Family vacation

Hello!!! 

Sorry I have been m.i.a but I was on a family vacation in Michigan with my family . I made sure to take some pictures for everyone! My family went up by Traverse City, Michigan for a week to stay in a cabin on a huge lake. It was so nice and relaxing. 

The night before we left my family went out for Mexican food. Here is what I got: a steak with lettuce, red onion, tomato, and avocado slices. It was a lot of steak and I could not finish it all. I also had some chips and salsa since I am not on the whole30 currently. I try to eat as close to whole30 as I can though, but every once in a while it's nice to treat yourself. Just don't go overboard! 

The first night I was in the cabin, my daddy grilled us some burgers. I picked out some lean turkey burgers. I also cooked up some squad noodles. This had tomato paste, spices, mushrooms, and green onion. The turkey burger had mrs dash garlic and herb and hot sauce. 

Cory couldn't come with me this year which was tough, but here are the past two years he came! 

One of the days I made a smoothie for lunch and took it to the beach. This smoothie had hemp protein powder, hemp milk, spirulina, frozen banana slices, and frozen berries. It tasted so good on a hot day. 

Another day I made some chicken pepper nachos. I cut the mini peppers in half and scooped out the seeds. In a bowl I mixed in canned whole30 compliant chicken and homemade Guac then cooked them in the oven until the peppers were cooked. The tasted so awesome!  The guac is just a squashed up avocado and add garlic powder and pink Himalayan salt to taste. Start with a little and you can always add more. I like mine really garlic-y. I also like to add chopped up green or red onion to my guac. 

My family really likes to play games. One game we played on vacation was sequence. For dinner I made a side that had butternut squash, kale, peppers, red onion, garlic powder, and pink Himalayan salt. Check out that awesome Purdue cup too!! (I am a big Purdue fan and I completed my undergrad there!)

Here was our dinner that same night. My dad cooked steaks over the fire and sweet corn too! The steak was seasoned with mrs dash garlic and herb. 

For lunch one day I made some stuffed mushrooms with the leftover turkey burger and homemade Guac. I baked them in the oven until the mushrooms started to get softer. Aren't they cute? 

Here is one of the awesome views from the week. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It rained a few times but not all day, so I'm perfectly okay with that. 

One of the nights we went to turtle creek casino. Everyone over 18 always goes as a big group and the grandparents stay back to watch the younger kids (well they aren't so young anymore). I'm not a huge gambler. I would rather keep my money than leave with less money. It is fun to go and watch everyone else play though. 

We decided to try out the casino buffet. It was pretty good! Here was one of my plates. I tried the sausage, pulled pork, and chicken. The chicken wasn't the greatest so I didn't really eat that, but the other two things were bomb! 

I made a stir fry at the stir fry station. It was so much food and there was no way I was going to finish it all but the little bit I had wasn't too bad! I could eat my homemade stir fry every day. I some times get nervous when other people make my food because I know I cannot have dairy. I never know what they put in it for sure. I have gotten better about asking when I eat out of there are any dairy products used or put in the food. 

For dessert I had some angel food cake with strawberries. Again, I try to stay away from sugar but this was a healthier option that was dairy free. 

This week I found this paleo smore on Instagram. I think I am going to have to try to make it sometime! It has a homemade pales graham cracker and a date roasted over the fire. I think it would probably eve be good without the primal fudge! 

Here is another game we played! It's called racko. 

This night my daddy cooked pork chops over the fire! 

Our group was 23 people this year and everyone gathers around one cabin's fire each night to tell stories. 

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals. I like waking up at a decent time and eating breakfast. I'm a morning person! I made some banana pancakes and topped them with berries and almond butter. Plus... Look at that view from our cabin! 

Here was another breakfast: 2 eggs, almond butter, and nectarine and apple slices. 

I cooked up some mushrooms, peppers, and green onions the last night to use up some veggies we still had in the fridge. 

It was a successful week of beach activities, laying out, sitting by fires, and much more. I also started reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult and I finished it in two and a half days! It was so good! If you are wanting a good book to read I suggest that or any other book by her! She is one of my favorite authors! 

This past Sunday, my boyfriend Cory was home for a few days from Charlotte! It was so nice to be able to see him and spend some time with him. He even helped me move into my new apartment :) What a sweetie! After moving and visiting friends and family in Indianapolis, I was starving. I asked Cory if we could stop at Trader Joe's to get me something to eat (every chance I get... I'm always trying to go to Trader Joe's now!). I got this super spinach salad. It was pretty good, and only one thing could have made it better...some CHICKEN! 

Yesterday I went to Fort Wayne with Cory to his appointment. We met his mom for lunch at Cork and Clever and had the salad bar. It was to die for! Look how delicious and fresh this salad was!

Well, time to get school stuff ready! 

Peace out! Later taters! 

P.s. One more year of grad school left! Whooop!