Food Photo Show

Hi there! I hope everyone is having a wonderful and productive Sunday. I have lots of food photos to catch you up on starting from lunch yesterday, so no need to get wordy on you today. Here it goes.

Saturday Lunch

Strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple with Fage Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and honey.

Saturday Dinner

We had both my parents and Dana’s parents over for dinner last night. Everyone brought a dish to contribute and we ended up with an amazing meal.

Appetizer: Tostito’s Artisan Roasted Garlic & Black Bean chips with roasted tomatillo salsa served in our fancy pants serving bowl set that we got as a wedding gift.

Salad: Mom’s quinoa salad which has pretty much all of my favorite veggies thrown into one salad. It is quinoa, tomatoes, mukimame,   red onion, black beans, avocado, fresh basil, cilantro, celery, coconut juice, spices, and I may have missed a couple ingredients. It was GOOD!

Veggie Tray: Dana’s mom brought a delicious and colorful veggie tray with her very own special dip that has a creamy cottage cheese base. Nummm.

And the main entrée: homemade grilled turkey burgers with Worcestershire, onion powder, salt, and pepper. I ate mine on a 100-calorie sandwich thin bun and topped it with cheddar cheese, pickles, tomato, onion, mustard, and ketchup. DELICIOUS.

For dessert, I made homemade strawberry sorbet which is the absolute easiest thing to make. No need to spend $6 on a small carton of organic sorbet.

Strawberry Sorbet

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups frozen strawberries, thawed
  • Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
  • 3/4 teaspoon stevia
  • 1/4 cup water
Directions
Puree all ingredients in food processor. Transfer to ice cream maker, and let churn for 40 minutes. If you do not have an ice cream maker, transfer to container then place in the freezer until solid. Serve with whip cream if desired.

We had a great time with the fam last night and ate a very healthy meal. Thanks everyone!

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Sunday Breakfast

Yogurt bowl with a splash of almond milk, cinnamon PB2, banana, honey, and chia seeds.

Sunday Lunch

 The last of the fresh pineapple, sugar snap peas, and leftover quinoa salad.

And LOTS of these cheesy salty chips. Bring on the orange fingers.

Hope you enjoyed my food photo show. Catch up with you all soon.

Continue Reading Food Photo Show

That’s Strike Two

On my way home from work I snacked on one of my free LARABAR’s. I chose the Blueberry Muffin flavor this time and decided it wasn’t my absolute favorite, but it was alright. I wish it had more of a blueberry taste. Don’t get me wrong I really haven’t met a LARABAR I didn’t like, it just wasn’t my favorite.

It did a good job of stamping out my hunger and giving me energy for….Zumba! I had plans to meet my friend Amanda at a workout studio after work. This was a class we had taken before and with an instructor we knew we enjoyed, so I knew this would be a good Zumba experience unlike the last time Betsy and I tried a class out at our gym. It still makes me giggle thinking about the moves the instructor had us doing.

Before Zumba last night.

After Zumba. Glistening with sweat, and notice my huge smile. I had FUN.

It was definitely a good one! I shook it with every last ounce of my booty. At least Zumba was a success, because dinner was a total fail.

A couple of months ago, I bought Shirataki Tofu noodles which can be used as a substitute for pasta. I bought a different variety before and made them into a Thai peanut sauce type dish. They had turned out just alright, but I said I may have to try them again in a different way.

Well, here we are. This time around I bought spinach tofu noodles. I rinsed them very well (to get the stinky smell off of them), drained them, patted them dry on a towel, and placed into a bowl. I added steamed broccoli to the noodles along with two Laughing Cow Light Swiss wedges, a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt, a dash of onion powder and garlic powder, and salt and pepper. I microwaved for 2-3 minutes, removed and gave it a stir.

It smelled good….

But I couldn’t get past the texture of the noodles. It’s hard for me to describe the texture but they were sort of gummy like to me. I took two bites of it and decided I couldn’t do it. I sat on the couch for an hour watching an episode of Modern Family before getting up to make something else for dinner.

At this point it was about 8:30 so I wasn’t going to go hogwild and bake a lasagna or anything. I decided on a PB2 wrap with Craisins (later I added some Welch’s Grape Natural Jelly).

Good old faithful PB wraps. They never fail me. I also had two large handfuls of sugar snap peas. So, that’s a strike two on the Tofu Noodles. I don’t think I’m going to give them another shot. Can’t say I didn’t try.

I am off for the day. I am so incredibly happy it’s Friday. Happy Friday to you all!

Question: Have you ever tried tofu noodles? What did YOU think?

 

Continue Reading That’s Strike Two

More Corn Please

Breakfast

Tuesday morning began with a spin on one of my current breakfast favorites. Overnight chia seed yogurt but instead of blueberries I substituted 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin, and added cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, stevia, and a bit of brown sugar right before I was about to dig in (because I love brown sugar).

It was like a bowl of pumpkin pie, sort of. I definitely prefer my original blueberry yogurt mix more than the pumpkin, but I would make this one again. It’s fun to try something different anyway.

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Workout

After work I headed to the gym. I completed 32 minutes on the elliptical while reading Runner’s World. The last 5 minutes I back-peddled to work different muscles which I found to be super awkward until I got the hang of it.

After the elliptical I headed to the weights to work out the triceps, chest, and core.

The gym was pretty quiet when I was there, so I decided to try some new things on the big ball near the mats. Is it called a fitness ball? An exercise ball?

This was a golden opportunity to experiment with new moves since 1. there weren’t very many people around for me to make a fool out of myself in front of, and 2. not a lot of people in the area for me to nail with a runaway ball.

Here is what I did.

I was shakin’ and sweatin’ and feeling good at the end of the ball workout. 🙂 I felt a little silly when trying to get balanced on the ball but tried to act confident like I really knew what I was doing and had total control. I will do it again. I wish I had one at home. They’re so much fun!

I finished off my workout with a quick 1-mile run that I clocked at 8:10 pace, which is way faster than my norm. I am usually a 9:15 to 9:30 minute mile gal. I felt the need for speed apparently.

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Dinner

Dana cut up a fresh pineapple to snack on while we worked on preparing the rest of dinner. The pineapple was perfectly sweet and so juicy and was a great appetizer.

For dinner we had grilled corn on the cob which was INCREDIBLE. I couldn’t believe how fresh and sweet it was being we are not in corn season around here. I am not sure where it came from? I may need to do my research.I can’t wait for more! I love corn on the cob.

We have been making good use of our grill lately. Tis the season. When I say we, I mean Dana, because I usually let him take charge over the grill.

Alongside the corn, I prepared an Italian/Greek, inspired broccoli slaw. I started with a packet of Good Sense Italian Seasoning which I mixed with balsamic vinegar, just a touch of olive oil, and water. I whisked these ingredients together in the bottom of the bowl creating the dressing, then added a whole bag of broccoli slaw. I added a can of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), and topped the salad with feta cheese and tomatoes.

The salad was full of flavor and a fun healthy side dish. Actually come to think of it, that was the gusto of our meal. That was our main dish and the corn was the side? It doesn’t matter who takes the main stage because either way, it was a party on my plate.

For dessert, a cookie dough ball from Sunday’s cookie making episode that I rolled and froze. Pretty tasty!

Fun fact: I usually prefer dough to actual baked cookies.

I finished off the night with some more laundry (seriously does it ever end?) and a new episode of Glee. We also began sorting through a potential bedroom in our basement which is full of wedding stuff: tulle, cards, decorations, invitations, etc. It is an extremely overwhelming room so I am sorting through it little by little to help get me through it.

Off to a work. Have a great day!

Question of the day: Anyone have any embarrassing gym moments? I would love to hear from you./strong>

Continue Reading More Corn Please

Double Chocolate Oat Cookies

Yesterday was a good day. I started the day off right by heading to the gym to hit the treadmill for some fartlek training.

Fartlek is interval training where you adjust speeds throughout your run, which challenges your internal functions to keep up as they are in charge of making major adjustments when varying from slow, to fast, to moderate paces.

I varied my run from a moderate paced run, to a slightly uncomfortable pace, to a sprint, then recovered for 1 to 1.5 minutes before starting it all over again. This constant change in pace means a constant change in heart rate. Research shows that this type of workout can also speed up the metabolic process post-workout, which means more calories burned throughout the rest of your day post-workout.

I don’t feel comfortable going further into the science behind “fartlek” runs, because I am certainly  not an expert, but I do know these types of runs can be very helpful when training for longer runs. They tend to keep me very entertained during runs as well and make the time fly by.

After the run, I hit up a few arm weights and core strengthening, then headed out to run a bunch of errands. I think I found a bath mat for the new bathroom downstairs that I’ m going to keep. The bathroom is 95% done!

I also tackled more laundry, stopped at the library to check out two books for my upcoming trip (!!), cleaned up the house, put photos in frames, and cooked a big batch of 32-bean soup for dinner.

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Cookies, cookies num num num

The other day, I had a hankering to bake and a chocolate craving. What’s a girl to do? Why, head to the kitchen of course and get busy. I took this cocoa cookie recipe, and revamped it. These are cookies that you don’t need to feel guilty about. They are low fat, are made with whole wheat flour, and are fairly low in sugar (c0mpared to other chocolate chip cookies). Check out the recipe.

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tablespoons egg whites, or egg white from 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In medium bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use electric mixer to cream together oil, yogurt, sugars, and cocoa powder.
  4. Beat in egg whites and vanilla.
  5. Add flour mixture, until combined.
  6. Stir in chocolate chips.
  7. Use a tablespoon to drop dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until almost set. Remove, let cool. ENJOY.

These cookies are not super sweet but they do a great job satisfying any chocolate craving you may be having. I decided to freeze the majority of the dough and then I will just be able to bake up one or two cookies if I get the urge. I adore warm right out of the oven cookies when the chocolate chips are melty and gooey.

Have a great day!

Continue Reading Double Chocolate Oat Cookies

Is it Friday Yet?

My initial thought this morning: Is it Friday yet? I don’t what the deal is this week but it is crawling at turtle pace and completely kicking my butt. Also, I haven’t been super motivated to workout this week either. Hmm…possible correlation between lack of working out and being tired? It could very well be.

To top it off, I woke up with a terrible headache.

K, that was my speedy downer rant. It feels good to let it all out. Now, gimme some coffee.

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I worked late again last night but was actually hungry when I got home unlike the night before.

I threw together a salad topped with broccoli, peas, corn, cheese, black beans, and Newman’s Own Lite Honey Mustard and had my self a pretty tasty salad in no time.

So delicious as always.

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I neglected to take a photo of my breakfast this morning possibly due to extreme crabbiness, but I can tell you it looked a lot like this.

Ok, more like identical to this, same bowl and all. Fage non-fat Greek yogurt, black berries, and raspberries, all drizzled with honey.

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I’m trying to think happy, positive thoughts so that I can make it through the rest of the work week, so, I thought I would leave you with some funny photos of Moose getting his teeth brushed by Dana.

I think it is one of the funniest things. He acts like he doesn’t like it at first and hesitates to lay down, but once he does cooperate, he warms up to it and ends up licking the brush afterwards like he loved it.

You brush your teeth...ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
Mmm...minty.
Don't forget the eye teeth, dad. The smile gets the ladies.
Love this.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday. I will try to remain positive the rest of the day if you do!

Continue Reading Is it Friday Yet?

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Happy Hump Day!

I worked late last night and so often when I work late, I get home and don’t have much of an appetite. Last night was one of those nights. I decided just to pour myself a small bowl of Fiber One Original with some raisins on top.

Then I had some of these (love these things).

And made my way into some almonds, a few more raisins, and a bite of peanut butter. Not super exciting but it was good enough. I called it an early night and woke up feeling semi-well rested.

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I went for a 30 minute walk on the treadmill this morning with a slight incline. It was a nice soothing way to start the morning, along with this yogurt bowl. I made it this morning and let it do it’s “overnight” thing for just 30 minutes before digging in. It turned out just as great!

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Anyway, moving on to the good stuff. I have one final recipe from last weekend that I still wanted to share with you. You may recall seeing photos of these…

Those are Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars and they are divine. I did make a few fat-saving adjustments here and there but really, this pan of amazingness is truly decadent, and should try to be enjoyed in portion controlled servings. Good luck with that though.

I have to share.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars (recipe adapted from www.eatrunread.com)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup and 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup and 1 Tablespoon non-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 11 ounces caramels*
  • 4 Tablespoons fat-free half and half
  • 1-2 teaspoons sea salt

*(I used an 11 ounce bag of small pearls of caramel that don’t have any wrapping and are great for baking)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Coat a 9 inch square pan with cooking spray (or line with aluminum foil then coat with cooking spray); set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, cream together yogurt, butter, and sugars.
  4. Add the egg, egg white, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
  5. Slowly add in dry ingredients, mixing on low until all ingredients are incorporated.
  6. Hand mix in chocolate chips; cover dough and place in refrigerator.
  7. In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels with half and half. Microwave on high stirring every 20 seconds until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.
  8. Press half of cookie dough into bottom of prepared pan.
  9. Pour caramel on top, and spread to cover in even layer; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt.
  10. Dollop the remaining half of dough on top, and carefully spread to even layer; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt.
  11. Place bars in oven and bake for about 60 minutes (cooking time will vary so keep an eye on them) until top of bars have set and have a light golden color, and the edges begin to pull away from the pan.
  12. Cool bars on wire rack at room temperature. Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream if you wish!

Total decadence.

Continue Reading Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Healthier Reese’s Recipe, Now Hide the Sweets

Yesterday morning I woke up not feeling the slightest bit hungry. It may have been the larger than average meal I ate on Easter Sunday, but I was actually surprised I wasn’t hungry being as we ate lunch/dinner, “linner” at about 2:30, and didn’t eat much the rest of the day.

Nevertheless, I knew I needed to eat something before heading off to work, so I whipped up a classic. A heap of blackberries and raspberries, topped with Fage o% Plain Greek Yogurt, and finished off with a drizzle of honey. It was light, refreshing, and a healthy way to begin my day.

Hunger finally set in at lunch time. I had packed leftover pulled chicken mixed with celery, carrots, pickles, and mustard, a big baggie of carrots and sugar snap peas, an apple, string cheese, and a Lara bar. That held me over well until dinner time.

After work I headed to the gym. I began with 10 minutes on the elliptical, then moved to the stair master for 10 minutes, before hitting the weights. I was not in the most motivated strength training mood but knew I would feel good once I was done. I have been saying that a lot lately, huh? Anyway, I focused on legs today but really didn’t get too crazy: some leg presses, calf raises, leg curls, and that was it.

Dinner last night was not very impressive (can you tell it was a tired Monday around here). I snacked on some more sugar snap peas as I deliberated what to make for dinner, realizing that we are running low on groceries. I decided on a wrap similar to a Greek one I had made not too long ago, but this time with a few less ingredients.

Lawash Brand Whole Wheat Flatbread, hummus, feta cheese, and avocado.

Super simple, lots of great flavors, and enough to keep me satisfied for a while. Now, with such a simple dinner, how is it that I manage to injure myself, whereas I can make elaborate dishes involving copious amounts of chopping and go unscathed? I managed to get in a fight with the pairing knife while trying to twist out the pit of the avocado.

The one ingredient I needed to cut in this whole dish, and I managed to splice my finger open in the process. I got a little woozy but Dana kept me calm as I ran it under water and then put pressure on it. He bandaged me up and of course I am fine, but it did hurt and it’s always scary. Dana to the rescue. I can be a little dramatic.

After dinner I had a few million Easter treats. It was my “Fat Monday.” I decided I had one more day to enjoy a bunch of my Easter treats before I put them away in the freezer for a while. They are now zipped away in a ziploc freezer bag in the freezer, in the garage. That’s what we have to do around here to keep our sticky fingers off the candies.

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This may seem a little backwards considering I just told you I hid all of my Easter treats, but I wanted to share a delicious recipe with you all for a treat I made last Saturday.

One of my all-time favorite candies are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, however they aren’t the most figure-friendly candy. I wanted to find a healthier version of these delectable treats without sacrificing the wonderful peanut buttery flavor. I stumbled upon a recipe for healthier Reese’s eggs, I put my own spin on it, and this is what I came up with.


Healthier Reese's Eggs
Print
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup almond milk
  • 3 Tablespoons chia seeds
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ⅓ cup PB2 prepared
  • ¼ cup light maple syrup
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In small bowl, combine milk and chia seeds and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. After ten minutes, combine chia seed mix with remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips; mix well.
  3. Shape mixture into small eggs, and place onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  4. Once eggs are chilled, begin melting chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until completely melted.
  5. Roll "eggs" in the chocolate, covering them completely in the melted chocolate.
  6. Place them back onto the parchment paper. Decorate with sprinkles if desired, and return to the refrigerator. Allow chocolate to set before serving. Remove from fridge 15-20 minutes or so before serving.

 

The inside of these eggs are soft yet chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness and peanut butter flavor. The chocolate on the outside of the egg adds a semi-sweet touch that balances the bites perfectly.

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Soul mates

They may sound a little off the wall being that they have chia seeds in them, but I’m telling you they are awesome! You don’t need a special occasion to make them either.

Give ’em a whirl!

Now, the candy and treats are all stowed away, and I refuse to fall back onto the sugar train.

Anyone eat any delicious treats this past weekend? I would love to hear from you. Sharing is caring!

Continue Reading Healthier Reese’s Recipe, Now Hide the Sweets

I Went Greek

You will never guess what I had for breakfast yesterday morning. No, it wasn’t overnight chia seed yogurt. Can you believe it? It was pretty close though. I made a bowl of Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt, blueberries, blackberries, banana, chia seeds, and honey.

I gave it a good ol’ mix and was left with a creamy delicious bowl of sweet perfection. I loved the textures from all of the different fruits.

It was a good change of pace, however I missed not opening the fridge in the morning and having breakfast waiting for me to eat. Which is why this morning I decided to make myself an overnight oat, chia, and fruit bowl. I will spare you the photo because you have seen a kazillion of them lately. I do have to say this was the best overnight bowl I have ever made so far. It was very thick and I’m thinking I may have added some extra chia seeds this time.

Moose posed so nicely for a quick photo with me yesterday before I left for work. Such a good boy (sometimes). Such a cutie pie.

When I was looking at this photo I was taking notice of the background and remembering that I have yet to show you that finished wall behind me. I mentioned this wall project a while back but have been slow to decorate it which is why I have neglected to post a photo thus far. I still haven’t quite finished decorating it, but have placed temporary pieces on the shelves for now. Since I don’t know when I’ll be be completely finished with it, I decided I’d just show you it now.

It’s Moose’s cozy nook where he eats his breakfast and dinner.  Anyone have any ideas on decorating these shelves on a budget? I would love any input.

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Workout

After work today I had planned to get a work out in. The whole drive home I was really thinking that it wasn’t in the cards for me because I was pretty pooped. I pulled in the driveway and told Dana I didn’t think I was going. Then the head games began. Come on, Melanie. If you get your workout clothes on, you will most likely go, and you will be so happy you went. Just do it. Go. 

So, I listened to my head and got my workout clothes on, grabbed my music, and headed on the door.

I planned to run a couple of miles, but wound up running three. My head won. I am SO glad I went. The weather was perfect at about 65° with a light breeze. I even challenged myself to a big hill so I can build up my hill-running endurance and muscles. Sometimes it’s good to listen to that voice in your head (when it’s positive talk of course).

Dinner

After Tuesday night’s cauliflower fritters, which involved a lot more effort than I usually give to weeknight dinners, I decided that last night’s dinner was going to be simple. Simple, but there would be no skimping on flavor.

I went Greek(ish):

A whole wheat low carb Lawash Flatbread Brand tortilla, a layer of hummus, feta cheese, diced tomato, avocado slices, and baby kale.

Holy moly this thing was so stinkin’ amazing! The flavors all worked so well together. I want to make it again, like now. It was so easy, fresh, and a perfect weeknight meal.

The wraps were served alongside grilled asparagus and broccoli dipped in hummus (broccoli not pictured).

After dinner, we cleaned up the tiles in the bathroom downstairs so that they are ready to be sealed. Bathroom renovation is quite the process I tell ya. I have decided the bathroom colors are going to be gray/brushed nickel, dark brown, and white. I haven’t bought the accent towels or decorations yet but I am itching to do it! It is going to have a modern and classic look when I’m finished with it. I can’t wait for it to be done so I can show you. So excited!

Have a great Thursday!

Continue Reading I Went Greek

Overnight Chia Seed Yogurt Bowl

I had a request from one of my loyal readers for the measurements of ingredients in my overnight yogurt bowl.

You would think I would have learned my lesson to  measure ingredients each time I make a new dish, but no such luck. Usually when I make this yogurt bowl I toss in a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and wait to see how it turns out. This pretty much makes for a different consistency in the yogurt each time. I like surprises, so it works for me! But, I thought I would figure out more appropriate measurements for all ya’ll, so last night, I prepared a bowl of overnight yogurt, and measured the ingredients. Give this a shot, and let me know how it turns out. 😉

Overnight Chia Seed Yogurt Bowl

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons oats

2 teaspoons chia seeds

1/2 cup almond milk

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

stevia or other sweetener

Directions

Combine all ingredients in bowl; mix. Cover and place in refrigerator over night. In the morning, remove cover and eat as is, or add your favorite yogurt  toppings such as fresh fruit, honey, granola, cereal, etc.

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I am off of work today and have a to-do list that is nearly endless. I feel highly motivated though so I should be okay. Plus, it’s a gloomy kind of day today which makes it easier for me to be productive inside.

Some of my to-do list:

  • Shop for shower curtain for new bathroom
  • Decide on accent colors for new bathroom
  • Make a dentist appointment
  • Make a couple of phone calls
  • Clean
  • Workout?
  • Decorate shelf ladder that we put up eons ago

I better hop to it! Speaking of hop, Easter is only a little over a week away which means Lent is nearing to an end. I am pretty darn excited to have a big ol’ hunk of chocolate; possibly a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Oh, and did I mention there is a Freeziac Frozen Yogurt Shop opening up near me? Needless to say I am just a little pumped about it. I will be going there once Lent is over and concocting something like this:

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A real quick recap of last night

I had mentioned that I had fun workout plans for after work yesterday. After work I headed to the gym and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. That’s obviously not the fun part. I was waiting for my cousin Betsy to show up. We had planned to meet at the gym and go to Zumba together. Now, I have been to three different Zumba classes each with a different instructor, and I realize that each Zumba instructor has their own style, and I respect that. With that being said, I went in to class last night with an open mind.

After the first minute of class, I could tell today’s Zumba experience was going to be, shall I say, “different.”

I really don’t know if the instructor was a certified Zumba instructor or not. Some of the moves she had us doing were completely off the wall, extremely awkward and very repetitive. The moves were nearly impossible to repeat because there was a total lack of rhythm which, as a former dancer myself, drives me crazy. I am the type of person who has a hard time NOT running to the beat in the music because I have been so trained to listen to music in dance.

We were so dissappointed in the class that we only stuck it out for the first half. I understand each instructor has their own style and there were a lot of people in the class, so it could be possible that many people out there do like this style and instructor. I just was not a fan.

Anyway, I was glad I had got my workout in beforehand, because I hadn’t broken a sweat from the first half hour of the class. Looking on the positive side though, I got to see my Betsy. LOVE HER.

After dinner I got home and Dana fired up the grill. On the menu was turkey burgers! Num!

I couldn’t decide if I wanted ketchup or bbq sauce for the burger, so I squirted a little of both on my plate! I also had a big green kale salad on the side.

K, that ended up being a little longer than a “quick” recap from last night. Now, I’m off to tackle that to-do list!

Continue Reading Overnight Chia Seed Yogurt Bowl

Half Marathon Training Guidance

Dinner last night came together quickly. Sunday evening I prepared a tuna salad to have for lunches (or dinners) during the week.

In the mix:

  • 1 can albacore tuna packed in water
  • cottage cheese
  • mustard
  • pepper
  • green pepper
  • zucchini
  • kale
So very random I am aware, but it actually tasted good! I served this salad on top of mixed greens and added some fresh broccoli and grape tomatoes. I finished it off with my favorite Newman’s Own Honey Mustard. I also ate a piece of bread with grape jelly and a dark chocolate adora disk dipped in Smart Balance peanut butter.

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This morning, breakfast was waiting for me in the fridge. Last night, I mixed together a small amount of oats, Fage non-fat greek yogurt, almond milk, chia seeds, and blueberries and refrigerated over night. This morning I gave the mix a good stir, added a bit of honey and banana and ate a breakfast of champions. It was so creamy and just the right amount of sweet. It really hit the spot.

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Half Marathon Training

As you may know, I am registered for my first half marathon on June 3rd, 2012 in Minneapolis (Dana is also registered), and so far, I’m happy my half marathon training schedule is going as planned. Throughout the winter I maintained some of my running endurance by hitting up the treadmill a few times a week, however my boredom hindered me from accomplishing anything further than 5 miles on the treadmill. I decided that any distance longer than 4 miles was going to have to wait until Spring rolled around so that I could run outside (remember I am a big freeze baby and don’t like to run outside in the cold winter). Now that Spring is here, it is time to reevaluate our half marathon training plans.

Originally, I had found one by Hal Higdon I liked, and Dana had found one by Jeff Galloway that he liked. Could we both train on separate plans leading up to the big day? Surely, but it would be a whole lot easier if we trained on the same plan, that way we could run together and keep eachother on track. In either plan, we would have our long runs on the weekend so we could at least run together on Saturday, which in retrospect would probably be the only run that we would be able to do together unless I started running after work. That’s a whole other bag of worms: my total dislike for running after work. I feel like that is when I am the most sluggish. I prefer to run in the mornings but that doesn’t always happen either!

What I do like about Jeff Galloway’s plan is that he only has you running 3 mile runs on Tuesday and Thursday for the most part, which, in working around a work schedule, seems like the nicest option. However, I don’t know if that is enough mileage for me. I am at such a crossroad and sort of don’t know what to do.

I know it is an option to adapt pieces I like of each and make it work for me, and that’s probably what I will end up doing. Any thoughts/tips/advice from runners out there would be greatly appreciated!

Anyway, enough of my rant.

Basically, I just need to get my booty in gear and make some decisions so I can move on with the training. June 3rd is not that far away! Yikes!

Continue Reading Half Marathon Training Guidance