Ready to Relax

Hey everyone! I am back home and ready to relax!

Dinner:

Jeff grilled me a big ol fillet of salmon using some lite soy sauce and black pepper and olive oil ( NOO)

I sectioned it into 4 portions and he also grilled asparagus spears on the grill with some salt, pepper and the same olive oil… 

This was my first time using the NOO olive oil (it came in my package this past friday!).

It was fantastic, it really helped seal in the juice of the salmon and the chicken we also grilled. The asparagus was WONDERFUL! It is for sure my favorite vegetable.

It was so nice outside and perfect grilling weather!

I made some whole grain rice and added some garlic powder, oregano, thyme and salt and pepper.

Here is the plate again…

Between Class Snack:
Two ginger creme cookies from NOO.

Here is the info:
Sizes: 16-ounce package

Ginger O’s:
Organic Unbleached Flour, Powdered Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Molasses, Organic Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate (leavening), Ground Ginger, Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier), Salt, Monocalcium Phosphate (leavening), Nutmeg. 

Ginger-O’s: Serving 2 cookies:
Calories 120 (calories from fat 40), Total Fat 4.5g (Saturated Fat 2g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 160mg, Total Carbohydrates 19g, (dietary fiber 0g, sugar 10g), Protein 1g 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect because I normally am not a huge fan of ginger. I totally enjoyed these cookies though! They taste very much like two ginger snaps but more mellow in the spice department. The creme in the middle clearly reminds me of an oreo, so these were delicious! I shared the entire package with my Metabolism Class. Hi Everyone!! I hope you stop by and comment away and glad that you enjoyed the cookies!

I think the general consensus was they were delicious if you like the ginger flavor and a few have had them before and really enjoy Newman’s Own Products. Our professor met Nel Newman at a conference before and he likes the brand because they contribute their profits to charity. Thanks again Sally! 

Lunch Leftovers from last night, we almost always cook 4 servings of most things and use the other two for lunches the next day or so. I definitely never waste leftovers!

Two halves of local sweet potatoes, one purple one orange.. I know, it looks so weird! It tastes exactly like a sweet potato but the texture is just slightly more firm so I bet they would make excellent fries.  Also in there was some Kashi Curry Pilaf and chicken cooked with hot sauce.

I had some Champs Elysse ( from Trader Joes) mix on the side.

Breakfast:

Chocolate & Cherry Oats

Breakfast was old fashioned oats made with water and half a scoop of chocolate protein powder in the microwave. I added wheat germ, peanut butter, and frozen cherries to it after it was finished, which defrosted the cherries super fast. It was almost like chocolate covered cherries, but it smelled like it more than anything!

*I also had an unpictured coffee at Starbucks this morning while studying for my exam*

How was everyone’s Tuesday? What is your favorite thing to do when the weather gets nicer and you have more light in the day?

Rice & Beans with Sausage

Rice & Beans with Sausage is one of Jeff’s most favorite meals. I, however, pretty much hate rice and sausage and sometimes I can handle beans/sometimes I can’t. I used to have to take nexium, gees, but I have been good without it for about 1 year! So why would I eat things I don’t like for dinner?

Well, I found this sausage on one of my several attempts to find sausages that were fairly healthy ( high in protein, low in overall and saturated fats) and liked the taste and texture…I hated almost all of the kinds I have tried. I even bought super fatty sausage of sausage, bratwursts, etc etc… didn’t like em. I think it has to do with the casings too- they just irk me. IRK. But, I recently found this one and thought, “What the heck? Jeff will eat them.” I even made myself something else that night! I had a few bites of Jeff’s to see what the verdict would be, turns out, I really enjoyed it!! So I just purchased these again since I could put it with pasta, or in sandwiches or freeze em if we didn’t eat em before the holiday travels. We have Andrea and Nate’s Christmas dinner Tuesday, Jeff’s parents Tuesday, My parents Thursday, Friday and then Jeff’s Nana’s Saturday & Sunday. More on that lata….

There is the sausage, it has no artificial ingredients, 120 calories per link ( this is the uncooked package) 6 g fat, 12 g protein!

Maybe its the buffalo sauce but these are absolutely delicious in my opinion if you enjoy sausage!

We made them with rice… another thing I tend not to like, white rice has low nutritional value but to me, it just tastes too starchy. The texture is not my fav. either. I made this Rice A Roni’s All Natural Preservative Free Italian Herb Creamy rice…. Its essentially white rice but then you add in a seasoning packed and milk (1/2 cup 1%). It turns into a creamy risotto almost, and the flavor is amazing. I added the black beans for some more fiber and protein, I like them alot but I just end up not being able to eat all the beans.

There is my dish- with hot sauce! ( I took it out of the casing, put it in the pan with Jeff’s bad boys and cooked them all on several “sides” for about 15 minutes total). I was “missing” veggies- so on top I threw organic spicy bean sprouts and Earthbound Farms Organic Mixed Greens and a little goddess dressing. This was all delicious together!!! I really enjoyed the texture of the bean sprouts with the sausage! More rice and beans for jeff!

Body:
Gym:
Run 3 miles
Elliptical 20 minutes
Biked 5 miles.

Mind:
Read through lots of my cookbooks and magazines to find cookie recipes I want to try! I also caught up on a blog of a student I used to teach- his mom has started writing about all the treatments he is going through and progress etc.

Soul:
Lots of laying around, relaxing, I caught up on some dvr’d shows!

Christmas movies and cookie recipe pondering. I can’t believe it will all be over so soon!
This week is kinda crazy as I mentioned above, we have christmas dinner with all our friends on tuesday ( I am super excited to help andrea with the food!) and then its off to momma mo’s for christmas eve, christmas morning, and then in the afternoon we head to my parent’s for christmas dinner, then friday, my dad’s birthday, then off to Jeff’s Nana’s at the lake for more christmas family time. We will get back sunday and I’m not sure what we will do for New Year’s this year! Andrea and Nate will be in Chicago so we won’t be having the usual party with them, I’m not sure if we will host a party or if we will travel somewhere as well.

Dinner at Kanki

Entree: Rice and Veggies… cooked in front of us…with separately cooked Salmon and Filet Mignon. ( I am allergic to shellfish so I had to have the meat cooked separately in the back, everyone else had their shrimpees cooked on that grill in front of us.)

Appetizers: Salad with Ginger Dressing and Soup ( I had about half of each) and a glass of Merlot.
The logical side of me told me I shouldn’t have gotten the wine with my migraine earlier today. The excedrine helped wonders and caffeine as well ( coffee i took with me on campus ) however, I really wanted it! And I hate to deprive myself given that I felt in the mood for it. I drank lots and lots of water too. So I am feeling much better.

It was FANTASTIC to have dinner with Jeff, Andrea, Hanz, Ed, Nick,and Dan.I love all of our friends dearly, they are just the most wonderful amazing people and I would spend everyday with them if I could.

Long day of studying ahead tomorrow. Hopefully I wake up without a migraine!

It’s a wrap

Lunch:

Tilapia Filet with mustard and a pickle on a whole grain tortilla, side of veggies- spinach and peppers

Pre Class Snack: Odwalla Super Protein Bar – I had most of it but brought the rest home so I could take a photo of it. These bad boys are 21% organic, have 220 calories and 16g of protein! I think they are absolutely delicious and taste like good food should, not like a protein bar with sugar alcohols…

Dinner:

Stir-Fry!

Grilled Chicken ( perdue chicken without hormones and raised in partially cage free hens)

Trader Joes Organic Green Beans and TJ Bell Pepper Mix (frozen and thawed in microwave)

Sauce: Lite Soy , Tbs Peanut Oil ( I don’t buy this, I actually drain the oil from the Smucker’s natural peanut butter I get and save it in a jar for occasions like this), Hot Sauce ( texas pete) and some of the General Tso’s sauce I got a few weeks ago.

White Rice ( which I have never liked- not because it is starchy or lack of fiber- I just never liked it. Along with mashed potatoes, something about white food never sat right with me- I always wanted color and if something was white it should be sugary sweet. I know, I’m an oddball)

- i made it because I know Jeff wanted it and he is sick! I used a whole wheat tortilla but I did have a teaspoon of rice

stir fryin…

My bowl:

Brussel Sprouts and Bourbon Salmon

Body:

Biked 8 miles as a warm up

Then Strength Training:

Squats… 3 sets of 35 lbs

Leg Extensions… 3 sets of 10 lbs

Hamstring Curls..4 sets of 40 lbs

Chest Press…3 sets of 25 lbs

Tricep Extensions ( overhead and press-down) 4 sets of 18 lbs

Shoulders… bent over flys.. 4 sets 7.5 lb dumbells

Then Cardio: Elliptical 30 minutes (but I am going to run tomorrow!!)

Mind:
I was itching to get out of class today!! Argh! I like the professor but sometimes I feel so , well, un-challenged in my classes. I mean I understand that all these papers are tough work and everything i am doing is difficult, but during class I just feel so un-challenged. I would rather be working on my papers/presentations/projects.. you know, the good stuff!

I don’t mind now because no class for the rest of the week!

I found tons of articles for my Metabolism paper and am really focusing on getting it “over with” in these next two days , So I can take my mind off of it and focus on the other two I need to work on!

I did work on my project today for Research Methods class ( the analysis of our interview) which will be fun to finish up!

Soul:
Woooohooo!I am so excited that I got to workout, finally, oh it feels heavenly!
I can’t wait to find out which muscle groups are sore tomorrow! (in that good “oh you havent used me in a week” way)

I left class and discussed driving to my parents with my mom. I do NOT want to end up like two weeks ago, so stressed out with big projects due one after another. Driving out there tonight, working out there all day tomorrow and wednesday wouldn’t exactly be fun for my mom (although she would love the company). And…. if I didn’t get work done, then it would just build up stress on me. I like pressure, and deadlines but NOT stress.

So, my dad suggested they drive here so that they can watch my race on Thursday morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How perfect! He never is up to make the drive and they didn’t get to see me run as planned for earlier this month AND that means I can run tomorrow morning, register and get my packet, Start/Finish a good draft for my metabolism paper and be able to fully enjoy their visit wednesday/thursday.

Plus, as if it could get any better right!?, my mom was mentioning on our shopping trip last weekend how much she feels isolated in their new house out in the middle of no where really. She is so used to “big” city living , Pittsburgh, Buffalo NY, Chicago… living in agriculture central is such an adjustment! I am so happy for her if they decide to come out here so she will have a chance to stop at stores etc. for a change!

Dinner:
I bought a piece of Bourbon Salmon from Fresh Market on the way home from campus. It was for sure not the best I have had by any means, but I have had worse. It did the trick for tonight but I highly doubt I will ever get it again from Fresh Market. Once home I threw brussel sprouts ( pre-washed, in a microwaveable bag from Trader Joes) into the microwave for 3 minutes. Dropped them onto my toaster oven pan , drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper- roasted for about 10 mintes. I also cooked creamy parmesean and herb rice ( uncle ben’s all natural) as a side.
I LOVE brussel sprouts this way- I seriously could just eat the whole bag myself.

So the not so good stuff- I bought a piece of cooked rosemary pork for Jeff – since I am not a fan of pork and he is not a fan of salmon- and I found a hair in it when I got home to plate. totally not mine at all- super long and black… EW! And she overcharged me at 1.4 lbs and 8.99 a pound, it was $17 for the pork… Argh! I also noticed while at Fresh Market, there is NO organic produce- and NO local produce… How is it “Fresh”????? if everything is imported from places like italy and california it can’t possibly be fresh, and since none of it is organic- its all pumped up with hormones- How is that Fresh? I , for one, am not a happy camper about Fresh Market.

Anyone work for Fresh Market or care to chyme in on Fresh Market ?

no longer just a case of the blah’s

One of my new bowls with part of breakfast today…

But first, I no longer have a case of the blah’s/or boredom- I am actually sick! My throat was pounding this morning when I woke up- yes, throat pounding-I couldn’t swallow and its not scratchy or harsh, it feels like I have a tennis ball stuck on one side! Ouch! Jeff, I am pretty sure, passed it on to me- Yuck!

Sunday dinner:

I made grilled chicken breasts with a splash of pinot grigio leftover/brought to us this weekend and some cracked pepper/sea salt. I just put that all in the pan on low-med for about 20 minutes. While that cooked I made creamy rice, directions according to box RiceRoni all natural no preserv. parmesean herb rice. I made some “fried” okra- I took frozen okra and defrosted it in the microwave. I made a “crumb bowl” – crumbled 4 triscuits and a piece of whole wheat double fiber toast. I added parmesean cheese, salt, pepper. I heated up a large pan with a thin coat on the bottom of oil ( took about 1 Tablespoon- I used smart balance-olive) and threw the okra in this “crumb bowl” while the pan heated- Then threw the okra into the pan- about 3 minutes on each side.

Jeff and I cuddled on the couch and watched a movie- The Chipmunks ( alvin simon theodore) then Desperate Housewives! I love that Jeff actually enjoys watching it!

Monday breakfast: Smoothie & Mini Oatmeal bowl

protein powder

1.5 cups Organic 1% Milk

frozen Blueberries

frozen Pineapple

frozen Strawberries

3/4 large banana

scoop of flax butter

Blended all this and gave Jeff 2/3… there is my 1/3

plus a small bowl of oats ( that is a 1/3 cup of irish oats covered with water and microwaved for 2 minutes, the rest of the banana and some peanut butter)

I am going to rest with the Today show
Body: rest
Mind: class, but only 1 reading for it
Soul: meditate, yoga if up to it