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Filtering by Tag: oats

more merriness...

Andrea

We have been going non-stop ever since we left Charlottesville early Tuesday morning!  Its been great to catch up with friends and family, and I think we'll have a couple of days to relax now before heading back north.  I saw on the weather this morning that Charlottesville has reached 60*, so I'm happy that we'll be heading home to a little warmth and won't have too big of a shock when we leave this lovely Florida weather! Yesterday the hubb and I went to my hometown to visit with my Daddy and stepfamily.  I always love to catch up with them because they are so full of energy and good cheer.  Definitely a busy household!  But first, we again took advantage of the Florida warmth and went for a run in the morning.  Just a couple of miles because we've had some time off, but it was still great to get out on the road and stretch our legs.  Breakfast:  Bananas Foster Oatmeal.  Soooooooooooo good.  Another flavor of New Orleans that is a favorite.  My stepfather sauteed bananas in butter and brown sugar then poured them over our rolled oats flavored with vanilla extract.  On the side I had some sliced citrus. 081226-b1 081226-b2 Lunch:  My daddy took us to my favorite Mexican / Cuban restaurant, El Leoncito.  I had 1/2 of a Cuban sandwich with black beans and sweet plantains on the side, along with a margarita on the rocks.  I've missed that combo! Snack:  A latte from my daddy's new espresso machine...fancy! 081226-s1 We also shared a couple of great glasses of wine while waiting for the sun to set so that we could check out my dad's fabulous Christmas lights display.  I have to brag...my dad's lights are the best I've ever seen.  He wins the neighborhood contest every year that he is eligible (only every other year).  These pictures don't even do them justice, but they'll give you an idea.  He had hundreds of visitors on Christmas Eve walking through his yard to see all of the details... 081226-lights-2 081226-lights-3 081226-lights-4 081226-lights After seeing the lights we went over to my step-grandparents' house for some chili and Christmas carol singing.  Sadly, all of the pictures were taken on my stepsisters' and dad's cameras so I have none to post right now.  :( Today my Momma and I had a spa day!  We got up early for some breakfast... Breakfast:  Egg white omelet with sauteed veggies and a biscuit with homemade tangerine preserves.  I was craving veggies since I hadn't had any in a couple of days... 081227-b1 Then we went to Essentials Day Spa for massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and a shampoo/style.  It was so lovely!!!  They served us lunch and wine...I had a mixed greens salad (more veggies!!!) with feta, tomatoes and walnuts and two (yes two!) glasses of chardonnay.  Let me just say...I feel amazing! Snack:  I broke into the Coconut Mango White Chocolate Bread Pudding [recipe to come]...hey, I'm on vacation, right?!?  Argh...I'm going to gain 10 pounds on this trip, I just know it.  Luckily its been a relatively light day and we're going for sushi tonight...  :) 081227-s1 Alright lovelies, I'm hoping to have some recipe posts up tonight and tomorrow.  Its so hard to get behind the computer when you're around family!  Have a fabulous weekend!  :)
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enchi-ritos!

Andrea

Good Evening!  First of all, another exciting announcement.  Don't know if any of you read Design*Sponge, (if you don't, you should check it out!!!), but they've released their 2008 Gift Guides!!!  I've been waiting for this for about a month now, and just checked in today.  I'm super-excited because they find the coolest stuff...!!!  If you're not familiar with the site, make sure to check out all of their guides...the City Guides are especially useful when searching for fabulous design while traveling, which the hubby and I typically are. We're design dorks.  :) On to food... Breakfast:  I found a use for my No-Bakes!!!  Last night I decided to stick them in the fridge to see if they would firm up...they didn't.  So instead of eating a cold cookie as I was hoping, I crumbled (or more accurately pulled and pinched) one "cookie" into my oats bowl.  YUM!!!!!!!!  This was a standard bowl with 1 cup prepared rolled oats, one mashed banana, 1 tsp ground flax seeds and a failed No-Bake.  The "cookie" melted into the oats and added the perfect amount of chocolate-y peanut-y goodness.  Now granted, I could have had the same affect by adding a regular spoonful of PB and a sprinkling of cocoa but I felt much better knowing that I had not wasted at least one cookie.  At 120 calories it wasn't a horrible add-in, but it didn't stick with me as well as my standard tbsp of almond butter does. 081204-b1 081204-b2 Lunch: A little boring today, but still really tasty.  I never got around to making my lentil salad as planned, so lunch groceries are getting a little low...  I made a spinach salad with the last of my mashed chickpeas, some orange bell pepper, frozen corn, frozen broccoli shrapnel and light ranch dressing.  All mashed together it was divine!!! 081204-l2 And an Amy's Low Fat Black Bean Veggie soup. 081204-l3 081204-l1 It was a very filling + satisfying lunch.  For dessert I had two of these beauties: 081204-l4 Mini Pumpkin Walnut Chocolate Chip cookies from my co-worker's wife.  They were sooooooo good.  :) Snack:  My lunch + dessert really filled me up today, so I managed to hold off 'till 4:30 to eat my Pink Lady apple.  I skipped the ZBar all together... 081204-s1 Dinner:  Chicken Black Bean Enchi-ritos!  This is a recipe that I found on foodnetwork.com awhile ago and have modified quite a bit since then.  I made my hubb my classic comfort food version and  made myself an even further modified version.  So modified that it can't even really be called the same thing, so I think I'll post both recipes... Chicken Black Bean Enchiritos 081204-d61 Hehe...can you tell which side is mine and which side is the hubb's? Brian's Enchirito Filling Ingredients:
  • 3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (more for topping)
  • 1 cup shredded monterrey jack/cheddar cheese (more for topping)
  • 2 small chicken breasts, baked and shredded
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/2 cup black beans (canned)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • salt + pepper
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Steps:
  1. In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream.  Stir in the salsa , enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, corn, black beans, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and scallions.
  3. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
081204-d11 Andrea's Enchirito Filling Ingredients:
  • 1 chicken breast, baked and shredded
  • 3/4 cup black beans
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • sprinkle of shredded cheese (plus a little for topping)
  • enchilada sauce for topping
Steps:
  1. In a medium bowl mix the chicken, corn, black beans, corn, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne.
  2. Add the salsa, bell pepper and scallions.
  3. Last, stir in the spinach leaves.
081204-d21 My hubb found these tortillas in the freezer section at Whole Foods awhile ago and knew I would like them. 081214-d31 The enchiritos can be made in any kind of tortilla...I think they'd be really good in the 6" corn tortillas too.  These are burrito size, so the mixtures above resulted in 5 total burritos. 2 of Brian's... 081204-d41 2 of mine... 081204-d51 And one that mixed the two fillings. Assembly:
  1. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of large, glass baking dish.  
  2. Place filling in tortillas, roll up and place seam-side down in pan.
  3. Cover enchiritos with enchilada sauce and cheese.
  4. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
081204-d7 081204-d81 Both of these recipes are soooooooooo good.  Brian's is definitely better, that cheesy mixture is amazing.  But, I was really happy with my version too.   I had one enchirito topped with salsa, and steamed broccoli on the side.  It was a very filling, satisfying meal. 081204-d111 081204-d12 Whew!  That was a long post!  I hope everybody had a fabulous day...I'm off to bed to read.  Goodnight!
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don't mess with a good thing

Andrea

Well, the poor little No Bake Cookies never hardened.  I figured out why with the help of my very wise (and somewhat disappointed) hubby.  I wandered into the office to sheepishly confess that I had "slightly modified" the cookies to "try and make them a little healthier" while he gave me a blank look and simply asked "WHY?". Fair enough.  I explained that I wanted to substitute honey for some of the sugar in the recipe, and that since I was adding a liquid I felt like I should subtract some liquid from the recipe.  Makes sense, right?  Well, the liquid I decided to subtract was butter (which was to be melted before adding to the cookie mix). "But the butter is what holds them together and makes them firm up!"  Right.  Point taken. So, I leave you with Nana's No Bake Cookies, which I assure you are little bites of heavenly goodness, and look just like this before they harden up into actual cookies that you can pick up and hold rather than mushy, sticky blobs... 081203-d31 Nana's No Bake Cookies makes 4 dozen "2 bite" cookies Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3-1/2 cups instant oatmeal (I've used rolled oats too, they are just a bit chewier)
Steps:
  1. Mix cocoa, sugar, butter and milk in a medium saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal.
  3. Spoon onto wax paper or foil until set, 1-2 hours.
So easy, so tasty...so going to be making them soon because now I have a CRAVING!!! Oh, and I'm fully aware that this is my second post on the day that I'm starting "one post a day"...  :) Goodnight!
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iateapie!!!

Andrea

Good morning (err...afternoon?!?) all!!!  I have an exciting announcement to make...Tanya over at iateapie.net has featured me on her site to share my Healthy Foodie Favorite Products of 2008! I am so very excited and flattered that Tanya contacted me, and have discovered that her site is a fabulous resource of product reviews.  You all should hop over there to check out her reviews of all low fat, low carb, reduced sugar, whole grain, natural, organic or high protein products that she can get her hands on!  Thank you Tanya!!!  :) So, last night I caved to my craving for eggnog.  It is definitely my holiday must-have treat, but luckily, after a glass (or 3 or 6) during the first week of December I am GOOD for the rest of the year. Eggnog is one of those things that I can only handle a very small amount of, thankfully since it is certainly not light in the calorie/fat area...! 081130-s2 Breakfast:  Bowl of oats...yay!  So much more filling and satisfying than yesterday's (non-breakfast) cookie.  This standard bowl featured
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • 1 mashed banana
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • sprinkling of pom seeds
081201-b1 I enjoyed my long weekend immensely, but I am excited to be back into my regular routine and healthy eats. Lunch:  I've felt like my lunches have been lacking in the protein department lately, so I decided to mash up some chickpeas this morning with a little extra virgin OO, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. 081201-l1 I spread about 1/4 of the mashed chickpeas into a whole wheat pita, and filled it up with leftover roasted veggies.  On the side, the last of the roasted veggies and mashed sweet potatoes.  I just finished lunch, and am really full after just 1/2 the pita and all of the extra veggies/sweet potatoes. We'll see if I'm hungry for the other 1/2 a bit later... 081201-l2 Snack:  My trusty Pink Lady apple.  And maybe a piece of maple banana corn bread too...  I brought about 1/2 the loaf into the office for my co-workers and it has been a BIG HIT so far, so we'll see if there is any left for me this afternoon... 081201-s1 I hope you all have a fabulous afternoon!
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training week #5 + groceries

Andrea

Happy Saturday!  I hope that everybody is enjoying their post-Thanksgiving weekend with family, friends, relaxation etc.   Brian and I started the morning right with a run with the 10-Miler training group.  We ran 2 full miles on the track (boring!!!) but it went really well and felt great.  This morning was especially important for me because I was trying out a loaner pair of shoes that my running coach gave me out of his shop to see if they would help to correct the foot pain I've been experiencing.  Verdict is....success!!!  I ran the full 2 miles pain-free.  YAY!!!!  He says that I have a very unusual foot and that this is their least-selling shoe because it combines the soft, cushioned sole with added support for pronation.  They are still Brooks, which I've been running in off and on for about 9 months, just a different style.  I love them so far...aren't they pretty?!?!?  Not that that is the point... shoesies Breakfast:  I had 1/2 a banana before my run, then came home for a bowl of oats.  This yummy bowl contained
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • 1 apple sprinkled with 1 tsp turbinado sugar and a dash of cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • sprinkling of pom seeds
081129-b1 I spent some time catching up on blogs this morning, then made our grocery list for the week.  I took a thorough inventory of the fridge, pantry and freezer and was able to keep the trip pretty light.  But first, we stopped at the running shop so I could buy my shoes.  I also picked up a wind/rain breaker from the sale rack and a pair of gloves.  Anything to keep me motivated to run through the winter... shoesies-3 Its not really day-glow pink...more of a bright raspberry.  I figure I won't be missed when running on the road!  Brian also got a new pair of shoes, and since we spent so much money (eek!!!) I got a free t-shirt (yeah!). shoesies-2 After that spending spree we stopped at Hot Cakes for lunch.  They have an awesome selection of salads, sandwiches, soups, quiches, lasagnas etc.  I selected the Salad Sampler which had
  • Spicy Lentil Salad (sooooooooooo good, has me craving lentils now)
  • Tomato/Onion/Feta Salad
  • Roasted Cauliflower w/ Dried Cherries and Capers (such an unusual combo but really tasty!)
I skipped the piece of bread that came with it. 081129-l1 Next was Whole Foods.  I was shooting for $50, but was thrown off after my amazing lentil salad from lunch (I just had to buy bulk lentils to try and replicate it), a sale on Amy's soups (who can resist?) and a persimmon!  So the total wound up at $63, which is still good for us considering we typically spend at least twice that (scary...I know).  I paid for detergent and dish soap separately to help us to get an idea of our actual food cost for December.  We're trying to cut our grocery shopping in 1/2...   Here's our loot: groceries-12
  • brown rice pasta
  • corn meal
  • walnuts (BSI!!!)
  • dried lentils
  • bars!!!  (we're taking full advantage of the coupons in the Whole Deal and stocking up every week)
  • canned beans
  • enchilada sauce
  • Amy's Soups (in hearty bean flavors for added protein for me)
  • organic Stonyfield French Vanilla yogurt (no Oikos for me this week...)
  • eggs
groceries-32
  • bell peppers
  • carrots
  • spinach
  • potatoes
  • bananas
  • sweet potatoes
  • persimmon
I also picked up these flavors of Clif Nectar bars yesterday when we were shopping at our local sporting goods store...they don't carry these at our Whole Foods so I had to get a few. groceries-22 After getting home, unloading and photographing groceries I was ready for a snack.  I decided to try out the infamous PB-filled medjool date for the first time. 081129-s1 FANTASTIC!!!  Now I know what you all have been raving about!!!  I also had a couple of tortilla chips with some salsa that Brian was munching on... Now we are going to spend the evening decorating our Christmas tree while I bake up a few treats in the kitchen!!!  I should have a BSI post tonight or tomorrow morning, and I'm going to try another of Sweet + Natural's recipes!  Woohoo!!!
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nana's apple crisp

Andrea

This is one of Brian's all-time favorite desserts, made for him by his grandmother whenever we see her.  A few year's ago, Nana gave Brian a book of all of his favorite recipes of hers so that we can make them whenever we want.  This one is requested every fall... I made a couple of minor adjustments (turbinado in place of refined sugar, butter in place of oleo, WW pastry flour in place of white) but for the most part stuck with the original recipe.  I'd love to figure out a good substitution for the butter/oleo in the topping to make it a bit healthier, so if anybody has any suggestions please let me know! a9 Nana's Apple Crisp (with a few Bella Eats modifications...): Ingredients: Apples
  • 14 medium, tart apples
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Crisp
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1-1/2 cups turbinado sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup melted butter
Steps:
  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Peel, core and slice apples.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss.  Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples, toss to coat.
  3. In separate bowl combine all crisp ingredients.
  4. Stir apple mixture and pour into ungreased 9x13 pan.  Spread topping mixture over top and "pat down".
  5. Reduce oven heat to 350* and bake for 45 minutes.
a1 a2 a32 a4 a5 a61 a8
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2 days to go...

Andrea

Good Morning!  Another busy day ahead...I panicked yesterday when I realized that when I get back from Thanksgiving "break" (I have both Thursday and Friday off...woohoo!) it would be December 1st!  My goodness, where did November go?!?  I have a big coordination meeting for my biggest project in the office on December 9th, which doesn't leave me much time to accomplish the thousands of things that need to get done.  So, I'm trying to cram as much in as I can before leaving Wednesday evening... I'm using my lunch break today to run errands, first to the running shop for new shoes (!!!), then to the vet to get dog food, and finally to Whole Foods to try and beat the after-work Thanksgiving shopping crowd. On to food... Breakfast: Bowl of Oats!  So good, this morning I mixed 1 cup prepared rolled oats, 1 banana all mushed up, 1 tbsp ground flax seeds, 1 tbsp almond butter and 1/4 cup pom seeds.  This was the first time for me to add nut butter to my oats and my goodness, I have been missing out!!!  It was a little higher in calories than I like for breakfast, but I ate about an hour earlier than normal and I'm still totally full three hours later...yay!   081125-b1 Lunch:  Another whole wheat pita stuffed with 2 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus, broccoli slaw and cucumber slices, along with my leftover tomato saffron soup. 081125-l1 081125-l2 Snack:  Since lunch is a little light in the protein area I decided on a honey Oikos with a pink lady. 081125-s1 I hope everybody has a fabulous day!  Wish me luck with my foot/shoes...hopefully I'll have new shoes to try out on my run tonight and a pain-free foot!  :)
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training week #4 and quick recap

Andrea

Ok, sorry this will be quick.  I think I have a BSI disaster happening in my oven right now and Brian is pacing the house ready for our Saturday night dinner and grocery shopping date. Training: B and I skipped the group run this morning because it was only 23* when my alarm went of at 7:30. Instead we slept in a little (lovely!) and had a leisurely breakfast, nap and snack before finally going for our run at 1:30.  It was a balmy 35* by then...at least the sun was shining brightly.  We did 1/4 mile warm-up, 1-3/4 mile run and 1/4 mile cool-down.  My legs felt great and I wasn't too winded despite the fact that the route we took was hillier than what we've been running.  However, my tendonitis in my left foot started to flare again.  :(  And, because my foot hurt I could feel myself compensating for it and by the end of the run my right knee was sore.  Bad news.  So, I'm going to the running shop on Monday to chat with my coach and probably get a new pair of shoes.  I'm determined to nip this from the beginning so that I don't screw up my training again. Food: After our run I made a lovely breakfast for Brian and I of Apple Cinnamon Oats w/ Dried Cherries.  Yum! Never tried this combo before and I was quite pleased with it, as was Brian. 081122-b2 081122-b3 One serving contained
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • 1/2 chopped apple sprinkled with cinnamon
  • 2 heaping tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tsp turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
After breakfast I blogged for awhile, then took a lovely 90 minute nap after I walked in the bedroom and saw this... 081122-nap Just too comfy to resist!!!  You can barely see Lucy because she's so dark...look behind Brian's back... After our nap I had a Z-bar before our run... 081122-s1 Then came home and heated up some leftover veggie stir fry and jasmine rice for lunch. 081122-l1 With a Wallaby non-fat mango lime yogurt on the side. 081122-l2 These yogurts have more sugar in them than I like, but they have great flavors.  And, I'm out of Oikos.  :( And now I am waiting for my BSI disaster to come out of the oven.   No high hopes for a win this week, folks!  I'll post about it after our dinner and grocery date... Cheers!
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tuna salad and soggy cereal oats

Andrea

Brrrrrr....  Another frigid morning in Virginia!  My little feet are so cold right now, I am in dire need of some winter shoes!  Day after Thanksgiving shopping, here I come!  :) I was in a big rush this morning trying to do some house cleaning while making lunch and breakfast.  I put together a bowl of oats using:
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/4 cup Back to Nature Maple Nut Medley Cereal
081119-b1 I think the cereal would have been a great idea, but because I was in such a rush I wound up running out of time to eat breakfast at home.  So I scooped it all into a gladware container and reheated it at work.  By the time it went through all of that and got all mashed up together into a wonderful oatmeal mush, the cereal was definitely soggy.  It did add a nice flavor though.  Oh, and the blueberries were terrific with the mashed banana. For lunch I made tuna salad to put in my last WW wrap. 081119-l1 Ingredients: (makes 3 servings)
  • 2 cans of white albacore tuna in water, drained
  • 3 tbsp light mayo
  • 4 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 3 tbsp relish
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1/4 cucumber, chopped
  • garlic powder
  • salt
  • pepper
I wrapped up 1/3 of the tuna salad in a whole wheat wrap and added some arugula mix to the top. 081119-l3 Paired with a Pink Lady... 081119-l2 Mia REALLY wanted some tuna... mia1 So did Hank. hankie My animals are such beggars! For snacks I have a banana and a Kashi. 081119-s1 Tonight Brian and I are going for another run after work.  Wish me luck...its supposed to be 32* at 6pm when we hit the pavement!  Brrrrr....
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training week #3 + a hearty breakfast

Andrea

Good morning (almost afternoon!)!  Its still rainy and dreary here, but I still managed to drag my bootie out of bed for my third training session with the 10-Miler Training group.  We had about 1/2 as many people this week as in weeks past, I guess a lot of people gave in to the desire to stay in bed on a rainy Saturday morning! This morning's pep talk and info session was kept pretty short because of the drizzle, but I have a couple of tips to share:
  1. Eat or drink within 1/2 hour of finishing your run.   And water doesn't count, you need something to replace the electrolytes lost during your run.  Gatorade, granola bar, banana etc...you will feel much better in the afternoon because you'll avoid the crash that causes you to want a nice long recovery nap!
  2. Cotton is BAD to run in, especially in rainy, cold weather.  It holds 3 times more moisture than other fabrics which can make you miserable on a run as you carry the extra weight, freeze the entire time and probably chafe in unpleasant places. (I am SO in need of a shopping trip!)
  3. Stretching before a run is BAD.  The analogy we were given involves silly putty...  Think about when you first take silly putty out of its little egg, if you immediately try to stretch it out it will break.  Your ligaments are the same way.  Instead of stretching for a warm up, walk or VERY SLOWLY jog for 1/2 a mile.  This will get your legs nice and warmed up before you really let loose into your run. DEFINITELY stretch after your cool down, for at least 10 minutes.
Today's workout was 1/4 mile walk, 1-1/2 mile run (woohoo!), 1/4 mile walk.  I ran the whole 1-1/2 miles even though most of the group is still run/walking.  I'm getting a little impatient with these shorter distances but we'll get up to longer runs in no time.  The next group up is already at 3.5 miles which is way too big of a jump for me.  So, I will continue to be patient because I am determined to not overdo it and injure myself!!!  This morning we were still running on the track and sadly I didn't have my hubby with me to run with (he hurt his back and was sore in bed) so I was REALLY bored.  I'll definitely be taking my ipod with me next time if I don't have a buddy... When I got back from the track I put together a bowl of apple-pumpkin oats. 081115-b1 Ingredients:
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • splash of Silk vanilla soymilk
  • 1/4 can of pumpkin puree'
  • 3/4 small pink lady apple
  • cinnamon
  • pom seeds
Yum!  The bowl was huge though and VERY filling so I only ate about 3/4s of it.  I also had a bite of Brian's breakfast sandwich which was AMAZING!!! 081115-b2 Ingredients:
  • 1 Bodo's Everything Bagel (I buy a bunch at a time and freeze them for Brian's breakfasts)
  • 1 fried egg (in a tsp of olive oil)
  • 1 Morningstar veggie sausage patty (these are sooooooooooo good!!!!!)
  • 1 slice sharp cheddar cheese
Man I miss those breakfasts.... My BSI recipe just came out of the oven!!!  I will post it this afternoon... Forgot to mention that I had a slice of banana apple bread before my run. 081115-s1
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pumpkin oats and leftover veggies

Andrea

This morning I decided to use the leftover pumpkin puree' in my fridge on my oats.  What a great combination!  I was inspired by Jenna's recent breakfasts, and will be using this combo again (probably tomorrow, to use up the rest of the pumpkin!) 081114-b1 Ingredients:
  • 1 cup prepared rolled oats
  • splash of Silk vanilla soymilk
  • 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree'
  • 1 mashed banana
  • sprinkling of pom seeds
For lunch I packed up my leftover spaghetti squash and veggies.  I love when I have leftovers to pack for lunch, it makes my morning so much easier! 081114-l1 For snacks I have had a pink lady apple and a slice of banana apple bread...yum! 081114-s1 So, I skipped a couple of meal postings the last couple of days because they just weren't interesting and I was feeling stressed from being behind with the deadline and all.  But, a couple of things are definitely worth talking about... Product Review: Clif Z-Bar peanut butter flavor! 081113-s1 I LOVE these bars!!!  This is my second flavor, I tried the chocolate chip last weekend.  I think the chocolate chip is my favorite so far, but the peanut butter was REALLY good.  I had it as an afternoon snack anticipating that I would be going to spin class, which was canceled, but it held me over nicely until dinner was ready around 8pm.  It had great texture and flavor, very similar to a peanut butter cookie.  Those Clif people sure know what they are doing!  :) I can't wait to go to the store tomorrow and pick up a few more, especially since I scored some coupons out of the Whole Foods Whole Deal...definitely pick one up if you haven't yet. Coupons for practically every type of Clif Bar available and Stoneyfield coupons, along with some other good stuff. Product Review: Larabar cherry pie flavor! 081112-s4 I've been a long-time fan of Larabars, and cherry pie is one of my favorite flavors.  They are so wholesome and filling and always hit the spot.  I love the fruitiness of their fruit pie flavors, but I'm also really wanting to try come of the non-fruity flavors.   I've never been able to find the chocolate coconut, coconut cream pie or peanut butter cookie flavors, and I'm dying to try them!!! They are so hard to find... Have a great afternoon!  I'm trying out my BSI recipe tonight...so excited!!!
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brrrrrrr.....

Andrea

Good morning!  Brian and I started the morning out right with a mid-week training run.  I'm pretty proud of us, we got up at 6am and were on the road by 6:15.  It was only 25* outside!!!!!!!!!!!  Absolutely frigid at first, but we got used to it quickly after we started our run.  We did a 1/2 mile warm-up, 1 mile run at an easy 10-minute pace, and 1/2 mile cool-down.  It was only a 28 minute workout but it felt great to get up so early and I was completely awake and refreshed by the time we got home. For breakfast I made a bowl of oats using 1 cup prepared rolled oats, splash of vanilla soymilk, spoonful of flax seeds, 1 medium banana and a couple of spoonfuls of pom seeds.  Yum!  This meal was so satisfying and tasty that it actually evoked the food dance out of me...that only happens with really good food.  :) 081111-b1 I'm prepared for another busy day at the office with a filling lunch.  I made a lima bean + corn salad that I found in a Self magazine a couple of months ago.  I was unsure of it at first but its actually really good and completely filling...I've made it several times since. 081111-l1 Ingredients:
  • 1.5 cups frozen lima beans, thawed in microwave
  • .75 cup frozen corn, thawed in microwave
  • .5 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • .5 cup chopped cucumber
  • 1.5 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
Once veggies are thawed and at roughly room temperature mix them all together.  Whisk the olive oil, balsamic and mustard together and toss with veggies. On the side I packed a pink lady apple.  :) 081111-l2 And for a snack I packed a Larabar, cherry pie flavor. 081111-s1 Ok, time to get tons of work done! It may be a late dinner post tonight....  I'm hoping to finish work by 8:00 so that I can go to CLAW, the Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers.  There's a match tonight and it is so much fun to watch!  Plus, my friend Krisin aka TinkerHell is one of the defending champions...  :)  You should check out their blog if you have time...very entertaining!
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