It’s the weekend!  This week has flown by, don’t ya think?!

I had an awesome night’s sleep and really didn’t want to get up for the gym this morning.  I was [this close]  to talking myself out of it, but bucked up and went!  So glad I did!  I enjoy doing the 30 minute strength training circuit;  it’s quick and energizing!

But, one can always use a little more energizing…

Breakfast was a delicious new mix…

• 3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 tsp. reduced fat unsweetened coconut <— awesome

A great bowl!

Despite the decent amount of protein, this didn’t hold me over very long   I’ve been noticing my hunger picking up again.  Every couple of hours my stomach is complaining at me!  Honestly, it makes me nervous.  I want to honor my hunger, yet I feel uncomfortable eating so often because I always have “loss” in the back of my mind, I guess.  I’m not sure how to handle this.  I’m thinking of adding an additional small snack mid-morning to see if that helps out.

So, lunch came early!  A taco turkey burger with cheese on Ezekiel sesame bun…

and the first cucumber from our garden…

made into a cucumber, tomato and carrot salad as a side…

Can’t wait for our tomatoes!

I picked around the pantry this afternoon.  A few Triscuits, a slice of turkey and a few grapes.  Nothing excessive…. or exciting

Dinner was exciting, though!  While the family was diving into pizza, I decided to try out this new find…

The nutritionals are great…

The ingredients are clean and recognizable!

Ready in 2 minutes!

I served it with sauteed spinach and treated myself to some naan for scooping…

This meal was terrific!  It tasted home-cooked and fresh.  I will absolutely be buying it again!

In honor of the weekend, I whipped up another treat – Banana “ice cream” with peanut butter drizzle (1 tsp. natural peanut butter melted in the micro) and chopped peanuts…

Love <3

Have a great day, everyone!

What vegetables are you growing in your garden this year?

You know that can’t happen.  

How about just a few words then because as of this writing, the daughters are NOT at a loss for words.  They are blabbing my ears off, so I have to make this quick. 

A necessity of life…

Running fuel – Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar – half before/half after…

Great 3.6 mile run in fabulous weather!  Changed up the GYMBOSS to 3:1 intervals thanks to no humidity…

Best. lunch.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese on an Ezekiel english muffin…

I. die.

A hearty snack – Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffin, toasted with a tiny schmear of natural peanut butter…

A new dinner item…

Tears form in the husband’s eyes as he wonders aloud what he has done so wrong in life to deserve this.

I persevere…

Grilled bison burgers on Ezekiel buns …with cheese, of course…

and broccoli slaw with dried cherries…

complete with a few baked potato wedges…

Bison is beauteous.  Love all around.  It was beefy and juicy with no gamey flavor.  A great new find!

I’m off…gotta call Guinness Book of World Records.  I’m fairly certain that the daughters have now set the World Record for consecutive “Mom” calling in an hour.  Oh, there it is again…. number 8, 746, 425,000.

Have a great day, everyone!

Have you ever tried bison?

Is it really Memorial Day weekend?!  It just doesn’t seem right.  I’m blocking it from my mind because Memorial Day weekend means it’s getting close to having to wear this…

Eeek.  Is there a beach for the blind?  If so, that’s where I am vacationing this summer.  And all my bathing suits are black and forever will be.  Blind people don’t care.  If they knew, they would feel sorry for me because they know I am in mourning.  Wearing a bathing suit will do that to you.

Anywhooo, it was run day, today!  I fueled up with a fruit and nut snack…

Plus some press…

I met up with my running buddy and we set out on the paved trail that I frequent.  It was H.O.T.  Like hell.  It was 84 degrees this morning and we felt every bit of it.  We decided on the 5:1 interval again and a few times I had to check my GYMBOSS to make sure it was still working  (it was!) because the 5 minute runs seemed like an eternity.  In hell.  But, we pushed on.  The heat really got to us, so we finished up at 4 miles, walking the last interval.  Still proud we got out there!

When I got home, the thought of eating was not appealing.  Hello, can I bottle that???  I knew that I should refuel after a run like that with a decent breakfast, but my stomach was not having it.  So, I got a shower and did some work until I felt ready for an early lunch.

Burger and “fries”….

I nuked up a Trader Joe’s Grilled Chicken Burger (these are growing on me now) and served it on an Ezekiel hamburger bun with cheese, lettuce and salsa…

Along with leftover roasted potatoes and carrot sticks…

I was pretty full after that.  Ezekiel buns are so hearty and filling.  They are my favorite!

I picked on a few almonds for an afternoon snack, but I wasn’t hungry.  I decided to stop before I made myself hungry.

And at dinner time, I was!  I morphed some leftover grilled eggplant into a  Three Cheese Eggplant Bake.  Basically, it was like an eggplant parm!  I layered the eggplant in a baking dish with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese along with marinara sauce.  I baked it at 350 degrees until it was cheesy goodness…

Served with a simple green salad to round out the meal…

Later, my appetite came back around so I had more watermelon water ice for a sweet ending…

Happy Friday, everyone!

Are you comfortable in a bathing suit?  Do you wear colors, solids or your basic “going to a funeral at the beach” black?