Nerd in the Kitchen
Happy Saturday! I am leaving for Easter #1 at the in-laws in about 9 minutes so this is going to be short but very sweet.
This morning Dana, Moose, and I hit ground running for 4 miles, finishing just before the rain came.
When we got home, I hit the kitchen hard. Four desserts, baby.
Sneak peak of chocolate chip caramel bars in the making.
Homemade Lemon Bars in the oven.
Total nerdo in the kitchen.
Oreo Ice Cream Cake for Easter #1.
My cute boys.
Off to Easter #1!
One dessert is still in processing and was camera shy but I promise I made four today!
I felt like super woman today. Call me Melly Crocker. I am out! Happy Day!
Enjoy Life While Training Plan
Dinner last night was healthy and delicious, and the company was even better. I went to mom and dad’s and my brother, Kevin was there as well. We ate, laughed, chatted, and relaxed.
Dad’s a little goofy if you haven’t noticed by now! I love them all so much. It was a perfect way to spend Friday night.
We spent some time watching YouTube videos of Sophia Grace and Rosie who are two adorable little girls who have been frequent guests on the Ellen show. Sophia Grace is an 8-year-old “rapper” and her side-kick Rosie dances and lip-syncs by Sophia’s side. It is the CUTEST thing. If you haven’t seen them yet, check them out here on YouTube. They will make your day.
**********
Half Marathon Training Plan Decisions
A few days ago, I discussed my contemplation between half marathon training plans. I mentioned that Dana was leaning towards one plan, and I was leaning toward the other, and trying to decide if we should go separate routes with training for our first half marathon in June. I was hoping for some tips and advice from runners out there and I was fortunate to get some that really helped shape my decision.
The comment that struck me was one from a reader named Lisa. She is an avid runner, running about 3-4 full marathons annually among other races as well. Here was her advice:
“For my very first marathon, I followed a training plan and I found that when someone else was telling me when to run and how far to go, it became work and I dreaded it. Since then, I have just run to run and not worried about how far I was going. Two years ago I ran my first sub-four hour marathon and couldn’t have been happier. Now, this is not to say that training plans don’t work, but I found that I resented mine. Like I said, I listen to my body, run longer runs when I feel like it (or have the time- usually on the weekends) and give myself rest when I need it.”
Lisa completely shook some sense into me. I guess I was just so used to reading about training plans and talking to people who had used them, that I didn’t really think about the other options.
With that comment, my decision has been made. I will train on my own schedule. Most likely I will stick to running 2-3 short runs during the week, and one longer run on the weekend, as this is typically when I have the most time. However, I do have certain days off in the week so I may find myself doing my longer runs on those days. I love having the freedom to do what I want.
Just as my reader mentioned, I don’t want running to become a chore. If I don’t feel like running one day, that’s okay, I will cross-train instead, or maybe take a rest day if I feel that’s what my body needs. I am learning to listen to my body. I am one of those people who have a hard time taking a total “rest” day. I love to be active and to keep moving, but I also know how important it is to give my body a break.
I am very excited to see how this, “Enjoy Life while Training Plan” goes. My plan is to run on my own terms, to run when I feel like running, and not beat myself up for shortening or lengthening a run on any particular day. I will increase my mileage on long runs gradually and safely and continue to put it an appropriate amount of miles weekly. With the beautiful weather in our midst, and many fun spring and summer plans scheduled, this will be the perfect way to accommodate training in my life.
My goal is to make sure running does not become a chore, and to continue to learn how to enjoy running. I don’t always love running, but I am definitely learning to like it.
I have never regretted a run.
Thanks for your advice and comments. All of you runners out there are so motivating to me. I have a long way to go, but I am getting there. Now I suppose I better get out there and move it or lose it!
What are you doing to stay active today?
Plank with Knee Tucks
First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AMAZING BROTHER JEFFREY!
Love you and miss you like crazy! Love the photo above too (Jeff is to the direct right of me in the red tie and Kevin my other brother is behind me to the left of Jeff, also in a red tie; missing is Scott and Dana, probably out back smoking a cigar). 🙂 Kidding (sorta)!
**************
Yesterday afternoon I headed to the gym to work it out. I began with a 30 minute elliptical workout while oogling over Rachael Ray’s Magazine and all of her amazing Spring recipes.
I then headed over to the weights to grab a couple of dumbbells. I brought them over to a secluded area in the gym over by the racquetball courts (I like my privacy sometimes) and got to work. Here’s what I threw down.
| Exercise | Sets and Reps |
| Tricep Kickbacks (each side) | 3 x 10 |
| Two arm tricep extension overhead | 3 x 10 |
| Tricep Dips | 3 x 10 |
| Bent over barbell rows | 3 x 10 |
| Push ups (knees) | 3 x 10 |
| Plank with opposite knee tucks | 3 x 26 |
Lately I have really been loving the plank with opposite knee tucks. I have been doing them daily. I actually think they are fun and they make me feel strong. I have been very proud of myself lately with my fairly consistent strength training! It is amazing how good it makes you feel.
For dinner last night I baked about 10 of Alexia’s Sweet Potato Puffs in the oven. While they baked, I began lightly sautéing broccoli on the stovetop. Once the broccoli were slightly cooked, about 3 minutes, I pushed the them to the side of the pan and cracked an egg in the middle of the pan. I cooked the egg over easy. At the very last second, I tossed in the last of the leftover cowboy caviar. I dished the broccoli egg mix with the puffs, sprinkled the dish with nutritional yeast (and a touch of ketchup) and enjoyed an easy and satisfying dinner.
I had greek yogurt for a little snack later in the evening.
*************
Today, my morning started off with a bowl of goodies much like yesterday’s. In the mix today was a oatmeal, Fage plain non-fat greek yogurt, almond milk, chia seeds, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and honey. I combined the ingredients together last night (minus the blackberries and honey) and let it sit in the fridge over night again. This morning I added the honey and blackberries and once again had a sweet creamy fruit and yogurt bowl.
I neglected the morning workout yet again for sleep, but I have fun workout plans after work today!
How to Cook Dried Beans
I’m no professional when it comes to cooking dried beans. I think I’ve only really cooked them two times before yesterday and haven’t been completely successful either time. I was not about to give up on it though. Dry beans are so economical, they aren’t packed in sodium-filled liquids like the canned kind, and they just taste so fresh when you cook them yourself. I’ll be honest though, I DO use canned beans too. I rinse them off under cold running water to get rid of about half of the sodium.
My dad bought these beans for me called Adzuki beans. He had heard about them from Dr. Oz who says they are a nutritional powerhouse (most beans are really). They are packed with protein, fiber, and many other vitamins and nutrients, and are relatively low in calories. I thought I would give them a shot tonight especially since my family was coming over for dinner.
Third time is the charm in my bean-cooking trials. Here’s how it went down.
1. First, soak the beans in a pot of hot water for 2 hours.
2. Next, drain the beans, then add fresh water to the pot (I believe the directions were 4 cups of water to 1 cup beans but I just made sure the beans were covered with 2-3 inches of water). Place cover on pot. Bring to boil.
3. Once water has reached a boil, reduce to simmer and tilt the lid slightly so that air can escape. Let simmer for two hours.
4. Drain and rinse beans and go wild!
I decided to make the beans into a beans and rice dish last night because I thought it would be a nice side dish to the kabobs I was making for dinner. I sautéed a little onion, garlic, and green pepper, then added the beans. I then added in some chicken stock, cumin, a dash of Mrs. Dash’s Southwest Chipotle seasoning, a little salt and pepper, and let it simmer until the stock was absorbed. I then added a half of a can of crushed tomatoes, let it heat through, gave it a stir and served alongside brown rice.
On the kabobs: yellow zucchini, onion, mushroom, green pepper, pineapple, and chicken breast, marinated in teriyaki sauce.
Dinner was a hit!
This photo is kind of bright but I had to post it because it is so funny to me. Mom and dad had brought Abbie over and Moose was getting jealous because everyone was holding (11 lb) Abbie and not him. Okay, he probably wasn’t really jealous but still Kevin wanted him to feel included in the love. So this is what happened.
Meanwhile, Miss Queen Abbie was sitting on her throne observing it all. It was pretty funny!
I am off to work. I am going to get my run in after work today. I’ll let you know how it goes. Have a good day everyone.
Birthday Fun & An Outdoor Run
Happy Wednesday!
Today is a special day because it is someone’s birthday who is VERY special to me. Someone who is by my side through good times and bad, who supports me, loves me, who encourages me to follow my heart, and someone who I love more and more every day. Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, Dana!
You are as studly now as you were back then…
I couldn’t resist.
*****************
The weather yesterday was absolutely beautiful! I went out for a run after work and my car thermometer said 60º! I was out running in shorts and a long sleeve. It was a little messy but totally worth it. You can’t get views like this on the treadmill.
I am also 90% sure I spotted an eagle! I’ll spare you the picture of a little speckle of an eagle in the sky. At least I can say I tried to capture the moment. I tracked about 3.5 miles and for once in a long time, I wanted to keep running, but needed to stop due to time.
Bring it on Spring. I am so ready for you.
For dinner, we headed to Dana’s parents place to celebrate his mom’s birthday which was yesterday and Dana’s birthday which is of course, today. We snacked on crackers and cheese as an appetizer while we chatted and caught up on a few things. Then came dinner which was bacon-wrapped steak, baked potatoes, and a mixed salad. I ended up eating everything except for half of the steak, it was a big guy! 🙂 Check out the pretty plate!
After dinner Sue served up a healthy and refreshing fruit bowl with raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries and topped with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. Yum!
Everything was very delicious! Thank you for a great dinner! Man, we have been spoiled lately with my mom and dad’s dinner on Monday and Dana’s parent’s dinner last night. Food tastes better to me when someone else cooks it, and I know I’m not alone on that one. Very great company as well!
Off to work I go. I have a nice dinner planned for tonight per Dana’s request! Have a great day.
Did anyone else enjoy an outdoor run yesterday? What is your favorite part about running outside?
7 Healthy Eating Tips When You Are Away
Mark this on your calendar because this rarely happens…I ate a SAVORY breakfast this morning. Nine times out of ten I will gravitate towards a sweet breakfast but I figured I would go out of my usual this morning, and cook up an egg white omelet. I only set off the smoke alarm three times! 🙂 It’s very sensitive. I sautéed some onion and mushroom and then added them to my omelet along with fresh tomato. On the top, I sprinkled on nutritional yeast and then of course a drizzle of ketchup.
It turned out really well, and I even got some veggies in already! I didn’t get up for my morning workout this morning but plan to go after work. It is supposed to be gorgeous here today so I am hoping to run outside!
*****************
While amidst our vacation in California, I started thinking about how difficult it can be to eat healthy while away. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I still end up feeling a little bit “off” and not feeling so hot. It’s easy to get a little off track when you’re not in the comfort of your own home with your usual foods and usual routine.
Here are some ideas I came up with to help you stay on track when are away from home.
1. Pack a piece of fruit (or two) in your carry-on. If you need a snack, you have a healthy one right on hand. Plus, fruit is full of water which is important while traveling as it is extremely easy to become dehydrated. Veggies are great too, but not always as portable as fruit.
2. Try to eat vegetables with at least one of your meals throughout the day.
3. Pack some healthy energy bars like my favorite, Lara Bars. During vacations, we often go a long time in between meals without anything to eat. These bars pack well and carry well and are perfect for a burst of energy. Throw a couple in your purse or carry on.
4. When possible, eat breakfast at your hotel. Now, be careful with this one as many continental breakfasts can be full of low-energy carb traps (muffins, bagels, sugar-packed cereals). Try and find some instant oatmeal and get creative with mix-in’s: milk, banana, apple, peanut butter. Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which helps to keep you feeling full, longer. Better yet, throw a couple of instant oatmeal packs (from home) in your bag in case your hotel doesn’t offer it. If hard-boiled eggs are an option at breakfast, snag one of those as well. The protein in eggs will help tide you over for a while and give you a lot of needed energy for the day. Plus, free continental breakfasts are very nice on the wallet!
5. Try to eat protein at each meal: eggs, greek yogurt, fish, tofu, chicken, nuts, whatever it may be.
6. Carry a refillable water bottle with you at all times, and drink plenty of water throughout the day, at least 8 cups. Also, keep a glass of water by your bedside at night to encourage yourself to get a few sips of water in at night too.
7. Be cautious of portions while out to eat. Remember that most restaurants serve you twice as much food as you really need. Be mindful while out to eat and stop eating when you feel full. This one is hard for me sometimes because some foods are just SO good. I always regret it later though. I’m still learning too!
So there you have it, a few tips to help you to stay healthy while away from home, whether on vacation, for work, a child’s sporting event, etc. Also, don’t forget about the exercise part. Just because you are away doesn’t mean you can’t find time to squeeze in a few hotel push ups or a quick run.
Give these tips a shot next time you are away from home. Come to think of it, these are good tips for when you are home as well!
*************
Last night we headed to mom and dad’s for a birthday dinner for Dana. His birthday is tomorrow but we have been celebrating since Saturday. Lucky boy! That is how I like to celebrate my birthday too, with a birthday week!
I give mom an A+ on dinner last night. Turkey lettuce wraps with peanut sauce, brown rice, and mandarin oranges.
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It was so nice to have dinner made for us too! Muchos gracias mom and dad!
I’m off to work. Have a great Tuesday!
Short and Sweet
Well hello! I hope everyone is having a fantastic Sunday. Ours has been pretty productive! I have lots of photos to share.
Starting with lunch yesterday. I threw together a fruity salad. In the mix:
- mixed greens
- strawberries
- grapes
- walnuts
- feta cheese
The salad was topped with this gem of a balsamic vinegar. I was inspired while out in California by all of the tasty balsamic vinegar combinations, and spotted this one at Target, so I thought I would give it a go. It is Strawberry Basil by Archer Farms and it is really good!
I had to scarf down lunch, because apparently no matter how much time I give myself to get ready, I am almost always getting ready down to the very last minute.
After lunch, I headed off to a friend’s baby shower. She is due in April and looking great! It was great to see all of the ladies.
For dinner we met up with Dana’s mom and dad for dinner. It was a celebration for Sue and Dana’s birthdays, which are both coming up this week! We met at bd’s Mongolian Grill which has create-your-our own stir fry.
I opted to go for the vegetarian option today, but they do have a great assortment of meats if you would rather go that route: beef, chicken, turkey, crab, shrimp, scallops, etc.
Here is my bowl o’ veggies (and one lonely egg) before I brought it to the stir-fry men. I chose a teriyaki soy sauce blend with a little bit of garlic.
In the stir-fry mix: zucchini, broccoli, baby corn, water chestnuts, carrots, edamame, mushrooms, onions, bean sprouts, and an egg. I think that was everything in there. Oh, and sugar snap peas maybe. It was very delicious and so healthy. I felt just comfortably satisfied after I was finished.
We had a great time as always! After dinner we headed home to our big man who was very happy to see us. He was in need of a little attention.
Later I headed over to mom and dad’s and went for a walk with the little dog and my mama.
Although it was only about 26° out, there was no wind and the sun was out so it felt pretty nice. Aren’t they adorable?
This afternoon Dana and I ran a few more errands including some birthday boy shopping. Now we are home for the night, and contemplating having a fire in the fireplace. I have dinner simmering away in the crock pot and can’t wait to share this recipe with you tomorrow.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. That was the short and sweet version of mine. 🙂 Have a cozy night!
Love My Runny Eggs
Today is my last day of work before VACATION! Friday morning Dana and I will be on our way to sunny California and I am beyond ecstatic! I am even excited for the flight over there because I plan to read, eat, and relax. Moose is a little bummed he can’t come with us. He’s always wanted to see LA. 😉
Guess what I did this morning!?
I actually got up early, out of my warm heavenly bed, and got a run in on the treadmill! I have been terrible about getting morning workouts in lately, but I figured this morning was the only time for me to do it because we have a laundry list of things to do tonight to get ready for our trip! Plus my friend who is extremely dedicated to morning workouts texted me an encouraging message this morning to help get me out of bed. She is amazing. 🙂 Thanks a million!
More good news, I didn’t have any knee discomfort today. Whatever was causing the discomfort the other day has completely subsided which I am very thankful for.
********
Tuesday Recap
I really loaded up my bowl for yesterday morning’s breakfast. Besides the usual fruit, yogurt, and cereal, I also added in a small handful of chopped walnuts and extra yogurt for more “staying” power. This baby held me over until lunch.
Since it was Ash Wednesday, we were supposed to fast in between meals. I found that this is extremely difficult for me because I am a “small meals throughout the day” kind of person versus a three meals that’s it person. I always have breakfast, sometimes a snack around 10 but usually not, lunch always, piece of fruit or small snack mid-afternoon, dinner, and then a snack before bed. Yesterday I stuck with just breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and my body was upset with me almost the entire day. Oh well, it was just one day!
After work I met Dana for Ash Wednesday mass. Day one of no sweets was a good one. My body is seriously unhappy with me after all the sweets I have eaten lately. It is thanking me for a break. I feel out of balance and it’s time to get back in balance.
I went for a walk on the treadmill when I got home. I have been a little lazy when it comes to actually making the trip to the gym, which is only 7 minutes away BTW. I honestly feel that the laziness is associated with the sugary diet lately. It is amazing how quickly you can begin to feel a slide.
Dinner was veggie-filled. I sautéed up a bunch of veggies from the fridge including this little cute eggplant that I had bought at Whole Foods last weekend. It’s just a little babe!
I also threw in leftover fajita filling from last night’s dinner, broccoli, mushrooms, kale,with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper, and topped the warm dish with diced tomato, shredded cheese, and of course, a runny egg. I love my runny eggs.
Delicious and satisfying as always. The rest of the night was dedicated to one last load of laundry, and relaxing while watching Modern Family and Whitney! Wednesday night is our “big” night of shows! No packing was done last night which means tonight will be a fun-filled packing extravaganza. I really don’t like packing. I always pack WAY too much because I never know what I will need!
I am off to work! Have a Happy Thursday!
Sweet Day & Fun Plans
Hello there! No monkey business I have lots to share as always.
Yesterday we had a potluck lunch at work. It was Valentine’s themed so everyone was supposed to bring food that was red, pink, or purple. My food-minded brain started thinking of tons of different options: pink quinoa with Craisins, nuts, and apples, cupcakes with pink frosting, apple nachos….had a hard time deciding on one. But I did decide to go with the Apple Nachos. I got the idea from Pinterest but changed it up a bit.
It included sliced apples, melted peanut butter drizzled over top, and was topped with almond slices, walnut pieces, Craisins, and chocolate chips. This was a huge hit and it was so simple to make! This would be a huge crowd pleaser with kids as well.
At the meeting there was everything from beet salad, to pb and j sandwiches on pink bread, strawberries, red bell peppers, heart shaped egg salad sandwiches, pink and red M & M’s (which I had WAY too many of), pink cupcakes (also had one of those), meatballs, etc. We go all out at our work meetings. Lunch held me over very well.
I had another meeting from 5:30-7 and didn’t get home until about 7:30. This was waiting for me at home upon my arrival.
My favorite gummy treats, three amazing cards which were all so sweet (from Moose, Dana, and one from my mom too), and the gift in the pink bag was a bathrobe from Target that I have literally been eyeing up for the past year!
On the menu: Lightly pan-fried scallops and fresh Mahi-Mahi that Dana caught earlier today. 🙂 Ha ha, that would be great! Alongside were oven-roasted fennel and artichoke hearts. Everything was unbelievable. I even liked the fennel! It didn’t have much of a licorice taste like I was expecting, it took on a “roasted” flavor and I actually really enjoyed it. I couldn’t finish everything on my plate because I was filling up way too fast and I knew there was some really great dessert yet to come.
Dessert started with these adorable chocolate covered strawberries.
Second course of dessert was cookie dough ice cream and warm, fresh brownies.
The combination of cold ice cream and warm brownies, and the way the ice cream melts into the brownie and creates a fudge like brownie….I can’t even believe how amazing it is. I don’t get this treat very often, but when I do, you better watch out, I will put myself into a brownie and ice cream coma.
This picture does not describe the magnitude of my love for this dish. Once I finished this deliciousness, I felt like I had a boulder sitting in my stomach. I ate enough sugar today to last me through the whole month.
After dinner, we watched a great Valentine’s episode of Glee, and before we knew it it was 9:30 which means time to get ready for bed! I promise I am only 26 years old. I really need my sleep though.
Dana really pulled off an amazing Valentine’s Day. I told him “he won” this year for sure. Not that I really mean it’s a competition but he just put so much time into it and made it so unbelievable. The couple hours that I did have with Dana made up for me having to work until 7 last night.
Now, I have some major gummies to eat before lent begins next week!
One last note. Valentine’s Day holds an extra special place in my heart, because I remember my Grandma K who passed away 8 years ago on this day. She was able to join her husband in heaven on this special day devoted to love. She was an amazing, caring, funny, spitfire of a woman who will always be remembered.
***************
I mentioned previously that I had exciting events planned for the upcoming year. It’s share time.
- Trip to California to visit friends–next week!
- Get Lucky7k run on St. Patty’s Day
- A weeklong vacation to the Dominican Republic—end of April! We just booked this two nights ago!
- Race for the Cure with mom on Mother’s Day
- Boundary waters weekend trip in May
- Two half marathons in June
- Warrior Dash at the end of June
- Long weekend trip to visit my brother in Bogota later summer, early fall
I’m probably forgetting a few things in there! In between those events are birthdays, baby showers, weddings, fun sun time, hopefully a garage sale….and more. It is going to be a great year! I am so pumped for it all! I’m off to get ready for work and maybe going to throw something in the crockpot? We will see. Have a great day! Happy Wednesday.
