Making New Friends

One thing I love about the first few weeks of January is that the grocery stores seem to have more healthy foods on sale than normal. I take advantage of the savings by stocking up on the healthy things we eat regularly, and also by trying some new things. Like a lot of other bloggers, I opted to stay in yesterday rather than brave the winter wonderland. That gave me plenty of time to check out some of those new-to-me finds.

Breakfast was a new-to-me treat, Kashi 7-grain waffles.

I’ve never bought these before because they’re a bit on the expensive side so it was a treat to see them on sale. I usually buy the “other brand’s” low-fat waffles. They’re pretty good when I want a waffle fix, but don’t keep me full for very long. These new waffles were delicious! They had tons of flavor and kept me full for several hours. The ingredients were much less processed and, for those who are wondering, they’re the same number of PointsPlus values  as “those other” waffles. I’m definitely going to watch for these to go on sale again and for coupons.

For lunch, I decided to fix something I’ve read about quite often in the blogosphere, but never tried until yesterday. Tempeh!

The cooking directions on the package were a little vague so I wanted a tried-and-true way to eat it. Most recently, I remembered reading about tempeh on Cynthia’s blog. A quick search led me to her directions for Banh Mi. I didn’t have any spinach and I don’t really like carrots so no banh mi for me. However, I did get the inspiration to put my tempeh in a wrap and I heated it according to her directions. Inside the wrap I layered romaine lettuce, sprouts, the tempeh and dijon mustard. The tortilla was so full that I couldn’t really get it to wrap and ended up eating it like a taco.

I really, really liked the tempeh and will definitely buy it again, on sale or not. Cynthia informed me (via a reply to my comment on her post) that tempeh had a “different texture.” She was absolutely right, but I found it to be a nice texture. It’s very hard to describe the flavor, but there’s lots of it! If you haven’t tried tempeh, I’d encourage you to give it a go.

With my tempeh wrap, I had a mug o’ lentil soup from the batch I made on Sunday.

This was also a new-to-me recipe from The Volumetrics Eating Plan. My husband bought this book a few years ago when he first became interested in eating more healthy. We successfully made a few recipes and then sort of forgot about it. I revived it in my recent quest for new recipes and found a lot of dishes I want to try. This one is definitely a keeper.

Together, it made for a wonderful, filling lunch.

My husband got home from work pretty early and we headed to the gym for a triceps and chest workout. He recently downloaded the free JEFIT app for his android phone and has been torturing me with it sharing it with me. We haven’t really even begun to dig into all the features, but we’ve figured out the basics.

Basically, the app lets you view and select exercises by the part of the body you’re aiming to target.

The app has several predefined workouts which you can do as is or add/remove exercises to suit your needs. You can also start from scratch by selecting individual exercises to create your own routine.

If you’re not sure how to perform a certain exercise, there’s also a free downloadable player that allows you to view animations for each move.

So far we’ve done two of the preset workouts using this app and I must say that I’m impressed. My husband has some experience with weights and likes the way it’s put together. I’m fairly new to “real” lifting and it’s still easy for me to use. It’s helping me build my confidence around the free weights and machines which is a huge benefit in my mind.

After our workout it was home for dinner, also a new recipe. This one came from the same cookbook as my lentil soup from lunch. Italian Turkey Spirals were time consuming t0 prep, but fun to assemble and tasted delicious!

As suggested in the recipe, I also made the Tomato and Fresh Basil Sauce (a separate recipe in the same book) to go with the spirals. Served with whole wheat spaghetti, this was the perfect mix of protein and carbs for a post-workout meal. Oh, and there are green beans hiding in the back there for some veggie goodness.

My husband was super impressed with this dinner and I really liked it, too. I’ll definitely make it again. Since we didn’t use much of the sauce, there was enough left over to freeze and use later for another meal.

What new food or fitness ideas have you discovered in 2011?

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a Dr. Weil audiobook! Entries close Friday at midnight EST.

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Happy World Water Day!

• The average American uses 150 gallons of water every day.
• 1 in 6 people on Earth do not have access to safe drinking water.

How can you help?

• Drink tap water instead of bottled water. It helps our planet and gives you a really great excuse to buy a cute, reusable bottle. WIN-WIN in my book!
• Be conscious of the water you use and try to reduce your consumption.
• Share information about water conservation with your friend.

In honor of this special day, Nubius Organics (LOVE ‘em) is offering 20% off all reusable bottles, including those that are already on sale. Just enter promo code WWD20 at checkout. The offer is good through March 23rd, so hurry!

Here’s a recap of my eats from the past two days:

Friday

I woke up STARVING because I didn’t eat much of a dinner last night. Two Kashi waffles with a little butter and lite maple syrup filled me right up. I’d really like to start posting pictures of my first-thing-in-the-morning meals. It’s still dark when I leave the house so I can just never get the lighting right.

I ate the last bit of my strawberries after getting settled in at my desk.

I ate what was supposed to be my lunch about an hour and a half before workout time. Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger, a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese and lettuce all on a La Tortilla Factor EVOO Tomato & Basil Softwrap. Here it is pre-rollup.

I was trying to decide what to do about being lunchless when my coworkersaid she was calling in an order to the fancy hotel bistro across the street and would pick it up after our workout. Clearly, it was meant to be.

Our workout at work today had tougher cardio stations than normal and I could feel the burn. My favorite exercise today was the BOSU trainer plank. I was grateful to have food on the way when I returned because I was hungry.

I had the spicy vegetarian rice rolls. All I can say is HOLY WASABI! They came with a veggie blend (tossed in balsamic vinegar) and their homemade chips. I ate everything except the onions from the veggie salad and about 1/2 of the chips. I’m a little worried that these will become an addiction. They were sooooo good.

I had an afternoon craving for something sweet, but the only thing available in the office was candy. I ran over to the cafe across the street for a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie and ended up with a cup of unsweetened raspberry iced tea, too.

It always feels so good to leave work on a Friday evening. There’s just something so exciting and freeing about knowing you have those 2 days ahead of you for fun. I called a few close friends and family members during my commute to share our baby news. Everyone was thrilled and offered lots of encouragement.

I wasn’t even a little bit hungry for supper. I had toast with butter and jam at some point, but no photo because I was really into the Ohio State vs. Siena basketball game. The outcome didn’t help my bracket any, but man that was a good game! I’m not usually a big fan of basketball on TV, but that’s changed a bit since I’m in the office pool this year.

Saturday

I slept in a little and was worried that the grocery would be crazy busy since I was going a couple hours later than normal. I ate some Kashi waffles and was out the door.

The grocery was actually quite peaceful. I had freedom to browse without being crowded or pushed along by the flow of cart traffic. This resulted in some new products which I’ll be reviewing here soon.

After the grocery, I stopped at the bank and then the local coffee shop for a light iced java chip frappe. It’s one of my favorites.

By the time I’d put groceries away, I was hungry for lunch. I tried something new and made my organic whole wheat couscous in the microwave per the directions from the box. It worked perfectly! Actually, I think it turned out even better than on the stovetop. I added some black beans and Tastefully Simple Mild Red Pepper Salsa.

I also had VeggiePatch Veggie Nuggets with mustard for dipping.

After lunch, I headed outside to do some reading for my Nutrition & Wellness Consultant at-home study. That’s where I spent most of the afternoon into early evening. The sunshine felt great! We didn’t have an “official” dinner. I just did a repeat of lunch because it was so yummy and then hung out with my husband until time for bed.

Just FYI, this is where I’m blogging and blog reading today:

I have some water (in my reusable bottle of course) and fresh iced sun tea for refreshment. Those are clothes drying on the line in the background. That’s one of my favorite parts of warm weather. I love the way they feel and smell. The real perk is that it’s more eco-friendly than the dryer. Plus, it cuts down a LOT on our electric bill.

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Playing Catch Up

*takes deep breath*

That’s the first time I’ve had a chance to do that since my last post. Work is still hectic, but that makes the day go by fast so it’s all good. I’ve been pretty tired in the evenings so it’s been dinner, workout, a little reading and then bed. To make up for my lack of posting this week I have something exciting in store for early next week. It may or may not be my very first giveaway!

Here’s the recap of my eats:

I’m now on a Kashi cereal kick. I had GoLean Crunch Tuesday & again this morning with organic skim milk. No pic since it looked the exact same as Monday.

I’m still digging the Horizon Organic milk boxes and they’ve been an every morning commute treat this week.

TUESDAY

My super sweet coworker knows I love tea and brought me an extra that she picked up at Panera. She forgot what it was so I had to be a bit adventurous. I’m pretty sure it was hibiscus flower or something along that line. I wish I knew because it was good and the perfect cure for my icky morning tummy syndrom. The picture is very unexciting, but I took it anyway.

There were no leftovers from Monday night’s dinner. Poor planning resulted in the need to bust out another frozen meal. This one is my favorite Lean Cuisine called Sesame Chicken.

Tuesday means lunchtime workout at work. I’m really enjoying the sessions. Still not an extreme burn, but nice toning exercises mixed with just enough cardio. It’s also nice to get to know some of the other ladies in my building better. I’ve also discovered that I really, really love the Bosu trainer.

I’ll be really sad when the pineapple is gone. It made a perfect post-workout snack. Maybe it will reappear on the grocery list for next week.

My husband was dressed and ready for the gym when I got home so I changed and we headed out. I did about 30 minutes on the elliptical, bench pressed ten reps at a lightish weight and then stretched while my husband finished his workout.

Dinner was taco salad, a quick and easy favorite in our house. I topped my bed of romaine and green leaf lettuces with seasoned lean ground beef, salsa, reduced fat sour cream and shredded mozzarella cheese. I know, I know. I was going to add jalapeño peppers, but my husband (who loves spicy stuff) put a few on his salad and cried when he took a bite. lol

WEDNESDAY

I had a large vanilla creme (noninterference from my boss this time) as soon as I got to work. Basically just a latte without the espresso. Slowly but surely I’m quitting the coffee. Today marks one week completely coffee free! Notice I didn’t say caffeine free. I’m still relying heavily on tea. I can’t have herbal teas (doctor’s orders) which really stinks. Herbs aren’t regulated by the FDA and there are just too many questions and conflicting studies about their effects on pregnant women. I know Yogi makes a prenatal tea, but even that got the thumbs down when I asked. My go-to this week has been Lipton Red Rose.

I ran errands Wednesday at lunch and brought back a salad from the grocery salad bar. It was made up of mixed greens, chopped hard-boiled egg, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, jalapeño peppers, cucumbers and two kinds of cheese with Kraft Light Ranch for fork dipping.

Dinner was a favorite in our household, chicken meatballs! The recipe came from The Biggest Loser Cookbook and they’re actually called Muscling up Meatballs. I usually just eyeball everything except the ground chicken and eggs so they never taste the same twice.

At my bridal shower this time last year we played a game where I had to guess my husband’s responses to questions they’d asked him ahead of time. One of them was “What is his favorite meal that you (meaning I) make?” His answer? Chicken meatballs.

Our side dishes were Annie’s White Cheddar Mac & Cheese and steamed Italian vegetables.

Thursday eats weren’t exciting so no pictures. Lunch was a repeat of Wednesday’s dinner. My snacks were Annie’s White Cheddar Bunnies and a banana, both of which you’ve seen before.

It was so cold and windy yesterday! My poor husband worked outside in it all day and had serious trouble getting his body temp regulated once he got home. My cousin called last night to tell me she’s pregnant with baby #3. Her due date is one week ahead of mine. We’re waiting a little longer before we tell anyone except our parents, my sister-in-law and all of you. It was sooo hard not to spill the beans! One month from today I’ll be 12 weeks at statistically out of the woods for any major complications. That’s when we’re planning to share the news with everyone else.

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

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Back in the Swing of Things

Not sure where my head has been lately, but I’ve had 0 time to blog lately. Work has been steady and I’ve been so tired in the evenings that I don’t remember how I even got to bed most nights. I’ve missed doing it so I promised myself that I’ll MAKE time in my day somehow.

Yesterday started out with a little Namaste Yoga followed by a sunrise breakfast of Kashi GoLean Crunch, organic skim milk and fresh pineapple. I know I’ve said it before, but I love mornings when I get to eat a leisurely breakfast at home instead of food on the run.

After breakfast I did a little cleaning, a little laundry and then read for a bit. I tried to take the pup for a walk, but she laid down before we even made it out of the front yard.

I met my friend at noon at the outlet mall near my house for lunch and shopping. No picture of lunch, but it was Chinese. Subway was calling my name, but lunch meat is on my “do not eat” list from the doctor and I just wasn’t feeling a veggie sub. We spent whole afternoon shopping and I only bought two things totaling less than $20! That’s a first. My bank account is thanking me.

I was exhausted when I got home so I took a little siesta. Fatigue has been a regular thing for me lately and I’m trying to figure out any way possible to incorporate a nap into my work day. Don’t think that’ll fly with the boss man. It’s really a shame.

My husband got home a little later than he’d expected. It was a pretty physical day for him at work so he wanted to pass on the gym. I wasn’t feeling extremely well so I bailed, too. We HAVE to stop doing this. It really helps my energy level and he made the comment that his jeans are starting to get snug again.

I put dinner in the crockpot before I left for my shopping trip. All I had to do was bake the biscuits and we were ready to eat! This recipe for Buttermilk Chicken is from my friend Kate’s blog. It’s one of my husband’s regular requests and perfect cold weather comfort food. We’ve also served it over brown rice, salad or pasta and it’s good every which way.

I don’t like any kind of gravy or mushiness on my bread so I had a little scoop of chicken sprinkled with parsley and Parmesan cheese and my biscuit on the side.

After dinner it was Monday night TV time. We watched The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Jon + Kate Plus 8 before I called it a night.

Looks like another ridiculously busy day of work. I’m hoping to catch up on some of your lovely blogs after the gym tonight.

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A Boring Two Days

I’m afraid that the food portion of my blog may become very, very random. Please don’t try to make sense of it. It’s not rational. According to my doctor, when I’m hungry I should listen to my body and give it what it needs. I’m trying to take that advice and get something in me when I’m hungry while still remaining as health-minded as possible.

Yesterday I forgot my camera (again) which was no huge loss because my eats basically consisted of cheese, more cheese, milk and green beans. Exciting, huh?

Today was a little bit better. I started my day with a peanut butter and blueberry jam (Amish store again) sandwich on a multigrain Arnold’s Sandwich Thin as soon as I got to work.

A little later I was hungry again so I snacked on Kashi TLC crackers and the last of my Cabot Reduced Fat Cheddar cheese. I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture before I scarfed it down.

Lunch was another variety of Cedarlane wrap.

*Product Review*
Low Fat Beans, Rice & Cheese Style Burrito.

This was basically like a burrito with lots of beans, a little rice and some cheese. Very gooey, tasty and filling. It reminded me a lot of the Amy’s burritos I’ve had in the past. I could see bulking this up by topping it with lettuce, salsa, sour cream, olives and other veggies for a hearty dinner. For nutrition information or ingredients list, click here.

The only other thing I ate at work was a sugar-free vanilla pudding cup. My husband wasn’t hungry when I got home which was fine because I really wasn’t either. I did decide to eat something after I changed out of my work clothes and did some laundry. I had a little whole wheat pasta drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with some grated parmesan cheese.

In honor of my completely random menus the last two days, here’s a completely random question of the day:
What’s your favorite color?

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MIA

Sorry to leave you all hangin’ this weekend. It was a bit hectic and my eats weren’t too exciting. Here’s a quick recap:

Saturday – I went to the grocery. It wasn’t my favorite place to shop. I only went there because they have polenta and I can never find it at my favorite store. It was a madhouse with all the Super Bowl shoppers stocking up on soda, chips & beer. I didn’t spend much time perusing because of the crowds. When I got home my husband and I went to the Amish store and stocked up on cheese, jams and other goodies. My sister-in-law called when I got home and asked if we wanted to go sledding at her house. The flower girl from our wedding (she’s 7) loves to sled so it was a snow party! Soooo much fun. Here’s my husband and I. Don’t laugh. Okay, you can laugh. It was hysterical:

We came home and had the classic after-sledding snack: hot chocolate. I paired mine with a few whole wheat fig bars from the Amish store. They are delicious! Yes, those are napkins from our wedding in March. We have so many leftover and we’re still using them. At this rate, it will be 6 years before we’re through them. I ordered the wrong color the first time so we had 6 boxes of the color shown plus 2 boxes left over from the wedding in the correct color (sage green).

I wasn’t really hungry at dinner time so I just had some Kashi crackers, Cabot reduced fat sharp cheddar and summer sausage from the Amish store.

Sunday – The day started around 3:30 when I got up to go to the bathroom and found something out that might slightly alter the content of my food photos for a while. I’ll post more details later, but it’s good news. Very, very good news. Breakfast was an omelet courtesy of my husband.

The rest of the day was very low key. I cleaned the house, took a nap and then a few things together for munching during the Super Bowl. My husband made cheeseburgers for himself and my sister-in-law. I had a Gardenburger Portobello burger on an Arnold’s Sandwich Thin with smoked hot pepper cheese & spicy sweet mustard. We watched the game, said goodbye to sister-in-law and then headed to bed. So exciting.

Today – I had a lot of things on my mind this morning and forgot my camera. My food for the day was pretty uneventful. Breakfast was organic waffles, lunch was a repeat of my Super Bowl dinner with a Chik’n patty in place of the Portobello burger, snack was green pepper slices with balsamic vinaigrette and dinner was homemade enchiladas.

I’ll be back tomorrow night and there will be pictures. Have a great night!

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“Fast Food”

I went back to work today which was probably a mistake. The news made it sound like the roads weren’t too bad. My husband called shortly after he left to tell me that the streets were snow covered where he was, but that I’d be fine if I slowed down and took it easy.

Wrong. What normally takes an hour and a half took over two hours today. Basically my entire commute was like driving on gravel because of the ice with snow packed on top of it.. My car was shaking. I was shaking. It was loud. I thought if I just kept driving a little further it would get better. That was not the case, but by the time I decided I should probably turn around I was already halfway there. I kept pushing and eventually made it only to almost get stuck trying to pull into the parking lot.

Anyway, enough of my whining. I got to work safely and that’s really all that matters. On to my eats!

I wanted to get out the door as early as possible so I grabbed a Clif bar for breakfast. This was the first time I’ve ever had the Chocolate Chip flavor and it was good. Just enough chocolate without being overly sweet. I really like the texture of these bars. Not only are they hearty, but the consistency forces me to slow down when I eat. Here’s an after picture of the wrapper:

Lunch was a Lean Cuisine Chicken Club panini. Not exactly the most “natural” food ever, but they have good flavor and stick with you. I don’t like to have packaged lunches like this every day. However, they do work well when you’re in a hurry and they’re better than icky fast food.

An hour or so after lunch I was feeling anxious so I had a cup of Tazo Calm tea and did some deep breathing at my desk.

Snack was a few Kashi TLC crackers (one of my new addictions) and a wedge of Laughing Cow Light swiss cheese.

I worked through my lunch and got to leave at four so I could pick up the pooch and be home before dark. They’re calling for more snow tonight and I didn’t want to chance getting stuck in that if it came early. The drive was a little better than this morning. Still pretty icy and slow going.

I cooked Ranch Chicken & Potatoes in the crock pot yesterday so that we could just heat it up for a quick dinner tonight. My friend gave me this recipe and I’m not exactly certain of the original source.

1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use 99% fat free)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (powder)
1/4 cup diced onion
20 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed & parboiled 10-15 minutes

Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and stir together. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

On the side I had cottage cheese and a romaine & green leaf lettuce salad with a drizzle of Annie’s Goddess dressing. I won’t bore you with a picture of another of these salads. Seems like it’s becoming a trend.

I’ve had a horrible headache all day and ibuprofen isn’t touching it. Not sure what’s up. I normally don’t get headaches, but they’ve been an every other day thing for about the last week. I’ll be taking it easy this evening and probably heading to bed early again. Looks like I’ll need to be up and at ‘em early again tomorrow.

I’m really excited to be participating in the Valentine’s Day Blogging Exchange! Click here for more information or to sign up. You need to do so by January 30th (which is tomorrow) so don’t wait!

What’s your “go to” lunch when you’re in a hurry to get something together?

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Cooking & Booking

I’ve seen the Gliding Calm tofu earn rave reviews on so many blogs lately and today was the perfect day for me to finally give it a try. Three words: Oh. My. Gosh. So good! I had some as an early afternoon snack with dijon mustard on the side for dipping.

Like Kath, I enjoy preparing and eating lunch at home. I typically eat at my desk during the work week so cooking is something I really look forward to when I have a day off. Today I tried something new. The original recipe is from the February 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine. I prepared it mostly as instructed and thought it was a little bland so I added my own flair. I made enough modifications that I’m sure it’s safe to post my version here. I apologize for some of the vague measurements.

Lemony Shrimp with White Beans

(makes 4 servings)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon(?) Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon(?) cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

2. Add the shrimp and cook until they are pink.

3. Stir in the beans, parsley, lemon juice, chicken broth, and all seasonings. Cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

The original recipe said to serve over couscous, but I was in the mood for pasta so I plated mine over some whole wheat penne. Baby carrots standing in some Annie’s Goddess Dressing made a perfect side. Can you tell I’m a bit addicted to this dressing right now?

After lunch I did a little laundry and put away some clean clothes. It is unbelievable how much dirty laundry two people can create. It’s a neverending battle. Laundry is probably my favorite chore so I don’t mind too much. The pup and I went back outside and played for a bit. The freezing rain started and it hurt when it hit my face so we didn’t stay out for too long. I went back inside, got comfy on the couch with a warm blanket and read for a while. Incredibly relaxing and highly enjoyable. The pup was pooped and just slept on her bed.

My husband, sister-in-law and I headed to the gym this evening for my 2nd workout of the day. We did the Plyometrics workout from the P90X DVD set that my sister-in-law borrowed from one of her coworkers. Holy smokes! It was pretty intense and I could certainly feel my muscles working. Workouts like that are awesome in my opinion. The final count was 520 calories in 58 minutes.

A shower was the first thing on my agenda when I got home. I wasn’t hungry for dinner so I just had some Kashi TLC crackers, a wedge of Laughing Cow Light swiss cheese and lots and lots of water to rehydrate.

RIght now I’m chillin’ in my comfy fleece pajamas and watching The Biggest Loser with my husband. I don’t watch much TV, but this is one show I try not to miss.

The freezing rain is still coming down and we can hear it against the windows. It’s supposed to continue through the night and then turn back to snow early in the morning. Work tomorrow doesn’t seem too likely, but I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch. Have a great night!

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Weekend Recap

Is the weekend really over? Already? It went by so fast!

Saturday morning started off nicely. I slept in which is rare for me, even on the weekend. When I finally got up it was time for breakfast and coffee with my husband. I had 2 egg whites and a slice of 2% cheese on low cal toast. That didn’t look like quite enough and I was really craving protein so I cooked a Gardenburger Portabella burger in the microwave and then added it to my sandwich. My husband thought it looked weird. I thought it tasted delicious!

Add coffee and organic skim milk and it’s a filling meal.

After our late breakfast we showered and hit the road to visit my BFF and her husband. The guys both have strange work schedules and she’s a nurse so it’s been forever since we could all get together.

We had lunch at a place called City Barbecue. The other 3 are all big BBQ lovers. Me? Not so much, but I went along because I knew I’d be able to find something I liked. I ended up ordering a big salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cheese & strips of smoked turkey breast. Everyone else topped their sandwiches with hot & spicy BBQ sauce, but I discovered a spicy mustard sauce that didn’t taste at all like traditional BBQ. I ended up using a little of that as my salad dressing and liked it a lot.

After lunch we headed back to their house and hung out for a while. We had a blast and totally lost track of time. Before we knew it it was time to head home.

I was still pretty full when we got back, but needed to eat something to keep me full through the night. I ended up making oats for dinner! Oats, a little cocoa powder, a spoonful of peanut butter and a few chopped dates. Sweet and delicious!

Sunday morning I got up before my husband and did some yoga. I’ve been feeling really restless lately and that was exactly what my body needed. Afterwards I settled in with my Sunday morning ritual of coffee and coupons. The binder in the picture is how I organize my coupons. It’s filled with baseball card sleeves and divided by section of the grocery. I’ve found it works well for efficiency.

My husband woke up hungry and offered to make brunch. I wasn’t going to turn him down. He made me a 1 egg, 2 egg white omelet with ground turkey, mushrooms & shredded colby cheese. On the side I had 2 slices of turkey bacon and toast with spray butter. Oh, and coffee of course!

After brunch I cleaned the casa and got the laundry going. The rest of the day was pretty much wasted. I had a horrible headache that I couldn’t kick and just overall felt icky. My day was spent mostly on the couch either sleeping or relaxing and reading. Brunch was really filling and I never really got hungry again. I did have some Kashi crackers and cheese later in the evening, but was too lazy to take a picture. I ended up calling it an early night.

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Easiest Muffins Ever!

Happy Sunday! Today was a pretty lazy day. My husband was up all night with restless legs & a couple nosebleeds (lovely) so he was going to bed as I was getting up.

I started the day off with some Kashi 7-grain waffles topped with maple syrup, a little bowl of blackberries and a cup of coffee with Pumpkin Spice creamer. I don’t really like creamer in my coffee except for some of the seasonal flavors that are only around this time of year.

That was follwed by more coffee (sans creamer), coupon clipping and catching up on some reading. This picture sums up the morning pretty well:

I saw this post over at The Fitnessista earlier this week and re-discovered an old favorite food. I’d forgotten all about my love for tomatoes and cheese topped with balsamic vinegar. In my version today I used fresh mozzarella instead of goat cheese and added some of the leftover polenta from yesterday. Delish! Pardon the wimpy tomatoes. It’s winter in Ohio and the produce selection is quite lacking.

After lunch it was back to reading for a while and then watching part of a Real Housewives of Orange County marathon. That show (along with the NY & Atlanta seasons) is my guilty pleasure. I know I shouldn’t watch, but I can’t help myself. I started to get a little stir crazy midway through the second episode. We’ve been inside a lot the last few days because of the cold so I really wanted to do something. I decided to make the easiest muffins in the entire world: Pumpkin Spice muffins.

I can’t say that they’re pretty. They are quick, simple to make, require few ingredients, very filling and fairly healthy.

• 15 oz. can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 box cake mix of your choice (I used spice this time, but I’ve done yellow cake before and it’s good, too.

Stir both ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. It is very thick and sticky so use your muscles! Divide the mixture into two 12-cup muffin tins sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with cupcake liners. Bake according to the directions for the cake mix. Makes 24 muffins.

…and then I ate one. It was a perfect pre-workout snack. Today was the beginning of my last week of the 12-week plan from the book Buff Brides by Sue Fleming. I did the 24-week workout plan from this same book before my wedding and it really toned me up. The workouts aren’t especially difficult, but they’re easy to step up a notch by adding more weight or doing more reps. I also add cardio bursts between each set for extra burn. Roughly 45 minutes today = 363 calories.

Afterwards we headed home and made some pizzas using pre-made crusts. I had two slices of the taco veggie pizza topped with shredded romaine lettuce and reduced fat sour cream. This meal doesn’t top the “healthy” scale, but it wasn’t horrible and tasted really good.

We had an in-home vaccuum sales demonstration tonight so we hurried to shower and straighten up the kitchen. The sweeper was amazing. It doubles as an air purifier and uses water to clean rather than a bag or canister. It also does about a bajillion and one other cool things. Being the neat freak that I am I was in complete awe and ready to write the check…until we saw the price.: $1,800. Oh, and that’s after a $300 discount if we bought within a week of the demonstration and a $200 discount because we don’t have any carpeting and thus don’t need the special attachment for that. Maybe someday, but not today.

Now we’re watching football (GO STEELERS!!!) and praying that the guy from Baltimore team is okay. That was a rough hit.

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and those who go back to work tomorrow are well rested. I’m off for the holiday and looking forward to some cooking, an extended work out session, Australian Open tennis and more reading.

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