Spring Cleaning
Do March showers bring May flowers, too?
It’s been a really rainy spring day today. ick 
However, not wanting to go out in the rain, lends itself to some super spring cleaning mojo. I have been meaning to clean up my cabinets for quite a while, so today was the day. I didn’t get a “ before” picture of the catastrophe that was in my cabinets, but it looked a lot like this…
(source)
But, noooooowwww, it looks like this…
You guys still here? Okay, thanks. Sorry to bore you with all that. It’s just so therapeutic to purge and organize 
***
Well, I’m quite aware that my eats have been a real snoozefest lately. I’m been eating pretty much the same stuff while counting down the last days of Vegetarian for Lent !
My standard breakfast has been a yogurt bowl with nonfat Chobani and strawberries. I tried to spice it up today with some cocoa roast almonds…
Chocolate with breakfast is a good thing.
So is french press…
I changed it up for lunch and went old school. Do you guys remember the Crack Wrap that was all the rage last year? It’s a mix of hummus and cheese rolled into a tortilla and heated.
My mix was Sabra Spinach and Artichoke Hummus, part skim mozzarella and baby spinach heated in a skillet coated with nonstick spray…
Melty goodness. Crack is back!
Later, after getting drenched in the rain because I had to go grocery shopping and stock up on BACON and TURKEY for the Vegetarian for Lent ending celebration, I had snack…
I heart Wheat Thins <3
Dinner was something new! I was feeling creative and in the mood for rice and beans so, I put together a Baked Rice, Beans and Vegetable Casserole…
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 4 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup long grain brown rice , uncooked
- 1/2 cup water
- s + p to taste
Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, pepper and zucchini. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, sauce, beans and rice. Transfer mixture to an 11 x 7 baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until rice is done.
* Add water halfway through baking and give it a stir.
I served this hearty dish with a simple side salad…
I will admit that I have done NO REAL EXERCISE for 2 WHOLE DAYS! I got little daughter to do about 5 minutes of Wii Fit with me, but that is it. I don’t know why having them home for spring break has completely thrown me off my exercising schedule! I don’t feel like doing anything. No running, no DVD’s, no yoga. Nada. Craziness! I will stop it tomorrow. Tomorrow….I run!!!!
Have a great day, everyone!
Do you find it hard to stick with your exercise when your normal schedule is changed?
Questions? Email me! aloserforlife@gmail.com
24 comments
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That hummus wrap looks awesome! I’m definitely trying that!
I want some of those cocoa almonds
.
Yes, being in Taiwan for six weeks definitely makes exercising a lot harder. I try to do as much activity as possible, but things can get real tough.
Change always makes it more difficult ! I try to think less about it being a change and more about it being an opening for a new opportunity for just this day. When I think that way I manage to do something that gets the job done. I think it works for me because it gives me the freedom to be imperfect.
You may think it’s boring eats but it looks great and YAY for organized cabinets !!
Did you take that before picture from my cabinets? I seriously need to do some major spring cleaning!!
Wheat Thins are my favorite cracker!
Hooray for melty-goodness! I find some Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar on a Joseph’s wheat-and-all-that-other-good-stuff tortilla cooked up in my Foreman grill a perfect grilled-cheese comfort food!
Want to come organize my cabinets? Please?
Marisa Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 8:37 pm
I love that Cabot’s cheese, too!
I would definitely organize your cabinets! You would have feed me, though
I try. When I am super busy I make sure I park further away, take the stairs, etc, just to fit in more. It’s hard but I figure a little is better than none.
You are getting quite creative with all the veggie meals, but I can tell that you are SO sick of it! lol Wow…I don’t think I would have lasted this long! WTG Louise! lol But hey instead of a van can we get a cooler car to ride in??
Marisa Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Picky, picky… okay, I’ll try to swing us a convertible! Better?
Don’t worry you didn’t bore me w/your cupboard pics…I’m inspired to go home and organize mine now!!
That always feels great!
Only a few more days to go!!! Let the cout down begin!
Marisa Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I am to the point of counting down the minutes! Aaaahhh!
Hey Marisa,
Have you ever heard of Choffy? It is roasted and ground cocoa beans. You brew it like coffee in a french press, but it is actually really good for you, unlike coffee which is pretty bad for you. It is kinda pricey is the only thing…but of course chocolate is generally pricey. Anyway, just wanted to share.
emily:)
I was just thinking about the crack wrap the other day! I have lost my love for the flatout wraps. Tortilla would be more my speed now.
Yum!
Love the newly organized cabinet. Now can you come do mine?
Marisa Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Yes! Again, a meal would need to be involved
Hi Marisa! Oh boy, cleaning out my kitchen cabinets is exactly what I’ll be doing this weekend! We just got a bunch of our household belongings shipped from our old place, so now I have to combine two kitchens into one! Yours will serve as my inspiration
Thanks for checking out my new site!
yay for organization! and you’ve been such a strong woman on this vegetarian for lent thing. i salute you
Marisa Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 8:39 pm
thanks, J!
I can easily get derailed when it comes to exercise. After a vacation if takes me forever to get back into the swing of exercising every day.
It is something I need to work on.
Love your kitchen cleaning, I am working on mine this week too.
Come do my cabinets!!!!
Yum – that mix looks great!
I find it VERY hard, I’m all about routine and when something shifts it’s hard for me to work it in, stay focused, not get too overwhelmed!
ooh and Im going to focus on what you said about NO REAL EXERCISE
that happens a lot around here and Im not joking when I talk about PLAYouts.
so frequently my workouts are derailed so she and I get all kinds of SILLY WALKING AROUND THE DOMICILE (lunging) creative.
xo xo
I feel so much better when I clear/clean out cupboards and closests.
I don’t really have a set routine but I still find it hard to get exercise in.
oh crack wraps! it’s been too long
[...] Actually, the only leftover he ate was bread. I couldn’t talk him into my leftover Baked Rice, Beans and Vegetable Casserole [...]