Weekly Recap: Wine, Caprese Salad, Pizza…

Body:

Yoga twice
Strength Three Sessions
Cardio 5 days
Elliptical, Biking, No Running yet! My leg still feels a little over-used, so I am definitely taking caution by only doing exercises that feel great. I have lost weight since I stopped running, which is rather contradictory. I just noticed it this past week and am not hugely concerned, I think it is interesting. I think it might have to do with the fact that when I would run on several days of the week, I would be so hungry and eat so much more than usual! I am definitely back to strength training much more than I was while doing training runs, so at least I am keeping up with my muscle mass.

Mind:
My exam tuesday went well, as did test corrections, then Jeff brought over a (semi) new fridge for the kitchen as a surprise! I did well on the final exam friday, but not as fantastic as I would have liked on the phone interview.  I think I actually over-prepared which can be detrimental sometimes!

We will see how it goes! Thank you to everyone that had voted and wished me well. I enjoyed the experience and glad I went through the process of videotaping myself, applying for a dream job and actually having the opportunity to do a subsequent phone interview! In the next round, the Top 50 will write a 500 word essay which would be another excellent task that I hope I can participate in.

Soul:

I am very passionate about my nutrition degree but strongly feel that school will be there waiting for me, should I move on in this interview process.  My program is growing and expanding everyday. If I were to take 6 months off from studying, I would only gain more from the experience. I would leave with knowledge of wine-making, a great network of people, a better understanding of California agriculture, and all of that would be fantastic to have while finishing my degree.

Jeff is away this weekend in Charleston for a bachelor party ( Eeep!)… No, truthfully, I am not worried much at all. I have such a great trust in him that leaves me with no concerns. I am actually quite excited about the weekend away because:

• I have already managed to split a bottle of Murphy-Goode Cabernet ( Alexander Valley) with my lovely friend Andrea
• I am done with summer school and can RELAX
• I get the whole couch to myself
• I watched “The Women” last night
• I put everything wherever I want to in the house…i.e I have bridal magazines ALL over the living room along with my sweaters in case I get chilly
• I am celebrating my friend Andrea’s birthday tonight
• I am about to head to my friend Sarah’s and lounge by the pool for the day

I just want to highlight the great eats of the week instead of give you every meal, I was so busy so some meals were just not that interesting!

Grilled King Mackerel, Garlic Basil Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a glass of Murphy-Goode Chardonnay

I boiled red potatoes, then added greek yogurt, some butter, salt, pepper, and basil that I had sliced chiffonade style. The creamy potatoes went perfect with the creamy, buttery Chardonnay. I smelled the aromas of oak and vanilla slightly, tasted flavors like mango and apple, and was surprised at the richness of this Chardonnay! I am not even a fan of Chardonnay in general, but this was a great buy at $17 here in NC. I think if you are going to spend $9-$10, it would definitely be worth your money to spend just a tad more to get a better quality wine such as this!

Caprese Salad

You know I am utilizing all of my ingredients this week in everything! I made a separate Caprese Salad after making Caprese Mac n Cheese earlier this week. I used up the tomatoes, some basil, mozzarella and Balsamic Vinegar, toasted garlic ( just 1 clove), and a little organic Olive Oil. Delicious! This was great to have throughout the week!

Great Snack: Nectarine Mozzarella Kabob 

I used up the last nectarine and the last of the mozzarella by making it into a kabob. I actually added basil after ( the recipe involved these ingredients but I used up too much of everything to make the original recipe!) and I was again surprised at the fantastic combination. I am interested in making it again more “properly”.

Another great snack: Yogurt with berries and pb…

Dinner with Andrea:

A slice of GIANT pizza and a side salad with Murphy-Goode Cabernet.
The pizza was from our favorite, Ruckus. I had Ham, Pineapple, Jalepeno Peppers, and Mushrooms on mine and it was awesome!
I will recap the wine in another separate wine post, so look forward to that!

Solo Dinner!
At the end of my week, I was on my own for dinner and all I wanted was something fast and easy. I made a boca burger wrap with steamed veggies and fat free Feta . Also, I munched on the latest and greatest from PopChips: Sour Cream and Onion!

 

I was ecstatic to see a package from them with their new flavors! I will get together a post for them because these were AWESOME ! Go out and try some now! Or check out my review on their other flavors HERE 

I now go poolside.. What is your plan for the weekend?