So we love chocolate chip cookies.

Hi, I’m Melissa and I have addiction…I’m addicted to chocolate chip cookies.

Not just any chocolate chip cookie, but THIS AllRecipes cookie recipe. It’s called Absolutely The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I use this recipe, but I have some small changes to it. Here’s my take on AllRecipe’s Absolutely The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar (recipe calls for 1 cup, but I cut it down a little)

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour (I like unbleached flour, sometimes I do 1.5 cups all purpose and 1.5 cups almond flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk chocolate chips (recipe calls for semisweet, I just prefer milk chocolate

Optional: chopped walnuts (recipe lists walnuts, but I leave them out)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Chewy centers and crispy edges. Let me tell you!!! They really are absolutely the best!

So anyway…Last month I was trying to be extra healthy and I cut out chocolate chip cookies out of my life. Not good.

You know what happened?

One night I couldn’t take it anymore. I pulled up this recipe then totally binged on like 15 cookies.

At first it was so freaken delicious. Afterwards I felt gross and sick. Literally sick to my stomach. Ew ew ew.

Lesson learned. Do NOT NOT NOT deprive myself from chocolate chip cookies.

Snacking is fine and we all have cravings…so why not treat yourself? Just enough so that you def don’t end up doing what I did. Opps. :X

Because everything’s about balance, ya know?

KEEP READING

Foodie Friday! Homemade Skinny Croutons + Breakfast Salad

Good morning and Happy Friday!

Introducing Foodie Friday! Chauncey and I have decided that a fashion & lifestyle blog is not complete without food. Foodie Fridays will feature what we're eating and a few recipes.

Here is my recipe for "Skinny" Croutons, followed by what I put in my salad. This recipe will show you how to make a healthier version of  regular store bought croutons.

Ingredients:

6 slices Sara Lee 40 calorie whole wheat bread

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon parsley

3 cloves minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Combine salt, pepper, parsley, and minced garlic



2. Chop 6 slices of bread into 1 inch cubes



3. Pour the herbs and spices into the bread and toss with 3 tablespoons of extra version olive oil



4. Spread the bread out onto a cookie sheet lined with foil (make sure to use non-stick spray on the foil).



5. Bake for 20 minutes or until desired crispiness and top onto your favorite salad.



Breakfast Salad:



Lately, I've been eating breakfast salads. I get super hungry in the mornings and found out these keep me full until lunch. My salad is made of mixed greens, slices of red onion, smoked salmon, and roma tomatoes. I don't use salad dressing. Instead, I poach an egg and use the yolk as "dressing" (the egg also adds protein).

KEEP READING