Love, Laugh, Live Well

An Easy Way to Improve Your Health - Meatless Monday!

2013-03-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

As much as I love a sizzling steak now and then, I do try to be conscious of how much meat that we eat and make efforts to add more meatless options to our menu. At first I had difficulty with finding meals that were satisfying and filling, but over time I have accumulated a rather extensive collection of recipes that have become new favorites.

Meatless Monday is a great public health campaign that has been gaining momentum for years. The premise of Meatless Monday is to reduce your meat consumption by not eating meats on Mondays. By participating weekly you reduce your meat intake by 15% which has huge effects on your personal health and the health of the planet.

Below are a few health benefits of going meatless once a week as suggested on the Meatless Monday website:

- Limit Cancer Risk: Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been found to reduce cancer risks. Diets high in meats has been found to be associated with some cancers.
- Reduce Heart Disease: Replacing saturated fat-rich foods (meat and high dairy fat) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fats (veggie oils, seeds, and nuts) can reduce heart disease risk by 19%.
- Fight Diabetes: High consumption of red and processed meats can potentially increase the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
- Curb Obesity: Studies have shown that people with low meat intake or vegans have lower body mass indices and lower body weight.
- Live Longer: Red and processed meat consumption is linked to higher mortality rates, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.
- Improve Your Diet: Consuming more beans results in a higher intake of fiber, protein and other nutrients. Increase in vegetable and fruit consumption ("eat the rainbow") will also add more nutrients and have lower calorie per density than meats.

Source: Mom Favorites

Meat has the largest impact on the environment that any other food that we eat. Livestock consume a large amount of food and water, while also using immense amounts of land and energy to raise and transport.

Below is what goes into just one quarter pound of ground beef:

Source: NPR.org

For even more information check out this infographic (click to see larger):

Do you participate in Meatless Mondays?

My plan for the next few months is to photo and post some of my favorites meatless meals to share. Hopefully some of you will find them helpful. I'd love to hear about some of your favorite meatless meals too so please share your favorites!

Egg-ceptional Breakfast: Egg & Veggie Quiche Muffins

2013-02-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for quick breakfast options, especially for those dreaded mornings when I have to get up at 5:15 to be to work. On those early mornings I kept finding myself either:

a.) Skipping breakfast
b.) Buying unhealthy options at work (cheese & bacon loaded omelets)

Both options are unhealthy, and the second was also lightening my wallet and leaving me feeling slowed down at work the rest of the day. I knew that the only way I was going to stop that cycle was to have a quick option to choose from in the morning that required little to no time and effort. That's where these come in:

Egg and Veggie Quiche Muffins:

Ingredients:
- 10 eggs (may substitute with egg whites if preferred)
- Turkey Bacon
- Oil Spray
- 2 cups veggies (I used bell pepper, onion, spinach - you could use just about anything you have)
- Minced garlic
- Low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:
- Preheat over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray a muffin tin with oil spray to prevent sticking.
- In medium bowl, whisk eggs and garlic.
- Add the chopped veggies to the egg mixture and stir well.
- Line each muffin mold with one slice of turkey bacon (wrap it in a circle in the mold).
- Use a ladle to add the egg and veggie mixture. Fill each tin mold only 2/3 of the way because the egg mixture will expand once cooked.
- Add a small sprinkle of mozzarella cheese to the top of each cup.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly browned (you may want to put baking sheet under muffin tin in case of overflow).

Enjoy!

These reheat very easily in the microwave and are great served with a piece of fruit or a slice of toast. Quick, easy and healthy breakfast option for those mornings you really don't feel like cooking. What I like most about this recipe is that it makes multiple servings at a time and since the bacon is on the edge of the pan it get's nice and crispy too!

How Are Your New Year's Resolutions Going?

2013-02-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

It has been almost two months since the start of 2013. How are your resolutions going so far? Have you hit that "21 days to form a habit" point yet?

Source: them.

I've been sticking to mine pretty well, except for one of my large ones, "Blog once a week (at least)."
I've been failing hardcore on this one, which is ironic considering I wrote it on my blog. So thanks to Rob over at Rob Complains About Things for pointing out that I'm slacking on my resolutions.

Aside from the obvious, all my others are rocking out pretty good so far.

- Read 40 Books: I've knocked out 5 pretty stellar books so far, and am about to finish the 6th today (Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning...twisted and entertaining read). So I'm about 17% through that goal. Any good recommendations for some books to add to the list?
- Swear Less: I'm trying to think before speaking a bit more instead of running out the mouth.
- Run a 10k: This one hasn't happened because apparently Mother Nature wants to torture me with more winter weather. So over it, but have been logging some solid gym and yoga time to keep in shape and build muscle and endurance.
- Get my 5k PR under 25 minutes: Will be a work in progress come spring and the above should help. I hate the dreadmill so until weather gets warmer that one will be put off a bit.
- Work toward being able to accomplish yoga inversions: Wham, Bam, I'm smacking this one outta the park! Pretty pumped at how I've been able to nail this one. #YogaADay, #InversionArmy, and #BalanceARMy on Instagram have been awesome for inspiration on this one.

- Blog once a week - FAIL. But I'm hoping to make some changes. I miss the catharsis that writing brings so I need to make this a priority. I need to stop nit picking and just write again.

Let me know how your resolutions have been going! Have you found anything or someone that motivates you to keep going? It's never too late to start or begin again.

(Source: drowned-in-daydreams, via ego-x-deactivated20130119)

Did you make New Year's Resolution's?

2013-01-10T12:45:00.002-08:00

It's ten days into the new year and if you've made New Years resolutions they're likely going strong or the urge to complete them is starting to wane. I've never been a person that thought that the beginning of the New Year was the only time set resolutions and goals, but I do enjoy having the feeling of a fresh start.

A few of my resolutions and goals for this year are:

- Read 40 books (I'm on Goodreads if you'd like to follow and join the yearly challenge)
- Swear less (my potty mouth sometimes get the best of me).
- Run a 10k (I'd really love to a Tough Mudder as well, but one thing at a time).
- Get my 5k PR under 25 minutes.
- Work toward being able to accomplish yoga inversions.
- Blog once a week (at least).

So far...it's been going pretty well. I've already finished two books, signing up for the Pot O'Gold Fun Run Walk (4 miles so working towards getting to that 10k and hopefully working on speed at the same time), and have been actively working towards yoga inversions (finally can do Salamba Sirsasana - supported headstand - one of these days I'll get to the handstand).

I find that making a plan and sharing goals with others makes it easier to accomplish your resolutions. The world of social media has been great for providing a huge source of motivation and accountability, along with a enormous plethora of information and knowledge. I try to create a plan of action so that I am actively taking steps to reach my goals. And most importantly, pick a resolution that you truly want to accomplish. I think too often, people choose their resolution(s) based on what those around them want. If it's something you really aren't invested in and that isn't truly important to you it's not likely you'l achieve it or you'll hate working towards it.

Did you make resolutions this year?

What's the one thing that you truly want to accomplish?

Better Late Than Never - 2012 Review

2013-01-07T09:28:00.008-08:00

I know that we all rang in the New Year a week ago, but life's been busy so I'm just now getting to thinking about all that has happened in the past year and deciding on my resolutions and goals for the new year. I honestly cannot believe that it's already 2013. I feel like the past year FLEW by.

This past year was a crazy one for us. When I think back about everything that happened I can't believe it was only one year. Some of these things feel like they have forever ago already.

Below is a monthly recap of the events of 2012 (to remind myself f things that happened I did what any normal 80's child does --- reference Facebook to remember my own life -lol):

January -
- We spent the early hours of the New Year ringing celebrating in Detroit at the Resolution Ball with a couple of our closest friends. Such a good time and upbeat way to begin the year.

- I left my job of the past 4 years at the pharmacy and started my internship as a Public Health and Wellness Intern at Central Michigan University - University Recreation. I spent the next 4 months at this internship and met so many great and inspiring people in my time there and was able to gain so much real world experience. There were so many programs that I helped with and planned in the next few months. It was really bittersweet leaving my job at the pharmacy because of having to leave the friends that I made there. I still would love to get together with them all soon for a girls weekend/night. We also went from a 2 income household, to a one person since my internship was unpaid.

NYE

February-

-We put our house on the market which was really nerve-wracking! It was tough because we had no idea what we would do during that time if our house sold because we had no other home to live in yet and I still had my internship to finish (ended beginning of May). We listed the house with a realtor and also posted it on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, made it's own Facebook page and literally told everyone we knew.

- I worked with Bry at my internship and helped her with planning programs for the month for CMU's campus dealing with healthy relationships and body image.

- We began looking at houses downstate which was stressful because we lived 2 hours away and they were flying off the market.

www.Operationbeautiful.com on Central Michigan University campus

March-

-Continued house hunting, but took a bit of a hiatus since we couldn't really buy until someone bought our house.

- Rodney Atkins and Gloriana concert - we met them both

- This was my big month at my internship for all my nutrition based programs. I had a total of 22 events throughout the month so it was busy.

- Someone was interested in our house! Ryan actually knew him from the gym so we showed him the house (sans our realtor) and worked out a deal. We began the paperwork and managed to work a deal for a lower commission with our realtor since we did most the work and this was great because he wanted to move in at the beginning of June. It was a relief to sell the house without losing a profit.

April -

-Organized a fun run and walk 5k at my internship. It was a dreadful, wet and cold day, but we still had fun.

- We found a house to buy, put an offer in and THEY ACCEPTED. Such a relief because we were beginning to be really stressed about it. The only problem...they weren't ready to move out until later summer and we moved end of May...

- Finished my internship.

- Packed. And Packed. And Packed. I never want to move again.

New Home!

May -

- Moved! We actually moved to my parents for the next 7 weeks because we couldn't move into our new house yet. We still didn't even know what day we would be able to move in. We stored everything at my parent's in their huge garage, and lived in a camper in the driveway. Lol. We're lucky to have had a place to live that short period of time because with a dog and not knowing how long we'd be there we had no way of getting an apartment. So a big THANKS to my parent's for really helping us out in a bind. Ryan worked everyday on my parents inside porch area. So thankful he has a job that allows him to work anywhere as this made life a little less stressful.

- I read....a LOT. Since I didn't have a job yet, I spent a lot of time reading, enjoying family and started running a lot.

Spent a lot of time reading in my mom's gardens.

June -

- Continued living at my parent's while beginning to job search.

- Signed closing paperwork for the house so officially homeowners again.

-Anxiously waiting to find out our move in date (drove us crazy)

- Mid month I was trail running and sprained my mid foot terribly on a tree root. I couldn't walk for weeks without pain. Still 6 months later and I can feel it at times. SUCKS! I was so upset for awhile.

- Tiger's game with friends.

Ugh, so bruised and swollen.

Digging the 70's decor in our camper aka home for the summer.

July -

-Still waited forever to find our move in date....finally moved in Mid July. The move went smooth, but of courses it was the hottest day of the summer.

- Lots of house projects.

-Camping with friends.

- Finally found a job! I began at McLaren Medical Center at the end of July working in their pharmacy.

August -

-Transitioning to new home and getting unpacked

- Training in new job.

- We went on a roadtrip with one of my girlfriends from college, her boyfriend and their couple friend and went to West Virginia to go rock climbing. It was amazing! I loved every second of it and would do it again in a heartbeat. More about it here.

-Celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. Ryan surprised us with Jason Mraz tickets. Love seeing him live.

September-

- Life finally started slowing down. We just enjoyed our new home. Worked on some small house projects, but nothing huge.

- Renaissance Festival with the hubby

October -

-Run4Wine Race

- Ryan landed a great client for his personal business. So thankful for how hard of a worker he is. :) He's done so well with his side business, and balancing that with his full time job. I don't think I know anyone else who works as hard as he does.

November -

-Ryan totally surprised me with a surprise 30th birthday party! I had NO idea. He got our closest friends together at Lucky Strike in Novi and we spent the night catching up and bowling. I loved it!

- We spent a lot of time working on our living room area and I blogged about it here.

- I worked Thanksgiving so that was lame.

- Started doing yoga again, and joined the #yogaaday movement.

December -

-I have no idea where this month went. I worked a lot, baked a ton and prepped for Christmas.

- Spent Christmas eve my father in laws, Christmas day with my parents, large family get together and then a calm evening in for New Years Eve. After the whirlwind year we wanted to ring in the next calmly.

My darling sister

Brother in law

My parents and Ryan :)

Maverick.

I expect that 2013, may be a bit calmer at first, but will likely end in a whirlwind. That's okay with me, calm can be boring so bring it on 2013. I'm really looking forward to spending this new year getting more settled and for everything that's to come. I have a good feeling about this one. :)

Next post...resolutions and goals.

Was 2012 a crazy year for you? What moment stands out the most?

Making a house a home: Living room edition

2012-11-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

The past few months have flown by. I look back and can't believe that it's already been 4 months since we have moved into our new home. Between moving, starting a new job, working on the house and settling into a new area it has really left very little time to blog so I'm hoping that since things are starting to calm a bit that I'll be able to focus on blogging a little more regularly. When I think back about all that has happened this year, it boggles my mind, but that's a post on it's own that I'll go into at another time.

In the small amount of time we have spent in the new house we have been able to complete a lot of projects. The whole downstairs area has been re-painted, that includes the living room, family room, dining room and kitchen, including all the cupboards and trim as well. I can say that I'm completely sick of painting, and to be honest I did little of it compared to Ryan. As much as I hate painting, it makes such a difference in a home. Before we moved in we had this icky yellow/off white color on the wall the reminded me of a smokers home. A new, fresh palette really made a huge difference. Adding in some personal items and lots of love have definitely made this house a home.

I can honestly say that I love our new home. Moving here has allowed us to be so much closer to family and friends and we love the simplicity of being able to call someone and meet up the same day, instead of making travel plans days/weeks in advance. I feel like this area is a step up from where we were before and as much as I loved the college town atmosphere, it's nice to be somewhere different and more...evolved. Living in town in so convenient for running to the store to pick things up and close to local events. Having the high school and middle school nearby is great for all the extras they provide (pool, tennis courts, track, football stadium). This small town atmosphere is definitely something I admire and am so thankful to have.

Here are a few photos of the home and projects we have completed so far. For now, I'm going to just show the living room and family room area.

Before: Living room looking into the family room.

Before: Living room (love the big picture window)

Before: Keeping Ryan busy with all the painting.

Before: Our old frumpy furniture (which now has a new home in the basement)

After: New furniture (FIL gave it to us because too large for his new home) & rug that we LOVE. Such a step up! Still need window treatment and a hanging light in the top left corner.

Cozy fireplace that is getting a TON of use already.

Christmas Love

Our musical corner: Piano from my childhood home that my parents gave us and guitar from my dad. The area to the left leads to our dining room and kitchen.

Do you have any home projects that you are working on right now or the near future?

Day 1 & 2 #Elf4Health Recap: Homemade Cards

2012-11-28T10:24:00.001-08:00

The #Elf4Health challenge has been going great so far. Meatless Monday was a pretty good success and day two was a task that I was really excited for because it gave me an excuse to be creative AND get in touch with those most important to me. I had been planning on making all my own Christmas cards this year and this was a perfect start to it. The #Elf4Health task for day 2 was to send a handwritten note. I took it a step further and also made all my cards using my Silhouette machine (similar to a Cricut).

Lately, I've been really wanting to get my creative spark going again and this seemed like a great activity to do it. I'm really happy with how they turned out and hope that the recipients enjoy them too. I really love handwritten notes and hate that email is taking away from that tradition. There is just something about a hand-written note that makes it that much more special than some plain text on a computer. Maybe because it feels like a tangible part of the person and their personality. Am I the only one that feels that way? I doubt it.

Below are the cards that I made yesterday to be sent out to friends and family. I still need to make about 10+ more of them and hope to finish them by the end of the week.

This challenge reminded me about all the handwritten notes and cards I have at my parents from high school. They are locked up in a toolbox in the attic so I'm hoping to stop by there soon and hopefully be able to crack the passcode to get into it. I think it will be a great laugh to see those from the past and our silly antics.

Do you miss the art of handwritten notes?

Did you take part in day two of #Elf4Health?

Did you save your notes from high school?

#Elf4Health Challenge! Are you part of it?

2012-11-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and spent lots of time with their families, took a moment to be thankful for all that you have and indulge on some of the goodies that are so popular this time of year. Although I had to work, I'm more than thankful to have a job in this tough time, a brand new house, an amazing and supportive husband and a healthy family that I can always count on. I count my lucky stars every day for being so happy and strive to fully appreciate everything, and everyone, that I have.

I'm also thankful that I came across Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean and Elle at Nutrionella blog's because of the #Elf4Health challenge!

This challenge is great for the holiday season because it encompasses so many different aspects of health (nutrition, physical activity, emotional, philanthropy, you name it!) and also includes a HUGE network of support. This kind of thing is right up my alley of favorite things. Everyone can always use a cheerleader and pat on the back to help make them reach their goals. The health promotion and education nerd in me is loving this type of program and major kudos to the gal's for organizing this huge challenge (over 600 participants in the first 2 weeks)! I love challenges that have a group mentality. Having a group of people for support makes it much easier when you may struggles, gives you someone(s) to bounce ideas off of and/or get motivation and helps to hold you accountable.

The challenge runs for 6 weeks with daily tasks, winners and sponsors, support through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Each person is paired up with a "health elf" for 2 week periods. The first period I am paired up with Bridget from British Columbia and from the bits I've gathered so far she is pretty darn hardworking and inspirational with the athletic feats that she's already conquered (half marathons!).

If you're interested, you can still join! You won't be paired up with a partner for the first segment, but you can still participate and sign up for a partner for the next round.

Here's a brief look at the current week's tasks:

Monday:
Go meatless today.
Show us what you make!

Good Elf Ideas: Email your buddy quick & easy veggie recipe to try - either one of your favorites or one you've been wanting to try. You can always share one of our picks below, too!

Tuesday:
Send a card or handwritten note to a friend.

Include a small newspaper or magazine clipping that made you think of them.
Other possible recipients: a sibling, extended family member, a friend you've made through blogging/social media, a childhood friend, someone you haven't talked to lately.

Wednesday:
Try a new workout today!
Show us what you did to sweat!

Good Elf Ideas: Help your buddy find a new way to enjoy being active. If they're at your fitness level, send them one of your favorite home workouts or ask them what they struggle with when it comes to exercise and offer other suggestons. If they are new to exercising, it can be as simple as taking the stairs twice per day or parking farther away from stores when running errands.

Thursday:
Get up 15 minutes early to meditate and reflect.

Good Elf Ideas: Share an article about the benefits of meditation with your buddy.

Friday:
How many colors can you eat today? Challenge yourself!
Post pictures of your colorful eats in our Facebook Group, on Instagram or by Tweeting. Email photos to your elves!

Good Elf Ideas: Send your buddy a recipe to try with lots of different colored veggies or a fruit salad. Tell them why it's important to eat different colors!

You can see all the tasks for the next 6 weeks here and more information here. Don't forget to use the hashtag, #Elf4Health when posting!

Are you participating in #Elf4Health? What challenges do you think will be most difficult for you? Do you like having a group or person to hold you accountable?

Wordless Wednesday: Positivity

2012-11-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

RANT: Ann Coulter and the R Word

2012-10-23T15:14:00.001-07:00

Ann Coulter is in a binder all her own...one that that seems to get off on making fun of those that are the most innocent.

Her blatant statements using the word retard, is completely unacceptable and childish. I'd expect better out of someone that is in the public eye so often (not that I ever agree with her beliefs, but that's another post on it's own). If she was using the word in a more medical sense than I wouldn't give a crap. Using in this context is implying "stupid" or "slow."

If you're not sure what I'm talking about here are a a few screenshots of her ignorant postings on Twitter:

When she uses the R word in that way she offends many who are affected by someone with a mental or developmental handicap or ability, including their family, friends, coworkers, teachers, and so on. Bottom line, it's hateful, disgusting and insulting. You offend people like me and my family. People like my sister who is mentally and physically handicap. People like my brother in law with autism. People like a girl I grew up with that has Down's Syndrome. Other HUMANS! Have some respect already.

Using these word so freely in a insulting context and without regard for others takes away from those that are afflicted. It makes it seem as if it's okay and acceptable to use (the same goes for saying, "so and so is so gay"). I'm sure her main thing was making sure to get what she says out there and noticed, which she did at the expense of so many others.

I think that Jeff Goins Writer said it well:

"The bottom line is this: If you look closely enough, people are following you. Someone is watching your every move. Maybe it’s a friend or a sibling or even one of your followers on social media. Someone is seeing what you’re about.

And when you open your mouth and words like “retard” come out, well, it makes you look dumb. And a bigot. And kind of a jerk.

That’s not what you want to be remembered for, right?

Make a decision to stop today. Please. This word affects people in ways that hurt far worse that you can imagine. There are so many more beautiful and wonderful-sounding words that could come out of your mouth than that stupid R-word."

Calling all tomato (red) faces!

2012-10-18T18:30:00.001-07:00

Ok, I have a confession...

My face turns beet red pretty much every time that I workout. I'm not talking about a healthy pink glow, but more like a bright red. It's especially worse if it happens to be a hot and humid day, which in Michigan is most of the summer. It's sometimes to the point that it's embarrassing and I can feel people staring at me with a worried expression like I'm going to stroke out.

It sucks. I feel fine when like this, but it's more of an annoyance than anything else.

As if having people constantly be worried about you and questioning if you're alright isn't bad enough, it last forever! After a long run or cardio workout the red sticks around for hours. It's to the point that I have to make sure to allow enough cooling time afterwards to let my face get back to a normal color before heading out in public or going to work. Trying to put makeup on after a red faced workout is pretty impossible too.

This is barely a glow compared to the normal (only after a warm-up).

The only thing that I've found that helps is splashing my face with cold water continuously afterwards and standing in front of a fan on high. I've seen lots of cooling towels/hats lately that you freeze so maybe one of these days I'll give those a try. I'm digging the weather lately because the cool weather seems to knock down the redness a notch or two.

Are you a fellow tomato face?

Have you tried any of the cooling towels or hats?

Feeling melancholy tonight...

2012-10-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I'm feeling pretty crappy tonight. Family things are going on and things out of my control. Just remember friends, always tell those around you how much they mean to you. Don't let too much time pass before reaching out to say hello or that you're thinking about them...it really is the small things that matter.

Run4Wine Race...you had me at wine!

2012-10-15T16:46:00.001-07:00

This past week Ryan and I ran the Run4Wine Race in Grand Blanc, Michigan. I had signed us up for this race months ago a week after I had taken a nasty fall while trail running and sprained my midfoot (the sprain that prevented me from running for 10 weeks) and needed something to work towards and not be so pissed about hurting myself. Can I just say how glad I am to have found this race because it was AWESOME! I was a little hesitant going into this race since I spent the night before with the flu and becoming BFF's with our toilet. I'm so glad that I decided to go through with it anyways.

When we pulled into the parking lot it was already packed and we made our way up to to pick up our race pack. I couldn't believe it when I saw that there was 800 people signed up for the race and more signing up the hour beforehand. I have to say there was some sweet swag for this race and especially for the cheap sign-up (we paid under $25 each).

Included was:
-Sweet New Balance shirt
-Custom wine glass w/logo
-Buffet dinner (we ate LOTS..bonus in my book)
-One drink ticket (wine, beer or pop)
-Tons of wine tasting (wish I had felt 100% to take advantage of it more)
-Cover band

This will definitely be getting it's fair share of use. ;)

Bright pink and reflective! Ooo!

So much tasty food...not gonna lie, we had heaping plates full.
This is before it was ravaged by all the hungry runners.

Wine, wine, wine...yum! Definitely going to Fenton Winery &
Brewery to pick up some wine.

First off, I really liked the course. The 4 mile run was on the golf course, with lots of rolling hills which was a nice extra challenge and a wicked wind (freaking 30-35 mph gusts was just lovely). There were a few spots where the sprinklers were that posed some potential hazards and an excess of goose poop to navigate around though. Ryan and I split up at the beginning since he runs quicker than I and I tend to bonk out if I try to keep his pace (someday I'll get there), but was able to find a couple other runners to pace myself with.

The after party was great too with lots of BBQ fare foods to nosh on, lots of wine samples, bands and a pretty fun group of people. I really wish at times that we had more friends that were into fitness events because this would have been a group event to have a group of friends to run with.

Hubs and I before the race began.

Lots of pretty trees changing along the way.

At the finish line....before the race. Like how we're color coordinated?
Totally not planned.

All in all, we had a great time. We hung out a bit at the end and enjoyed some wine samples and the band, but unfortunately I wasn't feeling the best still so we kind of ended the night earlier than planned. Ryan came in 7th place in his age group and I came in 8th so I'm pretty happy with that since I hadn't ran in about a week and also wasn't feeling that great after praising to the porcelain god the night before. This year was the first time they've done this run and I really hope they do it again. I was amazed how well it was put on for such a large crowd and first time event.

What's my next race? I'm not sure yet! There are a couple of fun Halloween ones (Headless Horseman Run in Howell) that we may do if we are able. I'd like to work my way up to a 6K soon, but not sure how that'll work since winter is coming up and I don't know how I feel about winter running.

Do you have any races coming up? Do you have any tips about running in the winter?

You've never seen a push-up like this....and I don't want to.

2012-08-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got an email for Victoria's Secret with the subject title...

"Your gym has never seen a push-up quite like this..."

Seeing as how I have an affinity for workout clothes and most Victoria's Secret items I looked further and was disappointed in what I found: a sport's push-up bra. Really? I. Don't. Get. It.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the push-up bra for the right time and location, but the gym is not one of those areas, and shouldn't be. The last thing I want to worry about when lifting weights, doing ab exercises (can you imagine doing a plank in it and wondering where and how your boobs look? Just think about it...) and running on a treadmill (boing, boing) are my breasts. For those activities I'd rather have them securely tucked away and focus more on what I'm doing then the attention I'm getting. To me, it just sounds uncomfortable and like an accident waiting to happen (a la Janet Jackson nipple slip). Just imagine the car honking, catcalls and so on that you'd get running out in this sports bra (it's already annoying enough at other times wearing sweaty old "conservative" sports bra's).

I guess it isn't enough that we bust butt in the gym to look good, but now we have to get dolled up and have a 'sexy style' for the gym now too (I could understand it being used for fitness competitions). Maybe it is a great product, but this certainly is not something for me. Aside from the aesthetic look of it, I can't imagine it really being that supportive if it's also a push up and the sparkly material seems like it would really chafe the skin around your shoulder/arms.

What do you think about the new push-up sports bra?

One of the best things we've done....Rock Climbing in West Virginia!

2012-08-19T16:32:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was one of the greatest weekends I've had in a long time and so needed after the hustle bustle of the past month.

A few months ago, my old college roommate and dear friend invited me on a trip to West Virginia to go rock climbing and zip-lining. I immediately said, YES! The few months prior to the trip had been a blur in between moving twice and starting a new job so the trip really crept up quickly. A few days before the trip was due I checked out the website of the place that we were going and I think my stomach dropped upon seeing the pictures. This was not the rock climbing that I expected at all. I was thinking that we would be climbing a few rock fronts, but nothing too tall or scary. Boy, was I wrong.

The rock climbing experience that we decided on was at Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center in North Folk Valley in Pendleton County, West Virginia and we stayed at Germany Valley Cabins that were nearby. The area is known for their fin like rock formations that jet out above the mountains. The climb that we chose to do is called Via Ferrata, which means 'iron road' in Italian. These systems are found worldwide and consist of iron rungs that are implanted in the mountains. It's a mountain route of fixed iron ladders, cables and bridges that are to be utilized by climbers.

The specs of the climb we did are:

3.5 miles long
~1100 feet of elevation gain/loss
280 feet of vertical exposure
A 200 foot long, 150 foot high suspension bridge
A top height reached of ~450 feet
Breathtaking views and shaking hands (just kidding, but not really)

After a 9 hour drive, a night spent by bonfire laughing and catching up with old friends and watching the Perseid meteor showers (so awesome in the pitch black night sky and so many meteors), it was finally the day to climb! After signing our life away (no really, their old waiver is crazy, funny and the most badass waiver I've ever seen: read here) , we finally suit up in our harnesses and hike the route to the beginning of the trail. WHOA, was my first thought when I looked up. Do we really want to do this? Pushing nerves aside we start the climb after explanation on how the carabiner and cable system works. The first climb was the most nerve-wracking and not because it was the most intense, but because you are learning how to use the cable system. After only a few minutes though we all were pretty comfortable with it and climbed on.

Below are just a few of the photos from our trip (here are all of them).

The view driving in was amazing!

Our idyllic cabin for the weekend!

The view off the deck of our amazing cabin. Mountains surrounded us completely.

Lots of cows that followed us all around the property.

The four people it took to start a fire ;)

Hubs and I before the climb started.

The view after the first part of the climb...still have a long way to go.

Handsome hubby at the turn of the fin. Gorgeous scenery at this point and a bit ore challenging maneuver to get around to the other side.

At the edge of the fin.

Looking down at Angie and Jim. Getting high by this point.

Good view of the treetops.

The scary suspension bridge. The wind of course picked up at the time I had to cross and it swayed pretty god, especially once there was more than one person on it.

The slats were pretty far apart...nice view of the ground 150 feet below. Eeek!

View from the top. I feel like we were looking down from a plane.

Superman atop the mountain top!

#Plankaday

If you look closely, you can see the suspension bridge we crossed earlier in the climb.

The whole group at the summit!

The watering hole at Seneca Rocks. We took a dip after the climb because we were burning up being in the sun all afternoon.

Hazy sunset our last night at the cabin.

If you've ever contemplated rock climbing or a via ferrata climb I highly recommend giving it a go! This was one of the coolest mini vacations that we've done. Aside from West Virginia, there are also climbs available in Colorado, Kentucky, Utah, Arizona, Tennessee, Canada and other countries.

Have you been rock climbing or tried a Via Ferrata climb before? Would you like to? Would a fear of heights stop you from doing something like this?

The big day!

2012-07-19T13:47:00.003-07:00

We finally got the keys to our new place! After months of house shopping and seeing houses fly off the market in record time we've finally reached the point where we can move in. Over 6 weeks ago, we sold our first home and moved back downstate to live with my parents while we waited for the prior owners to move out.

Surprisingly, I don't miss the old home. I think that our old home served it's purpose as a learning experience and was a great place for us at the time. I think we had just outgrew the town that we lived in. It was a great community, but being a college town it felt like things never really changed and there were some limited opportunities. I miss the people around there, especially my old co-workers, but little else from the town. Maybe everything is just over shadowed right now by the excitement of moving to a new place. The new town we are moving to offers so much more and is so much closer to family. The home we left is the one we bought when we were engaged, we were married while living in that house and finished our college careers. I just feel as though our time was finished there and it was time to move on to somewhere new and fit with us more.

I never thought that I would be moving back to my hometown area. I always had it in my head that I'd adventure out to the West Coast or a larger city. As time went on though I realized that I'd really miss all the things that I've grown so accustomed to. I especially realize the importance of family now as I've grown older. I've always grown up surrounded by family and can't imagine not providing that to our family (in the future). This new home puts us in much closer proximity to family, jobs and so much more.

I really can't wait to finally be moved in. As I said earlier, we've been living with my parents for the last 6 weeks. I had lots of reservations about doing so at first (it's been 10 years since living at home) it went extraordinarily well. My parents don't have a large home so we've spent the last month and half in a camper...in the driveway. Our stuff has been stored their huge garage. Needless, to say, we've had no idea where most of our stuff has been the last few weeks. I'm so grateful that my parent's have been so gracious and accommodating for our move. It would have been stressful to find a place to live for a short period with a dog and our large amount of items that needed to be moved. This interim period has allowed us to save money, spend time with family and prepare for the work ahead. I really can't say enough how thankful I am for their help.

Goodbye Mount Pleasant....

And hello Fenton....

We're looking forward to another new and exciting adventure. There will be lots of pictures and updates to come. I'm hoping that before too long we'll be settled and back to our normal schedule/lives.

Do you live near or far from family? If you could move anywhere where would you move?

Bump in the road, or root in the trail...injury time!

2012-07-03T13:50:00.001-07:00

It's been over three weeks and I feel like I'm slowly going crazy. Three weeks ago I was running in this beautiful place:

...when a tree root decided to grab hold of my foot and give it a wicked twist. Immediately I knew that I was going to be out of the running game for a while. I had been in the middle of a jump (over some overgrown brush) when I came down so there was lots of extra force and torque on it. I heard a pop! and immediately dropped to the ground. A string of expletives stammered out of my mouth as I yelled ahead at Ryan (my hubby) to stop/help. I knew that it wouldn't be long before I wouldn't be able to walk on it at all, so together we hobbled back off the trail and to a spot where I could wait for Ryan to come back with the car because there was no way I was walking back.

I tried my best to get it raised right away. I sat there about 20 minutes waiting for Ryan to get back.

Maybe cried a bit (frustration along with radiating pain)

And did a lot of this (plus ice) the next few days.

It didn't bruise a lot...at first, but after about 5 days it turned lovely shades of blue, green and yellow. I never went to the docs to have it checked because our insurance sucks and I was 99% sure it was a mid-foot sprain (this is only about the 100th sprained foot in my life, although it's usually my ankle). Three weeks later and I'm regaining a lot more strength and almost all the swelling is gone.

This time off has really made me realize how I much I really began to love (yes love, not just like) running. It's been a tough few weeks to take off and I feel the frustration mounting. I'm more than eager to get running again, but am reluctant because I don't want to start up too soon and re-injure. Lately it's been lots of stretching, walking and toe raises. I'm hoping to start back up next week, but very slowly. I had plans to run a 10k later this summer, but we'll see if that happens depending on how quickly I can build up strength/endurance again.

I feel like that last few weeks have taken forever to go by. Whether that's due to the injury or the fact that were in transition from moving from our old home, to my parent's home, and waiting to move into our new home, I have no idea. One things for sure, I miss the solace and time spent getting away from it all on my runs.

Have you had an injury that knocked you out of the fitness game for awhile?

Did it take you long to get back to your normal routine and endurance once you healed?

My Fitness Bucket List! What's on yours?

2012-06-28T12:31:00.001-07:00

Lately I've noticed lots of attention on Twitter and Pinterest regarding bucket lists, in particular fitness inspired lists. Seeing all of these great ideas and goals totally captured my attention and inspired me to make my own. I LOVE the concept of getting it all down on a list, goal setting and taking the steps to make it happen. There are so many things that I want to do, but the following are a few of the most important ones to me:

Run the CRIM (10 mile), Tough Mudder, run a 8k, run a half marathon, basically run MORE! - There are so many fun races that I am constantly finding more and more that I'd love to do. It's hard to narrow it down to just one or two. I had planned on running the CRIM 8k this summer but my recent foot injury might prevent that. :( Other items along the lines of this, I'd love to also run more races for causes and run a 5k in under 25 minutes.

Receive my personal trainer and CHES certification - I've yet to decide whether to go with ACE or NASM for personal training so if you have any input that would be awesome! The CHES is something that I would love to get for health education and am hoping to do this fall.

Do a triathlon! - I've always thought that this would be awesome to do and saw one this past month. The only thing really holding me back: swimming!

Go white water rafting. - Looks like so much fun, adventurous and have heard rave things about it.

Try rock climbing (non-indoor facility) - I love rock climbing indoors so super excited to do this. I've already made plans to do this over the summer in West Virginia so I can't wait! Also will notch another thing off my list while on this trip (climb a mountain) so double win!

Go paddle boarding. - Hoping to find somewhere nearby to do this over the summer. Looks really relaxing and potentially a good arm workout.

Go heli-boarding. - Terrified to do this, but so desperately want to! I love snowboarding and the extremes so this would completely satisfy it all.

Learn to box. - Learning to box would be so empowering.

Be able to do more inverted yoga poses - I've managed to do a few, but need to work on more upper body strength to get there, but will one day (soon!). This video is one of my favorites:

Amazing, right?!?!

Volunteer with Girls on the Run or a similar organization. - I love so many things about this organization. I found out about it late in my college career and was so sad I was never able to participate. The new community I have moved to doesn't have one so maybe I can help to initiate one in the area.

Motivate others to live fit and health lives. - This is incredibly important to me. I love inspiring and educating others on living and leading a healthy life. It's empowering to help people realize that they have the potential to change their lives for the better. I love that preventative health is finally coming to light and having more attention brought to it.

Aside from this list there are so many more and the list will continue to grow I'm sure. For my complete list you can check out my Pinterest board here: Fitness Bucket List. I've included on there a few that I've already completed to and hope to update it as time goes on. My completed tasks so far: Help plan a 5k, Warrior Dash, Run a 8 minute mile, indoor rock climbing.

What are a few things that are on your fitness bucket list? Do you have ones that you've already completed?

Join my #SummerOfBliss team and challenge!

2012-06-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

The other day I came across a social workout challenge that I thought would be really fun to do with a group of people. All of the goals are attainable and having the extra support from other people may make it a bit easier when people are struggling. I know that I am one of those people that needs someone to hold me accountable for goals because it keeps me on track and in line. The goals of the challenge are:

Limit the drinking of sugary beverages. No more than four sugar sweetened drinks a week. Check out this infographic to see some of the disastrous effects of sugar on the body.
Log your happiness, or "level of bliss" at least once a day. Record your level at least once a day and contemplate what factors make you blissful and which make you bliss-less. This activity can help you make changed to a more positive outlook and life and help you weed out those things that drain your happiness away.
Meditation: Take 5 minutes a day. Take 5 minutes a day to disconnect and reflect. Take those 5 minutes for yourself to center yourself and get in some deep breathing exercises.
Welcome in summertime by eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Substitute your not-so-savory or healthy snacks with some fresh produce. Step out of the box and try something new. You may find a new favorite. Eating Well has some great info for what a fruit serving size consists of.
Log 5 workouts a week. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day for maximum health effects (assuming you've been cleared by your doctor). With summertime cruising in there are many options even if you don't have a gym membership: Run, bike, swim, hike, row a boat...anything that gets your heart pumping.
Plank pose: 1 minute per day. Core strength is key and this exercise will engage all those muscles. There are variations so do the one that is best for you. Check out Tina Reale's site for 22 different variations.

The challenge starts this upcoming Monday, June 11th and ends July 8th. Four weeks towards living a healthier life and establishing new habits.

Also..you could possibly win prizes too from Bestowed.com so it's an extra bonus.

Be sure to sign up for the team HERE.

The team name is: Love, Laugh, Live Well Body Rocker's. Once you've joined the team click on Summer Of Bliss and join the challenge from there. Starting Monday you'll begin logging your progress. If anyone has any questions be sure to let me know and we'll figure it out!

I Run Because...

2012-06-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, today is....

I plan on taking a nice, long run later this evening at a new trail that we discovered at Holly Recreation Area. This area has really helped renew my running again. In recognition of today, here's a brief list of the reasons why I run. I'd love hear your reasons as well so share below! :)

I Run Because...

- It makes me feel strong.
- My health depends on it.
- It's cheaper than therapy (both psychological & retail).
- The silence is needed sometimes.
- I'd rather be sore than sorry.
- Sometimes I just need to get away from life.
- It makes me feel healthier...and happier.
- It gives me something to work towards.
- It gives me energy.
- It gives me an excuse to buy cute workout clothes.
- Some of my best ideas come while zoned out running.
- My personal best is just that: mine.
- I can participate in fun races to raise money and get covered in mud.
- I really like to eat.
- I really, really like chocolate.
- I enjoy the scenery.
- I love the endorphin rush.
- It makes my legs look fab!
- I like the one on one time with the hubby.
- It makes getting dressed in the morning so much more positive.
- It's the best way to sight see.
- There's a freedom in just getting out and running with no destination in mind.
- It gives me an excuse to take a break sometimes.
- It's a great stress reliever.
- I love crossing a finish line and the positiveness of those also running.
- It makes my heart, lungs and muscle stronger for a longer and healthier lifetime.
- It decreases my chances of cancers.
- It increases my lifespan.
- It fights obesity.
- It gives me confidence.
- I can. You never know when that could be taken away.

Are you doing anything today to celebrate National Running Day? If you need some ideas here are 10 ways to celebrate. I'd love to hear what you love about it or any goals you've set. My next big goal: Run a 10k! There's one in late August so I'm really considering it

Are there any specific reasons that you love running?

Product Review: Margarita Activewear!

2012-06-01T12:20:00.001-07:00

Recently I was given the opportunity to pick out and review any item from Margarita Activewear clothing line from ActivewearUSA.com. Let me tell you, I was super excited about this! I've been contemplating a new pair of fitted capri yoga pants for awhile now so this was perfect timing. After lots and lots of time I was finally able to narrow it down to these (there are so many to choose from it took me forever -- check the ActiveWear Website for more Margarita Activewear products).:

Margarita Activewear Capri #1004T $83.00

I chose the black pair and anxiously awaited their arrival. When these came in the mail I was super excited to check them out. When I pulled them out of the package I had a mini panic attack because they looked tiny. I soon realized that this material stretches a lot and I had gotten worried for no reason. These pants are super soft and comfortable. The fabric that they are made of is called Supplex with Lycra, so they're very fitted and somewhat remind me of Spanx but comfortable and flattering. The design on these particular pair made me feel like it streamlined by body and lengthened the leg. The stitch work on the pants looked great and not questionable like some of the other pants I've seen out there. Based on what I've seen so far they look like they will be able to withstand lots of wear and tear.

The day that I wore these was spent doing a lot of different activities and I had no major issues throughout. I spent half the day lounging in them and that afternoon wore them for a yoga session and a 2.5 mile train run. The elasticity of the pants was great during yoga and the run. Throughout all the different movements it stretched easily without pulling and tugging. Another thing that I really liked is that they were breathable. I have a tendency to get super hot while running and I felt like these were great for dissipating heat and wicking sweat away from the body.

One issue that I saw with the products were that they do run a bit small. Next time I would probably order a size larger than what I got. I ordered a medium and usually wear around a size 4 or 6 and they were a bit smaller than I'd like. The main issue with them was that the inseam was shorter than I'd prefer (I had to pull them up a bit during my run because of the short inseam). I consider myself average to slightly tall (5'8" and around 130 lbs.) so be sure to consider ordering a size larger than normal if you purchase these products.

The price was also a bit steeper than I would like. They are definitely a step up from most products out there so you are paying for better quality, but I think that for some the price may be a deterrent. I have to say that if I had the extra money I would splurge for these pants though! There were so many different products in this line that caught my attention that I'll likely return back to see what else I may eventually get. I love the bright colors and designs and the quality materials make these pants that will last far longer than others. The next investment that I'm considering: a running skirt!

Pros:
- Awesome designs and colors!
- Breathable material -- less dampness and overheating!
- Easy to clean (can do at home!)
- Comfortable and easy to move in material.
- Flattering & unique designs
- Long lasting material and craftsmanship

Cons:
- Price a bit high
- Sizes run small (order a size larger than your normal)

Super cute packaging -- I enjoy the small touches!

A little more info on the Supplex with Lycra material (click for larger image)

Great stitching and quality

Pretty sweet design, huh?

This is about the time that I had a freak out moment about them fitting, but they fit and stretched comfortably - no pinching or sucking in required ;)

Washing directions - Machine wash cool

Daisy logo on the right booty

Many thanks to Lisa Johnson and Activewear USA for giving me this opportunity!

Do you have a favorite workout related product or clothing item?

Would an in-store nutritionist help you shop healthier at the grocery store?

2012-05-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

I was reading this article the other day and it really got me thinking. The article discusses a study in which a nutritionist was available in the store for a 10 minute in-store counseling sessions with a nutrition educator to understand labels better. It was found that those who had received the counseling had carts with a greater number of fruits and veggies, particularly fruit, green and yellow vegetables.

I think that many people have the intention of eating well, but often times are unsure of what a healthy diet really consist of and the labeling used on a lot of food packaging make it even more confusing to eat healthy. During a trip to the supermarket we are bombarded with claims and labels that elude to items being healthier than they often are (often obscuring what's really in the foods). A few examples of these misleading food labels are as follows:

"All Natural" - FDA and USDA have very lenient rules on these claims (although they are working to make them more strict). It may claim "all natural" but still be loaded with high fructose corn syrup, additives, and other not so natural products. Many juices claim natural fruit flavors, but that's nothing more than concentrated fruit extracts that have little to no nutrition benefit.
"0 grams of trans fat" - While it's great there is no trans fat, it doesn't mean that it doesn't contain other harmful things such as high levels of saturated fats, high sodium, total fat and so on.
"Whole grains" - Being made with whole grains is great, but don't forget to check the sugar content too. Lots of cereals and breads are made with whole grains, however are loaded with sugars and sodium (breads are guilty of having high sodium levels so keep an eye out).
"Fat free" - A lot of foods with high sugar contents will label it as fat free to elude to being healthier than they are. While it's great that it's fat free, the sugar content is usually much higher than is recommended and that can lead to adverse health effects.

The above are only a few examples of some labels that can misleading. For those that are trying to eat healthier and lose weight they may believe that they are eating "healthy" based on the foods they buy due to misleading labeling. I think that having a nutrition educator or nutritionist would be a great opportunity for some people to address their food concerns. Not only could they have a better understanding of what these labels mean, but also have a greater understanding of what a healthy diet consist of and what these labels may also be covering up.

Earlier this year, I planned a program during my internship called Know Your Nutrition. This program was set up on campus to allow students an opportunity for a mini-assessment with a registered dietitian (Kati Mora from Around the Plate). During the evaluation we found that many students found this to be an enlightening and educational experience in which they were able to gain much knowledge and answer many questions that they had and something that they wished would be available more often (or even on a regular basis). Incorporating something like this in a large scale setting, such as grocery stores, could have a great effect in creating awareness and educating consumers on the importance of a healthy diet to their and their families long term health.

Do you think that you would utilize a program such as in-store nutritionist/dietitian sessions?

How to enjoy a salad.

2012-05-08T08:34:00.001-07:00

In our household we take salad seriously.

We don't make a salad with just some meager iceberg lettuce and boring shredded cheddar cheese in our household, but instead a decadent and loaded meal with veggies, fruits, nuts, delicious cheeses, flavor packed dressings and succulent meats.

There are so many people that shudder when they think about salad and have this totally bland, boring impression of them. Salad's don't have to be boring...the more colors the yummier and more nutritious. If you're not already salad lover take the following steps to break that.

Steps for how to enjoy a salad:

Skip the iceberg lettuce. Instead try a spring mix, endive, arugula, spinach, kale, and/or romaine. Not only will you enhance and experience different flavors, you'll get additional nutrients and health benefits.
Add more veggies. Love tomatoes - add them! How about peppers? Add them! The more the better, and it'll help keep you full longer too and create a more substantial meal. Any easy way to add more is to use coleslaw & broccoli mix and add a handful each time.
Try new protein sources. Everyone's go to is chicken to add to salads, but there are so many different protein sources you can try. Some examples, how about hard boiled, or even fried eggs. Tofu is great and can take on most any flavor it is cooked and/or seasoned in. What about beef? Try slicing steak to use on your salad or even taco seasoned ground beef to make your own taco salad. A handful of beans are a great way to add some more protein as well. Nuts are another great source and can add some great healthy fats (that lower LDL cholesterol). Some great ones to add: walnuts, pecans and almonds. Another favorite is spicy shrimp (saute with Cajun seasoning). In a pinch for time? Add deli meat or rotisserie chicken or even tuna.
Throw in some fruit. I love cutting up grapes, strawberries, raspberries and apple and adding it my salad. The sweet contrast against the dressing is amazing (especially with grilled chicken and a vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing). Another option is dried fruit (cranberries are my favorite).
Add in's: Sunflower seeds, tortilla chips, homemade croutons, corn, chickpeas (roasted are tasty), pasta, avocado, roasted veggies, the list goes on...
Serve along something you love. One of my favorite things is rosemary bread. I could eat it by the loaf. Pairing it with a salad is even better. I love taking a piece at the end and wiping up all the leftover dressing. A classic pairing with a savory soup is another instance of a filling meal.
Find a dressing you love. This is huge. I went years eating lack luster dressing. Splurge for a dressing you really love, it's worth the extra few cents or venture out and make your own. My favorite right now, Bolthouse Farms Chunky Blue Cheese, seriously amazing and healthier than most others because it's made with yogurt.
Interesting cheeses. Feta, blue cheese, gorgonzola, grunyere, goat, Vermont white cheddar, are a few great ones to try.
Heat it up. Did you know you can grill salad too. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings of your choice on romaine and throw it in the oven or on the grill. It can add so much extra flavor. Saute some additional veggies and add them to the mix too (my fav's: zucchini, squash and caramelized onions).
Be careful for some add-ins because they can pack a calorie punch. Stick with fresh, non-processed and non-fried items.

Below are a few of the creations that we feast on a regular basis:

Kale and spinach salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, red onion, walnuts, cranberries, cucumber,
orange pepper with yogurt blue cheese dressing served along with toasted rosemary bread.

Spring mix with walnuts, berries (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry) with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Spinach with chicken tomatoes, carrots, coleslaw mix, onions and blue cheese dressing.

Tomato, zucchini, squash, red onion with balsamic dressing and dash of pepper.

Spinach, Cajun shrimp, strawberries, egg whites, assorted veggies with Italian dressing.

Spring mix, onion, tomato, and Caesar dressing.

Spinach, romaine, pea pods, black beans, diced turkey deli meat, tomato, peppers, egg whites and Greek dressing.

Spring mix, roasted chickpeas, broccoli, egg whites, orange pepper and Italian dressing with cheese quesadillas.

What are your favorite add-ins to salads or the best salad you've had?

Very Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake

2012-01-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

It looks like winter has finally reared it's ugly head here in mid-Michigan. I can't really complain since there has been many years where we've had snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. This year we were given a little reprieve and made it until nearly mid-January before the white stuff hit.

Weather like this makes me crave warm and savory comfort foods. The other morning I woke up freezing and couldn't warm up so I decided to start my morning with a boost with this amazing Berry Oatmeal Bake.

I highly recommend giving this a try, especially for those of you who might not be big oatmeal fans because this may change your mind.. This breakfast kept me full for hours and was the perfect boost to get me moving on a day when I didn't want to do much but cuddle in blankets on the couch.

Berry Oatmeal Bake:

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/8 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/8 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cups milk
1 egg (I used egg whites)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a medium pan (I use glass/corning ware about 8 inch round) with cooking spray.

Mix all dry ingredients together (strawberries and blueberries included, but save a handful of each out to use later in the process) in one bowl. Whisk the rest of the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Pour the dry ingredients into the sprayed pan. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and slightly shake to mix the wet ingredients with the dry. Place the rest of the berries on the top of the mixed ingredients.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is a golden brown. Serve!

Super Easy! If you're short on time I'm thinking that this could be thrown together the night before and put in the oven in the morning to bake as you're getting ready (if anyone tries, let me know how it works out).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies = Best Thing Ever!

2011-11-11T10:10:00.001-08:00

Today was finally my day off. Let me tell you one thing, they are far and few of them lately. I had planned on being productive today, but decided I needed a 'me' day instead. I'm sure mid afternoon I'll get a motivation kick and get moving but for now....I bake!

I've been eyeing a large can of pumpkin puree that has been chilling in my cabinet the last few weeks. Today I decided to get a little Google happy and search for some amazing recipes and came across this fabulous one. I can tell you one thing...I'll be making this again...and again...and again. They are definitely a new favorite and highly recommend that is you're a pumpkin and chocolate fan you give them a try. Super easy, and delicious!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies (discovered at Pennies on a Platter)

Yields: 18 small brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I added extra because I figure the more chocolate, the better)

Preheat over to 350 degrees (F). Line an 11" x 7" pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar.
Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.

So chocolaty, so moist!

I did have to bake mine about 5 minutes longer than what the recipe stated, but I think that my oven needs to be calibrated so just keep an eye on yours. I guarantee that these won't last long and may show up at some holiday parties very soon!

Do you have a favorite pumpkin inspired recipe?