Run, Dine And Dash

No time for breakfast before the gym this morning.  I had a date with the treadmill for another 3 mile run.  I decided to try out the pre-5K training schedule from Cool Running in an effort to get my legs and body used to the mileage.  After replaying my race in my head, I realized that my legs weren’t quite ready.  I needed more training than I ended up doing.  So, basically, the schedule goes like this:

Monday –  Off
Tuesday –   3 M
Wednesday -3M
Thursday -   3M
Friday -   Off
Saturday – 2 M
Sunday - 3M

A total of 14 miles per week.  That’s a lot of running for me, but I’m looking forward to trying it out!

The date went well.  The treadmill and I hit it off right away!  I was able to get in a  groove right away and hammered out the 3 miles.  I decided that good tunes are a must for running;  it really spurs me on!

I was starved after the run and thankfully had remembered to bring my dashboard breakfast – Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookie(recipe to be featured in Jen’s e-cookbook for charity-details soon)…

As I was heading home, I veered off for another dashboard treat…

 

I think it’s official – I like DD’s Pumpkin Latte Lite better than the ‘Bucks!  Mainly because the small is only $.99!  I know!!!!

Once home, I showered and headed out to Gram’s apartment.  We had a nice lunch together and did lots of chatting.  Gram’s fridge is always stocked, so I was able to put together a  great ham and swiss sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and fat-free ranch dressing.  I was happy to see Gram had my frequent lunch side of carrots!  She also had some leftover squash, so I snuck a bit of that, too…

Before I left, we went for a long walk throughout her complex.  I was so confused and had no idea where I was within that building, but Gram knew the lay of the land well!  Not too shabby for an 81 year old!

Later, I was ready for a snack.  I got this free sample in the mail and thought it would make a great topping for yogurt…

I liked the banana chips!

The dinner plan was Philly cheesesteaks (Go Phillies!) and sweet potato fries.  I wasn’t feeling the cheesesteaks, so I decided on some baked bbq tofu for myself.  Weird, right?  Who swaps out cheesesteaks for tofu?!!!  I’m glad I did, though;  it was just what I wanted! I rounded out the meal with some roasted zucchini…

Very Philling! <------corny.

Gotta dash!  The “to-do” list is back!!!!

Have a great day everyone:)

ONE GOOD THING:  Enjoying my coffee again without heartburn!  I am so old :]

Questions of the Day:  Have you ever tried tofu?  If so, what did you think of it?

Spicy Sunday

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday!  Thankfully, the weather cleared up nicely and it was a picture perfect fall day. 

Since it was such a beautiful day, I decided  to go for an outdoor run and I dragged the family along with me!  Before we left, I nibbled on a Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookie topped with PB2.  I cut it in quarters and only ate half so as to not be weighed down during my run…

We went to a nearby paved trail/park for the run.   The paved trail is exactly one mile, so it was easy to gauge how far I ran.  I planned on doing 3.1 miles, but didn’t want to push it too hard considering I haven’t run since the race and I’m still suffering from bouts of dizziness.  The husband and daughters came along for my first mile, then branched off into some basketball playing and scooter riding.  I can’t lie – my first mile was tough.  My breathing was fine and I was running at a mild pace, but I felt weak and not really into it.  But, I kept going.  And beginning with mile 2, I started to feel that rush of good feelings.  I was in a steady groove and got “out of my head” and into the music.  I ended up doing 3.25 miles and finished strong.  I tried not to pay too much attention to the time, but I think I pulled it off in about 40 minutes.  My goal for right now is to get my body used to the mileage more so than concentrate on the speed.  I know that will come later.

After the run, I joined the family and walked another mile while they rode scooters.  I brought along  this coconut water to try out…

I took 2 sips and knew it wasn’t for me.  Straight up water seems to be my drink of choice these days :)

The fresh air did us all good!  Nothing like crisp air and beautiful changing leaves to brighten up your day…

By the time we got home, I was ready for some lunch.  I went with turkey and hummus wrap with arugula on a Joseph’s Lavash Bread , Kettle Brand Baked potato chips and super sweet cantaloupe…

After much chillaxin’ in the afternoon and a surprise visit from the in-laws, I got around to making some dinner.  Well, most of this dinner made itself!  Tacos were on the menu and I thought I would try out this new item from Trader Joe’s – Carne Asada…

It’s finely chopped beef sirloin seasoned with some spices and lime.  It’s fully cooked which is convenient, but a little high on the calorie and fat side…

I served it taco-style for the husband and daughters with the usual suspects:  white corn tortillas, lettuce, tomato, quacamole, salsa and cheese.  I decided to put all the ingredients together in a big taco salad…

I added some pinto beans to it and toasted my tortilla for crunch.  My final addition was a dollop of another new TJ item…

Pretty low calorie, but definitely a long list of not so great ingredients(aka processed)…

Overall, a tasty salad!  However, the Carne Asada was not as good as I had hoped.  I found the meat to be tough and chewy.  Not a texture I love and the price tag is steep - $7.99 for a bag that serves 4.  The Queso Dip was okay.  It was moderately spicy and added a nice kick to the salad.  It would probably be good in a quesadilla or as a topping for a Mexican-style baked potato.

Dessert was the other half of my Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookie and then a trip on the Tilt-a-Whirl.  Yes, the vertigo acted up big time, so medicine popping and to bed I went.  It sucks getting old :(

ONE GOOD THING:  I got some great outdoor activity today!

Have a great day!!

Routine Eats

Gosh, it’s so hard to get back into a routine after being away for a weekend!  I spent most of the morning on the computer between blogging and catching up on blog reading.  My Google reader was filled to the brim!  You guys sure have been busy :)  Anyway, I did take a break for a quick, but hearty breakfast – Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookie topped with PB2…

I submitted the cookie recipe for Jen’s e-cookbook, so you will get a chance to try these and a slew of other awesome blogger recipes when her book debuts!

The morning and early afternoon flew by and before I knew it, lunch was calling.  Actually, the daughters were screaming calling “we’re starving!!!”, so I broke from the chores and got lunch going.  I had planned on using my leftover salad from Lettuce Head, but it was way too wilted to eat on its own.  I guess it didn’t transport well;  I had hopes it would be okay since there wasn’t dressing on it, but no dice ( no casino pun intended!).  In the interest of “saving” it, I picked through the good stuff and added it to a wrap made with turkey, wasabi mustard and rolled in a Joseph’s Lavash Bread. 

I had some carrots to go with it and for more crunch, some Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips…

They definitely lived up  to their name :)

The remainder of the day was spent at the dentist for the daughters and haircut appointments.  We didn’t get in until dinner!  While out, I did snack on a Very Cherry Larabar that I had in my handbag.

Dinner had to be quick, so it was pizza breads for the husband and daughters ( rolls spread with sauce and cheese – run under the broiler) and I nuked up my dinner of leftover Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce  which I served over orzo…

I love this dish! 

Later, I also grabbed 4 Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Crisps, mainly for noshing purposes.  I wasn’t hungry for food, I was just “looking” for something.  My nerves are getting the best of me.  Did I mention that my first 5K is THIS SATURDAY???!!!  Freaking OUT.  Anyway, before bed I took a few minutes to talk to myself and made a commitment to myself that I would eat as healthy as possible this week so that I can feel strong and energized for the race.  I also committed that I would feed myself what I craved so that I wouldn’t use my anxiety as an excuse to binge or overeat.  What I mean by that  is sometimes I really want some carbs (mainly in the form of a bread-type item) for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  I usually talk myself out of having that many, even though I chose whole wheat or whole grain products, I guess I still carry that old “too many carbs are bad” mentality.  So this week, if I want to have it, I’m doin’ it!

Hope you all have a great day!

Question of the Day:  Could you share some race tips for first time racers (i.e.  what to bring, eat, wear, drug yourself with)?  YIKES!!!!

Shaking In My Sneakers

I am freaking out a little.  I did something that I’m not sure I should have and I’m really nervous.  But, part of me is super excited.  Oh, sorry.  I guess I should spill it… I signed up for my first 5K race!  *insert collective screaming*  I know!!!  This is a huge deal for me.  I have wanted to do one for a long time, but wasn’t sure if I could with my hip issue and all.  But, it has calmed down a lot and the doc said if I pre-medicate with some Advil before the run, I should be fine.  I just feel like I have to do it.  I have to show myself that I can, push myself out of my comfort zone and cross this sucker off my bucket list.  So, I did it.  The date is October 17.  I will be totally flipping out the day before, so mark your calendars to come back for the entertainment!  More to come…

Needless to say, I was itching to get to the gym and run on the treadmill.  I fueled up before leaving with half of a banana (is it me, or does this look kinda pervie ?)…

I got to the gym, headed straight to the treadmill and huffed out a 3.1 mile run in no time flat.  Not really.  It took me 50 minutes!  50!  That is sucky, I think.  Will all the other racers be yawning and waiting at the finish line for me???  Aaaah!

It was errands galore after that.  Thankfully, I brought an after-run snack in the car.  Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookies are yummy.  Recipe to come in Jen’s e-cookbook…

I finally made it home for a late lunch.  I made up Salmon Toasts with 2 slices of Trader Joe’s Organic Spelt Bread, a slice of Laughing Cow Light Cheese and smoked salmon.  YUM-O…

And had a nice little side salad with Kraft Light Cucumber Ranch (not as good as the Three Cheese Ranch)…

Since I ate so late, I didn’t feel the need for a snack.  I made it to dinner without incident, even though I made No Pudge Brownies while the daughters were doing homework :)

I was on my own for dinner, so to speak.  The husband was working late and the daughters were thrilled with mac and cheese.  I was still in a fishy mood, so I dug out some shrimp from the freezer.  I had some zucchini that was calling my name, so I paired them together for  Shrimp and Zucchini with Tomatoes and Feta.  Couldn’t be easier.  I cooked shrimp in a skillet with a teaspoon of evoo and garlic – did you know you can cook shrimp frozen?  No need to thaw.  Just saute in a skillet until done.  When cooking from frozen it makes it easier to not overcook it.  No rubbery shrimp is a good thing!  After shrimp was cooked, I removed them from the skillet and set aside.  Then,  added the zucchini and cooked until golden.  I added the halved grape tomatoes at the end and put the shrimp back to warm through.  Topped it off with reduced fat feta cheese.  It was awesome…

Dinner in 10 minutes!  Try it, it’s so easy!

Before I go, I wanted to say a big thank you to Jenn of Watch My Butt Shrink (don’t ya love that?) for sending me this Honest Scrap Award a few days back…

 

The rules of this award are to tell 10 things about yourself that people may not know, then pass it on to 10 others.  Insane!  I cannot pick only  10 – I have 100 blogs in my reader and love them all.  I feel every hard working blogger deserves this award, so if you’re reading, consider this passed to you!  Feel free to tell10 things about yourself on your blog.  You can add the link to it in the comments, if you like.  I know I’m bucking the rules, but that’s how I roll ;P

Here’s my 10 things…snore…

1.  My whole life, people have mispronounced my name.  My name is said Ma-ree-sa, but everyone says, Ma-riss-sa.  it’s frustrating!  I’ve tried correcting people, but they still say it wrong.  Now, I just answer to anything as long as it’s not a curse word.

2.  BK (before kids), I had 2 successful and completely different careers.  After college, I became a paralegal for a senior partner in a large law firm.  Three years in, he encouraged me to go to law school.  As I was taking my LSAT’s, I had a change of heart.  I came home from the exam and told my parents I was going to beauty school!  I went on to open and operate a nail and skin care salon for 6 years.

3.  When I was 23, my brother(20) was killed in a car accident.  He was my only sibling.  It devastated me and my family for a long time.  The pain of his death has lessened for me over the years and I am able to think of him with a happy heart now.

4.  I met my husband on a blind date.  He was so silly, but intense and very loving.  I couldn’t help but fall in love.  He had me at hello:)

5.  I got pregnant with our first child (big daughter) 9 months into our marriage.  It was an easy pregnancy and birth.  She was and still is a dream!

6.  When big daughter was 18 months old, I became pregnant again, however, it resulted in a devastating miscarriage.  I had 4 more miscarriages before finally giving birth to little daughter 4 years later.

7.  Twelve hours after little daughter was born, she was transported to a children’s hospital for emergency intestinal surgery.  Recovery was long and hard, requiring a 3 month hospital stay in a surgical NICU.  The husband and I still have mental scars from that time, but we learned the value of family, health and prayer.

8.  I am petrified of public speaking.  Anytime, I’ve had to do it (i.e. oral reports/presentations), I sound like I’m hyperventilating when I talk.  So pathetic!

9.  I am extremely close to my family and in-laws.  They mean the world to me and as crazy as they are, I couldn’t live without them.

10.  My career for the past 11 years has been Child Rearing Specialist (aka stay-at-home mom).  It’s a great job, but pays diddly and frankly, I should have been fired a long time ago.  And believe me, they’ve tried ;P

Have a great day, everyone!

ONE GOOD THING:  I am really learning my body’s signals of hunger and satiety.  I think I’m finally getting this!!!!

Cooking In The Infirmary

The infirmary is open.  The husband and daughters are sneezing and snotting all over the place.  Won.der.ful.  Big daughter stayed home from school, but since the husband was home, I was able to get in a quick stint at the gym.  Before I left, I grabbed breakfast to-go:  Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookie topped with PB2…

I came up with the cookie recipe the other day and tried it out on the daughters.  They were a big hit;  big daughter ate 2!  They are quite large and very hearty.  I can’t share the recipe with you, yet.  You’ll have to wait to “buy the book” –LOL!  I’m submitting it for Jen’s awesome e-cookbook that she’s putting together for charity, so stay tuned for more info!

After munching down my cookie, I headed straight for the elliptical for a decent 15 minutes.  My friend, Coleen, wanted to bravely try out another contraption, so I went along for the ride.  And a ride it was… The Arc Trainer!!  I have aptly renamed it The Brutalizer.  It is one tough workout.  I did 20 minutes on it and was dripping with sweat.  It was great!  Definitely my new favorite machine.  I threw in a couple sets of lower body exercises with the weights and I started home to the infirmary.  Hack, hack, sniffle, sneeze.  UGH!  On the way, I couldn’t shake a strong craving for an old friend…Starbucks!  I know I shouldn’t have…I really, really shouldn’t…been doing so great being “off” coffee.  But, the Pumpkin Spice Latte was just too hard to resist…

I missed it sooooo much…

Yes, I realize that when you kiss your coffee cup, it’s 1) extremely weird and 2) a sign you have a major problem.  *cue Amy Winehouse*  I don’t want to go to rehab, I say noooo, nooooo, noooo.  :)  It was so good!  I spread the happiness by bringing big daughter a Mocha Frappuccino for her sore throat and she was thrilled!  See?  Spreading the love….

So, when I am stuck in the house with a bunch of sickies, what do I do??  Cook.  And Eat.  But, I mainly chose cook  and I decided it would be healthy, so that’s a step in the right direction!  Ever since seeing this amazing recipe for Big Batch Bulgur Chili on Just Sweet Enough’s blog,  I knew I had to try it.  It was easy, delicious and made a ton!

I had a hearty bowl for lunch…

with a side of Barbeque POPchips …

Yum!  And I have plenty left over that I portioned out for quick heat and eat lunches or dinners…

Little daughter had dance class in the afternoon, so dinner was a crockpot concoction.  I never have much luck with my crockpot meals (too dry/overdone), but I thought I’d try it again.  I pre-browned some chicken thighs and placed it in the crockpot with a little white wine, chicken broth, garlic, lemon zest, s +p and some chopped red peppers.  It was all ready when we got home.  I nuked up a steamer bag of red potatoes and organic corn and dinner was done!

My plate…

And again, I have some leftovers for another time when I don’t feel like cooking.  Which might be sooner rather than later because I think they got me.  The sickies.  I’m feeling a little…ACHOOOOO!  Boo :(

ONE GOOD THING:  Making extra food and freezing it leaves me with lots of good, healthy options for times I don’t feel like cooking or just need to grab something quick.

Question of the Day:  What are your favorite “cook and freeze” meals?