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I am switching things up today.
Instead of the usual recipe, I am giving you guys a little round-up and a little peek into my super boring (but kind of chaotic) life.
If all you want is the food, just skip the last part of this post. If all you want is the life talk, skip down to the bottom. If you want both, well yeah, just read the whole thing! First though, let’s talk food. FYI, the food is my comfort zone, the life talk – not so much.
January is an odd month. It’s the start of a new year, people get the idea that they need to eat super healthy to lose the holiday pounds. But at the same time it is the height of the football season and game day is a big deal for a lot of people. Of course a large part of game day is the food. In my book, healthy eating should be part of your lifestyle, as should exercise and the occasional indulgence. Compensate for those indulgences by walking a little farther or adding a plank or two. Anyway, if I am being honest, the only reason I am loving football these days is solely because of the football food. Well, that and my dad? He loves football and it gives me something to ask him questions about when he sometimes comes around after work to help with the dishes  (lately he’s been helping out a lot, since the dishes have been piling up way past my elbows). Yes, you read that correctly. I have got my dad helping me with dishes. I like to call it father daughter bonding time since I never, ever, see anyone else during the ‘the cleaning hour” which happens almost everyday after the sun sets. So anyway, I am liking football these days and I thought it might be extra nice if we could do football food in a healthy way – and we can! Here are twenty-eight (I think – I tried counting twice and then just gave up and went with twenty-eight) healthy recipes for game day!
Oh, and maybe one or two are not so healthy, but geez live a little.
The Snacks + Dips + BBQ Sauce:
Fiesta Guacamole (make this in 5 minutes)
Loaded Greek Goddess Pita Chip + Quinoa Nachos
Roasted Cauliflower White Pizza Dip
Blue Cheese Guacamole Stuffed Mushrooms with Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Oven Fried Goat Cheese
Homemade BBQ Sauce……Just Like Sweet Baby Rays (The best BBQ Sauce and SO easy)
The Burgers + Sandwiches + Pizzas (+ a quesadilla and maybe a taco too!)
Epic Quinoa + Sweet Potato Fry Burgers with Beer Caramelized Onions
Teriyaki Chicken Sub Sandwiches
Hawaiian BBQ Quesadillas with Mango Guacamole
Hawaiian BBQ Salmon Burger with Caramelized Pineapple
Roasted Garlic Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Burgers
Loaded Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos
Buffalo Shrimp Sandwiches with Spicy Avocado Ranch
Spinach and Artichoke Melts (they are lightened up and one of my most popular recipes!)
Green Olive Pesto Pizza with Roasted Red Peppers and Feta Stuffed Crust
The Soups + Salads + Wings (and a stuffed sweet potato):
Crispy Buffalo Quinoa Bites Salad
Healthier One Pot Cincinnati Chili
Zucchini Crusted Parmesan Chicken Nuggets
Sweet and Sour Sticky Thai Boneless Baked Wings
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
The Desserts:
Healthy Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars (Idiot Proof)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Special K-Bars
Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Roasted Almond and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites
The Questionable (I really just love these):
Homemade Soft Pretzels with Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Now let’s talk a little life. Honestly, my life is so boring. I cook, clean, edit pictures, rack my brain for recipes until it hurts and do it all over again the next day, but I have been told that I should share more about my everyday life. I mean, it is not that I do not agree, but seriously I am just not one to talk about myself or my life. I have alway been shy and pretty private, so it is actually a miracle that I started a blog that anyone around the world can read.
Whatever, I am going to try and give it my best shot. It is one of my New Year’s goals. Luckily, it should not be too hard this year since I have an exciting project ahead of me and from the comments on this post it sounds like you guys want to know all about it. Ah yess!!
Everyone meet my very first house.
Also being referred to around here as Tieghan’s Barn.
Yes, right now it is still currently a barn and completely not livable. Well, livable for people anyway. If you are a horse, you are good to go!
If you are a little lost, before Christmas I had shared that my family had moved to a new house. One of the reasons for buying this house was because of this barn. For a while now I have been trying to find a place to live that is close enough to my family that I can still give them most of the food I make every day. I mean, I make a ton of food. More than just what you see on the blog (I have been doing a lot of recipe development for companies as well). If I were to live far away, I have no a clue how all the food I make would ever get eaten. So I wanted to find something close enough to home where it would not be a huge pain to hand over food, but something that was all my own. I honestly thought that nothing would ever come up. Living in a small ski town, tiny apartments are crazy expensive and honestly the perfect one is rare to come by, but then somehow we found this house. Actually pretty weird how it all came about, but you’ve Probably read enough for one day. Anyway, my dad had the idea to convert the barn, that we otherwise would never use, into a house. A house for me to rent, that I get to re-do and design. Meaning I get to design my own kitchen with everything I have always wanted, like a ton of counter space with an island that has nothing built into it except space, a giant farm sink and the most perfect windows. I know, it is honestly my dream coming true and it may sound totally cheesy, but come on! It is so true!
So here are two pictures of the barn. I am going to give you a whole boat load of the before photos, including the inside sometime very soon. Then I will probably be updating you guys with lots of photos + ideas I have on Saturdays. I would love to hear any ideas you guys have or any links to kitchen’s you love! I may just have to start a home pinterest board to pin them to. So if you follow me on pinterest, send me your links. Otherwise leave them in the comments area below.
And I am done. Longest post ever.
Lots of snow!
I’m so happy to have discovered your blog at such an exciting time for you. I can’t wait to see what you do with the place. In the meantime I’m going to stalk your blog for great recipes. I’ll be busy.
YAY! Thank you so much, Libby! I am so happy you found my site as well!!
Hope you get to try some recipes!! 🙂
That is so beyond cool that I don’t even know what else to say!!! What a fantastic place to call your own. I can’t wait to see pictures of what you do!!!
Thank you so much, Jocelyn!!
I will be updating with more photos soon!
That was a nice little roundup you made with lots of great football food! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Gotta love football food!
How exciting! Congrats to you and best wishes.
Thanks Andrea!
Wow! What a wonderful little place for a little getaway of your own – how exciting! Please keep us all posted on all the new and exciting things happening! I defiantly agree with Stephanie “Keep ’em coming.”
Thank you so much, Kira!! Will do!
First, thanks for the recipe round up, and the nod to healthier…I think most of your recipes qualify anyway because of the variety and quantity of veggies you use…it’s all about portion size and moderation anyway right! Anyhoo, I have pinned lots, and love football food recipes!
Second, I am so thrilled for you! The barn is amazing! To have your own dream space that you can design and be near your family is awesome. I have designed many kitchens and my favorite is the one for our beach house. It’s not that big, but very well planned and my family of cooks can happily exist in there doing different things at once. The secret IS the huge island. If you want to see photos, here’s the link http://thepaintedapron.com/2013/05/26/home-decor-beach-house-tour-part-3/ Can’t wait to watch your progress!!
Thank you so much!!
I am heading to check out those photos now!! Thanks!
Wow! The barn is beautiful–I can only imagine what it will be like once it is all done (that view is amazzzzing).
Definitely check out houzz.com — its great for design or renovation inspiration! Possibly even better than Pinterest, because it is only professional photos and all about design.
I will so check that out!! Thanks Laura!
Words can’t even express how excited I am for you, Tieghan! That barn is beautiful and I can’t wait to see the process of it becoming your own. Just let me know when you need my input on my guest room, mmmk? 😉
P.S. Love the personal post. 🙂 Keep ’em coming.
Thank you so much, Stephanie!!
I am working on more personal post! 🙂
I seriously love this story more than I can put into words!! What an incredible opportunity to stay close to your family, build your dream space, and hello – that view! I would pinch myself waking up each morning. So excited to see how this transformation turns out.
Also wanted to tell you – I’m a self-professed super-boring introvert so I totally get finding it difficult to get personal on the blog. 🙂
Thank you so much, Kristen! That means so much coming from you. I was really nervous to put this out there, so reading your comment totally made my day! I am so excited to share and document the process with everyone!
Thank again! 🙂
Tieghan that barn looks perfect! I love the view – got those perfect windows! I for one am very excited to see before and afters. I love that kind of stuff. PLEASE PLEASE keep us posted!
My New Year’s resolution/intention is to possibly start a blog, but I am not a ‘sharing’ person either. And I just got a new camera that I’m so intimidated by…I just don’t know where to start. Anyway – sounds like exciting things are headed your way and I’m very excited for you and very excited for me because I can read all about it!
I meant to say “get” those perfect windows!
Thank you SO much, Kathy! I will be documenting the whole process. I am so excited and so excited to get everyones opinions!
And if you want a blog just start one! That is what I did. Over time it will grow and so will you!
The barn redo sounds like it will be ideal, and what a great way to have your own space. I can’t wait to see the makeover from start to finish.
Those pretzels look awesome. I will definitely be making those for some footbell festivites.
Thank so much, Kristi!
Hope you love the pretzels!
Tieghan, you are sooo fortunate! I too have been looking for a property for a long time now so that I can have my dream kitchen. Good luck too you! Can’t wait to see your ideas. Congrats!
I truely am SO fortunate! Thank you so much Amy and I hope you find your dream property!
WOW!!! I LOVE this barn. Can’t wait to see more pictures. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks Charlotte!
Tieghan!!! This is SO SO exciting! So awesome that you will still have someone to give food to, but you have your own space. That’s a huge downside of me living in Florida, and all my family being in Canada. It’s just me and my hubby so we have a ton of food. And you get to decorate your dream kitchen!!! Girl, I am SO pumped for you! Congrats!! 🙂
You made me so hungry! All of the food looks amazing and that barn!!! I love that photo 😀
Thank you!! 🙂
Thank you SO much, Taylor! It means a lot! 🙂
Purtroppo non parlo inglese quindi mi appoggio allo translate, ma adoro vedere i tuoi posts e le tue foto. Ora che ti ho trovata non ti lascio! Complimenti!!
Morena
Teighan-
My parents are from Italy. The quick and dirty translation of that beautiful post is as follows (not verbatim):
Unfortunately, I do not speak English therefore I will rely on the translators, butt I love seeing your posts and photos. Now that I’ve found you I’m not going to leave you. Compliments! (kind of like our use of khudos)
excuse the misspelling of “butt” hee hee
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and read daily! 🙂