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Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Topped Cucumbers

  • Posted on: 10 February 2015
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Tonight I am going to an amazing event with The Birmingham Girls Club . Through this club, I have met some amazing women! This is my second event to attend since becoming a member, and I can't wait! We are all coming together to celebrate one another on this Valentine's week! For tonight's event, I put together a new recipe that is made of four simple ingredients, cucumbers, goat cheese, whole fat greek yogurt, and prosciutto. It's light, simple, and a perfect party food! Here's how I made it. Mix together 4 oz of goat cheese with 4 oz of whole fat greek yogurt. This works best if the goat...

On Track With Fitness Trackers

  • Posted on: 4 February 2015
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I am honored to welcome back Jennifer King of S tellar Fashion & Fitness . Jennifer says of her blog: I want to use this blog as a source of motivation — for myself and for my readers — to find the strength to become stellar people, on the inside and the outside. Whether you’re trying to lose weight as I am, wanting to become more physically fit or learning to dress in a way that expresses your personality, I hope this can be a place for encouragement, support and the exchange of ideas. Today Jennifer will be sharing some of her experiences with several different fitness trackers. I hope...

Sweetened Condensed Cashew Milk

  • Posted on: 26 January 2015
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I have been making cashew milk at home for years because of the healthy fats and the natural calming properties. So, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that Silk had started carrying their own Cashew Milk! I'm sure it will be nice to purchase pre-made non GMO cashew milk on those occasions that I do not have time to make it myself. I usually try to avoid store bought sweetened, condensed milk because of al the additives and processing. So I thought why not make a sweetened, condensed milk with the Cashew Milk I have on hand? It turned out quite delicious! I can't wait to make a...

Why Eat Local: A Conversation with Jen of Bottle & Bone

  • Posted on: 21 January 2015
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Enter our Valentine's Day Giveaway for you and your love to attend a sausage making class at Bottle & Bone , as Jen said, "The couple that grinds together, stays together!" Details at the end of this post. Nestled in a cozy corner of beautiful Uptown Birmingham is a butcher shop, unlike any you have ever seen. It is easy to spot by the unique, Viking style architecture displayed outside the entrance. Once you step inside your senses are filled with the smell of delicious meats cooking, your eyes captured by the magnificent offerings of ales and wines, and your ears filled with warm...

Jalapeño Honey Chicken Teriyaki

  • Posted on: 14 January 2015
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Thank you for stopping by Spiffy Eats. Today I am sharing a recipe with you that is not only rich in complex flavor, but really simple to make. Make it clean eating by putting it over a side of brown rice or paleo by putting it over a fried egg. Both options are easy and tasty. First, I would like to share a bit of my friend Amber's story. You have heard from Amber before in her post, "Free the Chicks" , where she wrote about the reasons for choosing pastured eggs and chickens. Amber is a school teacher who holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a BS in Early Childhood Education and...

A Birmingham Christmas

  • Posted on: 29 December 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Although I am posting about delicious food today, this is NOT a recipe post. I wanted to take the holiday and truly relax, and not write down measurments or times. All day, I cooked like my Grandmama Furniss, a pinch of this, a dab of that, taste it, and keep going! I used clean ingedients and whole foods and we had an amazing time! Tony and I started our morning with some delicious hot chocolate and bailey's, a gift from my sister Sarah. We cozied up with our warm winter mugs and toasted our 3rd Christmas together. Once we had our bellies full of warm, yummy goodness it was time to attempt a...

Thirsty Thursdays: Vegan Christmas Cocktails

  • Posted on: 18 December 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Only a few short days before Christmas! What better time to talk about Christmas Cocktails! I've put together a list of a few that I am excited to try. They are all vegan and vegetarian friendly. Happy Thirsty Thursday, everyone! 1. White Christmas Sangria from Cooking Stoned This beautiful drink comes to you courtesy of Jerry James Stone. I adore his quirky, vegan style. Check out the video for this fruit filled recipe here on Cooking Stoned . 2. Vegan Eggnog from Tasty Yummies I am absolutely in love with this next drink! I am a huge cashew fan because of their healthy fat content and the...

Spiffy's Pinterest Picks: 4 Christmas Roast Beasts

  • Posted on: 17 December 2014
  • By: jessica
This is one of my favorite parts of any Christmas movie ever! "He brought everything back, all the food for the feast, and he... He himself, the Grinch... carved the roast beast." How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Such a heart-warming scene! Also a scene that makes me hungry. Just the words "roast beast" bring to mind images of deliously cooked meats. I can just imagine huge cuts of beef roast, a whole duck, oxtail, pork loin. So, today I thought I'd share my Pinterest Picks for your Christmas feast! If you are wondering where to buy good, quality meats (and you are local to the Birmingham area...

Goat Cheese Appetizer

  • Posted on: 12 December 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Today I have a delightful recipe to share with you! It is perfect to whip up when you have a party to attend this Holiday season. This recipe is adapted from Anne Byrn Saves the Day , a cookbook with fantastic recipes designed to "rescue any occasion". I had the privilege of going to a live demo of this recipe and have been wanting to try it out ever since. The original recipe calls for cream cheese. I chose to use whole fat greek yogurt, as most store bought cream cheeses do not have a very clean ingredient list. (Sidenote> I have learned that you can substitue healthy whole fat greek...

Guest Blog: Stellar Fashion and Fitness

  • Posted on: 10 December 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I am so proud to have Jennifer from Stellar Fashion and Fitness guest posting today. A few months back I met Jennifer at a See Jane Write event. I was a fan of her blog and very excited to connect with her. Over the past few months I have grown to admire her for many reasons, including her acute eye for fashion, her love for fitness and her ability to write from the heart. She has become a dear friend to me over these last few months and I am so grateful for it! Let me share a bit of her mission statement with you. "I believe that finding peace with your own body — and by that I mean the full...

Chicken Enchilada Soup

  • Posted on: 9 December 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
This time of year, I adore making soups. As I mentioned on my earlier post in anticipation for Market Noel , I love how the aroma fills the whole house and makes every part of my home feel warm and cozy. When I met these awesome folks at Frontier Soups , I had my mind set on something I could make for a Taco Tuesday, and I was not disappointed. This recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup will have you going back for seconds without a doubt!

Why I love Anne Byrn, and You Should Too.

  • Posted on: 28 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
While at Junior League of Birmingham's Market Noel , I had the incredible privilege of meeting acclaimed author Anne Byn. Anne is the Cake Mix Doctor . She takes box cake to a whole new level by sharing incredible ways to add just the right ingredients to her already delicious gluten-free cake mixes. Anne was at Market Noel to demonstrate a recipe from her newest book, Anne Byrn Saves the Day . The book shares recipes from Anne's personal collection and from her friends and family. The recipes are all easy to make meals, that can be whipped up in no time for a party or get together. The...

Garden Honey Bee of Hoover, AL

  • Posted on: 24 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
When I attended the Market Noel this weekend, I had the honor of meeting one of the kindest people I have met in my entire life. Brenda Belcher, the owner of Garden Honey Bee . Here is a picture of Brenda and her husband, John, the beekeeper! Brenda's talent of creating absolutely delicious honey is only surpassed by her passion for the honey bee. Brenda's heart lies in educating others on the purpose of the bee and the impact bees have on our daily lives. Bees sustain our lives by pollinating over $15 billion worth of crops each year in the U.S. We love bees for their honey, but who knew...

Sweet Chipotle Sloppy Joes

  • Posted on: 23 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
This weekend I had the privelege to attend Market Noel, an annual Christmas bizzaar put on by the Junior League of Birmingham . I had such an amazing time and met some incredible people. The next few blog posts I will be highlighting a specific vendor and their products. I hope you will take the time to check out these talented small business owners and try out their products. First on the list is Sue from Hot Squeeze . Sue's slogan is "It’s all about FLAVOR. Keeping it SIMPLE. Always ALL NATURAL." Sue creates sauces that have all natural ingredients and no added salt. She believes with the...

Winterize Your Pantry

  • Posted on: 20 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
This time of year pinterest is loaded with ways to winterize your house, winterize your wardrobe, or winterize your car. These are all important and great ways to prepare for winter, but have you ever thought of winterizing your pantry? Today I want to share with you a few items I keep in my pantry to be prepared for winter. 1. Chicken Broth Chicken broth is rich in amino acids and minerals that will speed the recovery of any cold or flu. It is also very filling, warm, and delicious. I love using it to make my Immune Boosting Chicken Soup . Chicken broth is an absolute must have for you...

Market Noel Ticket Giveaway (plus 3 vendors I can't wait to meet)

  • Posted on: 18 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Have you heard of Market Noel ? This is my 2nd Holiday Season to spend in Birmingham and I am amazed at how many incredible events are happening each weekend. "Market Noel is the Junior League of Birmingham's (JLB) annual holiday market, a three-day shopping extravaganza that benefits the programs of the JLB. Market Noel raises money for the league's community projects, serving women and children in the Birmingham area, in the areas of Education, Health, Financial Stability, and Safety and Crisis Intervention." I am ecstatic to be able to attend an amazing holiday market that not only has a...

3 Adorable Kitchen Accessories that I Need!

  • Posted on: 14 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I find myself browsing the web looking for adorable things to add to my kitchen on a regular basis. I thought today I would share three of my current favorites and how you can get them for your own kitchen. 1. Scoops of Flower Measuring Spoons from Modcloth Oh my gosh! The pink and yellow pastels put me in an instant good mood! I am having fantasies of measuring cinnamon, honey, turmeric, and buttermilk with these adorable little measuring spoons. I love the idea of having the measuring spoons displayed on the counter. No more wasted time digging through drawers to find the right spoon...

3 "Health Foods" That May Not Be Good For You

  • Posted on: 11 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Growing up I heard certain foods were healthy and certain foods were not. It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I took the initiative to look into the actual ingredients in these so called "heatlh foods". Something as simple as turning over the box has become a game changer in my eating habits. READ THE INGREDIENTS, FOLKS! I now focus on eating whole foods that are as close to their natural form as possible. Today I want to share with you some foods that I grew up thinking were healthy. Did you grow up thinking the same thing? 1. Low-fat Dairy For many years we have been told that low-fat or...

Grandma's Blue Ribbon Buttermilk Pie (Clean Version)

  • Posted on: 9 November 2014
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Holidays are a time for family, friends, gifts, and PIE! In my childhood home, the smell of pie in the oven was a sign that Fall was here and Winter was coming soon. My mom is no chef (I hope she is ok with me saying that). But, she has a few recipes that she makes and she makes them really well. One of them is my Great, Great Grandmother Todd's Buttermilk Pie. And when I say Mom makes it well, I mean really well. When I was a little girl she won a blue ribbon at the county fair for this pie. It's that good! I decided to clean it up a bit by choosing whole fat, grass-fed buttermilk, kerrygold...

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