Showing newest 5 of 26 posts from February 2010. Show older posts
Showing newest 5 of 26 posts from February 2010. Show older posts

February 27, 2010

Busy Saturday

I have a full Saturday planned, but wanted to write real quick this AM before Spinning in an hour.

Last night’s dinner was another veggie surprise, but pretty low-key at that.

 MUFA Special!  DSC01885

Romaine, cucumber, tuna, sliced almonds, avocado, grape toms + lemon vinaigrette (lemon juice, EVOO, garlic, thyme, pepper)

Kale Chips on the side

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This week I bought two bunches of Kale: 1 organic and 1 regular.  Definitely like the texture of the organic better (above is organic), it’s not as ‘leafy’ and curly as the regular, if that makes sense. 

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I went out snowshoeing again yesterday afternoon!  We got about 4” more snow throughout the day.  I say this every time, but it’s so pretty!!  It was really deep, compared to the 8” we had on Monday (approx total is now 12”+).  Here are more pics.

DSC01879 I was trying to show the depth, but it’s hard to tell.

DSC01880 About 2 seconds before snapping this photo a large bird of some sort flew out of the tree above me and dumped a huge pile of snow on me!  I caught a glimpse of it, my first thought was an owl, but I’m thinking it was a hawk (light brown in color).

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As I write this, I’m chowing bfast:

Grape Nuts w/ Vanilla Silk Light Soy, 1/2 banana, 1 spoonful Naturally Nutty

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image  I’m still slightly irked about paying $11 for this jar of Sunflower Butter.  I’ve started noticing Naturally Nutty at many other stores, and it’s $6-7. 

Anyway, I’m off for a good 600-cal burn, then running errands, quick mall stop, blah, blah, blah…smile_regular

February 26, 2010

Egg-Tacular

Wahooooo it’s Friday and I am ready for a fun weekend; well at least a fun Saturday night out with friends! 

Only 2 days left to enter my Domino’s Pizza Gift Card Giveaway!

Sorry about my lame post yesterday.  Thanks, friends, for all the Happy Birthday comments; I learn more and more people every year who I share a birthday with!  And…FYI I was NOT born on a leap year smile_party Although, it would be cool to be 7 years old again!!

I just devoured a gianormous egg sandwich!

1 whole egg, 1 egg white, provolone

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Spinach

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Tomato, whole wheat English Muffin, turkey

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It was overflowing and messy, but that’s what makes it good, right?!

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Obviously I was hungry, and that’s because I had an early morning, intense workout consisting of:

Post-workout Caribou (Lite Cinnamon French Vanilla Latte – Grande size)

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Yoga was refreshing; every time I do a yoga class I realize just how beneficial it is to my health and improves flexibility.  My muscles and joints are bound and tight, due to extensive cardio training. 

 

Dinner last night was stellar.  I took a much-needed nap, and was set to go for the evening.  On the menu:

You guessed it! Kale Chips!  I bought 3 large bunches so you will be seeing these nearly everyday for the next week.

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Chicken Chili (courtesy of Costco – Vienna Beef brand)

Enter: SODIUM & Spice

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Great flavor and consistency. The sodium is very high for my liking. “Live a little, Julie” I told myself when deciding to buy it or not.

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   Rice Works for dipping.DSC01873     

I wasn’t able to stay up to watch the entire Olympic figure skating coverage, so I’m going to hang with my DVR for a while now, then head out for some more snowshoeing this afternoon!  Enjoy your Friday!

  Yelena @ One Healthy Apple is hosting a Chia Seed Giveaway!  Enter by tomorrow, 2/27!

February 25, 2010

Tired & Lazy

Why am I so tired today?  Oh wait, because I was woken up by the snow plows at 3am and could not fall back to sleep. clock Don’t get me wrong, I love the our snow plow service and they do an amazing job, I just cannot sleep through it. 

Since it’s my birthday on Sunday, I thought I would look up my horoscope for the week, just to see what it says!

image Pisces Horoscopes

(Feb 19 - Mar 20)

For the Week of Feb 22nd, 2010 -- Sunday's Full Moon shining in your 7th House of Relationships brings emotional tidal waves to your door. If you find your balance, it can carry you over the rockiest reefs and drop you on the shore of a new paradise. Sure, there are many details to be worked out before this dream becomes a reality. Yet, with a bit of faith you may get to glimpse a promised land of love that you will eventually reach.

Interesting.  I can only imagine what Sunday holds for me…based on this crazy thing!

I think a nap will be in order very soon, considering I’ll be up all night watching the ladies long program of figure skating – my most favorite sport and event at the Olympics!  Brings back so many great memories of figure skating for many years of my young life.

Rachael Flatt (US) 5th after Short

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Mirai Nagasu (US) 6th after Short

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I don’t have a lot to share today, except for my absolutely awesome workout this morning!  Since I couldn’t sleep I went to the gym, not at 3am, but at 5:30.  smile_yawn

WORKOUT @ GYM:

  • 25 minutes elliptical
  • Weight Machines:
  • 20 minutes treadmill jogging 6.0-6.2 @ 2.0 incline
  • Core + pushups/plank + stretching

Breakfast was blue.  A blue parfait that is. (sorry, no pics today)

  • Blueberry Oikos
  • blueberries
  • Grape Nuts
  • Granola
  • Agave

 

Not gonna lie, I am tired and lazy.  I guess we all have these days, right?

Maybe I’ll have some energy later to say something more fun! 

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A few weeks ago I talked about Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative to encourage healthy eating for children in the U.S.  I came across this article in the Washington Post today and thought you may be interested in reading!

In the meantime, check out Mari’s PopChips Giveaway

February 24, 2010

Week 8: Ten in ‘10 Healthy Challenge Update

Ten-in-Ten470

Today was a busy day of driving around errands, in a wet blizzard!  It seriously snowed a white-out blizzard all day, yet again above freezing temps made the snow melt when it hit the pavement, good thing for the rush hour commute.  It is accumulating on the grass even more.  We must have about 12” by now cloud_rain

TURBO JAM & CHALENE JOHNSON

I started the day with a 1.5 hour dose of Chalene

Do you know who she is?  A fitness guru, from Michigan, who has become rich and famous by changing the lives of countless people.  She’s the founder & CEO of Powder Blue Productions, which has produced fitness classes and DVD’s based on Chalene’s own unique brands:

  • Turbo Kick – 1988:  It’s a combination of intense kickboxing moves, as well as, dance moves all perfectly choreographed to high energy and motivating music. It’s the ultimate cardiovascular challenge that’s a unique blend of intense intervals strength/endurance training, and a relaxing cool-down.
  • PiYo – 2000:  Pilates, yoga, strength training, physical conditioning, and dynamic balance in an up-tempo, non-spiritual environment.
  • Turbo Jam - Packs each workout with calorie-blasting kickboxing, body sculpting, and the hottest dance music.  Includes 5 different workouts in the Turbo Jam set.

I could go on and on about how great Chalene’s workouts are.  If you’d like more information, take a browse through these sites:

http://www.turbokick.com/index.php

http://www.beachbody.com/jump.do?itemType=HOME_PAGE

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Well, Turbo Jam is one of my favorite workouts.  It combines Kickboxing with Dance, though no real dance coordination is necessary.  I did the Cardio Party 45-minute workout, then added some Abs and Stretching from Chalean Extreme

Chalean Extreme: resistance training, including cardio, strength, and core; moving you through a 3-month, 3-level program.  A great workout for those of you wishing to add a lot of strength training to your routine.  Brought to you by the same team (Beachbody) as the crazy P90X!

 

My eating today was somewhat sporadic and spontaneous and probably lacking either nutrients or calories. 

To summarize:

Bfast: Chocolate Green Monster

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Lunch: Unphotographed Grande Nonfat Sugar-Free Hazelnut Latte c/o Nordstrom’s E-bar

Lunch: 1/3 of this guy – new addition to the stash, I like

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Undocumented snacks (samples) from Costco:

  • bite of chicken sausage
  • tortilla chip w/ salsa
  • two bites of instant mashed potatoes
  • brown & serve turkey sausage, 1 bite
  • 2 bites mini cheese pizza
  • fish stick bite
  • 10 dried blueberries

Late-afternoon snack: Energy Bar, Whole GrainDSC01862

Most exciting purchase at Costco today!  They are chewy with the perfect hint of sweetness and lots of grains.

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Dinner was simple, yet veggie-ful and filling!

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1/4 smashed avocado + hot & spicy mustard DSC01854

Add: 2 slices deli turkey, provolone, romaine, cucumber, tomato

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Along with Cauliflower au Gratin (leftover), carrots & hummus

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{Don’t worry, I ate the other half of the sandwich too!}

Orange VitaminWater10 on the side

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Now for my Week 8 Update. 

  • Food:  Eating has been healthy and controlled (except for the late night cereal binge last night, I’m trying to forget it happened), lots of veggies have been inhaled, could probably use more fruit in my tummy.
  • Exercise:  Not enough yoga, plenty of cardio
  • Sleep:  Not sleeping well, going to bed too late due to Olympic coverage then waking up between 4am-5am.  Typically I read for 30 minutes then am able to go back to sleep.
  • Weight:  My weight is still fluctuating drastically (3lbs. up or down depending on the day) and I cannot say why. 
  • One of my goals for 2010 was to lose 10lbs. by 2/28 (my birthday). I don’t see that happening from where I began on 1/1/2010, it’s going to be more like 7lbs.  I can live with that. smile_regular

How did you do on 10 in ‘10 this week? 

Have you ever done any of Chalene’s workouts, if so, which one(s)? 

I’m off to give myself a facial and read in bed, no tv tonight!!

 

February 23, 2010

Veggie Extravaganza

Hi Kids!

Quick post tonight, as the ladies figure skating and USA hockey are both starting shortly!  Have I mentioned that I am addicted to the Olympics this year?  The USA is kicking some serious heiny too, which makes it even more fun. 

olympics

My Tuesday started out with a yoga class.  Yep, you heard right.  I attended a yoga class after a too-long hiatus.  My body was craving it from the cardio and strength training, I was neglecting my tight muscles.

I didn’t really have time to eat before the gym (few banana bites, and half mini bagel with PB) so by the time I completed:

  • 42 minutes of cardio (arc trainer for 30 + stair climbing box thing for 12)
  • 1 hour of yoga
  • errands after the gym {including a trip to the grocery store on an empty stomach}
  • I was basically famished smile_sick

My savior

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Cottage cheese, mango, cinnamon, granola

Look (below) what I found at Kroger?  Finally!  These buggers are hard to find. Of course, I had a coupon…at home.

 RiceWorks Brown Rice Crisps – new flavor for me. I like the Salsa Fresca kind and Sea Salt too, as they are the only ones I’ve ever found and tried.  Looking at the website, they have Baked Cinnamon flavor!  I need to get my hands on those babies stat.

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Lunch was the last of the Turkey Veggie Chili, Rice Works, grape toms, and a pickle

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Not gonna lie, I’m glad that chili is gone.  As good as it was, a girl can only handle so much of the same thing.

AFTERNOON SNACK

   Fage 0% + Better ‘N PBDSC01834

Add: dense crunch

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Perfecto!

DSC01838Stir.

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310 calorie snack at 4pm may not have been the best idea, cause I did have a veggie-full dinner planned. 

Paula over at bell’alimento made this amazing looking Cauliflower au Gratin that made today’s Foodbuzz Top 9, not surprising at all!  Ironically, I bought a cauliflower today at the store (before reading the recipe), I love when things work out like that smile_teeth

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Cauliflower au Gratin (from bell’alimento)


1 lb bag of Cauliflower
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp ground nutmeg
s/p
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano - grated

What to do:
Into a saucepan add about 1″ of water (enough to steam your cauliflower)  over med-high heat bring to a boil. Season with salt. Add the Cauliflower and cook until tender (just a few mins). When tender, drain & set aside. WHILE the cauliflower is cooking, into a small sauce pan melt the butter over med-low heat. When melted add the flour and whisk until combined. Gradually add in the milk, whisking as you go. Add in the nutmeg & continue whisking until sauce thickens.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small-medium ovenproof dish with cooking spray. Place the cauliflower into the dish. Pour the sauce over. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Season with s/p. Sprinkle the Parmigiano Reggiano ontop. Bake for approx 30-35 mins until bubbly & golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Buon Appetito!

Read more: HERE

I halved the recipe since I was making it just for me, still yielded 2 large portions.

The nutmeg was definitely there, along with cheesy goodness, yet not overwhelming.  A nice blend of ingredients.

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Remainder of dinner included this HUGE plateful of veggies!  (and leftover kielbasa from last night that tasted dry and therefore did not get eaten)DSC01845

Kale Chips

Cauliflower au Gratin

Brussels Sprouts (again, leftover and mushy – did not eat)

grape toms (for color and sweetness)

Cottage Cheese on the side

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Kale Chips are god’s gift.  They crunch like potato chips.  This is how I made them:

  • 375* oven
  • cut kale into 2in x 2in pieces
  • Toss with a bit of olive oil (enough to cover all kale, but not drown in it)
  • Add any spices you like, I did sea salt, pepper and garlic powder
  • Toss again
  • Lay on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, watching when they start to turn brown.  They are not burning, just browning, which is when you know they are done.  I flipped them once during cooking.  These look brown-burnt, they were not, and tasted heavenly

 

MaraNatha Giveaway!

Who doesn’t LUV nut butter?  MaraNatha is one of my favs.  Simply Savor is giving away 4 free jars!  Don’t delay, the drawing is tomorrow! 

A fab evening of ice sports ahead for me!  Adios!