Hey hey, friends! How’s everybody’s Monday treatin’ them?
It’s been a pretty busy and productive day over in this neck of the woods. Luckily, I got everything taken care of at DMV with minimal waiting time this morning (awesome), which gave me plenty of time to take care of things at home.
First order of business upon getting home? Lunch!
Already knowing what was on the menu for dinner tonight (eeek!) I knew it’d be a good idea to get in as many veggies as possible. So I made a big ‘ol chopped salad, complete with romaine, cukes, a whole tomato, broccoli, baby carrots, bread and butter pickles, goat cheese, and a a chopped up MorningStar Farms veggie burger.
There’s just something about a chopped salad that can’t be beat. I love how everything is perfectly bite-sized and full of flavor.
Along with lunch, I also sipped on some of my impromptu purchase from this morning.
I will always, always, love diet cream soda. Aspartame and all. Oh well.
While eating lunch, I also roasted some broccoli and cauliflower in the oven, which I plan on using throughout the week for lunches and/or dinners. It’s always so nice to have some pre-prepped food to choose from during the week.
Once I was done with lunch, I did some serious damage in the kitchen; I was a girl on a baking mission!
Lucky for you guys, I ended up with two very delicious, extremely amazing recipes. I’ll be sharing them with you later this week but for now, here’s a little sneak peek…
Oh yes.
You’d think that with my extra sweets consumption from this afternoon (because you know there was taste-testing going on), I’d be craving a nice salty, savory dinner. But oh no my friends, oh no…
Remember that huge let-down from a couple of weeks ago?
Well tonight totally made up for the wait.
I finally got my pancake dinner!
I used our favorite pancake recipe, and even got a little spunky by adding some mini chocolate chips to a few of them. Usually I don’t go nuts about chocolate chips in my ‘cakes, but tonight, they totally worked.
I loaded my plate with 4 pancakes (2 chocolate chip, 2 plain) and topped them with some banana slices and a crap load of light syrup. I decided to just take the 4 because I almost always take three and then end up grabbing a fourth anyways, especially if it’s for dinner.
They were so light and fluffy. Honestly, I swear I could eat pancakes every day of my life. Every day.
On the side, we cooked up some turkey bacon which was surprisingly really good. When I’ve cooked it in the past, I usually just do it in the microwave, but I think that cooking it in a skillet made a world of difference.
Jay even ate it…and that’s saying a lot.
*****
I’m pretty sure that my eyes were bigger than my belly tonight and I am feeling rather stuffed. Ehhh, it happens. At least, if I’m going to do it, I do it on something that’s worth it…and pancakes are definitely worth it.
Time to get back to a little more studying – another chapter is “in the books” after today!
Questions for the Evening:
What’s your favorite pancake combination?
Do you eat/drink anything with aspartame or try to avoid it?
Turkey bacon or regular bacon?
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
Mmm I’m a huge fan of breakfast for dinner! Especially pancakes or waffles. We actually just had waffles last night for dinner. My favorite pancake combo is chocolate chips with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar OR bananas and nuts cooked into the pancakes with maple syrup on top. Yum!
I rarely drink stuff with aspartame in it for health reasons, but every once in awhile I crave a diet soda, so I go for it. I figure it won’t kill me if I only have it every so often. ;)
I love ALL bacon! I usually buy turkey bacon since it’s healthier, but I’ll never turn down a good ol’ hearty piece of real bacon!
Maria@La_Piattini says
Yum those look so good!
The best combo I’ve had is apple crisp pancakes- oh so amazing.
And I almost always go with turkey bacon- good stuff.
Ruthie Hart says
SERIOUSLY!! Two amazing pictures of food in 1 post…I thought my mouth was watering from that salad pic and now those pancakes. You know what I saw on Pinterest?? Using a cinnamon roll inside a waffle maker for cinnamon waffles! Now I just need to get a waffle maker haha.
Shannon says
1. I like plain pancakes with either butter or sugar or both on them. I usually have 3 big pancakes but if they are at a small size, then I have at least 6.
2. I do not even know what aspartame is so…no, I have not eaten foods with that.
3. Regular bacon all the way!
Savannah @ Sweet and Savvy says
I LOVE diet cream soda… and diet many other things, despite all the aspartame. I try not to drink many diet pops, but sometimes, that is all I want. Everything in moderation, right? :)
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
OH gosh i LOOOVE pancakes – no Saturday morning is the same without them!
Elizabeth says
Chocolate chips in pancakes cannot be beat, then with banana’s sliced on top and maple syrup. So, umm, sort of like exactly what you had, but I swear it’s my favourite, I didn’t copy! :P
I totally avoid diet drinks with one exeption … mixing with alcohol. I totally cut soda out of my diet a really long time ago and never really wanted to drink it after that, but when mixing soda’s with liquor I always use diet drinks … alcohol itself is a waste of calories so why waste more on the pop?
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
I think we have the same plates haha … it’s funny that I just noticed that! ;)
Anyway, that “dinner” looks pretty amazing. I LOVE chocolate chip pancakes. And I think any type of bacon is better in a skillet than the microwave! It really makes a big difference!
Hope says
I love having breakfast for dinner. It’s so simple yet delicious at the same time. :)
I love banana pancakes or chocolate chip. Anything with chocolate chips is a winner in my book ;)
I think I probably do. I occasionally drink diet soda but I’m not sure if that is aspartame or splenda. I think they are the same anyway.
I hate regular bacon! Turkey bacon all the way! Cooking it in the skillet is the only way. It makes it nice and crispy.
briana says
love bread and butter pickles on salad, thought I was the only one! My favorite pancakes have blueberries with pb and pure maple syrup on top. Those baked goods look great I can’t wait to bake next week!
Lauren @ Chocolate, Cheese and Wine says
Real bacon all the way – you cannot beat it. I had breakfast for dinner tonight too, an egg and cheese sandwich – delicious!
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
Those pancakes look awesome! I love banana walnut pancakes!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Dinner looks delicious! I love pancakes, no weekend is complete without them. I’m definitely a regular bacon fan, but I’ll eat it in any form :)
Colleen @ Jimmy Choos on the Treadmill says
Chocolate chips are a must in my pancakes!!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
YAY, you got your pancake supper! :) Glad it was worth the wait…. I totally do Diet drinks ever now and again (4’ish days/week) and I’m not going to feel bad about it. Well, try at least. There are worse things… Right?
I have big eyes for your dinner, I want pancakes right now!!!!
Paige @ RUnning Around Normal says
Pancakes for dinner is always a good option. Eggs, too! We pretty much eat breakfast for dinner once a week :)
Mallory @ It's Only Life says
sometimes i have pancakes for dinner too- so filling and satisfying! love it! i usually make fiber one pancakes so they have some extra staying power. sometimes ill make them for lunch, but i then return back to the office wanting to fall asleep – haha
Lynn says
I just wanted to share, regarding the diet beverage thing, that Target’s generic brand Archer Farms has some GREAT new water packets in tropical flavors that are sweetened with stevia and regular sugar yet still super low in calories. No artificial crap! And they are SOOOOOOO tasty!! The new Crystal Light sweetened with stevia is really good too! Means more yummy water for me and less junk ;)
erica says
i love breakfast for dinner! (especially waffles!)
i love chocolate chip or banana pancakes…but there’s this place here that does a good guava pancake and red velvet pancake!!! YUM!
i actually like turkey bacon better than regular bacon….
Lara says
Love pancakes for dinner! I have a stash of frozen blueberries that I throw in the batter. As for aspartame, used to love it but it gives me an awful stomach ache. I used to drink a TON of diet coke and can’t have it at all. I like the diet dr hansen’s cola. Sweetened with Splenda and a good substitute!
Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats says
If you are a cream soda fan–try the Zevia version. OMG so good–and sweetened with stevia! :) Those cookies look fabulous and I’m right there with ya, pancakes are amazing! I like topping mine with crunchy peanut butter, cinnamon, and banana. I am not a fan of bacon at all. I try to avoid aspartame at all costs with one exception–gum. I’ve tried to give it up but I’d rather chew a piece of gum than mindlessly snack all day. lol.
Lindsey says
Breakfast for supper! I love it :) We are having it Thursday for supper.
I love any pancakes but my favorite combo we have made is strawberry, flaxseed and chocolate chips – nothing has beat it yet.
Yes I do drink things with aspartame – I try to avoid them but break down every once in awhile.
Turkey bacon all the way :)
Lena @Fit on the Rocks says
I love chocolate chip banana pancakes when I’m at home. There’s this breakfast/brunch eatery here called Snooze that serves up the most AMAZING pancake combos. They sound so incredibly sweet, but they’re just sweet enough and don’t make you fall into a diabetic coma ;)
Torry @ Working on a Dream says
I love pancakes – I went out to breakfast over the weekend and the pancakes were not so great….now I am craving really good pancakes….you might have just given me an idea for breakfast in the morning :-)
Khushboo says
Brinner is always a winner!! I’m guilty of being a sucker to asparatame..I love Diet Coke and if that’s one of my few vices, I’d say I’m doing okay!
Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile says
I am totally craving pancakes now. I don’t like the taste of soda so I don’t drink it but I try to avoid stuff with aspartame. If I do have it sometimes, oh well! It won’t kill me once in a while :) Can’t wait for the recipes!
Ashlee says
I love Cream Soda! It was always a treat from my mom when we were younger. I drink the diet cream soda now, I still view it as a treat. I drink Diet Pepsi and diet Dr Pepper. Not as much as I used to, but it is something different than water when I want something bubbly.
We have tried turkey bacon several times and I cannot get used to it. I have some still in the freezer, we use it more for recipes that call for pieces of bacon in them.
Ari @ Ari's Menu says
Diet cream soda is my absolute favorite!!! It’s worth the aspartame every once in a while :) As for pancakes–blueberry cornmeal, or whole wheat pumpkin. Oooohhhh or have you ever had them with granola inside?! I love pancakes too…obviously haha.
Jordan says
yummmm NOTHING beats pancakes for dinner!