busy lady
Andrea
Alrighty, another quick post tonight guys. I'm sorry! I sit on the board for a local non-profit organization and have TONS of reading to do tonight before a board meeting tomorrow night. I know how I'm spending my lunch break tomorrow!
My food today was all prepared in a rush. Remember me mentioning that my poor hubb had to work late last night? Well, I got a phone call from him at 5:30am asking me to pick him up from the office. 5:30am!!! And then he had to be right back there at 7:30am!!! Which means I had to be ready at 7:20, and I of course went back to sleep after picking him up so had very little time to get things together this morning.
Breakfast: 1 slice banana date bread, 1/2 cup Fage 0% with 1 banana and 1 tsp honey (I saved the other piece of bread for dessert)
[no cals today guys...I'm too tired to log it all! :( ]
Have I mentioned how much I love this bread? Because I do. I. Love. This. Bread.
Lunch: my hubb made me a wrap! He's so sweet, even in his deliriously tired state. I also ate a large orange, which I forgot to get a picture of in my rush.
Snack: 1 slice banana date bread.
[143 cal...I remember from yesterday. :) ]
Exercise: 4-mile run with Kelly. Same route as last Thursday, nice and hilly. It felt pretty good, but my legs were a bit stiff and heavy with soreness from yoga last night. That's what I get for taking the weekend off from running and a week off from yoga. :(
Dinner: Mediterranean Pasta. This was really good, and I'll definitely post a recipe sometime but I'm going to work on it first. We didn't get home until 8:00 and I was just throwing stuff in the pan that sounded good together... Sometimes the best recipes are made that way!
Dessert: I made these cookies to send to two generous blogger bake sale buyers...so I of course sampled the dough. Probably a whole cookie's worth...I have absolutely no self control when it comes to cookie dough. None.
Ok, gotta run read! G'night!
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Have I mentioned how much I love this bread? Because I do. I. Love. This. Bread.
Lunch: my hubb made me a wrap! He's so sweet, even in his deliriously tired state. I also ate a large orange, which I forgot to get a picture of in my rush.
- dijon mustard
- smoked turkey
- spinach
- red bell pepper
- cucumber
- pepper jack cheese
- whole wheat tortilla
Snack: 1 slice banana date bread.
[143 cal...I remember from yesterday. :) ]
Exercise: 4-mile run with Kelly. Same route as last Thursday, nice and hilly. It felt pretty good, but my legs were a bit stiff and heavy with soreness from yoga last night. That's what I get for taking the weekend off from running and a week off from yoga. :(
Dinner: Mediterranean Pasta. This was really good, and I'll definitely post a recipe sometime but I'm going to work on it first. We didn't get home until 8:00 and I was just throwing stuff in the pan that sounded good together... Sometimes the best recipes are made that way!
- brown rice spaghetti
- artichoke hearts
- sun dried tomatoes
- spinach
- chickpeas
- parmesan broth (onion, garlic, chicken broth, parm. cheese)
- 1 tbsp part-skim mozzerella
Dessert: I made these cookies to send to two generous blogger bake sale buyers...so I of course sampled the dough. Probably a whole cookie's worth...I have absolutely no self control when it comes to cookie dough. None.
Ok, gotta run read! G'night!
This divine bowl contained:
Lunch: tuna salad on a multi grain flat out wrap with 1/2 cup Fage 0% and 1/2 cup strawberries
[320 cal, 8.6g fat, 36g carbs, 11.8g fiber, 32.3g protein]
Pre-run Snack: Clif Chocolate Chip ZBar
[130 cal, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g protein]
Exercise: wonderful 4-mile, very hilly run with Kelly. I felt so much stronger today, and was careful not to eat any apples beforehand! We were tired at the end because a good amount of hills happened in the last mile, but I truly felt like we could have kept going. It gave me great hope for running the Martha Jefferson 8K next month!
[-420 cal]
I've been running around the house like a mad-woman tonight doing laundry and packing for my trip tomorrow. Dinner was quick and easy, just popped some 'taters in the oven for my hubb and I. I love dinners that allow me to do other things while they cook.
Dinner: my favorite sweet potato combo with edamame and corn, along with some leftover brussels sprouts
[392 cal, 12.1g fat, 62.6 carbs, 12.6g fiber, 14g protein]
Alrighty, I've got lots to do. Tomorrow I will be in Florida to help my best friend shop for her wedding dress!!! I'm so excited!!!! I also get to see my family (woohoo!!!), so its going to be a very busy few days. I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and weekend!
Lunch today involved another of my new purchases...Arnold's Sandwich Thins! I could say that I wanted to truly experience the flavor of the Thin by not mucking it up with lots of filling, but in truth I was just running short on time. :)
Lunch: arnold's sandwich thin with TJ's natural, crunchy PB and sour cherry preserves. Also, a salad.
[428 cal]
My salad contained:
For a snack I packed another repeat, 1 orange, 5 strawberries and 1/4 cup Fage 0%.
And then, tragedy struck. I went to the fridge for my fruity yogurt bowl at about 3:30, enough time to digest my snack before my run at 5:15. When I got to the fridge, I couldn't find my bowl! I quickly returned to my office and my tote bag, where I discovered my bowl. Warm as could be. I did some research about how long yogurt could remain at room temperature before the threat of bacteria struck and concluded that it wouldn't be a smart idea to eat it. Apparently, if the container is sealed, yogurt can last up to 8 hours at room temperature (according to some sources...but eat at your own risk!). However, if the yogurt is open and exposed to the air, I couldn't find any site that thought it was ok to eat after 2 hours without refrigeration. I can't tell you how sad I was to have to throw this beautiful bowl away. SO sad.
Instead, I had an apple and 1/2 a Clif Chocolate Chip bar. This Clif flavor was good, but I actually prefer the flavor and calorie count of the Clif chocolate chip ZBar more.
Snack: 1 apple and 1/2 Clif chocolate chip bar.
[200 cal]
I left work a little early and went for a run with my friend Kelly. We did just 3 miles and it was so laborious for me tonight. I'm always amazed at how different a run can be from day to day. This was the same route we did last week, I just cut it a little short because we had dinner plans. Tonight my legs were heavy and my stomach was crampy. I blame the first ailment on my two consecutive days of intense yoga...I was so sore today! And I blame the second ailment on my apple. Apples just don't agree with me as pre-run snacks. I've tried it before and I always get crampy. I thought today that I had plenty of time before my run, but apparently not. From now on, apples are off-limits after lunch on running days.
Exercise: 3 mile run
[-318 cal]
Dinner was sooo tasty. I LOVE Bang! We ordered an assortment of tapas to share amongst the three of us. There were wild mushroom dumplings, crab pot stickers, edamame, coconut rice, veggie curry, and other dishes that involved either beef or shrimp, none of which I ate because I'm not a fan of either. There were also delightful little slaws and salads that come alongside the main dishes. These may be my favorite part of the meal, and have inspired me to make more Asian-inspired slaws in my own kitchen.
I also had the Bang! Lemon Drop Martini. This martini is perfect. Its the martini that I strive to make at home but just haven't perfected yet. I've tried, trust me, I've tried. It has something to do with the specific sour they use, or the lemongrass infused simple syrup (I'm just not that ambitious). But it is GOOD, and I enjoyed every sip.
The food portions are tiny, so we left still slightly hungry but with much lighter wallets. I'm thinking there is some sort of pre-bed snack in my future...
G'night!
This weekend, in the midst of my V-Day activities and crazy work schedule I found time to make a trip to the grocery store. I was short on time so I decided to go to Harris Teeter instead of Whole Foods because it was closer, bigger, and had a better chance of being less crowded. The trip was pretty exciting...I found two blog-famous items that I've never tried before, Arnold's Sandwich Thins and Flat Out Wraps!!!
Lunch: veggie + hummus on a whole grain Flat Out Wrap
[176 cal] I know this is really light, but I had intended on eating the snack below with lunch. I just didn't have time...
I was so busy today right at lunch, so I wolfed down the wrap and saved the rest of my lunch for a snack later. The flat out wrap was REALLY good! The shape is genius. Seriously. The texture was lighter than my typical whole wheat tortillas, and only 100 calories as compared to 130 calories. So far, I'm impressed. I've heard that the ingredients aren't particularly thrilling, and I honestly don't have the energy to get up and go to the kitchen to look at the back of the bag. So I'll report on that some other time. :)
Snack: 1 orange, 4 strawberries and 1/4 cup Fage 0%.
[156 cal]
Tonight I finally made it to another yoga class at the studio where I have an unlimited pass for the month. What timing. I don't think I could have picked a worse month to invest in an unlimited yoga pass! My work schedule has just been way to crazy. The class was awesome, I'm so impressed with both instructors that I've met at the studio. It was a 90 minute Ashtanga class and I loved the pace and time taken to really get into poses. We did lots of back bends and plank variations...I'm definitely going to feel it tomorrow. There's nothing like going to a class and having an instructor help you to improve your practice. I feel like its worth the money not only for the class itself but for the added benefit I get when I practice on my own at home. I've got lots of catch-up to do to make my pass purchase worth it, and I'm hoping that now that my deadline is over I will be able to make yoga a more regular part of my routine again.
Exercise: 90 minutes of Ashtanga
While I was at yoga my hubb started on dinner. I picked out a recipe for Root Vegetable and Mushroom Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping out of this month's issue of Bon Appetit. When I walked in the door at our house I was hit by an aroma so amazing...a home cooked meal! It had been way too long. There was still a lot of work to do...this recipe is NOT a quick one, and I definitely don't recommend it for week night cooking. My hubb started when he got home at 6:45 and we didn't eat until 9:15! However, it was worth it. SO worth it. Just make it when you have LOTS of time and well before you anticipate getting hungry!
Dinner: Root Veggie Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping
[446 cal]
We had to modify the recipe quite a bit because I was missing a few ingredients. I have a terrible habit of not reading recipes thoroughly before going to the store...often missing ingredients and minor details such as the ridiculously long prep time.
Root Veggie Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping [modified from Bon Appetit, March 2009]
makes 6 servings
446 calories, 14.3g fat, 8.1g sat. fat, 65.2g carbs, 12.5g fiber, 15.2g protein
Ingredients:
Filling
photo courtesy of my hubb
I also made my favorite drink using one of winter's best fruits, the Meyer Lemon. You know, in celebration of completing my deadline. :)
Bella Eats Lemon Drop Martini
makes 2 drinks, 300 calories each
And...its bed time. Or, at least, reading a good book in bed time. :) I hope you all have a great Tuesday!
Lunch: leftover potato leek soup with kale, and a hearty oat biscuit.
[437 cal]
Afternoon Snack: 6oz 0% Fage and one AMAZING Murcott Mandarin Orange...it was like eating an orange creamsicle dessert!
[130 cal]
I planned to go for a run after work, so had my a pre-run snack at my usual 5pm time. But, I wound up staying late at the office and got home too late for a run...I was just too beat. And THAT is why I need to get to bed earlier...so that I can get my bootie out of bed for my morning run! Its just so hard to stay motivated to work out at the end of the day, I'd much rather come home and get dinner going so we can start winding down.
Afternoon Snack #2: Clif chocolate chip ZBar...my fave. I love these little guys!
[130 cal]
Dinner tonight was quick, simple and DELICIOUS. I found a recipe for Lentil Chili with Cumin and Green Onions in the February 2008 issue of Bon Appetit. I planned to follow it exactly, but found that we were out of a couple of key ingredients, Chili Powder and Tomato Puree. So instead I modified it slightly, substituting Ancho Chili Pepper, tomato sauce and tomato paste. I also added frozen corn at the last minute and am so glad that I did. The corn cut the heat of the chili with a lovely, mild sweetness, really increasing the depth of flavors.
Lentil Chili with Cumin, Corn and Green Onions [adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2008]
made 2 dinner servings and 1 small lunch serving
362 calories, 7.6g fat, 1.4g sat fat, 58g carbs, 18g fiber, 19g protein
Ingredients:
Chop kale into large bite-size pieces. Rinse well. Saute' 2 garlic cloves in 2 tsp olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add drained kale, with water still clinging to leaves. Stir, allowing the kale to wilt slightly. Cover the saucepan and let kale steam for 2-3 minutes. Remove lid and stir, tossing kale for about a minute. Squeeze 1/4 of one lemon on kale, and sprinkle with sea salt. SO GOOD.
Dinner: lentil chili, sauteed kale and a hearty oat biscuit.
[630 cal - eek! a little high tonight, especially since I didn't get my planned run in...]
Alrighty, I'm off to bed, with 8 minutes to spare! WooHoo!!! I hope you all have a great night...get some sleep!!! :)
This yummy bowl contained:
I took clothes with me to the office so that I could run home after my haircut. It was such a gorgeous afternoon that I decided to push myself and take the long way home, about 4-1/2 miles. It was tough, I was dragging because I hadn't run more than 3-1/2 miles in the last couple of weeks with my foot injury. And, my foot was pretty sore when I was finished. :( It did feel great to be outside though, stretching my legs and soaking in the sun.
Saturday Exercise: 4-1/2 mile run, 10 min/mile pace
[-475 cal]
Saturday Afternoon Snack: the other 1/2 of my Clif Iced Gingerbread bar and my blood orange, perfect re-fuel after my run.
[193 cal]
I was wiped out when I got home, so the grocery trip my hubb and I had planned got bumped to Sunday. It also led to a very lazy evening during which cooking didn't really seem like an option, so we ordered in. If you've been reading my blog for long you know that Thai is our take-out of choice, and last night was no exception. :)
Saturday Dinner: take-out pad thai and veggie spring rolls with pineapple spice dipping sauce.
[about 525 cal]
We watched 
Sunday Exercise: YOGA!!! At my normal studio. I've realized that the new studio that I bought an unlimited month pass to doesn't have many classes that work with my schedule, so I'll be continuing to join my normal Sunday class that I love love love so much. Today was no disappointment. I was a sweaty, leg-shaky pile of goo afterwards.
[about -250 cal]
Sunday Afternoon Snack #1: a Clif Nectar bar, consumed immediately after yoga. Thank goodness I had it in my purse.
[160 cal]
My eating schedule always gets off on Sundays because I typically sleep later than normal then have yoga from 12:30-1:30, aka lunchtime. Today I had to go back to the office for another hour then went grocery shopping, so lunch slipped right by me. Needless to say I was famished while grocery shopping (bad, bad idea) and gave in to these Mi-Del Lemon Snaps.
I of course ripped into them as soon as I got in the car. They are SO GOOD! Just a hint of lemon with the same crunch as a classic ginger snap. They are dangerous... When I realized that I could easily finish the whole bag on my way home, I quickly reached behind me for the bag of grapes and noshed on them instead.
Sunday Afternoon Snack #2: 5 Mi-Del Lemon Snaps and a handful of red grapes (recreated for your viewing pleasure...).
[250 cal]
I had big plans to make dinner tonight, but when I opened the fridge I realized that we still had some leftovers to use up. So...another repeat.
Sunday Dinner: leftover Pad Thai and a big ol' salad. Also, a glass of cab (which was actually started while sitting on the back deck with my hubb and our pupps, enjoying our amazing weather).
[salad = 225 cal, thai = about 350 cal]
My salad contained:
Sunday Dessert: 2 lemon snaps and another bunch of grapes...they just looked so good when I was taking their picture for the snack re-creation.
[155 cal]
This post has taken forever for me to write because I'm watching the Grammy's at the same time. :) And now, its just about bed time. But first, a big reminder that tomorrow starts the 
Not nearly as pretty as when freshly made, but still just as tasty! PS: you'll be seeing this again.... :)
Afternoon Snack: 1/2 a Clif Iced Gingerbread bar...I only have 1-1/2 left and will be so sad when they are gone!
[125 cal]
When I got home from work last night, totally brain dead, I decided to go for a run. I went to campus and did a 3-1/4 mile loop at about a 10 min/mile pace. I REALLY enjoy my 3-4 mile runs. I've been thinking a lot about long distance running lately, and my training, and have lots to share with you. But not this morning. Soon, I promise. :)
When I got home I did 25 minutes of vinyasa flows...lots of down dogs, chathurangas, warriors, twisted triangles and pigeon. Perfect way to stretch out my hamstrings and hips. :)
Exercise: 3-1/4 mile run, 25 minutes of vinyasa yoga
[about -400 calories]
Dinner: leftover 
Dessert: snackie bowl with 6oz 0% Fage, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, small handful of Annie's Bunnies
[223 cal]
It is such a BEAUTIFUL day here! The high is supposed to be 60*!!! Woohoo!!! I planned to go for a run this morning when I woke up but it was still only 23*, I decided to wait until later when it will be MUCH more enjoyable. :)
What are your plans for today? Unfortunately, I have to work. Boo. I'm getting ready to go to the office, but I have a hair appointment at 2pm so will have to stop working then. After that I'm going for a run, then to the grocery store with my hubb to stock up for the week, and maybe a movie tonight?We'll see. Busy day!
I hope you all have a great Saturday!
Sadly, most of it has now melted. I think they've predicted more for tomorrow though. I don't mind the cold as much when we have snow to look forward to!
Before I get to far ahead of myself, I wanted to share the last of yesterday's eats with you. I decided to discard the cabernet that I wasn't enjoying and made a snackie dessert bowl instead (are you proud, 
Back to Tuesday...
My days are going by SO fast because I am SO busy at work! I've got a big deadline next Friday and I'm working really hard during the days to try and keep the late nights next week to a minimum. Its stressful, but I'd much rather be busy at work than bored like I was for the last few weeks. I had planned to get up early for some morning yoga, but forgot to turn my phone volume on after work yesterday so slept through my alarm for over an hour! Yikes. Needless to say I was in a bit of a rush, so I packed my breakfast to take with me to the office.
Breakfast: 6oz Fage 0%, 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola, 1 banana, 1 medjool date.
[355 calories]
SO good! And it stayed with me for a full 4 hours.
I had a bit of a fish theme going on today...lots of protein and Omega 3's! :)
Lunch: tuna salad wrap on 8" whole wheat tortilla with yellow bell pepper and spinach, the rest of the tuna salad with peppers and carrots and two Back to Nature multigrain flax crackers.
[about 400 calories]
The tuna salad contained:
Snacks: a pink lady apple at 3:30 and a Clif ZBar at 5:30, to fuel me for a run.
[211 calories]
I decided to skip tonight's yoga class and go for a run. The weather was decent (30* and clear), and it got warm enough today to melt the ice on the sidewalks. They are predicting snow again tomorrow so I decided I should run while I had the chance, and go to a yoga class tomorrow night instead. It was great! I think my feet have gotten used to my new inserts because I didn't have much pain at all. I'm still planning to see a podiatrist because I don't think I should have to deal with any pain while running, right?!?
Exercise: 3-mile run, 10 min/mile pace. 20 minutes of vinyasa flows to stretch out afterwards. I'm feelin' good! :)
[- 400 calories]
Dinner tonight was inspired by 
The asparagus was super-easy, and SO good! I heated olive oil in a non-coated skillet, then added 1 clove of garlic to saute' for about a minute. Then the asparagus went in, with some salt and ground pepper. After it had been cooking for 3-4 minutes, the garlic was really starting to brown and trying to stick to the pan. I splashed in about 1/2 cup of orange juice to de-glaze, gave everything a stir and covered the pan. The heat was lowered to simmer and the asparagus cooked for another 3-4 minutes until tender. YUM.
This TJ's blend was really good too...israeli couscous, baby garbonzo beans, orzo and red quinoa. We cooked ours in chicken broth for a little extra flavor.
Thank you all for the sweet comments about my new table! I know it will take some getting used to, but I'm glad you're open to it. I'll get a picture of the whole thing soon, but I'm waiting until our new dining room light gets here so you get the whole picture. :)
Daily Recap:
This was lighter in calories than a normal breakfast for me, but it stuck with me for about 3-1/2 hours! I was impressed. I need to keep this combo in mind for future mornings. I knew that I had a later than normal lunch planned for today, so I packed a morning snack to keep me going. This was perfect, it helped to bridge the gap so I wasn't ravenous at lunch time.
Morning Snack: 6 walnut halves, 2 tbsp dried cherries
[178 calories]
Lunch: at one of my favorite C'ville spots, 
I had to work late tonight, then had errands to run before heading home. I didn't walk in the door until after 9pm, at which point I was STARVING! My hubb ordered us Chinese once he knew I was en route (he hung some shelves in our laundry room tonight! yay!). I went a little overboard... My standard healthy take-out order is steamed veggies and tofu with steamed rice, sauce on the side. Tonight I substituted the steamed rice for some leftover whole wheat pasta we had in the fridge. At the last second I requested egg drop soup because it sounded so good, and I couldn't resist when my hubb offered me 1/2 his veggie egg roll. And, of course, the fortune cookie. :) The calorie count is an estimate from what I could find on myfooddiary...
Dinner: take-out steamed veggies + tofu on 1 cup whole wheat pasta, 2 tbsp garlic sauce, 1-1/2 cups egg drop soup, 1/2 a veggie egg roll, 1 fortune cookie
[about 600 calories - eek! I let my hunger take over... note to self, pack an emergency bar in purse in case of late nights in the office!]
Sadly, I missed all exercise today. I've been getting to bed so late that I have a hard time yanking myself out of bed in the morning. And with as late as I got home tonight, there was no running. :( Its probably a good thing though because my foot has been bothering me today. Argh!!! So frustrating.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Charlotte for my friend Christine's baby shower!!! I'm super-excited. We're staying overnight so I probably won't be posting again until Sunday. I hope you all have a great Friday and weekend!
This DELICIOUS bowl contained:
Afternoon Snack: 1/2 cup plain Fage 0% and one tangelo.
[132 cal]
Extras: 3 Dove dark chocolate hearts [126 cal - I should try to skip these tomorrow], 10 Annie's Honey Bunnies [54 cal]
Dinner: saffron tomato fennel soup [
This oat bowl contained the usual:
Snack: 1/2 cup plain Fage 0% and 5 strawberries...the yogurt helps pick me up and keep me going through the rest of the afternoon, and makes me think I'm eating dessert. :)
Snackie Treats: I had a serious sweet tooth today! I ran to the CVS across the street for some Dove dark chocolate hearts and ate 3 throughout the day. I also had a date while fixing dinner.
Dinner: tofu veggie stir fry on jasmine rice...a quick, easy vegetarian favorite! We try to add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, but forgot again tonight as usual. We never remember until we've finished the meal!
This was a collaborative effort between my hubb and I tonight. He took care of the veggies, I took care of the rice, wheatberries and tofu. Our delectable meal contained:
This glaze consisted of (measurements are estimates...):
The tofu turns out just crispy on the outside, firmly silky on the inside. We LOVE it this way, and haven't been able to stray in years.
My hubb sauteed the veggies in a bit of olive oil and soysauce, then added the Trader Joe's soyaki sauce and tofu once the veggies were tender. This sauce is really great. We usually buy Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce from Soy Vay, but I picked this up last time I was at TJ's and it is almost as good, for much less $$$!
My bowl contained 1/2 cup jasmine rice, 1/2 cup wheatberries (boiled tonight to keep for the week) and about 1-1/2 cups of veggies + tofu. Yum!
Dessert: a Quaker True Delights toasted coconut banana macadamia nut granola bar, split with my hubb. YUM!!!!!! These bars are brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. When I opened the package I almost passed out from the unbelievably good scent that met my nose. And the flavor was perfect...not artificial tasting at all. I could eat one for dessert every night, and they are only 140 calories!
Exercise: YOGA!!!! Mmmmmmmm. We've been having an ice storm for most of the day so the sidewalks were far to treacherous for a run this evening. I didn't even want to go back out to the yoga studio and drive on the slick roads. So, instead, I popped my favorite Power Yoga dvd into my computer and stretched out my unused muscles for 55 minutes. It felt SO good, but made me realize how much my week off from exercise has affected my strength, flexibility and endurance! Good news though, my foot felt GREAT! I'm READY for a run, as soon as the weather cooperates! :)
Question, What's your favorite yoga pose? Least favorite? I think my favorites are pigeon and twisted triangle, my least favorite is currently twisted prayer lunge (I think that's what its called...).
G'night!
My hubb and I ran 5 (ridiculously hilly) miles today!!! I tell you what, I really paid for not running all week. It was tough!!! But I finished, and that's all that matters! My hubb was so sweet and stayed with me the whole way, slowing down to wait for me on several occasions. There is no way that I would have finished if he hadn't been just ahead of me encouraging me to keep going. For the first 2 miles I was miserable. I had layered myself with Under Armor Cold Gear, a fleece vest, windbreaker, gloves, ear warmers and SmartWool socks, but I was still frozen. My toes and lips were numb and my lungs burned from the 18* (felt like 7*) air. The whole time I was thinking "why am I doing this? i don't like to run! this is crazy!". But after 2 miles I got in the groove and realized I had to keep going because I would just get colder if I stopped to walk. I finally warmed up, my toes gained feeling again, but my lips stayed frozen. When we finally finished I couldn't talk right, it felt like I'd been numbed for a dental procedure or something. Quite funny. :) I don't think I could have chosen a hillier route...what was I thinking? But, it makes me even prouder to have finished because not only did we increase our distance from last week but we added a ton of hills in as well. We rock! :)
My breakfast fuel held me over really well. No tummy growling this week. But when we got back I was ready for lunch.
Lunch: leftover roasted potatoes + squash (recipe below...SO good) on top of leftover bulgur and fresh spinach. Also, a side of 1/2 cup Fage 0% and strawberries, which my hubb helped me finish.
This combo was SO tasty. The spinach wilted a bit when I microwaved the bowl to heat up the squash and 'taters, making it more flavorful and the perfect consistency with the rest of the dish.
So a quick recap of yesterday is in order. I'll try to keep it brief, but definitely hold out for the simple Roasted Squash + Potatoes at the bottom because it is a winner!
Breakfast: same as thursday, a toasted Ezekiel Cinn Raisin Muffin with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, cranberry ketchup and apple slices. Such a good, filling breakfast. My second favorite, the first being oats. :)
Lunch: leftover stuffed acorn squash filling with roasted garlic hummus and fresh spinach wrapped up in a 8" whole wheat tortilla. A side of extra hummus, 1/2 a red bell pepper and a carrot finished it off.
Snack: My office had our weekly wine and cheese "yay its friday!" celebration, so I had more cheese, crackers, and wine than I probably should have. :)
It was "use up stuff in the fridge before we shop tomorrow" night, and it turned out SO well! We had leftover baked chicken breast, an acorn squash, some red potatoes that were growing eyes, and a lot of fresh produce to use up. I knew I wanted to make something with the squash and potatoes, and dreamed up this simple combo while at work.
Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash + Potatoes
Ingredients:
I can't tell you enough how good this was! Please, please, please try it! :)
The rest of dinner consisted of a HUGE salad and 1/2 a chicken breast seasoned with Chef Paul's Poultry Magic.
The salad contained:
Its no wonder I passed out shortly after consuming this feast...
The blood orange is one of my favorite winter fruits. I look forward to it every winter similarly to how I look forward to 
While the lasagna was baking I worked on a new brussels sprouts recipe. Our go-to method for cooking brussels has been to roast them, and I'm getting a little tired of it. We have them weekly, so I wanted to play around with different methods of preparing them. A friend of mine told me about a recipe he and his wife cook often, where you slice the brussels into 1/8" pieces, essentially turning them into a slaw-like consistency. You then sauté them in butter, toss them with linguine and serve. I was intrigued, so we tried it.
Brussels Sprout Spaghetti
Ingredients:
This dish was delicious, although I will definitely reduce the amount of pasta used next time, and will probably substitute angel hair for the spaghetti noodles. The shaved parmesan really makes the dish, and I think it would be divine with bacon or pancetta added in.
The evening was delicious, warm and satisfying. But if I'm going to keep making dishes like this, I have to get over my fear of the cold and get back on the road for some runs! Here's hoping the weather warms soon...
This recipe comes from 
A quick recap of today's eats so far...
Breakfast: Oats! I'm so in love with my normal combo, I just can't get enough! This morning I stepped it up an extra notch by adding dried figs. Yum! The fig seeds added perfect little bits of crunch.
Lunch: Leftovers! I know I promised another wrap, but when I opened the fridge this morning and saw a perfect lunch-sized portion of leftover pot pie and collard greens, I couldn't resist.
Snack: 1/2 cup Fage 0% and 5 lovely strawberries. I have to say, I'm really loving the Fage. Its making me miss my Oikos less and less each day...
Tonight the hubb and I are going over to our friend Amy's house for dinner, which is why I'm posting a bit early. I'm making a quick lasagna recipe that I'm really excited to try and can't wait to share the results with you tomorrow!
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I'll give you a preview of what I'll be eating for lunch and my snack today. I pack my food in the morning and take all of my photos before work, which is why I always have the same background in my shots. I like the consistency, and it allows me to avoid awkward questions from my boss and co-worker. They just don't need to know about the blog. Not yet anyway.
Lunch: baked sweet potato with 1/2 cup of corn and 1/4 cup of edamame...and a good sprinkle of sea salt.
Snack: 1/2 cup of Fage 0% and 4 beautiful strawberries.
Last week I read
Perfect combination. I truly loved this breakfast. Have I mentioned that the CK is good on EVERYTHING? I know you're probably sick of reading about it, but I've got just over one jar left to finish up before it goes bad so I'll happily continue to experiment over the next week. In fact, this morning I made my hubb a brie, apple, spinach and cranberry ketchup sandwich on honey wheat bread. He LOVED it, as did I when he brought over a bite for me to taste.
After solving my breakfast and the hubb's lunch, I was at a bit of a loss thinking about what I wanted for lunch. I thought about more meatball soup, but decided I should give it a rest and add some variety back into my meals and my blog. There are a couple of sweet potatoes on the counter that I thought about baking, but didn't have time. Same with the spaghetti squash. I finally settled on a bag of dried french lentils in the pantry that I've been meaning to make a salad with for quite some time. It seemed that I had enough time to quickly simmer them soft, but I wasn't altogether sure since it had been awhile since I'd made them.
I brought 1 cup of french lentils to a boil in 2 cups of chicken broth, reduced the heat and simmered for 40 minutes, 10 minutes longer than I had anticipated which resulted in a very rushed salad prep. They are still slightly crunchy, which I like. I'm not a big fan of lentils when they turn to mush.
Tossed with chopped bell pepper, cucumber, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and creole mustard, this simple salad turned out pretty well. I'll be experimenting more though because I've had many better lentil salads at restaurants around town.
Lunch: Lentil Salad with 1/2 a whole wheat pita and a pear. I meant to sprinkle some crumbled feta on top of the salad, but in my rush I forgot. Maybe tomorrow.
For snacks I brought: 2 clementines and an Iced Gingerbread Clif Bar, I only ate one of the clems.
This was my first experience with any of the holiday-flavored Clif Bars. I know, I'm way behind. I wasn't sure what to expect as I've read many mixed reviews about them, so I was very pleasantly surprised when I nibbled on the bar a bit before lunch. It was quite tasty! I saved the rest for an afternoon snack and enjoyed it immensely. Looks like I'm in for a hunt around town before they are all gone for another year. Now if I could only remember where I found them...
I also had two more 
I discovered a new love for dried figs.
They are perfectly sweet and soft, and the seeds provide a wonderfully satisfying crunch. Love.
The chicken is broiled in the oven until the outside is delicately crispy and the inside still moist. The figs are simmered with honey, white wine and spices until a thick glaze forms, then drizzled over the chicken. Paired with one of my longtime favorites, sautéed kale, this meal was a sure winner.
We sautéed the kale in olive oil with some garlic, salt and pepper until the leaves wilted slightly and turned bright green.
Before serving, we squeezed a bit of lemon juice across the kale. Perfect.
The hubb and I were pretty happy with the results. If we make the chicken recipe again we will make a few changes...
And now, its bedtime after another long post. I hope you've all had a pleasant day, and that tomorrow brings better weather for those of us that have been plagued with rain and cold for the last 24 hours. Good night! :)
After being up for a couple of hours it became clear that the hubb still wasn't ready to roll out of bed so I decided to go ahead and have breakfast without him.
Breakfast: A 6oz cup of 0% Fage topped with 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola and a sliced banana.
Ahhhhhh...Greek Yogurt, how I missed thee. I still prefer Oikos because it is organic, but until they work out their manufacturing problem and get it back on my Whole Food's shelves the Fage will suit me just fine. Plus...its cheaper! :)
Sadly, my hubb emerged from the bedroom just after I finished my breakfast. I snagged a cup of coffee and a piece of his bacon while sitting with him through his meal.
At lunchtime I went to my favorite 75-minute Vinyasa Yoga class at Studio 206. It had been three weeks since I'd been and it felt great to be back. Man oh man, Hilary kicked my bootie! It was a wonderful, intense class that had me drenched by the end. I was worried that I would be too sore from my run yesterday but the yoga really helped to loosen me up. I love the combination of running and yoga and what it does for me both mentally and physically.
My hubb picked me up at 2pm and I was ravenous so I helped him finish the french fries he'd picked up while running errands. Once home I made myself a quick, late lunch before heading out into the yard to plant some bulbs.
Lunch: 1/2 an almond butter and sour cherry preserves sandwich on whole wheat bread and a sliced pear.
I planted 150 spring bulbs in hard Virginia clay for 2+ hours this afternoon. I really hope that they come up, they should have gone in the ground a month ago but I just never got around to planting them. The bulbs I planted two years ago are already peaking up above the mulch, so we'll see what happens with my newbies. The yard work was another workout in itself...2+ hours digging in hard Virginia clay will leave you t.i.r.e.d.
Snack: I was starving again when I came in just before dark (its been such a snack-filled day!) so I grabbed this Kashi Cereal Bar sample I got in the mail the other day.
I've seen these on the my grocery store's shelves but they are kinda pricey so I haven't picked any up yet. It was pretty good...reminded me of a Fig Newton or Nutrigrain bar. The blackberry filling was quite tasty, and the texture of the bar was nice and soft.
It only contains 110 calories, but just 2g of protein so I know it wouldn't stick with me long for breakfast. But as an afternoon snack I think it could be very satisfying. Along with the sample I received a stack of coupons that I'm supposed to share with friends...
The recipe is originally from Bon Appetit. Kristin made a few changes, and I made a few more. This soup is delicious and hearty. The hubb and I enjoyed it VERY much. There is just one change that I will make the next time this meal meets our table and I've indicated it below. Warning: This soup requires a LARGE pot. I started it in my standard soup pot and had to transfer everything to a large stock pot when the meatballs went in to prevent it from overflowing.
Mexican Meatball Soup
inspired by The Kitchen Sink, originally from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
We used more meat than the original recipe called for so we of course had a few extra meatballs. The hubb took care of these by pan-frying them in a little olive oil.
Dinner: A bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup with 7 meatballs, a side of roasted veggies (carrot, brussels and broccoli), two additional pan-fried meatballs and a cornmeal muffin.
The soup is soooooooo filling. I am still completely stuffed and oh so happy. :)
Whew! That was a long post. I was planning to bake tonight but don't know if I have it in me. The bathtub and a book may be calling my name instead...
Have a great night! :)