Hi, All!  Glad you liked my Amazing Grass story!  The husband is extra leery of any food I make now! LOL!  I’m proud to announce that I have not touched any of the artery cloggers that he has brought into the house.  It’s been hard, but I know it would just start a downward spiral that I don’t want to participate in

So, I have something really exciting to share.  The weather was great this morning and I was tempted to go for an outdoor run.  I was supposed to head to the gym to meet up with my friend, Coleen, but she wasn’t feeling well and texted me that she was staying home, so I decided to do the run.  I went to the trail I like and set out for the run.  The first 1/2 mile kinda sucked it.  I had a wicked headache and quite honestly,  I was in a pissy mood.  I had planned on doing the Galloway Method, but after getting over that first 1/2 mile, my breathing was in a good pattern and my legs felt good, so I just kept going.  After the second mile, I decided to try to go for 4 miles.  I gave myself permission to stop and take a walk break at any time I felt like I needed it, but my legs continued to feel good, so I kept going.  When I headed into the 4th mile, I knew I could do it!  And as I neared the end of the 4th mile, I thought ‘maybe I’ll try for 5 miles’. 

Guess what?…

I FREAKING DID IT!!!

I still can’t believe it!  I’m in shock.  I’ve done my fair share of struggling with 3.1 miles, so making it to 5 miles is unbelievable to me!  I should be pissy more often!

When I finished the run, I have to say that I cried a little.  I looked around at the trail and just starting thinking about how far I’ve come in this weight loss/healthy lifestyle  journey.  A little more than 2 1/2 years ago, I was 234 pounds and barely liked to walk.  I can’t believe that I have lost 65 pounds and can RUN 5 MILES!  As some tears fell, I came to the realization that I can do anything that I set my mind to.  I have been the only one standing in my way.   I sabotage myself.  And if I stop that, I can do anything. 

Be back tomorrow with some eats!

Have a great day, everyone!

What have you done lately that made you feel proud?

What a gorgeous day!  I’m so thankful for the wonderful 50 degree weather.  It was perfect for running outside, however there was too much basketball on the agenda so I took the day off.

The weather prompted my tropical breakfast – nonfat cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, sliced banana and shredded coconut…

Mmmm…can’t you hear the steel drums in the background ?  I really wanted a pina colada after that

Instead, I opted for a greener drink.  I finally got to try Amazing Grass,  thanks to Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats and her iHerb Giveaway!  I won the iHerb $50 shopping spree and I chose Amazing Grass and a few other goodies…

I chose this one for my first endeavor…

Some interesting ingredients in there!  I blended it with water, 1/2 cup blueberries, half banana and some ice cubes.   Then, took the plunge…

Hey Mikey, I liked it!  I even passed a little that was left in the blender off on the husband.  He had no idea what was in it or he would have NEVER tried it. Yes, he’s 3 years old.  So, he drank it and didn’t say a word.  No spitting out, no gagging, no clutching at his throat…

Me:  Did you like your smoothie?
The Husband:  Yeah, it was good.
Me:  Really?
The Husband:  Yeah….*furrows brow and looks at me squinty-eyed*… Why? What was it????
Me:  Wellllllll, let me read you the ingredients…
The Husband:

He’ll thank me one day;)

After much hooting and hollering at the basketball game, I came home to a lunch repeat.  The Lentil Ricotta Meatballs are quickly becoming a favorite of mine!  I love the flavor and texture of these.  Thanks for a great recipe, Jennifer!

I served the “meatballs” in a WW whole wheat pita with spinach and melted asiago cheese…

and rounded it out with some carrots.  YUM –E

I noshed on a few tortilla chips later in the afternoon, but quickly reigned it in before any major damage was done.

Dinner was more of the same.  I dug into the leftovers in the fridge and dished up another Chickpea Croquette with Pico De Gallo and guacamole served over romaine…

I sent the husband out to the store to pick up ONE THING and look what he brings back… “for the kids” … of which we only have TWO, not 10…

It’s his Amazing Grass Revenge!  Kill me now :\

Have a great day, everyone!

Thank you all for your advice and well wishes about my burn.  What a dope I am!  I was making turkey pot pie for the husband and daughters and was keeping the filling hot in the oven while I made the biscuits to go on top.  I asked the husband to take the skillet out of the oven for me and when I went to dish out the filling, I absently grabbed the handle of the skillet.  All I heard was ssssssssssssssssssssss , before jumping up and down like a crazy person shouting “I burned my hand!!!!”  Thankfully, it is much better today.  I have a couple of blisters and a few sore spots on my palm, but other than that it is A-OK and doesn’t hurt much at all.

My morning got a bit off schedule since I had to make an unexpected trip to Gram’s place to help her with something.  I made a quick breakfast before I left- Egg and Cheese McBagel Thin and pineapple…

I was at Gram’s for about an hour and wasn’t much into going to the gym after that, but I forced myself to go.  I made a deal with myself that I would do a shortened workout if I went.  I tried out the MotionTraxx run/walk interval program again;  this time on the treadmill.  It was much better!  I can’t say I loved it;  it was hard!  I was really winded from alternating running at the higher speeds then bringing it down for the faster walk.  The 35 minutes flew by and I was sweaty and winded enough to call it a good workout!

After that workout, I deserved a nice lunch!  I was looking forward to trying the Lentil Ricotta Meatballs that I made the night before (pre-hand burn debacle).  I got the recipe from In Jennie’s Kitchen and I was interested in trying them out.

I prepared the mix that night and had it parked in the fridge (warning:  it does not look pretty looks like dog food, but hang in there with me)…

I wanted to bake these instead of fry them, so I covered a baking sheet in foil and sprayed well with olive oil cooking spray.  Then, I shaped the mixture into balls and set on the sheet…

I sprayed the balls lightly with more cooking spray and baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until browned, turning them half way through cooking…

I got 20 “meatballs” out of this recipe.  The only other change I made was in using nonfat ricotta since I had it on hand and seasoned Italian bread crumbs.  According to my substitutions, the nutritional facts are 48 calories per “meatball”, 1 gram fat and 1.6 grams fiber.  4 Lentil Ricotta Meatballs come in at 3 POINTS.

I served them topped with a bit of marinara, sprinkle of parmesan and a side of Immune Blend veggies.  I would have preferred spinach, but I was low in the veggie dept …

These were really good!  The flavor was similar to my homemade meatballs and the texture was perfect.  These were way better than any other vegetarian-type meatball I’ve had…

I made a fast trip to Trader Joe’s in the afternoon.  I didn’t have time to scope out any new goodies, but I did come across an oldie that I haven’t had in a while…

I snacked on them as soon as I came home…

Friday night is pizza night, as always.  Gram had made me a special veggie pizza on whole wheat, so I got off easy and didn’t have to make myself  one

I had a slice with a side salad…

Later, the smell of this beauty beckoned to me…

It was just a boxed cake mix with canned icing, but it smelled delicious!!!  Didn’t taste too shabby, either

Have a great day, everyone!

Total – 30 POINTS

Cake poll:  Chocolate or Vanilla?

Hi friends!  I won’t be doing my regular post today because I got a boo boo:(  I burned my hand while making dinner and it hurts…

I burned my finger tips…

The blisters are starting to form…

My hand is swollen and typing is uncomfortable and too time-consuming to do with one hand, so I’ll see ya all tomorrow

Have a great day, everyone!

What is the best remedy for burns?    Thanks to my Twitter peeps that said NO BUTTER!  Unfortunately, I asked after I slathered up like one of Paula Deen’s dishes : O

I have to give a shout-out off the bat for my girls, MizFit and Heather who are heading to Disney World for The Princess Half Marathon.  I’m so excited to hear how it all goes!  I love race recaps!  Well, except for my own sad…sad…story

It was a yucky morning, so I had to take my workout to the gym.  I ate a nice breakfast before I went – Egg and Cheese McBagel Thin and a tangy apple that I only ate half of …

I made sure to bring my Gym Juice with me…

I had a great 35 minute workout on the Arc Trainer doing hill intervals with resistance of 30, then switched over to the elliptical for another 25 minutes.  I was schweaty

Once home, I tackled more house cleaning , organizing and sprucing.  I accomplished a lot today!

I started craving chickpeas about mid-morning, so I knew they would be on the menu for the day.  I put together some Chickpea Croquettes from Vegetarian Times.  I made these before a while back, but this time I made them with more of a Mexican twist. I used lime juice instead of lemon, fresh cilantro instead of parsley and only 1 tsp. olive oil.

Out of sheer laziness, I made 4 big croquettes instead of 8!  To go along with it, I made a quick Pico De Gallo…

• 6 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp. jalapeno
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

I topped one large croquette with some Pico De Gallo and guacamole…

Served with a side of carrots…

Wanna bite??

Later, I had 2 whole grain Fig Newtons for a snack.  I haven’t eaten these in a million years, but they look much smaller than I remembered!  Don’t ya think?

Little daughter had religion class in the afternoon, so I took the easy way out for dinner.  The family had pasta and I decided to try out this Amy’s dinner…

I would have never chosen a meal like this if I hadn’t made the Quick Chickpea Curry a couple weeks ago and loved it!  I’m so glad I did because this meal did not disappoint!  It was very fresh tasting and had a bit of a kick to it, but not too much.  I paired it with some sauteed spinach for extra green…

I ended with a little dessert…

I <3 chocolate.

Have a great day, everyone!

Do you eat ready-made frozen meals?  What is your favorite?

I was so glad to see sun and warmer weather today!  I couldn’t wait to get outside for a run!

  After dropping little daughter at school, I geared up for my run in the neighborhood.  In preparation for my new run/walk  training per the Galloway Method, I downloaded a free program by MotionTraxx that was part of Fitness Magazine’s Drop a Dress Size workout.  It’s only a 30 minute program so I wanted to run my hilly neighborhood for an extra challenge.  What I didn’t realize is that this workout did a 3 minute warm-up and then alternated running with walking at 1 minute intervals.  It suuuuuuucked.  I could not find my groove with this workout.  This was not the workout to do outside either;  much better suited to the treadmill.  Actually, the “DJ” tells you the speed that you should be running  so you can set the treadmill to the appropriate beats per minute.  I think it’s a good interval workout for the treadmill, though, so I will give it try at the gym.  But, for outdoor runs, I need longer running/walking ratios.

I put together breakfast the minute I walked in the door.   I was definitely in the mood for a yogurt bowl.  Look who’s getting in on the greek yogurt action…

I topped it with fresh strawberries and 1/4 cup Special K granola …

Very good!  It tasted much like my beloved Chobani.  I would buy it again

I got into some heavy duty cleaning, then took a coffee break…

Lunch was leftover BBQ Adzuki Bean Burgers topped with guacamole and a side salad…

I really like these.  They will be making another appearance…soon…because I love to torture my family

Before heading out for afterschool activities, I made my snack – microwave popcorn.  Did you know you can make your own “mini bags” of microwave popcorn?  Here’s how:

You’ll need a paper lunch bag and popcorn kernels…

Place 2 1/2 tbsp. popcorn kernels in paper bag  (hellooo down there )…

Fold the paper bag over 3 times…

Place in the microwave lying flat…

Here’s the tricky part.  Microwave on high for about 2 minutes.  All microwaves have a different wattage, so there may be some trial and error.  Listen for about a 2 second lull in popping and it should be done.  Any longer may burn the popcorn, which is very sad and annoying since you can’t get rid of that smell in your house or office for days.

Unburned popcorn …

There you have it;  no need to buy those ready-to-pop mini bags anymore!  Cheap and easy:)

After popping, I like to cut some of the bag so I don’t have to dig deep…

I sprayed on some I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter ( really, I can) and noshed away!

*****

Dinner was breakfast for the family.  It had to be quick since I had a meeting to attend.  When I got back, I heated up some leftover Spinach, Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche along with the Roasted Potato and Green Bean Salad…

Love when dinner is “waiting” for me!

Total – 23 POINTS

FYI – Trader Joe’s had a recall of its  Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars in February!  You can check out my Examiner article for more info.  Don’t eat them!

Have a great day, everyone!

What is your favorite popcorn flavor/topping?

Happy March!  Whew, where is the time going?????  Before you know it, we’ll be bathing suit shopping – YIKES!  Better get crackin’!

I was ready for the gym this morning after the weekend of Cheetos and chocolate.  : |  First, I started with a healthy breakfast – 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 3 drops NuNaturals liquid vanilla stevia (loving this stuff!) and 1 cup of strawberries and blueberries…

I didn’t have time to drink my coffee at home, so I decided to bring it with me to the gym!  I mentioned this last week on Twitter and Heather of Leading The Weigh thought it was a great idea!  We decided to name it GYM JUICE!  Hey, whatever gets us through the workout, right?! 

I put my Gym Juice in my Disney cup in honor of Heather’s trip for the Princess Marathon…

It gave me the juice I needed to hit the Arc Trainer for 60 minutes!  Cheetos be gone!

For lunch, I had fun with tofu.  I made a mock egg salad using tofu!

I drained the tofu and blotted well with paper towels.  Next, I crumbled the block into a heated skillet coated with non-stick spray…

I let the tofu cook for about 7-10 minutes until dry and slightly browned in spots.  I transferred it to a bowl and let cool…

I added chopped celery and green onion…

then 2 tbsp. Kraft reduced fat olive oil mayo, 1 tsp. Grey Poupon dijon mustard, salt and pepper…

Mix and refrigerate until cold…

I served it in a whole wheat pita with baby spinach and carrots…

It was egg-cellent!  No one would know it’s tofu!

Okay, well maybe my family would know since they snoop these things out

Not long after lunch, I got to preparing dinner.  My parents and Gram were coming for dinner and to spend time with us before they move to the beach for a few months.  I made Smothered Pork Chops for the carnivores along with baked adzuki beans, roasted potatoes, cornbread and a potato and green bean salad with shallot vinaigrette. 

The highlight for me was the salad…

and the cornbread…

My plate of vegetarianess…

plus a few more bites of cornbread

Total – 20 POINTS

The weather is looking fab for the next couple of days!  I’m going to try for my first outdoor run in over a month!  I’m interested to see how I work the Galloway method for the outdoors.  It seems do-able for the treadmill, but I’m wondering how it will feel outside when I’m used to running without stopping. 

Any thoughts on this method?  Anyone tried this as a different training method after you’ve already been able to run the distance?

Hi, everyone!  Hope you all had a nice weekend!  Mine was a bit stressful.  Nothing horrendous, but enough to make me hit up the pantry.  I really overate…a lot.  I stuck to my vegetarian pledge  mainly because chocolate and Cheetos are considered vegetarian, however unhealthy that may be

By Sunday morning, I got my act together and set myself in motion to get back on track.  I can’t say I wasn’t a little more than disappointed in myself, but I was determined to discontinue the trend of overeat + guilt = more overeating.  Guilt is officially out of the equation.  I decided a while back to make this blog a no whining and complaining zone NO GUILT ZONE and I’m sticking to it!

Breakfast was another Egg and Cheese McBagel Thin and a beautiful orange…

I can’t get enough of oranges,  lately!

And french press in my new favorite mug…

So untrue, but I feel empowered repeating that statement everyday! ;D

It was such a relaxing day!  We all putzed around in our pj’s most of the day and I got some cleaning out of the way for a good head start on the week.

I was feeling creative, so I made up a new recipe for lunch – Spinach, Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche.  Danica’s Crockpot Broccoli and Cheese Quiche was the inspiration for this.  Instead of using The Crocker, I baked it in the oven so it would be ready to eat at lunch.  

Spinach, Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1o oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
• 4 oz. goat cheese (I use Chavrie)
• 1 1/4 cup skim milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft;  about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and pepper.  Cook for 3 minutes until heated through.  Add goat cheese and stir until cheese is incorporated.  Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs and skim milk.  Slowly add flour and whisk until incorporated. Stir in soda, salt and pepper.
3. Add cooled spinach mixture to the egg mixture;  stir until fully combined.
4. Coat a  4 quart dish with cooking spray.  Pour mixture into dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set.

Makes 3  hearty servings.
Nutrition facts (calculated using calorieking.com):  292 calories, 12 grams fat, 5 grams fiber, 19 grams protein and 29 grams carbohydrates.
POINTS value – 6

One big serving…

I paired it with a side of carrots and hummus…

Later, I had a CranBran Vitatop for a snack before running an errand…

Mmm…I have to remember those aren’t just for breakfast!

Dinner was a leftover slice of homemade veggie pizza from Friday night and a side salad…

I snuck in another cup before bed – decaf Christmas Blend.  Yum!

Total – 23 POINTS

Can’t wait to hit the Arc Trainer in the morning!  Have a great day, everyone!

A special THANK YOU to Becca at Becca’s Journey for the Sunshine Award!  I really appreciate it!

Did you do anything fun this weekend?

We were bracing for another snowstorm here.  It was supposed to be a big, messy one, but so far it’s looking kinda wimpy.  Fine by me!

I was able to hit the gym for a workout before the daughters got dismissed from school early.  I set up to run on the treadmill.  I can’t believe it’s been almost 3 weeks since I’ve ran!  I ran on Tuesday at the gym and I was surprised that my endurance hadn’t really waned from ditching the running for 3 weeks. 

Today, I decided to do a little something different.  I’ve been reading up on the Galloway Method for running and I’m intrigued by it.  I like the injury-free part!  It’s a little hard to wrap my brain around because it involves alternating running with walking.  When I started running, I didn’t follow any particular program.  I know a lot of people used the C25K program, but it was too ADD for me.  Run, walk, run, walk.  Watching the time for small second intervals would make me crazy!  So, I just ran.  And I would try to go a little further every time until I got to 3.1 miles.

What interested me about the Galloway Method is that it is supposed to help with endurance levels and distance.  I feel like I have struggled with my endurance while I run.  I have tried eating different things, not eating, drinking and not drinking.  Nothing seemed to make much of a difference.  So, I figured what the hay?  I might as well give this whirl.  I had to change my mindset about it because at first, I felt like I was going backward in training by walking through a run.

I decided to do a 1:1 ratio for the run.  It’s easier for me to keep track of and I knew that I could manage running for longer periods of time than 30 0r 60 seconds.  I started off with a 5 minute warm-up walk, then proceeded to alternate running and walking for 3 minutes at a time.  Wow, I was impressed!  By the end of the run, I was upping my speed and going faster than I had ever run before on the treadmill without feeling winded.  And I was sweatier than when I normally run steadily.  It was a great workout!  I cut it off at 35 minutes and switched over to the Arc Trainer for 25 minutes of hill interval.  A glutton for punishment today!

I came home for a well- deserved breakfast of Chocolate Cranberry Chia Muffin Top …

and a cup of  Henry’s Blend…

Lunch was the last of the Vegetable Barley Stew… in a non-fancy container…

and a whole wheat Bagel Thin smeared with homemade hummus…

As a snack, I had some plain Oikos yogurt with crumbled Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies!

For dinner, I decided to torture everyone by making BBQ Adzuki Bean Burgers and carrot “fries”.  You should have seen the look on their faces.  It was as if I said we are having dog poop on a roll with a side of worms.  Ingrates

Here’s my recipe…if you like dog poop…

BBQ Adzuki Bean Burgers

• 1 3/4 cup cooked adzuki beans
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 handful fresh baby spinach
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. barbeque sauce
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 3 tbsp. whole wheat flour

The Method:

Place 1 1/4 cup beans, carrot, garlic, green onion , spinach and spices in a food processor…

Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped…

Transfer to a bowl and add remaining beans, egg white and barbeque sauce…

Stir in flour and combine well…

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, place 6 mounds of bean mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper…

Flatten each mound …

Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Let cool for 2 minutes to allow the burgers to release from the paper.

Enjoy on an Arnold Sandwich Thin with 2% cheese…

Roll your eyes while your whole family complains and make faces :/

Serve with a side of equally disgusting carrot “fries” (carrots sliced, coated with olive oil and baked @ 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes)…

Nutritional facts per burger (calculated using www.calorieking.com):  116 calories, .2 grams fat, o mg cholesterol, 273 mg. sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 5.8 grams fiber and 5 grams protein. 
POINTS value: 2

I ended up eating half of little daughter’s, too.  I LOVE  dog poop on a roll ;P

Total – 22 POINTS

Have a great day, everyone!

A special shout-out to Tamara and Kelly for sending me the Sunshine Award!  Thank you so much!!!

What foods do you like that other people think are gross?

It’s officially been one week of Vegetarian for Lent and I’ve been successful so far!  I have to say it’s been fun and quite honestly, not much of a sacrifice.  Maybe I should have picked chocolate for that   But, it has taken extra thought and preparation, so that may count for something.  Overall, I am enjoying eating this way.  I like veggies, fruit, grains and beans.  I had a few days of turkey sandwich withdrawal and almost popped a piece of chicken cutlet in my mouth (helllllooo mindless eating), but otherwise stuck to the plan.  Only 39 more days!

I am also noticing what is filling and satisfying.  Beans are filling, beans and veggies are filling, Bob’s 5 grain hot cereal is filling, cereal and fruit is filling.  Barley is kinda filling.  Barley and veggies, still kinda filling.  Quinoa is super delicious, but not filling for me.  I had it for dinner one night with a salad and I made Breakfast Quinoa two days in a row and I was hungry after an hour with both.  Maybe, I’ll try quinoa, beans and veggies together and see how that works!

***

Wednesday was a catch-up day for me.  I decided to forgo the gym in favor of yogadownload.com and some cleaning of the house. 

I fit in breakfast between them – an Egg and Cheese McBagel Thin – heehee…

I tried my best to stay away from distractions (computer, phone, etc.) to get stuff done.  I motored through quite a few things and felt pretty good about that!

Time ticked away and lunch was calling.  The leftovers are dwindling!  Sorry to bore you with one more leftover shot… Black Bean Burritos (minus the extra cheese) and Black Bean Mango Salsa…

I was feeling extra hungry, so I had two for lunch.  They are on the smallish side;  I used the 6 inch La Tortilla Factory tortillas (50 calories per tortilla)…

Lunch was filling, however later in the afternoon I started looking.  You know, that “hmm, what’s in the cabinets…pantry…where are the chocolates hidden…why don’t we have any good junk…maybe I should go out and get some” looking.

I ended up with 2 handfuls of Reese’s Puffs Cereal (yeah, don’t ask)…

Thankfully, I forgot there was half a chocolate birthday cake left in the basement refrigerator.  Yes, I have two refrigerator/freezers.  It’s a requirement if you’re Italian 

Since little daughter had religion class, dinner was relaxed and easy.  I made Pasta and Peas for the family and something along the same lines for myself – Pasta with Chickpeas and Chard…

I sauteed swiss chard in 2 tsp. olive oil and garlic until wilted.  I added chickpeas and a splash of Cholula.  I served it over ditalini pasta with a sprinkle of pecorino romano cheese.  Yum!

It was a dessert-ish kinda day, so I had a homemade Gingersnap.  These are big daughter’s favorite and I made them as a special request for her birthday.  We still had a couple left…

Um, not any more

Total – 30 POINTS

Have a great day, everyone!
Can you believe it’s going to snow here AGAIN?!!! Aaaahhhhhh!  If you’re getting some too, check out my Examiner article for some safe shoveling tips!

Do you have a special food that you request or like to eat on your birthday?