multi colored pens, pretty notebooks and lovely planners that help make me feel like I'm organized. 

It was a happy day today when we came home and there was a FedEx package sitting on the porch! Merry Christmas (a little late) to me!!

Thank you, Katie, for introducing me to this beauty!!

76* in January?!?!

A warm day like yesterday called for popsicles on the porch!

It's coooooold!

Donuts!

My kids L.O.V.E donuts! We've made it a Sunday morning tradition on the way to church to get them donuts (it started because we were are always running late and need them to eat something in a hurry...donuts were our answer).

My mom thought it would be appropriate to get us a donut maker for Christmas! Genius!!

It's so easy and they're pretty tasty. Although the recipe I have makes "cake" donuts and the kids like the good ole regular kind. Need to find that recipe....anyone have a good donut recipe?

We Bought A Zoo

Just kidding....but we went to a zoo that I picture to be like one that someone would buy and put together on their own. 

We went to the Austin Zoo. 

It was, well, quite different than the Dallas or Fort Worth Zoo. But who doesn't love looking at tigers and lions?!?! It's a small zoo with all rescue animals. Breaks your heart to hear some of the stories of how the animals were "rescued" by the zoo. Unfortunately, there were no ginormous animals such an elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, etc. There were a few tigers and 3 lions, some huge wolves and a big ole pig. Most importantly, our kids were smiling - our objective for the outing:)

December

Hello blog. I haven't visited you in over a month. Oops. I'm pregnant and lazy!

So, to catch up, here's the month of December!

Lakeway Lights  

The neighborhood we live in puts up a ton of lights in front of city hall. The kids loved it!!

Mackenzie with our friends' cute kiddos, Riley and Berkley. (Conner wasn't feeling photogenic)

Barton Creek

Jeremy's work Christmas party was held at Barton Creek Resort. So, we went a little early to see the ice skaters and gingerbread houses. Fun little things to get us in the holiday spirit!

Kampen Christmas! 

Since all of the Kampen adult children work for the family business, everyone was in town for the company Christmas party. So, we had Christmas together a couple weeks early.

The munchkins eating the Christmas feast together

These 3 were too excited about all the presents!! 

Cousin kisses

 And tackels 

Attacking poor Gigi (she loved it!!)

 My Christmas babies

Making snow with Papi

Natalie's birthday was the weekend before, so we got to celebrate with her a week late. Great reason to have cake!

Katie choking Olivia while she's trying to blow out the candles....super Aunt:)

I don't know what these 2 are doing but it's cute!!

That evening was also the memorable night of RGIII WINNING THE HEISMAN! So proud to be a Baylor Bear!!!!

Christmas Eve

We had my parents in town for Christmas. On Christmas Eve both sets of grandparents joined us for some good ole grub and to find out what we're having (more on that later). Think the kids are hungry? Where's everyone else?

Mac 'n cheese makes this guy happy!

Christmas Morning

All the goodies lined up from Santa

And of course the big hit was the vanity table. Conner....please like boy stuff!

A bone for Maggie-dog!

Dad trying to be photographer with his iPad....not good.

Alright...he's hitting a baseball! Boy stuff yeah!!

Heaven for Maggie

Ok, well, he's now in his princess dress playing with boy stuff. Hmmm....kind of conflicted on my feelings about this.

Little Miss picked out her outfit to match her new rain boots - not bad!

My little Ree-Ree (Conner's word for princess)

Mackenzie (and Conner) got crabs for Christmas! Hallelujah! She's been asking for one of these for at least a month. But for the longest time, we couldn't figure out what she was saying because she kept saying she wanted a "crap." ?????? So, I'd put her on the potty. That wasn't what she meant but it makes for a good laugh now!

Oh no, the Ree-Ree is upset about something:(

Christmas evening we had a "Happy Birthday, Jesus" cookie cake. Yum! 

We loved celebrating Jesus' birthday!!! It was a great Christmas!!