spill it sundays | Eating 4 Balance

I’m so glad that you are liking my link love posts on Fridays! I would really like to make them a more consistent feature on Eating 4 Balance so that I can share all of the wonderful things that I find every week on the internet. I already have a bunch of funny videos to share for the next edition!

Now, as it’s Sunday, I’m linking up to Arman’s Spill It Sundays. This week’s theme is TV Shows!

Required selfie:

What was your favorite TV series growing up?

Scooby Doo. Hands down. No question about it. From the prequel series called “A Pup Named Scooby Doo” to “Where Are You Scooby Doo?” to the movie spin-offs there isn’t one version that I’ve seen and not liked. Really, it’s not possible.

What is your current favorite TV series?

Arrow. I finally caught up with all of the episodes last night on Hulu and the CW. As of right now one of the minor (probably soon to be major) characters, Roy, just got injected with some funky stuff and is now supernaturally strong. And someone is walking around terrorizing the town in a scarecrow-like mask. What’s not to love?

In all things serious though, my favorite part is the back and forth flashbacks that show what Oliver’s life was like when he was stranded on the island. Often during a tv series you may wonder why a character is the way he is, and with these flashbacks you get just that. Maybe I’m just a nosey tv watcher, but I always want ALL of the details. I don’t like to be left hanging for long.

If you could guest star in ANY TV show, which would it be?

How long would this guest appearance be lasting? If it was just for one episode I would probably want to be in Rookie Blue, Bones, House, or a similar medical/police drama where I’m the featured case (and get the most air time 😉 ). If it was for a longer character arc… maybe Sherlock? I’m not very good at a British accent, but I would love to work with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman!

What genre of television do you enjoy the most? (Reality, Action, Drama, Comedy)

I’m not really picky on what kind of television I watch. It just has to be good. For example, some reality tv series like American Idol, The Voice, or Wipeout are not so ridiculous that I can’t sit down and enjoy an episode occasionally when they’re on. I like comedies too, but they can’t have characters who are super embarrassing. Take The Office- that show is hilarious; however, watching Michael make a fool of himself made me want to curl up in a corner and die.

I guess I like a combination of action and drama. I’m all for cop shows, medical shows, superhero shows, lawyer shows, etc. Throw in some supernatural features and that’s even better (think- Star Trek, Buffy, Heroes, Continuum, ).

Which TV series do you think should NOT have been renewed after its first season yet had?

Any of those adult cartoons. I’m sorry (not really) but The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park are not something that I ever or will ever like to watch. Also, certain reality shows like Jersey Shore, The Hills, The Kardashians, Jon and Kate Plus Eight… Really, any show that ruined the lives of its stars. I like people. I don’t like people being exploited (or exploiting others).

Which TV series do you think deserved to be renewed yet was not?

Lizzie McGuire? Phil of the Future? (I need to know what happened! Did Lizzie and Gordo stay together? What is Miranda doing now? Does Phil ever come back from the future?! This is important stuff people).

Aside from these childhood shows that ended way too soon and resulted in life long trust issues, some more recent shows that shouldn’t have been cancelled are Leverage, Surface, Heroes, Tru Calling, Dollhouse, Dead Like Me, Eureka, Life Unexpected, Kyle XY, Freaks and Geeks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s not necessarily that I felt like all of those shows should have been renewed (okay, maybe it is), but I just didn’t appreciate the endings. They were either cliff hangers, or so unrealistic that I felt like they were thrown together in a hurry and totally ruined all that was good about the series.

What is your favorite TV show theme song? (This one I added myself)

Do you mean other than Scooby Doo‘s? (Isn’t it just so… catchy? 🙂 )

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air springs to mind, as does The Big Bang Theory, Batman (POW!)), Wildfire, MASH, Buffy, Cheers, Rugrats, Pokemon/Digimon, Step by Step, Phineas and Ferb, Boy Meets World, The Addam’s Family (tell me you didn’t *snap* just upon hearing that name!), and I saved the best for last- The Greatest American Hero. You really need to listen to all of these, because they are all amazing songs and soon will be stuck in your head all day.

If you are currently undergoing some snow storms and sub-zero weather, stay safe my friends! And for everyone else, enjoy the rest of your weekend. I’ll see you on Monday (hopefully) with a giveaway 🙂

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Answer any/all of the questions above!

How is the weather where you are?

What was the last thing you watched? (Online or on TV)

Is that title daunting? Well, it’s daunting for me too. I basically fell out of the technology world for the past few days during my Thanksgiving break weekend. It wasn’t entirely on purpose though, thanks to my cellphone which has decided that while it will turn on, it will not STAY ON. So I just have a vibrating phone that won’t charge, and turns on and off every 30 seconds. Tis the season to be thankful, am I right?…

So with that said, you now know why I have not been commenting on blogs recently or been very present on this one. My blog life is basically tied to my phone and that is not being over dramatic in the slightest. All of my pictures are on that puppy, along with my WordPress app where I write a lot of my rough drafts and notes… And that’s where I comment a lot of the time too (so whenever you get some weird comment from me that is completely devoid of all grammatical integrity you’ll know it’s because I’m on my cellphone).

Thankfully my phone worked for a time slot of approximately 30 minutes yesterday where I promptly downloaded all of the photos I needed for today’s post, and quickly texted my mom to let her know I was alive but phone-less. Then it went back into a continuous state of on/off. *Sigh* Life is rough.

Aside from my ever unnecessary introductions that really serve no purpose whatsoever except to let me wax my wordy ways on you and give me an excuse to talk about something other than food…

I’m extremely excited to be able to participate in Arman’s first ever edition of Spill It Sundays! (catchy title, no? 😉 … although this post would be more appropriate if posted on Sunday. Maybe next week.)

Basically this new link-up has a bunch of fun questions in survey format that bloggers can answer so we learn more about each other. Ready for more unnecessary-ness from me? Great.

What is your cultural background?

American.

Haha. Okay, so getting a little more specific than that I think I have some German and Scottish heritage but don’t really know much other than that. I have some family history books at home that I should read someday so I can answer this question more accurately in the future.

When was your most memorable birthday and why?

I would have to say that my 16th birthday was my most memorable. I didn’t have a party or cake but I was on a high school band trip back from Disney when I turned 16. After one rest stop I came back on the bus to a whole bunch of noise makers and shouts of “Happy Birthday!” I thought that was pretty cool of them.

What is your #1 thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime?

To feel like I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I feel like there is nothing better than to know that you are on the right track and doing what you were born to do.

What is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

How about this past Saturday when I dropped a hot crock pot on my foot? Does that count?

I should note that this is the least offensive picture I have. Maybe on Friday I will be brave enough to show the blistering one… If you think that you can handle the truth 😉

Who was your childhood hero?

As a kid I always looked up to the usual television stars like Hilary Duff on Lizzie McGuire, or Britney Spears who was just a music idol. But really my childhood heroes were probably the authors that I always read. Carolyn Keene specifically, who wrote Nancy Drew. I thought she was just amazing and I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. Then years later I found out that she wasn’t a real person and my dreams were crushed. Like I said… Rough life.

Now for the optional “Selfie.”

Just as a forewarning, know that most of my selfies will take place in the restroom where I find the optimal lighting 😉

Whew. How much more do we have to go? Just kidding. This is a blast to finally be able to blog again! 🙂

I was planning on sharing about my Thanksgiving in today’s post, but I’ll leave that for another day and get on with WIAW and a recipe!

As you could probably tell from my Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffin post, I am a proud new member of The Recipe Redux community. Every month there is a new theme that we can post recipes around. There is also often a product-type sponsor where we are sent a food product to try out for free and to incorporate into a brand new recipe. This month was all about Monk Fruit in the Raw. It is made from the same company that also makes Stevia in the Raw, Sugar in the Raw, etc.

I’ll admit that I was at first hesitant to use the product because artificial sweeteners kind of scare me. Monk fruit, like stevia though, is not artificial in the slightest and actually comes from a plant! Made from delicious vine-ripened monk fruit, also called luo han guo, it’s the zero-calorie* sweetener that tastes like sugar. Originally harvested in the 13th century, it’s been making life more delicious for years now.

Pretty interesting. I’ve already used it twice and have been impressed with the results so far. I’m not sure that I will be using it in future recipes, but it’s good to know the healthier alternatives out there. If I ever need to make something for a sugar sensitive individual though, I will definitely keep Monk Fruit in mind. (Here is a FAQ if you have any questions about it. For quick reference, Monk Fruit in the Raw is gluten-free and vegan. It does contain maltodextrin though which is not safe for those with corn allergies).

The first recipe that I made was a kind of Amish Friendship Quick Bread which I will hopefully be able to share with you soon as it was an enormous success with both a regular and grain-free version.

The second recipe, which I am going to share today for WIAW is so simple that you probably have most of the ingredients in your cupboards already if you are into grain-free baking like me. No coconut flour in this one, but almond flour and Monk fruit in the raw make up the bulk of the dry ingredients, and yogurt provides most of the moisture. Add in some apple chunks and cinnamon and this is one tasty potential fall breakfast!

Easy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Grain/Gluten/Wheat-Free, Dairy/Nut-Free Option, No Sugar Added Option, Paleo

Makes 2 servings, 3 pancakes each

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour (any nut or seed flour would work)
2 tbsp granulated sweetener*
2-3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt (use coconut to make dairy-free)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil (ghee/butter would be fine to0)
1 cup chopped apples (about 2 small apples)

Directions:

Preheat your griddle to 350 degrees or your skillet to medium heat. Coat/spray with oil if necessary to prevent sticking.
In a medium bowl combine your dry ingredients. Then add the egg, yogurt and oil mixing until thoroughly combined.
Using a 1/4 cup measure out your batter and pour onto the griddle/skillet. (You may need to spread the batter out a little bit to get the right size.)
Sprinkle some of the apple chunks over the pancake, pressing down if necessary. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the side facing up is bubbly. Flip and cook for about another 2 minutes. Top with more apples if desired!

*I used Monk Fruit in the Raw for the granulated sweetener to make these pancakes no sugar added, but you can use any granulated sweetener that you have on hand that fits your dietary needs). If wanting to use honey/maple syrup I would recommend using only 1/4 cup yogurt and increasing as needed to get the desired consistency.

I received free samples from Cumberland Packing Corp., maker of Monk Fruit In The Raw. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cumberland Packing Corp. and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. (<<<My First time ever getting to post a disclaimer like that. I feel so official 😉 ).