Hey friends! Happy Friday! How has your week been? It’s gone by pretty fast for me. Now it’s packing crunch time! I’m leaving Columbus on Tuesday and doing the whole moving thing next Wednesday. Summer is almost over. But not really, because I still have two and a half weeks until classes start. Hopefully I can get my schedule sorted out by then… oh boy.
Anyway, I should probably go run some errands and make some brownies soon. Because that’s how you start a weekend off right: productivity and chocolate. And also by looking back at some of the best things from the week. So, let’s do that!
The best chicken ever
This was my first time ever making a whole chicken! I’m usually a boneless skinless chicken breast/thigh girl for convenience purposes. I made a version of this chicken on Wednesday night. It was so good, guys. I love rotisserie chicken, but occasionally you get a dried-out, too-salty one, and there are usually a bunch of unnecessary ingredients in it. Making your own lets you control all of that. Plus, the hands-on time for this was about 15 minutes, and most of that was cutting it up after it cooked. And I bet the juices would make a fabulous gravy, if you’re a gravy person!
Ape Man
I’ve been to Whole Foods way too many three times in the last seven days. Last Thursday, it was to pick myself up after a crappy doctor’s appointment. Monday, it was to load up on some back-to-school groceries. Tuesday, it was to pick up the chicken for Wednesday’s dinner. But when I’m at Whole Foods, I’m gonna look around – especially since I went to three different locations.
On Tuesday, I stumbled across Ape Man desserts in the refrigerated sections. They have no refined sugar or dairy or gluten, so frankly they sound like the kind of dessert a health nut would eat and everyone else would cast sidelong, skeptical glances at. I get it. But I like trying new things and I’ve certainly been called a health nut, so I naturally picked up the red velvet cake and the fudge brownie. I’ve since devoured both.
They’re small-but-rich and so, so delicious. They say two servings per package, and you could share, but that’d leave you with about four small-ish bites. Four bites is not enough for me and I ended up eating the whole thing each time. You do you. I think I’d recommend the red velvet over the brownie if you have to choose, but why choose when you can get both?
Hockey
There’s this small problem with being away at school that means I go to way fewer hockey games than I used to. Additionally, the NHL season (un)conveniently starts about two weeks after classes start. My dad and I generally hit one or two Blue Jackets games over winter break and maybe one over spring break, but I miss my hockey nights. Tonight, there’s a solution! There’s a pre-tournament USA vs. Canada World Cup of Hockey game at Nationwide Arena tonight and I get to go. I’m excited.
Game nights
A lot of my evenings this summer have been spent blogging and watching The Americans… or the Olympics. But basically, my parents and I have been watching shows together and not playing games together. We like games, too, though. Since we’ve finished The Americans and we’re soaking up the last little bit of time I’m home, we’ve been returning to game nights, and it’s great. I mean, I’ve been losing, but it’s fun to hang out and get competitive.
This story
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… and more specifically, the video in the article. The gist: high school football players laid roses at a leukemia-fighting cheerleader’s feet as they came onto the field. It sounds sweet and when my mom told me about it, I was like, “Awww, that’s nice.” And then I went about my day until it popped up on my Facebook feed and I watched the video. Definitely enough to make you teary and also to make you love people a little more.
And that’s all for me now. Have a great weekend, hug your people close, and I’ll talk to you next week!
And if you have a minute and want to have input on what I share on the blog, I’d appreciate it if you’d take this survey!
A whole chicken, @apemanfoods healthier desserts, and hockey: what @EllenSlater is loving this week. #fitfluential Share on XYour turn:
Have you ever had a healthier dessert that surprised you with its deliciousness?
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I love putting a whole chicken in the crockpot…meat for the whole week many different ways! I am often surprised when I make ‘healthified’ desserts…these food bloggers come up with crazy good healthy dessert recipes!!! I saw that video too 😉
I love the possibilities for leftovers! And yes, we’ve certainly gotten creative with ingredients in the best way to make healthier sweets!
I saw the video for the cheerleader without any sound and had no clue what was going on, so thank you for explaining it to me (because I obviously forgot to check it out after)!
Hahaha I do that all the time!
I love that your a hokey fan <3
I have no idea what my weekend plans will be! I'll just let things happen and try to get everything settled (and in my planner!) for the rest of the semester!
It feels like we’re a rare breed ?
Even though everytime I make it out to one I love it, I am very, very happy there is no Whole Foods accessibly close to me. I already browse and spend WAY too much at the grocery store. Nope, nope nope.
Haha I’m the same way. I might be in trouble because there’s a Whole Foods near campus now ?
Kale chips definitely surprised me with their deliciousness, and now I’m obsessed!
I love how crispy kale gets!
That dessert really does look so good! When I had vegan ice cream for the first time, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was so pleasantly surprised! I hope you have a great weekend!!
It’s cool how many options there are to make desserts a little healthier! I hope you have a lovely weekend, too!
Ooh those baked goodies look amazing Ellen! I’m so happy you found something that you could eat and it was easy on your body. And rotisserie chicken from Safeway is one of my favorite quick foods.
Rotisserie chicken is such a delicious and convenient option!
I have such a sweet tooth, so I love finding healthier desserts, especially when I don’t have to make them!
Hahaha couldn’t have said it better myself ?
Ohh I need to try that crockpot chicken!
That red velvet cake looks so good too – but I always laugh at serving sizes like that. Does anyone actually share?! Haha!
Do it! So easy!
And serving sizes totally don’t compute for me. Oh well. I eat what I want ?
Apeman sounds amazing!!! Hope you have an awesome weekend, Ellen <3
They’re fabulous! Thanks, Edye!
Those Ape Man bars look SO fudgy and perfect! I’d totally eat the whole thing at once, too.
This week I am patting myself on the back for making and freezing a whole bunch of food to take back with me to school. Freezer-friendly meals are the best! This weekend I’ll be starting research for my senior thesis and working on a poster for a symposium in a couple of weeks. So much fun, right? 😛
I need to make some freezer meals during my downtime next week! That’s an awesome idea.
Good luck with your thesis and presentation! You got this!