Today Was NOT A Saturday In The Park Kind Of Day !!!

My Saturday has been NO Saturday in the Park whatsoever, let me "Tell the World".  First off ....

".... see this little girl just a chillin' beside her "other" Master?"

Well let me tell you this morning was looking like ....

".... this with 90 km/hr winds and wet snow."

".... when "she" tried to literally pull the "goose over my eyes" by taking off across the field after these fine beauties first thing this morning.  Then after they had taken flight, she helped herself to what they had left behind .... yech !"

"Impressed was I?  I think NOT, and what a sight was I? still with my nightclothes on, a heavy old green coat and my big Baffin winter boots on, trekking across our field to get my hands on her !  I was some wet and "ticked" by the time we got back into the house.  No more "off leash" for the likes of little Missy Mercedes !  Just a tad "frazzled" I was ..."

".... and here I was almost ready to forgive her for the other "mishaps" she had pulled off beforehand.  These Yoga pants used to be very comfortable, as well as the underwear which are not included in the photo."

I am of the opinion that little Missy Mercedes is starting to go through a "terrible two" period.  I told my niece about the Yoga Pants, and she came back with, "I guess Mercedes doesn't like exercising either".  LOL, at least I laughed about that.  The wet snow down my boots and the wind almost knocking the wind out of me, was quite a different matter .....

I had great plans today, however as everyone well knows we need to be flexible in our lives, since plans do not always go the way we have set them out for ourselves some days.

I called my sister, Donna, who gave me a new Low Fat Blueberry recipe over the phone this morning.  I thought, "great, I will try these for myself and the "Crabby Cabbie" will have some for his lunches". 

"No sweat, got them all mixed up and into the oven in no time."

"Here they now lay to rest.  My whole wheat flour must have been stale, as I did not have it in an air-tight container, and rise the muffins did not.  Once again, I was was starting to feel a little bit irritated with this Saturday."

"The Yoga, underwear, and outside incident must have been my "three" things, as I managed to pull off making the "One Pot Macaroni & Beef" for lunch without a hitch."

Another easy peasy, as 1-2-3 recipe:

One Pot Macaroni & Beef

Recipe Source: Canadian Living

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef  (454 g)
1 onion , chopped
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 sweet green pepper , chopped
2 carrots , thinly sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil 1  (5 mL)
1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
1/2 tsp pepper (2 mL)
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) crushed tomatoes
2 cups macaroni
 2cups (500 mL) Scoobi-\Do pasta
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese  (50 mL)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley up(50 mL)
Preparation:
In Dutch oven or large deep saucepan, saute beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain off fat.

Add onion, garlic, green pepper, carrots, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and 3 cups (750 mL) water; bring to boil. Stir in macaroni; reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

After lunch and doing a sink full of dishes for the third time this day, I asked Rob to take me downtown to buy some "fresh" Whole Wheat Flour.  I was at the point I was bound and determined I was making those Blueberry Muffins, "Come Winds, Hell or High Snow" !

"The flour being "stale" had been the problem; with the new flour the second batch was a success.  Thank goodness !"

These are Low Fat muffins, approximately 150 calories per muffin, with very little sugar and whole wheat flour.  Should you try this recipe, do not expect a "sweet" what you are used to muffin.  The blueberries can be replaced or mixed with other "like" fruit.  I think next time I make a batch I will try a variation of "mixed" fruits.  I really liked the muffin, it will be a "Keeper".  Here is the recipe:

Blueberry Muffins (Low Fat)

1/4 cup Splenda, or Sugar

2 Tbsp. Becel Margarine or Butter

1 egg, beaten

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 Tsp. baking powder

1/2 Tsp. salt

1 cup milk (2% or 1%)

3/4 cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

Cream sugar and butter; add beaten egg.

Stir flour, baking powder, and salt; Add cream mixture alternately with milk; Add vanilla and blueberries.

Spoon into greased muffin tins (DO NOT use muffin liners, as they will not come away from a liner once baked because of the low fat).

Bake at 375*F for 25 minutes.  Note:  Oven temps vary

Recipe Source:  My Sister, Donna "Ree" (Masterson) Robertson

By the time it was all said and done, it was 3:00 pm, with my "Crabby Cabbie" heading out the door, and me not having anything I had planned on doing today accomplished !  Reminder to one's self, "be flexible".

When we were downtown Wiarton, I did have Rob slip in with me to see a carpet I thought would work in the secondary spare bedroom, which he had agreed would.  the room, along with the carpet "okay".

I am please to note that I have not only started on prepping the spare bedroom for the March Challenges, but also have .....

".... started a "Loonie Toonie Bunny" for Holiday savings.  Isn't he cute, my Mother had made him."

"As well as the Leslie Sansone, "Walk Away the Pounds", One Mile Workout."

To date there are four of us participating in the March "Get Your Plate in Shape", Eat Right Challenge I have begun.  Nice to know I am not going it alone !  Thanks for joining along with me, Bonnie, Sharon & Mrs. Thrifty !  Still time to join me, by checking it out HERE.  

"This is just how it is today .... no Saturday in the Park for me this day."

Already is is past 5:30 pm, time to think about heating myself up a bowl of that Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup I made yesterday, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".