Evening and Afternoon Update!

* I forgot to put up my dinner! I steamed asparagus and brussel sprouts...

Then added a piece of lasagna on top

 


I am heading to Jeff's sister's- Missy Mo's gym shortly. She is letting me use a guest pass to see if I enjoy this gym, isn't that sweet !?!
When I got back from class and before I took Jack for a walk, I had an afternoon Snack:
Greek Nonfat Blueberry Yogurt and

Chai Bumble Bar ( I had half)

Chai Bumble Bar Review:
I LOVED the smell of this bar!! It smelled exactly like chai! I really enjoyed this one in comparison to the cherry chocolate and I would say it is a tie with the apricot for me- The sesame was not overpowering, and it was sweet but cinnamon like as well. It was just the right amount of crunch and chew and sweetness for me. 

Lunch:
I packed my lunch in my Pink Insulated Lean Cuisine lunch bag- they were specifically designed to support Breast Cancer awareness/research. I order them online every year and they are available in september- october but they go FAST! I remember the first year they came out, I didn't get one because they ran out! this past year I ordered several and gave them as presents - half of their cost is donated to the komen foundation! They cost $9.95 ( well they did...I don't know about upcoming years) and I had free shipping! They have expanded their designs as well! Isn't it darling!?

I had an organic pear and an arnold sandwich thin filled with baby spinach, two slices of turkey and one slice of ham, and a chocolate.


Breakfast:

Smoothie ( vanilla designer whey protein, organic milk, frozen blueberries, 1/2 banana,frozen mango), I had the other half of banana with some peanut butter , some kiwi and pineapple and a piece of newman's own double fiber bread.

I WAS sooooo full.. It took me awhile to actually finish this breakfast.

 

* If you have noticed this yellow dish (and I have an orange one as well), they were christmas presents and are from pottery barn. I really enjoy them because they make my pictures a little more colorful on here, and they work so nicely for Jeff and I. It makes it a better surface to eat on if we eat in the living room.. and it makes it easy to carry everything in there as well. *

Update to Last Night:

I did have dessert! I made a single serving of No Pudge Brownie Mix using nonfat greek yogurt. I added some mini chocolate chips and a little peanut butter too.

Smoothie, Sammy, and Spinach Dip

I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted for lunch at first but it all came together so nicely.
I made a sandwich with just turkey and toasted bread, then wanted more protein ( my protein powder has some extra "recovery" ingredients so perfect for after a run!). I made a smoothie with 1/2 milk 1/2 water, mango, pineapple and protein powder. I wasn't sure what vegetable I wanted, but then saw frozen spinach and artichokes. So I heated those up in a bowl, added a little dab of smart balance, some salt and cracked black pepper, some pre-chopped bacon, some chobani, some fat free mayo, some shredded cheese. Mixed all of it really well then microwaved for another 1 minute. I threw in a glob of leftover sicilian sauce from yesterday too.

I don't really enjoy crackers or chips that much so I hardly ever have em on hand. I dipped my rather plain sandwich in it... SO GOOD!

Body:
Run!!!!! No pain/twisty feelings ... I warmed up for 2 miles at speed 6.8 ( about an 8:35 min/mile) then jogged for 2 miles at speed 7.7 ( pace 7:47 min/mi )on the treadmill and then sprinted the last 1 mile,
My last mile sprint was:
0.25 at 9 mph
0.25 at 8.4
0.25 at 9.2
0.25 at 8.6

I walked for another 1 mile to cool down. It felt fantastic~

Mind:
suduko of course

i have did searching but nothing to write about yet. back to searching now

Soul:
Jeff heard back from the insurance company and they finally accepted liability for the accident and offered him a tiny settlement.... but at least its one big step in the right direction so he can rent a car and it will be paid for and he can find out soon what he will be offered for his truck!!

I love running, i swear it beats out any "case of blah" I ever have. It just makes me a happier person.

I am excited to have dinner at Momma Mo's and trim the tree!

Pasta Bake

Pasta Bake:
Here was my ingredients:

Box of Whole Wheat Organic Pasta

2 jars TJ Marinara

1.5 cups Thawed Frozen Spinach (from TJ)

Sargento Cheese ( I did handfulls, probably about 1.5 cups total)

Butterball Turkey Sausage- It tasted more like hot dogs than sausage- not very good in my opinion but i thought I would give it a try. Yet another sausage I dislike.

I cooked the pasta according to directions, added sauce, added cheese, sliced up and added sausage. Baked at 350 for 30 minutes.

Out of the Oven

Up close

I always want pasta for dinner on the days I run... but usually runners eat pasta the night before. I wonder what's up with me prefering it after. Hmm..

It's a wrap

Lunch:
Tilapia Filet with mustard and a pickle on a whole grain tortilla, side of veggies- spinach and peppers

Pre Class Snack: Odwalla Super Protein Bar - I had most of it but brought the rest home so I could take a photo of it. These bad boys are 21% organic, have 220 calories and 16g of protein! I think they are absolutely delicious and taste like good food should, not like a protein bar with sugar alcohols...

Dinner:

Stir-Fry!
Grilled Chicken ( perdue chicken without hormones and raised in partially cage free hens)
Trader Joes Organic Green Beans and TJ Bell Pepper Mix (frozen and thawed in microwave)

Sauce: Lite Soy , Tbs Peanut Oil ( I don't buy this, I actually drain the oil from the Smucker's natural peanut butter I get and save it in a jar for occasions like this), Hot Sauce ( texas pete) and some of the General Tso's sauce I got a few weeks ago.

White Rice ( which I have never liked- not because it is starchy or lack of fiber- I just never liked it. Along with mashed potatoes, something about white food never sat right with me- I always wanted color and if something was white it should be sugary sweet. I know, I'm an oddball)
- i made it because I know Jeff wanted it and he is sick! I used a whole wheat tortilla but I did have a teaspoon of rice
stir fryin...

My bowl:

Savory Oats Attempt #1

Lunch

So I have no idea what's "wrong" with me but I am totally super craving Vegetables and Fruit! I came home from a fantastic workout and wanted vegetables, protein and some whole grains... really.. that is what i was craving!

I put frozen broccoli and spinach into a bowl and heated it up for about 2 minutes in the microwave. I really did think to myself, okay so what about protein and grains? protein- eggs. grains... hmmm.. oats... But How?

I went into the fridge, pulled out the organic potato and leek soup, parmesean cheese and cage free egg whites. I added about 1/2 cup of soup to the broccoli and spinach ( yah more veggies!) and then added 1/2 cup of irish style oats .... Great! A liquid for my oats to soak up! So then I topped it with 1/2 cup of egg whites ( TJ cage free in a carton) and Mixed it all really well...
Sprinkled with Poultry Season ( hooray for turkey day)and microwaved for another 5 minutes. Sprinkled it all with lots of Parmesean, a little salt and pepper-

Prior to microwaving...After sprinkling with lots of cheese....... yummmmmmm
It was definately something I never have made before or heard of or seen. This soup was an excellent liquid for oats rather than water or milk if you are aiming for savory oats! The texture was like a casserole, but only all super healthy ingredients! ( okay okay the parm cheese and poultry seasoning aren't the epitome of health but not all that bad either...)

I liked it enough to want to make it again- Stay tuned for future versions!

Tuesday Food

Breakfast!

Here is what I did- I took a 1/4 cup pumpkin, whisked with 1/2 cup egg whites, sprinkle cinnamon- Microwaved for 1.5 minutes ( not done)... Swished it around to half the bowl, then took the Quaker Simple Harvest, Honey Almond Instant Cereal packet (http://www.quakersimpleharvest.com/qsh_products/HotCereal/vanilla/index.cfm)
( delicious!) and mixed it with water ( you could do milk) and mixed it on the other side of the bowl. Microwaved for another 2 minutes + ( power on my microwave sucks so most people this would not take as long!) I topped it with a frozen banana and it thawed from the steam/heat of it. I added peanut butter too but you can't tell because of the colors! I added slices of a gala apple along the side to make a whole serving of fruit!


Lunch: I took a shot with all the products today for lunch below so you could see. I had a salmon burger, thawed then put it in my toaster oven for about 7 minutes ( these were a GREAT brand- i do NOT like trader joes brand- too rubbery- these were very much like salmon in the shape of a burger!), I put that on top of a flat-out light wrap ( sundried tomato basil) and topped with Tomato Pesto Goat Cheese.... Veggies on the side!

(today's lunch was the salmon in the salad and wrap on the side and the product shots )


Dinner:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti, 99% lean ground turkey, Barilla Tomato Sauce ! Some cheese, spinach and cauliflower steamed... ( for me I enjoyed this- but it was a little bland)
I needed something quick and easy because I stayed after class for a prospective student information session to be videotaped for our Online Program Info on the website- I will post a link if they put me online! I was SO nervous! But as a thank you for doing it, I got a gift card to Whole Foods! How awesome is that!

AMAZING Moroccan Curry

Maybe I have a love/hate relationship with Kashi- hate one of their cereals for cutting my mouth but LOVE LOVE LOVE their new whole grain pilaf instant mixes!!!

I had no idea it was going to taste this good, here is what I decided to throw together:

Kashi Whole Grain Pilaf: Moroccan Curry . It heats in 1 minute in the micro and includes:

• 7 Whole Grain & Sesame Pilaf- buckwheat, barley, hard red winterwheat


• Carrots


• Coconut Puree


• Lentils


• Dried Currants


• Cilantro


• Curry


• Ginger Puree


• Hint of Cayene

( all in that package!!! - you dump it into a microwave safe dish and heat for 1 minute! )

To make it more of a fufilling meal I added:

• Ground Turkey ( 99% lean left over from last night)


• Can of Garbanoz Beans ( chickpeas)


• Frozen, then Heated Spinach


• Dired Cranberries


• Chopped Almonds


• A little sprinkle of cheese for some dairy
  

I normally despise the savory/sweet combos but this one I really enjoyed. It was only a hint of the coconut and dried currants, and spicy but not overwhelming. All the added ingredients went together so nicely... turkey with cranberries, spinach, almonds, beans, lentils and whole grains.... it was deliciousness in a bowl and took like 2 minutes to make!

Body: Run- 2.5 miles 18 minutes, Elliptical 15 minutes, Bike 7 miles 15 minutes, Strength: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Mind: going to study in the library!

Soul: I have organized several "return" purchases to do all in one trip vs. several whenever in hopes to save on gas, Great TV night with Biggest Loser and Privelidged ! That meal was totally awesome too, it made me feel really proud of myself for throwing it together so quick!