Happy Valentine’s Day!
Although I do agree that today is a Hallmark holiday, I can’t lie… I just love love. And how could I not be happy for a day when I find these on my doorstep?
My hubby obviously put a smile on my face with those! I was thinking about it, and out of the years we’ve been together, we’ve been with each other for 3 Valentine’s Days and apart for 3 Valentine’s Days… Hmm, 50/50 isn’t too bad, right?!
Though my hot date tonight was volunteering with the doggies at the Humane Society, I did have a theme of chocolate going on today
in celebration of the holiday. First, I made pancakes for lunch. Not just plain pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes.. with pumpkin! I even attempted to make them in heart shapes, because I’m cool like that. They came out softer because of all the pumpkin goodness, but they were tasty!
[Side note: Wow, that is one scratched pan I cook pancakes on! That’d be courtesy of Adam trying to cook clams on it one time..]
Serves 1
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats, dry (Quaker)
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin (Libby’s)
- 2 TBSP whole wheat flour (Gold Medal)
- 1/2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup chocolate soy milk (Soy Slender)
- 1 TSP light brown sugar (365 Organic)
- 1 packet of Stevia sweetener
- 1 TBSP chocolate chips (Ghiradelli semi-sweet)
Warm skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray.
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips. Mix well.
Form 3 pancakes in the pan, then equally distribute chips to each cake. Cook until browned on each side.
Stats: 300 calories, 10 g fat, 12 g protein, 54 g carbs
Chocolate eats of my day #2: My dessert tonight is a few of these Trader Joe’s caramels:
Holy yum, they’re so good! You seriously only need to eat 1 or 2 and you feel perfectly satisfied.
Loving Yourself
I was reading Self magazine the other day and the editor was talking about self love. She made an excellent point in saying that we should strive to be as nice to ourselves as we are to our best friends. I was thinking about this idea with today’s theme of love. Sure, Valentine’s Day is usually centered around romantic relationships, but why not make it also about showing your friends and family how much you care about them? And yourself? We tend to be so hard on ourselves, and in reality, the most important relationship in life is the one you have with yourself. Go ahead and treat yourself to something nice just because you are fabulous. And remember to…
I’m off to go for chocolate eats #3 of the day: diet hot cocoa!
Hi Nicole — love reading your blog! Good job!!!! Just remember the next time you are here I’ll expect to sample some of the goodies. Keep up the good work. I’m so proud of you and what you are doing. Love you, Mom Mom Woody
Aw thanks, you’re so sweet! Oh I would love to bake and cook for you sometime soon!