*Recipe* Chocolate Cherry Coconut Truffles

Well here it is, Christmas Eve Eve!  I thought I would put up one more recipe that you could probably throw together in a pinch before Christmas day if need be.  Now, I'm aware that people are weird about all three of the main ingredients in these Truffles.  Either people don't like dark chocolate, cherries or coconut.  Fine with me, you are weird and that means more for me.  For the few of us that do like all of the ingredients, these are DIVINE.  I had to hide them in the freezer so that I didn't eat them all.  Everyone have a very Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 3/4 glaced cherries 
• 2/3 milk chocolate
• 1 cup dark or semi sweet chocolate
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

• If you are using actual graham crackers, crush them up into tiny crumbs.  If you are using pre crushed crumbs, add them to a large bowl, add the coconut and mix together.  
• Finely chop your cherries and milk chocolate and add to cracker/cookie mix and combine. 
• Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave according to directions and then combine with sweetened condensed milk. 
• Working quickly, add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and store well until combined. 

• Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge for about 30 minutes. 
• Carefully roll out your truffles, approximately teaspoon size or a bit larger. 
• Roll the truffles in more desiccated coconut.
• Store truffles in fridge for up to 5 days or freeze. 

thanks to sweetest menu.com for the recipe!

Fab Friday Faves 12.21.18

Hello everyone and happy last Friday before Christmas! Four more sleeps!  I am very ready for Christmas this year, even though I felt very late with everything until about last week.  It doesn't feel like Christmas weather here sadly, although in Florida I guess it really never does?  Yesterday, we had many, many inches of rain, and then today it was insanely windy (I've been here for two tropical storms and this is the windiest I've seen it), so it hasn't exactly been ideal.  For anyone that is wondering, Josh and I got some not so good news today regarding our IVF round we did a couple weeks ago.  A negative pregnancy test on Wednesday.  I had prepared myself as I was fairly certain that I wasn't but still, it is never easy.
Alright, since this is the last FFF before Christmas, everyone have an amazing week with loved ones and I hope Santa is good to all of you!

Finally got my Christmas nails on Wednesday!  So cute!

Palm Harbor had our Christmas parade on Saturday.  This is the first time we have attended and it was so great!  We live in a relatively small city and it is great to see the community come together.  The parade was fantastic and really put us in the Christmas spirit.  

On Sunday one of my neighbors had a bit of an accident (she is fine now) but her dog is her baby, so as soon as I knew some thing was going on we offered to look after her dog.  Dinner is the sweetest, tiniest, thing you'll ever meet.  We played fetch for a few hours until his mom got home and we were sad to see him go.  Fun fact:  his name is Dinner because he was rescued from the dog meat trade in Korea where he would have been "Dinner". 

 Saturday was also the Christmas Open House at my massage place, "Natural Balance." It is also a spa, and where I get most of my Eminence skincare products (I've raved about Eminence on here a few times).  Anyway, they had some raffles and I won this kit ($130 value) so I was super pumped and of course tried it out right away.  Love it!

Another one of my contest wins arrived today.  I won a Litter Robot and year supply of litter ($800 value).  I have been entering their "12 Days of Christmas" contest on their website for at least 3 years now and I finally won!  I can't really say this is a favorite at the moment, as I just got it set up and I have no idea if Smudge is even going to like it, but if she does, it will make my life easier.  For anyone that doesn't know, its an automated litter box, with wifi and an app and lights and is definitely the most high tech thing in our home.

Today I'm linking up with:

/ Style Elixir / A Little Bit of Everything / Simply Sweet Home / Bright On A Budget / 

*Recipe* Chipotle Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili

It's been a while since I did a recipe, and I thought I better do one for winter, since it is again "Florida cold" here in Florida.   I found this recipe after subscribing to a Whole 30 mailing list, it was one of several Fall recipes that looked delicious.   This can be made in an instapot or a slow cooker, and I'll include both sets of directions.   I'll keep this description short, since I know that no one likes to read a novel before they get their recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 Tb Coconut or Avocado oil
• 1lb ground turkey
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 28oz diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 medium sweet potato cut into small cubes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• optional: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges

Directions

slow cooker:

• Heat oil in medium sauce over medium high heat.
• When oil starts to shimmer, add ground turkey and break up and cook 5 minutes.
• Add onions and garlic and continue to cook 8-10 minutes until onions are translucent and turkey is cooked through.  

• Transfer meat to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients tomatoes through chipotle powder.  
• Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours until sweet potato is tender.

• salt and pepper to taste and garnish with optional toppings.

Instapot:

• select sauté setting on Instapot and add the oil.
• When oil starts to shimmer, add ground turkey and break up and cook 5 minutes.
• Add onions and garlic and continue to cook 8-10 minutes until onions are translucent and turkey is cooked through.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir.
• Lock lid in place and set vent valve to "sealing." Select manual high pressure and set cook time to 12 minutes.
• When cooking time is up, use quick pressure release then remove lid when safe to do so. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with optional toppings. 

thanks to the Real Food Dietitians for the recipe! 

Fab Friday Faves 12.7.18

Hello everyone!  Yes, I am aware, it isn't Friday, but I had this blog halfway done and didn't get home until dinner time last night and I was REALLY tired.  I had been in Rockville, MD for a couple days and just felt like laying around when I got home.   Besides that it was a quiet week!  not too much to report.  Everyone have a great rest of your weekend, and judging by the stores today, I hope every is completely prepared for Christmas so you don't have to go out in that mess!

On Wednesday I flew from Tampa to Baltimore, for my FET (embryo transfer) at Shady Grove in Rockville.  The night I got in, I met one of my BFF, Ericka (we became friends in Peru and she recently moved to the US) at Wildwood Kitchen for some appetizers and a great visit.  I got a hotel about a mile from my clinic so the next morning I got up ad headed over early for some pre-transfer acupuncture, which was amazing.  My transfer was at 1:00 and it takes all of about six minutes, so by 1:25 I was back in for my post transfer acupuncture.  by 2:30 I was back in my hotel room eating Thai food.   I came home yesterday late afternoon and I am feeling great!  

On the weekend Josh and I went down to the Channelside area in Tampa to Sparkman Wharf, a super cool new little area with a bunch of restaurants and a biergarten and an outdoor games area right on the water.  It was so much fun and a great place to hang out.  

ON Sunday Josh and I went to LBC for their Bloody Mary bar.  They have THE BEST Bloody Mary bar ever!

ON Black Friday, my favorite skincare company, Eminence, had a very rare, very awesome sale.  Three items and a cute little bag for $98.  This is a savings of about $50 so it was pretty awesome.  If you have never tried Eminence, don't because you will never be able to use anything else once you do.  But if you want to, use coupon code REFDF6SSQPES4 for $10 off your first order.

I got this cool mirrored bird feeder from Zulily and am thrilled to report that the birds love it!  I can watch them but they can't see me and because it's in the middle of the window the squirrels can't get at it.


Today, I'm linking up with:

/ Style Elixir / A Little Bit of Everything / Simply Sweet Home / Bright On A Budget /